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Equilibrium	By : jvperric Category: Pokemon > General Views: 12587 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. Nintendo does. I make no claim towards any of the copyrighted intellectual property contained herein. I am making no money from this story in any way.

Chapter List
- 9
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*****Chapter X: Citadel*****

For Arceus so loved the world, He gave His body so that the sins of his sons and daughters would be purged, and whosoever believed in Him would not perish, but have eternal life.

—Arcean Verses, Jirachi 6:32

*****

Everything was quiet inside the Pokéball. The chirping sounds had been disabled at the simple console, and the sun had been locked at a sunrise position. Gardevoir watched their campsite slowly wake up; Lucario was stirring, pushing Mightyena’s head off his chest. Mira was splayed out over her sleeping bag. Jason was cooking something over the rekindled fire.

He shifted and pulled the release lever. Gallade reappeared, yawning and cuddling up next to Mightyena. The sudden contact made her jump, but when she saw him she licked him across his face.

“Where were you last night?” she asked, and jerked her head towards Lucario. “This one’s not so comfortable. He’s got that big spike.”

“I just wanted to sleep in my Pokéball,” Gallade said, laying an arm over his teammate. “Besides, Lucario’s all fuzzy.”

“Itchy is more like it. Hope I didn’t get any fleas.”

“I can hear you,” Lucario said, swatting at them while staying curled up on his side.

“Oh, we’re just having fun,” Mightyena said, nipping at the fur on his back. “I know you don’t have fleas. Right?”

Gallade laughed and felt his hand squeeze a tuft of fur, not fully realizing what he was doing.

Mightyena whimpered and turned her head back. “What are you doing there?”

He relaxed his grip and pulled his hand away. “I—I don’t know.”

“I didn’t say stop…”

“You guys hungry?” Jason asked, rolling a half dozen sausage links into a dish.

All three of them shot up and made for the food, but Rufflet swept down and scooped up a link in his talons before they could get there. He perched proudly on a branch just out of their reach, chirping while he chewed on his breakfast.

“What about the others?” Lucario asked Jason between bites.

“I have more food,” he said, taking another pack of vacuum-sealed sausage from his bag. “Since we were up first, we get the first helping.”

“Where are we going today?” Mightyena asked, sidling up next to Gallade.

“Redrock Town. Southeast of here. We’re going to go from island to island until we get there. If we get started soon we could be there in a few hours, if Mira can walk.”

Jason set the next batch of sausage over the fire. “What if she can’t?” Lucario asked.

“Then we’ll be lucky to get there by sunset.” Jason tossed a pebble at Mira. “Hey. Wake up, sleeping beauty. Breakfast. How’s your ankle?”

She yawned and rose shakily to her feet, carefully applying some weight to her mended foot. They all watched her take a few cautious steps, moving slowly to the fire. Mira smiled and sat down next to Jason, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Feels okay?” he asked.

“Yeah. Those Regirock know what they’re doing.”

“Good.” Jason stuck a fork into a sausage link and handed it to Mira. She nibbled at one end, letting her Pokémon out as she did. Zangoose swiped a sausage as soon as he saw them, Ralts jumped into Mira’s lap, and Staravia hopped about on the ground, pecking at the dirt. Mira laughed and tore off bits of sausage for Ralts.

After breakfast, they cleared their camp, recalled their Pokémon, save for Gallade in case Mira’s ankle gave out, and got their bearings.

“East-southeast from here,” Mira said, checking her Pokénav. “Everything ready?”

“Yep. Let’s go.”

The three of them set out, wading into the shallow water that separated them from the next island, standing about fifty meters away. Jason and Gallade were up to their shoulders, carrying the bags, but Mira, standing half a head shorter than them, was treading water, but followed close behind.

“This is d-deep,” Mira said, spitting out a mouthful of saltwater. “And cold. Can’t Gallade teleport us?”

‘It’s hard to do if I haven’t been to the place before,’ he said, walking slowly through the water. ‘I can try to get to the next one once we’re on land. I can’t focus very well in the water.’

He looked at Jason. ‘It…might be easier to do if I was fully psychic. You know, as a Gardevoir.’

“If you think it’ll help,” Jason said, trying to reckon the remaining distance. “Hell, if it’ll get us out of this water sooner, do whatever you need.”

Gallade smiled and walked faster, pushing against the water. Jason and Mira began to swim, hoping the motion would warm them up, and eventually felt dry sand under their feet. They wrung out their clothes and sat together for a minute, taking new bearings.

“The next island should be a little closer,” Mira said. “Could you try it, Gallade?”

‘Sure. Hold on.’ There was a flash of white light and Gardevoir walked to the opposite shore, sashaying slightly to Jason’s chagrin, and gazed at the next island. He wrapped himself in a fainter blue light and vanished, sand swirling where he had been standing. They walked over from where they were sitting and peered over to the far shore.

“Can you see anything?” Mira asked.

“A lot of water,” Jason said, taking a small pair of binoculars from his bag. “I can see the beach there…oh, there he is. He’s waving.”

They waved back, and Jason saw another flash of blue light. There was an audible pop and Gardevoir appeared behind them, grinning.

‘I can do it!’

“Great, can you get us over there, too?” Mira asked.

He nodded and put his arms around both of them, closing his eyes and drawing up the blue light again. There was another pop, and when they blinked there was a different beach beneath them, with a different shore and a different pattern of trees dotting the interior.

“Good going, buddy,” Jason said, patting him on the shoulder. Gardevoir beamed. “This should speed things up a lot.”

They continued island hopping, Gardevoir going before them each time to check the distance and to make sure nothing was waiting for them. Jason had him take a break every few islands, but he was tiring nonetheless. Each teleportation took longer to charge and recover from, and more than once his knees gave out, necessitating a longer break. The Skyblast Air Spire loomed constantly to the southeast, scraping against the clouds.

“Maybe we should hoof it the last few islands,” Mira said, checking her Pokénav again. “We’re almost there anyway.”

‘I’m…I’m fine,’ Gardevoir said, trudging to the far shore. He stopped a few meters ahead of them, and a burst of energy radiated violently from his body, crackling like lightning. Jason and Mira ran up to him, but he sunk to the ground before they could catch him, blood trickling from one nostril.

‘That hurt.’

“Take a rest, we’ll get you fixed up as soon as we can,” Jason said, recalling him. He went into the roster on his Pokénav and put him in stasis, locking down the Pokéball until they could get to a medical center.

“We shouldn’t have used him as much as we did,” Jason said, heading on. Mira followed behind.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine, it seemed like a little short circuit, that’s all.”

“I’ll still feel better when I hear that from a nurse.”

The two continued island hopping, using Rufflet and Staravia to estimate the distances between shores. The sun was still climbing, and the water was beginning to warm slightly.

“So what are we going to do?” Mira asked. “At the Air Spire, I mean.”

“I’m still working on that.”

“And you’re sure we’re doing the right thing?”

Jason paused. “Better than Scion having it. Come on.”

They continued from island to island, each time the distance growing smaller and smaller between them until the water was only up to their ankles. They checked their Pokénavs, and signal strength was back up. The map was very clear; they had arrived in Redrock Town.

“Sweet civilization,” Jason said, taking in the sounds of cars and boats not far off.

Mira sighed in relief. “We should find the Pokémon Center. Everyone could probably use the boost.”

“Yeah. We’ll get some lunch, too. Then find someone at the docks to take us back out. Someone that won’t get hijacked.”

“Do you think they made it out all right? The crew?”

“They were trying to kill us. I don’t know about the others. Hey, there’s an information kiosk, let’s see where the center is.”

Jason put his query into the terminal, causing a map to pop up. “Two streets over. Docks aren’t far away, either.”

“Oh, good. We’ve done plenty of walking, it’ll be nice to rest. So what do you think about Gardevoir being able to switch forms? It’s pretty cool, huh?”

“It’s interesting, I guess. I’d rather he stay as a Gallade, though.”

“Why?”

“Remember that case in Hoenn six years ago?”

“Oh, yeah…that was awful, he got acquitted and then killed himself? Why?”

“I’m not sure, but it was about a Gardevoir. I don’t want to have to deal with that association.”

“That was a long time ago, Jason. And on the other side of the world.”

“Yeah, well…I don’t think I’d get as many looks with a Gallade as a Gardevoir.”

“What do you think he wants?” Mira asked as they rounded a corner.

“I don’t know, I didn’t ask. Here we are.”

The Redrock Pokémon Center was a long, low building with a flat roof. The doors were propped open, letting the warm sea air flow in and out. Inside was a large sunken lounge area, with several sets of chairs and couches situated around a few large monitors on the walls playing news and weather reports. A doorway in the back led to the communal bathroom and the rooms for rent. The nurse’s station was on the side of the main room opposite the lounge, where two Chansey were talking while the nurse flipped through a magazine. Jason and Mira went over to the station.

“Hello!” one of the Chansey said, waddling up to them with a tray in her hands. “If you give me your Pokémon, we’ll bring them to Miss and have them fixed up quickly!”

“Thanks,” Jason said, handing over his Pokéballs. The other Chansey brought another tray and Mira did the same before they went up to the desk and got their check tickets from the nurse. She ran them through the computer as Jason and Mira went over to the lounge.

“Wait, wait ma’am,” the nurse said, waving Mira back. They returned to the counter. “What is this Pokémon?”

“That’s my Regirock,” she said.

Everyone in the room suddenly became very interested in the two new arrivals at the counter. Jason glanced back at the lounge, shifting himself slightly between the Trainers there and Mira.

The nurse gave her a blank look. “Your what?”

“Re-gi-rock,” Mira said slowly, tapping the counter for emphasis. “It’s a big Rock-type.”

“I don’t think our machines can treat that…is it hurt?”

“What do you mean? This is a Pokémon Center, I’m a Trainer. Are you not going to heal my Pokémon?”

“Our systems don’t have a restorative schematic for a Regirock, I don’t know how to heal it.”

Mira snatched Regirock’s Pokéball from the counter and clipped it back on her belt. “Then I’ll do it myself. Damn.”

She went off to a table and dropped her bag on it. Jason could see she was about to be mobbed and joined her. Almost immediately another Trainer came up and offered to trade any member of his team for Regirock.

“Thanks, no,” Mira said, taking a sketchpad from her bag and doodling.

The Trainer walked away, only to be replaced by another with the same offer. By the fifth she stopped looking up from her pad, only muttering “not interested” with increasing aggravation after each identical offer.

“Um, excuse me, I was wondering if—”

“FUCK OFF!” she shrieked, badly startling everyone in the room. Jason snapped upright from his slouch, looking at Mira with wide eyes. The two Chansey at the medical desk whimpered and hid. Mira slammed her pencil into her sketchpad, snapping it in two.

“I’m not trading shit! Leave me alone!”

The Trainer—no more than fourteen or fifteen—ran out of the building, holding back tears. His friend followed him out, glaring at Mira.

“Cunt,” he muttered, running off after the Trainer. Mira sat there, fuming. She threw half of her pencil across the room and shoved her sketchpad back into her bag.

“Did he not hear the first twenty times I said no?” she asked, holding her head in her hands.

“Calm down,” Jason said. “We didn’t get our Pokémon back yet, we can’t get thrown out. I doubt we’re even going to get a room now.”

Mira threw her ticket at him. “Fuck you, I’ll be pissed if I want to. Get my Pokémon, I’m going to get something to eat.”

Jason caught the ticket and watched her storm off, along with everyone else in the room. He ignored the looks from the other Trainers and took out his computer. As soon as he got a signal, an email notification popped up.

From: “Brendan Sato” <b.sato@duskwindiron.com>

To: “Jason Sato” <j.sato@trainer.sederapl.gov>

Jason,

Professor Bayberry gave me this email. I’ve been calling and leaving messages for three days now. Every time your number goes right to voicemail. Where the hell are you? You’re going to get your ass back home and get back to work, after I turn you out for leaving in the first place. I can’t believe you would do something this stupid. Get home. Now. And don’t bring any of those stupid Pokémon with you.

Jason put his hand on the lid of his netbook, about to close it in disgust, but then went back to the keyboard.

Dad,

I’m in the Gulf right now. I was way out of range of any cell signal for a few days. I can’t come home right now, and your threat of beating me senseless isn’t making me jump to change my plans. I’m doing what I want on my dime, and you’re just going to have to deal with that. I’m not a child, and I’m not going to work in that refinery for the rest of my life. My Pokémon are my friends and I’m not abandoning them. That’s all I have to say. If you want to talk about this at some point without yelling and screaming, I will.

He sent off the email, wondering how soon it would be before his phone started ringing. One of the Chansey came up to him and tugged on his shirt.

“Mister, your Pokémon are ready,” she said, glancing towards the door. “Is…your companion coming back?”

“No, I’ll be picking up her Pokémon. Thanks.”

Jason put his computer back in his bag and went to the counter, handing the nurse the two tickets. He clipped his Pokéballs to his belt and put Mira’s in his pocket, keeping Ralts’ in his hand.

“Could I have one of those TC forms, please?”

The nurse took a Trainer Companion form from the slot on the wall and handed it to him. “Are there any rooms available for tonight?”

“Booked solid,” she lied.

He nodded and left the center, releasing Ralts when he was back on the street. She squeaked happily and cuddled into his chest, basking in the midday son.

“Come on, let’s go find mommy.”

“Mommy!” the little Pokémon said. “Daddy! Where mommy?”

“Ah—” He stopped dead on the sidewalk. “What did you say?”

Ralts looked up at him. “Daddy?”

He smiled and kissed her hair. “Well, Gallade never said that…I like it. Now where could she be?”

They walked along the streets, looking for Mira, until they passed a storefront and Ralts began squealing while reaching for the window. Mira sat inside, nursing a drink and reading on her Pokénav. Jason went in, sitting at the table with her. She didn’t bother looking up.

“Ralts would like to see you,” Jason said, setting the little Pokémon on the table. He held her hands as she stumbled over to her Trainer, babbling happily as she bumped into Mira’s chest. It snapped her out of her daze and she wrapped her arms around her Pokémon, holding her securely.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, still coming down from that. Sorry for snapping at you.”

“It’s all right.” Jason took the forms from the Pokémon Center from his bag. “I picked these up before I left, thought it’d be something you’d be interested in.”

“Trainer Companion?”

“Power of attorney for medical stuff if they can’t get next-of-kin. Lets us pick up each other’s Pokémon, too. I shouldn’t have been able to get yours just now, but I don’t think they wanted you coming back.”

“Can’t hurt, I guess.” Mira took the forms and copied the information from her Trainer card, signed them and handed them back to Jason. He signed and dropped them back into his bag. “So I get to tell them to pump you full of drugs if I want?”

“Something like that. Did you order yet?”

She shook her head, but a waiter appeared shortly after and took their orders. They ate heartily, devouring the first real meal they had eaten in days. Jason put away two of the largest kebabs the restaurant made, and Mira split a salad and Magikarp fillet between herself and Ralts.

“You know, she doesn’t need that,” Jason said, generously dipping the last of his kebab into his amba sauce. “They get a nutrient treatment in the Pokémon Center.”

“Athene seems to like it.” Mira twirled a piece of lettuce around Ralts’ face on her fork before popping it into the little creature’s mouth. “I know they get fed in the center, but eating together is a good bonding experience.”

“Athene?”

“I named her this morning. Hey, was Gallade talking to you mentally this young?”

“Uh…I’m not sure.”

“What do you mean?”

“I understand Pokémon a lot better than most people. He never really needed to use telepathy. You know she calls you mommy?”

Mira smiled. “I thought that’s what it was. Does she call you anything?”

“Just the obvious. She’s bonded pretty strongly to us.” Jason sighed and pushed away his plate. “So should we head down to the docks? See if we can charter something?”

“No cargo ships,” Mira said.

“Never again.”

They paid for their meal and left the restaurant, releasing Lucario to walk with them. The entire island was surrounded by docks and beaches, but they made their way to one of the smaller ports on the southwestern side of town, where the fishing trawlers and recreational boats made landfall. There was no shortage of either, and they split up to find one to charter to the Air Spire out in the distance.

Mira was picking a splinter out of Lucario’s paw when Jason came up to them. “I found a boat, it’s over here. You okay, buddy?”

“That bench hurts,” Lucario said, nodding towards a rickety wooden bench nearby.

“Got to be careful. Here, go back in your ball, I only got this price for two.”

He recalled Lucario and led Mira back to the boat. The small trawler and her captain were waiting near the edge of the docks, the crew milling about on the deck. Jason held Mira’s hand as she jumped onto the deck and then followed her. The captain joined them after a moment.

“We’ll pick you up on our way back in,” the captain said.

“Can you make it tomorrow?” Jason asked.

“Your money. All right, untie her.”

The Fruitful Shepherd slowly pulled away from the docks, weaving through the various other ships dotting the waters just outside town. Jason and Mira watched the other ships shrink in the distance while the crew threw out fishing lines and beacons, the Air Spire always looming in the distance.

“Mira?”

“Yes?”

“I didn’t tell you what was down with the Earth Gem in Greenpeak Mountain, did I?”

She shook her head. “No, you didn’t.”

“There was a massive Torterra guarding the Earth Gem,” Jason said. “I don’t know what Scion did to it, but they probably had some serious firepower.”

“You think there’s something similar in the Air Spire?”

Jason nodded. “Might be. We have to be careful.”

They sat in silence after that, looking over their Pokénavs, reviewing their teams’ strengths. The berries the Regirock had given them had helped boost their levels, but Jason still had his doubts. He could see the Torterra charging at him when he closed his eyes, immense and full of fury. He shuddered.

Mira put her hand on his. He took a deep breath and smiled at her.

Less than an hour later the trawler was stopped at Skyblast Island, resting in the shadow of the massive alabaster tower stretching out of the earth. Jason hopped off the deck and caught Mira as she followed him with their bags.

“We’ll pick you up in twenty-four hours,” the captain said, signaling her helmsman. The Fruitful Shepherd pulled away, casting off more fishing nets until it was only a speck on the horizon. They released their Pokémon, letting them acclimate to the new environment.

“We’ll head up the Air Spire in a little while,” Jason said, ruffling Mightyena’s fur. “I’m going to set up the base camp in the meantime. Don’t wander too far.”

Gallade, Mightyena and Lucario went off to rest in the shade cast by the tower, Rufflet and Staravia soared up to join the other Flying-types circling above the island, Regirock reclined in the sand, and Zangoose and Ralts sat with Mira on the shore while she cast a fishing line.

“You fish?” Jason asked, unpacking their tents.

“Yeah, I used to fish a lot on the Presida docks with my d—”

She stopped, suddenly gripping the fishing rod very hard. Jason looked over at her, confused. Mira put a hand over her stomach, fighting back a wave of nausea.

“—with my father,” she said flatly. “Years ago.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Jason went back to setting up the tents, judging it wise not to press the issue. When the tents were up, he dug out their fire pit, keeping an eye on Mira. She stared blankly at the ocean, absentmindedly petting Zangoose and Ralts while she kept one hand on the fishing rod.

Something yanked hard on the line, snapping her out of her daze. Zangoose set Ralts down and helped her hold the rod back. Whatever was on the other end was strong, and Mira nearly fell forward into the water when Zangoose let go and jumped in. The line went slack, and Zangoose occasionally broke the surface for air, wrestling with a Sharpedo with a hook in its mouth. Eventually he tossed the Sharpedo onto the beach, where it floundered about until Mira hit it with a Pokéball. It shook for a moment and then stopped, and Mira snatched it up from the sand.

Zangoose crawled back onto the shore, panting and sputtering, only to be swept up in Mira’s arms and pressed against her chest as she barraged him with praise and kisses. He nuzzled into her, still shivering from the water coating his fur, but feeling an overwhelming sense of warmth at the same time.

Jason tossed a towel to them as Ralts stumbled over to him, looking for someone to hold her. He picked her up while he finished the fire pit and his own Pokémon returned. They sat by the tents, visibly bored.

“There’s not much to do here,” Mightyena said, pawing at the sand. “When are we going in there?” she asked, nodding towards the Air Spire.

“Soon,” Jason said. “Whenever Mira’s done fishing.”

“I’m done,” she said, breaking down her fishing rod and putting it back in her bag. “Thanks for helping with the Sharpedo, by the way.”

“You looked like you had it under control. Let’s head up, then.”

They recalled all of their Pokémon but Gallade and went up to the narrow, winding ramp that encircled the tower.

“It’ll get windy up there, so we’ll need a bubble,” Jason said.

“I can do that,” Gallade said, fidgeting with his hands. “It would be easier if I was fully psychic, though.”

Jason shrugged and let his Pokémon shift before enveloping them in a light purple sphere, where the gentle breeze did not penetrate. They started up the side of the spire, inching along slowly on the thin path.

“We should have trained Rufflet and Staravia until they evolved,” Mira said, following behind Jason and Gardevoir. “They could’ve flown us up.”

“Maybe we’ll do that for the other Gems. Whoever hid them was certainly big on mountains.”

They ascended slowly, taking cautious, deliberate steps. The wind picked up as the altitude increased, and by the time they were halfway to the top it was screaming around the protective bubble. They had passed the level at which most Flying-types were comfortable, and as they ascended farther only a few Fearow and Braviary were around them.

“Can we Teleport back down?” Mira asked, shouting over the wind.

‘Yes,’ Gardevoir said, keeping a hand on both Trainers. ‘But please don’t say the word ‘down’ again.’

After two hours they reached the top, where the ground was flat again beneath their feet. The wind was below them, and a passing cluster of clouds was close enough to hit with a thrown rock. The entrance was on the far side of the tower, a simple vertical protrusion with an arched opening. They went inside.

*****

“It’s Curtis. Szilard’s data came back. We’re clear to move forward.”

“Good. Send a team to Site Zulu. I want the backups retrieved and the lab purged. Entei Protocol.”

“Yes, sir.”

*****

“Make the light a little brighter. I almost tripped on that step.”

Gardevoir intensified the purple light radiating from his hand and held it a bit higher. Jason ran his hand along the right wall, sighing when his fingers met a metal scrap he had stuck there earlier. He motioned for them to stop.

“We’re going in circles,” Mira said, leaning against the wall.

“There has to be a way down.” Jason walked down the corridor and back. “The other mountain had a way down inside. The—hey, put the light on this.”

He bent down and peered at the wall, resting his hand on something. Gardevoir crouched beside him and squinted. His eyes were not as good as Jason’s, but he could see a slight seam in the wall where Jason had his fingers. It wrapped around a small rectangular section of stone, no bigger than Jason’s hand. Something was carved into it, but he couldn’t see the details without getting closer.

‘Is it another section?’

“Not sure.” He tried pushing on it, to no avail. Jason took his knife from his pocket and wedged it into the seam, leveraging it and trying to shift the section out. It gave slightly, popping out a few centimeters.

“Aha!”

He put the knife back, wriggling the stone farther out. Mira came over and watched him work. Jason got it far enough out to pull with his hands, and it eventually fell to the floor, nearly an arm’s length long.

“That’s not natural,” Jason said. He put Gardevoir’s hand down to the opening and peered through. “Looks like a button at the far end.”

Gardevoir pulled his hand back while Jason tried to reach into the hole. His fingers fit, but his wrist was too wide to pass through.

“Okay…Mira, want to give this a try?”

“All right.” She shimmied in front of the hole and guided her hand in, fitting with ease. Her forearm disappeared, and then her arm up to her shoulder.

“Can you feel anything?” Jason asked.

“Something like a button, but I can’t…quite…oh! There it is. Ah, it’s moving down! Ow! OW!”

Mira desperately tried to wriggle her arm free, but the section of wall was moving into the floor. Jason grabbed her around the waist and yanked hard, pulling her out to her elbow. She was shrieking and trembling as he gripped her arm.

“Stay still—there!”

They slipped her forearm and hand out as the opening slipped below the floor. The rest of the wall section followed as Jason and Mira sat against the wall, panting. Gardevoir looked into the newly-revealed corridor.

“Are you okay?”

“Don’t ever do that again!”

“I didn’t know the wall would come down. Next time we’ll test it with a stick.”

They got up, trailing after Gardevoir down the hall. It was markedly man-made, as opposed to the naturalistic tunnels they had just been exploring. Every so often they would pass a wrought-iron sconce on the wall, either empty or filled with a long-extinguished torch. Every surface was covered on cobwebs and dust.

“It’s ancient,” Mira said.

Jason nodded, noting the boot-shaped imprints in the dust in front of them. Eventually they reached a narrow circular staircase, heading down on a steep incline. They descended, hands on the walls for support.

“It took us what, two hours to get up?” Mira asked.

“Something like that.”

“Want to sing ‘Ninety-Nine Bottles of Beer?’”

*****

Jason’s altimeter couldn’t get an accurate reading by the time the staircase leveled out more than three hours later. They had finished their song six times before a long stretch of silence, and then had sung it five times more, which was followed by more silence. Gardevoir had long since blocked them out and retreated into his own mind, and now followed close behind them, somewhat unaware of the environment.

“We’ve got to be below the seafloor,” Jason said, slightly hoarse. Let’s hope nothing caves in.”

“Ugh, why would you even say that?” Mira asked, suddenly very aware of how narrow the passage was. “Hey, Jason?”

“Yeah?”

“What’s that?”

She stopped and pointed to something lying on the floor in front of them. Gardevoir came out of his torpor and focused the light, cringing slightly at the view.

A human skeleton lay on a discolored section of the floor, its clenched hand outstretched towards the staircase behind them. Bits of muscle and sinew still clung to some of the bones like brown blotches. The skeleton of a Sandslash lay nearby, similarly decomposed.

“Looks like we weren’t the first ones here,” Jason said. “He had another torch. Do you have a lighter?”

Mira lit the torch and carried it to the end of the passage, where a large stone tablet stood, blocking their path.

“Same one from Greenpeak Mountain and the museum,” Jason said. “Let’s give it a push.”

They pressed their weight against the stone, which gave way easily on its simple hinge. It groaned out of the way, revealing utter blackness in the chamber beyond. They stepped inside.

“Hey, there’s a podium,” Jason said, nodding to a stone stand beside the entrance. “You can drop the torch in there.”

Mira did so, and the kindling inside burned brightly, igniting a trail of powder that lit several other podiums around the massive room. When everything was lit, they could see they were inside a dome whose ceiling stretched out of sight. Half of the floor was stone, and the far side of the room was filled with water that went to unknown depths. In the center of the chamber was a small dais, thinner than the stands that radiated light.

“That must be it,” Mira said. “Shouldn’t there be a Pokémon guarding it?”

“Yeah. Let’s grab it and get out before the guard shows up.”

They approached the central dais cautiously, eyeing the water on the far side of the room, watching for any ripples or disturbances. It stayed perfectly still. Mira hung back while Jason went up to the stand, made of highly polished stone. It would have reflected anything on it brilliantly—had anything been there.

“What the…?”

The chamber shook violently. All the water in front of them sloshed about, some spilling onto the floor. They whirled around and saw a massive creature of white and blue looking solemnly at them, its tail pushing the door shut.

“It is not here,” the Lugia said, unfurling its massive wings. They stretched from one end of the chamber to the other. “And you should not be here.”

“We weren’t trying to intrude,” Jason said. “The Gems are in danger of being stolen.”

“I see that. Two small humans here to steal my charge. You are too late.”

Mira grimaced. “Scion already got it?”

Lugia cocked his head. “Scion? I do not know that name. The Air Gem was stolen long ago, before your time. A thief of another century spirited it away from here, out of my reach. You will find no treasure here.”

“Oh. Sorry to hear that.” Jason walked back to where Mira stood. “I guess there’s no reason for us to be here, then. We don’t want to disturb you any longer.”

The giant Pokémon planted himself squarely in front of the door. “Why would I let you leave, after a century of solitude, of reflecting on my failure? So you might tell others of this place and how its Sentinel failed in his duty? No, no, I think not. You should have left well enough alone and never come here.”

Mira took a step forward. “You can’t just leave us down here to die!”

“And what are your lives worth to me? You are motes of dust struggling against the winds of time. You can offer me nothing, humans.”

She turned back to Jason. “What are we going to do?” she asked in hushed tones.

“We have to get him away from that door,” Jason said. “Maybe we can get it open.”

“How are we going to do that?”

He turned to Gardevoir. “Any ideas?”

His Pokémon shrugged. ‘I’m not sure what I could do.’

“Well…he is a Pokémon…”

Gardevoir turned red. ‘You want me to fight him? He’s huge!’

“Not just you, all of you together while we try to get the door open. We have to try something.”

“That door has to be at least a ton of solid rock,” Mira said. “It’s not like we can just turn the knob and pull it open.”

‘How are you going to release all the others without him noticing?’

“I don’t know. Can you…distract him at all?” Jason asked.

‘He’s fifty times my size!’

“Just talk to him or something.”

Gardevoir tried to calm himself down and walked towards Lugia. He looked down at the smaller creature, examining him. Gardevoir winced and looked at the ground.

“You and your companions would have done well to stay away from this place, empath,” Lugia said.

“Are you going to let us die here?” he asked, using his audible voice.

“We all die eventually. I am sorry, but I cannot allow you to leave. If word of this place’s existence were to spread, it may inspire others to search for the other Relics. This is for the good of the world.”

“It’s hard to see it that way when the good of the world comes at your own expense,” Gardevoir said quietly.

A large wing wrapped around him. ‘If you wished to leave,’ Lugia said, cutting Jason and Mira out of their telepathy, ‘I would allow you to. I would trust a fellow psychic to keep such a secret.’

‘You would just let me leave?’

‘I can lower my shielding to allow you to Teleport.’

Gardevoir looked back at Jason and Mira, who were trying very hard to make their observation of the conversation subtle. He wrung his hands and bit his lip, agonizing over the decision.

‘All right,’ he said. ‘I’ll leave.’

‘Very well.’

Lugia swept his wings up and closed his eyes, a low hum echoing from his body. Gardevoir waited until he was fully focused, and then turned back to Jason and Mira.

‘Now!’

Six Pokéballs flew out and opened with bursts of light. Rufflet and Staravia flew in circles around Lugia, raking at his skin with their talons when they dared to fly close enough. Mightyena and Zangoose bounded forward and lunged at the larger Pokémon’s feet and wings. Gardevoir propelled himself backwards until he was side by side with Lucario, standing defensively in front of their Trainers.

“Regirock, get that door open,” Mira said to the golem, who began lumbering around Lugia. Gardevoir and Lucario projected their energy into a shield around them, a small sphere of swirling blue and purple.

“Fools,” Lugia said, batting away Mightyena with one wing. Zangoose still had his jaws clamped on Lugia’s ankle. He reared his head back and cried out, summoning a sphere of white light in his mouth. The Aurora Beam shot out, and Rufflet dove just out of its way, missing the blast as it cut a deep, long gash in the wall behind him.

Mightyena had righted herself and was going at Lugia’s underbelly, gnashing and tearing at the tough skin. Zangoose dislodged himself from the bloody ankle and began climbing the larger creature, digging his claws in wherever he could find purchase. Regirock started to pound on the door with its massive hands, sending powerful reverberations throughout the chamber.

“Keep him busy! Go for the throat!” Jason shouted to Rufflet.

The chamber continued to shake as Regirock hammered away, but Rufflet felt none of it in the air. He dove right at Lugia’s neck, hoping the larger beast wouldn’t have time to charge another Aurora Beam before he was out of range. Lugia watched him and bowed his head in front of his neck, but Rufflet overcorrected his path and sunk a talon deep into Lugia’s left eye. They all heard the squelch of the eye popping and dripping down the guardian’s face.

He reared back and howled in pain, trying to simultaneously unlatch Rufflet, who kept his claws dug tight in his eye socket, and knock away Zangoose, who was slicing away at the ligaments in his wings. On the ground Mightyena continued trying to eviscerate their enemy, drenched in blood and sinew.

“They’re going to kill him!” Mira said.

“Not if we get the door open first.”

“DAMN—YOU!” Lugia shouted, unleashing a psychic blast from his body. Mightyena continued attacking unimpeded, but everyone else was thrown clear. He charged and unleashed another Aurora Beam, easily breaking through Gardevoir and Lucario’s shield. It caught Lucario’s right hip, sending him reeling. Lugia shifted his weight and kicked Mightyena squarely in the ribs just as Regirock pounded one last time, knocking down the door.

“Everyone back!”

Jason and Mira recalled their Pokémon and sprinted towards the exit, weaving around Lugia’s feet and jumping the last stretch into the now-dark passage. They kept running as the shaking beneath their feet told them Lugia was turning around, and they heard the rapid humming of another Aurora Beam coming their way.

They both dove and hit the floor, wincing as the beam of light flashed over them and singed their clothes. Jason shifted himself over Mira, trying to protect her from the blast. The skeletons they had landed next to vaporized, leaving only dust blowing down the hallway.

Soon the beam faded, along with their only source of light, and Jason rolled away from Mira. They were both covered in dirt and grit, which Mira began dusting from herself as she got up. Jason dug around in a pocket on the side of his bag.

“I have some light sticks I was saving…there,” he said, cracking the plastic tube over his wrist. Green light shone from it, lighting up a small bubble around them. “Come on, we have to get out of here.”

“What about the Air Gem?” Mira asked.

“It’s gone, we’ll have to look somewhere else for it—”

“No, look.”

Jason pointed the light towards Mira, who was looking at the discolored patch of ground where the skeletons had lay. In a pile of dust sat a small white pearl, reflecting the light over its unblemished surface. They both knelt down to look at it, and Jason picked it out of the dust.

“A regular pearl would’ve been vaporized,” he said, looking at the small jewel.

“Lugia did say a thief took it…doesn’t look like they got very far.”

Jason slipped the gem into his pocket. “Yeah. Come on, let’s go. We’ve still got to get out of the line of fire and back up the stairs.”

They jogged the rest of the way to the staircase, but no more blasts came, only the occasional wail of pain. Jason and Mira were up a few meters before they released Gardevoir again, still reeling from having his shield broken.

“Can we get the light again?” Jason asked.

“Or maybe Teleport us back to the beach,” Mira said.

Gardevoir shook his head as he lit up the staircase. ‘I have no idea where we are in relation to the beach. If I don’t go far enough we could end up underwater or in solid rock, and if I go too far we could end up in the air and fall. Once we get outside I can do it. But we have to go back up first.’

They climbed. They climbed for hours, lost track of time, and then started keeping track again. By the time they had returned to the entrance of the hidden corridor, all three were either panting or wheezing, holding the walls for support.

“How much farther?” Mira asked.

“Just head up.”

It was another thirty minutes before the bracing cold of the open air hit them as they stumbled out of the caves and onto the top of the Air Spire. Night had fallen, and the winds still roared farther below. Gardevoir tried to project another protective bubble, but it fizzled out and he fell to his knees, gasping for air.

“What’s wrong?” Jason asked, kneeling beside him.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said, his mental voice weak. ‘I’m sorry. Not enough power.’

“Not even for a Teleport?”

‘I can try…’

“Otherwise we’re stuck up here,” Jason said, scratching behind his Pokémon’s ears. “It’s a long way down and we can’t get past those winds.”

‘All right…come here…’

Jason and Mira gathered in close beside him, and Gardevoir called up all the strength he had left. His muscles ached and his mind had trouble following one line of thought, but he pushed through the pain and wrapped them all in a flash of blue light.

They reappeared with the ground in sight—but not beneath their feet. All three had popped back into reality five meters above the beach, where gravity took its inexorable toll. Mira rotated her body and landed feet-first before rolling out of the way, earning a mouthful of sand for her trouble. The other two fell more awkwardly, but not before Jason had grabbed his Pokémon and pulled Gardevoir above his own body. The sand provided some give, but the impact still sent shocks through both their bodies. Jason was out cold, and Gardevoir groaned as he rolled away, but gasped when he saw his Trainer.

He cried out and tried pressing on Jason’s chest, tears welling up in his eyes. ‘No no no no, please no, don’t die…goddess no, it’s my fault…’

Mira ran back over to them. “Hey, he’s going to be fine, he just got knocked out, don’t cry.”

‘I’m supposed to protect him!’ he said, laying his head on Jason’s chest, still sobbing. ‘Now he’s—’

Jason groaned and balled his hands into fists, gasping for air. He sat up, trying to get his wind back, as Gardevoir hugged him around the chest, trilling and warbling happily. Mira stood back as he coughed and sputtered, eventually taking a full, welcome gulp of cold air.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t—I mean, I meant to land lower—I’m sorry,’ Gardevoir said, tripping over his words.

“It’s okay. You two are all right?”

“I didn’t want to test my ankle like that so soon, but everything seems fine,” Mira said, shrugging off her bag. “Looks as good a place to set up camp as any, too. Are you okay?”

He nodded, absentmindedly petting Gardevoir. “Headache. Sleep sounds good. There’s no driftwood around, we can use one of the cans for tonight.”

Mira insisted on setting up the campground, sitting Jason back down whenever he tried to help. She laid out the sleeping bags and put their food over the fire can. Gardevoir shifted and tidied up the camp, carrying away any loose rocks he saw on the ground. Jason looked at the Air Gem in the dim light, rubbing the back of his head as he did.

“You might have a concussion,” Mira said, setting a small tin of food in front of him. “I don’t know if you should be sleeping.”

“I’m fine.”

Mira put her hand in front of his face. “How many fingers?”

“Three. Two. One. Three,” he said, watching her raise and lower fingers.

“Dizzy? Nauseous? Confused?”

“No. Just tired.”

“What’s your name?”

“Jason.”

“My name?”

“Mira.”

“Where are we? How did we get here?”

“Skyblast Island. Took a boat from Redrock Town. Please, I’m not even hungry. Wrap it up, I’ll eat it tomorrow.”

“I’m still taking you to the ER tomorrow,” she said, taking his food away. Gallade sat beside Jason, tear marks still visible on his cheeks. “We don’t need a hematoma hitting you.”

“I’ll go, don’t worry.” He scratched Gallade’s back. “You did good today. Eat what you like, go in your Pokéball if it’s too cold. Otherwise, I’ll see you both in the morning.”

“Goodnight.”

‘Goodnight.’

Jason curled up in his sleeping bag and was snoring in minutes. Mira and Gallade sat around the small fire can.

*****

Marshal Garrett stood up, looking over the burned out remains of the partially sunken structure. It had been…something before the explosion, but whatever that was had been utterly destroyed. Smoke spindled up from various spots from what looked like scorch marks.

He climbed out of the crater and ducked under the tape indicating the restricted area. “No one knows anything?” he asked one of his colleagues.

“No witnesses. Just the people in town that heard the explosion. I—heads up, rat squad.”

Garrett turned around and saw three trucks pull off the road towards them, all with identical emblazoning: DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL SECURITY

“What the hell are they doing here?”

The assembled Marshals waited for the DIS trucks to come to a stop and their passengers exited, some of them dressed in hazmat suits. They began roping off a larger area than what the Marshals had restricted and the agent in charge came up to them.

“Agent Lanar,” Garrett said, making no effort to disguise the contempt in his voice. “We’re handling this.”

“Not anymore you’re not,” the DIS agent said, handing over a bundle of forms. “The Attorney General handed this over to us. You’re not equipped to be here.”

“We have an NBC squad, too.”

“I don’t see them here. This isn’t a turf war, it’s clear. No one broke any laws, you shouldn’t even be here. Skorta informed us of the accident. They were doing contract work for us and had a runaway reaction. Regrettable, but perfectly legal. You have to get decontaminated before you can leave. Good day, Marshal.”
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Equilibrium