Mark pointed to the shadow, yelling out over the thundering rainstorm. "Lugia is coming to the surface!" Pryce was distracted with trying to keep his Lapras calm as the whirlpool sucked them farther in. While Sean leaned out to look at the shadow, saying bluntly. "That's impossible! The shadow is too small! The water is too dark, we wouldn't see him rising until he was right on top of us!" Mark's eyes widened as he yelled back in a panic. "Oh thanks! That helps!" Sean gave him a scowl, when Lapras lurched hard to the side. The shadow had collided into Lapras's side, causing Mark to tumble over the shell and into the water. Sean screamed his name, but it was muffled by the raging water. The waves tossed and turned him within the whirlpool making it hard for him to swim. From under the water, everything was dark and blurry. He couldn't tell what side was up. He held his breath, thrashing wildly as he tried to find a way out of this. Just as he was running out of air and forcing himself to calm down, he noticed a white body swimming toward him.

His whole body tensed for an incoming attack. The creature swam gracefully through the water, unhindered by the rough waves. As it got close, it slowed to a stop. Mark couldn't believe what he was looking at. It looked like a mini Lugia. However, he knew from his training that legendries couldn't breed. They were the only ones of their kind... but here it was. A baby Lugia. The baby giggled through a psychic connection with him. Its big brown eyes standing out within its blue mask. Letting out a sweet calming sound, it moved a bit closer to him. Mark forgot where he was and just stared at the pokemon in awe of it. Baby Lugia's eyes changed to a soft solid blue, before telling him in a cheery voice. "I choose you, Mark. Seek the Ice Crystal. Heal the heart of the ocean by filling it with your wisdom." Mark furrowed his brow, unable to ask why this baby wanted him to do that and how this baby even existed. The baby giggled at his expression, then swam up to let him wrap his arms around its neck.

The baby swam up to the surface, breaching it carefully to let Mark breathe. Mark gasped in air, then sputtered between the waves that splashed him. "Where did you come from?" The baby giggled, practically blushing as it told him over his shoulder. "Doesn't matter where I came from. It only matters where I go." Mark blinked, trying to ask swiftly over the storm. "I thought legendries couldn't breed?!" The baby giggled again, the sound making Mark smile at how cute and innocent it was. The baby smiled back, answering happily. "They can't, but I can." Mark tried to process that when the baby brought him up beside the Lapras. Sean and Pryce quickly pulled him up out of the water, asking him if he was alright. The baby Lugia touched noses with Lapras then sprang back down into the water. Mark grabbed the spikes of Lapras's shell, pointing back into the water after the baby, saying a bit spooked. "Did you see that?!" Pryce and Sean finally looked up from helping him up. For a moment they didn't say anything.

Mark swallowed, spitting some water off his face as he said. "Tell me that you saw the baby Lugia?" Sean looked at him a bit nervously, replying uneasily. "Is that what it was? I wasn't really paying attention. I was... worried about you." Mark looked to Pryce. Pryce stared out at the ocean but said nothing. He looked like he was in shock. Mark grabbed the front of his robe, desperate to prove he wasn't losing his mind from fear. Staring into his eyes, Mark firmly asked him a bit demandingly. "Pryce?! Did you see it?!" Pryce's expression calmed down, but there was something he was hiding. Mark's grip on his shirt tightened, until Pryce uttered out firmly. "Lugia can't breed." Mark shrugged, stating back defensively. "I know that! So, what was it?!" Pryce pushed his hand off him, adjusting his robe as he told him seriously. "Forget about it. We don't have time to waste." He turned to coax Lapras on, but Mark refused to drop it. Putting a hand on his shoulder, he squeezed it as he snapped out. "Why did it want me to get the Ice Crystal?! Should I be worried?!"

Sean piped up from behind him in a startled tone. "What?! Why would it say that? You're not a Mystic!" Pryce slowly looked over his shoulder as Lapras began to move, before uttering out in a low voice. "It told you that?" Mark nodded, then asked him more calmly. "What is it?" Pryce sighed heavily, then turned to look at Mark as he said reluctantly. "In my time, my best friend, Sammy Oak. We came here on a trip. I don't recall how he met it... but he saw that same baby Lugia. He befriended it and learned things from it. Until his rival... a man I came to call Dr. Namba. Chased it off after trying to capture it." Mark stared blankly at him. None of the that connected anything for him. Pryce sighed more from disappointment now, before just blurting out to them. "That isn't a Lugia. It's a Mew." Sean moved closer to them, stating out swiftly. "Impossible! Mew is extinct! Humans cut down the trees of life and they all died!" Pryce turned completely around to face them, stating out bluntly. "According to who? Mew didn't go extinct. Mew left humans to their own destructive devices. Mew is hiding from us on purpose. Because people like Giovanni and Dr. Namba... They want to destroy life in order to make it for themselves!"

Pryce grabbed a spike for support, before telling them in a distant hopeful voice. "They'll never find Mew. Mew can look like anyone. Be it pokemon or human. Mew is the balance between man and pokemon. You can hide your true nature from everyone... except Mew. Mew only shows itself to people with a pure heart." Pryce smirked a little at a memory, adding happily. "Oak never figured out what Mew's purpose on this earth was. And I don't think we'll ever really know. But if it talked to you... You should listen." Sean turned his attention to Mark, asking a bit jealous. "What did it say to you exactly?" Mark told them in as much detail as he could. Afterward, Sean swallowed and stated out. "I don't get it. Wisdom is a Mystic trait... Why would Mew tell Mark-" Sean stopped talking, giving Mark an apologetic look. Mark patted his arm. He could understand why Sean was upset. He was curious about that himself. Pryce sat down on the shell, telling them almost sarcastically. "Really? You think just because you join a team that you really have those traits they claim to have? Did either of you take any sort of test to determine that?"

Both Mark and Sean shook their heads. Pryce raised his hands, stating out. "There you go. I told you. Mew sees you as you are. Not by what Team you joined." Mark slowly sat down, gruffly mumbling out. "But anyone that knows me, knows that I'm NOT wise. I take risks and I make mistakes! Mew is wrong." Pryce huffed, leaning back on a spike as he told him coolly. "Have you ever made those mistakes again after you made them the first time? For every failure you had... did you find a way to succeed? Did you share that knowledge with someone else so that they didn't make the same mistake?" Mark didn't answer, but his face gave him away. Pryce smirked, leaning forward as he told him nicely. "Wisdom doesn't come from living life perfectly. It comes from the ashes of disaster. Wisdom is created by learning all the ways NOT to do things." Mark shrugged, mumbling out to himself. "Ouch... but I see your point, I guess." Pryce chuckled, looking ahead to Ice island as he said a bit concerned. "We should be there soon. I just hope we don't arrive too late..."

Aboard the St. Anne, Nate hugged the pillow of the bed to his chest as he rested his chin on it. His mind was a mess of shame and regret. He didn't feel like he had anything to be ashamed off, but his mind wouldn't let all the things Sean and Mark said go. Staring blankly at the beautiful dark wooden headboard that had legendries craved into it, he tried to force his mind to shut off. Over him, Giovanni was kissing the back of his bare shoulder. Giovanni was always so strangely affective after sex. He'd always thought it was because Giovanni worked out his stress and simply felt calmer after sex. Now his mind was telling him that it was possible that he was only doing this to make him feel... wanted. Giovanni kissed a spot farther down his spine, before asking him curiously in a deep calm tone. "What's on your mind, baby?" Nate shrugged, unable to vocalize his jumbled thoughts. Giovanni laid over him, his hands rubbing Nate's arms as he said in a loving voice. "You don't seem like yourself today... You're usually all over me after we make love. What's wrong?"

Nate licked his dry lips, forcing himself to say in an almost inaudible voice. "I don't know... Just anxious to be going back, I guess." Giovanni kissed his neck, purring against his skin. "Let's not talk about work. It's been a long time since I've had you all to myself." Nate tilted his head to let Giovanni kiss his neck more, but his eyes drifted to Giovanni's dresser. Seeing Giovanni's engagement ring was like a knife to the heart. Yet, part of him tried to give him a spark of hope by telling him that Giovanni didn't truly love her. The pain remained though. Giovanni's hand traced something on his shoulder, asking him in a sudden jealous tone. "Babe... Where did you get this?" Nate drifted his attention back to Giovanni, trying to look over his shoulder as he said calmly. "Get what?" Giovanni pressed a finger to a spot on his back and Nate winced. It felt like a bruise... but he hadn't hit anything that high up. After a few seconds it clicked though. Love bites. Mark had bitten him a few times last night.

Tensing up a bit, Nate mumbled out under his breath. "Oh... That happened last night. I managed to snag a free room for the night." Nate didn't think anything of it, until Giovanni stated close to his ear in a calm but firm tone. "You slept with this random person?" Nate's arms tightened around the pillow more, answering reluctantly now. "I... I just wanted the room and I thought I could rob him if he had anything good." Nate's eyes moved cautiously to his arm, watching Giovanni's fingers compress against his bicep. Giovanni kept his tone calm, but there was a slight bitterness to it as he said. "I told you that you could get a room on me. Did the guy have anything worth stealing at least?" Nate couldn't stop himself from scoffing a bit as he uttered out dryly. "Are you jealous? You've never been jealous before... Hell, you are sleeping with her-" Nate didn't get a chance to finish, because Giovanni cut him off to defensively say. "THAT was before. When we both had to make an impression for my mother. If I didn't make that clear before, I am now."

Nate furrowed his eyebrows, hunching his shoulders a little, upon saying more cautiously. "So, I just have to wait until you want me?" Giovanni's voice softened, his hands loosening up to rub his arms as he told him coolly. "Look, I just... I don't like the thought of you with anyone else. I don't want you to get hurt again. I know that I'm asking a lot of you... but I'm trying to look out for you." Nate relaxed a little, mumbling out still in a cautious voice. "I don't like the thought of you with her..." Giovanni kissed his shoulder, telling him in a loving tone. "Baby, we've been over this. I told you why I have to be with her. But honestly it means nothing. Once I have an heir, I'll get rid of her. I promise. I love you." Giovanni kissed a spot under his ear, purring to him sweetly. "I want you all to myself. No one will love you like I can. Just be patient with me a little longer. I'll make our time together worth it." Nate didn't say anything and didn't know what to think. Giovanni kissed a trail down his back, purring out more lustfully against his skin. "I have missed you so fucking much."

Giovanni nipped at his exposed hip, until someone knocked on the door. Nate tensed, rising up on his elbows more. Giovanni held Nate's hips in place to keep him from running off, while he asked aloud. "What is it?" From outside, a man stated out in a bellowing voice. "Sir, we'll be docking shortly. The storm is getting bad though. And the Ice island watchtower is asking why we are docking on their island. What should I tell them?" Giovanni smirked down at Nate, answering in a bold tone. "Tell them that I'm here to make them a business offer. As for the storm... we shouldn't be here long." To Be Continued...