+Project Omega+ Part-2

Continued from Part-1

Ages 10+ Suggested for Violence

A Poke'mon fan-fiction written by Philip "Dr. Mack Foxx" Byard and Aaron "Aaraboga Jones" Byard

Original Story, Characters and all other Original Content are Copyright 1987-2006 Philip "Dr. Mack Foxx" Byard and Aaron "Aaraboga Jones" Byard

Poke'mon and all related content and characters are Copyright 1996-2006 to Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures and The Poke'mon Company

-11-
Mack and Aura went through one match after another. Aura was starting to learn how to use her new power more effectively, thus, they eliminated the competition without a single scratch. As Aura blasted another opponent off the field, Mack was wondering why the opponents weren't even putting up much of a fight and why the audience was obscured behind darkness, even thought the arena itself was well lit.

"I don't understand this," thought Mack as he glanced back and forth, "Aura has flattened every single opponent so far, and they haven't even tried to fight. Is Aura really that powerful now? Perhaps the lightshow that Aura has been putting on has frightened our competitors and they've already given up?" Aura glanced at Mack as she read his thoughts.

"I have to agree with you, Mack," said Aura through telepathy, "They seem to be losing on purpose."

"Maybe the other trainers want to minimize the damage you're doing to their Pokémon," thought Mack, "Better to throw in the towel after you know you're outmatched rather than forfeit."

"I suppose," said Aura telepathically as they both walked back off the field.

"This is almost too good to be true, though! We've made it to the finals. Best of all, you haven't been hurt, Aura. I'm very thankful for that," thought Mack.

"I knew you cared about me, but I didn't know you cared that much. Thank you," said Aura through telepathy as she smiled.

"Your welcome," thought Mack, "But still, I can't shake the feeling that we're being set up or something."

"Don't worry, Mack," said Aura telepathically, "This will be the easiest trophy you've ever scored in a Pokémon tournament. Not like that match against some kid whose rebellious Charizard set your fur on fire."

"Don't remind me…" grumbled Mack. Aura laughed softly as they left the field.

"Nothing can stop Mack and Aura!" said the announcer, "But soon, he'll have to face the undefeated champion, John Allens! His Houndoom has crushed the competition with almost the same precision and ruthlessness as Mack's young Gardevoir! That match will begin in ten minutes!"

-12-
Simon started to wake up. His wounds had been healed while he had been unconscious, but his vision was still blurry. He could clearly hear the humming and clicking of some giant machines in the room. He slowly moved his right scythe forward and his blade was abruptly stopped by an invisible barrier. As his vision started to clear, he discovered that he had been imprisoned in some sort of capsule.

"If this is a Pokémon healing chamber, than I'm a cross-eyed Magikarp!" grumbled Simon. In front of him, stood a man in a lab coat with six black Alakazams behind him.

"What a fine specimen," said the man in a dry, raspy voice. Simon knew this disturbing voice all too well.

"No! It can't be!" shouted Simon with dismay.

"We meet again," said Dr. Namwen as he straightened his glasses, "I can't remember how many times I've tried to capture you and each and every time, you've narrowly evaded my grasp."

"I'm not going to be anyone's Pokémon, you hear me, Dr. Newman!" growled Simon as Dr. Namwen jumped back with surprise. His shock soon turned to rage.

"Excuse me," said Dr. Namwen with an evil grin on his face, "But what did you call me?"

"You are Dr. Alvin Newman," growled Simon as he tried to cut out of the capsule with his scythes, but to no avail. Dr. Namwen walked over to a red lever on a nearby wall.

"I want nothing to do with my worthless brother, Eric and there is no way you can escape that capsule from the inside," snarled Dr. Namwen as he put his right hand on the lever. Dr. Namwen faced Simon and laughed maniacally.

"What are you doing?" demanded Simon.

"Why, we're going to play a little game!" said Dr. Namwen as he stroked the lever with his left hand, "It's my favorite game! Now, tell me: what is my name?" Simon snorted with contempt.

"As I said before, you are Dr. Newman," grumbled Simon as Dr. Namwen flashed a menacing smile.

"Wrong answer!" laughed Dr. Namwen as he pulled the level. Instantly, electricity lanced inside the capsule. Simon dropped to the ground from the immense pain. Suddenly, Dr. Namwen reset the lever and the electricity vanished.

"You fiend…" growled Simon as he got back to his feet.

"Now, what is my name again?" asked Dr. Namwen.

"Your name is Dr. Alvin Newman!" shouted Simon with rage.

"You're getting warmer my friend!" laughed Dr. Namwen as he threw the lever again. Simon howled in pain as the raw voltage shot through the capsule again. Seconds later, Dr. Namwen turned off the lethal lightning.

"…If I could…just get out of here…I'd have your head…" groaned Simon as he sat down on the cold, metal floor of the capsule.

"I'm a kind, compassionate man!" laughed Dr. Namwen, "So I'll give you one more chance to get my name right, otherwise, I'll throw this lever again and have you fried up for my dinner! I'll bet that Kabutops taste better than Corphish or Crabby! So, what is my name?"

"Your name…" said Simon as he glared at Dr. Namwen, "Is mud." Dr. Namwen instantly went slacked jawed as his arm released the lever and fell limply at his side. Dr. Namwen grinned at Simon.

"You always had quite the sense of humor!" said Dr. Namwen with a chuckle, "But that little frailty will soon be annihilated once I have you turned into a shadow Pokémon! Then you will call me, 'Master!'"

"For now, I'll just call you a blithering idiot," said Simon calmly.

"You'll be singing a different tune in a matter of minutes. You think that lightning was painful? That's nothing compared to what you'll feel as you're infused with darkness," said a delighted Dr. Namwen.

"How could I have fallen into this fiend's clutches?" thought Simon, "And where in the world am I?!"

"I'll be happy to answer those questions! You won't be aware of anything around you soon, anyway!" said Dr. Namwen with glee as he feverishly pressed switches on a control console, "To be honest, I didn't expect that you would enter the tournament. I guess it's just an added bonus. After all, your fate is going to be heaven compared to what's going to happen to that irritating mercenary and his hateful Gardevoir! Just to let you know, we are precisely 400 feet underground in a secret facility."

-13-
The final match had arrived. The crowd roared and cheered as the finalists entered the arena.

"Now for the main event!" said the announcer, "The final battle of the tournament is now at hand! We have Dr. Mack Foxx and his amazing Gardevoir, Aura, versus John Allens and his powerhouse Houndoom!"

"May the best Pokémon win!" shouted Mack with a friendly smile.

"Indeed!" said John, "Now you face us. We'll see who's going to get out of here alive."

"What was that all about?" thought Mack as he glanced uneasily at the darkened crowd, "Something is amiss, I just know it."

"The match will begin now!" said the announcer, "Then again, why waste the time with another pointless battle, right ladies and gents?" Aura quickly walked back to Mack's side.

"We're in big trouble, aren't we?" asked Mack as he glanced at Aura. Aura nodded her head in agreement.

"Dr. Mack Foxx, you are now the prisoner of Cipher! Just simply surrender and you and Aura will not be harmed in any way, agreed?" asked the announcer.

"And if we refuse?" growled Mack.

"Then, I'll just have to introduce you to your real…final opponents!" said the announcer with cruel laughter. The stands suddenly filled with light, revealing hundreds of people in white, glistening armor. All at once, they threw Pokéballs into the arena. As the Cipher agents' Pokémon appeared, their trainers ran onto the field armed with crowbars, truncheons and tactical batons. Mack and Aura were now back-to-back with malicious Pokémon on one side and the evil henchmen on the other. Mack gazed carefully at the Pokémon and focused. A familiar black aura materialized around the red-eyed Pokémon.

"Shadow Pokémon…" thought Mack with fear, "These peons could order their Pokémon to kill us and they would without hesitation."

"What do we do now?" asked Aura. Mack quickly looked around the room as the gang of Pokémon and troopers moved closer. Mack's eyes soon fell on an emergency exit. Mack glanced at Aura.

"Head for the exit over there, I'll protect you!" said Mack as he started to focus his power.

"On the contrary!" said Aura forcefully as she faced Mack, "I will protect YOU!" Mack and Aura stared into each other's eyes. Mack grinned and faced his attackers.

"On three?" asked Mack.

"On three," answered Aura as her hands started to glow with a brilliant white light.

"Get ready!" shouted John.

"THREE!!!" screamed Mack and Aura as they rushed forward. The agents and Pokémon screamed as Mack and Aura knocked them to the ground with one explosive blast of light after another. Aura glared at the shadow Pokémon and started to focus her power even more. The agents, Pokémon and Mack stared at Aura as she slowly lifted off the ground with her skirt fluttering in the wind and her pendant glowing brightly. Mack hit the ground as an orb of blinding light surrounded Aura.

"Here comes trouble!" thought Mack as he closed his eyes and braced himself. Moments later, the orb exploded outwards as a wave of light knocked the Pokémon and agents to the ground. Mack opened his eyes and gazed at the agents' Pokémon. The dark aura around them was dissolving. Mack had been completely untouched by Aura's attack.

"What happened?" asked one agent as he looked at his Pokémon, "That Gardevoir! She purified my Pokémon!"

"No matter!" said another agent as the rest of them ordered their Pokémon to attack Aura. The Pokémon attacked viciously. Though they missed Aura, they managed to separate her and Mack during the brutal fighting. While Aura fended off the frenzied Pokémon, Mack tried to hold his own against the agents.

"There's no way I can keep blasting them with my power," thought Mack as he darted back and forth to avoid getting hit by one of the agent's blunt weapons, "I'll have to rely on martial arts." Mack lunged forward and with a flurry of punches and kicks, he incapacitated one agent after another. As the agents fell to the ground unconscious, Mack started slowing down. Aura quickly glanced at Mack, sensing his fatigue.

"Oh, no! He can't keep this up for long!" thought Aura with fear. Aura tried as hard a she could to get through the attacking Pokémon and help Mack, but there were too many of them. As Mack knocked one agent to the ground, another came up and struck him in the back with a crowbar. Mack howled with pain and quickly turned around and knocked the agent off his feet with sweeping kick under his legs. Mack was running out of energy fast and he knew it. Mack knew his only way of escape would be to run out the emergency exit. He lunged forward, fighting off the sea of agents as he went. His speed was slowing down and he kept taking hits that he normally would not have. Mack's vision blurred as he was struck repeatedly. Blindly, he jumped into a dark corner and fell to the ground in the shadows. Aura screamed as Mack hit the floor. Once again, she tried to blast her way through the throng of Pokémon, but she still could not get through the hundreds of them that blocked her path. The agents cautiously approached the fallen mercenary.

"You think he's dead?" asked one agent with concern.

"He better not be! Dr. Namwen ordered us to take him alive!" said another agent.

"After what he did to our friends? Let's finish him off! Dr. Namwen won't need this freak's help!" shouted another agent. The agents ran forward with their weapons drawn: some of them trying to destroy Mack, the rest tried to hold back their blood-thirsty colleagues. Suddenly, a pair of glowing white eyes appeared in the shadows. The agents turned around and ceased their attack. They started to back off in fear. Moments later, a wave of light sent them and their Pokémon flying backwards into the stands. Aura wasn't even effected by the blast of light. Aura faced the corner where Mack had fallen. As she ran to his side, the white, glowing eyes faded.

"Everyone, retreat!" ordered one agent. Immediately, the rest of them collected their Pokémon and scattered. Aura knelt down next to Mack and held his right hand.

"What happened…?" asked a weary Mack.

"They ran off!" said Aura as she closed her eyes and concentrated, "They left the building and are on their way out of the city."

"…Good…" groaned Mack.

"I better get you out of here and to a hospital," said Aura.

"…No…" said Mack as he slumped against the wall, "…Simon…he's here…down below. Take the stairs…You'll have to…set him free."

"What about you?" asked Aura with great concern.

"I'll be okay for now…" said Mack, "Now, go!" Aura released Mack's hand and ran for the emergency exit. As she descended the stairs, she could sense Simon down below.

-14-
Moments earlier, a loud explosion rattled the control room, knocking Dr. Namwen and his dark Alakazams off their feet.

"What in blazes was that?! It sounds like the whole building is coming down!" yelled Dr. Namwen as he stood up and glared at Simon, "Perfect!"

"Where are you off to?" asked Simon as Dr. Namwen ran for the door behind his Alakazams.

"Let's just say I don't want to get pan-caked under this building! Farewell, Simon! You're about to become a Kabutops Crepe'!" laughed Dr. Namwen as he started to close the door.

"Until we meet again…" said Simon in an annoying tone, "…Dr. Newman." The door closed silently and then Simon heard Dr. Namwen scream in rage as he ran down the hallway.

"If this is my end, so be it," thought Simon as he sat down and cleared his mind. Minutes later, the door in the control room was blown off its hinges with a psychic blast. Simon opened his eyes and gazed at Aura.

"We have to get out of here!" said Aura frantically, "Mack was badly injured!" Simon bowed his head with dismay.

"Were we all fooled so easily?" asked Simon with grief.

"This is no time to feel sorry for ourselves!" said Aura with resolve as she pointed to the capsule, "Now, break out of that thing so we can leave this horrible place!"

"It's no good," grumbled Simon, "The walls are too thick and some sort of barrier is preventing my scythes from even touching the sides. You'll have to use the control console to open the capsule," said Simon calmly as Aura ran to the control panel.

"Is this the right panel?" asked Aura.

"That should be the right panel, but it's probably password-protected. You'll have to hack the system in order to get the capsule opened," said Simon.

"But only Mack could do that!" said Aura.

"You'll have to try!" said Simon, "We really shouldn't stay here any longer than we have to! They'll probably be back and with bigger Pokémon!" Aura gazed at the panel. For some reason, Aura felt confident about this, even though she had never so much as touched a computer before. Aura placed her hands on the keyboard and quickly pressed the keys. Before long, she was reading the source code for the operating system and she understood it! Simon looked into Aura's eyes and saw the strange lettering being reflected in her eyes from the computer screen. Deep in the system, Aura found what she was looking for.

"P-R-O-J-E-C-T-O-M-E-G-A!" said Aura as she entered the password. Moments later, the capsule opened. Simon jumped out of the capsule and sighed with relief.

"How did you do that?" asked Simon with disbelief.

"I…I don't know," said Aura uneasily, "It seemed, familiar to me."

"I've never heard of a Pokémon that had such knowledge about computers," marveled Simon.

"Maybe it's a side effect," said Aura as she gazed fearfully at her hands.

"A side effect of what?" asked Simon with curiosity.

"I don't want to talk about it," said Aura was she started to leave the room.

"Is this about the time you and Mack were in the same body? I already know about that," said Simon as Aura stopped in her tracks, "I also know how you were separated during the destruction of another Cipher facility."

"How'd you know?" asked Aura.

"Well, I do have limited psychic abilities," answered Simon, "But I know all this because I've been following you for a long time, waiting to challenge you."

"You've been stalking me?!" shouted Aura with disgust.

"You could say that," said Simon with embarrassment, "But I prefer to call it, 'Checking out the Competition.'"

"We better get going now. Mack needs our help!" said Aura frantically as she started running out the door to the stairs. Simon followed closely.

-15-
Once again, Mack awoke with his vision blurred and his senses thoroughly scrambled. Mack's body ached with pain as he tried to sit up.

"He's waking up!" said a familiar voice. As Mack's vision cleared, he was greeted by the face of a Gardevoir.

"Aura?" asked Mack.

"I'm here," said Aura as Simon stepped forward.

"How long have I been asleep?" asked Mack.

"You've been asleep for a week now," answered Aura.

"A week, eh? Looks like I'm making a bad habit of this," said Mack as he tried to laugh. Aura smiled.

"Incase you wanted to know, Xavier, William and the young Pokémon are outside," said Simon.

"Can you tell me how I got here?" asked Mack as he tried to tune his senses.

"Well," started Aura, "After I freed Simon, I came back to you, took you up in my arms, then Simon and I ran back to the hotel. Apparently, Cipher had tried to steal the S-1, but Xavier and the lot of them scared them off. Simon and I put you in the back of the S-1. As I jumped into the pilot's seat, I discovered that the Cipher agents had tried to hotwire the Air-Car, so many of the wires in the control panel had been cut. After I got some wires tied together, I started it up and drove you to the other side of Alakaz to the nearest hospital. On the way to the hospital, I contacted K-1 and he came in something he called an S-5 Heavy Carrier."

"But why an S-5?" asked Mack.

"Because it was the only thing we had that was large enough to accommodate a Lugia as well as the damaged S-1," answered K-1 as he walked into the room.

"K-1!" said Aura, "Aren't you watching over Sakura, Fredrick, Anna and Li?"

"No problem," answered K-1 as he walked towards Mack, "Xavier is watching over them and believe me, Xavier is capable of causing much more damage than I can."

"Speaking of damage…" groaned Mack as he lay back down in his bed, "I'm going to need to get back to the lab to heal…"

"As soon as I can figure out how to get you out of here unnoticed, I'll let you know," said K-1.

"Can't the doctor's here help Mack?" asked Aura.

"I'm afraid not," answered K-1, "You see, years ago, Mack had modified his DNA to make his flesh and skeleton tougher. He was also able to make himself immune to disease and to poisons. However, there was one major side effect of his augmentation: whenever he actually gets injured, it now takes months for even a simple wound to heal properly. Therefore, Mack invented a device called a Cell Regenerator. This technological wonder can heal the body of just about any ailment by making the body heal thousands of times faster than normal. Theoretically, it could regenerate lost limbs or bring you back, even if death is imminent."

"I understand," said Aura. K-1 faced Simon.

"Simon, if you don't mind, I would like to have a word with you outside. A few things you mentioned to me are fascinating," said K-1.

"Certainly," answered Simon as he and K-1 left the room and closed the door behind them. Aura gazed at Mack and he tried to smile, but instead, he winced in pain.

"If only there was a way to relax," groaned Mack, "Since my body is so resistant to foreign materials, even a liter of morphine won't stop this pain…" Aura smiled, closed her eyes and started to sing to him. Mack started to feel better at the sound of Aura's soft voice.

"What a nice melody…" remarked Mack as he drifted off to sleep. Outside the room, Simon and K-1 were having a discussion about the evening's events.

"I see," said K-1, "Cipher set a trap for them using a tournament as bait. I'm glad you all managed to escape."

"Indeed," said Simon. K-1 paced back and forth with a worried look on his face. The only sound in the hallway now was the metallic clinks as K-1's feet hit the floor.

"There are a few things I don't quite understand," remarked K-1, "Somehow, Aura not only managed to make hasty repairs and operate the S-1, but she also hacked a computer and found the needed password after deciphering the operating system code?"

"That's correct. Though doubtful at first, Aura really looked like she knew what she was doing," said Simon.

"Aura has picked up more of Mack's attributes than expected," said K-1 with concern, "It makes me wonder if anything has also happened to Mack. Considering how Aura picked up Mack's power over light and his knowledge about computers and Mack's technologies, there is no way Mack could have come out of that crude separation without a scratch." Meanwhile, Aura continued to sing to Mack. Even with her eyes closed, she could still notice a glowing light that was now coming from somewhere in the room. She finished her song and opened her eyes. Outside, K-1 and Simon jumped in shock as Aura screamed.

"Sounds like trouble!" yelled K-1 as he and Simon busted down the door. As Simon leapt through the door frame with his scythes drawn forward, K-1 jumped forward as his small, plasma Vulcan cannons unfolded from his sides.

"What's wrong?" asked Simon as he and K-1 faced Aura. She had her back against the wall and was staring at Mack with a look of shock on her face. K-1 and Simon slowly faced Mack.

"Sometimes I hate it when I'm right…" whimpered K-1. Simon walked forward and then shook Mack awake.

"What's going on?" yawned Mack as he noticed that his pain was gone, "How strange. I feel a lot better now." Mack soon discovered that everyone was staring at him strangely.

"What's wrong?" asked Mack, "You all look like you've seen a ghost." Aura slowly stepped forward.

"There…there's something you need to know, Mack," said Aura.

"Oh? What is it? Just tell me," said Mack happily. Aura held out a small mirror. Mack shrieked and jumped out of bed.

"You see?" said Aura with sadness. Mack glanced down at his green hands, at the red fin sticking out of his chest and at the familiar white gown of a Gardevoir.

"Not again…" grumbled Mack.

"I should have mentioned earlier," said K-1 with fear, "I completed the DNA scan and found a few anomalies near the end of the scan, but those should not have translated into a complete change of your body!"

"We better get back to the lab!" said Mack. Aura grabbed Mack's hand.

"Let's go," said Aura. With that, they all ran down the hallways of the hospital. Soon, they were out the door and onboard the S-1. K-1 jumped into the pilot seat, extended a few arms from his chest compartment and was soon flying the massive S-5 back to the Gardev Mountains. Mack sat in the cargo area of the S-1 with his back against a crate. Aura put an arm around Mack, trying to comfort him while William sat on Mack's lap and tried to cheer him up. Mack seemed to feel relieved as he stroked the friendly Pikachu. Minutes later, Anna walked into the cockpit and jumped into the co-pilot's chair.

"How are things going?" asked Anna cheerfully.

"Not quite as planned," said K-1 as he piloted the giant craft, "Now go away and don't touch anything! Flying this hulk by yourself is not as easy as it looks."

"Okay!" answered Anna with happiness as she started to leave the cockpit. K-1 turned his head backwards and faced Anna.

"Interesting…" remarked K-1 as Anna stopped in her tracks and faced K-1, "You sure are upbeat and happy.  What's up? Are things going well for you?"

"You could say that," said Anna, "It's mainly about that new Gardevoir. I'm happy that Aura finally found a boyfriend." K-1 went slacked-jawed.

"What's wrong?" asked Anna, "Did I say something bad?"

"I don't know…" said K-1 uneasily, "Perhaps you should go play with Fredrick and the others, okay?"

"Okay!" said Anna as she left the room.

"This could get very complicated…" thought K-1 as the S-5 streaked across the night sky. Meanwhile, back at the hospital, a nurse was surveying the room, trying to find clues about Mack's disappearance. Moments later, a man in a pin-striped suit entered the room.

"Oh! Mr. Allens!" said the nurse, "What brings you here?"

"I heard about Dr. Foxx and I came to see him. Is he around?" asked John.

"I'm afraid not. He disappeared just a matter of minutes ago," replied the nurse.

"Okay. Thank you," said John as he left the room.

"I wonder where he went?" asked the nurse to herself.

"Great…" thought John as he walked down the hallways, "Dr. Foxx escaped. Dr. Namwen will not be pleased…"

-16-
Back at the lab, Mack gazed at himself through a mirror, absolutely shocked at what was happening.

"This is impossible!" said Mack.

"No, just very, very unlikely," said K-1.

"Is Central operational yet?" asked Mack.

"I'm now fully functional again. Thank you for your patience, Mack," answered Central in an optimistic tone.

"I suspect that the best way to unravel this mystery would be to conduct another DNA scan, but this time, with Central's help, it should only take a few minutes," said K-1.

"Let's do it, then," said Mack. K-1 walked forward with a small metal device and pressed it against one of Mack's fingers. There was a soft hiss as a small sample of blood was drawn. K-1 then walked over to Central's main control panel and inserted the machine into a large slot on the console.

"Central, please analyze this DNA sample," said K-1.

"Acknowledged. Please stand by…" said Central as the loud humming of fans filled the room. Aura jumped at the sound.

"Central's running at 300%, so the fans in the processing array are running at full speed. Otherwise, the processors would melt from the excessive heat," explained Mack. Aura breathed a sigh of relief. Anna, Fredrick, Li and Sakura were also in the lab, under Xavier's watchful eye.

"This is just cracked…" muttered Li, "Mack got turned into a Gardevoir of all things. That just doesn't seem possible."

"Neither did the bonding of my sister and Mack seem possible," said Fredrick. Anna was just sitting down, smiling for some unknown reason.

"What's up, Anna?" asked Fredrick.

"I just want to ask Mack a question," said Anna with delight.

"Well, go for it," said Sakura. Anna got up from the floor, walked over to Mack and then tugged gently on his skirt. Mack looked down at the young Kirlia.

"Is there something you need?" asked Mack.

"Are you going to marry Aura?" asked Anna. Aura blushed deeply while Mack flopped onto the floor.

"Maybe we should have asked what Anna wanted to know before we let her go over there…" muttered Fredrick.

"Agreed…" said Sakura bashfully.

"I don't think so…" grumbled Mack.

"Why not?" asked Anna, "You're a Gardevoir and she's a Gardevoir. Besides, I can tell that you two like each other a lot."

"As friends," said Mack as he got back to his feet, "Besides, I'm not really a Gardevoir anyway."

"Scan complete," said Central.

"Excellent!" said K-1 as he walked over to Central's main view screen, "Let's see what we have here…" Everyone stood silently while K-1 quickly read through the data.

"So, is Mack a Gardevoir now?" asked Anna eagerly.

"Why do you want to know?" asked Li impatiently.

"Because," said Anna with a smile, "If he marries Aura, then I'll have another big brother!"

"Most unusual," remarked K-1, "The number of anomalies has increased ten-fold!"

"What do you make of it?" asked Mack.

"I'm not too sure, but here's what I do know," said K-1 as he faced Mack, "Your genetic code has been heavily altered and your DNA is random. Some of it matches that of a Gardevoir while the rest of it is your standard DNA."

"How can a being have two types of DNA at once?" asked a bewildered Mack.

"Your guess is as good as mine, but I think this means that you should be able to transform back to your old self if you focused enough," said K-1.

"It's worth a try," said Mack as he closed his eyes and concentrated. Soon, Mack was enveloped in an aura of blinding light. The light soon vanished, revealing Mack as his fox-like self again.

"Excellent!" said Mack just before pain shot throughout his body, "Arrrrg!!" Mack flopped back onto the floor and Aura carefully picked him up.

"Gadzooks…" grumbled K-1, "Despite the transformation into a Gardevoir, Mack still retained all his injuries. Follow me, Aura." K-1 walked towards a strange machine with Aura right behind him. K-1 pressed a few buttons and the glass panel of the front opened with a soft hiss.

"Is this the Cell Regenerator?" asked Aura.

"Yes. Please put Mack in it, gently," said K-1 as Aura carefully put Mack into the machine. K-1 then pressed as few more buttons as soon as Aura's hands were clear of the machine and the glass door closed. Minutes later, a soft white light enveloped Mack as he slept in the machine.

"He'll be alright, won't he?" asked Aura with concern as she gazed at Mack.

"Hard to say," said K-1 grimly, "His wounds will heal, but from what I can gather, it will be harder for Mack to maintain his usual form. It's only a matter of time before he will be stuck as a Gardevoir."

"Should you also check me for problems?" asked Aura uneasily.

"If you insist," said K-1 as he grabbed another small, metal device, "This won't hurt a bit." K-1 walked over to Aura, drew more blood with device and then inserted it into Central's control panel.

"Please stand by…" said Central as she analyzed Aura's DNA, "Analysis complete. Gardevoir DNA type recognized. No flaws or abnormalities detected."

"What a relief…" said Aura with a smile, "But how come I have some of Mack's powers and knowledge?"

"I think having some of Mack's attributes is not bad. Your new power probably saved you and Mack back in Alakaz," said K-1, "At least you won't be turning into a vixen, or anything."

-17-
Cecil laughed at Dr. Namwen.

"And what is so amusing?" demanded Dr. Namwen.

"Oh, I just find it humorous that you're having the same luck that I had when I messed with the Guardian of Gardev!" laughed Cecil.

"Yes, except that my facility didn't get blown to steaming bits!" snarled Dr. Namwen. Cecil suddenly stopped laughing.

"Touché…" grumbled Cecil.

"Don't forget who spared you the boss's wrath," said Dr. Namwen as he typed at a computer in a large, metal room.

"What are you working on now, anyway?" asked Cecil with curiosity.

"Just a few things," answered Dr. Namwen with sarcasm, "Finding out how one living being could be fused with another so they share one body, working the bugs out of Project Epsilon Mark II and trying to find a reason why I shouldn't leave a cherry bomb in your next cup of coffee."

"Ouch…" muttered Cecil. Dr. Namwen grinned at Cecil.

"Tell me, what would you give to have a Guardian of Gardev at your command?" asked Dr. Namwen.

"I'd give up my position as a Cipher Administrator for that!" said Cecil with delight.

"I could get you one of those Guardians," said Dr. Namwen, "My spies have confirmed that at least two Gardevoir are donning those pendants. They seem to have immense power." Cecil and Dr. Namwen watched battle footage from the pseudo-tournament as the pendant on Aura's chest glowed brightly while she fought the other Pokémon.

"What would it take?" asked Cecil.

"Oh, I just need complete access to that alien suit of armor. I could probably get the remaining things I need for Project Epsilon Mark II from that armor's technology," said Dr. Namwen.

"Granted," replied Cecil, "Just make sure you get me one of those guardians."

"It would be my pleasure," said Dr. Namwen as Cecil left the room. As soon as the door closed behind Cecil, Dr. Namwen studied some maps that the spies had made. The only thing pestering Dr. Namwen was that the tracer for Project Epsilon Mark II could not detect any type of energy signature from the mystical pendants. There were two confirmed Gardevoir signatures near Gardev. A third signature also appeared, but the signal seemed to be distorted.

"As soon as Project Epsilon Mark II is ready, I'll nab THAT Gardevoir!" said Dr. Namwen as he pointed at the garbled signature on the screen, "The one that stands out usually leads to the best results."

-18-
A few weeks later, Mack finally stepped out of the Cell Regenerator. Though his wounds had finally healed, the prospect of becoming a Gardevoir was still not a welcoming idea.

"Okay, so what's the deal here, K-1?" asked Mack as he started munching on some doughnuts while sitting at Central's main control console.

"If you don't mind me saying so, crumbs are very hard to get out of my keyboard," complained Central.

"Whoops…" said Mack with embarrassment as he grabbed a plate from a nearby cupboard.

"At any rate, I've made some rather interesting discoveries about you while you slept in the Cell Regenerator," reported K-1 as he walked into the room.

"Okay. What's going on with me?" asked Mack eagerly.

"Your DNA is rearranging itself to that of a Gardevoir at a rather fast rate," said K-1, "I think it's only a matter of weeks now before you will be incapable of staying in your fox-like form."

"So that's the bad news," muttered Mack, "How about some good news?"

"Well, for the time being, you can freely transform between your normal self and the body of a Gardevoir," explained K-1, "As a Gardevoir, you are no longer susceptible to energy loss when using your powers. Best of all, you can still use your broad spectrum of abilities as a Gardevoir. As an added bonus, all your powers are amplified significantly."

"I guess that would count as good news," said Mack as he wiped some crumbs off of his mouth.

"Yeah! When you get stuck as a Gardevoir, then you can marry Aura!" said Anna with excitement as she leapt into the room on her toes.

"And who let her in here?" growled Mack.

"Anna, Mack is rather busy right now and your constant questions of marriage are not only getting on his nerves, but you are also starting to run my patience thin!" warned K-1.

"Why don't you go torture Fredrick or something?" grumbled Mack.

"My, you sure are grumpy!" snapped Anna as she stormed out of the room.

"Anna seems quite young to be talking about marriage," muttered K-1.

"Don't underestimate her age, K-1," said Aura as she walked into the room, "She's actually very old for a Kirlia. If she had evolved into a Gardevoir by now, she would be looking for a mate."

"And probably would not be bothering me right now," said an irritated Mack.

"Now that we know what is going on with you, Mack, I would suggest that we plan our next move," suggested Central.

"Indeed," said Mack, "There is certainly more going on in Alakaz than we know of."

"Indeed. Aura mentioned that there was a giant facility beneath the bank in Alakaz. That is where she found Simon in the middle of a giant control room," said K-1.

"Aura, I guess getting fused with you did have its advantages," said Mack with a smile, "Not only did you pick up my powers, but now you also have my vast knowledge about technology at your fingertips. Otherwise, you would not have been able to hack the computer to free Simon and you would not have been able to hotwire the S-1 in an emergency."

"Then there was that wrench in the S-1's systems," laughed K-1, "Aura must also have all the schematics to the S Series craft in her memory as well."

"It's almost frightening considering what I'm capable of now," said Aura with nervous laughter.

"Either way, we're going back to Alakaz," said Mack with resolve as Simon suddenly ran into the room.

"You're going back to Alakaz? Then I insist that you take me with you," said Simon as his scythes shimmered in the light.

"As you wish," said Mack as he faced K-1, "K-1, get the S-5 prepped for launch."

"Certainly!" said K-1 cheerfully, "What weapons should I load into the S-5?"

"They won't be needed," said Mack as he stood up from his chair.

"Ah. I see," said K-1.

"Besides, I can't fire guns properly as a Gardevoir right now anyway," said Mack.

"I suspect that you're going to use our counter-attack on Cipher as a field test of your powers?" asked K-1.

"Correct!" said Mack triumphantly. Meanwhile, Li, Anna, Sakura and Fredrick were listening to the conversation from behind a door.

"You know what this means!" whispered Anna with soft giggling.

"Yep…" said Fredrick with dismay, "Another adventure as stowaways…"

"This will be fun!" reassured Anna.

"I don't think so. I'm going back to Gardev and I'm getting Ramirez over here!" said Fredrick as he started walking towards the elevator. Sakura leapt in front of him.

"Out of my way!" grumbled Fredrick.

"Should I…dance again?" asked Sakura with a devious grin as she faced Anna.

"Look at it this way," said Anna with an evil smile on her face, "You can either come with us or Sakura will…dance and we'll drag you along with us anyway."

"What choice do I have…" muttered Fredrick as he faced Sakura with a smile, "Let's get going! May as well have some fun while we're at it!"

"That's better," said Anna as they quickly entered the docking bay and hid under some panels in the cockpit. Minutes later, Mack, Aura, Xavier, William and Simon jumped into the S-5. As Aura and Mack walked towards the cockpit, they talked about what had happened recently.

"Considering what's been happening," said Mack as he opened the door to the cockpit, "How would you like to help me fly this thing back to Alakaz?"

"Is it easy to fly?" asked Aura with excitement.

"This should be a piece of cake for you. Besides, you already know how," said Mack as he winked at Aura.

"Good point!" laughed Aura. Her laugher soon gave way to concern.

"What is it?" asked Mack as he sat down in the pilot's chair.

"Its Li, Sakura, Anna and Fredrick," said Aura, "Shouldn't we find them and take them back to Gardev? Ramirez must be worried about them."

"I wouldn't bet on it," said Mack, "Ramirez knows that they'll try to come along with us anyway."

"Where do you suppose they are right now?" asked Aura as she looked around the cockpit. Mack picked up a crowbar and eyed one of the small cargo panels in the floor.

"I have my suspicions…" said Mack as he cautiously approached the panel. Meanwhile, the young Pokémon tried to keep quiet.

"You think he knows we're here?" asked Fredrick quietly.

"I hope not," whispered Anna, "From this spot we'll be able to watch and see if they kiss during the flight."

"You're still going on about that?" said a bewildered Li.

"Of course!" giggled Anna. Mack heard the soft giggling coming from the panel in front of him.

"Bingo…" said Mack quietly as he prepared to strike. Aura tried to keep herself from laughing.

"I think we're in trouble…" said Fredrick as he saw Mack wind up for a killer swing with the crowbar. No one paid any attention to him. Mack swung the crowbar as hard as he could and struck the panel. The sound of the metal clang was deafening. The young Pokémon screamed with fright and jumped out of the panel.

"Looks like we have some unexpected guests!" laughed Mack.

"It was her idea!" complained Fredrick as he pointed accusingly at Anna.

"But you came along anyway!" grumbled Anna.

"But why did you have us hide in the cockpit of all places?!" shouted Fredrick, "So we could watch Mack and Aura?!"

"That's enough, you two," said Mack as he dropped the crowbar, "If you wanted to come along, you could have asked us. I'm sure Ramirez would not mind if we kept an eye on you, especially since he has to watch over Gardev until Aura returns."

"I'm sorry…" said Anna with sadness in her voice.

"You're forgiven. Next time, don't try and stow aboard my craft, agreed?" asked Mack to the young Pokémon.

"Agreed!" said the group of Kirlia and one Mawile.

"Then lets be off!" said Mack as he jumped back into the Pilot's chair, "You all set, Aura?"

"Ready, captain!" said Aura jokingly as the S-5 roared to life. Up above, thick metal doors slowly opened, clearing the way for takeoff. As soon as the doors were open, the S-5 flew out of the lab and was on its way back to Alakaz.

"Should we start our search at the bank?" asked Aura.

"Not yet," replied Mack, "I think we should pay our dear friend Mr. Allens a little visit."

-19-
Meanwhile, Ramirez was walking down the streets of Gardev. Off in the distance, he heard the roar of a large, distant machine as it flew away.

"Mack and Aura must have found something. I hope they'll be alright," thought Ramirez, "Still, I don't understand why Glacian said that Mack would be here for years to come? What does he know that won't tell anyone? Oh, well. I have a job to do. I'm very glad that things have been quiet around here." Off in the distance, Warren and Jake watched as Ramirez wandered about Gardev.

"He takes his job very seriously," remarked Jake.

"Almost too seriously," said Warren. Glacian was in the room as well, meditating. Half an hour later, Glacian broke the silence in the room.

"I believe its time I told you what is happening," said Glacian as he got back on his feet.

"Very well, old friend. What do you need to tell me?" asked Warren.

"It's about Mack. What I have foreseen has indeed come true," said Glacian as he watched his great-great grandson walk the streets of Gardev.

"Yes. I've been very curious about that ever since the day Mack left with Aura. You said that something was going to happen to Mack and it would either empower him or destroy him," said Warren.

"Indeed. That has come to pass, but it is not quite complete," said Glacian.

"I don't understand," said a bewildered Warren.

"I'll just be blunt," said Glacian, "Dr. Mack Foxx is turning into a Gardevoir."

"Oh, dear…" said Jake with shock.

"How can this be?" demanded Warren.

"It is a result of when Mack and Aura were crudely separated. K-1, Mack's robotic companion has informed me of all the developments. So far, Aura has acquired Mack's various powers. On top of that, she has also been given Mack's vast knowledge about technology," explained Glacian.

"It's like they've traded qualities from one to another," said an awestruck Warren.

"Indeed," said Glacian, "Aura has gained power and knowledge from Mack while Mack has gained the benefits of being a Gardevoir in return."

"Will he be stuck as a Gardevoir?" asked Jake.

"Yes, but for how long, I cannot tell," replied Glacian.

"What do you think he'll do with his newfound power?" asked Warren.

"Mack is a man of honor. He will use his enhanced power for good and I believe he will fight Cipher to the bitter end," said Glacian.

"Incredible…" remarked Warren as he started to pace back and forth in his office.

"For the time being, Mack can transform back and forth between his fox-like and Gardevoir forms, but soon, he will literally be a Gardevoir," said Glacian.

"I have a hard question for you, old friend," said Warren with hesitation, "Once Mack is a Gardevoir, do you think he would…marry Aura?"

"The idea does have some flair to it. Mack would share the duties of being a guardian, but whether or not he would take up the responsibility remains to be seen," said Glacian, "One thing I do know. It has been revealed to me that Mack is going to solve one of the biggest mysteries of Gardev, but which one, I do not know."

-20-
Less than an hour after they had left the Gardev Mountains, Mack and Aura had arrived in Alakaz, Mack quickly landed the S-5 in front of John's hotel.

"How should we do this?" asked Aura. Mack closed his eyes and in a brilliant flash, he morphed into a Gardevoir.

"We're just going to have a friendly chat, maybe send him flying across the room, scare him within an inch of his life: whatever it takes to get him to talk," said Mack as he cracked his green knuckles.

"Shall we?" asked Aura as she grabbed Mack's right hand.

"Indeed," answered Mack as they left the cockpit and walked back to the cargo area of the S-5. The young Pokémon soon had their attention on Mack and Aura.

"Don't they make a cute couple?" giggled Anna. Aura blushed and Mack scowled.

"Ahem!" coughed Mack as he gazed at the other Pokémon, "This is how this is going to work: Aura and I are going to have a chat with Mr. Allens. While we're interrogating him, I want everyone else to stay here in the S-5. If those Cipher peons come anywhere near the craft, do what you can to get rid of them! Understood?"

"Do we get to use giant lasers on them?" asked Anna sarcastically.

"No…" said Mack, "Just feel free to pound them into the ground. Should they try and attack with Capture Claws, retreat into the S-5 and put up the energy shields. William knows where the right button is."

"Do you really think they'll have to do that?" asked a worried Aura.

"Probably not, but we can't take any chances. Simon? Gonna come with us?" asked Mack.

"But of course," answered Simon. Mack pressed a few buttons on a nearby control panel. Moments later, the giant doors opened and loading ramp of the S-5 slid to the ground. Meanwhile, John was gazing out the front window as the gargantuan flying machine landed just outside the lobby of his hotel. He watched with a sneer on his face as two Gardevoir and one Kabutops marched into the hotel.

"What have we here: two Gardevoir on their honeymoon with a bodyguard? Sorry, but we don't serve Pokémon without trainers at this hotel," said John as one of the Gardevoir thrust its hand forward, knocking him to the ground with a telekinetic blast.

"I'm just going to be frank," said Mack as he stepped forward, "I'm well aware that you're working for Cipher. I want you to tell me what you know about their operations in this city." John didn't recognize the Gardevoir who stood before him, but the voice sounded familiar.

"Dr. Foxx? You're a Pokémon?!" shouted John.

"You could say that," said Mack as he walked towards John.

"Let me guess: you used some sort of power of illusion to make everyone think you were something else, right?" asked John.

"Perhaps…" answered Mack, "Now tell me what I want to know."

"I don't know what you're talking about! I'm not with Cipher! Someone was probably impersonating me!" pleaded John. Mack's eyes glowed white and John was launched into the air by another telekinetic blast. Mack held John in the air.

"Let's try this again, shall we? What do you know about Cipher's activities in this city? Tell me now or I'll put a crater in the floor with your head!" shouted Mack.

"Okay! Okay!" yelled John with fright, "I'm not really John Allens! I'm just a grunt in Cipher."

"Good. Now tell me what you know about the facility under the bank," demanded Mack.

"I don't know anything about that place! All I've heard is that Dr. Namwen does all his experiments in a secret lab somewhere in Alakaz. It was just my job to impersonate John and walk you into Dr. Namwen's trap in the tournament!" explained John as Mack gently set him back on his feet.

"Excellent. Anything else?" asked Mack.

"Well, there is a facility down below, but you'll have to get past me first!" shouted the Cipher agent as he threw a Pokéball onto the lobby floor. The Pokéball opened with a bright flash, revealing a Houndoom. Mack focused his senses and a familiar black aura materialized around the Houndoom.

"Another shadow Pokémon?" asked Aura. Mack nodded his head.

"Houndoom, kill those insufferable Pokémon this instant!" ordered the agent. Mack laughed and fired a beam of light into the Houndoom. The blast knocked the Houndoom off its feet and instantly, the black aura vanished. The agent glared at his Houndoom as it got back on its feet.

"I hope you've got a better strategy up your sleeves," said Mack as he glared at the agent.

"Come on, you stupid Houndoom! Kill them!" ordered the agent. The Houndoom faced its trainer and growled.

"What's this?" thought Mack as he tried to read the Houndoom's thoughts, "It…doesn't belong to him…?"

"What a useless stolen Pokémon!" snapped the agent angrily.

"He's trying to fight with a stolen Pokémon, eh? Oh, dear," though Mack with a grin.

"What have you done with my trainer and where am I?!" demanded the Houndoom. The agent could not understand the Houndoom.

"I'm your master! Now fight!" shouted the agent with rage.

"You're not my master, you fool!" said the Houndoom.

"You should know better than to try and fight with a stolen Pokémon. Now you're in deep trouble!" warned Mack.

"Indeed!" said the Houndoom as it leapt forward and tried to sink its teeth into one of the agent's legs.

"Yikes!" shouted the agent as he jumped onto the front desk and then leapt into one of the crystal chandeliers. The growling Houndoom paced under the frightened agent.

"Thanks," said Mack.

"Thank you very much," said Aura with a smile.

"My pleasure," answered the Houndoom politely.

"Do you know how you got here?" asked Mack.

"What's your name?" asked Aura.

"I'm Cedric. My trainer is from the village of Gardev. I was kidnapped a few years ago. I don't remember much, though. The last thing I remember is being in a glass tube with dark energy flowing around me," explained Cedric, "I've been under the…care of this nimrod for a long time. Maybe now I can get back to my home!"

"Do you know this building well? We're trying to find a secret Cipher facility in Alakaz," said Mack.

"A secret facility?" asked Cedric with surprise, "You must be kidding yourself, sir. There are several facilities here in Alakaz. Most of them are below ground. In fact, there's one right below this hotel."

"Thanks, Cedric. When Aura, Simon and I get finished with whatever is in the basement, we can take you back to Gardev," said Mack as he, Simon and Aura started running to the basement doors.

"Wait!" said Cedric as he kept a watchful eye on the agent, "You must be the Guardian of Gardev. When did you evolve, Aura?"

"Two years ago, why?" asked Aura.

"I thought I recognized your voice and pleasant manor. I'll let you know something," said Cedric as he growled at the agent again, "I'm not sure what they keep below this hotel, but it's under such tight security that no one is allowed in there except for Dr. Namwen."

"Thank you, Cedric!" said Aura with a smile before she grabbed Mack's right hand and followed him down into the basement. Simon decided to stay with Cedric and gazed at the powerful Houndoom.

"What?" asked Cedric.

"I was just wondering if you would like to fight me. It's been ages since I've had a good battle and you seem to be quite strong," said Simon as Cedric leapt into the air and tried to bite one of the agent's boots.

"Get away from me, you mongrel!" screamed the agent. Meanwhile, Mack and Aura descended into the basement floors of the hotel. For some reason, none of the doors were locked and the security system had been completely disabled.

"Do you think it's a trap?" asked Aura quietly as they walked through the metallic corridors.

"I'm not sure," replied Mack as he glanced back and forth. Only Aura's and his soft footsteps made any sound in the silent facility. Mack couldn't sense any life nearby. As they went deeper, Mack started to sense something.

"Aura? Do you feel that?" asked Mack.

"What do you feel? I'm too scared to concentrate," said Aura fearfully.

"You don't have to be afraid, Aura, I'm here with you," said Mack as Aura smiled, "I sense…pain. It's coming from somewhere in this facility." As they continued walking, the sense of pain got stronger and stronger. Mack could also sense sadness and great fear coming from two beings.

"Mack, I'm scared…" said Aura. The facility seemed to get darker as they went deeper into it.

"Me too…" said Mack quietly, "I don't like what I'm sensing." Mack stopped abruptly at a thick, metal door in the hallway. The feelings of pain, sadness and fear were the strongest where he was standing.

"This place seems to go on for miles," said Aura when she noticed Mack as he stared at the nearby door, "What is it?" Mack responded by focusing his power. His eyes glowed white as the door bent in half and was then quickly thrown behind him and Aura. The metallic clang echoed throughout the facility.

"Stay here, Aura," said Mack as he slowly walked into the dark room. Mack could hear labored breathing and groaning from inside the room. He gazed to his left and stopped in his tracks.

"Did you find something?" asked Aura as she started to walk into the room.

"Aura! Stay back! You don't want to see this!" shouted Mack, but he was too late. As he tried to warn her, Aura quickly flipped on a light switch. Aura's hands fell limply at her sides as her eyes opened wide. She recoiled into a corner of the room and screamed. Mack gazed at the Pokémon in front of him: two Gardevoir, strapped to gurneys.

"They're barely alive…" said Mack with a shudder. One of them opened its eyes and stared at Mack and then at Aura.

"Aura…is that you…?" asked the Gardevoir weakly in a feminine voice.

"Mother…?" asked Aura weakly. Mack glanced at the two Gardevoir.

"So…this is where they've been all this time. Considering their pain, Dr. Namwen must have been experimenting on them for the last few years," thought Mack, "The more I learn about that psycho, the more I want to annihilate him!" Mack clenched his fists while Aura cautiously walked up and put her arms around her mother.

"…Aura…Aura…" said Aura's mother as she started to pass out. As Aura's mother fell back to sleep, Aura ran over and wrapped her arms around Mack.

"This changes my plans considerably…" thought Mack as Aura sobbed loudly, "Aura?"

"Yes?" answered Aura as she dried her eyes.

"We've got to get them out of here," said Mack as he grabbed the handle bars on one of the gurneys, "I'll take your father to the surface while you follow closely and bring you mother with you."

"Will they be alright?" asked Aura with concern as she grabbed the handle bars on the gurney.

"They aren't in any danger of dying, but we still had better get them back to Gardev! Glacian and Warren should be able to help them," said Mack as he and Aura wheeled the injured Gardevoirs down the hallway. The sound of the squeaky wheels echoed down the massive corridors.

"I thought I would never see them again," said a relieved Aura.

"What are their names?" asked Mack with curiosity as Aura's father gazed at Mack's face and smiled.

"My mother is named Aurora and my father's name is Alexander," replied Aura.

"Alexander the Great, eh?" asked Mack with a grin, trying to help Aura feel better.

"You could say that…" groaned Alexander, "Who are you and where are you taking me?" Alexander must have only just woken up.

"My name is Dr. Mack Foxx," answered Mack quietly, "And I'm taking you back to Gardev."

"A strange name for a Gardevoir…" said Alexander as he winced from the pain in his battered body, "Where is my daughter?"

"I'm back here with Aurora!" answered Aura.

"You both make an excellent team," remarked Alexander, "Have you two been mates for long?" Mack frowned while Aura blushed with nervous laughter.

"No…" answered Mack with embarrassment.

"Really?" said Alexander, "That's good…this means I won't have to miss my daughter's wedding after all."

"Just rest for now," said Mack, "We'll be back in Gardev before you know it."

"…Can't remember the last time I've seen the mountains…" said Alexander quietly as he drifted off to sleep. As Mack and Aura wheeled Aurora and Alexander down the corridor, Mack could still not understand why the security system in the facility was not working and why there were no guards. Seconds later, a door down the hallway creaked open. Mack came to an abrupt stop, leapt forward and prepared to blast whatever was behind the door to smithereens.

"Easy, Mack!" shouted William as he dropped to the ground.

"William?!" exclaimed Mack, "Did you disable the alarms and locks down here by yourself?"

"I had some help," replied William as he stood back up. Behind him, Mack saw three familiar Kirlia, a Kabutops and one Mawile.

"Hello, Mack!" said Anna as she and Sakura gracefully bowed.

"How'd you all get down here?" asked a surprised Mack.

"I tried to stop them, but after you and Aura walked into the hotel, I found Anna, trying to remove a manhole from the middle of the road," explained William.

"I heard some strange machinery from under the road. Sure enough, I opened the manhole, dove in and I was then crawling around in a ventilation shaft," said Anna.

"The rest of us dove in after her," said William, "Who would have ever thought that the air shaft led straight to one of the main control rooms?"

"Okay, but how did you shut down the alarms?" asked Mack.

"I just used my head," replied Li.

"And my claws," said Simon.

"They smashed, sliced and diced the consoles to bits," giggled Sakura.

"Then, yours truly, overloaded the electrical system," said William with a devious smile on his face, "The agents have been running around above ground on the other side of the city, trying to restore power." William finally noticed the gurneys that Mack and Aura had been pushing.

"William, please take the kids back to the S-5," said Mack, "We'll be there shortly and make sure that Houndoom in the lobby, Cedric, comes with us."

"A Houndoom in the lobby?" asked William, "Got it! Let's go kids!" The Kirlia and Mawile followed after William.

"A Houndoom named Cedric?" asked Sakura.

"Nah. It couldn't be!" answered Li. As William and the young Pokémon disappeared down the hallway, Mack and Aura started to push the injured Gardevoirs down the hallway.

"Thanks, Mack;" said Aura, "I didn't want my siblings to see their parents like this."

"Your welcome, Aura," said Mack as they quickly carted Aura's parents down the hallways. Before long, they were back, safe and sound on the S-5.

"Cedric?" asked Mack, "What happened to that agent?"

"I let him escape, for now," replied Cedric, "He probably went to get help, so we'd best take off and get out of here." Cedric followed while Mack and Aura wheeled the Gardevoirs into the medical room. Mack could sense Aura's anxiety.

"Would you like to stay here with them?" asked Mack. Aura tearfully nodded her head.

"Okay," answered Mack quietly, "Just let them rest. They're going to fine now." Mack closed the door and ran for the cockpit. Meanwhile, the young Pokémon were gathering around Cedric.

"Is there something you need?" asked Cedric as he stared at the young Pokémon.

"Don't you remember me?" asked Sakura, "I'm Sakura!" The Houndoom stared at Sakura then smiled.

"Last I saw you, you were still a Ralts," said Cedric with a chuckle as he glanced at Fredrick and Anna, "I recognize you, Anna, but who's your Kirlia friend?"

"I'm Fredrick," said Fredrick with a scowl, "I evolved less than a month ago."

"About time!" laughed Cedric. Anna glanced around the large cargo room. The only other thing in there besides the young Pokémon and the Houndoom was Xavier.

"Want to play tag?" asked Anna eagerly.

"Why not? I haven't had any fun for years!" said Cedric, "I'm it!" The young Pokémon laughed and scattered as Cedric tried to chase them down.

"Can't a Lugia get some rest around here?" muttered Xavier as he buried his head under his wings. Meanwhile, Mack was feverishly powering up the S-5. William jumped into the co-pilot's chair and helped Mack get the S-5 prepped for launch.

"It's a good thing you taught me how to do this!" laughed William as he pressed some buttons on the control console in front of him.

"It's almost too bad you can't get a driver's license!" said Mack with a grin as the S-5 lifted off the ground, "Gardev, here we come!" Dr. Namwen watched closely from a nearby building as the massive craft flew out of the city with a loud roar.

"A Gardevoir that can pilot such a piece of machinery? How fascinating," thought Dr. Namwen, "Yes, head back to your home and have fun while you can."

>To Be Continued...