Chapter 9: Sight-Sharing

The early morning sun glistened upon the tranquil canals of Alto Mare, whose denizens-; Pokemon and humans alike- were beginning to awaken and begin their individual morning routines. The Pokemon swam through the canals, walked upon the ground, or flew through the air in search of breakfast, while the humans boarded gondolas to transport them to where they needed to be that morning. It was a casual morning in the elegant, sea-fairing city.

However, no one, Pokemon or humans alike, noticed the sinister contraptions taking up refuge in the city's nooks and crannies. Gondoliers steered their boats through the canals, neither them nor their passengers noticing the sun glistening off the lenses of the devices concealed in the shadows: devices that watched their every move.

—

Deep in the belly of Team Phreatic's submarine, Shelly sat in the captain's chair on the bridge, the surrounding stations manned and alert. At the front of the room was a massive viewing screen that captured everyone's attention. The screen was currently cycling through different viewpoints of Alto Mare, displaying several sections of the canals, the city's various districts, and multiple Pokemon, both wild and with their trainers The scenes deeply irritated Shelly, for none of them gave her what she desired: Alto Mare's sole surviving guardian.

The images displayed on the screen were all using thermal imaging, and still nothing had come up. It was starting to get on Shelly's nerves. If Latias was still in the city, she should have been found by now.

"Switch to the feeds from the Secret Garden," Shelly ordered.

A crewman changed the video feed to display the Secret Garden. It was as tranquil a scene as always, and the different hues from the camera's thermal setting painted the area in a memorizing display of color. The Pokemon that called the garden home gleamed like stained glass, and the fountain that acted as the core of the garden rippled with the most vibrant energy, no doubt because of the Soul Dew.

"She's not here either!" said Shelly, seething in annoyance as she pounded a fist into the console on the armrest. "Where could she possibly be!? It's been weeks!"

The door to the bridge slid open at that moment and, looking over her shoulder, Shelly's aggravation increased as Dr. Yung entered. He grinned as he viewed what was displayed on the monitor.

"Ah, I see you are having no luck locating the Eon," he said, his voice dripping with mockery.

"Obviously," said Shelly, turning her attention to the monitor. "And unless you have a solution to the current dilemma, I suggest you return to your assigned station and stay there."

"It is imperative that I remain where I am," said Dr. Yung, crossing his arms confidently. I believe I know how we might flush out the Latias."

"Oh really?" asked Shelly skeptically. "How do you suggest that we do that?"

"Simple," said Dr. Yung, walking over to Shelly's left and leaned on the guardrail of the platform that led up to her captain's chair. "She is a guardian, is she not? The way I see it, the best way to garner a guardians attention is to threaten that which they guard."

Shelly gave him a quizzical look. "What you are implying will undoubtedly draw a lot of attention, Dr. Yung," said Shelly. "Attention that could jeopardize our entire operation."

Dr. Yung apparently wasn't swayed by her argument, his smirk remaining in place. "To what purpose is being discreet going to do you in the long run?"

Shelly arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Don't you understand?" said Dr. Yung, "No matter what, you are eventually going to draw the attention of Alto Mare's law enforcement. Even if you were somehow able to capture Latias discreetly, how do you intend to do the same when you move in to procure the DMA? Something like that is not going to go unnoticed."

Shelly gritted her teeth. She hated to admit that he was right.

"Is the Mirage System prepared?" she asked.

She had intended to use the Mirage System to move in on the DMA once they were ready, but it seemed to her that her plans would have to be shifted ahead of schedule..

Dr. Yung's face brightened. He was thrilled to longer have to deal with Shelly's ire..

"It is," he said, "I'm glad this partnership is bearing fruit for both of us already."

Shelly sighed. "Proceed."

Dr. Yung could not suppress a look of anticipation as he exited the bridge.

—

A Team Phreatic drones sat just beneath the surface of a canal, embedded in the masonry of a stone dock. Throughout the night, this drone, like all the others, had remained inconspicuous, not drawing the slightest bit of attention from either Pokemon or human The lens installed on the lower part of its body started to glow with a vibrant orange light as a gondola passed overhead.

On board the gondola, both the gondolier and his two passengers looked overboard, drawn to the ominous light. The surface of the water exploded, sending a mighty pillar of water shooting into the air and capsizing the gondola. The two passengers, a brown haired boy who appeared to be no older than ten, and a blonde girl in pigtails of the same age, screamed as they plunged into the water. The boy was quick to react, grabbing the girl by the arm and dragging her and himself over to the edge of a nearby dock, which they both grabbed into. Looking back, they saw a Tentacruel surrounded in a strange blue hue emerge from the pillar of water.

"Tent-A-Cruel!" it hissed sinisterly.

The two children could only stare in terror.

The girl, being the first to respond, mumbled. "Th…those aren't native to Alto Mare…"

The boy, however, had a different approach.

"Go, Solrock!" he declared, throwing a pokeball, which produced a stream of white light when it opened.

The light solidified into a Pokemon that resembled a sun made of red and yellow stone, its squinted eyes baring down at its foe.

"Sol-rock," it chirped and faced the Tentacruel.

"Solrock, Hyper Beam!" the boy said.

Following the command, the Solrock focused its energy and a blazing ball of yellow light formed before it. The ball shot forth in a stream of energy that hit the Tentacruel head on.. The boy and the girl cheered in victory and the Solrock closed its eyes and drank in their praise, as did the gondolier, who was trying to flip his boat right side up nearby.

From the smoke, the Tentacruel raced forth like a speeding boat. In the blink of an eye, it was before the Solrock, its forward beak protrusion poised to strike. The jagged appendage struck the Solrock a Poison Sting that landed in a direct hit, sending the dual-type Rock/Psychic Pokemon skidding over the water like a skipped stone.

"Solrock!" the boy cried in despair. His Pokemon did not respond, slowly drifting on the surface of the water, eyes swirling. "Return!" cried the boy, returning his Pokemon to the Poke Ball in a stream of red light.

"Tent-A-Cruel!" The two children had just enough time to heave themselves out of the water and evade the Tentacruel's grip, running into the depths of Alto Mare as the cnidarian Pokémon hauled itself on land and chased after them.

Across Alto Mare, strange, hostile Pokemon surrounded by a blue hue emerged out of nowhere. Trainers across Alto Mare attempted to fight against the creatures. Ross, a local gondolier, tried to rescue people who had been driven into the water, lifting them onto his gondola, as his Wailmer fended off an attacking Feraligatr nearby. The Officer Jenny of Alto Mare attempted to rally defenses with her police force, her Jolteon wrestling with a Ninetales. As the trainers struggled, Lorenzo and Bianca barricaded the museum as a Scyther, a Gyarados and a Machamp hammered against the doors.

"Grandpa! What's happening?" cried Bianca, bracing herself against the door with her whole body.

"I don't know!" Lorenzo admitted, bracing the door.

He looked over his shoulder, to the machine bathed in morning light. They had vowed to never use it, but he could see no alternative.

"Bianca, make for the Secret Garden!" he said, his voice serious, as well as strained as he fought to keep the door closed.

"I'm not going to run and hide and leave you here!" she cried, but could suppress a slight scream as the Scyther's blade pierced the door and jutted out above her head.

"I'm not asking you to," said Lorenzo as the Scyther's blade receded. "Get the Soul Dew!"

Bianca locked up at his words, for it wasn't hard to deduce what he was instigating. "Grandpa, you can't…we can't…"

"There is no other option!" shouted Lorenzo. "We need to make sure we pull a stop to whatever is going on before we put too much strain…"

Before he could say more, a drone flew into the museum through a window on the upper floor and aimed its Mirage System lens. An Ariados materialized before Lorenzo and Bianca, who were promptly wrapped up in the Ariados's thread.

As destruction reigned throughout Alto Mare, fueled by Mirage Pokemon attacking from the skies, seas, and land,

the mythical gem composed of the soul of Alto Mare's fallen guardian began to gleam as the consciousness within stirred. Some part of Latios's guardian spirit lingered within the Soul Dew, for he sensed the fear and destruction spreading throughout Alto Mare and was compelled to act. He could not get involved physically, but there was one other option he had left. On the Soul Dew's glossy surface the reflection of a Latios's face gleamed into existence as his eyes started to glow. Throughout Alto Mare, the canals began to gleam.

—

Out at sea, the Sanctuary Of The Eon Pokemon was bustling with more activity than usual. Latias trailed behind the Alpha Latias, the latter's form rippling and glowing as she took on her Mega Form. As the Alpha's purple down began to settle in, Latias's own feathers did the same, with Latias adopting her own Mega form soon after. They sped around the inner sanctum, their jet streams carving trenches in the surface of the water, their speed almost triple what it was before.

Latias gritted her teeth as she felt her body straining under her new form. She'd only achieved Mega Evolution a few days prior, and wasn't entirely used to the effort required to maintain it, but despite the overwhelming burden, it came with a sense of accomplishment. All her life, she'd never been able to obtain the level of power that was the pinnacle of not only her kind, but a majority of Pokemon everywhere. Now, she could Mega Evolve.

"Come on, young one, maintain your composure," the Alpha Latias said to her from in front of her reassuringly.

Latias smiled and blinked the sweat out of her eyes.

As they sped through the sanctuary, they passed by a pair of Latios.

Ash charged at the Alpha Latios, his claws gleaming with a Dragon Claw. After he had managed to gain "acceptable" proficiency in using Luster Purge, he'd moved on to other Pokemon moves that a Latios is capable of using.The other moves had come easier to Ash, and he found a keen proficiency in Thunder Wave. He assumed he had a certain Thunderbolt-happy menace to thank for that.

The Alpha Latios parried Ash's blow with a Dragon Claw of his own, the two sets gleaming as they scraped against each other in a shower of sparks. They pulled apart, then plowed into each other again, simultaneously striking and parrying. Ash's reflexes had begun to improve as well. Ash knew it wasn't yet enough, though. To protect Alto Mare, he would need to strive to greater lengths than he had already achieved.

As Ash and the Alpha Latios parted once again, Latias and the Alpha Latias sped by. For a brief moment they withdrew their focus from their duel of claws, focusing on the younger and older Latias, with Ash waving happily at Latias The Alpha Latios observed his mate with deep affection, while Ash had a deep pride as he watched Latias soar. The Alpha Latios noticed a keen envy in Ash's eye, and he sighed deeply.

"Patience, younger," said the Alpha Latios, reading his expression. "Mega Evolution is going to require a great deal more training. At your current level it's best to not even entertain the notion of trying."

Before Ash could respond, he was tackled into a deep hug by a flashing purple blur.

"Ash! Ash, look!" she declared loudly as she spun them both around. "I did it! I did it! I'm maintaining my Mega Form!"

He smiled at her and rubbed the back of her neck. "Good job, Latias."

At his praise she couldn't suppress an excited squeal. Ash smiled, but his joy was cut short as Latias's eyes began to glow. Her Mega Form promptly dissipated, and a blue orb exploded out of her chest. The four gathered Eons stared at the sight, knowing what it was immediately.

"Sight-Sharing?" Ash gawked as Latias's shared vision began to come into focus. "But how? Latios… he…"

The Alphas Latios began to move to speak, about to go on a long lecture about Eon customs about Sight-Sharing, but was cut off as the full enormity of what was in Latias's sight became apparent to him. All around them they saw sections of Alto Mare from different angles and places, Mirage Pokemon bombarding the city with a variety of moves. Walls shattered from the flames and explosions, people ran from the volley of rocks and the shaking of the earth, and gondolas were torn asunder by moves, jaws, and claws.

The vision was brief, but it told them all they needed. As soon as the Sight-Share dissipated, the four stared at each other, all collectively saying the same thing in unison.

"Alto Mare is under attack!"