Chapter 13: Sea of Sand
The air outside was filled with the mournful howling of Riolu as the remains of the Team Galactic base burned to the ground. Ash had fallen to his knees in utter shock, simply staring at the burning ruble. A part of him kept thinking that Riley and Lucario still might emerge from the fire, but the more rational part of his mind told him one thing, Riley was dead. There was no way he could’ve survived that explosion. Yet Ash was still having a hard time accepting that fact.
The Lake Guardians were hovering behind Ash looking at the fire as well; tears had since welled up in Mesprit’s eyes. Looker also watched the blaze as fire trucks arrived to put out the burning building. Just then, the Officer Jenny that had flown Looker and Riley to Veilstone ran onto the scene.
“Looker! I got a call saying that Team Galactic’s aircraft is heading towards Mount Coronet!” Officer Jenny reported, getting Looker’s attention.
“Well, at least we know where they’re going. But the question is why?” Looker pondered as he put his hand to his chin. “What could they be after at Mount Coronet?”
“They’re headed for the Spear Pillar.” Ash finally spoke, getting their attention. “Cyrus said that the Spear Pillar is where he’s going to try and summon Dialga and Palkia.”
“The Spear Pillar?” Looker asked. “I’ve never heard of that place. But you’re certain that that’s where they’re headed?”
“Yeah…” Ash replied, not once turning to face Looker and Officer Jenny.
“Okay then, we’ll head straight there.” Looker decided. “Officer Jenny, radio for some assistance to meet us at Mount Coronet. We’re probably going to need a lot of help to stop Team Galactic.”
“Yes sir.” Officer Jenny said with a salute before heading back to the helicopter.
“Ash, we could really use your help on this too.” Looker said as he kneeled down to Ash’s level. “I know how you feel about Riley, believe me. He was my friend too. But right now we have to focus on stopping Team Galactic’s plans. Besides, they still have Misty captive.”
Looker’s words seemed to strike a cord in Ash’s mind. He had almost forgotten that Team Galactic still had Misty as their prisoner. Suddenly Azelf flew down and hovered in front of Ash. The lake guardian gave Ash a determined expression that seemed to help fill him with new resolve. He knew that Riley was dead, but Misty was still very much alive and needed help. And he wasn’t about to just stand by while she did.
“Okay…” Ash said as he got back to his feet and straightened his ball cap. “Let’s go.”
* * *
Meanwhile, Cyrus’s airship was fast approaching Mount Coronet. Misty was sitting in the back of the craft facing Mars. The cuffs had been removed since boarding the craft, but her hands had been shackled to the arms of her chair. Misty had remained silent looking out the window as Mars continued to read the magazine that she had been reading earlier. After a few moments Mars finally looked up over her magazine at Misty.
“You’re awfully quiet.” Mars observed with an evil smirk. “Don’t worry, I can’t shock you anymore now that those cuffs have been taken off, but I wouldn’t try anything funny if I were you.”
Misty ignored Mars and continued to look out through the window. Mars’s smirk widened into an evil grin after noticing Misty’s worried expression.
“I bet you’re wondering where your little boyfriend is.” Mars guessed, getting Misty’s attention. “Chances are he’s probably dead.”
“What do you mean?” Misty demanded to know with a tone of urgency.
“Well, somehow, Ash, wasn’t it? Somehow he escaped his cell just as we were getting ready to go on this little trip.” Mars revealed. “So instead of just hunting him down, Cyrus ordered the base destroyed. It blew up with everyone inside it a few minutes after we left. So your dear Ash is probably a charred corpse by now.”
“That can’t be true!” Misty denied. “There’s no way Ash is dead!”
“Oh, he’s dead alright.” Mars taunted. “He probably got stuck down some dead end right before the building exploded.”
“You’re wrong! You have to be!” Misty cried as she began to tear up. “He can’t be…”
“In all likelihood, Ash Ketchum perished in the explosion of my base.” A familiar voice spoke. Misty turned and saw that it was Cyrus. Saturn was standing right behind him. “There was very little time for him to escape, especially if he went to go try and rescue those pathetic Lake Guardians. You should simply accept his death as a reality. Though I do not expect a person like you to have the capacity to do so.”
With that, Cyrus walked off with Saturn following close behind. Mars looked at Misty with a satisfied grin before returning to her magazine. Meanwhile, Misty began to cry silently.
“Sir, are you entirely certain that the brat died in the explosion?” Saturn asked Cyrus as they entered the next chamber of the craft. “There was a report that said there was an odd delay in the explosion. There is a slight chance that he and whoever helped him escape got out of the base in time and could be headed to Mount Coronet to try and stop us.”
“It doesn’t matter if Ketchum survived or not.” Cyrus said indifferently. “Just before we learned of his escape I arranged for some help to slow down anyone who might try and stop us. If Ketchum did survive, he won’t get far.”
* * *
Some time later, the chopper transporting Ash and Looker landed at the foot of the vast and tall mountain that was Mount Coronet. Ash, Pikachu, Riolu, Looker, Officer Jenny, and the Lake Guardians got out of the helicopter as soon as it landed. There, they were greeted by several police officers waiting outside the mouth of a large cave in the mountain.
“Report.” Officer Jenny ordered the other police officers.
“There are four teams searching the mountain as we speak ma’am.” A male officer reported. “But so far there’s been no sign of Team Galactic. We also can’t seem to find this Spear Pillar you mentioned.”
“It has to be here!” Ash cut in. “Team Galactic used that machine they built on Iron Island to find it.”
“Well we won’t find anything standing around out here.” Looker pointed out. “Let’s go in and start searching this section of the mountain.”
With that, Ash followed Looker, Officer Jenny, and the other officers into the cave. Before long the cave split into three tunnels. Looker and Officer Jenny went down the tunnel on the left with three other officers, while the rest of the officers went down the tunnel on the right. Ash stopped at the intersection with Pikachu, Riolu, and the Lake Guardians.
“Which way do I go?” Ash asked rather anxiously. “I need to get to Misty, but which tunnel is the right one?”
‘Calm down Ash, focus.’ A familiar voice said inside Ash’s head. ‘Focus on Misty’s Aura. It will lead you to her.’
“Riley?” Ash asked after hearing the voice.
Ash sighed when there was no answer. He decided that he had just imagined hearing Riley’s voice, but he knew that the voice was right. Ash needed to calm down and remember all that Riley had taught him. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes. The blue light expanded in Ash’s mind. In his mind Ash felt as if he was rushing through the cave until he was on top of the mountain. In seconds Ash saw the one blue light that was the brightest of them all, Misty’s Aura.
From what Ash could see, Misty was being led out of a large airship outside of a tall tower that seemed to stretch up further than the sky. Forcing her out was an Aura that Ash recognized as Mars. Jupiter and Saturn were also there along with what Ash guessed were several Team Galactic grunts. And of course Cyrus was there. Ash could not mistake suck a pitch dark Aura.
In an instant, Ash felt himself rushing back into the cave tunnels until he was back at where his sight had started. Ash opened his eyes and knew that the tunnel directly in front of him was the correct path to take. With that, Ash rushed into the tunnel with the Pokemon that were with him. After several minutes of running they found themselves on the outside of the mountain going up a long path. Ash ran up the path but stopped when he felt something, as if he was sensing something that he had missed. He closed his eyes again and saw the Aura of another person heading towards him.
“Hey, you three go hide!” Ash told the Lake Guardians. “You guys are still hurt, and it probably wouldn’t be good if anyone from Team Galactic saw you.”
The Lake Guardians nodded and hide behind the corner that they had passed moments ago. Ash, Pikachu, and Riolu stood and prepared to face whoever was coming towards them. As the unknown person approached, Ash found that the person’s Aura felt familiar as if he had met the person before. In moments Ash was surprised to see Cynthia emerge from around the corner of the path.
“Cynthia, what are you doing here?” Ash asked with a look of surprise.
“That’s far enough!” Cynthia said with a serious expression. “Your path ends with me.”
“What do you mean?” Ash asked as he narrowed his eyes at the champion of Sinnoh.
“Cyrus called awhile ago and told me that you and your friend, Riley, have been attacking him and putting his life in danger. You have no idea how frightened he sounded when he told me he knew that you were coming here to try and attack him while he conducted some research here on the mountain.” Cynthia told him. “I have no idea what your reasons are, but I can’t allow you to continue. This is as far as you go!”
“Cynthia, you don’t know what going on!” Ash told her.
“It saddens me greatly that such a fine young trainer with such promise would do such terrible things.” Cynthia continued, ignoring what Ash was saying. “But I guess I can’t blame you entirely. That man Riley has probably corrupted you. I should’ve known that there was something off about him when I met him. It’s not too late for you though Ash. If you turn back now we can forget this whole thing.”
Ash’s blood began to boil after hearing Cynthia accuse Riley of corrupting him, and of trying to kill Cyrus for no reason. It was bad enough that Cynthia was standing in the way of rescuing Misty and stopping Cyrus, but badmouthing Riley like that was going way too far, especially after Riley had only just died.
“You don’t know anything!” Ash shouted. “Now getting out of my way!”
“Or what? I don’t think I have to remind you that I’m the champion of Sinnoh, which means you wouldn’t do well against me in battle.” Cynthia claimed as she crossed her arms.
“Oh yeah? Go Ho-Oh!” Ash called as he threw out a Pokeball.
The great bird burst forth from the ball and shrieked at Cynthia. Cynthia stood with a look of amazement at Ho-Oh. But after a moment she got over her initial shock and her mouth curved into a confident smirk.
“Well, you’re just full of surprises.” Cynthia observed. “I have no idea how someone like you was able to capture a Pokemon like Ho-Oh, but I do enjoy a challenge. Go Garchomp!”
Emerging from Cynthia’s Pokeball was a dragon-like creature that resembled a cross between a shark and a jet plane. It was mainly dark-blue in color, but had a red jaw and chest with a yellow stomach. On the front of its snout was a yellow cross that looked almost like a scar. On the sides of its heads were appendages that looked like jet engines and gave it the appearance of a hammerhead shark. White spikes adorned its upper arms and legs, and the long wings on its forearms resembled long fins. On Garchomp’s back was a large dorsal fin with a notch in it, and its tail had two more fins that made it further resemble a shark.
“Garchomp, use Sandstorm!” Cynthia commanded.
Garchomp glowed with a blue light and roared, and in seconds Ash and the others were surrounded by a storm of wind and sand. The storm quickly became so thick that Ash could barely make out Cynthia despite her standing only a few feet away. Ho-Oh was having difficulty in the sandstorm as well, as it seemed to be having trouble staying in the air.
“Quick Ho-Oh, use Sacred Fire!” Ash commanded.
Ho-Oh’s eyes began to glow with a blue light and its body became covered in rose-colored flames. With a flap of its wings, Ho-Oh sent a wave of fire at where Garchomp was last seen. But it soon became clear that the attack hit nowhere near the dragon shark.
“Nice try, but nowhere near good enough!” Cynthia claimed. “Garchomp, attack with Stone Edge!”
Before Ho-Oh noticed, Garchomp quickly flew out of the sandstorm with two rings of large rocks orbiting around it. In an instant the rocks left their orbit and hit Ho-Oh with incredible force, causing the great bird to cry out. Garchomp vanished back into the sandstorm almost as soon as the attack had hit.
“Ho-Oh, counter with Fire Blast!” Ash commanded.
Ho-Oh reared back its head and fired a blast of flames in the shape of a five-pointed cross from its beak. But just as before, the attack didn’t seem to hit anywhere near where Garchomp was. What was worse was that Ho-Oh continued to struggle with staying in the air as the wind and sand continued to hit it.
“Fire Blast and Sacred Fire are powerful attacks, but they don’t always hit. Especially in a thick sandstorm like this.” Cynthia pointed out. “Plus they can only be used so many times. It seems that you don’t know how to use Ho-Oh’s power to its fullest. Garchomp, attack again with Stone Edge!”
With blinding speed Garchomp emerged again from the sandstorm with rocks orbiting around it. The rocks were launched at Ho-Oh with incredible force as Garchomp vanished back into the storm. After the attack Ho-Oh looked to be having more difficulty staying in the air.
“Now, finish with Dual Chop!” Cynthia commanded.
Again at incredible speed Garchomp emerged from the storm with its wing fins glowing with a blue light. It slashed Ho-Oh across its belly with the left wing before disappearing into the storm. Garchomp emerged less then a second later and slashed Ho-Oh with its right wing. Ho-Oh cried out before falling to the ground on the path in front of Ash. The sandstorm finally cleared as Ash called Ho-Oh back to its ball. Cynthia stood before Ash with her arms crossed as Garchomp landed on the ground in front of her.
“I’m giving you one more chance to turn back now.” Cynthia warned. “If you don’t then I’m going to stop going easy on you, because there is no way I’m letting you get to Cyrus!”
