Finally! I made it to Fallarbor. I found the Move Tutor. I have a spare Heartscale. Ezri finally can learn Magical Leaf!
Or so I thought. It's not on the list of moves she can relearn... But my Dex App told me, Kirlia were able to learn Magical Leaf in Gen 3.
Take a closer look to a website.
Are you kidding me?! This only is true for Fire Red and Leaf Green!? Not Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald!?
And to think I made Ezri wait to level up, wait to evolve! Fuck this crap, man. Get wrecked, Seviper.
On a funnier side note, Kirlia goes from Confusion directly to Psychic. No Psybeam inbetween.
I even encountered one of these. It was tempting, since it was a psychic type with ground immunity, but my team was pretty much layed out by then and neither Solrock nor Lunatone were on it. You can blame Tate and Liza for that.
Stupid double gym battle.
I reached Lavaridge after an rather unpleasant encounter with Team Magma on the volcano. It didn't impact my journey much, so without further ado: the gym battle of Lavaridge.
I didn't expect much resistance, because I only have two Pokémon by now and they're accordingly over leveled.
So this was the expected outcome. I had Moshu Shi as backup but didn't need her.
But now it was finally time for me to get a third Pokémon for my team. Because now I could travel into the desert.
Where I met this adorable guy! Another psychic type with ground immunity, but this time actually useful.
Aurora laughed and spun, jumping up and down. “Can we go on the rides? Which one first?”
“Hold up a sec, guys.” Soise grabbed them before they ran off, laughing. “We’re waiting for people first, alright?”
“Oh… yeah.” Aurora nodded. “But they’re taking forever! Can’t we go on one ride while we wait? Please?”
Soise grinned and sat cross-legged on the ground, flickering lights from her paws. “Sadly, no. We’ll just have to wait.”
The twins groaned and collapsed against each other, sliding to sit on the ground as well.
“Come on, have you got any of that ice fire stuff on you?”
“Oh…” Arlette sorted through her pockets, pulling out a pouch. “You mean this stuff?”
Soise took it with a squeal and bounced into a crouch, setting the crystals into a careful pattern on the floor. People already waiting in line for the rides, walking past with cotton candy and drinks and prizes, started to slow down, watching the zoroark as she scraped in the dirt.
“What are you doing?”
“Just wait… and… see…” Soise frowned in concentration, shuffling back as the pattern got bigger. “Ok – with me, jump!” She grabbed the twins’ hands and leapt up, dragging them with her.
They laughed and stumbled to their feet, landing with a crunch on parts of the ice. As it broke under them, green fire flared up and raced across the ice and Soise threw her head back, howling an illusion of more green flames spiralling higher around them, becoming an image of Jirachi. The twins giggled and howled with her, their voices high and wobbly.
The crowd around them gasped and clapped, no doubt thinking that they were just part of the festival.
“Thanks for letting us know where you were,” Jay said, clapping as she stepped out of the crowd. “Has Joanna turned up yet?”
“Not yet!” Aurora ran over to her. “They’re taking forever, can we go on a ride while we wait?”
“Well–”
“No need,” Soise interrupted, casually blurring herself a human form, though not her usual one. Now she looked like a Fallarbor resident of six years, and she’d the accent to match. “They’re here.”
Jay looked around as she pointed, smiling as she spotted Joanna. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
Nyx waved from just behind Joanna, and the twins waved back at her enthusiastically.
“Can we go on rides now?”
Jay grinned. “Shall we let them?”
“Please?”
“Oh, go on – take Phoe with you.”
Joanna opened her mouth as if to protest, but the twins had already run to Nyx’s side.
“C’mon, it’ll be fun!”
“We can go on all the rides, right?”
“I think there’s supposed to be a magician performing somewhere as well, but I bet Soise’s better than he is.”
Nyx looked up at Joanna.
“Well… be safe, alright?” Joanna smiled and let go of Nyx’s hand, sorting in her bag. “Here – take Amber, to be safe.”
Nyx took the pokéball as Joanna straightened her cloak.
The twins grinned and tugged Nyx off after them. Soise disappeared into the crowd and dropped her illusion before bounding after them.
#
It was late when the three of them finally stopped, almost collapsing to the ground by the edge of the last ride.
Soise grinned and sat down next to them, leaning back against the stand. “Have a good time?”
Aurora nodded, her mouth just about gummed shut with sugar.
Nyx smiled and fought back a yawn. “Mhm… that was fun.”
Arlette tilted her head back. “Look!” She pointed upwards. “There’s the comet!”
Even with the lights of the nearby town and the carnival at their backs, the white streak of comet was easy to spot, trailing its way slowly across the sky.
“Where does it go?” Arlette asked, as they all watched it.
“Forina,” Nyx said, this time not managing to stop the yawn. “’T’wakes Jirachi and he blesses the land for another millennium.”
“Jirachi?” Aurora forced her mouth to work. “He sleeps here?”
Nyx nodded. “Only wakes when the comets over the land.”
Aurora bounced to her feet. “Let’s go!”
“Go where?” Soise frowned.
“T’meet Jirachi! I bet he’ll be lonely!” Aurora tugged her sister up, dislodging Nyx. “We can get wishes!”
Soise helped Nyx up, brushing her off as the nine year-old bit her lip.
“I don’t know…”
“Come on, it’ll be fun! Soise’ll come, won’t you?”
“Eh – yeah…” Soise nodded slowly. “As long as we’re quick.”
“What about our parents?”
“They don’t need to know – c’mon!” Aurora clutched at Nyx’s hand. “I want t’meet Jirachi, remember?”
Nyx smiled. “Alright then.”
Soise sighed and stretched herself. “Let’s get moving, then. There’s a while to go I think.”
“Cn we take Arc then? It’ll be faster.”
Soise threw her head back and howled into the sky, the twins echoing her. Nyx smiled and threw back her own head, mouth elongating into zoroark-like jaws covered in dark fur, her howl far more convincing than the twins.
“Nice work, Phoe.” Soise grinned.
“That’s so cool!” Aurora shrieked in delight, reaching out to touch the Nyx’s fur.
Nyx shrank back, hiding in her cloak.
“Hey, back off ya creeps.” Soise laughed, knocking Aurora back onto the ground.
“How’d you do that?” Aurora picked herself up, unconcerned.
“We can’t do anything like that.”
“It’s... um–” Nyx was saved from answering by the arrival of Arc, who huffed a small piece of flame as she stopped beside them.
“Thanks, Arc.” Soise grinned, lifting Arlette onto her back. “We’re headed for Forina, you know where it is?”
Aurora held her arms up as Arc nodded, and Soise put her up beside her sister.
“That’s good then. We need to be there quick. Come on, Phoe.” Soise swung Nyx up behind the twins. “Hold on tight, alright? And let’s go!”
The two pokémon burst into movement, leaving the lights and the sounds of the festival behind them as they streaked across the open plain and into the forest.
#
It wasn’t long before they reached the edge of Forina, but the two pokémon paused only momentarily before plunging on into the forest, now broken by giant pillars of stone. As the children looked up, pokémon flew overhead; zubat and golbat, mostly, but the occasional crobat. And –
“Look there!” Nyx cried out, pointing up. “A flygon! I didn’t think they lived anywhere but the desert!”
The twins looked up as the pokémon in question shifted on its perch, watching them run past. “We’ve seen them before, by mam’s cave. Well, on the inland cliffs,” Arlette said.
Soise flicked an ear. “You won’t see many pokémon out right now, but there’s a lot down here.” She was panting slightly, tired out by their run.
“We sh’d come back in the day some time,” Aurora said. “See them all properly.”
Soise and Arc slowed down and barked into the trees around them, looking around. As they stopped completely, just at the edge of the trees, the children shifted on Arc’s back.
“Where’s J’rachi?” Aurora slid down.
“Hold up.” Soise grinned, hauling her back from the path. “Wait for our guide to appear.”
“We need a guide?” Arlette jumped down after her sister. “For what?”
“So we don’t get lost in the caves.” Soise offered her arms to Nyx. “Coming down?”
Nyx nodded and leant over to her. “Wait – there’s something… there.” She pointed towards the other side of the path.
Soise swung her down and padded out, barking again. A white form stepped into view from between the trees, almost glowing in the dark.
“’N absol,” Arlette breathed. “That our guide?”
Arc nudged the children onto the path as the absol nodded and reached to sniff at them. Then it turned and walked towards the cave before them, flicking its tail.
“Yeah,” Soise breathed. “Come on.”
They followed the absol into the cave, and it led them through dark tunnels that were only occasionally lit up through holes in the roof. Arlette slipped her hand into Aurora’s as they walked, trusting her sister to see better than she could. Nyx seemed unaffected, but still hung back beside them. Arc, behind them, snuffed and then snorted out a small flame, using it as a light for them.
“Thanks, Arc,” Soise murmured, glancing back.
When the absol stopped, they were in a cave with a huge crack above them; the comet was clearly visible in the dark sky above them.
Nyx looked up, biting her lip. “Our parents’ll be worried,” she said quietly.
“They’ll understand though, right?” Aurora crept to her side. “It’ll be fine.”
“We can always wish for them not to be.”
Nyx nodded, and then yelped as light washed over the cave. “What’s that?”
The absol leapt up onto a jagged ledge and looked down at them, focusing on a pit not far from their feet, where the light was coming from.
Aurora tilted her head as it washed through the cave again, and slipped forward. “It’s… it’s a rock. A glowing rock.”
{Wish. The star…}
“Did you… did you hear that?” Nyx looked around.
{Wishmaker. The comet}
“Is that… but you said Jirachi was a pokémon!” Aurora turned around, pouting.
“Just wait, ‘rora.” Soise smiled.
{But I am a pokémon} The voice laughed.
The stone started to glow properly now, and the light continued to wash through the cave, returning to the purple crystal. It lifted up into the air and glowed brighter than ever, a white light that lit the whole cave as if it were day.
Aurora scrambled back, almost stumbling over her feet. Arlette caught her, and they stared up at the stone as it seemed to dissolve into light, changing its shape. Becoming live.
When the light dimmed again – Arc huffed and called up some flames once more, a much cosier light than that of the stone – a pokémon was floating in the air. A yellow head, with turquoise tags at the end of triangular points. A white face, with light blue triangles under the dark eyes. And a small white body, yellow strands almost like wings, and a light line that looked like an old scar on its stomach.
As it floated gently back towards the floor, Soise stepped forward and caught it before it landed.
“Guys – come on.”
The twins came forward, Nyx following cautiously behind them.
“This is Jirachi.”
“Um… hi.”
“Hi!” Aurora waved. “I’m Aurora, that’s Arlette. And this is Phoe.”
{Aurora, Arlette and Phoe} The pokémon regarded them with its big eyes. {And you… are Soise}
“How does it know that?”
“Telepath.” Soise smiled, releasing Jirachi into the air. “They know things.”
{Don’t be afraid} Jirachi hovered before Nyx, holding out a hand. {You won’t get in trouble}
“Told you.” Aurora nudged her, smiling.
Nyx nodded.
Jirachi smiled, tilting its head. {Let’s play, let’s play! I have time to make up for} It span in the air and rocketed out of the cave.
“Um…” Nyx stared after it. “How do we–”
“This way, Phoe!” The twins scrambled towards the wall and started to scale it, helping each other up.
Nyx stared up at them.
Soise laughed. “I’ve got a better way,” she whispered, and then threw her head back to howl, barking a little as well.
Arc sat down and yawned, scratching behind her ear. The absol looked down to her and nodded, then followed its own path out of the cave.
{You called, mother?} The slim red and white latias flashed down through the opening and circled before them. {Hello Phoe}
“Issy.” Nyx smiled, stroking the legendary.
“Mind giving her a lift out of here?” Soise asked. “Only, the twins…”
{I do not mind} Lairisse nodded, and Nyx was lifted onto her back with the help of telekinesis.
Nyx squeaked and grabbed handfuls of Lairisse’s feathers as they went rocketing skywards.
“Oh. Oh.” Soise stared after them. “I see how it is.”
Aurora swung herself over the lip of the opening and reached down for her sister, helping her up. “You can get up easily.”
“You have Shade, right?”
“Well yeah.” Soise rolled her eyes and pulled a dusk ball from her mane.
Jirachi was waiting for them in the forest, Lairisse and Nyx with him. {You were slow}
“We had to climb!” Aurora gestured. “We can’t fly!”
{Oh. Have you humans not worked that out since last time?}
“Not without pokémon.”
“How long’ve you been sleeping?” Aurora asked, brushing herself down.
“It’s called the Millenium comet, ‘rora.” Soise grinned, leaping from their gliscor’s back as he soared out of the cave. “So how ‘bout you take a guess?”
Aurora scowled at Soise as Arlette smirked.
{Can we play?} Jirachi spun around them, tags fluttering in the gentle breeze. {It’s been so long}
“What d’you want to play then?” Nyx asked. “I don’t know many good games…”
“What’s… what’s ‘jig ma handle’?” Nyx said it carefully, frowning.
“Um…” The twins shared a glance.
“Tig,” Soise explained. “You know tig?”
Nyx nodded. “Yeah, I know tig.”
{Let’s play then, let’s play!} Jirachi bounced in the air, clapping his hands.
“Soise, you be it,” Aurora said, and darted away.
Arlette leapt away as Soise lunged for her, tripped over a root and rolled backwards before scrambling to her feet again.
{Run} Lairisse advised Jirachi, speeding away. {Do not let her catch you}
Jirachi laughed and shot away through the trees, leaving Soise and Nyx. Soise grinned and reached out to her. Nyx backed away and then shrieked with laughter as she turned tail and ran into the trees.
Soise dropped down and sniffed at the air, before beginning to run after Aurora.
The twins giggled, having met up with each other, and hid in the bushes. Aurora could hear Nyx far off, running through the bushes, and closer – closer was Soise, trying to be quiet as she crept up on them. She nudged her sister and jerked a finger in Soise’s direction. Arlette pointed up, into the trees.
Aurora nodded and started to climb upwards, being as quiet as possible. Branches still rustled in her wake, showering Arlette with drying leaves.
Soise slowed down, flicking an ear as she heard their movement.
Arlette leapt from the bushes and tore off down the path, making as much noise as possible. Soise ran after her, bounding from four paws to two and back again. Arlette shrieked with laughter and ran as fast as she could, trying to get away.
“You can’t escape!” Soise laughed and lunged after her.
Aurora watched Soise run underneath her, and once she was out of sight – and almost out of hearing – she swung down out of the tree.
{Are you allowed to hide?}
Aurora yelped as Jirachi appeared beside her. “Don’t do that!” She reached out to hit him.
{Sorry} Jirachi flinched as her hand slapped against the tip of his head.
“Ow!” Aurora pulled it back and flapped her hand. “That hurt.”
{Sorry} Jirachi smiled a little. {I have good defences}
“I noticed.” Aurora scowled, sucking her fingers.
{Are you allowed to hide?}
Aurora nodded. “Anything to make sure you’re not–”
Someone shrieked from further into the forest, and Aurora started running instantly.
Jirachi flitted after her, darting from side to side. {What’s happening? I can feel – something wrong}
“I don’t know,” Aurora panted, eyes flicking from side to side. “But – Arl? Arl!” she yelled, still running.
{This way} Lairisse shot by overhead, and grabbed Aurora in a psychic hold. {Come}
Jirachi followed after them.
“Lairisse!” Aurora struggled in her hold. “Put me down!”
{Not yet, little NightGale}
“Hush, Phoe, it’s alright,” Soise was crouched beside Nyx, holding her hands gently. “You can control this, ok?”
“N-no I can’t.” Nyx shook her head.
Arlette looked up as Aurora was set down beside her, and the two legendaries floated over towards Nyx and Soise.
“What happened?” Aurora whispered.
“I don’t know,” Arlette muttered. “We just – Soise and me, I think we startled her, and now–”
“Is that a tail?” Aurora gasped. “Soise, are you trying to make her more like you?”
“What? No! Just stay out of this, ‘kay?” Soise frowned. “Nyx, calm down. It’s alright, see? We’re sorry.”
“In my bag,” Nyx whispered, still shaking. “Jam.”
Soise pulled open her bag, rolling out a pokéball, a notebook, a pencil, a spoon, and a glass jar filled with dark jam. “Here, this do?”
Nyx nodded and grabbed the jar, tearing off the lid with slightly clawed hands.
“That’s so cool!” Aurora laughed, circling. “How d’you do that?”
“’Rora–”
“Hey, you grant wishes, right?” Aurora whirled to look up at Jirachi. “Can you make me like that? I wanna be able to shift forms!”
Jirachi tilted his head.
“Can – can you get rid of it?” Nyx gulped jam, hands and mouth sticky with it as the scales began to fade. “Can I wish for this to be gone?”
“Why would you want that gone? It’s so cool!”
“Not helping, ‘rora.” Soise frowned at her.
{I can’t, Nyx} Jirachi said gently. {That is more powerful than I am}
“Oh.” She looked down. “That’s alright then.”
Jirachi turned to Aurora. {I can’t change your form, either. I don’t deal in shifting forms}
“What do you deal in, then?” Arlette asked. “Can we get a wish each?”
{Arlette…}
{They can ask, sister} Jirachi held a hand out to Lairisse. {They are only children}
Soise gave Nyx a hug as the last of the distortion faded away. “Better now?”
“Mhm.” Nyx nodded. “Thanks.”
Jirachi floated down to rest on the ground before them. The twins came closer and sat as well, tugging Nyx down between them.
{You want a wish each?}
“Yeah!” Aurora nodded eagerly. “I want–”
{Let your friend choose first}
Aurora clicked her mouth shut and looked to Nyx.
“Me?” She looked startled. “But…”
“Just choose something,” Arlette whispered, squeezing Nyx’s hand. “It doesn’t have to be big.”
Nyx nodded. “I want – can I have a shaymin? Please.”
Jirachi tilted his head, catching Lairisse’s eye above the children. Lairisse nodded and closed her eyes, hovering perfectly still in the air.
For several long, quiet moments, there was nothing. Then a soft glow in front of Nyx, and a shaymin appeared there. Nyx squeaked as it snuffled around and then waddled towards her, flowers forming in its steps.
“Thank you,” Nyx whispered, stroking the pokémon.
“Me now?” Aurora looked up.
{Yes}
“And you can’t change our forms.”
{I am afraid not} Jirachi shook his head. {Not in a big way}
Aurora pouted a little. “Ok… then – can I um… can I…” She frowned.
“Harder than it seems?” Soise laughed softly.
Shade glided overhead, eclipsing the comet for a brief second.
“Can I get wings? Not like change my form,” Aurora said quickly. “I mean like extra, like gliders or something.”
{Hm. That might take a while} Jirachi tilted his head, turning a cartwheel through the air. {How about you?}
“Can I get to breathe underwater?” Arlette asked instantly.
Jirachi laughed. {You two don’t aim small do you?}
They shook their heads. “You can do it, right?”
{I will see}
Soise caught the look Lairisse flicked her way, and jumped to her feet. “What shall we do in the meantime? Play another game?”
“Not tig,” Nyx said, shifting the shaymin in her arms. “And… maybe I shouldn’t disturb this?”
Arlette nodded. “Maybe.”
“Don’t have to play anything then.” Aurora shrugged.
“Shouldn’t we think about getting back soon?” Nyx bit her lip.
“I’ll see about getting Arc here,” Soise said. “Sit tight.”
As she ran out of the clearing, Nyx leant over to stuff her things back into her bag, including the jam jar.
“Why d’you have the jam?” Aurora asked, watching.
“Um – for safety. So’s I don’t lose control.”
“Lose control?” Arlette tilted her head. “Of what?”
“Oh – um…”
Nyx was saved from answering by the delicate chiming of a bell and two flashes of light on the ground before them. The twins squealed in delight, their questions forgotten as they pick up the items.
Jirachi nodded to Lairisse, who whistled and danced in the air.
Aurora’s item folded out in her arms, revealing a suit of dark material with the legs and arms joined by a lighter colour.
{It will allow you to glide. True wings you will have to work out for yourself}
Arlette’s was smaller, a piece of plastic that fitted in her mouth. “This will let me breathe underwater?”
{Yes}
“Thanks.” She grinned. “Now they won’t be escaping from me.”
“And here’s Arc,” Soise announced. “And you got your wishes sorted?”
“Yeah! Can I try it out?” Aurora fumbled with her jacket, pulling it off.
“Maybe once we’re back,” Soise said. “They’ll be looking for you.”
Nyx squeaked and clutched at the shaymin. “Oh, mum’ll be so worried!”
“Come on, then.” Soise beckoned her over to Arc. “Let’s get you back.”
{We can help with that} Jirachi glanced to Lairisse. {If you wouldn’t mind?}
{Of course} Lairisse nodded. {But…} She looked to the shaymin.
“Oh… he’ll be better here, won’t he?” Nyx bit her lip, looking at the shaymin as it shifted in her arms.
{I can take him to Lavaridge, if you like}
“No… no, it’s too dangerous there.” Nyx shook her head and gently put the shaymin on the ground. “He can stay here. Keep you company.” She looked up at Jirachi. “Thank you, though.”
{I am sorry}
“Um – thanks f’r ours,” Arlette said.
“Yeah, thanks.” Aurora nodded, echoing her sister.
Soise palmed something from Arlette’s pocket carefully as she helped them up onto Arc’s back. “Ready when you are.”
The two psychic legendaries closed their eyes and hummed.
A flash of light later, and Soise threw ice at the floor beneath them and laughed as it exploded into green fire on the stage around them, to gasps from the audience.
Nyx squeaked and hunkered down behind the twins as the audience before them started to clap. The legendaries had teleported them back to the carnival, but they’d also teleported them onto the stage of one of the performances.
The performer blinked and continued in her stride, taking the credit for their reappearance in a swirl of a satin caped bow.
We caught some members of Team Aqua at the base of Mt. Chimney. They said something is “going down” at Fallarbor. We’re headed to Fallarbor before Mt. Chimney.
