Okay, but his name was Ark A. Nine. His parents must have been massive dicks. I mean, I spent most of the chapter just stuck on that.
Sure, the bit about the psychic-spy-who-wasn't-there (Mewtwo? Some other legendary?) was at times concerning, cool, and outright creepy. Sure, the bit about Meloetta having fun with foghorn sounds was sweet and funny. And sure, the Marissa bit was heart-wrenching in a vague way since I don't really know why she's suffering yet.
But his name was Arcanine. That's like naming your son Corgi, or Gorilla or something. What the hell?
This interlude felt not as narratively good as the last one. I tried to improve it but was difficult so I ended up making it more "juicy" with a lot of plot and secret stuff.
Tomorrow I will add a bit of BTS information about the interlude.
Arceus continues to be gone, situation continues to be FUBAR. We might want Cynthia, Red, and all the other heavyweights to actually do something about this, but realistically we're gonna have to deal with it ourselves.
At least there's no mention of Giratina going rogue. That would be... Bad.
Also, Lux, really like the update with the cute Meloetta and the energetic radio host. Though a few parts I already made clear creep me out, but in a good way! Enjoyable update overall.
Also love the artwork for the past two updates, tell your sister she does a great job.
I'm no expert but I believe Sun Lion and Moon Bat don't involve themselves with Earth unless someone is taking a hammer to the drywall between dimensions.
Probably Giratina pulling something. Sendoff Spring is known as the place where spirits go to cross over to the after life, so that could be why Eric was there for a bit. And I could see a Ghost-type Legendary being able to temporarily overshadow a human for a bit. Presumably Tina's trying to interrogate Meloetta because she's the first Legendary to get captured and is the most likely candidate for having any clues at all regarding the disappearance of Arceus.
Not going to comment on the theories being accurate or not. This update was meant to be obnoxiously mysterious.
What I'm going to give you is a couple facts.
Riverius is loosely based on Diogenes, the Greek philosopher who (Supposedly) told Alexander the Great to move out of the way because he was blocking the sun. Riverius did not care about humans or gods, they were all the same to him.
Riverius died when after an argument with a noble, the noble burned his house. Meloetta was saddened by the news. The man was old and she wasn't that affected by his death, but a lot of art was burned that day.
When I was writing the Air-horn bit, I started to look for a song to use. I found the perfect one but decided that including it in the update was too much and would mess with the tone. www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzSxBoxxzVM
While writing that I also thought about Meloetta and her relationship with memes. By most definitions of the concept, memes technically count as art. That means that not only is Meloetta surprisingly knowledgeable about them but she also could be considered the «Goddess of Memes».
The things the invisible voice says are me trying to write a sonnet with the ABBA ABBA CDCD structure. It started when Meloetta started talking about her favorite song. I tried to make it sound good but I'm definitely not a composer or poet.
"Sky Land and Sea are restless.
Sun and Moon, looking beneath.
An evasive clue they want to unearth,
but their efforts are useless.
His favored daughter can only guess
while hope, alone, struggles with dearth.
A monster who is lost since birth
allies with someone who promises success.
You are lost in your silly vendetta,
but you are flawed.
Where is he, dear Meloetta?
Where is God?"
I will start alternating between pokemon and mha again, I just wanted to focus on pokemon until we reached Mewtwo because I really wanted to make people panic. Next pokemon update will be the start of the next chapter and continuation of your training.
He went into the darkened room without knocking, knowing the people inside were waiting for him. To his surprise, only the radio technician was there with his Mr.Mime. The dim light of the enclosed control room still let him see the slim body of his friend. His somewhat creepy smile illuminated by the lights and screens of the mixing board.
Yeah, but Conservation of Detail and Chekov's Gun seem to indicate it's the same Mr. Mime. Not to mention, didn't it inexplicably vanish somewhere some time ago?
Yeah, but Conservation of Detail and Chekov's Gun seem to indicate it's the same Mr. Mime. Not to mention, didn't it inexplicably vanish somewhere some time ago?
"Dear listeners." Ark said to the mic after repeating Meloetta's words. "For those who don't know, the Relic Dance is a dance that accompanies the Relic Song, one of the most famous works composed by Riverius. It's traditional for the main dancer to wear red ballet shoes… But I guess only the goddess of music knew the reason." He said feeling a rush of emotion. This was new and amazing. Music history being rediscovered thanks to an immortal muse. "I guess the true Relic Song is your favorite then."
The legendary pokemon nodded with a smile. "Yes. The song is about new beginnings and I refuse to sing it unless… It's a special occasion. I will be singing it in a month, in Jubilife's concert…" A sound was heard from the other side of the glass. Meloetta's trainer and manager. The pokemon just smiled cutely. "Whoops, that was a secret." She said. It was clear that she did it on purpose. It was probably the concert's big finale.
Well Meloetta really is doing all that she can to try and sound all the alarms. Unfortunately I don't think Mewtwo listener to talk radio as I think that information would be seen as cause for- Well I need to destroy a building or five and see what's going on.
I don't plan on using it per se, like in the games... But Sinnoh does have a lot of underground caves and passages. Not all connected like in the games but there is a LOT to explore down there. You will probably do more with that once you go to train with the rock or steel gym leader.
Violet's incident happened in one of those caves. They are dangerous places not recommended for inexperienced trainers.
Also, I will start working on the next update soonish, I focused a bit on MHA for a few days.
Paralyzing and chilling to your core. An intensity you never felt before.
In front of you, something unimaginably powerful. A pokemon that not even the whole might of the Kanto league managed to bring down. A pokemon that killed dozens of people without showing ever a hint of remorse. The most wanted in the world for years.
Mewtwo.
Akahime was still smiling behind the pokemon, admiring your reaction with a mix of interest and pity. She was enjoying your shock but felt a bit guilty about how much your legs were shaking. You are surprised your legs are moving at all.
The air in the room was unnaturally still and the reinforced lights above blinked for a second as the pokemon in front of you moved, adjusting his position. That was enough to break the spell, to free you from that downward spiral of fear.
"W-w-what…? Why…?" You managed to ask after pushing your will to its limits. Everything told you to run away even if hiding from the creature in front of you was impossible, even if the door was closed.
Akahime walked forwards, standing between you and Mewtwo. It would offer no real protection, but having the imposing woman between you and him helped a lot, letting you think straight again. "I guess by your reaction you know about him… And you feel his power." She says, looking back at the pokemon with a slight smile. Mewtwo seems to have a permanent scowl on his face and no other expression. She looked back at you, trying talk in a reassuring way. "Don't worry, Haru… He is not going to hurt you. I… found him after that incident years ago and I caught him." She says as she starts to pace around the room. You can understand, it's not easy to stay still with Mewtwo staring at the back of your head. At least his eyes follow her. "I know what he did, but since then he's been helping me. What the Kanto league doesn't tell the public is that everyone who died was a high ranking member of the now-disbanded Team Rocket… They caused a great deal of pain and suffering to a lot of people, including Mewtwo." She turns around and smiles at the pokemon.
You almost see his gaze soften for a moment… Or maybe it was just your imagination and wishful thinking.
Her smile disappears, turning into a frown as she remembers something. "I… don't approve of using that kind of force to stop criminals. Our team prides itself on never causing fatal casualties… But I can understand why he did that… And that's why I caught him. I saved him from being terminated by Lance by hiding him for years." She now smiles at you, a smile that sends a shiver down your spine for some reason. She is not threatening, but it feels like you just stepped into a playing field where you are nothing more than an insect. "Rose likes you and you seem like a good person… So I trust you will keep the secret… In exchange, I promise training at the same level that Cynthia would provide, maybe even better. I've always been the smart one." She laughs to herself as she remembers the past. It was a kind laugh.
"I'm… I'm not-" Mewtwo looks at you as soon as you start talking. "S-sure… This seems… too much for me." You reply. Her explanation seems… Logical? You can't detect lies or something but it really feels like she is telling the truth. Your instincts tell you that, but also that she is dangerous…
But training is exactly what you need… And she promises to not hurt you… Training from someone as good as Cynthia? Yeah, you need that.
And Rose, your friend, fully trusts her.
"Does… Rose know?" You ask, deciding that you will decide depending on her answer.
"Yes, she does." Akahime says calmly. "She actually trained with him once, but she is too green to properly use our training." As soon as she says that, she takes her hands behind her back, standing in an almost militaristic waiting stance. She showed her cards, now you show yours.
After breathing deeply, you released your two pokemon. Maelstrom and Fang came out ready to fight or follow orders. They looked and Mewtwo and then stopped, they didn't even breathe for a couple of seconds.
Then they slowly turned around to look at you waiting for an explanation, an answer, something.
"I know buddies, I know." Was your only answer.
…
..
.
Training went… Surprisingly better than you expected. The thought of being in the same room as Mewtwo still terrifies you, but he doesn't seem that bad.
Your pokemon had a hard time getting used to the situation, at least enough to stop panicking and start training. Maelstrom was the first to just accept what was happening and start following instructions. It was a lot harder for Fang. The electric pokemon stood by your side staring at Mewtwo. Equal parts trying to defend you and wanting you to defend him.
In the end, when he saw Maelstrom training, he decided to join in too not wanting to be left behind.
Mewtwo was surprisingly gentle and accommodating with his training, even if it seemed invasive at first. He started to scan your pokemon's subconscious minds for any flaws in their techniques. Things like not knowing exactly how to position their body for an attack the perfect way, using more energy than it's necessary… Little flaws that made their attacks not fully optimized. He then proceeded to modify their minds to get rid of those little flaws and that's where you had to step it. It felt wrong to use Mewtwo's powers to get rid of flaws like that. It didn't feel like training.
Akahime agreed with you.
Mewtwo then changed his methods to just use his mind to scan for flaws and device a training regime to get rid of them the normal way. Little by little your fear of the extremely powerful pokemon in front of you was disappearing. It helped that once the theatrics of his entrance were over, he started to exude less power, making him feel less intimidating to you and your pokemon.
You trained for a while until Akahime told you to rest. Mewtwo decided to just teleport away once he wasn't needed for the moment. Who knows what a pokemon like him does in his spare time. At least all the pressure is gone now and Akahime seems totally harmless in comparison to that pokemon.
The featureless room with metal walls and floor had only a single bench in a corner to rest. The bench was embedded into the wall and it slid out after Akahime pressed a button. You sat down without a word, trying to recover from training. Your pokemon were laying on the floor exhausted and, like any good training, Akahime made you do some exercises too while Mewtwo trained your pokemon. She found the idea of your weighed collar pretty funny.
She sat down next to you offering a bottle of water that was hidden inside a compartment in one of the walls. Turns out that these walls contain everything needed for training but are, at the same time, protected against strong attacks. This private training room probably costs a fortune.
"How do you feel about the training, Haru?" She asked with a calm smile. You were exhausted, but she wasn't even sweating… And she did almost as much exercise as you did to guide you.
You looked down in silence for a couple of seconds after taking a big gulp of water. Trying to get a bit of time to think before answering. "I feel… conflicted." You finally said truthfully. "Mewtwo seems like the perfect teacher, but his first instinct was to modify my pokemon's minds… And he has some kind of aura I don't like…" You finish your answer almost in a whisper.
Akahime nods, grabbing a water bottle to herself and doing the exact time you did. Sipping some water to get enough time to think. "He… does that. His mind doesn't work like ours. Even when he is willing to help he still does things his own way until I tell him he shouldn't." She sighs and shakes her head. It seems like dealing with Mewtwo is not as easy as it seems.
"But why does he obey you? I know you caught him and everything, but… I just can't imagine a pokemon like that following orders unwillingly." For a moment you feel a bit more nervous, feeling observed. It's not new, you just realize now that it's there. Something was spying on you from the beginning… Mewtwo?
Akahime smiles knowingly. "Oh, he obeys because we are partners… Not only I helped him disappear, but I'm also helping him accomplish his goal…" You look at her curiously waiting for her to continue. "His goal is to find why he is here. He knows what Team Rocket intended for him, but… He says there is something else. Something else that was giding him but he lost before reaching the final answer. I help him and he helps me. As simple as that." As she finishes you feel as if there is more to that story. She knows more about Mewtwo and what he wants… But she doesn't seem willing to just tell you everything. It kind of makes sense. Before you are able to ask something, she keeps talking. "Tell me, Haru. Why do you want to be the next Champion?"
Your train of thought is suddenly derailed by her question. Why…? Well… Because everyone wants to be the champion? That's not an answer. Because Cynthia wants you to be the next one? That's what she wants, not you… Because your sister would be proud of you? A good reason, but just doesn't seem strong enough for something like this…
You are not sure of how much time you spent thinking, opening your mouth to talk just to close it again. Akahime just smirks at you as if expecting this.
"You are just going with the flow. You were just a normal trainer and then suddenly the Champion put this huge burden on you and you just… Go along with it because that's what you should be doing." She said and you just nodded. That was exactly it, at least for now. You are looking for what exactly is what you want to do with your life. Being a champion… Is a big thing, but why do you want to be one? Akahime stands up. "You will never be a champion, no matter how strong you get… At least not unless something changes."
You stand up too, feeling a bit offended. "What do you mean?"
She looks at you again, now a more relaxed smile on her face. "Maybe this is why she sent you on this trip… If she wanted a strong trainer she could just train you herself, even if she says she is busy." She shakes her head. "I should trust her methods more. She is a champion after all… Making you stronger isn't the point of this trip." She shakes her head and almost laughs. You remember what she said days ago before offering to train you. She found Cynthia's training dumb, but it seems like she realized that it isn't as dumb as she thought.
"Do you think… That the point of this trip is to learn why I want to be a champion?" You ask being smart enough to realize that. It kind of made sense. You experienced a lot more of the world and yourself in a week than in six years at the academy. Somehow that realization makes you feel... better. Cynthia probably doesn't expect you to be perfect from the start. Some of the weight you had over your shoulders for days is lifted… And it's thanks to Akahime.
She doesn't answer, just smiles and turns around to walk to your pokemon. "Let's keep training. We have… An hour until you have to leave. You might not have a clear goal in mind, but let's see if you have at least some fighting spirit." A playful smile directed at you. She was starting to have fun with this. The composed and regal facade she always shows the world breaking for a moment, showing behind it a more firey and cheerful trainer.
Your pokemon seem ready to keep going too. Maelstrom even jumps high in front of Akahime, his shiny scales reflecting the artificial light of that room. The woman sees her reflection on those scales close to her face.
Upon seeing her reflection so close, her pupils turned into pinpricks.
Her breath stopped.
Her heart accelerated.
Her hand moved to the part where her robotic arm connects to her flesh.
In a second Mewtwo teleported into the room and with a psychic push, Maelstrom flew away to the other side of the room and was held there by a purple aura. You were paralyzed in fear and confusion. What was happening? You saw her reaction to her own reflection and then… Mewtwo was attacking your pokemon!
It took you a moment to shake your fear, but as soon as you did you started to run towards Mewtwo. You had to stop him before it was too late!
"Mewtwo, stop." Akahime said in a neutral voice. All her emotions hidden, all her focus on maintaining calm. You stopped too, her voice was much more commanding than ever before. Mewtwo's hold on Maelstrom was broken. "It's not his fault. It's not an attack." She said in the same tone.
You rushed to your pokemon's side. He seemed hurt, but not much more than after losing a normal pokemon battle. Just barely conscious after what seemed like a light push to keep him away. You wanted to say something, not sure of what but you wanted to say something to Akahime… But as soon as you turned around to look at her, she seemed about to faint.
"Training is over for today." Was the only thing she said before Mewtwo teleported both of them away.
Fang quickly rushed to your side to check on you and Maelstrom, but you both were more or less okay, just… Really confused. What just happened? In an instant, everything went wrong…
It takes you a couple of minutes to stand up again and return your pokemon to their balls. It's not like you can do much more… You open the door and leave the private training room in silence, conflicted feelings inside you. You felt close to Akahime for a moment when she helped you understand the meaning of your trip, she helped you train and get better… But something happened to her and you don't understand exactly what.
As you walk through the huge training arena where you fought Rose, you feel something land behind you. Someone who was climbing through the rafts waiting for you.
You turned around and saw her.
A girl, older than you but not by much. She just landed and was still standing up in a calm way, trying to not seem aggressive even when carrying a weapon alongside six pokeballs. You were no expert, but you clearly understood she was a strong trainer just by looking at her. Her expression was neutral and offering you a bundle of cloth.
"From Akahime. She says that she is sorry and that you are still invited to train here whenever you please." Her voice is sweet and soft, as if she didn't use it often.
You accepted whatever she was giving you, still a bit confused. Inside the bundle of cloth, a really expensive healing item. As good as any pokemon center. You, of course, didn't doubt for a second and used it on Maelstrom to bring him to full health.
When you looked back, the girl was gone without a trace.
⁂
For the rest of the day you were pretty quiet. Your sister was worried but you just used the excuse of being really tired. It wasn't a lie, you were in fact tired, but… That wasn't it.
Late at night you were laying down on your bed, thinking about what happened at the Guardian's base. It almost felt like a dream.
Mewtwo… That was a surprise and it still chills you to the bone whenever you think about the first time you saw his eyes. You heard the rumors, but Akahime explained to you what really happened… But was she telling the truth? She seemed genuine, but something was definitely wrong with her. That reaction she had upon seeing her own reflection…
You checked your poketech. You could call Cynthia… You SHOULD call her and tell her about Mewtwo. It's something big, governments are looking for him. You are just a student! You don't deal with this level of stuff… This is out of your league.
But… It was a secret she shared with you. Even after what happened, even knowing how BIG this secret was… It would feel like you are betraying her.
Maybe you should tell Violet and Lily? They would know what to do… But they might… No, they WILL freak out. At least Lily will.
Your head hurts and you are too tired for this. You will take your decision the next morning.
Okay people, I realized that doing it day by day is dumb and will take years to finish the two weeks at this rate. I will do it more or less as I did in my MHA quest. This vote will count for the whole week. Instead of only two actions, you will have one for each day without including the weekends (Weekends are reserved for special plot events). That means you have 3 actions for the rest of the week.
[] Training with Maylene: Training for you and your pokemon. Will raise rank. You will also interact with Belle for minor relationship gain.
[] Special training with Maylene: Like training but to train an ability or move. Same rules as with Cynthia apply but you can't teach your pokemon things they could not usually learn. Specify in your vote.
[] Spend time with... : Spend time with someone. A social action. Will give good relationship gain and might lead to special events. Anyone you've met that is inside Veilstone right now is available. The people with special plot events are listed below.
-[] Violet event: You promised the girl some ice-cream. Show her around the city and spend some time with her in this totally-not-a-date.
-[] Maylene event: She disappears from a day and comes back wounded. You need to have a serious talk with her to know what's wrong.
-[] Marissa event: You find the Team Galactic grunt alone and out of uniform. This might be a great time to know more about her. Maybe the truce is still up?
[] Go train with Akahime: You will spend a day training with Akahime again. This training improves your pokemon's stats more than any other kind of training. She can also teach a pokemon moves they shouldn't be able to know. Will open another vote to decide what to train. [] Go catch a pokemon: Hunt for a specific pokemon in the routes surrounding Veilstone. Check wiki for available pokemon. Will take the whole day.
[] Write-in: Anything you want to do that isn't here? Maybe look for a way to get some money, maybe buy some stuff… Or just be lazy and play videogames all day.
Also, vote on telling Cynthia about Mewtwo or not.
[] Yes, tell Cynthia about Mewtwo.
[] Yes, tell Cynthia AND Violet/Lily about Mewtwo.
[] No, don't tell them.
