OK, so guys, I finally finished Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time, and you know what?

I CRIED.

Man, I just had to cry in front of my family. It was so embarrassing. But… oh well. Now I've got an idea for a 1x362 one-shot, so…..

Just read :3

Oh yeah, Rachel's somewhat... erm... AU-ish. This is just to fit the oneshot, and is no way related to any other stories I may make, capiche?


Somewhere, between the boundaries of time and space, there was a road. This road would not be seen if you were an ordinary person, but if you were the Chosen Ones, you would definitely see this road, made up of millions of fine stars that glimmered like crystal.

Walking down this road, towards their SCAMPER, was none other than Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 362 themselves. The baldheaded leader of Sector V and the Supreme Leader were tasked with saving the universe from perpetual paralysis, and to do that, they had to return the time gears to Temporal Tower, and they did, but of course, with obstacles in the way.

They had faced against Temporal Tower's guardian, a huge, and very angry Primal Dialga. They had only managed to defeat him when Nigel had tossed the Time Gears into their proper slots, thus, saving the world from its paralysis, and from the stopping of time once again.

Primal Dialga became Dialga, and then he had thanked them for saving the universe, like the ones who had previously gone to rescue the universe: two Pokemon like Dialga himself. Now, the two were happily heading back to Earth to report the great news. Well, one of them was happy, anyway.

Rachel trailed behind Nigel, thoughts of their encounter with Dialga filling her mind. Now, back there, at Temporal Tower, Dialga had asked to talk with Rachel alone, so of course, Nigel respected his wishes and went out of the room to allow them to talk.

There, Dialga explained that Rachel was not meant to be there on Earth. He explained that Rachel was actually someone from the future, from the paralyzed Earth, who had come to stop the universe's paralysis alone, unlike the two Pokemon before. Heck, Rachel couldn't believe it, but she knew, deep inside, that he was right. What else could explain her special ability, her Dimensional Scream? Or the fact that she was adopted? Or the fact that she couldn't remember anything about being in the future?

Dialga told her that one of the Pokemon who saved their world before also had Dimensional Scream, and that was a trait only a person from the future could have. Rachel could see the past, and the future, and usually, she didn't use this to help win battles, but only to solve arguments and stuff. He also told her that if the future became fixed, she would disappear into nothing.

Nothing… at all.

She would cease to exist, but her memory would still be fixated into all who met her. Rachel wasn't someone easily forgotten, you know, especially to Nigel Uno. He had a small, no, make that HUGE, crush on the blond haired girl, and she discreetly returned the feelings, though he didn't know.

Rachel sighed in defeat after reliving the short memory. Nigel, noticing that she seemed slower, stopped and turned to face her, asking, "What's up, Rachel? Let's pick up the pace, please. We just have to tell this story to the other operatives! They won't believe this!" Turning, he continued on, and Rachel followed, though she was still slow.

Rachel sighed again, her forehead furrowed as she thought, My body's getting slower… heavier… Why am I struggling to move? Rachel struggled to put one foot in front of the other as she continued to follow Nigel towards the SCAMPER. Maybe… my disappearance is drawing near…

Suddenly, light started coming from Rachel's body in bubbles. She touched one, and sighed.

(cue background music: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon 2: I Don't Want To Say Goodbye)

My time… has finally come… Rachel stopped entirely, tears threatening to fall down her face. She didn't want to leave. She didn't want to leave, of course she didn't, but she had to. She had done her job, her part, to save the world.

Nigel stopped, seeing that she had stopped as well. He turned to see the light coming from her body. "Huh? Rachel, what's happening to you?"

"I'm sorry, Nigel…" Rachel whispered, though her voice was loud enough for Nigel to hear. "I kept this from you for too long. I have to go, and say goodbye."

"Huh?" Nigel stepped closer to Rachel, worry clouding his gaze. "Why?"

"Dialga told me." Rachel murmured sadly, not wanting to see him unhappy. She sighed again before continuing. "He said that if we changed the future, the people from the future would disappear. That's why… I have to disappear as well."

Nigel looked shocked as he asked, "What? W-w-why? I don't understand!"

"Thank you for everything, Nigel." Rachel smiled sadly as more balls of light began to come from her body. "I'm going to disappear from here now… but I'll never forget you. I'll never forget the Kids Next Door, my family, my friends, my enemies…" She laughed lightheartedly, but her face looked far from happy.

"Wait a second…" Nigel stepped even closer, managing to grasp one ball of light in the palm of his hand before it floated away. "I only managed to get this far because…. Because of you, Rachel." A tear fell from his eye behind his sunglasses. "Don't you see? You… you made me strong. If you go, I… I…" Nigel started shaking.

"No, Nigel." Rachel lifted a hand to wipe away the steadily falling tears from his cheek, though her own were trailing down hers. "You have to be strong. You have to live. I'll be OK. Tell everyone about what happened here, and they'll remember…"

More light started to come from her body, and Nigel choked out, "No! R-rachel! Don't… don't go…"

"Thank you for everything, Nigel." Rachel's eyes glistened with tears as she smiled sadly at Nigel. "I'm glad… we got to go on missions together… I'm glad… to have been your leader…" She paused, wiping away the steady stream of tears coming from her own eyes. "I'm glad… I met you…"

"Rachel…" Nigel couldn't take it anymore. He took off his sunglasses and tossed them to the ground before gazing at Rachel unhappily, his light blue eyes meeting her dark blue ones.

Rachel murmured, "I'm sorry, Nigel… I'm so lucky… that you were my friend… Or… maybe even more… than that… if I could stay…"

"I-I feel the same, Rachel!" Nigel said, though this time, his voice was dangerously soft and choked up. "To me, you're…" He gulped. "More important than anything… not even Lizzie can compare…"

Rachel nodded slowly before extending her arms out to him. "Yes… I feel the same way…"

"Rachel…" Nigel stepped closer, and he returned Rachel's hug quite sorrowfully as the two were silent for a few moments. Then, Rachel spoke.

"Nigel… Even if I disappear from here… I will never forget you…" A single tear escaped her eye. "You are… what Kuki… thinks… of Wally… to me…"

"Rachel…" Nigel couldn't help it. Nothing else could escape his lips except her name. Then, quite suddenly, Rachel gently pushed him away a bit before she lightly pressed her lips against his for a moment. Then, just as Nigel was about to comprehend what happened, the balls of light engulfed her, and she disappeared.

Nigel blinked, watching the balls of light steadily stream upwards, disappearing between the clouds. "Rachel… Rachel!" Nigel called unhappily. When he saw that she was truly gone, he sank to the ground, sobbing.

"RACHEL!"

(stop the music)


Oh gawd, I kept crying while I replayed the song over and over just to get the feel of this story. xP Don't try it if you're sensitive.