Communication (PG-13)

[Sike Saner]

Hello again, everyone. What follows is my second Pokémon fanfic, which I began writing in late November of ’04. This is sort of the life story of the glalie Solonn Zgil-Al, a character from my previous fic, The Origin of Storms. While reading that story isn’t crucial to understanding this one, I’ll go ahead and suggest that you read it, as well, because why wouldn’t I? Heh heh heh… Anyway, you’ll find a link to The Origin of Storms in my sig if you’re interested. (Of course, you’ll still find it even if you’re not interested, for that matter.)

The PG-13 rating is for violence, adult situations, mild language, and other things that are just not very cheerful. Discretion is advised.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon. Any resemblance or reference to any real persons, places, things, or ideas is purely coincidental and unintentional unless explicity stated otherwise by the author. Opinions and statements expressed in this story do not necessarily reflect those of the author. Views expressed by one or more members of any given species within the context of this story are not intended to represent the views of all members of that species within the context of this story or any other context. This story does not strictly or entirely adhere to any form of the established Pokémon canon.


Contents
Chapter 1 – Foreign Relations
Chapter 2 – Carried Away
Chapter 3 – The Deal
Chapter 4 – Spell of the Spotlight
Chapter 5 – Elements Embraced
Chapter 6 – The Sought-For Matter
Chapter 7 – Convergence
Chapter 8 – Preclusion of Choice
Chapter 9 – Anywhere but Here
Chapter 10 – Deceiving Yesterday
Chapter 11 – Heart of the City
Chapter 12 – Silence in the East
Chapter 13 – The Serpent Denied
Chapter 14 – Speak No Evil
Chapter 15 – Strangers
Chapter 16 – To Return
Chapter 17 – Safe
Chapter 18 – ?????
Chapter 19 – ?????
Chapter 20 – ?????
Chapter 21 – ?????

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Chapter 1 – Foreign Relations


In the depths of Shoal Cave, unknown to humanity at large and almost completely untouched by other species of pokémon, there was a place known by the snorunt and glalie who called it home as Virc-Dho. Here, in a cavern whose ice-covered surfaces glittered eerily in the glow given off by her eyes, a glalie by the name of Azvida Zgil-Al sat waiting.

Azvida was waiting for two things and in two separate ways. She was watching, staring intently at a round, black, featureless egg that was now beginning to shake slightly a couple of times each minute. She was also listening, waiting for the first sign of an approach that was none too quick in coming.

Invoking the power of her element, the glalie spontaneously generated a small heap of snow, which she arranged in a ring around the increasingly animated egg. She knew that the baby would be ravenous upon hatching, which would be soon—very soon. Already, the first, tiniest vocalizations were starting to emanate through the shell.

A grinding sound in the distance caught Azvida’s attention then. Its volume made her wince, not only out of physical discomfort but also concern over others hearing it. She had told him emphatically that he needed to make as inconspicuous an entrance as possible… but, as she reminded herself, the very nature of just what the approaching creature was surely made that especially difficult for him.

Keeping the egg at the edge of her vision, Azvida only partly turned toward him as he came to a stop in the shadows nearby. “Hello, Grosh.”

Grosh only grunted in response, his face looking almost ghostly in what little of Azvida’s cyan light touched it.

Azvida’s attention was quickly monopolized by the egg again as it gave an almighty lurch, rolling straight into the snow that had been piled in front of it. The glalie inhaled with a long, rattling hiss and held her breath, anxiously watching the event that was unfolding before her eyes. The egg gave one last rustle, accompanied by a series of particularly sharp squeaks from within its confines. Then, with a tiny crack, something small and very pointed broke through the shell. With something of a drilling motion, the tip of a cone-shaped head continued to emerge from the hole it had made, cracking it open wider and wider until finally the egg simply fell apart.

Amidst the broken eggshells, there now sat a tiny male snorunt. He tried to stand up, only to immediately fall right over. His conical body rolled pitifully as he attempted in vain to right himself.

Azvida could not suppress the gale of hissing laughter that came forth then out of sheer elation. She rose from the ground and descended upon the snorunt, picking him up very gently and carefully and then setting him upright once more.

Her son blinked up at her in curiosity for a moment. Then he noticed the fresh, powdery snow that surrounded him, and he became oblivious to all else.

Azvida grinned brightly at her new baby. She then looked into the shadows at her side. “Look, Grosh,” she said, her voice alight with pure wonder. “Look at your son. Isn’t he beautiful? Why don’t you come closer? Don’t you want to see him?”

The shadowed form of Grosh stirred in the darkness. His eyes turned their sight upon the newborn—then turned away. The rest of Grosh immediately followed.

“Grosh, wait!” Azvida called to him. But Grosh kept moving on, scattering many rocks and chunks of ice in his wake. Within seconds, he was gone, back into the shadows from whence he’d come—never to return, Azvida was certain.

The new mother sighed. “It’ll just be us, then,” she said as she set herself back down before her son. No surprise, she thought, yet nonetheless she could not deny the pang of disappointment that she felt at Grosh’s departure. “We’ll have to be everything for each other. But I know we can,” she said, hoping to sound reassuring.

Not that it mattered to the snorunt. He was too focused on the snow, which he was devouring voraciously. Once he’d eaten his fill, he discovered that he could also play in the snow, and he quickly became as engrossed in that activity as he’d been in the one before it.

Azvida smiled again. “Now, what to call you?” she wondered aloud. She thought about it for a little while, rejecting several potential candidates for her son’s name until one that felt right to her finally came to her mind.

“I know exactly the right name for you,” Azvida said triumphantly. “You shall be called Solonn.”


* * *

A little over seven years into his life, Solonn was deemed old enough to go up to the snowgrounds where he could meet and play with other children. But to get to the snowgrounds, one first had to make one’s way through a rather long series of tunnels, much to his displeasure. This was the farthest that he’d ever had to walk; it was proving to be rather tiring, not to mention quite slow compared to being carried in his mother’s jaws. But since he was getting too big for that, moving himself by the power of his own two feet was the mode of transportation with which he was now stuck.

That, combined with the fact that the tunnel through which he and his mother traveled looked practically the same through yard after yard, caused his patience to run out fairly quickly. “Are we there yet?” he finally asked, unable to keep himself from whining a bit as he did so.

“Almost,” Azvida answered, gliding along a few inches off the ground at less than half of her usual pace so as to let the snorunt’s tiny feet keep up with her. “I told you, you’ll know right away when we get there. It’s very different from this place and from every other place you’ve seen.”

Better be, Solonn thought rather grumpily.

Shortly thereafter, they arrived at last at the snowgrounds. Solonn saw at once that his mother had been right about this place—it was different. It was a huge, open space, nothing at all like the close confines of the winding tunnels and small caverns that made up the warren in which he lived.

What he found most remarkable about this place was not its size, however. Rather, it was the fact that the floor of this vast cavern was entirely blanketed in sparkling, white snow, just begging a snorunt to dive right in—which is precisely what Solonn did.

Azvida laughed. “Have fun with the other kids,” she said, her son poking his head out of the snow at her words. “I’ll be back soon.” With that, she turned and exited, leaving Solonn behind in the field of snow.

Solonn watched her leave, wishing that she would stay and wondering why she didn’t. He also wondered where those “other kids” of which his mother had spoken were. He didn’t see anyone else there…

POP! With absolutely no warning, something burst out of the snow, launching out right in front of his face.

“Aaah!” Solonn was scared right off of his feet. He tumbled over backwards and landed upside-down, his pointed head sticking in the snow, his short legs kicking uselessly.

He then heard a sound—laughter. Someone was laughing at him—and grabbing his feet. He screamed again as whoever it was started pulling on his legs, which was rather painful. His ambusher didn’t relent until Solonn was quite suddenly extracted from the snow and sent flying from his grasp, landing in the snow several feet away with a whumpf (and blessedly not landing on his head this time).

Solonn managed to right himself fairly quickly, and as he was doing so, he heard footsteps approaching him. He turned to face the sound and found another snorunt, one who came to a stop a short distance before him. It seemed that he was the one who’d given Solonn that scare.

Solonn’s eyes flashed in anger. He lunged at the other snorunt, snapping his teeth and missing him by only a fraction of an inch.

The other snorunt jumped backward away from Solonn, staring back in surprise for a moment. Then he burst out into laughter once more. The moment he did, though, Solonn looked as though he might try to bite him again, making him fall silent in a hurry. He backed up a bit farther and held out his hands as if to keep Solonn at bay.

“Hey! It’s okay!” the other snorunt said. “I didn’t mean to scare you… well, not that badly, anyway…”

Solonn hesitated, giving a frown of uncertainty.

“I’m sorry,” the other snorunt said earnestly. “It was just a joke.” He approached Solonn again, albeit a bit gingerly. “I’m Zilag. Who are you?”

Solonn hesitated a moment before answering. “…Solonn,” he said finally. “Are there any other kids here?” he then asked warily.

“Yeah. They’re hiding,” Zilag answered. “Come on out,” he called out, then added, “and don’t scare him!”

At Zilag’s call, twelve other snorunt popped up out of their hiding places beneath the snow. Solonn remained quite wary of them at first, but through the minutes that passed, they seemed to heed Zilag’s advice; no one attempted to frighten him or to otherwise make a joke at his expense. By the time his mother returned to take him home, Solonn had managed to shed his distrust and reluctance almost completely. As he departed the snowgrounds, he found himself looking forward to returning there.


* * *

Solonn was brought to the snowgrounds almost daily from that point onward. As the weeks went by, he and Zilag became very good friends. Every time Solonn returned to the snowgrounds, Zilag was there waiting for him.

On one day, Zilag gathered eight of his closest friends, including Solonn, to hear his announcement of how they were about to have the “best day ever”.

“I’ve found something so awesome that you’ll go crazy when you see it,” he said.

“And what’s that?” Solonn asked.

Zilag smirked. He rolled up a snowball, turned around, and chucked it with full force into the ground. The snow it struck crumbled away on impact, falling into the rather steep-looking, downward-slanting passageway that was now revealed. The other eight snorunt all drew closer to the hole in order to try and peer down into it, but they were all wary of getting too close to it.

“Right down there is a portal to another world,” Zilag said in a exaggeratedly grand tone.

“Yeah, right,” Reizirr sneered.

“It’s true!” Zilag insisted. He grabbed her and pushed her face toward the hole, eliciting a very sharp little shriek out of her. “All you have to do to see it is to just go through there.”

“No, thanks!” Reizirr squeaked as she managed to wriggle away from Zilag.

“You’re gonna miss out…” Zilag told her. He cast a glance about at each of the others, seeing a lot of uncertain faces looking back at him. Their clear trepidation did nothing to deter him from putting on a huge grin and going on to say, “Okay. Who wants to go first?”

The others all exchanged nervous glances. Then, in unison, they took a sizable step farther back from the hole.

“Oh, come on. It’s so cool, I promise… Sical, how about you?” Zilag suggested.

“No way,” she refused firmly.

“Davron?”

Davron responded by shaking his head, insofar as a snorunt can do so.

“Faroski?”

Faroski just turned and left the small crowd, having decided that he’d be better off just watching the others from the opposite side of the cavern.

Zilag made a noise of frustration. Then he turned to Solonn, who was standing at his immediate left, and said, “I know you’d love it. So come on, go for it.”

“Uh…” Solonn began doubtfully.

“It’s just a little slide and then a little climb,” Zilag said with a slight air of impatience. “You’re not a wuss, are you?” he then added.

“What? No!” Solonn said. He peered down into the hole, wondering just how deep it really was. “I guess I could…”

“That’s the spirit!” Zilag said cheerfully, and then he shoved Solonn into the hole.

“Aaaaaah!” Solonn screamed as he found himself rushing down the slide. The tightly-packed snow coating its walls made the ride smoother than it might have been otherwise; by contrast, he was met with a rather rough landing at the bottom, smacking right into a stone wall.

Solonn pitched backward and fell to the floor, little lights exploding in his vision, his face smarting badly. After a few moments, he came back to his senses and became fully aware of his surroundings. He was in a very small chamber made of stone. Before and slightly above him, he saw a hole in the wall, one that was more than wide enough for him to enter.

Solonn stood and stared with uncertainty into the hole for several seconds, reluctant to enter it. He turned back around and looked back up the length of the snow chute… how in the world was someone supposed to get back up there? Zilag had neglected to explain that detail…

Sighing, Solonn turned back toward the hole in the wall—there seemed to be no other way to go. Resigned to the only course of action that was presenting itself to him, he hopped up, pulled himself into the hole, and started crawling upward.

The climb through the secret tunnel was not an experience that he found particularly pleasant. At a couple of points, it was very steep; Solonn feared that he could easily slip and go tumbling back down the tunnel. Furthermore, the rocky surfaces of the tunnel’s floor and walls were not at all comfortable for him to crawl over—one wrong move, and those jagged edges could slice right into a hand or foot, he knew.

Why, he wondered, had Zilag thought that anyone would like this?

Quite a while later, Solonn finally reached the end of the tunnel and gratefully hoisted himself out of there. Exhausted, he just lay still for a short time, glad to be on smooth, level ground again.

Once he’d caught his breath, he got back on his feet and took a look around. He was in a very large cavern which, just as Zilag had promised, was indeed like another world. For one thing, it was much brighter up here than it had been below. Solonn found the source of the illumination overhead: strange, pale light was seeping into the cavern from above, light that was quite strong despite how few of its pale rays managed to penetrate the cracks in the ceiling.

The terrain of this cavern was also quite strange in his eyes. As Solonn explored with growing curiosity, he found snow, ice and rocks—all of which he could find at home, of course. What struck him as unusual about the materials within this cavern was that they were just scattered about; rocky, uneven surfaces abruptly gave way to vast, shimmering expanses of smooth, ice-coated floors, and mounds of snow rose randomly over both types of surfaces. This contrasted considerably with the way things looked back from whence Solonn had come; there, in the warren, every aspect of the environment had been adapted and conformed by glalie to suit their tastes and purposes. Solonn wondered to what sort of people and purpose, if any, a place like this could possibly belong.

Right around the next hill of snow, he got his answer.

He didn’t move. He barely even breathed. The same was true of the creature that stared back at him through her dark-colored eyes.

Her appearance was more bizarre than anything Solonn could have ever imagined, especially with regards to the fact that there was a peculiar glow emanating from her entire body. Solonn found himself strangely mesmerized by it. He’d never seen anything like it; he didn’t have that glow, and neither did any of his friends. For that matter, neither did glalie.

“What… what are you?” Solonn finally worked up the courage to ask.

“What are you?” the creature countered.

Solonn was almost too bewildered to answer. This creature even sounded so different… “I’m a snorunt,” he said finally.

“Oh. Never heard of that… Anyway, I’m a spheal.”

“I’ve never heard of what you are, either,” Solonn said. As he stared at this creature—this spheal—his curiosity gave rise to a compulsion. “Can… can I touch you?” he asked.

“Uh… sure, I guess,” the spheal responded.

Solonn stepped forward, feeling quite nervous. His hand shook as it reached out to the spheal. When he touched her, he gasped and pulled his hand back at once, his eyes wide. She felt strange to him, and in a way that was rather startling.

“What? Is something wrong?” the spheal asked.

“No… it’s just that you’re so… ” Solonn trailed off and stared with both fear and wonder shining through his eyes as he realized that he knew no word for the way that the spheal felt. He had no way of knowing it, but he had just felt heat for the very first time. Though it hadn’t hurt him, it had definitely made him uneasy.

In spite of this, however, his curiosity led him to touch the spheal again, and he was not so startled by her warmth this time. Rather, something else caught his fascination.

“It’s… soft…” Solonn remarked, “and fluffy… What is this stuff you’re covered in?” he asked.

“Er… that’s fur,” the spheal answered, giving him a funny look.

“It’s neat,” Solonn said.

“Uh, sure it is… Hey, could you stop petting me already?” the spheal finally demanded.

“Oh… sorry,” Solonn said, quite embarrassed, and he took his hands off of the spheal in a hurry.

Just then, a voice sounded from not too far away—another strange, foreign voice. “Sophine? Where are you?”

Before Solonn could wonder about the voice’s owner, she came into view. Solonn didn’t know that it was a sealeo who had just arrived on the scene, but judging from the newcomer’s appearance, he was able to guess that she was an evolved spheal.

“There you are! You can’t keep wandering away from me like that!” she scolded lightly. Then her gaze fell upon Solonn, and it froze there. “Sophine, get away from that,” she said tensely. “Now. Those things are dangerous.”

“What? I’m not dangerous!” Solonn protested, stepping forward with his arms outstretched. “Honest!”

“You stay away from my daughter, you little monster!” the sealeo cried, and then she lunged suddenly at Solonn.

But just then, Sophine screamed, and the sound jarred her mother out of her charge. Her mother looked to see what had frightened Sophine, and then she cried out in fear, as well.

Confused, Solonn followed the others’ gazes. Now it was his turn to scream—hovering there with an absolutely livid expression was none other than his own mother.

“Leave him alone!” Azvida spat. With a furious hiss, she darted forward. Her massive teeth snapped together with bone-shattering force bare inches away from the face of Sophine’s mother.

The sealeo gave a yelping bark as she staggered frantically away from the striking glalie. She then gathered up her daughter in a single flipper and waddled off with her as fast as she could go.

Solonn watched them leave. Then, very nervously, he turned and approached his mother. She turned to face him in an instant, badly scaring him. Azvida then opened her jaws and grabbed Solonn up in her teeth by the top of his head. It caused him pain, making him cry out, but she did not put him down, carrying him in this fashion for the entire duration of the trip back home.


* * *

“For the love of all gods, what were you thinking?!” Azvida demanded.

It wasn’t my idea! Solonn thought but didn’t dare say, feeling as though doing such amounted to betraying Zilag, which he most certainly did not want to do. “…I don’t know!” he blurted finally.

“Well, you’re not going up there again, that’s for sure,” Azvida said, her tone one of strong displeasure. “In fact, you’re not going to be going anywhere for a long time, not even to the snowgrounds.”

“But… Mom, no! You can’t!” Solonn protested. Surely she had to be bluffing, he figured, or at least hoped.

“Oh, yes I can, and yes I will! It’s for your own good, Solonn. You have to learn that there are places where you don’t belong, places that are not safe!”

“Not safe?” Apart from the behavior of the sealeo he’d met there, the cavern above into which he had ventured hadn’t seemed terribly dangerous, just rather strange…

Azvida lowered her face, her eyes seeming to burn right through Solonn’s. “You think you’re the first who’s ever gone sneaking around up there? There have been plenty of kids before you who’ve had that bright idea. And you know what? Many of them never came back.”

“…What happened to them?” Solonn asked in a very small voice, though he wasn’t altogether certain that he really wanted to know.

“They vanished,” Azvida replied simply. “Taken away by the creatures from above, we suspect,” she elaborated.

“You mean the spheal? Spheal took them?” Solonn asked incredulously.

Azvida shook her head. “Other beings. Stranger beings.”

What could be stranger than a spheal? Solonn wondered, finding himself rather amazed by the notion. He wondered about something else as well. “Mom?”

“Yes?”

“That spheal’s mom… she called me a monster,” Solonn said quietly. “She said I’m dangerous, but I’m not dangerous at all… am I?”

“What? No, of course you’re not!” Azvida said. “And you’re not a monster, either!”

“But… then why would she say that?” Solonn asked.

Azvida sighed. “It’s all right, Solonn. She meant nothing against you personally. It’s just that… well, her kind fear ours. They always have.” She sighed again. “To be fair, they do have a perfectly good reason to.”

“Well… what is it?” Solonn asked, a little afraid of the sort of answer he might receive.

Azvida broke eye contact with Solonn. This was not a discussion she’d been in any hurry to have with him—she’d dreaded it as much as the eventual discussion of where eggs came from.

Reluctantly, she sat down beside him. “There are certain things that every living creature must do to stay alive,” she began uneasily. “We have to breathe. We have to sleep. We have to eat. When living creatures are different, the ways that they keep themselves alive are different, as well. The spheal and their evolved forms, the sealeo and walrein, are different from us, and so they have their own ways that are right for them. Likewise, glalie are different from snorunt. And we have our own ways.

“Now, one of the ways that living creatures can have different needs is that for some creatures, like snorunt, the things they need to eat in order to live are not alive themselves. But for others… like glalie… well, the things that creatures like us need to eat in order to live are alive.”

Solonn absorbed that. Then his heart froze. “You… you eat the spheal?” he ventured in disbelief, his voice cracking.

“Yes,” Azvida answered honestly, “sometimes. But not usually. Usually, we take the winged creatures instead; zubat, they’re called.”

“It doesn’t matter what they are. You still kill them!” Solonn shouted.

“Yes,” Azvida said, feeling and sounding very flustered. “Yes, we do, but we do it quickly. We do it gently. It doesn’t hurt them. They just… they just stop. It’s just like going to sleep, only permanently.”

“How can you know that?!” Solonn shrieked. Azvida did not answer. Solonn said nothing more for several minutes, just sitting and shaking silently. Then, with barely any voice at all, he asked, “Why can’t you just eat the snow? Why?”

“It’s just not enough for us, Solonn,” Azvida said quietly. “Someday, once you’ve evolved, you’ll understand.”

“No, I don’t want to! I don’t want to grow up and eat people!”

“Listen, I know how it sounds, but there really isn’t anything wrong with it!” Azvida tried to assure him. “It’s just part of how nature works. And a lot of creatures live this way, too, not just glalie. Even the spheal you met and her people; they feed on creatures called magikarp…”

But Solonn was not listening anymore, and Azvida knew it. She sighed and spoke no more, and neither of them said anything to one another for the remainder of that day.


* * *

After the long weeks separating Solonn from the snowgrounds were finally behind him, he returned there to find Zilag just sitting there alone.

Solonn was immediately wary. “Where is everyone hiding?”

“There’s no one else here,” Zilag said gloomily.

Solonn walked over to him, frowning. “You got me into huge trouble, you know,” he said.

“Hey, I didn’t get away with it, either!” Zilag shot back.

“Well, I didn’t tell on you!” Solonn insisted. “I swear!”

“You didn’t have to,” Zilag said grimly. “My big sister came in and saw me trying to get Dileras to go down that hole. She went straight home and told Mom everything.” He sighed. “And then, everyone else’s parents found out, too. Now no one wants to hang out with me cause they’re all scared of getting into trouble again.”

“Oh…” Solonn sat down beside Zilag. “Well, I’m not worried about that,” he said, although a small part of him really was. “I’ll still hang out with you.”

Zilag’s eyes widened, and he broke out into a huge grin. “Really? Thanks!”

It was then that a strange sound caught the attention of both snorunt: a sort of fluttering noise coming from above. Zilag and Solonn looked up and saw its source flying about overhead. It was yet another creature that shone with that strange glow—the glow of heat, Solonn now knew.

“A zubat,” Solonn guessed aloud in a hushed voice as he gazed up at the newcomer. “What’s that doing here?”

“I don’t know… I’ve never even seen one of those before,” Zilag said.

“I bet your parents have,” Solonn said darkly. “My mom told me that the glalie eat those things.”

Zilag turned to face Solonn at those words and stared incredulously at him for a moment. Then he broke into laughter. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard! They do not!”

“Oh, yes they do,” Solonn said as he continued to watch the zubat flit around, seemingly without direction, near the ceiling of the cavern.

“No way!” Zilag said, still laughing. “I know! Let’s ask the zubat if it’s true! HEY, ZUBAT!” he shouted.

The zubat steadfastly ignored the snorunt below, just wanting to focus on getting out of that place. It was bad enough that she’d gotten herself lost there—she didn’t want to add to her troubles by getting herself mixed up with the locals.

“The zubat’s not listening, Zilag,” Solonn pointed out.

“Well, maybe this’ll get that thing to listen.” Zilag made a snowball and chucked it into the air, but missed the zubat entirely. His second shot missed, too. “Come on, hold still!” he urged his target, throwing a third snowball. That one very nearly didn’t miss, whizzing past the zubat’s face just a hair’s breadth away.

The zubat shrieked, then turned on Zilag. Chittering angrily, she fired a spiraling, sparkling confuse ray at him. It struck him before he could do anything to avoid it and instantly and severely disoriented him, leaving him staggering around and screaming intermittently in a spontaneous panic.

“What did you do to him?!” Solonn demanded of the zubat, both scared and angry. The bat’s response was a wing attack, forcing Solonn to duck in a hurry to avoid her as she dove at him, her wings glowing.

As the zubat arced back up toward the ceiling, Solonn got back up onto his feet, gathered a number of snowballs as fast as he could, and began throwing them at the zubat, but to no avail. He soon had to abandon his assault as the zubat wheeled around for another wing attack; he only barely ducked out of the way in time.

At this point, Solonn decided to give up on the snowballs. He began to gather ice-type energy… then lost hold of it as Zilag, who was still confused, came stumbling right into him and nearly knocked him over.

“Hey!” Solonn shouted as he got himself out of the way of his brain-addled friend. He tapped into the power of his element once again, and this time he managed to summon a powder snow attack. It scattered snowflakes all about as it whistled toward the zubat on a small gust—but before it could connect, a similar but much stronger attack, a blizzard, came howling in and blew the powder snow completely off course.

The blizzard was the work of Azvida, who had apparently just arrived and was clearly most displeased. “Solonn Ahshi Zgil-Al!” she shouted thunderously. “You stop picking on that poor zubat right this instant; she’s obviously lost here and needs help, not harassment!”

Azvida’s shouting brought Zilag back to his senses. “Ahshi?” He exploded into giggles. Both Azvida and Solonn glared potently at him—he shut up at once.

“But Mom, she did something to Zilag! She made him freak out—I couldn’t just let her get away with it!” Solonn said. “And what do you care what anybody does to her, anyway? She’s just meat to you!”

Azvida’s eyes widened greatly, and their light intensified dramatically. “How dare you say such a thing!” she hissed, appalled. “I would never think of such a creature as ‘just meat’. They give us life, and so they’re to be honored and respected!”

To the zubat, Azvida then said, “You’ll certainly die from the cold if you stay here much longer. If you’ll follow me, I’ll lead you back to where you belong.”

The zubat made no response, no sound at all other than the faint flapping of her wings as she hovered warily in place.

“It’s all right,” Azvida said, trying to sound as pleasant and soothing as possible. “I won’t even touch you.”

The zubat hesitated at first, then flapped a short distance forward. She hesitated again, for longer this time. Finally, though still obviously very uncertain about the whole thing, she descended and began to follow Azvida out of the cavern, though not too closely.

“Please stay put until I return,” Azvida instructed her son as she left. “Please.” She and the zubat then vanished into the tunnels of the warren.

As Solonn watched them leave, he found that he was no longer sure whether it was other species or his own that he found more peculiar.

_________________________

Next time: Solonn discovers something peculiar. Someone else learns of it, too—the wrong someone. See you then!

- Sike Saner

[Wes]

Hey Sike! Took me a while to read this. Interesting story then again your last story was very interesting too! So far you got the length, the description, the grammer, and the spelling! Wish ya good luck!

[Ryano Ra]

;o; Beautiful, just naturally beautiful. I loved the concept you have showed me, it applies deeply to the story and descriptions, in which I love about your Pokemon Novels. Although I haven't read Origins, I'm assuming that it was just wonderful, seeing as this piece of work was a large bit that I greatly adored. Solonn is a very elegant name, I might add at that. Seeing this is the first chapter, I don't usually review much, since it is only beginning. Just keep up the fantastic work.

[xXSaberXx]

Like, omfg. xPPPPPPP

This is great. Just like Syra said...

I like the concept of it all. It's interesting to read a Pokemon Fic.....and such a good one at that. O_O!

Many kudos to you. I adore Solonn. He's just too cute. And Now I even feel kinda guilty about catching and trading all those Snorunts to my other games!

xPPPPPPPP!

All in all, I loved your description and plot.....and it will prolly get much, MUCH better.

TOODLES!

Saber

[Brian Powell]

Wow! I mean, wow!

My god, you can write can’t you, Ms. Saner? This is only your second fic and already it’s blowing me with all these beautiful descriptions, the flow, the emotions of the characters and such.

Since the fanfiction awards are up at the moment and if you were a cat, you have caught my tongue… and possibly my vote.

Score so far: 5 out of 5

Advice: Only one, keep it up. *Winks*

[Sike Saner]

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, as well as to all who are reading this! ^^

_________________________


Chapter 2 – Carried Away


The sound of footsteps echoed through the tunnel as Solonn walked along the route that led to the snowgrounds, and he walked alone. At the age of nineteen, he was old enough to go there unaccompanied and had been for several years.

Solonn usually didn’t run into anyone when traveling to the snowgrounds, and this trip was shaping up to be yet another of the majority. He heard no steps other than his own, and the level of the blue eye-light shining on the ice-covered surfaces that surrounded him stayed constant and low. There was nothing to indicate anyone of any other kind around, either.

With not terribly much farther to go to reach his destination, Solonn took to wondering who might already be there. He also wondered if today’s activities would include sparring and found himself hoping rather quickly that they wouldn’t. He had battled on not only the previous day but on the day before that, as well; he wanted something different for today’s trip to the snowgrounds.

Then, abruptly, he ceased to care about the other snorunt’s plans—or anything else, for that matter. The light in the tunnel cut out altogether, and the footsteps stopped and gave way to the sound of their now insensible maker falling to the floor.


* * *

The next sight to greet Solonn’s eyes left him fairly confused in short order. The space surrounding him was significantly wider but also much less empty—a crowd of glalie now surrounded him. No sooner had his eyes opened than a great rush of murmurs rose up around him.

“Oh, thank the gods, he’s awake!” said a voice that he recognized as Azvida’s, which just managed to rise above the din. “It’s all right now, Solonn,” she then told her son, responding to the growing bewilderment in his eyes. “You’re home again.”

“Huh?” Solonn sat up, trying to finish awakening his senses quickly. “What’s going on?” he asked.

“We found you here this morning. You were unconscious for a while; you’ve only just awakened,” answered an elderly male glalie whom Solonn didn’t know. At the sound of his voice, the crowd ceased its murmuring.

“Solonn, this is Sile Van-Kil,” Azvida said, introducing the glalie who had just spoken. “He’s with the Security Guild. Don’t worry, you’re not in any trouble with them,” she added quickly, seeing the troubled look that flitted across her son’s face. “He just wants to ask you some questions.”

“That’s right,” Sile said. “First, we’d like to know if you left the warren of your own accord, or if you were taken involuntarily.”

Solonn’s eyes widened. “…What? I didn’t leave the warren!” he said, growing even more confused. He hadn’t set foot outside of Virc-Dho’s borders even once since that day roughly twelve years prior when he’d encountered Sophine and her mother—or, at least, he couldn’t recall having gone out there since… What in the world is going on here? he wondered, very unnerved by the whole situation.

“You did leave, Mr. Zgil-Al,” Sile said, his tone considerably sterner than before. “You were gone for nearly fifteen days.”

Solonn was now becoming less confused and more afraid. Part of his life was missing from his mind, and it wasn’t exactly a small part… “I… I don’t remember going out there, though, sir,” he insisted. “Last thing I remember, I was on my way to the snowgrounds…”

“You’re certain that you have no memory of where you went or whom or what you might have encountered?” Sile asked.

“Yes, sir, I’m certain,” Solonn answered, his worry ringing clearly through his voice. “It’s… it’s like nothing happened at all.”

“Well, I’m afraid something did happen,” Sile said, his tone softening with what sounded like pity. “As for what… well, we can’t be certain, but one possibility is that your missing time is the result of a deliberate act of memory erasure. That, in turn, could be evidence of abduction by unknown psychic pokémon.” At these words, murmurs rose in a fresh wave throughout the attendants.

“But why? What would any such creatures want with him?” Azvida asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Sile replied. “Needless to say, this means that we shall all have to live with increased vigilance. We must keep our eyes open for anything strange. Mr. Zgil-Al is safely among us again, but the next victim may not be so fortunate…”

“Well, whoever and whatever it was that took him, they’d better not show themselves around me. Not if they want to avoid pain, anyway,” Azvida said with a flash of her eyes. She smiled weakly at Solonn. “I’m just so glad you got back safely. You had me worried half to death!”

Solonn might have been glad to be back, too. The only problem was that the hole in his mind that served as his only souvenir of the reason why he should be glad to be back was troubling him too much to allow him that kind of relief. Guess it’s my turn to be worried half to death, he thought dismally as the crowd dissipated and he and his mother headed for home.


* * *

Weeks passed before Azvida seemed to feel certain enough of her son’s safety to let him set foot outside of their residence again. Once she had, however, Solonn quickly came to wish that she hadn’t. It seemed that there was not a single person whom Solonn could run into who didn’t try to ask him a battery of questions about his disappearance. He had no answers for them regarding that topic, and at first he was able to explain that to them in a calm and patient manner. However, it quickly became clear that they wouldn’t accept that answer. They continued to hound him about the matter, and it wasn’t long before he lost patience for their persistent interrogations.

As a result, he took to spending as much time alone as he could. He visited the snowgrounds only when he was absolutely sure that no one else was there (he had long ago learned how to detect snorunt trying to hide in the snow) and hence not very often. Thus, for a time at least, he was able to successfully avoid others and their questions both in the snowgrounds and everywhere else.

It was not a snorunt or a glalie who ultimately broke his solitude. Rather, it was a zubat, one who came fluttering unexpectedly into the snowgrounds one day. It wasn’t the same one whom Solonn had seen all those years ago, however; this one was noticeably smaller. This zubat did seem to have something in common with the previous one, though: he looked lost—very lost, in fact, and very anxious about it.

Solonn watched as the zubat flapped about in frantic figure-eights overhead. The flying creature appeared not to notice the snorunt below at all and talked continuously to himself about how scared he was, how he didn’t know where he was, and how he didn’t know what to do—Solonn half expected the poor thing to pass out and fall to the snow below from not pausing to take a breath.

When Solonn thought he could get a word in edgewise between the zubat’s chitterings, he called up to him. “Hey!” he shouted. “Do you need help?”

The zubat gave a startled squeak. The next second, he plummeted from the air without any warning, diving right into the snorunt’s face—Solonn braced himself for a wing attack or something equally unpleasant, but the zubat thankfully didn’t attack him. Instead, he merely asked, in a thoroughly neurotic-sounding voice, “Where am I?!”

Solonn winced at the high volume and equally high pitch at which the zubat had chosen to speak. “You’re where you don’t belong,” he then answered, which immediately earned a shriek of terror from the zubat. “Relax! I can take you to someone who knows the way out of here.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really,” Solonn said a bit wearily, already fairly exasperated by the zubat. “Now, come on!”

If the zubat had possessed eyes, they might have been sparkling. “Oh, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you—”

“Are you coming along or not?” Solonn interrupted suddenly in order to make the zubat shut up. He turned and started walking away.

“Oh yes, yes, right,” the zubat said hastily, fluttering after Solonn in a hurry.

As Solonn made his way through the warren, he tried very hard to ignore the person following him. This zubat was nothing at all like the last one he’d encountered; true, that one had been rather hostile, but at least she had also been relatively quiet. This zubat’s mouth, on the other hand, was in near-constant motion.

“Wow! This place is so weird!” the bat chittered, rattling on and on. “But it’s still pretty cool, though! Super cool! …And super cold. Brrr! I don’t like the cold. No, I sure don’t like it. Of course, for that matter, I don’t really like the sun, either… But that’s okay, cause I still like you! And that’s cause you’re helping me get out of here! What a pal!” he squealed.

Solonn cringed. Great, you’ve inflicted a “pal” on yourself, he thought. He reminded himself that he was doing the right thing by aiding this creature… or rather, he tried to remind himself of that, but the zubat’s voice seemed to be trying its hardest to destroy his mind.

The zubat then got right in his face—again. “Name’s Zyrzir, by the way,” the zubat said.

Solonn knew that already. Zyrzir had already introduced himself six times since leaving the snowgrounds.

“So, what’s your name? Huh? Huh? Huh?” Zyrzir asked as he resumed following behind the snorunt.

“Mr. Deadbat,” Solonn said, utterly deadpan.

“Hey… that’s not what you said last time!” Zyrzir said with a frown. “Last time, you said your name was Mr. Bitey! The time before that, you said your name was Mr. Snowball! And all the times before that, you didn’t say anything at all, as if you didn’t have a name, and that was your answer! Why won’t you just please cooperate and tell me what your real name is, huh?” Zyrzir whined.

Because you are annoying me to death, and I am trying to ignore you so my brain doesn’t explode! Solonn thought.

But then Zyrzir laid down his ultimatum. “I won’t stop asking until you tell me the truth.”

The snorunt produced a sound halfway between a groan and a sigh. “Ugh, fine. My name is Solonn. Satisfied?”

“Oh yes, yes, yes! Thanks a thousand, Mr. Satisfied!” Zyrzir squeaked joyfully, at which Solonn groaned very loudly. “Oh, by the way, are we almost where we’re supposed to be going? Are we? Are we? Are we?” the zubat then asked.

“Yes, we are, luckily for you.” And even more luckily for me, Solonn added silently. Sure enough, they soon reached the Zgil-Al residence, where they were greeted almost immediately by Azvida.

“Oh good,” she said. “I was hoping you’d get back soon. Zilag was here looking for you. He just left not too long ago. I told him he could come back here after a little while.”

Solonn started to turn to leave at once.

“No, you don’t,” Azvida said. She shifted the ice on the walls to form a barrier in front of Solonn. “Now, I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but I think it’s time you sorted it out. And you’re not leaving until you do just that.”

Solonn grudgingly started toward his room, but was obstructed once again, this time by his mother’s face.

“And might I ask why you’ve brought a zubat here?” she asked.

“He needs out,” Solonn said.

“Fine, then. I’ll deal with that, and you’ll stay here and wait for Zilag,” Azvida said. “And I mean it, stay here. I’ll know if you don’t.” With that, she left, leading Zyrzir away with her.

And just how would she know if I left? Solonn wondered, but he decided not to chance it. He went to his room, and for several minutes he just sat there with nothing to do but dread Zilag’s visit. He wished that he could devise some means of distracting himself from that inevitability, but when he tried to think of a way to occupy himself, he found that he couldn’t come up with anything at all.

The reason for his inability to conceive an idea was that the memory of Zyrzir’s voice was, for some reason, now infesting his brain. It was leaving no room whatsoever for any other thought processes to take place. Solonn tried to displace that memory, but it remained firmly stuck in his head. He groaned in aggravation, muttering a venomous string of curses on the name of the zubat who was inexplicably continuing to torment him even after departing his company.

“Why couldn’t he just shut up?” he wondered aloud. “Gods, it was nonstop: ‘Are we there yet? Brrr, it’s cold! You’re my friend!’”

Solonn abruptly shut his mouth in surprise. That impression of Zyrzir’s voice had been eerily close to the real thing… Feeling a giddy little spark of wonder, he tried it out again. “Hi, I’m Zyrzir! And I’m… so… annoying!”

Dead on! he congratulated himself silently, bursting into laughter. It was then that the iron grip of the Zyrzir-voice on his brain finally relented and an idea occurred to him: perhaps now he could provide something for people to talk about that they just might find more interesting than his recent abduction…

Grinning in anticipation, Solonn put on the Zyrzir-voice once more. “Wait’ll Zilag hears this!”


* * *

In time, Azvida returned, checking at once to see if her son was still home. Shortly thereafter, Zilag arrived. Azvida showed him to Solonn’s room right away, then left the two snorunt alone.

“Uh…” Zilag started somewhat warily as he stood several paces behind Solonn, who had his back turned toward him.

Solonn turned very slightly to acknowledge Zilag, wearing an unreadable expression.

“Yeah, hi,” Zilag said awkwardly, sounding a bit troubled. “I just… you know, wanted to make sure that you’re okay.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Solonn asked nonchalantly.

“Well… since that thing that happened—”

“I really don’t want to talk about that, Zilag,” Solonn interrupted flatly. “I can’t anyway—I said I don’t remember anything about that, and that’s the truth.”

“I know! I believe you!” Zilag said.

“And what about the others?” Solonn asked. “Have they finally got it through their heads yet?”

“I told them to quit bugging you about that. I figured out that that was why you’ve been avoiding everybody.”

“And you’re sure they’ll really listen to you, too?” Solonn asked, wearing a skeptical look on his face.

“Well, even if they won’t listen to me, I bet they’d listen to you. You’re taller than any of us,” Zilag pointed out.

“Not by that much,” Solonn said, rolling his eyes. “And I am not going to start pushing people around just because I’m bigger than them,” he said firmly, sounding slightly offended.

“That’s not exactly what I meant… ” Zilag said—although it was almost what he meant. “Look, I just want you to be able to go out without having to worry about being harassed,” he said earnestly, “and I promise I’ll do whatever I can to keep people off your back about—well, you know what.”

Solonn turned around completely to face Zilag. Smiling, he said, “Thanks. I appreciate that.”

“No problem,” Zilag said coolly. “So… feel like hitting the snowgrounds and letting everybody know you’re still alive?”

“Well…” Solonn began. Then, he smiled craftily. Time to bring out the secret weapon… “Sure, why not?” he said perkily in his impression of Zyrzir’s voice.

Zilag stood completely still and silent for a moment as if petrified, his mouth agape as he stared like an idiot. “…What was that?” he finally asked, sounding almost as if he were a bit scared to find out.

“That,” Solonn said slyly, “was the voice of a zubat.”

Zilag continued staring stupidly for a moment. Then he unleashed a massive, squealing laugh, the volume of which brought a clearly alarmed and confused Azvida rushing onto the scene in very short order.

“What in the gods’ names is going on in here?” she demanded in a bewildered-sounding voice.

“I’m sorry,” Zilag said, gasping a bit. He gestured toward Solonn. “It’s just him; he’s doing something funny. Do that zubat voice again!” he then requested of Solonn.

“Zubat voice?” Azvida asked, casting a puzzled look at her son.

Solonn hesitated, not sure of how his mother would react to his impression; perhaps this sort of thing fell under the category of disrespecting the “sacred prey”. Finally, he reckoned that she probably wouldn’t take it that seriously—it was just a silly little impression, after all.

Proceeding with his performance, “Hi, I’m Zyrzir! My voice causes brain damage!” he chittered cheerfully.

Azvida’s eyes went huge. Then she cracked up almost as badly as Zilag had done. “Oh gods,” she managed to say between rasping giggles, “that sounds exactly like him! I’d thought I’d never hear that horrid voice again!”

“Isn’t it just awful?” Solonn said, keeping the zubat voice.

“Oh yes,” Azvida agreed. “Gods, I think I’d better leave before I die laughing…”

Out she went, leaving Solonn to stare at Zilag, who was caught up in a fit of giggles. “Uh… are you okay?” he asked, stowing the zubat voice.

“Yeah,” Zilag replied, albeit voicelessly. As soon as he managed to catch his breath again, he said, “You have got to go and do that at the snowgrounds. I bet everyone’ll be there if we go now.”

“Okay, then,” Solonn said, smiling. “Let’s go.”

The two of them passed by Azvida as they headed out. “Guess you’re going to go show off to everyone you can, aren’t you?” Azvida teased Solonn.

“Guess so,” Solonn admitted as he and Zilag exited the Zgil-Al residence.

Azvida was glad to see that Solonn was up for social interaction again, especially given the way that he’d found to go about it. She grinned and chuckled to herself as she thought about Solonn’s zubat impression again, feeling both amused by her son and proud of him. In addition to finding the impression funny—Zyrzir’s was the single most ridiculous voice and manner of speaking that she had ever heard, after all—she also thought that it was uncannily, even disturbingly accurate.

How does he do that? she wondered. Solonn’s zubat impression was so accurate that it was as if he wasn’t just using the zubat’s voice, but also—

Azvida stopped laughing, quite astounded, as she realized that indeed her son wasn’t merely using the voice of a zubat. He was using the language of one, as well.


* * *

Once Solonn and Zilag arrived at the snowgrounds, Solonn produced the zubat impression yet again. It proved to be quite the hit with the crowd of snorunt who were gathered there.

“That was so cool!” Reizirr squealed.

“Yeah,” Davron agreed. “Hey, let’s see if I can do it!” Davron’s attempt at a zubat impression didn’t sound like anyone or anything other than Davron, however. “Aw, crap…”

“Just keep trying,” Solonn said, and using the zubat voice in demonstration, added, “Like this, see?”

“Wow, that’s so impressive,” said a sarcastic voice, one not belonging to a snorunt. Everyone in attendance turned toward its source. There, at the entrance to the snowgrounds, lingered a smirking glalie.

“Kashisha, go away!” Zilag urged. Kashisha was his older sister—though he wished that she weren’t.

Ignoring her brother entirely, Kashisha advanced into the room, shoving aside any snorunt unfortunate enough to be in her path. “Seriously, I thought there was an actual zubat in here,” she went on, “but it turns out to be just a bunch of snow-twerps. Shame, really… I was looking forward to biting its wings off…”

She stopped in front of Solonn. “You’re the one responsible for that little trick?” she asked.

Solonn remained utterly silent and still, wary of interacting with Kashisha in any way.

“Better answer her,” Zilag said. “She’s evil incarnate.”

“Why, thank you for the compliment, dear brother,” Kashisha said in a sugary tone, getting in Zilag’s face very suddenly; with a tiny squeak of fright, he dove right into hiding under the snow. Then she got in Solonn’s face. “Well?”

“Yes,” Solonn confirmed in a small voice.

“Oh, I’m sorry, what was that? I didn’t hear you…” Kashisha said melodiously.

“I said yes! It was me!” Solonn shouted hastily.

Kashisha backed off slightly—very slightly. “Well, then. I guess that makes you pretty cool—for a stupid kid, anyway,” she said.

Stupid kid? Solonn thought indignantly. You’re barely any older than I am! Which was true; Kashisha was only twenty-one months his senior, and just a year older than her brother. However, she, like all of her friends, had chosen to evolve early (six years ago, in her case), and like them, she treated those who waited until reaching a respectable age to evolve like dirt.

“I have a request for you, zubat-boy,” Kashisha said then. “Let’s hear… a spheal. Can you do that? Or is that too hard for the little baby?”

The distinct feeling that Solonn got from Kashisha was that he’d better deliver. He tried hard to remember the way that Sophine had sounded. All of a sudden, the memory of that voice flooded his mind, in just the same way that the memory of Zyrzir’s voice had done right before he’d replicated it for the first time.

“Is this what you mean?” Solonn asked then, using Sophine’s voice. This earned a surge of various impressed noises from the crowd and an approving nod of sorts from the glalie hovering before him.

“Bravo,” Kashisha said, grinning wickedly. “Say… why don’t you come with me and entertain some of my friends?”

“I don’t know…” Solonn wanted to back away from her, but he felt rooted to the spot.

“Oh, I think you’d better—unless you’d rather I snap you in half…”

“Okay, fine, I’ll go!”

“Good! And while we’re at it…” Kashisha plunged her face into the snow, pulled Zilag out of hiding, and dropped her protesting brother at Solonn’s feet. “He’ll be coming along with us, too. He is your best friend, after all, right? Surely he wouldn’t want to miss your big debut in front of a real audience?”

“No, ma’am, I wouldn’t,” Zilag said weakly in defeat.

“Off we go, then!” Kashisha said merrily. She circled around Solonn and Zilag and began shoving them along before her. The two snorunt got moving in a hurry as Kashisha set about herding them out of the snowgrounds.

“What should we do?” Reizirr asked once Kashisha and her victims had left.

“Start composing their eulogies,” Davron answered grimly.


* * *

Solonn and Zilag scrambled to stay both on their feet and ahead of the periodically snapping jaws of Kashisha, who had driven them into a part of the warren that Solonn had never seen before.

With one last shove, she brought the journey of the two snorunt to an end, forcing them into a wide, low-ceilinged room. Solonn saw at once that he, Zilag, and the glalie who had brought them to this place were not the only ones present. The room was also presently occupied by nine other glalie who were sitting in a row and glaring at the two snorunt like some sort of sinister council.

“I see you brought your pathetic little brother again,” the male in the center of the row said. “I’m getting bored of tormenting him, though… but who’s this other brat?”

“This is Solonn,” Kashisha told him. “He’s our new court jester,” she added with an enormous grin. She nudged Solonn toward the glalie in the center of the row. “That, Solonn, is Sanaika, the Master of Ceremonies. And I do mean ‘master’. Bow before him!”

“Yes, bow!” Sanaika snapped.

Solonn lowered his head slightly. Sanaika responded by spitting a chunk of ice that struck him in the forehead, eliciting a shout of pain from the snorunt.

“The Master approves! You are now initiated into the Fellowship of Slaves!” Kashisha said gleefully. “Now! Perform for your master!”

With a small sigh, Solonn ran through his impression of Zyrzir’s voice, followed by that of Sophine’s voice. Then, after rummaging briefly through his memories, he produced a third impression: the voice of Sophine’s mother.

“What an entertaining little weenie you are!” Sanaika remarked once Solonn had finished.

“I knew you’d like him!” Kashisha exclaimed proudly. “That sealeo voice trick at the end was a nice touch, by the way,” she told Solonn.

“Yeah, but I can think of one impression that I guarantee you he doesn’t know,” Sanaika said. The glalie at either side of him gazed expectantly at him with looks of toadying curiosity. “Human.”

“Oh, that’s brilliant!” Kashisha crowed, her eyes flashing diabolically. The other glalie echoed her enthusiastic approval.

“…Wait, did you say ‘human’?” Solonn asked. He was sure that he couldn’t have heard that right…

“Yes, you little turd, human,” Sanaika spat disdainfully. “You know, those weird, stupid-looking things with the long limbs and tiny little heads who sound completely ridiculous when they talk…”

“And taste like crap,” the glalie to Sanaika’s left offered.

“You wouldn’t know,” Sanaika scoffed at him. “But yes, they do taste like crap.”

“Humans don’t exist,” Solonn dared to say. “They’re just a myth…”

All of the glalie stared incredulously at Solonn. Zilag quickly looked away from him, terrified that something hideous was about to befall his friend.

“Oh, they do exist,” Sanaika said in a low, rather ominous voice. “In fact, you’re going to find out for yourself just how real they are, and you might find yourself very, very grateful that they are, too.”

Sanaika brought himself to hover right before Solonn, just inches away from his face. “I am giving you a quest and an offer. You’ll go up to where the humans are. You’ll meet one, see it with your own eyes, and hopefully get to hear the idiotic sound of its voice. And if you can return to us with a perfectly realistic impression of that voice, then I promise you’ll never have to come here again if you don’t want to.”

“What do you say, little baby? You want to go human-hunting?” Kashisha asked playfully.

“Oh, it’s not his choice,” Sanaika told her. “Now, you and the others can stay here and babysit your little brother while I deliver this twerp to his date with a human.”

“Aw, we wanted to come and watch!” Kashisha complained. The other glalie griped, as well, and one of them even snapped at Sanaika in her outrage. Sanaika calmly turned toward the offender. His eyes suddenly turned a blazing white, and with a resounding crack, he struck her with sheer cold. His would-be attacker’s eyes rolled back, and she dropped heavily to the floor, unconscious.

“You brain wrecks! We can’t all gather at the exit like that!” Sanaika then said. “Do you not realize how conspicuous we would be? What if we were spotted by some ball-chucking human, huh? Or worse, by the authorities? Now, all of you, stay put, or else you’ll all find icicles where you’d rather not.”

With that, Sanaika seized Solonn very harshly in his jaws and set off into the warren with him. He carried the snorunt through a series of tunnels that led, much to Solonn’s surprise, up to the very same cavern where, all those years ago, Solonn had met Sophine and her mother. Then Sanaika left the cavern, and he sealed the exit behind him with a wall of ice.

Solonn knew that there was no way for him to get through that ice wall. Barriers like that one were commonplace in the warren, existing to control where snorunt could and could not go. The ice of which they were made was too thick for even his teeth, the teeth of a creature who frequently ate ice, to break through. It was reinforced with the raw power of the ice element, and could only be removed by the kind of control over ice that no snorunt possessed.

He knew that the tunnel that led up into this place from the snowgrounds had been blocked off in the same way not long after Kashisha had told on Zilag for encouraging others to travel through it, having learned as much from Zilag years ago. So it seemed that there was no option for Solonn other than to sit and wait for some glalie—and a decent one rather than someone like Sanaika, he hoped—to discover that he was here. He figured that he couldn’t rightly get into trouble as he had last time once he’d had a chance to tell of how, and because of whom, he had ended up here—or, at least, he hoped that he couldn’t get into trouble…

Solonn found himself strongly wishing that he wouldn’t have to wait much longer to be discovered, regardless of any punishment that might or might not be awaiting him. He was growing quite nervous about remaining in that place, and when he realized that it was because of those humans that Sanaika had said Solonn would encounter there, he couldn’t help but give a little laugh.

Gods, that’s not what you’re afraid of, is it? Solonn thought incredulously. Don’t be stupid, he scolded himself silently. You know there’s no such thing as humans!

“Well, well, well. I just knew that if we kept coming back here, we were sure to find one sooner or later.”

Startled, Solonn jumped at the unexpected, somewhat gruff-sounding voice. He turned toward its source. Standing only a couple of feet away was a manectric, but Solonn had no way of recognizing that. The electric-type had managed to sneak right up behind Solonn, completely unnoticed until he had spoken.

“Who… who are you?” Solonn asked nervously.

“Oh, there’ll be plenty of time for introductions once we’re back in Lilycove, buddy,” the manectric said. He then unleashed a chilling, wavering howl, the sound of which was magnified and echoed by the cavern.

As the howl faded, another sound became audible. Solonn recognized it as the sound of snow crunching underfoot, but these footfalls sounded much heavier than those made by his own feet or those of any other snorunt. The footsteps were approaching swiftly, and soon their owner came into view.

For a very long moment, Solonn’s mind went blank at the sight of the newcomer. They do exist, Solonn thought, his eyes wide with wonder. As impossible as part of him still insisted that such a thing was, the creature that now stood a short distance before him fit Sanaika’s description of a human well enough in his eyes to make him believe that that might very well be exactly what he was seeing.

“Ah, Brett, you found one! Good job!” the human said brightly. The sound of her voice surprised Solonn; he didn’t think that it fit Sanaika’s descriptions of how humans sounded at all.

The human then detached a pokéball from its resting place at her hip. It expanded in her hand, more than tripling in size. “Come out, Aaron!” she said.

At the human’s words, the sphere burst open at its equator. Energy exploded from within the sphere in a surge of white light, and then, much to Solonn’s astonishment, it coagulated into a living creature. A sceptile now stood at the human’s side.

“Don’t be afraid, snorunt,” the human said gently. “We don’t really want to hurt you. We’re going to make this as easy on you as possible. You won’t even feel a thing.”

She looked toward Brett and then toward Aaron. “Thunder wave and false swipe, please,” she instructed them respectively. The two pokémon gave quick nods of acknowledgment, then began moving toward Solonn. Brett’s fur crackled with dancing sparks of electricity, while one of the bladelike structures at Aaron’s left wrist took on a white glow.

Where others might have screamed, fled, or perhaps attacked out of fright, Solonn only stood and stared, transfixed by fascination and lingering disbelief at the human and the two pokémon who accompanied her. He seemed not to even realize that he was being attacked until it was too late.

Brett released a small pulse of electric-type energy. Solonn cried out at the initial pain as the attack struck him, but a second later, that pain was gone—along with all other sensation throughout his body. His legs gave out from under him in the next instant, and he toppled over onto his side.

Aaron was now standing over him, peering down through eyes of a dull yellow shade as he raised his glowing wrist blade. Solonn could not see this, however. His view of Aaron was limited to the sceptile’s tail and clawed feet. He did not see the careful, precise strike that left him on the sheer edge of consciousness, and just as the human had said would be the case, he did not feel it either.

“All right, that ought to do it,” the human said. From a pouch strapped to her shoulder, she produced another capture ball, a great ball this time.

Barely able to remain conscious as he was, Solonn’s mind didn’t quite register the human’s next action: she threw the ball at him. It opened in midair before him and released a beam of red energy that struck him and filled his fading vision with crimson light.

One second, Solonn was lying paralyzed and nearly unconscious on the cavern’s floor. The next… he was nowhere.

_________________________

A little history on the name “Kashisha”: the late Billie, one of my cats, would invariably hiss at me whenever I said that word to her. None of my other cats have ever responded that way to that word. Weird, but true. XD

Oh, by the way, if any of you would like to receive PM notification of the release of each new chapter, please let me know.

Next time: The intentions of Solonn’s captor are made clear. See you then!

- Sike Saner

[Wes]

Hmm things are starting to get more interesting. I really like this stuff Sike! Hmm... I wonder what's will happen next? Heh so far so good and yeah PM notifications wouldn't hurt.

[PDL]

quite an intriging fic... I like how the Snorunt and Glalie have exotic-sounding names, and how you desricbed the cold and hostile world of the ice cave.

[Klaus]

ahhhh, me likey, me likey. It definitly had unique qualities.

It kept we wanting more, it intrigues me and again makes me want more.

Ah, yes, I would like a PM when the next chapter is up.


As always, respect the mime.

[Kaizer]

Wow, first horror and now psychology. You really are a talented writer. I didn't have time to review chapter two yet, but I'll get to that sometime tonight or tomorrow, I promise. As for chapter one and the prologue; I really like them. The Glalie confuse me just as much as they confuse Solon though... If they eat them, then why do they lead them out of the cave? Or did she really lead it out of the cave? Anyway, it was a really good read and I only found one mistake in the prologue.


pale blue eyes, but his gleaming, white teeth were huge in proportion to the face that held them.

I believe you need a comma after white.

Well, I'll reply again later.
;245;

[Vortex]

Damn... O.O

I can't really say anything for this fic for it is amazing. It is nicely construction, no errors I noticed to speak upon, and a very entertaining and good story. The characters were intresting as well. Kashisha, the bad news older sister. The annoying Zubat, Zyrzir.

I really can't say much as on terms of how you need to approve. Every writer has room for approving, EVERY one but as far as you go you don't need advice from me. ^_^; This is an extremily good start I'll say!

[xXSaberXx]

OMFG YOU EVILLLLLLLLLL!

O_O This changes my whole perspective on catching pokemon. xP

Also, it seems like every Hoenn trainer that's in a fic has a Sceptile and Manectric. It could just be me.....xP Oh wells.

Over all, excellent chapter. The Zubat....good god. I think I hear his voice in my brain now...^_^;;; Oh, and my cat says words too when she meows. One of them is Merowr, and Rarol. O_o weird. xP Anyway, teh awesome....just...awesome. *gives kudo* KUDOS TO YOU!

[Dark Latios]

Very nice! Not to mention interesting... I don't know if I've ever read a fic quite like this before... I think it's cool how you based you fic on one certain pokemon though. ^^

Very good description in everything from the prologue to chap 2... I felt as if I was there too. Most interesting part was at the end of chap 2 when Solonn was caught.. It sounded so real of what he felt at the time. 0.0

Overall, awesome.. Just plain awesome.

One more thing, even though Zyrzir was annoying, I kinda hope he's in another chap. XD


*~Dark Latios~*

[GoldenHouou]

Wow. I liked this one very much. The chapters were a bit long though. But some people like long chapters. I´m not one of them, but I still loved this fic.


I don´t see any grammar errors either, exept that sometimes you said "he" when you menat "she" and other way around. But, as I have said to others too, I´m not the one to talk about proper spelling or grammar.

You descripe pokemons, places and emotions really well. I like that. I´m not too big fan of a Snorunt, but you made me respect them more. ^_^ I just can´t keep put wonder what kind of story would this be if the main pokemon would be four legged, though.

I like the plotr of the story. And especially now when Solonn got out from the caves. I don´t like caves. I always get lost in them. Oh, but that´s not the point... I also would appriciate a PM notification when you post next chapter, but I will not be here at weekend. You can still send me the Pm then, though.

[Elemental Charizam]

Bravo! I already love this fic; in all sense of the word the most original thing I've read here, I love the way its written and the very idea behind it. As with TOoS, I found it very readable too, I could've read page after page...


Solonn, this is Sile Van-Kil,” Solonn said, introducing the old man. “He’s with the Security Guild. Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble,” she added hastily, seeing the troubled look that flitted across her son’s face. “He just wants to ask you some questions.”
Just before I say anything more, I noticed this typo; I think it was his mother saying this.

So, Solonn was captured? I was almost fearing that that might happen - still, all good things must come to an end, and I'm excited to see where the story is going. I'd like to offer some improvement advice, but currently I can see nothing I could offer advice on... if I ever do find anything (not likely) I'll be sure to tell you :)

My Glalie loving conversion is now complete ;) :D

[Kaizer]

Ok, I've read chapter two now and all I can really say is that I want more.

I didn't spot any mistakes to point out this time and I didn't find anything wrong; other than you taking at least half-my brain with that zubat... I could try to compliment your writing more, but that just wouldn't be me so I'm going to say this review sucks and move on.

This review sucks and I look forward to the next chapter where the review will *hopefully* be much better.
;245;

[Saffire Persian]

You shouldn't have had to PM me to get me to read this fic, I should've read it anyway, regardless. Anyway, I'll try to review as well as I can. Though, my reviews will probably be sporatic due to my tendencies when it comes to posting and reviewing.


First off, I've always liked reading stories like this - the ones that are about the Pokemon, not the humans. I've found them fascinating for the most part, and have found they're either done horribly or done well. Luckily, yours is very much the latter.

If I could bother correctly typing out Solonn's full name, I would. Heck, I can't even correctly say the full name. Congrats. And yes, I like it. I think it mixes wonderfully in the little culture you've made for the Glalie line.

Certainly, all the characters are well done, and it's nice to see they're done in character. I never once doubted any of the characters actions, and found many of the ideas you included in the story very fun to read about - or think about.

Like the fact about Glalie being predatory creatures. That sentence got a long stare from me, as well as a spark of recognition as I looked at your user picture.. they certainly don't look like vegetarians.. or maybe snowitarians for that matter. I liked it, and am glad to find you take your writing seriously (though I never doubted).

I happen to like Solonn's mother - can't spell her name for the life of me - and quite enjoyed the little scene when his dear mother found him with the Spheal/Walerin pair. "Hell hath no fury" indeed.

Also the fact that Walerin are afraid of Glalie, I found amusing. Thinking Glalie would prey upon them is a logical answer, though I can't help but see Walerin as quite formidble opponents for them.. Those tusks! Added to the fact - if you include it - its Pokeability, which I believe would help protect it from Glalie's attacks even more.

I can't help but wonder of Sophine will run into Solonn again. I'm betting he does, but one can't be sure at this point.

I know I havne't gone over all of it, though I read the whole chapter and enjoyed it. The description was awesome, while the characters and their dialogue were even more so. I can see you know where you're heading, and I'll be delighted to read more whenever I next visit.

As for flaws, well, I'm sure there were some mechanical mistakes, though I find that to not be my forte. And, really, I rank mechanics low on 'what I consider to be a good story' list. Most important, are the characters. (Which you have done a superb job on, and I can't find any worthy complaints.)

Until next time.

[Brian Powell]

That Zyrzir… that guy cracked me up. Big time! XDDD I had to get that off my chest, cos he’s so funny… I wanna see him again!!

Ms. Saner,

At the beginning of the fic, I was just confused as Solonn was when he was asked about what he was doing for the last two weeks. This bit has got me in suspense. I wonder if you can answer that question in future?

How cruel can Sanaika get? He took him to a place and just left him there to be captured. What’s gonna happen to the poor little guy now? ;_;

There are no errors in this fic… apart from this one…


“Solonn, this is Sile Van-Kil,” Solonn said
Wasn’t his mum supposed to say that or was Solonn talking to himself?

Overall score (so far): 5 out of 5
Advice: Same as before

[Sike Saner]

Wes: You will get your PM notifications, sure. ^_^ Anyone else who wants those, please, speak up now if you’ve not already.

EvilKeckleon: I’m glad you like the names. They were one of the first aspects of the snorunt and glalie characters to be concieved.

Klaus: Another PM customer. Awesome. ^_^ No, you’ll not miss a chapter; I’ll make sure of it.

kaizer63: Though predatory, glalie (or Virc glalie, at least; they might do things differently in other glalie societies) nonetheless revere life. Because prey creatures such as zubat provide sustenance and make life possible for the glalie, they are considered sacred. As such, a glalie (with the exception of those like Kashisha or Sanaika) would not harm or kill a prey creature for any purpose other than for food, and would go out of his or her way to help one in need. And officially, for the record: Azvida said she would get the zubat out of the warren and back where she belonged, and she kept her word.

Vortex: Kashisha and Zyrzir are two of my favorite characters, and I had a fabulous time writing them. Glad you like them!

xXSaberXx: *shrugs* Sceptile and manectric were chosen in this case because Solonn’s captor is of the mindset that battling the crap out of a pokémon to capture it is inhumane, and hence uses two pokémon trained specifically to capture others using thunder wave to anesthetize the pokémon and then false swipe to weaken it with surgical presicion for minimal trauma and injury.

On a side note: One of my cats can say “Marbles”…God only knows what reason a cat would have to say “marbles”, but there it is.

Dark Latios: Yes, I was very insistent on doing the capture scene just like that. I could never accept the whole idea of a pokémon automatically wanting to challenge a prospective trainer to battle. I imagine that generally speaking, pokémon wouldn’t be raised in their own societies to merely await the day of an inevitable capture. In fact, I reckon that many pokémon in the wild would actually be partially or entirely ignorant of human practices. For Solonn, the appearance of the human, a fantastic creature supposed to exist only in legend, was a source of curiosity and bewildering, even mesmerizing fascination. There was no desire to attack or even run; all he could seem to do was stare in wonder.

GoldenHouou: Yeah, the chapters in this story are considerably longer than those in my prior works. I didn’t plan them that way… I guess I just find it irresistible to write a lot about this particular subject matter… I think my stance on that particular race of pokémon is clear. X3

It would definitely be a different experience, writing about a quadripedal species. One thing I’ve found in working with glalie is that the body type of the character has a substantial impact on the way you must wield that character since, of course, the body language it would use would have to be taken into account. Glalie is basically not much more than a face and enough body to carry it, so I’ve really had to think about how such a creature could express itself.

Elemental Charizam: XD Oh, God… Solonn is his own mother! *dies, resurrects and goes to fix that*

Saffire Persian: Walrein are formidable creatures. Hence, glalie typically leave those the frell alone. Generally, glalie will take zubat, which are weaker and more plentiful. Otherwise, they will almost never prey on anything more advanced than a spheal, and a young one, at that. The reason that they take the young rather than adult sealeo and walrein is that if a child is taken, well, that’s it: one life. Kill the parents, however, and their children could die as a result of having no one to care for them. Again, Virc glalie revere life, and will not take more lives than they must. Large prey would typically only be taken as a last resort.

As to how a glalie can kill something with a x8 resistance to ice, the primary kill weapon of glalie in the context of my stories is a technique which is essentially a lethal-strength version of the sheer cold technique—or, more accurately, sheer cold is a diluted version of the killing technique. It is very difficult for them to manipulate the power of this attack into the non-lethal version we know as sheer cold, and hence glalie take longer to learn sheer cold than any other technique. The difficulty of the non-lethal version is also the cause of its inaccuracy—or that’s the cause for sheer cold’s inaccuracy for this species, anyway. For many other users of sheer cold, the inaccuracy stems simply from being less accomplished cryokinetics, species who did not evolve to use it specifically as a predatory weapon. That said, there are species that are far more skilled with the sheer cold technique in the context of my stories than the glalie are. Guess which.

Brian Powell: Zyrzir seems to be earning quite a few fans… That’s good; I had thought that he would just end up making folks want to take power drills to their own skulls… X3 And yeah, Sanaika’s a real *******. He was a lot of fun to write, too.

I’ll let you all know now that there’s going to be a slight delay in the next chapter since I have to take the computer to the shop for a couple of upgrades sometime this week. Chapter 3 should be able to come out sometime next week; at the present, it still needs a couple of last-minute tweaks.

As always, thanks again, immensely and sincerely, for the support. ^^

[SnoringFrog]

I read the prologue, I'll read the rest as well as Origins, later. Sounds good so far.

[metal_chimaera]

Well, well, well. Guess who's back. Although it might not do any difference *sigh* Don't worry I'll explain Sike.

Anyway, about the fic... What to say. Well, in two words, It's as superb as your first one although in a different style (somehow). As you might have guessed, IMO (too), Zyrzir's really funny. Sanaika's kinda neat too (in a different way). Reminds me both of some other people I know... Anyway, I have to say that right in the beginning (read: the first two paragraphs) It didn't really hook me up, but you took care of that in the following paragraph.

Oh well, as I suspected your fics have once again converted people into Glalie loving fans :D

P.S.: It don't think I stick to the "two words" there...

[Typhlogirl]

Hey Sike, do you ever feel a weird feeling when you read a really well written fic?

I just got that feeling.

This was fantastic. It just...flowed. Perfectly. I loved well written fics. They are simply pleasures to read. I loved this one. I especially loved the names of all the Snorunt and Glalie. Did you think of them yourself? Because I love names like those. They are fun to say!! XD

I presume years mean levels, right? That seems to make sense, (in my mind XD).

Words can't really describe how much I thought of this fic. I just read it and went, WOW. THATS GOOD. Plus, I've never read a fic with a Snorunt or Glalie, which gives it extra points. You described them very well.

God, I hates Kashisha and Sanaika, (though I love that name). *kicks teh stupid bullies*. Geez, I hope I'm not that mean to my little brother and his friends...XD. I seriously hope that Azvida beats the living crap outta those two. They deserve it. :D

Anyway, add me to your pm list. It's rare that you find fics of this quality.

Happy writing!!

-;157;

[Chaos Absol]

Ya, Sike can you add me to your PM list too?Becuase this fic is awsome.In fact, I'm just about to rate it five stars.

[Cs32]

Hello Sike, I'm sorry for not coming sooner. When I read your email..it was last night when I was going to get off and I noticed it was there for like two weeks. So I came as soon as possible and wanted you to know that I am not avoiding this whatsoever. I actually really like this fic, I think it's pretty good really. I like how you didn't just start out with a basic trainer fic then have the girl capture Solonn. Weird he is captured at 19...so he should have been more mature I thought but of course this is pokemon. Will Solonn stay with this new girl and her Manectric + Aaron? Or will he try and escape? I think it would be fun for him to stay with the girl, and I think thats what you are doing but I could be wrong. Either way, I can't wait for your next chapter.
Later,
~~CS~~

P.S. Could I please be on your PM list to? I get on this like once or twice a day and catch up with all my fics then, thanks.

[Pinecone Tortoise]

Whoo, this has to be one of the greatest fics I've read in a long time. Very original names, not to mention subject matter. ^^ Keep it up. It's both funny and exciting.

Pinecone Tortoise.

[Kiyohime]

Aaaaheeeeee....x_x I'm quite sorry for dawdling with my review, so here goes. *cough*
So far, I like this a fair bit better than your first story, just because Solonn was such a great character an now this fanfiction focuses on him. ^.^ Your description is quite simply, beautiful as always.

*cue brain failure at this point*

Fear not, I'll be reading this regularly. *scuttles away*

[Sike Saner]

SnoringFrog: ^_^ Glad you like it so far.

metal_chimaera: Yikes, you know someone like Sanaika? That’s kind of a scary thought—I hope this person doesn’t give you too much trouble!

Typhlogirl: Yes, all the names are original. They all have their origins in Alvayan, a fictional language.

Years refer to… years. There are no numerical levels, per se, in my pokémon stories; the concept’s a bit looser, a bit more context-sensitive. The pokémon gain techniques and evolve when they have achieved the raw elemental power necessary to facilitate these advances. The power requirements differ between species and also usually among individuals, as well. There are a number of factors which build this power, and which of these facilitate evolution differ between species. Some of these are already established: power gained through experience, power gained from an elemental stone, et cetera. However, in the case of several species, the power necessary to gain command over new techniques and evolve may also be built by age—in that way, you were right on the money. Solonn, though nineteen, is not the equivalent of a level nineteen snorunt in the games (he would be higher, actually). However, in his species, at least, age can pay a role in advancent just as levels would. Perhaps, then, it could be said that in the context of my stories, aging can do the equivalent of raising levels in the instance of some species, at least.

Chaos Absol: Oh, yes, you shall go on the PM list. ^^

Cs32: Snorunt and glalie age at a somewhat slower rate than humans in the context of my stories. I would place Solonn as roughly the equivalent of a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old human; biologically speaking, at least. Psychologically, however… well, it’s a bit harder to reckon that by age in comparing his kind to ours, especially considering that psychological development rates also differ within each species.

Pinecone Tortoise: Funny? That’s good to hear. ^^

Alseides: Yeah, snorunt and glalie are not exactly served up as “mascot” material, are they? X3 I’ve always seemed to gravitate more towards things that rarely see the limelight, though; they hold more mystique for me. So, generally speaking, those are the things I will write about. The big, popular characters are almost never my favorites. Things that get constant exposure and have so many aspects of who and/or what they are revealed and explained have never interested me as much because they give me little or nothing to wonder about regarding those things. I like wondering. ^^

Scrap: The fact that you say that this story thus far exceeds The Origin of Storms means a great deal to me, as I had been concerned about being able to follow that story with something at least as good. Fear of the old sophomore slump, you know. I hope that this story can continue to live up to and/or even go beyond its predecessor. ^^


Once again, thank you to everyone who has read and/or reviewed so far. ^^

_________________________


Chapter 3 – The Deal


There were a number of things that Solonn felt upon his release from the capture ball. First came sheer relief, both at no longer being drained and paralyzed (he distantly wondered how he had recovered so completely and suddenly), and, to a greater degree, at just being out of that ball—its particular style of confinement had just been too surreal by his reckoning. He had been conscious all the while that he’d been contained within that sphere, but had seemed not to actually exist. It was as though the great ball had reduced him to nothing more than a mind without a body, impossible though it seemed to him that such a thing should be. Trying to make sense of it seemed to achieve nothing more than a sore head, and so Solonn pushed that particular matter aside for the time being.

With the mysteries of the capture ball no longer first and foremost on his mind, Solonn’s focus shifted to the human who stood just a short distance in front of him. Since his captor was no longer wearing the heavy clothing that had protected her from the cold of Shoal Cave, she looked somewhat smaller now, less bulky, and with her head no longer covered by a hood, he could now see her brown, shoulder-length hair.

The next thing that Solonn noticed about his present situation was that the environment into which he had been brought was too warm for his liking. “Er… excuse me,” he said as he looked up at the human. “It’s a little too warm in here… could you do anything about that?”

The human merely stared at him in response.

Solonn repeated his request. This time, his captor cocked her head a bit and smiled at him, but she still did not answer, nor did she make any move to change the temperature.

It was then that Solonn realized that the human was not understanding a single word that he was saying. This didn’t make sense to him; every time before that Solonn had encountered a member of another species, they had been as able to understand him as were those of his own kind. Why, he wondered, was the human any different?

Solonn wondered then if she might understand him if he were to speak to her using a human voice. As he considered it, his mind brought forth the memories of her voice as he had heard it back in Shoal Cave, and he felt quite sure that he could pull off an imitation of that voice.

With that confidence, he was about to give the voice a try—but then he stopped himself. He had just been struck by the realization that doing these “impressions” was what had gotten him swept up into this situation to begin with. It was because he had revealed that talent that he had gotten mixed up with Sanaika’s gang and that now—it hit him all at once—he would likely never see home again.

In sudden panic, Solonn began to tremble, and the human responded to this right away. “Oh, poor little guy,” she said, looking upon him with a pitying expression as she knelt down upon the floor in front of him. “It’s okay; you have nothing to be scared of.”

She opened her arms to Solonn, which only confused him. She then wrapped her arms around him and tried to lift him up, but he was quite heavier than she had expected. Solonn, meanwhile, did not like what she was doing. For a moment, his instincts took over, and he tried to wriggle free of her grasp. He just barely managed to stop himself short of biting her.

Finally, sensing both the futility of her efforts and the snorunt’s aversion to what she was trying to do, the human gave up and let go of Solonn. Shaking the coldness of her contact with the ice-type from her hands, she stood and went to fetch a pillow from the bed. She placed it on the floor as something on which Solonn could sit and perhaps be more comfortable. The snorunt ignored it completely, giving her a penetrating stare.

The human sighed. “Okay. I’ll tell you what: I’ll go and get you something nice, something that I promise you’ll like. In the meantime, I’ll give you a chance to get acquainted with a couple of your new friends. You’ve already met Aaron and Brett, but I have three other pokémon friends. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait to meet Sei until she gets out of the pokémon center; she’s been pretty sick. But you can go ahead and introduce yourself to these two.”

She removed two capture balls from her belt and released their occupants in twin surges of white light. A skarmory materialized at her right, while a claydol appeared at her left. There was something strangely disconcerting on a very primal level about the former, but Solonn couldn’t quite place what that something was.

“This is Raze,” the human introduced as she pointed at the skarmory, “and this is Ominous,” she said, pointing at the claydol. “Oh… I forgot to introduce myself, didn’t I?” she realized aloud with a small giggle. “My name is Morgan Yorke. Anyway, these pokémon are some of my best friends, and I just know that ultimately you and I are going to get to be really good friends, too. See you in a few minutes!” she said, then left the room.

For a moment, the other two pokémon just stared at Solonn, and he seemed unable to do anything but stare back. He quickly began to wish they would stop it, particularly with regards to Ominous—it was just more than a little unnerving to him to have that many eyes staring at him from the same face.

All those eyes left no room on Ominous’s face for a mouth; therefore, it was quite a surprise for Solonn to hear the claydol speak to him then—although it didn’t sound as though Ominous was actually saying anything. Its “voice”, if it could truly be called that, consisted of a rapid-fire series of low-pitched, hollow-sounding noises. Solonn got an immediate sense that he could never replicate that voice, no matter how he tried.

“With your brain, nitwit!” Raze suddenly squawked, interrupting the claydol.

Ominous winced, closing all of its eyes in unison. <I apologize,> it said. <I should not still be forgetting about that…>

A second after Ominous had spoken, Solonn realized, astounded, that he’d not actually heard its words. Rather, even while its actual voice had rattled on incomprehensibly in Solonn’s ears, the words the claydol was conveying had sounded within his mind, just as one of his own thoughts would do. Solonn wasn’t quite sure what to make of this phenomenon.

<As I was attempting to say,> Ominous proceeded then, <the name by which Morgan called me is not my actual name. My true name is Oth.>

“My name really is Raze, though,” the skarmory said slightly dismally. “I was born in this house, and that’s when Morgan gave me that name. I don’t think it’s such a great name, but…” She ruffled her magenta-feathered wings in the skarmory equivalent of a shrug. “So, what name did she give you?” Raze asked then.

“Er… I don’t know,” Solonn admitted. “My real name is Solonn, though.”

<She must not have given him his new name yet, then,> Oth supposed.

“Maybe she isn’t going to give me another name,” Solonn said.

“Oh, she’ll give you one,” Raze said. “Maybe you’ll like it, and maybe you won’t. But you’ll be grateful for it, and also grateful that you got landed with Morgan and not some other coordinator, because with some coordinators, you would just get called ‘Snorunt’.”

“…Coordinators?” Solonn had never heard of such a thing.

Raze cocked her head at Solonn. “You have a lot to learn,” she said.

“Then you have a lot to explain,” Solonn countered. “What’s a coordinator?”

“Well, a coordinator is your human coach and partner for the contests,” Raze explained. “And before you ask: in a contest, you just basically have to show off your powers. You use them in ways that impress humans. In your case, that means you can’t just blow a couple of snowflakes at them and expect to win.”

Somehow, the idea of “showing off” for the humans was less than appealing to Solonn—in fact, it rather reminded him of being ushered off by Kashisha to show off for her friends. “Wait, why would I want to do this, anyway?” he asked. “What’s in it for me?”

Raze’s yellow eyes suddenly glittered with zeal. “I’ll show you!” she said eagerly, then speedily crossed the room. “Come here!” she beckoned gleefully, standing before a bookcase that was just a bit shorter than she was. After a moment of skeptical hesitation, Solonn complied. “Have a look at these!” Raze said cheerfully once the snorunt had joined her, inclining her head toward something sitting on the bookcase’s top shelf.

“I can’t see up there, Raze,” Solonn said.

“Oh… oops,” Raze said with a small, embarrassed laugh. Somewhat awkwardly, she used her beak to pick up the thing that she was trying to show to Solonn and set it down on the floor between herself and the snorunt.

Solonn peered at the object that had just been placed before him. It was a large, flat, plastic case. Through its transparent lid, he could see a collection of twelve small trinkets: colored ribbons, each adorned with a little metal medallion. The case also contained slots for eight more of these ribbons.

“The red ones are mine,” Raze said, positively radiating pride, “the yellow ones are Oth’s, and the green ones are Sei’s. Now, yours, if I’m not mistaken, are gonna be blue.”

“Hm.” You sure are assuming a lot, Raze… Solonn thought. It was going to take more than just a bunch of ribbons to convince Solonn that these “contests” were anything of which he should like to have any part. “So,” he spoke up after a long moment’s silence, looking up from the ribbon case and right into Raze’s eyes, “this is what Morgan keeps us for?”

“Well, yeah, pretty much,” Raze answered. She then put the ribbon case back up on top of the bookcase, taking one last moment to admire her ribbons before turning her attention fully to the snorunt.

“So… suppose I didn’t want to be a part of these contests… would she take me back home, then?” Solonn asked.

There was a prolonged silence. Raze and Oth exchanged awkward glances.

“Well?” Solonn pressed.

<Solonn…> Oth began hesitantly. <Morgan had been seeking a snorunt to train for entry into contests for quite some time. She has spent many an hour composing routines and strategies for you… I do not imagine that she would want for her plans to go to waste, Solonn.>

“Well, maybe she can just go find some other snorunt for the job,” Solonn suggested. “Someone who actually wants it.”

<I do not believe you would really want that,> Oth said. <You do not truly wish for another snorunt, possibly one of your friends, to be taken from his or her home just so that you can return to your own.>

Solonn stared agape at Oth for a moment. The claydol was completely right; Solonn did not even try in the slightest to contradict it.

“This… this is your home now, Solonn,” Raze said, knowing the consolation to be futile even as she offered it. “You’ll get used to it eventually; I know you will.”

“Yeah, of course you can say that,” Solonn muttered, not really bothering to make himself inaudible. “You were born here.”

“I—” Raze began to counter, but she couldn’t quite find the right words with which to respond and thus abandoned her comeback with a sigh.

It was then that the door opened as Morgan returned, and she was not alone. Accompanying her was another human female, slightly taller and with shorter, darker hair.

“There he is,” Morgan said as the two entered, indicating Solonn with her hand. “What do you think of him?”

“Oh, he’s adorable,” the other human remarked. She stooped slightly to come a bit closer to the snorunt’s eye level. “Hi,” she said in a friendly tone. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Eliza, Morgan’s mother.” She extended her arms to Solonn with an expecting gaze.

“He doesn’t do hugs,” Morgan informed her.

“Oh… Well, that’s all right,” Eliza said, withdrawing her arms and straightening her posture. “What’s his name?” she then asked.

“I’ve decided to call him Azrael,” Morgan replied.

Solonn gave her a funny look. That’s really the best you could come up with?

“Oh, that’s lovely,” Eliza commented.

Morgan smiled in response to her mother’s remark. She then brought a small, polystyrene bowl forward, holding it out in front of Solonn.

Distracted by the arrival of the new human, Solonn hadn’t even noticed that Morgan had been holding the bowl. He now stared at it with uncertainty, edging somewhat closer to it in order to get a look inside. He saw that the bowl contained something that looked more or less like snow but was bright blue in color.

“This is for you,” Morgan told him. “Try it, it’s really good.”

Solonn gazed into the bowl for another second or two, then turned a skeptical gaze toward Morgan.

“Go on, it’s tasty. I promise you’ll like it,” Morgan tried to assure him.

Still wearing an expression of doubt, Solonn nonetheless took the bowl from Morgan’s hands. He continued to hesitate for another long moment before unenthusiastically dipping his hand into the blue snow, scooping some of it up, and putting it in his mouth. The blue snow had a flavor that he could never have imagined—he conceded to himself at once that it was good as Morgan had said it would be, if not moreso.

However… the knowledge that his life had become one whose sole purpose was to perform tricks for people’s amusement like some kind of jester and that there seemed to be no way to return to the life that he’d previously known was now attending heavily upon him and leaving a rather unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach. He did not feel like eating. With a despondent sigh, he set the bowl down and turned away from Morgan.

“Hey… are you feeling okay?” Morgan asked worriedly.

Solonn did not respond to her, neither then nor following her several subsequent attempts to get through to him. More than once, she tried to tempt him with that blue snow, but he continued to refuse it. He could not change this new life, but for a while, at least, he could try to ignore it and pretend that it wasn’t happening.


* * *

The remainder of that evening, as well as the night that followed, consisted of an awkward pattern of failed interactions between Solonn and his would-be coordinator. Morgan attempted time and time again to converse and be friendly with him, but each time, she was met with resolute silence from the snorunt. After each unsuccessful attempt to socialize with him, she would leave him alone for an hour or so before giving it another go, only to fail to get through to him yet again.

The human did, at least, leave Solonn out of the great ball through the night, for which he was grateful. Perhaps, Solonn considered, she had thought that this would offer her new pokémon some time to grow more accustomed to his surroundings. However, the snorunt instead viewed it as a potential opportunity to flee from the human’s custody while she slept.

Unfortunately, he found out very quickly that escape was not an option. The door was rendered an impassible barrier by a sliding lock, one that was installed in the door at a height that was beyond Solonn’s reach. If not for the fact that Morgan’s bookcase contained small, pewter pokémon statues rather than books, he might have been able to stack up a few volumes as a means by which to reach that lock.

The room’s sole window was positioned within Solonn’s reach, but it didn’t offer an avenue of escape, either; Morgan’s room was upstairs in a two-story house. Though by no means enjoying his present situation, Solonn wasn’t inclined to escape it by falling to likely injury and possible death.

Having given up on finding a way to slip out, he just sat there on the windowsill, staring out through the window at its view of an alien environment. This was not his world, not his place—though he could not deny that he found it fascinating, even rather lovely to behold as he watched the light show put on by the cars that moved past the house.

Though tired in many ways, most of which were not physical, Solonn found that he could not sleep. His eyes remained open and fixed on the city outside, watching as the rising sun brought a new day over the border of the horizon.

A couple of hours later, Morgan stirred nearby in her bed, awakening. Sighing, Solonn turned away from the window at last, wondering in which ways the human would try to reach him today.

He received his answer quite shortly. Morgan left the room for a few minutes, then returned with more of that blue snow and set it down in front of him. He accepted it this time and ate nearly all of it, but only because he was earnestly very hungry. The human smiled at him as she took away the empty bowl, then departed to take her own breakfast.

It was when Morgan next returned that she attempted to step up the level of interaction between herself and her new pokémon a little more.

“I’ll bet you’re wondering why you’re here, aren’t you?” she said, her tone clearly intended to sound as kindly and non-threatening as possible. “Well, you don’t have to worry. It’s not going to be anywhere near as scary as you might think. In fact, I bet you’ll have more fun than you’ve ever had before.”

Morgan then proceeded to illustrate her intention to enter Solonn in contests, not really telling him anything that he hadn’t already heard from Raze and Oth the evening before. He pretended not to pay any attention to her, though in reality he was absorbing her every word. It seemed that he was simply unable to tune out a foreign voice.

The day progressed, and Morgan continued to tell Solonn of the ideas she had conceived with regards to the routines that he could employ in contests. As she spoke to him, he had to admit to himself that she didn’t sound as though she truly had any malevolent intentions for him. She wasn’t really coming across to him as a human version of Kashisha; she seemed only to possess a friendly desire to invite him into her strange little hobby, not a desire to prey on him in any sense.

Whether Morgan’s intentions were benign or not, Solonn nonetheless was still not too keen on the idea of making a spectacle of himself, having learned all too well how doing such sometimes earned the wrong kind of attention. There was also still the matter of his captor’s purported unwillingness to let Solonn leave if he so wished, which made it rather difficult for him to very readily accept any sort of friendship or partnership with the human. Hence, as the evening found Morgan offering to initiate the first steps in Solonn’s training, he refused her efforts to bring him into the role that she had chosen for him in silent protest of his detainment.

That night, Solonn sat once again in the moonlight, contemplating his situation as he perched upon the windowsill and gazed outside. Lilycove bore no resemblance to the world that Solonn had known. This left him quite certain that he was very far from home, too far for him to feasibly make it back there by himself.

His eyes fell upon the bed where the human was peacefully sleeping. Solonn wanted to leave, to return home, but this creature would not allow him to do so.

Wait, though… how do I really know she wouldn’t? the thought occurred to him then. Raze and Oth had implied that Morgan had no intention of letting him go, but the human herself had never said anything along the lines of, “You’re never leaving. You’re mine forever.” Morgan had never specifically mentioned anything at all regarding whether or not Solonn could ever depart her custody. Moreover, she didn’t even know that her new snorunt desired to be returned to his home.

What if she actually knew that I want to go back home? Solonn wondered. He could really only speculate as to what her response would be, though, for the problem remained that she was, for whatever reason, unable to understand his speech. He could not communicate with her.

…Although, maybe he could. He had, after all, still not tried to see if Morgan could understand him if he were to speak like a human. However, he was still hesitant to attempt it, for the memory of what the last use of his mimicry had earned for him was still fresh on his mind.

The fact remained, though, that Solonn would likely never know how Morgan would really respond to his desire to be returned home unless he shared it with her. As he thought about it, it began to seem to him that he was doing himself more of a disservice by not giving it a try than by taking the risk.

Furthermore, Solonn questioned if there really was that much of a risk involved with exposing his talents in order to speak with this creature. True, he had gotten into trouble the last time he had presented this skill of his. However, as he considered once again, Morgan was no Kashisha, at least not as far as he could tell, so perhaps it wouldn’t be like last time. Perhaps Morgan would simply hear him out without making him sorry that he’d reached out to her and give him what he wanted…

But then, Solonn found himself considering what Oth had told him: <I do not imagine that she would want for her plans to go to waste, Solonn.> Morgan truly seemed to him to have her heart set on entering contests with him, and he suspected that she would not so readily abandon those aspirations. Solonn could tell her that he wanted to leave, but as long as she held these intentions for him, what chance was there, really, that she would let him go?

That’s when the idea hit him: maybe, just maybe, a deal could be struck.

Solonn carefully gauged the distance between the windowsill and the bed, then sprang from his perch. The mattress yielded with a bounce to Solonn’s weight as he landed, yet Morgan slept on, snoring slightly. Solonn gazed at her from the foot of the bed. Her sleeping form glowed softly through the darkness with the heat of her body, giving her an almost spectrelike appearance.

Moving toward the concentrated glow that surrounded the human’s head almost as if it were a beacon, Solonn made his way to the head of the bed. Morgan’s face was half concealed by a few errant strands of her hair. Solonn moved them aside, revealing the serene face of his captor. It was interesting, he thought, how a creature whose practice was to abduct people from their homes could look so incredibly benign. The snorunt then reached down toward the human’s face again, this time drawing his hand slowly across her cheek.

Morgan stirred, but only very slightly. Solonn had assumed that the contrasting coldness of his hand against her warm skin would be sufficient to awaken her but now realized that he should have recognized her as a heavy sleeper when his jumping on the bed had failed to make her wake up. He began prodding her in the temple, hoping that that would end her slumber. If it didn’t, he was prepared to do whatever was necessary to awaken her. He was not averse to giving her a small bite if that was what it took.

Luckily for Morgan (at least compared to the biting that she would have received otherwise), Solonn’s current efforts succeeded in waking her up, albeit only because one of his prods missed its mark somewhat and found its way into her left eye.

“Hey!” she responded at once, awakening instantly but not quite fully. She lifted her head slightly from the pillow, grumbling incoherently and rubbing her sore eye for a moment, then shook her head a bit in an effort to more fully awaken, yawning loudly as she did so. She then shifted and turned, sitting up slightly more and craning her neck awkwardly in order to try and get a look at what could have possibly just poked her in the eye. Her eyes, still blurry and adjusting to their resumed usage, just managed to make out the pointed silhouette of the snorunt standing beside her. The light from Solonn’s eyes partially illuminated his face and reflected brightly off of his teeth, giving him a rather eerie appearance.

“Hello, Morgan,” he said quietly, nearly whispering, in a voice that wavered slightly but sounded like Morgan’s voice nonetheless.

Morgan blinked sleepily at the snorunt for a second. “…Hi,” she said finally, the word almost lost in its emergence in the near-simultaneous release of another great yawn.

Then she realized to whom and what she had just replied.

In an instant, she was wide awake, sitting upright and staring at the pokémon beside her with greatly widened eyes. For several seconds, response of any sort to the situation failed her. Finally, she managed a half-gasped, “What?”

“I said hello,” Solonn repeated, his voice deceptively calm.

Morgan remained silently agape for a brief while before she seemed able to get her next words out. “…But… no, you can’t…”

“Yes, I can.”

“But… how?” Morgan asked, her voice sounding rather strained.

“…I don’t know how I can,” Solonn admitted uneasily.

Morgan took a moment to digest that silently. “This is a dream,” she then decided aloud, and began to turn away from Solonn and back toward her pillow.

“No, it’s not,” Solonn said. “And you know it’s not.” He leaned over her slightly so that the light from his eyes washed over her face. “But if you want to be sure, I can bite you. It’d hurt, and I’m sorry it would, but you’d be sure you were really feeling it, I promise you.”

Morgan sat up once again. For a second, she was leveling a look at Solonn that suggested that she wanted to accuse him of lying, but that gaze faltered almost as soon as it had formed. She turned slightly, seeming less than willing now to look him right in the eyes. “It’s okay, Azrael. You don’t have to bite me. I… I believe you.”

Solonn nodded slightly. “Good. That’s good,” he said, his words followed by a small sigh of slight relief. There went the first obstacle—Morgan seemed to have accepted that she could now understand his speech. Hopefully, she could now be counted on to hear him out. “…But Morgan? My name isn’t Azrael. It’s Solonn,” he then said.

Morgan’s expression momentarily turned to one of surprise, but quickly relaxed once more. “It shouldn’t surprise me that you have your own name,” she said, sounding a bit apologetic. “I bet a lot of pokémon do. Like Sei; she told me hers the first time she evolved, and I’ve been calling her that ever since. Before that, I’d been calling her Enchantress…”

Morgan gave a faint chuckle. “I liked that name, but she told me not to call her that anymore, so I don’t. Now, Ominous… Sei told me what its real name was, and so I asked it if it wanted me to start calling it Oth from now on—that’s its name—but according to Sei, it said not to. I think it might have been worried about hurting my feelings by turning down the name I gave it; it’s such a softie, really…”

“So… you mean you can understand Sei, too?” Solonn asked, a bit surprised.

“Yeah. But that’s only because she’s a very powerful psychic-type. She has really advanced telepathic skills, and that’s how she can make me understand her.”

“Oth has telepathy, too. Why can’t you understand it?” Solonn asked.

“…I actually didn’t know that it had telepathy,” Morgan said, sounding surprised.

Oth must be hiding it from her… Solonn realized. He found himself beginning to wonder why it would do so, and also began to worry slightly that he perhaps shouldn’t have told Morgan of its telepathy since Oth apparently desired to keep that matter a secret.

Morgan, meanwhile, had found herself able to make eye contact with Solonn again. Her expression now was one that spoke of burgeoning amazement. “…I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be goggling at you like this,” she said as she seemed to realize the way that she was looking at Solonn. “It’s just… God, this is so incredible. I thought pokémon had to use telepathy to make themselves understood.”

“Guess you were wrong,” Solonn said simply.

“Guess so.” Morgan gave a soft laugh and smiled, her features exuding something that looked rather like pride (although why Morgan should feel proud, Solonn couldn’t figure out; it wasn’t as though she were to credit for his ability to speak to humans, after all).

The human’s features shifted suddenly, becoming strangely unreadable. “Hey. Could you do me a favor, though?” she asked.

“What?”

“Do you… do you have to sound like a girl when you talk?” Morgan asked. A very odd look came over her face as she realized something. “Do you have to sound like me? How can you sound like me?!” she demanded, sounding rather alarmed.

“Shh! Try to keep quiet; I don’t want your mother to wake up,” Solonn urged. “And I already told you, I don’t know how I do it.”

“…Sorry,” Morgan said, lowering her voice significantly. “But anyway, could you just… um, not sound like me? No offense, but it’s… kind of weirding me out. Why don’t you just use your normal voice from now on, okay?”

Solonn was about to respond, to tell Morgan that she would no longer understand him if he stopped using that human voice. But then, something caught in his mind: Why should what voice I use make a difference in whether or not anyone understands me? He could understand how the abilities of a psychic could make the understanding of speech possible by entering the mind and tricking it into hearing words it recognized. He, however, was no psychic, and he knew it.

A different voice should still only produce the same words, he reckoned; it shouldn’t have the power to transform those words into others. If a creature, like this human, could not understand his words, he should have to use different words to be understood. Their words. Their language.

The gears of his mind momentarily stopped turning as epiphany struck him like a falling stone. The only way Morgan could be understanding him was if he was, in fact, speaking her language instead of his own. And that was precisely what he was doing.

Solonn was stupefied. For the life of him, he could not fathom how this could be at all possible. That he could be spontaneously able to fluently speak a language that he did not, could not know, a language of which he had only heard a couple of handfuls of words, was a staggering, almost paralyzing notion to him.

He swallowed hard, and his mouth went immediately dry afterward. He was fond of wondering and loath to resist the urge to do so, but the desire to understand this matter was so savagely desperate that he could barely tolerate it. It was almost physically painful, knowing that there was something so strange within him and wanting dearly to know quite what it was and how it could be possible but seeming unable to do so.

If he had belonged to some other species, he might have begun crying in his astonishment. As it happened, though, his tears were not in service to his emotions, as was the case for all of his kind. His internal struggle to fathom himself could only convey itself through the trembling of his body and the wavering of the light in his eyes.

“Is… is something wrong?” Morgan asked, sounding more than a little concerned.

Solonn met her gaze, the earnest care behind the human’s eyes managing to register within his mind despite everything else going on behind his own eyes at the time. He tried to respond but couldn’t quite decide what to say, especially since he wasn’t quite sure of how he should say it. He should be able to use his own voice, he tried to reason silently—it had to be the language and not the voice—but he still just couldn’t quite believe it.

“It’s okay,” Morgan said. “If you’re not comfortable talking to me in your own voice, you don’t really have to.”

Solonn closed his eyes. “No,” he croaked softly, continuing to use Morgan’s voice, his throat feeling as though it were trying to seal itself shut. “No, it’s… it’s not that.”

To prove that that wasn’t the issue, he determined that he would have to try and speak to Morgan with his own voice while still speaking her language. He would just have to try and force himself not to let his mind be ensnared by the mental block that was created by the notion that he was doing something that should not be possible.

Solonn took a deep breath and forced himself to return Morgan’s gaze once more. “It’s nothing…” he finally managed. Conscious as he presently was of the seemingly impossible thing that he was doing, the release of his every word felt as though he were pushing a boulder out of his mouth. Get a grip, he tried to command himself, you’re supposed to be talking to her for a reason, remember? “Listen…” he began slowly, all too self-consciously. “I’m sorry I woke you… but we need to talk.”

Morgan nodded. “Okay. What about?”

“Well… it’s about those contests…”

“You don’t want to do them, do you?” Morgan said. “I’ve kind of gotten that impression.”

“…What?” Solonn was taken aback—he had not expected that the human would have recognized his desires. “No… I mean, I’d rather not, but… I’ll do them.”

“Azr—Solonn… you don’t have to. Seriously, if you don’t want to…”

“No, it’s okay,” Solonn insisted. By the initial impression that he’d gotten from Raze’s and Oth’s words, he had imagined that Morgan would take great offense to his wishes to have nothing to do with the contests if she were to learn about them and would vehemently refuse to relinquish her plans for him. Yet here she was, ready to give up her intentions for him without any sign of a conflict. Solonn now found himself feeling quite guilty about his unfavorable preconceptions of her.

He sighed. “I know… I know you’ve been planning hard for a long time for this… and I know it means a lot to you. It’s… it’s not a big deal. Really. I’ll do it—but only on one condition.”

“What?” Morgan asked, sending a troubled, doubtful look into Solonn’s eyes.

Solonn took another deep breath. “Okay. Raze and Oth… they showed me their ribbons. Four each. That’s… that’s how many I have to get myself, isn’t it? Four?” he asked. Morgan nodded. “Okay. After I get the fourth one—you have to promise me, Morgan—after I get that fourth ribbon… you have to let me go. You have to take me back home. Promise me, Morgan. Or I won’t do it.”

“Oh, Solonn…” Morgan’s gaze turned from merely troubled to earnestly sad, earnestly sorry. “If you want to go so bad, I’ll take you home right now. I’ll get Ominous out of its ball and wake it up, and we’ll teleport there right—”

“No!” Solonn interrupted her. His guilt had increased greatly—not only was Morgan fully accepting of his wishes regarding the contests, she was even completely ready and willing to take him straight back home, and he had imagined her as immovably, irreconcilably possessive of him, as a creature who would never release his life from the grip of her own…

“No… I said it’s okay, and I meant it,” he insisted, trying his best to convey a firm conviction in spite of the way his voice was shaking. “I’ll do this. I don’t mind, I really don’t, just as long as I know I’ll be going home when this is done. That way… that way, we can both get what we want.” He swallowed. “It’s only fair, don’t you think?”

There was a long silence, one that seemed to tremble along with the two who shared it. Morgan gazed with anguish at Solonn, silent until a strangled sound, the prelude to a sob, escaped from her throat. In the next moment, her eyes filled with tears, which then fell forth in streams that shone in the moonlight as they ran down Morgan’s face. Solonn had never seen such a thing in his life; he couldn’t help but stare in wonder, amazed by the beauty that he saw in it.

Morgan nodded then, but that action was overshadowed by a sudden, forward motion that was halfway between lunging and collapsing. Her arms encircled Solonn, and she pressed her forehead against his. The snorunt stiffened, initially surprised by and resistant to the unexpected contact, but he managed to get himself to relax quickly enough.

“Okay,” Morgan said, half-whispering, half-sobbing. “If you’re really okay with this, then we’ll go ahead with it. And then afterward, I’ll take you home. I promise.”

Solonn nodded, acknowledging Morgan’s seeming acceptance of his terms. He had imagined that he would be greatly surprised should the deal go through. Now, however, he couldn’t believe that he’d honestly expected that it wouldn’t. Morgan cared as much about his wishes as her own; that much was now certain to him. She was perfectly willing to give him what he wanted. In return and in appreciation of that—and in apology for harboring such harsh preconceptions, too, although he did quite a good job of convincing himself that his sense of guilt had very little to do with it—he would give her what she wanted. In his mind, it seemed only fair, after all.

The definite impression Solonn got from the human was that her word could be trusted. One day, she would take him home. But, until then… It was now, with the initial panic at the prospect of never again seeing home having gone and passed, that the opportunities of Solonn’s situation dared at last to come forward and present themselves to him. Until the day arrived when he would return to Virc-Dho, perhaps he would get to encounter and experience more strange things, more wonders of which he could never have conceived. This, he reckoned, could be interesting…

_________________________

Next time: In entering into the lifestyle of a contest pokémon, a new era of Solonn’s life begins… See you then!

- Sike Saner

[Wes]

Hmm now we get a snorunt that can talk to humans, wants four ribbons, and then wishes to go home? ..I like your way of thinking! Very nice chapter indeed.

[Pinecone Tortoise]

I like it! You really got a handle of the pokemon and human personalities you've got there. Solonn, for a Snorunt with an unusual power, is very realistic, very interesting and very cute. And congrats for having an original plotline that uses contests instead of battling. It works. Here's hoping you update this soon!

Pinecone Tortoise.

[GoldenHouou]

Wow! It was great, as always! It was long and very descreptive. I really like Raze, by the way. The name and all. Heh. ^_^

So she was a coordinator... I thought her as a trainer. Four ribbons. I wonder will the story end after those?

Anyway, great chapter, I think it was the best so far. And thanks for the notification. Remember to PM me when teh next chapter is up as well!
Until then, see ya!

[Kaizer]

I didn't find any mistakes...

But, holy crap! A pokemon that doesn't get all happy and giddy about being captured! I'm loving how real you seem to be keeping this despite the fact that almost none of the elements you're using actually exist. And you writing... It's superb. Everything has been well described flows perfectly. I'm trying to think of better ways to praise you since I don't get to put a mistake here and I like to fill up that space, but great job. I look forward to reading the next chapter and you can keep me on the pm list; I might have not checked today if you hadn't told me. Anyways, great chapter(as always).
;245;

[PDL]

nice chapter... Solonn's first experience with the human world was well described, and somewhat realistic. Keep it up.

[Infinite Master Sceptile]

Hi! I read the Origin of the Storms, and loved it. And this, this is even better. It seems that the more you write, the better you get. But what are Morgan's pokemon, and what are each's contest specialty?

[Kiyohime]

I don't trust Morgan, somehow...

Maybe I'm just paranoid, or maybe it's my own fault after several months of writing Zeffy's character. XD

I was really interesed in the part where Solonn realizes his oddity in speaking languages...you pulled that off brilliantly, I thought.

And OMGWTFBBQ A SKARMORY! *attaches herself to Raze and drools all over her* I love those, as if you already couldn't tell. <<;;

*sets up her hobo cardboard box and a blanket* Wake me up when the next chapter is here. :P

[Typhlogirl]

*applauds*

Well done. Another very well written chapter. One point I absolutely LOVED was the fact that Solonn didn't go all happy-to-be-captured. That would have been frustrating. I'm incredibly glad you did the other option. ^_^

Yes, this chapter was very, very good, and Morgan seems nice, but I agree about Scrap's point, I don't totally trust her, no-ones perfect! ;)

Anyway, I will be very excited to read about the way you will describe contests...looking forward to it!! Don't keep me in suspense!!

Remember to PM me when the next chapter is up...I don't want to miss it!! :D

-;157;

P.S. Azrael. God I LOVE that name. ^_^

[Saffire Persian]

*whistles*

I've read both chapters, and I have to say: very nice.

What kind of Pokemon is Sei, anyway? I'm rather curious.

Anyway, I too am wondering how the heck Solonn's managing to communicate in English with Morgan, though I'm sure, that will be revealed in time. Communication now seems like a very apt title - I liked it before, but it makes more sense now. I do have my guessed though, and I'm probably wrong. My thoughts are that Solonn perhaps used the move Mimic (Inherited or something from his parents) to "Mimic" the English language... plus you stated that Solonn's "English" voice sounded exactly like Morgan's, which would make Mimic a more viable option.

Just an odd thought.. Ahmm.

All the Pokemon characters seem to be developing nicely, Morgan, too, for that matter. I like her, and she does seem to be a very kind person worthy of Solonn's trust. The deal - I wonder how that would go through. Will she let him go, or not. Or for that matter, will he want to leave.

I've read a few chapters in Origin of Storms, so will this story lead up to the times that Origin of Storm's takes place in? Or is it going to stop before that. .. Just thinking about all the human's suddenly dieing... ... Yeesh.. that still freaks me out, when I think about it. (I did like that in Origin of Storm's by the way. Very creative ... and... "Disturbing" in the cool kind of way).

I couldn't find any typos, or anything to complain about in this chapter, though I did manage to find a typo in Chapter 1, that I had missed before.. How I missed it, I'll never know:


Here, in this frigid underworld which other races of Pokémon almost never dared to enter, and which Humans did even know existed

How about "and which humans didn't even know existed?"

Great job, and keep Pming me with the updates... I'm enjoying this story immensly. And thanks for answering my questions from before.

[Brian Powell]

I enjoyed it... a lot, Ms. Saner.

I can reflect on how Solonn's feeling during the whole chapter and that made me feel sorry for the little guy. Despite Morgan's personality, she has got me in suspense because I don't trust her.

I can picture Solonn being out there, mimicing everybody... I think that would be funny. *Pictures Solonn doing an impression of a parody version of Kelly Osbourne* Hahaha!


What kind of Pokemon is Sei, anyway? I'm rather curious.
I think that she might be a Gardevoir.

Despite a couple of spelling and grammar mistakes, you've backed that up with great descriptions and length.

Overall score so far: 5/5
Advice: Are you using MS Word for spell checking? I think you should.

[Elemental Charizam]

I don't trust that Claydol... Why doesn't it reveal it's telepathy? I bet it uses it to cheat in contests...

Either that or Scrap is right and Morgan is evil, or I'm overly suspicious. In any case, it was a brilliant chapter; I think you portrayed Solonn's emotions and feeling realisticly and well. I love that little Snorunt... only... can't they float? I suppose, you can't really float down from a window that high anyway.

As for Sai, I think she's a Grumpig or Chimechgo, because they're the more cute psychic types, IMO at least.

Speculation: Was Solonn's father a Steelix or Aggron? It'd explain his sub-type from TOoS, and it was pretty hulking, so...

[Sike Saner]

Wes: Well, I didn’t want to go the battles ‘n’ badges route, plus I thought that contest performances could offer nice opportunities for creativity, so, yeah, the choice was pretty easy for me. Although I will say that the idea of the looming, head-biting guy from The Origin of Storms performing for pretty ribbons initially amused me to almost no end… X3

Pinecone Tortoise: Yeah, when I gave Solonn an unusual ability, I was very conscious of not giving him an inflated head about it. No “OMG I CAN TALK I IZ TEH SUPER POKE!!!!” I also didn’t want for his ability to be perfect; he can’t do claydol language, and there are others he couldn’t pull off, either. So, why certain languages and not others? Hmm…

GoldenHouou: Glad you like the name Raze. I had a bit of a hard time naming her; that name just popped up almost at the last minute. I figured that Morgan would likely give her either a standard human name or else a name that would apply to the way that Morgan would see the skarmory, considering the kinds of names her other pokémon had. For a long time, I couldn’t seem come up with anything that really seemed to fit—and then, out of nowhere, I thought of Raze, as in “razor”. It was nice, and it didn’t seem too out of the ordinary, so I went with it.

kaizer63: Yes. I was adamant about Solonn giving a crap about being abducted from home with no explanation. X3 After all, it’s not like he didn’t have a life before being captured. He was certainly not just sitting around in the cave, waiting to be captured for his life to begin. Heck, he didn’t even know that humans actually existed before encountering Morgan.

EvilKeckleon: There were a number of routes I could have taken in describing Solonn’s introduction to the domain of humans. Glad you liked the one I ended up choosing. ^^

Infinite Master Sceptile: Okay:

Morgan’s Pokémon

Aaron
Species: Sceptile (male)
Non-contest pokémon (capture specialist)
Contest specialty: None

Ardan (Brett)
Species: Manectric (male)
Non-contest pokémon (capture specialist)
Contest specialty: None

Raze
Species: Skarmory (female)
Contest pokémon, flying transport pokémon
Specialty: Cool contests

Oth (Ominous)
Species: Claydol (genderless)
Contest pokémon, teleporting transport pokémon (usually only used for teleportation if Sei is unavailable)
Specialty: Tough contests

Sei Salma (Enchantress)
Species: Sorry, not telling yet! X3 *dodges bricks*
Contest pokémon, teleporting transport pokémon
Specialty: Smart contests

Solonn Zgil-Al (Azrael)
Species: Snorunt (male)
Contest pokémon
Projected specialty: Beauty contests

At present, Morgan has not yet acquired a cute contest specialist.

Scrap: Solonn’s epiphany regarding his abilities was one of those scenes which I was extremely insistent on doing justice. I’m emphatically glad to hear that it carried itself well. ^^

And yes. Skarmory = love. ^^ *hands Scrap a giant skarmory plushie*

Typhlogirl: I’m glad that you like the name Azrael; I rather like it, too. ^^ Solonn, however, isn’t too fond of it… XP

Saffire Persian: What is Sei? …You’ll see! *dodges more bricks*

Regarding the mimic technique: Curiously, I actually had never thought of that possibility before. As for where his ability did come from… well, I’ll not say yet, but I will say that they did indeed come from somewhere; he didn’t just spontaneously become “magical” or anything like that.

Yes, this story does precede The Origin of Storms. As to how close to the actual time of that story it extends, I will not yet say. Suffice it to say that Solonn doesn’t die prior to that story, though. :p

*notices typo* Yes, the effect is kind of different when you use the DIRECT ANTONYM of a word… X3; *dies laughing and resurrects self to fix typo*

Brian Powell: Oh, my God… Solonn as Kelly Osbourne! XD *dies laughing* Speaking of voices, I haven’t really quite decided whose voice Solonn’s own, natural voice would actually sound the most like.

Elemental Charizam: Aw, Oth is untrusted… It’s going to cry. :p


So far, no one has pegged Sei’s species. ;) Don’t worry, though—you’ll meet her soon enough…

[Kiyohime]

Eh, I'm guessing Sei is either an Abra, Kadabra, or Alakazam, since it's the only thing I can think of right now that knows Teleport. Pretty lame attempt from me. <<;;

Still, I'll happily await the next chapter to find out.

[xXSaberXx]

OMFG!! Morgan!

O_o That was the name of my first Sapphire Character. O_O!

And she had a sceptile too! O_o

Are you stalking me?

:3

Anyway, I loved that chapter. *huggles Solonn plushie* Kinda sad, kinda inspiring as well. I think Sei is prolly a Gardevoir? They are just perfectly fit for smart contests, and can use Teleport....o-o eh eh? Nah, don't tell me.

MUCH LUFFS TO YAH SIKE!

Saber

[Saffire Persian]

*throws a brick up and down in hand*

What? You won't tell me!? I understand. Though I feel like guessing now, even if I don't nail it on the head, or you won't tell me. I'll go with my first guess, which is a Jynx . *cough* Glad to know Solonn's abilities DO come from somewhere. Perhaps if I actually read all the way through Origin at a timely pace, it will prove to shed some light. Of course the sentence you wrote about him here:
Although, I will say that the idea of the looming, head-biting guy from Origin performing for pretty ribbons initially amused me to almost no end… caught my attention. I'm guessing you mean that literally. *Glances at Glalie's teeth*.

[Dark Latios]

Awesome as always Sike. ^^

I LOVE Morgan's pokemon especially Raze. Skarmory>Any other flying types. ;P

The blue snow thing was strange, but I'm guessing Morgan mixed some blue pokeblocks with the snow right? I couldn't imagine any other way of it being blue... Unless it was a crushed up blue popsicle. XD

Anyway, the description of everything in ths chapter was mind-boggling. I can't wait for the next chap!

*Hopes Sei is an Espeon*

~DL

[Pinecone Tortoise]

Pinecone Tortoise: I also didn’t want for his ability to be perfect; he can’t do Claydol language, and there are some others he couldn’t pull off, either. So, why certain languages and not others? Hmm…

Body language perhaps? Or pokemon that communicate through scent? Or speech simply impossible for a Snorunt's tongue to produce? Not all languages are verbal.

Pinecone Tortoise.

[mindripper]

Hey SS, I have only read the fisrt chapter, because I am raelly busy at the moment, thinking up fics to publish and all for my charity drive, as juggling well as my outside life as well. I promise to post again when I finish. And you never have to ask me to review, 'cos you've been pretty good to me here, so just reciprocating.

Ok, people have already said what really needs to be said, as in description being great, as well as not taking away from the flow which is important. I cannot really tell too much about the plot, as I have only gotten through the first chapter, but rest assured I will eventually get around to it! Congrats on doing well for your second fic, and this is better than the origin of storms, even though I do miss the wobbuffet!

hey, wanna consider submitting a fic or two, see if I can get them published for you? Join my effort!

[Sike Saner]

Scrap: Well, the good news is that neither you nor anyone else shall be kept in suspense regarding Sei for terribly much longer, chapterwise at least.

xXSaberXx: Yes. I am stalking you. XP Just kidding, of course.

Saffire Persian: You put that brick down! X3 Like I said, Sei’ll be revealed fairly soon.

And, oh, yes. Solonn’s is a species which ranks VERY high on the list of things you don’t want to bite you. Pleasant, huh? X3

Dark Latios: The “blue snow” is blue raspberry shaved ice. There’s a shaved ice stand just a block or two from Morgan’s house.

Pinecone Tortoise: Yes, that is indeed a large part of why. Some languages cannot be readily replicated due to nonverbal nuances or else being exclusively nonverbal. There are furthermore some spoken languages which are simply too complex for him. However, I will say that not all of the languages that he can’t replicate fall into either of those categories. So, hmm…

mindripper: Ah, glad to see you are enjoying this. ^_^ Also glad to see that you find this to be a step up from The Origin of Storms; as I have mentioned before, I had been concerned about falling into the sophomore slump.


By the way…one of you has now correctly identified the species of Sei Salma. ;)


There will be a slightly longer wait for the next chapter than usual. But don’t worry—Chapter 4 should still make it out within the next two weeks. In the meantime, I will be doing a number of things, namely working out the final tweaks in the new chapter while also reading the nominees of the Summer Fiction Awards.

So… you might want to get a snack. X3

[Sike Saner]

Hello everyone.

Chances are you expected this post to be a new chapter, no?

Well, so did I.

Chapter 4 is presently completed, and I should be posting it right now. However, there has come a development which has basically thrown a giant monkey wrench in that endeavor.

For some inexplicable reason, my computer will no longer load SPPf, nor will it load serebii.net. (And yet, it has no qualms whatsoever about loading other sites... What the frell, seriously?) It's the old "Cannot find server" message every time.

I am posting this from one of the public library's computers. The library, unfortunately, only allows patrons one hour of internet usage per day. This, therefore, will cut a huge dent in my posting rate. Should order fail to be restored where my computer is concerned, and should the library cease to be a viable option, this could, concievably, cost me my membership here...

In the meantime, I will continue writing and preparing future chapters, so that if and/or when I am finally able to update, perhaps I can make it up to you all for the delay with even more fresh material right around the corner.

My apologies to all of you, and also to any whose fics I have been reviewing or have planned to review; I will, of course, try to get my reviews to you where and when I can.

Sincerely,
Sike Saner

[Brian Powell]

Wah! Not those 'technical problems' again! Like they haven't done enough!

But, still, you got my understanding when it comes to placing fics like these. I, for one, had a problem placing fics here before because of some hackers (curse them!). Plus, you have my patience.

EDIT: Wow! Six people gave you five stars already... no, wait. Make that seven.

[Chaos Absol]

It's too bad about the computer thing.I think I've had that before, I had to put the forums in my favorites for awhile to get to them.

Well, I think Cei is a Gardevoir as well because it just looks better then Alakazam(no effense).I can't wait for the next chapter, and I hope your computer gets well soon!

[Sike Saner]

FWEE! Despite the best efforts of that heartless entity that is technology, I have managed to break through the challenges of late and bring you the next chapter. I am more relieved than I can adequately express, let me tell you…

A huge and emphatically sincere thanks goes out to Saffire Persian, without whose efforts I may not have been able to give you this chapter. And thanks also for the wonderful theme song! ^^

Now, without any further ado, here’s Chapter 4!

_________________________


Chapter 4 – Spell of the Spotlight


The following morning brought a choice.

“All right, Solonn. The contest hall here in town will be holding two normal rank contests—those are the ones for newcomers—in the upcoming months,” Morgan said. “There’ll be one in three weeks, on the twenty-fifth, and then there’ll be another one two months afterward, on August twenty-fifth. Now, if you start your training now, you could enter into the earlier one, but you might want to wait until the August contest so that you can get more practice in and be more prepared. But it’s your call, Solonn.”

“I’ll go for the earlier one,” Solonn said at once. In his mind, it was no question at all—the sooner he got started with these contests, the sooner, he reckoned, he could be done with them and return to his home.

Morgan nodded. “Okay, then.” She would have preferred for him to wait until the later contest, believing that the extra time to prepare would have done him quite a bit of good. Nonetheless, she chose to respect Solonn’s choice and allowed his decision to stand.


* * *

That afternoon, Solonn’s contest training began in earnest. It was initiated in a way that Solonn found quite odd: Morgan offered him a small, indigo-colored cube and told him to eat it, saying that it would help him to do well in the contests.

Solonn looked at Morgan as if she were crazy. “How is this thing supposed to make any difference in whether or not I win?”

“Well… what it does is it refines your appearance. These pokéblocks will help you look as healthy and as… er, handsome as you can look. Making a good visual impression on the audience and judges is very important.”

Solonn continued to gaze skeptically at the human. Whatever, he decided finally, and took the pokéblock from Morgan, devouring it quickly. The little candy was… okay; it was kind of good, except that it had this funny, sort of sour aftertaste. That was really the only fault Solonn could find with the pokéblock, though, and it was really only mildly unpleasant—at first. Then he found the little candy cube beginning to disagree with him… and then to strongly disagree with him…

Morgan looked on with pity and poorly concealed revulsion as the snorunt’s body rejected the pokéblock. However, that undesired reaction did not dissuade her from attempting to feed Solonn another of those indigo candies later that evening. Solonn resisted at first—he wasn’t exactly eager to throw up again, after all.

“This one’s different,” Morgan tried to assure him. “I made more than one formula since I didn’t know which you’d do best with. Unfortunately, they just so happen to be the same color—but I promise you, they’re not the same. I even got rid of all of the other kind, so there won’t be any mix-ups.”

Solonn stared warily at her for a long while, his stomach threatening to go sour at just the mere memory of what the last pokéblock had done to him. Then, with a sigh of resignation, he accepted this identical-looking yet supposedly different pokéblock. Immediately, he discovered that Morgan had indeed been telling the truth—this little indigo cube was different from its predecessor. The flavor was one that Solonn immediately and greatly liked, and it didn’t have the disagreeable aftertaste of the other pokéblock. Seconds passed, and it showed no threat of sickening him. Solonn looked up at Morgan with an approving smile.

Morgan smiled back. “Ah, so this one’s a winner, huh?” Solonn nodded in response. “Good! Okay, then. You’ll be getting two of these a day until they’ve done as much for you as they can,” she told him.

This was certainly an aspect of contest training that Solonn didn’t mind in the least. However, he remained skeptical that merely eating candies was going to sufficiently prepare him for any sort of competition. He wondered what else the human might have in store for him in order to get him ready for these contests, these things which were the sole obstacle impeding his return home.


* * *

Around noon the next day, Morgan departed and returned a short while later accompanied by a heretofore unfamiliar presence.

“Solonn, this is Sei Salma, an alakazam,” Morgan said.

The pokémon at her side bowed, her blonde mustache twitching slightly as she smiled warmly. <A pleasure to meet you, young sir,> the alakazam said, her telepathic “voice” simulating a slightly gruff contralto that Solonn guessed was also the sound of Sei’s actual voice. <I understand that you and Ms. Yorke have a most unique relationship, yes?>

“…What?” Somehow Sei’s statement had come across to Solonn in a way that she had certainly not intended.

<You are able to speak to Ms. Yorke in her own language, are you not?> Sei elaborated.

“Oh… Yeah, that’s right,” Solonn confirmed, albeit a bit hesitantly.

<Ms. Yorke and I were discussing this on the way here. We’ve arrived at a conclusion regarding your abilities with which I know you’re already very much in agreement. It’s best that other humans do not discover your abilities, do you not agree?> Sei asked.

“Yeah,” Solonn said. “I’d really feel better if as few people knew about this as possible.” By “people” he was referring not only to humans but to other pokémon, as well. He was very mindful of not letting just anybody learn what he was able to do. In fact, he would really have preferred for Morgan to ask him for permission before revealing his secret to Sei…

<I understand your concern,> Sei said then, <but I assure you, Ms. Yorke had your best interests in mind when she informed me of what you’re able to do. She wouldn’t have told me otherwise. Furthermore, you have my word that I will not reveal your secret to anyone without your consent… And yes, I have just read your thoughts. I do try to tune such things out for the sake of courtesy, but…> She shrugged. <Sometimes thoughts are simply too strong to block.>

A mind-reader… Solonn figured then that, courteous or not, Sei would have probably absorbed the knowledge of his abilities sooner or later, either from Morgan or from himself, without having to be told of them.

<The privacy of those who have no form of mental defense is something my people take very seriously,> Sei assured him earnestly. <We wouldn’t be trusted at all by any other species if we didn’t stay out of their minds as much as possible. Even with our measures to respect their privacy in place, many species still do not trust us.>

Whether or not that was meant as a guilt-trip, it certainly worked as one on Solonn. “…Sorry,” he said. “I’m sure you don’t mean to pry into anybody’s business.”

Sei gave a relieved, satisfied smile. <Now. Since protecting the confidentiality of your skills is of such great importance, I’m offering you a means by which to speak more securely with Ms. Yorke.>

“And what would that be?” Solonn asked.

<This.> There was a brief flash of light in Sei’s eyes.

<Well? What do you think?> Morgan asked.

<What do I think of… Hey! How are you using telepathy?> Solonn asked—then, with a jolt, he realized that he, too, was speaking telepathically.

<Sei. She’s connected us via her own mind,> Morgan explained. <That way, we can talk with each other without anyone figuring out that… well, that we can talk with each other, get it?>

<…I think so,> Solonn said, still somewhat bewildered at the notion of being able to communicate in a psychic fashion. There was something about it that made him feel oddly powerful yet at the same time rather vulnerable, as well. He wondered if he would have agreed to try this method of communication if he had known beforehand that it would involve his mind being opened and shared in such a way.

<This method of conversing is undetectable to humans,> Sei told Solonn then, <and it’s the humans from whom you should be most concerned with protecting your secret. You see, pokémon who are able to speak to and be understood by humans are quite rare, and humans often look upon rarity as something from which they can gain some form of personal profit. If certain humans learned of your abilities, they would seek to exploit you for their own ends. I can guarantee you that you would not find such exploitation to your liking.>

Solonn cast a troubled gaze at Morgan. <Is this true?> he asked. Morgan had come across to him as trustworthy, but now Solonn found himself wondering if she was merely a rare exception in a species which generally could not be trusted.

<Yes,> Morgan said, sounding rather ashamed. <Solonn, I would never want to see you exploited like that.>

<Well, I wouldn’t want that, either,> he said, shuddering slightly. He turned toward Sei. <Okay. I’ll accept your method,> he said. <Thanks.>

<Think nothing of it,> the alakazam said, and with that she severed the psychic connection between herself and the other two.

The method by which Solonn could converse securely with Morgan that Sei had just made available was a welcome convenience indeed. As Solonn thought about it, something dawned on him: he wondered if the telepathic link could be used to enable Morgan to communicate with her other pokémon. After all, Sei’s telepathic abilities could trick the minds of those conversing into hearing words they understood, thus eliminating the language barrier between Morgan and her pokémon. Why hasn’t Sei offered this to the other pokémon? Solonn wondered silently.

To Solonn’s surprise, Sei turned her gaze upon him and then shrugged her plated shoulders. “Because they never asked,” she said simply, using her natural voice this time, speaking to Solonn in alakazam language. The snorunt only stared at her in response, apparently not knowing quite how to reply to her statement.

Sei then let out a long sigh. <Whew… It seems I’ve still got a bit of recovering to do before I’m quite up to speed again…>

“You want to return to your ball for a while?” Morgan asked her.

<Mmm… yes, I think so,> Sei answered. <I could do with a little time out of this poor, downtrodden flesh,> she added with a laugh.

Morgan chuckled. “All right, then.” She removed an ultra ball from her belt and recalled Sei with a beam of red light. The alakazam smiled wearily at Solonn before dissolving into energy and being drawn into her ball.

“I just don’t understand how anybody could stand being inside one of those things,” Solonn said with a small shudder, eying the ultra ball as it was minimized and reattached to Morgan’s belt. “It’s just so… ” He trailed off, unable to come up with a truly fitting description of what it was like in the great ball.

“So, you really don’t like being in a ball, huh?” Morgan asked. Solonn made a small, negatory noise in response. “Well, okay. You don’t have to go back in there if you don’t want to.”

Solonn smiled at her. He was sure that with no need to dread a return to the great ball, the time that remained to be spent here with Morgan would be much easier to endure—and perhaps even enjoy.


* * *

Several hours later, Solonn stood outside with Morgan and Sei Salma in the backyard. Though evening was approaching, the sun was still hot enough and bright enough to bother Solonn. Sunlight differed from the artificial light inside the house; it possessed its own peculiar kind of harshness, even in lower quantities.

There wasn’t much that Solonn could really do about the heat, but he did at least have one option that might make him able to more easily to tolerate the lighting. He made his way across the yard at once to stand in the shade of the large sitrus tree that stood tall in the backyard. Much better, he thought with satisfaction.

Morgan and Sei crossed the lawn to join Solonn. Sei promptly took a seat, leaning back contentedly against the trunk of the tree and opening a magazine. Meanwhile, Morgan came to stand before the snorunt, and then presented a small, cylindrical plastic case. She opened the container and produced a cyan-colored disc from it.

<I’ll bet you’re wondering what this is, huh?> Morgan said, making use of Sei’s telepathy. <Well, this is a technical machine, Solonn. From it, you can gain a new technique.>

An elemental technique being obtained from a little plastic disc. It wasn’t the most ridiculous concept Solonn had ever heard of, although it did come very close.

<Now, we may not even need to use this,> Morgan continued. <Let’s find out if we do… Solonn, could you show me the strongest ice-type technique you know?>

<The strongest? I guess that would be this.> Solonn called on the power of his element. The glow of his eyes intensified momentarily as he gathered the ice-type energy that he would need for the technique. A second later, the elemental charge coalesced between his hands, then fired forth as a jagged, electric blue beam that blasted a flurry of frozen leaves and twigs from the branches above as it streaked off toward the sky.

<Ice beam, huh? Okay, then it looks like we will need to use this.> Morgan knelt before Solonn, then popped open a compartment on one end of the technical machine case and slipped the disc inside. <There’s another, stronger ice technique that you’ll need to pull off your routine,> she said as she closed the compartment once more. <You’ll get that technique from this.>

Solonn eyed the case with uncertainty, his gaze caught and held by the lens that seemed to stare right back at him from the end of the case that faced him. <…This won’t hurt, will it?>

<No, it doesn’t hurt,> Sei said reassuringly. <I’ve received one myself. It’ll be a funny feeling, but one that won’t last long. You have nothing to fear from it.>

<Oh. Go ahead, then,> Solonn permitted Morgan.

With a quick nod of acknowledgment, Morgan set about activating the technical machine, bringing the lens to bear on Solonn’s forehead and pressing a button on the top of the case. It whirred to life, but apart from that nothing seemed to be happening at first—the beam projected by the case was invisible, and its initial impact was intangible.

Then, with a rather strong shudder, Solonn found himself overwhelmed by a sudden surge of power. The feeling was similar to that which accompanied the summoning of certain of his ice-type techniques, only it was stronger and seemed to all go straight to his head rather than spreading throughout his entire body. It escalated into a giddying rush, and when it reached its abrupt end, he found himself feeling incredibly lightheaded.

Solonn teetered comically for a moment, nearly falling onto his butt before managing to shake himself out of his dizzy spell. <That was weird,> he remarked. <So, that’s it? That’s all it took?>

<Mmm-hmm. You’ve just learned the blizzard technique,> Morgan confirmed as she removed the now spent and colorless disc from the front compartment and set it aside. <Go on, try it out—but be careful where you aim it, though; it can be pretty nasty.>

<…Wait, blizzard?! Are you serious?> Solonn asked incredulously. Morgan nodded, smiling brightly. Solonn was momentarily stupefied. It just seemed all too incredible that a simple disc could bestow any sort of power upon him, but to think that it had just given him one of the highest powers of his element…

Remaining slightly skeptical, Solonn nonetheless gave his new technique a try. Once again, he gathered elemental energy. He felt a sizable thrill as the surge of power defied his expectations and answered his summons, then manifested itself in a blast of icy wind and snow.

As the blizzard howled forth, Solonn realized with a jolt of horror that he’d forgotten to aim the attack—its present course, he realized, might well result in a decent-sized hole being blown in the Yorkes’ back fence by the fierce ice technique. Fortunately, though, the blizzard was rather underpowered, and as a result the mini-snowstorm petered out before it could wreak havoc on the fence.

Solonn stared briefly at the small pile of snow that now sat contrastingly upon the green grass, watching as it began to melt in the heat of the June afternoon. That thing actually worked… He then laughed to himself, pleasantly bewildered.

<Not bad,> Morgan remarked. <That was just a little one, but with practice, you should be able to pull off a much more impressive blizzard. And wait ‘til you see what you can do when you combine that with other techniques!>

<You can actually do that?> Solonn asked, intrigued. He had never seen multiple techniques used in combination, not even by the glalie.

<Oh yes,> Morgan said. <In fact, artful combination of techniques is what contests are really all about. A good, creative, graceful presentation is what comes out on top every time. Now,> she went on, opening the technical machine case once more, <there’s another one of these that you won’t necessarily need, but it could still do you some good. Do you want to go ahead and take it now, or do you want to wait a little while before you take another one?>

Solonn considered the matter for a moment. He decided that there was really no reason to turn down this offer to gain a new technique. He determined also that a delay in accepting it meant a delay in training. The more training he could get in before the twenty-fifth, he figured, the better his chances of getting that first ribbon and thus taking that first step toward his return to Virc-Dho. Hence, he decided that he would not wait.

<I’ll take it,> he told Morgan. <Let’s do this now.>

The human nodded in acknowledgment and pulled another technical machine from the case, a fuchsia-colored disc this time. Solonn watched as the disc was loaded into the front compartment and activated, wondering what sort of new power it would impart upon him as he anticipated the rush of technical acquisition once more.

The process of absorbing this technique felt quite different than the acquisition of blizzard had. The sensation of connecting with the raw power of his element was absent—it was not an ice-type technique that was being bestowed upon him this time. Solonn could not even begin to guess the alien element of his new power, for the rush in his head that accompanied its acquisition was gone almost as swiftly as it had come.

<So what technique did that one give me?> Solonn asked once the sensation of learning the new ability was gone completely.

<Light screen,> Morgan answered. <It’s mostly a defensive technique, but there are also some pretty cool things you can do with it that are just for show. Try and call one up now,> she suggested. <It’s not as difficult or powerful a move as blizzard, so you should be able to pull it off now pretty easily.>

<Okay.> Seeking the new, unfamiliar element within him, Solonn found the root of his new power, then called forth his new technique. There was a peculiar but not unpleasant sensation that tingled very briefly in his head. Then he saw a bright pink aura form around each of his hands. He watched with fascination as it spread out very swiftly from them into a force field that surrounded him completely.

<Wow… this is pretty neat…> Solonn said as he gazed upon the wall of psychic energy that now surrounded him. <Wait, though… how do I get out of this thing?> he wondered aloud.

<Oh, you don’t have to get out of it. You’re not trapped in one place by that thing. It’ll follow you as you move,> Morgan said.

Solonn decided to test that claim for himself. Sure enough, as he walked across the lawn, the shield that surrounded him maintained itself and remained with him through his every movement. Then, unexpectedly, the light screen simply vanished.

<What happened?> Solonn asked.

<A light screen can only stay up for a couple of minutes at a time,> Morgan explained.

<Oh. So are there any more of these I can use?> Solonn asked then with a glance at the case.

<I’m afraid not. Nearly all of the techniques you’ll be using come naturally to you—your routine will mostly be ice-based. Anyway, it’s not really very good for you to learn so many of these moves in one sitting. You could get a nasty headache,> Morgan said.

Solonn found himself rather disappointed to hear that he would apparently not be gaining any more new abilities anytime soon. <Well, okay, then,> he said. <So now what?>

<Hmm. Right now, I’d say, nothing,> Morgan replied. <You’ve really had enough excitement for one day. You may not feel like it right now, but physically, you’ve just had quite an experience. You’ve instantly learned two moves that usually take pokémon several years and lots of hard work to learn. Give it a little while, and you’ll probably start feeling pretty tired. So let’s just take it easy for the rest of the day, all right?>

Solonn nodded in assent. In truth, he would have liked to go ahead and continue preparing for the upcoming contest, but his energy seemed to have begun to wane from the moment that Morgan had said it would do so.

<Your training will really start tomorrow,> the human then told him. <You see, there are three rounds to each contest. Each one is different, so you’ll be training in different ways.

<For the first round, we’ll just go out on stage along with all the other contestants, and the audience will basically just compare all the pokémon contestants based solely on their looks, and they’ll all vote on which one they think looks the best. You don’t really have to train for that; the pokéblocks pretty much take care of that aspect.

<The second round will be your solo performance. This is where you’ll be showing your techniques, combining them to make nice effects, et cetera. Don’t worry too much about it—you’ll be rehearsing your routine plenty every day. You’ll get it down just fine.

<Now, the third round is a battle,> Morgan told him. <Have you ever battled another pokémon before? You know, just for fun.>

<Yeah,> Solonn answered, <but not very much, though.> He recalled the matches that Zilag and a few of his friends had often held just for sport against one another. They had never really seriously hurt each other; they’d mostly just wrestled, with only the occasional, half-hearted bite or headbutt thrown in here and there. Ice-type techniques had also sometimes been thrown around in those matches, to little effect, of course. On several occasions, Zilag had invited Solonn to take part in this sport, but Solonn had only occasionally obliged. By and large, Solonn had been unenthusiastic about the sport, even though he did sometimes win those matches. As far as he’d been concerned, it had merely been something to do in the event that there’d been absolutely nothing else to do. It hadn’t exactly been his idea of “fun”.

<That’s okay,> Morgan assured him. <Some experience is better than none. Besides which, contest battling is really not the same as battling anywhere else. Your goal won’t be to hurt the opponent so much as to upstage them. You don’t even necessarily have to ‘beat’ the other guy as long as you manage to look better during the match. I’ll let you practice battling against a couple of the others here. Raze’d definitely be up for it—don’t worry, she won’t use any steel moves on you. Her style’s a little different than the one you’ll be using, but you’ll still get the gist of how to handle yourself in one of these matches. All you have to do is to keep your poise and battle with grace.>

Solonn nodded in acknowledgment, mentally reviewing what Morgan had told him that he could expect. It seemed that there was more involved with being a contest pokémon than he had initially imagined. He hoped that the span of time separating him from that first contest would be sufficient for him to adequately prepare himself for this first task that lay before him. The sooner he could get that first ribbon, that first step behind him, the better.


* * *

Each day that followed brought diligent training. Solonn spent many hours rehearsing his solo performance and practiced battling techniques with Raze and even once with Sei Salma. He also continued to receive two pokéblocks each day until Morgan told him that he had received the maximum benefit possible from the little candies, meaning that there was no point in giving him any more of them.

Solonn had assumed that these measures were the only ones that would need to be taken in order to prepare him for his debut. However, there came a night five days before the date of the next contest when one last suggestion was offered to him with the claim that it could improve his chances of winning.

He was sitting on Morgan’s bed, waiting for her to return from an errand. When the human returned to her room, the first thing she did was to take a capture ball from her belt, maximize it, and release Oth from within it.

“All right,” Morgan said to the claydol. “It’s time for you to check him out and see if he’s ready.” She gestured at Solonn.

Ready for what? Solonn wondered what in the world could possibly be going on as Oth brought itself before him. Without any form of explanation or warning, the foremost of the claydol’s eyes dilated dramatically, and a pale red beam lanced forth from it and struck Solonn. The snorunt almost cried out but then realized a split-second later that there was no pain. Very puzzled, he merely stared at Oth as it expanded the beam and swept it up and down over his body.

Mere seconds later, Oth ceased its scan, terminating the beam of light. It turned toward Morgan (which seemed strange to Solonn given the fact that surrounded by eyes as Oth was, that action was not really necessary) and nodded as well as a claydol could manage, inclining its entire body slightly in her direction.

Morgan smiled. “Good news, Solonn. Ominous says you’re ready.”

“That’s nice, but ready for what?” Solonn asked in a quiet voice. He and Morgan had decided that it was safe enough to converse openly while within Morgan’s room so long as they kept their voices down. Solonn had also decided, though not at all hastily, that Morgan’s other pokémon could be trusted with his secret, and so he didn’t mind Oth’s presence there as he spoke with the human.

“Ready… for this!” Morgan reached into her pocket, extracted something from it, and held it out in her hand for Solonn to see. Nestled in her palm was something small in a blue wrapper. “I’d been looking around town for one, and I finally managed to scare one up.”

Solonn gazed at the proffered object for a moment, then turned a questioning gaze up toward Morgan.

“This,” Morgan explained, “is a rare candy. These give pokémon something of a boost. According to Ominous…” Morgan paused as a thrill of excitement flitted visibly across her features. “Well, this’ll give you just enough of a boost to make a huge difference. With this… you could evolve.”

Solonn’s eyes widened. “…That thing can’t possibly cause evolution!” he said, laughing.

“Oh, yes it can. So what do you say? Are you ready to do this?” Morgan asked.

Solonn hesitated to answer. Part of him still couldn’t believe that evolution could be induced by a piece of candy, but the part of him that did believe was possessed of a fair share of apprehension. “Is there any particular reason why I need to evolve?”

“Well, you don’t necessarily have to do it, but it might work out to your advantage to go through with it,” Morgan said. “Your routine is based almost exclusively on your ice-type powers, after all, and glalie have more finely-tuned abilities where their element is concerned. They can handle ice-type techniques more easily than snorunt can.”

Solonn agreed with that point; he knew it from experience. Members of his species did not truly come into their ice-type abilities until they achieved evolution. Among other purposes, the glalie of Virc-Dho used their greater elemental prowess to keep their unevolved counterparts in check.

He had no doubt that he certainly could execute his routine with greater ease as a glalie, and he was certainly concerned with succeeding in the upcoming contest. Still… this was a physical transformation that was being suggested. This was not something to be taken lightly—particularly not where his kind were concerned. Snorunt who evolved too early in life ran the risk of being corrupted by incomplete instincts, becoming feral or even wicked as had happened to glalie like Kashisha. Furthermore, the changes involved with transformation into a glalie were such that it was almost like a change into a different species altogether. Those of his kind were born as snow-eating bipeds who could become limbless, floating predators.

“The choice is yours, Solonn,” Morgan told him gently. “I won’t make you evolve if you don’t want to.”

So… am I really ready to evolve? Solonn asked himself silently. Well… technically, I probably am, he answered himself. He was indeed at about the age that his people considered the safest and most appropriate time to start considering evolution. In fact, once they got to be very much older than he was now, they found themselves actually having to make a conscious effort to stop the process from simply occurring on its own. So Solonn was old enough to evolve, and hence there wasn’t much of a risk of corruption.

But… do I really want to go through with this now?

Solonn couldn’t answer that question, though he tried. He wished that he had been given more time to consider this rather than having such a major decision dropped on him out of nowhere at nearly the last minute. In the end, he could only lower his gaze and sigh in response.

“You don’t want to do it, do you?” Morgan asked. Solonn shook his head vaguely in response. “That’s okay, Solonn. That’s perfectly fine.”

“Okay.” Solonn’s eyes followed the rare candy as it was returned to Morgan’s pocket. “Hey. Hold on to that. Just… you know, for whenever.”

Morgan nodded in acknowledgment. “Sure thing. If you ever decide that you want it, just let me know. Do you want back in the ball?” Morgan then asked Oth. The claydol nodded in its curious fashion and was subsequently recalled.

“All right, then,” Morgan said. “Now, don’t worry about your decision, okay? Like I said, you don’t really have to evolve to do this. You’ll do just fine.”

Solonn sincerely hoped that Morgan was right.


* * *

In what felt to Solonn like no time at all, the twenty-fifth had arrived. All at once, the task at hand was upon him, and he was swept up by it into a situation that, as it came to be, made him realize that nothing could have truly, completely prepared him for it.

Next thing he knew, he found himself riding for the very first time in an automobile. As he gazed out through the window, the view before him of the scenery rushing by mirrored his perceptions of this experience. Hurtling irresistibly forward through these moments, he scarcely had a chance to take it all in.

The vehicle came to a halt, and as he was unbuckled from his seat and brought out into the parking lot, Lilycove’s contest hall seemed to blossom into being before him right out of thin air. It was huge, and it loomed larger still with each step that brought him closer to its entrance.

Ushered gently through the front doors by his coordinator, Solonn immediately found himself almost intoxicated by the sheer level of activity within the contest hall’s lobby. All around him, humans of wildly varying appearance stood, accompanied by pokémon partners the likes of which Solonn could have never conceived.

Morgan led him into a queue, and there they waited for their turn at the desk that sat at the front of the line. After a fairly short wait, they made it to the desk, where the receptionist asked Morgan to present her contest pass. Complying at once, Morgan produced a card and handed it to the human behind the desk. The receptionist held on to the pass for a few seconds; Solonn couldn’t see what she was doing with it, for the desk exceeded his height.

When the receptionist gave the pass back to Morgan, she took a moment to peer over the edge of the desk at the pokémon who accompanied Morgan. “Oh, now isn’t that a cutie,” she remarked airily, flashing a very bright smile.

Solonn returned her gaze with a slightly disgusted look. Cute? I’m not cute…

“You may now proceed,” the receptionist then said. Morgan smiled at her, then led Solonn out of the lobby and toward the backstage area.

Several minutes of doing nothing but waiting followed. The other contestants were gathered along with Solonn and his coordinator, anticipating the impending events with varying degrees of patience. A television mounted in the corner showed the scene that awaited the contestants. With an incredible amount of noise and a level of enthusiasm that was almost tangible, even transmitted through that television screen, an audience was filing into the seemingly endless rows of seats and declaring their eagerness for the show to begin.

The spectators’ wait was not prolonged much further. The voice of the announcer came blaring forth, the audience quieting somewhat while he spoke.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” boomed his greatly magnified voice, “get ready to witness the hottest up-and-coming faces in the Hoenn contest circuit! The normal rank beauty contest shall now begin!”

“It’s time,” Morgan informed Solonn in an excited whisper, then began guiding him before her as they made their way to the stage in an orderly procession along with all the other contestants.

As Solonn emerged onto the stage, he was greeted by an unbelievable level of light and noise. The number of humans gathered just to look upon him and the other contestants was staggering—Solonn had never seen so many people in any one place before.

He had not expected that the spectators would be quite that many in number…

The coordinators and their pokémon partners formed an orderly line across the stage, facing the audience. One by one, the announcer stopped before each team and introduced them, then moved on down the line to the next team. Before long, he arrived at Solonn and Morgan.

“Next up, hailing from right here in Lilycove, it’s Morgan Yorke and her snorunt, Solonn!” the announcer said. Just as had greeted the introduction of each team before, a peal of applause rose up for Solonn and Morgan. Part of Solonn wondered what they were applauding, exactly; neither he nor any of the other contestants had actually done anything yet, after all.

“Now it’s time for you to cast your votes,” the announcer told the audience after introducing the last few contestants. “Who will make it to the next round? You decide!”

Solonn found himself unable to count the moments that passed as the audience cast their votes. His awareness of being scrutinized by innumerable eyes only intensified now that that was quite literally what they were doing. He did not see that on a colossal screen behind him, a close-up view of each of the pokémon in turn was presented to the audience—he might have been surprised, to say the least, to see a gigantic image of his own face staring back at him.

Finally, the votes were all tallied, and the results appeared on the screen behind the contestants, who all turned to see who among them would proceed to the next round.

“Look!” Morgan exclaimed. “There we are!” She pointed to the upper right corner of the screen; Solonn saw that he and Morgan were indeed pictured there. They had made it through the first round. With that obstacle out of the way, Solonn followed Morgan with a funny little detached sort of thrill as they and the other contestants returned backstage to get ready for the second round.

The small television backstage presented Solonn with a view of the performances of the contestants who had been slated to go on before him. For a crop of newcomers, their performances were generally quite competent; none of them thus far had made any mistakes in their routines, at least not as far as Solonn could tell. He found a few of the performances to be not very exciting despite their technical integrity and correctness of form, but there were a couple of the others that really stood out.

Those performances easily held Solonn’s rapt attention—and also managed to stoke the doubt within him further. As the last of the performances preceding his own turn on stage came to a close, he found himself attended by an unbidden question of whether or not he had truly, sufficiently prepared himself for this.

That question followed Solonn out onto the stage as he was called forth. It was much darker as he emerged this time than it had been during the first round, but he could still see the crowd, could still make out all those faces. Solonn had been told what to expect since his training had begun, yet Morgan’s descriptions of what this experience would be like seemed awfully weak and ill-fitting when held against this moment, these surroundings, the expectations held by all these people for whom he now had to perform…

He came to stand in the center of the stage, and a single, bright spotlight fell upon him as the music that Morgan had chosen to accompany his routine rose up, seeming to emanate from the very walls of the contest hall itself. Under the ray of white light bearing down upon him, he felt overemphasized to dimensions far greater than his own, yet at the same time also all too aware of just how small an entity he was compared to the vast, scrutinizing crowd.

A moment later, the spell of the spotlight abated enough to allow Solonn to realize that he had missed his cue. With a jolt, he hurriedly cast the hail technique up into the air above him. The summoned hailstones began falling at once, but at twice the normal intensity and not at all in the pattern he had rehearsed—it was fortunate that this was a solo performance, for had Morgan accompanied Solonn on stage for this round, she would have had to take cover from his bungled first move.

Solonn winced inwardly at the mistake and tried desperately to make some sort of recovery with his next move. He called upon powder snow and felt the most infinitesimal relief as it bowed to his will according to plan, its winds sweeping up the falling hail in a gently turning, tamed cyclone. Solonn’s creation partly obscured his view of the audience, for which he felt a wave of gratitude spread throughout his nerves. However, he knew that with his next maneuver, he would have no choice but to forfeit that comforting veil of ice and snow.

Sighing softly, Solonn kept the powder snow blowing as he slowly expanded the vortex of snowflakes and hailstones around himself while the music began to swell in a slow crescendo. The winds swept around him in a growing spiral, and as the cyclone widened and thinned out, the multitude of humans before him filled his sights once more.

Don’t pay attention to them, Solonn urged himself silently, just pretend they’re not there… He fought against an urge to close his eyes as tightly as he could and shut out the sight of the audience, for he knew that showing signs of his anxiety could count against him in the judges’ eyes. He was also finding himself dealing with a burgeoning desire to simply cut his performance short and run.

Trying with a growing desperation to keep a hold of the fraying ends of his nerves lest they unravel completely, he called upon the next element of his routine—the one which had given him cause for doubt at several points during the course of his training. He still couldn’t believe that he had gained one of the highest powers of his element in a single moment’s rush that one afternoon, disbelief that had caused him to struggle all the more in his efforts to master the technique.

Incredible though it still seemed to Solonn that he even possessed that ability, the fact remained that he did indeed possess it and was required by his routine to execute it adroitly. Don’t think about what you’re doing, he tried to remind himself, just do it… At the music’s cue, Solonn executed his strongest technique, unleashing a blizzard to join his dancing cyclone.

The blizzard howled forth, stirring the spiraling snowstorm into a frenzy as it was meant to do… but then, most disobligingly, its winds began to falter. Solonn swore that he could feel his heart fall utterly still as the blizzard, along with the other elements of the cyclone that had woven themselves into its winds, petered out right before his eyes. As if in slow motion, snowflakes, sleet, and hailstones alike all fell to the stage.

No… Solonn lamented silently. He was all too certain that his chance to obtain the ribbon and thereby surmount the first step toward his return to Virc-Dho had died along with his enchanted snowstorm. The elements of his musical accompaniment suddenly bled and merged into a formless din in his ears, while the spotlight seemed to swell to an abnormal brightness for a moment before being swallowed up in a sudden, all-consuming darkness, taking the stage, the audience, the surrounding noise, and Solonn’s consciousness along with it.

_________________________

Next time: Solonn faces a decision that stands to change his life forever… See you then!

- Sike Saner

[Kiyohime]

*slams a sledgehammer into Sike's face* NO EVOLUTION?? *falls down* I was SO sure he'd evolve and WIN. o_O

But, I'm so happy you've returned. ^^ Fwee. As usual, your writing is amazingly fluid and beautiful-- I got absorbed into it almost immediately, like a good novel. I think you could eaisly become a published author with that skill. *bows*

I love how you so carefully describe all the Ice-type attacks, the Pokeblocks, and Sei Salma's mannerisms of speaking. Detail is your talent.

I also quite liked how you described the TM discs; I always wondered how the heck a Pokemon learned it from a disc....what, slide it into their foreheads? Smack them with it? Make them lick it? o.o;; The TMs in the RBY manga era made more sense--they were metal cubes resembling lighters. You flicked them open, and a bunch of sparkles floated into the Pokemon's forehead. But this works equally well. XD

[Sike Saner]

Scrap: Nope, no evolution. Sorry. But having read The Origin of Storms, you do, at least, know that such is on the horizon.

Oh God, the whole concept of TMs baffled the frell out of me initially. XD; I kind of wish the whole "sparkly lighter" version had come to my mind, though; that's kind of nifty. That, or else one of the other alternative methods of TM activation which you suggested (Morgan: <Now all you have to do is lick this disc, and you'll learn a brand new technique.> Solonn: o_0;;; ). XD

Glad you liked Sei, too. ^^ I was very intent on making her personality just as it was. And the image of an Alakazam just sitting there, reading a magazine... I just loved the way that looked. Even better if it was some kind of tabloid rag she was reading there. x3

[Kiyohime]

YES!!!!1111!!onesevenseven. I can just see an Alakazam reading trash like The National Enquirer. XD

Sei rather reminds me of my father, come to think of it. o.o;;; He sits in his armchair puffing his pipe and reading the tabloids on Prince Harry and doesn't really notice OR mind much when I take the car out with all my friends. I don't think he'd bat an eye if I brought a bunch of strippers to the house. o.o;;:P It's remarkable how you manage to make their personalities so familiar.

[Elemental Charizam]

MMM.... Discs....

I was sure he was going to learn Sheer Cold from that TM, but Blizzard is probably more beautiful, not to mention cool. Twas an exciting chapter; the way you described Solonn's peformance was suspenceful, with each stage developing differently. Probably best he didn't evolve though; Glalie look wicked, but I wouldn't call them beautiful :p

*is punctual*

[Sike Saner]

Elemental Charizam: Oh, pshaw. Glalie are plenty beautiful! :p

Meh, sheer cold's a bit much for him to know this early in the story, I reckoned, especially while he's still a snorunt. In fact, snorunt cannot even learn sheer cold in the games.

[Typhlogirl]

*applauds*

LOV-ER-LY. Me likes, me likes!

One point I found especially pleasing was the part about the Alakazams not being trusted in the pokemon world. But it would make sense though. My view on Psychic pokemon is that they are mysterious, and not many know much about them. And in this world: The unknown = the untrustworthy.

Anyway. I also liked the part with the contest! That was awesome! The whole routine of Powder Snow and Blizzard. Very original!

Brownie points for the TM's. God, I would have had no idea what to write there. Good job!

All in all, fabulous. (Is that spelt right? O_o) Keep it up Sike! ^_^

-;157;

P.S. Heh, my view of Sheer Cold is a huge wall of ice falling from the sky and crushing the target. O_o *TWISTED*

[Sike Saner]

Typhlogirl: Yeah, I've thought a lot about how pokémon like alakazam would be regarded by other pokémon.

I've always just seen sheer cold as this super-concentrated "snap" of ice-type energy, one that's actually invisible, although it does make its presence known through a VERY loud noise. The user's eyes will flash upon using the technique; this is the only visible aspect of sheer cold (aside from the target dropping like a stone if it hits successfully, that is X3). Sheer cold was actually used by Sanaika back in Chapter 2.

I must say, though, the ice-wall version of sheer cold sounds rather deadlier... o_o Ouch. That would hurt like hell...

[Klaus]

That has rated a TEN on my Maxie scale, that is a rarity.

Yes, I do adore that thought of Alakazam being...*eyes go left to right*...untrustworty,but I always thought of them being all strutty and stuff,'cept Mr.Mime who is just obsest with house cleaning.

Yes, it was indeed a sight to behold..ah, I love it.

Please, PM when chapter five is up, and keep it Maxie-licious!

As always,be kind to the mime.

[Kaizer]

he did mind Oth’s presence as he spoke with the Human.

didn't, not did.

A mistake, and that's all it was...
It wasn't that big of a thing, but I'm just doing my duty is suppose. Now, I should stop stalling, because this review is in no way worthy.
I loved the idea of contests though, as well as him screwing up, because no one should be perfect on their first try. Oh, and after reading all the posts about the Alakazam, I could just imagine him sitting in front of a TV watching some crap like Survivor or one of the Apprentice shows. That right there would be true comedy too...
As for all of the contests being in Lilycove, I'm guessing you've never played Emerald? In that version, all the contests are replaced by Battle Tents so all the levels have to happen at Lilycove. You're not even being original having them there ^_^.
All aside, this story is different, and therefore good. It's also well written and thank you for telling me that the new chapter was out.
Until next time,
;245;

[Wes]

That afternoon, Solonn’s contest training began in earnest. It was initiated in a way which Solonn found to be quite odd: Morgan offered him a small, indigo-colored cube and told him to eat it, saying that it would help him to do well in the contests.

Solonn looked at Morgan as if she was crazy. “How is this thing supposed to make any difference in whether or not I win?”

“Well…what it does is it refines your appearance. These Pokéblocks will help you look as healthy and as…er, handsome as you can look. Making a good visual impression on the audience and judges is very important.”

Solonn continued to gaze skeptically at the Human. Whatever, he decided finally, and took the Pokéblock from Morgan, devouring it quickly. The little candy was…okay; kind of good, except that it had this funny, sort of sour aftertaste. That was the only fault Solonn could find with the Pokéblock, and it was really only mildly unpleasant – at first. Then, he found the little candy cube beginning to disagree with him…then to strongly disagree with him…

Morgan’s expression was one of disappointment (not to mention revulsion), as before her eyes, the Snorunt’s body rejected the Pokéblock. However, that undesired reaction did not dissuade her from attempting to feed Solonn another of those indigo candies later that evening. Naturally, Solonn resisted at first – he wasn’t exactly eager to throw up again, after all.

I found that bit quite funny a bit. Anyways another great Chapter Sikes! Your work always seems to amaze me . Heh and good luck with the next chapter. I can't really seen any mistakes but nontheless I'm not good at that but anyways good luck.

[Saffire Persian]

Awesome chapter. Extremely so. Can I quote you? "Fwee!" I think I've told you adequately over AIM what I think, but there's never a reason not to say more I suppose. I didn't catch any errors, though it seems Kaiser found one, though its hard to have a typo-free chapter on the first, or even second, try.

I love Sei, and I agree with Scrap on the idea on how one could see her reading Tabloids. And its to my opinion that Sei likes Mind Reading, despite the fact that she says she tries not to do it. I'm so sure she tries to block it out. XD.. She can't now, with Morgan and Solonn's minds linked through hers. She must enjoy it, or she would have never consented to make a link in the first place. 0_o.. Imagine hearing every thought...

No evolution? that's what I say! I thought he would, judging by our discussion last night over a Glalie's weight. But I imagine the evolution's not long in coming. But whatever, Snorunt's are growing on me.

Release your next chapter soon!

[Pinecone Tortoise]

Yo,

back again to congratulate you on another fantastic chapter. Your characterisation is brilliant and with everyone so firmly in character, everything else seems to just slip into place. Beauty of writing.

As everyone else and their dog agrees, Sei Salma is a real personality. Actually, she comes as a bit of a shock after getting the next chapter of COUNT - The Voyage up. She seems like a teenage version of the Alakazam in my fic. A poised and formal sort of teenager, but a teen all the same. I can almost see her sitting in a cafe sipping coffee with Morgan after a girl's day out. And Saffire Persian, I reckon you might be right. She might be opening the link simply because it's what her trainer requires of her, but I'll choose to think it's cause she likes the the gossip. She was probably reading the gossip column in that magazine, too. ^^; Or not.

Great work and good luck with that computer, Sike.

Pinecone Tortoise.
;204;;324;

[Sike Saner]

Klaus: Glad you continue to enjoy it. ^^

kaizer63: You know what? You caused a very bizarre train of thought to pass through my mind. It went something like this:

Alakazam watching “The Apprentice” ----> Alakazam watching “The Apprentice”—with Donald Trump’s hair ----> Alakazam, Donald Trump, and Martha Stewart all eating big, nasty grubs on “Fear Factor”…

o_0

Thanks for that nifty little bit of mental cinema… XD

And no, I do not have Emerald. ;-;

*notices typo* WTF is with me and using the DIRECT ANTONYM of the intended word?! XD *fixes*

Wes: Ah, yes. That scene. X3

Saffire Persian: I’m quite surprised and, of course, quite pleased to see what a positive response Sei has gotten thus far. It seems as though there’s always one character who unexpectedly steals the show. Kind of like how I never expected Jen (from The Origin of Storms) to get such a response as he did, but there you go. Anyway, yeah, glad you like Sei. ^^

And yes. Alakazam + tabloids = PURE GOLD. XD

Pinecone Tortoise: Man, I am severely honored by your comparison between Sei and the alakazam from COUNT – The Voyage, since your alakazam is one of the most fascinating pokémon characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading. ^^ And I think you might be right about Sei’s fondness for gossip… that psychic rascal. :p And, you know, she might earnestly be trying to kick that bad habit, but… God bless her, she just can’t help herself! XD

Thanks for the well-wishes on the computer, btw. What it all comes down to is, the thing is just frightfully old. Sometimes, I think it might be trying to get assisted suicide by frustrating me into utterly destroying it. :p We’re seeing about replacing the miserable old geezer of a machine, but we’d really rather not attempt a purchase of that nature when we have the impending holidays to consider, and lots of people for whom to buy gifts. Temperamental as this thing is, though, it is working out all right for me at present, so I am grateful for it. (Even if I do still occasionally feel like taking power tools to it, and not in their intended, constructive usage, either. :p )

[Ryano Ra]

Sorry for not reviewing, I have had a busy schedule lately (basically writing Heavenly Malevolence and reading), so I didn't have much time on my hands to review.

The last two chapters have been outstanding. The characterization is the strong point in the entire novel so far, because each character has a unique, striving personality that sets the Pokemon apart to their own. I am also a great fan of Alakazam, so make sure you use it well or the heavenly dragon Gods shall rip apart your brain, crack your spine, and vomit all existence of blood in your body. The description always provides me with enchanting imagery, and I'm starting to get a fantasy-like vibe from this. Perhaps you are adding a little fantasy elements as the story progresses, no? Overall, stupendous job, keep up the work.

[Sike Saner]

Serpent Syra: Well, alakazam was once my absolute favorite pok&#233;mon (it's still my favorite 1st gen pok&#233;mon, actually), so I'm quite conscious of doing all I can to do that species justice. ^^ *cowers from heavenly dragon gods anyway because they sound fearsome* X3

[xXSaberXx]

LOL! In Emerald they have ALL the contests in Lilehcove. x3 I love Emerald Version.

ANYHOO!

LIKE WOW! That chapter gave a very good insight into what simple, everyday trainer things can do. Like TM's. And Rare Candy's. AND OTH! I LOVE THAT NAME

Oth oth othhhhhhhhh




Good! Okay, then. You’ll be getting two of these a day for the next two weeks,” she told him.

o-o That would be....*counts on fingers* TWENTY EIGHT POKEBLOCKS! LOL! A pokemon can only have like....o-o;; 12? I think.....

Nah, but that's fine. Understandable.

And omg, SEI IS NOT A GARDEVOIR?! *dies* Haha, I WAS WRONG! Woot.

*applauds*

*tackleglomps*

:3

[Sike Saner]

xXSaberXx: Grr! I am the last person on the planet without Emerald! X3

*blinks* You know, I actually was not counting the pok&#233;blocks... Er... ^_^;; Aheh heh heh...

...Fwee! Now I get to state some half-baked arguments in my defense as though I had actually thought about this aspect before writing it, even though I didn't! :p


Er... Growing boys need lots of food, especially when they are growing too large!
Little Starburst-candy-things made out of blended berries shouldn't be able to make something "pretty" just from eating it, so the least we could do is make it require more of them! Yeah!
Um... maybe, if you space it out over an extended period of time rather than feeding all the pok&#233;blocks to a pok&#233;mon in one sitting, perhaps that makes it possible to give it more?
Oh! Maybe, they were... DIET pok&#233;blocks! *is shot*
Well... er... um, well... uh... BECAUSEN! :p


So... er, yeah! XP

[Brian Powell]

*Nods* Good, very good. I thought that Sei was a Gardevoir but meh.

Although there were some errors, I really enjoyed the actions and emotions going around and such. I could say more but I think the other guys have beaten me to them.

Overall score (so far): 5 out of 5

PS: Will you win the awards you’re in? I think you’re in with a chance, ma’am.

PSS: You're not the only person who hasn't got Emerald... not yet...

[Sike Saner]

Brian Powell: Fwee, I'm not the only one without Emerald! :D Well, I figured I really wasn't, anyway, but... *shrugs and hugs* ^^

I actually might have made Sei a gardevoir rather than an alakazam had I not not written a gardevoir character in The Origin of Storms. *reminds self that there was an alakazam in that story, too* ...Er, yeah... X3 Meh, I've just been a long-time alakazam fan, and I wanted to pay tribute thusly. :D

[GoldenHouou]

Me has no Emerald either. T_T
*Gets shot by the anti-off-topic gun* X_X

Okay, but anyway, to my review...

Like always you descripe everything really well. Its nice to read. I can picture every single part of it in my mind. Speaking of which, that Alakazam reading the magazine was so funny! Eh, for some reason, I keep thinking her laying on a sofa, drinking a nice apple drink and watching some soap operas. O_o; Just... Don´t ask, okay?

Too bad that you didn´t actually go deeper into the battle practises. I love to read about battles. Exception being, of course, those which are too short and those with no description. I would want to see him practicing with Raze. But that might be mereley because I like Raze so much. I wanna go and yell that name on the street! *Is about to run off but gets pulled back to finish the review*
I need to name my Skarmory to Raze if I ever decide to train one. Do I get your permisson for using it?

But, anyway, I´m glad you didn´t make Solonn win the contest. No, not because I would hate him or anything, just because I don´t like it if the main character wins everything without an effort.

The Rare Candy thing, I have never understood how a mere candy can rise a level, making Pokémon stronger. Neither have I understood the Pokeblocks. The makers if the game must have enjoyed candy, no? Hmm, maybe they make an all evolving chocolate bar! *Gets shot* Fine, maybe not then...

Like many others, I have also find the whole TM thing kinda annoying to explain. Believe it or not, back in the Red/Blue/Yellow days, I didn´t know it was a disk, and I seriouslyu thought it was somekind of mecahnical chip that they would attach at the Pokémon´s body, like hide it somehwere inside their fur or something XD I never liked that idea. And HMs were a mystert to me, for you couldn´t possibly put the same chip on many Pokémons. Sigh, I´m getting off-topicy again. A bad habit. *Evades the anti off-topic gun´s bullet*

Hmmm... Was there something else I wanted to say? ... Oh, yeah, I remember! The evolution thing! I´m glad he didn´t evolve. I´ve grown to like him the way he is, a Snorunt. I like Snorunt´s more than Glalies anyway. *Hides behind a tree. Okay, not the most originial hiding place...* Anyway, I have the feeling you might evolve him in sokme of the upcoming episodes.

As I read the part of he being offered to evolve, I knew he wouldn´t want to. I also knew that he wouldn´t win the contest. Guess why? Because I was stupid enough to read the firts reply after your chapter... I should read them AFTER the actual chapter, to prevent things like this.

Oh, by the way, I thought Sei Salma was an Espeon. Meh, Alakazam´s are nice and Espeon is too overrused anyway.


Good chapter as always, but I wouldn´t except anything less from you. Be sure to PM me once you have posted the next chapter, and I´ll be sure to read it.

[Sike Saner]

GoldenHouou: XD And now, I find myself imagining Sei sitting in bed at 2:00 in the morning, eating ice cream and watching some trash talk show. Fwee for the boundless wonders of mental cinema... :D

Oh, and you will get your battles. Rest assured. ^^

Now, feel free to go out and shout whatever name you like unto the heavens. Fwee... I'll have xXSaberXx shouting "Oth" on one corner and you shouting "Raze" on another. ^^ Awesome times.

[Dark Latios]

Sorry it took me soo long to reply.. I read chap 4 about a week ago and forgot to reply until now.. Sorry!

Anyway, nice chap as always.. I was hoping Sei would be a Gardevoir/Espeon, but an Alakazam seemed most likely in my opinion.. Gardevoir is pretty much over-used. ;P

I was hoping for evolution in ths chap, but I guess it would be a lot more interesting for a Snorunt to enter the contests than a Glalie. Poor Solonn.. I hope he's ok. I get stage fright too. I've never been a performer. XD

So, I'm looking forward to the next chap.. I feel really bad that I'm probably the last person to review your fic.. ^^;;

~DL

[Sike Saner]

Dark Latios: Bah, don't feel bad about it. ^^ And yeah, I never intended to have Solonn evolved in time for his first contest.


Okay. The situation right now is that I am presently without my own computer, as it recently decided to crap out on me altogether. Frankly, I'm amazed the blasted relic lasted this long. X3 Anyway, I was not able to get Chapter 5 typed up before the thing went kaput. The library does not allow enough time on their computers for me to take care of that there, so I will have to go and do it at my cousin's house. How soon you will see the next chapter depends entirely on how soon I can get over there. The soonest would be Saturday, so let's hope that works out.

See you ASAP.
Sike Saner

[Sike Saner]

Chapter 5 – Elements Embraced


Solonn awoke several hours later, but he was unaware of how much time had passed since his failure within the contest hall. His eyes opened to a view of Morgan’s room, which was more dimly lit than usual, the only source of artificial light presently in use being a lamp sitting on the bedside table.

With a hazy delay, he noted that he had been placed on Morgan’s bed. He was presently lying at the foot of the bed with a small, thin blanket draped over the lower half of his body. The blanket was slightly itchy and created a bit more warmth than he liked, but he made no immediate move to displace it.

His most recent memories gathered within his mind to bear down upon him in the present. The haze of the aftermath of his unconsciousness gave way to focus, provoking him into consciously and actively musing on his failure. Again and again, he mentally replayed the scene of his botched performance, earnestly wondering what had happened to him up on that stage, trying to figure out why first his routine and then he himself had fallen apart before the audience.

Because you weren’t ready, he silently answered himself at last.

I should have been… he countered internally. But he knew better, really. He had not been ready. He had not taken adequate time to prepare himself for his first performance. He had been in such a rush to get that first step toward home behind him, and it was because of that haste that his goal now lay further away.

You should have waited until the later contest to try and get that ribbon, he admonished himself. Now you’re just going to have to wait anyway.

In that sense, perhaps, no harm done. He could indeed just try again in two months, which would give him the extra time to train that he probably should have taken the first time around before trying for a ribbon.

However, as Solonn continued to muse on his failure, he couldn’t help but wonder if his next performance wouldn’t just end up suffering the same fate as his first had even with another two months’ worth of preparation for it. After all, wouldn’t the audience be every bit as large as it had been the time before? Wouldn’t he be just as alone and exposed on that stage, with not only the spotlight but also all of those innumerable human eyes focused upon him?

Solonn groaned, feeling a mix of annoyance and disappointment toward himself for the way he had so easily succumbed to the pressure of his performance. You were supposed to be paying attention to what you were doing, not to the audience, he thought miserably. Morgan had even told him something along those lines during his training, and yet he had managed to lose sight of that advice right when he had needed it most.

As Solonn recalled, there had been a couple of moments during his performance, albeit woefully brief ones, in which he almost—just almost—felt as though he could just shut out all else around him and vanish into his routine. It was, he noted in recollection, a weaker version of a feeling that he had attained on a couple of occasions during his training. Through the harnessing of some of the higher powers among his ice-type abilities, he had sometimes achieved the slightest sensation of becoming one with these powers, of practically losing himself within them…

Solonn sighed as he determined that that right there was the key. To maintain command over his performance despite the vulnerability and scrutiny that awaited him on stage, he had to somehow achieve and maintain that oneness with the element that brought his routine to life.

But how? he asked of anyone and no one, silently and earnestly.

At that moment, words from only a few days prior rose from his memory. “Glalie have more finely-tuned abilities where their element is concerned,” Morgan reminded him within his mind. “They can handle ice-type techniques more easily.”

Gods… she’s right about that… Glalie could indeed perform ice techniques with considerably more ease than snorunt could—and perhaps this was not the result of having more elemental power so much as that of being closer to the power of their element…

As if rallying to the point, words from a more distant past came forth within his mind then, the words of his mother: “Our element is our very life, Solonn. We could not survive without its power, and by practicing its ways, we achieve some of the most rewarding experiences in our lives.”

So, that’s the answer, then, isn’t it? Solonn reckoned. If I evolve, maybe then I won’t lose it in the middle of my routine next time… but gods… Whether or not it was a solution, even if it was the only solution, the fact remained that it was still evolution—physical, permanent change. It was an irrevocable choice; if he came to regret it, there would be no way for it to be undone.

Furthermore, he didn’t know what he could even expect from the process itself. Having never evolved before, he had no sure idea of what it would actually be like. He had once asked his mother about it, but she had told him that she could not adequately describe it. Azvida had also tried to assure him that the process usually did not hurt, which was no real comfort—especially not with the presence of that nasty little “usually”.

Solonn could not deny that he still viewed the prospect of evolution with apprehension. However… he considered also the notion of enduring a performance that was a repeat of the last one… and he realized that that was something that he actually feared more. It seemed now to have come down to a decision between facing either evolution or the possibility of another failure in the contest halls. Between the two, he found that it was actually the latter that he would rather not risk.

Solonn sat up, finally bothering as he did so to cast off the uncomfortable blanket. For minutes, he sat there, staring at his hands as he tried to let his decision settle within his mind. He figured that Morgan would likely return soon, and he felt that he had to be ready to inform her of his decision as soon as he possibly could.

Just as Solonn had managed to get himself to stop counting the passing seconds that delayed the moment of truth, the door to the bedroom opened slowly with barely a creak. As if possessed of a notion that she had to sneak into her own room, Morgan at first allowed only her face to cross the threshold, peering in cautiously. Then, slowly and silently, she allowed the rest of her body to slip into the room, closing the door almost noiselessly behind her.

It was later than it had quite seemed, Solonn realized then; Morgan was dressed for bed. He hoped that Morgan wouldn’t mind being kept awake for this purpose, especially since he was not at all sure that he could maintain his resolve through the night.

Inhaling very deeply, Solonn turned to face the human who still hovered cautiously just inside the doorway. “Get it out,” he said with false calmness.

Morgan stared in bewilderment at Solonn, a bit startled by the way he suddenly spoke up, not quite processing what he’d said. “…Get what out?”

“The candy, Morgan,” Solonn said, maintaining an even tone with an effort. “It’s time.”

Morgan blinked in utter surprise for a moment. “Oh,” she said, an unmistakable look of worry forming on her face. “…Now?”

Solonn nodded slowly. “I’m sure you would rather go to sleep, but…”

“No, that’s okay,” Morgan assured him, though she did sound a bit shaken. She made her way over to a small dresser, opened its topmost drawer, and rummaged through its contents a bit before she managed to find what she was seeking.

She began to lift the rare candy out from the drawer, but then hesitated. “Solonn… are you sure you’re really ready for this?”

“Yes. I’m ready,” Solonn said without inflection, inwardly cursing the human’s choice of words—few phrases in existence bred as much doubt in him as “are you sure” could. The snorunt’s eyes stayed fixed upon Morgan. His stare was steady for the most part, his eyes nearly unblinking, but their light was beginning to pulsate and flicker unsteadily, betraying the presence of at least some trepidation within him.

“You just seem awfully nervous,” Morgan said concernedly.

Solonn made a slight, dismissive noise. “It’s really nothing. Everyone gets nervous right before they evolve,” he said, guessing rather than actually knowing this. "It’s not exactly a minor thing, you know.”

“No, it isn’t,” Morgan concurred. “But if you’re sure you’re ready… well, here goes nothing, I guess…” She unwrapped the rare candy and brought it to Solonn, placing it in his hand. “There. Just eat that, and the rest should follow.”

Solonn gave a quick nod. He looked down at the little pink candy that now sat in his hand… and kept on looking.

“Are you gonna go ahead, then?” Morgan asked.

Solonn snapped out of his temporary mind-freeze. “Huh? Oh… right.” He furrowed his brow at the rare candy, continuing to stare down at it but making no further move toward it other than to give it a small poke with his other hand.

“I don’t blame you at all for being nervous, you know? I’m pretty nervous right now, myself,” Morgan admitted.

Solonn had already figured as much, aware of the hammering of both of their hearts. He gave her a little smile in an effort to ease some of the tension that he and Morgan shared but knew that the corners of his mouth were shaking as he did so.

Just get it over with! urged a voice in the back of his mind. Fighting in vain to still the trembling of his hand, he raised the rare candy to his mouth. His jaws were very reluctant to part, but he finally pried them open just enough to shove the candy in, barely bothering to chew it or to enjoy its somewhat sweet flavor before rushing it down his throat.

There, he consoled himself silently, the “voice” of his mind seeming to tremble just as much as his body was doing. Now, just try to relax and wait for it to happen…

Nothing happened.

Moment after moment passed, and still the candy just sat there in his stomach, doing nothing whatsoever to alter his state of being. He felt absolutely no change from how he had felt prior to consuming the rare candy. The “boost” of which Morgan had spoken was completely absent, as were any feelings that would even remotely suggest that he was going to turn into a glalie anytime soon.

“Guess you and Oth weren’t right about me after all,” Solonn said finally.

“Guess not,” Morgan said with a sigh. “It’s just hard to believe, though. Oth was so sure, and it knows from such things… Are you sure you don’t feel any different?”

“No difference at all,” Solonn replied.

“It should have given you a boost, though, even if not enough of one to make you evolve,” Morgan said.

“And instead it gave me nothing.”

“Hmm… maybe you just need enough time to digest it first,” Morgan suggested.

“Hmph.” Solonn was done with having any expectations for the rare candy. All that it had succeeded in making him become was annoyed over having suffered all that anticipation for nothing.

Then there came the buzz.

It was a distinct tingling that radiated from the pit of his stomach and spread throughout his entire body. It felt like pure energy was flowing through his veins. A sudden, incredible sense of exhilaration flooded his brain, making his breath catch in his throat and causing his eyes to grow huge.

Morgan took notice, and her eyes widened likewise. “Are you okay?” she asked anxiously. Her eyes grew even wider. “Is it happening?”

Before Solonn could even begin to form any sort of an answer, a powerful jolt from deep within him struck him with almost no warning, taking his breath away completely. The tingling sensation that was still coursing throughout his body shifted in an instant into a strong vibration, one that intensified by the second and produced a dull ache in his bones.

His mouth opened in a silent scream as the sensations he was experiencing made a turn toward earnest pain. He stared wildly at Morgan, who now looked more terrified than excited. She could clearly see the fear and pain in his eyes. Then her face was erased from Solonn’s sight as bright light began to shine from his entire body, filling his vision with a blindingly white emptiness.

In an instant so swift that he could not possibly have marked its precise arrival or passing, Solonn went from feeling full to bursting with energy to feeling as though he were made of energy. The sensation was, in a sense, similar to that of entering a capture ball. The difference was that rather than feeling as though he had ceased to actually exist as confinement within the great ball made him feel, he instead felt as though he becoming more real, more alive.

There was no longer any pain. Distantly, as he began to rematerialize into his new form, he could sense that he was growing larger, but it didn’t quite manage to register as a truly physical sensation; he was presently not truly physical himself, after all.

Though the physical aspects of his change were mere shadows of sensations, there was another feeling present that he found overwhelming. This, he recognized with amazement and sheer elation, was the raw power of his element—and here he was, united with it in a way that made his prior experiences of closeness to his element look like the poor facsimiles of this strange, sweet union that they truly were. At last, he had truly become one with his element, and it was a wonderful sensation.

The bright, white nothingness drained at last from Solonn’s vision, allowing his surroundings to come back into focus. The first thing he saw, through eyes whose vision was much sharper than that which he had previously known, was the face of his coordinator. It was as white as snow in her awe, her eyes very wide and her mouth agape.

Solonn couldn’t blame her. Along with his sight, all of his other senses had returned, as well, giving him a full sense of what he had become. He was aware of the sheer size of his new body—he was huge. At the same time, however, he didn’t feel like he was very heavy at all.

He realized then that he had taken to hovering without even consciously trying to do so and was now suspended just above the surface of Morgan’s bed. Solonn became fascinated at once with his newly gained levitation. He moved himself for the first time in this new fashion, gliding a very short distance forward, marveling at how effortless it felt.

Solonn was instantly at home within his new form. He felt a wonderful blend of elation and immense relief wash over him and wondered how he could have ever feared to become what he now was. A contented sigh escaped him, and he began to set himself down upon the bed with a smile—but he got back up in a hurry when the bed creaked ominously beneath his now considerable weight. In doing so, he knocked his horns against the ceiling. Biting back a swear, Solonn looked up to see if his horns had damaged the ceiling and saw to his relief that they hadn’t.

Morgan laughed. “Oh God, be careful! You’re almost too big for this room, you know that?”

She wasn’t kidding. Solonn realized how fortunate it was that Morgan’s room was as large as it happened to be; he took up a sizable share of its space. If the room had been any smaller…

“Actually… you’re too big, period,” Morgan noted. “No offense, but normally, glalie don’t get quite so large; I’d expected you to be closer to my height, actually. Do you have any idea what could have made you turn out this way?”

Solonn would have shrugged were it not for the fact that he no longer possessed shoulders. “Well, uh… I’ve always been kind of tall,” he said in his new, much deeper voice, “but I have to admit, this is…” He trailed off, rather at a loss for words. He was easily half again the size of even the largest glalie he had ever seen, and he had no explanation as to why.

“You know,” Morgan said then, “this might actually be a development that could work out in our favor. The audience is likely to be impressed by your size, and so are the judges.”

“Mm. Well, that’s good to know.”

Morgan nodded. A second later, her expression suggested that something had just occurred to her. She cast a slightly uneasy glance at the doorway, then at Solonn, and then back to the doorway once more. “Hey… um, how do you suppose we’re even going to get you out of here so we can take you to the contest hall?”

Solonn gave her a puzzled look, then followed her gaze to the doorway and understood at once.

“I will never fit through there,” he said with a small, hissing chuckle. “Never again.”

“No, you won’t,” Morgan concurred, laughing.

“…The ball will, though,” Solonn noted.

Morgan frowned slightly. “Well… you are right about that, but…” She sighed. “I don’t know. I mean, I know you don’t like it in there…”

Solonn made a dismissive noise. "It’s fine. You and I both know I can’t be trapped here in this room. There’s barely any room for us both to be in here at the same time; you’d hardly be able to get around in here with me in your way. You can’t even get into your own bed with me in here.”

Morgan cast a glance backwards at where her capture ball belt was hung, from whence Solonn’s great ball gave off a slight, teal glint in the soft lamplight. “Yeah, I know,” she said, traces of guilt in her voice making her speech sound slightly awkward, “but…”

“But nothing,” Solonn said gently. “I don’t mind going in there from time to time as long as it’s only when I really have to. For now, go ahead and get some sleep, all right? I’ll go in the ball for the night, and in the morning you can just take me out to the backyard where there’s plenty of room, and I’ll just stay out there from now on.”

Morgan gave him one last look of uncertainty. “Well, as long as you’re sure you don’t mind…” she said, then went to fetch the great ball.

“Hey,” Solonn said then. Morgan turned an inquisitive gaze upon him. “…I just wanted to thank you for making this happen… I never imagined this change would be so wonderful,” he said earnestly.

“Oh…” Morgan turned her head and smiled broadly, blushing slightly. “You’re welcome,” she said. “I’m glad you’re happy with your new form.”

She raised the ball toward Solonn, preparing to activate its recall function. “Goodnight, Solonn.”

“Goodnight,” the glalie echoed. As he allowed his body to be absorbed by the capture ball, he allowed his mind to be absorbed by thoughts of what he had become and the possible ramifications of the change.


* * *

Four days after Solonn’s evolution, Morgan and Sei Salma stepped out into the backyard to join him. The former brought along with her a small, portable stereo, just as she had done on Solonn’s request each day since he had evolved.

Solonn sat serenely beneath the sitrus tree. Morgan took a seat next to him, while Sei, carrying a large stack of magazines, levitated herself up into the branches above, picking a large sitrus berry for herself as she settled into a comfortable position. Morgan then started the music with a smile.

Solonn imagined that he would never cease to be amazed by human accomplishments such as the stereo that sat nearby, what with the way that it somehow produced human voices and the widely varying sounds of their music. The music that had been chosen that day impressed him more than any other that he had heard to date. One song in particular took a peculiar hold of him; he found its instrumentation rich and its lyrics poetic.

He closed his eyes, and he swore that he could actually see the music in his mind’s eye. He visualized the music in the form of twisting, spiraling shapes that branched upward and outward, forming intricate patterns…

A sharp gasp, easily audible and discernible over the music to Solonn’s keen hearing, interrupted his reverie. A second later, the music was shut off. Solonn’s eyes opened, and a hiss of surprise escaped him at what he saw. Surrounding himself, Morgan, and Sei Salma were the shapes that he had envisioned within his mind. As if of their own accord, they had been brought out of his head and into the backyard, formed out of spontaneously generated ice.

<But… how?> Solonn asked.

<You’re a cryokinetic,> Sei said, gazing down with a smile as she munched on the sitrus berry. <Among other things, this gives you the ability to generate ice. You are also able to mentally manipulate it. All glalie have these abilities.>

<Well, yes, I knew that,> Solonn said, <but—>

<—You didn’t mean to use them,> Sei finished. <The subconscious activities of a cryokinetic can sometimes manifest themselves in a visible display, especially when said cryokinetic’s abilities first awaken. And I did not mean to read your mind there,> she added.

Solonn continued to stare, stupefied by the formations of ice that had been born of his own mind. He had created that display while being completely unaware of doing so. He had managed to lose himself in that act, just as he had lost himself in the music that had inspired it.

His gaze fell upon Morgan, who wore an awed expression as her eyes swept from one part of the ice formation to another. <Do you… do you like it?> he asked tentatively.

The human turned toward him and nodded, beaming brightly. Her finger moved over the “PLAY” button. <Keep it up. Please,> she said, then pushed the button.

The song resumed, and Solonn closed his eyes and tried to let the music absorb him once again, succeeding quite readily. For a brief moment, he wondered if continuing his cryokinetic display would not be so easy now that he was conscious of his actions, but he found that awareness of the use of this ability had no effect on its ease and enjoyability. He was still able to lose himself within his actions even though he now consciously chose them.

Solonn allowed his eyes to open and serenely watched the manifestations of ice that changed, grew and danced in time with the music. Through them, Solonn discovered the simple ecstasy of being quite literally in his element.


* * *

In the weeks that followed, Solonn underwent a far more stringent regimen of training and rehearsing than had preceded his prior contest appearance, and he did so at his request. On occasion, he had spent an entire night rehearsing his routine alone in the backyard.

“You don’t really have to work so hard,” Morgan told him more than once, but each time, Solonn insisted on continuing to rehearse to this extent.

This was partly because he was, of course, intent on making it as likely as possible that he would perform better than he had last time, but there was another motive behind his desire to devote so much time to perfecting his routine. Following that first interpretive ice display in the backyard, he and Morgan had decided to work one into his routine, even opting to replace the song to which he had performed last time with the one that had played during his first ice display. Nothing else in his prior experience compared to the sensation of oneness with his element—a sensation that he now attained every time he practiced his routine. It became a high priority of his to achieve that feeling as often as he could.

Soon, those two months of preparation were behind him, and he once again found himself onstage with his coordinator and all the other contestants in the Lilycove contest hall. The vast audience before him was in the process of voting, deciding who would and who would not make it past this first round. Solonn quickly found that he could not help but wonder what they all thought of him. Consideration of this subject had come unbidden, but he made a conscious effort to avoid being overly concerned with it.

If you can just get past this part, he told himself within his mind, then in just a short while, you can get away from all of them…

The announcement that came a minute or so later, declaring that Solonn had received a sufficiently high rating from the audience to advance to the second round, brought him a sense of relief and something else, as well: a mild but nonetheless present sort of eagerness. He was soon to be alone on that stage, performing before that huge audience… but at the same time it would also still be a chance to experience that incomparable unity with his element.

And they won’t be a part of that, he reminded himself as he departed to the backstage area with Morgan.

The television backstage showed each of the performances preceding his own, which was slated for last this time. Solonn made a point of not watching any of them, remembering well how watching the other performers in action had only intimidated him the time before.

They don’t matter, he thought resolutely. This is about something far beyond them.

Finally, the time had come. Solonn emerged onto the stage, trying as he took his place there to view it as merely a stop en route to the far better place to which he was about to go.

The lights went out completely. Nothing was visible to the crowd gathered within the auditorium except for two large, blue eyes glowing brightly from the center of the stage through the darkness. Those eyes could still see the individual human faces in the crowd quite well, more clearly than he had the time before…

They will not be part of this.

The music came alive. Very slowly, lights mounted in the stage began to emit pale blue rays. Glistening within this glow, ice began to rise in thin, vinelike shapes from the stage. They branched out and twisted as they grew slowly but steadily upward, swaying and flicking at the air in time with the music.

The many branches of the seemingly living ice curled downward and inward toward their maker and joined together beneath his hovering body, forming a cradle of sorts underneath him. The ice began to rise upward, lifting Solonn toward the ceiling.

Meanwhile, more of the thin, branchlike structures extended outward from the cradle to dance around him. They then transformed into seven long, thin needles. Atop each of them, ice was formed into the shape of a diamond.

Solonn rose slowly along with the song’s building crescendo, ascending from the ice below him as high as he could manage. He brought a protect aura around himself as he lifted himself ever higher, surrounding himself with a deep blue glow. At the apex of his ascent, his eyes suddenly blazed with a surge of white light—and so did the diamonds of ice, which then exploded one by one in time with the music in sparkling bursts of frozen mist.

As the glow of the protect aura faded, Solonn descended to the stage once more, while the level of the ice beneath him lowered as it was gradually dissipated. The music worked itself into a frenzy soon after, and accordingly Solonn summoned a miniature storm. Blizzard, icy wind and powder snow rushed in a maddened spiral around him while the blue stage lights strobed.

Then the song abruptly ended, and Solonn’s performance did likewise. The lights cut out; when they came back on a second later, there was not a trace of ice or of snow to be found anywhere. Nothing remained of the wintry spectacle save for the glalie who had made it happen.

Solonn looked out upon a silent audience as he hovered at the center of the stage, his body trembling as he breathed hard in his exhaustion. Closing his eyes, he bowed deeply, inclining his face toward the floor. Then the audience erupted into applause—Solonn was grateful for their enthusiasm, but this was one moment in which he rather wished that his evolution had not enhanced his hearing. The judges approved of his routine, as well; his score was in the top two, meaning that he would proceed to the third and final round along with just one other finalist.

Solonn was taken backstage where he had to be recalled for a moment into his great ball so that he could have his energy restored by the rejuvenation machine that was kept backstage. Second-round performances usually took a lot out of a pokémon, and Solonn’s performance was no exception; without rejuvenation, he knew, he would certainly not have the strength to perform well in the final round’s battle. Once both he and his opponent had both been rejuvenated, the third round was ready to begin.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” boomed the voice of the announcer, “we’ve seen quite a parade of truly skilled performers tonight. Now we’re down to the very best of the crop, the final two. Let’s hear it for Alex Rhodes and Kelly from Mauville and Morgan Yorke and Solonn from right here in Lilycove!”

The exuberant noise of the crowd filled the air as the finalists made their way onto the stage. Solonn took his place a couple of yards in front of Morgan and gazed across the stage at the opposing team, which consisted of a girl with long, blonde, braided hair and a golduck who was giggling to herself.

“The match will end when the clock runs out, when one pokémon’s points are entirely depleted, or when one pokémon is rendered unable to battle,” the announcer explained. ”Without any further ado, let the final round begin!” With that, a loud tone rang out over the PA system, signaling the commencement of the battle.

“All right, Solonn. Let’s show them our icy wind/ice beam combo,” Morgan said.

“Then we’ll start with psybeam and water pulse!” Alex declared.

Solonn summoned two of his ice-type abilities simultaneously. Charged with the pure elemental energy of the beam, the small, razor-edged ice particles contained within the icy wind took on a brilliant cyan glow as they rushed toward Kelly on a frigid gust.

Meanwhile, Kelly launched her own attack, continuing to giggle inexplicably as she did so. Her combination of psybeam and water pulse created a rainbow-hued ray through which glowing blue rings of water-type energy rippled.

Solonn’s attack turned out to be the stronger of the two as a result of both of the constituents of his combination being derived from his own element. The ice-type combo overtook Kelly’s attack and scattered its energies, foiling it. The shredding gale then assaulted Kelly herself. Being a water-type, she suffered very little from its charge of elemental energy, but the sharp edges of its icy shrapnel nonetheless managed to tear shallow cuts all over the golduck’s body, making her squawk in pain.

As a result of her taking the hit, Kelly’s points suffered. The bar that represented them on the scoreboard decreased in length, albeit only slightly.

“Now, let’s take some defensive measures, shall we? Light screen, Solonn,” Morgan said.

“We’ll try our psybeam and water pulse combo again, then,” Alex said. “He’s sure not to like it…”

A glowing pink force field rose around Solonn, enveloping him completely. At the same time, Kelly once again fired her psychic/water-type combination attack, which lanced forth in a rush of psychedelic colors. Solonn’s psychic shield negated the water-type aspect of Kelly’s attack, but the psybeam at the combo’s core managed to penetrate the barrier. It struck Solonn squarely between the eyes, its psychic-type energy finding its way straight into his brain in an attempt to addle his mind. Solonn snarled at the pain as he shook his head furiously to rid himself of the psychic assault. Fortunately, the attack failed to throw him into confusion, but both he and his points still took a hit.

“Okay, now give him a hydro pump!” Alex instructed her pokémon enthusiastically.

“Uh-oh… you’d better protect, Solonn,” Morgan warned.

Still giggling, Kelly summoned one of the highest powers of her element. An intense, blue glow filled her eyes, and in a massive, sudden burst, a thick, powerful jet of highly pressurized water surged forth from her open bill.

However, just as the golduck launched her water-type assault, Solonn conjured the deep blue aura of the protect technique around himself. The hydro pump dissipated spectacularly on contact with the indigo force field in a great burst of mist; the protect shield fell an instant later. Kelly’s point bar shortened further due to the utter failure of her attack.

Alex sighed. “Well, I was really hoping we wouldn’t have to resort to this, but it looks like you guys have left us little choice. Attract, Kelly!” The command elicited a particularly giddy fit of giggles from the golduck.

“What? Ah, no… protect, Solonn! Hurry!” Morgan urged. It was a gamble; she knew that a protect aura could not always be counted on to successfully form more than once in succession. However, there was simply no other hope for Solonn to avoid Kelly’s technique.

Solonn tried to bring back his protect aura, and for a very brief moment, he seemed to have succeeded. But the deep blue shield was gone a split-second later, leaving Solonn with no form of defense between him and Kelly, the latter now surrounded by a rose-colored glow. With a sweeping motion of her arms, the pink light was sent forth in a wave that washed swiftly and inescapably over Solonn.

All at once, he was rather appalled at himself. Good gods, have I seriously been attacking that? How could I have even considered doing harm to such a beautiful creature? How could anyone? A very cheesy smile crept across his face as he surveyed Kelly from across the stage. Look at her, over there… so elegant… so exotic… those eyes… that tail! He chuckled softly. She totally wants me. I can tell.

Morgan cast an uneasy glance at the scoreboard as Solonn’s points suffered both from his failed protect technique and his succumbing to Kelly’s attract technique. “Solonn!” Morgan shouted. “Listen to me: you have got to keep your head! She doesn’t love you, and you don’t really love her. It’s just a trick, Solonn! Now, quickly, hit her with a blizzard/icy wind combo before she can take advantage of you!”

Solonn smirked. Oh, she can take advantage of me any time she wants… He ignored Morgan’s instructions, simply refusing to attack the suddenly and inexplicably sexy golduck on the other side of the stage.

Silly human… Kelly is totally into me, it’s so obvious… Solonn thought. He sighed. I’ll have her. Soon. Oh yes…

Kelly, meanwhile, was giggling her brains out louder than ever. It was a wonder that she even heard her coordinator’s next command, which was to blast Solonn with a hydro pump while he was still dopily goggling at her. But she heard indeed, and she didn’t hesitate for even a second to launch her attack upon her infatuated opponent.

The water-type blast came hurtling toward Solonn. Oh, how pretty… he remarked silently and vacantly as it approached…

With a loud crash and a veritable explosion of water on impact, the hydro pump struck Solonn powerfully, blasting him with such force that he was nearly sent flying on a collision course with his coordinator. Solonn’s points decreased greatly—they were now perilously low.

Righting himself with some difficulty, Solonn gasped wildly for air in the wake of the hydro pump. In the next instant, the light screen he had summoned finally faded away. Had it not still been present when the hydro pump had struck, Solonn might not have been able to get back up following that attack.

Hey… that wasn’t very nice… Solonn thought dazedly as he fought to catch his breath. I thought she liked me! He decided to go over to Kelly and ask her why she had done that.

“No, Solonn, don’t get closer!” Morgan tried urgently to warn him. “That’ll just make it easier for her to blast you!”

No way! She’d never blast me! Solonn objected internally, seeming to have forgotten the fact that Kelly had done just that mere moments ago. She loves me!

And then something clicked in his brain: Wait… no, she doesn’t…

“All right, Kelly, let’s finish him off now,” Alex called out, sounding very pleased with the current situation. “Surf!”

“Come on, Solonn!” Morgan urged. “Cut through her tricks and stop her with a blizzard/ice beam combo! Come on, I know you can snap out of it!”

As it so happened, Solonn already had.

Kelly’s giggles rose up into a sharp, triumphant quack of a laugh. She closed her eyes, then clasped her hands together and lifted them toward the ceiling. There was a brief, blue shimmer of water-type energy at her feet, followed by a pillar of water that began to rise from the stage beneath her. She inhaled deeply just before the rising water engulfed her. The pillar lifted her from the stage and up through itself as it rose, ready to surge forth at any instant. Even as Kelly was still rising up through the wave toward the position where she would ride it over her opponent, the summoned wall of water suddenly lurched forward toward its target.

Solonn’s eyes blazed with bluish-white light as his gaze fixed itself firmly on the burgeoning wave. As the water surged toward him, he threw his jaws wide open, and a narrow, highly concentrated blast of wind, ice, and snow exploded forth with raw ice-type energy crackling through it like lightning.

The combination attack roared as it rushed through the air, intercepting Kelly’s attack swiftly. With a series of cracking sounds, the ice-type blast froze the summoned wave around the golduck. Only the spiked crown of feathers atop her head had crested the wave before the water had frozen; not desiring to smother Kelly to death, Solonn quickly shifted the part of the frozen wave that surrounded her into the shape of a hollow sphere around her.

“Oh crap! Kelly, you’ve got to get out of there!” Alex cried.

Kelly was already trying to escape her icy prison. She clawed frantically at the frozen walls with her fury swipes technique, but the ice that formed the walls of the sphere was just too thick to succumb easily to her claws. She fired a psybeam at the ice, but much of the psychic-type energy dissipated against the frozen barrier, while the rest just passed inconsequentially through it—psybeam was, after all, a technique that was more mentally harmful than physically destructive.

Panicking, the golduck desperately tried again to claw her way out of the icy sphere, tearing savagely with all her might. The ice was finally starting to truly give way to her efforts, but not by much.

Meanwhile… there was only so much fresh air in that frozen prison, and Kelly was spending her oxygen quite swiftly through her struggles to free herself. Thus it was that in fairly short order, the golduck exhausted herself thoroughly and passed out. Seeing that Kelly was out cold, Solonn evaporated the ice bubble that surrounded her, then slowly dissipated the pillar of frozen water on which it had stood, gently lowering the unconscious water-type down to the stage below.

A loud buzzer sounded, and a large, red “X” appeared over Kelly’s picture on the scoreboard, signifying that the golduck had been rendered unable to continue. Solonn had won the final round—and just in time, too. The clock had nearly run out for the match, and despite the loss of points that Kelly had suffered when her own attack had been turned against her, Solonn’s score had still been lower. If Kelly had not fainted before the timer could hit zero, she would have won.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” the announcer said in an exuberant voice. “Please give a great, big, hearty round of applause for the winners of the Lilycove normal rank beauty contest, Morgan Yorke and Solonn!”

The lights in the auditorium blazed into vibrant colors, and showers of confetti began falling from the ceiling. A great surge of noise rose up from the audience, many of whom stood as they applauded and cheered.

A shriek of delight sounded behind Solonn. Its source then tackled him in a joyous semi-embrace; Morgan seemed not to be fazed by the fact that her arms barely encircled him at all, such was her determination to heartily hug her pokémon partner.

After recalling Kelly, Alex rushed across the stage to shake her opponent’s hand, wearing an impressed look on her face. A moment later, the short, mustached head judge approached Solonn and the two coordinators. Solonn watched as the head judge handed the normal rank beauty ribbon to Morgan.

Good, the glalie thought as he gratefully allowed his weary body to settle down upon the floor, good. One down, three to go…

_________________________

Next time: A visitor to the Yorke household may bring unexpected consequences, particularly where the resident glalie is concerned. See you then!

- Sike Saner

[Wes]

..Very nice. Very nice indeed Sikes. The description in this chapter was great! Thren again seeing and hearing all that wa great! I love your description as always! Oh and this bit cracked me up a bit,


…And all at once, he was rather appalled with himself. …Good gods, have I seriously been attacking that? How could I have even considered doing harm to such a beautiful specimen? How could anyone?

A very cheesy smile crept across his face as he surveyed Kelly from across the stage. Look at her, over there…so elegant…so exotic…those eyes…that tail!…

He chuckled softly. She totally wants me. I can tell.

Heh I love how you manage to slip in humor along with your great description as well. Anyways overall very nice chapter indeed! I look forward to the next one.

[xXSaberXx]

WHOMG!

THAT WAS AWESOME!

:PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

I loved the description of Solonn's evolving and the way he thought while the music was on. Just beautiful. I've been listening to WAY too much J-pop recently, it reminded me of a sad little song by BoA.

ANYHOO!

It was effing hilariouA*SS when Solonn fell in love with La madam Kelly. OMFG I was laughing...SO...HARD....

:3 I like Morgan too. Morgan needs someone to love. xP

All in all, teh awesomeeeeeeeeeeeee! Solonn>the world.

:P

Saber.

[Kaizer]

Wow, that chappie there was great. I'm starting to think I get immersed into the stories too much. I didn't see anything wrong with the grammer, so onto the rest:
< – You didn’t mean to,> Sei finished. <The subconscious of a cryokinetic can sometimes manifest itself in a visible display, especially when his, her, or its abilities first awaken. And I did not mean to read your mind there,> Sei added.

There’s nothing wrong with that, but I had to point it out. It’s hilarious. After last chapter Sei saying that she wouldn’t dare read his mind and then just sorta tacks onto the end of a sentence that she did; it’s just funny.


Soon, those two moths of preparation were behind him,

Two moths? As in venomoth? Maybe

and that's a rap. Great chapter as usual.
;245;

[[Cano]]

I can't believe I haven't read this earlier. I mean, I've passed by this thread more than my fair share, but I've never stopped to read it. I'm so ashamed of myself -_-;;;

Anyways, I have read it (alright, about half but I'll get to the rest eventually) and I must say...teh awesome.

The description was phenomenal (see, I use big words too!! xP kidding), I love how it flawlessly depicted the icy fortress in which the Glalie and Snorunt live. Fantasmagorical job!!

Next, the plot was simply amazing and very captivating. I just love it. The point of view, the reactions of the characters to Zubat and what-not is great. Also, thanks a lot!! Now I feel awful about capturing my Pokemon! I mean, I know they now love me and everything, but I just feel like a total jerk, ambushing them and Paralyzing them and then capturing them...thanks again...but that's what makes this story great!!

Thirdly...um...I forget...well I'll just go on about how good it is so far. I think it's teh bestest eva!! I'm really glad I decided to read, and I'm looking forward to the next chapters. Well, goodbye for now!
<SCM>

[≈*Virulent Tsunami*≈]

I've finally gotten around to reading this. Sorry for the delay...

Well, I have to say this Fic is brilliant. A few typos here and there, but that's honestly all I could find wrong with it.

Since I'm talking about typos, the "Is it happening?" line by Morgan in Chapter 5 caught my attention. 'Is' isn't capitalized. Other than that, I can't recall any others...

Description is excellent, every scene, Pokémon was accurately and perfectly described. No problem there.

The plot's good. Original, new, and should make a nice, long story.

Characters are awesome, too. I haven't read you other Fic, but I don't have to to understand Solonn. He's a very likable character, a fledgling in the world of humans, struggling to learn what he can. Nice =D. Morgan hasn't really given a particular flair of personality, but that doesn't make her dull. I can tell she's a caring, compassionate girl. The Pokémon all have separate, distinct personalities. Nice job.

I'll be checking back now and then to read your most recent Chapters. Don't worry about adding me to your PM List, I'll fidn this Thread on my own.


~*CB*~
The 8th Champion

[Klaus]

Ah, I like nice long fic I can cuddle up with. OMG OMG OMG OMG ! *Gives Sike ten Maxie-shaped cookies and and Elm cupcake*

I love it. The description was lovely and yes I must


…And all at once, he was rather appalled with himself. …Good gods, have I seriously been attacking that? How could I have even considered doing harm to such a beautiful specimen? How could anyone?

A very cheesy smile crept across his face as he surveyed Kelly from across the stage. Look at her, over there…so elegant…so exotic…those eyes…that tail!…

He chuckled softly. She totally wants me. I can tell.

Oh yeah, that's what i'm talking about. Ehehehehe.

Oh, you better keep this up, it's hot. And that's a good thing^_^.

As always, be kind to the mime.

[Pinecone Tortoise]

Kelly, even her name, bugged me. As I'm fairly sure you intended? So congratulations. I'm surprised, though, that Solonn evolved so soon. I had thought he'd continue as a Snorunt for the majority of the story. It did seem a little rushed, but that's just my opinion. Just how big is he? I'd always thought of Glalie as being half a human in height or something thereabouts. You know what? This fic needs fanart. To show the proportions and everything. Wouldn't mind seeing one of Solonn in Morgan's room. Or Sei and her mags. (Incidentally, I liked her little role in this chapter. "I didn't mean to read your mind". Suuuuure. She can just keep saying that. We all know she's too much of a busybody not to. ^^ She seems so much like a secretary.)

So that's it. A few of the colloquialisms annoy me, but that's personal preference.

Piney.
;204;;324;

[Dark Latios]

Got done reading chap 5 yesterday. ^^

I loved this chapter! I thought the rare candy wasn't going to work on Solonn, but I'm so glad it did! The contests are much more interesting now that he's a Glalie. I wonder what his mom will think of him once he goes back. o.o

The thing with Kelly was.. Scary.. But very realistic I'd have to say.

Saw about two or three typos, but I think everyone else already pointed them out..

Anyways, very nice description in this chap. Way better than the others. My head was spinning just reading it.

Can't wait until chap 6! =D

~Dark Latios

[Brian Powell]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… wa! That’s Chinese for ‘wow!’

I loved the way you described Solonn’s evolution. For some reason, I found it… breathtaking. I’ve seen pokemon evolved in the anime, the games, and in other fanfics but yours, so far, is the best one I’ve seen yet.

And his feeling’s towards Kelly when she used Attract on him. You have got to love that ‘ga-ga’ part. lol

Despite MS Word’s error spotting, I didn’t see any. Although, I don’t know if cyrokinetic is a proper word or made up.

I’m now going to sum it up in two words. Loved it. *Winks*

Overall score: 5/5

[Sike Saner]

Wes: I knew that part would get a response. You know, I just had to have that happen. I had to have attract used, because I knew that that could yield some weirdness. The very idea of that move makes me laugh; it's just so ridiculous. Falling in love with your opponent... it's just ever so silly. Fwee...

xXSaberXx:


I've been listening to WAY too much J-pop recently, it reminded me of a sad little song by BoA.

You will give me the name of that song NOW! =D


It was effing hilariouA*SS when Solonn fell in love with La madam Kelly.

...That is her official name from now on. X3

kaizer63: You know, that Sei quote was actually not in the original, so there's a reason for you to be glad that I didn't present this story "as is". (One of many reasons... X_x; )

But, yeah. Silly Sei and her lying lies... XP Actually, it's not so much breaking her word as it is lapsing into a naughty little habit of hers in spite of herself. She really does strive to respect others' privacy.

*notices typo* o.o Yes. There were moths. Two of them. XD *sprays insecticide on typos*

SigCMugen: O_O

Fwee, new reviewer!!! *does new reviewer dance*

^^ Glad to see you approve thus far, and I hope the rest of the story will be to your liking, too.

~*Commander Blizzard*~: :O It's you! Awesome. ^^

*notices typo* Yes, that's the last time I rely exclusively on a spellchecker rather than proofread it myself. Fie on technology. :p *fixes*

I'm glad that you approve of the description of the pok&#233;mon. Looking on some of my past work, I feel that there are times when I could have done somewhat better in that department.

Klaus: ^^ I had the feeling that you'd appreciate that part. Thanks for the Maxie cookies... although I'm inclined not to entirely trust that Elm cupcake... X3 *takes it anyway*

Pinecone Tortoise: Kelly was named after a real-life Kelly who is even more obnoxious than the golduck version. So, yeah. That came across exactly as was intended. XP

The thing about Solonn is, he was captured at a rather older age than most snorunt are. The typical capture age is closer to the 7 - 10 age range, which is the range Solonn was in the first time he found himself up in that particular cavern. They usually get caught up there as lost or exploring children. There is a loose connection in this species between age and "levels". At the age when snorunt are usually caught, they still have quite a bit of elemental power to develop before evolution can become a possibility.

IIRC, the pok&#233;dex lists Glalie as typically being somwhere between 4' - 5', weighing between 500 - 600 lbs (I don't recall the exact statistics). Solonn is 6'10''; as to how much he would weigh, no clue. Maybe someone who, unlike me, does not suck at math could calculate that. X3

Fanart? Sure, but not from me. My art skills = poop. X3; Plus the only scanner I have access to is at my cousin's house, and I can rarely get over there.

Secretary Sei. XD I love it!

Dark Latios:
The thing with Kelly was.. Scary.. But very realistic I'd have to say.

XD Scary, indeed. Imagine if he'd never snapped out of it, even after the battle. o_0

I'm glad you're feeling the description in that chapter. ^^ Hmm, maybe I should ought to listen to Tool and Coheed and Cambria every time I write or revise a chapter. My brain seems to like that music. ^^

Brian Powell: The evolution scene remains one of my favorites in the entire series so far. Glad you like it, too. ^^

[Saffire Persian]

Awesome chapter, as always Sike.. too bad I'm too slow at reviewing, as much of what I think has already been said. I was disappointed last chapter when Solonn didn't evolve, as I was SURE you would do it, but now it happens! And I like the idea of him as a Glalie.

Sei is as amusing as ever, one line striking me in particular.
< – You didn’t mean to,> Sei finished. <The subconscious of a cryokinetic can sometimes manifest itself in a visible display, especially when his, her, or its abilities first awaken. And I did not mean to read your mind there,> Sei added.

My thoughts: Uh huh. She totally enjoys her mind reading abilities, I know it.

The Contest scenes were amazing, particularly the Attract episode with Kelly.. that giggling made me annoyed, as I imagined a very girlish giggle of a girl that thinks she's better then you. But seeing Solonn become Attracted to the gal was too dang amusing.

She digs you not, but it made one heck of a scene.. Now, just imagine Madeline...

*runs away*

Post the next chapter soon!

[Typhlogirl]

I'M SORRY SIKE!!! *hits self for being late, as usual*

Okay, lovely chapter. I truly found the part with the ice sculpting beautiful, and could imagine it in my mind. I must give you extra points for that battle, truly FANTASTIC!!! OMFG!!

Quotes!


Azvida had also tried to assure him that the process usually did not hurt, which was no real comfort, especially not with the presence of that nasty little “usually”.

Like the 'nasty little usually' line. Excellent.

Basically the entire evoulution scene should be quoted, and the battle too. But that would take up too much space. ^_^

Omg, the Attraction was awesome. I loved the humour you mixed in there, and I was yelling in my mind, "SNAP OUT OF SOLONN! OMFG SHE DOESN'T LOVE YOU!!" ^_^;;

I wonder what significance there is in Solonn being bigger than most Glalie? We'll have to wait and see! Cuz i'm sure curious..

All in all, a very worthwhile addition to this lovely fic. I bow to you Sike! *bows*

Awaiting Chapter Six!

-;157;

[Brian Powell]

And yes, "cryokinetic" is, to the extent of my knowledge, an original word.
I only mentioned that because that word's not in my dictionary... which is quite old. ^^'

EDIT: The MS Word on my computer spotted it as a spelling error.

[Sike Saner]

Saffire Persian:
But seeing Solonn become Attracted to the gal was too dang amusing.

She digs you not, but it made one heck of a scene.. Now, just imagine Madeline...

*imagines*

._.

Wehhhhhhhhhh... X3;

Kelly just had to be giggly. She just had to. X3 Partly because it is just so very obnoxious, and partly because I just really like the word "giggle". x3

Typhlogirl:
Like the 'nasty little usually' line. Excellent.

Fwee, I was hoping someone would single that out. ^^


and I was yelling in my mind, "SNAP OUT OF SOLONN! OMFG SHE DOESN'T LOVE YOU!!" ^_^;;

ROFLMAO... I should have had Morgan say that exactly. XD


I wonder what significance there is in Solonn being bigger than most Glalie?

Time may tell... ;)

Brian Powell: MS Word cited it as the same type of error on my cousin's computer. It suggested that maybe I really meant "cry kinetic". o_0 Yeah. That's precisely what I meant: cry kinetic. "KINETIC!" XD

Technology. Fwee... X3

[Kaizer]

While cryokinetic doesn't ever appear in any dictionaries, I've heard it used before this story. Websters really needs to stay up-to-date with their words. Just because they add slang or something doesn't mean they shouldn't add something with an agreed upon definition, agreed upon spelling, and agreed upon usage. Stupid Websters...

[metal_chimaera]

Bonjour/Guten Tag/Buengiorno(or whatever)
Just came back from a 4 days trip to Switzerland and after being stuck a whole day in that car, reading this fic was the thing to do (I guess going to sleep was also an option).
The reason? Well, as many other people pointed it out, it was hilarious! A few things snapped me out of my awe though:
Solonn made a small, dismissive noise. "It’s fine. You and I both know(...)”(dunno, it just bothered me momentarily) and other things that have already been mentioned...
And then again... the Attract thing was really... bizarre. I mean, in the midst of all the ice and cryokinetic, to have the opponent wave and flirt with him is way out of place IMO. But I guess that's just the thing with that move, as well as with the "Tickle" move and a few others...
I loved the part with Solonns Solo round, (and incidentally, the moment I started to read about that song that inspired Solonn so much, I knew there had to be a "real life" song to it, as it's always assured that songs are intertwined with your fics) and the end of his battle (anything where cryokinetic was involved actually). I was sure that Solonn would start to make funny shapes with the ice cell, like a diamond, hollow sculptures etc, just to annoy "La Madame Kelly" and probably get a few extra points.
See you and take care
metal_chimaera

[Sike Saner]

kaizer63: So, you've seen that word before? Awesome. ^^ Where, pray tell? I'm curious now.

metal_chimaera: *sees typo* How in the world did I miss that? *kicks spellchecker* Human proofreaders > spellchecking machines. X3

XD Uh-oh... now, you know I'm going to have to find an occasion sometime in the distant future to have tickle used (that...sounded kind of wrong o_0 ). X3 I just love moves like attract in fiction, though, seriously. They're just so wonderfully ridiculous. X3

Progress: Right now, we're looking at a release date for Chapter 6 sometime early next week.

[Kiyohime]

Spellchecker's always missing things. T_T Like with "solider-soldier" in my fanfiction. *sets spellchecker on fire* 8D

[Kaizer]

http://www.psipog.net/qna.php

Right there. You can check under the subject Kinesis or just read the description.

And yes, I'm very interested in psionics.
;245;

[Sike Saner]

Scrap: And again I say, human proofreaders > computer spellcheckers. XD Mine missed "lanuguage - language" in mine, among other things. At least I got it to stop demanding that I cry, "Kinetic!", though. XP

kaizer63: *clicks link* Ah, neat stuff. ^^


Oh, and I thought I'd mention that I'm compiling a soundtrack for this. You can look over the track listing for both this story's soundtrack and the one I've been putting together for The Origin of Storms via this link (http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?p=2287182#post2287182) (or you could just go to the Soundtracks thread in the Authors' Cafe :p ). Mind you, both are still works-in-progress; I add songs to both lists every now and again, so you might want to check back with it from time to time.

[Flying Tropius]

I liked your story it is very good!

[Sike Saner]

Flying Tropius: Thanks. ^_^

Well everyone, I'm afraid I've got some news you might not like...

While working on the final draft of Chapter 6, I discovered... *shudders* significant lapses in quality. Looking at the original incarnation of the chapter, I can't believe I ever thought the material to be viable. (Seriously. The old version was that bad.) But even following the most recent battery of revisions, I am still displeased with it. I still look upon it and say, "You can do better than that."

I imagine it'll take no small effort to get Chapter 6 up to speed. So, of course, this means that yes, there is going to be something of a delay in its release. It shouldn't be a terribly long wait, but the delay is, I'm afraid, a necessary evil. I refuse to inflict a rushed, unworthy chapter upon any of you.

Well, I'll be offering the new chapter once it's fit for human consumption. :p Hopefully, that won't be too long from now. Still, I regret the delay, even though I do believe it will ultimately be for the best.

Sincere apologies,
Sike Saner

[SnoringFrog]

Take your time, we can wait for a higher quality chapter. And I finally got around to reading the last two chapters today! They were both quite interesting. Now, I have the urge to be cryokinetic, it sounds like so much fun! *Tries to control the ice in his water and fails* crap. Doesn't work.

[Infinite Master Sceptile]

This is a highly addictive and fascinating fic. Solonn is cool. *Is whacked in the head with a plank by the Bad Pun Police*
You have incredible skill as a writer.
In fact, comparing your prose with that of popular authors, I find that you put them to shame. If there were two people on this forum destined to be famous writers, it would be you and Scrap. When I found Origin of Storms in the Completed Fic section, it completely blew me away. Sublime perfection, it was. And so is this.
Do you have a PM list? If so, could you put me on it?

[Sike Saner]

SnoringFrog: Well, you know how it goes: You can do it fast, or you can do it right. Be grateful, everyone, that I chose not to inflict what I'd had at the end of the prior week on you. X3 (Who knew I could be so merciful? :p )

And yeah, I'd advise you to just get your ice from the freezer. X3

Infinite Master Sceptile: Don't worry; anyone who is at all into ice must pretty much resign themselves to the puns. Ice is just one of those things that draws puns like carrion draws flies. :p Ice, death, and cats, actually.

And yes, you are now on the list. ^^


Chapter Progress: Like 95&#37;. Seriously. It's probably coming out today.

[Sike Saner]

Oy. This chapter did not want to let me revise it, let me tell you… But I ultimately whipped it into submission.

…That sounded kind of wrong. XP

Whatever. Here’s Chapter 6 for you and yours. ^^

_________________________


Chapter 6 – The Sought-For Matter


Having earned the beauty ribbon in the normal rank, Solonn’s next goal was to obtain a ribbon in the super rank. The next super rank contest was slated for the fourteenth of November. Solonn lamented the long span of time that separated him from the opportunity to gain his next ribbon, but he also recognized its value. He would have even more time to rehearse than he’d had prior to his last contest, time that he was sure he would need in order to sufficiently prepare him to compete to the higher standard now demanded by his higher rank.

Though Solonn would have more time to prepare for the upcoming contest than he’d had for the previous one, he would have less time to train with his coordinator. It was now early September, and a new school year had begun, leaving Morgan with less time to spend at home.

Morgan wasn’t the only one who was being drawn away from home; Eliza was a second-grade teacher at one of the local elementary schools. With both of the Yorkes away during much of the daytime, Solonn now found himself left home alone for several hours on end nearly every day. Even Morgan’s other pokémon were not around to keep him company; most of them preferred to remain in their capture balls at nearly all times. Sei was an exception, but she seemed to prefer to go out into the city (doing gods only knew what; she never spoke of what her excursions entailed) while the humans were away.

Not that Solonn exactly minded the solitude, though. He readily made use of the quiet time afforded by the absence of the others in order to meditate upon his connection to the element of ice, which in turn aided him in conceiving and practicing new ice displays. Solonn quickly grew to treasure these hours alone, time that belonged strictly to himself and his element. The only thing he could think of that would make him enjoy those sessions more was if he were able to operate Morgan’s stereo and thus enrich them with music.

One Tuesday morning, Solonn was preparing to begin another of these sessions, initiating a ritual he had devised that now preceded each period of solitary rehearsal. He was about to enter the meditative state that would allow him to more quickly achieve a very strong and deep connection with his element when he heard a peculiar sound: a sort of scrabbling noise coming from just outside the backyard’s fence. Solonn would normally have dismissed such a sound, but the noise that immediately followed it—distinctly a vocalization of some sort, and one that sounded rather puzzled—made it hard to ignore. Solonn listened closely to the scrabbling noise, noting a change in its quality as its source transferred whatever action it was that was making that sound onto another type of surface.

There’s something on the fence… Solonn knew at once, but could not even begin to guess what that something could be. A second later, however, the mystery solved itself when six clawed, purple fingers appeared atop the fence, closely followed by the rest of their owner’s body.

Solonn was now staring into the huge, crystalline eyes of a sableye who now sat atop the fence. He cocked his head at Solonn, his face holding a quizzical expression.

“Who’re you?” the sableye asked in a perky, slightly rasping voice.

Solonn gave the sableye a bemused look. “I could ask you the same.”

The sableye chuckled weirdly, giving no other response to Solonn’s retort. He then sprang from the fence and onto the trunk of the sitrus tree in the backyard, clinging to the bark with sprawled limbs. He scrabbled up the tree and sat down upon one of its branches, letting his short legs dangle off the side.

Solonn could not even begin to figure out what in the world the little creature was doing, but he quickly decided that he had better things to do than to bother with the sableye. He closed his eyes and commenced his meditation, determined to ignore the presence perched above him. He might have succeeded in this endeavor if it weren’t for the overripe sitrus berry that burst against the top of his head a second later.

Solonn turned a flat, annoyed glare upward. The sableye above him was grinning, showing an incredible number of tiny, pointed teeth. “What do you want, exactly?” Solonn demanded of him.

The sableye stared down at Solonn for several moments with his brow furrowed, feigning deep thought. “I think I want to throw more fruit at you,” he replied finally. With a faint whoosh, the sableye seemed to turn into smoke and shadows, then vanished in a faint attack. There was a split-second’s worth of the sound of rustling amidst the branches before the sableye reappeared on the branch above Solonn, both arms laden with more sitrus berries. He proceeded at once to throw them at Solonn, but they collided in vain with the glalie’s deep blue protect aura.

“You’re no fun,” the sableye pouted. He clambered down the tree trunk and sat down next to Solonn, drumming his fingers on the ground for a brief while. Then he began poking Solonn in the side, prodding at the gaps in the glalie’s armor.

With an exasperated sigh, Solonn turned to face him. “Could you leave me alone, please?”

The sableye left Solonn alone—for about five seconds. Then he emitted a massive groan of boredom. A second later, he climbed back up the tree. He hung upside-down from a branch for a moment and then dropped down right onto the glalie’s head.

Growling deep in his throat, Solonn tried very hard to ignore the sableye, who was now dancing atop his head. There is definitely something wrong with that creature’s mind, he determined with absolute certainty. As far as he was aware, sane, normal people typically did not just enter someone’s personal space and begin pestering them with no reason or explanation.

“Is there any reason why you need to be doing this to me?” Solonn asked, somehow managing to keep most of his impatience out of his tone.

“Hm? No, not really,” the sableye answered airily. He continued to skitter around upon Solonn’s head for a few moments more, then crawled headfirst down the glalie’s forehead and lowered his face between Solonn’s eyes, grinning. “Hi.”

“Go away, please,” Solonn said through gritted teeth.

The sableye shook his head solemnly, continuing to stare right into the glalie’s eyes. Suddenly, he recoiled, pulling his head back as though something had just taken a swipe at it. His faceted eyes flashed; he’d have been blinking in surprise if he had possessed eyelids.

“Hmmm…” the sableye said as he brought his face even closer to Solonn’s.

“What in the name of all gods are you doing now?” Solonn demanded.

“I’m seeing you in a whole new way…” the sableye said in a voice that suggested that he was trying to sound mystical. “Hmmm… very interesting. Very interesting, indeed…”

“Are you quite finished bothering me?” Solonn said, at the very limit of his patience.

The sableye seemed to take a moment to consider the question. “Almost,” he responded. Then he planted a very juicy kiss right on the diamond-shaped patch of bare hide in the middle of Solonn’s forehead. With that, he sprang off of the glalie’s head and onto the lawn, then turned and gave Solonn a Cheshire grin. “Buh-bye!” he said cheerfully, then scampered off across the lawn, scaled the fence, and disappeared over the side.

Supremely baffled by what had just transpired, Solonn breathed a sigh of relief now that the sableye had left the scene. Don’t try to make sense of that, Solonn advised himself, you’ll only end up with a headache for it. Giving the sableye no further thought, Solonn gratefully sent himself into the sweet serenity of his meditation.


* * *

The sableye scampered through the alleyways of Lilycove, anxious to get home as quickly as possible—he had made quite the discovery while pestering that oversized glalie. The sableye’s eyes held an peculiar sort of sight; if he looked hard enough, it showed him things beyond a person’s appearance—including secrets. Among the glalie’s secrets, there was one in particular that was quite remarkable, and the sableye knew that he wasn’t the only one who would take interest in it.

In no time at all, he arrived at a modest brick house, a place that he had called home for only a few days. He hurried up the walkway, pausing before the front door. Summoning his faint attack technique, he felt a momentary tingling of dark-type energy throughout his body before it swept him into a quick transformation. His solid form changed into shadowy wisps of black vapor before disappearing altogether. He then reappeared inside the house, returning to his previous form once more on the other side of the door.

Once indoors, the sableye began screeching excitedly to inform another resident of the house of his arrival. In short order, a male human picked his way swiftly but carefully through an adjacent hallway and into the living room, dodging scattered cardboard boxes that were filled with the things that he still had yet to unpack. The human had apparently just emerged from the shower; his collarbone-length, auburn hair was still sopping wet, and he had only bothered to throw on a pair of boxers before going to greet his pokémon.

“Hey, Xi,” he greeted the sableye. “Back kind of early today, aren’t you? Are you feeling all right?”

<I’m okay, Daron!> Xi cheerfully assured the human, employing the telepathic skills that he had inherited from his gastly father. He chuckled effervescently, his multitude of pointed teeth flashing in another of his enormous grins. <I just found something really neat, and I just couldn’t wait to tell you about it! Oh, you won’t believe it!>

“Is that right?” Daron said with a small laugh as he crossed the living room to the front door and scooped his pokémon up into his arms. He carried Xi over to the sofa and sat down. “So, what’d you find, hmm?”

Xi chuckled again. <You might not believe me if I just told you… I have to show you instead…> Xi told Daron, gesticulating dramatically and using the telepathic equivalent of his “mystical” voice.

Daron sighed. “Ah, that’s never pleasant… but, if you insist…” He lifted Xi up to eye-level. The sableye beamed at him, then pressed his palms against Daron’s temples. Daron braced himself for an experience that he knew would not be any less unpleasant than it had ever been before, forcing himself to stare unwaveringly right into Xi’s crystalline eyes. Those eyes lit up from within, and a sudden, painful jolt lanced into Daron’s head as Xi’s most recent memories rushed into his brain.

Almost as soon as the memory transfer had been initiated, the task was finished. Xi let go of his trainer’s head, and Daron produced a sound halfway between a sigh and a groan as he set the sableye down on the sofa cushion beside him, grateful that the process was such a quick one.

Xi looked up at his human companion with a grin. Daron was returning the sableye’s gaze with a positively awestruck expression, his brown eyes wide and staring.

“You did it…” Daron said. “I don’t believe it… less than a week on the job, and you hit pay dirt!” He let out a short laugh of sheer amazement and pride. “Great work, Xi!”

Xi gave a squeal of delight. <I knew you would like it!> he exclaimed while cheerfully applauding himself for his discovery.

“Oh, I’m not the only one who’ll like it,” Daron said. “I’m gonna go call him right now,” he added. He rose from the sofa and made his way into the kitchen, retrieving the cell phone that he’d left on the counter and immediately placing the call that he’d thought he would never get to make.

“Mr. Saller?” a kindly-sounding, elderly man’s voice said through the receiver a second later. “What a pleasant surprise to hear from you, my boy! Have you quite settled in to your new home yet?”

“Getting there,” Daron replied. “I’ve still got a bit of unpacking to do, I’ll admit, but I’ve gotten pretty accustomed to this place already. Xi and Cleo love it here,” he added.

“Oh good, good!” the voice on the phone responded. “So, tell me, my boy. What’s the occasion for this conversation, hmm?”

Daron smiled. “You might want to make sure you’re sitting down, sir.” He took a deep breath, then announced, “We’ve found it.”

Not a word issued from the receiver for a long moment. “…You’re quite certain?” the old man finally asked.

“One hundred percent,” Daron said confidently. “Xi’s eyes don’t lie, and he showed me exactly what they showed him.”

“Well, he’ll need to show me, as well. Can’t be certain any other way, after all, and we mustn’t move ahead until we are indeed certain,” the old man said. “You can transfer him here from the pokémon center.”

“Will do, sir,” Daron assured him.

“Good, good…” The old man gave a sigh of happiness. “It’s a wondrous thing, my boy, to see our goals coming to fruition so soon…”

“It sure is,” Daron concurred, nodding.

“Well, then,” the old man then said crisply, “once I have had my consultation with Mr. Xi, we’ll discuss our further course of action. Be on standby, my boy.”

“No problem, sir… And the authorities?”

“A non-issue, as I stated during our first meeting,” the voice on the phone told Daron in an assuring manner. “You need only concern yourself with the task at hand. See to it that everything is carried out without a hitch, and both you and your partners will be handsomely rewarded.”

“You can count on us,” Daron said coolly, and then the old man on the phone terminated the connection.


* * *

Eight days had passed since the appearance of the bothersome sableye. Much to Solonn’s appreciation, the sableye had not returned since, leaving Solonn free to practice his art without any disturbances.

At his summons, twin spires of ice extended toward the heavens, catching the sun’s rays with a brilliant sparkle. They began a sinuous dance while their choreographer watched them with an expression of deep serenity playing over his features.

“That’s very pretty,” said an unexpected, monotone voice from above.

Surprised, Solonn turned toward the source of the voice. Overhead, a venomoth hovered, scattering a small quantity of fine powder into the air with every flap of her wings.

Another unexpected guest, Solonn thought, his expression somewhat wary as he looked upon her. He could only hope that this visitor would not give him the same sort of company that the previous one had. “Er… thank you,” he said a bit awkwardly. He moved out from beneath the venomoth; the powder that was falling from her wings was beginning to irritate his eyes.

“Sorry to interrupt your performance,” the venomoth said, “but I was sent to give you something.”

The venomoth gave no further explanation for her next actions. Her wings suddenly made a dramatic shift from lavender to baby blue, and with a single, powerful flap, they tossed a cloud of pale blue sleep powder on a swift gust of wind at Solonn.

Taken by surprise, Solonn failed to do anything to avoid the attack and inhaled some of its dust before he could stop himself. He tried to retaliate at once, but his ice beam missed its mark, for his eyelids had closed irresistibly before he could aim it. He dropped to the ground, swallowed up in a profoundly deep sleep.

There was a faint rushing sound, and a mass of black vapors formed out of thin air just outside the back door. They solidified into the form of Xi, who clutched a great ball in his hands. His faceted eyes found the sleeping glalie, and he broke into a grin. “You did it, Cleo!” he congratulated, happily scampering across the lawn to join the venomoth.

Cleo’s pale blue eyes traveled downward toward the capture ball that Xi held. “Are you sure that’s the right one?” she asked.

“Uh-huh. I checked them all. This is the one!” the sableye answered with confidence, having scanned each of the capture balls and thereby having found the signature which designated the great ball as belonging to the glalie.

“And are you sure you know how to use that?”

“Uh, yeah,” Xi said a little crossly. With a exaggeratedly demonstrative air, he aimed the capture ball’s lens at the sleeping glalie and recalled him into the device. “See? I told you I could do it,” the sableye said triumphantly. Cleo merely rolled her eyes at him, eliciting a chuckle from her partner.

“Okay! We got what we came for,” Xi then said. “Let’s go!” With the great ball clutched tightly in his hand, he quickly scampered up and over the fence and departed the scene in gleeful haste, with Cleo winging her way close behind him.


* * *

Roughly three hours later, Solonn at last awakened from the sleep that had ambushed him, his eyes opening with something of a delay. Almost immediately, they registered the sight before them as unfamiliar. He found himself in the middle of a somewhat large, high-ceilinged, and presently rather dark room. The place was quite bare; there were no furnishings around him, and only a couple of scattered, human-made objects strewn about suggested that this place actually belonged to anyone. As far as Solonn could tell, he was presently alone.

He didn’t know what this place was or why he had been taken here, but he was quite sure that he didn’t want to stay to find out. He promptly ascended from the ground, the last traces of drowsiness from his induced sleep gone entirely in the face of his urge to get out of wherever he presently was as soon as possible. His gaze swept the room in search of an exit and found one in the form of a door in the wall to his left, near the back of the room. It was plainly too narrow to admit him, but Solonn wasn’t going to let that stop him. He was prepared to smash right through that door.

Without a second’s hesitation, he lowered his massive, horned head, ready to ram the door down and burst through its frame. With a surge of speed, he charged toward the exit—but unexpectedly, violently, he was caught short by some unseen barrier, one that arrested him smartly and sent him reeling harshly back. Partly stunned and taken utterly by surprise by the recoil from his thwarted charge, he wildly overcompensated to regain control of himself. He lost hold of his equilibrium entirely and ended up crashing face-first into the wooden floor, the boards beneath him splitting on his impact.

Solonn hissed and snarled in pain as red and white flashes played across the inner surfaces of his eyes and a shrill whine rang within his ears. He lay face down for a moment, wondering what in the world had just happened. Ignoring the throbbing in his head and the dizziness that came along with it, he lifted himself back up from the floor. He stared hard into the empty air before him as if trying to will the unseen barrier that had caught him there moments ago into visibility, but neither the force that had halted him nor anything that could have been its source would let him see them no matter how hard he tried.

Solonn was baffled by this phenomenon, but he was also determined to figure it out. He knew that his escape from this place, from the ones who had brought him here, and from whatever their intentions for him might be required him to overcome this obstacle. He approached the invisible barrier slowly and carefully, mindful of the recoil that it had given him when he’d charged it at full speed. He soon found it and felt it firmly resisting him as he pushed against it.

Closing his eyes in determination, he began to slowly increase the pressure that he placed on the repulsion field. He gradually entrusted every ounce of his considerable weight to the barrier, exerting it upon the obstacle before him with all his strength. No matter how he pressed against it, however, the barrier would not yield to him. Still, he tried, despite how the pressure of his forehead against the invisible wall aggravated the pain from his recent fall.

Then, all of a sudden, the force that held Solonn at bay ceased resisting him altogether, causing him to pitch forward and fall onto his face for a second time. He exclaimed a muffled oath into the floorboards as the intensity of the pain in his head spiked sharply.

He heard a sound then and recognized it as that of quickly-approaching, human-sounding footsteps moving toward him from behind. He suspected that this signified the arrival of someone who was somehow involved with his abduction and detainment, probably coming to subdue him after hearing the commotion caused by his attempts to escape. Quite certain that he couldn’t get away from whomever was approaching, he prepared himself to fight his captor off. Growling a warning deep in his throat, he rose and turned to face—and to strike—whomever had just arrived.

But Solonn caught himself short of attacking as his eyes fell upon the newly-arrived human, and he let the elemental energy that he had gathered for his intended ice beam dissipate harmlessly. Standing there a couple of yards before him was none other than Morgan, breathing hard and casting furtive glances about herself every few seconds. Solonn noted at once how badly disheveled she looked: her skin was pale and drenched with sweat, her hair was mussed, and her eyes were swollen and bloodshot as if she had just spent an hour or two crying. Her right hand gripped the handle of a hammer that wobbled as her shoulders heaved; it looked ready to drop to the floor at any second.

“Oh, thank God I found you…” Morgan said almost voicelessly. “Now try to move toward me.”

Still quite dumbfounded, Solonn did as Morgan requested. He found as he moved forward that the repulsion field was indeed gone completely, allowing him to go unimpeded to her.

“It’s gone,” he noted aloud as he came to hover before her. “Some kind of invisible barrier was holding me here—you stopped it somehow, didn’t you?” Solonn asked. Morgan nodded. “Do you know what it was, exactly?” he asked.

“It was the mean look technique,” Morgan said hoarsely. “I found a sableye right out there.” She indicated the thick, maroon curtain hanging at the front of the room; Solonn had assumed it to be another wall, but now recognized it as something through which someone could pass by simply pushing it out of the way. “He was using that technique to keep you within a certain distance of him—until I hit him in the head with this.” She raised the hammer, then let it fall to the floor. “He’s out cold now.”

A sableye… Solonn had told Morgan of the creature who had paid him a visit eight days ago, and she had told him the name of his visitor’s species. The image of the sableye flashed within Solonn’s mind… and was closely followed by that of the venomoth who had paid him a visit that very morning and drugged him with sleep powder—another unexpected guest within such a short frame of time. It seemed to Solonn like an awfully unlikely coincidence…

“Did you find anyone else here?” he asked Morgan. “A flying, purple pokémon, perhaps?”

Morgan shook her head. “No. I searched this whole place over. No one else here except that sableye… I didn’t find the rest of you here, either,” she added, her voice quieting considerably on those last nine words.

Solonn’s brow furrowed in sudden, troubled confusion. “The rest of… what? Morgan, what are you talking about?” he asked worriedly.

Morgan’s eyes closed, and she turned away. She opened her mouth to speak, but a strangled gasp was all that could emerge as whatever words she’d had prepared caught in her throat. “I’ll explain soon,” she finally managed in a constrained voice, then turned again to face Solonn. Her eyes were brimming with tears. “Let’s just get you out of here.”

Solonn nodded, then made for the curtain.

“No,” Morgan said, halting him. “That way just leads into another part of the building. We’ll go out that way.” She pointed toward the exit that Solonn had previously spotted. “That’ll take us outside.”

Solonn made his way over to the exit, and Morgan followed. “You’re gonna have to smash the door down,” the human told him as they reached the exit. Having already figured such, Solonn was already backing up for a charge as she spoke. Once he’d put sufficient distance between himself and the door for a full-velocity charge, he lowered his head (resigning himself to the certainty that this would reawaken the pain there), then hurtled forward in a headbutt attack. The door exploded from its hinges as he crashed into it, its frame bursting apart as he emerged violently into the sunlight.

Morgan quickly joined him outside. “Sit down just for a second,” she instructed him at once. “You’re much faster than I am—we can get out of here a lot quicker if you give me a ride.”

Solonn complied at once. As soon as he set himself down upon the grass, he felt Morgan clambering onto his back, using the gaps in his armor as handholds and footholds to climb up onto the top of his head.

Morgan situated herself there upon the glalie, sitting with her legs extended forward and her hands clutching his horns. She began at once to shiver quite severely in such close proximity to the chill of his body; noting this, Solonn took on a more conscious effort to focus his elemental power and keep his coldness to himself.

“Okay,” Morgan said, “okay. I’m going to tell you which way to go… you just concentrate on moving as fast as you can. Now, go! Hurry!”

Solonn set off in an instant, achieving his maximum velocity quickly. He worried that the human he was carrying might fall off of him due to his moving as fast as he presently was, but she seemed to hang onto him capably enough. While he’d expected her to have him hurry toward her house, she instead steered him into unknown territory, guiding him through a maze of alleyways barely wide enough to admit him.

Her directions eventually led Solonn out of those alleyways—and then, unbeknownst to him, out of the city itself. He had been rushing along at top speed for minutes now and was tiring. Had he been one of those creatures that moved by the power of their limbs and muscles, he would have been far wearier still. Morgan urged him to keep going, and he figured that she probably had a good reason to have him go so far from the scene that they had fled. Preferring to be safe rather than sorry, he reckoned that he’d do best to trust that notion, and so he continued on, ignoring the rising complaints of his body.

Solonn and Morgan were now swiftly making their way westward along a scenic, grassy route. Delicate-looking metal fences lined the path on either side. Some distance beyond the fence on the right, a large, flat building stood. The fence on the left provided the sole barrier between the road and a treacherous drop off of a sheer cliff toward a sparkling expanse of water. Even though only able to see the scene to the south through his peripheral vision, Solonn found himself in awe of what he could glimpse of the waters and the mountain that they embraced.

At length, this route gave way to a place teeming with trees and vast patches of tall grass. By this point, Solonn simply could not go any further. It’s far enough… he figured, it has to be… Groaning, he allowed himself to sink to the ground, managing with something of an effort to keep from obeying his body’s desire to roll over onto his back so as to avoid casting Morgan off and possibly crushing her.

Morgan climbed off of him somewhat awkwardly. She sat down in the grass in front of him and promptly buried her face in her hands.

For a very long moment, Solonn sat silently, trying to catch his breath and to ignore the fact that he ached everywhere. “What’s happened?” he asked finally, still practically wheezing.

Several seconds passed before Morgan made any sort of response. Her face remained buried in her palms, her fingers knitting themselves fretfully into the hair that framed it.

“They’re gone,” she finally croaked in barely more than a whisper.

“…What’s gone, Morgan?” Solonn asked softly, the edges of his voice frayed by the sense of dread building rapidly within him.

“Not ‘what’, Solonn,” Morgan corrected him, her voice breaking. “Who.” Her shoulders started to shake uncontrollably, and then she gave a wrenching sob. “My other pokémon are gone. Stolen. All of them.”

“What?!” Solonn could have sworn that his heart had just stopped at the news he had just received. “Oh good gods… When did you find out?” he demanded.

“A couple of hours ago,” Morgan answered miserably, still hiding her face. Tears were now streaming through her fingers. “I wasn’t feeling so good at school… really, really nauseous… and they excused me early. I came home, and you were gone, and all the others, too… they took the balls they were in and everything,” she sobbed.

The news struck Solonn like a hammer. Oth… Raze… Sei… Aaron… Brett… all those people who had come to be good friends of his were now gone, taken gods only knew where. As he thought about the others, he became brutally aware of just how helpless they had been, contained within their capture balls—small, portable devices, easily carried away.

But not all of them had been in that vulnerable position… ”What about Sei?” Solonn asked. “She was out of the house, wasn’t she?” The possibility of Sei still being free offered a ray of hope for the others—her psychic abilities could certainly aid in locating them, Solonn was sure.

Morgan shook her head. “No, she wasn’t. Before I left, she said she was staying home… some marathon on TV…”

Solonn gave a low, sorrowful hiss. He hadn’t even noticed that Sei had been home the whole morning; he supposed that he must have been too engrossed in his practice to be aware of her. “My gods…” he muttered. He almost feared to imagine what sort of abductors could have successfully subdued such a powerful psychic as an alakazam—he realized that he had been beyond fortunate to have safely escaped from what were certainly very dangerous captors. The others, however, had not been so lucky… A sickening feeling ran through his veins as an unbidden parade of the grim scenarios that might have befallen his friends played within his mind.

“How did you manage to find me?” Solonn then asked.

Morgan took a very deep, shuddering breath, her body trying in vain to calm itself. She finally took her hands from her face, revealing her still-bloodshot eyes and tear-streaked cheeks. “When I found you all gone,” she started, having to pause to catch her breath in between sobs, “I called the police… they came and talked with me for a while…

“After that… I don’t know. I just started wandering—when I’m sad, I’ll just do that, just go for a walk—and then I saw this place with this sign in front…” Her face contorted into what was unmistakably a grimace of disgust. “‘See the Amazing Talking Glalie!’, it said.”

Solonn’s eyes widened dramatically, the light within them blazing with outrage. He hissed again, not a low lamentation this time but rather a vehement, explosive outburst. “That’s what they took me for? Some kind of freak to show off?” he asked. Morgan nodded regretfully. “How… how could they have possibly found out?” he demanded.

“I don’t know!” Morgan blurted. “I sure didn’t tell anyone!”

Solonn winced. “Sorry… I wasn’t trying to accuse you…”

“Oh God…” Morgan’s tears began to fall even harder in a fresh surge. “No, I’m… I’m sure you weren’t…”

Solonn gave a long sigh. “It’s all right…” he muttered. With no small measure of difficulty, he lifted himself from the ground, setting himself back down closer to Morgan. Burying her face in her hands once more, she leaned into him at once, her side against his—he wished at once that she hadn’t. He barely had any strength to keep his element at bay, and the human was shaking enough without his chill right up against her. Ultimately, though, Solonn just didn’t have the heart to try and persuade her to move.

For seconds on end, they just sat there beside one another, neither saying a word. Nothing disturbed the silence save for the faint calls of distant seabirds. Even Morgan’s sobs had grown quiet, though they remained just as violent.

“Did you say that you called for help… for people who could possibly help find the others?” Solonn finally asked in the softest, most soothing tone he could manage at the moment, trying despite his own terrible worry to provide a calming, consoling presence for his distraught friend.

“Mmm-hmm,” Morgan responded weakly.

“They might still set things right,” Solonn said in as much an attempt to reassure himself as to reassure Morgan. “They might still find out who did this… they might still find the others.”

“God, I hope so… Do you know anything about the ones who took you?” Morgan then asked. “Anything that might help the police find them?”

“Not really,” Solonn answered with a sigh. “Some sort of winged pokémon came and threw some kind of strange dust on me, and then I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was where you found me. I have no idea what happened in between—I know that creature couldn’t have worked alone, though. We know that that sableye was involved, but there had to be others. I’m so sorry; I wish I knew more…”

“It’s okay,” Morgan muttered. “It’s not your fault. If anything… it’s probably mine.”

“What? Gods, no, you know better than that!” Solonn responded incredulously at once.

“Solonn, think about it. They probably came for you. Somehow, they found out about you, and then they took you so they could make money showing you off—and all the others were just in the wrong place at the wrong time…” Morgan turned her gaze briefly to the east, then closed her eyes. “I should have let you go when you first asked. Then none of this would be happening.”

Solonn closed his eyes. “Please, Morgan… don’t blame yourself. Please.” He opened his eyes once more and turned them upon her, their light dimmed by sorrow and weariness. “Besides,” he added, “I’m the one who told you not to take me back right away, remember? It was my idea.”

But Solonn’s words seemed useless; the look in Morgan’s eyes told all too clearly that she was not consoled and not convinced. “Doesn’t matter,” she said, almost whispering. She tried once again to steady herself with a deep breath, but to no avail. “I shouldn’t have kept you here. I guess there’s just no safe place for someone like you among humans. Solonn… I’m letting you go now.”

Solonn stared at her, dumbfounded. A part of his mind returned to the last time that Morgan had offered to release him from her custody, that night when he had revealed his talents to her. Though he had come to know her quite well and knew that she was not nor certainly was she ever the sort to treat him as a possession, somehow he was still amazed by the notion that she, the very creature who had taken him from his home, would so willingly relinquish him. Twice, he thought to respond, but neither time did he have any clue what to say.

“Listen.” Morgan rose shakily to her feet, casting another glance eastward, then turned to face Solonn once more. With an obvious effort, she kept her gaze locked firmly into his eyes. “Since… since the others are gone…” she said with difficulty, “…well, I can’t have you teleported home, and there’s an ocean between here and there, so…” She swallowed hard, running a hand fretfully through her hair. “What you’re gonna have to do is just lie low for a while. I’m… I’m kind of scared for you to go back to Lilycove right now; the people who took you are still out there for now, and when they find out you got away… If they find you again, God knows what they’ll do. Just stay away from Lilycove for a week or two, just to be safe, and in the meantime, I’ll try to get a hold of someone who can get you home. I promise. Maybe… maybe the others will be found by then… then Sei or Ominous could take you. But if you find some way to get home on your own… go ahead and take it. Please. Don’t wait for me if you don’t have to.”

Still in disbelief, Solonn remained silent for several moments more before responding. “If you’re sure this is what you really want…” he began with uncertainty. Morgan nodded almost imperceptibly. Solonn sighed in acquiescence. “All right,” he said quietly. “I’ll return to Lilycove after a few days. Until then,” he said with a solemn look straight into her eyes, “I want you to take care of yourself. You’re a good person, Morgan. You really are. I wouldn’t want to see anything happen to you.”

Morgan nodded again. “Okay,” she whispered, wiping the tears from her eyes as well as she could. She wrapped her arms around the glalie as far as they would go and gave him a long embrace, then let go and took several steps back from him. “Guess I’ll see you again soon, but if I don’t…” She shrugged feebly. “Goodbye, Solonn.”

“Goodbye,” Solonn echoed. He rose from the ground, ignoring his body’s protests, and bowed deeply, inclining his great face toward the ground.

“Stay safe,” Morgan said. With that, she turned and set off for the city in the east.

“You, too,” Solonn called after her, allowing himself to sink back into the grass as he watched her go. He worried for Morgan, who had been parted from so many dear friends in the blink of an eye. He feared even more for her other pokémon, whose fates remained unknown. There was no way of telling if things would be set right again for them. He could only hope that they would be.


* * *

Morgan returned to her home, listlessly casting the light jacket she was wearing onto a nearby chair as she passed through the living room. Her mind was somewhat distant after such a long, difficult day. Out of habit, she made her way straight to the back door, to the backyard where she had shared so many hours with the glalie who had become one of her best friends. A sickening pang struck her at once as the door opened upon the empty space near the sitrus tree where he should have been.

“Oh my God… Where is he?!”

_________________________

A free cookie to anyone who knows from whence I got the title of this chapter. :3

Next time: Solonn is offered a place to lie low for a while, but what might await him there? See you then!

- Sike Saner

[Wes]

Very nice chapter. Sikes. Very descritive as well. That was a nice twist you threw in about Solenn leaving and such. Keep up the good works Sikes!

[Flying Tropius]

Nice chapter great I feel sorry for Morgan.....I hate people who steal pkmn

[Wondrous Sableye]

This fic is just so cool, I can hardly put it into words. Oy. Reviewer's block. XD

Plot's going well, nothing seems to be out of place…and I just love Xi's personality, it's precious. XD Plus there's the hammer thing. XD

Description is just wonderful, I can imagine everything from just the word choice.

One thing that is kind of bugging me—the term "cryokinesis." Cryo- means cold, not ice, and therefore denotes a much wider scope of abilities. Not that it's a big thing that would necessitate complete revision(*shudder*), just found that strange.

No logistical errors that I could find, and that happens to be my specialty. So, you're cleared in the logic department.

[Sike Saner]

Wes: Well, I just liked the idea of throwing in a little curveball rather than just letting the story unfold as a linear contest fic. X3

Flying Tropius: Yes, people who steal pok&#233;mon suck.

Wondrous Sableye:
One thing that is kind of bugging me—the term "cryokinesis." Cryo- means cold, not ice, and therefore denotes a much wider scope of abilities.

It does, indeed, and such is the case here. Ice is emphasized here because glalie are depicted here as one of several embodiments of ice as an elemental power. However, by no means are glalie restricted to freezing just water or anything else. They can freeze a wide variety of things; for example, they can (and do) freeze the flesh and blood of living creatures. They can also cool things down without freezing them. In addition, they can keep things from freezing (Solonn actually has done this a couple of times here, including in this chapter), and can even go so far as to melt or vaporize things (though I would imagine glalie wouldn't want to make a habit of going around and raising temperatures :p ).

Basically, though, I should state that I prefer to treat pok&#233;mon powers more as "magic" than as anything based on actual science or pseudoscience. This is for the same reason I will not intentionally reference real cultures or religions--I would sincerely rather not write about what I don't know, because that's the kind of thing will just get your *** handed to you every time. X3;

Glad you like Xi, btw. He's one of my favorites among my characters, too. ^^

[Kiyohime]

I LOVE YOU.

Sableye is one of my personal favorites, and I hardly ever see him. I loved that part when he's trying to throw fruit at Solonn. XDDD

But oh god, I feel so horrible for Morgan now. T_T I don't know if you intend on recovering the other Pokemon to be part of the story, but nonwithstanding....poor girl. >: As always, you handled her grief quite impeccably.

Bravo! *bows* Oh, and I have a question; how long do Glaile usually live? (your Glaile characters)

[Sike Saner]

Scrap: Sableye are ****ing adorable; I know it, you know it. X3 *hugs Xi and then hugs you* And the fruit-throwing is one of my favorite moments, too. :D

Average lifespan of glalie (in the context of my stories): approximately 135 years for males, approximately 150 years for females.

[Typhlogirl]

*grins and gets out her chainsaw* LET'S SLICE SOME SABLEYE! Oh wait a sec. It's a ghost pokemon. Dammit.

Excellent chapter Sike. I am so filled with fury right now that I think I might burst. ^_^ DAMN THOSE THIEVES! I hate both of those stupid pokemon! Especially that Sableye...*manic grin*

Two Morgans? OH PLOTLINES. Or maybe I'm just confused. It was a confusing, (yet so intriguing) ending. I can't wait to see what happens next!

I spotted like, two grammar mistakes, but who really gives. I especially liked your description of the hold Mean Look had on Solonn. And of Morgan's grief. That was heart wrenching. T_T That poor girl...I really hate pokemon thieves right now.

Geez, I'm a bit pushed for time here, so I'll add more later!

All in all, a lovely chapter, with a great intro of some new characters. I look forward to the next one!

-;157;

[Sike Saner]

Typhlogirl:
Two Morgans? OH PLOTLINES. Or maybe I'm just confused. It was a confusing, (yet so intriguing) ending.

:3 Oh, yes. That. *evil grin* That just was not nice of me, now was it? ^^ So. Two Morgans. Why the hell are there two Morgans?

Why indeed. ;)

[Kaizer]

There aren't two Morgans, I'm sure of it. After all if there are two Morgans, then you're doing a major Lost cameo thing there. I'm voting on Sableye mind tricks there. Especially since the father was a Ghastly, and based on that old episode of the tv show...

Anyways, there's a theory, and besides hating Xi with every last ounce of hatred for a character from a story in me, I really liked the chapter. And that's all I have to say the subject.
Theives suck, ;245;

[Sike Saner]

kaizer63: With regards to the "Mystery of the Two Morgans"... I will say that some of the clues that would likely be needed to discern what has happened here are present within this chapter--just some. I would say that a couple of pieces can be put in their right place now. We just don't have all the pieces yet.

Aren't I kind. :p

And heh, if you hate Xi here, you would have abhorred the old version--he was all that he is here, and also crass to boot. Bleah. X3; In revision, I opted instead for a less nasty version. But yeah, shame on him. He could use a spanking.

...That sounded so wrong. XD;

[xXSaberXx]

D: I dun get a cookie cause I dun know where the title came from. *munches on sock lint* ;.;

D: KAY SOOOOOO. Very sad chapter Sike! What was up with this chapter? MADE ME GO; AWWWWWWWWWWWWx100 to the second power. I am so not kidding.

LIKE THIS:


“Oh…” Morgan’s tears began to fall even harder in a fresh surge. “God…no, I’m sure you weren’t…God, I just feel awful!” She broke into sobs so violent that they barely allowed her to breathe.

;-; Not nearly the saddest of the lot, but still sad.

*sigh* NO, I MUST PERSEVRE! *climbs to shaft of light* *sexplode*

:O Oh well. Back to square one. :P

I, actually, REALLY LIKE XI. Just annoys the crap out of me for some reaons. :O Weird...

Oh wells, LUFF LUFF TO YOU DAHHHLING!

*hug*

*and sock lint*

:3

[Infinite Master Sceptile]

I liked this chapter, because it really revitalized this fic. It was getting boring. Then, BOOM! You drop this insane chapter upon us.
Well, I thought it was highly implausible that Sei could be taken down by common thieves. These were made out to be common thieves, but there's something fishy about the Amazing Talking Glalie poster.
Another thought I had about this is that you may be using a character that appeared in Origin of Storms, that Ditto.
Here's another strange thing. “Xi’s eyes don’t lie, and he showed me exactly what they showed him.” Eyes? It must be what Xi saw, then, right?
But that contradicts the sign. So the sign is fake. Why else would they want Solonn? Is it his size?
“A non-issue, as I stated during our first meeting"
This Mr. Saller seems to have considerable power, if the police do not trouble him. Hmmmm.....
“He was using that technique to keep you within a certain distance of him…until I hit him in the head with this. ”
A hammer would go right through a Sableye, as it's part Ghost. But poor Solonn doesn't know that.
“That way just leads into another part of the building.
She seems to have uncanny knowledge of the building, though it could just be me being paranoid.
Solonn uttered a low, sorrowful hiss. He hadn’t even noticed that Sei had been home the whole morning…he supposed he must have been to engrossed in his practice to be aware of her.
Poor, gullible Solonn.
I don't know where this is going, but I do know know two things:
The person who "rescued" Solonn was not Morgan, but rather a clever imposter, or something similar(there are a wide range of Sci-Fi explanations);
Mr. Saller does not want to use Solonn as a sideshow attraction.
A conjecture I'd like to make, though I may be wrong, is that none of Morgan's Pokemon were kidnapped, except for Solonn.
Great work, overall. I like the freaky twisted Mystery of the Two Morgans.

[Sike Saner]

xXSaberXx: Aww. *hugs* Well, I had worried that the drama would come across as cheesy, but I guess it's going over okay after all. Meh, but I'll probably always think my drama is cheesy. (But not as cheesy as my action. X3; )

I guess there's just something about annoying characters that can make them inexplicably likable... X3 But, again, the old version of Xi? Probably not likable at all. XD; Yeah, you'd have probably wanted to ring his scrawny little neck, I imagine. X3

Er... thanks for the sock lint. XD

Infinite Master Sceptile: Aww, poo, it was getting boring? X3 Meh, but it was time for something plotty. The parts before it were, in a way, kind of meant to induce a false sense of security; they were meant to lead one to believe that this was going to be a linear contest fic. And then this happens. :3

*impressed smile* Let it be said that you are certainly very well suited to seeking clues. Yes, indeed... Now, as to whether or not I shall confirm or deny any of the speculations you've drawn from said clues... I shall not. *cruel smile*

[Chaos Absol]

*cries*Everyone already said everything.I believe in the theory that it was Xi who was the Morgan that Solonn met.Also, if you look at XI sideways it looks like a face.Lol.I absoloutly hate pokemon robbers even more now.I mean if someone trained a pokemon to Lv.100, and it was stolen, that would be very unfair.*gives you a Reese's Peanutbutter Cup*I like absol and Sableeye as my favorite poke, and you described sableye how I would expect one to act.Nosy and irrative.Like me.


Cya next Chappie!

[metal_chimaera]

Wooow... Certainly adds a twist here, doesn't it.
Okay, so the one thing that caught my attention (in matter of spelling and all) was that at some point you mentioned Solonn as a "she" but meh, not that serious. Besides, I could as well have misread...
About the "out-of-place"... That Sableye was freakishly wierd... Really, it's scary, but hilarious at the same time. Imagine someone just comes into your backyard and starts throwing fruits at you, and then starts climbing on your head... Oh well, I really liked that part. And that banner ("talking Glalie...") struck me as out of place after that whole dramatization... I figured it would be something bbigger than just a stupid show...
Also, I didn't really get the biMorgan-plot-revelation at the end, but I when we first saw Morgan in that building I suspected her of being a fake... An idea which eventually I abandonned because it sounded to paranoid.
Last speculation. That guy, the "ultimate bad guy"-guy, is there any chance he'd be DeLeo or is he just exclusively an "Origin of Storms" character?
Now onto the compliments... Great fic, good chapter etc... And nice cliff-hanger at the end BTW. And I like the twist this Chapter brings to the fic.
See you and take care
metal_chimaera

[Sike Saner]

Chaos Absol: Seeing approval of Xi from someone who favors sableye above nearly all others rocks. ^^ And thanks for the Reese's. :3

metal_chimaera:
And that banner ("talking Glalie...") struck me as out of place after that whole dramatization... I figured it would be something bbigger than just a stupid show...

You should.

Oh, and...

DeLeo has a role somewhere in this story. But I'll not yet say exactly where.

XD Yeah... if someone randomly showed up and decided it would be fun to pester me for a while, I'd get pretty ****ed off. X3

[Klaus]

ehehehe*now sews a sableye doll to add to collection*

I love YOU! Sableye and his fruit. hehe

Again, I love it. I must compliment you on comedy. YAY!*Gives a Maxie cookie and a Elm cupcake*

As always, be kind to the mime.

[Brian Powell]

Brilliant job as usual, Sikes. I only spotted one spelling mistake but whatever.

Despite that, the actions were beautifully described, the length was proper bo’ (No street pun intended), the characters are something else (especially that Sableye), and I liked the suspense in the end a lot.

Speaking of suspense…

Morgan Yorke returned to her home, listlessly casting the light jacket she was wearing onto a nearby chair as she passed through the living room. Her mind was somewhat distant after such a long, difficult day. Out of habit, she made her way straight to the back door, to the backyard where she had shared so many hours with the Glalie who had become one of her best friends. A sickening pang struck her at once as the door opened upon the empty space near the Sitrus tree where he should have been.

“Oh…my God…Where is he?!” she cried.
Okay, I’ve checked the other guy’s opinions and I’m going to agree. I was going to say two Morgans myself and that one of them is a Ditto… but I can’t help but wonder why the ‘fake’ Morgan saved Solonn.

Rating (So far): 5/5

[Sike Saner]

Klaus: How many Xi fans does this make now? Awesome. :D

Brian Powell:
I can’t help but wonder why the ‘fake’ Morgan saved Solonn.

All I will say about that is that salvation means different things to different people...

[Dark Latios]

I finally got done with my homework and snuck on the comp to review. =D

So, very interesting chapter. I wonder what Daron's boss (well, it seemed like the guy was his boss) wanted with Morgan's other pokemon.. It was already revealed they wanted to use poor Solonn in a stupid money-making tent thinger.

Xi scares me.. It's strange how he can see the secrets pokemon hide by looking at them intently in the eyes.. He really creeps me out. O_O;

Poor Morgan.. I hope she gets her pokemon back.. I'm still confused about the fake Morgan thing.

Anyway, no need for me to comment on the length, description, grammar, and everything else that goes with reviewing, because it's excellent as always. ^^

[Flying Tropius]

What fake Morgan? I see no fake Morgan. where?
quote highlight please

[metal_chimaera]

Hehe... I should've expected you wouldn't be so short-minded...
Anyway, can't wait for the next chapter, I'm really starting to see a big plot coming up... Not that I didn't expect that though...

[intergalactic platypus]

ah yes, now that im back at SPPF i immediatley wanted to see what sike had been up to, and when i found out he was writing another story i read it and....ITS GREAT. not as epic in scope as the origin of storms, but its definitley getting there. very twisty too, im expecting DeLeo to come into play somehow for some reason, cause you have to tie this in with the old concept of evilness and all. your hands down the most talented fanfic writer ive ever read, and you put the novel im writing to shame. *big shiny fangirl eyes*

[Sike Saner]

Dark Latios:
So, very interesting chapter. I wonder what Daron's boss (well, it seemed like the guy was his boss) wanted with Morgan's other pokemon.. It was already revealed they wanted to use poor Solonn in a stupid money-making tent thinger.

"Revealed" and "shown" are not necessarily synonymous...

Flying Tropius:
What fake Morgan? I see no fake Morgan. where?
quote highlight please

Okay…



Morgan Yorke returned to her home, listlessly casting the light jacket she was wearing onto a nearby chair as she passed through the living room. Her mind was somewhat distant after such a long, difficult day. Out of habit, she made her way straight to the back door, to the backyard where she had shared so many hours with the glalie who had become one of her best friends. A sickening pang struck her at once as the door opened upon the empty space near the sitrus tree where he should have been.

“Oh… my God… Where is he?!”

Wait, what does she mean, “where is he?” Doesn’t she know? Wasn’t she just talking to him?

Wasn’t she?…

;)

metal_chimaera: Oh yes, something’s coming. That’s all I’ll say about that right now…

buttersgirl: Ah, it’s you again. ^^ Welcome back. I know how much of a fan you were of The Origin of Storms, and so I do hope that this one can live up to its predecessor in your shiny, fangirl eyes.

So, just how do the events in this story tie in to the events of The Origin of Storms? Time may tell…

[Pinecone Tortoise]

Hmm. The plot certainly thickens. A masterfully woven tale of intrigue and suspense. My thoughts? The 'Rescue Morgan' was a fake for several reasons - she claimed Sei was at home after all and she supposedly knocked a ghost type out with a solid object. Her whole story struck me as fake. That is all I have to say, apart from that the entire fic is brilliantly written. Congratulations.

Piney.
;204;;324;

[Elemental Charizam]

If you ask me, Oth and Sei had something to do with it. I think they were working with the 'Other Morgan'. I don't think that young man is actually evil, though, the real evil person is the other Morgan...

A great chappie anyway Sike; it's given me a lot to think about... Hopeyour comp unscrews soon...

[Alseides]

I haven't been on in a very long time, I apologize for that. ._. Aside from the fact that I can't get on SppF from my main computer, I've been busy with school and pets and rather demanding friends... heh. Regardless, it's pleasing to see that you've updated. Woo-hoo. :D

Kudos for using a Sableye/Venomoth. Xi was a nut. x3 I actually read aloud his quote about throwing fruit (no-one listened but I think the reason for that is my family's ignorance... or the fact that I speak quietly... x_o).

Deceptiveness is the most lovely(I changed the definition to suit my demented needs a little bit), grasping element that I could find in a story such as this. Kidnapping is also nice. And you put both in this chapter.

So, in a nutshell, *all* of Morgan's pokemon are gone, there's nothing she can do about it, and Solonn is going to go home in several days? ;D This shreds soap-opera drama.

Banette... Crazy zipper-mouth marionette po-key-man love. <3

~ Lucent Latias

[metal_chimaera]

Meh, Oth and Sei seem perfectly innocent and friendly to me (especially Sei). But I figured the fake morgan and the "sableye team" to be in the same team.
And I never gave a thought about Morgan hitting Sableye with a hard object... I always figured ghost types having concrete bodies, except for the Ghastly family, since they're stated as gas pokemons...
Anyway, I hope your computer gets better soon. (that sounded wierd)

[Kiyohime]

*crawls up and latches onto Sike's leg with sucker-tipped tentacles* Mweeeeeeeeeheheheehe. Just a quick comment to let you know I'm still stalking you and Xi. 8D Have you noticed this seems to be a lot more popular than your first story? Congratulate yourself for that; you're an awesome writer. ^.^

I will proceed to beat you with a banana if you not reveal the next chapter to us, who are DYING to know what's up with the Evil Twin Clone Morgan.

[Wondrous Sableye]

Regarding the whole 'how did Morgan hit a Ghost-type with a solid object' deal, here's my opinion: I've always thought of Sableye as sort of an exception to the 'nonphysical body' Ghost-type typicality. Think about it this way; something whose species has been living in the dark for quite awhile is most likely going to have very sensitive hearing, in addition to an 'Omigodgetouttathewayyergunnagetpunchedinthegut' sense, allowing it to dodge most physical attacks or at least move in a way that said attacks just nick them.

Doesn't explain a lot, but there's always the possibility of a surprise attack. But the apparent plot twist is still tooortuuurooouuusss. ChapterneedachapteromigodmyheadisgunnaexplodeifIdu ngetthechapter. XD

[Sike Saner]

Pinecone Tortoise: There are definitely red flags surrounding the whole Morgan(s) situation, and some of them are indeed hidden in plain sight.

Elemental Charizam: Aww, you still don't trust Oth? It's gonna cry some more, then... XP

And good eye, I must say, in noting that there are forces at work here other than simple good and evil.

Alseides: The "fruit" quote remains one of my favorite lines in the story thus far, too. ^^

metal_chimaera: I can't speak for sableye's qualities on the official level, but here, at least, sableye are generally of a solid form at nearly all times. Most of them can't phase out of tangibility without using faint attack, and even that only provides a brief period out of solidity. Now, of course, it could be speculated that sableye who are the result of crossbreeding with more "ghostly" ghosts, which Xi is, might possess more developed phasing abilities, and so it might be theorized that therefore Xi might have been able to avoid being brained by a hammer.

But, then again...

I will say this once more, this time without the spoiler tags: "revealed" and "shown" are not necessarily synonymous. Don't hesitate to question anything and everything that has been done or said in the prior chapter...

Scrap: I did notice, and I'm frankly baffled--I was expecting this thing to flop, frankly. Sophomore slump, y'know. I still don't quite get what people see in this, but whatever. ^^

...WHY DID YOU HAVE TO MENTION BANANAS?! XD Now you went and got that System of a Down song stuck in my head again... X3;

Wondrous Sableye: I guarantee you that Xi does indeed have stellar senses. Could he have avoided the hammer? Oh, sure he could have. Absolutely. At the very least, it does seem highly unlikely that a mere human girl could clobber him, just like that...

Indeed, some things can't be done--but anything can be said...


The 7th chapter is in progress, yes. ^^ However, it can only be posted when I am able to get a hold of my cousin and her (marginally) less dysfunctional computer--easier said than done, I'm afraid. I have no way of knowing when this will be, although I seriously doubt it would be more than a week or two from now. I apologize immensely for the inconvenience--I'm not used to posting this infrequently, let me tell you. I'm definitely itching to get this thing rolling again...

[Chaos Absol]

zomgzomgzomg

Wheres the ditto?I think there has to be one somewhere.Or maybe Sableye can transform... .I hope that solonn can get back good and well and that Morgan doesn't die.I liked the chapter because it had good description and it made me think of what could be happening.


Cya next chappie!

[Sike Saner]

Chaos Absol: That you’re apparently itching for an appearance by Anomaly is good news to my ears (or my eyes, rather XP). Good news, indeed. And that is all I will say about that. ;)

Oh, by the way… The title of the previous chapter was taken from a Coheed and Cambria lyric, specifically one from the song "Blood Red Summer".

Anyway… UGH. I hate being delayed. I also hate technical difficulties. Hence, I abhor delays caused by technical difficulties… ><;

Right, then. Enough waiting. Time for Chapter 7!

_________________________


Chapter 7 – Convergence


Tall, thick grass surrounded Solonn, swaying slowly in a light breeze, save for in the wide, more or less circular patch that had been flattened where Solonn had tried unsuccessfully to sleep during the night before. There, he now sat under the pale pink morning sky, gazing out over the grass into the east. Though it was too far away for him to actually see, he knew that the city that he’d fled stood there beneath the rising sun. He wondered if the ones who had tried to abduct him were prowling Lilycove in search of him at that very moment or if perhaps they were extending their search outside the city limits.

He didn’t know how likely it might be that his enemies would find him there before his allies could return to him. Despite his worries, part of him still managed to hold on to some hope that Morgan might appear through the grass at any moment, calling to him with the news that their friends were safe once more and that she was ready to take him back to Virc-Dho.

These were precisely the sorts of thoughts that had denied Solonn sleep through the previous night. Countless times, his eyes had begun to close, only to immediately fly open once more and dart about in fretful search of anyone, friend or foe, who might have been approaching him.

Solonn could not recall ever having been so on edge in his life, and wondered how he would ever allow himself to sleep during the coming night if he still hadn’t heard from Morgan or from anyone else who could help him. He also wondered how he was going to go about feeding himself at this point. While he had lived with Morgan, she had always provided him with sustenance. Before Solonn had evolved, Morgan had given him that flavored snow to eat, and after his evolution he had been provided a diet of specially-formulated pokémon food designed to meet the nutritional needs of a large carnivore without requiring the predator to do their own hunting.

Now, however, without Morgan to provide for him, he seemed to have no choice but to take on his natural role as an active predator. Solonn was anything but eager to go through with this. His hunger was steadily growing, but through minute after minute, hour after hour, he had ignored its pleas, and he still remained determined to continue doing so for as long as he could.

He began to wonder just how long he could go without food. Morgan had always fed him twice a day. He didn’t how frequently the glalie back in Virc-Dho hunted, for they still generally kept those matters from the snorunt.

Solonn suspected that their reason for not telling snorunt of the hunters that they would grow up to become was so that the unevolved would be able to accept the predatory instincts that came with evolution without any prior misgivings about predation to get in the way. Solonn had possessed precisely those kinds of reservations ever since learning that glalie were carnivores. Still, the instincts that came with his evolved form were nonetheless also present within his mind. He tried not to pay them any heed, but they remained steadfastly in place, waiting for his inevitable surrender to their demands.

He winced slightly at yet another pang of hunger. It had been nearly an entire day since he’d eaten last; Morgan had fed him prior to leaving for school the day before, and he’d not had anything since. Though Solonn had looked toward the day when he would regain his independence ever since coming into Morgan’s custody, the simple fact was that he had fallen into the habits of a human’s pokémon. He had been rendered unused to fending for himself, and was certainly not prepared for anything along the lines of “roughing it”. Though he was quite hesitant to admit to himself that he’d grown accustomed to being tended to, he could not deny that he was left in no position to defy his body’s expectations for much longer.

A brief rustling in the grass alerted Solonn to a newly arrived presence not too far from where he sat. He turned toward it and saw the glow of the newcomer’s body heat, which seemed to flicker as it shone between the swaying blades of grass. Something stirred within the back of his mind, trying to persuade him to see the solution that lay in this discovery.

Take it, it seemed to say. Take it and know relief…

Solonn paid no mind to the notion, closing his eyes and beginning to turn away from the creature nearby. He silently told the faction of his mind that had suggested using the newcomer as a means by which he could alleviate his hunger that whatever the creature was, it was not prey. Still, his instinct continued to relentlessly plead its case, but still, Solonn managed to tune out its suggestions, even as it seemed to emphasize its point by sending another tendril of aching hunger down into his belly.

I’m not doing it, he argued internally, gritting his teeth in desperate determination. Good gods, I’m not starving to death yet!

His physical demands would not stand to be silenced, however, and so they presented yet another unbidden argument through his mind: You had better get used to this—it’s going to be the way you’ll be feeding yourself for the rest of your life. There aren’t going to be any humans around to feed you when you get back to Virc-Dho.

Solonn sighed in resignation as he ceased his internal argument. There was the undeniable truth of the matter: his independent survival required him to embrace his predatory nature. There would be no processed pokémon food outside the human realm. There would only be prey—lives which he would have to end in order to sustain his own. He knew that he would ultimately have to accept it, but he couldn’t imagine himself ever liking it.

It was with an immense reluctance that he turned back toward the heat signature of his would-be prey, rose from the ground, and began to glide in its direction. The creature had drawn closer to him since he’d last allowed himself to look toward it, apparently oblivious to his presence; even moving at minimal speed, Solonn would be upon it swiftly.

As Solonn approached, he called upon his element, summoning ice to hold the prey in place and prevent its escape. The hapless creature began screaming at once in response to Solonn’s actions, its voice shrill and surprisingly loud to be issuing from what had to be a tiny throat and tiny lungs.

Solonn tried in vain to shut out the cries, but his keen hearing allowed him no refuge from them. Struggling to steel himself for the task that lay ahead of him, he pushed his way through the last blades of grass separating him from his prey and looked down upon it directly for the first time.

There, with ice encasing her legs and tail, a female zigzagoon screamed ceaselessly, the terror in her cries magnified greatly upon seeing the huge face of her captor looming before her. Her head thrashed and her spine arched as she fought to free herself, but her struggles were of no use; in truth, she knew this just as well as the creature who had frozen her to the spot did. Closing her eyes, she fearfully awaited her imminent demise.

Solonn could almost literally taste the fear of his prey on the air as he prepared to deliver the killing strike. He knew that he could freeze the flesh and blood of the zigzagoon in an instant, and perhaps that way, just as his mother had told him years ago, his prey would not have time to suffer. He needed only to tap into that power, and the deed would be done…

He hissed as hesitation pulled him sharply back from finishing off the zigzagoon. You should have just done it in when you first noticed it, chided the faction of his mind that still remained in favor of the act that he had so very nearly committed. You shouldn’t have looked at it first…

Solonn’s gaze fell upon the face of the zigzagoon, whose features were contorted almost grotesquely in mortal terror. His throat constricted painfully, and his stomach went sour, extinguishing his appetite. With a hiss of disgust, he instantly vaporized the ice that had held the zigzagoon in place.

After a second’s delay, she dared to open her eyes. She stared up at Solonn with a wild gaze, seemingly paralyzed with fear and confusion.

“Go,” Solonn said abruptly. “Just go.”

The zigzagoon remained rooted to the spot, fixed in place by disbelief. Her jaw worked almost imperceptibly, as if she were trying to speak.

Solonn didn’t wait for her to pull her words together. “Go!” he commanded sonorously, darting at her to emphasize his point. With a squeak of fright, the zigzagoon scrambled away as fast as she could with not a single glance behind her.

Solonn sank wearily to the ground, thoroughly disgusted with himself. Gods’ mercies, you almost killed that poor creature… He shuddered as he thought of what would have happened had his reluctance not gotten the better of him in time.

“Well, that certainly was magnanimous of you,” said a jovial and utterly unexpected voice.

Quite startled in his rather compromised state, Solonn spun around instantly to face the source of the utterance. He found a swellow hovering in midair before him, sweeping the grass below him around with the steady beats of his wings. Solonn wondered how this creature had managed to sneak up on him so thoroughly unnoticed.

The swellow descended to the ground, pushing the tall grass out of his face with his wings once he’d landed. “You know, ordinarily I might hesitate to stop and chat with an ice-type such as yourself, but given what I’ve just witnessed here, I’d dare assume yours to be safe company,” he said. The swellow then bowed. “Do allow me to introduce myself. I am the swellow Jal’tai. And you are…?”

Still slightly bewildered by the pokémon who had just apparently spontaneously appeared in his midst, Solonn responded with a bit of a delay. “Solonn Zgil-Al,” he introduced himself; then, after a short pause, he added, “the—”

“Oh, I know, I know,” Jal’tai interrupted with a chuckle. “You don’t need to tell me what you are, Mr. Zgil-Al. There’s no mistaking a glalie for anything else once you’ve seen one. So, then. I haven’t seen you around these parts before. Have you only recently relocated here?”

“I guess you could say that,” Solonn replied. “I mean, I haven’t exactly moved here permanently…” The swellow cocked his head inquisitively. Solonn hesitated at first to elaborate on what he was doing in the area, but then reckoned that it was safe to tell of such as long as he was careful not to give away too many details of the situation. “I’ve just escaped from human kidnappers in Lilycove,” he told the swellow. “I’m just lying low in this area until I can find some way to get back where I came from, across the sea.”

“Oh my… that must have been harrowing,” Jal’tai remarked, sounding both astounded and pitying. “Thank goodness you escaped, then. Say… if you need a place to stay, I know an excellent candidate.” He took on a rather grand pose, puffing out his feathered chest. “I don’t reside in this area, either; I just like to come here every now and again for a break from all the hustle and bustle back home. I come from a city in the west, and it’s the greatest city in the world, in my opinion. And I’d bet anything you’d agree with me, given the chance to see it with your own eyes! You could stay safe from your pursuers there, and in far more comfortable conditions than you’ll find out here. Plus, I’m certain you’d find a means to cross the sea there—that is, if you’ll want to leave!” the swellow added with a chuckle. “So, what do you say, hmm? Can I tempt you with a stay in my beloved city?”

Solonn eyed him somewhat skeptically. “That’s a very nice offer, but… well, I would really rather not enter another human city if I can avoid it—that is what you’re talking about, isn’t it?”

Jal’tai blinked in surprise, then burst out into crowing laughter. “No, no! It’s not a human city, I assure you. You’d realize that quite swiftly if you saw it for yourself. Oh, you’d be amazed at the things it has to show you…”

Solonn considered the swellow’s offer. Moving farther into the west, and thus farther from Lilycove, would keep him farther from the reach of those who sought him with ill intent. It also occurred to him that the natives probably wouldn’t mind sharing their food with him as well as their shelter; he could already feel the relief of possibly being spared the need to hunt, even if only for a while. Plus, the swellow certainly made this city out to be a nice place, although Solonn did find the level of Jal’tai’s enthusiasm vaguely disturbing.

At the same time, however, he couldn’t help but think of Morgan, who had said she would return to where she’d left him if she came up with a means to take him back to Virc-Dho. He didn’t want to entirely discard faith in her; furthermore, he did, in all honesty, still hope to once again see her and the pokémon whom he’d met and befriended through her, and hopefully in a happier light next time. That, at least, seemed to him like a more proper farewell, and an easier one—the one she and they deserved, in his opinion, for treating him so well.

He hadn’t forgotten what Morgan had said the evening before, though, not one word of it. She had expressly told him that if he found another means for him to return home before she could find one, then he was to take it. Solonn questioned whether or not this truly was what the human wanted; surely she wouldn’t want to lose a chance to see someone who had been one of her pokémon one more time, would she? But in the end, he decided that he had to give her the benefit of the doubt where that was concerned. This was what she’d said she wanted, and he reckoned that he should take her word for it.

“All right,” Solonn said finally.

“Ah, excellent!” Jal’tai said, sounding supremely delighted. “Come, then, follow me!” With a powerful flap of his wings, Jal’tai took to the air, sending the grass below him into a frenzied dance as he set off very swiftly toward the west.

Solonn sighed wearily; the evening before had been quite taxing and his body was still not quite ready to endure being made to hurry anywhere. “Jal’tai? Excuse me, could you slow down a bit?” he called after the swellow as he hastened with difficulty to follow.

“Oh, of course!” the swellow responded, and slowed down significantly. “Terribly sorry about that. I just simply can’t wait to show you my city…”

As Solonn followed Jal’tai, he found the tall grass that had surrounded him thinning, eventually disappearing from his surroundings altogether. Conversely, the trees were becoming more plentiful as he continued westward, increasing in number and density until Solonn found himself led into a true forest—and a bit of inconvenience.

“Jal’tai! Wait!” Solonn shouted. Jal’tai’s speed had decreased even further due to the fact that the surrounding trees left him little room to fly, forcing him to walk. Solonn would have had no problem keeping up with him if it weren’t for the fact that the trees provided an even greater impediment to him than they did to the swellow. Solonn was forced to pick his way between those trees that grew far enough apart to admit his considerable girth.

Jal’tai halted and turned. There was a smile playing about his eyes that suggested that he was holding back an urge to laugh. “I apologize on the trees’ behalf,” he said, the tiniest of chuckles managing to break through.

Solonn gave Jal’tai a dull glare, then resumed making his rather difficult way amidst the trees. “I do hope that this ‘city’ of yours isn’t so—” He broke into a loud snarl as a branch on one of the trees between which he was squeezing swatted him just below his left eye. “—infested with trees…”

“Oh heavens, no. The forest had to be cleared in that area before the city could be built—a necessary evil, I’m afraid, but I daresay that’s it’s come to give more to the area than it’s taken. Anyway, you’ll not have to suffer the vegetation much longer. We’re nearly there.”

This came as a surprise to Solonn; from what he could see, the only thing that they were drawing closer to was another several acres of dense forest. Managing at last to follow closely behind Jal’tai once more after coming across a fair number of trees in his path that had all grown far enough apart to allow him to pass through with ease, Solonn began casting glances about for signs that they were indeed nearing Jal’tai’s city, but still saw nothing but trees surrounding him.

“Halt!” two voices suddenly shouted in unison. In nearly the same instant, the owners of those voices, a pair of stantler, jumped out before Solonn and Jal’tai from behind two of the trees, landing gracefully on dainty hooves. They glared at Solonn and Jal’tai for a moment, lowering their golden antlers menacingly—then, abruptly, the stantler both raised their heads and took a step back, wearing alarmed expressions.

“Oh! We… we didn’t realize it was you!” one of the stantler said.

“We’re so sorry… really, we are… very sorry…” the other one babbled.

“Well, that is why it’s wise to always look before you leap, now isn’t it?” Jal’tai said pleasantly.

The two stantler nodded rather neurotically. “Can… can you forgive us?” one of them asked.

Jal’tai gave a chuckle and a dismissive wave of his wing. “Oh, of course, of course,” he said. “No harm done at all. Now, why don’t you fellows let us in and then see about having someone else finish your shifts, all right? It doesn’t do to work too long; it’s absolutely murder on the nerves, as we’ve seen displayed here quite clearly.”

“Yes, yes, of course…” one of the stantler muttered, nodding vigorously once again. His eyes then traveled from Jal’tai to Solonn, and the other stantler’s gaze followed. It was as though they had actually not noticed the large glalie hovering there up to that point.

“Yes, he’s with me. You know I wouldn’t let just any of them in,” Jal’tai said.

Both stantler seemed to have one last moment’s hesitation. Then they both gave a quick nod and stepped aside.

“Thank you kindly,” Jal’tai said warmly, bowing his head as he passed between the two guards. “Right this way,” he said to Solonn, beckoning with his wing. “It’s right through here.”

“Where?” Solonn asked as he moved forward alongside Jal’tai. “I don’t see—”

The glalie was instantly stricken silent by the sight that had spontaneously appeared then. All at once, the endless forest before him was replaced by a view of a thoroughly modern city. There was no canopy of leaves to obstruct the sky above, for the trees’ presence was relegated to neat rows lining the streets and the occasional one growing in someone’s yard. A few of the inhabitants of the city, varying in species, could be seen strolling on the sidewalks or milling about in the lawns or on street corners. Every now and then, a vehicle cruised up or down one of the visible streets at a casual pace.

Still rather mesmerized by the city that had just appeared before him out of thin air, Solonn was a bit startled by the wing that clapped him heartily on the back then. His gaze shifted to the swellow beside him, who was smiling warmly in the fashion of his kind, the look in his eyes positively radiating pride.

“Welcome, my friend,” Jal’tai said with much grandeur, spreading his wings wide, “to Convergence, the city of a better future! Isn’t it magnificent?”

“Well…” Solonn began a bit awkwardly, furrowing his brow in an expression of uncertainty. The city of Convergence had certainly made an entrance that had impressed him, but beyond that… The fact of the matter was that the city might have come closer to being “magnificent” in his eyes if it hadn’t seemed so familiar. Solonn had gazed out the window upon a view of Lilycove on enough occasions to know a human-style city when he saw one. “It’s certainly… er, doing well for itself, and I guess that’s nice, but… Jal’tai, I thought you said this wasn’t a human city…”

The swellow chuckled. “Yes, I most certainly did. And on closer inspection, you might realize that indeed, just as I stated, this is not a human city. Or do you not see the abundance of pokémon about?”

“What of it? Pokémon live in human cities, too,” Solonn pointed out.

“True, true… but there remains a very significant difference between those cities and this one. Why, look over there,” Jal’tai said, gesturing with his wing toward a truck that had stopped at a traffic light some distance before them. Its driver was large and hairy—and an ursaring. The light turned green, and the truck went on the move again, heading their way. Solonn could hear country music issuing from the vehicle’s sound system; the bear was nodding her head and growling faintly along with the song.

“Now, there’s something you won’t see in a mere human city,” Jal’tai said.

The ursaring driver rounded a corner, pulled into a driveway, and exited her vehicle. As she did so, she turned and spotted Jal’tai and Solonn. Her eyes widened, and she waved vigorously. “Hi!” she half-roared cheerfully from across the street.

“Good day to you, madam!” Jal’tai returned, waving back at her. “I might also add that Ms. Olcarion actually owns that lovely house,” he then informed Solonn. “As a matter of fact, all of those homes are owned by pokémon,” he said, indicating the three houses to the right of the ursaring’s home. “Independent pokémon, Solonn. Do you realize the significance of that?”

Without waiting for Solonn to answer, he continued. “In human cities, pokémon are second-class citizens—if even that.” His features gave a brief flash of disgust. “But here, pokémon are afforded the same rights and opportunities as humans. They may own properties like those the humans own. They may learn to operate the vehicles invented by humans if they so wish. Our academy offers them the same education that humans receive and training for those who wish to enter occupations that elsewhere may only be held by humans.

“This is a community with no parallel in the world today, one in which pokémon and humans are truly able to live and work as equals. Do you see now what makes Convergence great?”

Solonn nodded vaguely, still absorbing the information Jal’tai had just imparted upon him. He had not realized that pokémon were such non-entities in human society. True, pokémon were taken from their homes and made to live in human custody, but judging by his experience with Morgan, he had not found himself or any of her other pokémon treated poorly… Solonn realized that if what Jal’tai said was true, then he had been quite fortunate indeed to have been taken in by Morgan and not by one of the apparent, inconsiderate majority of humans.

“Now, then,” Jal’tai said crisply. “I’m feeling rather in the mood for lunch of a sudden… How about you?”

Solonn made to answer Jal’tai, but his stomach beat him to it.

“Ah, right then,” Jal’tai said. “We’ll go to Whitley’s; it’s to die for…”

(CONTINUED)

[Sike Saner]

The swellow led Solonn deeper into Convergence, heading toward the center of town. Along the way, Solonn spotted more of the city’s residents out and about. They were mostly pokémon, some of which were in the possession of and process of using what he figured were devices made by humans, such as the very noisy leaf blower being operated by an electabuzz at the curb in front of one of the houses.

Solonn also spotted a couple of humans as he continued through the city after Jal’tai—literally a “couple”; he saw only two of them and they were together. It seemed that the pokémon outnumbered the humans here. From what he could glean at a glance, though, Solonn thought that the two humans both looked quite happy to be living here. They were neither goggling nor blatantly avoiding looking at the pokémon citizens; it seemed that they found nothing strange about the notion of pokémon living right alongside them, which Solonn found to be a relief in the wake of what Jal’tai had told him.

At last, Solonn and Jal’tai arrived at Whitley’s. The restaurant was a large, country-styled building situated at the end of a fairly sizable parking lot that presently had most of its spaces unoccupied. Above its entrance, a sign bore the image of an elderly, goateed man’s smiling face, along with the words “Whitley’s Family Restaurant” spelled out beside the portrait—twice. It was written once in what Solonn recognized from his time with Morgan to be human writing and once in a curious, unfamiliar script that seemed to be made up of eyes. Each character was formed by one of these large, round “eyes”, with the letters differentiated by bars that radiated from them in varying shapes and at varying angles.

Solonn had found himself able at once to read the other form of writing just as he had been whenever he’d seen human writing before then, so it didn’t surprise him much to find the second script instantly understandable, as well. However, there was more to his comprehension of the eyed letters than mere literacy, and he recognized this immediately. Puzzled, he brought the matter up with Jal’tai.

“That second kind of writing, there on that sign… there’s something about it… I don’t know how to explain it except that it just feels different to read… more natural, somehow.”

“Ah. I suppose you’ve never seen unown-script before.” Jal’tai smiled. “Well, Mr. Zgil-Al, there is reason why it feels natural to read. It is our written language, the script of pokémon. Allow me to explain. The unown are a race of pokémon who are credited as the ones responsible for eradicating many of the communication barriers between the peoples of the world. Many pokémon, myself included, believe that it was they who blessed the differing races of pokémon with the ability to understand both one another’s languages and the spoken languages of humans. But for some reason, their blessing failed to touch humans, leaving them unable to understand pokémon speech.

“The unown tried to solve the problem through the creation of a universal written language, a process so demanding that it apparently forced them to evolve to that specific end. They developed special written characters that they infused with a mystic quality meant to render them instantly comprehensible to both pokémon and humans alike. And it worked, too, at least under some circumstances; with it, pokémon have been able to convey messages to humans that they could otherwise never receive. Sadly, the script failed to catch on—perhaps the cultures that used it were conquered or decimated by humans who trained pokémon to fight for them rather than communicating and living in harmony with them,” the swellow added, bitterness seeping into his tone.

“Anyhow,” he finished, “though the script fell short of a perfect solution, it was successful enough for us to see fit to celebrate and honor the unown and their tremendous efforts toward interspecies understanding by using unown-script as a sort of official ‘language’ of our city. All citizens are required to memorize all of its symbols, humans and pokémon alike.”

Solonn took another look at the sign and its message in unown-script, intrigued and quite impressed. It was an incredible notion to him, that of an entire species literally transforming itself in the name of promoting universal communication. He wondered what it might be like to actually encounter one of them, what things that could be learned from such creatures—especially by one such as himself, who had his own relationship with the concept of universal communication…

His eyes widened. Wait…

“Tell me, Mr. Zgil-Al,” Jal’tai spoke up crisply then, interrupting Solonn’s reverie almost as soon as it had begun, “when you mentioned that unown-script felt ‘different to read’… did you mean as compared to human writing? I have always hoped to meet another who is human-literate just as I am.”

Solonn just barely managed to suppress an urge to let his jaw drop wide open. Stupid! he scolded himself silently. He fumbled internally for a means to repair any possible damage done. “Oh… no, I can’t read that,” he finally said, his words tumbling out a bit more quickly than he’d intended. “I just guessed that it said the same thing that it said below in the unown-script.”

“Hmm…” the swellow responded, sounding perhaps not quite as crestfallen as he felt. “Well, perhaps if you’re interested, I could teach you to read human-script sometime, hmm? In the meantime… I daresay we’ve tarried here outside for quite long enough,” he then said. “Why wait a moment longer when food’s right inside, right? Come on, then!”

Solonn followed Jal’tai to a set of doors, which opened automatically for them a couple of seconds after the two had stopped before them. They entered the restaurant, which was warmly lit by a large number of hanging, stained-glass lamps, and were immediately greeted by a hitmonchan in a tuxedo.

“Ah! You grace our presence in person yet again!” the hitmonchan exclaimed. “And this gentleman is your guest?” he asked, at which Jal’tai nodded in response. “Very well, then! Please, let me show you to your usual table!”

The hitmonchan beckoned the two of them toward the back of the restaurant. They passed a table where a female human sat feeding small morsels of meat to a baby makuhita in a high chair that barely accommodated him. Solonn spotted an area in one corner of the restaurant that was enclosed by slightly tinted, soft plastic walls with a zippered door flap, in which an assembly of koffing and grimer laughed around a pile of something slimy and rotten-looking beneath a large exhaust fan. In another corner, two magnemite contently orbited a peculiar, seven-foot-tall, towerlike structure that hummed faintly with electricity. It appeared to be feeding energy into them through wires connected to the magnet-like appendages at their sides.

Jal’tai’s “usual table” was located in a private room in the very back of the restaurant. The room was decorated with paintings of landscapes on every wall and a potted shrub in every corner. A modest chandelier hung above the table in the center of the room, bearing the light of a number of small light bulbs rather than actual, burning candles.

Jal’tai seated himself at the table, or rather perched atop his seat, his talons gripping the back of his chair while his tail feathers draped over it toward the floor. Solonn, being quite large, quite heavy, and generally just not equipped for setting himself down on chairs without breaking them, merely pushed the one at the opposite end of the table aside and sat down in its place, grateful to be out of the air once more after all the traveling that he’d done lately.

“Your orders, then, sirs?” the hitmonchan prompted.

“Oh, it’ll be the Cerulean fish platter for me. Yes, again,” Jal’tai said with another of his chuckles. “And for him… oh, just give him the Specialty of the House to start with. And you know where to send the bill, of course.”

“Yes, sir!” the hitmonchan confirmed enthusiastically, then departed their table and the room.

“Isn’t it refreshing to see pokémon holding occupations other than ‘gladiator’?” Jal’tai said wistfully. He sighed. “Alas, the indignities we suffer at the hands of humans… Which reminds me, Mr. Zgil-Al: what of those humans from whom you escaped? Have you any idea what their motives might have been?”

Solonn was taken a bit by surprise by that question even though he hadn’t exactly expected that the subject of his pursuers wouldn’t come up again; he had just rather strongly hoped that it wouldn’t. Recovering quickly enough, he untruthfully replied, “No idea whatsoever. Frankly, I’m glad I never got the chance to find out.”

“Indeed,” Jal’tai said. “You’ve certainly been spared a most degrading fate.”

You don’t know the half of it… Solonn held Jal’tai’s gaze for a moment more, then let his eyes flit about from one painting on the wall to another in the awkward silence that hung in the air until Jal’tai spoke again.

“You mentioned fleeing from Lilycove… I’ve not heard of an ice-type colony anywhere in that vicinity—believe me, as a flying-type I would make sure to know of such!” Jal’tai said with a laugh. “No offense, of course,” he added quickly but coolly.

“Meh,” Solonn responded unconcernedly.

“Anyhow, you were brought into Lilycove by these humans from someplace else, then, correct?” the swellow asked.

“Well…” Solonn hesitated for a moment, but then supposed that there was no real harm in speaking of Morgan, though he opted against mentioning her by name. “Not by those humans, but yes, I was brought to Lilycove by a human.” He mindfully chose the word “brought” rather than “taken”; he had deduced that Jal’tai had a less than favorable attitude toward humans, especially those who kept pokémon, and so Solonn decided that it was probably prudent to choose his words carefully so as to give the swellow as little provocation to speak ill of Morgan as possible. “I lived with her for several months. She really was a decent person. I won’t lie about it—I do miss her…” He sighed, feeling a strange sensation that he couldn’t quite discern spreading through his nerves in the wake of this admission. “She must be horribly worried about me…”

“Do you think you’ll ever return to her?” Jal’tai asked quietly.

“I don’t know,” Solonn answered truthfully. “I mean, I’d like to, sure. I just don’t know if Lilycove will ever be safe for me again… those people are still out there, and I don’t know if they’ll ever be caught.”

“Let us hope they will be, at any rate,” Jal’tai said soberly. Solonn nodded in agreement.

Their food arrived then, carried in on a wide tray that was balanced deftly upon the large hands of the hitmonchan waiter as he pushed the door to the private room open with his hip. Several smoked fish fillets on a ceramic platter were placed before Jal’tai. Before Solonn, the waiter placed an odd, wooden pedestal on which there sat a rather large steak. The hitmonchan then provided each of them with a saucer of water.

“I’ll be back shortly,” the waiter said merrily. “When I return, you just let me know if you need anything else, okay?” With that, he departed Jal’tai and Solonn’s company.

Solonn eyed the pedestal on which his meal sat, puzzled. “What is this thing?”

“Hmm?” was Jal’tai’s muffled response; he already had a large chunk of fish in his beak. He swallowed it, then said, “Oh yes, that. It’s just something to make it a little easier for those without limbs to enjoy their meal, particularly someone like yourself—I can see where you would experience some difficulty in attempting to pluck meat off a plate as I am doing.”

Solonn’s eyes shifted the tiny distance upward from the pedestal to the steak itself. “So… this is meat, then?”

“Mmm-hmm,” the swellow confirmed through another bite of fish. “I imagine you’re unused to it being cut and processed in such a manner, but I assure you, it is meat.”

Solonn made a small, wordless noise of acknowledgment. So… this thing before him had once been a part of a living creature… He felt a sense of trepidation fluttering about the vicinity of his heart as he continued to stare at the steak.

Once again, his internal advocate for predation chose to speak up. It’s what’s right for you, you know.

Solonn continued to eye the steak uneasily. There was a part of his mind that couldn’t help but try and picture what the former owner of this flesh had once looked like before it was slaughtered…

Come on—it’s not like you killed it, was the internal argument.

That angle fell just short of mollifying Solonn. He cast a quick glance at Jal’tai and found that the swellow was temporarily neglecting his fish fillets to gaze back at him concernedly.

“Are you quite all right?” he asked. “You haven’t touched your Specialty there.”

“Er…” Solonn began, pausing as he swallowed nervously. “…I was just trying to figure out what’s so ‘special’ about it…” he half-muttered, inwardly cursing himself a bit for not coming up with a better response. Still, he found it rather preferable to telling the truth. It shamed him somewhat to admit it to himself, but the fact was that he was disinclined to confess—and perhaps have to justify—his reservations about carnivorousness.

“Well, taste it and you’ll find out!” Jal’tai said, giving the swellow equivalent of a beaming grin.

Solonn shut his eyes briefly as he battled an urge to grimace. It seemed that until he partook of the food that Jal’tai had ordered for him, the swellow would continue to press the issue. He was not enthusiastic about accepting the steak, but he was all too aware of the swellow’s eyes upon him.

At least it hasn’t got eyes, the other faction of his mind told him. At least it can’t look back at you.

Solonn sighed heavily. It seemed that there were two in his company who would not relent until he accepted the meat, a fact made more difficult to abide by due to the fact that one of those persistent voices was actually a part of him.

Gods forgive me, he said silently, then rose from the floor, and looked down upon the steak. With a flash of light in his eyes, it was instantly frozen. Closing his eyes involuntarily, he lowered his opened jaws toward it and took it into his mouth.

The taste of it was not as he had anticipated. He had expected it to have the sharpest, most foul flavor imaginable, but found it instead to be rather bland. Vaguely, he wondered if his brain had done him a merciful favor and had temporarily weakened his sense of taste. As he began to chew the steak, he tried very hard not to think about what it was that he was grinding between his teeth. It’s just ice, he tried to convince himself, that’s all… He wanted to rush it down his throat as quickly as he could, but his gullet seemed possessed of contrary urges. It took nine attempts just to force some of the meat down and three more to swallow the rest.

Solonn opened his eyes again, realizing only then that he’d kept them closed all the while that he’d been consuming the steak. He rapidly and repeatedly flicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, trying to scrape off what remained of its taste.

Jal’tai smiled at him, looking satisfied. “Was it to your liking?” he asked.

Solonn gave a quick nod, wondering if anything in his expression was contradicting the gesture even as it was made. His eyes traveled downward to where the saucer of water lay. He rather liked the thought of some good, fresh ice right about then; perhaps crunching on it for a while might help to loosen and remove any stray bits of the frozen meat that might be caught between his teeth, still haunting him with their flavor. It was convenient that water had been provided for him to freeze, too; it would mean a bit less effort than spontaneously generating ice would require. He was about to freeze it, but then he hesitated as he realized something.

“Er, Jal’tai? If I freeze this water, I won’t be able to get it out of that dish there. And… well, I don’t exactly want to eat the dish…”

Jal’tai gave him a blank, unblinking stare for a moment. Then he slapped his wing against his forehead and burst into laughter. “Oh dear!” he cried in between laughs. “Oh heavens, I don’t know why we didn’t think of that… Is there any particular reason why you must freeze it first?”

Solonn gave Jal’tai a brief, mild glare. Then he lowered his face toward the saucer of water and dipped his tongue into the water in an exaggeratedly delicate manner. A second later, he lifted his face to look back up at Jal’tai, wearing a deadpan expression. The saucer of water was dangling from his tongue, to which it had frozen.

Jal’tai stared at Solonn, his beak agape, as the glalie, glaring dully, set the saucer back down onto the table, unfreezing the water within the saucer and thereby freeing his tongue. The swellow was able to hold in his laughter for—at most—five seconds more before it came exploding out.

“Oh…” Jal’tai said, fighting to catch his breath. “I’m sorry, but…” He was stricken by another fit of chuckles; it took him easily half a minute to calm down again. Suddenly, his eyes widened. “I do believe I’ve just thought of a solution. Freeze that again, would you? Without encasing a part of yourself in it this time,” he added, then cracked up laughing yet again.

Solonn grumbled to himself under his breath, wondering why he had thought it was a good idea to demonstrate this issue in such a way. He complied with Jal’tai’s request quickly, once again solidifying the water in the saucer.

“All right, then, if you’ll just excuse me…” The swellow suddenly sprang from his perch on top the chair, opened his wings, and fluttered to the opposite side of the table. His beak took on a white glow as he positioned himself before the saucer. With a flurry of sudden motion, he took his beak to the ice. Barely more than a second later, he relented, and it was revealed that he had chipped the ice into frozen grit while not even putting a dent in the saucer that held it.

Jal’tai then picked up the saucer in his beak and carefully tipped its contents onto the pedestal where the steak had sat minutes before. “There you go,” he said, then fluttered back to his seat.

Slightly stupefied by Jal’tai’s frenzied feat, Solonn seemed not to notice the ice piled before him for several moments. Once he finally did notice it, he descended upon it quickly. He ground it in his teeth for quite a bit longer than was necessary; it was virtually reduced to a powder by the time he finally swallowed it. “Thanks,” he said to the swellow, then sank back down to the floor, feeling suddenly quite weary.

Jal’tai smiled. “You’re most welcome,” he responded, bowing his head slightly, before finishing off the rest of his fish.

The hitmonchan returned then and immediately set about removing the used plate and pedestal as well as Solonn’s saucer, leaving Jal’tai’s still largely ignored saucer where it sat. “Is there anything else I can get for you gentlemen?” he asked.

“Nothing more for me,” Jal’tai said, shaking his head gently. “What about you, Mr. Zgil-Al? Care for another Specialty?”

There were very few things in the world that Solonn would have cared for less at that moment. “No thanks,” he said—or tried to say, at least. His words were almost completely engulfed in a massive yawn.

“‘No’, did you say?” the hitmonchan asked.

“Hm? Yeah, that’s right,” Solonn confirmed.

“Very well then, sirs. I hope you have enjoyed your day here!” the hitmonchan said cheerfully, then left.

Jal’tai took a moment to stretch his wings, then jumped down from the chair. “So, Mr. Zgil-Al. Would you like for me to give you a nice tour of the city?”

“Ugh… that’d be nice, but…” He unleashed another yawn. “I don’t know… I’m just really tired all of a sudden.” Solonn had found himself quite suddenly stricken by a powerful lethargy. “I feel like I need to get to sleep.”

Jal’tai frowned concernedly at him. “Hmm. Well, in that case, I think we’d better seek out a place where you can rest. I think your recent tribulations must have finally taken their toll on you.”

Solonn nodded listlessly, suspecting that the swellow was right. It seemed that his body had taken all that it could and was demanding a temporary exemption from any possible excitement.

“Come, Mr. Zgil-Al. The Convergence Inn is not terribly far from here at all. I should be able to get a room for you there without any trouble.” The swellow made for the door leading out of the private room and beckoned Solonn to follow.


* * *

Solonn barely registered the trip from Whitley’s to the Convergence Inn, barely even aware of any conscious effort on his part to keep his body afloat as he drifted lethargically behind the swellow. He didn’t seem to absorb Jal’tai’s words when the bird told him that they had arrived at their destination until several seconds after those words had been spoken.

Vaguely, Solonn noted that he was following Jal’tai into the hotel. Through a haze that made it difficult for his mind to grasp that the input from his eyes was genuine, he saw the swellow stray from his immediate vicinity and cross the lobby to go and speak with a swampert receptionist.

Jal’tai returned shortly, then gestured with his wing toward an elevator to Solonn’s right. “This way,” he said. “Your room is on the top floor.”

Making a vague noise of acknowledgment, Solonn allowed himself to be guided toward the elevator. Jal’tai pressed a button set in the wall beside one of the elevator’s steel doors, and a few moments later the doors opened. Solonn drifted quite slowly and somewhat unsteadily into the elevator; Jal’tai just managed to dash in after him before the doors closed and the elevator began to rise.

Once the ascent was complete, the two of them emerged onto the uppermost floor. Jal’tai moved ahead of Solonn and began making his way through the corridor, looking for what was to be Solonn’s room.

“Here it is!” he called back to the glalie after only a brief search.

Solonn glided over to join him, so hampered by drowsiness at this point that he very drifted right into the wall before coming to a stop beside the swellow.

“This shall be your room for the night,” Jal’tai said, “right in there.” He gestured toward the very same wall with which Solonn had just nearly collided. There was no door, no apparent means of gaining entry into the “room” that Jal’tai was indicating. The wall was nearly featureless save for the words “Grand Suite” in blue human- and unown-script and a pair of strange devices fitted to the wall next to the words. One of these fixtures was some kind of keypad, while the other resembled nothing so much as a round, blank, gray eye.

Even in his great lethargy, Solonn managed to give the swellow quite a skeptical look.

Jal’tai smiled. “Observe.” Fluttering up into the air before the keypad, he punched a code into it using a single claw on his right foot, then hurriedly flapped aside from it.

“Ready,” said a computerized voice from out of nowhere, and a large, glowing, green square lit up dramatically on the floor in front of the lens and keypad. “Please enter the transport field.”

“Go to that square and sit down,” Jal’tai said.

Solonn did as he was told. “Initializing scan,” said the computerized voice. The lens on the wall awakened, glowing with a brilliant, golden light. It projected a beam of the same color, which touched Solonn, broadened to his width, and swept up and down over him. “Scan complete,” the voice then said, and the beam vanished.

The glowing, green tile on which Solonn was sitting flashed. A peculiar, tingling sensation prickled over the glalie’s skin, followed by a strange, sort of transcendent sensation not unlike that which accompanied entrance into a capture ball. However, he was drawn not into a disembodied netherscape but rather a large, richly furnished suite with paintings on its walls that put those hanging up at Whitley’s to shame and marble figures of various dragon-type pokémon placed here and there. Not that Solonn could truly appreciate his surroundings, however; to his weary eyes, everything around him seemed to want to bleed together into a blur of color and light.

“Hey in there!” Jal’tai shouted, his voice coming in through the wall. “Do you like it?”

Solonn turned toward the wall and made a wordless noise that was as affirmative-sounding as his lack of energy would allow.

“Good, good!” Jal’tai responded merrily. “Now, listen, I doubt you’ll need anything overnight; your suite comes very well equipped, I assure you. But, if you do… Well, have a look at the little table by that green armchair in the den.” He gave the glalie ample time to find it; Solonn, in his present state, needed every second of it.

“I see it,” Solonn finally said, his words slurred.

“Good,” Jal’tai said, speaking more loudly now to ensure that his next instructions would be heard. “Now, you’ll notice the little black box with a large, round speaker on top—you can use that to call me if you need anything. It’s voice-activated. You need only speak into it—say ‘Page’, then my name, followed by ‘Room 44-B’, which is where I’m going to be staying. Call, and I’ll come up here as quickly as I can manage. Got it?”

“Got it,” Solonn confirmed, although he was only minimally aware of what he was saying.

“All right, then. Rest well, Mr. Zgil-Al!” Jal’tai said brightly. His words were followed by a continuing silence that signified that he’d left.

With yet another huge yawn, Solonn lowered himself onto the floor. He rolled onto his back and gratefully let his eyelids meet, sighing as he did so. His fading mind drifted back to information that it had absorbed earlier that day, specifically information regarding the unown. Solonn remembered, in a detached sort of way, something having been piqued within his mind at learning of them, but he had fallen too far toward sleep to truly reach any of those notions now. Already half-dreaming, his brain conjured images of the fantastic, surreal beings that it guessed the unown to be, whimsically bizarre creatures that danced in circles around his consciousness as it dwindled away.

_________________________

Chapter 7 contains one of my absolute favorite Solonn quotes. See if you can guess what it was.

Next chapter: Solonn makes a discovery of a most unexpected nature and gets to know Jal’tai a little better. See you then!

- Sike Saner

[xXSaberXx]

ROFL DEAR.

This was effing awesome.

I especially like the description of the town and the Unown language. ROFL. That's what I always imagined it to be. A way to communicate between dum humans and poke's. xP

AWESOME WORK!

The city...haha. At first I thought it was FORTREE. But then the URSARING ROFLAMO. I spent like, three minutes LAUGHING about a BEAR DRIVING A CAR.

Sad.

ITS THE MEDS!

Haha. All in all though, I really like the hunt scene and where Solonn first ate meat. YUXS. xP

Luffs to you, dear. *hugs*

I know it was a long wait, but it was worth it! ^.^

[Kiyohime]

OMFG

THANKS TO YOU, I'M GOING TO BE DREAMING OF BEARS DRIVING CARS. X333

THAT WAS SO...*babbles*

CREATIVE!

The Magnetmites...the saucer freezing to Solonn's tongue...how on earth do you think of those things? It's the mark of creative genius at its best!!

@_@

*builds you a Solonn scultpure out of cheese*

[Typhlogirl]

Wowsers Sike.

That was one nice chapter!

I particularly enjoyed reading about this apparent "Pokemon City". It had a very fresh feel to it. The feel of originality. I need that feeling more. I truly loved that city...especially with Whitley's. That was very, very original, the concept of having the pokemon running all the services. It was fresh and new! Which is great! Oh, have I mentioned that Swellow yet? He was GREAT! What was his name...Jal'tai! Yes! He was awesome! A very interesting character to introduce to this intriguing story. I also liked the back story of the Unown...that was...choice? *is running out of complementary words XD*

Corrections:


to his weary eyes, everything around him seemed to want to bleed together into a blur of color and light.

I think you mean blend. Or do you? Now that I think of it, bleed could work. Gah, whatever!

Quotes:


The Ursaring driver rounded a corner, pulled into a driveway, and exited her vehicle. As she did so, she turned and spotted Jal’tai and Solonn. Her eyes widened and brightened, and she waved vigorously. “Hi!” she half-roared from across the street in a cheerful greeting.

A BEAR DRIVING A CAR. Honestly Sike, that sounds like something I'd come up with XDDDDD. Priceless, I could just imagine this Ursaring roaring "HI!!!!!!".

CRAP! I'd post more great quotes but I'm being forced off the computer. I'll update with som'ore.

Anyway, fantastic chapter. It was worth the wait. Take your time on the next one, we want it to be just as good!!!

As for that fav quote of yours:


“Meh,” Solonn responded unconcernedly.

IT WAS THAT WASN'T IT SIKE?!? I KNOW IT WAS!!! YOU CAN'T LIE TO MEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

XDDD

-;157;

[Pinecone Tortoise]

Whoah!!!! That was amazing! Such creativity and imagination! Reckon you'll put up a sketch or so of that city? Sounds like it would be awesome to draw!!

Things I liked in this chapter: Jal'tai. Can just feel the personality rolling off him. Strangely, he reminds me of Claudius. o.O Moving right along now...

'infested with trees'. Lovely expression. I hope there's an opportunity for me to use that myself in the future (not in fic, of course. That would be plagiarism. I meant in actual conversation. That would be witty quoting. x.X)

The Ursaring in the car. Fantastic. In fact, the entire concept of the city was brilliant. Sheer imagination garnished with humour, laced with the spice of excitement, sprinkled with intrigue and fascination and served in as an easily digested dish coated with the slick syrup of flow upon the silver (or golden, if you will) platter of quality writing. Delicious. ^^

And since I can't really think of anything else to say, congratulations. ^^

Piney.
;204;;324;

[PDL]

well, that was an interesting chapter... Bear driving a car... XD

the idea of a Pokemon city caught me comepletely off-guard.... excellent!

[Seijiro Mafuné]

Okay, it's pretty good (forced me to post this, actually), but I can't shake the feeling that there's something odd with the city, or at the very least with that Swellow. I'm probably right, for all I know, too.

Good job so far!

[Wes]

Poor Glalie. He must do things pretty fast before thinking. Heh nice chapter. I like the fact you do something kinda cool. Let the Pokemon have their own city. Very nice indeed. And pretty funny too! Heh! Well good luck with the next chapter as usual. Oh and yes....leaf bowers are horrible!


Jal’tai gave him a blank, unblinking stare for a moment. Then, he slapped his wing against his forehead and burst into laughter. “Oh, dear!” he cried, still laughing uproariously, tears beginning to gather at the corners of his eyes. “Oh, heavens, I don’t know why we didn’t think of that…Is there any particular reason you must freeze it first?”

Solonn gave Jal’tai a momentary, mild glare. Then, he lowered his face towards the saucer of water and, in an exaggeratedly delicate manner, dipped his tongue into the water. A second later, he lifted his face to look back up at Jal’tai, wearing a deadpan expression. The saucer of water was dangling from his tongue, to which it had frozen.

[Dark Latios]

Awesome Sike!

Jal’tai was kinda annoying to say the least.. And I thought Convergence was a very strange city.. The part with the Ursaring driving freaked me out. o.o;

Wonder what's up with Solonn and the Unown.. Hopefully that'll be explained in the next chap.

Keep up the good work Sike! Hope to read chapter 8 soon. ^^

*coughsorryfortheshortreviewcough*

[Elemental Charizam]

You know what I'm going to say...

HITMONCHAN IS EVIL! Solonn feels tired after eating the meat because it was covered in a sprinkling of sleeping powders by that evil knave Hitmonchan. Or possibly Jal'Tai

I wonder if Anomaly would look like the shiny version of the human it replicates O.o

Anyhoo, in Convergence, do the predators eat the prey denizens freely? I mean, if Jal'Tai met a Remoraid in the city, would he eat it? It seems they didn't want to let in the predetory Glalie (usually) so are there different standards for different pokémon?

...Ahem, enough random musings. Great chappie this, it gives you a lot more to think about in the Solonn kidnapperds mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed the description of Convergence, especially the car-driving Ursaring (though I bet Snorunt are better drivers :p ). The Hitmonchan waiter was suspiciously cheerful if you ask me, but Jal'Tai seems nice enough. Good luck with the next chapter!

[Sike Saner]

xXSaberXx:
I especially like the description of the town and the Unown language. ROFL. That's what I always imagined it to be. A way to communicate between dum humans and poke's. xP

*is immediately given a mental image of a swarm of Unown bestowing Hooked on Phonics upon the human masses*

o_o

XD

Ah, yes. The bear. Wanna know where that came from? A few years ago, they tried to make an animated series out of the movie Clerks. (Kevin Smith = the kicking of butts.) The show had its fair share of great, memorable moments, one of which was--guess what--a driving bear, and the utterance of one of my very favorite lines from ANYTHING, EVER: "OH MY GOD, BEAR IS DRIVING, HOW CAN THAT BE?!?" XD I just love that. So, yeah, I was compelled. X3

Scrap:
The Magnetmites...the saucer freezing to Solonn's tongue...how on earth do you think of those things?

*shrugs* No clue. A lot of those things weren't in the original version, though, so be glad I bothered to revise. ^^

*shoos kitty cats away from sculpture* NO! That's MY cheese! MINE! Hmph! XP

Typhlogirl: Nope, I meant bleed.

...Wait. What I just said...Out of context, that would sound... yeah. o_0



“Meh,” Solonn responded unconcernedly.


IT WAS THAT WASN'T IT SIKE?!? I KNOW IT WAS!!! YOU CAN'T LIE TO MEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

XDDD

XD Yeah... yeah, that was it. *dies*

Pinecone Tortoise:
Whoah!!!! That was amazing! Such creativity and imagination! Reckon you'll put up a sketch or so of that city?

Nah, not gonna happen, I'm afraid. ^^; a.) My art skills = virtually nonexistant. And don't tell me they're not, either, because you have not had to suffer the vile portfolio known as... the Toilet Book. *thunder explodes and women scream* XD b.) I don't have a scanner.

"Infested with trees"... There's another of those little elements that wasn't in the original version. Again, it's a good thing I revised...

EvilKeckleon: It's quite delightful to see that the bear has gone over so well, especially considering that every time that's mentioned, I'm reminded yet again of the quote that inspired it. XD I love that.

Seijiro Mafuné: =D *does new reviewer dance, sending kitties scrambling for cover*


I can't shake the feeling that there's something odd with the city, or at the very least with that Swellow.

Odd beyond driving ursaring, you mean? XD Well, we'll see what happens. You're going to make Jal'tai sad if he finds out you implied that his beloved city was odd, though... XP

Wes: Glad you liked that scene you quoted there. Again, something that wasn't in the original; not any part of that there, actually.

Dark Latios:
Jal’tai was kinda annoying to say the least..

XD Yeah. I kind of get a corny tour guide vibe off of him.

Elemental Charizam:
Anyhoo, in Convergence, do the predators eat the prey denizens freely?

There's a "Thou Shalt Not Eat Thine Neighbors" law. X3 If you need to hunt, you take it to the neighboring forests and river. If you can make do with pre-butchered meat, that's available, but if you absolutely must have live prey, then you'll just have to step out of town. Well, it was reckoned that humans wouldn't want to live there if they had to fear one of the other citizens wanting to eat them, but it was also deemed unfair to extend the protection to one species alone. So, no predation in Convergence.


HITMONCHAN IS EVIL! Solonn feels tired after eating the meat because it was covered in a sprinkling of sleeping powders by that evil knave Hitmonchan. Or possibly Jal'Tai

Uh-oh... XD To the Darkened Corner of Mistrust, you two... *Jal'tai and that poor hitmonchan waiter shuffle miserably into the corner, where the are greeted at once by Oth*


I wonder if Anomaly would look like the shiny version of the human it replicates O.o

Shiny humans?... *involuntarily imagines a blue Claudio Sanchez with purple hair* XD Actually, I would say that Anomaly's imperfection in transforming would apply to anything it became, not just pokémon. It could never exactly duplicate anything because it would always remain discolored in one way or another. Although I don't think it would be quite so dramatic with human forms as it would be with some pokémon forms... but still, if you see any blue humans with purple hair about... XD

[Seijiro Mafuné]

It's not that, it's just that feeling that... I dunno, it's like going into Silent Hill or Racoon City, if you get it. Okay, not that bad. It still feels weird.

[Kaizer]

I'm so sorry for taking so long to get to this, I've been just a "little" busy as of late. Anyways, this chapter was superb and worth the wait. Other than that I really don't have too much else to say. I'm actually a little confused on where the Swellow came from and such...

Nevermind that part actually. I just realized I read the second half of the chapter and haven't touched the first part... Well, so far the second part is rather good and I'll have to get back to you on the first part.

EDIT- Ok, I've read the first half of the chapter now, and I must say the second half makes a great deal more sense. Anyways, I really don't have too much to say about how it was written because it was just fine to me.


“Ah, right then. We’ll go to Whitley’s, it’s to die for…”

That line did seem a little out of place to me and though I doubt anyone's going to die, it seems to be hinting at something; probably the steak Solonn ate.
I'm also a little unsure about Solonn's whole hating meat thing. I know he's a predator that was raised in captivity and all, but it doesn't seem very fitting to me for him to hate it's flavor so much. I can see his qualms about killing, but maybe he thought it tasted so bad only because he was so unwilling to eat it? I don't know, it's certainly a turn in Solonn's personality that I'm guessing he'll have to resolve eventually. After all, tame or not, he's still a predator and will want to eat that eventually.


-Sorry if this review was horrendous, I just really couldn't think of what to say. You did a spectacular job is probably all I should have said.
;245;

[Seijiro Mafuné]

Um... that was an expression. You know, like things costing an arm? He meant that the place was so great, you just can't resist it.

But your theory adds to the conspiracy.

[Flying Tropius]

that chapter was interesting.....never thought of a pokemon hotel/restuaraunt

[Sike Saner]

Seijiro Mafuné: Raccoon City? Ooh... *swats away sudden wild hair to do the wicked crossover that brought to mind, knowing I could never do it justice*

kaizer63:
I can see his qualms about killing, but maybe he thought it tasted so bad only because he was so unwilling to eat it?

Presicely.

Flying Tropius: I'm glad you liked Whitley's and the Convergence Inn. The revised version went into a lot more description of both those places, so, again, I say, GOOD THING I DID THAT. X3

[Chaos Absol]

*Steals your writing talent*Now that I have the bestest talent ever, I may begin-*trips and drops it*-oops.I loved this chappie because solonn met someone who can help him^_^.Although it was a big twist, it was wierd that he met the one person who most likely owns/started the place.I think you missed the h in him somewhere, although I forgot where.I hope that there was no sleeping potion or anything in that steak.


Cya next chappie!

[Saffire Persian]

He hissed as hesitation pulled him sharply back from finishing off the Zigzagoon. You should have just done it in when you first noticed it, chided the faction of his mind that remained in favor of the insane act that he had so very nearly committed. You shouldn’t have looked at it first…

XD.. perfect example why people become vegetarians.

And Convergence! Never for the life of me did I expect that! I was in an amazed sort of stupor the entire time! It was a little strange at first.. you just have to wonder how that idea got into their heads.. but still, complete awesome..XD
...Jeeps.

I suppose they have their own motor franchise.

Yanno what else.. Ditto would have quite the living here...XD.. Change into a bus (WITH those dorky smiley and eyes on front) and you have a public Transportation system. XD...

Leafblowers are the evil! And I believe the "Meh" quote is the one you like the best with Solonn. It's my favorite, too. Jal'tai is a very amiable character... he has that quality that has the potential to drive one insane, I think. 0_o... Still, I like him.

And I do hope, for Solonn's sake, he does get to see the real Morgan again ^^.

Awesome chapter!

[Sike Saner]

Chaos Absol: *makes mental note to seek out missing "H"* ...Ah, and now you've gone and got a Tool song stuck in my head... X3

Saffire Persian: Yes, it was indeed the "Meh" quote... XP


Yanno what else.. Ditto would have quite the living here...XD.. Chance into a bus (WITH those dorky smiley and eyes on front) and you have public Transportation. XD...

o_o Why did you make me picture that?! XDDDD *sniffle* Oh, my God...

Ditto: "I'M TH' BUS!"

*dies*

[metal_chimaera]

Hey
It seems that your twisted plots have started to play games on some peoples' minds... We start to see ennemies everywhere!
*stabs keyboard with blank eyes*

Err, yeah. Anyway, the only quote that seemed quite odd to me, seeing as how it was spoken by a natural predator:
So... This is meat, then

Anyway, yet another great chap Sike, I loved the scene where Solonn freezed his tongue into the water dish! Oh, and Jal'Tai is really funny too (not as much as Xi, but still very amusing).

And as I read this, two things striked me as familiar:

First, the scene where Solonn has to fight against his natural instincts. It just seems too similar to the moment when Esaax had an internal argument against his instincts about whether or not he should eat that Noctowl (or was it a Hoothoot?) in OoS...

Secondly, the city. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Convergence the very same city in which the whole OoS plot happened? and where Syr and Karo lived ("lived" in the future that is. Or maybe they already live there?... Agh, headache)

Oh, and BTW, the Ursaring driving the car seems also oddly familiar to the scene where Esaax-Kwazai fled in Syr's little blue car. (still laughing at it BTW)

Oh well, good work Sike, and please refrain from making us wait a long while for the next chapter, as it will certainly cause many internal damage to our poor brains...
Err, yeah. Take care

[Sike Saner]

metal_chimaera: Well, regarding that quote, Solonn was, in a sense, asking that out of a feeble hope that the answer would be "no". Also probably making chit-chat for the sake of stalling. XD Truthfully, though, he did know that that's what it was, yes.

Yes, that's the very same Convergence. But no, Syr doesn't live there yet. Not sure about Karo, though.

Yes, both Solonn and Esaax found themselves having a rather difficult time with evolving into predators. Esaax, however, didn't really get to put up much of a struggle, did he? Not so much an internal argument as a desperate begging of himself to just please not do it... yeah, we saw how well that worked out. XD He was able to hold it off for, oh, maybe an hour at most... Oh, and it was both a young hoothoot and his father noctowl.

As for the comparison between ol' Essy behind the wheel and the ursaring: I guarantee you that Ms. Olcarion is a much better driver. XP

[intergalactic platypus]

oooh sorry it took me a day but that was great. it had a really creepy aura about it that made the whole thing seem kind of off. and i really question that swellow. i think theres something up with him that he isnt letting off. the whole thing has a creepy elegance. i love it

[monkeyspoon5]

WHOMG WHOMG WHOMG.
I've just read through all seven chapters in one sitting. It took me a very long time. But it was so very owrth it. This fic is so descriptive... I can see why some other things you've done are very descriptive as well. Good job! :D

On a darker side, what kind of meat is he eating? I mean in this version are there animals other than pokemon? Just a little qualm that could be the reasn the place seems so funny.....

[Brian Powell]

I have never ever seen these coming - A pokemon city, a bear driving a car, and a restaurant for pokemon. Once again, you have done a great job with the descriptions, length and the fact that you surprise people.

Quote:
Come on – it’s not like you killed it
I can be sarcastic at times when I talk to people. I think I’ll use that quote when people complain about eating meat. Thanks.

Your favourite quote:
“Meh,” Solonn responded unconcernedly.

Overall: 5/5

[Sike Saner]

intergalactic platypus: Creepy, eh? Beyond just the discomfiting presence of the leaf blower, you mean? XP Anyway, yeah, I've noticed that there are a fair number who share your distrust of Jal'tai. We'll just have to see if those suspicions are or are not confirmed.

monkeyspoon5: *does new reviewer dance again, making babies cry*


On a darker side, what kind of meat is he eating? I mean in this version are there animals other than pokemon?

*nods* Very well. For the record, in this series, there are ordinary animals as well as pokémon. All pokémon in my stories are "people" rather than "animals". Pokémon are differentiated from animals by greater intelligence, elemental alignment, the possession of elemental powers, and other, subtler factors that are still not entirely understood by most of the world's peoples. (If any species does understand, they aren't sharing that knowledge.)

As to what the "Specialty" was made of, I deliberately left that somewhat open to interpretation. I know that the issues of distinction between pokémon and animals and whether or not both can or should exist in the same reality are points of controversy and debate, as is the issue of whether or not it's ethical to eat pokémon (especially where they are treated as "people"). So, with regards to the steak, if one would like to think it was made from a plain old cow, one can; if one would like to think it came from a miltank or tauros, one can; et cetera. It's whatever you want it to be.

Brian Powell: Well, what can I say? Surprises are fun, in my opinion. ^^

And yes, it was the "meh" quote. X3

[Ryano Ra]

o.o

And yet, I want to throw myself off of Starkye's largest skyscraper and attempt to fly, for I've missed too MUCH goodness.

The characters are becoming better and better. I absolutely, positively, grandly love Solonn, and to, that is the best character in my opinion. You are giving Solonn an original personality, blended with a few otherworldly traits, which is just...wow. MEOWNAGE for that. Definitely. Description is just tearing through the heavens and calling for the Draconic Gods to bless you, because it is just getting better and better. Also, might I add that you seem to wield powerful strengths in dialogue; never have I've been so engaged to what characters talk about amongst each other, and I find dialogue to be so formal/informal at the wrong times, not having their own good spots. You, however, have characters with different personalities, hench, having them speak in certain ways, tones, and so on and so forth.

Please, make sure that next time I don't review a chapter, slap me with the dead carcass of an Aggron. XD

[Sike Saner]

Serpent Syra: ^^ I'm glad that you think highly of the dialogue. I may never be wholly pleased with it; I may never lose the notion that it could always stand to flow a little better. But writing dialogue is one of the aspects I particularly enjoy, at least.

I don't think you need to worry about me assaulting you with a dead aggron carcass, though, for any reason. They're too heavy. :p

Progress: Ugh... 40%, if even that. ><; This time of the year, as it's always done, has hijacked my schedule, big time. And I STILL have shopping to do... @_@ Next week, things ought to have cleared up enough that I should be able to get back on track just fine. I'd like to put up a preview, at least, but the nature of the next chapter is such that any preview of actual material from the chapter would very likely amount to a MASSIVE spolier. Hope you can bear with me... ^^;

Happy holidays, all. *hugs*

- Sike Saner

[Xiang]

You've been awfully kind by reviewing my fic these days, so I decided to read yours! I've only read the first chapter+the prologue, but I'll get to everything.

The minute I saw this I knew that I would love this one. I love the characters and the setting and basically everything! It might take me a while to catch up, though. ;)

[Sike Saner]

Ratiasu: Ah! Hi! *does new reviewer dance, bringing woe and despair to the world* Glad you’re enjoying it so far. ^^


Well, well, well. So, here’s the new chapter… nearly a month after the last one. Oy. I apologize sincerely for the delay… honestly, I don’t know what has happened to my posting rate.

Anyway, I hope that this chapter proves worth the wait. This was another one that apparently had contrary notions about revision; however, I was insistent on whipping this chapter into shape, for it’s the point at which… well, you’ll see. Heh heh heh… *gets behind riot shield*

_________________________


Chapter 8 – Preclusion of Choice


The space surrounding Solonn was utterly silent and utterly dark but far from still, anything but empty. Rushing through this lightless, ethereal plane, a stream of pure power surged like a river. It carried the most wonderful feeling along its current, an almost inebriatingly sweet familiarity that embraced the very core of his being, comforting and revitalizing him as it flowed freely all around him.

This was the raw, elemental power of ice, and he reveled in its direct presence and contact. He could not see it, but he recognized it for what it was in the surest and most ingrained way. His mind floated in pure contentment, free from distracting thoughts as he hovered effortlessly there, motionless, feeling the very essence of his mother element rushing over him.

Subtly, imperceptibly at first, the elemental stream began to pick up speed as it flowed. The glalie in the midst of it noticed the acceleration with a delay, initially regarding it with only a mild curiosity, still very deeply engrossed in his unity with the power of ice. True concern for the change in the energy stream’s behavior set in and quickly grew as he found the current continuing to flow faster and faster—soon, it was rushing by so swiftly that he could barely register its caress over his bare hide as it flowed past.

That concern made a shift toward first fear and then panic as Solonn found the elemental stream now moving with such speed that he couldn’t feel it at all anymore. No longer was it merely flowing alongside him—it seemed to be rushing away from him now, leaving him behind.

No! No, come back! he tried to call out as the last of the flowing energy passed him by, giving him barely the time to note its departure as it hurried to some distant, invisible point far beyond him. But his cry was completely in vain; in this place, it seemed that he had no voice. All at once, he found himself suspended helplessly in empty space, the life-sustaining flow of elemental power having drained out and dried up completely from his surroundings.

The utmost vulnerability in which he was left compelled him to howl in terror despite his voicelessness, his futile screams heard by no one, not even himself. His mind was so besieged by panic that he couldn’t even begin to imagine how this could be happening, how his mother element could abandon him like this. The only notion that seemed able to remain intact within his mind—and with a brutal vividness—was the knowledge that separation from his element meant certain death. A glalie who fell from the arms of ice simply could no longer be. His element had left him behind in nothingness—without it, he knew, he would soon become a part of that nothingness.

His mind was beginning to splinter in earnest as he made his final, seemingly hopeless appeals for salvation, pleading voicelessly to the multitude of gods, calling out to the very heart of the universe, begging for his survival and safe return to the embrace of his element unto anyone, anything, that could possibly hear his desperate prayer. Soon, however, it became all to clear to him that his severance from his element, his life, would not be mended. Oblivion would consume him—it had already begun to do so.

He almost didn’t feel it when something disturbed the emptiness around him, something foreign, indiscernible. Just as soon as he had noticed it, before he could even begin to perceive its true nature clearly, a strange, pacifying wave emanated from whatever it was and engulfed his mind completely.

All will be fine, it seemed to tell him. Do not be concerned.

The suggestion came as gently as could be, but also as irresistibly as was possible. Perhaps it was death; perhaps it was salvation; perhaps it was something entirely beyond reckoning. Whatever it was, its consoling command was obeyed without resistance. The glalie slipped away from all further thought and sensation without a care.


* * *

The most vague notions of awakening crept into Solonn’s mind, just out of grasp of his full consciousness. Unhurriedly, he began to reconnect to his senses, and before fully awakening, with his eyes still closed and his consciousness liable to slip right back into sleep at any moment, he decided and attempted to rise up.

He failed.

Still only minimally awake and emerging very slowly from what had been the deepest sleep that he had ever known, Solonn felt something only marginally resembling concern. He thought he had just commanded himself to rise up from the floor and into the air; perhaps, he considered in a detached way, he had not sent the order to his body after all. So, he tried once more to lift off…

…And failed again.

As his mind unmuddled and awakened even further, Solonn felt a burgeoning panic, one that spiked when the notion finally hit him: I can’t get up!

With a delay, his eyes opened to a view of the ceiling, where a plant hung in a basket directly above him, a number of leafy tendrils spilling over the basket’s rim to dangle toward the floor. The picture his eyes presented seemed strangely dull to him, lacking in definition and color. He began blinking rapidly, trying to clear out whatever was hazing his vision. At the same time, he set about continuing to try and ascend, but his body still didn’t respond; it was as if it didn’t even understand the instructions that he was giving it.

His ears filled with the sound of pounding blood as his heart began racing. Why can’t I get up?! He tried, to very little avail, to calm himself enough to make sense of things. It seemed that while his mind had almost fully awakened, his body was having an unusually difficult time following suit. The thought occurred to him that maybe it would have an easier time responding to an order to execute a simpler, less demanding action. He decided to give up on trying to ascend into the air for the time being and instead just concentrate on getting off of his back and sitting upright and face-forward.

This demand, it seemed, was not too extravagant for his body to carry out in its strangely compromised state. However, as it did so, Solonn found himself stricken by a very unusual sensation; as his face pitched forward, he felt something seeming to cinch together in the vicinity of his abdomen—almost a bending sensation, as if at a waist, which was something that he did not have.

And yet, he did.

He cried out in disbelief at the sight that met his eyes once he had succeeded in sitting up, a brutally unreal picture that told him in the most blunt manner possible how it was that his body had bent in a fashion that should not be possible. There before him, he saw a pair of long, pale-skinned legs ending in five-toed feet. And unless his mind was playing a very cruel trick on him—it had to be, he told himself silently in a repeating loop—those limbs were his.

No… no, this can’t be real… I’m still dreaming; I’ve got to be… Solonn was almost able to believe that conclusion—almost. Swallowing against a hard knot of dread that had built up in his throat, he stared intently at one of the feet and, hoping and expecting in equal measures that the effort would fail, he willed it to move.

It moved right on command.

He screamed, flailing madly as he half-jumped, half-scuttled backwards in horrified surprise. In his futile attempt to escape from his own feet, the back of his head connected very sharply with a corner of the small table near which he had fallen asleep. He exclaimed wordlessly at the pain as it exploded across the inner surface of his skull. There was no doubt about it: the pain was real. Though Solonn wished dearly that it weren’t so, it seemed that reality was determined to literally beat the truth into his head. This was not a dream. This was really happening. Somehow, impossibly, he had become human.

He swooned in a sudden wave of weakness and slumped backwards against the side of the nearby armchair, panting. A growing ache awakened in his chest as his heart continued hammering in sheer, animalistic terror. Disarrayed thoughts and frenzied, tangled emotions raced through his mind. He felt as though he might pass out from the bewildering shock at any moment and would have been all too grateful to do so, but in an almost sadomasochistic way, his brain stayed conscious and forced him to suffer along with it as it continued to torture itself with this bizarre new reality.

Though he desired very strongly not to do anything of the sort, a cruel compulsion forced him to look upon himself, to force-feed the surreal image of what he had become into his brain. Unwilling eyes swept over the form of the tall, lanky body that was now his own.

This was the first time that he had ever seen a human body unclothed. In the same stark, tactless fashion that everything else about the situation had shown itself to him thus far, Solonn was made to recognize that he was, at least, still male, and the way by which he determined this left him mortified both for his own sake and that of an entire species. Good gods, they keep that out?

This body was more than just very strange to him—it was wrong. He should not have this; he should not be this. He should be a glalie, a creature of the element of ice… but that element was no longer there for him. He tried to reach it again, some part of him desperately hoping that in doing so he could somehow return to his true form, but he felt nothing at all of his mother element’s embrace.

He moaned, not at the throbbing, shooting pain that still lingered in his head but rather at the severance from his beloved element. He felt his anguish seem to swell in his chest and then well up behind his eyes until they could hold it in no longer, and thus he cried for the very first time in his life.

Several minutes after the fact, he finally noticed that there was something damp at the site of the impact on the back of his head, and he gave a small, mournful sound at the new, unpleasant sensation; it was just one more thing to further deny him the option of pretending this whole situation away and dismissing it as some dream or hallucination or other lie of the mind. Shaking, he glanced down at his hands as they lay limply at his sides; then, only half-aware of what he was doing, he lifted one of them to the back of his head. He recoiled at the warm stickiness he found there amidst the hair. He then brought that hand before his face, and he felt his throat go dry at what he saw. Though his vision was presently blurred slightly, he could still make out the blood that was smeared across the tips of his fingers—blood that was red and not at all evanescent. Human blood for a human body—which he should not have.

Solonn closed his eyes and tried to retreat into the corners of his consciousness, thoroughly overwhelmed. He could not even remotely fathom how such a thing could have possibly happened to him, nor could he even begin to think of what he should do under these circumstances.

Sighing, he allowed his eyes to open once more, conceding to the fact that he would not be given the mercy of release from his awareness of this situation. He turned his head and let it sink listlessly to his left shoulder, faintly regarding a number of long, black strands of hair that fell across his face. Through them, he saw the little table at his side, on which there sat a small, flat, black box.

A course of action occurred to him as he recalled the little device’s function: he didn’t know what to do about the situation that had befallen him, but perhaps Jal’tai would. Solonn could think of no one else available from whom to seek any possible solutions. He reached up toward the device and pulled it down toward himself. He turned it over in his hands for a moment as he tried to retrieve the memory of how to operate it. Voice-activated, he then remembered. You tell it what to do. With another few seconds’ perusing of his mind, he recalled the instructions that he was to give it.

He looked upon the large speaker that dominated one surface of the strange paging device; seeing no other prominent feature on it, he figured that this was the part of it to which he was to direct his command. He took a deep breath, trying to get a hold of himself long enough to do what he intended to do here in spite of the toll that this turn of events had taken on his mental state, then spoke his intentions to the little black machine.

“Page,” he said almost breathlessly, and he felt his throat constrict as soon as the word had escaped it. Aside from the slight alteration caused by the fact that his nose was a bit congested at the time, his new voice sounded exactly like the one he had possessed as a glalie. It was an oddity that confounded and anguished him. He still sounded like himself—why, he wondered, couldn’t he still be himself in every other way?

There was a small beep, and a tiny, green light turned on beside the speaker. “Please state the name and room number of the one you are paging,” the device said in the same computerized voice that the transport device outside the suite had used.

“Jal’tai,” Solonn answered hoarsely, “room 44-B.” He dearly hoped that he had remembered that number correctly.

“One moment please…” the device said.

Solonn held his breath as he waited for a response. Thankfully, it seemed that his mind had successfully retained the correct number for Jal’tai’s room, for after several seconds: “Yes? Is there something you need?” Jal’tai’s familiar, kindly voice came through the speaker.

“Oh yes,” Solonn responded shakily, his voice charged with urgency, “yes, there is.”

“Oh dear…” Jal’tai clearly had no trouble detecting the distress in Solonn’s voice. There was a brief pause, then, “What’s the matter?”

Solonn strongly doubted that Jal’tai would believe the answer to that question. “Can’t explain,” he replied hurriedly. “Just need you here now. Please hurry.”

Another pause. “Yes… yes, of course. I’ll be right up,” Jal’tai said finally.

“Connection terminated,” said the computerized voice of the device then. The beep sounded again, and the green light turned off.

Solonn set the paging device down on the floor beside him and released a long, weary sigh. All he could do now was wait for Jal’tai to show up—even if he only had seconds to wait, he was not sure that he could endure it. He was fully aware of how nearly every muscle in his body trembled in anxiety, his hands shaking like leaves, with tiny yet powerful twitches tugging and pricking at the skin around his eyes and mouth. Vaguely, he wondered if he might not lose this body just as soon as he’d come by it, for it seemed to be threatening to shake itself to pieces.

As the seconds crept slowly by, he stared forward blankly, barely blinking, at one of the suite’s draconic statues that sat a couple of yards away. It lay on its marble pedestal with its tapered wings outstretched and its taloned forearms crossed in front of it and gazed sightlessly back at Solonn with a look of absolute serenity. Solonn could only futilely wish that he were in a position to return a matching expression to the smiling stone figure.

A voice sounded then, startling Solonn in his compromised state, pulling his attention at once from the statue of the dragon pokémon. “Solonn? Are you all right in there?” It was Jal’tai. “May I come in now?” the swellow asked him through the wall.

“Please do,” Solonn called back shakily.

“Of course, of course… just give me a moment here…” Jal’tai responded.

A tone sounded within the suite shortly thereafter. “Prepare to receive a visitor,” the computerized voice said calmly. Solonn turned toward the wall separating the suite from the hall outside. A second later, a shimmering, pale green field of light appeared within the suite, forming above a tile that matched the one outside, then solidified into the form of Jal’tai, who stood there in front of the wall with a concerned look leveled at Solonn. If he was at all shocked or surprised to behold a human where there should have been a glalie, he did not show it.

Without a word, Jal’tai walked over to where Solonn half-sat, half-lay. He stopped before the former glalie, ruffled his wings and folded them tightly against his back, and gave him a long, unflinching look, his face taking on an expression that was difficult for Solonn to quite interpret.

Already disturbed to no small degree by what had befallen him, Solonn found himself unnerved further by the way the swellow’s steely raptor’s eyes took in his new form—his naked new form…

Solonn inhaled sharply in sudden mortification. This was one detail which he had overlooked—now Jal’tai was getting an unobstructed view of something that Solonn wouldn’t show to anyone under normal circumstances, not even to those of his own kind. Feeling the blood rush to his face in a hot wave of embarrassment, Solonn repositioned himself hastily to cover his shame.

“Relax, relax,” Jal’tai said coolly. “It’s nothing I haven’t seen before. After all—” He paused briefly to take a breath, his gaze shifting to Solonn’s eyes and sharpening further. “—it was I who designed that very body for you.”

That took a very long moment to fully register in Solonn’s brain. For a moment, he forgot to breathe. He gave the swellow a stupefied stare.

Jal’tai nodded. “It’s true, Solonn.”

The human’s stare went flat. For countless seconds on end, he made no response whatsoever, frozen in the moment. Then he inhaled very slowly, very deeply.

“Why?” he asked, his voice constrained so badly that it was distorted almost beyond recognition. “Why… and how… in the fires of a thousand hells… did you turn me into a human?”

Jal’tai closed his eyes and lowered his head. “Yes,” he said soberly, “you are owed an explanation for all this. It’s imperative that you be made to fully understand the situation. I will address your question of ‘how’ first, since that comes with the shorter answer. To begin to answer that question, however, I must start by being more honest with you with regards to the matter of who—and what—I truly am.”

The swellow suddenly took to the air without warning, hovering in place to Solonn’s right and slightly above him. “Don’t be frightened by what I’m about to show you,” Jal’tai said, his words accompanied by the sound of his steadily beating wings, “for it is my true form. I am and shall still be the same person in spirit that I have shown myself to be while in your presence up to this point.”

Solonn could only stare mutely at him, watching as the air around Jal’tai began to ripple and shimmer, blurring the swellow’s form. Soon, Jal’tai completely lost definition, becoming nothing more than a wavering mass of faint light. The light then intensified and began to take shape once more. When it faded away a second later, the swellow was gone. In his place was something very different, something blue and pale gray that, though still feathered, was no longer a bird.

Jal’tai was now a dragon.

(CONTINUED)

[Sike Saner]

“There,” Jal’tai said. He sounded no different than he had prior to revealing his true form, and he used a tone that was likely meant to be soothing, though it failed in that endeavor.

Solonn stared agape at him for seconds on end. Wide with astonishment, his eyes then began casting flitting glances back and forth between the hovering form of Jal’tai and the draconic statue nearby.

Jal’tai followed one of the human’s darting glances and then let out a chuckle. “No, no, dear boy,” he said. “That’s the female of my species you see depicted there. That is a latias. We menfolk are latios.”

The latios might as well have said anything there for all Solonn cared; there were very specific things he wanted to hear about from Jal’tai, and the difference between the males and the females of Jal’tai’s species was not one of them.

“What does that have to do with… with this?” Solonn demanded in a pained-sounding hiss, sweeping his gaze quickly over himself before returning his wild, bewildered stare to the dragon.

“Well, my dear boy, the matter of my species is actually quite relevant to what has been done to you, for it was by the transfigure technique, an ancient art which survives in practice today by none outside the lati race, that you were given this new form. A swellow could not have used the transfigure technique; on the chance that you might have known that, I deemed it necessary to reveal my true form lest you fall short of believing me when I told you how it was possible for me to transform you.”

Solonn hadn’t known what swellow were and were not capable of or why it should be any easier to believe that a dragon could possess the power to transform him than to believe that a bird could, nor did he care to know these things. Jal’tai’s explanation as to how the change was made held little meaning for Solonn and fell quite short of a satisfying answer.

Hoping that the other question would yield an answer that he could use, “Why, Jal’tai?” Solonn pressed in a brittle voice, the words more exhaled than spoken.

Lowering his head, Jal’tai drew back slightly from Solonn. “Forgive me, Mr. Zgil-Al,” he said soberly. “I sincerely regret not being more straightforward with you from the start. But there was only one way this could be done feasibly, and unfortunately, it did require me to keep you largely in the dark up to this point.”

The latios clasped his talons and met Solonn’s gaze steadily despite the way the human’s brown, bloodshot eyes pierced into his own. “The first thing you need to know in order to understand the situation is this: I am not merely a proud citizen of this great city. I am also the mayor and director of the Convergence Project, its guide and guardian.”

“Well, good for you,” Solonn croaked acidly. “And what is it about that, exactly, that required you to turn me into this?”

“Patience, my boy,” Jal’tai said evenly, unfazed by Solonn’s venom-laced response, earning a severely indignant look from the former glalie. “You must allow me to explain; it is crucial that you understand the circumstances that have come to include you and understand them completely, and not just for your own sake, either.”

The latios paused for a breath, then released it on a sigh before proceeding. “I love my city, Solonn,” he said wistfully. “I love it more than anything else in this world. The fact remains, however, that I will not be around to guide it forever. Therefore, it will become necessary for someone to one day take my place.

“This is where you come in, Solonn. Now, it may not be obvious to the eye of the beholder, but I am getting on in years… Soon, I will be retiring from my position as mayor of Convergence, and the city will need someone to take my office when I depart. That someone is required to have a very particular and very rare skill in common with me—it is rendered a vital necessity by the very nature of this place. My successor must be able, just as I am, to freely and fluently communicate with pokémon and humans alike. My successor must possess the Speech.”

To that, Solonn reacted immediately and strongly. In a flurry of very awkward motion, he scrambled away from the chair against which he had been reclining and began crawling backwards away from Jal’tai, compelled to put a healthy distance between himself and the latios as swiftly as he could manage. How did he find out?! he wondered fearfully. His mind was now racing much too fast to light on many explanations, but the only one that managed to come through seemed to be the only one that could be plausible to him anyway.

Just as soon as it had appeared in Solonn’s mind, it was confirmed. “Yes, Solonn. I am a psychic,” Jal’tai said, nodding. “But, no, that’s not how I learned of your gift. Not initially, anyway,” he clarified.

Lowering his talons and turning them palms-outward in a curiously human-like gesture, trying to appear as non-threatening as he could, Jal’tai began to glide slowly toward Solonn, his wings remaining rigid and stationary, suggesting that some less mundane force powered his flight. Solonn continued backing away from the advancing latios, but he soon found himself backed into a corner, trapped by a wall to his left, a large, oak dresser to his right, and Jal’tai before him, who had apparently accelerated his approach somewhat as he was now only a foot or so in front of Solonn.

Jal’tai settled himself onto the carpet before Solonn, folding his forearms in front of his chest, and continued. “I saw you, you see,” the latios explained. “The day before last, I saw what happened to you in Lilycove,” he elaborated, with a note of earnest sorrow coloring his voice on that statement. “I was out for a nice flight; as I mentioned before, I do make occasional excursions outside Convergence, just for a change of pace. I decided to alter my usual course a bit that day and chose to go eastward instead of the southward direction I usually take. My course found me flying over Lilycove, and there I caught sight of a most deplorable scene…”

A definite tinge of disgust entered Jal’tai’s words here, a disgust so strong that it held him from continuing for a few seconds. “I saw a sign out in front of an old, rather miserable looking theater, promising a real, live… ‘talking’ pokémon inside…” The word “talking” was ejected from the latios’s beaklike mouth with as much force and clear distaste as if it were something on which he had been gagging.

“I saw a small group of humans rush you into the theater through the back way,” he went on. “I slipped in after them, cloaked by my psychic abilities. I found you sleeping backstage, and I tapped your mind while you slept, just deep enough to learn if what the sign outside that wretched scene claimed was accurate, and thereby I learned that indeed it was.

“Even if it hadn’t been, though, I would have broken you out of there. The way you were being treated there, as a spectacle… it was sickening…” he hissed, his red eyes narrowed in vehemence. “I was about to make a move toward your liberation, too, but just then, a new human presence came onto the scene, one in whom I immediately sensed benevolent intentions regarding you. A quick tap of her mind told me that she was your friend and had come to rescue you from your would-be exploiters.

“You had awakened at this point, but your attempts to escape were foiled by a restraining technique, one cast by a creature whose presence I had not even detected. I went and searched about the vicinity for the caster and thereby found a sableye—a dark-type, able to evade detection by my psychic senses. I dispatched him at once by means of a dragon claw.”

Solonn’s eyes narrowed in sudden suspicion. “Morgan told me that she had taken him out,” he said.

Jal’tai sighed. “I am afraid that both you and Morgan were misled where that is concerned,” he told Solonn. “You see, your human companion happened to walk in onto the scene where the sableye had been hiding just as I was dealing with him—the summoning of the technique I used to take him down required me to shift my focus from my psychic element to my dragon element, thus forcing me to give up my invisibility, and so it was that Morgan saw me there. I should explain that my kind are… valued by humans—” There was another charge of the dragon’s particular brand of revolted emphasis on the word “valued”. “—due to our potent psychic and draconic abilities. Though I sensed virtue in this particular human, I was in no position to say the same about the other humans in her life, and I confess that I was unwilling to take a chance on whether or not her integrity was so strong that she would keep my appearance a secret.

“Hence, I found it necessary to modify her memory of that event. I quickly rendered myself invisible once more. Then I placed a hammer that I found lying nearby into her hand and implanted a memory of her using it to knock out the sableye, and I made her forget having seen me.” He briefly closed his eyes and lowered his head as if in shame. “I regret that action now. I should have given her the benefit of the doubt. I should have recognized just how honorable her nature truly was. I did come to recognize it, after watching her help to liberate you, and following her as she guided you to safety outside the city…”

The latios’s face took on a faint, wistful smile. “She, a human, actually chose to let you part from her company rather than allow you to remain and risk exploitation again… very noble… very rare. Anyhow… following the events of that evening, I knew you could go nowhere but west, and so I waited in the grass for you and then brought you here.”

“You could have told me all of this at the start,” Solonn admonished him. “And none of that explains why you needed to change me like this.”

“Actually,” Jal’tai said, “within what I have just told you lies the precise reason why your transformation was necessary. You were taken to be made into a spectacle by those humans in Lilycove because you were a glalie who could speak their language. For that quality, you were regarded as a freak—a valuable freak, yes, but a freak nonetheless—and you were treated as one.

“Now, you are a human who can speak pokémon languages—you have been speaking glalie language this entire time, as a matter of fact,” Jal’tai added. “My point is that humans sought to exploit and degrade you as a freak when you were a pokémon. They will not, however, do that to you as a fellow human. The unfortunate truth is that generally speaking, humans only hold true respect for their own kind. That is why I transformed you.”

“Without my consent!” Solonn shouted, throwing a feral look at Jal’tai.

“Yes, and I apologize!” Jal’tai responded swiftly, actually sounding quite hurt. “But that was only to spare you the experience of what would have been a very painful and disturbing process. The nature of my method is such that if the subject knows the change is coming, their brains cannot be made to ignore that it is occurring. With that in mind, I had a sleep-inducing drug added to your meal at Whitley’s. Once I was certain you had fallen asleep in here, I entered the suite. Then, using certain of my psychic abilities, I put a sort of… for lack of a better term, a lock upon your brain to separate it from your tactile senses so that you would not awaken while I changed you.”

“You did it that way,” Solonn said accusingly, “because you knew I would say ‘no’.”

Jal’tai winced. He then turned the most wounded expression that Solonn had ever seen upon the human. It did nothing whatsoever to bring down the fear and outrage that was growing clearer by the second in Solonn’s eyes. “Please, my dear boy… please… you must believe me when I say that I never wanted to cause you suffering. My course of action was for the sake of mercy, and, yes, it precluded your choice. For that, I am sorry, Solonn, sorrier than I could ever adequately express. But it had to be done. I need you, Solonn.”

For a moment, Solonn had nothing to say to the latios, remaining silent save for the rasping of his long, hard breaths, his shoulders trembling from the violence of his respiration. He merely maintained an unforgiving gaze straight into the eyes of the creature who had subjected him to this change and torn him from his mother element, feeling fresh tears making his way down his face as he thought once more of what he had lost. At length, he closed his eyes and allowed his head to sink to his chest, his hair almost completely veiling his face, and he remained this way for a very long moment.

Finally, he lifted his head and opened his eyes, and he turned an incredibly cold, penetrating stare upon Jal’tai, his brows drawn tightly together, the already severe lines of his angular face sharpening further. “You’re no different,” Solonn said, his voice uninflected save for the places during that statement where it threatened to break. “You want to use my abilities to serve your purposes. You seek to exploit me, Jal’tai, just like the humans did in Lilycove. You are no different from them.”

The latios pulled his head back as if the human before him had just taken a swing at him. His eyes widened dramatically, then narrowed sharply. “How dare you!” he hissed in outrage. “There is a tremendous difference between myself and those—” In lieu of a word, Jal’tai chose to describe the abductors of Lilycove with a short blast of acrid-smelling, sickly-yellow dragonbreath over his shoulder. “I,” he went on, his voice dripping with indignation, “respect you.”

“You respect me?!” Solonn said sharply, incredulously. “Is that why you’ve lied to me and subjected me to a physical transformation without my consent? Is that why you insult my intelligence by expecting me to just sit here and swallow everything you say after that?”

“Solonn, please…”

Solonn shook his head. “No, Jal’tai. There is no reason why I should listen to you, not when you’ve been dishonest from the moment we met.” The birth of a sudden suspicion flashed across his features. “Answer this, Jal’tai: if running the city required me to be made human, why didn’t the same job require that of you?”

“Because you can’t do this,” the latios said simply, and with another rippling shimmer, the dragon was gone. Sitting there instead was an elderly, goateed human man, one whom Solonn recognized immediately as the man pictured on the sign at Whitley’s.

“This is what the citizens of Convergence, as well as those with whom I do business outside of town, see when they look at me,” Jal’tai said. “And this—” He suddenly sounded the part of the old man, too, with the human language to match. “—is what they hear. To them, I am a human by the name of Rolf Whitley. Under this guise, I became a very important, albeit not widely recognized figure in human society. In addition to being the mastermind behind the Convergence Project, Rolf is also a very important senior member of the International Pokémon League. I could not have attained that kind of power and the resources that come along with it in my true identity as a pokémon.”

Jal’tai reassumed his latios form. “Now, under less demanding circumstances, I could simply apply a mirage to you, too. In fact, when we entered Convergence and when I brought you into this hotel, I presented you just as you now appear. However, the method does have its limits, limits that make it impractical as a full-time, twenty-four-seven solution. For one thing, I cannot maintain a mirage over you from a distance, and not much of a distance, either. You would have to remain within the sphere of my psychic perception, which in my old age is, I’m afraid, quite small. I think we can both agree that it would be quite impractical for me to follow you like a shadow everywhere you go, right?”

Solonn gave him a look that suggested that he was not even inclined to agree with Jal’tai on the sun being bright and the night being dark.

“Furthermore,” Jal’tai said, “it is not enough to merely look like a human. You must support the image you present accurately in the physical sense, as well. You must feel like a human. What if another human wanted to shake your hand? You would have to be able to offer one that he or she could clasp, one that he or she could feel. Now, while I am able to produce ‘solid’ mirages, as I use for my own needs in portraying a human, I’m afraid it is outside the scope of my abilities to project a ‘solid’ mirage over you and keep some kind of mirage or cloak over myself at all times. And it would be necessary for me to conceal my true identity somehow if I were to remain near enough to you at all times to maintain your disguise; again, being what I am, I must not let just anyone see me about. Furthermore… I will remind you of the fact that I will not be around to conceal your identity forever. Therefore, the only feasible way for you to meet those particular demands of this position was for me to subject you to the transfigure technique.”

Jal’tai sighed very heavily, lowering his head slightly and passing a talon backwards over it as if raking it through hair in another curiously human gesture. “Solonn… do you not recognize how very important it is to the future of the world that the Convergence Project is kept alive and running? This community must be maintained, for it is a shining example of the fact that pokémon and humans can and should live and work as equals, that anything they can do, we can do, too. It’s an example sorely needed by the world. The state of relationships between humans and pokémon desperately needs to be changed. Solonn… did you know that most humans do not realize—or else deny—that pokémon are intelligent beings?”

Solonn only stared back with wild eyes. His throat worked, but he did not answer.

“I didn’t think you were aware of that,” Jal’tai said softly, reading Solonn’s blank silence correctly. “It’s true, though. The majority of humans regard pokémon not as people, but as mere animals.” Potent vehemence rose up through his voice at those words, and it danced within his eyes, almost seeming to set them alight. “That is why they will only respect one of their own kind,” the latios said. “Hence the unfortunate need for our façades.”

Solonn was silent for a moment after Jal’tai finished speaking. He appeared to be deep in thought. Then, with a look in his eyes that spoke both of dawning epiphany and the prelude to a volley of fresh accusatory barbs, he said, “You said you needed me—me, specifically, because I have ‘the Speech’, as you called it…” A hint of disgust played about his features, telling of how he found the name that Jal’tai had pinned on his abilities to be utterly ridiculous. “You said that the person in charge of this city has to have this ability—it’s necessary because the person running this city has to be able to communicate just as well with both humans and pokémon, because the job requires you to deal with both, do I understand right?”

Jal’tai blinked in surprise, and then his features relaxed into an expression that looked equally relieved and impressed. “Yes, that’s correct,” he confirmed.

But to the latios’s surprise, Solonn shook his head. “No, Jal’tai. There was another way. Telepaths, Jal’tai,” he said. “Telepaths can make anyone understand them, including humans. How can you have not even considered this? You’re probably a telepath yourself!”

Jal’tai lowered his head slightly and sighed. “That would certainly be very convenient if it were a truly viable option, but unfortunately there are reasons why it cannot be one. There is no shortage of people in this world who are mistrusting, even fearful of psychics and the abilities commonly associated with psychics, including telepathy. Their insecurities and superstitions make those of any species who would have to rely on telepathy to communicate far less than ideal candidates. Convergence and its mission will not be accepted by as many as is needed by this world if its leader is one to whom so many would not listen.”

<Even with our measures to respect their privacy in place, many species still do not trust us.> Sei Salma’s words echoed in Solonn’s memory, and a twinge of guilt for forgetting the plight of her people struck him. At the same time, however, he found that he couldn’t help but also find sympathy for those who were wary of psychics—the notion of another creature being able to reach and affect his mind was harder for him to abide by when he thought of that latios having trespassed there so recently.

After a moment of desperate scrambling, his mental faculties managed to scrape together another possible argument. “The unown-script, what about that?” he asked. “Both humans and pokémon understand it—and everyone here is made to learn it…”

Jal’tai tried to speak then, but Solonn pressed on, something fierce in his expression. The human was now all too certain that he’d found proof that Jal’tai had not had to do this to him, and that certainty stoked his fury to new heights. “Any human who knows the unown-script could have been your replacement, and there are plenty of those here because knowing unown-script is mandatory here.”

Solonn’s face was contorted almost grotesquely by anguish and outrage at this point; he looked positively deranged. “You didn’t need me,” he said. It could have been any of them! You didn’t need me!” he cried, sounding almost hysterical.

“Solonn… you must get a hold of yourself,” Jal’tai said, sounding genuinely concerned for Solonn—however, there was also the slightest hint of a warning along the edges of his voice. “Calm down, please…”

But Solonn was inconsolable. “You didn’t have to do this to me! You didn’t need me!” he practically shrieked, spit flying from his mouth, his face red with fury.

Jal’tai let out a long, slow exhalation and met Solonn’s feral stare with an expression like that of a parent who has finally lost the last shred of patience for a child’s behavior. “I said, calm down,” he said, rising into the air to look down upon the human with displeasure. There was an ominous gravity to his voice that hadn’t been there before, a far cry from the jovial tone that he had once used with Solonn.

Jal’tai raised his talons, then brought them swiftly together and pointed them at Solonn as the latios’s eyes suddenly blazed with a fuchsia light. At once, the human’s eyes went massively wide with shock, and he began gasping madly at the air as if suddenly unable to breathe.

“I cannot have you losing your mind, Solonn,” Jal’tai said gravely. “Not when you have such a demanding future ahead of you.”

Solonn could only stare back in mortal terror at Jal’tai as the latios’s telekinetic onslaught continued, preventing his lungs from filling. His vision was failing, growing dark around the edges and hazing out of focus, and he could feel a smothering oblivion beginning to consume his mind. He was certain that was about to die.

But before he could succumb to the lack of air, Jal’tai relented. Solonn immediately took a massive, involuntary gulp of air, pain exploding within his chest as his lungs refilled themselves harshly. His body immediately slackened, slumping over against the dresser, his head hanging low. After several more sharp, gasping breaths racked his aching ribs, he weakly raised his head to look up at the latios, his face a pale, sweat-drenched mask of pure, primal terror.

Jal’tai regarded the former glalie with a potent, displeased glower. “I’m very disappointed in you, my boy,” he said heavily. “I had thought you would understand the crucial importance of this project. This is about something far greater than you, Solonn. This is about the future of our world, a better future. An equal future. Without our efforts, pokémon will never get the respect and dignity in the eyes of humans that we deserve.”

He set himself back down on the floor before the traumatized human, who immediately shrank further into the corner from him. The latios sighed, the sound carrying equal measures of exasperation and seemingly earnest sorrow. “You must accept your destiny, Solonn,” he said quietly. “You must realize that you were blessed with the Speech for a higher purpose.”

He laid a talon on Solonn’s arm in an attempt to console him; Solonn immediately flinched at the contact but didn’t have the strength to resist further. “Please, Solonn. This is a most wonderful and important calling that has chosen you… you should be honored, Solonn. At the very least, you should recognize that losing your head over this is not going to make things any different for you, and it’s not going to make things as they were. You must find the serenity to accept this. Please…” he said, squeezing the human’s arm gently, “do not make me have to pacify you again. I told you that I never wanted to cause you suffering, and I meant it…”

The latios sighed sorrowfully again and rose back into the air. “Now, to answer your earlier questions regarding unown-script—as I was attempting to do then, but you wouldn’t allow me to get a word in edgewise—it is true that unown-script is mandatory for all citizens of this city to learn. However, it is not required learning in the rest of the world. As the mayor and as part of the Convergence Project, you will frequently have to deal with outsiders, both human and pokémon, with whom you will have to be able to speak on their terms. A human who possesses the Speech is the only one who can speak freely to all peoples, to whom all peoples would listen. Hence you are as you are. It is as simple as that. So you see, I do need you, Solonn.”

Jal’tai cast a glance off to his right, toward the bedroom. “In time, I hope you will be able to see things more clearly. Until such time, I’m afraid you will have to remain in this suite. I will give you the code to exit the room using the transport tile when I feel you are ready to re-enter society as a human, and I will gladly speak more with you in order to help you prepare for your future duties, but only once I can be sure that you have regained your composure enough to listen to me. For now, though, I think you could do with some quiet time alone to relax and contemplate your destiny.”

Jal’tai’s eyes once again took on the fuchsia glow that accompanied his telekinesis, and once again, he applied the psychic force to Solonn. However, he merely used his powers to gently lift Solonn from the floor this time. Panic showed plainly on the human’s face; he desperately wanted to be released from Jal’tai’s telekinetic hold, but it was just too strong. He could not put up any sort of a struggle against Jal’tai’s power.

The latios guided him through the air, bringing him into the suite’s bedroom, then set him down upon the bed. “Be at peace, my dear boy,” Jal’tai said in a warm, paternal tone. He relinquished the light in his eyes and his hold over Solonn along with it. Then a golden light blossomed around him. A second later, it faded, and Jal’tai was gone.

Solonn lay there where he’d been placed, alone now but finding no comfort in his solitude. Jal’tai was gone for now, but in making his exit through teleportation, he had revealed that he could return at any time, without any warning—knowledge that only added to the miseries that had already been inflicted upon the human.

He felt a pang of anguish as he thought upon what he had become and what he could no longer be. With his identity and element gone, he was certain that there was now no returning to the life that he had once known. Even if he could escape from this suite, this prison, this city and the one to whom it belonged… what then? As far as he could figure, he couldn’t go back to anyone that he once knew, neither Morgan nor his own kind—or what had once been his kind—back in Virc-Dho. None of them would recognize him now, and he couldn’t imagine that they would believe that he was not as he appeared, that he was the pokémon whom they had once known, just trapped in a human body now…

Solonn moaned softly as if in defeat. Trembling, he drew his arms and legs up against his chest in a fetal position, almost as if trying to collapse into himself and disappear, and broke into tears once more as he fully realized the impact of this new reality. His life as he had known it was over.

_________________________

I shall now hand out a cookie to all those who correctly identified Jal’tai as being up to something. ^^

Next time: Jal’tai wants to begin grooming his replacement as soon as possible. His replacement has other ideas… See you then!

- Sike Saner

[PDL]

the strangest thing about this chapter was that it made me think of Pinocchio:

"I'm a real boy!"

XD

seriously though, this chapter was quite a bombshell... but I sort of simpathize with Jal’tai more then with Solonn... is that supposed to be a bad thing?

and where will Solonn find some clothes?

[Xiang]

Aw man! I didn't get a chance at that cookie XD

This chapter...was...new. I bet some people didn't expect that. Like me. And that makes it a whole lot better! XD

[xXSaberXx]

omfg. SOLONNS HUMAN LAWL.

I think he is Sike's boy toy now. ROFL. She made him a human just so she could have him. D: ROFL.

I dun imagine him as a regular human. ANIME HUMAN WTF OY. rofl. Poor Morgan. She has a human for a pokemon! D: ROFL.

QUESTION THOUGH: Does Solonn stsill fit in his pokeball? D: Guess not.

Though, I never expected Jai'tail (or...erm...his name....) WAS LATIOS WTF. Does that mean he and Latias are ACTUALLY PARADING AS HUMANS?

The world may never know.

D: luff.

[Morpher01]

You, sir, have a new reviewer.

Solonn's new body is just...wrong. I hate Jai'tal, I really do.

The part about the Ursaring driving a car...*stifles laughter* *fails* HAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!!!! SO FUNNY!!!!!

Hee hee. I loved that. I really did. It was awesome.

Overall, keep up the good work! I absolutely LOVE this fic, along with Typhlogirl and Commander Blizzard's fics.

[Kaizer]

Well... that's certainly what I'd call a "plot-twist." Though I'm not sure if it's a twist or some sort of portal to another dimension, because... yeah.

I never saw anything like this coming- especially at the beginning.

It's a great chapter, it's just that it has caught me completely off-guard and left me for the most part speechless.

So who all got a cookie?
;245;

Oh.. and if the "Swellow" wasn't actually a dragon, I'd hate him, but dragons are awesome so I just despise him.

[Seijiro Mafuné]

I feel like a spike burst out of my neck.

Man, did I knew this or what? It's just too perfect to not be it, definitely.

I wonder how will he live from now on, though.

[Wes]

Interesting...then again your work is usally intersting but this chapter was a bit...well intersting to a new level ...sort of. Ahem anyways great chapter. It was pretty lengthy, and your description is godly. Especially with ice. Nice job and good luck with the next chapter.

[Pinecone Tortoise]

“In time, I hope you will be able to see things more clearly. Until such time, I’m afraid you will have to remain in this suite. I will give you the code to exit the room using the transport tile when I feel you are ready to re-enter society as a Human, and I will gladly speak more with you in order to help you prepare for your future duties, but only once I can be sure that you have regained your composure enough to listen to me. For now, though, I think you could do with some quiet time alone to relax and contemplate your destiny.”

Translation: Go to your room and think about what you've done. And when you're ready to apologise, your mother and I will be waiting.

Sorry, Jal'tai just sounds like such a daddy! Making Solonn the naughty boy told to go and sit in a corner. O.o

ANYWAY, I thought this was absolutely fantastic. Only you, IMO, can deal with poke>>human transformation this brilliantly. And I'm fairly sure that the reason you pulled it off so well is because of your stunning characterisation and the way you so unswervingly keep your characters actually IN character. Amazing work.

What I wanna know now is if he actually WILL meet up with his old friends. And Morgan... what happened there? It strikes me that there's still some holes in Jal'tai's version of events. For example, if Morgan let him go willingly, why was she so astonished to find him gone? Perhaps I've been a sloppy reader and missed something... but with all the plot twists so far, I'm finding it hard to believe that everything suddenly all straightened out. I mean it about those twists. It's like this fic was travelling smoothly along an X-axis and somewhere around Solonn's removal from Morgan's place, it did a funny sort of Q turn into the Y axis... but now it's gone onto a completely different plane and was last seen heading off somewhere in the Z direction.... O.o Sheesh. High school maths got to me more than I realised. And made me a nerd. How... humiliating. -_-

Where was I? Ah, yes. Jal'tai. That guy rocks!


He laid a talon consolingly on Solonn’s arm;

That was such an awesome line! ... *pictures a portly Latios dressed in a waistcoat complete with watch on a chain, wire framed glasses and a pipe clunking an awkward looking human on the back with one huge wing in what was meant to be a friendly pat.* ... yah, it's nothing like what you've got and I don't really picture Jal'tai like that, but I have an over active imagination... o.O;;;

Meh, there's very little I can say about this except that it was utter awesomeness. Your characters = cool. Very, very cool. Even though Solonn's not an Ice type anymore... oh yuck. I'm just on a roll of bad jokes. I'll leave now before I mutilate any more of your delicious story.

Piney.
;204;;324;

[Kthleen]

So who all got a cookie?*raises hand*

Well, I had a bad feeling about Jal’tai, that he "wasn't who he seems to be" (though I don't know how I came to feel that O_o), but schnat, I never could have imagined the turn of events here!

Wes is right about your description. I can really feel Solonn's mortification and anguish. His separation from what he is, his element, his abilities, the strength of his senses compared to ours, and all without his consent.... It's awful. Talk about violation....


The former Glalie moaned softly, as if in defeat.I remember that my sister told me that she believed that the saddest sound a human can make is that anguished moan.

....

I don't know, I just thought I'd share that.



I do wonder how it is that Morgan's memories were altered, but at the same time, she comes home and wonders where the hell Solonn went. Was her memory altered then (basically) erased? Was there a fake Morgan? If so, was it that one's memory that was altered, if indeed Jal'tai did really alter her memory? Or was Jal'tai the fake Morgan?
...Or was it a plot hole?!


I absolutely LOVE this fic, along with Typhlogirl and Commander Blizzard's fics.Indeed. (Although I don't think I can look at the Regis in "Hoenn's Legacy" the same way again after having watched the 8th movie...)

[Sike Saner]

PDL:


the strangest thing about this chapter was that it made me think of Pinocchio:

"I'm a real boy!"

*dies* Oh, no... Now I'm forever imprinted with that association, too. X3


but I sort of simpathize with Jal’tai more then with Solonn... is that supposed to be a bad thing?

No, not at all, I'd say. After all, Jal'tai's not really one of those "Hot damn, I'm EVIL! GRRRR!" figures. Perhaps he has got some genuinely good, noble ideas. Thing is, he seems willing to do just about anything to serve those ideas. Whether or not what he does towards his ends is right or wrong, well...

But that's just how it goes. Sometimes good people do bad things, and sometimes people serve the right ends by the wrong means.


and where will Solonn find some clothes?

Where, indeed. XD

Ratiasu: Surprises certainly can be fun. ^^ Glad you like them, too.

xXSaberXx:
QUESTION THOUGH: Does Solonn stsill fit in his pokeball? D: Guess not.

That's right. I can't speak for the way they work anywhere else, but in my stories, capture balls won't respond to humans.


Does that mean he and Latias are ACTUALLY PARADING AS HUMANS?

Well, he's been, and, quite possibly, there are others of his race who are. I guess now might be a good time to mention that my stories are among those that treat the lati as a race of many individuals. Latios and latias are not the names of two unique entities, but rather, terms for the males and the females of the species, respectively. So, Jal'tai doesn't represent the latios, but a latios.

Morpher01: *does new reviewer dance, invoking the wrath of God*

Glad you liked the scene with Ms. Olcarion. I really like it too, and it was a lot of fun to write. ^^

And I really like Typhlogirl's and ~*Commander Blizzard*~'s work, too. *thumbs up* ^^

Kaizer: Oh, yes. Dragons = boss. ^^ I've liked dragons for as long as I can remember.

Seijiro Mafun&#233;:
I wonder how will he live from now on, though.

Only time will tell... *dodges bricks*

Wes: I've noticed how curiously long the chapters are lately, too... it's kind of confounding, considering how short most of these were in the old version. This chapter, for example, was only nine pages in the old version. I'm glad you approve of the description--I personally still think it could stand to be better, but maybe it's for the better that I see it that way.

Pinecone Tortoise:
Translation: Go to your room and think about what you've done. And when you're ready to apologise, your mother and I will be waiting.

Sorry, Jal'tai just sounds like such a daddy! Making Solonn the naughty boy told to go and sit in a corner. O.o

XD That's exactly what I was going for with Jal'tai, kind of a paternal vibe.


It strikes me that there's still some holes in Jal'tai's version of events.

As it should.


For example, if Morgan let him go willingly, why was she so astonished to find him gone?

^^ That was a red flag there. What did she mean, "where is he?" Wasn't she just talking to him?...

Evidently not. ;)

We have a Morgan who led Solonn out of the city, who told him to go and then parted company with him. Her idea. Yet, we also have a Morgan who comes home, goes to the backyard where there would normally be a glalie, and appears to be genuinely shocked that he isn't there, as if she honestly wasn't expecting him not to be there...

The situation, in a nutshell, is that one of those Morgans is not actually Morgan...


*pictures a portly Latios dressed in a waistcoat complete with watch on a chain, wire framed glasses and a pipe clunking an awkward looking human on the back with one huge wing in what was meant to be a friendly pat.*

XD You conjure the most priceless images... *hugs*

Kthleen: *does new reviewer dance; Nelson appears and goes, "Ha-ha!"*


I can really feel Solonn's mortification and anguish. His separation from what he is, his element, his abilities, the strength of his senses compared to ours, and all without his consent.... It's awful.

Thanks, I was really insistent on getting that across effectively. ^^ Hence the severe amount of revision to which this chapter was subjected.


I remember that my sister told me that she believed that the saddest sound a human can make is that anguished moan.

*nods* I agree.


I do wonder how it is that Morgan's memories were altered, but at the same time, she comes home and wonders where the hell Solonn went. Was her memory altered then (basically) erased? Was there a fake Morgan? If so, was it that one's memory that was altered, if indeed Jal'tai did really alter her memory? Or was Jal'tai the fake Morgan?
...Or was it a plot hole?!

The answer to three of those questions, one of which is that last one (XD), is no.

[Seijiro Mafuné]

Is it me or did the whole thing seem obvious after this chapter?

[Clio]

Well, I'm officially giving up on my laziness now, since I should have dropped that review before. But I guess we're still on time, right?

I've read Origin and really liked it. And Solonn was actually one of my fave characters out there (alongside with Dr. Kitty DeLeo XD.) And then I knew that Communication was a Origin spin-off, and starring Solonn. Granted, I loved it. Especially now that the plot is really thickening...

I didn't expected either seen Solonn becoming a Human, nor a madman Latios as the mayor (btw, why all the humans in chief at Convergence are so mentally imbalanced? DeLeo wasn't alone on that matter, I can see now). And you said that maybe Karo was already there... hibernating, I guess? And I'm starting to think that Jal'tal must have something to do with a certain event on the future... I hope I'm not right.

Anyway, keep the good job.

Mo Cuishle

[Elemental Charizam]

(A) Latias is the fake Morgan, in my opinion. Jal'tai is a filthy liar :P Or he did more than he said to Morgan. Either way, he's evil *gobbles cookie*

Regardless of who is really evcil (though we all know Oth is), this was a great chappie; dare I say it, possibly the best chapter of Communication! By far the best description of poke/hukman transformation, and the way you handled the emotions of the two characters was brilliant. I still find certain moments, and the very idea of Jal'tai creating Solonn a fully functioning body extremely funny ;D

Ahem. Well, I can't wait to see in which way the twisty plot will reveal Oths blackened soul... I mean, what will happen to Solonn. Yes...

[intergalactic platypus]

You've always been an expert on the effective use of pokemon characters. Sollons transformation is a huge suprise; I never expected him to turn human. And the latios is a sympathetic character rather then a villain; a pokemon who lived in both the pokemon world and that of humans and who understands both. Excellent as always sike

[Sike Saner]

Seijiro Mafun&#233;:
Is it me or did the whole thing seem obvious after this chapter?

*shrugs* Depends on how you define “the whole thing”, perhaps. ;)

Mo Cuishle: :3 You know what I must do. *does new reviewer dance; tomatoes come flying from audience*

Fwee, a fan of The Origin of Storms! ^^ And fan of the kittybot, too. X3 Bossness. ^^


(btw, why all the humans in chief at Convergence are so mentally imbalanced? DeLeo wasn't alone on that matter, I can see now)

XD No clue, really. Although maybe it just sort of comes with the territory for those who would go to such lengths to be something they’re not.


And you said that maybe Karo was already there... hibernating, I guess?

Hmm, could be. I’m not really going to say too much regarding him right now, though. One thing I can guarantee you he’s not presently doing, though, is raiding the fridge. XP

Elemental Charizam:
I still find certain moments, and the very idea of Jal'tai creating Solonn a fully functioning body extremely funny ;D

XPPPP I know. I just couldn’t resist, though. Ain’t I a stinker? ^^


Ahem. Well, I can't wait to see in which way the twisty plot will reveal Oths blackened soul...

Awwwww…. XD *gives giant Oth plushie*

intergalactic platypus:
And the latios is a sympathetic character rather then a villain; a pokemon who lived in both the pokemon world and that of humans and who understands both.

*nods* He definitely knows from both. However… it does seem that his “understanding” might be painted with a measure of bias, no? He talks about the pok&#233;mon and human worlds about being equal, but one might wonder if that’s really the way he sees things…

[Saffire Persian]

0___0

Holy freakin' crap, Sike!? (Question mark purposeful)

You remember that brick? Well, I want to use it on myself right now, perhaps the loss of brain-cells might penetrate my denseness. I have quite a case of hindsight-bias right now.. because man, I feel like I should have guessed it, but no, I went with a ditto...

And actually, I'm very glad you didn't go with it.. 'cause all I can say, is your idea 'pwns' all, yes. I did so enjoy this chapter..mwa, Solonn becoming human! Although, I did imagine him more or less the way you described him when you were comparing him to those *cough*people*cough*. XD Still delights the heck outta me.

Of course, what can Solonn do now? Yell at Jai'tal? XD...

And now that Jai'tal has revealed himself.. DeLeo from Origins is making me wonder how exactly he became to be how he was.. 0_o I'm wondering if he ran into someone alike to Jai'tal.

XD... Just a thought, as I was wondering how exactly.. XD Ah well.

Awesome job.. and I'm so glad Morgan wasn't fake! XD She came to save him.. that makes me happy. ^^

All in all, awesome chapter Sike.. I can't give critique to save my life!

[metal_chimaera]

Somehow, impossibly…he had become Human.
So this was the big twist I guess. I have to admit, after a while (more like just-before-the-revelation-was-done actually) I started to suspect a transformation coming up, Probably because of the description And the context.

It's funny how the whole fake-Morgan plot evolves... IMO Jal'Tai has lied (again...) in his explanation...
IMO, the true Morgan is still the one who doesn't know anything and Jal'Tai, after knocking out the Sableye, morphs inte Morgan and takes Solonn out, says goodbye to him, morphs into a Swellow and teleports (or just flies) to the place where he meets Solonn... Smart guy that Jal'Tai...

Anyway, while reading this I thought about how, while logically the future should be more important than personal problems, here the personal problems (in this case Solonns transformation) seem by far more important than the future of Convergence.... Meh, a bit too deep I guess.

Oh well, keep up the good work, and merry christmas and happy new year.

Oh and BTW, I figured Human Solonn would have very pale blue ayes and grey-whit'ish hair, as you see so often in Mangas... Otherwise black hair fits nicely, but still with the plae blue eyes...

Take Care

[Sike Saner]

Saffire Persian:
Of course, what can Solonn do now? Yell at Jai'tal? XD...

XD Now there's an image...


and I'm so glad Morgan wasn't fake!

Hold it, now. Don't be so sure about that...

metal_chimaera:
Oh and BTW, I figured Human Solonn would have very pale blue ayes and grey-whit'ish hair, as you see so often in Mangas... Otherwise black hair fits nicely, but still with the plae blue eyes...

Well, that look certainly was an option. But I really only ever had the look that I went with in mind for his human form.

[Kthleen]

The answer to three of those questions, one of which is that last one ( XD ), is no.What's the other one? I know now that there's a fake Morgan, and that it most certainly wasn't a plot hole (though I suspected that), but there are three other questions! Eh, I can wait. All will be revealed later, and that's the point to reading the fic.... *rolls eyes at herself*


IMO, the true Morgan is still the one who doesn't know anything and Jal'Tai, after knocking out the Sableye, morphs inte Morgan and takes Solonn out, says goodbye to him, morphs into a Swellow and teleports (or just flies) to the place where he meets Solonn... Smart guy that Jal'Tai...That's kind of what I was thinking.

[Nicole May]

Hmm, seems pretty interesting... XD I like the way you describe every single thing that happens on a scene. Gives the other readers a clear view of what's going on. No problems with spelling and grammar... this part is only required for those people who are starting out their very first fan fiction. Overall, it's a pretty interesting Pokemon Fan Fic...

Solonn has somehow caught my interest... lol! XD

I only read the Prolouge and Chapter 1, since I'm kinda in a hurry... I'll read more of it when I get the time, K?

[metal_chimaera]

Hey again

I realised, a bit late maybe, that the way you describe a human body from an outsiders point of view is really... well, great :p.

And coming to think of it, you always describe things that we already perfectly know (or not, as for the Kwazai) from another point of view... the horribly repulsive human body of Solonn's, pokemon that are entirely new for that person (or rather that pokemon) but that we already know. Like the Hoothoot-Noctowl case and Jal'Tai (both as a Swellow and as a Latios).
Don't know if that makes any sense but there ya go. That's something I would find hard to do.

[Dark Latios]

*sigh* I'm probably the last reviewer to review chap 8.. I hate my busy life.


Awesome chapter Sike! At first, I hated Jal'Tai, but now I hate him even more. (Is that at all possible?)

Poor Solonn.. Gone from Pokemon to human. How much scarier can his life get? Seriously! If I were him, I would have torn Jal's head off then and there, but since he's a legendary, it might not have been possible. ^^;;

So, the Morgan wasn't fake? Then Jal must have erased her memory I'm guessing..

Overall, most interesting chap yet! The description of Solonn's human body still scares me though.. *shudders*

[Sike Saner]

Kthleen:
I know now that there’s a fake Morgan

Let me take a moment right now to confirm that. ^^

Nicole May: …IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN! *does new reviewer dance; Miror B. appears on the scene and joins in*

No rush whatsoever. ^^ Glad you like it so far!

metal_chimaera: It certainly is encouraging to see satisfaction in my description. ^^ Again, I myself may never be entirely satisfied with it, but meh. That’s just the way it goes, I suppose.

Dark Latios:
If I were him, I would have torn Jal's head off then and there, but since he's a legendary, it might not have been possible. ^^;;

XD Yeah, that’d be a good way to get your brain liquefied, I reckon. X3


So, the Morgan wasn't fake?

Again, I must say, don’t be too sure about that…

[Typhlogirl]

I must hug you now.

Sike, that was bloody amazing. Such a twist...my god, I loved it. The chapter actually kept me riveted the entire time. Proof?

Annoying little brother: Alicia the dogs dying!!!
Me: Quiet. Reading.

Heh XD. (No, my dog's not really dying, I'm a drama queen.)

Okay, after that waste of space I just typed, it's time to get into the review!

Like I mentioned above, this was fantastic. The way you set everything up in the previous chapter to just fit perfectly here...god, that just ROCKED. It's rare that a plot like this could be pulled off. Supreme Kudos!

I am in love with your description. So good. Not completely over the top, just perfect. Plus, Jal'tai's (that sneaky bastard) speech was very pretty, with all the...big words and stuff lol yay special. XDD Solonn's terror at this new revelation was well done, it captured his despair very well.

The beginning dream sequence was beautiful, especially how it's significance was revealed later in the chapter. God, awesome.

I honestly can not wait till you release the next chapter. That's pretty rare for me. Well done. I wish you happy writing! Oh, and forgive me for being so late, I'm a lazy cow. *truth*

-;157;



Solonn was made to recognize that he was, at least, still male, and the way by which he’d determined this left him mortified both for his own sake and that of an entire species. Good gods, they keep that out?

PRICE...LESS. You're killing me, I swear. XDDDDD

[Sike Saner]

Typhlogirl:
Annoying little brother: Alicia the dogs dying!!!
Me: Quiet. Reading.

Heh XD. (No, my dog's not really dying, I'm a drama queen.)

XDDDD


The beginning dream sequence was beautiful, especially how it's significance was revealed later in the chapter. God, awesome.

Very glad you liked that part, since it wasn't in the original version.


Oh, and forgive me for being so late, I'm a lazy cow.

Bah, don't worry about it. *hugs*



Solonn was made to recognize that he was, at least, still male, and the way by which he’d determined this left him mortified both for his own sake and that of an entire species. Good gods, they keep that out?


PRICE...LESS. You're killing me, I swear. XDDDDD

XD I was hoping someone would quote that.

[GoldenHouou]

Haha! I'm back! *Runs away from tomatoes thrown at her*

*Cough* Anyway, firstly, I want to say sorry for not reading this before. I had kinda of a reader's block... Is there a term like that? If not, there should be! I mean, readers can also lack the inspiration to read! I do! I often do! *Gets more tomatoes thrown at her.* Meanies :O! Anyway, I did read it now and that's what matters, right, right? Yup, that's right.

Gah, anyway, I had missed four chapters (5,6,7 and 8) and dute to the fact that I have to leave in... *checks clock* ten minutes, I have no time to review all of them too deeply, nor do I have time to pick up all the great Quotes. Few, however, I'm able to pick now.

And OH, Solonn evolved. I was thinking were you about to make him do that, but I was unsure. Still, I have to thank you again. First, you made me like Snorunt, and now I've grown liking to Glalie too :P




<– You didn’t mean to use it,> Sei finished. <The subconscious of a cryokinetic can sometimes manifest itself in a visible display, especially when his, her, or its abilities first awaken. And I did not mean to read your mind there,> Sei added.


"I did not mean to read your mind there" XD I don't know why, but I find it rather funny. Sei is one of my favorite characters so far :P And Raze my favorite name, of course. Simple but effective. Err, moving on...



The massive, Water-type blast came hurtling towards Solonn. Oh, pretty…he remarked silently and vacantly as it approached…

Heh, this one, I loved XD The whole Attract thing was funny, but the "oh, pretty" was the funniest. I can imagine him staying there, motionless, eyes half closed, having a dreamy look as he says that, ignoring the fact that he is soon going to get blasted XD

About the other chapters... XD That Sableye was hilarious! Too bad we aren't gonna see him anymore... or are we? Anyway, I'm glad that it wasn't really Morgan who knocked out that Sableye, because human just smashing a Pok&#233;mon with a randomly found hammer didn't sound that good. But Latios instead... now that sounds better.

Anyway, as Morgan first came to rescue Solonn, I thought there was something wrong with her. Might be just because the whole hammer thing that I thought she was a fake. We still haven't gotten answer to why there were two Morgans, though. Or have we? And I've just ignored it by accident? *Hits self* And what happened top Morgan's other Pok&#233;mon?

And the Swellow, err, I mean... dang, I'm no good at names... Well the Latios, as he first came, I thought he was with those who had captured Solonn, but upon showing the Pok&#233;mon City, I didn't suspect him anymore. Dang, I should've. Poor Solonn is a human now :( Now he can't return home. But still, frankly, I have the feeling eh gets turned back in some point.

Agh, I have to go now, sorry for the sort and suckyish review, I will make betters in the future. Meh. And maybe I'll add more quotes later, or in my next review. Oh, now that I just noticed one, right in the above post. How could I forget?


Solonn was made to recognize that he was, at least, still male, and the way by which he’d determined this left him mortified both for his own sake and that of an entire species. Good gods, they keep that out?

XD I was wondering what would he say when he... happens to look down. Now I know, and I can't hold laughter.

Anyway, great chappies, and once I read the fifth, I just had to read the rest too. You helped me over my readers block (if there is such thing)

Oookey, see you after the next chapter.

[Sike Saner]

GoldenHouou:

The massive, Water-type blast came hurtling towards Solonn. Oh, pretty…he remarked silently and vacantly as it approached…


Heh, this one, I loved XD The whole Attract thing was funny, but the "oh, pretty" was the funniest. I can imagine him staying there, motionless, eyes half closed, having a dreamy look as he says that, ignoring the fact that he is soon going to get blasted XD

XD That's exactly the image I had in mind when I wrote that. IMO, few things are as funny as a vacant stare and a flaky statment. I definitely enjoyed Solonn's brief stint as a total airhead there. X3


We still haven't gotten answer to why there were two Morgans, though. Or have we?

To that I say...

A number of the clues to that are already available. Not all of them, though. However... it may be possible to get a very nearly complete picture of what really happened, even with some of the clues not yet released.


Agh, I have to go now, sorry for the sort and suckyish review, I will make betters in the future.

Actually, I would say that your review was neither short nor sucky, especially given how little time you had to post it. I know I couldn't have put together a review like that with so little time.

And I'm glad you got a kick out of that last quote there, too. XD

[Brian Powell]

Well… gosh… I don’t think I mentioned this before but I had a strange feeling about Jal’tai because of the way he acted when he first met Solonn, you don’t normally act all cheerful when you meet a stranger. Now we all know why.

Also, the mystery’s been solved… and I thought a random ditto was helping Solonn out as well when he was put in a freak show. Now that I found the truth and then some more, I don’t know what to think of Jal’tai. Sure, he’s an okay guy with his reasons about having humans and pokemon being equal and acting all fatherly… but doing this against Solonn’s wishes and without his permission, isn’t that low?

That chapter was an eye opener, with the shocking moments when the beans have been spilled out and all. There were some spelling mistakes though but I won’t be a grammar nazi on this one… this other guy got me slightly (BEEP!) off.



“In time, I hope you will be able to see things more clearly. Until such time, I’m afraid you will have to remain in this suite. I will give you the code to exit the room using the transport tile when I feel you are ready to re-enter society as a Human, and I will gladly speak more with you in order to help you prepare for your future duties, but only once I can be sure that you have regained your composure enough to listen to me. For now, though, I think you could do with some quiet time alone to relax and contemplate your destiny.”
Translation: Go to your room and think about what you've done. And when you're ready to apologise, your mother and I will be waiting.
Response: Hey! You’re not my real daddy!

*Falls to the floor* LOL! Had to respond to that!

I wonder when DeLeo (Or Meowth, if you will) comes in.

Overall: 5/5

PS: You’re a girl… I won’t judge you on Solonn’s… new body.

[Sike Saner]

Brian Powell:
Now that I found the truth and then some more, I don’t know what to think of Jal’tai. Sure, he’s an okay guy with his reasons about having humans and pokemon being equal and acting all fatherly… but doing this against Solonn’s wishes and without his permission, isn’t that low?

Mmm-hmm. Absolutely. Again, it's just one of those instances of someone pursuing the right ends by the wrong means. The guy's just so set on reifying his ideas that he may not see anything as off-limits anymore, really, so long as it's in the name of his cause.


Response: Hey! You’re not my real daddy!

XD


I wonder when DeLeo (Or Meowth, if you will) comes in.

When indeed. Well, having read The Origin of Storms, what you might want to do is to think about where that story took place, under what circumstances, and in what state Solonn himself was in. Keeping that in mind, you might very well see his appearance coming from the earliest signs.

PROGRESS: Roughly 50-55&#37;. ^^ I finally got to start the final draft of Ch. 9 this week. This one was not so much revised as rewritten altogether. Literally written from scratch, with no elements of the abysmal old version retained. Best case scenario, we have a release date this weekend. At the very least, we'll certainly be seeing it next week at the latest. *goes back to work*

[PsiUmbreon]

At last, after a few hours of blocking out everything else and reading your fic (the fact that I read pretty fast helps) I finished what you have of your fic so far. I know you did warn me about the long chapters, but this did not faze me one bit, as I was too wrapped up in your story to notice.

This story has a nice White Fang/Call of the Wild-esque element to it, and, well, the human thing was totally unexpected. I have a theory that somehow the Alakazam was involved in this. Wild, I know. And I like how you worked in humor (Ursaring driving cars! Sableye being purposefully annoying! XDDDDD). I know that praise is often given out to fics, so it seems meaningless after a while, but... goddamn this is good.

I think I find myself in more sympathy with Solonn than anyone else, though. I'd be PO'd if I were transformed into something else, too.

One more thing. NADS.

[Sike Saner]

PsiUmbreon: FWEE! *does new reviewer dance, brukky-style*


I have a theory that somehow the Alakazam was involved in this.

Uh-oh... there goes another character off to the Darkened Corner of Mistrust! XP *Sei shuffles off to the corner, where Oth is waiting with tea*


One more thing. NADS.

o.o

DAMN YOU! XDDDD

PROGRESS: 60%--I AM MOVING AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT! XP Nah, ye olde writer's block decided to pay a visit earlier today after I caught myself doing some frelling awkward phrasing, and for a while I didn't know quite what to write in the place of the mess I had made. I think I've managed to successfully iron that out, though. While I was trying to make sense of that, I looked over the schematic for the rest of this chapter, as well as that for part of the next, and caught a nasty logic error that could have really frelled up the course of this revision. That would have sucked, big time. So, I'm glad I caught that, and I've managed to iron out that little bugger, too.

Anyway, I'm going to go take a brief walk, see if I can't get my brain awake and running up to speed again (that does usually work), then it's into the flood again for me. See you when I get this ornery little bugger finished! ^^

[PDL]

This fic has inspired me to name the shadow Snorunt I caught on XD "Solonn"

and he may also be a member of my XD team...

[Sike Saner]

PDL: Really? Well, that’s neat. ^^


Fwee, here it is at last, the chapter that nearly destroyed my mind! =D

Just as in the original version of this fic, this proved to be one of the most difficult parts of the story to write, and just as then, I’m still not altogether sure of why it posed such an obstacle, but it did. But thankfully, this chapter managed to pull through its difficult construction, emerging thrice as long and hopefully way the frell more tolerable than the material that stood in its place in the old version.


WARNING! WARNING!
What follows is the longest chapter I have written to date. So if you want to go get a snack or a drink, or if you have to tinkle… yeah. You might want to take care of that now.

…Did you take care of that? Are you good to go? Okay, then. Enjoy!

_________________________


Chapter 9 – Anywhere but Here


Solonn lay listlessly on the bed, staring up at the ceiling fan above him as if mesmerized by the whirling of its blades. Through vision blurred by sheer exhaustion and an almost continuous stream of tears shed in silence, the sight before Solonn’s eyes was that of a shimmering vortex of light and motion, and part of him felt like it might just draw him right into it.

Hours had passed since the loss of his identity, his element, and his freedom, but he hadn’t regarded the time as it had crept by and didn’t mark the passing moments now. Physically, he was utterly drained, but his mind was host to too many troubles to allow him any rest. He still ached from the telekinetic punishment he had suffered at Jal’tai’s hands. His body complained of hunger, of lying in the same position for a considerable while, and of many other things. But lost as he was in barely-willing contemplation of his situation, Solonn somehow couldn’t really care about his physical discomfort or even truly notice it, for the troubles from within just seemed so petty in comparison to what—and who—now troubled him from the outside.

A voice from outside the suite broke the near-silence then, managing to cut through all of the other things that were attending Solonn’s mind. It was the familiar voice of Jal’tai. “Are you awake? I’d like to come in and have a moment with you if you don’t mind,” the latios called to Solonn from the hall outside.

Solonn didn’t respond, not even so much as to turn toward the voice that had just addressed him, but regarded what the latios had just said with a weak but nonetheless present derision. Since when do you care what I do or don’t mind?

“Prepare to receive a visitor,” announced the voice of the suite. Jal’tai was using the transport tile, Solonn realized. It seemed strange to him that Jal’tai would bother with such considering that the latios could simply teleport in whenever he pleased with no need to warn his prisoner before entering. Solonn didn’t cast even the slightest glance back toward the place in the adjacent den where his visitor would materialize, remaining motionless.

Once inside, Jal’tai drifted silently into the bedroom. He appeared at the edge of Solonn’s vision, and the form he presented was his true form; he no longer bothered with any disguises, any pretense. Solonn shut his eyes, curling up and turning away from the latios. A second later, Jal’tai set himself down on the bed beside him.

“Good morning, Solonn,” he said amiably. “How are you feeling today, my boy?”

Solonn gave no response.

The latios frowned; this was already not going well for him. “I wanted to have a few more words with you about what lies ahead for you,” he said, his tone considerably more reserved than it had been moments ago. He drew closer to Solonn, looming over him for a moment before craning his neck downward to look right into the human’s face.

“Listen,” Jal’tai said, something slightly authoritative in a paternal sort of way creeping into his voice. “I know this has been quite an overwhelming experience for you, but you are going to have to adjust to things as they now are, and preferably before terribly much longer. There is much that you will have to get used to, but I know you can do it.”

He lowered a talon and gently took hold of the human’s face, lifting and turning it toward his own. Solonn didn’t bother to resist the contact, his face expressionless as he finally looked at Jal’tai again through glazed eyes. Somewhere deep within him, a bitter, smoldering hatred was stoked at the sight of those red eyes, that kindly face, but Solonn didn’t dare to give audience to that feeling and allow it to take over despite being sure that it would be wonderfully cathartic to unleash his loathing upon the latios who, in his mind, thoroughly deserved it. He knew how dangerous Jal’tai’s displeasure could be and was very mindful of the fact that any voiced dissent on his part might once again invite that wrath and the mortal threat that had come with it.

“You know,” Jal’tai then said as he continued to hold his would-be replacement’s gaze in a very literal sense, “there are certain positive aspects of your current situation that I don’t think you’ve taken the time to consider. Perhaps they’ve simply failed to cross your mind in the midst of all the activity that must surely be buzzing about in there, or perhaps you didn’t even know such benefits existed.”

Jal’tai paused momentarily to allow Solonn to ask what he was referring to, but no such question came. Managing to at least appear unfazed by Solonn’s continuing silent treatment, he resumed. “I happen to know that you have a particular aversion to eating meat,” he said; this revelation of Jal’tai’s knowledge surprised the human slightly, but not even the shadow of that surprise showed through his expression. “I inadvertently learned this about you at the same time that I confirmed your possession of the Speech. Knowing this about you, I did lament then and do apologize now for having to make you partake of the Specialty of the House the night before last, but the fact was that you needed it in order to have the strength to endure your transformation.

“However, you need never consume meat again if you don’t want to. Humans are omnivores, Solonn. They don’t have to feed on the flesh of others; they can obtain their protein from other sources. Good news for you, wouldn’t you say?”

The notion of never having to eat meat again might have been quite appealing to Solonn under different circumstances, but he could not see such a luxury as being worth what his transfiguration had cost him. Through silence, he rejected Jal’tai’s appeal.

Jal’tai let go of the bright, hopeful look in his eyes at this point, his brow and mouth setting into hard lines. “Well, Solonn,” he began, his tone quite stern now, “if you can’t see the merit in this for yourself, I certainly hope you can at least be glad for what your cooperation will help to make possible for others. After all, when it all comes down to it, this isn’t about you, me, or this city, but rather the world, the future.”

Here he let go of Solonn’s face and rose from the bed, hovering in place above the human. Solonn immediately turned away once more, trying to ignore the shadow that hung over him.

“The fact of the matter is that whether or not you think you’re ready to begin your new life, you must begin it nonetheless,” Jal’tai told him firmly. “I told you that I must soon be replaced as the mayor of this city, and I wasn’t fooling around about that. You have a lot to learn, Solonn, and you must begin doing so as soon as possible.”

Jal’tai left the room then, leaving Solonn alone with the swarm of thoughts infesting his mind, including the newly raised questions he had regarding what else the latios might have absorbed from his mind—and the doubt that that absorption had really been accidental. He figured that Jal’tai had probably just gone ahead and opened his mind wide while he’d slept in that theater, leaving no corner of his brain unscathed by the touch of his psychic powers, taking advantage of the fact that his subject was completely powerless to stop him.

That was the way Jal’tai liked things to be, Solonn determined without a doubt: the latios liked to be in total control of any given situation, to have those with whom he dealt in no position to contest his will. That was certainly the real reason why he had turned Solonn into a creature devoid of elemental power, the human reckoned: so that he couldn’t really fight back.

It wasn’t long before Jal’tai returned. Solonn, determined once more not to look upon him if he could at all help it, didn’t know that Jal’tai was once more in the room with him until the latios spoke.

“It’s time you started growing accustomed to your humanity, Solonn, but for your sake we’ll begin with small steps. Here,” Jal’tai said gently, then lowered something in front of Solonn.

Only part of the item hung into Solonn’s field of vision since his face was half-buried in the comforter underneath him. All that he could see was a length of black, folded fabric; he couldn’t discern what the item actually was.

Jal’tai seemed to recognize that Solonn didn’t really have the best view of what he was trying to show him. He unfolded the item and laid it down directly in front of Solonn’s face. Solonn was now able to clearly see that he had just been given a pair of boxer shorts.

“You do know how these go on, do you not?” Jal’tai asked.

Solonn stared at the shorts. He did have a fair understanding of how they were supposed to be worn; the pants that Morgan had worn were fundamentally similar, after all, albeit longer. Solonn was almost too weary in both body and spirit to bother with the boxers… however, the events of the night before were still fresh in his mind, and the memories of the more painful of those events shone especially vibrantly even through the haze of everything else on his mind. He still feared that if he didn’t do as the latios expected of him, he would risk being subjected once more to that psychic punishment.

Besides which, the boxers did offer the restoration of a small aspect of his dignity, at least. Solonn tried with only scant success to focus on that point in an effort to convince himself that his next actions were motivated by more than just terror as, without a word, he stirred, shifted, and took hold of the shorts. Rather awkwardly, he sat halfway up, staring at them for a moment as he turned them over in his hands, trying to figure out which side was which. Once he was sure that he had it right, he put on the boxers, slipping them over both ankles at once and wriggling clumsily the rest of the way into them.

“Hmm… I’m afraid you’ve got those on backwards, my boy,” Jal’tai said, wearing an odd expression that only partially succeeded in concealing a hint of amusement.

With a faint sigh, Solonn removed the garment and put it back on, correctly this time.

“That’s more like it,” Jal’tai said with a smile and a nod. “Now, wearing clothing, even as little of it as you’re presently wearing, might seem strange at first, but I promise you’ll get used to it quickly enough.”

Solonn found that statement to be a little odd coming from someone who could just pretend his clothes onto himself. Besides which, the notion of covering one’s self was not one that Solonn found strange at all; as a glalie, he had kept most of his body covered in ice at nearly all times.

“All right, then,” Jal’tai said with a clap of his talons, his voice seeming to have regained its former brightness. “Why don’t we take a little tour of this lovely little place, hmm? You will be living in this suite until you are ready to take my office, and so you might as well start making yourself at home here. Also, you’ll need to get an idea of how everything works around here; this suite has everything you need in your day-to-day life, but that does you no good if you don’t know where and how to get what you need.

“Up you get, then,” the latios said. He didn’t bother waiting for Solonn to get up of his own volition, certain that the human had no intention of doing any such thing anyway. Once again, he employed his telekinesis to move Solonn, lifting him off of the bed and onto his feet. He then relaxed his psychic hold on Solonn considerably, keeping him standing upright but not prohibiting his independent movement otherwise.

“No need to worry, my boy; I’ll not let you fall,” Jal’tai assured him. “Now, I know that this method of movement is about as different as is possible from the levitation you’d used to get around prior to your transfiguration, but still, walking on two legs shouldn’t be entirely alien to you. After all, you were born as a biped, were you not?”

That much was true; in fact, it had been less than three months since Solonn had last possessed legs. He had gotten around by walking for nearly two decades prior to his evolution.

You’ve done it before, Solonn reminded himself in a continuous loop as he stood there, but that mantra fell just short of successfully building and maintaining his confidence in his newly gained human legs. They were, after all, quite different from those he had possessed as a snorunt, seeming almost ridiculously long and gangly in comparison, looking incapable of supporting or moving him. He was so mistrustful of them that were it not for Jal’tai’s telekinesis keeping him upright, his lack of faith in them would have certainly caused them to give right out from under him.

Again, though, Solonn was very mindful of the threat that lay at the end of Jal’tai’s patience. The latios expected him to stand, to walk, to follow wherever he was led, and Solonn reckoned that he had better comply if he valued his safety. Inhaling deeply, trying but not quite succeeding to avoid overanalyzing what he was doing, he took one short, unsteady step forward and then another. He stopped then, standing still as he finally remembered to exhale the breath he had taken, trying to will himself to at least appear to relax and seem sure even if he couldn’t actually do these things in earnest. With an effort, he lifted his gaze from the carpet to the latios hovering nearby in an attempt to signal that he was good to go.

Jal’tai seemed to accept this, nodding slightly with a small smile. “Good, good. Come, then, let me show you around…”

He turned to his left and drifted out of the bedroom, then cast a look over his shoulder and made a beckoning motion with a single talon. Unenthusiastically, but mindfully compliant all the same, Solonn followed. He tried to move a little quicker and surer than he had done in the first couple of steps that he had taken on human legs, but his faith in those limbs was still somewhat lacking, and it showed. Though he was successfully moving forward, keeping fairly close to Jal’tai (though the latios’s deliberately slow drift was mostly to credit for Solonn’s ability to keep up with him), his legs were doing nearly as much wobbling as walking. But Jal’tai kept him steady, sustaining his telekinetic hold on the human to support him through his every step, no matter how unstable those steps might be.

He was led by the latios into the den, where there were especially many of those draconic statues. Solonn quickly found himself rather disliking their blithe expressions, the way they smiled as if they approved of what had been done to him. He was shown over to the green armchair next to which he had awakened on his first morning as a human and had witnessed the revelation of Jal’tai’s true identity.

Smiling, Jal’tai motioned for the human to come and stand beside him, the latios gesturing with his other talon toward one arm of the chair as he did so. Apparently, this was something that Jal’tai regarded as noteworthy, though Solonn couldn’t fathom why. He came to stand at Jal’tai’s side, trying once he did so not to shift about too conspicuously despite his unease around the latios.

“Have a look at this,” Jal’tai said as he laid a talon upon the arm of the chair, its soft surface yielding slightly as he clutched it. He then pulled upward on it, doing so slowly to ensure that the human at his side could clearly see what he was doing. The arm of the chair opened on an unseen hinge, revealing a previously hidden compartment from which the latios pulled out a small, silver device.

“This is the remote control for your entertainment system,” Jal’tai told him. “In case you’ve not seen one of these in use, observe.” He drifted over to a large oak armoire against the wall and opened it, revealing a television, a DVD player, and a CD player surrounded by speakers. Jal’tai then returned to Solonn’s side and pointed the remote at the devices.

“Pay close attention, now,” Jal’tai instructed, and indicated first one of the remote’s buttons and then another. He repeated this action a couple of times, seeming intent on making sure that Solonn memorized the sequence, then pushed the two buttons in succession. The CD player came awake with golden LED numbers, and a split-second later, a light, jazzy tune began issuing from the speakers.

Jal’tai allowed the music to play for a few moments, seeming to enjoy it as he listened, smiling slightly, his eyes closed. He then shut the music off, making certain to let Solonn see how he did so.

“If you’re not in the mood for music, you could always enjoy what the television has to offer,” the latios said, then demonstrated how to turn the television on. The screen lit up with an image of a human in a brightly colored suit and tie who was standing in front of a brown car while shouting about being crazy and about offering the lowest prices in Hoenn.

“You’ve got three hundred and fifty-one channels to choose from. These arrows here—” He indicated two more of the remote’s buttons. “—will let you cycle up and down through them one at a time, or you can go straight to a channel by inputting its number with the numeral buttons. I’m sure you’ll memorize the numbers of the good ones quickly enough…” He cast a brief glance back at the television, where a different human was pictured offering the secret to shed excess weight around the hips, thighs, and buttocks; Jal’tai regarded the commercial with an odd look before turning back to Solonn.

“I’ll admit, most of those channels are pure rubbish around the clock,” he said almost apologetically, “but there are also a couple of real quality stations—they’re broadcast from right here in Convergence,” he informed Solonn, his tone colored with unmistakable pride on the last statement. He changed the channel again, and this time images of pokémon rather than humans appeared on the screen. A ledian was seated behind a desk. Beside him, a small image appeared of three smeargle being led out of a building by a medicham in a police uniform and two houndoom with badges affixed to collars around their necks.

“Police have finally apprehended the vandals responsible for defacing storefronts downtown on multiple occasions,” the ledian anchorman reported, while at the bottom of the screen, his words were displayed in unown-script subtitles for the benefit of human viewers. “Whether these individuals were actively trying to claim territory or were merely acting toward their own amusement remains unclear, but the CPD has issued a statement saying that whatever their motives might have—”

Jal’tai turned off the television, then replaced the remote control in its storage compartment within the arm of the chair. “There’s something else I have to show you with regards to the television, but let’s finish having our look around first, shall we?”

The latios departed the den, and Solonn shuffled out after him with a final glance back at the now dark and lifeless television screen. He wasn’t particularly impressed with it; he was already somewhat familiar with television, having watched it with Morgan a couple of times back when he was still small enough to be kept indoors. Even then, though the ability of that device to reproduce images and sounds even more faithfully than one’s own memory could do was certainly an incredible achievement in his eyes, what he’d seen of its programming had fallen short of appealing to his tastes. Under normal circumstances, the idea of the stations this city boasted, run by pokémon for pokémon, might have been fairly intriguing to him. But again, these were far from normal circumstances.

Solonn was guided next into a walk-in closet. It was fairly long and wide enough to admit Jal’tai’s generous, rigid wingspan, albeit only just.

“Now, it was never my intent to have you running around in your underwear all the time,” Jal’tai said, with yet another of his chuckles. “Here, I have provided you with an exquisite collection of some of the finest menswear money can buy. I’ve spared no expense for you, my boy—why, just look at this here.” He gestured to his right, where a navy blue jacket hung.

Much less interested in it than the latios seemed to be, “Hm,” Solonn said with the ghost of a nod, just for the sake of giving some response to appease Jal’tai. In truth, he found nothing at all remarkable about the garment. He was equally unmoved by the other articles of clothing that Jal’tai showed him from what was now his wardrobe, but he gave the latios, who was obviously quite proud of these purchases, an occasional, noncommittal noise or vague nod, feigning at least some interest in and attention to what was being presented to him. In spirit, however, he could not be farther from the closet and the expensive fashions therein, let alone any care for these things.

As there wasn’t room enough in the closet for Jal’tai to turn around, the dragon chose to teleport in order to make his exit. He then resumed his tour, ushering Solonn into a spacious bathroom, one that had been designed with multiple, varying species in mind. It contained sinks at three different heights and four different kinds of toilets. The shower was quite large, and it possessed multiple spigots of varying shapes and sizes; in addition to the standard one that dispensed water, the extra spigots offered bathing options such as “mud”, “sand”, and “acid”, according to a large, yellow label affixed just outside the shower compartment. There were labels of this sort next to each of the fixtures, bearing instructions for their use in human- and unown-script. Solonn noted that there were also small, white labels, apparently handwritten, that designated certain of the fixtures for human use.

There were also mirrors in this room: one over each sink and a tall one that stood alone against the opposite wall. It was in the latter mirror that Solonn saw his new, human face for the first time. The dark eyes that had become his own stared back at him from within the glass, bloodshot and glazed over with a listless despair. The expression on that face seemed to plead to be looked upon no more, as if considering itself a sight that could not be endured, and the man who beheld it could indeed not stand the sight. Their features seized by anguish, both his face and its mirror image turned harshly away from one another.

Solonn did not notice at first when Jal’tai spoke next, the dragon’s words reaching him with a delay through the fog enveloping his mind.

“This, Solonn, is where you’ll attend to your hygienic needs… among other needs,” the latios said. “Be sure to read those labels; they’ll show you exactly how to use these things, as well as which among them you should use and which you should not. Generally speaking, most of this equipment is for the purposes of cleaning and grooming yourself, whereas this—” Jal’tai craned his neck toward the toilets, pointing at the one that was labeled as suitable for use by humans. “—well, its purpose is…”

Short moments later, they both left the bathroom and the topic of its purposes. Jal’tai then brought Solonn to the other end of the suite, where the kitchen was located. The room itself was quite small, as were the appliances within it: the refrigerator, sink, counter, and electric range were much shorter than their counterparts in kitchens designed solely for human use (though the refrigerator was also rather wider than the typical human-style model, so as not to forsake any of its capacity). Cabinets, drawers, a toaster, a blender, and a microwave oven were also set up at heights that were convenient for smaller species. Yellow instruction labels like those found in the bathroom were present here, too, detailing the use of each of the appliances. There was also a modest dining area adjoined to the kitchen, containing a small, low table and a trio of cushioned, wooden stools.

“Here is where you can get yourself something to eat whenever the need or desire arises, as I would imagine it surely must have by now,” Jal’tai said. “You must be famished, hmm?”

Indeed Solonn was hungry, and considerably so; he had not eaten since the evening before last, after all. However, he had been so preoccupied through much of the time since that that sensation, as well as several other physical complaints, had gone very largely ignored. Still, for the dragon’s sake, “Hm,” he responded, yet another minimal noise, with yet another minimal nod as the sole factor indicating his reply as affirmative.

“Mmm-hmm, figured as much,” Jal’tai said with a warm smile (that the latios had just smiled at the confirmation of his hunger was not lost on Solonn, nor did it fail to bother him). He pulled first a bowl and then a box of frosted corn flakes from the cabinets, setting both items down on top of the kitchen counter. He then fetched a quart-sized carton of milk from the refrigerator and a nanab berry from a bowl of fruit that sat on the dining room table and set them down on the counter, as well. Faintly humming the jazzy tune from earlier, the dragon dispensed a small amount of cereal and milk into the bowl, then diced up the nanab with his claws and put the fruit into the bowl, too.

Jal’tai took a spoon out from the drawer and brought it along with the bowl of cereal to the table, then fixed a glass of milk, set it upon the table as well, and beckoned Solonn to come over. The human complied, stopping a couple of feet away from Jal’tai as the latios pulled out a chair for him, indicating with a talon that he expected Solonn to take his seat here.

Having seen Morgan sit down before, Solonn had a sense of how it was done in human-fashion—he knew what the action looked like, at least. At any rate, it was enough for him to just try it without much hesitation. He moved over to the chair, trying to allow his body to fold up and conform to it in a way that matched the image of a seated human in his memory. He did a fairly commendable job of it, too, although he did drop himself onto the stool a little too hard, resulting in a bit of an unpleasant shock to his tailbone despite the chair’s cushioning.

“I certainly hope you like this,” Jal’tai said pleasantly as he hovered beside Solonn. “It’s something for which I confess to have developed something of an addiction,” he said with a chuckle. “Plus, it’s something that’s very easy to whip up; I’m sure that you can do it yourself anytime now that you’ve seen me do it. Now, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that this is the sort of thing you ought to be living on, but as far as more advanced meal preparation goes… well, no one becomes a master chef in a day, now do they?” He laughed again, then turned an expectant gaze straight into Solonn’s eyes. “Well, have at it, then!” he said cheerfully.

Solonn turned his gaze downward and merely stared into his cereal for a moment. He was not particularly moved to eat despite his body’s need for him to do so, but with the latios hanging around like a second shadow, he reckoned that he’d better just get it over and done. Almost robotically, he began to lower his hand toward the bowl—but it was caught short of descending into the cereal by the swift action of a blue, three-clawed talon.

“Whoops!” Jal’tai exclaimed, laughing. “I can’t believe I could be so forgetful… Here.” He lifted the spoon from where it sat beside the bowl. “Use this; it’s proper human etiquette, not to mention less messy. You just scoop it up like this,” he said, miming the action a couple of times in demonstration before handing the spoon to Solonn.

Solonn did well enough with the spoon; he only spilled a couple of spoonfuls. The sweet flavor of the cereal and berries was not unpleasant to him, but failed to pique his interest. His apathy toward eating made it somewhat difficult to finish his breakfast, but he managed to finish it nonetheless, earning a pleased smile from the draconic face that had been hovering beside him in order to ensure that the human accepted the food and drink that he had been given.

“There, now wasn’t that nice?” Jal’tai asked, earning himself another of the human’s vague responses. He took a small roll of paper towels from the cabinets, tearing one off to clean up the spilled cereal, then disposed of the used tissue and put the bowl, spoon, and glass into the sink. Once he was finished tidying up, he motioned for Solonn to rise and follow him once more, and the human did so without a word, allowing himself to be led back into the den.

Once there, Jal’tai immediately took the remote from its compartment in the arm of the green chair and turned on the television, bringing a rather tone-deaf, singing meowth to life on the screen. “You’ll recall that I mentioned having something else to show you over here, correct?” the latios said as he made his way over to the armoire, opening the cabinet under the television and producing a DVD jewel case from it. Solonn gave even less of a response than he had been giving, but Jal’tai didn’t seem to mind.

The dragon looked over his shoulder and saw Solonn just standing there beside the armchair. “Go ahead and have a seat in that chair,” he instructed the human while carefully prying the DVD out of its case with his claws. “Watch me carefully, now,” he said once he saw that Solonn had sat down where he was told to sit. He turned on the DVD player, inserted the disc into it, and then went over to hover right beside Solonn.

“This is just one of a series of videos I made specially for the benefit of my successor in the event that said successor would come to me in the form of a pokémon,” Jal’tai said as the video started, bringing up a simple menu in unown-script onto the screen. The menu bore only two options: “Setup” and “Play”. “Now, to begin the video, you simply press these.” He highlighted the “Play” option and pressed the “ENTER” button, making certain that his actions were performed in clear view of Solonn and not too quickly to be followed. “This will pause it if you need to take a break while viewing; this one will go back and replay certain parts if you feel you need to review them or if you miss something; and this one will stop it when you’ve finished watching it,” he explained, indicating others among the remote’s buttons. “Then just take the disc out and put it back where it belongs—the ‘OPEN’ button is right there on the device; you’ll also find ‘POWER’ buttons on all the devices there to turn them off when you’re done using them.”

Meanwhile, the video began to play. Rather loud, synthesizer-based music blared forth, and the title “Humanity and You” appeared on the screen in brightly colored letters.

Jal’tai grinned. “I think you’ll enjoy these, Solonn; they really turned out quite nicely, in my opinion. These videos will help you learn the basic habits and skills of living as a human. Once you’ve watched this volume, you can just pop in another one and watch that. Mind you, they are numbered, and you’d do well to watch them in numerical order—some of the later ones might be a bit confusing if you don’t,” he advised Solonn, chuckling yet again.

Jal’tai placed the remote in Solonn’s hand, then drifted over to the wall that separated the suite from the hall outside. “I’ll check in on you again sometime soon,” he said. “Oops… I fear you might have missed some of the beginning of that video due to my talking,” he added, sounding mildly embarrassed and apologetic. “You might want to back that up, then. Well, anyway, I’ll be seeing you!” With that, the dragon left the suite, once again foregoing the keypad and transport tile and teleporting out instead.

Solonn stared dully at the television screen, not really absorbing anything occurring there and not bothering to restart the video from the beginning as per Jal’tai’s advice, either. His mind was still on Jal’tai even though the latios had left. Solonn had stashed much of his loathing for Jal’tai deep within his mind while in his presence, silently detached from it through a sort of numb, temporary resignation born out of self-preservation. But now, with the latios no longer shadowing him, all of the offense, hatred, and bitter indignation that Jal’tai had inspired within him came to the forefront once again.

Solonn very briefly allowed his attention to light upon the video. Almost immediately, he shut the doors of his mind to it once more. He had quickly developed a rather strong dislike for the program, for it was, after all, the handiwork of that latios, just another element of his scheme. Solonn paid the video no further mind even as it concluded, returned to the menu screen, and began playing its loud theme music on a continuous loop.


* * *

(CONTINUED)

[Sike Saner]

Solonn continued to feign compliance during Jal’tai’s next visit two days later, looking at whatever he was shown, doing whatever he was told to do, and managing to show no outward sign of resentment or indignation. As soon as the dragon left, however, that veneer fell away, leaving behind a bitter, despondent man who, for the most part, just languished through the hours, lacking the spirit to look after himself beyond the bare minimum needed to keep himself alive. He barely slept, his mind too besieged by thoughts of what lay behind, what might lie in the future, and what could now never come to be to allow him any peace. He didn’t bathe or groom himself in any way, nor did he bother to further his assimilation into his forced humanity by watching any of the latios’s training videos. He ate only when Jal’tai was actually present to monitor him and make sure that he did.

The self-neglect was beginning to take its toll on Solonn—developments that did not go unnoticed by the latios, as Solonn learned the very next evening on Jal’tai’s third visit.

Jal’tai materialized in the room, and Solonn met his eye at once from where he sat in that green armchair. From the moment the dragon appeared, Solonn knew that this visit would not be like the others. The friendly, jovial countenance that the latios had worn during his previous visits was gone; his face was instead a hard-lined mask, the expression not quite readable, but Solonn was sure that it was not a sign of a pleased latios.

Lowering his head slightly and folding his arms in front of his chest, Jal’tai brought himself to hover right in front of Solonn. His feathered brows drew together as if he were wincing in pain, allowing some evidence of concern to show through his features. He held the human’s dark, flat stare for a long moment, then shook his head pityingly.

“Look at you…” the dragon said quietly. He moved even closer to Solonn, his gaze burning upon the former glalie’s unshaven face from only a few inches away now. “Solonn,” he said, his tone heavy, “I know that you’ve been neglecting yourself and your lessons. This won’t do, my boy. This won’t do at all.”

Though the human’s slackened, expressionless features showed no sign of it, a spark of fear awakened and began swiftly growing deep within Solonn, something not quite conscious, something primal. Jal’tai knew that he wasn’t getting what he wanted from his would-be successor, and Solonn strongly suspected that he was about to suffer for disappointing the latios—and perhaps this time Jal’tai would simply give up on ever getting what he wanted from Solonn and decide to cut his losses. In silent terror, Solonn awaited the fuchsia blaze in the dragon’s eyes and the agony that would follow… but no such things came.

“I told you emphatically that you must find it in yourself to make peace with this life,” Jal’tai said soberly, “for it is something you cannot change. I told you this for a very good reason, Solonn: you cannot live a life that you do not accept. If you keep on like this, you’ll waste away… I cannot allow that, Solonn. There is too much at stake. I will not see the future of my city, my mission, simply fade out like this.”

He ascended higher into the air, stopping just short of scraping the ceiling with his wingtips. From this height, his gaze bore down upon Solonn, its intensity further stoking the human’s certainty that he was about to meet a terrible demise. But still the latios made no move to harm him.

“For the sake of your destiny, as well as that of Convergence and the most noble cause for which it stands, serenity will be instilled in you,” he told Solonn firmly. “Fortunately, I have come across someone who should be of a tremendous benefit to that end. Her name is Neleng, and you will be having your first session with her tonight. She ought to be arriving in less than an hour.

“I dearly hope to see improvement in you, Solonn. There’s no need for you to make things harder for yourself than you already have.” With those words, Jal’tai made his exit in his usual fashion, vanishing in a burst of golden light.

Solonn’s eyes lingered for a while upon the empty space where Jal’tai had just been, resenting the latios’s ability to simply be gone from this place in a flash—he wished that he could do the same. The ease with which Jal’tai could come and go as he pleased only seemed to rub Solonn’s nose into the fact that he was stuck in the suite, unable to leave. Solonn wondered if perhaps that was part of the reason why Jal’tai always chose to teleport out.

As the minutes passed, Solonn merely sat there, doing nothing. He wasn’t really anticipating Neleng’s arrival; he had been too preoccupied with the notion that he was possibly going to be punished and maybe even killed to pay much attention to what Jal’tai had been saying during his visit. The matter of the impending arrival of another visitor had been pushed to the back of his mind.

At length, the computerized voice of the suite announced an incoming arrival; Solonn, expecting it to be Jal’tai again, was faintly surprised to find someone and something very different appearing within the suite: a chimecho. He was a bit confused by the newly arrived guest until the memory of Jal’tai’s mention of a visitor surfaced within his mind. It was someone with an “N”-name, as far as he recalled; he couldn’t remember the exact name.

The visitor made her way into the den at once, her tail trailing from beneath her as she drifted through the air. She stopped before Solonn and smiled.

“Good evening,” she greeted him in an airy voice. “My name is Neleng, and I’m here to help clear your mind. Are you ready to begin?”

Solonn didn’t respond, gazing upon the chimecho with uncertainty. He had no idea of what this creature was planning to do and therefore couldn’t really be ready for it in any way.

Neleng, however, seemed to have been prepared to proceed regardless of any answer or lack thereof that she might have received. She beamed at him as brightly as if he had just agreed with the utmost enthusiasm to whatever she was about to do. “Very well, then,” she said. She rose upward until the golden suction disc on the top of her head met the ceiling and took hold of it, clinging tightly yet effortlessly.

The chimecho gave a few gentle ripples of her tail as she hung there, smiling serenely down upon Solonn. “Just relax… Float away on a breeze of music…” she said. She began swaying there where she hung, very slowly, very gracefully, and then she began to sing.

She began with only a single voice, but it gradually unfolded into a chorus of many, one voice at a time. Harmonies and countermelodies gracefully intertwined, weaving in and out amongst one another, merging, diverging, and reuniting in cycles.

The music surrounded Solonn, absorbing his mind as it seemed to swirl around him. Under the song’s spell, everything else within the scope of his consciousness was washed away. Soon, the world around him was comprised solely of the swirling currents of melody. Nothing else existed. Nothing else mattered.

He didn’t notice at first when the song finally ended some twenty minutes later. Once he did, he began looking about somewhat dazedly for the source of the music, briefly unable to remember from whence it had come. Then the last of the psychic residue that the chimecho’s song had left within his mind cleared… and he realized slowly that as it had gone, the swarming miseries that had plagued his mind during these past few days had faded.

Not that he had been truly and entirely purged of them; undeniable anguish and bitterness remained within him and would continue to do so as long as did their source: the unwanted, elementless body and the suite that both imprisoned him. But by the preternatural qualities of Neleng’s song, all of those thoughts and feelings, though no more pleasant than they had previously been, were now tamed to a degree. They were now organized in a sense, not perfectly but well enough that they no longer smothered him with their weight. His spirit was freed to begin to rise up out of his fog of despondency, awakening as if from a long and muddling trance.

Solonn’s memory realigned with his awareness; he recalled the sequence of the most recent events as they had occurred. Jal’tai had shown up, saying that Solonn would have a visitor, then Neleng had arrived and had begun to sing. After that point, his memory was still very hazy; he couldn’t remember what had happened between the start of the chimecho’s song and its end, if indeed he had ever actually known what had happened at all.

He turned his sights up to where Neleng was still hanging and still swaying slightly. She appeared to be slowly emerging from a meditative state. She did something to me, Solonn strongly suspected, something psychic… Exactly what she had done, he couldn’t be sure. He hoped that it hadn’t been anything harmful, but he was inclined to have a dark feeling about it since she had, after all, been sent to him by Jal’tai.

The chimecho finally fell still, sighing softly as her eyes slowly opened. She detached herself from the ceiling, smiling gently as she descended once more.

“I will see you again tomorrow,” she said. “Drift free until then…”

Neleng floated away then, and Solonn’s gaze followed her as she made her way back to the wall between the suite and the hall outside. She stopped before the lens that was set into the wall and brought the end of her tail up to reach the keypad beside it, folding its prehensile tip and using it to input a sequence of eight numbers. The transport tile below her awakened with green light, and she lowered herself onto it with a quickness that she hadn’t exhibited before. The lens awakened and scanned her, and a second later, she was gone in a green flash.

Solonn’s eyes lingered for a long moment in that direction, looking upon the lens and keypad with a twinge of envy toward the chimecho who had just used them to leave the suite. He longed to do the same, but the system that had offered an open gateway to Neleng also created the barrier that held him there in that suite, for it would only admit those who possessed the codes to open the way in or out.

Jal’tai had shared the codes with Neleng. He had not shared them with Solonn, and he likely had no intention of doing so anytime soon or possibly ever, Solonn was sure. It seemed to him that Jal’tai was intent on keeping him trapped there, while the latios and those whom he employed to aid him could just come and go as they pleased with those codes. Furthermore, Jal’tai himself didn’t even need them; he had the option of teleporting, and he made use of it, too. In fact, he never even bothered with the keypad and tile to get out…

Something clicked into place in Solonn’s brain and clicked hard: Jal’tai never used the transport tile to get out, but he always used it to get in… but why? Solonn found himself locked into puzzling over the matter at once; this habit of Jal’tai’s was peculiar to him in a distinctly nagging way, one that clearly marked itself as significant. He at first chiefly wondered, as he had done on more than one occasion before, why the latios bothered with the tile at all; couldn’t he just instantly, conveniently enter in the same way as he exited? Why the dragon did not teleport into the suite was a matter that Solonn couldn’t seem to figure out… but when his mind inverted the question, wondering why Jal’tai did teleport to get out…

The first answer that came to Solonn’s mind at that question was that Jal’tai did it that way simply because he could. But another possible angle occurred to Solonn a beat later: perhaps Jal’tai avoided using the keypad code to leave the suite on the chance that the human might pick up the code from seeing him use it. To Solonn’s mind, it made sense; Jal’tai was just being cautious.

A second later, a powerful realization struck him as his mind was thrown back to what he had just witnessed mere minutes earlier: Jal’tai was being cautious, but Neleng was not…

There was a feeling like a sudden, sharp blow to his chest, seizing his heart in an almost painful thrill. Incredible though it seemed, after all of the work and planning that Jal’tai had clearly put into his endeavor to prepare his replacement, the latios had made a mistake in giving the codes to that chimecho, a mistake whose ramifications had the potential to severely undermine his plans.

All of a sudden, the way from here seemed almost ridiculously clear to Solonn. Neleng held the means for him to escape—he needed only to observe her closely on her departure from now on. He could possibly obtain the code that would allow him to leave the suite by watching her use it.

There remained, however, the matter of what he would do after he got out. No longer being the glalie that he once was and having no real way to prove that he ever was such, returning to Virc-Dho now no longer seemed like an option. The only other familiar place he had to go was Lilycove… and as he thought of that, it occurred to him that if Morgan had been successfully reunited with her other pokémon—or at least with one of the psychics among them—perhaps one of them could look into his mind and confirm to her that he was indeed what he would claim to be. If so, then he could at least have the option of making a new home among some of his friends even if he could never go back to his original home.

But then another thought occurred to him, one that sent a chill straight into his heart: after he made his escape, Jal’tai would be sure to try and find him—and since Solonn had specifically mentioned having fled from Lilycove, that was one of the places where Jal’tai was sure to look.

In his mind, the human saw Jal’tai in the Yorkes’ house with both Morgan and Eliza lying unconscious before him as he scoured their minds for information that might lead him to Solonn. The thought of them having their minds violated in such a manner disgusted Solonn, and the picture that came to him when he imagined what might happen if any of Morgan’s other pokémon were there to try and stop Jal’tai sickened him even further—he suspected that not even all of them combined would be able to take on the latios and that their resisting him could quite possibly cost them their lives.

He sighed heavily; it seemed that Lilycove was out of the question as well, leaving him to wonder just where he could go.

Anywhere but here will do, Solonn decided finally, resolutely, anywhere he isn’t. It seemed that Solonn could not reclaim the life he had once known, that he could no longer share it with the people whom he had known, but he could at least make his life his own again, taking it out of Jal’tai’s talons. He didn’t know what sort of future could possibly lie ahead of him now, but at least now there was a chance that it could be his future, his choice.

With a deep breath, Solonn rose from the chair, shakily but determinedly. He leveled a hard stare at that wall, that barrier separating him from the way to freedom. Soon, he told himself silently, he would surpass that barrier. Soon, he would take back his life.


* * *

From the moment that he’d discovered the way by which he would try to escape, Solonn carried on in a very different manner than he had done in the days prior. He knew and accepted now that he would have to prepare himself for the life that he would have to forge once he was free—a human life.

So it was that not long after Neleng had left him, he had sat down and watched one of Jal’tai’s training videos. Though not fond of the notion of partaking of something that Jal’tai had made, he’d determined that he would just have to bite back his resentment of the dragon in this matter. The videos were a source of valuable information and demonstration, offering knowledge that he would need in his new life, and so he had decided that he would watch as many of them as he could before the time came when he would finally succeed in obtaining the code that would get him out of the suite.

He had also regained the strength of spirit to really take care of himself again, fueled by the hope of impending freedom. He tried to get at least a couple of hours of sleep each night and bothered to feed himself whenever he hungered, for he knew that he would need his strength for his upcoming escape. From the videos, as well as from the next couple of visits by Jal’tai, he learned how to prepare a small variety of meals, but was still not quite courageous enough to try and make anything that required actual cooking, for it just seemed too easy to ruin such dishes—it wouldn’t do for him to burn more food than he ate, after all.

The videos also illustrated the importance of good hygiene and dressing well in human society, lessons which motivated Solonn to begin practicing human hygienic rituals. Though his first attempt at a bath resulted in minor scalding and his first attempt at shaving left his face bleeding in no fewer than six places, he generally did a fairly competent job in keeping himself tidy and assured himself that he would improve in these skills with time and practice. He also began fully dressing himself rather than just lounging about in his underwear, for he knew from both those videos and his time with the Yorkes that humans generally kept most of their bodies covered at all times.

During his visits over the course of these days, Jal’tai noticed the improvements in Solonn’s well-being, and as a result the latios’s demeanor around him was even more lively and jovial than ever and with no signs of stern displeasure—it seemed that his would-be successor was finally accepting and growing into the role that had been chosen for him.

Though Solonn’s temperament was definitely improving, Jal’tai still sent Neleng over each night to perform her mindsong therapy; Solonn reckoned that the latios had decided that those sessions might as well continue since they seemed to be doing the human some good. Indeed they were, but not just in the way that the latios had intended—Neleng’s sessions helped to keep Solonn’s mind clear, which in turn allowed him to stay focused and determined to achieve his goal of escape.

The chimecho was fulfilling her role in Solonn’s endeavor most obligingly; at the end of each of her visits, she let herself out by means of the transport tile. From that green armchair, he had watched her out of the corner of his eye on the evening of her second visit, trying not to be overtly conspicuous about it, but had found that this did not provide the best angle from which to get a good look at precisely what she was doing.

But shortly thereafter, he had thought to shift that chair just ever so slightly toward the wall that bore the lens and keypad, just enough to hopefully give him a somewhat better view of that area without it being too obvious that he had moved the chair. Sure enough, as he had learned the following evening when Neleng returned once more, this new angle did make it rather easier to see what she was doing. Thus, from that point forward, he had been able to watch Neleng without being too conspicuous about it, trying each time as he did so to discern and memorize the code that she used to exit the room.

It was following the eighth session with Neleng, eleven days after the morning when he had first awakened as a human, that Solonn was ready at last to make his move. After carefully watching the chimecho input that code on multiple occasions, he was now quite sure that he had successfully learned it.

Jal’tai had visited earlier that day, and Neleng had just left an hour or so ago, so Solonn wasn’t expecting either of them anywhere near the suite again anytime soon. If ever there was an optimal time to make a break for it, he reckoned that this was it.

He stood there before the keypad, his breathing shallow as his chest tightened with anxiety. He raised a trembling, sweating hand to the keys, and one by one, his shaking index finger found each of the code’s eight digits as his mind recalled them in sequence:

Seven… three… four… nine… zero… four… six… two…

The next second felt to Solonn like it would never end, a lingering moment of wondering if he had succeeded and fearing that he had not. Then that second passed, and to Solonn’s immeasurable relief, the tile below his feet took on that familiar, green glow and the lens before him scanned him.

The tile gave a bright flash. He felt the tingling sensation over the surface of his skin that he’d experienced the last time that he’d used the transport tile, vaguely noting that it seemed curiously stronger this time. Then he was rushed swiftly through a state of physical nonexistence, emerging from it to rematerialize on the other side of the wall.

His eyes met the scene of the corridor around him, and a giddy sort of disbelief spread through him. A beat later, he dared to believe what the sight surrounding him signified: he had done it. He was out and could now make his bid for freedom.

His mind reviewed the events that had taken place in that corridor the last time that he had been there, replaying them in reverse to recall how he had gotten from the part of the building where the exit lay to where he now stood. It was difficult to extract much detail from his memory regarding those events, for at the time when they had occurred, he had been under the influence of the drugs that Jal’tai had slipped into his food, which had hampered his perception to no small degree. He managed to remember the elevator, however, and seemed to recall that it was nearby. Sure enough, he soon spotted it.

The steel elevator doors before Solonn were shut tightly. There was a button beside the doors, set somewhat low in the wall; as Solonn’s eyes fell upon it, he remembered that Jal’tai had pushed a button to enter the elevator. He stooped down slightly and pushed the button, but for a few moments, nothing seemed to happen, giving Solonn another surge of fear that his escape would fail. But then the doors opened, and Solonn passed through them without a second’s hesitation.

Once he was inside, the doors closed. Solonn tried to ignore the rather bland music that was playing in the elevator as he waited for them to open again and release him into the lobby. Moments on end passed, but no such thing happened. Solonn was first confused by this, then worried—and then he noticed the line of buttons next to the doors, above which was a label reading “Please Select Your Desired Floor”. The elevator was not moving because he had not yet told it where he wanted it to go.

You idiot… he reprimanded himself silently as he looked over the buttons. They were numbered from one to seven; he reckoned that each one corresponded to a different level of the building and that the button marked “1”, bearing the lowermost number, represented the lowermost floor, where the doors that led out of the building were. That was the floor he wanted.

He pressed that button, and a breath later, a funny little plummeting sensation in his stomach signified the elevator’s descent. Soon after, the elevator came to a stop and its steel doors slid open, revealing a view of the spacious lobby—and the exit beyond.

The lobby was currently relatively quiet, with no one present except for the swampert receptionist and a solitary primeape off in the corner, the latter staring with a rather dull expression at a television on which a cartoon was playing. Solonn was very conscious of their presence and quite nervous around them, but knew that he should try to act nonchalant so as not to draw too much attention to himself. As far as those two needed to be concerned, he was just a human being like any other, no one particularly worthy of notice, with no reason why he should not be in that lobby or heading out those doors. He intended to leave them in that mindset.

Without a word, he crossed the room to the exit. Those last doors separating him from the way out of Convergence slid silently out of his way, and he stepped out into a starless, overcast night.

He cast one last look behind him at the towering structure of the Convergence Inn, the place where his identity and element had been lost, the place that had been his prison for nearly two weeks. He averted his gaze from it almost immediately and began moving away from it at a brisk pace with the desire to never have to behold that place again.

Solonn was forced to stop at the next corner, where cars sped up and down the street in his way. He shivered as he stood there; the silk shirt and simple slacks that he had chosen to wear that day offered little protection against the chilly, late-September wind that whipped at him. Not terribly far away, he just managed to identify the dark line of trees that represented the border between Convergence and its surrounding woods—that was his goal. The vehicles rushing by were currently barring his path… but seconds later, the flow of traffic in his way ceased. He took advantage of this at once, hurriedly crossing the street while the way was clear.

His eyes locked onto the boundary beyond which the world didn’t belong to Jal’tai—the sooner he reached it, the better, he knew. He wanted to make a dash for the trees, but having only recently become fully accustomed to walking on his new legs, he was somewhat wary of the notion of running.

He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of doubt. If you can walk, you can run, he told himself silently. Don’t think about it; just do it! Hesitating no longer, he broke into a run with a somewhat awkward start, stumbling over the first step and nearly overcorrecting afterward.

Once Solonn managed to stabilize himself, he silently told himself not to stop running, not until he reached that forest. However, he was unused to running for any great distance, and exhaustion came on quite swiftly. Nonetheless, he ignored his body’s demands for him to stop and take a rest, his sights and his determination fixed upon his goal. But he was forced to stop two blocks away from the Convergence Inn by another red light, another wave of rushing cars in his path.

Solonn gritted his teeth in pain as he waited anxiously for a break in the traffic, the cold, sharp wind tearing through his throat with each harsh, gasping breath that his lungs tore from the air in their need. The forest was now not much further before him than the Convergence Inn was behind him; the closer he got to his goal, the more impatient to reach it he became.

Finally, the path before him was clear and safe again. His body was quite averse to taking off and running again since he had not even caught his breath completely from the last dash, but with such a short way left to go before he could put this city and the latios to whom it belonged behind him for good, he just couldn’t wait to close that final distance.

Amber sparkles of light streaked past him: rays from the streetlights that were distorted by the tears that the stinging wind and everything else that he was presently suffering brought to his eyes as he ran. Shooting pains stabbed into his ribs, and there was a burning ache in his stomach and legs. Still, he kept running, desperate to escape Convergence no matter how it hurt. As far as he was concerned at this point, living free was worth any suffering.

Very nearly at the verge of collapsing, with his heart hammering so violently that it seemed ready to explode at any second, Solonn reached Convergence’s limit at last. He was seconds from crossing the boundary—

—And then blazing jets of fire shot forth from either side with a loud fwooossssh and surged up before him. With an almost voiceless cry of alarm and surprise, he backpedaled at once from the burning line of flames in his path, stumbling and falling backwards in the haste of his reaction. He tried to get back to his feet but failed. Realizing his legs’ unwillingness to support him again anytime soon after what he had just forced them to do, he instead started scrabbling backward to escape from the fire before him only to be stopped very soon after when he bumped into something.

Throwing a fearful glance over his shoulder, Solonn saw two houndoom, golden badges affixed to their collars glinting in the light from the flames. Their jaws dripped with glowing embers as they stared him down, and both of them growled ominously.

“Hold it right there,” one of them snarled menacingly. “You’re not going anywhere.”

As if to emphasize the point, the blazing line suddenly advanced at either side, forming a burning circle around Solonn and the two houndoom. The flames roared as they danced on all sides, but they did not touch him, as if something was holding them at bay.

That something—or someone, rather—seemed to just drop right out of the air in front of Solonn in the next moment, landing without a sound. A medicham in a police uniform now stood before him—Solonn had been so singularly focused on the path directly in front of him that he had failed to see her perched in the trees up ahead, awaiting him.

Her eyes held a fuchsia glow, a sign of the psychic powers that she was using to manipulate the two houndoom’s flames and keep them in check, but Solonn feared that it instead meant that she was about to subject him to the same kind of telekinetic punishment that Jal’tai had used on him. As it was, he found that he now couldn’t move at all, and he was sure that his exhaustion wasn’t solely to blame.

The circle of flames simply and abruptly vanished, and the medicham stepped forward. She took hold of Solonn’s arms, and using a combination of her telekinesis and her own physical strength, she brought him back to his feet. Solonn wanted to struggle but found, to no real surprise on his part, that he was still unable to move of his own accord.

The houndoom stepped aside as the medicham moved to stand behind Solonn. Once there, she took both of his wrists in her hands, gripping them tightly.“Start walking,” she commanded him, her voice soft but her tone unmistakably serious.

Tentatively, not quite daring to believe that the medicham could have loosened her psychic hold on him enough to let him move outside of her control, Solonn tried to take a step forward and succeeded. He then tried to pull himself out of the medicham’s grasp, but it was much too strong for him to break, especially given how very little strength his dash from the Convergence Inn had left him. Resigned to the fact that that there was nothing he could do to resist her, Solonn could not help but allow the medicham to drive him onward, dreading whatever lay at their destination as he walked.

The cops brought him back into town, the medicham telekinetically keeping her captive from collapsing, the houndoom directing nips at his feet whenever he faltered in his steps. At length, they arrived at a very tall, brick building downtown. A brass sign hung over its entrance, lit from below by bright lights and bearing the words “CONVERGENCE TOWER”.

The houndoom pushed the doors open, and the medicham shoved Solonn into the building, still holding on to him tightly. He was steered into an elevator, which made a long ascent before letting him and the cops out into a short hallway with massive, wooden doors at its end.

The doors filled Solonn’s vision as his captors came to a stop before them. A speaker mounted in the wall to his left awakened with a brief crackle of static, and then the last voice in the world that Solonn wanted to hear at that moment issued forth from it.

“Bring him in,” Jal’tai said through the speaker. The cops responded to the order at once. The two houndoom pushed their way through the doors and held them open as the medicham brought Solonn through them.

Solonn now stood in an enormous, richly furnished office. Seated before him at a very large and tidy desk, Jal’tai, in the guise of Rolf Whitley, leveled a stare at Solonn that was forbiddingly stern but held an unmistakable sadness at the same time.

“That’ll do, madam, gentlemen,” Jal’tai said without inflection to the medicham and houndoom, dismissing them. The three cops nodded in acknowledgment, and the medicham released both of her holds on Solonn before walking out of the office. The two houndoom followed her away, and the doors swung shut behind them.

Solonn, still drained of most of his strength and no longer supported physically or psychically by the medicham, had dropped to his hands and knees almost immediately after she had let go of him and had remained in that position since, his head hanging toward the hardwood floor. A winged shadow fell over him as soon as the cops were gone, and a second later, a talon descended upon his head, lifting his face up to look upon its owner.

No longer wearing his human mirage, Jal’tai stared right into Solonn’s eyes with a look of distinct sorrow. “I’m very disappointed in you, my boy,” he said gravely. “I told you not to make things harder for yourself than they had to be, but you just wouldn’t listen…”

The latios sighed heavily, and his eyes began shimmering with tears. “I never wanted it to come to this,” he said, his voice quavering as if threatening to break, “but you’ve left me no choice. I’m afraid that I am now forced to take drastic measures to ensure your cooperation and the preservation of this city’s noble mission…”

_________________________

Next time: Find out what Jal’tai means by “drastic measures”… See you then!

- Sike Saner

[Saffire Persian]

You had to be kidding when you told me you disliked this chapter, I liked it. Watching Solonn try to adapt as a human, and the way you explain the Pok&#233;mon's perception of the human world was as amusing as anything I've read from a Pok&#233;mon's perspective.


The videos also illustrated the importance of good hygiene and dressing well in Human society, lessons which motivated Solonn to begin practicing Human hygienic rituals.

XD.. Human hygienic rituals. I love that term now. XD... I'll be thinking of that everyday, now...


The Chimecho gave a few languid ripples of her tail as she hung there, smiling serenely down upon Solonn. “Just relax…Float away on a breeze of music…” she said dreamily. She began swaying there where she hung, very slowly, very gracefully. And then, she began to sing.

XD... the Pok&#233;mon meditation... but interesting way of introducing this character, though I was assuming she'd be more major than she was. 0_o.. Will we see more of her?

Jai'tal is as dislikable as ever, though if he wasn't so sinister I might acutally like him because of his 'outside' attitude. Still, he's a nasssty little dragon as far as I'm concerned, and he disturbs me in more ways than one. And whatever he's going to do now is something I'm not so keen of him preforming. Erasing his memories totally, maybe? Or mixing them up so he believes he's human? ...XD Some sort of mind control, definitely.

Though the question is, why does this Latios need a successor so bad? He seemed to be quite potent and healthy, no signs of aging or ailing, so I'm confused as to what the Latios needs Solonn for? Sure, maybe the 'human' form Jai'tal is taking is old, but he could always weave a new one o.o.. or something.

Ah - a few more highlights.

First, the acidic bathtub.

Second: Jai'tal's 'gift'.

Third: ... 351 channels? XDXDXDXD kudos for that significant number!

[xXSaberXx]

WOW.

I now know how foreigners feel. :P

Though, it's not as bad. They know how to use toilets at least. Poor Solonn. ;.;

*hugs*

Very descriptive chap, dear. SCARY COPS WTF WTF WTF.

I hate Jatial. Or...WUTEVAR. I hate him so much I can't even remember his NAME. YAY.

D: *points at sig*

:333333 I quoth thee.

*hugsssssssss*

I love Chimeco. She was so cool. I always use them, though, they are weak in terms of like....BODY. But they can sing. WE SHOULD MAKE A BAND.

AN EXPLOUD/CHIMECO/SNORLAX band. Speakers, Voice, and Drums. YAY. All we need is a guitar. :P

HUGS and LUFF. *hugs*

[PsiUmbreon]

Hmm... mostly a filler chapter for the real kewl stuff that's gonna happen later. I could see why it was hard to write it. But you did well. :D I myself can't wait to see what those "drastic measures" are. Yeah, I figured he wouldn't make it anyways... I mean, c'mon, trying to escape from a PSYCHIC? yeah, right.

Oh, by the way, Arm yourself with styrofoam, it makes you invincible to paper plates. Also, you are very brukky. :3

[Morpher01]

.......THAT'S IT!!! *sics Skull the Shadow Marowak on Jal'Tai* DIIIIIEEEEE!!!!!

Ahem.

A good chapter. Decent length, funny parts (like the "human hygenic rituals" XD), and, no matter what Jal'Tai does with/to Solonn, I'LL KILL THAT LATIOS!!!!! By use of my Shadow Marowak, Skull. If you want to see Skull, check out my first fic, Shadows of Fear.

If you do review it...Do NOT tell me that I went/go too fast. I KNOW THAT, AND I DID SLOW DOWN!!!

Ahem.

Anyway, great chapter. Also, yes, I would like PM notification that the next chapter is up. Can I PLLLEEEEEEAAAAAAAASSSSSSSEEEEEEEE kill Jal'Tai? Latios aren't immortal. They have eternal life, but they aren't impervious to harm, and enough harm will kill them.

[IceKing]

At last, I finished reading this fic XD Right now I'll just give you a short review of what happened so far and then go back to my regular style with chapter 10. Then again, I don't think I can spend 1-2 hours reviewing this fic since the chapters alone take me a good half an hour to read XD


Plot-wise Review

Well, this is without a doubt one of the most original plots I have ever seen. A Snorunt is born with The Speech and learns through multiple experiences that it is more of a curse than a blessing. Quite honestly, that sounds extremely dull, but you manage to pull it off in a way that it is fun to read. He never really seems to stay in one place for more than a few chapters, always on the move. His life in Virc-Dho seemed rather interesting, though it must not be a very exciting life just playing around in that pit all day long. It was weird how is mother was always able to save him, but not when he got captured by Morgan. I love pokemon contests so the saga with Morgan was rather interesting, though I Know there's more to the Sableye and its owner than just stealing Glalie simply to have him on stage. I have a feeling that the Lations (cant bring up his name, sorry XD) was somewhat involved with them. I hope we see Morgan again because there are still some loose ebds (like what happened to her other pokemon). Perhaps she'll end up kicking Latios's human behind XD The convergence saga is a funny one, Ill give you that. I fidn it kinda farfetch'd that these pokemon and humans are able to live in such a lavish city and not even be noticed by the outside world. There has to be more than just Latios being in a high position. I must say though, the Ursaring riding a bear still has me cracking up XD It was rather shocking when he turned into a human, that was completely unexpected I'll give you that. I liked how you described him losing his element. Latios seems to be rather creepy, very obsessed with the state of his city, he kinda reminds me of Lord Yggdrassil from Tales of SYmphonia. Last chapter was very interesting and quite funny seeing a pokemon adjust to human life. Him putting on boxer shorts, the acid faucet in the shower, the whole uncomfortable talk of what to do in the bathroom...lots of humor there. I wasnt quite sure what Chimecho was doing or how Solonn managed to escape, but, he managed to do it and that's all that matters. I really thought he would be able to get out of the city, but I was wrong. Damn Medicham! I can only wait in horror to see what drastic measures the Latios has in mind

Writing WIse

I love your style of writing.It always keeps me reading without apathy, and even though your chapters are 00ber long, your style is good enough to keep me hooked on. Your vocabulary is nice as well, I saw some vocabulary words from my language arts class in it XD Descriptions are positively amazing, like the scene where Glalie shows off his attacks in the contest. Speaking of which, that contest was a VERY good chapter and battle. Flows very nicely as well, despite the huge paragraphs. LOts of dialogue but always filled with meaning. What can I say? Your an amazing writer!



The only suggestion I can think of right now is a better description for human Solonn, right now I can barely picture him. Or maybe you meant to not have a description, I dunno


Overall: Amazing fic Sike Saner, one of the best wriitng skills I've ever seen. I can hardly await the next chapter! Good luck!

[Elemental Charizam]

Beside him, a small image of three Smeargle being led out of a building by a Medicham in a police uniform and two Houndoom with badges affixed to collars around their necks appeared.


Once there, Jal’tai immediately took the remote from its compartment in the arm of the green chair and turned on the television, bringing the image of a rather tone-deaf, singing Meowth to life on the screen
Am I the only one who caught these references to TOoS? Actually, I'm not too sure about the second...

Darn that evil Jal'Tai and his lackeys... Poor Solonn, he seems pretty screwed right now (in a literal way, perhaps, considering how Jal'Tai made Solonn look...). Or perhaps the punishment involves the soul sucker and Prince of evil, Oth.

In any case, great chapter Sike! Though it was a filler in some ways, it had plenty going on there, and it certainly needed to happen. There was no small amount of doubt as to if Solonn would escape, but it was still depressing when he did. Probably the best handling of character emotions I've ever read. Especially the Latios hate...

Also, I bet if Solonn was still his Glalie self he'd have wrung that Medicham out like a hot flannel.

[PDL]

oooohh boy is Solonn in for it >_<

quite an interesting chapter... and for some strange reason I picture Jal'tal's human guise as Colnel Sanders o_O;

excellent chapter... but I hope Solonn and Jal'tal will reach some sort of understanding at least.

EDIT: this fic reminds me of the song "Runaway Train" by Soul Asylum...

[Sike Saner]

Saffire Persian:
XD... the Pokémon meditation... but interesting way of introducing this character, though I was assuming she'd be more major than she was. 0_o.. Will we see more of her?

Possibly. There’s still a lot of decision-making to be done for the next chapter before I can say anything for sure where that’s concerned. I kind of hope so, though. She was really fun to write. XD


Though the question is, why does this Latios need a successor so bad? He seemed to be quite potent and healthy, no signs of aging or ailing, so I'm confused as to what the Latios needs Solonn for? Sure, maybe the 'human' form Jai'tal is taking is old, but he could always weave a new one o.o.. or something.

It may not show much, but Jal’tai really is fairly elderly himself. I’d say he probably does still have plenty of good years of good health ahead of him, though, sure. Thing is, I think he’s just very fretful where the future of the Convergence project is concerned; he just wants to make sure that tomorrow is planned for, whatever the future may bring.

And the fact that his human form is also an old man is just a coincidence.

xXSaberXx:
I now know how foreigners feel. :P

Though, it's not as bad. They know how to use toilets at least. Poor Solonn. ;.;

XDDDD


SCARY COPS WTF WTF WTF.

XD Those cops weren’t even in the original version. The idea for them just kind of came out of nowhere, and I went with it. A lot of my favorite things in this story are that way, actually.


D: *points at sig*

:333333 I quoth thee.

X33 Noticed that.


WE SHOULD MAKE A BAND.

AN EXPLOUD/CHIMECO/SNORLAX band. Speakers, Voice, and Drums. YAY. All we need is a guitar. :P

*is immediately reminded of a certain meowth image* Fwee, that’ll do it. ^^

PsiUmbreon:
Yeah, I figured he wouldn't make it anyways... I mean, c'mon, trying to escape from a PSYCHIC?

XD Yeah, he was kind of screwed from the start, wasn’t he?


Also, you are very brukky. :3

Aw, shucks… ^^ But nothing is as brukky as Ho-ho’s Sacred Cream attack. :3

Morpher01:
Decent length, funny parts (like the "human hygenic rituals" XD)

XD Hygienic rituals… yeah. X3 But just imagine if he had been a girl…

o_o

MOVING ON. XD


Can I PLLLEEEEEEAAAAAAAASSSSSSSEEEEEEEE kill Jal'Tai?

*shrugs* If you want. Might want to wait until I’m done with him or else I’ll have to get some crappy extra to play him in the rest of the story, though. XP

IceKing:

FWEE! *does new reviewer dance; somewhere in Hell, a demon gets its wings*


Perhaps she'll end up kicking Latios's human behind XD The convergence saga is a funny one, Ill give you that. I fidn it kinda farfetch'd that these pokemon and humans are able to live in such a lavish city and not even be noticed by the outside world. There has to be more than just Latios being in a high position.

*nods* Absolutely. Convergence is an experiment, really, and there are a number of parties behind it, funding it, developing it, scouting for suitable subjects to live within the city, and making sure to keep everyone else out. The only one of the involved parties I will identify at this time, however, is the International Pokémon League.


Speaking of which, that contest was a VERY good chapter and battle.

^^ Thanks, that’s one of my favorites, too. Probably expalins why it was so easy to write that part; I always have an easier time writing the parts I like best.


The only suggestion I can think of right now is a better description for human Solonn, right now I can barely picture him. Or maybe you meant to not have a description, I dunno

Yeah, I think the description of him could possibly have stood to be more straightforward. I was kind of wary of doing it that way, though; in those scenes, I was more concerned with the atmosphere and the emotions of the characters, especially in the early part of chapter 8, and I was concerned that really stopping to describe him might take things out of that atmosphere for a moment. I kind of skimped on the description of Jal’tai as a Latios in that part for the same reason. There are descriptive elements regarding Solonn as a human, but they’re sort of scattered, usually only being referenced when some feature of his particularly stands out in Jal’tai’s perception.

Elemental Charizam:
Am I the only one who caught these references to TOoS? Actually, I'm not too sure about the second...

Good eye. ^^ Yes, those are the same smeargle. But the meowth is some other meowth.


Probably the best handling of character emotions I've ever read. Especially the Latios hate…

Thanks. ^^ I had worried all the while I was writing that that I would bungle it somehow. But then again, I always worry at least to some degree that I’m going to bungle things. X3;


Also, I bet if Solonn was still his Glalie self he'd have wrung that Medicham out like a hot flannel.

X3 He’d have certainly tried. Might not have gone so well for him, though; if the medicham had managed to land a hi jump kick on him, and that hadn’t succeeded in making him sorry enough, dual flamethrowers from those two houndoom probably would have done the job.

PDL:
... and for some strange reason I picture Jal'tal's human guise as Colnel Sanders o_O;

That is actually exactly where his appearance came from. XDDDD As to why the Colonel… no reason whatsoever. I just needed to come up with an old man image, that was the first thing that came to mind, and it just stuck. XD


this fic reminds me of the song "Runaway Train" by Soul Asylum...

Oh, I like that song. ^^ …And hey, it really does seem to fit pretty well. Especially this part: “So tired that I couldn’t even sleep/So many secrets I couldn’t keep” Very nice. ^^

[Kthleen]

Though the question is, why does this Latios need a successor so bad? He seemed to be quite potent and healthy, no signs of aging or ailing, so I'm confused as to what the Latios needs Solonn for? Sure, maybe the 'human' form Jai'tal is taking is old, but he could always weave a new one o.o.. or something.
This is where you come in, Solonn. Now, it may not be obvious to the eye of the beholder, but I am getting on in years…Soon, I will be retiring from my position as mayor of Convergence, and the city will need someone to take my office when I depart. That someone is required to have a very particular and very rare skill in common with me – it is rendered a vital necessity by the very nature of this place. My successor must be able, just as I am, to freely and fluently communicate with Pok&#233;mon and Humans alike. My successor must possess The Speech.




I'm a little down right now ("a little" = "Is anything really worth it?", but at least it's wearing down now), but this still managed to make me feel something. I felt a knowing pity for Solonn as he barely held on purely out of fear of pain from Jal’tai. When Jal'tai told him that he didn't have to eat meat anymore, I found that ridiculous in the same way Solonn did. I couldn't help smirking when he thought "Since when do you care what I do or don’t mind?…" and his mad dash for freedom made me smile and even raise my fist in a silent cheer... until he got caught. I'm not liking the sound of this "drastic measures to ensure [his] cooperation"....

Sorry. http://graphics.gaiaonline.com/images/template/smiles/icon_sweatdrop.gif What I meant to say (or at least imply, though I didn't do that too well) was that this most definitely was an awesome chapter, filler or not. Made me feel better.

Like Dark Latios, I thought Neleng was a Latias for some reason.


Depeche Mode, "Enjoy the Silence", and "Policy of Truth"http://graphics.gaiaonline.com/images/template/smiles/icon_heart.gif

[whit19]

So far, I've only read the Prologue and first chapter. (Ya know... for some reason I felt somethin evil and dark as I read the prologue. Somethin just felt bad as I read about Solonn hatching from his egg. Maybe its cuz of the way you described the area...)

I neva read a Snorunt-Glalie fanfic, so it kept me interested. It was greatly written (u prolly already knew that.). I only saw one error, or at least I think it's an error.

something small and very pointed

shouldn't pointed be pointy?

Anyway, I got a long way to go if I eva wanna catch up to where the story is right now... :p The Zubat appearin in Virc-Dho was interestin too.

[Dark Latios]

I just got done reading the latest chap this morning.. And I must say, Jal'tai is getting to be a major pain!

I was really praying that Solonn would get away.. But heck, it seemed way too good to be true. I can't even imagine what his punishment is going to be now. Oo;

Strangely, I expected Neleng to be a Latias (ya I know, crazy me >.>) But her being a Chimecho made a lot more sense. Loved how you made her sound so sweet and innocent.. She doesn't seem like Jal at all. Wonder if she will appear again in the future..

This is the crappiest review I've done so far, but duty calls. I'll be sure to leave a better one next time! ^^;

Btw... Jal has a mob after him now! =0

~DL

[metal_chimaera]

Hey

I liked this chapter, though not as much as the other ones. But I can see why it was hard to write.

I still felt that paternal feel with Jal'Tai towards Solonn... Unavoidable I guess.

I noticed those Smeargle... I guess (since you already confirmed it) that they're the same French (or British, can't remember)-speaking vandals. What was their name... something like Brad, John and Tim?...
The thought of Meowth being Sylvester also crossed my mind though.

I really liked Nalang, despite the fact that she's associated with Jal'Tai. She sound so innocent, as if she was one of those little innocent babies (not saying that all kids are innocent though) being dragged into something far more... morbid than they can imagine.

Anyway, about the writing. Honestly, sometimes it was a bit repetitive description-wise, especially in the first part of the chapter, when Solonn felt devastated. But then strangely enough when he got hope again I felt like more interested... I guess i'm just living into the story...

Anyway, this Chapter hinted a bit more things but didn't answer many questions or even any, and as another reviewer said earlier, seems more like a filler Chapter than anything.

Gotta go, take care
metal_chimaera

[Pinecone Tortoise]

*feels like nitpicking* You used 'yeilded slightly' too often more my tastes!!!1!!eleven!! Both for when Jal'tai prodded the couch and sat on the bed. And the sitting on the bed was, IMO, SOOO CUTE!! Reminds me of being a little child upset and curled up on teh squishly mattress and having my dad come and talk to me about what was wrong. Mebbe this is why I like Jal'tai?

Yup! In face of the hordes of reviewers who think otherwise, I LIKE that Latios! ^^ Meh, probably 'tis a sign of a peculiar mind, but I'm thinking that Solonn should get over himself and actually TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM!! He accepted life as a trained pokemon so that some other poor Snorunt wouldn't be drafted in as a replacement so why, even though the stakes are WAY higher here, shouldn't he take the opportunity not only for the sake of someone else with the 'Speech' but for the sake of those he'd be helping? Whether he does it on his own terms and conditions (which, considering how cute Jal'tai is about the 'daddy' role, he'd probably allow - within reason) is rather irrelevant. o.O Yah, this is one reviewer that got warped along the way.

Another thing I like about Jal'tai - his role as the 'comedic relief'. As I think I mentioned before, I see him as a portly, waistcoat and monocle bedecked bundle of chubbiness and fluff. *likes birds* Ah, I picture him doing some minor grooving to teh CD player while Solonn stands and gawks.

Jal'tai: *wiggles to da music*

Solonn: "I got kidnapped by this?!"

o.o

What I don't understand is why so many of your reviewers dislike teh poor birdie/dragon. He's funny, his cute, he's got powers to blow the roof off and ... he reminds me of the COUNT. Oh. So THAT'S why I like him. -_- Nevermind, moving on...

So anyways, Neleng was adorable (though I was expecting human or Latias), Solonn's a wreck of self pity, Jal'tai is awesome but I reckon he's about to start threatening the folks that Solonn cares about to get his 'successor' back in line. O.O Well, threatening Solonn with the 'other Snorunts' worked before. And he can't really do anything to Solonn himself, lest he then need to find another successor. Meh, just a theory. *shrugs*

Stunning work, as usual, though I reckon the whole 'angst and hate riddled theme' is almost getting too tokenistic. Much rather see the loveable and funny side come back. Dark fics ain't my thing. -_- Meh. Here's hoping that Solonn gets his act together and realises that being nice to the nice Dragon would be a SENSIBLE AND NOT-TO-BAD THING TO DO. o.O Leaving now.

Piney.
;204;;324;

[Kthleen]

Sensible only because he doesn't want to be in pain, and Jal'tai can torture Solonn until he totally gives in, wins the victory over himself (who needs the self when one has a city of others?), and comes to completely love the Party- uh, I mean love his new job in his new life that was given to him without his consent but for the good of the city.

[Seiryu]

New reviewer ahoy! *dances*

Er...anyway, I've been a fan of your writing style since last summer, when you started posting Origin of Storms here. I feel that within this fandom, you present most events in a realistic and believable manner--no particularly special powers (other than maybe Solonn's Speech) to possibly hamper a reader's ability to connect with a given character.

Speaking of characters, yours are absolutely WONDERFUL. I love 'em, especially that one young, hyperactive Zubat from that one early chapter and Sei Salma. ESPECIALLY Sei Salma. Thanks to her, I've been stuck with the image of an Alakazam parking him/herself in front of the television with a carton of ice cream and watching a soap opera. Or reading a tabloid or something. XP I also hope that she, Morgan, and all of Morgan's other pokémon appear later on in the story, before...you know...it happens.

About the plot...well, like most others have said, it's original. I'll admit that I started reading this because I really loved TOoS, but you've seriously worked magic with this plot, as dull-sounding as it might seem at first glance. And you've said that you were originally a humor writer? Well, it shows. There were dozens of laugh-out-loud moments throughout the story, even in these more serious chapters.

Now, as for this chapter...well, to me it seemed a little bit slower than some of the others. It had its humorous highlights ("human hygenic rituals" and the awkward bathroom scene, anyone?) and it certainly had some high-quality work put into it, but...I don't think I liked it as much as some of the other chapters. I still liked it though, so don't worry. xp

As for why I didn't like it as much...well, it was all Solonn's fault. I can't STAND people that're all emo like he was at the beginning of the chapter. All like "waaah, I hate my life and everything around me so watch as I waste myself away, waaah, b*tch, moan, angst, waaah." I found myself mentally screaming "Dude, this's your life now. Get a grip and DO something! Grrrr! >O" during the first half or so of the chapter. (of course, I might've been thinking like that because I'm passive like that. A "whatever happens, happens" kinda guy.)

I also kinda like Jal'tai. Maybe it's because I'm someone who occasionally grows weary of certain aspects of humanity and wishes that he could be something other than human, (partly so I could run around naked without getting arrested or something for indecent exposure, but that's beside the point XP) but I think I kinda feel where he's coming from. I don't doubt that if I lived in the pokémon universe and was presented with the option of erecting an establishment in which pokémon and humans could coexist like in Convergence, I would act much like Jal'tai.

So, er...anyway, I look forward to what Jal'tai's "drastic measures" are going to be. See you next chapter!

[Sike Saner]

Kthleen:


I felt a knowing pity for Solonn as he barely held on purely out of fear of pain from Jal’tai.

Thanks; I'm glad to hear that was picked up on. *resists urge to slap self for ending a sentence with a preposition*

Glad you like the Depeche Mode songs on there, too. ^^ I just love those guys to death, and those two songs in particular are some of the most fitting entries to the soundtrack, IMO.

whit19: *does new reviewer dance, unaware that someone is filming it and laughing*


shouldn't pointed be pointy?

*shrugs* I've heard both used as adjectives; I admittingly just used the one I did out of preferring the way it looks and sounds. I'm no real grammarian, after all. ^^;

Dark Latios: Glad to see good responses to Neleng. ^^ Like I said, I enjoyed writing her.

metal_chimaera:


I noticed those Smeargle... I guess (since you already confirmed it) that they're the same French (or British, can't remember)-speaking vandals. What was their name... something like Brad, John and Tim?...
The thought of Meowth being Sylvester also crossed my mind though.

Yep, those were the same smeargle. Mark, Tom, and Travis, their names were. But that really was some other meowth.

Pinecone Tortoise:
*feels like nitpicking* You used 'yeilded slightly' too often more my tastes!!!1!!eleven!! Both for when Jal'tai prodded the couch and sat on the bed.

XDDDD I'd change one of those, but right now the only alternative description I can think of is "went squish"... Yeah, now I know for sure that I'm losing my touch... X3


shouldn't he take the opportunity not only for the sake of someone else with the 'Speech' but for the sake of those he'd be helping?

Maybe he would, under different circumstances. Maybe he would were it not for something very bizarre and bewildering hitting him out of nowhere, were it not for having something very major done to him without his consent, were it not for the fact that it truly seems to him that there's no way for things to return to normalcy, and were it not for the fact that he has had his element taken from him with no warning (his element being something to which his kind have the kind of attachment like that to family and to which he was particularly close through the routines he was taking as a contest pokémon). If he had been asked first, given choice and warning, things might very well have been different.

Basically, a lot of (to him, at least) major things have hit too fast and too hard for him to quite respond in his usual headspace. He's been kind of thrown for a loop, and it's clouding his reason. I know he's not responding in a particularly attractive way, and it would be cool if he bucked up and got over it, but... *shrugs* Sometimes people don't react in the pretty way. Just like not everyone has a model's physique, not everyone has an unsinkable psyche.


Ah, I picture him doing some minor grooving to teh CD player while Solonn stands and gawks.

Jal'tai: *wiggles to da music*

Solonn: "I got kidnapped by this?!"

XDDDD Thanks for that awesome little bit of mental cinema there. ^^

Kthleen:
Sensible only because he doesn't want to be in pain, and Jal'tai can torture Solonn until he totally gives in, wins the victory over himself (who needs the self when one has a city of others?), and comes to completely love the Party- uh, I mean love his new job in his new life that was given to him without his consent but for the good of the city.

XDDDD You win for that. X3

Seiryu:

It's that time again... *does new reviewer dance* ...Phew, I'm getting quite a workout lately. X3


Er...anyway, I've been a fan of your writing style since last summer, when you started posting Origin of Storms here.

Fwee, old school fan! ^^


Speaking of characters, yours are absolutely WONDERFUL.

Thanks. ^^ I still have my doubts about them sometimes, though... that may never change. ^^;



Progress: 0%, for now. I'm at a point where there is a very great deal of critical decision where the next chapter is concened, and regarding the future of the story as a whole, as well. Can't really say right now what's in the forecast for days to come from here. All I can say at present is that the next chapter is probably going to take particularly long to see the light of day.

[Kthleen]

*resists urge to slap self for ending a sentence with a preposition*It's perfectly fine to do that, actually. Unlike a lot of gammarians seem to want to believe, this isn't Latin we're speaking. This is the sort of English up with which I cannot put! (-Winston Churchill)


Lol! ^___^Even though I know he's trying to do it "for good," the thoughts of what Jal'tai meant by "drastic measures" really did remind me of the last part of 1984. That was disturbing. For those who don't know the last part and want to, highlight the next lines.

What happened is that Winston got caught in bed with Julia, tortured until he believed that 2+2=5/hated Julia/felt pure loyalty to Big Brother, then killed. The last three lines of the book: "But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother." Ooh~.


All I can say at present is that the next chapter is probably going to take particularly long to see the light of day.And we'll be right here waiting.

I can't believe I missed the part where Solonn tried to eat the cereal with his hand! Wow. Though I know he was feeling terrible and didn't know how to eat it, that was funny.

[Clio]

Now that chapter was quite interesting. But the dragon is scaring me away even more, especially after the "drastic measures". Since I never read 1984, it struck me an image of Latios as Don Corleone doing a "irrefutable proposal" to poor Solonn... if you understand what I mean. either his signature or his brain would be spilled on the contract. And he would earn less for that . And those Blink 182 Smeargles... they own, definitively. Good to see them again.

And I never thought it would be so hard and emarassing to explain a bathroom to a newcomer... let alone watch a institutional video about the wonders of hygienic rituals. But maybe this is human behaviour. Or not.

And on a off-topicness state, the mere idea of a Latios obsessed with corn flakes make me giggle. But please don't ask me the reason.

[Kaizer]

Well, I finally got to reading this chapter, and I must say that I have nothing to say.

Well, I might have stuff to say, but none of it is very coherent or really makes much sense. Out of the jumble of words that is my opinion of this chapter I've got this:

And the ex-floating head tried to run away. Jal-tai should have introduced him to the internet- it's not like he knows how to type, but he could sorta click around and learn stuff...

Yeah... that was a big bunch of nothing. Nice chapter though, I'm looking forward to it. But if it doesn't see the light of day for a while, does that mean streetlamps or moonlight can get it to us sooner?
;245;

[Kthleen]

I need to say this before I turn in for the night and before I explode.

Holy Zgil-Al. I was rereading it so that I could look over anything I might have forgotten or perhaps missed. Then I read (and only got to before my sister needed the computer) chapter 6. The phrase "old man," along with the response that " 'Revealed' and 'shown' are not necessarily synonymous..." to the idea that they took Solonn for a money-making scheme and the fact that there were no other guards in the building hit me like a ton of bricks. Here's my interpretation:

-Jal'tai is Daron's boss. The old man who's happy to have found a human-speaking Pok&#233;mon? The plan coming to fruition at the finding of such a Pok&#233;mon? Jal'tai orchestrated the whole thing:
-It was shown that (as in "it appeared on the surface that") Solonn was taken to make money. However, it wasn't revealed, but it was implied that the circumstances were different. The fake Morgan (whoever it was) was able to get Solonn out so easily and there was no back-up for the Sableye guard because it was an elaborate scheme to make it seem like he was taken for money, but he was taken then set free by essentially the same people, and near woods where Jal'tai planned to meet up with him.
-Sei Salma. She's been disappearing off into the city "doing gods only knew what; she never spoke of what her excursions entailed – while the Humans were away." Hmm. I may be looking too much into it, but I just find that suspicious. I don't know if she was a sort of spy or if she really did have nothing to do with it, but I'm suspicious.
-Heh, just looking now at Infinite Master Sceptile's response after ch. 6, I realize I wasn't the only one who saw that they weren't in it for the money. (Though I never would have seen it that early. O_o)

I don't know it that's entirely accurate, that's just kind of how it seems to me.

Also, there's a point when Solonn's talking to "Morgan" where he says "Oh, good gods…When did you found out?"


(I have class tomorrow, so I won't be able to respond to your pm tonight, Sike, but I might be able tomorrow if I'm not swamped with homework. I should bed in bed right now [~11:40 pm]....)

[Luphinid Silnaek]

Holy....
I've never seen anyone as talented as you at writing. Every one of your paragraphs resonates with elegance, every plot twist enough to keep a scholar guessing, and every character filled with personality. Just the way you can emulate real-life scenarios and still keep the enchantment of Pokemon is enough to blow me away. I don't kid you when I say you've got yourself the key to fame, glory and all the wealth of J. K. Rowling. If this is the standard of writers in this world, I think I'll have to start wearing a paper bag and hiding in shadows from the writing community in disgrace.
Of course, I could just remember that I'm just 10.
But I'll stop blathering on about your talent and get to the review. I was happy to know you're doing a Glalie fic; your TOoS was good, but it featured the not-extremely-graceful Wobbuffet. It's good that you're doing such a likable Pokemon. I was impressed by your emulations of life in Virc-Dho; the only bad part was that it was too dull. Still, I had to sit in a dark room for half an hour trying to stop laughing after the Zubat episode (I know just as much as anyone else how annoying the Bat evolutionary line is), and only then did I notice that you'd slipped in the news about the Speech with it as well.
I liked Morgan; she proved that humans may be cynical weaklings bent on enslaving all creatures, but some do have a shred of kindness and friendliness in them.
The most confusing plot twist is that of Jal'tai and the Sableye and the two Morgans and the memory altering and all that and I'm already getting confused and I think I'll close my mouth now. The plotline at that point resembles the wiring of my Gamecube. Then the Convergence project comes along and I have to start thinking what my intuition's trying to tell me. So it comes as a relief when at least my suspicions about Jal'tai come right. I don't really hate him; I just think that he is a bit to ambitious and that he is thinking and doing too much to ensure the safety of his ambition. And he's trying to hide it all with a cheerful demeanor. I hope he doesn't go too far; any 'drastic measures' he takes might be too much. He already fulfilled your desires and turned Solonn into a human (somehow, you've got the words Tonight, I'm a naughty girl stuck in my head), so anything more would probably cause Solonn to commit suicide. Overall, an excellent story, so keep it up!

Ready to serve,
Dragonfire

[Sike Saner]

Kthleen:
This is the sort of English up with which I cannot put! (-Winston Churchill)

X3 That’s awesome.


I can't believe I missed the part where Solonn tried to eat the cereal with his hand! Wow. Though I know he was feeling terrible and didn't know how to eat it, that was funny.

XD That was just one of those little details that spontaneously occurred to me, unplanned. Guess it was a good thing I went with it. ^^

*reads spoil-tagged material* Mmm… theories are tasty. But will I confirm or deny very much at this point?

…Nah. X3 *dodges bricks with broken glass cemented to them*

Mo Cuishle:
And on a off-topicness state, the mere idea of a Latios obsessed with corn flakes make me giggle. But please don't ask me the reason.

XD Again, another one of those spur-of-the-moment ideas. I just had to put that one; it makes me laugh, too. *imagines dreamlike sequence with Jal’tai dancing with Tony the Tiger in a flowery field with Frosted Flakes boxes floating by* XD

Kaizer:
And the ex-floating head tried to run away.

XD I may never look at Glalie in quite the same way ever again. And out of context, that line just majorly pwns. XD


Jal-tai should have introduced him to the internet- it's not like he knows how to type, but he could sorta click around and learn stuff...

…Including things of which maybe he shouldn’t know (get your minds out of the gutter at once, people… X3). There are very specific things which Jal’tai desires him to learn. He created those videos with that very specific education in mind. I imagine one thing he would not be inclined to do is to give Solonn any opportunities to learn things a.) for which he might not yet be “ready”, in Jal’tai’s opinion, or b.) that might somehow clash with other aspects of Solonn’s education.


But if it doesn't see the light of day for a while, does that mean streetlamps or moonlight can get it to us sooner?

That made me smile. ^^

DragonFire2: New reviewer! *newly-created new reviewer fanfare plays, complete with burst of confetti and pyro… that catches the confetti on fire, raining flaming confetti all over everything* o.o; Oops… X3;


It's good that you're doing such a likable Pokemon. I was impressed by your emulations of life in Virc-Dho; the only bad part was that it was too dull.

*shrugs* That it is. Just kind of comes with the territory, I guess; the Virc lead a very sheltered existence and have for a long time. Throughout this time, there has been an aura of caution and even superstition and paranoia surrounding their ways. They don’t get out much, generally keeping to their own kind and living very much for the comforts of routine and familiarity. So yeah, not a lot really goes on down there in the Virc community.

At least, not in plain sight…


I don't really hate him; I just think that he is a bit to ambitious and that he is thinking and doing too much to ensure the safety of his ambition.

Bingo. ^^

[Kthleen]

XD That was just one of those little details that spontaneously occurred to me, unplanned. Guess it was a good thing I went with it. ^^Even the little things can bring great joy. (Or something like that.)


*reads spoil-tagged material* Mmm….theories are tasty. But will I confirm or deny very much at this point?

….Neh.I expected as much, but I just wanted to get it out of my head so I could sleep better.




...Something occurred to me this morning because I was thinking about The Origin of Storms. I don't quite know the significance or if it was fully intentional (or are you having a bit of fun with food you don't like (http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?p=2441709#post2441709)?), but I just found it somewhat interesting. If I remember correctly, both TOoS and Communication have focused a bit on

the main character coming to grips with having to eat the meat of other beings, particularly after they have evolved and need to.

[Brian Powell]

O_o Sike… that was surreal. I never imagined a Latios doing what we do, watching DVDs and all. Everything was described in a brilliantly but there were some grammar/spelling errors. Such as this one:


three cops nodded in acknowledgment, the Medicham releasing her hold on Solonn before walking out the door.
Try replacing that with ‘released’. See if that makes more sense.

I predicted that Solonn’s attitude would still be silent with hate towards Jal’tai, I mean who wouldn’t? I liked the part when Jal’tai attempted to explain how to use the toilets to Solonn, it made do this *Snort*.

Things I like to point out for fun:

“Humanity and You”
Laughed at that because it reminds me of one those old black-and-white guides you see on TV. BTW, does “Posting and You” sound familiar?


Beside him, a small image of three Smeargle being led out of a building by a Medicham in a police uniform and two Houndoom with badges affixed to collars around their necks appeared.
These three Smeargle. They sound familiar don’t they? *Pretends to think, knows where they came from*


351 channels? XDXDXDXD kudos for that significant number!
XD 351! LOL!


Find out what Jal’tai means by “drastic measures”…See you then!
Jal’tai isn’t gonna turn Solonn into Kunta Kente and chop his foot off is he?

Apart from the grammar/spelling errors, which I recommend you to double check on, excellent.

Overall score: 5/5

[Sike Saner]

Kthleen:
If I remember correctly, both TOoS and Communication have focused a bit on

the main character coming to grips with having to eat the meat of other beings, particularly after they have evolved and need to.

Yep, a shared mini-theme of sorts. Although I wouldn't say it has any correlation to my comments in that post you linked; that had more to do with my OCD and things that I cringe to touch as a result. X3; Regarding the themes of reluctant predation in my stories... well, the concept of predation among pokémon is a concept that just sort of caught my interest, especially given the fact that I do treat all pokémon as sentient beings in my stories, and so it occasionally comes to be that certain characters end up facing moral dilemmas in the form of having to eat people. And yep, this has indeed been represented both times in pokémon who do not practice predation prior to evolution.

Brian Powell:
Laughed at that because it reminds me of one those old black-and-white guides you see on TV.

XD Yeah, that's exactly what those were based on. Those things crack me up, especially the "your body" type ones they made for teenagers... XD


BTW, does “Posting and You” sound familiar?

Oh yeah... XD

[Xiang]

What follows is the longest chapter I have written to date. So if you want to go get a snack or a drink, or if you have to tinkle….yeah. You might want to take care of that now.

I sprayed my drink over the couch. Not even into the chapter did I laugh. xP


“I'll admit, most of those three hundred and fifty-one channels are pure rubbish around the clock,”


a small image of three Smeargle being led out of a building by a Medicham in a police uniform

Both=ROFL!

I love how you make a Pokemon world mixed in a human world, Medichams are police=laughability.

For some reason I feel as if my only purpose here to to post. I know I suck at reviews when I enjoy the chapter too much. xP

~Ratiasu

[Sike Saner]

Ratiasu:
Medichams are police=laughability.

XD Yeah. I remember when I came up with that... I needed a cop, and while I had already thought of the houndoom, I also kind of wanted something else to go with them, something that could kind of hold on to someone without dragging them in their jaws. Also, I really wanted to put something non-human in a human-style cop uniform for sheer silliness. XD At first, I decided to go with a medicham simply because that was the first pokémon I pictured in the unform that really made me laugh, but then I actually got around to using that and found that I really liked the way it worked in that context.


For some reason I feel as if my only purpose here to to post. I know I suck at reviews when I enjoy the chapter too much. xP

Naw, now I don't think that review sucked. Seriously, you did let me know what you thought of what you were reading here, and I was quite glad to see what you had to say. All feedback in this thread is appreciated. ^^

[Luphinid Silnaek]

Regarding the themes of reluctant predation in my stories...well, the concept of predation among Pokémon is a concept that just sort of caught my interest, especially given the fact that I do treat all Pokémon as sentient beings in my stories, and so it occasionally comes to be that certain characters end up facing moral dilemmas in the form of having to eat people. And indeed, this has been represented both times in Pokémon who do not practice preadtaion prior to evolution.

That's something that invoked (sorry, can't remember the right word) my curiosity as well. I always wondered how carnivorous Pokemon could stand murdering and eating other sentient creatures. At least, I wouldn't eat my sister, no matter how annoying she is.

[Xiang]

Ratiasu:
Naw, now I don't think that review sucked. Seriously, you did let me know what you thought of what you were reading here, and I was quite glad to see what you had to say. All feedback in this thread is appreciated. ^^
Aw, thanks.

I'm now wondering how you got all those names, they're really...how do I put this...exotic? they're not everyday names I hear, and that's a very good aspect of the originality...okay, I'm confusing myself.

Liiiiiive, thread, liiiiiiivvve!

By the way, new chappie of Sayuri goodness!

[Sike Saner]

DragonFire2:
That's something that invoked (sorry, can't remember the right word) my curiosity as well. I always wondered how carnivorous Pokemon could stand murdering and eating other sentient creatures. At least, I wouldn't eat my sister, no matter how annoying she is.

That last line... XD

I will say this, though: in the context of my stories, not all pokémon struggle with the notions of preying on other pokémon--I imagine most of them don't, actually.

Ratiasu:
I'm now wondering how you got all those names, they're really...how do I put this...exotic? they're not everyday names I hear, and that's a very good aspect of the originality...okay, I'm confusing myself.

The majority of the names are entirely invented. Some of the names really do just come out of nowhere; just the first thing I think of that "sticks".

There are other cases where there's a bit more of a conscious and deliberate effort put into it, in which I try to think of a name that sounds like something a member of that species would have--Jal'tai is a prime example of this; I named him that because it sounded "lati-ish" to me somehow.

The Snorunt/Glalie names are all Alvayan, and no, that's not an actual language. There is a reason why they are associated with the Alvayan language, but that matter is for another day. ;)

Other characters, such as Aaron and Kelly, were named after actual people.

So, yeah, the names come from all over the place, really.

PROGRESS: Roughly 15-18%. I finally got to start on the final draft today, but I still have a bit of decision-making where the later scenes in the chapter are concerned--nothing major, as in nothing with regards to the plot; that's already worked out. At this point, it's really just a matter of me determining which approaches to certain little details I like best--something I consider to be a particularly fun part of the process. ^^

[Typhlogirl]

I hate you.

I hate you and I want to steal your talent and eat it.

DAMN YOU! *shakes fist*

Once again Sike, I am overwhelmed by your magnificant writing. That was truly a beautiful (if not long) chapter. I have now decided that Jal'tai is British. Yes. He has a British accent, and probably carries an umbrella and wears a bowler hat.

XDDD

Speaking of Jal'tai, he really is a manipulative little so and so. But I like him. For some strange reason of my own. His character is one that you have truly fleshed out beautifully. I mean, video tapes? And CEREAL? XDD

Arghz, poor Solonn. You've gotta feel for the guy. I mean, he had so totally nearly escaped, and then be got caught again! That has got to suck. Really bad. And, erm, I really don't want to know what 'drastic measures' are. O_o Jal'tai is so like GOING TO TORTURE HIM IN HIS CHAMBER OF DEATH!! >=) Ahem, overly active imagination there. Ignore plz.

Anyway, back on track. Once again, your description blew me out the window. Especially in the 'calming' scenes. Wonderful. Fantastic. I'm lovin it!

I HATE MCDONALDS. >__< STUPID SLOGAN..

Ahem. Anywayz, once again you have amazed me. Once again, you have provided us with a chapter befitting publishing.

Once again, I am inexcusably late. :) *smilez*

Happy dayz!

-;157;

[Sike Saner]

Kthleen:
Also, there's a point when Solonn's talking to "Morgan" where he says "Oh, good gods…When did you found out?"

I remember seeing that in your post a while back, and for some reason, the reason why you were mentioning that didn’t register in my brain. XD With a VERY delayed reaction, I eventually realized, OH…, went back, and found the typo. How it evaded my attention for so long, even after being pointed out to me, I may never know. XD

That still doesn’t beat the typo I made that resulted in Solonn being his own mother for a moment there, though. XPPPP

Typhlogirl:
I have now decided that Jal'tai is British. Yes. He has a British accent, and probably carries an umbrella and wears a bowler hat.

You know, that’s kind of the way I’ve always imagined him. XD Well, the British accent part, I mean; not the bowler hat and umbrella part. Although, I strongly suspect that I’m going to have a hard time not imagining him with those elements from now on… XD


LENGTH ADVISORY!

Yep, this one’s another doozy—in fact, it’s even longer than the last one. You poor, poor souls. XD


P.I.E. ADVISORY!

In reading this chapter, you will experience Prolonged Italics Exposure in the form of large sections of italicized text. P.I.E. has been clinically proven to cause eye irritation in some individuals. Visine will be handed out at the end of this chapter for any who have need of it.

Right, then. On with the show! ^^

_________________________


Chapter 10 – Deceiving Yesterday


Taloned arms lowered, embracing Solonn as his gaze was held by grave, red eyes. Solonn immediately wanted to be released, to be able to move away from the dragon rather than being drawn closer to him, but he simply lacked the strength to resist the hold of that grip or that stare, too drained to move other than to shudder in the latios’s arms as he was lifted from the floor. Part of him wanted to scream, but he didn’t have that in him, either; his fear could only display itself through his pallor and a continuous stream of nearly voiceless protests, mutterings that were wordless save for an occasionally discernible “no”.

Jal’tai held him there against his chest for a long moment, drawing a deep breath as his somber stare continued to weigh down upon the human’s face. He could barely stand the way Solonn was looking back at him. Hopelessness and terror were etched into every line of the human’s face, an expression befitting cornered prey.

It didn’t have to be like this, the latios lamented silently. It all could have been so much easier, but you just wouldn’t let yourself see the way… and now…

Jal’tai sighed, resigning himself with no small measure of regret to the course of action that he now felt that he had to take. He envisioned himself, along with the human in his arms, in another location, a place that lay hidden below that very tower, and focused his mind sharply on that image. Then he cast a tendril of his psychic power out and projected it into that destination. A fraction of a second later, the psychic force reeled both him and Solonn in toward it, and with a burst of golden light, the two of them teleported out of the office.

An instant later, that light drained from Solonn’s vision, revealing the scene that had replaced his prior surroundings. The room that he and Jal’tai now occupied was longer than it was wide and just large enough to allow the rigid-winged latios to move about comfortably. It was somewhat dimly lit by a single light mounted overhead, which cast a soft, rose-colored glow over the room.

Solonn saw little more of this place than what could be viewed over Jal’tai’s shoulder, but what lay there before his eyes, taking up the entirety of one end of the room, was a sight that he would have never imagined. On a large marble panel mounted into the far wall, an image of a latias stood out in relief. She was depicted hovering in place, her arms outstretched, with a benevolent smile curving across her face. Her feathers were accented with inlaid gold, making her image shine in the warm, gentle lighting. At her feet sat several elaborately carved, earthen pots containing delicate-looking, fluffy white flowers. The pots surrounded a tiny, shallow pool, at whose center a small fountain continually flowed with a soft murmuring.

In a very detached way, Solonn wondered about the enshrined latias and what sort of a place this could be to contain such a thing. His inability to determine the purpose of this place did nothing to assuage his fear, for it made it even harder to guess just what Jal’tai could have in store for him here. However, he remained sure on the deepest level that whatever awaited him, it would not be good.

He allowed his head to loll backwards over Jal’tai’s arm in order to see what lay at the other end of the room. The inverted picture that reached his eyes was very different from his previous view: no shrines, no flowers, no portraits. There was only a metal table, unremarkable and featureless save for a series of slots of varying widths that were arranged in symmetrical patterns all the way down the length of its surface.

In contrast to the seemingly benevolent image of the latias on the other side of the room, the table looked especially uninviting, enhancing the inauspicious feeling Solonn got from it. He strongly suspected that the table would have something to do with whatever punishment Jal’tai intended for him; just looking at it, he could already begin to feel the suffering that he expected he would soon be facing.

Jal’tai let go of him then, but to Solonn’s brief surprise, he didn’t fall. At the moment when he should have hit the floor, Solonn saw that the latios’s eyes carried that familiar fuchsia light once again, telling him that Jal’tai’s telekinesis was being employed to keep him up off the ground. Jal’tai lifted Solonn slightly higher into the air and then began guiding him backward—toward that table, Solonn recognized at once. It seemed his suspicion and dread toward the table had been right on the mark.

Solonn felt the coldness and hardness of the metal against his back through his shirt as he was laid down on the table, its chill seeping unpleasantly into his already aching bones at once. His entire body was then locked into rigidity by the latios’s psychic force, and his limbs were straightened and positioned between pairs of the slots in the table’s surface. The next second, metal bands suddenly erupted from the slots and shackled his arms, legs, and waist to the table.

Slowly, Jal’tai moved forward toward Solonn. The light faded from his eyes as he came to levitate directly above his captive—and then a blaze of another kind seemed to awaken in its place, the exact nature of which Solonn feared to guess. However, the phenomenon was gone just as soon as Solonn had noticed it, leaving the human to wonder if his fear hadn’t caused him to imagine the strange light that had danced so briefly within Jal’tai’s eyes.

The latios closed his eyes, taking a long, steadying breath while clasping his talons as if in prayer. “I had dearly hoped that it would not come to this,” he said, his voice somehow sounding very heavy despite being barely more than whispered. “I had hoped you would see things clearly and understand what must be… I wanted to believe that you would…”

His eyes opened and locked into Solonn’s gaze, his face exuding weariness and disappointment. “But I knew better, really,” he said almost inflectionlessly, “even from the very start—hence the need for our little experiment tonight.”

Before Solonn could even begin to guess what Jal’tai was referring to in the mentioning of an “experiment”, the latios continued. “The events of this night were the final culmination of this experiment, which was designed to test your willingness to serve our cause. On the night you were transfigured, I injected a small transmitter under your skin. I instructed Neleng to obliquely allow you to learn the exit code from her, and the police were told to keep an eye on your transmitter’s signal and to apprehend you and bring you to me if you attempted to leave Convergence.”

An immediate sinking feeling struck deep into Solonn’s chest, while his extremities went numb with shock. “…You set this up?” he asked hoarsely and with difficulty, still quite breathless, his mouth and throat dry and not quite able to coordinate properly all of a sudden. “You—” He paused momentarily, attempting in vain to swallow to relieve his parched throat. “—you let me run away?”

Jal’tai nodded slowly, sorrowfully. “I had to know if you would.”

Pained outrage seized the human’s features. “Of course I would!” he croaked, his voice badly constrained and cracking painfully. “Of course I would, after what you did to me!”

Solonn looked right into the face of his captor, his bloodshot eyes projecting his anguish very clearly and potently through their steady stream of tears and their unflinching, accusatory stare. That the one ray of hope that he’d found since being captured by Jal’tai had turned out to be nothing more than an illusion was almost too much for him to bear, and it elevated his hatred of Jal’tai further than even Solonn himself had thought that he could harbor.

Yet somehow, learning that his “escape” had been staged failed to completely surprise him; in Solonn’s mind, it seemed to fit perfectly with the motive of total domination that he saw in the latios. He was sure that the real main point of Jal’tai’s experiment was to demonstrate very clearly that any resistance on Solonn’s part was utterly futile—that he would never escape.

Jal’tai gave a soft, troubled sound as he turned away from Solonn, seeming to have lost the will to look upon his captive’s tormented face any longer. He hovered there in place for several moments on end, staring at the shining image of the latias who smiled back at him from across the room. Then he lowered his head, and a beat later, he turned back toward Solonn with abnormal haste as if trying to execute the action before he had a chance to be aware of what he was doing.

Though in truth, he knew it was useless to even try, Solonn nonetheless struggled in his restraints as Jal’tai drew close once more, the anticipation of imminent suffering having awakened a desperate, primal urge within him to flee from the oncoming threat. Within a breath, Jal’tai was hovering over him once more, and burning brightly within the latios’s eyes…

Solonn learned in an instant that he had not imagined the strange light that he had seen within Jal’tai’s eyes minutes earlier. There it was again, just as before, but now that it remained burning there rather than extinguishing itself just as soon as it had come, Solonn was able to witness more of its peculiar qualities. As if bewitched, his gaze fixed upon the way that the light in Jal’tai’s eyes pulsed and swirled arrhythmically, constantly shifting its color and intensity.

The light and color expanded outward from the latios’s eyes in a sudden burst, first spreading over the rest of his body, then proceeding to wash over the entire room. Now camouflaged in the psychedelic colors that had consumed everything in sight, Jal’tai was only discernible as a vague outline; if it hadn’t been for Jal’tai’s slight motion in midair as he breathed, Solonn might have easily lost sight of him.

Solonn was stricken with a sudden, sharp pain as the light that surrounded him intensified sharply, lancing into his eyes like burning needles. He tried to close them, but something was holding his eyelids open against his will and their own, forcing him to suffer the harsh light that Jal’tai had set upon him.

The dancing colors abruptly and greatly increased their speed, rushing in every direction around Solonn. In their frenzy, a powerful noise arose: a formless, discordant chorus of screeches and roars. The sound of the phenomenon matched the sight of it perfectly, chaotic and painfully intense for him to endure. In the next second, Solonn found himself seemingly able to taste and smell the chaos as well as to see and hear it; its scent and flavor were extremely sharp and sour, burning his throat as he inhaled it on the air, making him cough and gag.

The phenomenon then assaulted the rest of him, and the instant he began to feel this, he unleashed an agonized cry, its forcefulness belying how weak he still was. Jal’tai’s strange power seared almost continuously against Solonn’s skin and struck deep through his nerves in bolts that stabbed intermittently into different parts of him.

With every passing second, the punishment of his every sense grew stronger. He had never known such absolute suffering in his life. Through a mind throttled by the grip of a full sensory overload, Solonn’s sole conscious desire was for an end to this torture. It seemed impossible that he could still be conscious in the face of such overwhelming pain, and yet he was denied the mercy of passing out.

The outline of the dragon above suddenly became much more distinct then, and the change took an immediate and absolute hold of Solonn’s attention despite the ever-escalating chaos that had consumed him.

<Be at peace,> came a telepathic voice that mirrored the latios’s spoken voice, reaching Solonn as clear as a bell despite the din. Then, all at once, the light, the noise, and all of the pain simply ceased.


* * *

There was a delay before Solonn dared to recognize that the bizarre torture to which Jal’tai had been subjecting him had finally ended. Once he did, he became aware with a shock of his surroundings—or rather, the lack thereof. He could see nothing, hear nothing, taste nothing, smell nothing, feel nothing; there was simply nothing surrounding him to be perceived. He couldn’t even perceive anything of himself other than his own awareness.

This surreal unbeing considerably resembled that which lay within the confinement of a capture ball, and Solonn began to wonder if he hadn’t been sent into a device of that nature. Perhaps this was part of his punishment, he reckoned—maybe Jal’tai intended to keep him imprisoned within this netherscape, perhaps only letting him out to inflict more of that multisensory torture upon him, until his mind and sense of reality were so severely traumatized and disarrayed that he would accept anything…

In a literal flash, the solitude of his unbeing was broken. A shapeless, luminous body shone like a star within the darkness that surrounded him, impossible light in a world without vision. With the same suddenness with which it had appeared, it took on a form, one that Solonn recognized at once.

Jal’tai now hovered there in the emptiness before Solonn, glowing brilliantly, a latios made out of pure, white light. Only his eyes did not emit this glow, appearing as two fathomless, pitch-black holes in the otherwise featureless surface of his luminous form.

The latios then spoke to him telepathically, but in a mindvoice that was different than before, one as vast as the void that surrounded him. <No, Solonn. That is not what I have done to you, nor is it what I intend to do.>

Solonn was immediately stricken by fear at the sheer immensity of the psychic voice that had just spoken to him. He acknowledged Jal’tai’s words, but was too overwhelmed by them to respond.

<I will not let any further harm come to you,> Jal’tai said somberly. <I know you’d never be able to forgive me for all that you’ve suffered to this point… nor would I expect you to,> he added. <I doubt I’ll ever be able to forgive myself… and if She won’t, either, I would understand…>

The glowing latios extended his arms. Solonn felt Jal’tai’s embrace despite having nothing of himself with which to actually, physically feel anything, just as he had seen and heard Jal’tai amidst the emptiness despite being without eyes and ears.

<Your suffering ends here,> Jal’tai told him consolingly. <I will now ensure that you will struggle no more.>

What are you going to do to me? Solonn asked fearfully. He had no voice in this place, but he also had no doubt at this point that Jal’tai could hear his thoughts.

<I could tell you,> Jal’tai replied, <but you would not be able to keep that knowledge.>

With that, the black holes that were the latios’s eyes suddenly gave a single, massive flash of light that was even brighter than that which comprised the rest of his form, and Solonn knew no more.


* * *

A gasp rent the air as lungs in a body that had been suspended in stasis for nearly five minutes suddenly reawakened and resumed their duties. Their owner’s head sank and remained low as he took several moments to catch his breath. His spine arched and his talons flexed, reviving his muscles somewhat painfully.

With something of an effort, Jal’tai made himself look upon the face of the human before him. Solonn stared expressionlessly back at him through blank, dilated eyes that held a faint, silvery glow. The former glalie was still alive, but suspended in a peculiar state between consciousness and unconsciousness. His psyche was subdued and encapsulated within a psychic prison, barred from access to his own brain. The lati had a name for this state: liasa andielenne—the waking death.

Entering this state was an invariably unpleasant experience for the subject, which Jal’tai regretted to no small degree, but he knew that it was crucial for what was to be done next. There was work to be done within this human’s brain, and said human could not be present there to witness or interfere with the task at hand.

Still, even with the necessary preparations made, Jal’tai worried for the outcome of this procedure. Major, intrusive psychic methods such as the one he was about to employ bore a significant risk of unwanted, detrimental side effects, especially in brains with no sort of defense against the psychic element. Of particular concern to Jal’tai was the fact that they could corrupt or even destroy psychic anomalies in the brain—anomalies such as the Speech.

Hence Jal’tai had been severely reluctant to resort to this course of action—it had every bit as much potential to ruin his candidate as it had to secure him, if not more. Nevertheless, the latios committed himself to this act, feeling that there truly was no better option. It had been by an extraordinary stroke of luck that he had come by someone who possessed the rare and crucial quality needed to take the reins of this city. The odds were overwhelmingly against finding another Speaker anytime soon; Jal’tai didn’t know how long he had in this world to wait and furthermore knew that he would rest much more easily at night once he could be sure that Convergence’s future was secured.

Thus he was determined to do whatever could be done to keep Solonn as a viable successor. Though this last resort might bring failure to that endeavor, Jal’tai was certain that any chance for success with this candidate would be lost for sure if he didn’t go through with it; he doubted very strongly that Solonn would cooperate otherwise. Jal’tai needed to be sure that his replacement was loyal to the mission of this city and could be counted on to serve that mission once given his office, and he was therefore willing to take this risk.

It would be all or nothing, he knew. Either he would have his successor, dedicated and willing to take the role that Jal’tai truly believed that destiny had assigned to him, or else he would have something that was useless to his cause, casting the future of his project back into an indefinite uncertainty.

Jal’tai cast an imploring glance back over his shoulder toward the marble panel on the wall behind him. Please watch over him, Rei’eli, he prayed silently to the image of the goddess that smiled at him from the far end of the room. Keep his gift whole.

He turned back toward Solonn, his heart heavy with concern. He placed his talons upon the human’s head, staring intently into his subject’s empty eyes. His breathing slowed dramatically as his focus deepened, stoking his psychic element and manifesting it into a vehicle for his consciousness. As it carried him out of his own mind and into that of the human who lay before him, he dearly hoped that his goddess had heard his prayer.


* * *

Haze enveloped the intruder, hanging calmly over the surrounding mindscape. It was a thick and very murky medium, one that would have offered up no distinction among its constituent elements to less sophisticated senses and would have threatened to erase the lines between itself and any less capable invader.

For Jal’tai, the oppressive haze held no danger of absorbing his consciousness and didn’t obscure his mind’s eye in the least. He could discern the nearly innumerable, individual mental signatures that formed the haze, as well as the intricate ways by which certain among them were connected and associated—a task made all the easier by liasa andielenne; the haze would have been roiling turbulently in an active mind, making it harder to see what lay within it. It also helped matters that this particular mindscape was not unexplored territory.

Jal’tai knew not only how to distinguish these mental signatures but also what they truly were: memories. This was the history of Solonn Zgil-Al, far more complete and detailed to Jal’tai’s perception than it could ever be to its owner’s, recorded through Solonn’s own senses.

Among the archives of Solonn’s mind were records of particular importance to Jal’tai, records that held the key to the human’s cooperation—answers to the questions of both why it had not yet been achieved and how it could be. These were the records of the past twelve days, beginning with Solonn’s earliest recollection of Jal’tai from that morning when they had first met west of Lilycove.

Jal’tai focused on his own memories of that morning as he began to sift through the haze, searching for images of that overgrown field and the guise of the swellow that he had worn there. He was fully aware that these images would certainly appear somewhat different in Solonn’s memory than they did in his own, for there were notable differences between the perception of a glalie and that of a latios. Still, Jal’tai reckoned that he’d recognize those memories once he found them, and sure enough, he did.

He had now successfully located Solonn’s memory of departing the field with him and heading off into the forest toward Convergence. Keeping it within his focus, he traced along its connections to other memories, following a backwards route to the moment when Solonn had first encountered him as a swellow.

Having found the starting point for the chain of memories that were of importance to this operation, he proceeded to anchor a part of his own mind to it. He then began to copy this memory and all those that followed it as he allowed them to unfold in chronological order at an incredible speed. Almost as soon as it had begun, the process was finished. In barely more than an instant, Jal’tai had obtained twelve days’ worth of memories, memories that were not his own.

Now the task at hand was to deal with the original copy of this chain of memories, upon which Jal’tai remained tightly focused. There were two options that he could apply here, he knew. One was to simply erase these memories. The other was to keep them intact but heavily suppressed, locking them away deep within Solonn’s subconscious mind.

Erasure was, of course, the more alluring option to Jal’tai; an erased memory was completely irretrievable, after all. However, it was also a much more intrusive method than merely sealing the memories. In even conducting the steps of this procedure that he already had, Jal’tai knew that he was pushing it, endangering the very aspect of this mind for which he was going to these lengths. Comforting though he was sure it would be to know that these memories were gone for good, Jal’tai accepted that for safety’s sake, it would be better not to destroy any of them unless he truly felt that it was necessary.

In order to judge if these memories could be trusted to be preserved in the shadows of Solonn’s mind or if he should try to remove them without a trace despite the added risk that that method brought, he accessed the copy of the chain of memories that he had absorbed and let the sequence of events play out in his mind somewhat more slowly than when he’d last let them unfold, allowing him to vicariously experience the past twelve days as Solonn had experienced them.

He saw himself, disguised as a swellow, leading Solonn through the woods and into Convergence. Through Solonn’s perspective, he experienced the morning when the human had awakened to find himself in a new form, feeling Solonn’s fearful disbelief at his new form and his bereavement at the loss of his element in a secondhand way. Jal’tai beheld the revelation of his own true form, listened to his own attempts to make Solonn listen to reason, and watched—and felt—the excruciating, telekinetic punishment that he had inflicted upon the human when his failure to convince Solonn through words had caused him to lose his patience…

…And here he paused, bringing the playback of Solonn’s memories to a grinding halt. Suddenly confronted with the suffering that his frustration had caused and made to actually experience the pain and terror that he had inflicted, he found himself overwhelmed all at once by immense horror, guilt, and shame.

What in heaven’s name came over me? he wondered, aghast. By the Goddess… I could have killed him…

Long moments passed before he regained himself enough to continue his psychic work. Even then, he remained somewhat shaken by the reminder of what he had done as he resumed studying the former glalie’s memories of the recent past, watching as Solonn dragged himself listlessly through his first few days as a human and then began planning an escape in more recent days, with the chain of memories ending with Solonn’s foiled escape and his subjection to liasa andielenne.

Having reviewed the memories that were to be censored, Jal’tai made the decision to seal them rather than erase them. Realizing just how very close he had already come to losing Solonn as a candidate once, he was now especially disinclined to tempt fate any more than he could help. And yet… thoughts of that day when he had lost control and of the pain that that had caused remained close at hand, haunting his mind. Not only was he deeply ashamed of it, but if the human were to somehow recall it against the odds, it was certain that that would destroy any trust that Jal’tai instilled in him.

Jal’tai proceeded to isolate the memory of the past twelve days from the rest of Solonn’s memories. He then set a psychic lock upon them and relocated them to the deepest, most obscure and inaccessible layer of the human’s mind—but not before extracting one particular memory from the chain and annihilating it.

The offending history was now subdued, but Jal’tai’s work was not yet finished. As he departed Solonn’s mindscape to proceed with the next step of the process, he tried to draw some relief and satisfaction from the fact that at least now Solonn would never be able to recall his brutal punishment at the latios’s hands again… but his efforts were hampered by the knowledge that he could not purge that memory from his own mind likewise.


* * *

With his consciousness having returned to the physical plane, Jal’tai once again beheld the motionless form of the human before him. Solonn still wore the same blank, emotionless, lifeless expression that he had been wearing ever since entering liasa andielenne.

At least he’s not suffering anymore, the latios thought wearily as he set himself down on the floor for a short break following the work that he had accomplished thus far; the act of sustaining his presence within a foreign mind for extended periods of time was fairly taxing, especially at his age. He rested his head in his talons as he prepared to initiate the next task, which was to create a different version of events to replace the twelve days that he had just sealed away from Solonn’s memory.

Jal’tai still saw promise in Solonn despite the obstacles that had arisen in trying to get the human to recognize his potential. He was quite certain that Solonn was capable of appreciating the mission of the Convergence Project and might have thereby accepted his new role under different circumstances. Jal’tai still felt that no other course of action but the one that he had taken could have securely yielded success, however; he believed that it was the only way to have been absolutely sure that Solonn would take the form that becoming the new mayor demanded. What was done was done, and because Solonn had reacted so adversely to the way that things were done, the next step for Jal’tai was to make the human believe that things had been done differently.

From what he had gathered both from reviewing Solonn’s memories of the days since the two had met and from his own memories of his interactions with the human over the past several days, Jal’tai had determined that one of the main reasons why Solonn was refusing to accept his new form and the purpose for which it had been bestowed upon him was that the change had not been his choice. He had also determined a number of other elements which, if removed or added to the circumstances, would help to ensure Solonn’s cooperation, as well as to enable Jal’tai to earn the human’s trust and escape his resentment.

With all of these things in mind, Jal’tai entered a trance in which he began to fabricate an alternative version of the circumstances surrounding Solonn’s reception of his new identity. If all went as Jal’tai desired for it to go, this rewrite of history would turn Solonn into the ready and willing successor for which the latios so dearly hoped…


* * *

(CONTINUED)

[Sike Saner]

“Go!” Solonn shouted at the terrified creature who cowered before him—the creature who had almost become his prey. He watched as the zigzagoon sprinted fearfully away through the tall grass, sickened by himself as he thought of what he had nearly done.

“Well, that certainly was magnanimous of you,” said a bright, jovial voice.

Surprised, Solonn turned at once to see whom and what had just spoken. He was met with the sight of a feathered, blue-and-gray dragon hovering in midair a short distance in front of him.

The dragon introduced himself as Jal’tai, a latios. After Solonn had introduced himself in turn, Jal’tai inquired as to what had brought him to this area, having never seen Solonn around before. Solonn told him of how he had fled from human abductors in Lilycove and was just trying to lie low until he could find some means to return to his home across the sea.

Jal’tai offered him a place to stay in a city in the west where he could be safe and comfortable. Solonn hesitated to take him up on the offer, reluctant to go into another human city. Jal’tai assured him that the place that he had in mind was nothing of the sort. After a few more moments’ consideration, Solonn accepted Jal’tai’s offer and followed him westward through the forest.

Upon arriving at their destination, a place which Jal’tai identified as Convergence, Solonn couldn’t help but notice certain familiarities about the city—familiarities which contradicted the latios’s assurances about it.

“Jal’tai, I thought you said this wasn’t a human city…”

“Yes, I most certainly did,” Jal’tai responded. “And on closer inspection, you might realize that indeed, just as I stated, this is not a human city. Here in Convergence, pokémon and humans live and work as equals.” He smiled proudly. “I’m the man in charge of this city, you see, and I would not have it any other way around here.”

The last of the latios’s statements took a moment to fully register in Solonn’s brain. “…Wait, did you say you were in charge here?” he asked incredulously once it clicked.

Jal’tai nodded, still beaming. “Yes, that’s correct,” he said. “I am the mayor of this fine city. Convergence is my pride and joy—a testament to the equality of all peoples. You see… in the cities owned and ruled exclusively by humans, pokémon are second-class citizens—if even that.” His features gave a brief flash of disgust. “But here, pokémon are afforded the same rights and opportunities as humans. They may own properties like those the humans own. They may learn to operate the vehicles invented by humans if they so wish. Our academy offers them the same education that humans receive and training for those who wish to enter occupations that elsewhere may only be held by humans.

“My hope is that the rest of the human world will learn from Convergence’s example, that they will see that they can and should live alongside pokémon in harmony and equality. This community may very well be the starting point for the greatly-needed change in human-pokémon relations—perhaps then, pokémon will be respected by humans, rather than disregarded, exploited, and abused as we have all too often been in the past. Now do you see what makes Convergence great?”

Solonn could only nod in response, still quite absorbed in thoughts of what Jal’tai had just told him about the state of relations between humans and the other peoples of the world, in the latios’s claim that pokémon were such non-entities in the eyes of humans.

Jal’tai offered to take him to lunch at a local restaurant then, and he accepted. Along the way, he was shown how the pokémon citizens of Convergence were able to utilize the technological conveniences invented by humans to go about their everyday lives—a privilege that they would be denied in the human world, according to Jal’tai.

Once they had reached the restaurant and had been served their respective meals, Jal’tai spoke further about the apparent schism between humans and other intelligent species.

“As I was saying,” the latios said as he paused momentarily in his enjoyment of his fish platter, “the way pokémon are perceived by humans desperately needs to be changed. Did you know that most humans do not realize—or else deny—that pokémon are intelligent beings?”

Solonn looked up from the steak that had been served to him, which still lay untouched due to the glalie’s internal conflict with his own sensibilities. “…No,” he responded, sounding quite troubled at this information. “No, I didn’t know that.”

Jal’tai nodded sadly. “It’s true. The majority of humans regard pokémon not as people, but as mere animals,” he told Solonn, a distinct touch of vehemence coloring his words and seeming to shine in his eyes.

“Gods… How could they see us that way?” Solonn wondered aloud.

The dragon sighed sorrowfully. “I have been trying to figure that out myself for many years now, to no avail, I’m afraid. All I know for certain is that they must be made to see the truth if pokémon are to receive the treatment we deserve from their kind.”

Jal’tai resumed his meal then, leaving Solonn to muse on all that he had just learned. It disturbed and saddened him to think of how poorly humans apparently regarded pokémon. At the same time, however, he thought of Morgan—she hadn’t fit the portrayal that Jal’tai had given of humans as uncaring and disregarding of pokémon. She had always treated Solonn and the other pokémon who lived with her with respect instead of as inferiors. If she could respect pokémon, then perhaps the humans who didn’t could learn to do so, as well… maybe, Solonn considered, there was hope for the relations between humanity and the rest of the world’s peoples.

At length, Solonn finally managed to force himself to take the meat that he had been given. Shortly thereafter, he found himself becoming quite tired with an unusual and alarming suddenness—he suspected that the trials of the prior evening were finally taking their toll on him. When he mentioned this to Jal’tai, the latios told him of a nearby hotel where he could rest and brought him there right away.

Solonn fell into a profoundly deep sleep just as soon as he was given a suite in which to stay, and he remained asleep until late in the following morning when he was awakened by a series of loud, shrill beeps followed by the sound of a computerized voice.

“Receiving message,” the voice said coolly.

Solonn only distantly noted those words, not quite absorbing them, as he was still emerging with an effort from his sleep. He was slightly more awake and aware when another voice arose; he recognized it at once as that of Jal’tai.

“Solonn? Are you awake?” the latios asked.

Stifling a yawn, Solonn rose from the floor and turned toward the source of Jal’tai’s voice, but saw no one there. A second later, as his brain finally finished awakening, he spotted the paging device that sat on the nearby table, and remembered being told that he could use it to call Jal’tai—apparently it also worked the other way around.

“Yeah, I’m awake,” he answered finally.

“Good, good,” Jal’tai said brightly. “Is it all right if I come and pay you a visit?”

“Hm? Sure, go ahead,” Solonn said nonchalantly.

“Ah, very well, then,” Jal’tai said. “I’ll be right up in a moment.”

“Connection terminated,” said the computerized voice again, and with another beep, the device shut itself off.

Very shortly thereafter, that same voice spoke up again, this time to announce the arrival of a visitor. Bright green light blossomed from a tile on the floor near the wall, then faded as Jal’tai materialized within the suite.

“Good morning,” the latios said amiably. “How are you feeling today?”

“Meh, just fine, I suppose,” Solonn answered. “Still a little tired, but other than that…”

“Hm,” Jal’tai responded, nodding. “Well, I’m glad to hear that you seem to be on the mend. I was quite concerned about you yesterday, you know,” he said, his tone serious. “I feared you wouldn’t even remain conscious through the trip to this hotel. Never in my life have I seen someone drained of energy so suddenly and completely… those humans in Lilycove must have put you through a most dreadful ordeal, indeed…”

Solonn only made a small, wordless, affirmative noise in response.

“Well, at least you did manage to escape from those scoundrels,” Jal’tai said. “You’ve certainly been spared a most unpleasant fate… Do you have any idea what their motives might have been in taking you, what they might have had in store?”

Solonn hesitated to answer. Yes, he did know why he had been taken—and in the wake of learning such, he was particularly wary of speaking of that very thing that had gotten him into such a situation in the first place.

However, he did wonder how much danger there could actually be in confiding in Jal’tai. It wouldn’t be the first time that he had trusted his secret with another—he had deemed both Morgan and Sei to be safe to confide in, and as he thought about it, he still felt that that had been a sound judgment, even considering what had happened the day before. After all, his abilities had only gotten him into trouble in Lilycove due to completely external forces stumbling upon his secret, something that might not necessarily have happened under different circumstances even given the fact that he had chosen not to hide that secret from Morgan and Sei.

Neither of them had not come across to him as being untrustworthy, and Solonn was finding himself of the mindset that Jal’tai didn’t, either. Ever since he had met him, the latios had been speaking of his disapproval of unjust treatment and exploitation of pokémon—he seemed like one of the last people who would ever make Solonn sorry to reveal his abilities to him.

Solonn got the feeling that if he told Jal’tai to keep the secret, he would do so. And since Jal’tai was this city’s leader, perhaps he had authority enough in this place to help ensure that none of the wrong people happened upon the secret themselves.

So, feeling fairly secure in doing so, Solonn went ahead and told Jal’tai of the reason why he was targeted for abduction.

“They wanted me…” he began, “because I can do something that apparently very few pokémon can do… I can speak to humans. In their own language.” He sighed bitterly. “The humans who tried to take me wanted to show me off because of it, as a freak,” he told Jal’tai, that last word more hissed than spoken.

Jal’tai’s expression became dramatically sterner as he stared back at Solonn in the wake of the glalie’s admission. “Sickening,” he hissed, his voice low and rather ominous-sounding. “Absolutely deplorable… what you possess is a gift; you should be honored for it, not exploited…”

Fury radiated almost tangibly from Jal’tai as he hovered in place for a moment, his features contorted with clear disgust. At length, he drew a long breath, seemingly trying to calm himself, and released it on a sorrowful sigh. “I’m afraid such troubles come with the territory of the talents you possess,” he said soberly, closing his eyes and folding his hands. “I know it all too well myself…” He met Solonn’s gaze directly, his eyes staring pointedly into those of the glalie. “It is true that exceedingly few possess the Speech—the ability to communicate universally. As such, I thought I would likely never find another who shared this ability in common with me.”

Solonn stared speechlessly back at Jal’tai for seconds on end. Like Jal’tai, he had not been expecting to come across another person who shared his linguistic abilities. As Jal’tai’s revelation sank fully into his mind, he was left without a doubt that his assessment of the dragon’s trustworthiness had been right on the mark. Jal’tai was a kindred spirit—if anyone could be trusted, Solonn reckoned, it was him.

“So, this thing… this ‘Speech’, as you called it… it’s gotten you into trouble, too?” Solonn asked, earning a nod from the latios in response. “Was the trouble with humans?”

“Not exclusively,” Jal’tai answered, “but mostly, yes. Hence the need for a bit of deceptiveness unto the outside world on my part, I’m afraid… Observe…”

Solonn gave the latios his attention, having no idea what to expect from him. As he watched, a strange, shimmering light surrounded Jal’tai, blurring and consuming his form until it was completely unidentifiable. The mass of light brightened momentarily, then began to take shape once more as it faded.

Once the light was gone completely, Solonn saw that the latios that had been in that very spot had apparently gone with it. An elderly, goateed human in a brown suit stood there instead—one whom Solonn recognized at once as being the man pictured on the sign at Whitley’s.

“This is how I appear to the citizens of Convergence, as well as those with whom I do business outside of town,” he said. “To them, I am known as the human Rolf Whitley—I virtually never work under my true identity. I lament that I must appear to the people as something and someone I am not—it should not have to be this way, but the unfortunate fact is that it is a necessity of my work.

“You see, as a pokémon who can speak human languages, humans may look upon me as a curiosity—a freak, as you so aptly put it,” Jal’tai explained, his tone carrying clear distaste. “They will not listen to or respect something that they regard in such a demeaning way. However, as a human who can speak pokémon language, I am not seen as a freak, but merely gifted. It’s a shameful double standard, but it’s the reality for people like us, I’m afraid.”

With another brief shimmering of light all around him, Jal’tai resumed his true form. “So, you see, that guise is the means by which I am able not only to live with my gift in peace but to also utilize it to do good in this world.”

He turned toward Solonn. “You know, this place, this embodiment of all that I believe in… it could not have been made possible were it not for my possession of the Speech,” he then said. “Because this is a community for both pokémon and humans, its leader must be able to deal with both equally. Thus this office demands the Speech, meaning that there are very few who could take care of this city’s needs.”

An unreadable expression suddenly over took the dragon’s features, but Solonn was given little time to look upon it or to wonder about it before Jal’tai turned away from him. A very long and rather awkward silence followed.

Eventually, Jal’tai turned back, his expression distinctly uneasy. “Solonn…” he began, “I would like to know if…” He faltered, seemingly unable to complete the sentence. “No,” he said in a subdued tone a moment later, “no, I just couldn’t ask such a thing of you…”

Solonn’s brows drew together, the light in his eyes flickering slightly in concern. “…What is it?” he asked. “What are you talking about?”

Jal’tai only gazed back at him for a time, looking almost guilty. He hesitated momentarily before answering, and even once he did respond, he spoke with clear reluctance.

“I’m… well, I’m not a young dragon anymore,” he said quietly. “I won’t be around to take care of this city forever… I love Convergence, Solonn,” he all but whispered. “I worry for its future… I don’t know what will become of this place without me. Who will watch over this city when I’m gone?”

Solonn didn’t know how to respond to that at first. Then he realized just what the latios was saying. “Are… are you saying you want me to take your place?” he asked, his eyes wide.

“Well…” the latios responded with something of a delay, “as I said, only those who are blessed with the Speech, as you and I are, are qualified to guide and maintain this community. And as I also mentioned, I had not expected that I would ever find another such person… I have been fretting over the matter of who could possibly take my office after me—and what might become of Convergence and its mission if no one suitable could be found…”

Quite overwhelmed, Solonn suddenly felt the need to sit down. “…I don’t know what to say…”

“I don’t imagine I would, either, were I in your position,” Jal’tai said quietly.

“I mean… I understand what you’re worried about, but… are you sure there’s no one else you could ask?” Solonn asked, finding it difficult to get the words out.

“I honestly can’t say for certain,” the latios answered, “but the odds are very much against it.”

With every passing second, Solonn found himself feeling more cornered by the matter. How the guilt had overtaken him so swiftly and strongly, and precisely where it had actually even come from, Solonn could not guess, but there it was, present and undeniable. He understood and cared about Jal’tai’s dilemma… but still…

“…I don’t know…” he said guiltily, “…This is not a minor matter—I mean, you’re thinking of putting me in charge of an entire city?” He shook his head in disbelief. “Jal’tai… I don’t know if I have it in me…”

“There’s no need to worry where that is concerned,” Jal’tai said softly. “I assure you that you would be adequately educated and prepared to take up these responsibilities.”

The latios’s already troubled expression suddenly became even moreso. “Solonn… there is one more thing I need to tell you before you commit yourself one way or another to my offer,” he told the glalie, his tone grave. “I demonstrated the way that I disguise myself as a human in order to live and work with the Speech safely. You would have to take on a human identity as well if you were to take my office. But since you are not endowed as I am with the power to project a mirage over yourself… well, you would have to come by your disguise by a different means. The only other method by which you could pass for a human… is to actually become one.”

“…What?” Solonn thought he must surely have misheard the latios. “You can’t be serious!”

“I am serious, Solonn,” Jal’tai said. “In order to replace me as the mayor of this city, you will have to be physically transformed into a human.”

“But… how is that even possible?!”

“There is an elemental technique that has been practiced by my people for millennia—namely the transfigure technique—that enables the user to change the form of another thing or person,” Jal’tai explained. “Allow me to demonstrate…”

Jal’tai left the room momentarily. When he returned, he was carrying a small decorative pillow in his talons. “Watch carefully,” he instructed Solonn, then set the pillow down upon the floor. He extended his arms, keeping his talons rigid over the pillow. Slowly, spheres of mint-green light swelled around his hands; soon after, an aura of the same color surrounded the pillow.

The light began strobing then; Solonn winced, his eyes narrowing to slits to fend off the flashing light. He kept them open with an effort despite the discomfort, however, determined to see if Jal’tai could actually do what he was claiming to be able to do. With astonishment, he realized that he could see the pillow warping, shifting somewhat jerkily and unevenly into another shape.

With one final flash of green light and one last metamorphic spasm, the pillow was no more. Right before Solonn’s eyes, it had been transfigured into a plant sitting in an earthen pot, its many leafy tendrils spilling out over the rim.

“And that is how it’s done,” Jal’tai said, sounding somewhat winded, as he picked up the potted plant and examined it briefly. He cast a quick look upward at a particular spot on the ceiling. “This would look rather nice right about there, I think…” he remarked, then set the plant back down and turned back toward Solonn once more.

Solonn, meanwhile, stared dumbstruck at the plant. “Oh gods…” he said almost voicelessly. He had risen from the floor without realizing it and was now starting to back away from the plant.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Jal’tai assured him. “If you choose to accept the change, I will do everything in my power to make it as non-traumatic an experience as I can. If you wish, I can render you unconscious during the actual transfiguration so that you can be sure not to experience any discomfort. Afterward, I promise that I will help you to become accustomed to your new form. Furthermore—” He inclined his head slightly further toward Solonn. “—the change is not permanent. It will wear off after about eight to ten years… perhaps by that time, such masquerades will no longer be needed in this world.”

Those reassurances fell short of quite comforting Solonn, and Jal’tai seemed to recognize this. “I know that physical transformation is not something to be taken lightly, but it’s also something with which you have had some prior experience, have you not? I happen to know that yours is an evolved form—perhaps you might try looking at this as just another stage of evolution.”

Jal’tai was right in one sense: this was indeed not the first time that Solonn had been faced with the prospect of transformation. However, Solonn had not accepted his last change hastily; he had only agreed to go through with it once it had truly seemed necessary. Furthermore, after comparing his memory of evolving into a glalie with the process of transfiguration that he had just beheld, he was quite certain that they would be two very different experiences.

“This is just… all too much,” Solonn said finally, wearily, as he set himself back down.

“I understand,” Jal’tai said softly. “I would not expect anyone to make such a major decision in any hurry.” He began to glide past Solonn then, moving toward the wall that bore the keypad and transport tile, but turned back before exiting. “You can stay here as long as you like,” he told Solonn. “And when you come to a decision regarding what I have offered to you, please call me and let me know. I won’t force you to decide one way or another… but I do ask that you consider what is at the heart of this matter. This community was born in the name of a better future, one in which the schism between humanity and all the other peoples of the world is bridged at last. Ask yourself: is this not a future that you desire to see made into a reality?”

Solonn winced, feeling as though a large weight had just dropped into his stomach. He did want to see unity between humans and pokémon, but there was still also the matter of what acting on that desire here would apparently require of him. He couldn’t even begin to decide what to do.

He finally pried his eyes away from the plant and turned quickly to face Jal’tai and ask him how he was supposed to deal with these conflicting notions, but he saw only a flash of green light. The latios had already gone, leaving him alone with the weight of this decision.

For the rest of the day, Solonn’s thoughts were monopolized by the matter of Jal’tai’s offer, and it denied him sleep throughout the night. He agreed with the latios’s mission, and he could not deny that he truly did want to help. But to become a human… how could he readily accept something that he could barely believe?

As hour after hour was claimed by these thoughts, bringing the morning and then midday, Solonn found himself reckoning this situation by a previous one: that which had surrounded his evolution. He had initially dismissed the comparison, certain of there being a major difference between the two methods of change. As he considered the comparison further, however, he began to see similarities between the two situations.

The last time that he had been faced with the prospect of taking on a new form, he had ultimately determined that it was the right course of action, that it would offer the elemental skill that he would need to succeed in his contest performance. Now, with the matter of physical transformation having been raised once again, he would once more have to determine if it was the right thing to do under the circumstances.

He knew that if he did agree to the change, it would be for the purpose of joining in Jal’tai’s cause—again, he could not deny that it was one with which he agreed. The notion of being made human was quite daunting to him, but if he went through with it, then he could aid Jal’tai in his efforts toward fair and equal treatment for pokémon…

Solonn thought about some of the things that he had learned about the way that humans tended to view and treat pokémon—both from what Jal’tai had told him and from his own experience. His thoughts turned toward his own abduction by humans who had wanted to profit from his abilities—and the fact that they had not been content to merely take him but the rest of Morgan’s pokémon, as well. He thought of those pokémon, friends of his whose condition and whereabouts were still unknown. He thought about Morgan, separated from some of her closest friends, shaken and crying the last time that he’d seen her.

If enough humans could be made to respect pokémon, he considered, then perhaps scenarios like that one would never happen again.

The glalie’s eyes drifted toward that paging device sitting a short distance across the room. There was his answer, it seemed. He had been given an opportunity to do something that he believed could be significantly beneficial to the world—he had to take it, he decided then, even if the knowledge of what it would require of him still terrified him.

He felt heavier than usual as he ascended; it was as though his body were less than willing to rise from the ground. With his heart hammering, he glided across the room until he found himself looking down upon the paging device. Once he had recalled how to operate it, he used it to call Jal’tai.

“Yes? What is it, my boy?” Jal’tai said once the connection went through.

“…I’ll do it,” Solonn spat out before his trepidation could have a chance to foil him.

Jal’tai didn’t respond right away, making Solonn worry that he had perhaps been too vague in declaring his acceptance. But then, “All right, then,” the latios said simply, and the connection was terminated.

In virtually no time, Jal’tai arrived at the suite, entering by way of the transport tile and immediately coming to hover before Solonn.

“I know this was no easy decision for you,” the dragon said, “but in the end, you have made the right choice.” His mouth curved into a warm, proud smile. “We and our efforts will go down in history, Solonn. And someday, pokémon throughout the world will thank you for your selfless actions here.”

They were nice words, Solonn thought, but the glalie wasn’t feeling quite so long-sighted at the moment as Jal’tai was. He couldn’t quite look to the future and any praise and appreciation that lay there—he saw only the present and what it was about to bring and just wanted it to be over and done.

“Do you wish for me to put you under for the transfiguration?” Jal’tai asked him.

An image of the pillow’s rather spasmodic transformation entered Solonn’s mind along with an unbidden sense of what that sort of a process might actually feel like, and he shuddered. “Please do,” he responded quickly.

Jal’tai nodded in acknowledgment, then moved forward and placed his talons on top of the glalie’s head, giving a shudder at the contact with the glalie’s frigid hide. “There will only be a brief discomfort,” he assured Solonn. Solonn gazed nervously into Jal’tai’s eyes for a moment, hoping that the latios was right—and then his vision, as well as his consciousness, were extinguished in an instant by something that sent a shock through his skull and a burst of red light to the back of his eyes.

When Solonn awakened, the scene surrounding him had changed. He knew at once that he was seeing through different eyes, eyes that were much weaker and more limited in their range than the ones that he’d previously had. He shifted slightly, feeling soft surfaces all around him as his limbs stretched—yes, his limbs. It seemed that Jal’tai’s technique had worked—that Solonn was now a human.

He lifted his head and saw that he was presently lying in a bed. The sheets that covered him prevented him from seeing most of his new form; he pushed them aside with one of his newly-formed arms in order to have a look at what he had become. He found that seeing the human body that he now possessed actually made it harder somehow for him to believe that the change had really occurred.

A shadow fell over him then; he looked up and to his left and saw Jal’tai there, smiling gently as he hovered in place.

“The transfiguration was a complete success,” the latios said. “Here—have a look at your new face with this,” he suggested, then offered Solonn a small hand mirror. The human took the mirror, and after a moment’s fumbling with it, he managed to catch his own reflection in the glass. “Do you like it?” Jal’tai then asked.

Solonn wasn’t quite sure what to make of his new form; he could still scarcely believe that he actually possessed it. He responded to Jal’tai’s question with a noncommittal noise.

“Well, given time, I’m sure you’ll get used to it,” the latios said as he took the mirror back from Solonn. “Come, now,” he said, offering Solonn a talon to help him up out of bed. “Allow me to show you around your new home and to help you begin to grow accustomed to your new form.”

Not knowing what else to do, Solonn took Jal’tai’s hand and allowed himself to be made acquainted with his surroundings, hoping all the while that he would indeed get used to this new way of life eventually.

On each of the days that followed, Jal’tai paid Solonn a visit, during which he helped Solonn to learn human habits. He brought a series of instructional videos that demonstrated the ways of human life, and he gave Solonn extra tutelage on certain points of those lessons. While Solonn found some of the practices of human beings to be quite strange (particularly where hygiene was concerned), he nonetheless allowed himself to be taught of these habits and picked them up quickly enough for Jal’tai’s liking.

Things carried on fairly smoothly in this manner until the eighth day following Solonn’s transfiguration. Jal’tai had just left after giving a brief lecture to supplement a segment on one of the DVDs, specifically a segment explaining the concept of money. Solonn was sitting in the den, reviewing that segment and trying out of semi-boredom to memorize whose portrait was on each denomination of the paper notes, when a sudden, incredibly strong pain awakened in his head completely without warning.

Solonn shouted in pain and alarm, wondering what in the world could possibly be causing this spontaneous suffering. It worsened with each passing second, making flashing spots explode within his vision and shooting a bolt of nausea down his throat.

Certain that something was terribly wrong, he tried to call Jal’tai, hoping that the latios could get help for him. He reached for the paging device—but as he did so, a powerful spasm tore through his body. His outstretched arm flailed wildly, knocking the device to the floor.

He tried to make a move to pick it back up, but he had still not quite regained control of his muscles. No sooner had he risen from his chair than he collapsed to the floor—and he did not get back up. The last thing that Solonn was aware of before he blacked out completely was a blurred, sideways view of the paging device lying just inches away.


* * *

Jal’tai emerged from his trance, having constructed and packaged a chain of memories to replace the ones that he had quarantined. The latios allowed himself a couple of minutes’ worth of rest before rising and returning to the table where his subject lay.

Once again, he entered the human’s mind and immediately sought out the chronological telltales that identified the memory that directly preceded the ones that he had locked away, showing him where the new memories were to be placed. Very carefully, Jal’tai implanted the chain, made certain its connections to the preceding memories were secure, and then exited the human’s mind once more.

The procedure was now completed. Anxious anticipation spread through Jal’tai’s nerves as he looked upon Solonn, wondering if the work that had just been done had secured the human as a successor or if it had done quite the opposite.

This was the moment of truth, Jal’tai knew—he needed to see if his interference with Solonn’s mind had robbed the human of the Speech. Focusing his psychic abilities, he stirred Solonn’s consciousness within the confines of liasa andielenne but did not truly awaken it. The human shifted slightly in his shackles, turning his still-blank eyes toward Jal’tai. Solonn was now in a state in which he would respond to stimuli and commands while being utterly unaware of doing so.

“Solonn,” Jal’tai addressed him. He held up one hand and pointed two claws toward his own eyes. “What am I pointing at?”

Solonn maintained his empty stare at the latios for a brief moment. Then, “Vhekahr’syin sierahs hivhassen,” he responded inflectionlessly.

Glalie language, Jal’tai noted, unsurprised. Solonn had spoken his own language almost exclusively in all the time that Jal’tai had known him; he was not one to “show off” his linguistic abilities. However, this situation was one that required Solonn to do just that.

“Solonn, this time you will answer in my language,” Jal’tai instructed, then indicated his eyes once again. He had never heard Solonn speak in lati language and was certain that the former glalie had never done so. Jal’tai reckoned that if Solonn could respond in this language, it would be a good indication that his abilities had survived the psychic procedure. “What am I pointing at?” he repeated.

Like the last time the question was posed, there was a delay in Solonn’s response, but it was a longer one than before, making Jal’tai fear that perhaps the human would not be able to respond as instructed. But then, much to Jal’tai’s immense relief, “Catelisi adiele setali assiria,” Solonn answered.

“Oh… oh, thank the Goddess!” Jal’tai exclaimed almost breathlessly, so overjoyed with relief that he broke into tears. The procedure was a complete success—Solonn now possessed memories that would allow him to accept his new purpose and had kept the skills that would allow him to serve it.

Jal’tai released Solonn from both the hypnotic state and liasa andielenne then, allowing the human to lapse fully into unconsciousness. “Rest well, my boy,” Jal’tai said softly. “You’ve certainly earned it.”

Smiling, Jal’tai then turned toward his shrine to Rei’eli and drifted over to it. Once there, he reached down toward the potted autillia flowers and closed his talons around a pair of them, allowing them to fall apart in his hands. He looked up at the serene face of his goddess as he held the handfuls of petals that he now clutched over the fountain, an almost rapturous gratitude showing through his features.

Thank you, Jal’tai prayed silently and sincerely. With all my heart, I thank you. With that, he let the petals fall from his hands, drifting gently down into the water in a symbolic return of the power that he believed that his goddess had lent him.


* * *

“…which came back negative, thankfully… Oh, look, he’s awake!”

Solonn awoke to the sound of the cheerful voice that had just spoken and was greeted with a somewhat blurry view of its owner: standing nearby was a chansey, who was looking at him and smiling. He also awoke to a splitting headache.

“Oh good, good!” said another voice, a much more familiar one. “Could you give the two of us a moment, Miss Teresa?”

“Of course,” the chansey replied amiably, then departed the room, her tail waving behind her as she waddled out of the room.

Groaning softly, Solonn rubbed his eyes to clear them completely, then cast a glance about himself, confused. He found that he was lying in a simple bed in a sterile, white room. He also found that he was not alone; seated at his bedside was an elderly man—Jal’tai in his human guise, Solonn recognized with a slight delay.

“Good morning,” Jal’tai said warmly. “Or, to be more accurate, good late morning,” he amended with a chuckle. “Feeling all right?”

“Ugh… not really,” Solonn answered groggily. “Gods, my head hurts…”

“Hmm,” Jal’tai responded, sounding concerned. “Well, that’s nothing a little aspirin won’t cure, I’d reckon.”

Solonn cradled his aching head in his hands for a moment, hoping that he would be given some of this “aspirin” as soon as possible. “Where am I?” he then asked.

“You’re in the Haven, Solonn,” Jal’tai told him, “our city’s medical center. I brought you here after I found you unconscious on the floor in your suite. I’ve been so worried about you, my boy,” he said earnestly, concern etched into the deep lines of his aged, presently-human face. “You were out cold for nearly four days.”

With some difficulty amid the pain that wracked his head, Solonn managed to recall his last memory of being in that suite, of that evening when he had been suddenly stricken with a headache that was even worse than the one that he was suffering now and had subsequently passed out. “What in the world happened to me back there?” he asked. “Gods, it scared me half to death…”

“I’m afraid that what you experienced was a side effect of your transfiguration,” Jal’tai said. “That sort of a change can put quite a lot of stress on a body, and sometimes that stress can sneak up on you and hit you all at once—sometimes immediately, sometimes with a bit of a delay, but usually never.”

He sighed. “What you experienced is a rare occurrence indeed; I had truthfully not expected that it would happen. It usually only occurs in the wake of transfigurations performed by less-than-skilled users… I assure you that I am well-practiced in the art, but I fear that age may have deteriorated my skills somewhat. I sincerely apologize for the suffering this has caused you,” he said somberly, lowering his head.

“Mmm,” Solonn said dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. You said you hadn’t expected this to happen.”

Jal’tai gave a small, reserved smile in acknowledgment of the human’s forgiveness. “You’re too kind,” he said gratefully. “Anyhow… as I mentioned, this is a very rare occurrence, and as such, I don’t expect it will happen again. However, just to be safe, I have enlisted the services of someone who possesses abilities that should help to keep you relaxed and well in both body and mind. Her name is Neleng, and I have made an appointment for her to come and visit you tonight. She can also offer a session any and every night after if you so wish.”

“Okay,” Solonn said, grateful for anything that might prevent him from going through this unpleasant experience again.

Jal’tai stood then—or more accurately, his human mirage appeared to stand. “So, then. Do you think you’re up to resuming your education as a human?”

“Yeah… yeah, I think so,” Solonn answered. “Although I think I’d like to get some of that ‘aspirin’ you were talking about first,” he added.

Jal’tai laughed brightly. “Ah, good,” he said, smiling. “Yes, I think we can safely say that all the unpleasantness is behind you now.”


* * *

Not long after awakening, Solonn was released from the Haven. He stepped out into the early afternoon under an overcast sky. A light rain was falling, making pattering noises against the wide, burgundy umbrella that Jal’tai had given him. There was an identical umbrella in the hand of Jal’tai’s human mirage, but whether the latios was actually holding one or simply projecting an image of one and letting the rain fall on him without a care, Solonn couldn’t tell.

A long, sleek, black car waited in the parking lot in front of the hospital; as Jal’tai and Solonn reached it, a uniformed human stepped out of the vehicle and opened a door on either side in the back of the car for the two of them. Solonn took a seat within the car, while Jal’tai went around the back of the car and entered from the opposite side (though in actuality, he was only projecting his human mirage into the vehicle while he hovered above the car outside). The chauffeur closed the doors, then took his seat behind the wheel. Jal’tai’s mirage smiled at Solonn from its place beside him as the vehicle left the parking lot and set off toward the Convergence Inn.

Solonn stared idly out through the window during the ride, watching the urban scenery race past through a veil of autumn rain. As he did so, a most peculiar notion came over his mind: a sense of wondering how he had gotten there, how things had come to be just as they presently were. He was briefly puzzled by it, but then dismissed the momentary confusion as just some temporary malfunction of his mental faculties, some brief and harmless aftereffect of his recent malady that might never happen again. He gave it no further thought, just glad and grateful that the worst of it was over, and serenely allowed the wheels to carry him home.

_________________________

*proffers basket of Visine* Heh heh heh…

It would appear that I have chosen to completely forsake both the “language consisting of the species’ name” route and the “language consisting of animalistic cries” route. Fear not, though—for the record, something of one of those established forms of pokémon speech (specifically the latter version) is kept in my fics.

In these fics, humans generally do not, for whatever reason, perceive pokémon speech as it actually is. What humans hear instead basically amounts to the pokémon cries as heard in the games (or more “lifelike” versions thereof, perhaps). This is why Oth is described as sounding the way it does when it speaks: it’s meant to represent the sort of odd, low, rattling cry claydol have in-game.

Please note that this does not mean that I demand for anyone else to handle pokémon speech the same way I do—I’m not going to give any of you or any other author a hard time about how you or they handle pokémon speech. I respect the personal preferences and choices of individual authors with regards to their own work.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the “glalie language” Solonn used was not Alvayan; it was just a native glalie-language, specifically that of the Virc. Although… it does have a relation to Alvayan—but that’s a matter for another time. ;)

Next time: A new era will soon begin in the city of Convergence... See you then!

- Sike Saner

[PsiUmbreon]

Blah... modifying someone's memories? freaky.

*wonders how the hell Solonn will ever get out of the Latios' power* Seriously... *can't wait to read more*

BTW does this mean you'll be on AIM again? ^^

[Xiang]

Golden Moments:


Then, he cast a tendril of his Psychic power out and projected it into that destination. A fraction of a second later, the Psychic force reeled both he and Solonn in towards it, and with a burst of golden-hued Psychic energy, the two of them Teleported out of the office.

An instant later, the citrine light drained from Solonn’s vision, revealing the scene that had replaced his prior surroundings.
Awesome. I've always wondered how they teleport *snap* just like that, I guess this is how. Awesome and creative. :D


On a vast, marble panel mounted into the far wall, an image of a Latias stood out in relief. She was depicted hovering in place, her arms outstretched, with a benevolent smile curving across her semi-avian face. Her scales were accented with inlaid gold, making her image shine in the warm, gentle lighting. At her feet, a multitude of delicate-looking, fluffy white flowers sat in elaborately carved, earthen pots. They surrounded a tiny, shallow pool, at whose center a small fountain continually flowed, gently churning the water with a soft murmuring.
Very pretty image here and so well put out. I'm there.


In contrast to the beautiful and benevolent image of the Latias on the other side of the room,
Yes...worship the great Ratiasu- Latias. :D


Solonn learned in an instant that he had not imagined the strange light that he had seen within the Latios’s eyes minutes earlier. There it was again, just as before, but now that it remained burning within the Dragon’s eyes rather than extinguishing itself just as soon as it had come, Solonn was able to witness more of its peculiar qualities. As if bewitched, his gaze fixed upon the way that the light in Jal’tai’s eyes pulsed and swirled arrhythmically, constantly shifting its color and intensity in its chaotic dance.
Gold.

I'll stop quoting here. This just gets weirder by the moment, and eventually I'll explode in confusion. @_@ Thank God for brains.

...

[PDL]

very intriging chapter, it made me think of two things

Acid trips and brain surgery.

I also loved the way you've described the mindscape of Solonn :)

also rewrite of Solonn's memory was quite well done, it's good that you get the feeling that it seems totally false while it's not so obvious that Solonn knows when he wakes up from his coma.

BTW, is Jal'tai still the "bad guy" here? surely he must have learned something about the way he treated poor Solonn...

[Luphinid Silnaek]

Yay, first - second - third... fourth... post...

Okay, this is the last straw. Transfiguring him was fine, torturing him into submission was was... well... okay, but now he's BRAINWASHED him! I was restraining my doubts about Jal'tai, but I can do that no more now. I mean, he's turned Solonn into a Matrix character, for crying out loud! Something should have told him not to take away the last thing Solonn had - his own free will - but there seems to be nothing!

*calms down* Well, okay, maybe that's a bit of an overreaction. Really, it could be possible that Solonn eventually Detransfigures back into his former self - after completing his Convergence duties, that is - and returns to his home. Although that would be if Jal'tai isn't lying about the Detransfiguring thing (which is probably not even a word), if there are no more impediments in his journey, and if Jal'tai even restores Solonn's memory - or even if Jal'tai is even there to do it. That's a lot of if's...

Once again, you have proved to me that it doesn't take words only the author knows to make a good story; that it is possible to keep readers hooked without compromising the quality of the aphorisms and words in the story. Once again, I was amazed that I found only two errors, and only this once has my post sounded so much like Typhlogirl's. Meh. By the way, yes, I would like PM notifications.

The errors:


Jal’tai uttered a soft, troubled sound then as he turned away from Solonn, seeming to have lost the will to look upon his captive’s tormented face any longer. He hovered there in place for several moments on end, seemingly staring at the shining image of the Latias who smiled back at him from across the room. Then, the Dragon lowered his head, and a beat later, he turned back towards Solonn with abnormal haste, as if trying to execute the action before he had a chance to be aware of what he was doing.

Annhilate said word. Or, if you like, change the sentence structure a bit.


The maelstrom of light and color expanded outward from the Dragon’s eyes then in a sudden, fitful burst, first spreading over his downy coat entirely, then proceeding to wash over the entire room. Jal’tai was now only discernible as a vague outline, camouflaged in the psychedelic colors that had consumed everything in sight; were it not for his slight motion in midair as he breathed, Solonn might have easily lost sight of him.

Ditto.

And now for some things that struck me:


In a literal flash, the solitude of his unbeing was broken, denying him the luxury of melding into the surrounding nothingness. A shapeless, luminous body shone like a star within the darkness of the netherscape, impossible light in a world without vision. With the same suddenness with which it had appeared, it condensed into a form, one that Solonn recognized at once.

He wanted to do that? Must have been in pain!


In the days that followed, Jal’tai paid Solonn a daily visit, during which he helped Solonn to learn Human habits. He brought a series of instructional videos that demonstrated the ways of Human life quite well, and gave Solonn extra tutelage on certain points of these lessons. While Solonn definitely found some of the practices of Human beings to be quite strange (particularly where hygiene was concerned), he nonetheless allowed himself to be taught of these habits, and picked up them fairly quickly.

XDXDXDXDXDXD I can see you got inspired once again.


“You’re in the Haven, Solonn,” Jal’tai told him, “our city’s medical center. I brought you here after I found you unconscious on the floor in your suite. I’ve been so worried about you, my boy,” he said earnestly, concern etched into the deep lines of his aged, presently-Human face. “You were out cold for over two days.”

And


“Oh, good, good!” came another voice, a much more familiar one. “Could you give the two of us a moment, Miss Teresa?”

You seem to like blatant references to TOoS, don't you?


“…I’ll do it,” Solonn spat out, before his trepidation could foil him.

Something tellls me that would have come in reality, too, had Solonn been able to think a bit more clearly.

Sorry I couldn't reply earlier; it was an ungodly time of the morning where I lived when you posted the chapter; I was enjoying an especially buttery parantha right when I was writing this; and my chair broke down again. All in all, keep it up!

[Pinecone Tortoise]

Well... after this chapter, I'm probably the only one thinking "cuddles for Jal'tai, he must be feeling so bad right now". >< Sorry, Sike, he's just too cute.


Solonn took a seat within the car, while Jal’tai went around the back of the car and entered from the opposite side (though in actuality, he was only projecting his Human mirage into the vehicle while he hovered above the car outside).

Because you only said that he was OUTSIDE the car at the END of the sentence, my bizarre imagination churned up the image of 'Latios squished in posh limo in manner reminiscent of 'bonsai cat''. A very ugly reference, but I assure you the mental picture was considerably more cartoonishly-amusing.

Anyway, the way you deal with such complexity and subtlety continues to astonish me. And the effort... you actually typed out what was the content for the past few chapters. It amazes me. @_@

There's probably little point in me commenting on the technical stuff except to say that you continue to churn out brilliant work. Possibly 'protracted' was a little awkward to see so soon in the chapter (in amongst the middle, it probably wouldn't have gotten a second glance). Oh, and the languages! They seem so... fitting... for their speakers. The Lati one is beautiful! However, the Glalie one makes me think of Vikings. O.O *just realises that Glalie horns make them look like viking helmets* Is that why they talk like that? Cause Glalies look like Vikings?

*Pictures Glalies out at sea in a long boat with a Snorunt strapped to the front (helm?) as a figurehead. The Snorunt is squirming slightly, but nothing else is happening. The sea is still and glassy and just above it, a mist curls and twists in haunting shapes. A few tiny ripples spread out from the boat, but that's from the waves lapping at the sides, not cause the boat is moving, cause it isn't. Then one of the Glalie crew, presumably brighter than the rest, pipes up,

"Wait, what are we supposed to row with?"*

@_@





...uh, considering that I've just blatantly ignored your main character, promoted Jal'tai as 'teh cuddliest, cutest, most wuvvable and fuzzly character in the story!', littered the page with irrelevant and disturbing mental images and claimed your fave pokemon look like Vikings, I might just leave now. *Makes effort to say something nice about Solonn* He's cute when he's crying? >< *winces* Sorry. I'll just leave now. Please don't hurt me.

Good luck and fun to you, as always!

Piney.
;204;;324;

[Terria]

@ @
X
You really weren't joking.I had to rub my eyes after that!
poor Solonn.....
having your memories erased and replaced is the worst that can happen to ANYONE.I'm starting to hate that annoying, disgusting, atrocious, british barette and umbrella carrying Jai'tai!
AwWWwwwwwwSoME use of creative stuff there though.Loved it.
To me,your waiting time is getting longer & longer but ya chappies get longer & longer and more creative and more wunderful and......
Keep it up!!

[Morpher01]

....

DEATH TO JAL'TAI!! DEATH TO JAL'TAI!! DEATH TO JAL'TAI!!!

Seriously. The guy's erasing and replacing memories. HE MUST DIE FOR HIS.....uh......BRITISHNESS!!! Oh, and his evil mind control powers, too.

Even though the awesome "Monty Python" came from Britain.

Anyway, I haven't gotten what the Smeargle gang was, back in an earlier chapter....where'd they come from?

Oh, and.....*sends Skull the Shadow Marowak after Jal'Tai again* Go, Skull! BRING BACK SOLONN'S REAL MEMORIES!!!! Oh, and POUND THE LIFE OUT OF THAT **** ****ING ***** OF A LATIOS!!!!

Ahem.

Anyway......KEEP WRITING OR I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND.....uh.....PREFORM THE FISH-SLAPPING DANCE!!!

[whit19]

I always liked the idea of erasing someone's memory and replacin em with false memories. The description was vivid as always and kept me readin! I couldn't imagine Solonn's incredible pain, I mean an attack that hurts all your senses?! OUCH! I'd wish for death too.

Needless ta say, you did a great job! I neva thought the story would come to somethin like this...

[Kthleen]

Oh man. Like DragonFire2, I too can no longer restrain my doubts about Jal'tai. I mean, I guess I can understand why he's doing it (and it certainly does sound like a noble endeavor), but I'm afraid I just can't seem to sympathize. I bet it's because "Solonn's the good guy (=not noticeably evil protagonist), and Jal'tai's doing really bad stuff to Solonn, so Jal'tai's the really bad bad guy." (I swear, I need to deepen my thought processes.... http://graphics.gaiaonline.com/images/template/smiles/icon_sweatdrop.gif)

I wonder if he's telling the truth about Solonn being able to change back. I have a feeling he is, for some reason. I just feel like he wouldn't have told Solonn such a lie, even though... he was in the midst of totally reconstructing parts of Solonn's memories.... There's no purpose to it, unless he was merely trying to comfort him and planned on 1. erasing the lie later or 2. not really doing anything because he thought a. he would be dead by then or b. puny human can't do anything to him.

[Sike Saner]

PsiUmbreon:
*wonders how the hell Solonn will ever get out of the Latios' power* Seriously...

Heh heh… how indeed…

Ratiasu:
I've always wondered how they teleport *snap* just like that, I guess this is how.

I’d wondered, too, so I decided to stop and think about it, and that’s what I came up with, and pretty spontaneously, actually. I was a little concerned that that explanation might not work in text, but I guess it did. ^^

PDL:
very intriging chapter, it made me think of two things

Acid trips and brain surgery.

XD I think I kind of had similar things on the brain when I wrote this, actually.


BTW, is Jal'tai still the "bad guy" here?

IMO, it’s actually debatable whether or not he even really fell under the category of a “bad guy”, at least in the conventional sense.

DragonFire2: Thanks for finding this:


denying him the luxury of melding into the surrounding nothingness

That was actually a remnant from the old version that had somehow managed to escape the last battery of revisions. Thanks for helping me exterminate it. ^^


You seem to like blatant references to TOoS, don't you?

Yes. Yes, I do. XD

Pinecone Tortoise:
Because you only said that he was OUTSIDE the car at the END of the sentence, my bizarre imagination churned up the image of 'Latios squished in posh limo in manner reminiscent of 'bonsai cat''. A very ugly reference, but I assure you the mental picture was considerably more cartoonishly-amusing.

XD I can totally envision that… But anyway, yeah, I did have to stop and think about how Jal’tai, with his HUGE, RIGID WINGS, could ride in a car. And the answer was, quite simply, he can’t. X3 So he projects ol’ “Colonel Sanders” into the car in his place and just flies outside. XD


And the effort... you actually typed out what was the content for the past few chapters. It amazes me. @_@

Be glad I revised this story--in the original version, those events were not typed out. It basically just told what all Jal’tai changed--“instead of ____, _____”. X3; …Well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it was almost that lame and skimpy. That whole section was only three paragraphs long in the old version.


Oh, and the languages! They seem so... fitting... for their speakers.

Yeah, that was my intent exactly: to come up with words that seemed fitting for their speakers. ^^

And I think the glalie in the boat should totally be made into a comic; that’d be awesome. :D I especially love the squirming snorunt figurehead. ^^

Terria: *new reviewer alarm goes off* FWEE! ^^

Poor Jal’tai… he’s made so many enemies around here… X3

Morpher01: Thanks for reminding me of the fish-slapping dance… XD


Anyway, I haven't gotten what the Smeargle gang was, back in an earlier chapter....where'd they come from?

The smeargle came from from my previous fic, The Origin of Storms.


Don’t be British-bashing, though. That’s not cool. =(

whit19:
I couldn't imagine Solonn's incredible pain, I mean an attack that hurts all your senses?! OUCH! I'd wish for death too.

Yeah, that would definitely suck for sure. XP

Kthleen:


I wonder if he's telling the truth about Solonn being able to change back. I have a feeling he is, for some reason. I just feel like he wouldn't have told Solonn such a lie, even though... he was in the midst of totally reconstructing parts of Solonn's memories.... There's no purpose to it, unless he was merely trying to comfort him and planned on 1. erasing the lie later or 2. not really doing anything because he thought a. he would be dead by then or b. puny human can't do anything to him.

Ah, yes. The promise of reversion. We shall see how that whole thing plays out...

[Brian Powell]

*Impressed whistle* Impressive. You keep getting descriptive and the length keeps getting longer with each chapter. Although, I did spot a couple of spelling/grammar mistakes.


The Latios lifted Solonn slightly higher into the air, then began guiding him backwards – towards that table,
Place the word ‘he’ between those two.


The Latios’s already troubled expression suddenly become even moreso.
Try the word ‘became’ or ‘becomes’. See if one of these two makes sense.


but Solonn was given little time to look upon it wonder about it before Jal’tai turned away from him.
Wondering.


And since Jal’tai was the this city’s leader,
You can only have one of these words.

What’s striking me most right now is Jal’tai. Before reading this chapter, I thought that he wouldn’t stoop any lower. Obviously his intentions are good because it’s for the good of pokemon and humans but I strongly disagree with his methods of choosing a candidate. First, he changes a pokemon into a human without his permission, then he comforts him, and then he blocks out his memory and replaces them with some fake ones, now he feels guilty. I'm beginning to think that he will one day lose respect of others because of what he did, if he isn't already. I predict he passes away first before Solonn regains his memory (he probably will but you’re the author so…) otherwise… Solonn not happy.

One more thing, those bashing the British knock it off!

[metal_chimaera]

Wow, wow, wow....

I kinda understand now how this chapter took so long... you wrote a new chap plus the older chapter...

So yeah, new Chapter with new improved descriptions and improved olength... I guess we've said that enough times now :p

I really liked to whole thing about the "light" (which is usually used in a positive context) being all negative and all. It had an ironic feel to it all.

I especially loved the different languages that were attributed to the different species, the glalie/snorunt language sounding all slithery and raw while the lati@s language sound so noble...

Anyway, I really have to go now
See you
metal_chimaera

PS: I wonder how many other references to TOoS there will be... I guess the Weezing (canm't remember its name :p) is to come, and maybe Karo?... Only time will tell I guess...

[Kaizer]

For such a long chapter and me taking so long to finally get to it, you're getting an awfully short review.

I rather liked it- a lot actually. Though I have an inclination that Solonn's going to figure something wrong more than a little faster than Jal'tai planned on. Those memories just didn't seem all that realistic to me. That and the whole "wear off in 8-10 years" thing. I highly doubt that he'd give up his successor after 10 years.

So umm, yeah. It was a nice chapter, but what's going to happen with Morgan still?

[Typhlogirl]

O_O OMG JAL'TAI LIKE TORTURED SOLONN!

I KNEW IT!! AHA!!! YOU CAN'T FOOL ME SIKE!!

XD

Real review time now plz.

Well, I knew that Jal'tai was going to do something to Solonn's memory, probably re-write it or something, but that was intense. As usual, your infuriatingly perfect description set the scene beautifully. The characters were great, as was the flow.


Your suffering ends here, Jal’tai told him consolingly. I will now ensure that you will struggle no more.
What are you going to do to me? Solonn asked fearfully.

I could tell you, the Dragon replied, but you would not learn.

Solonn knows he's screwed now! O_O XD

I also liked the addition of the statue of the Latias. I wonder if she was actually related to Jal'tai? Maybe sister, mate...*shrugs* But I have an inkling she might appear somewhere. Don't ask me why, because I am probably wrong, but I just feel like she might. O_o


What in heaven’s name came over me? he wondered, aghast. …By the Goddess…I nearly killed him…

He realises this now. Good work. It would have been a bit late if Solonn had stopped moving, eh? Then you would have been in trouble! *imagines the Latios poking a comatose Solonn with his umbrel-HAND!! and saying 'Solonn? Erm, Solonn? Why are you sleeping?'* XDDDDDD

I'm sorry, I just dislike Jal'tai a lot. Don't hate me. ;_; And it seems I've convinced everyone that he is British. XDDDDD

Anyway, this chapter was very, very disturbing Sike. I do hope that Solonn recovers his memories quickly, so he can beat up Jal'tai.

Is that the only reason? Yes it is.

Bye now!!

-;157;

[Sike Saner]

Brian Powell:
I'm beginning to think that he will one day lose respect of others because of what he did, if he isn't already.

Perhaps. Of course, for that to happen, his misdeeds would need to be brought to light to more people. I would say that anyone in the context of the story who has any clue at this point about what he's doing in the name of securing a successor (and I doubt that anyone involved with him has the full picture) supports his actions.

And thanks for finding those errors. Consider them dead and buried. X3

metal_chimaera:
I really liked to whole thing about the "light" (which is usually used in a positive context) being all negative and all. It had an ironic feel to it all.

I like it too. ^^ After all, why should light be given only a positive context? Who ever heard of getting skin cancer from darkness? X3


I wonder how many other references to TOoS there will be... I guess the Weezing (canm't remember its name ) is to come, and maybe Karo?... Only time will tell I guess...

With regards to Faurur: I will say that she (or for the current time in this fic, he) is presently not anywhere near the Convergence area. With regards to Karo... I'm still not going to say anything for certain about him yet. But Lord certainly knows I miss writing that guy; he's just a flipping blast. XD

Kaizer:
Those memories just didn't seem all that realistic to me.

Nor should they; they were dripping with Jal'tai's biases, amounting in a sense to a sort of propaganda for Jal'tai's cause.

Typhlogirl:
OMG JAL'TAI LIKE TORTURED SOLONN!

XD Aw, now, he didn't really torture him--he merely subjected him to a process by which he would be psychically suspended... a process that just so happened to hurt like hell. XP


I wonder if she was actually related to Jal'tai? Maybe sister, mate...*shrugs*

Nope, no relation whatsoever. Rei'eli is a lati religious figure; in the context of this story, lati gods and goddesses are in their own image.



What in heaven’s name came over me? he wondered, aghast. …By the Goddess…I nearly killed him… He realises this now. Good work. It would have been a bit late if Solonn had stopped moving, eh? Then you would have been in trouble! *imagines the Latios poking a comatose Solonn with his umbrel-HAND!! and saying 'Solonn? Erm, Solonn? Why are you sleeping?'*

XDDDD *sniffle* Oh, mercy... X3

[Dark Latios]

I'm like.. The last reviewer to post here.. Sorry for being late. And my printer broke, so I had to stare at the comp screen all day to read this chap. ._.


OMG Jal'tai is so freaky that he makes me twitch.. How could he do that to Solonn? Pure evil if you ask me! And screwing around with his memories? *Shakes head* Guess there's more to psychic types than even I knew. Good job on making everything sound.. and feel *twitch* so real. XD

The Latias goddess thing was neat too.. I had that feeling that she was more than a statue. *Shrug* I always seem to expect the impossible.

Also, like Kaizer said, I'd like to see what happens to Morgan.. I mean.. during all this time he's been gone, she must have been doing something important. o_0 Or maybe that'll all be told later if Solonn ever finds her again.

Anyway, sorry for the short review.. I had to read everything in three days and I kindas forgot the beginning halves by then. :X
Heh, at least I revived the thread..

[monkeyspoon5]

GRAAHHHHH! Nooooooo!

By the way DL, you aren't the last reviewer it seems. >_<

But honestly, I have to say, that's just completely unfair. That Latios needs his priorities straightened. He's like the communists. They try to get a perfect society and yet they do horrible things to try to do it! Gaah! HATE HATE HATE!!!!!

[Silentvibrava]

I just got around to reading the first chapter, and I must say I'm impressed. It's going to take me a while to read everything, but eventually I will.

I love your choice of vocabulary. It's like an elegant flow of words marvelously strung together.(like that) Not many stories have that appeal to me. It was a delightful read.

I also like the idea about the father Galie leaving, in the begining. I'm going to read more, quote things, maybe two days from now.

[Kiyohime]

OH MY GOD HOES SNAP IT'S FINALLY BACK AND I MISSED SO MUCH OMFGWTFBBQ *headsploxes* LEWKRJJJ VT23P5VUP346U.


AND LATIOS...OMFG. It's like Aldous Huxley and George Orville and Animal Farm and all of those "big brother is watching you" things...o_O;;;

Monkeyspoon, I think you're thinking more of a totalliarian dictatorship. Communism is simply the opposite of capitalism...I THINK. <<;; Yeah.

[monkeyspoon5]

No, I meant the communists, because thewere has been no true communism so far, only dictatorships hidden as communisms. Except for perhaps Cuba.

And this is completely off topic...