Operation GEAR: The Angel of Reckoning

by The Great Butler

A girl and her friends set out on a search for truth in a land torn apart by political and religious strife. However, they are unaware of what they are stepping into: the grasp of a terrifying, inescapable enemy that aims to bring down mankind's greatest achievement, the Pokemon League. Soon, the truth becomes clouded, and a desperate struggle for survival begins.

34. Would I Lie To You?

This chapter is going to be a bit of a breather between the Clair battle and what's coming next, but don't worry, things will still happen in it.

-:-

CHAPTER 32: Would I Lie To You?

-:-

While Olivia was busy in Blackthorn City, Bunny and Nando had pressed onward with their own journey. Taking their time after joining up, they slowly made their way from Ecruteak to Goldenrod, stopping en route at the Battle Café in the National Park. As a result of their casual pace, they arrived at their destination on the same day as Olivia and Clair's battle.

Their search for Bill didn't end quite as easily. Reaching his family's home in central Goldenrod was simple enough. But when they got there, they were greeted by his sisters Audrey and Mako, with Bill himself nowhere to be found. Though they initially worried that he was somewhere far away, namely his cottage on Cerulean Cape, Mako was able to promptly soothe those fears. He wasn't far away at all, as it turned out - he just had his own apartment in the city, a short distance from where his family lived. An apartment he'd acquired as a result of Goldrenrod's expansion so his loved ones wouldn't feel lonely in such a huge metropolis, Audrey eagerly told them.

And so, after their initial, accidental sidetracking, they found themselves at Bill's door on the fourth floor of his building, room number thirteen. When Bunny rang the bell, a loud crash could be heard from inside.

"S-Sorry!" Bill yelled from behind the door. "I'll be right there! One… one minute!"

Bunny and Nando glanced nervously at each other, some form of the question "Is he alright in there?" flashing through both of their minds.

Then he finally opened the door. "Oh, it's you two! Long time no see!" he greeted them, but his words weren't what caught their attention. His disheveled hair and rumpled clothes were bad enough, but the utter mess of the apartment behind him was on another level. Practically every inch of the walls they could see was blocked off by a stuffed-full bookcase, and what didn't fit on those shelves was strewn end-to-end across the floor.

No, they decided, he was not okay in there.

"I wasn't expecting you two to get here so soon," he fumbled, apologetically. "I would have tried to clean up a little bit…"

"There is no way you were cleaning this up that fast," Bunny commented as she carefully crossed into the room. Behind her, Nando was doubly cautious, concerned that his heavy boots or his cape would snag on something.

"You're probably right about that," Bill said with an embarrassed laugh. "But there's no point in wasting time on what's already done. When you called me, Bunny, you said there was something you wanted to learn about, and that I could help you with it. What is it?"

Bunny looked back to Nando again, seeing his nod of encouragement. That gesture helped her center herself, and she reached into her coat. "Remember my old mentor, Jacob?" Even saying Jacob's name felt like putting a raw Ginema Berry on her tongue, but she pushed through its sour taste. "I received a letter from him telling me to look into something, and, well…" She produced the letter in question and passed it over to Bill. "Read it for yourself."

"Bunny, my dear Bunny, I can only pray with every once of life left in these old bones that this letter reaches you safely…" Bill narrowed his eyes as he continued to read, though he did not speak again until he reached the final lines. "You must be extremely careful. Polaris is planning something terrible, and it appears that it involves the mythology of the Tenganists. I cannot do my own investigation right now, so I must rely on you. I know you will turn your nose up at that proposal, but I beg you, please listen to me. You must find out what the secret of the Coronet Rosary is." Lowering the paper, Bill quietly asked, "This is what you came to me to learn about?"

"We believe that you may be able to tell us something thanks to your mother being a Kimono Girl and giving you Tenganist heritage," Nando replied.

"I did more work on the subject after hearing about it in Ecruteak Ctiy, so now I can help you," Bill revealed, handing Jacob's letter back to Bunny, "but it may leave you with more questions than answers."

"That's fine," Bunny told him. "Getting to the answer takes one step at a time."

"Wise words. Come, follow me, then."

Stepping around the mess of books on the floor, Bill guided Bunny and Nando into an adjoining room. This one wasn't exactly orderly either, but Bunny had to admit to herself that it was better kept than the first, in large part from there being less books piled on the floor. Yet, it wasn't any of the books Bill led them to, but an unusual, gray-colored computer terminal installed against the wall between two bookcases.

"Rotom, wake up," Bill said to it, tapping on its screen.

In a flash, the figure atop the terminal snapped awake, with Bunny and Nando realizing it resembled a white-and-gray Rotom. "Bzzt! Rotomi at your service, Mr. Bill!"

"This is a special PC I received from a friend of mine in Galar," Bill explained to his guests. "There's a Rotom inside of it, so they call it a Rotomi, short for Rotom Information. The reason I have all these books is because I'm working with Rotom to compile all of them into a database. I was inspired by the Rotom Pokédex my friend Cassius in Kalos told me about, too."

"Quite impressive," Nando said.

"And I hope to improve it further, but for now…" Turning to face the Rotomi, Bill asked it, "Rotom, would you pull up file number M05-71302?"

"At your requezzzt!"

In the blink of an eye, the monitor filled with scans of pages from a clearly aged book. They laid out diagrams of a strange machine in a palatial hall, held in place by a set of gigantic, ornate pillars that encircled and locked into it. Other pages around the diagram showed old, likely ancient, illustrations of a city with canals weaving between its buildings. While most of the drawings depicted the canals as full of water, some instead showed them as dry, with gondolas stranded on the parched canal beds.

"That's Alto Mare," Bunny pointed out, recognizing the city. "Which means that machine is…"

"The Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare, correct." A holographic keyboard appeared in front of the monitor, and Bill used it to bring the diagram of the machine to the forefront. "Well, a lot of people call it the DMA for short. It needs the combination of either Latios or Latias plus the jewel known as the Soul Dew to work."

"Yes…" Nando reflected, "it is a rather terrible weapon, so it must be kept out of the wrong hands. I've heard tales of how it can control water and metal, or even imbue fossils with new life. A mighty shield to protect the city… or a deadly sword with which to destroy it."

"Indeed." Bill entered another command into the keyboard, bringing up an illustration of Alto Mare with its canals dry. "And if it is overused, it could even trigger a tsunami that would consume the entire island Alto Mare is on. So, needless to say, it holds incredible power. Now, have a look at this." Yet another typed command pulled up pages Bunny and Nando hadn't seen yet, ones covered entirely in text. The characters were just intricate enough, the ink just faded enough by the flow of time, that even Bunny and Nando had to squint to read it. Yet, Bill was able to break it down like it was nothing. "Alto Mare is, in fact, a city originally founded by Tenganists. They were the first to settle on the island, the ones who were there when the evil monster of legend attacked it, and the ones who received the Soul Dew from Latias and Latios to repel the monster. Now, the reason why this is so important… I've found evidence that the DMA was built with inspiration from, and I quote, an 'ancient machine constructed by our forefathers to drive back the all-consuming darkness.'"

"The Coronet Rosary!" both Bunny and Nando exclaimed in unison.

"Indeed, that does appear to be the case. The DMA is a machine that was built to drive back darkness, using Latios or Latias and the Soul Dew as its power sources. If it was constructed using similar principles to the Coronet Rosary, then the Coronet Rosary must be a machine operated in a similar fashion."

"But then what is its power source?" Bunny wondered.

More typing, and more windows filled with new information. "I've been looking into that, and while there isn't much, I've found writings referencing some sort of giant stone that fell from space and landed in the Sevii Islands. Supposedly this stone, a 'Megalith' as they call it, could conduct and manipulate the flow of Gaia, the energy of the planet and all living things. That seems like as good a lead as any to pursue. Working outside isn't usually my thing, but this subject has me interested enough to make an exception. We should go to Emeraude Island, where a settlement of Tenganists exists in relative seclusion from the rest of the world. With my heritage, I can get us in."

Bunny nodded in understanding. "That sounds good to me."

"Alright." Bill tapped on the keyboard one last time, shutting it and the rest of the Rotomi terminal down. He then reached into his pocket and produced an orange smartphone. "Rotom, you should come along with us. You'll get to see everything we do with your own eyes."

He needed say no more to pique the Pokémon's interest. Rotom jumped from the terminal, floating above their heads for only a brief moment before diving into the phone. As soon as its plasma body fused with the device, a lightning bolt and a spike mimicking those of Rotom's form emerged from the top and bottom of the phone, while Rotom's face appeared on its back.

"I'll be at your service wherever we go, zzt!"

The trio started to move toward the apartment's exit, but after only a few steps, Nando paused. "Bill, Bunny, if you do not mind, I have a request." When they turned around to look at him, he continued, "The Seagallop Ferry terminal that goes to the Sevii Islands is based in Vermilion City, is it not? I would like to request that we spend some time in Kanto before setting off. The Grand Festival in Saffron City is coming up soon and I have already obtained the necessary Ribbons to take part."

Bill and Bunny looked at each other, but it was Bunny who voiced an answer. "I don't see why not. It might be a pleasant way to recharge a little before diving into this."

"I agree," Bill said, "and besides, I may decide to stop off at my home on Cerulean Cape before we go."

-:-

Renzo had much to think about after being brought to Polaris. Following his meeting with Father, he'd been given his own quarters in the temple, and he had to admit they weren't bad. The gray marble room was only sparsely furnished, featuring a desk and chair, a television and a closet full of Polaris uniforms in addition to a bed. He thought it strange that the television only received FlareNet and the uniforms somehow were already his size, but the bed was comfortable, so he let those oddities slide.

Still, his sleep was not restful. Questions over who was under Father's helmet roiled Renzo's brain, dueling with misgivings over whether it was right to accept the help - especially the Dragonite - Father offered. It simultaneously felt like forever and mere moments before his door opened to reveal another Polaris member, who summoned him to Finansielle, offering only that she had something to show him as an explanation.

That was how Renzo found himself following Finansielle down yet another of the temple's corridors. She was talking at length about something, but even if Renzo's mind hadn't been elsewhere, his dislike of her would have ensured he tuned her out.

Suddenly, she stopped and turned around. He only then realized they'd arrived at their destination, a doorway emblazoned with Polaris's logo.

"Are you having doubts, Renzo?" she asked him, seemingly reading his mind. It struck him how she actually referred to him by his chosen name instead of teasing him like usual. "Is that why you didn't wear one of the uniforms I prepared for you?"

"So you were responsible for that…" he thought. Looking down over his usual attire, he said to her, "Those things aren't to my taste… that, and I'm not comfortable with others seeing what I look like, not yet."

"We'll see about getting you something better suited to your preferences, then. I know how it feels to not want the world to see who you are, to put you on display for judgment."

Renzo cocked his head. Finansielle's words, accurate as they were, struck him as odd. Had she let down her guard to him?

"Anyway," she continued, "if you're having doubts, that's why I brought you here. I want you to see what Polaris offers for yourself."

Finansielle waved her hand near the door, prompting it to slide open and allow them to pass. Just beyond the threshold awaited a balcony, and she beckoned Renzo to its edge. What he saw from there left him speechless.

The balcony overlooked a cavernous hall, one that he imagined must have been modeled on the concert halls he had periodically seen on television as a child. That vastness was surprising enough, but what truly stunned him was just how packed it was. People dressed in Polaris uniforms, men and women of all ages, were seated below the balcony from one end of the hall to the other. Renzo estimated the crowd had to be number at least several hundred people, all waiting patiently for… something. What that was, he couldn't be sure.

"Are you surprised?" Finansielle asked him, and for once, the return of her usual sarcasm failed to agitate him. "Most new members are, the first time they see just how many have come to see the truth of Polaris's message."

"But why are they all here?" was all he could say in response, turning his head back over his shoulder. "What is this exactly?"

"They have already accepted our message, as I said. These are just those who have given themselves fully to our cause. They're the most faithful, the ones who live at this temple to study Polaris's teachings in preparation for the Day of Reckoning. I am skipping you ahead a few levels, admittedly, but you're a smart boy. You'll appreciate this all the same."

That verbal jab did manage to get under Renzo's skin, but before he could react to it, what little chatter there was in the hall faded. The sudden silence distracted him from Finansielle, and he soon spotted what they were reacting to.

Father had come out on the stage at the head of the hall, walking slowly to the lectern positioned before the crowd. Once he reached it, he rested his staff against a stand next to him, opened a packet of papers already on the podium, and raised his hands partially into the air to command the attention of his audience.

"My children," he started off, "I am here today before all of you to remind you of how far we have come. You have all chosen to follow me for your own reasons. Some of you have seen your families broken apart by this hopelessly corrupt society. Others were treading water providing for your lives until your work was ripped away by a world that coldly followed the whims of time and turned its back on you. Before you came here, your tales were many, but since you decided to follow me, to follow Polaris, our story is written as one!"

Applause broke out in response to that line, and as bitter as his feelings toward Father were, Renzo had to admit to himself that it was an effective one.

Father raised his hands again to hush the applause before continuing. "As you all know, I lost everything to this world, just as you did. For many years, I thought my story had come to an end. It took my own enlightenment to understand the path I had to walk, that I had to serve as the shepherd to guide you all. The people at the head of this society lead you astray with promises of fame and fortune. They erect skyscrapers, they erect stadiums, and they call these things the guiding light toward the future? I spit upon such filth! They are nothing but monuments to materialism and greed!"

Speaking with such passion caused Father to wheeze behind his mask, but the crowd's applause largely blotted the sound out.

"Materialism and greed… one need look no further than the fates of Goldenrod City and Celadon City to understand what the future they envision truly entails. Two cities, both of them beautiful at one time, warped into blights upon this earth! What they construct are nothing but lies from the most hellish corners of reality! And you, my children, may be asking yourselves where you fit into this scheme. They care not about you or your lives. They won't tell you that, of course, only I will. You are simply cogs in their machine, meant to keep the system running while those on the top reap the benefits of your work. And what if one of you should fall ill or meet your end? Why, they simply replace you with another, who they view as equally faceless, equally unimportant. All your value to them is in what you can do for them. You could simply deny them your money, refuse to participate in the corrupt machine they forced upon you. For some, that is all they are capable of doing to resist. Those who are unable to fight instead of merely being cowardly, they should not be faulted. You, on the other hand… all of you are strong. All of you are fighters. You came to me because you know, deep down in your hearts, that the only way to change this world is to tear down this world! To tear down the entire diseased society that stands as a monument to their corruption, and return it to the way it was at the beginning! You know that we must start anew and build a new world, one that has evolved into a better state!"

As much as he hated to admit it, Renzo was getting swept up by Father's speech. There was truth in his words, the sort of truth that brought Renzo back to his childhood on the streets of Pyrite Town. As a boy, he hadn't had the capacity to understand exactly what it was that made him so angry at the world, but now that he had aged, Father's speech spoke to him. He finally understood that he had been bitterly resentful of not just one person, but an entire section of Orre's society, encapsulated in the decadence of Phenac City to the east of his hometown. Phenac was a walled-off oasis city with relatively little crime compared to most of the region, and its citizens largely looked down upon the residents of Pyrite. All that built-up anger, despite being years in the past, was welling in Renzo's heart as he listened to the sermon.

"All of you feel despair, my children. Do not fear this emotion. It is only natural that you feel and experience despair as you look upon what has been done to our wonderful planet. That despair is what will drive us to sever our ties with this diseased, dying world and move forward into the one Polaris promises. It is the Angel of Reckoning, Azrael, who shall guide us to paradise. And once she brings us there, we shall regain everything we have lost and live with it for eternity, as we evolve into new beings superior to what we were before, discarding these forms for ones unencumbered by time and disease. But, my children, it is vital that we all do our part to help Azrael guide us to that paradise. It is, as always, an easy thing to do. Listen to your inner voices as they speak to you. Listen to what they tell you is wrong in your lives, what it is you need. Your inner voices will never steer you wrong. Now, as you do so, refresh yourselves. Flush out the grime and dust of living in this world and your inner voices will be able to speak to you more clearly than ever."

Father stopped speaking at that point, and Renzo spotted Polaris members he hadn't seen before filter into the crowd from the sides of the hall. They appeared to be handing something out as they went through their fellow followers, but he couldn't make out what it was.

"What now?" Renzo asked Finansielle, much to his own disgust. "What are they giving out?"

"Oh, just a special kind of distilled water we created," she casually replied, having somehow obtained a bottle of the liquid without Renzo noticing. He suspected she had stored it on the balcony in preparation for his being there. "You really must learn to listen to what you're told, Renzo. Father said it loud and clear. Drinking this helps you clear out all the slime and refresh yourself, so you can listen to your inner voice with an open mind."

"Well, I don't need it, then." Renzo returned to staring down over the crowd. "My inner voice tells me loud and clear what I want. To destroy Anabel and Olivia Mistbloom so I can get vengeance for my mother. That's what I live for."

"Aha, your purity is to be commended," Finansielle said with a playful giggle. "You'll find what you seek, I am certain."

-:-

As she was led into Tobias's office by one of his aides, Rowena had to pause and think about just what a whirlwind her life had been recently.

It had all started with the attack on Ecruteak City. The footage she'd recorded live from the middle of Ghetsis's campaign still electrified her, no matter how many times she rewatched it. That quality drove her to obsession compiling and editing it into a complete, airable package. By the time it finally met her standards, however, the circumstances had grown even more complicated.

Malva's broadcast of Polaris's manifesto changed things. Rowena sensed a much deeper story lurking beyond the one she already knew, one that would intersect with her prior footage to evolve both into an entirely new form. A documentary film, perhaps? She wasn't quite certain, but whatever the case, she knew it would be career-defining.

She had reached out to the governor's office not expecting anything, so when she received an immediate call back informing her that Tobias cleared his schedule to speak with her, she was stunned. Needless to say, she traveled immediately to conduct the interview. En route, she sent off an email to Secc, ONBS's leader, telling him of her plans. He hadn't responded, but that fact didn't bother her. Secc was always busy, and besides, her work would speak for itself.

"Ms. Byrne, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Tobias's greeting snapped Rowena back into the present, and she realized she was literally only feet away from him as he stood behind his desk. He flashed her a broad smile and extended his hand, but it took her a moment to return the gesture and shake it. They sat down on opposite sides of the desk, and Tobias waved to the aide who had guided Rowena in, instructing him to leave.

Rowena took some time to look around the office while the aide departed. It certainly fit someone of Tobias's stature - the fusion of wood grain walls and furnishings with the marble floor just screamed power, to say nothing of all the trophies and plaques memorializing Tobias's own Pokémon League activity on display. Rowena couldn't help but wonder if he was trying to project an overwhelming aura of strength or did it subconsciously, but either way, she certainly felt it.

"I have to thank you for making time to speak with me, Governor," she finally said.

"Of course. It's not every day that the journalist who helped bring down someone like Grings Kodai comes knocking on your door."

It was then that Rowena spied a book on Tobias's desk, but it wasn't just any book - it was a copy of the one she'd written about the very story Tobias had just cited. That struck her as a deliberate attempt to assert who was in charge of the discussion. To tell her that he'd done his homework, that he knew exactly who was challenging him.

"If that's the way you want to do it, game on." Retrieving her headset camera from her bag, Rowena put it on and returned Tobias's smile. "Governor, to start, I have to disclose that our talk is going to be recorded in its entirety."

"Of course," Tobias replied, leaning back in his chair. "I would expect nothing less."

"So, would it also be fair to assume that you know what I want to discuss with you today?"

The governor's casual manner didn't shift at all. "Perhaps. I think it would be a good start if you defined it for the camera, though."

"He really is trying to get inside my head." Refusing to bend to Tobias's attempts to assert his power, Rowena crossed her legs, attempting to match his outwardly carefree demeanor. "Well, Governor, there is certainly a lot of turmoil across the Tohjo Continent recently. Much of that can be traced back to the organization calling itself Polaris, which has been escalating its multimedia campaign ever since Ghetsis Harmonia attacked Ecruteak City. If we take the words of the man calling himself 'Father' as truth, Ghetsis was a traitor manipulating Polaris's message for his own ends. But even if that is true, he certainly was spreading it all the same. Thanks to all of their efforts, both pre-and-post-Ecruteak, an anti-Pokémon League sentiment has taken hold among a not insignificant portion of the public. Governor, is it correct to assume you are aware of this?"

"Again, it is only a natural result of my station. I must position myself at the nexus of all information flowing throughout the regions I'm responsible for. It's my duty to know what's going on, as soon as possible in as many cases as I can."

"The fact Polaris's campaign has found life in its target audience must be quite jarring, then."

"It's not surprising at all, really. There are always going to be those who want to take, who want to be given things for free."

"I-Is that so?" The nonchalance with which Tobias had made such a statement took Rowena by surprise. "It may sound radical on its surface-"

"That's because it is radical," Tobias interrupted. His demeanor didn't waver, yet Rowena still perceived his intensity to be escalating. "All you have to do is look around at the world around you. Everything is working exactly as it was intended to, and as it has for decades."

Rowena sensed that Tobias was trying to push her into saying something more in favor of Polaris's views than she intended to, so she took a breath to calm her nerves. She refused to let him defeat her just yet. "What we currently have in place certainly has been successful for a long time, there's no doubt about that. Still, do you think there might be room to improve it? No system is perfect and flawless."

That got Tobias to finally move. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his desk and resting his chin against his clasped hands. "It is exactly as you put it. No system is perfect or flawless. If you want to look at the content of Polaris's messages themselves, let's check what Father said in the pirated broadcast on FlareNet. I believe he described the modern Pokémon League's origin as a gladiatorial sport created for the masses by the empire that ruled the Tohjo Continent one hundred and fifty years ago."

"That, uh, that is the language he used, yes." Rowena uneasily adjusted her glasses. "Who is interviewing who here?"

"Well, think about that. One hundred and fifty years is not a small amount of time, and humans have been battling together with Pokémon for much, much longer than that. Now look at all humanity has accomplished in that time. For there to be one hundred and fifty years of unchecked prosperity, with only mere hiccups along the way, clearly what we're doing works. You can't argue with the results."

"As true as that may be, there haven't just been small hiccups, either. Polaris have made some very specific charges against the Pokémon League, claiming that the leadership doesn't care about the less prosperous. They've named some specific flaws in the system. What do you have to say to that, Governor?"

Tobias sighed, almost as if he were disappointed Rowena wasn't seeing his point. His attitude annoyed her greatly. "Even if our system were perfect, there would still be inherent flaws. Eliminating them one hundred percent is simply not possible. You're smart, Ms. Byrne, and I could only wish these people we're talking about were as smart as you. You know that it's only a question of whether the positives in our societal system outweigh the negatives. For my money, it's not even close. The benefits vastly outweigh whatever trifling complaints they have."

"I don't know about calling those complaints trifling." The argument had slipped out before Rowena could stop herself, so she quickly resolved to see that line of thought through to the end. "We've seen testimonials to the effect the rigors of our current system takes on a certain segment of the trainers out there. If you don't qualify for and obtain an official starter Pokémon from a licensed professor, you don't get free treatment for your Pokémon at Pokémon Centers, nor do you qualify for the standardized pricing of supplies at Poké Marts. Everything has to come one hundred percent out of your own pocket, so is it any wonder that so many trainers end up stuck on the routes if they don't give up and go home? Couldn't something be done in those regards?"

"Allow me to offer a counterpoint." It was becoming increasingly obvious to Rowena that Tobias's affable mood was a front for the cold, deadly precision with which he intended to dismantle her. "Not everyone can make it. Not everyone is meant to. The entire point is that the strong persevere and and come to stand at the top of the Pokémon League. They are the ones who carry the banner for the masses to follow. If we were to create a society where everything was made artificially equal as Polaris wants, it would be a society where there is no drive to make anything better. We must always preserve that drive to improve, both on an individual and collective level. And if there are none who fail and must return home, our system cannot survive. There are many jobs waiting for them back home that must be done. If it takes facing failure for them to understand that, so be it. It must be done. The strong must lead the weak."

Tobias's calm yet devastating takedown of the points she had tried to make left Rowena feeling as if the interview had already come to a decisive end. Only one last question bubbled up to the surface in her mind. "What of the people left behind by this philosophy? Do they have any point, any right at all to ask for more?"

"Just as a system will always have flaws no matter how perfect it is, there will always be those who fall behind in society. If they want their situation to change, they are welcome to rise up and try. You brought up Poké Marts… there are Thrifty Megamarts in plenty of cities if they need lower cost items. There are independent doctors not associated with Pokémon Centers, too. Who knows? If enough people are willing to take the risk of fighting to better their situation themselves, maybe one of them will rise up and break through to be that flag bearer for their cause. Does that answer your question?"

"Y-Yes," Rowena stuttered. Much to her disgust, Tobias had beaten her - but only in one sense. She was already thinking of how important the footage of their talk would be, and what a blockbuster release it would be. "Thank you for your time, Governor."

-:-

Far to the south of Kanto and Johto, the region of Lapidaria remained a almost unsullied paradise. Its rich, diverse environments, ranging from wide open grasslands to dense jungles to the largely uncharted mountains of the Lapidarian Highlands to the north, coupled with the resorts and Battle Frontier facilities in its coastal cities to draw tourists from all over the world.

Isolated in the vast desert at the center of the region was the independent kingdom of La Ciudad Dorada. Unless one was willing to trek across the sands that stretched for miles around it, the only way to get there was by a railroad connecting it to the Lapidarian capital, Amaranth City. Its remote location didn't diminish its value as a tourist destination, however. Nowhere else on the Lapidarian continent lived at one with nature just as much as La Ciudad Dorada did. The town's stone walkways and buildings had been constructed with this concern at the forefront, and were carefully designed to incorporate the lush grasses, flowers and trees in the area. Meanwhile, the factories on the town's mechanized outer edge utilized the same natural power source the rest of La Ciudad Dorada relied upon, ensuring that they put out minimal pollution and thus also avoided fouling the environment.

There was one visitor to La Ciudad Dorada that day who hadn't come via train or by crossing the desert. In order to keep her arrival unseen, Sheena had Hoopa open a portal that deposited her in a narrow alley between two buildings. Once the ring had closed, with Hoopa staying behind at the Sinjoh Ruins to protect them, she emerged into the blazing sunlight and made her way into the kingdom's central square.

The square was also La Ciudad Dorada's main marketplace, but none of the stalls were what Sheena traveled there to see. She shielded her eyes and looked up at the great hill towering over the town, feeling nostalgic for the last time she had visited the destination waiting atop it.

"I wonder how you're doing…" she said out loud, addressing someone who was not there.

Returning to a place where she had such memories after several years did make her nervous, but Sheena knew that being paralyzed with indecision after coming so far would be the worst thing she could do. Every step she took across the square solidified her resolve further, and by the time she boarded one of the lifts to ascend the hill, she had managed to fully regain her confidence.

As the elevator ascended, she turned and looked out over La Ciudad Dorada and the sea of sand beyond it. "To think a place of such abundance could exist in the middle of a desert like this… I didn't fully appreciate it the last time I was here, but now I understand. The early Doradans were able to create this oasis with Shaymin's help, just like I need the Jewel of Life…" Sheena put her hand on the guardrail in front of her and gripped it. "La Ciudad Dorada is what I dream of making the Sinjoh Ruins… a paradise and a sanctuary where my people can live in safety forever."

The elevator came to an abrupt stop, signaling that it had reached the end of its journey. Sheena took a deep breath, then slowly turned around to face the Doradan landmark her trip was about.

Behind her was a great castle, carved out of pure white marble that glistened in the sun just as much as its colorful stained glass windows did. The rest of the hill was covered end-to-end in an equally colorful garden of flowers, with iron arches carving out a path from the elevators to the castle's entry gate.

"Lingote Palace…" Sheena uttered in awe. "It never stops being amazing to see up close… and how wonderful to see the garden back to its old self."

Not wanting to waste any more time, Sheena walked down the path, heading straight toward the two guards clad in Bronzong-themed armor manning the gate. As she drew near to them, they crossed their staves to block her from entering.

"Halt," one of them, a fair-haired young woman, ordered. "If you have no business in Lingote Palace I must ask you to stay in the garden."

"I hope you will be able to let Rosa- excuse me, Queen Rosalita, know that I am here," Sheena replied, reaching up and removing her hood so the guards could see her face unobstructed. Both guards jumped in surprise when they realized who they were looking at. "Tell her that her old friend Sheena is here to see her."

"O-One of the heroes who helped Queen Rosalita on the Pilgrimage!" exclaimed the guard who had stopped her. Sheena had to admit internally that not only hearing herself referred to as a hero but as someone who was remembered in La Ciudad Dorada gave her an ego boost she badly needed, and she smiled to herself. Meanwhile, the guard turned to her fellow gatekeeper. "Go find Captain Edrei and tell him who's here!" she commanded him.

"Yes!" the male guard replied, scurrying off into the palace.

"I must request that you be patient, Sheena," she apologetically said. "I still have to verify everything with the captain of our royal guard and obtain Queen Rosalita's decree that she is able to receive you. Hopefully it should not take much time."

"I understand," Sheena acknowledged. While waiting, she turned back to the garden, noting the numerous Combee she could see flitting from flower to flower without a care in the world. "Queen Rosalita, huh? Sounds like you've really taken to your station in life since last time."

-:-

True to the guard's hope, Sheena's wait wasn't long. Their captain, Edrei, came to the gate to retrieve her within ten minutes, and ushered her into the cool shade of the palace's main hall.

"You arrived at a good time," the tall, brown-haired man said to her. Sunlight filtering through the stained glass above them glistened off his armor as they walked. "Even on quiet days, running the kingdom keeps Rosalita busy. I think she would have made time for any of you, though."

"She's doing well?" Sheena inquired.

"I will let her speak for herself," Edrei replied, "but in my eyes, she couldn't be better. There are none better than her."

"None better than her, you say?" He wasn't doing a good job masking his obvious affection for Rosalita, and Sheena couldn't help but give a bemused smirk that her hood concealed from him. "And I take it you're keeping up with your duty to protect her?"

"That is my entire life's purpose, to serve faithfully at Rosalita's side for as long as I should live." Edrei didn't need to say more, but with little hesitation he volunteered, "I would choose that even if I wasn't my father's successor as the royal guard's captain."

Before Sheena could say more, the pair arrived at the grand doorway at the end of the hall. The towering panels were built from dark, finely polished wood, accented with carefully sculpted arcs of gold.

"Queen Rosalita will see you now," Edrei told her.

With that, Edrei pushed the heavy doors open, allowing Sheena to witness the breathtaking sight that awaited beyond.

Huge, colorful plants and flowers filled the chamber, bathed in the light wafting down through stained glass depicting similar scenes. A red carpet formed a trail from the door straight to an elevated platform at the center of the indoor garden, where Rosalita, the queen of La Ciudad Dorada and the woman Sheena had traveled so far to see, waited. She looked every bit her title, seated on her golden throne and clad in ornate, crimson-and-white robes.

"Sheena!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. The mere sight of her old friend made all the trappings of power melt away, and it was not Queen Rosalita who descended from the throne. It was Rosalita Renata, the rebellious and courageous yet vulnerable young woman Sheena had come to know what felt like a lifetime ago. Her hair, a brilliant golden color matching that of the precious metal so common in La Ciudad Dorada, billowed out like a cloud behind her as she ran to Sheena. The youthful queen threw her arms around her friend with such force she almost knocked Sheena over. "I'm so happy you came to see me! I've wanted to see you and the others for so, so long… how have you been?"

Rosalita's embrace was so comforting that Sheena reflexively settled into it. "It's been a long few years, Rosalita…"

"Yes, it-" Realizing that Sheena's tone and movements seemed unhappy, Rosalita interrupted herself and broke off the embrace. Holding Sheena by the shoulders, she stared directly into her friend's big, blue eyes. "Sheena…" she inquired, her own voice growing serious, "just how long have these years been for you? You appear weary, like a traveler who has been on an unending journey."

The act of genuine empathy caused Sheena to tear up. "It's been more than you could ever know, Rosalita… I want to tell you everything."

"More than I could ever know before now," Rosalita decisively replied, "but something I will come to know in short order. As you aided me in the past, I shall repay that debt to you. You came here for a reason and we shall not waste time." Peering around Sheena's head to where Edrei was waiting near the door, Rosalita told him, "Edrei, tell the kitchen to prepare a dinner for our guest. This is coming directly from me."

"Of course, Rosalita," Edrei acquiesced with a bow. "It will be done."

Rosalita's faithful bodyguard turned to leave, but she didn't allow Sheena to focus on him for long. "Would you like to say hello to Shaymin?"

"Yes… that sounds nice."

"I thought you would feel that way." Taking Sheena's hand, Rosalita gently guided her off to a side area of the garden, where a fountain and pool with still more flowers floating on its clear waters was set up. "Shaymin, look who came to visit us."

The hedgehog Pokémon, who had been sitting on a lilypad half-asleep until Rosalita addressed it, lifted its head, sneezed, and looked up at the humans. As soon as it spotted Sheena, it leaped from the lilypad to the edge of the pool, then up into her arms. "Sheena!" it exclaimed in excitement as several pink flowers sprouted from the grass on its back. "I wanted to see you again, yes? You were so nice to me…"

-:-

Following their greetings, Sheena, Rosalita and Shaymin moved to Lingote Palace's grand dining hall, where the palace's servants soon brought them the dinner Rosalita had requested. Fruits, vegetables and meats of many kinds were spread before them, with drinks made from the berries grown in the palace's vineyard supplied in stone chalices. Shaymin had its own feast, too; it was given as many of those berries as it pleased.

For the next several hours, as they ate at a slow pace, Sheena fulfilled her desire to tell Rosalita everything that had happened to her since they last met. And when she said everything, she meant everything. How she had gone back to the world outside La Ciudad Dorada with Matt and met Amanda in Amaranth City, how she went back home to Sinnoh, what Ghetsis did to her when he turned up there, her wandering and ultimately founding of the Tenganist Liberation Front - nothing was off-limits. The more she talked the easier it became, even as the subject matter became steadily darker, thanks to the momentum she built up. In fact, by the time she was finally caught up to the present, she almost found it hard to end the story.

For their parts, Rosalita and Shaymin listened intently, saying little to interrupt. They both came to appreciate exactly what Sheena had meant by the years having been long, and their moods shifted appropriately, from the initial glee with which they received her to ones of great seriousness.

"I understand, Sheena…" Rosalita told her upon the conclusion of her tale. "I understand everything, and while it may not hold much meaning, I am deeply sorry for everything you've gone through. No one should experience such hardship."

"You couldn't have known," Sheena replied, poking at the sliced Lapidarian Topo Berry on the place in front of her with her stone knife. "Besides, you had your own work to do here."

"That may have been true in the past, but things are different now." Rosalita sipped from the chalice in her hand, then continued, "You played a key role in helping me reach what I am now, and I intend to repay that debt. If you hadn't been there to encourage me along the way, I might not have been able to stop my brother's scheme. Now it is my turn to do everything I can to help you. I just need you to tell me what you want to accomplish so I can figure out what aid I can provide."

"Once upon a time I held a Jewel of Life in my hands, and I have to do so once again…" Discussing her goals brought Sheena a sense of determination that helped her focus. "Saeko Oryo misused one and destroyed the Tenganist holy land at the site that's now known as the Sinjoh Ruins. But what was once used to destroy can be used to repair, I'm sure of it. If I can find the lost Life Orb and turn it back into a Jewel of Life, I can restore the Sinjoh Ruins back to their original lush state, just like Shaymin did for La Ciudad Dorada. Once that's done, I will declare that area to be a sanctuary state for my people. Towards those goals, and for the sake of diplomatic ties being established once they are, I want to form an alliance with you and La Ciudad Dorada, Rosalita. But before that, I have to find the legendary Navel Rock in the Sevii Islands. If I can get there, I can meet Ho-oh again and forge an alliance with it. Then, for my people…"

Sheena had been staring at the food in front of her while she spoke, so she failed to notice Rosalita stand and walk over to her. She jumped slightly in her seat when she felt Rosalita embrace her again.

"Sheena, I understand," Rosalita said, her voice soft and gentle. "I understand everything. The weight you are carrying is far too much for any one person's shoulders. Please, I hope you will allow me to help you lift it."

"Rosalita, there's…" Although she felt guilty for burdening Rosalita with her own problems, Sheena again found her friend's embrace far too comforting to ignore and settled into it, allowing Rosalita to stroke her hair. "There's nothing I'd like more."

"Let's finish eating and then we'll go to the archives. I do believe Lingote Palace has something that can help you on your journey."

-:-

That was exactly what Sheena and Rosalita did. After finishing their dinner, the mood in the dining hall having become more relaxed once they were both on the same page, Rosalita brought Sheena to a place she had been before.

Lingote Palace's museum hadn't changed much in the years since Sheena's last visit. A great mural depicting the kingdom's history, a series of paintings of significant figures, models of the kingdom's unique technology, a giant planetarium model of the stars above the realm - all of it had remained just as she remembered it.

One thing was new, though, and it was that one thing that gave Sheena pause. As she followed Rosalita toward the back of the museum, she spied a row of what would seem to the uninformed observer to be golden statues of seven men, all with generally similar appearances. She knew better. They were not statues but the actual bodies of La Ciudad Dorada's previous kings, Fernando the First through Fernando the Seventh. Because of their use of the land's life energy to extend their own lifespans, such was their fate when they finally did reach their ends. Sheena knew of their presence, since the first six had been there during her last visit. It was a new 'statue' displayed nearby, eternally unable to join the kings, that startled her. That one looked much like his predecessors, but far younger, with a face frozen in an expression that conveyed a blend of shame and peaceful, sad resignation.

It was Fernando the Eighth, Rosalita's brother and the mastermind of the events she'd been a part of all those years ago. Sheena had witnessed his demise and transformation first-hand, and seeing him again reminded her of all the complex emotions what she'd seen left her with. At one time, she and Rosalita were the same, innocent people following in the footsteps of ancestors far greater than they believed they could ever be. But the world was a cruel place, and the years they'd spent apart had forced them to grow up far faster than either could have wanted. To become strong enough to be symbols their people could place their faith in.

She noted, with a bitter irony, that she and Rosalita were in fact still the same.

"Come, Sheena," Rosalita spoke up, snapping her out of her daze. Whether or not Rosalita knew she'd been contemplating Fernando's presence, Sheena could not tell. "Right this way."

Sheena shook her head and followed Rosalita's guidance, the queen ushering her through another doorway at the far end of the museum. Beyond it was another spacious chamber with stone walls and a marble floor, this one filled end-to-end with heavy wooden bookcases. Sheena looked up and cocked her head when she spotted a second floor with still more bookcases.

"There wasn't a second floor in here before, was there?" she questioned.

"No, it was constructed a year or two ago," Rosalita replied, moving to a storage chest near the fountain at the opposite end of the archive. "As I said in my coronation speech, I intended to bring the hidden truths of La Ciudad Dorada to light. That work turned up much new material, enough that we built new space to house it."

"I wonder what will happen when I begin taking care of my peoples' lore… there certainly is much that should be brought to light. Maybe if the elders of the past had done so, Saeko Oryo wouldn't have had to…"

While Sheena pondered her own situation, Rosalita rummaged through the chest, eventually withdrawing a rolled-up piece of parchment and a smaller object she held in her hand. Having found what she sought, she returned to the table at the center of the room, where Sheena had already been waiting.

"I want you to have this, first." Rosalita put the parchment down on the table, then carefully placed the second object in Sheena's hands. Sheena couldn't see what it was until Rosalita pulled back, but when she did, her eyes widened in surprise and recognition. It was a glittering black stone, with white arrow and 'Z' patterns at its core. "This Sparkling Stone was excavated from La Ciudad Dorada's mines," Rosalita explained, "and I want you to have it. With it, you will be given Gaia's protection."

"Thank you, Rosalita… but isn't this something you should have?" In response to Sheena's question, Rosalita pulled back her left sleeve, revealing her own black stone set into a golden bracelet. "That answers that, then. Doesn't this need to be refined before it can be used, though?"

"I will have Edrei see that it is ready for you by tomorrow. The only thing I cannot do is give you a crystal to use in it… our customs dictate that the one who wields the Sparkling Stone must find a crystal for it on their own."

"I understand," Sheena said with a nod. "Even if some reformation is needed, customs are what will form the backbone of the sanctuary state I hope to start. They form the core of our identity."

Rosalita smiled warmly at her friend. "You will make a fine leader for your people, I know it. My own experience tells me that."

"Thank you."

"I am happy to help. That said, let us get to the reason why you came here…" Unfurling the parchment across the table, Rosalita revealed it to be an ancient sea map. At least twenty landmasses, all small but some tinier than others, spread across it from end to end.

"Those are the Sevii Islands," Sheena uttered in surprise, "but there are so many more than there should be…"

"At the time the wanderer who helped start our kingdom left this map there were said to be as many as twenty-six islands. Some of them disappeared beneath the sea over the centuries, while others are spoken of only in myth. One of those illusionary islands is the destination you seek… Navel Rock, which is said to connect the depths of the sea to the sky itself. Both Lugia and Ho-oh are thought to appear there, but in order to find the location of Navel Rock, one must first acquire a Silver Wing or Rainbow Wing."

"I know what those items are," Sheena mused, placing a hand on her chin, "but not where to even begin looking for one. That's why I came here. I knew you had books of Tenganist lore in your library, so I hoped there might be something about the Rainbow Wing…"

"Then you are in luck, because a legend regarding that exact subject was also found. It says that in order to find a Silver or Rainbow Wing, one must prove themselves by going on a journey across these islands… not unlike what I had to do to take my place as queen here in La Ciudad Dorada." As she spoke, Rosalita placed her finger on one of the landmasses on the map. "The trail starts here, on Quest Island. According to the legend, you must start by traversing Sevault Canyon and finding a secret location hidden there, called the Tanoby Key. If you can solve the mystery of the Key, it will show you the way to search for what you seek."

"Rosalita, I can't thank you enough for helping me…" Sheena professed, taking up the queen's hands in her own. "You've given me exactly what I needed…"

"As I said, it is my pleasure to aid you. Stay here in Lingote Palace tonight, Sheena. I can see to it that you get the rest you've been cruelly denied for far too long. I'll give you something new to wear, as well… it appears what you're wearing now has been through quite a lot."

-:-

Back at the Sinjoh Ruins, meanwhile, Mewtwo was again soaking in the underground spring, reflecting upon its place in the world. The faint stream of Gaia energy still flowing in the water invigorated its body, allowing it to focus its mind entirely on its introspection.

"I sought revenge upon the humans once…" it telepathically said to the otherwise empty cavern as it stared at the cold stone overhead. "They created me, but they cared not for my existence outside of being their experiment… they created lifeforms with no choice but to fight against those we were cloned from to prove our right to exist… yet here I am, fighting to protect humans."

Mewtwo closed its eyes and recalled another memory, that of its first meeting with Sheena. It had been wandering through the wintry wastelands between Sinnoh and Johto, and took refuge in a small cave to rest when it happened to encounter her also taking shelter there. Her haggard state when they met shocked the clone Pokémon, enough that it willingly listened when she spilled her heart out to it. That chance encounter was what led directly to Mewtwo following her to the Sinjoh Ruins, allowing it to hide there just as much as she and the other Tenganists were.

"But these humans… they are like me, far more than I ever could have thought of in the past. They, too, are being hunted by those seeking to dominate and subjugate them…" Memories of its fight with Ho-oh then entered Mewtwo's mind. "But it is not only these humans. I have also been fighting to protect the Pokémon Polaris tries to harm, as they did to me when they caught me in Unova…"

Mewtwo tightened its three fingers into a fist and reopened its eyes.

"What is it I am fighting for? Could it be equality for all life? To right the imbalances of power between opposing groups?"

-:-

After finishing her interview with Tobias, Rowena wasted no time in rushing back to her hotel to edit it and send it back to her colleagues at ONBS. She was in such a state of shock from how it had gone that she even cut corners in her haste to finish the editing, an unusual thing for someone as detail-oriented as she typically was. No matter, she figured, once ONBS got the footage she was sure Nett, the enterprise's top technician and Secc's partner in running it, would fix it up.

Well, that was how she imagined it, anyway. Reality was much more of a hurry-up-and-wait scenario, and it was driving her mad.

She'd sent the footage as soon as she finished her cursory attempt at editing it. Typically, when ONBS received one of her projects, Secc would immediately contact her via email or phone. This time, it was total radio silence, no sign whatsoever that his network had actually obtained what she sent. When Secc didn't contact her with his usual promptness, she tried to contact him directly, only for her attempts at a video call to fail to connect.

Rowena couldn't help herself. In her frustration, she paced back and forth through her hotel room, leaving Cinccino to sit on the bed and watch.

"Something isn't right," she muttered to herself. "He never acts like this…"

-:-

Something isn't right. Rowena had no idea just how correct she was when she said that.

Her project wasn't being viewed by Secc, Nett or any other employees of ONBS. It hadn't even come close to reaching them. Instead, Malva and a group of FlareNet personnel were clustered in one of their studios within Angel Tower, viewing it with barely restrained excitement.

"This footage is simply electrifying," Malva raved. "I feel like my heart might burst into flames just from watching it! You're saying you intercepted it from her transmission to Orre?"

"Yes, ma'am," one of the FlareNet technicians replied. "Our digital embargo on communications to regions that aren't part of our network caught it. One of President Bouchard's many visionary ideas, of course."

"She certainly puts the 'vision' in 'visionary,' you might say." Malva crossed her arms and chuckled to herself. "The reaction to this when we get it on the air will be to die for."

"About that," said the technician, "word came down from President Bouchard and Mr. Flordelis regarding when we're airing it. We're to wait for their signal and absolutely not run hide nor hair of this footage until they say so."

Malva tilted her head, causing the light from the monitors in front of her to fill her glasses. "Lysandre agreed to that? Fine, I'll have to wait to have my fun. I'll just relish it even more when the hour finally arrives."

-:-

Rowena's frustration at the jam she was in soon got the better of her, and she flopped down onto the bed and turned on the television. A drama program about the Pokéathlon was airing, which her wandering mind barely paid attention to. It wasn't until the drama ended and Malva's news broadcast began that she actually gave what was on the screen her full attention.

"Good evening to you all," Malva greeted her viewers. "We start off today with another report on Polaris, the group currently capturing public attention. Since our last report, interest and support for Polaris has only continued to grow amidst the public. To better understand why that is, we went out and asked passersby their opinions on the organization and its message."

What followed Malva's introduction was a chain of short, man-on-the-street style interviews she'd conducted, the surrounding buildings identifying that they were still in Viridian City. The subjects of her inquiries were a diverse lot, running the gamut of gender, skin color, height, and just about any other parameter one could conceive of. Yet one thing bound them all together - every single one expressed support for Polaris. Granted, some of them were more extreme than others in the way they voiced their backing of the group's anti-League agenda, but the core beliefs were the same.

Rowena could feel her stomach turn with each new face paraded across her screen to praise the cult. "Do they not realize what they're being led to believe?" she thought. Cinccino, lying next to her, sensed her unease and turned to her in worry. "Or do they actually want the chaos Polaris is trying to cause? Either way, is FlareNet just choosing to air the ones who support Polaris, or…"

The journalist's musing got interrupted when the broadcast suddenly returned to Malva in the studio.

"FlareNet has also received a recorded statement from Lance of the Elite Four regarding Polaris and its beliefs."

Now that really got Rowena's attention.

-:-

Meanwhile, at Blackthorn Gym, Clair and Fran were watching the same broadcast in the Gym Leader's office. The expressions of support for Polaris to that point had disgusted them, too, but when Malva cued up the footage of Lance they both practically choked on the coffee they were drinking.

"I have taken time to study Polaris's beliefs and message," Clair's cousin explained. "While it is true that their words and actions have provoked much anguish among my colleagues within the Pokémon League, I have come to the conclusion that their underlying cause is sound. My hometown of Blackthorn City has been fortunate to avoid the extensive development brought on by the Pokémon League and Battle Frontier in so many other places to this point, but it is only a matter of time. I wish to protect Blackthorn's environment and traditions, and for that reason, I am declaring my support for Polaris."

"He was just manipulating me when he came here," Clair growled.

Fran turned her head to face the Gym Leader. "His behavior did seem a bit strange to me, too," she agreed.

"Well, I'm not going to let him get away with this. Keep me away from the League? No, now I'm definitely going there, and I'm going to set him straight."

-:-

Rowena couldn't get a moment to rest her mind, for as soon as Malva threw to a commercial break, Gabriella appeared on the screen. She initially felt a hint of confusion, unsure if Malva or the news crew had accidentally cued an interview instead of an ad.

After bowing to her international audience, she introduced, "Hello, I'm Gabriella Bouchard, president of the Angel Corporation. Life is hard right now, isn't it? The world has become a scary, scary place. People are turning on each other, fighting to get bigger pieces of the pie for themselves… you might be worried, asking yourself how you will protect yourself and those you love. Believe me, you are not alone."

Rowena leaned forward and bit her fingernail. She was absolutely certain, more certain than she'd been for almost anything in her life, that the next thing out of Gabriella's mouth would be an endorsement of Polaris.

"The Angel Corporation is here to stand by your side, to give you a helping hand in these trying times. Whether it is through the entertainment broadcast by FlareNet, our work on new energy resources, food and drink… our divisions are all here to help you. If your circumstances become too overwhelming, I implore you… keep an open mind and seek help. The Angel Corporation's pharmaceutical division has started a program to assist those who need it. As I said, please keep your mind open and reach out. We have developed many products that can help and in these times, all you need to do is apply and you can receive the product that's right for you, at no cost out of your pocket. Just call the phone number on your screen or visit the web address and let us get started together."

"So a woman with more money to spend in a dozen and a half lifetimes suddenly gets an attack of charity…" Rowena mused to herself. Something about the ad struck her as strange but she couldn't quite place what it was. "Is she just realizing you really can't take it with you when you're gone? A genuine softening of the heart? Whatever it is, she sure likes to talk about opening your mind…"

-:-

Even further from Kanto, Johto and the crises gripping much of the world, the tropical Alola region existed in its usual peaceful state. If not for the region's active tourism industry, which brought talk from across the planet to the remote islands, they might not have known what was taking place on the other ends of the ocean at all.

That was the case in the region's four natural islands, at least. Its fifth was different, in every conceivable fashion.

Located at the geographical center of Alola, the massive white structure towered over the waves like an ivory pillar reaching up to touch the very heavens above. It was Aether Paradise, the headquarters of the Pokémon conservation organization known as the Aether Foundation. From their artificial island, the Foundation oversaw efforts the world over to preserve habitats for Pokémon and promote their general welfare. Their investment in restoring Orre's environment was just one of their many projects.

After dropping Zinzolin off at International Police HQ on Carmonte Island and filing their report with Nanu, Looker, Mitsumi and Silva flew to Alola and caught a ferry to Aether Paradise as the next step in their investigation of Team Rocket, Team Plasma and Polaris's past. They were met upon their boat's arrival at Aether Paradise's dock by Lusamine and Mohn, the Foundation's leaders and head scientists.

"Welcome to Aether Paradise!" the glamorous blonde woman greeted them as they disembarked, giving Looker an enthusiastic handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Agent Looker. And these must be the apprentices you told our staff about."

"Correct you are," Looker replied, gesturing to his junior agents. "Allow me to present you with a most jovial introduction to Mitsumi and Silva."

"I'm so glad to meet you all. I am the president of the Aether Foundation, but please, just call me Lusamine. And this…" Lusamine turned to the right, making her long, lush golden hair shake behind her. "...is my darling husband, and the Aether Foundation's vice president."

"The name's Mohn," the scruffy, large-framed man said with a pleasant smile and wave of his hand. "Welcome to our home, as big as it is."

"You really live here?" Silva inquired, looking around at his surroundings. With all the shipping containers strewn about, the harbor looked, to him, more like an industrial area than anywhere someone would live.

"Oh, yes," Lusamine replied, "This facility is where we work to protect Pokémon with our love, but there's plenty of that left over to make a comfortable home for our family, too."

"Hm, your family?" Looker put his hand on his chin, as he so often did out of habit. "As I do recall reading in the Aether Foundation magazine on the trip of sailing over here, you have a son and a daughter, do you not?"

"Why don't you meet them yourselves?" Lusamine offered, catching Looker, Mitsumi and Silva by surprise. Glancing over to one of the nearby containers, she called out, "Lillie, Gladion, come say hello! You did say you wanted to meet them!"

A small boy and girl, both dressed in white and brown formal wear, emerged from behind the container and approached the dockside gathering. Seeing the pair of blonde children, who bore clear resemblance to their parents, changed Mitsumi's mood in an instant. Gone was her serious, focused persona, replaced by an enthusiasm that caught Lusamine and Mohn by surprise.

"Lillie and Gladion, those are your names?" Mitsumi said to them, lowering herself to eye level with the pair. "It's a great pleasure to meet you!"

"I'm… I'm happy to meet you, too…" Lillie, the girl, sheepishly answered. She was visibly fidgeting, something clearly on her mind. "Are you… you guys, you're spies, aren't you?"

"Lillie, you know spies can't tell you they're spies!" Gladion whispered to his sister.

"But if I don't ask, how will I ever know?" she objected. "This might be our only chance to meet real spies!"

Mohn laughed and leaned down, putting a hand on the heads of each of his children. "You two can be a real handful, you know?" Turning to Mitsumi, he explained, "They're huge fans of Alolan Detective Laki. It's a television show that airs here, and ever since they got into it, they've been fascinated by spies."

Mitsumi could see the fascination in the childrens' eyes as they stared at her. She could tell Lillie was barely able to contain her thrill at meeting someone like her, and while Gladion clearly wanted to downplay his own interest, he wasn't doing a good job at it.

"So you guys want to meet a spy, huh? I think I have exactly the kind of Pokémon you'd want to meet, then." After retrieving a Poké Ball from her coat and showing it to Lillie and Gladion, Mitsumi popped the sphere open. A tall, slender blue lizard materialized next to her, and the Pokémon placed a hand on his hip as he coolly gazed down at the children, who lit up immediately upon seeing him. "His name's Inteleon, and he's the best spy around."

"A proposal I have," Looker interjected, smiling broadly. "Mitsumi, you have been busying yourself with much work in the times lately. Why don't you indulge yourself in taking a break and play with them and Inteleon, while Silva and I execute the task of conducting this interview?"

"I think that would be a good idea, if you approve, sir," Mitsumi replied.

"Approval given." With that done, Looker's attention returned to Lusamine, who was again joined at her side by Mohn. "Tell this you probably can, but Mitsumi, she always gets along better with children than she does with adults like us. Believe I do that she feels comfortable relaxing around them."

"I understand," Lusamine said with a nod. "Let us move upstairs. I'll notify Faba and Wicke that you have arrived."

-:-

Aether Paradise's conservation area, on the second floor of the facility's main building, was the place that truly put the 'paradise' in the artificial island's name. It was like a massive greenhouse, hosting an indoor garden and lake criss-crossed by gleaming white catwalks. The walls and ceiling were almost entirely made of high-tech glass whose tint could be adjusted, allowing the Alolan sun in at whatever level was necessary for the Pokémon living there at a given time.

While Mitsumi was off in the garden with Lillie, Gladion and Inteleon, Looker and Silva sat down at a table in the center of the refuge with Lusamine, Faba and Wicke. While Wicke had aged well, maintaining her youthful appearance and voluminous hair, time hadn't treated Faba nearly as well. He hid his tired-looking eyes behind a pair of giant, bean-shaped glasses and trimmed his beard down to a simple goatee, while the color had begun fading from his thinning hair.

"Here we are," Mohn announced, arriving at the table with a tray set up for the six of them to enjoy the tea he had prepared. He set the tray down on the table before seating himself next to Lusamine. "I took great care in prepping the tea, so I hope you like it, Agents."

"You always do, dear," Lusamine told him, smiling contentedly. That expression faded, however, when she addressed Looker. "Agent Looker, you requested a talk with Branch Chief Faba and Assistant Branch Chief Wicke, but you did not specify the purpose, aside from it being part of an ongoing investigation. Would you explain further?"

"C'mon, President," Faba said, leaning back in his seat, "I think all of us know why the International Police finally came calling. Wicke and I have never hidden it from you."

"Both of us have been waiting for this day, Madam Lusamine," Wicke added in a quiet voice, after taking a sip of her tea. "This is about our son, is it not?"

"You are correct," Silva confirmed for them. "We're conducting an investigation on the connections between Team Plasma, Team Rocket and the cult that calls itself Polaris."

Faba sighed, his irritation making itself known through his breath. Pressing his fingers against his temples, he grumbled, "That foolish boy is going to be the death of me. I knew this was coming. You two are members of the International Police in good standing, so I presume you are already aware of what he's done."

"Understanding is what we want, of why Colress has become what he is." Looker placed his hands on his knees and leaned forward. "We are aware of your working on the research involving the Meteonite, and how Team Rocket stole possession of it for themselves."

"It's what happened next that we'd like you to clarify for us," Silva added.

"Bah, it's not like those are days I like remembering."

While Faba snatched up his teacup and drank, Wicke set her own down and picked up the slack in the conversation. "Team Rocket took the Antimony Research Lab's work and weaponized it. When they and Team Plasma started fighting over the Meteonite and nearly destroyed Castelia City, it didn't take long for that to be traced back to us."

"After that, our reputation was completely ruined!" Faba fumed. Even though he hadn't wanted to talk mere moments earlier, once he got going, he couldn't stop. "At one time, the Antimony Research Lab was at the cutting edge of scientific innovation in Unova. We were irreplaceable! Then, all of that was gone, literally overnight… all thanks to what Team Rocket and Team Plasma did!"

"The events of that day ruined everything Faba and I had spent years working to build," Wicke continued, maintaining her calm, composed demeanor even as Faba's temper flared. "When many of our patrons pulled their funding, the Antimony Research Lab was forced to close. None of the scientific organizations in Unova wished to have ties to us any longer. However, Madam Lusamine and Professor Mohn still saw merit in our work. They took us on as full-time employees of the Aether Foundation and transferred us to work at the Foundation's HQ branch here in Alola."

"That's correct," Mohn interceded. "Lusamine and I both thought that despite the destructive misuse of the Antimony Research Lab's experiments, the Aether Foundation might be able to put them to use for the good of Pokémon."

"I see," Looker said, crossing his arms. "And what of Colress?"

"Turns out blaming the groups responsible wasn't enough for him. You heard what I said… Wicke and I blamed both Team Rocket and Team Plasma for the destruction of our dreams." Next to Faba, Wicke sagely nodded in agreement. "Colress didn't see things the way we did. The foolish naivete of youth… it's why I can't bring myself to like children these days."

"Colress didn't see things the way you did?" Silva wondered. "What does that mean?"

"Colress did not blame Team Plasma for their role in our misfortune," Wicke answered, her voice gradually turning sadder with each word she spoke. "We attempted to get him to see reason, we truly did. His hatred for Team Rocket simply burned too intensely… because he felt so personally wronged by the Team Rocket spy who bested him that night at the laboratory, he could not accept that Team Plasma played a part in it. This disagreement between us led to our falling out, and he left to join Team Plasma himself. We have not heard from him since."

"This is not entirely about Team Plasma, however."

Looker's warning got Faba to take the conversation more seriously, prompting him to lean forward and ask in a sober tone, "What has he done?"

"Recently, there has been an attack by Polaris on Ecruteak City in the Johto region," Looker explained to his audience. "While you may have happened to be hearing of it, likely it is that you are only aware of Ghetsis Harmonia leading the attack. Colress was there, as well. As it turned out, Team Plasma merely was a part of Polaris, and since it met its end in Unova they became full members of the Polaris organization instead. It has become apparent to us within the International Police that Colress has become a member of Polaris, seemingly high in rank."

"What has our son gotten himself into, exactly?"

Wicke's question hung poignantly in the air, but it ultimately was one that would not receive an answer. The interview was interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing, and Lusamine stood up, taking the device from Mohn after he retrieved it from his pocket.

"Yes, this is the president speaking." After listening for a moment, Lusamine gasped. "We'll be right there!"

"What happened?" Mohn asked, jumping to his feet.

"There's an emergency on the lab floor! One of the Beast Killer specimens is rampaging!"

"Beast Killer?" The mention of that name caught Looker off guard. "That project is still in an active state?"

"Come on," Lusamine urged him, "I'll show you. Get your apprentice."

-:-

On the lowest floor of Aether Paradise, deep under the artificial island's surface, its laboratory area presented the starkest contrast to the rest of the facility imaginable. Unlike the bright white of the other floors, the lab area was dark and ominous. Cubical black structures stretched out seemingly forever in all directions, divided from each other by criss-crossing steel paths. These cubes were Aether Paradise's labs, where the foundation's scientific exploits took place.

Within one such lab, researchers clad in long white coats gathered around a glowing green tube. All of them looked nearly identical to each other thanks to the helmets they wore, which concealed their faces behind green visors and respirators. Their work had been interrupted by a sudden explosion from another cube near theirs, prompting two of them to stand in front of the tube while a third moved for the phone on the wall near the door.

Before he could reach it, however, another scientist in similar garb opened their door from outside. "What are you three doing?"

"We were just about to ask the same thing!" the researcher heading for the phone replied. "What's going on out there?"

"There's a containment breach in the Beast Killer lab. The president's on her way down, but get everything locked down in here and evacuate to point E-7 until the all clear is given."

"Got it." As soon as the door closed, the researcher turned to his two coworkers. "You heard him!"

"Yes, sir!" the other two, a man and a woman, answered.

The three scientists split up in different directions, rushing to secure their work. As they raced to complete that task, the creature contained in the tube bounced up to the glass. It was a small, green, blob-like entity with a single big eye, which it used to curiously watch the humans. The light from outside its container glistened against the cyan gem on its body.

-:-

Lusamine, Mohn, Faba and Wicke, accompanied by Looker, Silva, Mitsumi, Lillie and Gladion, came down the triangle-shaped lift to the laboratory floor and sprinted for where the explosion had been reported. When they arrived at the lab's door, they could hear the sound of glass smashing, along with several people shouting and an unfamiliar, animalistic snarling.

"Keep my children safe," Lusamine asked Mitsumi, while Mohn pressed the button to open the passage.

Beyond the threshold, the laboratory looked like a disaster zone. Papers were strewn from one end to the other, desks were smashed in half, and pieces of broken computers and flasks had been thrown onto the floor. Those sights mattered little, however, compared to the scene at the center of the room.

Four masked Aether Foundation scientists were struggling with a mysterious Pokémon, fighting to restrain it with cables attached to the four crosses at the corners of its rust-colored helmet, while a fifth supervised them. The quadruped creature's physical features didn't make sense with each other; its plumage, clawed front feet, back paws and fish-like tail all seemed more like parts of different organisms than those of the same Pokémon. In spite of these mismatched traits, it displayed significant physical strength to those observing it, putting up stiff resistance to the humans wrestling with it.

"What is that thing?!" Silva exclaimed in shock.

"You didn't tell them about the Beast Killer project?" Mohn asked Looker.

"Right you are… this is a failure to be placed squarely on my shoulders." Holding his chin, Looker shut his eyes. Memories of a past he had spent years trying to run from bubbled up in his mind, forcing him to confront one inescapable truth - he had to face what had taken place head-on. There could be no more running. "Mitsumi, Silva, time it is that I told you the truth, of my previous apprentice."

"Your previous apprentice?" Mitsumi repeated, somewhat confused. "I knew you had one, but nothing more than that."

"Her name, it was Fuuka… at least, that is what we all called her at the International Police. She was found on a beach here in Alola, and suffering she was from near-complete memory loss, including her real name. Surrounded by a highly unusual energy, we found her to be. Chief Nanu and I, we took her in. Not long after, another lifeform appeared bearing the same energy signature appeared in Alola. An Ultra Beast, who came here from a world other than this one… the higher-ups sent Nanu, Fuuka and I on a mission. The task was to hunt the Ultra Beast and terminate it… when arrived the moment of truth, I took pity upon the creature, and hesitated I did to carry out my orders. I did not know that Fuuka, she had come from the same world as the Ultra Beast… the International Police executives sent her to act as bait for the Ultra Beast, because her energy would call out and appeal to it. My hesitation, it resulted in giving the Ultra Beast an opportunity to strike out and take Fuuka's life. This failure, it is my greatest shame, above all others. I swear I will not fail you two the way I failed you."

"Looker, sir…" Mitsumi murmured.

Silva, on the other hand, remained focused. "Sir, we can talk about it later, and believe me, I have a lot of questions. But right now, what does it have to do with that Pokémon?"

"The International Police, we commissioned a project of most special status from the Aether Foundation following the UB Incursion. Our executive members requested a Pokémon that could take on the traits of any and all types of Pokémon. That…" Looker pointed at the creature in front of them, still struggling against the humans attempting to restrain it, "...is that Pokémon. The one that resulted from the Beast Killer project. Heard I had not for quite some time about it, so initially I assumed it had been discontinued, but there is no denying that Pokémon is the result of it."

"It's like me…" Mitsumi thought, Gladion and Lillie watching from their hiding place behind her. "It's just like me. A living weapon without a home, made to destroy its targets without mercy…"

"Tell me what happened here," Lusamine demanded of the supervising scientist.

"President Lusamine, ma'am," the woman replied, "We were conducting the initial start-up tests of the RKS System as per our schedule. Upon activation, however, each specimen rejected the system and went berserk. We were able to subdue the first two and install limiter helmets to calm them down before placing them into cryogenic storage, but the helmet didn't fully work on this last one."

"I expect you to file a full report later. For now," Lusamine looked back over her shoulder at her companions, while holding up an Ultra Ball in her right hand, "get yourselves to safety. I will be the one to subdue Type: Full."

"Wait!" Mitsumi exclaimed, darting forward and pushing Lusamine's right hand down. "Don't fight it. I think it's acting out of fear."

"That is a synthetic organism, genetically engineered to destroy beasts from another world!" Faba snapped at her. "Foolish girl, it will cleave through you like a hot knife through butter!"

"Maybe it will, but I have to try!" Mitsumi's blunt honesty caught Faba by surprise, leaving him to sputter in indignation. "This Pokémon is like me. You made it as a weapon… Cyrus tried to turn me into Team Galactic's ultimate weapon. I think I might be able to calm it down."

Lusamine hesitated, taking a moment to consider Mitsumi's proposal. It certainly didn't sound like the wisest idea to her, but if anything went wrong, she was there with her own Pokémon still at the ready. "If Type: Full attacks you, I'm intervening," the Aether Foundation's president warned her.

"Fine."

Though she didn't say it to Mitsumi, that wasn't enough for Lusamine. She then quietly whispered to Mohn, "If there is a total containment breach and Type: Full escapes this room, make sure the other labs and the Ultra Warp Drive are not damaged." Mohn nodded, allowing his wife to return her attention to the four scientists and the synthetic Pokémon. "Alright, I want the four of you to hold it in place, but don't try to subdue it any further than that."

The Pokémon - Type: Full, as Lusamine identified it - kept struggling against its bonds, but the four scientists managed to keep it in one place by pulling on the chains with all their might. It was a close tug-of-war, with the Pokémon's strength falling barely short of overwhelming the humans that granted it such might.

None of that mattered to Mitsumi. She didn't see Type: Full as just a genetic abomination created to battle other abominations. When Looker and the International Police had freed her from Team Galactic, she felt the harsh eyes of the outside world look upon her like she, too, was a monster. After the years she'd spent suffering at the hands of Cyrus and his cruel experiments, she certainly felt like one. All the rehabilitation the International Police offered had only begun to dull those painful feelings.

What she saw in front of her was not an abomination, it was a creature thrust into a world it couldn't understand, lashing out because it was suffering. And if the International Police could rehabilitate her, Mitsumi believed she could offer the same to Type: Full.

"Come on, calm down," she gently said to it as she cautiously approached, holding a hand up in the Pokémon's direction. "Listen to me. I'm not going to hurt you."

Type: Full didn't notice her at first as it kept thrashing its head back and forth. She managed to get a little closer before it caught sight of her, and when it did, it fixed its gray eyes on her. A vicious growl echoed out from under its limiter helmet, the headgear giving Type: Full's voice a metallic quality.

"I know, that thing they put on you hurts, doesn't it?" Mitsumi wasn't intimidated and continued to approach it. "If you want to take it off, calm down and come with me. I'll help you get better so you won't need that thing anymore."

The Pokémon snarled and tried to lunge at Mitsumi, but she still refused to flinch or show fear in any way. That was one lesson Cyrus taught her that remained useful, to project an image of strength to those she wished to send a message to. If Type: Full could understand that she was not going to submit to it out of fear, she believed it could understand her good intentions for it.

Once she got within arm's reach, she gingerly placed her hand on the limiter helmet. "There, there, you don't have to keep suffering," she said to the stunned creature. "Listen to me. I'll take care of you. You can be another of my friends instead of a weapon." Moving her hand downward, she scratched the fur under Type: Full's chin and continued, "That's right, you can relax. Come with me and you can learn to control the power they gave you."

Much to the shock of everyone in the lab save for Looker and Silva, Mitsumi's words of empathy actually managed to get through to the Pokémon. It stopped thrashing, allowing the scientists to let go of the chains attached to its helmet, and lay down at Mitsumi's feet.

"Unbelievable!" Faba choked out. "To see such obedience, and for a child no less! Our hypothesis was that only the most powerful trainers here at Aether Paradise, the president, Professor Mohn, and of course myself, could control it!"

"It's not control," Mitsumi answered as she continued to pet the Pokémon, "it just senses that it can trust me. I showed that I wouldn't fear it." Glaring at Faba, she added, "And I might be more than a few years younger than you, but if you want me to prove my strength to you, I will do it. Here at Aether Paradise. Today."

The implicit threat in Mitsumi's 'offer' sufficiently cowed Faba, and he shrank back in terror while Lusamine and Mohn stepped up to fill the void he left in the conversation.

"You have shown us something we didn't expect when we planned the Beast Killer project, Faba was right about that much." Lusamine put her Ultra Ball away and grasped her hip. "If you are going to take that specimen with you, I ask that you work to deepen your bond with it. You may indeed be able to find a way to train it to use the RKS System we installed. I'll have our personnel furnish you with copies of the research notes on everything you'll need to know."

"Thank you, President Lusamine. What did you say this Pokémon's name was, again? Type: Null?"

Mitsumi's question brought Gladion off of the sidelines. "No, call it Silvally!" the boy exclaimed. "Mom, I keep telling you, it's Silvally!"

"And why is that?" Mohn asked his son.

"B-because it's silver and I want it to be my friend!"

Clearly, Gladion hadn't put a lot of thought into his nickname for the newly created Pokémon. But he was so earnest, and his sincerity so pure, that Mitsumi was moved by it. While Lusamine, Mohn, Wicke and Looker all seemed amused by his childish innocence, Mitsumi took it seriously.

"Gladion, if you say its name is Silvally," she said to him, "then its name is Silvally. When I go back to International Police HQ, I'll make sure they file Silvally as the name of its species. Guess what? You just played a part in a real spy operation."

"I did?" Gladion uttered, overcome by a sense of awe. "Lillie, did you hear that?!"

"That's so cool, Big Brother! I wish I could do something like that!"

"All's well that ends well, I suppose," Mohn said to Looker while smiling down at his and Lusamine's excited children. "Did you get the information your investigation needed?"

"It would appear so, and yet…" Vexed by the situation he found himself in, Looker tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat. "Unsure I am of what the next avenue of pursuit shall be."

As if the fates themselves had been listening in on the exchange, an answer came to them out of thin air, practically delivered on a silver platter. Mitsumi's phone started ringing in her coat, and the sound startled Silvally, which sprang to its feet and started growling.

"Ssssh, it's okay," she told the Pokémon, giving it a calming scratch under the chin with her left hand while she took out her phone with the right. Its screen informed her that the one calling her, of all people, was Trevor. She'd given him her phone number after their meeting in Olivine City, with the express demand that inform her of developments regarding her requested meeting with Dr. Zager. With that in mind, she wasted no time in picking it up. "Is that you, Trevor?"

"The one and only." Always the showman, Trevor's lapsing into his old actor self made Mitsumi grit her teeth, even if she understood why he did it. "Listen, Mitsumi, I wanted to call and tell you that I've got you that meeting you asked for."

"With Dr. Zager?" she questioned, deliberately speaking loud enough to get Looker and Silva's attention.

"Not just with him. There's… well, let's just say there are bigger things than you or me afoot. You'll understand soon enough. I need you to be in Celadon City tomorrow no matter what it takes."

"Celadon, tomorrow?! Trevor, I'm in Alola right now! Even if we pull every favor an International Police agent possibly can, we'd be lucky to have travel plans in place at all that fast!"

"You need to be in Celadon City?" Lusamine interrupted. "Let me help you. I can have you on an Aether Foundation aircraft to Saffron City within the hour. The Foundation's Kanto branch is there."

"Did you hear that?" Mitsumi asked Trevor.

"Not entirely, but I could make out something about going to Saffron City. That's fine. Just call me when you get to Celadon's Pokémon Center tomorrow and I'll pick you up."

"I… I got it. Talk to you tomorrow." Mitsumi put her phone back into her pocket and sighed, her mind no longer at ease. The day had been surprisingly comfortable until Trevor called, all things considered, but thinking of being back before Team Rocket had her agitated all over again.

-:-

Angel Tower stood above the rest of Viridian City, and in the daytime it was imposing enough. Under the light of a clear night, however, it projected an entirely different image. Gabriella had designed both the interior and exterior lighting so that the building would take on an ethereal, almost haunting aura when viewed after sunset, even having a halo illuminated above it. Its otherworldly mood provoked much discussion, both among the residents of Viridian and in the press throughout the world at large. Newspapers and magazines had often asked her questions about the architecture of Angel Tower and why she wanted the skyscraper to shift from a seemingly ordinary corporate facility to a beautiful yet unsettling work of art, but beyond confirming that she designed it, she never gave any answers.

Not that their small minds would comprehend her dreams, she thought. The real answer was a literal one, that she crafted Angel Tower to represent the world's present state during the day, but the image of Polaris's future at night.

"The future when the Forbidden Beast consumes all the failed life on this planet in Dark Matter and brings an end to this pathetic vermin we call a species…" she reflected from her desk in her office, staring out at the city skyline. Her return to the tower had been a hasty one after showing Father's speech to Renzo, but now, she was waiting for a different meeting to start. "The new life that emerges from those hellish gates will shine with a miraculous, pure glow… far from the sickness that so defines those humans. They are so far below me, and yet, they have stood in judgment of me, time and again… I will bring them to their salvation, just as I've envisioned."

Just then, the door to her office cracked open. From the other side, Dominic called out, "I'm here, President Bouchard! Tell me you're not in the pool this time!"

Right, the employee she was waiting to meet. In an instant, she shifted her demeanor entirely, projecting her usual upbeat and flippant persona. "Dominic, you haven't got a thing in the world to worry about. As much as I'd like to be swimming right now, I'm not. I promise."

With a relieved sigh, Dominic pushed his way into Gabriella's office and closed the door behind himself.

"It sure is hard to get a read on you sometimes, President Bouchard," he said. Her eyebrow twitched from how close he'd unwittingly gotten to her true self, but she kept her bubbly facade up nevertheless. "I was getting ready to leave for the night, so it was surprising to have you call me in."

"Right, right, I called for you." Resting her head on her hand, Gabriella asked in a casual voice, "Dominic, what do you think of your performance lately?"

That simple quested changed the mood in the office entirely. "I was afraid this would be what she wanted…" Dominic thought, fiddling nervously with the bottom of his suit jacket. "She's gonna fire me. I don't know why, but…" Clearing his throat, he finally gathered his resolve enough to say, "With all due respect, President Bouchard, I feel I have given everything I can to the Angel Corporation for my entire time employed here. The only way I could give more is at the expense of my kids, so if given the choice-"

"Wait, do you think I called you here to fire you?!" Gabriella interrupted, breaking down into a fit of laughter. Evidently the very idea was funny to her, in a way Dominic failed to understand. "I couldn't… why would I even think to fire you? You just said it yourself, you practically give your life for this company! I couldn't find enough loyalty to replace you in a dozen new employees!"

"If… if that's the case…" Dominic had trouble finding the words to ask what he wanted. Gabriella's bizarre behavior had completely thrown him off. "Gabriella… President Bouchard. I must ask that you explain why I'm here."

"It's for the farthest thing from you being fired, that's for sure!" Gabriella clasped her hands together and rested her chin on them. "You might as well consider this a promotion, truthfully, because it basically is one."

"A-A promotion?!" Dominic stammered. This truly was an unexpected turn of events; not in his wildest dreams did he think Gabriella would ever consider giving him a promotion, nor did he even really work for one. "What will it entail?"

"Well…" Leaning back in her chair, Gabriella crossed her hands behind her head. "You've been running back and forth so much recently, I thought you might appreciate getting an assignment that'll keep you in one place closer to me for a while. Take a bit of time to settle down, you know? Listen. The Angel Corporation entered into a contract to supply goods and services for the Pokémon League that's coming up. I want you to be my representative overseeing the process. It comes with a nice bump in pay and you'll be working exclusively out of Angel Tower. No need to travel, any surveying of the sites required can be done with our VR tech. What do you say?"

"What else can I say? Of course I'll take the position! Avril and Monroe both might make it to the tournament, so if you can give me a job that'll let me help them out, everything else is just a bonus."

"Fantastic. You go home and get a good night's sleep, Dominic. I'll get you up to speed tomorrow."

"Thank you, President Bouchard. I'll see you tomorrow."

Gabriella waved to Dominic as he left, carrying himself with a spring in his step that hadn't been present when he arrived. His newfound fortune distracted him from closing the door behind himself, but its weight pulled it shut on its own anyway. As soon as it clicked, confirming that Gabriella was alone, she pulled a thin panel out of her desk and placed her palm on it. In response to her activation of the biometric lock, a holographic video feed flickered to life in front of her.

It was a view of Angel Tower's secret laboratory, where the glass-bodied, jellyfish-like creature was held.

"It won't be long now, my friend," she said to it. "Soon, there will be so many new people who will get to meet you… and who will have you help open up their minds."

-:-

Far, far away, across the vastness of the cosmos, existed a dark, all-consuming primordial void. Deep at the center of the darkness dwelled a creature unlike anything found in the recognized universe. Its form was unknown, but any who were unfortunate enough to be in its presence would be overwhelmed by its malevolence.

A spark of Dark Matter that had traveled the universe to reach the void caused the creature to stir. Over lengths of time and space great enough to defy comprehension, what it had spent eons searching for called out to it, from a small, fragile planet full of even smaller and more fragile lifeforms.

Now aware that Earth was the planet it had spent its entire existence hunting for, the monster fully awoke, and a giant, glowing red eye opened in the darkness.

END of CHAPTER 32