Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. I just play the handheld games to pass the time.

When the carillon chimes,

the winds shall echo,

and sing their song to the divine beasts.

The door of the cafe opened up with a jingle, the bell above its door entreating a foreboding presence on the white-caped man. His appearance drove several people to look up from their mugs and newspapers, a couple of them giving bobbing nods before returning to what they had been doing before his entrance. They had seen the russet-haired man before, in fact, many a time, as he was a regular within the lounge, if not for his near constant bickering with the local gym leader or his never-ending stories about some legendary dog that had not been seen in centuries. One could always argue he simply found the café's coffee suited to his tastes.

He paid no attention to the other residents of the cafe however, his eyes set on a certain flaming red-haired male in the back of the room, who sat idly within an orange clad booth that horribly contrasted with his locks. Adorning his backside was a rather dark hued cape, fastened around his neck and covering most of his other clothing, though it could easily be deciphered that they also held a fixation of darker colorations, ranging from navy to obsidian. It was his calm eyes that justified his appearance, as they filtered away from the book he was currently reading, a classic novel someone had recommended to him recently. His eyes now settled upon the man who had stirred lively commotions in the past, and an evidently smug smirk set into his features as he lowered his book down upon the counter that his arms rested across. However, on the whim of a second thought, he raised his hand, extending it in greeting and waving it towards him in some sort of beckoning motion, while a smoothly taut voice echoed from his vocals.

"Eusine, my man. Come on over. Do entreat me as to why I was summoned from Blackthorn to speak with you."

Eusine gave a broad grin, finding the dragon man slightly amusing. They had met many a time, often gathering in crowded spaces if only to look less conspicuous. After all, Lance was one of those people who were often noticed for various reasons. For one, his hair and handsome features were a bit hard to miss, and the fact that he was one of the Elite Four, no, the Champion, might have something to do with his popularity. However, his fan girls were not currently occupying his time and personal space, thus rendering the two men an opportunity to chat. Eusine meandered over in calm fashion to the booth, sitting opposite the dragon master, and laced a smirk within the fortitude of his lips. Lance's brows furrowed in annoyance at the other's silence, one brow arching in contemplation and obvious ill will.

"Well, I was asked to meet you here for a reason, correct?"

Eusine's smirk did not cease, only continued to grow as the moments splayed out in longer durations. Lance was about ready to throttle the man before him, and then of course, Eusine found the reason to speak, once coming upon the sight of an angry Champion longing to unleash some unholy terror upon his person.

"I found The Carillon."

Having recently been taking a sip of his mint-berry flavored coffee, Lance soon found himself choking on the contents in his mouth, spitting it quietly into the face of Eusine, who rubbed it off with a plain napkin, still wearing a grin.

"You asked me to meet you here because you actually think you found someone who matches The Carillon rubbish?"

"Lance, you amuse me. Acting as though The Carillon is utter rubbish. Come on now, I know you have questions."

Lance did have questions, quite a few if he were to admit. Most were relating to Eusine and pondering over his current amount of brain matter, which seemed to bear a lot of hot air and fluff more often these days. His proclamations about the legendary dogs were enough to make anyone think he was insatiably batty. Instead, he decided to voice the other queries his mind had managed to conjure in a brief amount of time.

"Well, how on earth did you come across your dear Carillon, Eusine? I know for certain you thought it was yourself for quite some time."

At this Lance drew back his smirk again, and Eusine's face landed into some kind of pout, bottom lip jutting out at the distinct remark. True, he had believed he fit the criteria for some time now, though clearly this was no longer the case. It wasn't him. It would never be him. This knowledge alone was enough to bruise his ego in contemplative silence, it was another shattering manner when brought up by the dragon master. Poor Eusine's esteem was slowly filtering down the drain into some haggard mess, and no one was around to clean it up. He had searched for years, tracking each legendary quotation, each fine, delicate detail of evidence, and coming up with nothing. The obsession had grown wildly over time, as many could testify to. But to know, to finally know that he wasn't the one meant to be the blessed bell, it was enough to sink him into a pit of desperation and whiny blubbering, had he not been the one to discover this little matter in the first place. It also helped that Morty had smacked him upside the head a few times before arranging a meeting with the trainer before him, to discuss the origins of truth that unfolded. He continued with a deep sigh, running his hands through stranded bangs flickering along his forehead.

"I saw it with my own eyes."

"Saw what? You know, you have to say a bit more than that, since clearly I wasn't there to witness it. Whatever it is."

"She unleashed the dogs."

This had undoubtedly received Lance's astute attention. His brow was raised even further up his head, eyes flickering into shades of disbelief, surprise, and perhaps once more questioning his companion's sanity. He stood rigidly in his chair, cocking his head slightly and eyeing the residents nearby, though found no one to be listening, to his knowledge anyway.

"She? Who is she? How could a girl manage to unleash the dogs? What on earth are you blabbering on about?"

The fact that Eusine had managed to raise Lance from his stupor, to implore him about the Carillon firsthand, made the pale man's face liven up with mirth. There was also the fact that he had seen his dog. Oh yes, his dog.

"Morty and I were searching in the Burnt Tower you see-"

"What the hell? Morty let you do this? Honestly, I thought that man had more common sense-"

"Stop interrupting me. Anyway, Morty and I were in the Burnt Tower, attempting to find a shred of evidence about Suicune and the rest of the dogs-"

"Good grief, your obsession with those mutts will one day-"

"STOP INTERRUPTING ME."

Eusine and Lance's constant bickering earned some attention from the local cafe dwellers, who peeked over shoulders, magazines, newspapers, and coffee mugs to see what was causing all the ruckus. Eusine managed to wave with a slight blush on his face, while Lance threw napkins at people who hadn't yet turned around.

"Now then, as I was saying. There was another in the Tower, a red haired boy with a very odd temper, I have to say. We asked him what he was up to, and he seemed incredibly obnoxious and told us to mind our own business-"

"I don't care about some brat kid. What about the girl?"

"LET ME GET TO IT. Didn't Clair ever teach you about manners?"

Lance snorted, but allowed the other to continue, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back against the horrendously decorated booth.

"After exploring the ruins for a time, a slender girl walked in. She had to be around fifteen perhaps, with a heavy backpack resting across her shoulders and a rather curious expression on her face. I would say she was quite cute too…"

"What are you, a pedophile now?"

"No. It was just a comment."

"Right."

"So she entered the confines, and Morty and I talked to her politely, told her why were there and things. She seemed very interested in the subject. Oh what was her name..oh, Keiko, something or other. Yes, that was it. She then saw the red-haired boy ahead, and got a rather annoyed look on her face, perhaps she knew the young man. I'd say after my encounter with him I'd wear much of the same look. We didn't see her for a time afterwards, though there was some screaming and yelling coming from the next corridor. Then we heard Pokemon battling."

Lance was more than curious now. Ah, so the girl was a Trainer, such was to be expected, he could presume, as was the other boy apparently. When Eusine didn't get an interruption from Lance, he assumed it was safe to progress with the details of the story, holding the dragon tamer on edge as he awaited the rest of the tale.

"Well, clearly the girl had beaten the boy to a pulp, and then the ground began to shake. She let out a scream, and then all I heard was the shout of the boy telling her it was her own fault she fell down a hole. A hole! There was another whole level to the Tower!"

Lance leaned forward again, thoughts jarring and revolving around the mere implications Eusine had just told. There had been a basement to the Tower? Figures. All this time Morty and Eusine had been searching in the wrong area, digging and messing around old ruins, when there was a completely new terrain they could have been surveying and uncovering. What lay there? What secrets did it hold? What did it mean to this Carillon, what was below the depths? He remained silent, allowing Eusine to continue in his story, while surrounding queries continued to circle his head in a daze.

"Morty and I followed and were witness to an amazing sight. The girl had dropped into the depths and stood wide-eyed at three huge beings. The Legendary Dogs, Lance. All three of them. They were immaculate, beautiful, and oh so deadly. She advanced, and I must say, I was scared for her and yet hoping I could be in the same position. I wanted to reach out and touch those dogs, each and every one of them."

"Then what?"

"They awakened. First, Raikou, the fierce yellow beast. Then Entei, the fire cannon. They both let out terrifying roars, completely captivating anyone's senses. I was so in awe of their raw power, if only they could have been harnessed…they raced by her, and out into the world. And then Suicune...oh, Suicune…"

The face of Eusine would make anyone believe he was in pure heaven, simply from the sight of the cerulean canine. A mysterious smile played across his features, as his eyes seemed to roll into the ceiling as he imagined the glimpse over and over again…a dream come true for the masterful researcher, a paradise only he seemed capable of celebrating. Leave it to Eusine to not even be able to touch the ferocious animal, to not even gleam at its features for more than a few moments, yet still be capable of registering its magnificence.

"He came towards her?"

Lance, though seemingly on the edge of his seat, could guess what had happened. Only The Carillon could actually be tested by one of the dogs. The fact that it was Suicune could surmise as to why Eusine looked so heartbroken and delighted at the same time. The Champion attempted to put on a facade of indifference as he awaited some semblance of an answer.

"He roared in her face. She didn't move. She didn't balk. There was no fear upon her face. Imagine! He raced around her, coming as close as he possibly could before taking off. He was testing her. She's The Carillon. Only he would let her get that close and not run at a moment's notice. She has to be the one, this Keiko girl."

The red-haired man let out a sigh before leaning across the counter and burying his face in his long arms that had been folded across the table to hold his head. His voice came across sullen and filled with some insurmountable dread, as though a great weight had suddenly landed on his shoulders. The truth of Eusine's statement only made it heavier, for the master knew for all of Eusine's quirks, the man knew his legends, his stories, and the trials that came with them. This girl, this child, was hopelessly tossed into a world of danger, and she truly had no idea what was in store for her.

"You know this opens up a can of Caterpie. Team Rocket can't find out. No one can. Not even her. Don't you say a damn word to her, Eusine. She'll know and understand when the time comes, and only then. Beforehand...it will only cause more trouble. Where is the Clear Bell?"

"I know, I know. Morty gave it to the Director, it should be safe in his possession, until she needs it."

"Of all the worst times for her to appear..."

An audible groan of annoyance filtered through Lance's chest, while Eusine still remained his rather whimsical self, staring up at the poorly lit ceiling.

"Perhaps it is a blessing. Do not think so harshly of this wind."

"She will make them all rise, and then the world will be in complete chaos."

"All the more reason to help her. All the more reason to follow her, if only to just touch Suicune..."

"He'll keep following her then?"

"Of course. He has to test her. He can't afford to be captured by some weak human who doesn't know what she's doing."

A snort was heard from the dragon master, but nothing more. It was easily understood that the girl, this odd child, had no idea what she was up against, what she was doing, what would happen to her. That much was an eternal given. No one knew, really. But Lance could sense it in his bones, the very foundation of the world splitting and cracking, evil leaking into the vexing position of activity, poised and ready to strike at a moment's notice, the hero, or heroine in this case, unaware of her fate.

"We need to keep track of her as well. What Pokemon does she own? What power does she possess?"

The long winded banter was finished for a moment as Eusine contemplated in thought, tapping his chin lightly with his index finger, before replying once more.

"She had three…Tauros, Onix, and a Quilava."

Lance's eyebrows shot up his cranium once more, before uttering more groans of dread and frustration, putting one hand on his head as though it had suddenly been induced into some chaotic headache no remedy could erase.

"Good god, she's a walking disaster. Two Pokemon that can be beaten by a Water type? Suicune must find all of this very amusing."

"Hence the reason she carries the Tauros. Besides, don't think of her as powerless yet. She already has three badges."

At this Lance spit out his coffee again. Damn his ill-timed drinking habits.

"She beat Whitney? No one beats Whitney nowadays. They're all too ignorant. Plus that Rollout is deadly."

"She did."

The formidable redhead stood up from the booth, sliding from its restraints and leaving his mug to rest at its current station, half-empty, forgotten and forlorn. He turned to exit the cafe, though not before bending down and whispering at Eusine's level, the latter still occupying the orange space.

"I'll warn Clair about this, I'm sure she'll send out some trackers. We had better leave. I don't doubt we have gained attention. I shall send you a message later on where to find me."

Eusine gave a firm nod, before leering his eyes to a constant shadow behind Lance, and as the master's footsteps and billowing cape echoed away from that sanction of the world, Eusine's orbs continued to watch the darkness. It didn't move when Lance had, despite taking on a human shape, sneakily, stealthily coiled until both occupants had fled the scene.

They had been heard.