Act 2 - The Priestess

Equivos, Serenita

A bolt of lightning struck the sky, igniting a swirling mist of cloud and vapor high above a sea of trees. It yawned over the orange and gold leaves, threatening to consume them all with its immense size. A black speck fell from the interior, screaming as it fell. Just as soon as it came, the vortex disappeared into a harmless cloud, as if it had never come.

Lawrence couldn't stop his screams as the trees came closer and closer to him. He felt unusually warm, and the breeze reached areas it shouldn't have. He felt denser, smaller, and his rear felt…longer, somehow. He could smell the approaching leaves far better than he could remember, and the rushing wind sounded far stronger than it felt.

He crashed through the branches, covering his face. A stray branch struck the Pokédex case, making a sharp snap as it did. He burst through the canopy and pounding onto the ground, landing with a plume of tan dust.

He craned his head upward, the impact leaving his vision blurry and his chest in agony. He reached forward to push himself up—he flinched. His hand wasn't there—a small, black paw with a spike above it was there instead.

He felt his face, feeling short, soft fur and a pointed nose. He looked behind him, seeing the vague shape of a blue tail. His legs were long and black, turning large and blue at the top. His chest had long, yellow fur, with a sharp spike set at the top.

His head fell to the ground as he stared in disbelief. His vision went black, and his hearing dulled. He lost consciousness.

[~~~]

Muffled voices pounded Lawrence's head; light leaked into his eyes. The voices became clearer, as did a poking sensation.

"Ya think he's dead?"

"Nah, he's breathin'. Haven't seen one a his like before."

"Can we eat 'im?"

"Only if he tries to eat us first."

Lawrence groaned, holding a paw to his head. "What...happened?" he croaked. He remembered everything until he came out of the tunnel. After that, nothing.

"Yech, it talks! No eatin' him then."

Lawrence, despite his body's protests, opened his eyes, seeing an imposing purple blob, and another yellow. His vision cleared, revealing the black stripes lining the yellow's rotund frame, and the bulging muscles of the purple.

The purple blob leaned forward, sniffing. "Hmm, no scent. No smoke, no food, no nothin'. What are you?" Lawrence finally saw that it was a Machoke talking to him, giving him a studious look, while behind him, an Electabuzz made a half-crazed grin.

Lawrence-lost for words-scrambled back, holding up his paws. "H-How are you doing that?" He gasped, noticing the spikes set on the backs of his paws.

The moments just after he landed came back to him. The fall through the air. The crashing through the trees. The moment he realized-

"I'm a Lucario!" he screamed, falling onto his back.

The Electabuzz giggled, tapping the Machoke on the shoulder. "Hey boss, he's a Lucario! Didn't that Guild guy back in town say they were dead?"

The Machoke shoved him away, glaring at him. "He don't know that!" He made a warm grin toward Lawrence, but his eyes revealed a hidden maliciousness. "Ya look like ya need help. How's about we take ya to one a those Guild guys?"

Lawrence didn't answer since couldn't stop looking at himself, panicking. 'I-I'm a Lucario! How is this possible?'

The Electabuzz pointed at the loose-fitting case around Lawrence's arm. "Hey, what's that doohickey? Look's interestin'."

Lawrence flinched. 'My Pokédex.'

The Machoke rubbed his chin, eyeing the Pokédex. "Would ya mind if I see what ya have there? Haven't seen anythin' like that black box before either."

Lawrence stood up unsteadily, unused to the balance of his new body. He put a paw over his left arm, attempting to cover the case. "Uh, no, I-I can't let you-"

The Electabuzz stomped forward, electricity sparking from his head. "When da boss says he wants to see somethin' he sees it!"

Lawrence fell to the ground, tripping on his changed feet. He hid the case under him, hoping to keep the technology safe from their hands.

The Machoke punched the Electabuzz away, towering over Lawrence. "Lemme see it!"

"Graaaaaaw!"

The Machoke and Electabuzz looked behind them, their eyes widening. "Did you hear that?" the Machoke demanded.

The Electabuzz nodded nervously. "Yeah boss...w-what was it?"

"Grrrroomm!"

In the dark gloom created by the twilight, an ethereal red light shined from the trees behind them. It appeared in a jagged pattern, some parts brighter than others. Above the crack-shaped patterns, two red bars stared down.

A giant stepped forward, shaking the ground and shifting the light. The Machoke and Electabuzz instinctively stepped back, shivering.

The massive stone limbs took another step, quaking the area round it. The enormous arms pounded together, sounding like two boulders crashing down a mountain. A jagged crack across the creature's chest glowed with a fierce crimson. Part of the light was covered with a large metal brace, preventing the crack from widening.

Lawrence, still from terror, whispered one word: "Golurk."

In response, the black Golurk reared back and roared, "Graaaaawm!" He hefted his leg upward and slammed the ground, causing the Electabuzz and Machoke to fall.

They stared terrified at the Golurk, scrambling to their feet. "Run!" the Machoke screamed, leaving a plume of dust in his wake. The Electabuzz followed, screaming as he went.

Lawrence could do nothing but stare as the Golurk approached, the reddened cracks and mossy frame invoking an ancient and powerful presence. The head of the Golurk had a chunk missing at the back, revealing crimson circuits coursing within.

The Golurk stopped mere feet from Lawrence, staring down at him, emotionless. Lawrence covered his face, expecting the worst.

The Golurk cocked his head and extended an arm to him. He grabbed the arm that Lawrence covered his face with, then lifted him to his feet. Lawrence looked at him with a mixture of perplexity and terror. 'It's…it's not attacking me?'

Turning his head, the Golurk said, "Grawwm." Two blue eyes appeared in the woods behind him, approaching them.

A graceful white figure with green hair walked out of the woods. A large brown sack hung over her shoulder, bulging with materials. The Gardevoir's eyes had an almost ethereal quality to them, being blue instead of the red usual of her species.

She walked forward with her hands in front of her, holding them up to her chest nervously. She cautiously studied Lawrence, her steps slowing as she drew closer.

The Golurk looked down and pointed at Lawrence. "Graawm."

She looked up and nodded. "I can see that he's a Lucario, Grom. Is he hurt?" Grom shook his head slowly.

Lawrence stepped back, jabbing a paw at Grom. "Wha...how? Where did you come from?" His sudden transformation and the events that had just transpired left him feeling faint and erratic.

The Gardevoir held her hands out, careful to keep them from Lawrence's reach. "We noticed that you were in trouble with those other Pokémon. Do you need help?"

Lawrence wanted to say yes but stopped himself. 'How do I know I can trust her? She could be like that Machoke and Electabuzz, wanting to…do whatever they wanted to do with me. I never got to see, but I hope I don't.'

The Gardevoir breathed in sharply, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't tell you my name. I'm Cassia." She kept her hands close, keeping a close eye on Lawrence's paws.

Lawrence felt a little more relieved, but he still kept alert. 'That's better, but that doesn't mean I can trust her. Then again, I don't know anything about Equivos. I'll just have to blend in.'

He looked around, searching for the box that should have been sent with him. "Um...would you know where I can find a little box? I...traveled here with it, and I'm not sure where it went."

Cassia cocked her head curiously. "You lost it?"

'I'm not even sure it made it here with me,' Lawrence thought. He looked up, seeing the hole in the leaves that he had made on his entry into Equivos. "I was...climbing a tree, and I fell off. See?" Lawrence pointed up. Grom and Cassia studied the hole in the canopy, with Grom cocking his head.

They looked back at Lawrence. "I haven't really seen a Lucario around, you know," Cassia said.

Lawrence restrained a smile. 'I can use that; I can act like a foreigner, giving me the perfect excuse to ask where I am and to learn more about this place.'

Before he could reply, Grom pointed down the path and groaned, "Graw…"

Cassia sighed, turning to where he pointed. "Yeah, I know. We should be able to make it there by sunset." She turned back to Lawrence and said, "Do you need anything else?"

Lawrence lifted a paw, covering the Pokédex. 'I need to get back to Facility D, fast. It'd be better if Cassia was gone when I send the signal.' He waved his other paw and said, "Yeah, I should be fine. You go on with whatever you were doing." He turned around, falling onto his chest.

While he got up, Cassia and Grom looked at each other curiously, turning around. "Alright, well...if you need anything else, we'll be at the clearing down the path until morning." She and Grom walked away, with the Golurk letting out a questioning moan.

When they were out of earshot, Lawrence hastily popped the cover of the Pokédex and pulled it out, his paw gripping it awkwardly. He studied the casing, noticing a large dent on the side of it.

He looked at the sky and shook his head sadly. "Why'd I have to end up in the air?" he asked himself. He tapped the power button, then typed his password on the screen. He then selected the swirling icon, causing the words 'Vortex Signal' to flash by.

A dark green circle appeared at the top, with a light purple one at the bottom. He tapped the purple, making it say, 'Sending Signal'. A red exclamation suddenly flashed, and in red text, the screen said, "No access point in range."

Lawrence's heart skipped a beat.

He tried again, receiving the same message. The green circle—the radar—showed no points of interest; there were no dimensional weaknesses nearby.

His eyes whisked toward the time: 8:30. He looked to the sky and saw the sun setting. 'It can't be morning…which means…' His eyes widened, then he smacked a palm across his head. 'It's been twelve-and-a-half hours since I got here! I'm too late!'

Lawrence looked out into space, paling. 'What am I going to do now? I'm stranded here without supplies or a way back.' He stared at his paw and narrowed his eyes. 'And worse, I'm a Lucario.' The irony of the words he had said hours before arriving came into mind.

Then thoughts of his parents came, and their unanswered calls.

He fell to the ground, dropping his head. 'How am I going to get back? They'll be worried sick about me.'

He looked down the path. 'Until I find another weakness, I ought to stick with someone who knows the place—like that Gardevoir, Cassia.' He stood up, balancing on his paws. 'And I'll have to live like a Lucario until then.'

He put the Pokédex back in its storage case, considering what he'd say to her. 'I can't just say I'm a human from another dimension; they'd instantly think I'm crazy and leave me alone.' He groaned and thought, 'And I'll have to give a reason why I don't know about this place.' He took an uneasy step forward, then another. He staggered back and landed on his rear.

He glared at the tail behind him and shakily stood up again, cursing his small paws. He took another step forward and said under his breath, "This is going to be a long day."

[~~~]

The autumnal air rushed through the trees, whisking away the red and gold leaves. Sunset richened their colors, and the wind deepened their crisp, as they whirled away into the sky. A worn path wove between the trunks, an ancient relic from a time long past. In the vast sea of yellow and orange, a small clearing poked through, an island amongst the waves. The crackle of snapped twigs and crushed leaves emanated through the air, and the smell and taste of sap alongside it. Bird Pokémon tweedled their melodies, chirping alongside the autumnal foliage.

In the clearing, Grom hefted a log with little effort, then tossed it into the woods, grunting. "Gra-am?"

Toward the center of the clearing, Cassia dug through her sack, glancing at Grom. "Go on and recharge; I'll be alright."

The Golurk grunted agreeably, stomping toward the recently-tossed log. He stepped on it—turning it to splinters—then disappeared amongst the wood.

Cassia sighed, finally pulling a blanket out from the sack. "I really pack too much in here." She started to spread it over the ground but stopped when a shout of frustration echoed from the path.

She finished spreading the blanket and stood up, looking toward the path. She saw Lawrence flop to the ground, smack the dirt with his fist, then push himself up, grumbling.

He brushed himself off while he muttered, "Stupid paws, can't walk around—" He stopped himself, noticing Cassia. "H-Hi there! Uh…how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to see you fall," Cassia replied. "Do you need help with something?"

Lawrence scratched back of his head, looking up casually. "Yeah, well…I can't remember anything. I must've hit my head pretty bad when I fell outta that tree."

Cassia hesitantly stepped closer. "How come you didn't tell me before?"

"I thought I could remember on my own, but that didn't work," Lawrence replied. His heart beat rapidly.

"Do you…remember your name?" Cassia held her arms at her side, the fear in her eyes turning to care.

The lump in Lawrence's chest lowered. "It's Lawrence. Lawrence Stephenson."

Cassia cocked her head curiously. "Stephenson? Don't you mean 'Lucario'?"

Lawrence's eyes widened as he realized his mistake. 'They must use their species as their last name in Equivos.' Lawrence smiled, clenching his paw. "Right, right, sorry. Don't remember things quite right, you know?"

Cassia smiled slightly, then walked back to the clearing. "Come on over. You can stay with me."

Lawrence grinned and jogged to her. He stumbled slightly, causing his grin to fade. He avoided falling, much to his relief, and entered the glade.

Cassia sat on the blanket, pulling off her bag. She opened it up and began to dig through it. "Are you hungry?"

In response, Lawrence's stomach grumbled. He laughed nervously and sat down on the blanket. "I guess I am."

She pulled out two bright red apples and handed one to Lawrence. He took a large bite out of it, crunching on the apple awkwardly. His teeth were more pointed than he was used to, but he soon managed.

Cassia took small bites of her apple, holding it with both hands. Between morsels, she asked, "I guess you don't remember where you are, do you?" Lawrence nodded, eating his apple more eagerly as his hunger set in.

Cassia waved around her to the trees. "You're in Serenita, in a place called the Kaena Woods. We're miles away from any towns, so you're lucky that me and Grom found you." Cassia looked past the trees. "Things have been dangerous ever since the Guild turned for the worse." She trailed off, setting down her apple.

"Ever since what?" Lawrence asked, cocking his head.

Cassia cringed, shoving a hand into her bag. "I don't want to talk about that right now."

Lawrence looked up for a moment, wondering about her statement. As Cassia turned back around, he lowered his head. He searched the trees and asked, "So where's the Golurk? His name's Grom, right?"

Cassia pointed behind him. "He's over there. He doesn't like leaving me alone like this, but he needs to recharge every so often."

"Is he a bodyguard or something?"

"Yes…in a way. I helped him escape from his old master. Ever since, he's been protecting me while I've been traveling."

"Why are you traveling?"

Cassia looked away, studying the ground. "You'd think it's silly."

"It can't be that bad," Lawrence grinned. 'Can't be any worse than me turning into a Lucario.'

She threw away the core of her apple and pulled a book out from the bag. "I guess you don't remember Arceus, do you?" Imprinted on the cover of the book, the Arc of Arceus shone with gold paint.

Lawrence's grin faded. 'I recognize that.' He pointed at the book and said, "What's that?"

She opened it, revealing faded lines of text with pictures scattered between them. "It's called the Arceist Tome. It's a history of Equivos, and it tells us Arceus' teachings."

Lawrence's stomach churned. 'I had to get stuck with an Arceist, like Erica.' He threw away the core of his apple and dourly thought, 'How do they even exist in this parallel dimension? It doesn't make sense! First the language similarity, then this!'

She flipped to a page depicting a blast of red and blue energies, with the almighty myth, Arceus, standing between them. Within the blasts were two figures, each wielding the respective colors.

"He predicted events long before they happened. This shows the battle that Laryon Lucario and the Usurper had two thousand years ago," she explained, pointing to the figures.

Lawrence furrowed his brow. 'How could a non-existent Pokémon make such prophecies?' He opened his mouth to comment but stopped. 'I can't say it isn't true; she thinks I have amnesia, so I shouldn't have any firm beliefs.' Disgruntled, he thought, 'Might as well see what else there is in this tome.' He pointed to the being within the red energy depicted. "Who was the Usurper?"

Cassia frowned, closing the book. "Not was: is."

Lawrence shook his head in disbelief. "You're saying that some Pokémon who fought some great battle two-thousand years ago is still alive?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Cassia set the book aside. Her eyes narrowed, and her fingers wrapped around the book's binding. "The Usurper is called Arthus Zoroark," she spat, "and it's thanks to him that the Guilds have turned on the very Pokémon they promised to protect." She traced the arc on the book, her hands quivering. "What he did—" She shut her eyes. "-is unforgiveable." She turned her gaze to Lawrence. "He is real."

Lawrence, not expecting her reaction, leaned away from her. "Sorry, I just don't...remember, any of this."

She took a deep breath, combing back her hair. "Right. You don't know any better." She pulled the Arceist Tome onto her lap, flipping to a page showing a Riolu and Zorua in a village setting. "Years before Arthus' battle with Laryon, he was friends with a Riolu named Matheus. The two grew up together, becoming explorers here in Serenita."

She turned the page, depicting a Lucario and Zoroark standing in front of a walled fortress. "They went on to create the Guild, a system that was meant to rescue those in need, and capture those who hurt others. For a time, there was peace in Equivos."

The next page showed Arthus studying a scroll with a twisted version of the Arc. "But Arthus wasn't satisfied with curing some of the evil in Equivos; he wanted all of it gone. He discovered the Prophecy of Life and Death, which said that an individual would come and take the Seal of Creation—a tool capable of taking the powers of the Legends—to rid the world of evil. The cost: all life in existence."

Arthus now stood in front of a hoard of Pokémon, pointing his claw in front of him. "He corrupted the Guild, turning them away from assisting those in need, unlike what Matheus wanted. He searched for the Seal of Creation. He planned to take Arceus' power, then kill everyone in Equivos, and replace them with his own version of life."

Lawrence studied the picture skeptically. 'How could he take Arceus' power if he doesn't exist? This all sounds like a myth, yet she says it's true.'

Cassia flipped the page, revealing a Lucario taking a golden pendant from a hill, running toward a village. "Matheus found the Seal and gave it to his nephew, Laryon, in their hometown, so that Arthus couldn't claim it. When Arthus found out, he attacked the Pokémon within, along with the rest of the Guild. Matheus came in and saved his sister, Azure, and Laryon but couldn't save anyone else. He brought Laryon and Azure to a hidden glade, where he thought that they couldn't be discovered. He then went away to drive the Guild from the location, and later worked to destroy their influence in other areas across Equivos.

"Years after, Arthus discovered Laryon's hiding place and attempted to take the Seal. This happened when Matheus was making his yearly visit; he managed to rescue Laryon and the Seal, but Azure got captured and taken to their headquarters. Matheus took care of Laryon and taught him the ways of an explorer while they went to save Azure, as well as to protect the Seal." An aged Lucario walked alongside a Riolu wearing a golden pendant, directing his gaze to the ocean.

"Arthus tricked them, however. He knew they would come rescue her, and with his illusions, tricked them into giving the Seal. While they recovered, Arthus went to the Tree of Life, and stole Arceus' power."

The bursts of red and blue appeared, showing Arthus and Laryon in the midst of their mighty conflict. "Arthus returned to the Guild to reclaim a precious gift before he used the power within the Seal. Matheus rescued Azure and waited for him, and ultimately died fighting him. Laryon then went on to fight Arthus, and despite the odds, destroyed the Seal; Arthus never managed to use Arceus' power. For his crimes against the Legends, Arthus was sealed within the Cocoon alongside Yveltal, until the final days of Equivos would come."

She closed the book. "Laryon went on to reclaim the Guild, and all was well. That is, until Arthus returned."

Lawrence gave her a suspicious look. "Wait, what?"

"You remind me of the Pokémon I try to teach," Cassia sighed. "Twenty years ago, Yveltal broke out of the Mountain of Rebirth. Arthus escaped and changed the world for the worse." She slid the book back into her bag. "He took over the Guild, and worse, he stole back the Seal of Creation."

"But didn't you say—"

"Its power was only destroyed. If he finds a way to bring it back…" She shivered. "I plan on doing something before that happens."

Lawrence slowly shook his head. 'She reminds me of home: believing in myths like Arceus and trying to spread it. Some other Zoroark probably took Arthus' name and used the fear behind him to control others.' He stared at the book, huffing. 'More believable than someone being trapped with a legendary Pokémon for a couple thousand years.'

A coarse moan emanated behind him, causing him to jerk. Dark red eyes drew closer with pounding footsteps.

Cassia looked over and inquired, "You're done already, Grom? I thought it took you longer to drain one."

"Grooo…" the giant replied, shrugging slowly.

Lawrence pointed at Grom and asked, "How do you understand what he says? He just says 'Grom' all the time."

Grom stepped to Lawrence's left, then tipped backward. He slammed against the ground, landing on his rear. "Gro-om."

Cassia smiled, nodding "Yeah, I know it's hard for you to sit down." She turned to Lawrence and said, "Grom and I have been together for a long time. We just…understand each other." She looked behind her; the sun had sunk below the horizon. "We better get to sleep. We have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow." She stood up and breathed in sharply. "Um…Lawrence?"

He shakily stood up. "Yeah?"

Cassia fidgeted with her fingers and said, "Could you maybe…sleep somewhere else? I like my privacy." Grom turned his head, his crimson eyes burrowing into Lawrence's mind.

Taking the cue, Lawrence nodded. "Sure, sure. I can leave." He turned around and headed toward the trees. He stopped suddenly and turned. "You didn't tell me why you're traveling. Where are you going?"

Cassia laid down on the blanket, wrapping herself in it. "I'm going to towns and telling them stories, like the one about Laryon and Arthus." She yawned. "It's so…everyone…can be…saved." She breathed slowly, lulled to the realm of dreams.

Grom continued to stare at Lawrence, until the Lucario finally turned away again. He marched toward another nearby clearing, shivering. "Why did he look at me like that?" he whispered to himself.

Soon he could only see Grom's imposing figure in the approaching darkness. He sat down and took the Pokédex from its pouch. 'Might as well write down what happened today so people don't think I've gone crazy when I get back.' He tapped on a notepad icon, causing a blank white screen to show. A small keyboard appeared on top of it.

Lawrence looked down at his paw and scowled. 'I haven't tried typing with paws yet.' He looked back at the Pokédex. 'How am I going to do this?'

He set it between what would have been fingers, and painstakingly typed letters. He looked to the sky and thought, 'I can't wait till I get my real body back.' When he finished, he tapped on the search function, making another vain attempt to find an access point.

Upon seeing the denial, he grunted and shoved the Pokédex back into its case. "Guess I'll be stuck here a while," he muttered. He lay on his back, setting his paws behind his head.

Lawrence considered his traveling companions. 'Cassia seems nice enough, but her belief in the Arceist Tome unsettles me. I don't want to get involved in the spiritual aspect of Equivos, if there is one. I've already had one version of Arceism proven false; I'd rather not get involved with another.'

Then there was Grom. He grimaced and thought. 'I would've run away if I wasn't so scared. How did Cassia ever obtain such a monstrous thing?' He took a glance back to Cassia, where Grom calmly stood watch. 'He seems gentle enough, though, despite his appearance.'

He sighed, staring at the canopy. 'What am I going to do? By now, everyone will be wondering what happened to me. If I manage to get back, what would I tell them? Would I still be a Lucario?'

He grimaced at the thought. 'I've never liked Lucario, and being one just makes things worse. I hoped that the way home will turn me back.'

Yawning, he turned onto his side. 'Until I can find some way back to Unova, I'll have to live as a Pokémon.' He furrowed his brow. 'With a priest, at that.' The thought lingered as he drifted to sleep.

[~~~]

Lawrence stood in a plain of blackness. All around him, dark clouds swirled, bringing unearthly voices with it.

A cruel chuckle echoed through the air. A vague shape stepped in front of him, holding a crimson flame. "What is this I see? You aren't like any Pokémon I've seen before."

Lawrence looked down at himself, seeing that he was back to his human form. He studied the shape, seeing from the flame glinting fangs and a hooded snout.

The being started to pull back the hood. "You're in my domain now, whoever you are. I advise that the next time you sleep, make sure that no one else rests here."

Before Lawrence could see its face, the being grabbed Lawrence's throat and began to choke him. His vision faded while voices shouted around him.

[~~~]

"Wake up!"

Lawrence shot upright, breathing heavily. He clutched at his throat and looked around him. Grom stood over him, covered with tendrils of crimson light, while Cassia sat at his side, her eyes wide with fright.

"What…what happened? I saw this…thing, say that I was…in his domain," Lawrence wheezed.

Cassia put her hand to her head, moaning. She directed her gaze to Grom and shouted, "I knew you didn't drain everything out!" Grom put his hands up defensively, making a sad moan.

She sighed, removing her hand. "Sorry. I know you're doing your best." She turned back to Lawrence and explained, "Grom collects what's called Life Energy from the ground. It's what's left behind after someone dies." She pointed at the ground beneath Grom, where a low-pitched hiss protested. "Arthus uses these spots to spy on others, and, if there's enough, to move through them to other wells of Life." She pulled Lawrence up. "He hates having people block his vision, so he haunts them in their dreams."

Lawrence couldn't help shaking his head. "A Zoroark can't do that. They can make illusions and use Dark moves, but they can't teleport in any way."

Cassia stamped her foot. "This is Arthus! He's like no one else!" She groaned and walked toward the clearing. "Look, I don't like talking about this. I've said too much as it is." In the morning light, she faded into the glade.

Lawrence looked up at Grom, who gave him a disapproving grunt. Lawrence threw his arms up and exclaimed, "How was I supposed to know?" He kicked the ground, then walked toward Cassia.

She folded the blanket neatly and stuffed it into her sack. She sat on a stump, crossed her arms, and looked out to the path.

Lawrence stopped behind her. "You alright?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'm fine." She looked up. "Have any of your memories come back?"

Lawrence, expecting such a question, shook his head. "No, not yet. I'll let you know if any come up." He studied the trees that wound around the path. "I wonder how far these go."

Grom thudded forward and pointed ahead. "Gro-o-om."

Cassia stood up, pulling the sack over her neck. "You're right. We need to get going if we expect to get to the town today."

"There's a town near here?" Lawrence asked, his interest piqued. 'I'm stuck here anyway, so might as well see what these Pokémon have made.'

"Yes. We need to pick up some more supplies, and I haven't taught about the Tome there yet." Cassia pointed at Lawrence's Pokédex. "What's that around your arm? I didn't notice it before."

Lawrence slapped a paw over it, wishing that it was more discreet. "It's nothing. Nothing at all."

Cassia eyed him curiously. "If it's nothing, then why can't I see it?"

He marched toward the path, shouting, "How about we get moving? I wanna see this town."

Cassia looked up at Grom, who looked down. She followed Lawrence and shook her head. "He'll show us eventually." She looked back briefly. "He seems trustworthy so far, right?"

"Gro-hom," Grom grumbled, stomping after her.

They kept a leisurely pace along the path, with Grom's speed being the biggest hindrance. Golden leaves fell, passing in front of the morning haze with each of their steps. The smell of sap filled their nostrils, and birdsong echoed through the air, the Starly journeying to the Archipelago of Cretea for the coming winter.

Sometime after they started, Grom stopped, and looked to his left. "Mm-hmm," he hummed, walking off the path.

Cassia grinned, putting her fingers against her lips. "Grom found something!" she whispered excitedly. She followed Grom.

Lawrence trotted over, finally getting used to his paws. He saw Grom standing in a small clearing, holding his right arm out. "What's he—"

Cassia glared at him, repeating her hush. She directed her gaze back at Grom, looking up expectantly.

A Fletchling flitted over Grom's head, then landed gracefully onto his arm. The Fletchling chirped contentedly, sat on his finger, and tucked its head under its wing. The Golurk sighed peacefully.

Cassia silently opened her bag and took out a string-bound notebook, with a pencil attached to it by a string. She opened to a blank page, and steadily drew the scene that lay before her.

Lawrence looked down at her drawing, admiring her detail. 'I couldn't draw like this in my life.' He leaned over and whispered, "Do you do this often?"

"I usually draw landscapes, but this is too cute to pass by!" she whispered back.

Grom turned his head, pointing at the Fletchling with his other hand.

Cassia nodded. "You're doing great!"

The Golurk chuckled, his booming voice radiating through the air.

Within minutes, Cassia had drawn a perfect sketch of Grom holding the Fletchling on his finger. She held it up for him to see. "What do you think?"

Grom nodded, looking down at the Fletchling. It woke up, yawned, and fluttered away, chirruping its thanks to the giant.

Grom waved to it, sighing. "Gro…" he moaned.

Cassia closed her book, walking back to the path. "You'll see another one, I'm sure. At least it came to you, right?"

Grom grunted and pounded in front of Lawrence, looking up.

Leery of the Golurk, Lawrence ran to Cassia, then began to walk alongside her. "How often do you do that? I mean...that looked pretty good!"

Cassia blushed. "Thanks. I draw whenever we get to somewhere new. A valley, a forest like this one." She gestured to Grom, who hummed merrily to himself. "Every so often, Grom gets into a moment where he doesn't look like a big monster, like what everyone thinks he is." She shook her head. "He does look rather scary, but he's not so bad, right?"

Lawrence nodded his head in agreement. 'He might be overprotective, but he is a rather gentle guy.' He glanced at Grom, watching him kick a log in boredom. As it splintered against a tree, Lawrence cautiously looked away. 'But he is terrifying at times.'

They continued to walk through the woods, seeing no wildlife like the Fletchling. No rustling in the bushes, no twitter in the air. Not even the scattering of leaves by a running Bunnelby. Cassia, Grom and Lawrence seemed to be the only forms of life.

Unnerved by this fact, Lawrence asked, "Aren't there any other wild Pokémon around here?"

Cassia's head drooped. "No, sadly. They used to be everywhere, but given how dangerous many are, they've been practically killed off." She looked up fiercely. "I think that Arthus might be to blame, considering his want for order and goodness."

Lawrence coughed into his paw, looking up. 'Despite that nightmare, I don't think this Arthus guy is the one who supposedly destroyed the region. Zoroark are good illusionists, but they're weak fighters…and certainly have no magical powers.'

The path wound out of the forest into a small plain, dividing the Kaena Woods from a nearby pine forest. The wind rushed rapidly through the grass, scattering leaves from Kaena across the plain.

Grom swiped playfully at the leaves, catching them and crushing them in his grip. Cassia waved her hand through the air, the leaves brushing past the tips of her fingers. "Last fall wasn't as fun for me and Grom. The snow came before all the leaves had come off the branches."

"How long have you been traveling together?" Lawrence asked.

Cassia looked back at Grom. "For around two years now. We've been going to as many towns as we can before we go to Cretea."

"Cretea?" Lawrence inquired.

Cassia reached a hand into her bag. "It's across the sea. It's not at all like Serenita." She unfolded a bundle of paper, revealing a map showing two vast continents with a scattering of islands beneath them.

She pointed to the left continent. "We're in the middle of Serenita right now, around the east side." She pointed to the islands. "And here's Cretea. There's lots of islands with many Pokémon who live on them."

Lawrence pointed at the right continent. "What's that one called?"

"Deitae, home of the Legends. Mortal Pokémon like us can't go there, so you don't need to worry much about that." She folded the map, smiling. "I plan on going to Cretea once I go to the last few towns here in Serenita though. I have to teach everyone I can about the Arceist Tome."

"Why do you want to do that? I mean, will this make their lives better?" Lawrence asked, annoyance in his tone. 'I don't like Erica trying to convert me, let alone her.'

Cassia's smile faded. "Yes...but for another reason too."

Grom suddenly quickened his pace, pointing ahead. "Graw-hom!"

A little way ahead, a town sprawled out in the center of the plain, with Pokémon rushing out of the walls and going about their business. The little buildings rose no more than a few stories high, with little chimneys poking out of their roofs. In the center of the town, a vast marketplace roared.

Cassia stopped, gripping her bag. She looked up at Grom, who stood just behind her. "Do you think there's any Guild Pokémon here?" Grom shrugged.

"Guild Pokémon?" Lawrence asked.

Cassia slapped her forehead, groaning. "Right...we can't let you be seen." She dug through her bag, riffling through papers. "Um...you remember that Electabuzz and Machoke from before?"

"Yeah. What about them?" Lawrence asked uneasily. 'I don't like where this is going…'

"Well, those guys are nothing compared to Guild Pokémon. Those thugs are more bark than bite, but Guild Pokémon won't hesitate to rob you or kill you." She stopped looking into the bag. She took a quick glance at Grom, then pulled out a dull black rock, tied with a length of string. It had a series of random engravings, covered with a red powder.

She held it out to Lawrence. "Here. This is an...Illusion Stone."

Lawrence cocked his head curiously, accepting the rock. "An...Illusion Stone?"

"Put it around your neck...with your eyes closed. That's when it'll start working," Cassia directed. Lawrence, confused, did as she said. As soon as he felt the clink of the stone against his chest-spike, he felt a strong breeze blow against him.

He opened his eyes and studied himself. He didn't appear any different. "What was that supposed to do?"

Cassia walked down the hill toward the town. "You'll see. Just come down with me." Grom followed, staring at the Illusion Stone.

Lawrence held the stone up, eyeing it curiously. 'What's so special about this rock?'

He took the Pokédex out from its case, checking for a dimensional weakness. No luck.

He growled and put it away. 'Hopefully I'll find a way home soon…especially considering the religious nature of these Pokémon.' He watched them hurry down the hill and toward the town. 'They're nice enough, sure…but I don't want to be involved in what they believe.'

He walked down the hill, running to catch up with Cassia and Grom.