The inner chamber of the cave began emitting a low rumbling that eventually grew to a loud avalanche of noise and dust and confusion. Willow stepped forward with a cry of concern only to be stopped by a hand grasping her forearm, "Wait! You can't go in there Willow! The cave is about to collapse…do not let Myst's sacrifice be in vain."

The trainer turned towards the young man while angrily dashing away the tears that threatened to fall. Her blonde hair hung lankly to her forehead and she swiped it out of her face, "Oak! You don't know what it is like. That's my partner in there…my partner!"

Professor Oak, or as he was then known as Samuel, shook his head gently and pulled Willow into a rough embrace, "Don't I? Please do not forget that my partner is in there too." Willow looked stricken for a moment and then she colored with shame. She shook her head from side to side but returned the embrace none-the-less.

"I'm sorry. I-I…I just can't imagine where we went wrong. I shouldn't be out there. I shouldn't be letting Myst fight that… that thing by herself. We are a team!" Her hands trailed over her slim waist to where five other pokeballs hung against her belt. The shuddering of the cave grew more pronounced and then began to worsen. Both trainers fell to their knees from the aftershocks. Willow hissed in a breath and then looked at her hands which were now bleeding freely. The scarlet color of her blood was cut off by an advancing wall of smoke and cave dust as rocks from the entrance began to fall and shatter on the earth below.

Willow squinted her eyes to see through the dust even as she pressed a handkerchief to mouth to help her to better breathe. Through the chaos she could see brilliant flashes of light—blue, white, gold, scarlet, and the darkest black. The chaos around her was making her sort of daze out. The loud sounds grew to soft whispers and flashing colors that should have blinded her dimmed to muted glows. 'Why is it that I can see the black?' She mused, almost lost in a daydream, to herself. Then she understood…it wasn't that she could see it but that she could feel it. She could feel it writhing about in the cave-dark. She could sense it reaching dark, dark tendrils towards a muted blue glow that was slowly dimming. NO! She cried out, or thought she did at least. Her head was echoing with the cry and the muted glow of blue and the twisting black shadows…it was too much.

She closed her eyes tightly to try to shut away that awful feeling but felt herself growing weaker. "This…wasn't what was supposed to happen. I…I don't understand. Myst…." Willow trailed off and brought her hands to cover her face, hardly noticing as the blood from the cuts began to smear across her pale complexion. She drifted off into the darkness.

Then there was a bright blue-silver light surrounding her. She was remembering a time long ago...nearly forgotten. Myst and her were sitting by a small pool in the middle of a forest clearing. The winds were playful that day causing her hair to whip about in golden strands. They were having a conversation and then later Willow was dozing by the tree drifting in and out of consciousness as the sunlight made her warm, so warm. Startling awake at the harsh call of a Spearow she glanced around worriedly looking for Myst. Her beloved partner was sitting at the water's edge gazing into it but seeing not the bottom of the pool but something farther. Willow crouched towards her and then ran a hand over her friend's head, "What is it Little One? What is troubling you?" Her vaporeon looked at her with wise but tired eyes for a few moments but then shook herself and leapt into the water and playfully splashed her trainer, the wise old look of her eyes disappearing. Soon you will know…but not yet….not this day. The soft voice drifted into her mind and Willow sat back surprised. Had she just heard…? No…it wasn't possible.

Suddenly that bright sunlit clearing was dimming the darkness was ringing her daydream and it was disappearing, Willow held onto it…storing it away. She didn't know why but she felt it was important. The voice again was murmuring in her mind. Willow…oh Willow. Its voice was weakening and beginning to echo as if it took too much to strengthen the words. I'm so sorry that I broke our promise. Briefly Willow saw a clear night sky with thousands of shooting stars and half remembered a conversation with her partner. I am glad to have met you; you taught me so much and I will always remember it. You must leave with Sam to safety… I cannot defeat him. He is too strong. I can only make him sleep…I have to leave you now. Remember, you are my trainer, my friend. Thank-you…and good-bye.

The voice was weakening even more…hardly more than a whisper, Willow…Willow… remember… "Willow! Willow! Wake up!" Willow closed her eyes tighter as another voice overrode the first. She was feeling herself being shaken, roughly…wildly. She opened her blue eyes and met those of her friend. Oak roughly hauled her to her feet and then they were stumbling…weaving through a cave in. Hundreds of Pokémon ran with them to the beckoning light. Willow was gazing sightlessly ahead moving only when Sam's strong hand was guiding her.

She murmured quietly, "Oak… I heard voices…" Oak glanced at his friend, her eyes vacant, her face stained with blood. He pulled her closer and they continued their run through the cave. He kept glancing at her fearfully. A loud rage-filled cry echoed about them causing fear to flare to life. Then there was a muted crash and then….silence.

Samuel pulled Willow out into the cool night and pulled her over to a tree. Getting a blanket out of his pack he wrapped her up, always one to remain cool in a situation…even though his partner—'No I mustn't think of it…Willow needs me.' He thought to himself. He went to a nearby stream and got a rag wet and then carefully approached Willow and began to wash her face clean. "Willow…can you hear me? We have to be moving soon… the aftershocks are still dangerous."

Willow blinked once and then suddenly her eyes focused and she was stumbling away from him and towards the cave, "Willow!" He called angrily and worriedly and then his voice was quieted for out of the broken mouth and over the rubble came a battle-worn Growlithe and in front of it being pushed gently by its nose and paws was rolling a brilliant snowy white egg with one marking only on it…a tear drop of the darkest blue gray. Oak approached the Pokémon and then cried out with joy before rushing forward and bringing it into a quick embrace.

It trilled quietly before it fainted and Samuel quickly returned it in the familiar flash of white and red. Samuel Oak glanced at his friend to see her cradling the egg to her chest her tears freely flowing now. He wiped his own eyes as he turned away to give her privacy and it was then that he heard her gasp.

He whirled about ready to console her and was surprised to see her lifting up the shard of the water stone, the one that had evolved Myst into a vaporeon, that had fallen off of the pure white egg. He glanced at her in surprise and saw that she was now laughing even as she cried. A voice drifted across the borders of space and time… It is not over, dear Willow. You must remember the story of us. Oak, take care of her and of dear Growlithe…truer friends you will find.

Willow glanced up her eyes sparkling with tears, "Did you hear that?" Samuel Oak nodded. Already his mind was spinning with what he had learned. Truly the bonds between Pokémon and trainer were very strong. He had no idea at the time that his past would so strongly affect his future as a Pokémon professor. She smiled once in relief and then cradled the egg in her arms as she slipped the blue water stone into her silver tear drop necklace. The stone fit perfectly…almost as if it were made to be there.

Oak ran to catch up with his friend and glanced at her as she grabbed her pack and slung it on her shoulder. She seemed much more composed even though the tears continued to fall. He rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. "What is it that you plan to do now?"

She looked at him surprised and then murmured quietly to her friend one simple word, "Remember."