"Blu, play! Blu, play!" In the Ranger Depot, Blue-Bird soared around Ash and pecked him.
"Ow!" Ash said, eyes fluttering open. He rubbed his head, and his gaze landed on Blu. "Blu!"
Ash, Brock, and Dawn had set their sleeping bags up in the lobby, while Sven, Wendy, and Kellyn had taken the bunks in the back quarters. There were only a few, so Ash and his friends had decided on their sleeping bags. They also had more room to let their Pokémon out and have them sleep near them.
"Blu, play!" Blu repeated. He landed between Pikachu and Piplup and nudged them.
The two Pokémon mumbled and sat, rubbing their eyes.
In that moment, Blue-Bird teleported and appeared behind Piplup.
"Piplup!" Dawn's Pokémon leaped onto her belly, waking her and Brock.
Blu giggled and performed a midair somersault.
Brock said, "Good morning, Blu. Are you feeling better?"
Blu nodded. "Blu, play! Blu, play!"
Ash covered his ears. "Oh, yeah, he definitely feels better."
Noticing him, Blu calmed down and hovered. "Blu, sorry." He searched the Depot. "Kellyn, Kellyn."
"He's in the back," Dawn said, pointing behind her.
As if on cue, the door in the back slid open, revealing Sven, Wendy, and Kellyn, who held his arm.
"Kellyn!" Blu left Ash, Brock, and Dawn and flew to him.
"Blu!" Kellyn said. He reached for him but grabbed his arm again. "I'm glad you're feeling better."
He looked a little more awake that morning. Did he actually sleep? His emotional state was okay because Ash saw it wasn't raining anymore outside. In fact, early morning rays of sunshine passed through the Depot's windows. Despite that, it was apparent that Kellyn's arm still hurt him.
A sound came from the Ranger Depot's front door. The Operator Ash and his friends met overnight unlocked it and stepped inside. "Good morning!" she said, waving. "Did you guys sleep okay?"
Blu glided to her and said, "Slept well. Thank you! Thank you!"
The Operator tittered—"You're welcome"—and patted his head before focusing on the group. "Peace Tower opens in an hour for your guys. You're welcome to have breakfast here."
Ash's tummy rumbled, and he reached for it. It talked at any mention of food.
Brock, Dawn, Wendy, and Kellyn chuckled, but Sven kept his distance, especially from Ash, Brock, and Dawn.
Brock whipped up some pancakes and Pokémon Food for the Pokémon. While the others ate, he checked Kellyn's arm (he didn't hesitate to push him away that time).
Blu switched from energetic to anxious when he saw that Kellyn had hurt himself. He even hopped onto his right thigh and asked, "Blu hurt Kellyn? Blu hurt Kellyn?"
"I'm okay, Blue-Bird." Kellyn petted him. "I'm sorry I hurt you." Brock sprayed some more medicine on his arm, and he winced, closing his eyes.
"Sorry," Brock apologized.
Sven, being Sven, inquired, "Do you need someone to hold your hand?"
"Sven!" Wendy stomped on his foot, and Sven flinched.
Kellyn glared, but then he lost his angry look and said, "You know, I think I'm beginning to get used to your insults, Sven."
Oh, wow, look at that! Kellyn had definitely gotten a little more sleep. He sassed Sven like Dawn—threw the tough love right back at him.
Sven didn't speak throughout the rest of breakfast, even when the group left for Altru Tower thirty minutes later.
Before long, Ash found himself back in Altru Park in the daytime. He only realized it was a giant square, adorned with four fountains on each side, benches, and a stage in the center.
There was Altru Tower, too, up close. It almost looked like an enormous, window-filled cylinder. A giant grate covered the Tower from top to bottom, and it appeared as if the roof were a circular platform. It was an impressive building. Ash got shivers just looking at it, knowing that somewhere up there was the Luminous Crystal and answers about Parity.
"Welcome, Pokémon Trainers." Wendy bowed to Ash, Brock, and Dawn. "This is the Jewel of Almia, Peace Tower, home of the Luminous Crystal."
Sven huffed, but Ash, Brock, and Dawn said, "Wow."
Ash was too impressed and excited to put up with Sven's tude. "What are we waiting for?" he challenged. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered.
Ash broke away from the group, ensuring he was the first to enter Peace Tower, and repeated, "Wow." He stood in the lobby, an impressive display of offices and exhibits, with a purple carpet that cut through it to an elevator at the back, beside what looked like three portraits on the wall.
"Ash, wait up!" Dawn entered the lobby next, followed by Brock and the Rangers.
Brock and Dawn examined the lobby, but Sven wasted no time and jogged to the reception counter on the left, which was before a sitting area.
Wendy gripped her hip and told the others, "Such a ray of sunshine, isn't he?"
Ash noticed she blushed when she said that. No way! Did Wendy—ouch.
"Huh?" Brock said, blushing, too.
Luckily, Kellyn came in. "Let's see what sort of trouble he gets into next." It was strange—he was much calmer that day than yesterday. Did something happen overnight that Ash didn't know about? He had to learn, but now didn't feel like the best time to ask Kellyn. Instead, Ash chased after the others, and they stopped in front of the reception counter.
One of the receptionists, a woman with long brown hair who wore a nametag that read "Melissa", said, "Oh, Rangers!" She patted her skirt and placed her hands in front of her. "Kellyn!" she added at the sight of Kellyn. "Oh, my gosh, it's been a while! You're finally back in Almia?"
"Hi, Melissa," he said, smiling gently. "Yeah, Blu was getting lonely."
"Blu, hi! Blu, hi!" Blu said, hovering beside Kellyn.
"Oh, my gosh!" Melissa nearly squealed. "Parity's little brother… here, too!"
Wendy gestured at Ash, Brock, and Dawn. "And a rare treat: Pokémon Trainers from Sinnoh."
"Sinnoh? Really?" Mel examined Ash, Brock, and Dawn. "Well, welcome. We're happy to have you here at Peace Tower. Would you like a tour?"
Sven cut before Ash, Brock, and Dawn. "Maybe later, but we're here on a mission."
"Oh, Sven," Wendy muttered.
Ash would argue—he wanted to see all of Altru Tower—but the Luminous Crystal was the top priority.
Sven rested his arm on the counter and met Mel's eyes. "We heard that Parity was last seen here. Have you seen her lately?"
"Parity?" Mel tugged on her shirt collar and thought for a second. "I saw her a week ago."
"A week ago?" Kellyn said. He held his right arm out to Blu, and he landed on his Styler.
"Mm-hm." Mel scratched her cheek. "Beautiful Rainbow Bird. I'm thinking of nicknaming her Melissa II." She chortled. "Anyway, she was worried because there were a few days when Almia's light dimmed. So, she came back early from looking for you, Kellyn. I haven't seen her since."
Ash and the others exchanged looks.
"So, she went missing after returning," Wendy concluded. "Hm." She grasped her chin.
Blu jumped off Kellyn's arm, appearing worried. "Sister in danger! Sister in danger! Help!"
What was he saying?
Kellyn faced Melissa and opened his Capture Styler screen. "Has anyone been up to the roof in the past week?"
"I went up a few days ago." Melissa picked up a few papers and stacked them, pushing them aside. "The Crystal looked okay. I mean—it did blink a few times like a lightbulb, but I assumed that was normal."
"Sister in danger!" Blu peered over his shoulder toward the elevator.
Kellyn waved his hand and asked Melissa, "And nobody has seen any signs of her since a week ago?"
"Right." Mel bobbed her head. "I thought she was maybe just out getting dinner when I went to the roof. Even a Rainbow Bird must eat."
"Sister in danger!" Blu tugged on Kellyn's hair tuft and tried dragging him toward the elevator.
At the same time, Pikachu said, "Pika?" and his ears twitched.
"Hm?" Ash inquired. "What is it, Pikachu?"
"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu jumped down from his shoulder and gestured at the elevator.
After a few hours of almost being himself again, Kellyn clenched his teeth and gripped his head again. "No! This is all my fault!" His foot twitched, and it looked like he would rip out his hair.
"What are you talking about, Kellyn?" Ash questioned.
"I did this!" he said, not answering him. "Darkrai, why?"
"What are you talking about?" Ash said again.
"She never left." Kellyn sank to his knees, and the others surrounded him. "Blu, I'm sorry."
"She never left?" Dawn's jaw dropped. "What does that mean?"
Kellyn stood quickly and joined Blu and Pikachu on the lobby's carpet. "I need to get to the roof right now."
"Not without us," Brock said, bringing his fist to his chest. "You just need to tell us what's happening. Please, Kellyn."
Nonetheless, Kellyn had already taken off toward the elevator.
***
Clouds covered the darkening sky outside, creating a thick fog that covered the Luminous Crystal at the top of Peace Tower.
A flock of Starly and Staravia left it when it and the Tears of Princes pulsed—first with a rainbow light, and then a shadow that turned parts of the Crystal and the Tears of Princes blackish-purple. They still floated, but inched closer to the roof with each passing second.
The fog hugged the Luminous Crystal before something inside sucked it in and created another shadow pulse, soon replaced by the Crystal's light blue glow.
In the heart of the enormous cocoon, past the fog, rock, and light... opened a rainbow eye.