Disclaimer: I own Alana, and my odd ideas about a "Rift." As far as I know I own Silver Falls. The song "Hikari no Naka e" is a real Japanese song composed by Yoko Kanno and sung by Maaya Sakamoto. Everything else is TV Tokyo's.

Rating: PG, for some mature themes and minor swearing


Track Two: Gin-iro no Negai
-Silver Wish-

Nyasu stared out the window of the bus leading to Silver Falls. His eyes roved over the landscape, from the tall, snow-capped mountains to the pleasant pine trees dotting the road. Even though it was already April, he found snow greeting him at every turn: on the branches of the trees, the tips of the mountains, drifting through the air, and lying in a soft layer on the ground. "Look at this place. It's gorgeous. Lots of snow, too, Musashi, I know how much you love snow."

Musashi sat behind her friend, arms draped over the seat. She followed his gaze, nodding drearily. Under normal circumstances, she would have been overjoyed at this winter paradise; a person could get lost in the brutal beauty of it all. Unfortunately, these were no normal circumstances. "It's all right."

"All right? This is the sort of weather you love."

"It's nice, Nyasu," she admitted with a sigh. "But there'll be no cherry blossoms in the spring, no Star Festival, no Girls' Day." No Kojiro.

Nyasu gave it up as a hopeless fight and went back to reading his pamphlet on Silver Falls. "Hm... lots of historical hotels up here, I bet we can get a job at one of them. Sounds like they get quite a few tourists year-round, too. Oh, and look at this, they've got a sushi joint and a ramen shop, too. Think it'll hold a candle to the places back home?"

"Mm, maybe."

"It was your idea to come here, you know," Nyasu said irritably. "This isn't easy on me either, but at least I'm trying."

"Gomen, Nyasu. It's jet-lag," Musashi lied. With another sigh she pulled out her music player, deciding to lose herself in the sweet vocals of Sakamoto Maaya.

"If I let go of your hand clasped in mine,
With that, it would all probably come to an end right now."

Musashi flicked quickly to the next song - normally she would have loved the slow, beautiful words of "Hikari no Naka e," but it was just much too sad at a time like this. Remembering that a lot of Sakamoto's songs felt like that, she quickly changed albums and allowed the more upbeat Shiina Ringo to bring her in to Silver Falls.

When the bus stopped at the city, nearly half the passengers stood to leave, Musashi and Nyasu among them. Grabbing their few bags and stepping down, the pair looked around, taking in the scenery. The streets were old-fashioned, made of cobblestone in many places, with small, brick buildings containing stores and businesses lining the main road.

The few people who were out and about strolled down the lane as if they didn't have a care in the world. Chatting amiably in English - which both Nyasu and Musashi spoke moderately well - they walked on to their destinations in the same slow, even way that they spoke. The entire town spoke of relaxation and quiet, of little hurry and little speed. You'd get to where you wanted to be eventually, right?

"Maybe this was a good idea after all," Nyasu thought aloud. He tapped Musashi on the knee. "Headphones off. We need to find a place to stay for the night."

The ex-Rocket stopped the album halfway through "Identity" and followed her feline companion as he made his way down the main street.

They hadn't gone far before an old, rustic hotel drew Musashi's eye. She wasn't sure what about the old building had caught her attention - it wasn't much different from two or three they had already passed - but she felt drawn to it, somehow. Before she could stop herself she trailed over to the window, pointing up at the sign swinging above the door. "Say, Nyasu, why not stay here for the night?"

The cat read the carved plaque slowly. "Spirit Inn. Funny name. Why this place?"

"I'm not completely sure. I just like it for some reason." Musashi ran a hand along the polished metal gate. "Your English is better than mine. What do you think they mean by Spirit?"

He shrugged. "Maybe a place to raise your spirits? Or they distill their own liquor or something? Oh, or it could be one of those famous old haunted hotels!"

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, sure."

"I'm not kidding." Nyasu pointed to a line in the pamphlet. "See here? It says 'Silver Falls is also home to some alleged haunted buildings, including an inn and a tavern'- that's like a bar. Maybe it's just a publicity stunt, but sometimes these stories have truth behind them." His eyes widened as he glanced down and noticed a Help Wanted sign in the window. "Hey, and a job, too! Good luck for us, ne? Want to check it out?"

Musashi was already heading up the steps. Pulling open the door, she stepped quietly inside, glancing around. The main room had a low ceiling propped up by wooden support beams that speckled the small enclosure. The shined wooden floors looked in good condition, and the flames burning low in the fireplace gave the building an immediate homey touch.

"Hello?" Musashi attempted in her limited English. "Is anyone here?"

The ex-Rocket jumped as a head popped up behind the counter. "Ah, customers! Welcome to the Spirit Inn, home to seven ghostly spirits and countless wandering souls. How may I help you?"

Musashi blinked, trying to process the rapid-fire English. "Uh, we would like room for the night, please." Nyasu elbowed her. "Oh… and, I saw your sign? You need help? I want to, uh..." It took her a minute to find the word. "Apply."

The woman's face broke into a smile. "Wonderful! An applicant and it's only my first day with the offer! You must have just gotten into town, from..." She paused, cocking her head to the side and smiled tentatively. "Japan, I'm guessing?"

Musashi managed an embarrassed smile. "Is my accent very bad?"

"No, I just have an ear for these things," she said with a chuckle. "Hm, let's see, how do you want to go about this? Do you have any credentials with you?"

Nyasu rummaged in his friend's bag until he pulled out their identification cards and green cards. "Will this help?"

The woman gave the cat a warm grin. "Mm, arigatou." The two ex-Rockets exchanged looks of surprise and delight. "Hm..." she gave everything a once over, then glanced up with a smile. "Sounds good," she said in almost perfect Japanese. "Can you cook, clean, keep the books, be friendly to customers?"

"Not the cooking part," Musashi said in the same language. "Cleaning isn't an issue. And I am good with numbers." Years of living hand-to-mouth had seen to that, she thought wryly.

"That's fine. I like doing the cooking anyway," she said, switching back to English. "Hope you don't mind if I stick to this. I know Japanese all right but the rolling R's get stuck on my tongue sometimes."

"That's fine. I need to practice," Musashi said. "Is there anything else you need?"

The woman shot off several questions that Musashi answered to the best of her ability, still fighting to get her pronunciations right and keep up with the inner translations, until at last the hotel owner nodded and smiled again. "I'd say everything's in good order... Miss Kawamura, I think it's safe to say you're hired."

Musashi bowed hurriedly. "Thank you. And please, call me Musashi."

She smiled warmly again. "Musashi, then. You can call me Alana. I'm the owner of the hotel and in desperate need of an extra hand, especially during the busy months. Welcome to Team Spirit."

Musashi and Nyasu both blinked at the name. 'From one team to another,' Musashi thought.

"Do you have a place you're staying, or did you want a room on the premises?" Alana asked.

The two perked up at that. "We can stay here?" they said as one.

Alana laughed. "I will take that as a 'yes' to the room. There's a nice space on the second floor that would be perfect for my partner in business."

Musashi nodded and followed her new employer to an odd-looking elevator in the corner of the room. She watched with a skeptical eye as Alana opened the doors manually, then unlatched the inner gate and stepped inside. "Excuse me, Miss Alana, but… is this safe?"

"It's been around practically since the hotel was built," Alana said with a grin. "But don't worry, we do regular maintenance."

Musashi stepped in, watching as Alana hit the button labeled "two" and the elevator began moving. Glancing around, her eyes caught something that puzzled her. "Miss Alana?"

"Just Alana is fine."

It seemed odd to be on first-name terms with your boss and not use some sort of prefix or suffix, but that was part of America, or so she'd heard. When it Rome…, as the saying went. "Alana. That thing above elevator - that thing that tells what floor you are on... I don't know its name..."

"Mostly I just call it 'that thing that tells you what floor the elevator is on,'" Alana said with a laugh. "What about it?"

"There is – uh, are – four floors. But on the button here, there are just three..." she noticed a spot that had been covered in duct tape. "Is that to the fourth floor?" Alana nodded and Musashi frowned. "Why is it covered?"

"The hotel only has three floors," Nyasu reminded her. "When we were coming in I noticed that." He paused. "Seems odd to install four buttons..."

"You mean you didn't read up on Spirit Inn before you got here?" Two headshakes. "Then I guess I'll have to tell you the story, won't I?"

Musashi and Nyasu watched as Alana's eyes seemed to nearly glaze over and her voice took on a quiet, lower note. "A long time ago, before it was 'The Spirit Inn,' this hotel was an apartment complex four stories tall. The guests on the fourth floor were a happy, carefree group of three families, seven people in all. They loved to throw parties of all sorts, no matter what the season. It led to their undoing. One day the seven were having an unusually loud shindig - er, it's an old slang word for a party - when one of the men accidentally tossed his cigarette into the trashcan before it was out. The fire began in the kitchen, and once they noticed, it was too late.

"The fire department managed to save the rest of the building, but the three families and the fourth floor were gone. Burned to death amid their own revelry, some still singing as they perished." Nyasu and Musashi shuddered. Alana grinned. "Pretty good, right? Make sure you memorize that part exactly like that. It always freaks out the guests."

Musashi blinked. "It's not true?"

"Oh no, it's true. The elevator is proof." Alana pointed to the buttons. "The owner at the time didn't have enough money to rebuild the floor, so he just cleaned out the mess, built a new roof, and taped up the fourth floor button."

"So, what happen if you press it?" Musashi wondered.

Alana shrugged. "Nothing, I'm sure. It's one of our big attractions, though, so we keep the tape over the button for dramatic effect."

"Do the families really haunt the inn?" Nyasu asked.

"More than just the families," she answered with a mysterious smile. "Because of their hospitality and good nature, the fourth floor is said to be a haven for the lost souls who can't find their way to the Gates. Many believe the seven decided to stay on earth as spirits forever, guiding those who had lost their way to the afterlife." She finally stepped out of the elevator, which had been sitting on the second floor for quite some time now.

"Do you believe it?" Musashi asked.

Alana nodded. "Absolutely. Once in a while I'll find things out of place, or feel a slight breeze at my back, or see a shape of a person that shouldn't be there. Sometimes at night - especially if you're on the third floor - you can hear the faint sounds of music and laughter from upstairs."

Nyasu's eyes lit up, though it was hard to tell if it was from excitement or fear. "Do you think we'll get a glimpse of them?"

Alana chuckled at his eagerness. "You never know. But they usually only toy around with the owner of the inn. Visitors will occasionally hear parties on the fourth floor, but there's really only one thing that gets reported a lot..."

Musashi and Nyasu both leaned forward, eyes wide and mouths parted halfway, completely hooked by the story.

Alana went on. "I've had more than half the guests tell me that, late in the evening, if they've been hanging out in the lounge, they'll see a tabby Meowth - er, Nyasu, I suppose to you - pad across the wooden floor. Some have heard her meow, and others have even been lucky enough to pet the phantom beast. She always disappears up the elevator, as if by some unseen force..." She paused again, flashing another of her enigmatic smiles. "The Johnsons had a tabby Meowth."

A long silence descended on the hallway. Then Musashi broke in. "This is our room?" She pointed to the door they'd been standing in front of for a while.

Alana blinked as if to shake herself out of her storytelling phase, reverting back to her usual self. "Oh! So it is! Here," she fumbled with a set of keys, then handed one to the former Rocket. The key turned in the lock and Alana wiped a hand across her brow in mock relief. "Good, I don't have to keep searching. Well, I'll come in with you, show you around - it's quite spacious for what looks like a small room, isn't it? - and help you get unpacked. Then, if you'd like, I can give you a tour of the town. I rarely get customers at this time of the year, so it wouldn't be a problem. Sound like a good idea?"

Musashi's face broke into a quick, small smile - around this woman's cheerful personality it was impossible to feel too miserable. "I'd really like that. Ariga – er, thank you."

"Yorokonde."

xxx

Musashi and Nyasu soon found the tiny town of Silver Falls to their immense liking, and took just as swiftly to both their new life and new boss. She was almost an exact opposite from their previous, untouchable superior, which made the two even more grateful for her.

"Oh? You're going out to dinner? Here, you deserve a bonus. Go to one of the swanky places."

"Not feeling well, Musashi? Don't worry, I know what it's like to be a little down sometimes. Go on upstairs or sit on the couch and get some rest. I'll take over. There isn't much business today as it is."

"I have to head out for the evening, so keep an eye on things, please. If you get tired of just sitting around, feel free to lock the front door and go on upstairs. I've got a key, and if there's business this late it can wait."

Yes, Spirit Inn was just the thing the two needed to get back on their feet and patch up their old wounds.

There was only one thing still bothering Musashi: the hotel's fourth floor. Every time she got into the elevator she had an impulse to jam her finger on the taped fourth button.

"I know it won't do anything," she had told Alana, her English improving by the day, "but my curiosity to see what it does do is starting to… 'get to me,' isn't that the phrase?" Her employer nodded and she returned the head-bob. "Yes. It's starting to get to me, I think."

Alana laughed, as was her custom. "Oh, don't worry about it. Plenty of people say that. I even had the urge for a while."

"Well if it doesn't work, then can I just give it a push, right?"

"No, most certainly not!" Alana tone became so serious so suddenly that Musashi straightened in her seat. "I've never pressed it myself, but I've heard some awful rumors that the elevator leads to someplace... unknown. A place without a place. I don't understand the stories much myself, but it's nowhere any of us want to go."

"Sounds like an old ghost story to me," Musashi muttered.

"Maybe, but maybe not. I'd keep away from it if I were you. The urge'll pass in a few more weeks, I'm sure." She smiled again. "Oh, I only just now noticed that you'd put on one of your Japanese playlists. The lobby has nice acoustics, doesn't it? What song is this?"

Musashi listened to the faint sound of Sakamoto Maaya's "Hikari no Naka e":

"The treasure of memories that we've made
will always live on deep inside my heart."

She hurried over to the player and switched to the next track. "Never mind, it isn't a very good song. Too slow, too sad. Brings back bad memories."

Alana frowned. "Bad memories?"

"A... a friend I had back in Japan." Musashi hesitated, glancing down and twisting her hands in her shirt. "There was this accident... well, anyway, Kojiro's gone now, so there's no reason to think about it anymore."

Alana's head jerked up at the name "Kojiro," though Musashi had no idea why. She nodded again, this time sympathetically. "I'm sorry about that."

Musashi tried a smile that fell short. "Well, at least I know he's in a better place, right?"

The hotel owner seemed to be seriously considering that. "Soon, with a bit of luck, anyway." She looked up at her friend and partner. "Oh, ignore me, I was thinking of something from a few weeks ago. I'm sorry, I completely zoned out there for a moment. Did you want to talk about him at all?"

"Not really, Mis - er, Alana. Thank you, though."

"No problem. Don't hesitate to come to me if you need a listening ear."

'Yeah, that'll happen,' Musashi thought sarcastically, though out loud all she said was, "I'll keep that in mind."

xxx

A month had passed since the two ex-Rockets had arrived in Silver Falls, and the seemingly endless Colorado winter had at last faded into a short, peaceful spring. It was on a night during one of these cool, wet weeks that Alana assigned Musashi to the late shift.

"I hate to do this to you, but customers start coming in as soon as the snow melts. We need to have people manning the front desk until at least ten. You don't mind?"

"No, of course not. It'll give me some time to myself. I could use that."

So, here she was, balancing the books at nine o' clock. Musashi sat up, cracked her back and yawned, speaking to herself in Japanese for one of the first times in a long time. "Hm, I'm not usually this tired. I guess I was up later than usual last night."

Tuesdays were always bad nights for Musashi, no matter what the week. Kojiro had died on a Tuesday. Musashi sighed, bending over her papers and yawning again. "Why can't I just move on? I still miss you so much, Koji..."

She must have fallen asleep, for the next thing she remembered it was almost ten and the books still weren't finished. "Yabai," she grumbled to herself, rubbing at her temples. "Alana's gonna give me that Disappointed Look. Maybe with luck she won't find out... ugh, but I'm just beat..."

"Myao."

Musashi looked up, jumping in surprise. A small, tabby Nyasu stood in front of the counter, looking up at her and mewing sweetly. She smiled and knelt down, bidding the animal to draw closer. "Hello there. Who're you? How did you get in here?"

"Myao," she said again, trotting up daintily and rubbing her head along Musashi's open palm.

"Friendly little thing, aren't you? Sometimes I wish Nyasu was more like this." The cat mewed again, clambering into her lap and rubbing its head along her chin. Musashi chuckled. "You really know how to make a person feel loved, don't you? This is just what I needed to cheer me up. Sometimes I get so lonely, what with Alana off on errands and Nyasu with his own work..." She sighed. "I never used to get lonely, you know."

The little animal in her lap paused, looking back towards the front door. "Myao?" She scrambled out of Musashi's lap, heading towards the elevator.

"Hey, don't leave! Please come back, you really made me feel a lot better." Musashi shivered as a breeze seemed to pass by. She blinked, rubbing hard at her eyes. It looked like two human shapes, shadow-like to her bewildered eyes, were standing next to the Nyasu. The Pokemon certainly looked up happily at someone, she thought in a daze. One, a female by the looks of her long brown hair, moved and disappeared as quickly as she had come. Then the other, a male by stature...

Musashi's hand flew to her mouth and she had to sit down hard on the edge of the desk. The second figure vanished in an instant – as did the Nyasu – but had she... had she seen a flash of lavender hair?

'I'm dreaming,' she insisted, not daring to speak out loud. 'The phantom cat, the ghosts, the breezes... no, those are just stories. They can't be real... and that guy, well, even if I'm not dreaming, then that had to be my eyes playing tricks on me. It had to be. Of course it wasn't—'

Her frantic thoughts trailed away as she watched the floor meter tick slowly upwards. Strange, how could someone be riding the elevator? Unless... she gulped and gasped, clasping a hand to her mouth when the meter reached the fourth floor. "No. No way," she murmured between her fingers. "I'm dreaming. I have to be..."

Hands trembling, she reached out and pressed the button for the elevator to return to the ground floor. In moments the light above the door flickered on, and she reached forward, pushing back the doors. She stepped in and glanced around, but the elevator seemed perfectly normal. Her hand roved over the fourth button, feeling the edge curiously.

She shook her head and she pushed the one for the second floor. "I need to get some sleep, in my own bed. Alana will understand. Those apparitions can really shake a person up."

The elevator opened onto the second floor. She could see the door to her apartment at the end of the hall; a warm bed and safety would be waiting for her there. She'd go to bed, and wake up, and things would be as they should...

Musashi's finger slammed down on the fourth floor button. "Safety is fine, but I'll drive myself insane if I don't find out once and for all." The elevator moved. Not just moved - moved up! It was just going to drop her off on the third floor though, right?

The elevator rumbled. 'Huh? What's going on? Will it actually take me to the area under the roof? Or maybe to that place Alana mentioned...'

The doors rattled once, then popped open on their own, revealing a seemingly endless expanse of darkness. Musashi tried to peer through the impenetrable blackness, but saw nothing. The smart thing to do would be hit the second floor button – she'd seen what she wanted to see, and the sight terrified her enough already.

"But if I don't find out what's past this darkness, I'll never be able to rest. I may not have another chance where I'm brave enough. Well, Musashi, here we go. Yana kanji!"

She stepped out into dead air and was consumed by shadows.

xxx

Hm? Where am I? I didn't know darkness could get this dark... so quiet, too. Isn't there anyone else here?

What are you doing here?

Oh, someone else! Thank God, a person could lose their mind in this murky world. Can you tell me where we are? Do you know?

Of course I know. I am the Keeper of this place, am I not?

You are? Oh, well, that's good. Where am I?

You are in the place that is no place at all. A land where time stands still, the day never comes, yet no stars or moon shine. You are in the world between worlds, the Bridge between lands. In short, you are in what is called The Rift, the Rift between life and death.

That doesn't sound very promising. How did I get here?

That's what I would like to know. You certainly aren't dead... Ah, I see now. You entered through one of the glitches; the one in Colorado, correct?

The last thing I remember was stepping out of an elevator into this. I was in Colorado at the time, yes. What's a... a glitch?

It's a place where time and space have been damaged. It can take a living person into the Rift. Thankfully, there are only seven in the world. I'll have to talk to the Watcher of the Spirit Glitch; this is the third person she's allowed into the Rift. What a nuisance.

Hey, it's not like I knew I'd wind up here, uh... oh, there you are. You're human? Well, that works for me. This is a lot weirder than I'd expected, so I'm fine with going home now. Let me just... ugh, where'd that stupid elevator go? I could have sworn it was behind me, but of course I can't see anything in this mess. Can't you turn on a light or something? Never mind, just get me back home.

Is there anything you would like before you leave?

Hm? What do you mean?

Those who enter the Rift - through glitches or death - well, it happens to be a very powerful law that I do what I can to grant them happiness. Originally, it was only meant for the dead who had made it to the Gates, but what with these damned glitches... So, what would make you a truly happy person?

Truly happy? Hm, good question. I haven't been truly happy in ages. The nearest thing to it was when...

I can see you've thought of something. Go ahead. Don't be afraid. It is useless to try and hide your thoughts in this place, anyway.

It doesn't matter anyway. The one thing that would make me happy would be to have Kojiro back, but that's impossible. Kojiro's dead, I was there, I saw it myself. There's nothing besides that. You may as well just send me home.

... Kojiro? Hm, a dead man, Kojiro...

Why are you smiling? Your smile is actually kind of scary. What's so funny?

Nothing for you to worry about. I can give you what you desire.

How? There's no way you could to that. Kojiro died almost two months ago.

I have my methods. Rest for now. You'll soon have what you need to be happy.

What!? Hey, where are you going!? Don't I at least get a few answers!? How can you bring back a dead man? Wait! Can't you stay? Oh, he's gone, and now it's just me with this awful darkness again. I wish there was someone to talk to, even that impossible Keeper. Hm, what's this? I feel all hazy. Could he really bring Kojiro back? I wonder...

xxx

Musashi opened her eyes just in time to hear the lobby clock chime eleven. The ex-Rocket sat up with a yawn and cracked her back. Remembering all that had happened, she came fully awake with a start, glancing around.

"A dream? All that?" She sighed, looking down at her books. 'I knew I missed Kojiro, but I didn't know it was to the point of having weird dreams about him.'

"Musashi?"

The former Rocket's body stiffened. That voice... she knew it... knew it so well... but, but it couldn't be...

"Musashi!"

She couldn't look up. If she did, she'd find out it was just her imagination, and that would be even worse. Because it sounded so real...

"Musashi," he said, louder now, as if he'd been moving towards her. "C'mon, Musashi, won't you even look at me?"

At the request her head came up, slowly and reluctantly, as if pulled by strings. If it wasn't real... but what if it was? Would that be worse, or better?

'I don't want to know, I just want to wake up from this!'

She looked into a pair of green eyes and nearly burst into tears. "Kojiro?"

"Musashi! I'm so glad I found you! I've been looking for you for so long!"

"What—?" she tried to stand up, but her legs turned to jelly and she had to sit down hard.

"Don't say anything, just let me explain." She could only nod numbly, too weak with shock to do anything else. "When I got back from the mall and found both you and Nyasu gone, I knew right away that I had to find you and apologize. I felt so horrible about insulting your mother! I went to Boss Sakaki to ask if he knew where the two of you were, and he told me you'd quit Team Rocket and gone to some town in America. It took me a while for me to earn the money for a plane ticket and get my passport and everything, but I finally made it. It's so weird, you and I picking the same hotel!"

He grabbed her hands, ducking his head in an apology. "Musashi, I'm sorry I said that about your mother. I had no right, and you had every right to yell at me." He looked up with a hopeful smile. "Let's never fight again, okay?"

She said nothing for a long moment, but just stared up into that familiar face and tried to get the world to make sense. Had she not dreamed it after all? Or was this just another dream? His hands wrapped around herself felt so real, though.

So maybe that Keeper fellow had done what he said he would. Could Divine Beings alter time? Had the crash even happened?

"Musashi? You aren't still mad at me, are you?"

She blinked against tears of joy, then smiled up at him. "Of course not, Kojiro! I've forgiven you completely." She grabbed his hand and stood up. "Let's just pretend it never happened! Have you been in Silver Falls for long?"

"No, just a couple days." He laughed a little. "It's been a major pain for me to get around - my English isn't nearly as good as yours or Nyasu's."

Musashi glanced at the clock: it was only eleven-fifteen, and despite her earlier exhaustion she now felt bursting with energy.

"Would you like me to show you around? We can pick up something to eat on the way. I know all the best places."

"I'm not hungry, I just ate. The family I'm staying with takes good care of me. But if you want to take me on a tour, I'd love that." Kojiro chuckled as Musashi tugged at his hand, practically dragging him towards the door. "N-nee, Musashi? You really aren't mad at me?"

"How could I be?" she asked, leading him down the small street and pointing out different buildings. "Leaving Japan wasn't the biggest mistake of my life, and neither was quitting Rocket Dan. In fact, I'm probably better off here, where nobody knows about me. But deserting you, Kojiro, was the stupidest thing I've ever done. Just because I was a little pissed off! I can't believe you came all the way out here to apologize, but I'm glad you did." She turned to face him, flashing the widest, most open smile she'd managed in months. "I missed you."

He blushed and looked away. "I missed you too, Musashi. But I guess none of that matters now, right?"

"Not a bit."

xxx

"This is where you're staying?" Kojiro asked, nodding at the door.

"Mm," she whispered, sliding the key into the lock. "Nyasu's probably asleep, so it'd be in your best interests not to come in. You know how he gets when you wake him up."

Kojiro laughed. "Fair enough." He paused. "Hey, I've got a pretty busy work schedule in the daytime, so I probably won't be able to talk to you until around eight or nine tomorrow night. Is that all right?"

As long as she could see him, he could visit her at the crack of dawn. "Perfect. We'll have another late night out. We'll do dinner this time?"

"Sounds great. Tomorrow, then?"

"Mm," she said again, opening the door and waving to Kojiro as he went down the hall. She closed the door silently behind her, heaving a long, happy sigh.

"Who were you saying goodnight to?"

Musashi jumped, staring down into Nyasu's concerned eyes. "Oh! You're still awake?"

"I woke up a little while and noticed you weren't in yet. I got kinda worried." He peered up at her. "So, who was that?"

"Kojiro."

Nyasu's eyes softened. "Musashi," he said gently, "Kojiro's been dead for almost two months."

The female ex-Rocket froze halfway to her bedroom. Dead? But if that being had altered time... Nyasu couldn't remember what had never been... right? The past had been changed! Otherwise how could Kojiro come back? She was right, wasn't she?

Musashi managed a blush and an embarrassed smile, stammering out an excuse. "Did I say that? Stupid me, I meant Cody. He checked into the hotel a little while ago, and wanted to know if I could show him around. 'Co-dee,' 'Ko-jee' - I guess it just popped out."

The worry in the cat's voice didn't vanish, but he didn't push it. "Guess so. You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. Just tired. You need your rest too, huh? Translating Pokemon all day must wear you out." She waved him back to his room. "We'll get lunch tomorrow and catch up, okay?"

He nodded a bit warily. "That's a good idea. G'night, Musashi."

She gave him a quick wave and a fake smile, but couldn't stop her heart from pounding against her ribs. Why did Nyasu still remember the wreck, but Kojiro didn't? What was going on? And what had the Keeper meant when he said "I have my methods"?


Japanese Glossary:
Gomen: "Sorry" (informal)
Arigatou: "Thank you"
Yorokonde: "It's my pleasure"
Yabai: "Oh no!" "Dammit," etc.
Yani kanjii: literally "bad feeling;" it's what the trio shouts when they get "blasted off again."