Chapter 34: Sunrise at the Beach

November 11th, year 59

Horizon Island

Outside the widow of his Champion's Suite, the sky was a dark blue-gray. A thin veil of mist hung over the land outside, nearly obscuring the view of the ocean. A solemn quiet hung in the air, drastically different than the exhilarating cheer and noise of the celebrations last night. As the sky lightened slowly, the electric lamps outside had not yet turned off. It was time to go.

Polaris was already awake and ready. He had brought out his desert outfit from Jesrin and dressed in that today. Because he didn't have anything elaborate from the Arkahna culture, like what Camilla had worn yesterday, this seemed most appropriate. He turned from the window and looked to his seven Pokemon. In particular, the four Shrine Maidens.

He walked over to them. "Well, it's time for us to say goodbye," he said.

'It's been an honor and joy working with you, Polaris,' the Katisp said, getting nods and sounds of agreement from the other three.

"You too," he said, holding out his hand so that Jessu could land there. "I'm sure I'll be able to see you again when I visit the shrines, but I'll miss traveling with you four. Jessu, you've been with me longest. I know that sometimes I wasn't sure what to do with you, but you always persisted, no matter what the odds."

The tiny winged cat purred and rubbed her head against his thumb. "Murrr."

After she flitted off, he knelt down near the white anemone Pokekon. "Varia, it wasn't easy getting used to you, but you've done marvelously in helping me and the others. I've read some people who think your kind are air-headed flirts, but you show that first impressions aren't always right. Besides, you saved me a couple of times and really helped me out."

The Scyllamone giggled, putting one hand to her cheek and blinking her one eye. But then she shook hands with him as a sign of friendship. "Whessurrruu, sarraia!" Then she blew a kiss at him.

"Yes, you are still a flirt," he said in amusement, tousling her false hair before getting back up and going to the Katisp. "Lethe, you've always been loyal and hard-working. You would come quickly to my defense even if it wasn't really necessary. And, I never really doubted your bravery. You fought a demon for me before we really met, after all. So I think you are in no danger of losing your position."

She ducked her ghostly self further back into the helmet, looking shy. 'You are very kind, but I still have to answer to Misaillo…'

"Hoosshuuu zuuura!" Verron interrupted. The Mifge floated over, holding his knife to the side as he spoke to her. "Hesfu shay oouuusa resshh harah."

"Shurre zesha," Lethe replied, relaxing some and tapping his horn. 'Oh, he says that he is proud to have a powerful and skilled mother. I suppose if I didn't have much, that and your approval are great blessings. Thank you.'

"I'll try to get him to be just as skilled," Polaris said, getting an enthusiastic agreement from the baby Pokemon. Then the Trainer came to the orange and tan Garchomp. "And you, Tesla… I haven't had you as long as the rest, but you're still one of my team and I love you all for that. And knowing all this time that I would have to rechallenge you helped encourage me to figure out what the Transcriber could do, and more about what I was supposed to be doing. I still have a lot to learn, but if I keep in mind to become strong like you, I'm sure that I won't be settling for less than my best at any time."

Never being one for saying much, Tesla made an affectionate soft growl and hugged him. They were all going to miss him too. But, they had connections that should never break.

"Sharra she," Varia said, then chattered on for a bit.

"Eh tai!" Picasso exclaimed in reply, standing up straight and saluting with one paw as he grabbed his green tipped brush tail in the other.

Lethe chuckled. 'She said that we came together to help guide and protect you while you located the gods and goddesses, but now that we have to return to our duties, we are not worried about you. Not only will the Transcriber help you overcome obstacles, but you have Picasso, Icewin, and Verron to stand by you. You should have nothing to fear.'

Polaris smiled. "Right. I have to let some great friends go, but some other great friends will remain with me." Then he touched the pendant. "Still, we'd better get going if we want to get the right time. Desolaire, are you ready?"

After a moment of quiet, the sun goddess telepathically said, 'In some ways, I still feel like hiding. But, I can't be doing that anymore. We'd best go ahead and do this.'

"All right," he said. "I'll need to use my computer for a couple of minutes to let these four go free. Then we'll head out."

When that was taken care of, Polaris left the suite with his Pokemon. Icewin was still rather large to slither around the halls easily, so he recalled him while letting the rest tag along. Out in the hall, he found Diego and with his Jacafrare, Fluerdifir, Claydol, and Absol. "Good morning," the young man said, stretching his arms up. "I had half a mind to sleep in today and take the day off, but I'm curious about what you were talking about yesterday."

He smiled. "Good morning, and good to see that you decided to come. We need to go outside; I have to let my four girls go."

Diego and his four Pokemon followed. "Huh, what?" he asked, sounding confused. "You're letting four of your Pokemon go? Why? You're all so close, like a family of sorts."

"It does feel like that," he agreed. "But even though they are dear to me, I still have to let them go. You see, these four," he indicated Jessu, Varia, Lethe, and Tesla, "are actually Shrine Maidens that serve four of the legendary Pokemon of Jasper. There's six legends that have been sleeping for centuries, and I wound up being in a position to awaken them. They sent the Maidens with me to help me out, and also to investigate the League for them. Now that my task is just about complete, I need to let them return to their duties."

"Then you really were meeting with the legends of Jasper?" Diego asked, intrigued. "I mean, I had seen your paintings and heard things about it even from you, but I wasn't really sure it was all true. It's kind of hard for me to believe."

He nodded. "That's what I've been doing. Anyhow, I had remembered you saying that as much as you've traveled, you've never seen a legendary Pokemon for yourself. That's why I decided to invite you along." He looked to Diego. "But you do need to be respectful. They are the gods and goddesses of this region… I think a number of those legends are gods and goddesses of their own rights. It's just that few people believe in them in that way any more."

"I don't know much about religion," he said. "Eve does. But, I'll keep that in mind."

After reaching a larger elevator that let all of them ride down to ground level, Polaris, Diego, and their Pokemon left the Stadium. Outside, they found Megan, Greeble the Ariados, Camilla, her eight accompanying Pokemon, and a man who was on his own. "Good morning," Camilla said. "Essen came in late last night; I hope you don't mind him coming too."

"Oh that's fine," he said, shaking both of their hands in turn. "Essen, it's good to see you again. This is Diego Cartwright, a friend of mine and the main League Champion now. Diego, this is Essen Solaris, the leader of the Arkahna people."

"Hello sir," Diego said while shaking Essen's hand. "I never expected to meet you, of all people."

The former prophet smiled slightly. "And I had once thought I would never be working with outsiders. But, things change and it seems we have to change with them."

"Well I'm sure there's much to talk about," Polaris said. Then he pointed to the brightening sky. "But the dawn won't wait on us, and I waited for this particular time. Camilla, is there a beach nearby here that faces east?"

She nodded. "Yes, there are several like that. The closest one is down this path here; I'm sure no one will argue with the three of us going there."

Down a narrow and twisting dirt path, they came to a vacant sandy beach. There was dark seaweed strewn along the flat sands, while a few small Pokemon we at their low tide habits. Once the remaining Pokemon were called out, there were twenty-two of them, plus the five humans. It made the scene a little noisy, especially since Verron had tried challenging some of the other Pokemon along the way (none of them would fight one so young, which frustrated him). But Polaris felt that an accepting and happy crowd would be better than just him and her.

But if he wanted to welcome her back, that wasn't enough. Polaris brought out the Transcriber. "With everyone here, I have something to tell you," he said. "I found Desolaire's spirit within the underground mazes of Horizon Island. She still feels neglected and unhappy, which is why I wanted to call her out with some loving and open-minded people around. She spent so long with that greedy thief; she's heard nothing but torment for many long years. I'm going to call her sister first, and the other members of the Spirit Clan. I hope to help her recover."

"We'll all be glad to have her back," Essen said. "I'm sure all of our people would be willing to help if she needs it."

"If you found her in the mazes, then where has she been?" Camilla asked.

He touched his pendant briefly before flipping the Transcriber over and drawing a symbol on the back. "She's been with me, linked to my pendant. Rubledge traveled with me for months in that manner, so I offered her use of it. I know myself that just being with someone sympathetic can help out in the worst of times." He smiled at Megan for a moment, then turned his attention to the summoning he was about to do.

Desolaire was definitely paying attention. He could feel something warm like the sun's rays even though there was just a patch of yellow on the eastern horizon. Maybe it wasn't absolutely necessary to call her at dawn, but that seemed so much more respectful to make the effort to do this at a significant time. Off to the west, the moon was still bright in the sky too, so it would be best for both sisters.

Tapping the symbols on the back of the Transcriber, he prayed to the ones already awake. "Zepharia of the western grasslands, Hu-kyo of the northern mountains, Misaillo of the eastern sea, Santiperra of the southern desert," he paused, then added, "Rubledge the wanderer, please come to my call. And Lunarium, I have your sister's soul with me. Bring her body here so that we can make her whole once again. I ask this as the prophet of the sun and the moon."

There was a moment where the only sound was the ocean's surf on the sand, and a few of the Pokemon settling down out of respect. Then there was a colossal roar from the sky, to the north. They had heard, and they were coming.

First there was Santiperra, showing up as a shifting of the ground, then bursting out in a cloud of sand. While he shook the particles off his exoskeleton, Zepharia and Hu-kyo descended from the sky, the former landing on the beach near the other four humans, the latter gliding into a position where he could hover just out of the way. Rubledge emerged from the trees, moving slowly but coming when Santiperra and Hu-kyo acknowledged her. Off in the distance, there was a surging of the water, and then Misaillo came out and glided in to the shallows of the sea.

Finally, Lunarium appeared in a flash like moonlight. She was in her bonnet form, her orb glowing the same as the moon in the sky. With one of her ribbons, she pulled Desolaire's repaired body with her. Her orb seemed clearer with fewer cracks, but was still dull. 'Good morning, Polaris, sister,' Lunarium said, her words mixed with cheer and concern.

"Good morning, all of you," Polaris said.

He looked back to the others there. Several of the Pokemon were curious, coming over to check out the seven that had arrived. The four Shrine Maidens went up to their respective masters and greeted them. As for the humans, they were in mixed states of awe and surprise. It seemed that Essen hadn't expected him to be able to call them with just the simple request. Camilla didn't seem that surprised, but after all her years of serving the goddesses, she wasn't sure what to do on being in their presence.

On the other hand, Diego apparently felt the presence of their power and was taken by complete surprise by it. Perhaps he had expected legendary Pokemon to be not much different than regular Pokemon. Megan felt it too, but was bolder about it and came up to Zepharia, curious to see if he would let her touch him.

"Zephaira and Rubledge are the only two here that can talk with most humans," Polaris told them.

"I can explain some things," Zepharia said, startling Megan with his clear English. "That which we've discussed so far."

"But you should be drawing before the sun crosses the horizon, right?" Misaillo asked. "He'll talk to them."

Polaris nodded. "Right, I'll get to it. Are you ready, Lunarium?"

With the both of them just a few feet from him, she nodded. 'Yes. What damage remains should be fixed by the power of the summoning.'

Knowing that, Polaris nodded and flipped the white tablet over to start drawing. He focused on that feeling of sunlight rather than the form of her body in front of him. That was her past, which she needed to move beyond. Drawing her now, pulling off all that he had heard of her from the people, the occasional glimpses he had into her power and life, and the sun itself just starting to appear… that was part of who she was, that which he knew of her. Bringing her back would bring hope and relief to her followers; that could bring healing to her.

His body felt warm as he came out of his trance of drawing. He gripped the Transcriber and said, "Master Desolaire, please return to yourself. The people's hopes lie with you."

The black lines on the tablet turned fiery red as a bright glow came out of the pendant. Desolaire's soul left the green stone and reunited with her body. As the sun was coming into the sky, the sun goddess' orb turned bright with a golden light, clearing back up and becoming whole. She remained in her tassel form while coming awake, then shifted as she became alert to the others around her. Part of the red and gold threads shifted up to become like a long ponytail off the orb, while the rest formed an open swirl like an interpretation of a dress. The ribbons on top of her orb shifted down to become arms.

'Sister!' Lunarium stayed close to Desolaire, using one of her ribbons to clasp hers. 'I've missed you so much; I'm happy to have you back.' She was emitting a sense like she was crying and laughing at the same time.

'Lunarium, I'm sorry…' Desolaire replied. Polaris could feel her mind searching out those that were there; she was wary of being hurt, but he trusted the people and Pokemon that were here.

Rubledge came over to them, having avoided notice of the others that Zepharia was speaking with. "I don't think anyone would blame you for what happened," she said. "The humans and Pokemon around here love you greatly, even though it's been so long. You have a lot to return to." She left of saying that she herself didn't have much to call her own around the Sea of Jasper, as her people were gone.

The twins noticed too. 'You could help us while we're settling into this time,' Lunarium offered. 'You've been active in the past several years and you know the modern people better.'

"I'll do what I can," Rubledge said.

"I will too," Polaris said, noticing when Picasso came bounding over to his side. He patted the Smeargle's beret. "I think there would have to be a lot of change from the old ways to the new."

She felt grateful for that. 'Yes there would,' Desolaire agreed. 'I hope they'll be willing to listen, though. I'm back in my body; if I get to doing things, then maybe I'll feel better.'

"Err dai?" Picasso said, then followed up with another question. Whatever it was, he seemed to be in earnest about it.

When he was done, the twins were quiet a moment. But then Desolaire unexpectedly burst out into laughter, causing Lunarium to do the same in delight. It surprised the others at the beach. 'How thoughtful of you to ask, Picasso,' Lunarium said, giggling.

Seeing the Smeargle's grin, Polaris felt that he either really wanted to know or would regret knowing after. "What is it?" he asked.

Desolaire brought her ribbon arms together. 'He said that he knows you're going to be working with us, and some traditions expect things out of such people. But then you would be unhappy if you had to part from the woman over there.' She giggled then. 'So he wanted to know if it was all right for you to get married while working under us.'

Polaris smiled and blushed in response. "Is that it? I hadn't been thinking about that far ahead." He glanced back at the others, who must have been wondering what they were talking about. "But he is right about that."

'Love is a beautiful thing,' Lunarium said. 'If your love is true and you truly want that companionship, then we would be fine with that.

'Friendship is just as beautiful,' Desolaire added, giving a nod to Picasso.

"Of course," Polaris said. "And that's good to know." Then he leaned down and hugged his Smeargle. "Thanks for thinking of me, buddy."

Picasso gave a happy murmur and hugged him back.

The End.

Thanks for reading!