Music in Media: Like I Can by Sam Smith

17 January, Monday, 2:45 p.m. | Winter

"Meowth's got your tongue?" Cilan wiped his brow as he eyed Hawes. "Did you seriously think I wouldn't use my Pokémon?"

"Well..." Hawes blinked and glanced at Relicanth.

"We were experimenting then." He whipped out a pair of DNA Splicers and tossed it aside. "Never mind that. The loser should always go first. The illusion of choice, I've heard, is very comforting."

Hawes growled. Whatever could a Water/Rock-type do to a Grass-type? He was better at mundane tasks and battles were nothing of that sort. Sure, sure, he'd refereed Lenora's battles back then, from time to time, but he could hardly recall any of those devious strategies now, having sunken too deep into museum studies and exhibition curation.

Well, Bianca was there and the two supposed experts, too... No, he couldn't consult them in battle like this, unless he wanted to expose his weaknesses. What would Lenora think? What would she do?

"Relicanth, start off with Rain Dance!"

"Are you serious? Do you even know your type matchups?" Cilan tutted.

For a lighthouse, it was unnaturally quiet. The horn which would blare every few seconds must have been tampered with.

But the silence broke when cries awoke upstairs. Footsteps thumped down the spiral stairs, but faster was the gushing water and searing sand swirling down.

"Damn, didn't want them to know about this battle... Guess we'll have to put you out! Simisage, Seed Bomb!"

Simisage obeyed its trainer and unleashed blobs of explosive seeds at its foe. The latter, however, was too deft, thanks to the water that began to pool into the area.

"What in the fuck, Cilan? Landorus almost wrecked the roof, remember? You think you wanna be a fucking Force of Nature too?" Cress growled as Chili popped up shortly behind him. Cress surveyed the base as the battle hit pause, the people and Pokémon taking in the two new faces.

"It wasn't me! It's him!" Cilan pointed at Hawes's Relicanth.

Chili crossed his arms. "Does it matter? You'd better have it all sorted out. You're the Battle Connoisseur, for crying out loud! Now the roof's leaking and on the verge of collapse and who knows when the bulb will fall on us?"

"Hey! I'm not the one using a Water-type!"

"You have something against Water-types?" A malicious glint in Cress's eyes froze his greenhead brother. "We're almost done with our shit. Just stop being a bother already."

With that, Cress and Chili spun around and headed back up.

Bianca frowned. "What do you mean by that? What are you planning to do to our friends?"

Cress tilted his head midstep and glanced icily at her. "They're safe... for the most part. We're just experimenting, you know."

They left before Bianca could pry further information from them. Well, given how useless Cilan seemed to them, and how heated he currently was, it would be pointless to ask him.

"No more fucking Rain Dance, you hear? Or I'll have your wife skinned alive to patch the roof!" Cilan held onto his heart.

"Now that's going too far! Relicanth, freeze him with Ice Beam."

"Simisage, Protect me!"

Simisage erected a transparent barrier before Cilan with a grunt. It seemed like even his Pokémon was giving up on him. Well, according to Professor Juniper, all Pokémon were good-natured by heart until humans nurtured them any way they pleased.

"Hawes, focus on the battle," said Calliope. "He's not worth it. You'll be put on trial for attempted murder."

"Why's everything all dark and awry all of a sudden? We don't need a Plasma Frigate 2.0 or a Gym Leader Crucifixion 2.0!" Linus frowned and glanced at Otis. "You didn't plant Worry Seeds everywhere you went, did you?" When the Deerling denied with a pout, Linus's face darkened. If all these weren't the products of anxiety, then what were they?

Something else was brewing in the backdrop. Something bitter, malicious and elusive. Why was he the only one who seemed to be so painfully aware of this? Everyone else was gripped by panic and rage.

Bianca and Calliope rushed towards Hawes to cover his mouth, Relicanth looked between Cilan, Simisage and Hawes and hit itself in confusion, Simisage dropped the barrier, Cilan went on his knees, Hawes swung his arms in the air as if to throw the sky at Cilan, Bianca fell, Calliope grunted as she lifted her being out of the wheelchair in hopes of her weight clamping Hawes down to reason...

"That's enough," mumbled Linus. Adults were no different from kindergarteners after all. Glowering, he pointed at the ruckus and nudged Otis. "Flash."

The yellow flower on Deerling's head burst forth with a glaring light that permeated the area. While Worry Seed triggered an indefinite insomnia, Flash triggered an indefinite inertia. It was like a vanitas put before a Polaroid camera, a means of preserving that which tries to preserve impermanence, that which would not let go is further clung to firmer than before.

But it was also a necessary pause. With inertia, all things come to a stop, even the worst of monstrosities.

Cilan blinked twice and reoriented to his surroundings, as did the rest. He, however, was the first to speak.

"What am I doing here?" He retrieved the DNA Splicers from the cold tiles, cocked his head sideways and glanced at Hawes. "What is this doing here? It's dangerous, isn't it?"

"You're asking me?" Hawes staggered as Calliope gradually let go of him. "You were the one who used it."

"I used it?" Cilan shook his head. "We're... in the Driftveil Lighthouse."

"That we are," said Calliope as she steadied herself into her wheelchair.

"Do you really not remember anything?" Linus crossed his arms. "Your brothers are up there with our friends."

Cilan squinted at the stairs. "And what are they doing?"

"Wouldn't you know?" Linus arched a brow. "You're the Shadow Triad."

Cilan gulped.

Hawes regained his previous fervour. "My wife! You have her up there!"

"No, no!" Cilan placed an open palm before his chest. "This is a mistake. Yes, a mistake! We aren't the Shadow Triad. We're the Striaton City Triplets!"

Simisage grunted, as if begging to differ. Pokémon, especially the self-aware ones, bore a sharper intuition and honesty than their human counterparts. Linus knew this for certain.

His mother, too, grasped the situation at once. Calliope swerved her wheelchair towards the greenhead and touched his heart. He did not recoil.

"You may rest for now," she said and he collapsed into her arms. Simisage dragged him to one side and beckoned them to head up the stairs.

Hawes frowned. "No, you and your son will stay here. No, wait... Where's Bianca?"

"She went ahead," said Linus. "My mum can climb steps just fine."

"Linus dear, I shall stay a while with Cilan and Otis. There's no saying when the Shadow will reawaken in him."

"The what now?" Hawes flinched.

"The Shadow Triad," answered Calliope steely. "They must have fused their souls with the Striaton Triplets using the Splicers."

"That's just a conjecture. You know how immoral that is."

"Does acknowledging immorality stop humans from actualising it?" Calliope tutted, swiped the Splicers from Cilan and tucked it into her pocket. "Why don't you two go on already? It's unwise to let Bianca be alone with two Shadows."

Linus nodded and shoved Hawes up the steps before the latter could protest. Well, not before returning Relicanth to the Poké Ball, of course.

To call this the beginning of an upward spiral was too optimistic. After all, it was a matter of perspective. And as long as one was caught in the spiral, directionality hardly mattered. There was no easy way out.

"Your mum's strict, isn't she?" Hawes chortled in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"She is, but I've known her long enough to understand."

"You're mature."

"People always tell me that."

"Ain't that the truth."

"But how ideal is it to be an adult while still experiencing childhood? You'd condemn kidults so quickly but praise us for having grown faster than others our age."

"All that talk on growth... Why haven't you evolved your Deerling?"

The moss on the walls accumulated exponentially the higher they went. They stepped over grains of golden sand, now a little less hot than before, as if the heat was starting to doze off. One floor after another after another, and Hawes was still waiting for a reply.

"Is it a sensitive matter?" He tried when they could barely hear Bianca arguing with the Shadows.

Linus chinned up and his hoodie fell off, ruffling his hair. "Rather than pursuing growth, should we not first accept matter as it is? So many people forget how to be sensitive to matter and only assume matter to be sensitive."

"You're really mature for your age."

"It's not that surprising, really. There are many other things to be surprised about."

"Like?"

A growl reverberated. Then screams.

"Like that."

Linus dashed up the last flight of stairs and came face to face with a feral child whose long hair cascaded down her shoulders, bouncing as she scratched to kingdom come Cress and Chili. Bianca tried to pull her away but to no avail.

"W-What..." Hawes wheezed. Then his eyes bulged.

On the highest floor of the lighthouse, water and sand leaked through the roof like glittering golden rain, soaking everything and everyone in sight.

A smile rose on Hawes's lips when he discovered his beau safe and sound asleep beside Cheren and the latter's student, Icosa. His joy was derailed when he squinted at the feral one, nearly losing all equilibrium when she met his curious gaze. A red strand bled among her black hair. But her eyes...

They were golden yellow, just like the sand rain drenching her. They were certainly not the irises of a human and no human had pink eyelids and crimson claws.

"Giratina's spawn!" Hawes yelped, his heart racing.

The feral child barked raspily with a misanthropic bitterness enveloping her eyes.

Linus, on the other hand, was more collected as he took slow, tiny strides toward her. Chili and Cress heaved sighs of relief and anguish when they saw him.

The boy disregarded them, fixing his focus on the feral child with a warm gaze. It was an odd gaze. How could anyone in the right mind not fight hostility with hostility, fire with fire, poison with poison?

"Not slay, Rae," muttered Linus as he took another step closer to her. "Not slay."

If Otis were here, things would be so much easier. Linus stopped inches away and felt her cold breath on his chest.

He faintly registered another presence by the window.

"Meloetta..."

His lips crumpled at the Pokémon whose lullaby was the cause of the drowsiness.

Not even sleep could save Rae, however. Delaying the problem would only worsen it.

"I'm sorry, but I must do this. It's going to hurt, Rae." Linus swiped at her bag and her Poké Balls fell out, clattering against the tiles. Rae dropped to the ground and cupped her ears from the sound.

Chili and Cress backed into a corner as Chilchil, Noko-Noko and Tabutabu emerged with great concern.

"Please don't hurt us! We're sorry!" said Cress a little mockingly.

"Yes, please!" cried Chili before parroting his brother.

Linus rubbed the strange dust Chilchil kept between his fingers. "Grit Dust... Does that remind you of anything?"

Rae simply growled. It appeared the memory tactic wouldn't work.

A ringtone shot through the floor. Shuffle. Shuffle.

"Try this," mumbled Icosa as he placed Rae's phone before her. Linus sidestepped for him, unfazed.

Cheren and Lenora had also stirred awake, immediately astonished by the sight before them. Hurriedly, Bianca informed them of the situation and gave them a few Worry Seeds which she got from Otis while everyone was distracted earlier.

Crackle.

A cheerful baritone rang through the speaker. "Oyasumi! Rae-chan, it's been a while since you called! Ah, I just came home after visiting your family... Rae-chan?"

"Grr..."

"Rae-chan?" Crash. "Rae-chan?"

Rae howled in agony and charged at Meloetta. The Pokémon dodged and she fell out of the window.

"Rae!" Everyone screamed collectively.

Chili and Cress grew pale.

"Hey... we didn't... it's not our fault!" Chili got up and tugged his brother. "Get Cilan! We're leaving!"

"You're not going anywhere," mumbled Icosa as he summoned Noivern. Rae's Pokémon bludgeoned the duo aside and rushed down the stairs.

While Noivern generated sound waves to root the Striaton duo in place, Linus mumbled a prayer under his breath and stepped toward the window. An anguished Meloetta blinked and zipped skyward, to the grim displeasure of the Shadow Triad. Linus followed zir in gaze and feet.

"Hey! Not you too!" Cheren held the boy back. Peering down as he grabbed Linus, bile shot up his oesophagus.

Rae was nowhere to be seen.

"Rae-chan?" asked Kaspar Wolfram one last time before Icosa hung up, overcome with frustration.

"Icosa!" Lenora said when she regained her composure, "Shouldn't you have ordered Noivern to catch Rae instead?"

"I didn't think of that."

Linus suspected Icosa's decision but kept quiet. For a risk-taker like Icosa Kalomiris... No, never mind.

Instead, he simply said, "We should all head down. My mum's there with Cilan."

"And Rae?" Lenora swatted Hawes aside as he tried to console her. "She's a child, mind you! I mean, you're a child too, but... But no one can survive a fall like that and go missing!"

"I wouldn't be too worried," said Linus. "I think she knows what she's doing."

He took the initiative to walk down the stairs. The others took a while to convince themselves, but they soon followed him into the downward spiral of the lighthouse with no light.

When Calliope saw them, she told them of Rae's Pokémon rushing past her before she could say anything. She had sent Otis to supervise them just in case.

"We will leave now," said Cress dejectedly as he lifted Cilan off the floor. "Do not think we're shirking our responsibilities. We will hold ourselves accountable for her sacrifice."

"Did you just say sacrifice?" Lenora boomed. "You're not—"

Smoke filled the lighthouse. When it cleared, the Shadow Triad was long gone.

Cheren, Lenora, Hawes, Icosa, Linus and Calliope glanced at each other in a steely silence.

Then, Icosa began, "Linus. How sure are you that Rae's safe? You can't be too idealistic about something so uncertain."

"I know it's true," returned the boy as he replaced his hood over his head and combed his fringe with his fingers. "You wield truth like a weapon, don't you, Icosa? You already know the truth."

Cheren glanced between the two teens. "Don't be cryptic here. What are you suggesting? That Icosa had a contingency plan and saved Rae without us knowing?"

Icosa shook his head.

Linus giggled and apologised for it. "It's not my place to speak about the truth like some warrior-king. But I can guarantee her safety."

"Linus never lies," affirmed Calliope. "But he doesn't always explain himself fully."

The boy harrumphed. "Neither does my mum. She never mentioned that Rae's Pokémon took the Splicers from her."

"What else are you two keeping from us?" Icosa growled. "Just who are you anyway? You both waltz in as and when is convenient and seem to know everything as if you're clairvoyant."

Calliope drew a breath. "That's not important right now. We have to find Rae first."

"But she's safe," Icosa emphasised.

Cheren gripped his student's shoulder. "Wouldn't she want us to be there with her?"

"Right."

Bianca, Lenora and Hawes remained silent. Neither felt they had anything positive to contribute to the conversation. Rae's phone was ringing again and Icosa declined the call again.

It felt like everything and everyone was drifting apart in Driftveil.

"So, if she's safe, where is she?" Icosa asked.

Linus lowered his head. "She's... somewhere in Driftveil."

"Huh. All that big talk for nothing."

"Don't you trust her?"

"Trust doesn't mean truth, boy. You still have lots to learn in this world. You're just as naïve as Rae—" Icosa stopped himself. The gears of his mind clinked and whirred into motion. "Well, you might just be right this time."

"What is it?" Hawes asked.

"But that just means we'll have to wait," said Icosa grimly.

The Shadow Triad would, of course, put the whole of Driftveil to sleep if this were any other city. But they had accomplices here who had to remain awake. Someone else had to keep Landorus in check while they were busy. Someone else had to make sure everything would go somewhat smoothly, that every resident or visitor would miraculously be safe and cared for amid the harsh sandstorm. They had to ensure their own safety as well, should things go kaput.

How did he not think of that? After the Cold Storage incident, after Ghetsis's downfall and Team Plasma swore to return every Pokémon they stole to their respective trainers, they had set up a Team Plasma Safehouse here in Driftveil, for this was where most of the trading was done in Unova, where most people would, one way or another, end up. It was how Pokémon from other regions came to Unova. No, not through the overly-obvious Mistralton airport or Castelia harbour but the Driftveil port.

That naïve girl would no doubt try to control herself in her manic state. She would most likely draw the attention of Anthea and Concordia, the peacekeeping sisters of the Safehouse. Should anything go wrong, they would likely know what to do, even moreso than Nurse Joy.

And that was why they had to wait. Icosa would never allow himself to come close to Team Plasma, especially not anyone familiar with that other chartreuse-haired man. He would rather die than step foot into enemy territory with an olive branch. After all, they were the ones who brought devastation to Unova, to...

"For Rae's sake," he said, "why don't we find Clay and make the Gym available?"

"The whole city, you mean," Lenora reminded him. "Those Worry Seeds. Do you have more of them, Bianca?"

Calliope sighed. "We'll have to find Otis for that. Come, Linus dear, we have to get to Otis."

Before Linus left the group with his mum, he stared at Icosa and patted his heart twice.

"What was that about?" asked Hawes. "You're seriously more adept at making enemies than friends."

"Chiding him won't work," said Lenora to Hawes. "And what about the museum?"

As the lovers chatted, Bianca reminded Cheren of his duties as a teacher.

Icosa looked at his hands solemnly as he strode out of the lighthouse. He averted his eyes toward the sky and balled up his fists.

"You're enjoying your punishment. How masochistic."

Cheren looked at the sky and placed an arm around Icosa. "Who? It's unhealthy to live torturing yourself like this, Icosa. It's not your fault things happened the way they did."

"It wasn't their fault either." Icosa gently pushed Cheren's arm away and walked off with his hands in his pocket.

"He's really critical of himself, huh?" Bianca pouted.

"It's an improvement. He cares about Rae and Zorozoro now."

"Should we follow him?"

"No. He probably wants to be alone."

Cheren watched Icosa's figure shrink towards the sun and adjusted his spectacles.

"Say, Bianca... Did you think Kaspar was joking when he said oyasumi?"

She did not answer him, for she was fiddling with her phone to answer her father's texts.

Cheren didn't need an answer from her anyway. Kaspar was his friend, not hers, though some validation would be nice. He hoped Rae wouldn't turn out like her mentor.