[M] Pokemon: Avarice Versus Justice! (Ashen and Headwrapper)

[Headwrapper]

Knowing that both his partner and his Pokemon were okay after the fall, Clive was able to return to taking the new sites around him. He recalled Umbreon to his ball, allowing him the opportunity to rest after such a long fall. The cave that he and his companions found themselves in was certainly extraordinary, and it was hard to believe that it could have been natural. Clive had never seen anything like the stones that the floors and walls were made of, which glowed independently with their own light. For a cave, the ceiling was very tall. Clive saw a few groups of Zubats and Golbats adjusting their positions after being disturbed by Clive and Yulia's fall. Another interesting feature Clive kept a mental note of was the curious stream of water that flowed through the room. It was extremely cold to the touch, meltwater from the mountain perhaps. It exited the cave somewhere, somehow, else it would pool indefinitely until the cave was completely submerged in the water.

Just what was this place, and was this really where the map was intended to lead them? If that was the case, then surely they would find something. They searched, painstakingly, amongst the glowing rocks and along the strange stream of water that flowed through the room. It was not until Yulia called to him, holding brilliantly silver bell, that Clive abandoned his own search. He took the bell, inspecting it for a moment before trying to ring it himself. There was no sound, and he felt no movement inside of the object. It was as hollow as it sounded.

The detective turned the bell in his fingers while he considered Yulia's question. "At the very least, it means someone else was here before. But I don't see any signs of a camp. Or... remains. The way this bell is crafted, it very much looks like the kind of bell used in older traditional Johtonian rituals. I've seen similar ones in Ecruteak City, for ceremonies honoring the legendary Pokemon that used to inhabit the Bell Tower... Wait..." He took a closer look at the bell, as if trying to will some sort of confirmation of his suspicions. "Yulia, has anyone ever really explained the history of the towers in Ecruteak City to you?"

Soon, they recounted one of the most important events in Johto's history. Clive, having lived in Johto his entire life, had no trouble recalling the information. He had heard the story told in hundreds of ways, through dozens of different forms. It referenced in movies, TV shows, and books. Museums dedicated entire wings to art depicting the event. The Kimono Girls, whose Clive elderly mentor had a very particular interest in, told the story frequently through interpretive dance and grand shows they put on with their Pokemon. Indeed, any Johto native was aware of the legend.

"The Burned Tower, once called the Brass Tower, and the Bell Tower, were constructed over seven-hundred years ago and had served as perches for the legendary Pokemon Lugia and Ho-Oh, respectively. After five-hundred fifty years, lightning struck the Brass Tower, engulfing the tower in flames. The people and Pokemon could only watch as the flames overtook the tower, lighting the night sky with its light. Only a powerful rain would douse the fire, but by then it was too late. The tower was destroyed. Lugia fled, with many believing it disappeared to the depths of the ocean. Lastly, three Pokemon perished in the wreckage." Clive paused to clear his throat, having lost himself in the story. The more he spoke, the more he let himself believe in the deliberate nature of the map leading them to the bell, and the possibilities the bell might bring. "Ho-Oh descended from the heavens and revived these nameless Pokemon into powerful beasts. Raikou, embodying the lightning that struck the tower. Entei, embodying the flames that burned the tower. And Suicune, embodying the rains that brought an end to the fire. All three owe their very existences to Ho-Oh"

The detective held up the bell between himself and Yulia one more time. "Ho-Oh, of the Bell Tower. That girl, she referenced the story of the towers. I thought she was only making fun of me and embellishing Phoenix's image, but... She came to make sure I arrested Sierra. She was at your apartment when it was sacked. She convinced you to that we need to follow the map, which she must have left on my desk. All to lead us here, in an otherwise empty cave if it were not for this bell. I think that whoever she serves, herself or otherwise, has bigger plans than we or Phoenix even imagined."

They mulled over their thoughts, for a time. Then, the ground began to shake beneath them again. Clive grabbed Yulia's arm instinctively and braced against one of the rock structures with the other. They had fallen through enough collapsing floors. However, the shaking eventually ceased. The Pokemon flying near the ceiling above them were restless now, screeching and flapping their wings heavily. This particular rumbling was unfamiliar to them, not routine to a life within these caves. Where could it have come from, Clive wondered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in Blackthorn City, a trainer exited the Pokemon Gym with his head down. He had been bested by Clair, the dragon master, for a second time. There was no doubt in his mind that his Pokemon were just as strong as hers, but she had answers to his strategies before he could make the decision to deploy them. He needed to make his choices faster, for the sake of his dream to challenge the Elite Four and for the sake of his Pokemon. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud noise coming from the nearby mountains. From the same direction, clouds of ash and smoke rose, and large projectiles came crashing towards Blackthorn City. One large boulder eclipsed the sun above him as it crested in its trajectory, and its shadow grew larger and larger around the trainer as it came crashing towards him.

The trainer gasped when he was suddenly grabbed and his feet left the ground as he soared away from the Pokemon Gym to escape the crashing boulder. When he finally opened his eyes, he realized that Clair herself was the one who grabbed him, riding atop one of her Dragonairs. "What's happening?" He asked, but the gym leader only shook her head in response.

Back in Goldenrod City, a terrible thunderstorm had the entire city trapped indoors, many without electricity. The dark clouds seemed to come suddenly, covering the entire area and neighboring routes in a matter of minutes before rain and lightning descended upon everything. Those that were unfortunate enough to be outside when the sudden shift in weather took place, were unbelievably drenched, tracking heavy pools of water in whatever buildings they sought refuge in. Thunder roared incomprehensibly loudly as it struck the lightning rods of the tallest buildings in the city. The winds roared and howled, knocking over branches and powerlines.

Back the the GRPD, the Chief gathered everyone he could in the blacked out offices. No matter the conditions, they needed to make sure everyone would safely make it indoors, and he reflected as much in his instructions. Within the hour, the GRPD deployed teams to seek out anyone who may not have found shelter and get them to safety. Sirens blared as a signal to help people or Pokemon where help was, and several instructions to get to shelter blared over any radios and functioning speakers throughout the city. "Where's Clive and Yulia, damn it?" the Chief roared, turning to Natasha and Jean close by. They exchanged glances, both shaking their heads.

"We don't know," Natasha said solemnly. "Neither of them have been receiving any calls or messages. They were last heading to Blackthorn City to follow a lead."

[Ashen]

The tale of Bell Tower and the birth of the Johtoian legendary beasts was a famous one, and its influences were woven through every form of media in some way. Yulia had seen so many movies and read so many books based on the legend that she didn’t know where history ended and where embellishments began. She had studied it in school, of course, but like any schoolchild in Kalos, she didn’t care much for the history of faraway regions. So Yulia listened to Clive recount the story, impressed by his native knowledge of the tale, and she looked over the bell she had found. Was her partner implying that this broken thing was in some way connected to Ho-Oh and the trio of beasts Phoenix was after?

She took a few moments to process the story and all the implications to their current situation. If Clive was right about that girl she’d found on the side of the road earlier, and if she really had been stalking them throughout their investigation, then Yulia had to wonder why. What was her goal? Was she working for Avarice, or was it possible she was on their side? And if she was helping them, why not approach the GDPD with her clues like normal instead of being so cryptic about everything? Yulia thought about it for a few minutes before deciding it probably wasn’t worth speculating. They didn’t have enough information about that girl, so any guesses they made would be baseless. What they did know is that she had led them here to this bell, which was possibly connected to the legendary beasts and Ho-Oh. Was it the clue to finding Suicune before Phoenix could?

Another earthquake shook the cave, and Yulia braced herself for another fall. This one, however, wasn’t nearly as powerful, and she and Clive were still standing by the end of it. She looked up at where they’d fallen from again, and she swore she could hear something distant, as if coming from outside the cave. As she listened, a droplet of water splashed onto her shirt. Was it raining? “Hm.” The forecast hadn’t said anything about rain, had it?

She turned back to Clive. “I think we should go soon,” she suggested. She was getting a bad feeling about being down here, and something told her there was more than rain just outside. “I don’t know why this bell was here, or what it could be used for in its current state, but I’m sure research will be able to tell us something.” Her words were more for herself than Clive, and when she pocketed the bell, she pulled a Poke Ball from her purse and tossed it. Out came her Braviary, who looked unsure about the cramped space he’d been brought into. “Hey, Val,” Yulia cooed against the bird’s neck. “Do you think you can fly us up there? I need you to be careful, okay. The rocks are sharp, and I don’t want you getting hurt.”

As Clive and Yulia made their way back through the cave, the bad feeling growing in Yulia’s stomach only got worse. Her head was hurting not too, a dull drumming against her skull, and she was anxious about what they would find outside. As they approached the entrance of the cave, the rain got louder and louder. Furious streams flowed between the rocks, and soon, it was up to their ankles. “A storm?” Yulia murmured. Her suspicion was confirmed when they reached the entrance: they were caught in a downpour, with thunder shaking the mountains and lightning splitting the sky. Yulia was eager to get out of this cave, but she stopped herself. A storm this bad only meant trouble; not only would they drench themselves halfway to a cold, but the slippery narrow passages would be impossible to traverse now. No rescue team would ever find them in weather this bad.

With an aggravated sigh, Yulia turned towards her partner. “Where did this come from?” she wondered aloud. She reached for her phone, intending to inform her superiors about the new situation, when she saw that she still did not have reception here. Fear clamored up her throat. Something bad was happening, and she couldn’t find out what it was, or call for help. She was trapped in a cave that had already collapsed once. How long before it fell down around them?

Yulia remembered Mt. Mortar and the storm Raikou had caused in its distress. Maybe it was fate that they kept getting trapped in these storms. She looked to the sky between the narrow passageway out, but even from here, water splashed onto her glasses and rendered her blind. She took them off and tucked them in her purse since they were no good to her now. “Wait,” she mumbled. If the only storm like this they had seen was caused by Raikou, and the bell they’d found was somehow connected to the beasts… Phoenix had Raikou and Entei in his custody, leaving one last Pokemon out there. But the bell was broken, and wherever Suicune was, it couldn’t have heard its inaudible chime. …Right?

Yulia sighed, her hands shaking. This all was supposed to have been a simple investigation, but she had had too much excitement for one day. She glanced towards Clive, and with another, irritated sigh, she said, “I guess we’re stuck here.”

[Headwrapper]

"Well, we're not staying here either," Clive claimed all too calmly. Too calmly because, as he spoke, he watched as cracks formed in certain areas of the cave walls. A slow-moving trickle of red-hot liquid began to pour out of the cracks and pool on the hard stone floor. The accumulation of lava would happen slowly, but it was only a matter of time before it would fill the room. Clive thought that perhaps their Pokemon could help seal the cracks, but it would be to no end, as new cracks were forming every minute. Another tremor shook the cave, and more of the molten rock fell, this time from above, just outside the cave's exit.

"It must be coming out the top of the mountain too," Clive observed. "I didn't know that could even happen here. Not unless-" he was interrupted by the sound of a brief, loud, cry of a Pokemon from outside. It had a rough, throaty sound, and rather low in pitch. The cry was so short it sounded more like a bark, but Clive imagined it had to have come from a rather large Pokemon to suit the sound. Soon afterwards there was another tremor and another splash of lava plopped on the ground just outside the cave's exit. "This is not natural."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Phoenix, sir! I have news to report!"

The Avarice grunt approached his superior, shielding his face as he did so. Silently, he observed the scene around him, what plan Phoenix was bringing to fruition. The legendary beasts they had captured, Raikou and Entei, stood on either end of the plateau they were standing on. They were nearly half a mile apart, but the earth around them was so flat that you could easily see each beast from anywhere on the plateau. Somehow, Phoenix manipulated the Pokemon into unleashing their powers, causing the exact disturbances the grunt had come to share. "Sir, various thunderstorms have suddenly appeared all around the continent. Meanwhile, there have been reports of new volcanoes forming all over the world. Some in the middle of the ocean, but more notably it was said that the mountain south of Blackthorn City is beginning to erupt, causing damage to the nearby city."

A grin formed on one side of Phoenix's mouth. "It is even more amazing than I imagined," he mused. "What else? Any signs of Suicune? Ho-oh?" He knew it would be too easy if Ho-oh were to appear while he only had two of the legendary beasts, but he could hope. It was far from guaranteed that Suicune would appear either, but this plan... this would be a good attempt. If Suicune did not appear to save its partners, its brothers in rebirth, then it would appear to clean up the damage they had caused. Waterways polluted by contaminated rainwater would need to be cleaned with the Pokemon's abilities. Forests that have been prematurely set alight by fallen lava would need to be doused. Someone, somewhere, would witness this extraordinary Pokemon performing extraordinary feats, and Phoenix will learn about it. When he does, he will claim the Pokemon as his own.

Silently, he hoped for the more thrilling outcome of his plan, to see Suicune make a heroic appearance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This isn't good," Clive grumbled. Shapes began to form in the pools of lava that seeped through the walls, as well as the puddle just outside the cave's exit that suspiciously began to move into the cave, as if to escape the rain outside. The shapes swirled around before accumulating to form a mass that rose from the lava. The mass budded two ear-like extremities before also growing a large pair of yellow eyes. A Slugma had formed from the lava, and soon after, even more began to accompany it. They bubbled and burst from the walls, they slithered into the cave from outside, and more even began to appear from the path behind Clive and Yulia, from deeper within the cave.

The slug Pokemon brought a nauseating heat with them, and they were also too confused to pay mind to the trainers they inadvertently trapped in the cave. They continued to file into the cave and the temperature of hollow continued to climb with Clive and Yulia trapped inside. There were few choices to consider, too few. The path towards the cave's depths were filling up with lava and Slugma too, the room they currently residing in was growing much too hot to be safe, and the outside was flooding with an unknown amount of lava trickling down the mountainside.

Clive quickly determined that he would prefer to brave the downpour and thunder outside than to roast inside the cave. He nodded towards Yulia, hoping she agreed, and called for his Umbreon. "Let's clear a path!" he commanded Umbreon. "Use Psychic!" Umbreon strained himself for a moment, regaining familiarity with its strange abilities, before his eyes suddenly began to glow with an eerie blue hue. A similar hue began to form around the Slugma closest to the cave's exit as they were lifted into the air, and out of the way. The trainers and their Pokemon hurried outside then.

The heavy, cold rain drops offered a welcome respite from the heat of the caverns, but soon brought about their own form of torment. It was nearly impossible to see, and the winds whipped the detectives devilishly. Despite the difficulty seeing through the storm, there was one feature that was evident. The cliffs and mountains of Route 45 and Route 46 were blanketed in pools of molten lava that glowed in fiery reds and oranges, occasionally flickering and licking at the rain drops that splashed and steamed on the pools. Clive nervously watched as the hot lava poured down the side of the cliffs, afraid that the wind might toss some of the molten liquid at them before they had a chance to react. All around them, the wooden bridges tossed and shook violently with the wind, and a few had even caught fire before descending to the depths below them. Clive's mind began to race as he tried to search for an out. Any kind of shelter, some place to hide from the rain, thunder, and lava. Somewhere that he could just think for a moment. He instinctively recalled Umbreon to its ball.

"Route twenty-nine is that way!" he called to Yulia once he managed to make some kind of heading. He waved southward and began marching towards the direction he indicated. "If the bridge is still up, we can make it!" There was a gate at Route 29, where they could rest and figure out what in the hell was going on. Clive silently prayed they would make it. He prayed a little more each time the wind whipped up and he braced himself to keep from falling off of the cliffs.

[Ashen]

Things were not looking good. If the downpour hadn’t been bad enough, now the investigators had lava to worry about as well. Yulia looked frantically between the cave behind them, where a deadly molten bath was pooling between the rocks, and the path outside, which was dangerously slippery with rainwater and all too eager to throw them to the cliffs below. There was no good option. Panic settled in Yulia’s chest proper, and she struggled to think of any way to get out of this situation. Her Pokemon would be no help: her Braviary, already worn from having to fly them back up the cave, wouldn’t be able to navigate these harsh winds, and her Beartic would be powerless against the lava all around. Yulia took a moment to breathe. The most important thing was staying calm. She and Clive needed to think of something.

It didn’t take long for them both to arrive at the same conclusion: that their chances of survival were better along the steep slopes of the mountain than within the fiery cave. Yulia held her breath as she moved slowly out of the cave, and once outside, she continued at a Slowpoke’s pace along the narrow paths. The wind whipped her clothes and hair, and as much as she tried to tie it back, it easily came free and blinded her. The rain was harsh enough to pelt her skin, like needles coming at her from every direction. She just hoped the lava falling from the top of the mountain stayed off of her. Yulia tried to think of the way they’d come, the walkways they had used, the dangers they’d faced then. Gulping down a breath, Yulia focused on Clive’s voice and prayed they would make it out alive.

She was thankful for him. If Yulia had been alone, she didn’t know that she’d even be able to move, so petrified by her own fear. But Clive’s voice was a beacon, and his knowledge of this area brought her comfort, however tiny. She followed him on the way to Route 29, slipping on the rocks too many times but luckily not falling. As she moved, she couldn’t help her rapid, self-degrading thoughts. If not for her insistence they follow the map, they wouldn’t have been stuck in this situation in the first place. And for what? All they were bringing home was a dumb bell, if they got out at all. Yulia shoved her thoughts aside. Now wasn’t the time.

Thankfully, the bridge was still intact, though it howled with the wind as it was thrown every way. Yulia gulped. The unsteady bridge looked like suicide, and if not for the storm beckoning her to the unforgiving depths of the mountain’s base, she would have never set foot on something so dangerous. But she took the first step, and then the next, mumbling platitudes that did not help. Eventually, finally, they had crossed the bridge, and Yulia could breathe again.

They wound up at the gate of Route 29, where many other trainers were already crammed into the small building. A few people were going around offering healing items to treat Pokemon wounded by the storm, and chatter about the sudden storm filled the room. Yulia reached for her phone again, but her wet fingers didn’t register on the screen, and it was no use anyway. The storm had destroyed her signal, leaving her stranded with no way of contacting the outside world.

She tried her luck with the people around her. Though talk of what was happening was endless, no one seemed to know why any of it was happening. Theories were floating around that this was the apocalypse, that someone had angered a legendary Pokemon, while others speculated that it was a much smaller disturbance, and that it would be over soon. Yulia let out a huff. “What is going on?” She returned to Clive to see if he was having any better luck. As she did, though, she saw the door of the gate, and the glass window spattered with rainwater. Had her eyes been playing tricks on her, or had she glimpsed…something? Something blue and purple and white, almost like a Pokemon. Yulia shook the thought. She turned back to Clive. “I can’t contact anyone,” she told him. She motioned towards the video phones located near the reception area, where a few people were trying and failing to call others. “I’m going to see if I can get through to Goldenrod,” she told Clive, though her hopes were not high.

When her call unsurprisingly failed, Yulia clutched her fist in frustration. Their only option was waiting out the storm, but that didn’t sit right with her. When she returned to Clive, an aggravated sigh escaped her lips. “It has to be Avarice.” Maybe she was jumping to conclusions—Avarice was such an important part of her life, so maybe she just couldn’t imagine anything not connected to them—but this whole thing was too like their meeting with Entei, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that Phoenix had something to do with this. But if he had the power to disrupt the entire region like this, maybe he was a bigger threat than they had given him credit for. They really couldn’t let him get Suicune, because there was no telling how he would abuse its power then.

[Headwrapper]

The first thing that Clive did upon entering the tiny and crowded building in Route 29 was shed his jacket, which was heavy and wet with rainwater. It fell to the ground with a loud plop. It would have been a rude gesture, but considering the entire lobby was soaked with water and mud tracked in by trainers and their Pokemon seeking shelter, it was easily overlooked. The detective panted heavily while collecting his thoughts and catching his breath, struggling to focus with the events transpiring around him. Like Yulia's phone, Rotom-phone also was unable to contact anyone. All around them, people were chattering about the storm and the quakes they felt from volcanos erupting in the region.

He hummed thoughtfully when Yulia mentioned the potential of Team Avarice causing these disasters. It was not a farfetched idea, when considering everything they know. It was confirmed that Phoenix had possession of Raikou. Based on Sierra's testimony, he also had Entei. If the strange devices attached to Phoenix's Pokemon worked as well on the legendary beasts as they did on his other Pokemon, then he could push them to unleash their powers to a degree painfully beyond what they may have been able to before. Was all of this- the sudden storm, the eruptions - part of Avarice's plans?

"I think you're right," Clive said. "This was too sudden to be normal. What we don't know is, if this is a part of their plans, or could this be Raikou and Entei fighting back?" He pushed a wet strand of hair off of his forehead. "It's terrible that they have this kind of power in their possession." He sighed loudly, and glanced around the gatehouse again. He watched as people helped each other heal their Pokemon and others dried themselves off. Sopping wet outerwear was hung all around, draped over benches and armrests or over top of the reception counter. Nearly everyone was struggling to contact anyone using their mobile phones or the video phones nearby.

"Damn, we need to get out of here," Clive said. "If it really is Avarice, we need to be doing something." He ground his teeth, thinking about what options they even had. Naturally, he wanted to return to Goldenrod. With access to resources there, maybe they had a chance of knowing what was going on. Even if they did brave the storms, though, Goldenrod was so far away. They could not fly in this weather. Commandeering a vehicle would not have made much sense either, considering it would be nearly impossible to drive through the storm.

"There's something outside!" someone suddenly called. The man had his face pressed to the glass of one of the exit doors. "Is that a Pokemon? Maybe it's causing the storm!"

Clive shot Yulia a glance, then recoiled when a crowd began to form around the door.

"Where did it go!?"

"It's right there! I've never seen anything like it!"

"So fast!"

"It's going to the other side!"

Before they could be cut off from the exit, Clive grabbed his belongings. "C'mon," he grumbled to Yulia before rushing to the gatehouse's other doorway in a few long strides. He looked through the windows, but with the rain flooding the glass it was nearly impossible to see anything. He thought a saw a streak of purple, blue, and white rush passed. "What was that?"

When Yulia joined him, Clive paused. Was something jingling? He did not recall hearing that sound coming out of Yulia's bag or pockets when they were traveling before, but maybe he was not thinking straight in all of the commotion. "What is..." He looked outside again. The purple, blue, and white figure reappeared, and this time it was standing still. The compulsion to do something about the situation pressed against Clive's temples. It might have been the desire to get out and find out if the storms were Avarice's doing, or the prospect that some mysterious Pokemon was causing the storms after all. He braced himself for the torrent outside, and pushed his way through the door.

The winds whipped at him as he stepped outside, lashing him angrily. He raised his arm to shield his face, squinting to try to make out the figure up ahead. With his other hand, he reached for his Pokeballs, just in case he needed to defend himself. As he approached, he realized that the purple he saw was a long flowing mane, draped over a massive blue quadruped. White, diamond-shaped markings decorated the creature's legs and torso, and two matching ribbon-like tails waved with the whipping winds. The creature lowered its head defensively, displaying its cerulean, hexagonal horn that began just above its muzzle and extended well above its head. In the darkness of the storm, Clive could make out two red eyes watching him.

Suddenly, the creature raised its head back up and stood more proudly. Majestically, heroically, even. Despite the conditions, the Pokemon's appearance was extraordinary, demanding respect from those around it. Clive felt a pressure weigh down on him that was similar to what he felt when they encountered Raikou. "That's really it... Suicune," Clive gasped. "But what brought it here?"

Soon, other trainers braved the storm to witness the sight. "Did someone just say that's the legendary Suicune?" Soon commotion joined the sound of the howling winds as people began to scramble back into the storm as quickly as they had first tried to flee from it.

Suicune stood still and calm, raising its furry chin majestically. Its red eyes gazed down on the onlookers for a long moment, before it turned away and bolted into the nearby woods. A heavy gust roared, battering the trainers and pushing many of them to the ground. Leaves and branches rushed by, sometimes painfully whipping someone unlucky enough to be in the way.

Without waiting more than a moment to get back on his feet, Clive locked his gaze in the direction Suicune had fled to. "We're going after it," he told Yulia, grabbing her arm as he pressed forward.

"Wait!" The gatekeeper called after them. "No one should travel in- aah!" Another gust interrupted the gatekeeper, and while the rabble hurried back indoors, Clive continued onwards.

[Ashen]

Yulia was feeling more and more helpless by the minute. She agreed with Clive, they needed to get out of here and find a way to stop this, to help everyone who’d been affected. Hadn’t that been the reason she’d sought this job in the first place? But going out in a storm like this in any kind of vehicle was practically suicide, and there was no way they would help anyone if they couldn’t keep themselves safe. She was racking her brain for any idea that wouldn’t lead to disaster when she realized the people around had all taken a sudden interest in…something.

Yulia joined them as they gathered around the window in one of the doors, but the large crowd was impossible to see through, so she could make out nothing but the rain from outside. She wondered what they were looking at, and if it was the same thing she had just spotted, but she shook her head. What did it matter? She needed to find a way out of here.

When the thing outside moved to the other window, Yulia joined Clive right up against it. It was almost impossible to see through the downpour, and even between the streams of rain staining the window she could only make out the colors of the trees and road outside. Then something jumped right onto the road, and Yulia squinted to get a better look. She only glimpsed a long, white ribbon before the thing was moving away. A Pokemon, maybe, but what was it doing in such a bad storm?

Her attention was drawn to her bag when she started to hear a high-pitched ringing. Every time she moved, something inside her bag made noise, so she dug into it. She pulled out the broken bell she’d found in the cave, and to her surprise, when she did, it chimed as if it had never been broken at all. Yulia stared at it, and she flicked her wrist a couple times, listening to the new sound. Puzzled, she stashed the bell into her pocket before following Clive out into the harsh storm.

They were immediately pelted by the rain, fierce in its onslaught. Yulia could have sworn hail was pricking her skin now too. Tugging her sleeves down and her hair out of her face, she squinted into the rain to try and see the thing again. After all the research she’d been doing lately, it would have been impossible not to recognize it. Suicune was here, the real legendary Pokemon Suicune. Clive had been right; it must have been summoned by the strange bell after all. Yulia hesitated. She got the feeling Suicune was trying to tell them something, but what…? Before she could think on it too long, she was distracted by the people shouting behind her.

Many of them were calling them back into the gatehouse and out of the storm, but when they saw the legendary Pokemon for themselves, that changed. Most people went their whole lives never seeing a legendary like this, so Yulia couldn’t blame their awe. She wanted to tell them to return to safety inside too, but such a thing would only sound hypocritical.

That was when Suicune started off. Yulia didn’t wait for Clive; they both started running after the beast. They were two fools running in a dangerous storm after a Pokemon most people still considered a mirage. But Yulia couldn’t give up. Whatever Suicune was trying to say to them, she was determined to find out.

It was impossible to keep up with such a Pokemon, and pretty soon, Yulia slowed to a stop, nearly slipping in the rain. They had lost track of Suicune. Frustration surrounded her sigh, and she desperately turned to her partner. “Where…?” Remembering her bell, she removed it from her pocket and tried to ring it again. She couldn’t hear anything, but she couldn’t tell if that was because it was broken again, or because the storm was so loud.

Her hopes were answered, however, when she looked up and saw that the Pokemon she’d been calling was right in front of her. It walked between her and Clive, elegant in its gliding movements. “Suicune,” she breathed. “You came.”

Suicune lowered itself onto its knees, as if asking the investigators to climb onto it. Yulia looked between it and Clive. “Are you trying to take us somewhere?” She pet the Pokemon’s back, and when it did not move away, she took that as permission. Yulia lifted herself onto Suicune’s back, and once she was settled, it turned to Clive, waiting for him to do the same. “I think Suicune wants to help,” Yulia said. “Maybe it can take us to whatever is causing these storms.” She offered a hand to Clive to help him up. “Come on! Who knows how much time we have now!”

[Headwrapper]

Upon pausing their chase after Suicune, Clive panted heavily as he pressed one arm against a tree. His chest rose and fell with his heavy breaths, which began to slow as he looked around. It was a struggle to make out anything in the shade of the trees and through the torrential downpour. There was a glimmer in his peripheral vision- the bell that Yulia had in her possession. Clive watched his partner shake the bell. To both of their bewilderment, Suicune returned.

The legendary beast was even more majestic up close. Its large purple mane flowed extravagantly, despite the heavy rains. The large quadruped's steps were almost completely silent as it stepped through the foliage, placing itself between Yulia and Clive. Instinctively, Clive prepared himself. After all, Suicune was a powerful Pokemon that they knew little about. There was no telling what it might do.

Suicune averted Clive's expectations when it lowered itself accommodatingly, silently inviting the detectives closer. The Pokemon remained still as they approached, even when Yulia stroked its back. In fact, it only moved after Yulia fully climbed onto its back, so that it could wait for Clive to follow suit.

Clive hesitated. Was Suicune acting this way because of the bell, or was there some other reason? Clive's fingers itched towards the inside pockets of his coat as he frantically weighed the possibilities. If the storms were truly caused by Avarice, could they risk Suicune getting involved? Between Umbreon's Mean Look and Shadow's illusions, we can keep Suicune here, Clive thought. After all, their plan was to keep Suicune away from Avarice. That alone would be enough to stave off the worst of their plans. They could figure out how to end these storms after they were sure Suicune was safe.

Clive's gaze went from Yulia's outstretched hand to Suicune's red irises, which were seemingly glowing with anticipation. Perhaps there was no way of controlling such a beast after all, Clive thought. Perhaps Suicune was offering their best chance of winning. Perhaps there was this was the long shot they needed. Clive's steel cage drew itself closer, which he embraced like a suit of armor. His brow furrowed and his jaw tightened in determination. "Okay, let's go!" He grabbed onto Yulia's hand and lifted himself onto the legendary Pokemon's back. It was an awkward arrangement, but sufficient enough for Suicune. Without hesitation, the Pokemon began racing forward.

They reached breakneck speeds in a matter of seconds, bursting out of the trees and foliage. Despite the speed, Suicune seemed to have full control of its stride, quickly weaving through the terrain's obstacles effortlessly. It climbed over rocks with ease and weaved its way around the trees. Soon, the group approached a wide river overflowing with rainwater. Even still, Suicune's speed only seemed to pick up. Its strides grew longer, and before the detectives could act, they were soaring over the water. When Suicune's feet touched down on the water, its paws pressed against the surface as if it was solid. The turbulent waves chased towards them, which Suicune leapt over with ease.

Once they crossed the river, they began the next obstacle. Clive's legs tightened as he braced himself for their sudden ascent through the highlands. Rocks and pebbles tumbled behind them as Suicune raced up the side of the cliffs, the gravity pressing down on them as they climbed at a nearly vertical angle. The storm became worse, but also even more abnormal than it was before. One side of the plateau above them was shrouded in thick, black storm clouds, that thundered loudly and constantly. On the other side, cracks and fissures shattered the cliff sides, releasing flowing pools of lava that sputtered and cracked.

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Phoenix sighed loudly, scrolling through his phone. The enjoyment in seeing social media abuzz with news of the storm was quickly wearing away without the payoff of capturing Suicune. Perhaps it would not come after all, but even so, the damage done to the continent would be enough to draw it out. It was only a matter of time. Even still, the disappointment was aggravating. Not nearly as aggravating as the ruckus the grunts were causing. "What is going on over there?" he shouted.

"We see something!"

"It's so fast!"

"Quick, move out of the way!"

Many of the grunts scrambled backwards, and a few fell to the ground as a blue quadruped soared up the side of the plateau. Phoenix's eyes widened in disbelief before he began laughing uncontrollably with joy. "He's here!" he cheered. "Oh? And is that?" As the legendary Suicune crested in its leap, Phoenix spotted them. His two favorite detectives, bravely riding aback the beast to face him.

[Ashen]

As Yulia and Clive sped through the storm on the back of the legendary Suicune, Yulia wondered if maybe she had made a mistake. They were traveling so fast that she couldn’t begin to make out her surroundings—not that things would have been much better standing still, at this rate—and she had no idea where Suicune was even taking them. She clutched onto the edges of Clive’s shirt, desperate to hold onto something to feel just a bit safer about their journey. Even if Suicune was the very image of elegance, and even though the ride felt a lot smoother than it looked, she was still terrified of how fast they were going. It one of them were to fall off— No, she brushed those thoughts aside. For some reason she couldn’t explain, deep within herself, she trusted this Pokemon. She trusted wherever it was taking them, and she trusted that it would keep them safe.

Once she found that conviction, Yulia’s fears slowly faded away, and she was able to look out at the blurry world with new interest. The forest and river and mountain made up a kaleidoscope of bursting color, and she wondered what this ride might look like another time, when the rain wasn’t ruining the view. Amazingly, Suicune was able to scale a mountain with ease, and though gravity tugged harshly at them, she didn’t think she or Clive would fall off. She tried to squint to make out the summit, but it was only when Suicune burst forth and landed atop the peak of the mountain that she understood, finally, where it had taken them.

She heard him before she saw him. Yulia would know the high-pitched and annoying voice of Avarice’s second in command anywhere. The arrogance leaking from his whole demeanor disgusted her. It was still difficult to see through the rain, but it was impossible to miss the garish colors he wore, as if he weren’t afraid at all of being found. The second Suicune stopped, Yulia leapt off the creature’s back and pointed a finger at the man. “You,” she snarled. Suicune had taken them straight to Phoenix.

There, behind him, in traps of their own, were two other Pokemon. Raikou looked far worse than the last time they had seen it, battered and struggling atop Mt. Mortar. It bore a new collection of scars between its impenetrable bindings, and Yulia could see its bleeding skin where its fur had been singed off. Beside it was Entei, wrapped in similar binds. Its cold and determined face that Yulia had seen on the cover of storybooks was now defeated. The two suffering Pokemon broke her heart, and as they roared, their pain drowned out by the storm, she was determined to free them. They were responsible for this storm, she realized, and when she looked again at Phoenix, she suddenly figured out what was going on.

The Avarice grunts scrambled on either side of them, staring in awe at the legendary beast and in apprehension at the detectives. They were completely soaked and wore their irritation on their faces, and Yulia wondered how long they had been up here, just waiting. Had they been expecting them? No, Yulia doubted it, given the surprise on Phoenix’s face when he saw them. They had been expecting Suicune, though, and the detectives had let the Pokemon fall right into their trap.

She longed to tell Suicune to run. She wanted to command Clive to get back on the beast and ride it far from here, where Phoenix couldn’t find them. She would handle Phoenix herself. But that plan had failed at Mt. Mortar, and the painful reminder of that kept her from suggesting such a thing. She reached for her Poke Balls, wondering how she could make this time different.

While she thought, Phoenix was rambling about something or another, but Yulia wasn’t inclined to listen to his nonsense today. She wouldn’t let the man distract her again. Turning sharply to her partner, she called his name, voice hardly audible over the storm. “We have to do this together.” Was that the reason they hadn’t saved Raikou before? If they worked together, battled together, would they better be able to stop Phoenix? It was worth a shot. Loosing a Ball from her purse, Yulia tossed it into the air. Her Beartic landed with a kick of dust and a roar.

Phoenix laughed. “This again?” He drew a Poke Ball from his belt, and out came the very same Dragonite that had halted them before.

Yulia looked to Clive, waiting for him to join her. “Suicune needs us,” she breathed, even though Clive wouldn’t be able to hear her. “Raikou, Entei, they need us.” Suicune had approached its trapped brothers, but it lingered a distance away from them, afraid of a trap. Its sympathetic gaze looked to the other Pokemon’s bindings, as if trying to think of a way to break them out. Phoenix’s grunts lingered about Suicune. They held a rope similar to the ones holding Raikou and Entei, but they seemed afraid to approach the aurora Pokemon. Yulia nodded to herself. Now was their best chance at putting a stop to this.

[Headwrapper]

Like Yulia, Clive had spared little patience or regard for Phoenix's monologue. Instead, he cautiously absorbed the scenario that had played out. They were in the lion's den now, and it was clear that the stakes were never greater than they were at that moment. Thunder struck the ground hard, shaking the ground beneath them. Entei and Raikou each let out horrible shrieks as they suffered, cascading across the region while Suicune witnessed. It was clear that the legendary Pokemon understood the stakes also, by the way it observed and cautiously approached its counterparts.

Together, huh? Clive thought internally in response to Yulia's demands. "You're right. You, and me, and Suicune. It will be different this time." Clive reached to his belt, hesitating for a brief moment before his fingers finally situated around one of the orbs. About that moment was when Phoenix called out his Dragonite, in response to Yulia's Beartic. "It will be different, this time," he repeated, staring down the battle scarred Dragonite. There was no mistaking that this would be the final battle with Phoenix.

Clive spared a glance towards Suicune, who was strategically avoiding the range of the Avarice grunts' tools, looking proud all the while. The Pokemon had its fill of observing what had happened to those captured before, and its demeaner immediately returned to its usual heroic aura. Its purple mane and ribbon-like tails billowed in the harsh winds before the Pokemon reared back its head, charging a bright light within its maw. When it swung its head back forward, a rainbow-colored beam, icy cold, emitted towards the device that ensnared Entei. The device was immediately covered in ice, which caused Entei to stir. The Pokemon stared around in confusion, if only for as long as it took for an Avarice trainer to flip a switch on another device that caused Entei to return to its previously submissive state.

The commotion Suicune caused was what it took loose the tension that had been building since its arrival with the detectives in tow. The grunts, riled up after facing the consequences of their hesitation, began loosing their devices as well as a few Pokemon towards Suicune. The Pokemon was clever, and fast, and avoiding the hazards with little issue. The grunts were persistent, but it would be futile to catch Suicune without help of stronger Pokemon. They called for support from their leader.

Phoenix growled. "Take care of it!" He shouted at the Dragonite, gesturing towards the Suicune. "Whatever it takes!" He shielded his face as the Dragonite beat its wings heavily, gearing up to take flight. Suddenly, something struck, and the dragon Pokemon let out an aggravated snarl. Clive's Umbreon, suddenly loosed during the commotion, had recklessly charged into Dragonite and caused it to stumble backwards. "Don't worry about this one," Phoenix commanded, reaching for one of his dusk balls. "You need to take care of Suicune."

"Mean Look!" Clive commanded. Immediately, Umbreon's eyes began to glow. A ghastly purple aura emanated from them and swirled around Dragonite, before dissipating. The same purple glow outlined Dragonite's body. "He's not going anywhere," Clive growled. His heart pounded heavily and his hands trembled. Dragonite was in front of him, so close. He was being given an opportunity that he never imagined he would have in his entire life. A chance at a truth he had abandoned learning a long time ago. His cage rattled, and he remembered himself. Steady now, he thought. Some things are bigger. He looked towards Yulia. "Together," he said, repeating her earlier sentiment.

"Aha, so this is how it will be, then," Phoenix laughed, raising the dusk ball. "Then let this be our final dance! Let this be a lesson to all who oppose Team Avarice... and oppose my destiny!" He let out his Gengar from the dusk ball. The Pokemon trembled as it floated into the battle. Its expression was agonized, in a horrifying way. Gengar's red eyes were wide and crazed, its pupils dancing all around as it took in the site of the plateau. Upon catching sight of Umbreon, Gengar stretched its arms high above its head, forming a Shadow Ball that it promptly let loose.

Umbreon took the hit, and before anyone could intervene was lashed heavily by Dragonite's tail, sending him back towards Clive before heavily landing on the muddy ground. Umbreon hissed as it rose back to its feet, surprisingly unshaken by its injuries, a testament to the stalwartness of the species. Clive called out a command to use Moonlight to heal. A few beams of pale light managed to squeeze through the clouds above, healing some of Umbreon's injuries in mere moments.

"Mean Look only works while Umbreon is in the battle," Clive explained to Yulia. "And it won't work on Ghost types." The clouds were a problem too, but he had no time to explain that. They blocked the light, limiting Umbreon's ability to heal itself during the battle. That was a challenge for Umbreon and Clive to overcome while they supported Yulia's team. This was what they trained for.

[Ashen]

The storm only got worse with each new pained scream from two of the legendary trio, and Yulia’s heart broke for the beasts. As much as she wanted to go to them and break them out of their binds so that they could stop this storm and get far away from here, she knew doing so before she and Clive defeated Phoenix would be pointless. So, the eccentric Avarice admin needed to be taken down today. She would accept nothing else. Yulia nodded to herself and returned her attention to the battle.

Normally, she would have the advantage in this fight. Pokemon type effectiveness was a required course early on in trainer school, and by now, the chart of what beat what was ingrained into her head. Any Pokemon professor would have said an ice type like Beartic would have no problems defeating a flying dragon like Dragonite. But Yulia couldn’t take comfort in her odds yet. The old Dragonite looked much more powerful than her Beartic, and the tools Avarice used to heighten a Pokemon’s power only added to that. In addition, there was the wild storm raging all around them, which brought visibility dangerously low. Yulia called out a couple moves, but her Beartic missed both of them. This would be far from an easy win.

But she wasn’t alone. Yulia turned to Clive, who was calling out to his Umbreon to stop the Dragonite from interfering with Suicune’s rescue. Returning her attention to her Beartic, Yulia took advantage of the Dragonite’s distraction. “Zita, quick!” she called to her Pokemon. “Icy wind!” The attack did not hit hard, but it did hit, and Yulia was glad to see the Dragonite wince as tiny ice shards pelted its skin. It was the first thing since this battle had started that had actually worked.

Phoenix laughed off his Pokemon’s pain, and after more theatrics that Yulia didn’t care to pay attention to, he called a Gengar to the battle. The Pokemon’s red eyes stared straight into Yulia and sent a shiver running down her spine. She tried to shake it off. Half of her Beartic’s attacks were useless against a ghost-type Pokemon, but her Braviary would be next to useless against the new foe. Swearing under her breath, Yulia turned to the sky. Instead of attacking the Gengar, her Braviary could use his flying-type moves to try to clear the storm clouds… No, she realized such a task was impossible for just one bird, and she returned her attention to the fight.

She shifted her weight, considering her next move, before she pointed across the battlefield to the Gengar watching Umbreon like prey. “Okay Zita,” she called to her Beartic, “let’s try an Icicle Crash!” The Beartic let out a long roar which froze the air around it. It grasped a pair of icicles in its massive paws and hurled them at the Gengar. Luckily, the move hit. The ghost Pokemon stumbled for a few moments and flinched, giving them another chance to strike.

Now was their chance. “You take Gengar!” Yulia hollered at Clive, hoping his Umbreon still had a bit of energy left to finish the Pokemon off with one of its dark-type attacks. Yulia pointed to the Dragonite then, now flying just a little distance from Umbreon. “Zita!” she commanded. “Blizzard!”

The ground trembled with the force of the attack. Rain hardened to ice all around them, and it fell to the ground where it shattered into sparkling pieces. The Dragonite was pelted by the hail, and after struggling to fly against the blizzard, it gave up its flight and landed on the ground with a tremor. Now, hopefully, it would be an easier target.

The Dragonite, annoyed at being knocked out of the sky, rounded on Yulia’s Beartic. It sliced at Zita with a Dragon Claw, throwing the bear Pokemon several feet before she landed on her side in the mud. She was up only a moment later, ready to continue the fight. Yulia called for a Frost Breath, and when the Dragonite dodged out of the way of that, she balled her hands to fists.

The fight was going nowhere. Even with the Dragonite grounded, she couldn’t hit the thing. Yulia glanced towards Clive again. He was still handling the Gengar, and he was counting on her to finish off this Dragonite. Nodding to herself, she called out to her Beartic once more. The bear Pokemon stopped to concentrate on what it was doing. She remained unflinching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It was only when the Dragonite came running at her with another Dragon Claw that Zita unleashed the Sheer Cold she’d been building up.

The dragon Pokemon seized, and as ice crept over its scales to cover every inch of its body, it fell to the ground, wiped out. By some miracle, the Beartic’s move had hit, and it had taken the Dragonite out in one shot. Phoenix recalled his Pokemon, cursing its uselessness. Yulia felt like celebrating.

But the battle wasn’t over. Yulia turned back to Clive, ready to support him however he needed.