On a sunny, cloudless day in the summer on a tropical island, it is guaranteed to be hot outside. Inside the park, however, where the thick canopy of trees trapped in all the heat, it went beyond hot - it was absolutely stifling. For all of his fiery attire, Ivan wasn't faring any better in the heat after running himself to exhaustion on the way here, and it was only Lumina's occasional chirp of encouragement that kept him from collapsing. This must be what hell is like.
In the back of his mind, Ivan remembered what he had come here for - to find the other trainers and have a battle or two. And, as long as he was here, he'd might as well try to catch something; after all, if what the security guard had told him was true, that the park was only open like this for one day each year, it would be imprudent to miss out on this rare opportunity. For the moment, however, he was content to stumble along the path as his guide flitted back and forth between the trees. I wonder... he speculated, so tired that even his thoughts had to be paused between breaths, if...Lumina is... worried about...the wild pokemon...attacking us...while we're off-guard...like this.
If by some miraculous luck - or perhaps lack thereof - there was nothing nearby, lurking in the underbrush, flying overhead, or waiting to be stepped on - it was like Ivan had stumbled onto some forbidden ground, which the pokemon, being more in tune with nature and all that spiritual jazz, could detect, and he couldn't. He did, however, hear something, a noise floating amidst the trees; it sounded like talking, but even at this distance there was something about it that was off, something unnatural. Lumina squawked at him as he clumsily veered from her trail, towards the echoing voice; "Pyr!" she said, distressed and shaking her grey head, "Pyr-iel!" But he ignored her protests, and trudged on through the thicket.
And finally, with one final fern pulled out of the way, Ivan saw the source of the voice, but before that he saw, surprisingly enough, the other trainers (well, most of them), of all people! They had gathered here, around a mysterious cloaked figure holding...was that a Shaymin? He recognized the shape of the small hedgehog-like pokemon from studies he had made of the various legendary pokemon - spurred on by his discovery of Moltres - although it didn't appear to be looking particularly healthy.
This is possibly the most important thing you will ever do in your life, he heard the figure say - well, he hadn't spoken, per se, but Ivan could only assume that the resonating echo of a voice was his. Throughout the rest of the explanation, all he could think was "Huh?" The queen of Shaymin...Tenebritate, a monster...Those Who Form Words...Arceus himself chose you...some may not return...what is all this? Ivan's head hurt from the rush of knowledge, and Lumina perched on his shoulder and turned to look in his squinting eyes worriedly. He was starting to remember now, the dream he had last night, the sickly Shaymin and its "father" - it had been no dream; it was a vision...just like that one time...
He opened his eyes, but, for one brief moment, he didn't see the forest; he saw the night sky, set over a tropical island, volcanic mountain and all, and a bright, almost bird-shaped light in the distance, flying away. He blinked, and he was back in his body again, Lumina nudging the side of his head gently and cawing quietly. What does it all mean?
