[Everyone] The Legend of Ampharos (2024)

The Titans and their Master (Part 2)

Bryan’s first call was a bit of a surprise. He dialed the number into the video phone at the Pokémon Center and waited. No response. He tried a second time. An automated voice told him that his contact would be available in 30 minutes. Bryan rubbed his chin. He wanted to make this phone call first, so he waited. In the meantime, he pulled up a map of Hoenn. He knew very little about the region, except the Pokémon he had researched while staying with Professor Oak. He studied the map intently for references to an Island Cave, an Ancient Tomb, or the Desert Ruins. Elizabeth and Ejen, uninterested in his research, retired to the cafeteria for a quick snack. Bryan’s initial research was fruitless. Route 111 contained a desert, but there were no references to Desert Ruins anywhere. The Ancient Tomb was also a mystery and 40% of the region was covered in water. The Island Cave could have been anywhere. Next, Bryan searched for Sky Pillar and Sealed Chamber. He finally had some luck. Sealed Chamber was nowhere to be seen, but Sky Pillar was found in the form of a small island north of Route 131. Bryan pulled the crude map from his pocket. According to his drawing, Sealed Chamber should lie somewhere on Route 134. A town, Pacifidlog, had formed between the two landmarks since the original drawing was etched, but, other than that, the current and ancient maps lined up. The digital map warned of strong currents dominating the route west of Pacifidlog, which explained the arrows on the ancient map. A very precise path had to be taken through the currents to reach their destination. In addition, as the Sealed Chamber was beneath the rolling waves, he would need a Pokémon that knew Dive and scuba equipment. He wasn’t looking forward to that.

The women returned with a chocolate croissant for Bryan and he was about to explain what he had discovered when the phone began to ring. Bryan answered and Mitellos’ strong, well-defined face filled the screen.

“Mmm, pretty friends you have there,” he commented, seeing Ejen and Elizabeth leaning over Bryan’s shoulders.

Both women huffed and disappeared from the screen. Ejen took a seat at a nearby table to enjoy her tea and biscuits, but Elizabeth simply stepped out of the picture and remained close enough to hear the conversation. Bryan ignored Mitellos’ off-handed remark and went straight to business.

“You are from Hoenn, aren’t you?”

“That’s right,” the ruffian answered, suddenly wary of why Bryan had made the call, “why do you ask?”

“I am visiting Sinnoh and heard some tales about a Legendary Pokémon,” Bryan started, contemplating how much of the truth to tell his questionable friend, “the tales make some obscure references to Hoenn’s legends, but I am unfamiliar with the region and hoped you could shed some light on it for me.”

“You must be referring to the titans and Regigigas,” Mitellos responded, “I know quite a bit about those legends.”

Bryan had hoped the former Hoenn-jin would know something of the stories passed down in his native region, but his response still caught him off guard. The shock must have shown in his face.

“I grew up in Fortree City,” Mitellos explained, “and my mother worked at Mt. Pyre. It was her job to protect the legends of Hoenn. She taught them to me in hopes that one day I would follow in her footsteps.”

The explanation only served to increase the mystery surrounding the young vagrant, but Bryan was more caught up in his own mystery. Mitellos attempted to shine some light on it for him.

“The titans: Regice, Regirock, and Registeel, are said to be hidden in plain sight at three locations around Hoenn. The Island Cave, the Ancient Tomb, and the Desert Ruins. Once awakened, they have the ability to awaken their master, Regigigas, who is hidden somewhere in Sinnoh”

“Do you know where these places are,” Bryan asked.

“Sure,” replied Mitellos, again surprising Bryan, “the Ancient Tomb lies beneath a great pillar of rock on Route 120, the Island Cave is beneath an identical formation on Route 105, and the Desert Ruins lie on the far southern end of Route 111’s desert.”

“And no-one has ever entered them,” Bryan asked flabbergasted.

His response drew a laugh from Mitellos, “of course not. This isn’t common knowledge. Besides, the titans are locked away and the secret to unlocking them is long lost.”

Bryan measured his next words carefully. He needed the criminal’s help, but he didn’t want to reveal his end game. At least, not yet.

“Have you heard of ‘two Pokémon of great length. One in size, one in life,´” Bryan asked after contemplation.

Mitellos pondered for a moment before answering, opened his mouth once and closed it again. Bryan was afraid he had finally hit a dead end when the gruff voice finally answered.

“I haven’t heard of them connected with lore, but I may know to what your legend is referring,” Mitellos answered, a pensive look on his face, “Wailord is the longest Pokémon in the world, it may be the reference to size; while Relicanth is the Pokémon with the longest-known lifespan. Both are native to Hoenn.”

Bryan excused himself momentarily to look up records for both Pokémon. An annoyed look crossed the young face as it vanished temporarily from the screen. Bryan had done his diligence in keeping his secrets and extracted a lot of useful information. Wailord and Relicanth were both interesting Pokémon. Neither were common, per say, but they could be located with the proper diligence. Bryan racked his brain. He had located the Sealed Chamber. He knew the location of the hidden titans. He was ready to head to Hoenn. He switched the screen back to the phone and Mitellos face re-appeared.

“If you are going to try and awaken the titans,” he said, guessing the purpose behind all of Bryan’s questioning, “I want in.”

Bryan’s face fell. Apparently he wasn’t so good with the secret keeping. He glanced sideways at Elizabeth, her face was unreadable. Mitellos was a powerful trainer in his own right, but he wasn’t one of the masters Bryan would need to control the titans. His knowledge of the legends, however, could continue to be useful. As he contemplated revealing more of his poorly kept secret, Mitellos increased the stakes.

“I have access to both Relicanth and Wailord.”

“You are welcome to join us,” Elizabeth made the decision for Bryan and stepped back into the screen, “and since you know the region better than us, where shall we meet?”

“Where is the Sealed Chamber,” Mitellos asked, proving his knowledge of the legends was far greater than Bryan’s.

“West of Pacifidlog Town,” Bryan responded.

“Then we shall meet in Pacifidlog Town in two days’ time,” the gruff voice responded.

“Three,” countered Bryan, “I have more work to do here before I can leave.”

Mitellos agreed and ended the phone call. Bryan dialed another number. It was answered quickly and Jasmine’s young face filled the screen. Elizabeth ducked out of sight before she could be seen. Bryan had told her how ´fake Elizabeth’ had treated the girl and she didn’t want to raise her ire. Bryan’s face apparently did that without his friend’s help.

“What do you want,” she asked icily, a horrible change from her normal demeanor.

Bryan explained. Everything. As the narrative unfolded, Jasmine’s expression warmed and eventually returned to its normal, welcoming nature. Although, it was lined with concern about his trials at Seafoam and the endeavor he had undertaken to stop Mewtwo. Once Bryan completed his explanation of the titans and his needs for a master of Steel-type Pokémon, he asked Jasmine the obvious question.

“Can you meet us in Pacifidlog Town in three days and be the master that controls Registeel?”

“I wish I could,” Jasmine responded, “but I don’t think I am qualified.”

“What do you mean,” Elizabeth asked, showing herself for the first time, “you are the greatest Steel-type trainer in Johto.”

“I wish it were so,” the gym leader admitted softly, “but Taran has outpaced me at every step. He is officially a better trainer than I.”

“I could never ask someone so young to do anything so dangerous,” Bryan replied, put out.

“But you would ask your niece,” Jasmine said with a wink.

Bryan and Elizabeth both smiled at the jest.

“And you don’t need to worry,” the curly-haired girl continued, “he would love the chance to aid you. To be honest, he has grown bored here and I was afraid he might leave soon if I couldn’t challenge him more.”

“Are you sure,” Elizabeth asked, concerned written all over her face.

“Of course,” Jasmine finished, “I will make the arrangements and he will meet you there. You said Pacifidlog? Hoenn?”

They confirmed the details with her and wished her good-bye. Bryan’s next phone call was similar, but lacking a lot of the detail he had given Jasmine. Pablo agreed to meet him in Pacifidlog, yet was also concerned that his wasn’t up to the task of being considered a Rock-type master. Bryan could only hope he was wrong. Ejen, who had moved closer so she could hear what was happening on the phone once she finished her snack, was intrigued when Bryan pushed himself up from his chair without making another call. She was still somewhat lost as to the scope of what was happening, but she had ascertained a few things after listening to the strange phone calls.

“Don’t you need a third master,” she asked.

“I already have one,” Bryan replied.

“Who,” Ejen questioned.

“You,” Elizabeth replied, having come to the conclusion herself.

“M-m-me,” Ejen stammered.

Bryan placed a hand on her shoulder. He reassured her that she was indeed the master they needed. A master of ice, in mind and body. Someone who knew its secrets, its wants, its desires. Who had mastered every aspect of it. They needed the guardian of Snowpoint Temple. Ejen nodded meekly and sat back down.

Three days later, Bryan, Ejen, and Elizabeth found themselves in Pacifidlog Town. The boat ride was long and Bryan’s stomach felt awful, but Lugia had decided it wasn’t time to let others know of his presence. They found Mitellos waiting at the Pokémon Center. He had already rented diving gear for two people and was ready to set out. Taran and Pablo hadn’t arrived yet, though, so they waited. Bryan and Elizabeth explored the strange town while Ejen remained at the Pokémon Center with Mitellos. Bryan marveled at the construction of the small rest stop situated, without exaggeration, in the middle of the ocean. The city was completely supported by logs floating on the sea and the few homes and businesses in the town sat upon these rafts. Bryan was wary about the entire construction of the place, but a local assured him that the town had been there for hundreds of years. It sat conveniently on the long, open sea route between the eastern sea and Slateport City. It was the only civilization for a great distance in either direction and was a much needed rest for trainers traveling the southern part of the water-bound region. After ample exploring, the duo headed back to the Pokémon Center only to discover that the next boat, assumedly carrying their colleagues, had been delayed in Mossdeep City. Bryan looked over a map of the combined regions. It was amazing the amount of distance they had covered in just three days. Luckily, Snowpoint City had a small port and, after sailing around the tip of Sinnoh, they made for Three Island. From there, they bartered direct passage, at quite the cost, to Pacifidlog Town. Most ships from the other regions docked in Mossdeep City and ferries took them from there. Pablo would have come in from Vermillion and Taran from Olivine, but would have to catch the same ferry in Mossdeep to Pacifidlog. Bryan contemplated asking how Mitellos had traveled from Kanto so quickly, but the burly young man had grown tired of waiting and approached him purposefully as soon as the two old friends entered the Pokémon Center.

“We don’t need the others for this leg of the trip,” he said gruffly, “we can head out now.”

Bryan wasn’t sure how he felt about the idea, but Ejen and Elizabeth assured him that it was fine. The former gym leader asked the ruffian what he would need for the journey. Nothing, was essentially the answer. Mitellos had prepared everything they would be in dire need of, so, as long as Bryan had his Pokémon, they would be in good shape. Bryan, still skeptical, bid his new friend and his old friend farewell and headed for the western edge of town. He had still yet to form a solid opinion of the criminal that he was now following on another ridiculous and unbelievable task. Obviously, the first impression had been bad, but the kid had recovered from there. He evidently wanted people to believe he was a tough guy, and he was surely tough, yet the number of secrets hidden beneath the rough bravado were numerous. They didn’t speak as they slogged through the partially sunken “streets” of town. On the dock overlooking Route 132, Mitellos summoned Wailord and they donned their rented diving gear. They both fit easily on the massive Pokémon’s back.

“The map,” Mitellos said shortly as they pushed away from the city and toward the raging currents of Route 132.

Bryan produced it from his pocket and watch the other man peruse it carefully before gently leading his Pokémon in the correct direction. South. They were soon swallowed up by a speedy current and zipped along until it nearly beached Wailord in the shallows. Jumping off, they traversed the small, sandy reef and hopped back onto Wailord. They zipped along to another reef. It was so shallow that none of it fully breached the surface of the sea, but the single-minded Mitellos ignored all else and kept his eyes on the map. Bryan attempted to ask him a few personal questions as they traveled. Mitellos ignored him, saying he needed to concentrate on the trip. It was mostly true. The currents seemed to be getting stronger and Bryan began clasping harder on to Wailord’s back as they zoomed along. The next current whipped them toward a wall of stones jutting out of the water and Bryan feared they were going to crash, but, before they made contact, the current shifted directions and whipped them around the obstacle. Bryan saw another sandy reef fly by, positioned in the middle of the rocks, and soon they had reached another area shallow enough to dismount. Most of the sandy reef was submerged, but, for the first time, long walls of rocks erupted from the ocean as well, towering over even Mitellos’ extremely tall frame. Another swift current and another collision scare led them to another fully submerged reef. Mitellos took his time evaluating the map. So exact were the arrows on the map, even a slight miscalculation at this point could send them off course and they would have to start again. Mitellos decided. They jumped on Wailord and surged forward. Instead of stopping near another reef, their brief journey came to a halt in a strangely calm patch of open water. Bryan thought he was going to be sick. Mitellos looked around carefully.

“We are here,” he said confidently, donning his goggles and breathing tube.

Bryan did the same. With a non-verbal cue from her master, Wailord dove. They found themselves in a long, underwater tunnel. The walls were non-descript and the area unearthly silent. Mitellos urged Wailord forward. Progress was slow as the kept their eyes open for the tiniest hint of their final destination. Nothing jumped out at them, so the pressed on. After what seemed like hours beneath the water, but was truthfully about ten minutes, the tunnel ended abruptly. Light filtered down through the water from above. Wailord surfaced and the two men founded themselves in an underwater cave. Ten smooth, elongated pillars of rock lay before them, strange markings engraved into each one. Eight were arranged side-by-side in two columns and the last two, smaller, were adjacent to the top two rows. Bryan investigated the nearest. He couldn’t decipher what it said. Instead of the Unown writing he was used to, it was covered in a series of dots that were foreign to him.

“Do you know what they say,” he asked Mitellos.

“I have some guesses,” was the response, “but it doesn’t matter much. Likely just some history of the people who sealed this cave.”

Bryan wanted to ask more questions, but Mitellos seemed to know what he was doing, so he followed closely behind. The vagrant made his way to the back end of the cave, ignoring the elongated columns, and found similar writing on the back wall. He ran his hand over the writing and then re-arranged the six PokéBalls at his waist. The cave began to rumble and shake. Bryan did his best not to panic. The miniature earthquake didn’t last long and Bryan, trying to wipe the fearful look of his face, laughed in a somewhat hysterical manner.

“That was exciting,” he said jokingly, his voice higher than normal.

Mitellos ignored him and ducked through an opening in the back wall that hadn’t been there moments before. Had the earthquake opened it? Bryan didn’t care. He didn’t want to be left alone if it happened again. The second chamber was no smaller than the first, but was decorated differently. The low, smooth pillars with the odd dots were square instead of rectangular and arranged, more or less, in a circle around the center of the room. At the far back of the room, in front of a larger motif positioned between two smaller ones, stood Mitellos. He was running his fingers over the dots like he had before.

“Can you read it,” Bryan asked, whispering for fear of what would happen if his voice echoed off the walls.

“It is braille,” Mitellos responded, not exactly answering the questions, “the ancient Hoenn-jin used it in place of Unown because the Symbol Pokémon are foreign to the region.”

Bryan was again blown away by the extent of the boy’s knowledge.

“And…”

“My father was blind,” he answered, his voice huskier than normal, “he taught me to read it.”

Bryan wanted to press for more information, but he knew he needed to be patient. If Mitellos wanted to tell him more, he would. If not...it would be unpleasant to be punched by such a large man.

“What does it say,” Bryan asked, turning back to the task at hand.

“Dig here.”

Bryan was confused. As always, Mitellos was prepared. He pressed the button on one of his Pokéballs and Trapinch burst forth. She began to dig. In under five minutes, a three-foot-deep hole had appeared at their feet. Resting on the bottom was a small chest. Trapinch retrieved it. Inside the chest was…Bryan didn’t know.

“It is the keystone,” Mitellos explained, “with it, we should be able to access the resting places of the titans.”

Bryan nodded, but remained unconvinced. It just looked like a strangely-shaped rock to him. Mitellos closed the chest and placed it in his waterproof bag. They headed back toward the entrance. As they approached the underwater tunnel that would take them back to the surface, Bryan took a gamble. He grabbed Mitellos strong arm and halted his progress.

“How do you know so much about these legends,” he asked, trying to summon a brave face.

The bigger man didn’t turn to face him. He just stared off into space, remembering. In the same husky voice he had used when speaking of his father, he responded.

“When I was 10, my father was diagnosed with a terminal illness. My mother was devastated and I was determined to find a way to save him. I had read once that the titans were once motionless golems, given life by an unknown and powerful source. I believed if I could find them that I could transfer my father’s consciousness into one and save his life. It was a foolish dream, but every day for two years I researched everything recorded in Hoenn about the titans.”

“I understand,” Bryan replied sympathetically, “I lost my own father in an accident when I was 20 and the pain was unbearable. I can’t imagine being so young and knowing you could do nothing to stop it.”

“His death was hard,” Mitellos agreed, “and I was angry with the titans for not revealing their secrets. I traveled to the Ancient Tomb and beat on it repeatedly. With my fists, with my Pokémon, with anything I could find. I was arrested for destruction of public property, though I didn’t leave a scratch on the tomb.”

“So why are you helping us now,” Bryan asked, pressing his luck.

“Redemption,” came the unconvincing reply with the shrug of thick shoulders, “I was branded a criminal after the incident and couldn’t seem to escape the new identity, so I ran. Perhaps now I am looking for a way to stop running.”

Bryan was impressed. He wanted to ask more, but Mitellos was done talking. He rounded on the smaller man, eyes blazing, and wrapped a meaty fist around Bryan’s skinnier wrist.

“And you repeat none of this!”

Bryan agreed, as if he had a choice. He hid a smile though, the boy reminded him of Nidorino; eager to play and goof off in private, but refusing to show the rest of the world anything, save his tough guy face. They returned up the tunnel on Wailord and headed back to Pacifidlog by air. Bryan flew on Skarmory, who was constantly voicing his disapproval of the moist sea air. Mitellos, on the other hand, traveled in a highly unique fashion. His size being too great for most Flying-types, he flew with Gengar. The Shadow Pokémon enveloped the big man’s entire body in his ghostly one, allowing them to fly together as one. It was a spooky and amazing sight to behold. Upon their arrival in Pacifidlog, the others had arrived and were waiting for them. Bryan, suddenly famished, grabbed a bite to eat while Mitellos explained the next stage of the journey and showed them the keystone. Every last person seemed excited to get started.

“None of the resting places are close,” Mitellos stated, “but the Island Cave is probably the closest.”

“How are we going to get there,” Taran asked.

“Can’t we take a boat,” Ejen suggested.

“Impossible,” Mitellos turned down the idea, “only smaller boats can navigate the currents west of here and even they have problems.”

“Fly then,” Bryan chimed in between bites of his hamburger.

He and Mitellos had Pokémon that could make the journey and he knew Pablo got around on Aerodactyl quite easily. Taran mentioned that Jasmine had helped him catch a Fearow, so he could follow. Elizabeth could have Jasmine send her Skarmory, but, sadly, Ejen possessed no Pokémon who could fly. As everyone brainstormed the most efficient way to traverse a large chunk of the region to their three locations, a booming voice entered all of their heads simultaneously.

“I WILL TAKE YOU.”

Mitellos was shaken, but he did his best not to show it. It was the first time Bryan had seen him rattled by anything. Pablo, not sure if only he had heard the voice, clamped his hands to his ears and looked around for the source of the noise. Taran, who reminded Bryan of a miniature Mitellos, did his best to hide his shock. Ejen, recognizing the voice, dropped to her knees again. With an effort, Elizabeth pulled her back up.

“It isn’t Regigigas, it is Lugia,” she explained.

If she meant her explanation to comfort anyone, it failed. Taran probably took the news better than anyone, but it was possible that he didn’t know what Lugia was. Mitellos sat down abruptly, his well-muscled body visibly shaking. Pablo removed his hands from his ears and stared at Elizabeth, disbelieving. A look of disbelief crossed Ejen’s face as well and was replaced by anger and disappointment. She wanted to say something, but Lugia gave her no room to do so.

“MEET ME AT SKY PILLAR BEFORE DAWN TOMORROW.”

Bryan knew Lugia could read their thoughts, even from wherever he was at the moment, so he concentrated on reassuring his friends that they weren’t crazy and their mission was important. He was only partially successful. Mitellos recovered well, as he had spent a portion of his life in pursuit of Legendary Pokémon, yet his early failures had interred in him a minor sense of disbelief. He got over it. Pablo, having been privy and excited about Bryan’s early research, assured Bryan he was totally prepared to meet a Legendary Pokémon. He was lying. Ejen was the hardest to calm. Her belief in the legends was the strongest, having served as a guardian over Regigigas for part of her life, yet she felt betrayed. She believed that Regigigas had spoken to her before when, now, it was obviously Lugia. Both Bryan and Elizabeth tried talking to her. She didn’t want to listen. In the end, she ordered a bowl of fresh Hoenn Ramen and ventured out into the town to eat it alone. Elizabeth made to follow her.

“She will return,” Mitellos said, stopping her, “just give her time. She needs to process.”

Elizabeth agreed, her bright eyes sweeping over the muscular boy. He had wisdom in that thick skull of his. Or perhaps it wasn’t thick, it was just designed to look that way. Although Bryan had already eaten, the others hadn’t, so they wolfed down a quick meal and tried to sleep. ‘Tried’ being the key word. Most of them just stared at the ceiling for a long time, thinking about how the next day would affect the rest of their lives. Bryan, having grown accustomed to the feeling, and desensitized to the insanity that his life had become, was asleep only minutes after hitting the pillow.

Well before sunrise the next day, Bryan’s troupe was off. Mitellos had been right, Ejen returned some time in the night, but she was silent throughout the journey. She, Pablo, and Elizabeth rode Lapras, while Bryan, Taran, and Mitellos took the lead on Wailord. On two Pokémon well-designed for travel, it took no time at all to find their destination. Navigating the rock-strewn waters nearer to shore, however, was more difficult for the large Pokémon. They made landfall as the sun began to crest the peaceful waves. Lugia was nowhere to be seen. Pablo, in his disappointment, wanted to lash out. He never got the chance.

“RELAX, MASTER PABLO, ALL IS WELL.”

The voice was accompanied by the great rushing of wings and the whole group turned their eyes upward. Floating down from Sky Pillar’s lofty heights, balancing on its impressive wingspan, was the Diving Pokémon. Bryan and Elizabeth barely reacted to his presence, but it was entertaining watching everyone else. Mitellos, always attempting to maintain his bravado, did his best to contain his excitement, but it was glaringly obvious despite his effort. Pablo did nothing to hide his emotions, he jumped up and down and pointed. It was like watching a two-year old meet Santa Claus for the first time. A look of amazement and comprehension dawned on Taran’s face. He finally understood his companion’s reactions from the night before, but had little time to develop his own opinions at the moment. Ejen, on the other hand, was having difficulty sorting out her emotions. Her solitude the night before and silence that morning had been an attempt to do so, but she had failed. As the majesty of Lugia descended on them, her emotions continued to mix in a strange co*cktail until a look of unexplained peace washed over her face. Lugia, his eyes trained on her, was speaking to her mind only. Apologizing, perhaps. As he landed, he touched his huge forehead to her comparatively small one in a gesture of respect. They were at peace with one another.

“SHALL WE BE GOING?” Lugia asked.

The Legendary Pokémon didn’t wait for a response. Bryan had expected the lot of them to climb on his broad back and fly to their destinations. He was wrong. One minute they were standing in front of Sky Pillar, the next minute they were on a small island housing a great pillar of rock. A loud splash indicated that Lugia had hidden beneath the water until he was needed again. Bryan took in his surroundings. Other than the sea and the pillar of rock, the area was devoid of anything. A few Wingull flew overhead, but, other than their cries, the morning air was peaceful and quiet. His friends were re-establishing their orientation after the Teleport and, unsurprisingly, Mitellos was the first to do so.

“Island Cave,” he stated.

It wasn’t a question. He knew. And his voice drew everyone else’s attention to the monument before them.

“What now,” asked Taran.

Mitellos, who had become the unofficial leader of the expedition, explained.

“Regice, Titan of Ice, resides within this cave. Only the Master of Ice may enter.”

Ejen stepped forward warily. She still questioned her worth as a ‘Master.’ She looked at the keystone Mitellos had produced from its chest and now held out to her with an open hand. The dull, gray rock was smooth and unassuming. No-one had a clue how it worked, yet, somehow, they all had faith that it would. Steeling herself, Ejen took the keystone. It turned an icy shade of blue and started glowing. Ejen was indeed worthy. Brimming with a new confidence, she approached the Island Cave. An icy blue doorway, matching the color of the keystone, and barely taller than the short woman preparing to enter, appeared at the base of the pillar. Ejen looked back at her compatriots. Each one of them graced her with a confident smile. She stepped through the doorway of blue light and vanished. No sooner had Ejen entered, the door vanished and everything beyond remained a mystery. The group waited. And waited. And waited some more.

After an hour passed, the impatient trainers abandoned waiting expectantly. Mitellos wandered off to a far corner of the small island and sat by himself. Pablo, exhausted from not sleeping, laid down and napped on the warming sands. Bryan and Elizabeth sat near the entrance to the cave and spoke with Taran. He told them about himself and expressed his intentions to leave Olivine City Gym and take the Johto Gym Challenge. Bryan encouraged him to do so. He assured the boy that Jasmine would understand. She would also be extremely proud if someone she helped train had success in the league. He smiled at the reassurance and then fell hard onto the sand as a strong tremor shook the island. Bryan jumped his feet, eyes trained on the pillar of rock. Mitellos, on shaky legs, hurried back to them. Moments later, Ejen fell from the edifice and landed hard on the soft sand. She was breathing heavily, but, in her hand, she clutched the keystone. Most of it had returned to its generic stony gray, yet the bottom third remained icy blue.

“Regice is in the keystone,” Ejen managed. Then she passed out.

Lugia's head re-appeared above the water and he spoke to them again. Ejen was too weak to Teleport, so he suggested they take her south to Dewford Town. Once she was settled, he would meet them north of the city. They took his advice and once again piled onto Wailord and Lapras. Taran took Ejen’s place on the Transport Pokémon, so the unconscious woman could lay on the flatter Wailord’s back. Elizabeth deigned to remain with the stricken woman. Taking the keystone, the others moved north to meet Lugia. The Ancient Tomb was their next destination. It sat on a low plateau overlooking Route 120. The dark clouds indicated rain might be in the forecast, so Mitellos quickly explained the next step. Registeel lived within. It was Taran’s turn to test his worthiness, so the boy took the keystone from Mitellos. It glowed a radiant, obsidian black and Taran approached the monolith. As before, a door, this time black and perfectly sized for Taran, opened its gaping maw. The Steel Master stepped inside.

The other three men remaining outside had no disillusions to the amount of time it would take for Taran to test his mettle. They settled in for the long haul. Mitellos again wandered, while Pablo and Bryan, leaning against a large boulder, discussed all that had happened since Bryan had left the league. The predicted rain began to fall before Taran returned, yet just after the hour mark, he did just that. In identical fashion to Ejen, he collapsed through an invisible doorway, keystone, now a third black as well, clutched in his hand. The rain-soaked ground cushioned his fall. He was out before the others reached him, but a proud, if exhausted, smile was painted across his face. Mitellos bent and retrieved the keystone. He handed it to Bryan.

“I will take him north to Fortree City,” he said, picking up the small child in his large arms, “you two continue on. Just come back for us when this is resolved.”

Bryan nodded and took the keystone from his strong hand. He felt sorry for the man. He had spent so long studying and searching for these very Pokémon and was the reason they could succeed, yet he wouldn’t get the opportunity to see the venture come to fruition. Bryan watched the two strangely similar boys, one huge, one tiny, disappear out of sight. And then he and Pablo were standing in a driving sandstorm. They shielded their eyes from the torrent of sand and turned to see their final destination. Bryan handed Pablo the keystone. It glowed a rich, muddy brown and the reflective door immediately appeared before him. He gave Bryan a nervous smile and practically sprinted into the Desert Ruins. Knowing he was in for a wait, Bryan removed his light coat, wrapped it around his head as protection against the sandstorm and waited. An hour passed and Bryan’s PokéGear began to beep. He opened his eyes and clicked off the alarm. Striding purposefully toward the unassuming pillar, he waited for Pablo to appear. He didn’t have to wait long. Pablo fell outward and Bryan caught him before he hit the ground. The man was heavy, but Bryan managed.

“Thanks,” Pablo muttered, and he too lost consciousness.

Bryan removed the keystone from his hand and began to drag Pablo out of the desert. The trip was long and hard. His friends had sacrificed everything for this endeavor, the least Bryan could do was see to their safety. Bryan collapsed in exhaustion when finally he exited the desert, only to find that he was on a connecting route and had no idea where to go. He laid Pablo gently against a cliff face and looked around. A woman was striding down from the north and Bryan recognized her.

“You’re Asabe,” he said, holding out a hand and introducing himself, “I am Bryan Schnieder.”

“Nice to officially meet you,” the stocky, yet attractive girl replied, “I was impressed by your battles at the tournament.”

“Thank you,” Bryan continued politely, “I was hoping you could help me. I am not familiar with the area, where is the nearest town?”

“Mauville isn’t too far south of here,” she said, indicating the route.

“Oh my, do you need help?” she said after a pause, seeing Bryan trying to lug Pablo back to his feet.

“I can manage,” Bryan stated, being unnecessarily stubborn, “I don’t want to burden you.”

She shot him a scathing look. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a PokéBall and summoned Machamp. With ease, the SuperPower Pokémon lifted Pablo in two of his arms and headed south. I should have thought of that, Bryan berated himself. The trip to Mauville City was indeed short and Asabe directed her Pokémon straight to the Pokémon Center to have Pablo evaluated. Mauville City was a modern-day marvel, its tiled and lit streets teeming with people, but Bryan had no time to enjoy the displays. He was worried about Pablo, but fully expected a swift recovery. No, his mind was on the next step of his own journey.

“Do you have somewhere to be,” Asabe asked suddenly, catching him off guard.

“I…,” Bryan started, but Asabe cut him off.

“Go,” she said, “I can handle this. You clearly need to be somewhere else.”

“But you don’t even know him,” Bryan argued, his stubborn streak continuing for some unknown reason.

“You said his name is Pablo?” Bryan nodded confirmation, “and he is kind of cute. That is all I need to know for now.”

“Are you sure,” the former gym leader pressed.

“Go.”

Bryan listened to her. He rushed out the door of the Pokémon Center. And appeared in the basem*nt of Snowpoint Temple. He had been Teleported so often recently, he was beginning not to notice. Pulling the keystone from his pocket, he looked it over. The bottom third of the smooth, oddly-shaped stone was an icy blue, the middle third was jet-black, and the final third was a muddy brown. The titans were contained within. Just another mystery unlikely to be solved. He would ask his friends about it years later, but even they couldn’t recall more than a few scant details of the possibly epic battles that ensued.

Bryan approached Regigigas and offered the keystone. It floated up out of his hand and began to glow, while a low chiming filled the chamber and the keystone began to shake. An icy blue light shot out of the keystone, returning the bottom portion to stone gray. Regice materialized and took its place to the left of Regigigas, sliding its pointed feet into their prints. Registeel followed promptly. The jet-black light was difficult to see in the near darkness of the chamber, but the Iron Pokémon shifted over to its place too. The muddy brown flash came last and Regirock stomped heavily to the final empty footprints. When all had taken their places, they raised their arms to their master. The temple began to shake and tremble. Bryan tried to escape toward the stairs, but the slick floor prevented deft movement. He huddled on the ground before the Colossal Pokémon. A strange mechanical sound rumbled through the air. Regigigas took a step forward and wrenched its other foot free from the floor as well. Bryan and his friends had succeeded. Regigigas had awoken. Another peculiar sound filled the air and Aura Sphere struck Regigigas directly in the chest, causing it to stumble backwards.

Bryan searched for the source and quickly found it. Mewtwo had appeared. All three titans turned to face Mewtwo and Regice shattered into a thousand pieces. A second Mewtwo, distinctly different from the first, with a leaner, more physical build, had attacked. Two Mewtwos, Bryan pondered. How? He didn’t have time to sit around thinking, he made for the stairs again as the titans occupied the two threats. A second Aura Sphere pounded Regigigas and it stumbled again. Throwing a hand downward to catch itself, it destroyed the stairs. Bryan huddled in the corner beneath the relief of the titans and watched the battle unfold.

From the beginning, it was obvious the titans didn’t stand a chance. Regice was defeated in a single blow and the second Mewtwo, which Bryan referred to as X, made to engage Registeel. Regirock intercepted it. Though weak to Mewtwo X’s Fighting-type moves, it was physically sturdy and withstood the attacks. Until another Aura Sphere took it from behind and it crumpled too. Regigigas and Registeel held out a little longer, but not much. Registeel was dispatched by the overwhelming nature of Mewtwo X who, goal achieved, turned to aid Mewtwo Y in bringing down Regigigas. A barrage of Aura Sphere, Psychic, and Dynamic Punch eventually brought the Colossal Pokémon down and having defeated another pantheon of Legendary Pokémon, the two Mewtwo eyed Bryan huddling terrified in the corner. Seeing no threat or an escape route for the meek human, they vanished, leaving their destruction behind. Bryan, still alert, made his way back to the island of safe ground at the center of the temple basem*nt. Regigigas, in defeat, had returned to stasis. The titans, each crumpled on the floor in pathetic heaps, needed help. Retrieving the keystone, Bryan returned each of them to it as though it was a special PokéBall and plopped down on the cool floor. Mew appeared.

“Where is Lugia,” it asked.

“HERE,” came the reply from thin air.

“We have a bigger problem,” Mew said, speaking to the open air.

“Bigger than two Mewtwo,” Bryan queried incredulously, finding his voice.

“Much bigger,” Mew confirmed, “The Mewtwo are building an army. They found an entrance to Ultra Space and are rallying the Ultra Beasts to descend up Alola.”

“AND AFTER, THE REST OF THE WORLD,” Lugia added unnecessarily.

“What do we do,” Mew asked the void.

“THE BOY MUST SEEK OUT THE ALPHA.”

“Boy,” Bryan questioned, “me? Or someone else?”

“You,” confirmed Mew, the voice echoing inside Bryan's head at a far more pleasant register.

“How do I do that,” the former gym leader asked, resigned to his fate, “and what is the Alpha?”

“ARCEUS, THE FIRST,” boomed Lugia and Bryan couldn’t help but shutter, “YOU MUST SOLVE THE UNOWN RIDDLE.”