Legend has it that Cresselia, the Lunar Pokémon, will only allow itself to be tamed by a chaste and pure maiden. Much like the mystic unicorn would only allow a virgin with a pure heart to ride it.
Everyone found it strange that I fit the bill, much less the fact that Cresselia actually came to me itself. In my career as a professional Pokémon trainer, I’ve always put on the image as a “bad girl”, wearing black leather and talking tough. I’ve always kept my true nature secret because, let’s face it… Good girls are boring, and bad girls get all the attentions.
I haven’t used Cresselia in a battle yet, and I can only hope that it is capable of a fight, because it’s time for a confrontation that may decide what ultimately happens. Jessica has blasted off just like her parents so often did, and we have to find her… We have to force a confrontation…
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Pokémonology
Never let it be said that Starbuck didn’t keep his promises.
As evening covered the city, they were in the Zippy Pizza Parlor. Liza’s Munchlax was chowing on a large thick-crust with everything, while he, his mother, Shadow, and Mandy, were sharing an extra-large with pepperoni.
Starbuck occasionally looked at the Heaven’s Pipe.
“So you never found out what it does?” asked Mandy.
Starbuck looked at it again.
He blew into the mouthpiece, but it didn’t make a sound.
“I tried that,” said Mandy. “Several times. I didn’t have any better luck. But it must do something.
“I showed that thing to Palkia when Jessica ordered it to attack me… And it refused to attack me. It seemed to think that it was some sort of holy relic.
“I don’t even know why I decided to show it… It was like a voice suddenly came to me, telling me to.”
“Well, we’re stumped,” said Lisa.
Then his cell phone rang. He looked at the number.
“It’s Officer Jenny…” he said.
He answered it.
“Uh huh…” he said. “Yeah… Okay… All right… Yeah, I’ll tell her…”
He hung up.
“Well, it seems that they raided the Grasp Building,” said Starbuck. “They found enough evidence to likely send Jessica to prison for the rest of her life…
“But Jessica and the rest of Rocket Reborn are gone… They dropped almost everything and split.
“Emphasis on ‘almost’. They managed to take their Pokémon and the three Plates they still have.
“The only leads we have are Kitsune and Francesca, and they aren’t talking yet.
“But there’s good news Mandy… Your Pokémon have been recovered, along with some other things that Jessica took from you all those years ago.
“Anyway, Mandy, if you really want witness protection, it’s your decision. You just have to go to the police station. As an alternative, Jenny will offer you an escort to the airport if you’d rather go to Sinnoh.”
Mandy sighed. She finished the last of her soda.
“People, I’d like to say this has been fun, but it hasn’t…” she said.
She got up.
“I’m going down to the police station to tell her that I’m taking the second option… It’s been so many years… I want to see mom and dad again…”
Starbuck said nothing as they watched her leave.
After all, he could relate…
He picked up his cell phone.
“Who are you calling?” asked Shadow.
“Percival,” replied Starbuck.
“It’s time that Jessica and I met face-to-face, and to do that, I’m going to need him to bring a few things…”
* * * * * * * * * *
The next morning at the Pokémon Center, the three trainers were discussing things over coffee.
“So just how are we going to find Jessica?” asked Shadow.
“Percival has an idea about how to find someone who might be able to find her,” said Starbuck. “We might be able to convince him to give her a message.
“Until then…”
Then the door opened, and Percival walked in.
“Ah, Mr. Conrad,” he said.
He turned to Lisa.
“Mrs. Conrad…” he said.
“Did you bring them?” asked Starbuck.
Percival reached into his pocket, and took out a pokéball. It was a special pokéball used to carry objects.
“The Plates we’ve found are in there,” he said. “But really, Mr. Conrad, if this goes bad, we may be even worse off than we started…”
“That’s a risk we’ll have to take…” said Starbuck.
“Well, on another note,” said Percival, “Candice was finally able to find someone who could decipher that message you found on the back of that Golem statue…”
“The one we found in Bunglewood!” exclaimed Shadow.
“Yes, that one…” said Percival.
He took out a piece of paper.
“It’s an odd passage that seems to give a hint as to how Regigigas was created by Arceus…”
He cleared his throat.
“The Colossal One known as Regigigas who crafted three in its own image was itself crafted by three, one who embodied Space, one who embodied Time, and one who embodied both and neither at the same time. Those three were created by the one known as the Alpha Pokémon. The labors of one created three, who created one, who created three again. In the cycle of the universe, acts of creation invariably lead to threes.”
There was silence for a minute or two.
“Well, Dialga embodies Space…” said Shadow. “Palkia embodies Time… But who the heck embodies ‘both and neither at the same time’?”
Lisa looked visibly nervous.
“We’ll figure that out later,” she said. “Percival, who’s this guy who might be able to get a message to Jessica?”
“Well, it’s a long shot,” said Percival, “but I found this business card in Francis’ room when I was moving the stuff out. You know, Francis, my butler who was secretly working for Rocket Reborn?”
Starbuck took it and looked at it.
Dr. Douglas Dugan
Pokémonology
An address placing him in Blueberry Cove was also on the card.
“I looked this guy up,” said Percival. “Apparently he has done extensive study on Legendaries, much like you have, Mrs. Conrad…”
“And it would stand to reason that Jessica has such a man on her payroll…” said Lisa. “After all, her plan does involve Arceus in some way…”
“It shouldn’t take longer than twenty minutes to write the message…” said Starbuck.
“And I’ll deliver it,” said Shadow.
“Are you sure,” asked Starbuck.
Shadow took a pokéball off her belt and looked at it.
“If this guy studies Legendaries…” she said, “maybe he’d be receptive if I let him study one firsthand…”
* * * * * * * * * *
The noon sun was in the sky as Shadow stood in front of a building near the edge of town.
It looked rather modern, and seemed to fit the description of a research laboratory. It was a one-story edifice, with a well-manicured lawn. The sign on the front said “Malvin Building; Research in Environmental Biology”.
Shadow hit a button on her cell phone.
“This seems to be the place,” she said into it. “Doesn’t look all-that sinister… Seems kind of like where your mother works, Starbuck.”
“Understandable,” said Starbuck. “We’ll be right up the road… If you need us, just shout.
“Wait, hold on… Blaziken wants to tell you something…”
Shadow paused.
“Shadow?” said the Pokémon’s voice. “Here’s a word of encouragement…
“Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Why thank you,” said Shadow, sarcastically.
She hung up.
Not very encouraging… she thought, nervously.
She didn’t know what to expect in this place… For all she knew, Jessica might well have been in there already… And she could still remember the battle…
She could still remember Palkia…
Still, she wasn’t going to back down. Her near-death encounter in the Spires had frightened her, but Cresselia had been what convinced her stay with this whole thing to the end.
She knocked on the door.
“Anybody…” she said.
Then the door opened by itself.
“…home?”
She looked inside.
She took a deep breath.
Percy had better be right about this guy, she thought. Otherwise, I’m going to be asking him for bail money when I’m arrested for breaking and entering…
She slowly walked in, and walked down a hallway. The place seemed to be empty…
A door at the end of the hallway had the name “Dr. Douglas Dugan” on it.
She tried the door, and it was unlocked. She walked in.
The smell of formaldehyde greeted her. She walked into a lab that she had clearly seen the likes of before; it was a lot like Lisa’s lab. There were biology specimens preserved in jars, anatomy charts, and strange equipment. A refrigerator was near the door.
She opened the refrigerator. It was full of cases of soda. At least five twelve-packs of cola and root beer.
Man… she thought. This guy sure must get thirsty…
She closed the refrigerator. Then her eyes turned to one strange, very large device on one end of the room.
It was an odd machine, with a strange generator taking up the top half. The middle part was taken up by a circular table with sixteen rectangular-shaped depressions arranged in two circles of eight.
Those are slots… she thought. Slots that are supposed to hold the sixteen Plates!
Then she noticed another part of the machine… Branching off from the side was a device that held a pokéball…
No, not a pokéball… It was a plastic toy that looked like a pokéball… But clearly, this part of the machine was meant to hold a real pokéball…
What the Hell is this thing? she thought.
She slowly backed away from it…
Then her eyes fell on a journal on a table.
Curiosity got the better of her. She opened it.
Inside were sketches of Legendary Pokémon. She had seen most of this before, in her frequent trips to Lisa’s lab. There were sketches of the three Legendary Birds of Kanto, the three Beasts of Johto…
Her eyebrow lifted when she saw a sketch of a Pokémon she didn’t recognize.
It looked kind of like a big, muscular genie with a long tail.
Above the sketch was a name.
“Landorus?” she said. “What is that?”
“A very powerful Legendary Pokémon,” said a voice.
She turned around, and saw who she assumed to be Dr. Dugan entering the room.
Shadow’s eyes narrowed. She had never actually seen this guy… But there was a nagging feeling in her mind that she did indeed know him from somewhere.
“Landorus is a Pokémon that figures prominently in the mythology of Unova,” he continued. “It is the spirit of plenty. Wherever it goes, soil turns fertile and crops become bountiful.
“My research shows that it is a Ground/Flying Pokémon, but it is far more powerful than any Gligar.”
Shadow shook her head.
“Then, like Gligar, it’s a living contradiction,” she said. “Ground/Flying simply doesn’t make sense.”
“Well, Shadow, the world is full of contradictions,” said Dugan.
He opened the refrigerator. Shadow tensed for a second, but then saw that he was only taking out a soda.
“You ever hear of Shogun Kaiamo Yoshi, who lived in Kanto around the twelfth century AD?”
“How did you know my name?” asked Shadow.
That seemed to take Dugan by surprise. As he opened the can of soda, some of it sprayed on him.
“Yeah, I’ve heard of Shogun Kaiamo…” said Shadow. “He was a madman and a tyrant, who liked to execute people by turning them into shish-kebabs.”
“Indeed, he was fond of impalements…” muttered Dugan. “He was also a Pokémon trainer, who had a fondness for the Flying Type… And he was known for whipping any servant who harmed one of his Pokémon.
“That’s the contradiction. He seemed to have almost no concern for human life, but he couldn’t abide the suffering of his Pokémon.”
“Look buddy, let’s stop beating around the bush,” said Shadow. “I want you to deliver a message to Jessica.”
“Jessica who?” he asked. “Jessica Simpson? Jessica Alba? Jessica Rabbit? I’m afraid I don’t know any of them…”
“Don’t play dumb!” snarled Shadow. “The Jessica who leads Rocket Reborn?”
“What makes you think that I associate with criminals?” asked Dugan.
“Mind explaining why you seem to know who I am?” asked Shadow. “Someone who worked for Jessica more than likely would…
“Not to mention that Jessica is trying to get all sixteen of the Plates, and that machine over there seems to involve them in some way…”
Dugan looked at her.
“You’re a Pokémon trainer, right?” asked Shadow.
“What?” said Dugan, with a laugh. “You want to make me a wager?”
“No,” said Shadow, “I want to give you a chance… You study Legendaries… Have you ever actually seen one? Up close?”
Dugan frowned. He had, actually… Palkia. But no, he had never had any hands-on experience in studying Legendaries, which had been a hobby of his for years.
Shadow held up the pokéball that contained Cresselia.
“I have a Legendary right here,” she said. “I’m not going to tell you who it is, but I’ll battle you with it if you promise to send the message. Certainly, someone like you would consider this the chance of a lifetime.”
Dugan fidgeted a little. This would be a chance of a lifetime… But…
“How can I be sure that you’re telling the truth?” he asked. “For all I know, that pokéball may contain nothing but a Rattata.”
“Then I’ll make it a Pokémon Dare,” said Shadow, “but a one-sided one. I have to forfeit my right to attack you if I win, but you don’t.
“Certainly, if this pokéball does contain only a Rattata, I’d lose for certain…”
Dugan looked at her closely.
“Very well…” he said. “I accept. But only two Pokémon apiece.
“We can do this out in the backyard…”
* * * * * * * * * *
“By the way…” said Dugan, as he held a pokéball up, “just so you know… I don’t have any Legendaries myself… But the Pokémon I do have aren’t lightweights… Not by a long shot…”
“I didn’t expect them to be…” said Shadow.
She looked at him.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” she asked. “An engraved invitation?”
Dugan smirked. He threw the pokéball, and it burst open…
The Pokémon that emerged was six feet tall, very muscular, and covered with armor. It glared at Shadow.
Shadow looked at it nervously. Starbuck’s battle with Sofia, who also had a Nidoqueen, was still fresh in her mind. She had battled an opponent who had one once before… It had been an experience she would have liked to forget…
She threw her own pokéball, and Magmortar leapt out.
* * * * * * * * * *
A short distance away, Starbuck and Lisa were watching as best they could. Starbuck was trying to get a close look with binoculars.
“Well, this Dugan fellow is clearly no rookie,” he said. “He just pulled out a Nidoqueen.”
“Then Shadow should have no problem,” said Lisa’s Poliwrath. “Cresselia is a Psychic, and as tough as Nidoqueen is, I’d wager that Cresselia is tougher.”
“Maybe, but Shadow is using Magmortar right now,” said Starbuck.
“Maybe that’s a wise choice,” said Blaziken.
“Now that’s an illogical statement,” said Poliwrath. “You’re only saying that because you have an affinity to fellow Fire Pokémon. Nidoqueen is part Ground, I believe.”
“What Blaziken means is,” said Lisa, “at least I think… Is that Shadow wants to save Cresselia because she believes Dugan probably has an even stronger Pokémon waiting.
“Maybe this is Shadow’s idea of a ‘rope-a-dope’…”
* * * * * * * * * *
Indeed, that had been Shadow’s plan.
Nidoqueen grunted in pain as Magmortar’s Flamethrower hit it in the chest, but overall, it seemed more angry than hurt.
“Nidoqueen, show that thing who’s boss with your Earth Power assault!” ordered Dugan.
Nidoqueen simply lifted a hand, and the ground trembled, erupting into a geyser of rocks and dirt. Magmortar staggered, and then fell flat on its face.
Shadow sighed, and recalled it back to its pokéball.
“You realize, Shadow,” said Dugan, with an evil grin, “I’m going to hold you to the wager you made…”
“Oh, don’t worry…” said Shadow, “the fun’s just starting!”
She threw out another pokéball…
With a shower of colored lights and a beautiful song, Cresselia emerged. The lovely Pokémon spread its wings and the whole yard seemed to brighten.
“Cresselia?” said Dugan, with a tone of disappointment. “Eh… Well, I guess that technically qualifies… I was kinda hoping for something a little tougher… Like Entei, or Suicune, or…”
“Cresselia, Psycho Cut!” shouted Shadow.
A fierce blade of mental energy shot at the Poison Pokémon, slicing across Nidoqueen’s chest. It screamed, and then collapsed with a crash.
“How’s that for tough?” asked Shadow with a grin.
“Oh, dirty pool…” said Dugan, with a scowl.
He recalled Nidoqueen.
“You kept your end of the bargain yes…” he said. “But I’m still going to win this battle and beat you senseless with my other Pokémon!”
“Just try it!” said Shadow.
Dugan threw a second pokéball.
“Go, Kingdra!” he shouted.
The pokéball opened in a watery burst. Floating in midair was another Pokémon, even bigger than Nidoqueen, resembling a sea horse with a dragon-like head. It was the rarely-seen evolution of Seadra, a powerful and resilient Dragon-Type.
“O-kay…” said Shadow, nervously. “Nothing I can’t handle…”
“Cresselia…” said her Pokémon, in a tone that sounded reassuring.
Shadow nodded.
Kingdra wasted no time. Its eyes glowed, and a Dragon Pulse shot from its gaping mouth.
Strangely, Cresselia didn’t seem too hurt by it, even though she had taken a direct hit by it.
Must be mind over matter, thought Shadow.
Cresselia closed her eyes, and started to glow with multicolored lights. Then Kingdra grunted in pain as the Psychic attack struck it hard. It was pushed backwards, and looked a little dizzy.
“Shake it off, stupid!” said Dugan. “What are the other Pokémon going to say when they hear that some rainbow princess beat you up?”
Kingdra growled a little.
Figures, thought Shadow. Folks like this really don’t care how much the Twisting has affected their Pokémon. If anything, they like Pokémon that are angry.
“Kingdra, Ice Beam!” shouted Dugan.
“Kingdra…” growled the Dragon.
Cresselia braced herself as a blast of icy frost from the creature hit her, sending shivers down her spine…
But she quickly shook it off, and glared at Kingdra.
“HOW?” shouted Dugan. “That Ice attack should have…”
“Uh, genius…” said Shadow. “Cresselia isn’t a Flying-Type…
“I mean, come on, shouldn’t you have known that? What kind of a Pokémon researcher are you? I mean I know a thing or two about your Pokémon… I know that it’s only real weakness is Dragon attacks, seeing as it’s part Water…
“But… being part-Water does make it vulnerable to certain attacks that Dragons are traditionally resistant to… Show him, Cresselia.”
Cresselia’s eyes glowed, and a pulsating blob of green energy started to form in front of her…
Then the Energy Ball turned into a blast of pure light, and it hit Kingdra hard, causing the Dragon to scream.
“You’ve got it on the ropes!” shouted Shadow. “Finish it off!”
Cresselia let out a cry in its musical voice, and let loose another Psychic. Kingdra was thrown backwards, hitting Dugan and knocking them both down.
Shadow waited to make sure that Kingdra was out. Then she recalled Cresselia to her pokéball.
She walked over to Dugan, and took an envelope out of her pocket.
“What…” said Dugan.
Shadow stuck it in his mouth.
“Give that to Jessica,” she said. “We’ll be waiting…”
Dugan growled as she walked off.
“Get off of me…” he snarled to his Pokémon.
He would give it to Jessica all right… After all, he wanted revenge, and Jessica likely could deliver it.
* * * * * * * * * *
A Chinese restaurant called the Chiu Yau Pong stood in an unassuming part of Blueberry Cove.
Dugan rushed in, past the customers, to the back room, and up a flight of stairs. This was Jessica and her inner circle’s hiding place since having to flee the Grasp Building, at least for the time being.
As he opened the door to the large studio apartment on the second floor, he found that Jessica wasn’t in a very good mood. But then, who could blame her? She had to abandon almost everything now that the jig was up.
“This had better be important,” she snapped, as Dugan came in.
“It is,” he replied. “I just ran into one of those brats… The one you tried to feed to Old Gnawbone?”
“You weren’t followed, were you?” asked Jessica.
Her hand rested on a pokéball; the one that held Palkia.
“NO!” he said. “No, I wasn’t…”
He tossed the envelope to her.
Jessica looked at her strangely. Then she tore it open.
She read the handwritten letter.
Jessica,
This feud has to stop, and I’m willing to meet you halfway. I can’t accomplish my goal without all of the Plates, and I’m willing to bet that you can’t accomplish yours without the same.
I propose we settle this between us once and for all… The wager is all of my Plates against all of yours.
Come to the place where we met last, at midnight. Officer Jenny will not be there, but I will be prepared in case of a double-cross.
Be sure to bring Palkia. I have someone who wants to see him.
Sincerely,
Starbuck
Jessica looked up. She reread the letter.
She picked up Palkia’s pokéball, and looked at it.
“So, Starbuck wants to bet it all on a battle between you and your ‘brother’…” she said.
“Seems he’s going to get his wish…”
* * * * * * * * * *
Next:
Dialga versus Palkia! And it may not turn out quite the way you think! A real Clash of the Titans is coming up…
“Cataclysm” is coming soon.
Re: Pokémon: Storming Heaven's Gates
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Thanks for also pointing out the name of the Flying Plate.
Originally Posted by Zorak
