Colress watched with mild amusement as their Battle Studies lesson was derailed by a lively debate about Pokémon liberation. Mr. Hodge hung idly by as Aldith was being corralled into releasing her Petilil. The little Pokémon scampered off into the terrarium without looking back.
It was really quite fascinating to watch Ghetsis work. His transformation had gone seemingly unquestioned, the school thug turned passionate Pokémon advocate. Colress wasn't sure how anybody could possibly trust a word he said, but the fact that Ghetsis was pulling it off was a spectacle Colress couldn't rip his eyes away from.
He observed the rest of Class 11-B with interest, silently gauging which were most likely to give in to Ghetsis' ideals.
'Rosie will. Maybe even before the end of this class. She does everything Aldith does. Adam, he's impulsive. He'll do it on a whim. Michael probably won't. He's stubborn. Annie...'
Colress' eyes landed on Annie Foxglove, who was standing with her friends. She was quiet, but never alone. She had long copper hair that hung in waves down her back and glasses that framed her grey eyes. Colress averted his gaze and forced himself to look up at the glass dome encasing the terrarium.
Annie only had one Pokémon, an Ariados that she seemed to have a strong bond with. As Colress considered whether she might release it, he was hit with a cold wave of disappointment.
'Yes, it would be a shame to waste such a bond.' He nodded to himself.
Mr. Hodge broke him out of his reverie as he called for everyone to pair up.
"There are rental Pokémon available for those of you who need them. Professor Juniper tells me you had quite the History class yesterday." he added.
Colress moved towards Ghetsis out of habit, expecting them to be the only two without a partner. But as people dispersed, Colress realised that Ghetsis now had a queue of his peers hoping to spend more time with him. Unsurprisingly, Zinzolin appeared to be at the front of that queue. Hardly eager to claim Ghetsis for himself, Colress hung back, waiting for his unlucky partner to reveal themselves.
To his surprise, the person left standing alone was Annie. A warmth rose to Colress' cheeks. He had never actually spoken to her before.
"Guess that leaves us," she smiled as she approached him. He noticed her friends making their way over to the battlefields with Gorm and Bronius. He wondered if she felt hurt that they left her behind.
"I suppose it does. Shall we?" Colress began walking in the direction of the Coastal Biome as all the nearby battlefields had been taken already. Annie kept pace with him.
"You're not going to try and talk me into releasing my Pokémon, are you?" she asked with a teasing lilt in her voice as they walked.
'She's noticed my affiliation with Ghetsis and his Team Plasma.'
"I will not." Colress said. He was unsure what else to say. He wasn't well practiced at pleasantries.
"That's a relief. Maisy and Jade are already talking about doing it. I have a feeling I'm going to be hounded relentlessly the way things are going." Annie sighed.
"I believe you may be right." Colress nodded. He wanted to ask what she believed. Did she believe Ghetsis was wrong about his ideas of servitude and oppression? Or was her desire to keep her Pokémon based in sentimentality and selfishness? He stifled his question, unsure if it would be a jarring turn in a polite conversation.
"Do you believe him? Ghetsis, I mean. Do you think Pokémon are being oppressed by us?" Annie turned to him, voicing the very same question without hesitation. Her grey eyes shone with curiosity.
'What I believe is unimportant. Team Plasma is a means to an end.'
"The data he included in his presentation was correct. I verified it." Colress replied carefully. That much was true.
"Right," Annie looked back down at the grass, clearly unsatisfied with his response.
When they reached the sandy battlefield of the Coastal Biome, Colress sent out his Klink.
Annie took her place and sent out Ariados with an effortless flick of her wrist. Colress noticed the spider made eye contact with her as it landed on the sand, as if looking for reassurance. She smiled warmly as she met its lavender eyes.
He had seen Annie battle before. Ariados had a powerful Poison Jab that thankfully his steel-types wouldn't have to worry about.
"Ready?" she asked, her auburn hair fluttering in the artificial breeze of the dome. Colress straightened his glasses self-consciously.
"Ready."
"Ariados, Agility!" Annie called. Before she had even finished speaking, Ariados anticipated the move and flew into a high-speed run.
"Klink, Autotomize." Colress said, hoping that the gears would be able to keep up.
"That's our obligatory status moves out of the way." Annie chuckled. "Now, Dig!"
'It knows Dig? That's not good.' Colress' ran through potential strategies to avoid the super-effective move as Ariados tunnelled underground.
"Damn it... Klink, Autotomize again." Colress commanded. Klink span its gears even faster. 'If it withstands this attack, it should now be fast enough to land a heavy blow before Ariados can Dig again.'
Ariados burst from the sand, colliding hard with Klink. There was a tense moment of waiting as the small steel-type wobbled in mid-air, but it steadied itself.
"Klink, Gear Grind!"
"Sucker Punch!"
Colress watched with grim amazement as Ariados slipped a stealthy blow in before Klink's attack could actualise.
There was no doubt this time, Colress knew that the battle was lost before Klink fell to the floor. He returned it to its ball with a frown. They had been training, but it still wasn't enough. There was something he was missing. A defining factor that determined a Pokémon's strength. Ariados had it. Deino had it. But what did they have in common?
"That was a good battle," Annie walked over to join him, Ariados scuttling by her side. "If Ariados hadn't learned Sucker Punch, I think that Gear Grind would have hurt."
"There's no need to humour me. I'm not strong like you and Ghetsis." Colress brushed her off, deep in thought. He was lacking something fundamental; he could feel it. 'What is it that makes Pokémon strong? It's more than just practice. I've practiced just as much as anyone here. I've read strategy books. I know my Pokémon's strengths and limitations. What am I missing?'
"Is Ghetsis strong? I've never watched him battle." Annie asked as they began the slow walk back to the Pokémon Center.
"He battles ruthlessly. I'm usually paired with him, so I have the joy of being crushed mercilessly every lesson." Colress gave a mirthless chuckle.
"I'll have to watch him some time." Annie said, her hand reaching down to graze over Ariados' back as she walked. Colress took note of the ease in her affection for the creature. Could a bond be an important factor in strength? Ghetsis seemed to do fine without it - Deino was terrified of him.
Colress was consumed with his new mystery as the day wore on. He could barely concentrate on studying, his mind bouncing from one theory to the next. 'If a bond is the key, could it be artificially replicated? Perhaps it doesn't have to be a positive bond. Annie and Ghetsis are either ends of the spectrum. Friendship and fear. Or maybe it isn't so simple. Perhaps it's an unseen force, like an aura that certain trainers have. If it can be quantified, it could be replicated.'
"...coming to the library?"
'I've heard of a phenomenon in Alola where Pokémon can perform ultra powerful attacks when synchronised with their trainers, what was it called? Maybe this uses the unseen force I'm looking for.'
"Um, earth to Colress?"
Colress looked around to see that he was now sitting in an empty classroom. The lesson had ended and he had been so lost in thought, he hadn't noticed people leaving around him. Rood stood in front of him, his round face set into a grin.
"We have our Team Plasma meeting in the library, are you coming?"
Colress took a seat in the library with Ghetsis and the six other boys. He leaned his elbows on the table and gave Ghetsis a goading look.
"Just us again? After all the preaching you've done today, I thought we'd need the whole canteen for all our new recruits."
"Oh, we would." Ghetsis met his taunt with a smug expression. He pulled out his battered notebook and revealed a long list of names. "But these meetings aren't for members. They're for founders."
Colress raised his eyebrows in surprise, reading the list. He was pleased to see that his predictions on who would cave had been mostly correct. Annie's name was not on the list.
"If I knew you had the ability to work this hard, I might not have been so willing to do your homework all year." Colress muttered. Ghetsis ignored him.
"As Head of Operations," Zinzolin stressed his job title once again, clearly overjoyed about how important it sounded. "I went ahead and had these made up. To let everybody know who we are."
He passed around some pin badges. Colress examined it with a smirk. It bore a black and white crest with a cobalt blue 'P' emblazoned on it. Everyone eagerly pinned it to their uniforms. Everyone except Colress, who pocketed his.
"The eight founders." said Gorm, looking around the table.
"The eight sages." Ghetsis corrected with a devilish glint in his eyes.
"Seven sages, please. I'll only be enjoying your company until I go to university." Colress interjected.
"So you keep reminding us." Zinzolin rolled his eyes. "The Seven Sages... And Colress Achroma."
"It has a ring to it." Colress chuckled.
"Now, my sages, let's discuss our first order of business." Ghetsis leant forward and turned the page in his notebook.
"Of course, Lord Ghetsis." Colress teased. Ghetsis raised his eyebrow, his lips curling upwards.
"Lord Ghetsis, I could get used to that." he sneered, before launching into his plan. "This weekend we'll hold an event. A protest right on the battle court in the entrance. The battling club are planning to hold league battles all day up there, so it'll spread the word far from our own class."
"I could make posters and signs... Maybe t-shirts too." Rood nodded. "That's what my role is, right? Communicating the message?"
"Excellent, I clearly chose well." Ghetsis nodded.
"And I'll make sure no one gives us any trouble," laughed Bronius, flexing his muscles.
"W-What would the Head of Intelligence do?" asked Ryoku, his fingers picking nervously at a splinter on the wooden table.
"You're like a spy! You stand in the crowd and listen to what people are saying. Maybe amp them up a bit, like 'Hey, those guys have a point! That Gorm is super handsome too!' Something like that." Gorm clapped him on the back.
Colress watched passively as they discussed their roles in the upcoming protest, letting his mind drift in and out of the conversation. 'What a bother. I planned to spend this weekend researching how to bring out the strength in Pokémon. And now it looks like I'll be standing around in the cold holding a sign. I do hope Team Plasma ends up being worth my while.'
Zinzolin spun his pin badge between his fingers, a satisfied smile on his face. "Now that we've got these, all we're missing is the full outfit. I say, robes. Long, flowing robes. You know, to match our status as sages."
Gorm laughed, leaning back in his chair. "Sages in robes, huh? You mean like we're all wizards or something?"
"No, no, I'm with Zinzolin on this," Rood chimed in, grinning. "Robes could work. Think about it: we're the guiding minds of Team Plasma, the thinkers. We should look the part."
"And robes are practical," Ryoku added quietly, his eyes obscured by his lank, black hair. "Good for… hiding things."
Bronius scoffed, "Robes? Come on. That's for you brainy types. I want to be a knight! Give me armour and swords!" He flexed again, as if showing off his biceps to an imaginary crowd. "I'll lead the charge."
"We'd all have to match, Bronius." Giallo said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin, "We can't have Seven Sages, except one is a knight."
"What if," Rood said, his grin widening. "The sages wear robes, but everyone else is a knight. Maybe some of them could even carry banners with the big 'P' on it."
"What a spectacle you will all be." Colress widened his eyes in mock approval. 'Is Ghetsis going to step in at any point? His uprising is beginning to sound like a costume party.'
"And who's at the front of this grand kingdom?" Zinzolin asked, his eyes sliding toward Ghetsis. "Our fearless king, of course. Lord Ghetsis!"
'What a suck up.' Colress rolled his eyes as the white-haired Zinzolin gave a seated half-bow.
Ghetsis raised an eyebrow, but his smirk suggested he was far from offended. "A king needs a castle, wouldn't you agree?" he said, a note of amusement in his voice. The table fell silent for a moment, everyone watching Ghetsis, trying to gauge whether he was joking.
Zinzolin, never missing an opportunity to agree with him, tapped his chin. "I think a castle would be fitting. Big, fortified… a symbol of strength."
"A symbol of how far we'll go to change the world," Rood said earnestly, leaning in, clearly catching onto the grandeur of the idea. "People would take us seriously then."
"You'd really look the part then, Ghetsis. Sitting on a throne, devising our next moves." Gorm smirked.
"How rich do you think he is?" Colress couldn't hold in his incredulity any longer.
Zinzolin shot him a withering look, before adding, "and Achroma can be the court jester. If he's not too busy, of course."
The group laughed, but Ghetsis leaned forward, steepling his fingers together. "A castle for Team Plasma. Now that is something to think about." He looked around the table, his voice low, "We could build something the world won't forget. A sanctuary for our cause. A fortress."
As the meeting wrapped up, Colress found himself anxious to get back to his room and study. Before leaving the library, he checked out a few books on the legends of Alola.
"Colress," Ghetsis appeared behind him, making him jump. "Walk with me."
Ghetsis' tone was commanding and Colress was weary. He reluctantly followed Ghetsis out of the library without a fight. Ghetsis led them up to the entrance, past the deserted battleground where their weekend protest was due to be, and onto the pier. The freezing winds of the real ocean were a jarring change from the temperature-controlled terrarium. Colress shivered as they looked out at the dark waves together.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company tonight, Ghetsis?" Colress tried to keep the chatter from his teeth.
"You may not want to be a sage, but I believe that you are the most important asset that Team Plasma has." Ghetsis' voice was quiet and thoughtful.
"And how did you draw that conclusion?" Colress asked curiously. Ghetsis turned to him with that burning look of ambition.
"Because you don't believe in the cause."
"I'm sure if you look hard enough, you'll find other people that don't believe in your cause." Colress smiled mockingly. Ghetsis gave a snort of laughter.
"You don't believe in the cause, and yet here you are. Which means that you believe in my goals beyond Pokémon liberation. You can be trusted with more information than the others."
"An accurate assessment. I don't care about liberating Pokémon, but I do find myself intrigued by your true motives." Colress agreed, returning his gaze to the sea lapping up against the side of the pier.
"Not to mention your academic pursuits. I looked up your parents. If you turn out anything like them, Team Plasma would be unstoppable."
"And what would an unstoppable Team Plasma be doing exactly?"
"Anything we wanted. Personally, I've always been interested in the legend of Reshiram and Zekrom. With money, power and an army of followers, nothing would be beyond my grasp." Ghetsis spoke quietly, but his voice had a dangerous edge to it.
"So, Pokémon liberation is a way to gain followers that you can then use for your own ambitions."
"No, Colress. It's more than that."
Colress looked out at the darkening sky, the cold wind whistling over the metal and glass structures of the academy. It was a clear night and the stars twinkled above them, reflected in the rippling black depths below.
"How so?"
"If the people of Unova liberate their Pokémon, then we will be the only powerful ones left. We won't just be sages, we'll be kings. We'll write the rules as we see fit. We'll wield the legendary dragons and nobody will be able to oppose us."
A chill ran down Colress' spine that had nothing to do with the wind.
"I'm destined for greatness; I can feel it!" That's what he'd said. Colress had considered a few theories for Ghetsis' true motives. World domination hadn't been one of them.
Did Colress want to live in a world where Ghetsis ruled supreme? The boy with a bad temper and a malicious smile. The boy who kicked his Pokémon when it missed an attack. The boy who made him do his homework. The idea held little appeal.
Then again, if Ghetsis were to be a king, Colress would rather be his friend than his enemy.
"I've always wanted to see a legendary Pokémon." Colress replied evenly, his eyes never leaving the night sky.
"You'll do more than see one. You'll control one. Maybe you'll even create a new one. I'll leave that up to your discretion." Ghetsis turned to him once more, his bony hand outstretched. "As promised, I won't disrupt your education. But after that, join me. Join Team Plasma as it creates a new era of Unovan history."
Colress stared at his outstretched hand for a minute, weighing up the cost of his Faustian bargain. Colress had no interest in ruling Unova. But unlimited money and resources could allow him to make scientific discoveries that had yet to be conceived of. He imagined having access to every university, every machine, every chemical, every research paper that had ever been written. He imagined the pride in his mother's eyes when she realised that her son was the one who made the biggest discovery of her lifetime.
Colress reached out and grasped Ghetsis' hand firmly. His long fingers were deceivingly strong, crushing around the bones in Colress' hand.
"Your wish is my command, Lord Ghetsis."