Chapter 13 - Cipher Plot

"Sir, these readings don't make any sense!" Aisha said, pouring over the latest scan of Lilligant. "The energies coming XD 082-Alpha are getting more erratic and unstable, but it is rejecting the signals coming from XD 082-Be-"

"Doctor, please simply admit the truth: the door to Lilligant's heart is opening up." Aisha slammed her fist on the desk, knocking over her coffee and spilling it everywhere. Her hand throbbed with pain.

"It is not! The process was - IS - flawless! No other subject has shown any indication of change, not in three years. 082 must be faulty. Perhaps Beta is malfunctioning or -"

"Doctor, please calm yourself. I meant no disrespect." The Director leaned back in his chair and sipped some tea. A Gallade stood in the background, watching over him like a hawk. Despite being on the other side of the region, XD-101's unflinching glare sent a shiver down her spine. She felt like it could reach through the screen if it felt like it. "But even if you refuse to admit it out loud - these readings are indicative of Lilligant opening her heart again."

Aisha took a few shallow breaths and gripped the edge of her desk hard enough to chip a nail. The pounding of her heart drowned out all other noises. "The process cannot be undone. We destroyed the shrine in Agate Village. And with the international transfer system down, accessing the Purification Chamber is out of reach. Even if this bastard has managed to chip away at my work, we still have Beta working." The director nodded and Gallade left to answer the door. It seemed he had another meeting soon.

"Listen, Doctor, I don't doubt you at all. I am beyond pleased with your research as well as with the final products. Your XD Process is phenomenal. It is exactly what the Organization was looking for." He leaned forward, a smile on his face. "But you are not a god, Aisha. The sooner you realize you aren't infallible, the sooner you can open up. Why don't you take a break? Go for a walk, get some fresh air. And then reflect on your shortcomings." The Director put his cup down and smiled. He stood from his desk and addressed the visitor.

"Ah, yes. Please sit down, begin the report." The call ended and Aisha was left staring at her reflection in the dark monitor screen. Her hair was disheveled, her hand was throbbing in pain, and she felt like she was about to vomit. She looked like she might vomit, too. After composing herself, she locked eyes with her reflection.

"I haven't failed. Something must be defective. I need to…I need to get 082. Yes. Dissect her - IT - dissect IT and find out what's wrong." She pushed a button on the side of her desk, and a door opened up nearby with a set of Pokéballs. "XD 001…" she gently caressed the glowing supports on the frame of the sphere. "I expect great things from you."

Lucian walked up the hill towards the Observatory, but was stopped by Havila and Artemis. She looked more annoyed than most days. "Hey."

"Good morning." There was an uncomfortable pause. "Did you-"

"Uncle wants to invite you to dinner tomorrow to celebrate the inspection going well. He was beaming when he got the letter. Just don't stay too long, got it!" Lucian chuckled and nodded.

"I got it, I got it. Thanks for letting me know." Lucian motioned to Slowpoke and pointed down the hill. Havila looked confused for a moment, but Slowpoke simply acknowledged and stood still. After a few moments, Slowpoke began lumbering forward and began nudging Havila towards home.

"You jerk! Artemis, slow down you big dummy! Don't listen to him, he's - " his PokéGEAR went off, preventing him from hearing the rest of her rant. It was from Aisha. He quickly picked up the call.

"Doctor?"

"Lucian, great news! Krane has made a breakthrough. He found a relic up on Coastal Hill that we think might allow us to purify Lilligant." Lucian nearly dropped the phone.

"I'm on my way there, right now!" She gave him directions on how to get to the relic and he hung up. He didn't bother to grab anything, this was too good an opportunity to pass up. And Coastal Hill was full of normally passive Pokémon. Even if one attacked, Lilligant could probably scare them off by itself.

Lucian ran harder than he ever had before. He looked down at the Pokéball in his hand. "Hold on, Lilligant. Let's get you better." The sun was bright overhead, and Pidgey chipped happily. The hill was really more like a mountain. But most of the area was an easy climb, so it was demoted to a hill by adventurers and climbers.

It took him several hours to arrive at the meeting point the two had discussed. He was tired, but hopeful. The meeting point was at the first summit checkpoint. A quiet little rest area close to an overlook. Lucian stopped to catch his breath and look over the city and mountain below.

His thoughts were interrupted by a rumble under his feet. Lucian stumbled back just as an Aggron erupted from underneath him. It spun and hit him with its tail. The impact and resulting tumble sent a jolt of pain through his arm. No doubt it was broken. He struggled to his knees and took a sharp breath while Aggron prepared to rush him down. Lucian forced himself to move out of the way and dodge a fatal goring.

Pain shot through his body. The adrenaline wasn't enough to fully drown out the pain any longer. Everything hurt, and nothing worked the way he wanted it to. Lucian reached for the Pokéball on his belt, but the Aggron threw itself at the gym leader, pinning him to the ground. The crackling energy around the Pokémon seemed to grow more intense. Just before the Pokémon attacked, the sound of soft footsteps drew their attention. Aisha had arrived up the path and was looking at the situation.

"Get out of here, Aisha!" Lucian gasped from underneath the multi-ton living tank. But she looked…calm. In control. In fact, Aggron almost took no notice of her as she walked over to them. She knelt down and grabbed the Pokéball from his belt, the one containing Lilligant.

"Thank you, Lucian. You've been a wonderful help." She took the sphere and put it into a case before sending out her Tranquil. Everything was moving too fast. Lucian tried to say something, but Aisha ignored him. "XD-001, kill him and then return to the lab." Aisha then took off on her Pokémon, and vanished into the sky. Lucian couldn't see where, but struggled vainly against the Aggron's grip. The Pokémon reared back to strike again.

Earlier

The Director poured over the inspection reports alone. His Pokémon sat at a table quietly eating. He would one-by-one throw the papers into the fireplace after recording the information onto a single, larger document. He paused for a moment, looking over the report for the Old Sun Gym. It seems that Leader Lucian was causing waves through more than just Old Sun. It was too convenient; the timing, his presence, Lilligant. How curious. He smirked and tossed the report into the fire.

He then turned his attention to his other business. Aisha's report on Lilligant was fresh in his mind, but the other labs were reporting similar incidents. XD-027, a simple Meowth, had expressed excitement and joy when given a new toy by its owner. The elderly woman was likely too oblivious or too aged to notice the critter's bad temperament. The specialist from that corner of Acria - posing as a nurse, same as Aisha - reported the same thing. Not that it had surprised him. Something like this was bound to happen one day.

"Gallade. My phone, please." The Pokémon stood gracefully, bowing to its companion before leaving the room to fetch the PokéGEAR. After thanking the Pokémon, the Director made a call.

"Good evening, Miss Anabel. I have some information you might find interesting. How familiar are you with the organization 'Cipher'?"