"You guys can go on back to the Pokemon Center, or find somewhere to stop and eat. We'll catch up when we're able to." The dungeon portal closed while I was talking. Kaorah and the others walked on ahead, and I felt Melanie gently squeeze my right hand. "You ready to do this, Mel?" I asked her.
"Not really, but…we have to do this." She answered as we started to leave the alley. "I'm glad that you're going with me."
"I bet. Listen, they're probably going to ask you some really intense questions. You'll need to answer them, to give everyone an idea what's going on." I felt her squeeze my hand. "I know it's going to be hard, but I know you can do it. If they'll allow it, I'll be right there with you the whole time."
"Thank you. Let's…go get this over with." Melanie said. It didn't take us long to find the police station. Much like most of the buildings in Fuchsia, it was damaged, though not nearly as bad. The front door slid open as we approached. And the one I'd prefer to speak to most, was just inside as we entered.
"Officer Jenny, hey." I got her attention. It's good that she was right there, and I wouldn't have to ask where she was and go looking for her.
"Mr. Ketchum, do you need something?"
"Not so much me, as it is her. Go on…you can do this."
[I…have something to say.] Melanie closed her eyes and sighed.
"What's going on?" Jenny asked.
"It'll help first to know if there's a related case. Any missing person things that are recent?" I asked.
"Well, yes, but why would you need to know that?" Jenny replied.
[He's not missing…he was…murdered.] There it is. I already knew about that, but it seems that word about Tommy's death hadn't gotten around. I don't think it's even been discovered.
"Oh…oh dear. Is that why you brought her here?" Jenny asked me.
"It is. He was her trainer before she joined my team. She saw everything, tried to save him with the same magic she's used to help out here, but…her magic wasn't nearly as good as it is now." I pulled Melanie into a side hug as I finished speaking.
"This is…a very serious case now, and since she's a witness…possibly the only witness, that means she's the only one we can ask questions about it. Normally, we wouldn't be able to ask a Pokemon, but it seems that she's able to hold a conversation."
"I can understand Pokemon, if it helps. She knows how to use Telepathy, so I won't need to translate."
"Good, that will definitely make things easier. Come with me, we need to get as much information as we can." Officer Jenny said. She then began to lead us back to…I think it's an interrogation room. I've never been inside a station, not that I remember anyways. Actually I think there was one case as a kid, it was a field trip...but I don't remember for sure.
"Have a seat inside. I need to get the word around, then I'll be in afterwards." Melanie and I stepped in as Jenny was talking. And as we went to sit down, we heard her walk off.
"Hey, are you alright?" I asked Melanie.
"I'll…I'll be fine."
"I know. You're doing alright, we just need to get through this and make sure that guy is caught. Then it'll be all over, and you'll feel much better."
"I just can't help thinking about…what if this all goes wrong somehow, ya know? Like…if they think you're a suspect or something."
"That's a possibility, and until you give the description, even I'm a potential suspect. Because I could've forced you to join my team under the threat of the same fate. Now, you know for a fact I'd never do such a thing, but still."
"No, you really couldn't." Melanie smiled, "you're such a sweetheart, anyway. I don't think you have it in you to be like that."
"Thank you." She's not entirely wrong though. I mean, I absolutely could be evil if I wanted to, but I'm not going to. Not unless there's some sort of alternate timeline simulation thing. Granted, I could mess with the mirror worlds seen in the crystal caves, in Kalos, but I doubt that's a good idea anyway. Especially since there's alternates of me that could also exist.
"They're coming back…best get ready." The door opened and Officer Jenny entered the room, followed by a detective, and one of the rangers. I didn't think they'd get involved in this, but it was a missing person case, at first, so it makes sense. I mean, who would be better than the rangers and their teams at searching in the wilds for someone?
"Okay, we're going to ask a series of questions. I need you to answer honestly, and give as much detail as possible, even if it's really hard to talk about." The detective said.
[I…understand. I'll do what I can.]
"Listen, if you need to take a break, just say so. You're our only witness, so any information you can give us is helpful." Officer Jenny said. "Mr. Ketchum, I'll have to ask you to step outside for now."
"I understand. Will you be fine on your own?" I asked Melanie.
"I…should be. I'll do my best to get through this."
"I know you will. See you in a little bit." I got up from my seat and stepped outside, noticing that the ranger had followed behind me.
"So, what's a ranger involved in the case for?" I asked as the door shut behind us.
"It was a missing person case, and we were involved because we do search and rescue," he said, so that's one thing I'm definitely right about. "Sad to hear the case has gotten worse than it was originally." He said as we sat down in the hallway. "You might not be a ranger officially, but most of us would consider you one anyways. And with how your team has helped out after that storm, I'm glad to have you involved in this, too. I'm Alex, one of Fuchsia City's local rangers.
"Nice to meet you, Alex." We shook hands. "Ya know, I think I recognize you. Were you on the route that night, when the storm came through?"
"Actually, yeah, I was. Was searching up along the path of the storm, where it came from anyway. Your camp was the only one that I found in the area. How did you get out of the path?" He asked.
"Used a cave for shelter, one of my Psychic Types sealed it off with a barrier until the storm passed. My Absol is one of the reasons we knew it would get bad. Well, that and the fact I have some experience with such weather, anyways." I answered.
"That was a smart move, better than trying to run to the city with that thing on your tail."
"Can't outrun a tornado on foot. We could've teleported, but even then, we'd still be caught in the storm anyway. It was better to find a cave and stay there until it passed." And though some buildings did hold up pretty well, I don't know for sure if they have any storm shelter areas built in.
We spent a little while longer talking, before the door to the room opened up, and everyone stepped out.
"Mr. Ketchum, thanks for helping to bring this information to us." Officer Jenny said.
"Not a problem, sorry that we couldn't really get it to you sooner." I replied.
"It's unfortunate, but now, our case isn't cold anymore. You're both free to go whenever you're ready."
"Is there any way you could let us know when the killer has been caught?" I asked.
"We can. I'm sure your Gardevoir would like to know about it." Jenny answered, and I'm sure Melanie's glad to hear that. It'll mean she doesn't have to worry about a second encounter anymore. Even if that guy did come for us, it's seven against one.
"Great. Well, we've got a gym battle to get to, so we'll be on our way." I said.
"Good luck. Your Gardevoir might even be able to do it on her own."
"Oh, there's a member who can, but it's not her. Besides, sweeping the gym isn't as interesting as an actual battle."
"Fair point. Still, good luck with the gym."
"Thanks. Mel, let's get back to the others." As Melanie and I left the station, we went just out of sight of anyone around us, and I pulled open a portal. I figured that Melanie would've wanted a little privacy, and it seems I was right. As soon as we crossed over and the portal closed, I was wrapped up in a tight hug, which I quickly returned.
"You OK, Mel?" I asked her.
"Just…hold me, for a bit. I had to…"
"Go into detail." I finished for her. "I know that must've been hard, but it's OK. You gave them what they needed, and they'll catch the guy in the end. I don't know if he's going to try to flee to another region or not."
"He could, if he's not already in another region. But, that's not what I'm worried about. Remember, the story I gave you. He threatened me, Zee. And now that I have actually reported him, I can't help but worry."
"You'll be just fine, you've got a team, and a lover. We'll be there for you, no matter what. He might be armed and dangerous, but that won't do him much good when someone much more dangerous is there to stop him." Melanie rested her head against my chest, with a small smile appearing on her face.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Mewtwo could disarm him far faster than he could draw." She released me from the embrace, without her smile going away. "Come on, we've got a team to gather, and a gym battle to do. But first, let's get something to eat."
"Yeah, let's go." We returned to the outside world, and went to find the rest of the team.
[Break]
Following our meal, and regrouping with the team, we started for the gym.
"What do we know about this gym?" Kaorah asked.
"Ninjas, firstly. Second, we're up against Poison Types. Kaorah, Mewtwo, and Melanie, all have an advantage here. You all need to be careful, as we don't have any Steel Types on the team. Not yet, anyways."
"Battle plan?" Mewtwo asked.
"We'll go with the usual order, save the strongest of you for last. We'll figure it out for sure when we know how large the opposing team is. Still, prepare yourselves, and drop your weights if necessary. I'm already expecting this to be tougher than our previous battles, outside the dungeons anyway."
"The big things to watch out for will be Toxic and Protect. Melanie's Restoration will handle it if you get poisoned. Don't be afraid to switch out if you do, so she can cure it. As for Protect, it's less effective the more it's used, and can even fail." Of course, there could always be moves outside the four that I'm planning on for each of Koga's Pokemon, but we'll see.
"This is gonna be the sixth badge, only two more afterwards."
"Have you thought about plans for the League?" Mewtwo asked.
"Actually, we might not do a League challenge, just yet. Tournament or Elite Four, and there's a reason for that."
"Why? We could still get training out of doing a League tournament." Lexie said.
"Because, I feel like there's one other place for us to explore before we go for the League, and that would be Mt. Silver." I said.
"Mt. Silver? Isn't that location known to be dangerous?" Pidgeotto asked.
"Yes, it is. However, I feel as though we can handle it, even if there's a difficulty spike. It's training that can only benefit us, and there's a Pokemon Center up there, anyways. Normally we'd need sixteen badges, with the other eight being from Johto, but we'll see if Oak's willing to allow us to go with only eight." In the games, it's also where Red is battled, specifically in the Gen-2 games and the remakes for them. Although, since Red isn't actually here, there's no telling what we'll run into up there, or whether or not we'll be the ones that get challenged by someone else.
It didn't take more than a few minutes for us to find the gym, its automated door sliding open as we approached. It seemed to be the least damaged, out of all the other buildings in the city. Based on the fact it's not closed down, challengers might still be able to get their battles in.
"Ah, so the trainer who's been helping around town finally makes his way to my gym." Someone spoke as we entered. "I'm glad, saves me the trouble of personally looking for you." Koga revealed himself to us.
"Wait, looking for me?"
"That's right. I've heard about you and your team, spending almost an entire day working to help out in whatever ways you could. Not to mention the fact that you all saved a lot of people, and that one of you has the power to heal injuries much faster than they would have naturally." He explained. "That said, you do not actually have to face me in battle. I feel that you've already earned your badge."
"I understand, but, it is called a gym challenge for a reason. I wouldn't feel right if I got a badge without actually earning it through battle, unless it's for a very special reason." I said.
"Very well then. If you still want to earn the badge in battle, then I see no problem with it. Step onto the field, when you're ready." As I started to step to the field, something appeared in my vision.
"Hey kid, sorry about this, but you're about to have a bit of a problem. See, out here, the time is quite different to what it is in there, for you."
The Monitor? I didn't think I'd hear from them in a while.
"Well, there's not much of a choice. See, Generation Nine just released, last month actually. So, we have to now get all that data, which we have, and update your new world with all of it at once. Your System's going to update along with it, and though it can take the strain, I won't lie… It's going to hurt."
Uh-oh.
"But you should be fine, in a few hours at most. Hope your new world has something for a headache. Whelp, good luck kiddo."
What's with the sudden choice to start calling me a kid?
[System Update starting.]
[Version 2.0 is now loading. Brace yourself.]
My head quickly started to hurt, and in moments it progressed into a migraine. I clutched at the sides of my head with a low groan.
"Mr. Ketchum?"
"Zee?" Melanie appeared in my vision as it was starting to blur. I barely felt her hand touch my forehead. "He's burning up, bad. What's going on? Zee, are you…" Her speech began to fade, and I felt my balance slipping. "Zee!" The last thing I could feel was her catching me as I fell.
[Moments After]
Melanie lowered the unconscious trainer to the ground, then placed her hands on both sides of his face.
"Is your trainer OK?" She heard Koga ask.
"We don't know at the moment, and Melanie's our healer. I'll have to ask you to stay back while she works." She heard Mewtwo tell the man.
"I see…should I call emergency just in case?" Melanie answered with a nod. She didn't look up, though she did hear Koga walk away.
"Melanie, any idea what might've caused this?" Mewtwo asked her.
"No, this is very sudden. It's not a head injury, and it's certainly not poisoning of some sort." A blue flash appeared in the corner of her eye.
"Zeryph, we have a serious-- oh, goodness." A familiar voice met her ears. She saw a man in blue kneel, across from her.
"Dialga?" She asked, "what's--"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out, right now. A whole bunch of things have just changed, without any sort of warning. Not just in our present time, but also past and future."
"What changed, exactly?" The pair heard the doors to the gym open. A medical team entered the building, and began preparing to transport Zeryph. Dialga calmly waved them off.
"He'll be alright, it's not serious enough to warrant emergency care. Though, it would be be best to lay him in a proper bed, rather than allow him to stay here." Dialga stood, and then stepped aside.
"That's a relief. I still want to know why he suddenly-"
"In due time, madam." Dialga interrupted what Melanie was saying. "It would be best for him to awaken first, then he can explain it to us. It will be better than what we can get from trying to guess." He watched as the team's other Psychic Type carefully lifted the human in his arms.
"Who are you, anyway?" One of the medical staff asked Dialga.
"Oh, just an acquaintance of theirs. We can handle this from here." He turned to face Mewtwo. "You are able to teleport yourself and others, correct? Go ahead, I shall be along shortly. I'll inform the Gym Leader of what's going on, then I'll catch up." He watched the team vanish in a flash of light.
'Well, at least, I know that this won't cause a panic. This new…region, and everything related to it, seems to have written itself into everyone's minds. History, occupants, all sorts of things.' Dialga thought. "Hmm…Celebi, I want you to explore the timelines as they are now, we require more knowledge of our own. Make sure that the chain of events we are on now, isn't going to be thrown off course." He said quietly.
He knew the other Pokemon had heard him. It's possible she even knew already that he was going to have her explore the timelines. The disguised dragon sighed, first everything that has already happened, and then this whole mess on top of it. Even Arceus didn't seem to know what exactly was going on. Arceus didn't seem happy about an outside force messing with His universe, either. He wanted an explanation, and Dialga was going to make sure that He got it.
But for now, Zeryph needed rest, in order to properly recover from whatever had happened to him. Dialga decided that he would wait, at least until the human was able to properly explain things without having to handle a headache. Still, there was the need to inform the Gym Leader of this incident, and then catch up with Zeryph's team.