The Chasm

“I still can’t believe they just gave you those eggs,” Cameron said, playing tug-of-war with Tori and a piece of meat. “I’ve been working hard for my Pokémon, and here you are with a pair of freebies!”

“Hey, we did work for them, remember?” JC defended as he fed Kamé, “They were basically payment for throwing us to the Houndour! And then we had to hatch the eggs on top of that… it was serious work!”

“Right,” Cameron laughed, watching Tori claw at the smooth countertop in an attempt to gain traction. His toothed beak was clamped tight on the strip of meat with all his strength.

“It’s cool that Kai evolved, though,” he added, “At least you’ve got one Pokémon you can use in a fight…”

Cameron jumped as Skarmory poked him from behind with one of his razor-edged feathers, the steel bird taking offense at his comment.

“Of course, how could I forget this one…” he grunted, rubbing his back as Skarmory clicked across the tile floor to stand by his Trainer, looking oddly satisfied.

JC chuckled, “You shouldn’t have called him out like that. Mess with the bird and you get the feathers. Or in Tori’s case, you get the teeth! Isn’t that right, Tori?” he smiled, scratching at his Pokémon’s chin.

Skarmory clanged his beak together loudly, displaying his own rows of sharp teeth.

“Yes, Skarmory, you have teeth, too,” JC acknowledged, “You’re a very fierce and formidable Pokémon.”

Cameron scoffed, “So what, JC just gets a warning and I get a jab in the side? That seems fair…”

“Don’t push him,” JC warned, whispering, “He’s still learning his manners.”

Skarmory moved to glare at his Trainer but Tori interrupted them with a loud squawk, expressing his annoyance at the game he wasn’t winning.

“Spoiled kid,” Cameron shrugged, finally releasing his grip on the meat and dropping the Pokémon back on his tail feathers. Tori chattered happily as he dug his teeth into the juicy treat, noisily devouring his lunch.

“Must you be so loud?” Serina asked as she entered the room from the hall, “I could hear you through the walls.”

“Sorry, Serina,” JC apologized, “Why’s it so quiet in your room?”

Serina sighed as she plopped onto the couch, “May and Dawn stepped out for a bit. The room became much too lonely after that.”

“You know, you could’ve gone with them,” Cameron commented. “But come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve seen you leave the Center since we’ve been here… Go outside for once!”

Serina shot him an annoyed look, “I have said it before: I do not like the cold. It is unnecessary and most inhospitable; I do not know why people even live here!”

“Oh right, I forgot you’ve got weird tendencies,” he winked.

“They are not weird,” she corrected him, making herself more comfortable on the couch, “I have every right to have ‘tendencies’, as you call them.”

“She’s right you know,” JC added, “Everyone’s entitled to their own likes and dislikes. Case one: your strange-hat-wearing tendency…”

Cameron looked out the window and shrugged, “It’s just a hat.”

“Yeah, a hat that May made for you!” he laughed, reflecting on the little conversation they had all had about May and Cameron’s past, “Why didn’t you ever tell me that? More importantly, why didn’t you tell me you had a friend that hot?”

Cameron laughed, “I didn’t really know myself. I hadn’t seen her since we moved; she was six.”

“Whatever man,” JC said as Tori perched on his shoulder, “Some girls are just born attractive and I have a feeling that girl was attractive the day you met her. I mean just look at her!”

“I am in the room,” Serina sighed loudly, stopping their conversation.

“Yes, you are,” JC said as he walked over to her and dropped Kamé in her lap, “So that means you can watch Kamé while I go check on Kira.”

Serina started to protest but JC gave her a look she had come to know all too well.

“Very well,” she agreed, “I will watch this little one.”

“Thank you,” he smiled, “Be nice to her, Cameron,” he added before stepping out the door.

“Yes, be nice to me,” Serina repeated, giving Cameron a sly smile, “An order from Jemkyn!”

Cameron looked to her, then to the door. “Yeah, I think I’m going with him…” he decided, quickly rising from his chair and disappearing after JC.

Serina humphed but remained in the room and entertained Kamé in her lap. After a while she looked up and sighed.

“And now this room is too lonely!”

◄►

Downstairs in the lobby of the Snowpoint Pokémon Center, JC and Cameron headed for the counter to see Nurse Joy. A day after May, Dawn and Cameron all arrived in town JC had called Professor Rowan again to tell him Kira’s condition hadn’t improved even slightly, and that she still remained in her coma-like state. That, and the numerous physical injuries she had sustained prompted Rowan to contact Nurse Joy and set up special arrangements for Kira to be admitted to the Center and treated by the Nurse herself.

That had been a week ago, and Kira still hadn’t woken up. Nurse Joy explained that it was a way for her body to heal, but JC wasn’t fully convinced. The strange circumstances surrounding her disappearance and injuries led him to believe it was something less common than just “healing”.

Nurse Joy saw the boys coming and opened the counter for them; JC’s visits had been routine, and she knew when to regularly expect him.

“How’s she doing?” he asked as she led them into the back, “Any changes?”

“None,” Nurse Joy reported disappointedly, “Not even a hint of her regaining consciousness. Her injuries have almost completely healed though, so perhaps it’s not too far off…”

“Let’s hope so,” Cameron said as Nurse Joy opened the door to Kira’s room. She lay on the bed motionless, her chest barely moving with her breaths.

JC sat on the edge of her bed and put a hand to her cheek. Her body temperature had returned to normal a few days back, and he was pleased to see that she was still warm to the touch.

“What about that spot I mentioned,” he asked, “Any news on that?”

“That was a curious thing,” she answered, sounding almost excited, “From what I can tell it’s just a concentration of pigments in her skin, a common occurrence when the body has received acute sunlight as is common in Snowpoint.”

“So it’s just a freckle?” Cameron asked.

Joy smiled, “That was my initial thought as well. But look…” she said, gently tilting Kira’s head and pulling back the blanket.

JC inhaled sharply; the tiny speck he remembered was now an asterisk, as if it was slowly snaking thin tendrils along her neck. It was still small—only about half an inch wide—but the fact that it existed at all worried JC immensely.

“It changed?” he managed to ask.

“Precisely. Now I’ve seen many freckles in my day, but never one that increased without direct sunlight or one that changed its shape. Much less one that looked like this at all!”

JC’s heart dropped, “So what is it?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. But,” she said softly, “Whatever it is, it shows amazing healing qualities. I took a skin sample after I noticed the change; the cells all appeared perfectly normal under examination, but when I looked back to her neck the incision was perfectly smooth: it had completely healed itself in a matter of minutes!” Nurse Joy shook her head, “When you first brought her to me I was impressed at how quickly her many injuries were healing, but now that I’ve seen this… Well, it only stands to reason that this mark had something to do with it.”

Cameron was confused, “If she’s healing so quick, why hasn’t she woken up yet? It’s been a week: shouldn’t she be up and walking around by now?”

“Maybe she’s just not ready. Her body may know something we don’t; if she needs more time, I say we give it to her.”

“Thanks for everything, Nurse Joy,” JC said, “Really, I mean it. She’d probably be much worse if it wasn’t for you. Thank you so much.”

The nurse smiled, “Well I do what I can. But I should probably be returning to the counter now; you know how Trainers get when I’m not around…” she chuckled. Reaching the doorway, though, she paused, turning back to them. “She seems like a tough girl, Mr. Kalmikov. I’m sure she’ll come back to you soon.”

JC looked to her and then back to Kira. “I hope you’re right.”

Nurse Joy smiled supportively and left them alone, closing the door quietly behind her.

◄►

Across town, May and Dawn were being seated in a small restaurant, their first time alone in over two years.

“Well this is nice,” May smiled as she took in the elegant atmosphere, “It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to sit down, just the two of us.”

“Way too long,” Dawn giggled, “Some friends we are, not seeing each other for years on end…”

“What’d you expect? We’re busy people!”

“That’s true.” Dawn agreed, looking over her menu. The waiter came by and they ordered, sitting back as he took their menus from them.

“I’m glad we got some time alone, though,” Dawn said, sipping at her water, “There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”

May chuckled, “Actually, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about, too.”

“There is? Well, what is it?”

“No, you go first,” May urged.

“Alright,” Dawn nodded, folding her hands under her chin. “Are you a wielder?” she asked blatantly.

May nearly choked on her water, “Wh— what?” she stuttered, “Why would you ask something like that? What are you even talking about?”

Dawn grinned, “Don’t play dumb; you’re a wielder and Kyogre’s your partner. Am I right?”

May glanced around the restaurant, “Dawn… You can’t just talk about this in public…”

“Sure I can, I’m doing it right now,” she said. “So, am I right?”

“Yeah, you’re right,” May said quietly, taking another sip of her drink. “So, I’m guessing you already know about yourself? That you’re… one of us?”

“Of course I do; I found out about a year ago. Cynthia called me to Suzuran Island and told me. Oh, thank you,” she said, accepting her food from the waiter. “But that has to do with my next question: why weren’t you the one to tell me? I know you had Kyogre long before Cynthia contacted me; you could’ve at least hinted at all this when we saw each other during the Wallace Cup…”

“I didn’t know there were any other wielders my age until right before I got here,” May told her, “My mentor kept me pretty secluded. Shortly before I came to Snowpoint I did a little research of my own; that’s when I found out about you and the others.” She poked at her noodles, “I could be wrong, but I didn’t see any of them with their partners. Do they even know?”

Dawn laughed a little, “Nope. Kira’s ‘accident’ did seem pretty suspicious to me at first; I thought that maybe it had something to do with her awakening. But when I tried to prod JC for any knowledge he might’ve gotten out of it he seemed pretty clueless.” She sighed, “Either JC’s a really good actor or he truly doesn’t know yet. And Kira, well, we’re still waiting on that…”

“What about your boyfriend?”

Dawn laughed harder this time, “Cameron? He hasn’t got a clue about any of it!”

“I’m actually surprised you haven’t told him yet,” May commented, “The way he talks about you, I’d have figured you guys shared everything…” she winked.

Dawn shrugged, “Cynthia gave me strict orders not to tell them and to make sure they found out on their own. Why, I have no idea, but you know: an order’s an order, especially from your mentor.”

May smiled, “Yeah, that’s rule number one… So who’s your partner?”

“One of the Eon twins,” Dawn said with her mouth full, “Cynthia brought us together.”

“Interesting. So what about this Serina girl? Is she a wielder, too?”

Dawn glanced up from her meal and winked, sending May a strong hint.

“Oh,” she smiled, putting the pieces together in her head. “Now that’s useful! Sure beats carrying her around in a Poké Ball, or in her weapon form.”

“Sometimes I still debate that…” Dawn smirked, “At least you don’t have to listen to Kyogre whine and complain about nearly everything.”

“But your partner’s young! I bet she doesn’t try and parent you all the time.”

The girls giggled at their respective situations, finally able to laugh and talk about their secret lives with a friend.

“So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?” Dawn asked as May’s phone suddenly vibrated loudly in her pocket.

“It’s Cameron,” May said with a smile, “Hey you, couldn’t be apart from her for an hour without checking in, huh?”

Dawn smiled and raised a bite to her mouth, pausing when she saw the look overtaking the other girl’s face. May nodded and hung up, hurriedly motioning for their server.

“You’re not going to believe this: Kira’s awake.”

◄►

When Dawn and May finally arrived at the Center Nurse Joy hurried them into the back where they found Cameron waiting for them outside of Kira’s door.

“Well?” Dawn asked.

Cameron seemed a bit unsettled. “She’s awake,” he said quietly.

“What’s wrong then?” May asked.

“Well… there’s something, different about her.”

“Different how?” Dawn urged, “Can’t you just let us in?”

“Okay but, just don’t make a big deal, alright?”

Dawn and May both nodded and Cameron opened the door and led them inside. Kira was sitting up on her bed dressed in a hospital nightgown and holding a steaming cup of tea with Twiggy at her side. Her usual braid had been undone after she was admitted to the Center, and now her long red hair cascaded over her shoulders and hung over the right half of her face.

Kira looked up when they came in and shrunk back, almost trying to disappear back into the pillows propped against her back.

“H—hello…” she mumbled softly, averting her gaze.

“Hey there, sweetie,” Dawn cooed, sitting lightly on the edge of her bed, “How are you feeling?”

“I hurt. My body’s really sore…”

“I’m so sorry,” Dawn sympathized, “I wish I could help you somehow.”

Kira nodded but still wouldn’t look at her, instead staring into her mug.

“Can you tell us what happened?” Dawn asked, seeing JC waving his hand across his neck.

“Oh, I’m sorry, has he already asked you? I can imagine it’s not the best story to retell…”

Kira sniffled, and Dawn saw her left eye close as a tear formed at its corner. JC moved over to the bed and sat down next to Kira; she fell into him as she burst into silent tears, her body shaking while she cried.

“Shh…” JC said, holding her tight in an attempt to soothe her. “She can’t remember,” he explained, looking up at Dawn and May, “None of it. Not her going out to the temple, or meeting that man. She can’t even remember getting the letter telling her to meet him there.”

“You can’t be serious,” Dawn gasped, “How’s that even possible?”

“I have no idea,” JC sighed, “Nurse Joy says this sort of thing can happen after a traumatic incident, but… I don’t know. She remembers being in Snowpoint and can remember everything we’ve done up to this point, but it’s as if someone reached into her mind and basically removed every piece having to do with the accident. Obviously, she’s scared…”

“Right, of course,” Dawn understood. “Well just know we’re here for you, okay, honey?”

Kira nodded again, her wet face rubbing against JC’s shirt. She struggled to compose herself again, sniffling loudly as she tried to sit up straight.

Dawn smiled and reached forward to brush the hair from Kira’s face, the girl panicking and slapping a hand over her right eye.

“No! NO!!” she shouted, shaking her head back and forth violently and spilling her tea all over the bed.

Dawn jerked her hand back in shock, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

JC grabbed at Kira’s wrists, “Kira, KIRA,” he said, trying to calm her down, “It’s okay, you’re fine!”

“NO!” she shouted as she struggled against him, her eyes wrenched tightly closed, “I’m not fine; I’m a FREAK!!”

“You’re not a freak,” JC assured, “Now calm down!”

Kira stopped her struggling but kept her eyes closed, the tears dripping from her face. Dawn rose, and May helped her remove the tipped mug and tea-soaked blanket from the bed. Once Kira stopped her crying, JC kissed her forehead.

“Will you show her?”

Kira shook her head.

“Why not?”

“I—I don’t want to…” she said, stroking more hair over her right eye and opening her left.

JC said her name, kindly and knowingly. He leaned in and kissed her; she blushed at the mixed company, finally taking in a deep breath, brushing her hair behind her ear and opening her right eye.

Dawn gasped and May put a hand to her mouth. Kira’s beautiful blue eye was polluted; a dark ring ran through her iris, encircling two parallel wedges carved into her pupil.

Dawn sat back on the bed and touched her hand to Kira’s cheek, moving her head closer. The marking was beautiful in its own way, like a fancy designer contact, but the fact that it was natural was… unnerving.

“What is it?” she asked in a hushed voice.

“Your guess is as good as ours,” JC answered, brushing Kira’s hair from her neck, “But she has this, too. They don’t really look the same, but they’re two ‘markings’ she didn’t have before she left for the temple.”

“Has Nurse Joy seen it?” May asked.

“Yeah, and she’s just as baffled by it as we are. Medically she says Kira’s fine apart from a few remaining bruises. The marks appear to be just cosmetic. Totally harmless…”

“So you can still see alright?” Dawn asked as she stood again.

Kira nodded, “I can’t tell a difference at all. I do remember my neck itching, though…” she thought aloud.

Dawn smiled, “Well that’s good. It actually looks kind of cool once you get past its… uniqueness.”

“Thanks,” Kira sighed, slumping back against the pillows. “I hate it.”

“Oh don’t say that,” she said, kissing the top of Kira’s head. “It’s part of you now, and we love you.”

Kira smiled but turned her gaze to the sheets, Dawn easily reading her signals.

“Well we’ll let you get some rest,” she said, collecting Cameron and May and heading for the door. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

“Thank you,” Kira said, “It’s nice to know you all cared so much for me.”

“Always,” Dawn smiled, closing the door behind her.

The room was suddenly quiet, save for the hospital-like ambiance. JC squeezed an arm around Kira who sat still, staring down at her lap.

“So, she’s pretty,” she said.

“What?”

Kira looked at him, “May: that was her, right? You never said she was so hot.”

JC stammered, “I didn’t really think it was the time… I mean you had just woken up and I was trying to fill you in…”

“Hmm.”

JC stood up, “Well you should probably get some rest…”

“And let you go back to our room with all of those girls? Oh no, I’m coming with you!” Kira threw off her sheet and swung off the bed, grabbing JC as she stumbled on weak legs. She took a second, then strode across the room to pick up her clothes from where Nurse Joy had neatly folded them a week ago. Kira untied her gown and discarded it as she began to dress, purposefully glancing over her shoulder at a stunned JC. He finally came to his senses and turned his back to offer her privacy, much to Kira’s disappointment.

Fully clothed, Kira took him by the hand and kissed his cheek, letting him lead her back upstairs. JC felt her hands tighten on his arm as she leaned on him, her legs still regained their strength, but by the time they reached the elevator she was walking under her own power.

“You sure you’re not overdoing it?” JC asked her, the elevator opening on the second floor. 

“I’m fine,” she assured him, “What room number were we?”

“42; Dawn, May and Serina are in the room next to us.”

“Oh! So we still have our room to ourselves?” she asked as he opened the door. Kira’s shoulders drooped; Cameron was sitting at the kitchen counter with the babies and chatting with Serina, and Dawn was rummaging through the fridge while May flipped through channels on the TV.

“Great,” she sighed.

◄►

That evening Dawn and Serina cooked a delicious dinner in celebration of Kira’s recovery, the large group moving to the sitting area to eat and talk. They all told stories and laughed; Kira particularly liked the ones about Cameron’s childhood told by May, and the one about him getting stuck in Shoal Cave during high tide had her doubling over in laughter.

All of them were all so engrossed in their bonding that the hours just flew by, and before they knew it, it was almost eight o’clock. That, followed by the ringing of May’s phone finally marked the unofficial end of their powwow, and Serina began gathering everyone’s plates while May answered her phone.

“Hello..? One second,” she said, holding it out to Dawn. “It’s for you.”

“Is it just me, or does anyone else think Dawn needs her own phone?” Cameron joked, “I mean seriously!”

Everyone laughed as Dawn took the phone and casually laughed a hello, immediately straightening up when the woman on the other line said her name.

“T—teacher!” she stuttered, her eyes wide, “I wasn’t expecting a call from you…”

“Nice to hear from you as well,” Cynthia said sarcastically, “How are things?”

“Alright, I guess…” she answered as she stepped into the bedroom, “Kira finally woke up and she seems to be doing alright. Except…”

“Except…?”

Dawn sat on one of the beds, “Well, she has these strange markings on her. One’s like tattooed in her skin and the other’s in her eye…”

“Is that so?” Cynthia asked sounding genuinely surprised, “That’s… different. I’ll reach out to Nurse Joy and get filled in, see if anyone’s seen something like it before. But in the meantime, I have an assignment for you.”

“An assignment?”

“Yes, for you and Miss Senri. I need you both to do a bit of reconnaissance on Snowpoint Temple, particularly the chamber where Jemkyn found Kira.”

Dawn was a bit nervous, “No disrespect, but Interpol’s been blowing up with reports of missing travelers and such; isn’t it dangerous? What if there really is some kind of creature out there?”

“Oh come on, Dawn, you’re a big girl,” Cynthia said slyly, “I’m sure you can handle whatever it is.”

Dawn sighed, “If you say so.”

“That’s a good girl. Now, I want the both of you out there by tonight, understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Dawn obliged.

“Thank you. Give my regards to Serina, will you?”

“I will. Take care!”

“You as well,” Cynthia said, hanging up.

Dawn sat quietly in the dark with May’s phone in her lap, listening to the commotion in the other room. Finally May interrupted her peace, flipping on the bedroom light and resting on the doorframe.

“So, what did she want?”

“Get Kyogre ready,” Dawn said, walking towards the door, “We’re going out tonight.”

◄►

Having faced Snowpoint’s unforgiving climate before, both girls came prepared for the harsh weather. Dawn’s thick red pea coat and white fleece scarf kept her body warm but did little to protect her bare legs from the elements, though she didn’t seem to mind it. May on the other hand was bundled up tight in a designer coat Steven had bought her, the tropical climate of her home leaving her fairly unused to the cold. Serina followed close behind, equally bundled due to her intense aversion to frigid temperatures. When Dawn told her about the assignment Serina had tried every strategy she knew to avoid going: she whined, complained, argued and even cried at one point. Nevertheless, she found herself trudging through the deep snow up the side of a mountain in the middle of the night, the full moon illuminating the blankets of powder surrounding them.

They hiked for nearly an hour to reach Snowpoint Temple, the sound of thick snow crunching underfoot echoing through the still night. Dawn led the way, pulling out her flashlight and entering the temple antechamber with Serina on her heels and May bringing up the rear.

“So what are we looking for exactly?” May asked, lazily tracing the etchings on the wall with her finger.

“Cynthia wants us to scope out the chamber where Kira had her ‘accident’,” Dawn replied, stopping short, “And I think we just found it…” she said, pointing her flashlight at a large hole in the ancient tile floor.

“I’ve got this,” May said, digging for her Poké Balls. She released her Flygon and hopped onto his back, her dragon leaping over the other two girls as he dove down the hole. They were gone for only a minute or two before they emerged from the hole and back into the narrow hall, coated in a dusting of earth from the small tunnel.

“That looks like what JC described all right,” May said, shaking the dirt from her hair, “It looks pretty quiet.”

Dawn nodded and Flygon disappeared down the tunnel once more, returning this time without May. He offered his back to Dawn and she mounted him, holding tightly to his neck as he dove down once more. They emerged into a large cavern illuminated by a breathtaking crystal. Flygon circled the room as he descended, landing heavily next to May who stood gazing up at the glowing gemstone.

“That thing’s huge!” Dawn said, her voice echoing off of the stone walls. “JC’s descriptions didn’t do it justice!”

“I know,” May agreed as she helped her friend dismount Flygon; with Dawn safely on the ground the dragon took off again, this time to retrieve Serina. “How much do you think we could get if we sold it…”

“I don’t think that thing’s going anywhere,” Dawn said, dismissing her idea with a laugh. She took a quick glance around the cavern, the crystal bathing them all in a cool glow, “But check out these statues; they’ve got to be like 30 feet tall!”

She was right; ten carved statues of hooded figures lined the perimeter, forming a circle with the crystal.

“Who do you think they are?” May asked, releasing her Glaceon to assist in the investigation.

“I’m not sure…” Dawn answered, examining one statue in particular. Its base was inscribed with a strange symbol, one that she felt she’d seen before…

“What an ominous place,” Serina shivered as Flygon dropped her off. He was very careful to lower her as close to the ground as possible, his eyes never leaving the girl.

“My, how polite,” she smiled, caressing his face with her hand, “But thank you, that was a most excellent ride.”

Flygon nodded enthusiastically, nuzzling her hand with great affection.

“Geez, get a room, Flygon,” May sighed, shaking her head.

“Hey Serina, when you’re done flirting come look at this,” Dawn called, “Does this symbol look familiar to you?”

“I should certainly hope so,” she replied, “That is the crest of my family. But why is it in such an eerie place as this?”

“This one has the same marking,” May spoke up from across the room, “But it looks like the others are different…”

“Hmm,” Dawn thought. “What about those; do you recognize any of them?” Serina walked to a few other statues, finally looking back to Dawn apologetically.

“Unfortunately I do not,” she said, “I am sorry.”

“Well I’m going to guess they’re important,” May decided, snapping a picture of each symbol with her phone. She took a few more of the statues and the crystal for good measure; she assumed Cynthia would prefer her to be thorough.

“I guess it’s not really that strange when you think about it,” Dawn pointed out, “I mean we are in an ancient temple. Maybe this was just a special chamber for some sort of ritual?”

“Yes, that could be,” Serina agreed. “However, it appears very well-kept for such an ancient room…”

May nodded, “And when we described it to Candice she said she didn’t know anything about a chamber like this, so it can’t have been Snowpoint’s conservation team keeping up on it. Obviously someone else has an interest in this place…”

Glaceon drew their attention as she yeowed from across the room, her keen nose picking up traces that the others hadn’t noticed. She pawed at the ground directly below the entrance tunnel, but when the group reached her May stopped suddenly, almost tripping over herself.

“Whoa,” she said, holding her arms out to her sides to block the other girls’ advance. A dark red stain covered the stone floor, and it was huge.

“What is that?” Dawn asked, squatting down closer.

Serina sniffed the air, “It is blood. It smells of Kira.”

“No offense, Serina,” May disagreed, “But there’s no way it could be hers. That’s a lot of blood… I mean a lot of blood! This isn’t the kind of injury you walk away from.”

“Believe what you wish, but this is Kira’s blood. I would recognize that scent anywhere.”

“Dawn, help me out here,” May urged.

She shrugged her shoulders, “You heard what JC said: Kira healed unnaturally fast. Maybe her body was fast enough to replenish all her blood…” Dawn shivered at the thought, her stomach turning on its side.

May took a photo of the stain and the group went back to their search. Even with both Glaceon and Serina’s noses they found nothing else of consequence, and after another 40 minutes they finally called it a night. Flygon ferried them back up to surface one by one, and soon they were bundling back up in the temple antechamber for the trek home.

“Hopefully that’ll be enough to satisfy Cynthia’s curiosity,” Dawn said, straightening the beanie on her head, “I don’t know why, but I actually feel relieved about getting out of there.”

May agreed, “Something did feel a little off down there. Guess it could’ve been all those statues staring at us,” she winked.

Dawn rolled her eyes, “Yeah, I’m sure that was it,” she chuckled. “What about you Serina? Did you sense anything down there?”

“Faintly,” she said, her reply muffled by the scarf wrapped around her mouth. “It felt as though we should not have been there. And yet…”

“What?” May asked.

“Well,” Serina started, thinking it over in her head, “It is difficult to put into words. It almost felt as though we were supposed to be there, as if that cavern was carved out specifically for us…”

Dawn looked at her, “But it had nothing to do with us. Kira was lured here; that’s why all that stuff happened to her. We’re just here to investigate, right?”

“That is the assumption we are under, yes.”

“Wait, are you trying to say that we were lured here too?” May asked, “Wouldn’t that make Cynthia the same as that guy that got Kira?”

“I am not trying to insinuate anything, nor would I be foolish enough to say that Cynthia has dire motives for any of us. I am merely explaining my thoughts.”

“Well it sure sounded like you were…” May muttered under her breath, but her comment didn’t escape Serina’s sharp ears.

“Tell me: if this entire ordeal was designed for Kira, and Kira alone, why was it not her family’s crest on those statues? Someone worked very hard carving all of them; I doubt one would place such an intricate detail on their work unless it was significant.”

“She has a point,” Dawn commented, once again agreeing with Serina over May. “All we can do now is hope that Cynthia can identify those other markings. Only when we’ve got the whole picture can we decide if there’s any real correlation.”

“Yeah, that makes sense,” May conceded, resting her arms behind her head. “Can we go home now? It’s freezing.”

She led the way as they left the temple, the night just as silent as when they arrived. However, May couldn’t help but feel as though something was off. Call it paranoid, but Dawn and Serina had gotten to her with their creepy talk.

“Do you hear that?” Serina asked, causing May to jump in fright; she nervously put a hand to her heart to steady its beating.

“Hear what,” May asked, “I just hear us.” 

“I am not sure…” she said softly, straining to listen. May saw Serina’s hat ripple slightly on her head, as if something was moving beneath it. She started to ask but was cut short when Serina suddenly dove at Dawn.

“Get down!” Serina cried, throwing her into the snow as an icy blue beam shot past them, impacting with a tree and freezing it solid.

“What was that?” May asked, her question quickly answering itself. The forest shook heavily as a large dragon rose to its feet not far from where they stood, its piercing yellow eyes glaring angrily at them.

“That must be the creature Candice talked about,” May shouted, quickly tossing Kyogre’s Poké Ball. The leviathan immediately changed form and May gripped her staff, pointing its blade at the dragon.

Her eyes flashed red as a torrent of water rushed from her staff and washed over the creature, pushing the 10 foot beast backwards on its powerful legs.

“Time to see what you can do, Dawn!” she shouted, taking off towards their opponent.

“Right,” Dawn nodded, “Serina?”

“I am ready,” she answered as she and Dawn linked hands. Serina began to glow, and in seconds Dawn was kneeling on the ground and aiming a four-foot sniper rifle at the dragon.

“You picked the wrong people to mess with,” she said, staring the creature down through the sight. It was a very awkward-looking creature: thick rear legs supported its heavy body, but its front legs were short and stubby. Its ice-crested head seemed too big for its thin neck, and even its thick, icy wings—if you could even call them wings—were asymmetrical; it stood hunched over, as if they were too heavy for it to support.

Dawn pulled the trigger, firing a pink bolt of energy that exploded into her target and knocked it to the ground.

“Not bad!” May grinned, leaping into the air with inhuman speed and grace, and coming down on the dragon with her blade. But the beast was quick to defend, rolling onto its side and swatting her away with its longer wing as it regained its footing.

May tumbled through the air and crashed into a tree, a combination of snow and branches breaking her fall. The dragon faced her and roared loudly, several more pink bolts exploding into its jaw. It turned its attention to Dawn, but before it could move May was back up and slamming her staff into its head; the dragon crashed into the snow, and May raced back to Dawn’s side.

“What is this thing, Kyogre?” she asked, “It’s not like anything I’ve ever seen before!”

“He is Kyurem, a legendary dragon from ancient times,” Kyogre explained, projecting his voice into Dawn’s head as well. “He is not as old as Groudon or myself, but still incredibly powerful.”

Serina followed his example, her voice sounding in their heads. “Why is he attacking us?”

“Kyurem lacks what you would call a soul; he is truly heartless in every meaning of the phrase, and exists only to devour the things around him.”

Dawn swallowed hard, “Then, those travelers that disappeared…?”

“Most likely they were consumed by his insatiable hunger.”

“That is truly awful!” Serina cried, “What are we to do?”

“You must knock him unconscious before you can make your escape. If you do not, Kyurem will pursue you to the ends of Shia in an effort to devour you.”

“That’s a lovely thought,” May groaned, pointing her blade at a recovering Kyurem. “Dawn…?”

“I see him,” she acknowledged, watching him through Serina’s scope. “What’s your plan?”

May thought for a minute, “Can you two hit him with something bigger?”

Dawn kept her eye on the dragon. “No problem,” she grinned.

May nodded and charged, Kyurem charging back. Dawn watched as they quickly closed the distance between them, and when May leapt into the air she fired two short bursts, knocking Kyurem’s legs out from under him. May landed on his head and rode the creature as he skid through the snow, the ribbons on her staff springing to life and pulling Kyurem’s mouth wide open.

“Alright, Serina, time to kick it up a notch,” Dawn said, her blue eyes glowing red as she synchronized with her partner. Her eyesight suddenly increased 100-fold as she tapped into Serina’s draconic abilities, and she effortlessly lifted the rifle in line with Kyurem’s incoming mouth.

Dawn felt their connection strengthen as she pulled the trigger, a massive black and red beam firing from the rifle’s muzzle and striking right on target. Kyurem was immediately knocked out, his limp body slumping to a stop just short of where Dawn knelt.

“Nice work!” May congratulated as she hopped down from the defeated dragon’s head, “What was that?”

“A hyper beam,” Dawn said between labored breaths. She released her rifle and dropped to the ground, her arms elbow-deep in the snow.

May moved to help her, “Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” she gasped, “Syncing with Serina takes a lot out of me.”

“It is true,” Serina said, transforming back into her human form and collecting her clothes, “Dawn has always had difficulty achieving perfect synchronization with me.”

May looked confused, partly because of Serina’s statement, but partly because of the two white tufts poking up from under her red hair.

Serina watched her eyes wander, “So my human form is not perfect; what of it? I would like to see you do something like this…” she added sarcastically.

“No, no,” May apologized, changing the subject, “Um, perfect syncing?”

“It is what allows you to command my abilities,” Kyogre answered her, “The more in tune you are with your partner, the greater strength you can wield. Manipulating my control over water is only the beginning of what you can do.”

“Yeah, what he said,” Dawn agreed as Serina helped her to her feet. “Cynthia told us that when our partners are in weapon form they’re virtually defenseless; the ability to use attacks and such relies completely on the wielder.”

May scratched at her head. Now that she thought about it, her training was always focused on her ability to synchronize; her ability to wield Kyogre properly. Not once did she think that it was because he had no control over his weapon form…

“That is correct,” he said to her alone, “Your partner could be The Original One himself, but if you as his wielder are weak…”

Then why use that form at all? May thought silently, If you’re stronger in your normal form why even bother with a wielder?

“Shirona and Dialga used the weapon-wielder relationship as a way to be closer with their partner. We desire our partner’s companionship from the moment they are born; it is an instinctual longing that we cannot deny. By trusting you to wield us properly we are showing the utmost respect and love for you.”

“Shouldn’t we be leaving now?” Dawn asked, questioning May’s sudden silence. “Kyogre did say we needed to get away before Kyurem woke up…”

“Right, right,” May sniffled, Kyogre’s last comment moving her to tears, “Let’s get moving.” She swung her staff over her shoulder and followed the two of them, but they hadn’t moved more than 20 feet before Serina pushed them all behind a large tree.

“Hey!” May interjected.

Serina jerked her hand at her, “Get down,” she said, pulling her hat from her head and watching the skies. Her tufts twitched, and May finally caught on that they were her ears.

Dawn was confused, “Serina, why—”

“Shh…” she urged, pointing, “Look.”

May and Dawn both turned their eyes to the shadowy sky, barely noticing two equally dark figures glide through the sparse clouds. They circled once overhead before swooping down to land not far from Kyurem’s unconscious body, and two figures in dark clothes slipped off their backs. The first was very short, but her mount was not; towering over her but still smaller than the trees, it was a pitch-black dragon as dark as her outfit. It stood on two strong legs and looked vaguely like Kyurem but more streamlined and muscular. The other girl was taller and rode a deep blue—nearly black—bird with a long neck and crested head. Its back was lined with two rows of flat spines, and its sinewy tail ended in two sharp spikes. The two girls walked up to Kyurem and looked him over, the taller girl holding up some sort of paper.

Safely hidden behind their tree, May, Dawn and Serina peered around its girth to get a better view.

“Who are they?” Dawn whispered, her eyes darting from the girls to their beasts and back again.

“The large dragon is Zekrom,” Kyogre said, “And the other… I sense Lugia, but something feels… strange.”

“Legendaries,” May gasped, “Does that mean they’re wielders?”

“If they are, I don’t know them,” Dawn admitted, “Cynthia shared a few names and partners with me but that’s it. What about you?”

May thought back to Steven’s villa and her not-so-legal computer research, remembering the numerous question marks throughout the list.

She shook her head, straining to listen when the distant mumble of voices reached her ears. “I just wish we could hear what they were saying.”

“That is not a problem,” Serina whispered, her ears twitching again. “I assume they are holding a photograph, as they are saying ‘that looks like him’.”

“Serina, you’re an Arceus-send,” May said, hugging her tightly. “What else?”

Serina watched the two individuals closely, “I believe that the taller one… yes, it is the taller one; she is saying that it is Kyurem. She also says that the boss will be very pleased.”

“Boss,” Dawn asked, “Who are these people?”

“The other girl is now wondering how they will bring him back to headquarters. She is nervous that he may wake up along the way.”

“Sounds like a good point,” May nodded.

“Oh my,” Serina gasped, “The tall one says, ‘simple; every time he moves, we break a bone’.”

May and Dawn were speechless. While they had just fought Kyurem themselves, they had done it out of self-preservation, not out of cruelty. Dawn cleared her throat, Lugia jerking its head in their direction.

The three of them quickly ducked behind the tree and huddled close to avoid being seen, their hearts starting to race.

“I believe they heard that,” Serina whispered nervously, “The girls are asking what it was…” she paused, “But what is that sound…?” Serina slowly peeked back around the tree and immediately found the source of the noise: Lugia was bracing itself with its large wings while a glowing sphere charged in its open mouth.

“RUN!” she shouted, grabbing their arms and diving from their hiding spot with mere seconds to spare. Countless beams radiated from the orb before converging into one destructive blast that tore through the forest, disintegrating scores of trees on impact.

The vortex created by the beam knocked the three of them to the ground, and the resulting force of hundreds of treetops crashing in the snow kept them from regaining their footing. Before they knew it Lugia was standing over them, its long body encircling their position. Its red eyes glared at them as it shrieked loudly, terrifying them into submission.

Zekrom scooped up the two girls and with one beat of its wings jumped over to where its partner held Dawn, Serina and May captive. It deposited them both near its feet, standing tall to intimidate the others.

“And what do we have here,” the taller girl said as she stepped closer to them, “A few agents for the police?”

May, Dawn and Serina were silent. Finally close enough to see their features, they were surprised to see how normal these two dangerous people appeared. The taller one was stunning, with straight brown hair and a very slender frame. She wore a black two-piece uniform that—while form-fitting—looked very warm, accented with black gloves, a fur hat and fur-lined boots. Her coat surprisingly lacked sleeves, displaying the large 01 tattooed on her upper left arm.

The other girl was indeed short; she looked to be about 15 years old, yet her hat only came up to the first girl’s chest. Her uniform was identical to the first except her coat had sleeves and a faded red “R” emblazoned across the chest. Her pale violet hair was short and spiky, sticking out erratically from under her winter hat, and a red armband exhibited her own number: 08.

“What’s up with that hairstyle?” she asked, pointing a gloved finger at Serina, “You into ears or something?”

Serina narrowed her eyes at the girl, not amused by her comment. But Lugia lowered his head to her and sniffed loudly, screeching several times in surprise.

“What’s he saying, Zekrom?” the shorter girl asked, her partner telepathically broadcasting his voice to everyone in the area.

“He says that she’s a Pokémon: a Latias.”

“Then you both must be wielders,” the taller girl said, “The Boss did say there were a few of you around here.”

“Who is this ‘boss’ you’re talking about?” May asked, surprising Dawn and Serina with her intensity. “And who are you?”

The same girl eyed her slyly, “Wouldn’t you like to know?” She glanced down at May’s staff, “That’s quite the weapon you’ve got there; I’m guessing that’s your partner?”

“Answer my question,” May demanded, tightening her grip on her staff. Lugia beat his tail on the ground and shrieked at her, sensing May’s hostility.

“It’s okay, Lugia,” she said, calming her partner, “As for who we are, I’m 01 and that’s 08. We’re wielders like you.”

May’s mind raced back to the list of numbers she’s seen; sure enough, she remembered numbers one and eight being blank.

“And let’s see…” 01 continued, “That’s your partner in your hand, so the Latias must be paired with her,” she pointed at Dawn. “That makes you the Third Child.” She turned back to May, “And you are…?”

“The Second Child: May Senri,” she answered.

“So then that’s Kyogre?” 08 asked, “He doesn’t look like much.”

The ribbons on May’s staff shook angrily, the runes glowing brighter.

Dawn was lost. “May, what does she mean, ‘Third Child’?” she whispered.

“Later, okay?” May whispered back, “Now’s really not the time…” She straightened up again, “Why are you taking Kyurem?”

“The Boss needs him,” 08 answered, “He knew he was out here so he sent us to collect him. I’m assuming you two knocked him out for us; thanks for that!” she added with a smile.

Before May could respond a familiar blue beam shot over them and struck Lugia in the side, instantly freezing the left half of his body in a thick layer of ice. The massive bird fell to the ground with a shriek, whipping his neck and tail around in fury as he struggled to break free. Zekrom swung around to see Kyurem getting to his feet, the beast finally awakening from his coma. Zekrom’s massive tail illuminated and hummed like a turbine as increasing amounts of electricity arced over his body, finally culminating in a powerful lightning bolt that leapt towards Kyurem but was stopped short of its target when it struck a rippling energy field.

“Whoa… did you see that protect?” 08 shouted, “I’ve never seen one so powerful!”

“I don’t care how strong it is,” 01 said, “We’re going to break it. The Boss wants him and we’re going to deliver! Lugia!”

Her partner struggled a second longer before forcefully breaking through his icy restraints and pouncing to 01, his body transforming in mid-air. She caught his weapon form in her hand and swung it a few times, the long, curved sword cutting deep gouges into the snow.

“I’m going to need you to back me up, 08,” she said, charging towards the ice dragon. 08 nodded, her partner also morphing into his weapon form: a fierce-looking blaster rifle.

She fired a few bolts that whizzed past 01 and dissipated into Kyurem’s protect, giving the other girl a benchmark of where to strike. Doing some quick guesswork 01 jumped into the air and came down on Kyurem with a heavy swing, a deep purple aura dancing along her blade like a dark fire. The sword made contact with the invisible field, but 01 was seemingly unable to penetrate Kyurem’s protect on her own. 08 instantly moved to assist, lighting up their target with blaster bolts to spread his defenses.

Feeling the field weakening beneath her, 01 effortlessly synced with Lugia and attacked with all her might, the dark aura bursting into a shadowy hurricane that viciously ripped Kyurem’s protect apart and threw the beast himself back into a wall of trees. But he didn’t stay down for long, and in seconds Kyurem was back on his feet and lashing out at his attacker. 08 lowered her weapon and rushed after them, finally leaving her position in front of the other girls to join 01.

“Now’s our chance,” May said hastily, “While they’re distracted; come on!” She, Dawn and Serina bolted into the woods, racing as fast as their legs could carry them down the mountainside.

08 glanced over her shoulder just in time to see them scrambling to safety. “They’re getting away, 01!” she said, spinning on her heels and taking aim at the retreating wielders.

“Let them go!” 01 shouted, deflecting an ice beam with a parry of her blade, “The Boss said we couldn’t hurt them, remember?”

“Aw, that’s right,” she sighed, swinging back towards Kyurem and letting off a few shots. “It’s too bad; I wanted to ask that Latias where she gets her hair done!”