Here's chapter two of The Show Must Go On

Here's chapter two of The Show Must Go On!

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Arch sat on the roof of her and Atin's house, her knees drawn up to her chin. She watched the sun set over Alto Mare. The hazy globe hung halfway over the mountains. Pink and orange clouds were like brush stokes, lingering in the darkening golden sky. She sighed and her eyes stared longingly at the heavens. She paused when she heard footsteps on roof, and she glanced backwards, frowning slightly when she saw Atin walking towards her.

"I'm…sorry that I tried to attack you." He muttered, sitting down next to her and watching the sunset with her. She glanced at him and hugged her shins more tightly. "I sent a rude string of insults at you." She murmured, sighing and staring into the depths of the sky.

"You miss being there?" He asked, scooting closer to her. She nodded solemnly, blinking as the sunlight streamed into her emerald eyes, making them glimmer. "Do you miss being where you came from?" She asked quietly, looking at him. Atin looked back at her, pondering the question. "Not really. I liked your home a lot better. You got to watch the sun set on the ocean, and watch it make the waves glitter. There was no sunset where I lived. It was always dark." He explained slowly.

Arch sighed deeply. "Don't remind me of those days…" She whispered. Atin patted her on the back. "Why don't you just go back? Why'd you come down here anyways?" He asked, tilting his head. His grey eyes seemed beautiful…it was strange. How could such a bleak color like grey be beautiful? She looked away. "I came down because…everyone seemed so much happier down here. I wanted to know what it was like. I was always so lonely up there." She explained.

"Simple, you just had me come and live with you…"Atin started. Arch shook her head. "I was your opposite, pretty much. You couldn't have lived with me. It's not allowed." She mumbled. Atin growled. "Why did you have to put up so many stupid rules? We could've had such a great life, if only you had allowed opposites to live side by side. Do you know how many pokemon hate you because you wouldn't allow that?"

Arch lowered her head in her lap, and her shoulders started shaking. "I know, if only I wasn't so strict back then! I just wish I could change it. But the higher forces just won't allow me to suddenly change the rules." She sobbed. Atin looked stricken, and he patted her soothingly on the back. Arch ceased her crying, and she looked up at him with red eyes.

"You can't just let yourself go spiraling into depression, Arch…" He pointed out, "It could really mess things up." Arch looked down into the waters of the canals, far below them. "I know…" She murmured. She suddenly brightened, like a switch was hit. "I got you something…" She claimed through clenched teeth, standing up and digging around in her pockets. She drew out a golden feather and sat back, handing it to Atin. Atin took it carefully, his eyes wide. "B-but why?" He asked, turning the feather over in his tapered fingers.

Arch laughed. "'Cuz we're best buds, right?" She asked, leaning forward and smiling at Atin. She laughed when she saw he was lost for words. "That's a first." He finally muttered, smiling slightly. Arch pretended to get angry, scowling at him. She punched him gently in the arm and smiled again. "Hey, I'm plenty nice! I give gifts like that to some other people!" She said indignantly, sticking her nose in the air.

Atin became serious. "Have you ever given anybody else one of these feathers?" He asked, waving the feather at her to catch her attention. She turned her head at him. "A few." She told him, leaning backwards. Atin gritted his teeth, twirling the feather in his fingers. "Any of them scientists?" He asked, leaning forward and looking at the feather.

Arch's face paled. "One…" She answered, but before Atin could retort, she spoke up. "And he took it from me by force, and I think he's dead now." That didn't help much, because Atin's face started to boil with rage. "Arch! You think he's dead? Think?! That's not enough! Do you see what you've done? If he FORCIBLY took something from you, it's not good if he's possibly alive! You probably blew Harsune's cover! This is bad!" He shouted, shaking her shoulders. Arch pulled herself away from his grasp, rubbing her shoulders. "Meh, she's been sealed away for thousands of years, she isn't even in the book of legendaries." She said nonchalantly, twirling her hand.

Atin growled, clenching his fists. "She's the pokemon of peace though! If she was found out, and her powers were used wrongly, that's it! We're done." She shouted, swiping his hand through the air to exaggerate the last word. Arch looked concerned, but that vanished in a second. She waved her hand. "I can handle it just as well as she can, no worries. If the world falls out of balance, I can restore it easy."

Atin roared, hurdling an aura sphere at her. Unfortunately for Arch, those attacks don't miss, so it rocketed into her stomach, knocking the air from her lungs. She was sent over the side of the roof, and she quickly turned into a Latias, floating back up and shaking her head. She glared resentfully at Atin, who was glaring back at her.

"You think you're soooo great." He spat, pointing a finger accusingly at her. "Oh, it doesn't matter if Harsune dies! I can handle it myself! You think that a child like you can handle something that big?" He did a childish imitation of her voice. "You're forgetting something…" Arch began, "There's the possibility that Harsune won't be discovered."

"There's the possibility." He growled, clenching his fists. Arch frowned and floated away, diving into the waters of the canal to remain unseen. Atin sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking up at the dark, dusty blue sky. The sun was just a thin line of golden light on the horizon, and the colorful clouds of the sunset were no longer visible.

It would be another night where Arch would not come home until late. He better read Giratina's article in The Legend of Legendaries and see if they made any mistakes. He opened up the door on the roof and climbed down the ladder, breathing in the stale air of the loft. He coughed as dust swirled around him, and he descended a flight of stairs, sitting in the old leather armchair and picking up the book from where it lay on the side table.

Arch

Arch was swimming in the murky depths of the canal water, where a lot of the fish pokemon that inhabited Alto Mare wouldn't think to go. She choked off the murky water that leaked into her mouth, and blinked her eyes rapidly as dirty water stung them. Why was she so confident that she could carry out Harsune's job? Even though the tiny golden pokemon was sealed away, she was still doing her work nicely.

She closed her eyes and started to swim blindly. It didn't make much of a difference though, the waters were too murky for her to see correctly.

I am a question to the world
Not an answer to be heard
Or a moment that's held in your arms

And what do you think you'd ever say
I won't listen anyway
You don't know me
And I'll never be what you want me to be

It was good though, having her eyes closed made her think better. She thought about what Atin had said when they were at the café. 'You have a big weight on your shoulders…' She had been wrong when she thought she wasn't neglecting it. She always made mistakes, even when she tried to make things right.

And what
Do you think you'd understand
I'm boy, no, I'm a man
You can't take me
And throw me away

And how
Can you learn what's never shown
Yeah, you stand here on your own
They don't know me
'Cause I'm not here

She wished she could be as serious as Atin…wait, no! Her eyes suddenly snapped open, and she glared. That twit had no personality! He was either angry or boring. She had a sense of humor! What was wrong with that? Sure, she was a little carefree, but was that a problem?

And I want a moment to be real
Want to touch things I don't feel
Wanna hold on and feel I belong

And how can the world want me to change
they're the ones that stay the same
They don't know me
'Cause I'm not here

She rocketed out of the water, into the light of the full moon. Its white light rained down on her wet body, making it shine. She turned around and looked at the moon, a silver coin hanging in the sky. There was a barely disguisable white ring around the moon, and the clouds that drifted into its path looked like silver globs of cotton.

And you see the things they never see
All you wanted - I could be
Now you know me
And I'm not afraid

And I want to tell you who I am
Can you help me be a man
They can't break me
As long as I know who I am

Arch could probably bet a million dollars that Atin was thinking she would come back late at night. For once, he was going to be wrong. She'd go out into the open sea, and watch the sun rise over it in the morning. She would watch as the sun's rays were cast upon the waves, making them glitter. She would relive an old memory.

And how can the world want me to change
They're the ones that stay the same
They can't see me
But I'm still here

They can't tell me who to be
'Cause I'm not what they see
Yeah, the world is still sleepin' while I keep on dreaming for me
And their words are just whispers and lies that I'll never believe

She sped out in the cold night air, listening as the wind whistled past her ears. In minutes, she had arrived at the beach, and she looked at the waves as they gently lapped against the sandy shore. She paused before speeding off again, going out into open sea.

And how can you say I'll never change
They're the ones that stay the same

I'm the one now
'Cause I'm still here

I'm the one
'Cause I'm still here
I'm still here
I'm still here
I'm still here

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Don't throw tomatoes at me! I'm sorry I lied, this song is not from Moulin Rouge, but it was such a good song! :C

The song is…

I'm still Here- John Rzeznik.