Chapter Text
Volo was back to his usual self the next day and Akari was glad. She was really worried she ruined things at the campsite. But he was fine. Now they were heading towards their next stop. Much like with the Icelands, they had to avoid the Diamond Settlement in the Mirelands.
The three of them were once again on the island in the middle of the lake. (Ingo was able to convince Lady Sneasler to stay at the camp until he called for her on his flute. It was amazing how the Nobles seemed to hear those notes from wherever they were.)
"You know, much like Lake Verity, Lake Valor is said to have been formed by a volcano." Volo says. He shrugs. "Of course, there are other sources that say it was formed from a pokemon battle. As for the pokemon here, it's said to be called Azelf. Legends tell of how when it took flight, the will to do what needs to be done was born in peoples hearts. Much like your story of 'Ideals', Warden."
Ingo nods. "Interesting. Perhaps the two legends are parallel tracks, side by side but never crossing." Volo looks confused but Akari gets it, she thinks.
"Like the stories have similar themes but are still different legends in the end?" Akari asks and Ingo nods.
"Exactly that, Akari!"
Volo smirks. "You two truly must be from the same place. There is far to much understanding between the two of you to be a coincidence."
Akari hums. That would be nice. And likely!
Suddenly her phone rings and once again, it lights up and reveals an entrance. The three of them look at each other and then enter once again.
Volo looks around. "It's quite interesting that there are columns in here. Perhaps this used to be some sort of ceremony site?"
Akari didn't answer, instead glaring at the large spiky pokemon. She hasn't seen it before, but it looks like an evolution of the Hisuian Qwilfish. "What is…"
"An Overqwil." Ingo says. "They are a bit more rare, I've heard. A dark-poison type if I recall correctly."
Akari nods. Ok. Well, it is a new pokemon, so Akari is definitely going to catch it. She pulls out Shinrai, her Zoroark. "Shinrai, come on out!" She calls as the Overqwil roars. The Zoroark quickly shifts into Ai's disguise. Shinrai liked to shift into her other party members, always choosing who at random. But thankfully, Shinrai still has the moves he always has no matter the form he chooses.
Shinrai glares at the pokemon as it summons a large ball of ice and slams it towards Shinrai. He dodges out of the way, and Akari calls out, "Use Shadow Ball!" Shinrai nods, summoning a ball of shadows and launching it at the fish. It hits and the pokemon stumbles back.
Not yet.
"Use Shadow Claw, Agile style!" Shinrai rushes forward and rakes his claws over the pokemon. It roars and Akari pulls out an great ball, rushing to the side and throwing the pokeball at the Overqwil.
It hits, and the Alpha pokemon is zapped into the ball. The ball closes and hits the ground, shaking once, twice, thrice-
Click!
"Yes!" She says with a grin. "Overqwil is now caught!" She picks up the pokeball and puts it in her satchel. For later, once this was over and Akari can have Professor Laventon study it. Shinrai comes up and Akari pets the white and red fur. "Good job, Shin! You did amazing!"
Shinrai coos and lets himself be put back in the pokeball. Ingo and Volo walk up. "How amazing! You caught it!" Volo says.
Akari nods. "I haven't seen it before, so I caught it for the pokedex." She shrugs. "Once the sky is fixed, I'm hoping I can finish the pokedex." It might be the only way she gets home, after all. Wherever home was.
Then the air shifts, making Akari feel…determined. More than she already was. Looking at where the Alpha pokemon once was, a blue and white pokemon appears, looking similar but not identical to the two others.
Azelf.
It speaks, the voice of a young man. Show me unyielding will. Strike me, if you can.
Suddenly, a basket full of balms like the ones she used to quell the nobles appears. "Oh!" Akari gasps. "Okay then!" She picks up the basket and slings it onto her back. She grins at her two companions. "A good thing I've done this before."
Ingo nods and Volo smiles. Akari grabs a balm and throws it at Azelf. But the pokemon teleports out of the way. Yeah, of course it wouldn't be that easy. She grabs another balm. It reappears and she throws, but it teleports away again.
Another balm, another throw, another miss.
Another throw, another miss.
A voice in her head. Will you abandon this folly?
Akari grits her teeth. "Nope!" She throws another and it misses again. Fuck, that was annoying, but she wasn't giving in. She's gone on for longer when quelling the frenzied nobles, having to miss minutes of good balm throwing time because she gets nicked by their attacks or she has to dodge them. A few misses are nothing compared to that.
She throws more and they all miss. It seems you best give up. Will you continue this regardless? Azelf asks in her head. She doesn't respond, instead throwing another balm. When it teleports out of the way, Akari shouts, "I'm not stopping!"
More balms. More misses. Her annoyance rises, but she doesn't stop. Won't stop. Too much was riding on this. Give up. It says. You struggle in vain. Will you keep pressing on?
"YES!" Akari shouts. "How about you give up, huh?! I'm not fucking stopping!" She throws a balm and-
It hits.
Akari gasps. It hit!
Azelf chirps. Good. Now take this piece of the spirit to bind the world once more. A bright light drops into Akari's hand, revealing an envelope with 'Azelf's Fang' written on it. Azelf chirps once more and then disappears.
"BRAVO!" Ingo shouts, clapping loudly. Volo tilts his head away from the man when he shouts. "Bravo, Akari! Excellent! You have done it! All three stations have been traversed! Bravo!"
Akari grins, putting the envelope away. "We did! Now we just need to make the Red Chain and this whole mess will be fixed!"
Volo nods. "Indeed. The Shrouded Ruins aren't far from here. I'm not sure what awaits us, but I'm excited to see them!"
The three leave the cave and make their way to the ruins. It sort of looked like the ruins in the Highlands, if a bit less, well, ruined and more misty. There was a stone tablet with carvings on it at the top of the ruined stairs. The carvings looked like creatures, maybe pokemon? Akari swore Basculegion was on there.
"The Shrouded Ruins…" Volo says. "Mist is so good at obscuring things. It's long been said to blur boundaries." He runs a hand over the top of the tablet. "If we were to somehow bring together the world of Pokemon, the world of Humans, and the world of myth, perhaps a location like this is perfect."
"Ok…" Akari says. "What do we do now, then? Cause I have zero clue."
"Seems I've made it just in time." A familiar voice says. Everyone turns and it's Lady Cogita and Lady Sneasler.
"Miss Cogita!" Akari says. Cogita smiles as Lady Sneasler starts checking in on Ingo. "You're here! How did you get here just as we needed you?"
Cogita smiles. "I had the aid of a friend, if you were wondering."
Akari can only assume it's a pokemon. "So…how do we forge the Red Chain?"
Cogita shook her head. "I don't exactly know. We are talking about a divine instrument, one able to bind this world. It is not exactly something that can be forged by mortal hands."
Ingo frowns, turning back to the group. "Then what next? If our destination is unknown, do we take our cabs all around Hisui until we find an answer?" Akari shudders. She hopes that wasn't the case, they really didn't have the time for it.
Before Cogita can answer, a musical sound echoes across the ruins. Everyone hears it, looking around. Three shines of light appear in front of the mural. Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf appear from them, causing Akari to gasp.
"The pokemon of the lakes." Cogita says, almost reverently. "They must have an answer."
The three pokemon start to glow red, and Akari can't help but tense up, hands going to Kibō's pokeball. But a bright red light appears above Akari. It floats down, the light dispersing into a chain of red stones.
As she holds it, the three lake pokemon disappear, leaving the humans in the ruins alone. Akari looks at the chain. The stones were almost like crystals.
"It seems the legends were true." Cogita says. "Which means the pact my people made and passed down for all these generations is…complete. My task is done."
Volo smiles. "Nicely done! We have the Red Chain, and just in time, too."
"What do you mean?" Ingo asks.
Volo sighs. "I heard from the Ginkgo Guild merchants that…the Commander has decided to move on without news from our investigation." Akari's eyes widen. "It seems he's planning on climbing Mount Coronet himself."
Ingo shook his head. "That man is even more idiotic than I believed!" He states. "Very few people can traverse the mountain safely, and fewer more can make their way to the temple at the top without Lady Sneasler's aid! He is running down the wrong track! And that is not to mention the fact that the rift is currently very dangerous! He could get himself and the team he takes killed!"
"That there in lies the issue." Volo says. "He is unaware of the trials he may face, and he is unaware that we have the Red Chain."
Akari nods. "Then we need to tell him!" She says, gripping the chain in her hands. "If he knows we have a way to fix it, he won't try and get himself and other people killed!"
"We have to hurry then!" Ingo declares.
Volo frowns. "I can head to Mount Coronet. I am not as well traveled in that area as you, Warden, but I do know my way around. I can alert the Clans, if they do not know already." Akari nods.
"Yes! Do that!"
Ingo turns to Lady Sneasler. "My Lady, can you go with him? Keep him safe and help him reach the areas he cannot normally?" The noble pokemon nods.
"Good." Ingo says. "Then I and Akari will head to the village. If our train is fast, we should be able to meet them before they depart. If not, we will know you can try and distract the Commander, Volo. Lady Irida and Lord Adaman should be willing to help in that regard."
Volo nods. "Very well."
Ingo looks at Akari. "All Aboard to Jubilife Village!" Akari nods.
"All Aboard!"
The two of them rush into Jubilife Village.
"Akari! Warden Ingo!"
Akari skids to a stop, Ingo following suit. Rei runs up, a surprised look on his face. "You're here!" He says. "We-Oh, things have been so messed up here, lately! The survey corps are hardly talking to each other, and things have been so tense!"
He pauses, before nodding to himself. "Wait here, I'm going to get Captain Cyllene!" The boy runs off, leaving the two of them in an empty town.
Akari frowns. "Where are all the villagers?" She asks. "There should still be some here, not everyone is a fighter or a surveyor."
Ingo puts a hand to his chin. "They could be in hiding. People are scared, so they hide."
Akari nods. Maybe. But it was so scary to see the town empty. Suddenly, Rei comes running up not with Captain Cyllene but with Professor Laventon.
"Oh, my dear Akari!" Laventon says. "You're here! Warden Ingo too!" Ingo nods.
"We've been worried about the both of you, you know." Rei says. "Really worried."
"Guys, where's the captain?" Akari asks. "Or the Commander?"
"The Commander's left." Laventon says. Akari tensed. Ingo furrows his brows.
"He did?!" Akari yelps.
Laventon nods. "He left with the Security Corps, and orders to have everyone else hide in their homes. He's gone to Mount Coronet to deal with the rift and the pokemon that's been spotted inside."
Shit. That's not good at all. Laventon speaks. "However, Captain Cyllene is at the headquarters, come on."
The two lead Ingo and Akari to the Galaxy Team Building and into Cyllene's office. The captain looks at the both of them.
"Warden Ingo, Akari. You're both here." She says. "You stayed alive." She says to Akari and Akari nods.
"Yeah. Thanks to a lot of help from a lot of people." Cyllene nods. "But nows not the time!" She pulls out the Red Chain. "This should help fix the sky! We came here to tell Kamando, but he's already left!"
Cyllene nods. "Indeed. He's left Jubilife Village. The Security Corps have been scouting around the area around the space-time rift and reported sightings on the other side of it."
"A pokemon." Ingo states. "We were with the merchant, Volo. He's been able to detour long enough to gather information on what the Commander plans to do. It is why we departed for here and not to the temple at the top. We hoped to stop his train before he departed, but it seems we are too late."
Cyllene nods once. "Understood."
Rei frowns. "This is bad. He should have waited for Akari. It doesn't matter how strong the guy is!"
"Akari." Cyllene looks at Akari. "As the captain of the Survey Corps, I hereby order this: You are reinstated with your former Survey Corps rank. Take that chain to the top of Mount Coronet and put an end to all this!"
Akari nods. "Yes, Captain!"
Rei frowns. "Wait, can you do that? Reinstate her, if the commander isn't here?"
Cyllene goes silent before huffing. "If he didn't wish for me to decide things in his place, he should not have left me in charge here!"
Akari chuckles. It looks like Cyllene really didn't like Kamando's decision.
Laventon speaks up. "I'll go to the top too, then! Me and Rei both. We are Survey Corps members too."
Cyllene nods. "No one was dissuading you. You are free to go."
Rei and Laventon smile. Ingo nods. "Alright then!" He calls out. "The four of us must depart swiftly then! We do not have much time to waste! Keep yourselves close and safe, keep your pokemon in their balls until an emergency, and prepare for departure! All Aboard!" He sticks his arms out in the pose he tends to do and Akari nods.
"C'mon! Let's go!"
They move to the exit of town, but as they do, two kids pop out of nowhere. "Hey!" The smaller one calls out. Akari stops.
"You-You're the one who got sent out of the village, right?" She asks. "But…you're still trying to help us?"
Akari blinks. Then she nods, slowly, unsure of what to say. Rei speaks up. "Yeah! She's found a way to help us and worked real hard for it too!"
Laventon nods. "Indeed. Akari is part of the Survey Corps, and we always work hard to help the village, and the pokemon too."
The older boy, likely the little girl's sister, spoke up. "Dad says you're a bad guy who came from the rift to hurt us and that's why Mr. Kamando kicked you out." Akari flinched. "But bad guys don't try and save the village! You aren't a bad guy!"
Akari moved a hand to her mouth, shocked. The little girl walked up to Akari. "Take this!" She says, handing Akari a familiar yellow crystal. A max revive. "Dad says it helps heal pokemon, but I don't have any. But you do! You're saving the village, so you should have it!"
"I-" Akari stutters. "I-Thank you. I promise I'll fix this."
The girl nods, running off. The older boy gives a thumbs off and goes after his sister. Akari fumbles with the crystal. "I-Not everyone here hates me. I thought-"
"Of course not, Akari!" Rei says. "You've helped so many people here, we weren't just the only ones who hated that you were kicked out!"
Cyllene, who had followed them to the gate, nods. "Yes. There were a good chunk of people who disagreed with the Commander's decision. But that's for later discussion. For now, focus. You have three orders." Everyone turns to her. "One: Make your way to the summit camp, and from there, to the Temple of Sinnoh at the top of the mountain. Two: Use the Red Chain to solve this mess. Three: Return here, alive!"
Akari nods. "Of course."
"And Warden Ingo." Cyllene turns to Ingo. "You are not one of my people, so I ask this of you instead of order it. Keep them all safe."
Ingo nods. "It is my duty to ensure that my passengers reach their destinations safely. Our destination is not the Temple, but the village once this is all over. Do not worry."
Cyllene nods. "Good. Now go!"