Lake Valor

The first floor of the library looks just like it did when I left it. Slave must be higher up. I check the next floor for him, but the only person there is the same kid that was there earlier. I start to panic a little: these library patrons are moving, but they stay in the same general areas. They're not studying or anything. They just stand around. This is not normal. I ascend the next staircase. Slave is waiting for me.

"Hey, Master! Over here! This way!"

He leads me to a table. Dawn and Professor Rowan are seated at the table. Oh. We're just having a Pokedex meeting or whatever. I can probably improvise my way out of this. Sure, I haven't been catching many pokemon. But I'm the most powerful trainer we have, and that should count for something. I'm doing my part my raising pokemon to become stronger so that they evolve, rather than just catching a whole bunch of them. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Slave tries to sneak away, but Rowan wants us all to be present. Well, ready or not, we'll see what the old man wants.

"Hm! Everyone's here finally. Master, everyone, listen. You may have forgotten already, but I study the evolution of pokemon."

Speaking of which, professor, did you know that I just had one of my pokemon evolve? Really, right before Slave brought me here. I was sweeping my way through every trainer in the Canalave City Gym, where I just earned this new badge. And my Tentacool evolved into...

...Yeah, he's ignoring me. I don't think he's here to chew us out. That's a relief. He stands up.

"But the more I study, the more mysteries appear and multiply. Pokemon that evolve, and those that don't..."

This would be fascinating if he'd actually give us some details. It's like someone saying, "I research geology" and not actually getting around to saying anything about geology other than "it is so confusing."

"What makes them different from each other? Do those that are immature as living beings evolve to ones more mature? If so, what do we make of the legendary pokemon that don't evolve? Are we to assume that the legendary pokemon are complete as creatures?"

Is he serious? He's serious, isn't he? Guys? Guys? Yeah, I'm not getting any help from Slave or Dawn on this one. I sigh deeply.

"This is where you three come in." In the three lakes of Sinnoh, there are said to be mirage pokemon. If we can obtain data on them, it may shed some light on how the process of pokemon evolution works. I need help from each one of you on this grand undertaking. Help me find these pokemon that are considered to be mirages."

Well, this does sound like an interesting errand. I get where he's going with us. The lakes. Three young trainers that are apparently unprotected by child labor laws. How perfect for him. But I already investigated one of these lakes. There was nothing of interest. Slave notes that he never received a pokedex. Professor Rowan points out that Slave apparently bolted from the lab before Rowan could give him one. Oh Slave, you and your shenanigans.

"Now, there are three lakes. Fortuitously, there are three of you."

Oh, who called it? That's right. I called it.

"You should therefore split up and investigate the lakes individually. Dawn, you go to Lake Verity."
"Will do!"
"Slave, I want you to investigate Lake Acuity. That would take you almost to Snowpoint City. The road there is harsh. I need a tough trainer to go."
"Uh, yeah, of course! Gramps, you know how to call it! You can tell I'm the hotness!"
"And that leaves Master with Lake Valor. The lake is between Veilstone and Pastoria, if memory serves..."

I know exactly where it is. I didn't visit the lake itself because Cyrus posted some volunteers to keep people out on no authority whatsoever. Don't worry, professor, I'll take care of...

...earthquake? The building shakes for several seconds. Rowan, startled, continues...

"Has it stopped? Are all of you unharmed? Let's go outside, but be careful. I'm concerned about the city."

We gather outside the library. Rowan is suspicious.

"That tremor. That wasn't a natural occurrence."

A sailor runs up to us.

"Hey, hey! Old dude and kids! Something big just happened! They're saying there was a huge explosion at Lake Valor! Ka-Boom! Like that!"
"Gramps," Slave says uneasily, "I'm going to the lake! I have a bad feeling about this!"

Rowan is obviously upset. He instructs me to investigate Lake Valor anyway, but to be very careful and not get in over my head. What? In case the lake blows up again? He intends to take Dawn and investigate Lake Verity. Dawn is worried about me.

"Master, you'll be OK, won't you?"

Against my better judgment, I comply. The bad feeling I had before is back with a vengeance. Still, Dawn and Professor Rowan have promised to get there to back me up as soon as they've checked on Lake Verity. And if all else fails, I have my pokemon to protect me. Besides, with Articuno, I fly somewhere safe in no time.

I fly to Veilstone City and cycle to the lakefront as quickly as I can. I arrive, and look on in horror: the lake really has been blown up somehow. It's dry. Magikarp are flopping around helplessly on the ground. People are standing around. I walk passed them in a stupor. And then I notice: everyone else here besides me is wearing a Team Galactic uniform. One of them walks up to me...

"We set off the Galactic Bomb! Its blast force was phenomenal!"

No! I curse myself for ever doubting everyone that thought these lunatics were a threat. The bomb was real. I've been a fool. Before I know it, he's battling me. My heart isn't in it. I switch to Hanuman without even looking at the opposing pokemon. It's Golbat. Air cutter deals hefty damage, but Hanuman is still mostly alright. I've been careless. And now I'm letting this braggart, who just admitted to an act of heinous terrorism, get the better of me. I've never lost a battle, and now someone from Team Galactic, that incompetent bunch of half-witted thugs, is getting the better of me. Team Galactic, the people who just blew up Lake Valor for some stupid reason. And I let them get away with it. And now I'm letting them hurt Hanuman. Poor Hanuman. Always loyal. He's been with me from the beginning. I need to switch. No, not back to Enki. No, not the egg.

It's delayed but entirely unsurprising: I snap. Hatred consumes me. Articuno, destroy these freaks! I don't even pay attention to what moves Articuno is using. The other pokemon don't stand a ghost of a chance. I advance toward the Team Galactic scum, ready to break him. I'll have Hanuman set him on fire, then I'll...

"So, you're tough. Big deal What do you think you can accomplish? There's one of you up against the entire Team Galactic. By now, another crew should be on their way to Lake Verity near that puny little Twinleaf Town!"

Lake Verity? No! Dawn! Professor Rowan! I have to warn them. I turn and run. Another Team Galactic freak intercepts me. I am aware of Hanuman incinerating his pokemon, but I am not really paying attention to the battle. I am panicking. I've got to stop them. Lake Verity. Oh no. No! Oh, look at that. Nyx is evolving. I should tell Professor Rowan about the success I've been having with evolution. Maybe it can help his research...

...Professor Rowan! Lake Verity! I'm distracted. I need to stay focused. I need to help Professor Rowan. He might not know the danger. Another Team Galactic monster offers to make me flop around in the mud like the Magikarp are doing. You sadistic creep. I demolish her pokemon in the battle without even really trying. I forgo killing. This is an emergency. I need to get control. I need to focus. There's a cave. What's going on? A hundred voices in my head are screaming at me. "Lake Verity." But something is going on. I take a look...

"The mission is proceeding without a hitch. The boss should be pleased. Everything is for everyone, and for the good of Team Galactic! I recognize your face! You're the child who raided the Team Galactic building in Eterna! Humph! Jupter should be ashamed of herself, being beaten by a child. But anything and anyone that opposes eam Galactic must be crushed! Even the very thought of opposition will not be tolerated!"

Commander Saturn. That's who's behind all this, apparently. I'll smash him in battle and then beat the answers out of him. He's answering to someone. And I have a feeling that this is about more than wrecking a few bodies of water. Whispering to myself that Dawn and Professor Rowan will be alright, I stand and face this villain. Sinnoh is counting on me here!

He leads with Kadabra. I switch to Sekhmet. Shock wave. Paltry damage against an electric type.
Embargo. Not going to save you, Saturn. Sekhmet uses spark Kadabra barely hangs on. Kadabra heals itself with recover. Sekhmet ends the fight with a bite. Toxicroak is next. Hanuman hits hard with flame wheel, but Toxicroak takes him out with poison jab. Revenge is a dish best served cold. Oh yes, I went there. Articuno eliminates Toxicroak with a single aerial ace. Saturn brings out his last pokemon: Bronzor. Sekhmet paralyzes it with spark, strikes again with spark, then finishes the battle with a well-placed bite.

Saturn is impressed and frustrated: "Gah! Even I, a Commander, only managed to buy us time? But that's fine. A child like you will never be able to stem the flow of time! Team Galactic will get the three legendary pokemon of the lakes! With their power, we will create an entirely new universe! By now, Mars should have captured the pokemon of Lake Verity..."

He vanishes. Or something. How long was I in that trance? Did he hypnotize me? I run out and, thanking whatever mystical forces endowed me with Articuno, fly to Twinleaf Town. I hop on my bicycle and pedal to the lakefront. Professor Rowan is there. So is Team Galactic. I'm not too late! Oh, you freaks are in trouble now. Rowan tells me what I already know: that Team Galactic is after the legendary pokemon. He implores me to help Dawn. I rush forward...

...right into a Team Galactic ambush. They even admit that they're only trying to stall me. They know they cannot win, but if they can keep me occupied while Mars does her job, it won't matter. No time to fool around then. I switch Enki out for Articuno and take their Glameow down with Sekhmet's spark. But they're stalling, so I'm not encouraged by this. Every second counts. Golbat is next. This battle seems to be taking forever. Articuno cuts that one down in one hit too. Thank you, Articuno. You're the best. While Articuno is finishing off the opposing team, I revive Hanuman. Every second matters here. I see Dawn up ahead. Of course, I underestimate Team Galactic again: there's another ambush waiting to stall me. Hanuman and Sekhmet work together to demolish the opposition in a few attacks.

All obstacles out of the way, I reach Dawn.

"Master! It's T-team Galactic! Oh no! The pokemon of the lake..."

Mars is standing right there. I confront her...

"That face! It brings back bad memories. I'm taking about the windworks. I caught a whole lot of trouble for that little incident. What's with the look on your face? You do remember me, don't you? Fine, whatever. I'll tell you who I am again! I'm Mars, one of Team Galactic's Commanders. So, what is it? Are you some lovey-dovey couple to the rescue? Not a chance! Not even a teeny one! You're all going down!"

She couldn't be more wrong. Her Golbat pulverizes Enki, but he manages to set up toxic spikes. I notice that her Golbat is higher in level than any of my pokemon except (of course) Articuno. I have Enki set up barrier. Golbat gets several hits in because bite makes Enki flinch. I use a hyper potion on Enki. Golbat keeps attacking. With barriers up, Enki is hitting Golbat harder than Golbat can hit Enki. Surf beats bite and air cutter eventually. Bronzor is next. Extrasensory does a lot of damage to Enki. Mars brings out her last pokemon: a level 39 Purugly. Toxic spikes finally matter. Enki can't win this and I know it. I switch to Nyx. Purugly drops Nyx in one hit with faint attack. Hanuman goes down from one slash. Sekhmet survives a slash despite already being wounded. She hits back with a powerful spark. Very powerful, actually. I'm proud of her. But Purugly's berry heals it and Sekhmet can't possibly take another hit. Neither can Enki, I'm guessing. I switch to Articuno. Purugly uses hypnosis. Articuno never wakes up, but it doesn't matter: toxic spikes finish the job.

"I lost again," Mars whines. "So, first the windworks and now Lake Verity that I owe you for! This shouldn't be happening to Team Galactic's Commander...Calm down, Mars...I've done my part in all of this...My mission was to transport the lake's pokemon to our HQ...That's right! I accomplished my mission without a problem! Team! We're pulling out! The boss is waiting at the HQ! The pokemon of the three lakes are connected somehow. Thanks to Saturn's grandstanding at Lake Valor, a cavern appeared here. It was the cavern where the pokemon Mesprit slept. Mesprit appeared too, probably to go help its friends. That worked out well for us. It was super easy to catch. So now we've got them all: Mesprit, 'the Being of Emotion.' Azelf, 'the Being of Willpower.' Uxie, 'the Being of Intelligence.' Now that we have them all...You can look forward to what plans Team Galactic has for them!"

And somehow, despite everything that these creatures have done, I can't even try to stop them. They're gone. The next thing I know, Professor Rowan is talking to me.

"I see. This also occurred at Lake Valor. Another legendary pokemon was taken by Team Galactic. Both of you went up against fully-fledged criminals. The fact that you're unharmed is reason enough to celebrate. But what about Lake Acuity? Is Slave safe?"

I don't know, Professor. I don't know. He's always been going places faster than me, earning every gym badge before I get a chance to. If anyone could get to Lake Acuity in time to stop them, it's him. But if he's failed, if they've hurt him, I will bury each and every one of these freaks. I will not stop until they are in the ground. Dawn frets about the pokemon of the lakes. Rowan seems to be on the same page as me, though.

"Master, I need you to go to Lake Acuity right away. I'm worried about Slave."

I agree. Everything else can wait. Slave might be able to take care of himself, but even if he so, if there's some chance that I can help stop Team Galactic at Lake Acuity, I have to try. I know it will be a long journey. Articuno cannot fly me there because I've never been there yet. I'll have to fly to Celestic Town and make the trek on foot. I cannot believe Team Galactic has finally gone and done it. I thought they were harmless. I was so wrong. Articuno is anxious. Well, Articuno is a legendary pokemon after all. I think that Articuno feels some sort of kinship with these legendary lake pokemon. I have a bad feeling that Team Galactic is going to kill these pokemon as part of whatever their scheme is. And just who is their mysterious leader anyway?