The gleaming towers of Saffron City were known the world over, and the skyline of the sprawling metropolis was dominated by impressive high-rises in the golden land of commerce.
From up high, the city shone brightly, leaving Erina in awe.
Lance directed his dragonite to land at the main entrance of the Saffron Gym. As they approached, it was clear some sort of emergency situation was unfolding.
People and pokémon rushed in all directions, myriad sounds all abuzz. Voices shouted urgently, and the public address system, though unclear through the cacophony, was making some sort of safety announcement.
Erina had no idea what was going on.
Elite Lance stepped forward and pointed with two authoritative fingers at a young boy with distinctive green hair carrying large, heavy boxes.
"You there! What is the current situation?"
The boy froze, and seemed to notice Lance's signature cape first, then his dragonite, and immediately became star-struck. But he quickly recovered, aware of the importance of being alert and heedful in times of crisis.
He gently placed his load on the ground, stood ramrod straight, and spoke in as loud a voice as he could muster.
"Elite Lance, sir! There are reports of a Tier III pokémon swarm event brewing on the western border of Saffron City, sir! Evacuations have just begun, and we are relocating the affected residents here, to Saffron Gym, sir!"
Lance turned to look west, and noticed the darkening sky above.
"Original source?" he asked.
The boy caught on quickly. "No evidence that Articuno, Zapdos, or Moltres were the instigators, sir!"
That reminded Erina of the short conversation she had with Professor Oak.
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After the meeting in Professor Oak's lab with the members of the Elite Four concluded, Boy looked haggard and mumbled something about needing a break. He left without waiting for a response; Erina hesitated, still feeling the after-effects of the psychic probing from Will, and he was gone before she righted herself.
Erina smacked her cheeks with both hands and shook herself, which elicited a chuckle from Professor Oak.
"That's one way to clear your head!"
"I-It's a habit of mine, Professor," she replied. "Helps to calm my nerves. Come to think of it, Boy was the one who taught it to me."
Professor Oak moved towards the door, and signalled for Erina to follow.
"He's an interesting fellow, your friend. Did you know the first thing he did when he arrived in Pallet Town was stop a rampaging nidorino?"
The Professor coughed.
"Well, my rampaging nidorino. Ned has destroyed practically the entire market in his frenzy."
Erina looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean, Professor? Why was your nidorino throwing a temper tantrum?"
"Oh, well, it was Articuno's influence, you see. Its pressure had reached the town, and I admit I reacted slowly to the event.
"It was just as well, too! If it wasn't for Boy, my dear granddaughter Daisy would have been seriously hurt. She survived with relatively minor injuries."
The two of them stepped into a large room, with lab assistants rushing to and fro, and machines beeping at regular intervals, in time with flashing lights. There was no telling what sort of experiments were being conducted here, but the aides were quite rigorous and professional in their recordings, making copious notes on their digital tablets, and on paper.
Oak continued: "So it is no stretch of the imagination to call Boy a hero. He saved Daisy, and many others, from significant harm."
Oak's face turned somber.
"If only we were able to save Millie..."
The incident under Icefall Cave returned to Erina: her memory of seeing Ho-oh and Lugia, of being subjected to their intense pressure, of Boy's anguish as his lapras disappeared under the water...
Erina squeezed her eyes shut, but a stray tear escaped and fell to the floor. She wiped her face clean and snapped up, self-conscious. But the Professor paid no mind, he was busying himself with something on the table.
Erina sighed and sat on a stool nearby.
The workbench here displayed a sort of ordered chaos, with many reams of paper strewn across the top half, and tools and instruments – surrounded by mechanical bits and bobs – adorning the bottom half of the table. Erina spied something that was halfway between a sketch and a blueprint: it looked like a watch, detailed with changes to the design. Erina recognised the Silph Co. logo on the sheet, and the name at the bottom, marked in bold red ink, read "Pokégear".
Not long after, the Professor, swivelled around on his chair and presented Erina with the device he had been tinkering with.
It was a pokédex. One of her very own.
Though Erina was thrilled to be entrusted with something few other pokémon trainers had the privilege of owning, she was more worried about Boy and how he was coping with his grief.
The pressure exerted by the legendaries was not something to be trifled with. Erina knew first-hand the power and the danger, and dearly wished never to experience something like that ever again.
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Erina stared at the ominous black sky to the west and gulped. If a Tier III event didn't involve a legendary, then what exactly was happening that would cause an entire city to shut down?
Lance and the green-haired boy were still talking, and though Erina could not make out what they were saying over the din, something the boy mentioned surprised the leader of the Elite Four. Lance said something and glanced at Erina, then ended the conversation and walked towards her. His face looked grim.
"Trainer Erina, I have an urgent matter to attend to. Unfortunately, this is where we part ways. I leave you in the capable hands of Saffron Gym member Gentaro."
"T-thank you, Elite Lance."
Lance nodded goodbye, mounted his dragonite, and flew off towards the swarm and towards certain danger.
Gentaro stepped into view and waved, his head sideways and almost comical. "Hi there! We, um, need to hurry. The gym is the safest place right now."
"Right. Saffron Gym. Leader Sabrina."
The boy seemed amiable enough, and handled the fear around rampaging pokémon better than Erina; she could not shake the feeling that things would end in disaster. If a legendary showed up she didn't know what she would do.
Gentaro took his bearings, and they hurried towards the gym entrance.
"Wait! What about your boxes?"
Gentaro whirled around flustered, looking frantically for the cartons he was hauling earlier. They were gone.
"My supplies!" he stammered. He searched the area in a panic, chastising himself for forgetting.
In the melee it would be fairly easy to steal things that were left unattended, but looting was not a common occurrence in Saffron City, no matter the situation. It was the safest place in Kanto, and the place with the most surveillance. If someone did make off with the boxes, their little act of thievery would backfire in short order.
Luckily, in this instance it appeared a machoke from the neighbouring Fighting Dojo had picked up the cartons, and was delivering it to its intended destination.
Gentaro ruffled his hair, breathing a sigh of relief. He swivelled back towards Erina, who quietly chuckled to herself and pretended not to notice his little blunder.
They entered Saffron Gym, and the moment the doors were shut, the cacophony outside ceased completely.
"Follow me," Gentaro said.
His entire demeanour changed: outside he seemed more relaxed and easygoing, in here he straightened his back, his face was more serious, and he practically marched his way through the deserted entrance hall.
Erina gawked at the high ceilings and the wide, thick buttresses interconnecting at different points. It was all white, all through to the pillars she passed along the way, and it reminded her of the cathedrals in Unova she had learned about back at Master's school. The atmosphere certainly matched with her understanding of such places.
The two of them entered a separate area, designated for gym members only, where a hallway with an impossibly-long carpet, purple with gold trim, awaited. There were many doors on each side, and several of them were dressed in banners of different colours, each one more ornate than the last. Erina found herself enraptured by the mystique of the gym.
Gentaro noticed her expression.
"Saffron Gym is more than an official, League-approved pokémon gym," he said. "Many trainers tackling the circuit come here to challenge for a Marsh badge, that much is true, but the gym is also an academy for gifted people.
"Those who are undertaking their Journey either make the mistake of challenging too early, usually for their fourth badge, or leave it until later – sixth or seventh – and in either case, most trainers fail miserably, no matter how prepared they think they are.
"Why? Because Leader Sabrina is the Mistress of psychic pokémon. She knows what you're going to do before you do. There is no real counter to that, and many trainers are unable to overcome the steep jump in difficulty from the previous badge to this one.
"It's no wonder the Marsh badge is so prized among the eight Kanto badges. If Leader Sabrina deems you worthy, and you manage to obtain one, it is a mark of true achievement.
"Did you know the badge is made of pure gold?"
"Really?"
"Yes. It is the colour of highest rank here at the academy, and Leader Sabrina is the sole holder of the gold rank."
Erina pursed her lips. "Does ranking have anything to do with one's psychic ability?"
Gentaro nodded. "Yes, but that's not all there is. The academy studies psychic phenomena of all kinds, but it isn't an exact science. There's your usual mind readers and seers, but the degree varies from person to person. The academy does not admit just anyone; rather, ones with unique psychic ability have an advantage during enrolment."
All of this was fascinating to Erina, but given her disastrous examination by the psychic named Will, she knew the only reason she was even allowed back here was because she was "still under compulsion," as he said so glibly. She sincerely hoped Sabrina would be able to remove Master's advanced psychic block.
Knowing that someone had the ability to control her without any way for her to resist gave her the heebie jeebies. She already had difficulty speaking his name. It was like a nest of ekans slithering over her mind, or bugs crawling all over her skin... she shook herself, and allowed the uncomfortable feeling to pass.
Gentaro marched along the corridor, a single pokéball strapped to his side. Erina wondered how he'd joined the academy. Was there an application process that involved some sort of psychic test, perhaps? Levitate a couple of small metal balls with your mind? Try to guess which number someone was thinking? Or maybe one had to levitate the balls while also reading someone's mind!
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Did Leader Sabrina administer the test herself?
Erina tried to suppress her excitement. Having your admission test graded by the gym leader certainly made sense, but she was surely far too busy with regular gym duties to deal with admissions to the academy as well.
"So, what's yours?" Erina asked, curious.
"My what?"
"Your unique psychic ability, that got you in?"
Gentaro flushed, letting a bit of his usual personality out. "O-oh, haha, that's, um... kind-of hard to explain..." he mumbled, brushing his fingers over his pokéball.
"That's intriguing," Erina smiled. The green-haired boy looked eager to talk more, but he was quite shy. Erina liked talking with him, and him with her.
He suddenly remembered where they were. At the academy, with its strict rules, and he straightened up, his jaw set.
"Later," he said, with earnest apology in his eyes.
Gentaro stopped at a door with gold trimmings. He very deliberately cleared his throat, and knocked three times.
"Yes?"
"Gym member Gentaro, rank green, here on special request from Elite Lance, ma'am. We have someone in need of coercion removal."
Erina and Gentaro waited for a response, for an invitation to come in, and Erina felt particularly excited and nervous to be meeting the greatest psychic in the world.
But the one who opened the door to the Leader's office was not Sabrina. The young woman that answered was beautiful, with straight hair that curled upwards at the ends, green similar to Gentaro, though of a lighter hue. Her outfit resembled Gentaro's as well – Erina guessed this was the academy uniform: a long, white coat and pants – but hers had purple trim instead of Gentaro's green.
Her emerald eyes caught the light, and when they settled on Erina, the new trainer felt her knees buckle slightly.
"I am Tatsumaki, Saffron Gym's Second. I am acting head during Leader Sabrina's absence. Welcome, young trainer."
Erina nodded mutely.
"Second, Elite Lance has urgently requisitioned for Leader Sabrina to assist in multiple cases of corecion removal. Trainer Erina here is the first, but with the swarm event currently occurring, and with the Leader having left before the swarm began–"
"I am aware, greenhorn," Tatsumaki said dismissively. "I've received word that Elite Lance has subdued the rampaging pokémon, supported by gym members and nearby Ace Trainers. The emergency protocol is due to be lifted soon."
Relief flooded Erina, thankful for the good outcome. No legendaries today.
Tatsumaki closed the door behind her. "Come," she said, and walked briskly down the hallway. Erina and Gentaro scurried along to catch up to her.
They turned into a short passage, which opened up into a pokémon battlefield with bleachers on either side, mostly empty. A match was underway: a blue-rank trainer with his psyduck against an orange-rank trainer and her natu.
Erina found it strange that the five or so spectators that were watching were not cheering or saying anything, really. Were they doing so telepathically?
When they saw their Second stepping onto the field, everyone stopped and bowed their heads. None of the trainers wore purple trim, they all stood quietly while their superior walked through.
"Continue," Tatsumaki said.
The battle resumed, the trainers directing the pokémon to attack as if there wasn't anyone else on the field. The two bird pokémon battled fiercely, and it was scary seeing projectiles being thrown around so indiscriminately.
Tatsumaki walked straight across, unfazed by the attacks being flung about. Erina and Gentaro were hesitant at first, but it was clear Tatsumaki would not wait for them, so they jostled across, dodging attacks that were punching holes in the dirt too close for comfort.
Some dust from the impacts blew right into Gentaro's face, and Erina caught the sly little smirk from the psyduck trainer. She was beginning to think rank was more than just coloured trim on the uniforms.
Mercifully, they survived the gauntlet, and entered the passage at the opposite end of the battlefield.
Erina paid more attention to the Second, who was petite but carried herself in a way that made her look taller than she really was. Her assured gait and air of confidence were somewhat comforting to Erina, who had grown up around people and pokémon who kept their heads bowed, lest they spark Master's ire.
Confidence. That was something Erina lacked, and she knew it. It was apparent in her approach to pokémon battles, and though she was no slouch once she gained courage, it was not enough to claim victory.
She just wasn't interested in the national pastime.
That, and her propensity to care more about other people's wellbeing than much of anything else. Her classmates had a nickname for her, "Nannyrina", because she automatically adopted a maternalistic nature whenever any of them received an injury, no matter how trivial.
She had left them hastily in her bid to save Millie, and she wondered how they were all doing. Did they manage to escape the islands to safety, or did Master compel them to remain imprisoned?
"You are very neurotic, young trainer," Tatsumaki said, knocking Erina out of her reverie. The Second was still looking straight ahead, walking with purpose.
Erina blushed. "O-oh, sorry, I–".
Gentaro smiled graciously. It was obvious to him, too.
The three of them stopped at a door that looked nothing like the ones Erina had seen since entering the gym. It was not made of wood, for one. The shape of it confused Erina – it seemed somehow both flat and icosahedral at the same time. And it was black, a deep, obsidian black.
"Gym member Gentaro, please ensure our privacy, we are not to be disturbed," Tatsumaki ordered, and the green-haired boy stood at attention as the two girls left their pokéballs in his care and entered the room.
The room itself was comparatively small, and the entire surface was covered in the same jet-black rock as the door. Striations in the rock provided illumination, and Erina would have thought it beautiful if she wasn't combating the feeling of claustrophobia.
But there was also a stillness to the place, a sense of peace and tranquillity that permeated through the air.
"This room is special. It was built by Leader Sabrina to serve as a place of rest for powerful psychics. I sometimes come here to meditate."
Tatsumaki sat down cross-legged, and motioned for Erina to do the same.
"Normally, Leader Sabrina would perform coercion removal in here. Something as difficult and complex as that, it requires complete silence along with a focused and disciplined mind. In fact, she is the only one in the whole world capable of doing it. While I am Gym Second, my powers are nowhere near our illustrious leader's.
"But, I am learning. Trainer Erina, while I won't be able to remove your mental block, I can help you prepare for it. If you give your (unforced) consent, I will delve deep into your mind to determine the shape and scope of the block.
"I should warn you, being under compulsion carries the risk of any psychic probing resulting in partial or total mental impairment, catatonia, or, in rare cases, death. Mind-reading is not an exact science. There are no guarantees. Once we begin, there is no going back.
"Do you understand?"
Erina gulped. She wasn't one to court danger, and allowing yet another psychic to rummage around in her mind was not at all appealing, especially after Will had practically tortured her – with members of the Elite Four present, at that.
But, she longed to be free of Master's control; she could feel him now, hear just the faintest of whispers, unintelligible words like tiny needles pricking her body all over...
Escaping the islands had not been enough to escape him, she was still imprisoned in her own mind. The choice was clear. It was risky, a danger she had to face to be rid of him.
Erina lifted her head up with renewed courage, and nodded firmly. "Yes, I understand, Second. I am ready."
Tatsumaki nodded in reply. She closed her eyes and settled in to meditate.
For a good few minutes, nothing happened. Erina kept her eyes on Tatsumaki, but the only indication that anything was happening was the rise and fall of her torso as she breathed in and out. Erina decided to follow the interim Gym Leader: she closed her own eyes, and concentrated on her breathing.
The tranquil silence descended on her almost immediately. It amplified her thoughts, making them surprisingly... loud, somehow. All of her worries were personified and clamorous. It was a deluge, and yet she was not overwhelmed. It was this place, it dampened everything going on in her mind, and made her feel light as air.
Good, came a voice, Tatsumaki's, but Erina didn't hear it so much as feel it... but even that seemed like an inadequate description.
We are going to probe the fringes of your mind, ever so gently, Tatsumaki said. Breathe deeply, release your thoughts, become formless.
Erina allowed her thoughts to drift, like dandelions in the wind. She began to discern another mind, gentle and friendly, and reached out to it.
The two minds slowly joined together, Tatsumaki's and Erina's, though it was not an assimilation or absorption – to Erina, it felt more like inviting a friend in through a door, albeit with some discomfort similar to the feeling Will the psychic had induced in her back at Oak's lab.
Good, I see it... the mental block. Please remain calm while I gauge the scope and size of it.
The discomfort gained strength, and Erina took a deep breath, holding it in for a few seconds. Mind-reading was harmless, she thought, it was her special circumstance that caused the pain. She exhaled slowly, and the stillness diffused through her again.
Erina thought back to the last time she'd seen Master. He was standing on a large rock, using his powers of levitation on Millie the lapras, his psychic waves shaking the islands and causing alarming riptides. She remembered, this was when he'd emitted purple blades which had cut cleanly through–
Suddenly, the mental block lashed out, and Erina and Tatsumaki both yelped audibly, their twin minds pulled inside it in a quick, inescapable sweep.
Tatsumaki!
No response. Panic swelled up inside Erina, a new worry forming. Though they had been drawn in together, she could not sense Tatsumaki anymore.
They had been eaten by Master's mind monster.
Erina could not escape the mental block. She could not open her eyes and wake up. Her body was paralyzed, but not entirely frozen – she could still perceive her heartbeat and the air around her in this special room.
She breathed in again, allowing herself to feel the air fill her lungs. It was another one of Boy's techniques. It helped her anchor herself, and the frown upon her face settled into an expression of deep focus.
It was no use being frantic. Erina had learned that staying calm was the best tool during a dangerous situation. This was her mind, trapped within Master's mental block, but giving in to fear was exactly the thing he'd used to control her.
No more. Erina mentally prodded around, searching for Tatsumaki.
But it was empty. Or, no... not empty, exactly. Erina could discern little rivulets of light here, muted, but undeniable. There was something familiar about it, something taken that was hers, she knew, and a feeling of unfairness overtook her for just a moment.
These tiny, thin streams, these little smothered lights, she would reclaim them. Erina pushed deeper into the foreign mindscape, penetrating with great difficulty through the black, reaching out to them, and when she finally managed to get close enough, her mind connected with the lights.
A torrent of memories assaulted her mind, flashes and streaks containing reminiscence, and Erina nearly drowned in the flood. But she held fast, and remembered everything.
So much forgotten, no, stolen. Whole slices of her experiences, of her life, obstructed and hidden away. And, there was more, memories pertaining to secrets and answers.
Tatsumaki joined her, a curious sense emanating from her.
Are you okay? Erina asked, and her thought came out muffled.
Yes, came the stifled reply. Master's mental block served to suppress all thought here.
These are my memories. He... he kept them from me, to coerce me, to force me to do his bidding. I remember everything now.
Tatsumaki's mind shook with apprehension. Priority one is getting out of here. Let's go.
The two minds resolutely drove through the mire. Erina, having recovered what was rightfully hers, lead the way, with Tatsumaki keeping the inky black away from them from behind.
Finally, their arduous mental journey led them to the edge of Master's mental block, which tried to hold them in. But it was not made to imprison two minds, and with their combined strength, Erina and Tatsumaki broke free. They opened their eyes simultaneously.
The two girls gulped and gasped as they reacclimated to the room. They were gone for about five minutes, but it felt like hours had passed.
"I-I apologize, Second," puffed Erina.
Tatsumaki waved her off, even though she was doubled over gripping her stomach. "It's my fault, I got too close," she said. She righted herself, back into a cross-legged position. "I'm sorry an untrained mind had to go through that, but you did surprisingly well."
Erina smiled weakly. She had to be brave, or be swallowed in the dark. She'd recovered important parts of her memory, and more than that, attributes of her own personality, and a previously-concealed talent. Her mind felt a little more free, and she could now feel the mental block in her mind. Knowing that, she didn't feel as afraid and helpless anymore.
"There's something I would like to show you, Second. Something in my memory that may help the League."
"What is it? It may be wise for us not to do another mind dive while the hostile element in your mind remains. Elite Sabrina–"
"It can't wait, Tatsumaki," Erina interrupted, and the Gym Second raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, it's important, but we don't need to mind-dive. I think I can just show you..."
Erina offered her hand. Tatsumaki stared, weighing her options. Erina's face was full of courage and determination – an ocean away from her previous skittish behaviour. Tatsumaki did a quick surface-level read of the young trainer, yielding nothing untoward or dangerous. She decided to place some trust in Erina, and took her hand.
"Okay! I think I can just... slowly push these memories through..."
It was not slow; both Erina and Tatsumaki were flooded with a cacophony of images, an electric shock went through them, and the irises of their eyes turned a milky-white.
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Boy! The absolute gall to disobey me! This will not stand, I will kill that child, make it a lesson for the rest!
Yes, yes...
This pokémon resisted against me. Come here, feel my anger! It shares a strong connection with Boy, like that other trainer...
The Champion! Ha! He... he was too quiet, too quiet... His pokémon were uncommonly-strong, he directed them without a word, they knew exactly what to do, but I could not read anything...
No! They fought and lost, the boy champion failed in his quest, you cannot capture me, I am invincible! Feel my wrath, pathetic lapras!
URGH, but they HURT ME, they HURT ME, I am not weak, but THE PAIN! THE PAIN! THE PAIN...
These wretched humans, these pitiful pokémon, they shall all bow before me, I am not something to be caught and subjugated, I am your reckoning! You, you will all kneel, take the knee, have your faces in the dirt, where you belong!
Yes, cry! Cry, you worthless piece of trash! You allow the humans to ride you, to use you as cheap conveyance across the waters. The boy you so love has left you, hasn't he? That Boy has disobeyed me for the last time! I am disgusted by your devotion to him! YOU SHALL BE PUNISHED!
Ah, that's better, swimmer no more. This is your discipline, your lesson, take it to your grave. Look at all that red–
Articuno! You pathetic excuse for a god, you come for this? A weak, useless pokémon such as this? Where is your pride? Your dignity?
ARGH, THE PAIN, THE PAIN, IT BURNS!
My body will mend, and that boy champion will die, I swear it!
Your pressure means NOTHING to me! I am greater than you, you shall serve ME!
Grrr, you dare to attack me? This ice will not hold me, foolish god! Your freezing beams w-w-will n-n-not– Noooo!
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Erina and Tatsumaki jolted out of their stupor, and collapsed on the floor together.
"W-w-what was t-t-that?!" exclaimed Tatsumaki.
"I-I-I don't know! J-J-Just wanted t-t-to show you..."
The two girls got up and rubbed themselves, shaking off the cold. The warmth eventually returned to their bodies, and they looked at each other, many questions on their lips.
Tatsumaki spoke first. "Your gift is impressive, but it can wait."
Erina nodded.
"Champion Red, he engaged Mewtwo, in a cave of some sort, and wounded it. It's been incapacitated by Frost Phantasm Articuno on an island...?"
Mewtwo? Erina thought. "The Seafoam Islands, down south."
"You were right, this is extremely important. I'll contact the League immediately.
This is a golden opportunity. We can end the grand coup right now and save Kanto."
Erina was still feeling the effects of being in Master's mind – or, rather, the memory of his mind – but she stood firm, new courage returning.
"Let's go."