Noblejanobii
04-10-2016, 03:17 AM
I sighed and pulled back my hair into a tight ponytail. Another day, another world to protect. It wasn't easy being a general for the White Rockets, but with the constant war, it was my duty to protect the Kanto Region at large.
I gave myself one last long look in the mirror before turning and exiting her quarters. Age had treated me well so far. Beyond some of the more obvious aging features, such as a few wrinkles on my face, I had experienced no appearance change. My uniform had changed slightly since the days of old though. I had swapped out my black for official white but the purple remained. I required it so, since purple is the best of colors. I also had several medals attached to my shirt, a symbol of her status. Of course, my partner was still the same as well. Meowstic had never left my side. That was a rare thing in these dire times of war.
"General Writer!" I walked briskly down a cement lined hallway as an assistant ran to my side with two folders clasped to her chest. "We have an emergency. The Dragon Clan has began to press further east. At this rate they will break through our defenses and be able to invade Kanto." The war had been raging for what seemed like forever, but it had only reached its peak recently, when the infamous red Rs teamed up with the Dragon Clan in Johto. Now we had more trouble than ever predicting and handling their movements. Kanto was at much more risk than ever.
"I am very aware of the situation," I said, a little annoyed at having such a thing repeated to me constantly. "Please keep such updates to a minimum unless it's of true significance."
"Oh but it is, General!" The assistant scrambled and handed me one of the folders. I opened it to the profile of a woman about my same age. "This woman and a man have offered to help us against the Dragon Clan. The man even claims to have been raised by the members of the clan, which checks out with his profile background. But they refuse to speak with anyone except you." Per usual. However, just glancing over this woman's profile, I could see some interesting intel. Perhaps they might be of some use after all.
"Fine. I will see them. Where are they?"
"They are staying inside the base hotel levels. They are sharing room 344, General."
"Good. You are dismissed."
I walked through the compound and approached the nearest elevator. After inputting the appropriate security code, I set course for hotel floor 3. The hotel was meant to be a safe haven for those giving us intel. How long one's stay there could very well depend on what information they brought up. However, currently, it was also a safe haven to the public. Many civilians were staying in the hotel as well as protection from the war. The third floor was still reserved for witness protection, but all other floors were open to civilian convenience.
The elevator doors slid open with a ding and I walked briskly out of the elevator and down the hall to room 344. I gave three knocks on the door and began to count in my head before the door suddenly opened revealing man. He paused for a second before asking,
"General Writer, I presume?"
"Yes," I replied, crossing my arms. "And you are?"
The man that stood before me was a little taller than me, but he was not very intimidating. He had sapphire blue eyes and earthy brown hair. He was currently dressed in a white shirt and jeans that fit tight enough for me to see his muscular build. He seemed built more to be evasive than to actually fight, but I could feel the protective aura coming off him as he observed me with his own eyes and didn't doubt this man would kill to protect what he loved.
"My name is Dylan Thomas. I am a PBI agent from the Sinnoh division." The man, Dylan, backed away from the door a little revealing the rest of the hotel room to me. Nothing was of particular interest, as I had seen it all before, except for the woman seated on the bed in the center of the room.
The woman was dressed in simple clothing as well, a black button down shirt and blue jeans. Her hair was a dark brown that was pulled back into a long ponytail that trailed onto the bed for about a foot behind her. Her eyes were the same brown but they were unfocused, only giving me a glassy look. At her feet, on either side of her, were two children, a young boy and an even younger girl. In the woman's arms was a baby as well and her stomach was enlarged, hinting at another child on the way. Busy people. Though, I found my gaze coming back to the woman's eyes, their glassy gaze giving me quite a bit of confusion. Was this woman blind? Given the scar that almost looked like claw marks through her eyes, it was a reasonable assumption.
"A feraligatr attack." The woman's voice startled me out of my observation. "I lost my sight in a feraligatr attack," the woman said quietly. I opened my mouth to ask the obvious question, but the woman once again answered me before I spoke. "I have practiced using my other senses since my loss of sight. Thus, my hearing, smell, taste, and touch have expanded beyond what people with all five regular senses can understand. I could feel you staring at me and your gaze lingered on my eyes and my children longer than anything else." There was another long pause and then the man spoke up,
"This is my wife, Sloane Thomas, and our children: Max, Bella, and Jackson." I bowed slightly and said,
"Pleasure to meet you all. I am White Rocket General Kyo Writer. You said you had information. On how to hold back the Dragon Clan, but would only deliver it to me. Thus, I am here." Dylan gestured for me to step inside. I stepped in and sat down on one of the two chairs in the room. Dylan closed the door behind us and then sat down in the other chair. There was another long silence before Sloane finally spoke up.
"The Dragon Clan has sheltered and raised Dylan. They are not as fond of I because I serve different deities, and would not pledge my loyalty to the dragons. Nevertheless, they educated us both in their attack tactics and war methods. We would be willing to share these worth you, however, we must ask a favor in return." Of course. There's always a catch. No one does anything anymore for selfless purposes. It's all about personal gain.
"What is your price?" I asked, "I will judge if this information is truly worth what you are asking for." Sloane looked down at her children and whispered something to them. The two children stumbled over to a nearby closet and fumbled. Max pulled out a bag and allowed Bella to reach inside. What came next I would have never guessed to have witnessed in my entire life. Bella pulled out of the bag what appeared to be a Celebi, but it was withered and dying. I stared as the children brought the Celebi to their father then returned to their mother's side.
"We found this Celebi in our backyard one day, about three months after the war started. It was in somewhat good health at the time, but it has deteriorated as time has gone on," Dylan explained quietly as he clutched the Celebi.
"We think it has something to do with The Forest." I looked up at Sloane and frowned in confusion.
"The Forest?" I asked. I had never heard of such a place. It was such a broad name, that either it didn't exist, or it was an alias for a place that I knew of.
"Ilex Forest is Celebi's home," Sloane said. "The Kimono Girls often said it was where Celebi was born, which is why the shrine is there. It was always said that if Ilex Forest or the shrine were to be damaged, Celebi's connection with the place was so deep, Celebi itself would be affected as well." Sloane paused and looked towards her husband, something catching in her throat as she tried to speak. "I never thought I would see the day when The Forest would be attacked, because it is common knowledge in Johto of how important this forest is. However, I guess times are changing from when I was young."
"War, war never changes," I replied, "but men do through the roads they walk." I took in a deep breath and began to recite a poem I had once heard, a long time ago. "Pure has become impure, impure has now become pure. Good has now become bad, bad has become good. To live is to die, to die is to live." I looked up and saw all eyes were on me. "It's an old Unova nursery rhyme, about the two princes that founded Unova. The different between ideals and truth, that's what the nursery rhyme is about. I think it also is meant to show the damages and changes that result from war."
"Please," Dylan said, "we need to get to Johto. If Celebi returns to the Ilex Forest, legend has it that Celebi will heal the forest. We've tried going other ways but all transportation from Kanto to Johto have been cut off. The only way we can get to Johto is to pass through a war zone and we can't risk getting shot down. We need an escort. Please."
I swallowed and scanned the faces of all in the room. This was not what I had originally thought it to be. These people were risking everything to try and save a Pokemon that held no bond to them beyond the little time they had spent with it. Yet, they were doing everything they could to save it. Their meaning for coming here today was not out of selfish ideas, but selfless truths. Reshiram must have guided these people to me.
"I will see what I can do. If I cannot get my fellow generals to agree with me, then so help me, I will steal a jet and fly you over there myself. Your price is high, not worth what you are giving to us in exchange, but your reason behind the price is something that makes it all worth all the effort it will take."
I noticed Sloane visibly relax, as if a weight had been taken off her at my words. She smiled and ruffled Max's hair. Dylan smiled and looked down at the Celebi in his arms. My words had given them confidence, no, it had given them hope, that they could help someone that was not themselves. It was something I rarely saw these days. I stood up and exhaled through my nose. Now came the hard part.
“However, do not take this lightly. It will be a difficult journey. It will be stressful, dangerous, and I cannot guarantee any of your safety.” I turned to Dylan and began to speak directly to him. “I will request that your children and your wife be able to stay here for their own safety while we go on this mission. As it stands-”
“Whoa. Whoa! WHOA!” I saw Sloane stand up and Dylan’s face split into a childish grin. Sloane’s eyes were narrowed at me and I’m sure if she wasn’t holding a baby she would be crossing her arms as well. “You’re not leaving me behind. I may be pregnant but I’m not disabled.” She paused then said, “That was a bad analogy. Either way, you’re not ditching me for anything. The kids can stay here and you can get them a sitter, but if anyone’s going on that mission, it’s me.” I looked over at Dylan for some help but he just shrugged while trying to keep with laughing.
“It’s probably important for you to know, she is the brains of the operation. I’m the muscle,” Dylan said as he laughed. Well that was just great. I sighed. Sloane’s presence on this journey would just make it infinitely harder.
“General Writer, you have to understand, I was a Kimono trainee. I am a servant to Lord Ho-oh, Lord Lugia, and Lord Celebi, as well as the Legendary Beasts. It is my duty to protect Celebi. I cannot just sit here without any further input on this journey. My reasoning may be selfish, but it is what I believe, and it how I will stand.”
There is was. I saw it now. Just like the rhymes and songs of my past, there was always a connection between truth and ideals. The man, Dylan, was the truth, bringing reason to every situation, while the woman, Sloane, was ideals, considering all her beliefs before making each decision. Suddenly I had much more respect for these people than ever before.
“All right, I will do what I can, but there are no guarantees for anything other than what I have stated. If that is all, I must depart, but I will return with new information as I have it.”
***
I couldn’t believe I was doing this. A week after our first meeting I was doing just as I promised, and I couldn’t believe I was insane enough to go through with it. Yet, here I was, in the pilot seat of one of the fastest jets the White Rockets owned. Hope I didn’t scratch it while I was out. Oh who am I kidding, I probably would.
I checked over my shoulder for the hundredth time since we had taken off from the base. Dylan and Sloane were huddled in the two small seats in the back. Sloane was currently resting, or asleep, with her eyes closed and head on Dylan’s shoulder. Dylan was holding one of her hands with his arm wrapped around her shoulders. He looked worried, no doubt a thousand possibilities about what could go wrong flying through his head. Even so, he didn't voice them. I guess he didn't want to Sloane or I to share the source of his worry. Turning back to face frontward, I scanned the skyline for possible enemy targets. We weren't flying right over the war zone, but we were cutting it close. This was the safest route to Johto after all. It was also the hardest to track someone on.
I smirked a little in amusement as I imagined what would happen back at base when they found my little IOU sticker where the jet should be. They won't mind, probably. Either way, I was pretty sure I was doing the right thing, and that's all I really cared about. I sat up a little straighter and glanced around the skyline again before looking down. It seemed so peaceful down below but go a mile or two west and a bloodbath awaited us. I bit my lip and found myself speeding the jet up slightly. I took in a deep breath, held it, and exhaled. Easy Kyo, there's no danger here. You're miles away from the sea and not too close to the battlefield. I looked at the ground one last time and spotted New Bark Town. We were officially in Johto. I looked back over my shoulder slightly and said quietly,
“We’ve just crossed the border to Johto. I’ll try to land just outside of Azalea Town. It should not be more than an hour more of flight time.” Dylan smiled a little and began to reply when suddenly the strangest thing happened. The jet’s radio, which I had specifically cut off, sparked to life as a message came through.
“Unidentified jet, please state your identification and destination. Over.” At first, I was very much inclined not to answer. However, I knew better. We’d be shot down if I didn’t and we at least had a chance of not being shot down if I tried to talk them through the situation. I adjusted the microphone on my headset and replied back,
“This is Whiskey Romeo Pantafive Niner. My destination is just outside Azalea Town for a drop off of two civilians that were stuck on the Kanto side of the war.” There was a short spout of static then a crackle as they came back.
“Are you armed, Whiskey Romeo? And can the civilians speak up so we might have confirmation that they are actually there?”
“Well, one of them is currently asleep. She's currently um… hang on a moment.” I looked over my shoulder at Dylan and asked, “How many months is she?” Dylan held up four fingers. “She's currently four months pregnant, according to her husband, so I think it best not to wake her, but I'm sure he would be willing to speak for them both, if that is all right. As for if I'm armed, I have left all weapons back at base except for, hm, I believe except for the emergency guns since, as I believe you know, cannot be unloaded. If there are any other weapons on this jet that I did not unload, I am not aware of them.”
“Sounds all right to me, Whiskey Romeo. Don't make me regret trusting you. Now if you could just please have the husband speak, I'll clear you from suspect.” I paused and the speaker seemed to notice my hesitation. “Don’t fly this model often, do you?” I snorted.
“Is it that obvious? My pilot license is still valid, I promise, but the last one of these I flew was a Whiskey Romeo Alfa Niner Niner.”
“Not a bad model, but not up to date with the model you're using. To allow the passenger to speak, there should be a button to the right of the steering controls. It'll stand out because it's green. It'll switch the com from your headset to his. It'll cycle through each headset so just press the button the amount of times necessary.”
“Thank you. I'll be switching over in a second.” With that I pressed the button once to switch to headset two, what Dylan was wearing. I glanced back at him and he gave me a thumbs up. He paused then began to speak.
“Yes sir, I read you… yes sir, I came here willingly… almost a year… yeah. I'm actually from Sinnoh but my wife is a Johto native… Ecruteak… we have friends in Azalea that are offering us shelter… yes sir I will be sure to do so… three kids so far… yes this'll be our fourth… we were thinking Arthur if it's a boy or Sou if it's a girl… thank you, sir… there wasn't a big enough jet for us all… I didn't feel safe letting my wife go on her own… yes sir, I do trust her… please do, she's doing us a huge favor by taking us here… I will do my best… you would do that for us?… I really appreciate it… thank you, sir… I will… you too…” Dylan looked back at me and gave me a thumbs up. I pressed the green button twice again and the man’s voice cracked back into my ear.
“Whiskey Romeo?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Take care of these people. I'll ensure you are granted safe passage here and back. And if you're the pilot that brings their children over, tell them you spoke with Anthony Joy, give them the codeword Draconis, they'll let you back through again. And if you're not, please convey that to the pilot that does. I wouldn't want civilian children to be shot down, especially since they're the children of such a nice man.”
“I will, Mr. Joy. Thank you for everything.”
“Any time, Whiskey Romeo.” With that, the radio clicked off. I sighed and gave Dylan a thumbs up. We weren't going to be shot out of the sky. That was a plus. Seemed the Johto side of the war wasn't as brutal as I first thought. Surprising, given who was behind it. I was pretty sure this must have been a Dragon Clan member I had been speaking with, because no Red R member would have a Whiskey Romeo to pass across the border. I'd be thankful for that and count my blessings.
“Do you know anyone named Anthony Joy?” I asked Dylan. Dylan paused in thought and frowned, his eyebrows knitting together as he thought it over. I could imagine him rolling the name around in his mind, searching for a memory that could be associated with the name.
“Ah! Yeah, I do! He’s an old friend of Sloane and I. He’s a dragon type specialist. He isn’t actually a member of the Dragon Clan, last I checked anyway. He’s been training with them for about five years though. Didn’t recognize his voice though, wow.”
Silence lapsed over us for the remaining hour of the flight. Neither of us was in the mood for talking, it seemed. Sloane was still fast asleep when we landed, so Dylan had to rouse her. She seemed grateful for not having been left to rest though. I helped the two exit the jet, then pointed to the other side of the Azalea Town.
“That’s where the Ilex Forest is. It’s difficult to see from here because of the city, but as we draw closer, I have no doubt we will see the true state of the forest. Then, we can decide if this is truly what is afflicting Celebi, and what the best course of action will be.” Dylan and Sloane both agreed without argument.
Azalea Town was oddly deserted. For a town that had become one of the largest tourist spots in Johto in the past decade, seeing the whole place turn into a ghost town was pretty frightening. All my nerves were on edge as we ventured further into the resort city. Nothing, however, could prepare me for Ilex Forest. The forest came into view when we reached about midtown. It wasn't like anything I had seen whenever I saw pictures of the forest.
The forest was supposed to be luscious and green year round, but what we were seeing was quite the opposite. All the trees were bare, not a leaf in sight. Their bark was much darker than it should be, signaling they were either sick, dying, or both. It was also oddly quiet. Not a Pokemon was stirring within the forest. It was utterly abandoned besides the red R’s guarding the entrance. I stopped walking and signaled to Dylan and Sloane. We took a different path that lead to a cliff overseeing the entrance.
“We need to distract them so we can get inside,” I explained to the couple. Dylan looked over at Sloane. Some unspoken message passed between them before they turned back to me.
“I can create a distraction. You two sneak in with Celebi. Sloane will stick to the shadows since that's what she's good at. Kyo, just head for the center of the forest, that's where the shrine is. You can take Celebi. Sloane will watch over you from the shadows, I promise. And, uh, be careful, both of you.”
Before I could protest, Dylan had taken off running and already caught the attention of the guards. They opened fire on him but Dylan merely held out his hand and the bullets froze. I stared at him in shock only to see a Gardevoir and Gallade melt into existence behind Dylan, both using psychic to freeze the bullets. I felt a tug on my arm and saw Sloane holding out Celebi to me. I took the Onion Fairy Pokemon into my arms and followed Sloane into the forest while the guards were distracted.
Almost as soon as we entered the forest, Sloane disappeared from sight. The whole thing unnerved me but I trusted Dylan’s word that she was watching over me as I ran through the forest. Worst case, I had six Pokemon with me as well that would fight alongside me no matter what. I'll admit, the forest only became creepier the further inside I went. Natural light barely reached past the canopy, so it was very hard to see despite it having been sometime in the afternoon. Many of the ponds in the area were dried up and the noticeable lack of pokemon that led to an eerie silence was very unnerving. Still, I pressed forward towards the center of the forest. I didn’t expect to step into a clearing so soon after I entered.
The clearing itself was flooded with what appeared to be moonlight. I wasn’t sure how long I had been in the forest, but the sky said many hours because it was a clear night sky filled with a full moon and stars above me. The trees created a perfect circle around the clearing and in the very center was a small wooden house-like structure that I assumed to be the shrine. I looked down at Celebi in my arms. It seemed more withered than before. Hopefully returning it to the shrine would fix everything. I took one step forward towards the shrine when a male voice suddenly called out,
“Oh, sorry General, but I can’t have you doing that.” I froze and scanned the clearing, only to see a man crash down on the ground several feet in front of me. It took me a moment to recognize him.
“Lieutenant Surge!” I growled out. The man, as ripped and loud as ever, let out a loud laugh as he turned his back to me and walked closer to the shrine. His raichu stepped out from behind the shrine, the same pretentious look on its face. Its cheeks sparked and shocked the ground right in front of my feet, causing me to step back a little bit. Lieutenant Surge held out his hands and smirked at me.
“Now hand over that Celebi.” Lieutenant Surge stepped closer to me but before he could reach me a shiny Umbreon landed on the ground in between us. It growled at the ex-gym leader and I heard laughter echoing from within the trees.
“If you’re going to get that Celebi, you’re going to have to go through me first!” I recognized this to be Sloane’s voice but Lieutenant Surge seemed pretty confused, like he recognized the voice too but couldn’t place it.
“Who goes there?” Lieutenant Surge called. The shiny Umbreon and Surge’s Raichu growled at each other, exchanging what I could only guess to be taunts. I stepped to the side and began to slide past my opponents when I walked straight into a Magneton. It shocked me and I collapsed to the ground, barely able to keep my grip on Celebi. I could barely hear Surge’s laughter above the ringing of my ears. I felt one of the pokeballs on my belt open and saw my Sandslash appear before me. He took down the Magneton down in one hit and growled at Surge. I saw Sloane land next to her Umbreon. Surge had three pokeballs on his belt, I noted, which meant there was one more pokemon he had up his sleeve. I grunted and sat up slowly.
“Kyo!” I heard Sloane call. She held her hands up in the air and I immediately knew what she meant. It was kind of a crazy plan, but what could you do? I stood up shakily and shifted Celebi into my right arm. Surge didn’t realize what I was doing until it was too late. I chucked Celebi into the air. Sloane jumped up and caught the time traveler then made a dash for the Shrine. She was about to reach it when lightning struck the Shrine.
“No!” I shouted as I watched the Shrine become engulfed in flames. Surge began to laugh and he crossed his arms.
“You thought I wouldn’t come with a back up plan? Please. I’ve always had my trump card in case someone like you came to meddle in my scheme. Check the skies next time.” I looked up into the sky and couldn’t believe my eyes. Was that the legendary bird, Zapdos? I couldn’t believe my eyes but sure as I was alive there it was. Sloane seemed to be in as much shock as I was but all Surge could do was laugh. “Now without that Shrine, Celebi can never be saved!” He continued to cackle until a loud bark sounded through the forest. Then time seemed to freeze.
A blue blur dashed out of the forest into the clearing. It barked and storm clouds gathered in the sky. Thunder echoed throughout the clearing then lightning ripped through the clouds. One bolt left the clouds and struck the Zapdos. The bird screeched and fell to the earth, crashing into the forest a ways away. Then rain began to pour down on the forest, putting out the fire on the shrine. Surge began to command his Raichu when the blur attacked him. When it solidified and time resumed, I was able to see that this was no ordinary rescuer.
“Lord Suicune!” Sloane shouted. Suicune looked over at Sloane and bowed its head to her before growling at Surge. Suicune looked back at Sloane and motioned its head towards the shrine. Somehow it was still standing, but neither I nor Sloane questioned it. Both of us scrambled to the shrine and Sloane gently placed Celebi on the shrine.
The reaction was immediate. A soft green light began to glow within the shrine. It enveloped Celebi then Ilex Forest as a whole. I closed my eyes, the light was so bright, but when I opened them again, I found everything was gone. The shrine was just fine, the forest was as alive as I remembered it, the sky was filled with daylight, and any signs of the battle that had occurred had disappear. Surge, his pokemon, and Suicune were nowhere to be seen. I could only guess maybe Celebi’s powers had something to do with it. I looked back at the shrine to find Celebi gone. I began to scan the area around me for the Celebi when I saw motion from behind the shrine. Celebi poked its head out from behind the shrine and giggled at Sloane and I. I smiled at Celebi and gave a small wave. Celebi floated over to Sloane and I and touched our foreheads.
“Thank you for saving me,” I heard a voice say, “If you ever need my help, in this time or another, merely say my name. I will hear you, and I will come to aid you. Please forgive me, but I must go now. I am needed in another time. Once again, thank you. And please deliver my thanks to the man, Dylan, as well. I will never forget your kindness and sacrifice to save my life.” Celebi floated away from us, giggled again, then flew up towards the sky. A rift opened up in the sky and Celebi flew through, the rift sealing up behind it.
“So,” Sloane said as we both stared up into the sky, “how about that?”
“If I get sentenced to treason for this it's so worth it,” I replied. We both began to laugh then turned and exited the forest. Dylan was waiting for us outside, sitting on a rock, looking as confused as we had been about five minutes before.
“Hey, Dylan!” Sloane called, sitting down on the ground next to him. “How are you?” Dylan looked down at Sloane and smiled. For a second, watching them, I could almost see them as two teenagers doing this exact same thing, as if it were twenty years ago. Yet, I didn't even know them back then. Perhaps it was Celebi’s doing.
“Well I'm just trying to comprehend what just happened. There was this bright flash of green light and when it faded all the rocket grunts were gone. Did that happen in the forest?”
“Yeah, kind of. I think Celebi had something to do with it,” Sloane replied.
“Really? So Celebi’s okay?”
“Yes!” Sloane jumped up and punched Dylan lightly in the shoulder. “Celebi told us to tell you thank you too!”
“Okay now you're just pulling my leg.”
“Oh, quite the contrary,” I protested, “Celebi spoke right to us through telepathy and said for us to deliver its thanks to you.” I paused then said, “So, now comes the hard part, I can either fly you home and risk all three of us being arrested, or I can leave you here and give the same alibi I gave the Dragon Clan guard that will prevent you from being arrested, allow me to escort your children here, and result in only me being arrested.” Sloane and Dylan exchanged a silent look for a few seconds before both shook their heads.
“If we’re going into this, we’re going into this together. We’re coming back with you.” Sloane held out her hand and Dylan placed his on top of hers. I smirked at the childishness of the whole ordeal, but it was what it was. I reached out and put my hand on top. We broke and began to head back to the plane, a new adventure ahead of us.
I gave myself one last long look in the mirror before turning and exiting her quarters. Age had treated me well so far. Beyond some of the more obvious aging features, such as a few wrinkles on my face, I had experienced no appearance change. My uniform had changed slightly since the days of old though. I had swapped out my black for official white but the purple remained. I required it so, since purple is the best of colors. I also had several medals attached to my shirt, a symbol of her status. Of course, my partner was still the same as well. Meowstic had never left my side. That was a rare thing in these dire times of war.
"General Writer!" I walked briskly down a cement lined hallway as an assistant ran to my side with two folders clasped to her chest. "We have an emergency. The Dragon Clan has began to press further east. At this rate they will break through our defenses and be able to invade Kanto." The war had been raging for what seemed like forever, but it had only reached its peak recently, when the infamous red Rs teamed up with the Dragon Clan in Johto. Now we had more trouble than ever predicting and handling their movements. Kanto was at much more risk than ever.
"I am very aware of the situation," I said, a little annoyed at having such a thing repeated to me constantly. "Please keep such updates to a minimum unless it's of true significance."
"Oh but it is, General!" The assistant scrambled and handed me one of the folders. I opened it to the profile of a woman about my same age. "This woman and a man have offered to help us against the Dragon Clan. The man even claims to have been raised by the members of the clan, which checks out with his profile background. But they refuse to speak with anyone except you." Per usual. However, just glancing over this woman's profile, I could see some interesting intel. Perhaps they might be of some use after all.
"Fine. I will see them. Where are they?"
"They are staying inside the base hotel levels. They are sharing room 344, General."
"Good. You are dismissed."
I walked through the compound and approached the nearest elevator. After inputting the appropriate security code, I set course for hotel floor 3. The hotel was meant to be a safe haven for those giving us intel. How long one's stay there could very well depend on what information they brought up. However, currently, it was also a safe haven to the public. Many civilians were staying in the hotel as well as protection from the war. The third floor was still reserved for witness protection, but all other floors were open to civilian convenience.
The elevator doors slid open with a ding and I walked briskly out of the elevator and down the hall to room 344. I gave three knocks on the door and began to count in my head before the door suddenly opened revealing man. He paused for a second before asking,
"General Writer, I presume?"
"Yes," I replied, crossing my arms. "And you are?"
The man that stood before me was a little taller than me, but he was not very intimidating. He had sapphire blue eyes and earthy brown hair. He was currently dressed in a white shirt and jeans that fit tight enough for me to see his muscular build. He seemed built more to be evasive than to actually fight, but I could feel the protective aura coming off him as he observed me with his own eyes and didn't doubt this man would kill to protect what he loved.
"My name is Dylan Thomas. I am a PBI agent from the Sinnoh division." The man, Dylan, backed away from the door a little revealing the rest of the hotel room to me. Nothing was of particular interest, as I had seen it all before, except for the woman seated on the bed in the center of the room.
The woman was dressed in simple clothing as well, a black button down shirt and blue jeans. Her hair was a dark brown that was pulled back into a long ponytail that trailed onto the bed for about a foot behind her. Her eyes were the same brown but they were unfocused, only giving me a glassy look. At her feet, on either side of her, were two children, a young boy and an even younger girl. In the woman's arms was a baby as well and her stomach was enlarged, hinting at another child on the way. Busy people. Though, I found my gaze coming back to the woman's eyes, their glassy gaze giving me quite a bit of confusion. Was this woman blind? Given the scar that almost looked like claw marks through her eyes, it was a reasonable assumption.
"A feraligatr attack." The woman's voice startled me out of my observation. "I lost my sight in a feraligatr attack," the woman said quietly. I opened my mouth to ask the obvious question, but the woman once again answered me before I spoke. "I have practiced using my other senses since my loss of sight. Thus, my hearing, smell, taste, and touch have expanded beyond what people with all five regular senses can understand. I could feel you staring at me and your gaze lingered on my eyes and my children longer than anything else." There was another long pause and then the man spoke up,
"This is my wife, Sloane Thomas, and our children: Max, Bella, and Jackson." I bowed slightly and said,
"Pleasure to meet you all. I am White Rocket General Kyo Writer. You said you had information. On how to hold back the Dragon Clan, but would only deliver it to me. Thus, I am here." Dylan gestured for me to step inside. I stepped in and sat down on one of the two chairs in the room. Dylan closed the door behind us and then sat down in the other chair. There was another long silence before Sloane finally spoke up.
"The Dragon Clan has sheltered and raised Dylan. They are not as fond of I because I serve different deities, and would not pledge my loyalty to the dragons. Nevertheless, they educated us both in their attack tactics and war methods. We would be willing to share these worth you, however, we must ask a favor in return." Of course. There's always a catch. No one does anything anymore for selfless purposes. It's all about personal gain.
"What is your price?" I asked, "I will judge if this information is truly worth what you are asking for." Sloane looked down at her children and whispered something to them. The two children stumbled over to a nearby closet and fumbled. Max pulled out a bag and allowed Bella to reach inside. What came next I would have never guessed to have witnessed in my entire life. Bella pulled out of the bag what appeared to be a Celebi, but it was withered and dying. I stared as the children brought the Celebi to their father then returned to their mother's side.
"We found this Celebi in our backyard one day, about three months after the war started. It was in somewhat good health at the time, but it has deteriorated as time has gone on," Dylan explained quietly as he clutched the Celebi.
"We think it has something to do with The Forest." I looked up at Sloane and frowned in confusion.
"The Forest?" I asked. I had never heard of such a place. It was such a broad name, that either it didn't exist, or it was an alias for a place that I knew of.
"Ilex Forest is Celebi's home," Sloane said. "The Kimono Girls often said it was where Celebi was born, which is why the shrine is there. It was always said that if Ilex Forest or the shrine were to be damaged, Celebi's connection with the place was so deep, Celebi itself would be affected as well." Sloane paused and looked towards her husband, something catching in her throat as she tried to speak. "I never thought I would see the day when The Forest would be attacked, because it is common knowledge in Johto of how important this forest is. However, I guess times are changing from when I was young."
"War, war never changes," I replied, "but men do through the roads they walk." I took in a deep breath and began to recite a poem I had once heard, a long time ago. "Pure has become impure, impure has now become pure. Good has now become bad, bad has become good. To live is to die, to die is to live." I looked up and saw all eyes were on me. "It's an old Unova nursery rhyme, about the two princes that founded Unova. The different between ideals and truth, that's what the nursery rhyme is about. I think it also is meant to show the damages and changes that result from war."
"Please," Dylan said, "we need to get to Johto. If Celebi returns to the Ilex Forest, legend has it that Celebi will heal the forest. We've tried going other ways but all transportation from Kanto to Johto have been cut off. The only way we can get to Johto is to pass through a war zone and we can't risk getting shot down. We need an escort. Please."
I swallowed and scanned the faces of all in the room. This was not what I had originally thought it to be. These people were risking everything to try and save a Pokemon that held no bond to them beyond the little time they had spent with it. Yet, they were doing everything they could to save it. Their meaning for coming here today was not out of selfish ideas, but selfless truths. Reshiram must have guided these people to me.
"I will see what I can do. If I cannot get my fellow generals to agree with me, then so help me, I will steal a jet and fly you over there myself. Your price is high, not worth what you are giving to us in exchange, but your reason behind the price is something that makes it all worth all the effort it will take."
I noticed Sloane visibly relax, as if a weight had been taken off her at my words. She smiled and ruffled Max's hair. Dylan smiled and looked down at the Celebi in his arms. My words had given them confidence, no, it had given them hope, that they could help someone that was not themselves. It was something I rarely saw these days. I stood up and exhaled through my nose. Now came the hard part.
“However, do not take this lightly. It will be a difficult journey. It will be stressful, dangerous, and I cannot guarantee any of your safety.” I turned to Dylan and began to speak directly to him. “I will request that your children and your wife be able to stay here for their own safety while we go on this mission. As it stands-”
“Whoa. Whoa! WHOA!” I saw Sloane stand up and Dylan’s face split into a childish grin. Sloane’s eyes were narrowed at me and I’m sure if she wasn’t holding a baby she would be crossing her arms as well. “You’re not leaving me behind. I may be pregnant but I’m not disabled.” She paused then said, “That was a bad analogy. Either way, you’re not ditching me for anything. The kids can stay here and you can get them a sitter, but if anyone’s going on that mission, it’s me.” I looked over at Dylan for some help but he just shrugged while trying to keep with laughing.
“It’s probably important for you to know, she is the brains of the operation. I’m the muscle,” Dylan said as he laughed. Well that was just great. I sighed. Sloane’s presence on this journey would just make it infinitely harder.
“General Writer, you have to understand, I was a Kimono trainee. I am a servant to Lord Ho-oh, Lord Lugia, and Lord Celebi, as well as the Legendary Beasts. It is my duty to protect Celebi. I cannot just sit here without any further input on this journey. My reasoning may be selfish, but it is what I believe, and it how I will stand.”
There is was. I saw it now. Just like the rhymes and songs of my past, there was always a connection between truth and ideals. The man, Dylan, was the truth, bringing reason to every situation, while the woman, Sloane, was ideals, considering all her beliefs before making each decision. Suddenly I had much more respect for these people than ever before.
“All right, I will do what I can, but there are no guarantees for anything other than what I have stated. If that is all, I must depart, but I will return with new information as I have it.”
***
I couldn’t believe I was doing this. A week after our first meeting I was doing just as I promised, and I couldn’t believe I was insane enough to go through with it. Yet, here I was, in the pilot seat of one of the fastest jets the White Rockets owned. Hope I didn’t scratch it while I was out. Oh who am I kidding, I probably would.
I checked over my shoulder for the hundredth time since we had taken off from the base. Dylan and Sloane were huddled in the two small seats in the back. Sloane was currently resting, or asleep, with her eyes closed and head on Dylan’s shoulder. Dylan was holding one of her hands with his arm wrapped around her shoulders. He looked worried, no doubt a thousand possibilities about what could go wrong flying through his head. Even so, he didn't voice them. I guess he didn't want to Sloane or I to share the source of his worry. Turning back to face frontward, I scanned the skyline for possible enemy targets. We weren't flying right over the war zone, but we were cutting it close. This was the safest route to Johto after all. It was also the hardest to track someone on.
I smirked a little in amusement as I imagined what would happen back at base when they found my little IOU sticker where the jet should be. They won't mind, probably. Either way, I was pretty sure I was doing the right thing, and that's all I really cared about. I sat up a little straighter and glanced around the skyline again before looking down. It seemed so peaceful down below but go a mile or two west and a bloodbath awaited us. I bit my lip and found myself speeding the jet up slightly. I took in a deep breath, held it, and exhaled. Easy Kyo, there's no danger here. You're miles away from the sea and not too close to the battlefield. I looked at the ground one last time and spotted New Bark Town. We were officially in Johto. I looked back over my shoulder slightly and said quietly,
“We’ve just crossed the border to Johto. I’ll try to land just outside of Azalea Town. It should not be more than an hour more of flight time.” Dylan smiled a little and began to reply when suddenly the strangest thing happened. The jet’s radio, which I had specifically cut off, sparked to life as a message came through.
“Unidentified jet, please state your identification and destination. Over.” At first, I was very much inclined not to answer. However, I knew better. We’d be shot down if I didn’t and we at least had a chance of not being shot down if I tried to talk them through the situation. I adjusted the microphone on my headset and replied back,
“This is Whiskey Romeo Pantafive Niner. My destination is just outside Azalea Town for a drop off of two civilians that were stuck on the Kanto side of the war.” There was a short spout of static then a crackle as they came back.
“Are you armed, Whiskey Romeo? And can the civilians speak up so we might have confirmation that they are actually there?”
“Well, one of them is currently asleep. She's currently um… hang on a moment.” I looked over my shoulder at Dylan and asked, “How many months is she?” Dylan held up four fingers. “She's currently four months pregnant, according to her husband, so I think it best not to wake her, but I'm sure he would be willing to speak for them both, if that is all right. As for if I'm armed, I have left all weapons back at base except for, hm, I believe except for the emergency guns since, as I believe you know, cannot be unloaded. If there are any other weapons on this jet that I did not unload, I am not aware of them.”
“Sounds all right to me, Whiskey Romeo. Don't make me regret trusting you. Now if you could just please have the husband speak, I'll clear you from suspect.” I paused and the speaker seemed to notice my hesitation. “Don’t fly this model often, do you?” I snorted.
“Is it that obvious? My pilot license is still valid, I promise, but the last one of these I flew was a Whiskey Romeo Alfa Niner Niner.”
“Not a bad model, but not up to date with the model you're using. To allow the passenger to speak, there should be a button to the right of the steering controls. It'll stand out because it's green. It'll switch the com from your headset to his. It'll cycle through each headset so just press the button the amount of times necessary.”
“Thank you. I'll be switching over in a second.” With that I pressed the button once to switch to headset two, what Dylan was wearing. I glanced back at him and he gave me a thumbs up. He paused then began to speak.
“Yes sir, I read you… yes sir, I came here willingly… almost a year… yeah. I'm actually from Sinnoh but my wife is a Johto native… Ecruteak… we have friends in Azalea that are offering us shelter… yes sir I will be sure to do so… three kids so far… yes this'll be our fourth… we were thinking Arthur if it's a boy or Sou if it's a girl… thank you, sir… there wasn't a big enough jet for us all… I didn't feel safe letting my wife go on her own… yes sir, I do trust her… please do, she's doing us a huge favor by taking us here… I will do my best… you would do that for us?… I really appreciate it… thank you, sir… I will… you too…” Dylan looked back at me and gave me a thumbs up. I pressed the green button twice again and the man’s voice cracked back into my ear.
“Whiskey Romeo?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Take care of these people. I'll ensure you are granted safe passage here and back. And if you're the pilot that brings their children over, tell them you spoke with Anthony Joy, give them the codeword Draconis, they'll let you back through again. And if you're not, please convey that to the pilot that does. I wouldn't want civilian children to be shot down, especially since they're the children of such a nice man.”
“I will, Mr. Joy. Thank you for everything.”
“Any time, Whiskey Romeo.” With that, the radio clicked off. I sighed and gave Dylan a thumbs up. We weren't going to be shot out of the sky. That was a plus. Seemed the Johto side of the war wasn't as brutal as I first thought. Surprising, given who was behind it. I was pretty sure this must have been a Dragon Clan member I had been speaking with, because no Red R member would have a Whiskey Romeo to pass across the border. I'd be thankful for that and count my blessings.
“Do you know anyone named Anthony Joy?” I asked Dylan. Dylan paused in thought and frowned, his eyebrows knitting together as he thought it over. I could imagine him rolling the name around in his mind, searching for a memory that could be associated with the name.
“Ah! Yeah, I do! He’s an old friend of Sloane and I. He’s a dragon type specialist. He isn’t actually a member of the Dragon Clan, last I checked anyway. He’s been training with them for about five years though. Didn’t recognize his voice though, wow.”
Silence lapsed over us for the remaining hour of the flight. Neither of us was in the mood for talking, it seemed. Sloane was still fast asleep when we landed, so Dylan had to rouse her. She seemed grateful for not having been left to rest though. I helped the two exit the jet, then pointed to the other side of the Azalea Town.
“That’s where the Ilex Forest is. It’s difficult to see from here because of the city, but as we draw closer, I have no doubt we will see the true state of the forest. Then, we can decide if this is truly what is afflicting Celebi, and what the best course of action will be.” Dylan and Sloane both agreed without argument.
Azalea Town was oddly deserted. For a town that had become one of the largest tourist spots in Johto in the past decade, seeing the whole place turn into a ghost town was pretty frightening. All my nerves were on edge as we ventured further into the resort city. Nothing, however, could prepare me for Ilex Forest. The forest came into view when we reached about midtown. It wasn't like anything I had seen whenever I saw pictures of the forest.
The forest was supposed to be luscious and green year round, but what we were seeing was quite the opposite. All the trees were bare, not a leaf in sight. Their bark was much darker than it should be, signaling they were either sick, dying, or both. It was also oddly quiet. Not a Pokemon was stirring within the forest. It was utterly abandoned besides the red R’s guarding the entrance. I stopped walking and signaled to Dylan and Sloane. We took a different path that lead to a cliff overseeing the entrance.
“We need to distract them so we can get inside,” I explained to the couple. Dylan looked over at Sloane. Some unspoken message passed between them before they turned back to me.
“I can create a distraction. You two sneak in with Celebi. Sloane will stick to the shadows since that's what she's good at. Kyo, just head for the center of the forest, that's where the shrine is. You can take Celebi. Sloane will watch over you from the shadows, I promise. And, uh, be careful, both of you.”
Before I could protest, Dylan had taken off running and already caught the attention of the guards. They opened fire on him but Dylan merely held out his hand and the bullets froze. I stared at him in shock only to see a Gardevoir and Gallade melt into existence behind Dylan, both using psychic to freeze the bullets. I felt a tug on my arm and saw Sloane holding out Celebi to me. I took the Onion Fairy Pokemon into my arms and followed Sloane into the forest while the guards were distracted.
Almost as soon as we entered the forest, Sloane disappeared from sight. The whole thing unnerved me but I trusted Dylan’s word that she was watching over me as I ran through the forest. Worst case, I had six Pokemon with me as well that would fight alongside me no matter what. I'll admit, the forest only became creepier the further inside I went. Natural light barely reached past the canopy, so it was very hard to see despite it having been sometime in the afternoon. Many of the ponds in the area were dried up and the noticeable lack of pokemon that led to an eerie silence was very unnerving. Still, I pressed forward towards the center of the forest. I didn’t expect to step into a clearing so soon after I entered.
The clearing itself was flooded with what appeared to be moonlight. I wasn’t sure how long I had been in the forest, but the sky said many hours because it was a clear night sky filled with a full moon and stars above me. The trees created a perfect circle around the clearing and in the very center was a small wooden house-like structure that I assumed to be the shrine. I looked down at Celebi in my arms. It seemed more withered than before. Hopefully returning it to the shrine would fix everything. I took one step forward towards the shrine when a male voice suddenly called out,
“Oh, sorry General, but I can’t have you doing that.” I froze and scanned the clearing, only to see a man crash down on the ground several feet in front of me. It took me a moment to recognize him.
“Lieutenant Surge!” I growled out. The man, as ripped and loud as ever, let out a loud laugh as he turned his back to me and walked closer to the shrine. His raichu stepped out from behind the shrine, the same pretentious look on its face. Its cheeks sparked and shocked the ground right in front of my feet, causing me to step back a little bit. Lieutenant Surge held out his hands and smirked at me.
“Now hand over that Celebi.” Lieutenant Surge stepped closer to me but before he could reach me a shiny Umbreon landed on the ground in between us. It growled at the ex-gym leader and I heard laughter echoing from within the trees.
“If you’re going to get that Celebi, you’re going to have to go through me first!” I recognized this to be Sloane’s voice but Lieutenant Surge seemed pretty confused, like he recognized the voice too but couldn’t place it.
“Who goes there?” Lieutenant Surge called. The shiny Umbreon and Surge’s Raichu growled at each other, exchanging what I could only guess to be taunts. I stepped to the side and began to slide past my opponents when I walked straight into a Magneton. It shocked me and I collapsed to the ground, barely able to keep my grip on Celebi. I could barely hear Surge’s laughter above the ringing of my ears. I felt one of the pokeballs on my belt open and saw my Sandslash appear before me. He took down the Magneton down in one hit and growled at Surge. I saw Sloane land next to her Umbreon. Surge had three pokeballs on his belt, I noted, which meant there was one more pokemon he had up his sleeve. I grunted and sat up slowly.
“Kyo!” I heard Sloane call. She held her hands up in the air and I immediately knew what she meant. It was kind of a crazy plan, but what could you do? I stood up shakily and shifted Celebi into my right arm. Surge didn’t realize what I was doing until it was too late. I chucked Celebi into the air. Sloane jumped up and caught the time traveler then made a dash for the Shrine. She was about to reach it when lightning struck the Shrine.
“No!” I shouted as I watched the Shrine become engulfed in flames. Surge began to laugh and he crossed his arms.
“You thought I wouldn’t come with a back up plan? Please. I’ve always had my trump card in case someone like you came to meddle in my scheme. Check the skies next time.” I looked up into the sky and couldn’t believe my eyes. Was that the legendary bird, Zapdos? I couldn’t believe my eyes but sure as I was alive there it was. Sloane seemed to be in as much shock as I was but all Surge could do was laugh. “Now without that Shrine, Celebi can never be saved!” He continued to cackle until a loud bark sounded through the forest. Then time seemed to freeze.
A blue blur dashed out of the forest into the clearing. It barked and storm clouds gathered in the sky. Thunder echoed throughout the clearing then lightning ripped through the clouds. One bolt left the clouds and struck the Zapdos. The bird screeched and fell to the earth, crashing into the forest a ways away. Then rain began to pour down on the forest, putting out the fire on the shrine. Surge began to command his Raichu when the blur attacked him. When it solidified and time resumed, I was able to see that this was no ordinary rescuer.
“Lord Suicune!” Sloane shouted. Suicune looked over at Sloane and bowed its head to her before growling at Surge. Suicune looked back at Sloane and motioned its head towards the shrine. Somehow it was still standing, but neither I nor Sloane questioned it. Both of us scrambled to the shrine and Sloane gently placed Celebi on the shrine.
The reaction was immediate. A soft green light began to glow within the shrine. It enveloped Celebi then Ilex Forest as a whole. I closed my eyes, the light was so bright, but when I opened them again, I found everything was gone. The shrine was just fine, the forest was as alive as I remembered it, the sky was filled with daylight, and any signs of the battle that had occurred had disappear. Surge, his pokemon, and Suicune were nowhere to be seen. I could only guess maybe Celebi’s powers had something to do with it. I looked back at the shrine to find Celebi gone. I began to scan the area around me for the Celebi when I saw motion from behind the shrine. Celebi poked its head out from behind the shrine and giggled at Sloane and I. I smiled at Celebi and gave a small wave. Celebi floated over to Sloane and I and touched our foreheads.
“Thank you for saving me,” I heard a voice say, “If you ever need my help, in this time or another, merely say my name. I will hear you, and I will come to aid you. Please forgive me, but I must go now. I am needed in another time. Once again, thank you. And please deliver my thanks to the man, Dylan, as well. I will never forget your kindness and sacrifice to save my life.” Celebi floated away from us, giggled again, then flew up towards the sky. A rift opened up in the sky and Celebi flew through, the rift sealing up behind it.
“So,” Sloane said as we both stared up into the sky, “how about that?”
“If I get sentenced to treason for this it's so worth it,” I replied. We both began to laugh then turned and exited the forest. Dylan was waiting for us outside, sitting on a rock, looking as confused as we had been about five minutes before.
“Hey, Dylan!” Sloane called, sitting down on the ground next to him. “How are you?” Dylan looked down at Sloane and smiled. For a second, watching them, I could almost see them as two teenagers doing this exact same thing, as if it were twenty years ago. Yet, I didn't even know them back then. Perhaps it was Celebi’s doing.
“Well I'm just trying to comprehend what just happened. There was this bright flash of green light and when it faded all the rocket grunts were gone. Did that happen in the forest?”
“Yeah, kind of. I think Celebi had something to do with it,” Sloane replied.
“Really? So Celebi’s okay?”
“Yes!” Sloane jumped up and punched Dylan lightly in the shoulder. “Celebi told us to tell you thank you too!”
“Okay now you're just pulling my leg.”
“Oh, quite the contrary,” I protested, “Celebi spoke right to us through telepathy and said for us to deliver its thanks to you.” I paused then said, “So, now comes the hard part, I can either fly you home and risk all three of us being arrested, or I can leave you here and give the same alibi I gave the Dragon Clan guard that will prevent you from being arrested, allow me to escort your children here, and result in only me being arrested.” Sloane and Dylan exchanged a silent look for a few seconds before both shook their heads.
“If we’re going into this, we’re going into this together. We’re coming back with you.” Sloane held out her hand and Dylan placed his on top of hers. I smirked at the childishness of the whole ordeal, but it was what it was. I reached out and put my hand on top. We broke and began to head back to the plane, a new adventure ahead of us.