24
The energy in Rustboro was far from settled. While the city lights buzzed with the hum of the Devon Corporation's machinery, the atmosphere felt heavy, like the air before a lightning strike.
The Midnight Run: The Siren's Call
At 2:00 AM, the Soul Dew shard on the nightstand didn't just pulse; it hummed a low, haunting frequency that vibrated through the floorboards. I woke up just in time to see May, eyes wide and glowing with that eerie indigo light, walking out the hotel door in a trance.
"May! Stop!" I hissed, grabbing my jacket and signaling to Raven and Jerry.
We followed her through the silent, cobblestone streets down to the Rustboro City Docks. The salt air was thick, and the water was churning despite the lack of wind. May stood at the edge of Pier 4, her hands outstretched.
From the dark water, a shape emerged. It wasn't a local Wingull or Tentacool. It was a Froakie, but its skin was a darker, midnight blue, and it moved with a silent, disciplined grace that made Kage look loud. It hopped onto the pier and bowed—not to me, but to May.
"A stowaway from Kalos?" I whispered. "How did it get here?"
"It followed the resonance," Raven's voice echoed in my mind. "The Sea is calling its own. But we are not alone."
Red and blue flares ignited on opposite ends of the docks. Team Aqua and Team Magma scouts had both tracked the energy spike. We were pinned.
"Jerry, Thunderbolt the crane! Tammy, use the shadows!"
Jerry unleashed a blinding bolt that short-circuited the dock lights, while the new Froakie—who May instantly dubbed 'Genji'—unleashed a series of Water Shurikens that hit with the force of lead slugs. We slipped away into the darkness just as the two teams started brawling with each other, their obsession with May reaching a fever pitch.
The Morning Briefing: Classified Information
The next morning, we stood in the high-security sub-basement of the Devon Corporation Headquarters. Steven Stone stood by a massive holographic display, his face grimmer than I'd ever seen it.
"Lens, stream is OFF," I commanded. "Delete the logs. This stays between us."
"Wise choice," Steven said, tapping the display. "We've analyzed the 'Solar Drill' data. Jake, the frequency you and Kage tapped into isn't just Mega Evolution. It's Origin Pulse resonance. It's the language used by the Primals to command the elements."
He looked at May, who was currently sharing a sandwich with Genji the Froakie, oblivious to the gravity of the room.
"The 'Vigor Strain' isn't a mutation," Steven continued. "It's an ancient genetic lock. May is a descendant of the Draconid Sea-Callers. In the wrong hands, she isn't just a trainer; she's a living Blue Orb. If Aqua gets her to the Seafloor Cavern, they won't need the orb to wake Kyogre. They'll just need her to scream."
The room went cold. The "sitcom" was officially over. We were no longer just a group of streamers and rejects; we were a tactical unit protecting the key to the world's end.
"Magma wants her too," Steven added. "To use her energy as a catalyst for Groudon. You're the anchor, Jake. If you lose your grip on her heart, the resonance will tear her apart."
I looked at my team. Kage, Jerry, Tammy, Raven, Blaze, and now Genji. We were a ragtag bunch of Titans, but looking at May's smile, I knew one thing for sure.
I wasn't going to let anyone turn her into a weapon. Not today. Not ever.