Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.


When Mira and Julia exited the ferry, the sun was already setting. It glowed a radiant red, mixed in with a creamy orange yet Mira still smelled the foul smoke from the eruption lingering in the atmosphere. Mira and Julia didn't have much time to start searching, but they did as much as possible in the given time before the stars lit up the sky.

However, when they entered the Pokemon center, they were surprised to see people laying on the couches, with Chanseys tending to their various wounds. Mira and Julia approached the front desk, where Nurse Joy was talking on a small phone; unlike the normal ones with large screens, this one did not have a monitor.

"Okay, yes that's correct. We need that medicine delivered here immediately...alright, that's fine...an hour!? Okay, if that's the best you can handle...bye."

Nurse Joy stumbled with the phone before putting it back on her desk. Mira sensed that she was probably stressed out and more anxious than usual.

"Okay, I'm sorry. We really don't have any more room in the Pokemon Center. There isn't a hospital in the area, so everyone was sent here. All of our rooms are full, the lobby is reserved for patients needing immediate attention, the cafeteria has been shut down for other patients..."

However, while she was still talking, Julia slipped her hand into her pants pocket, and pulled out a rectangular, blue card. Mira assumed that it was some piece of identification, because she presented it to the nurse and she stopped talking.

"Oh...oh my, I'm sorry...I-I...umm, we only have one room left reserved for authority at the moment, and it only has a single bed. All blankets, sleeping bags, pillows and such are being used out here right now. I'm sorry, but your friend will have to sleep on the floor or something."

Julia was obviously going to object, and find somewhere else to sleep, but before she could do anything, Mira blurted out, "Okay, thank you; that's fine."

Julia looked down at her and stared, by the young trainer simply smiled at her, and then turned back to Nurse Joy. "If the cafeteria is closed, then where do we eat?"

"I'm sorry, but the Pokemon Center is out of food; accommodations today have been ten times the normal amount. However, if you have Pokemon with you, which I'm guessing you do, then we can have Pokechow delivered to the room shortly. We only have a bit left though...probably enough or just one or two Pokemon..."

"That's fine; better than nothing, right Julia?"

"Ummm..." she replied, "yeah, I guess..." She grabbed Mira's hand. "We'd like the key now then." Nurse Joy handed it over to her, and Julia quickly pulled Mira down the halls. When they got into their room, she started scolding the girl.

"What do you mean you're going to sleep on the floor!? You're not thinking..."

"Yes, of course that's what I'm thinking! I won't need any pillows or blankets; my fur is warm enough, and I can always sleep with my head on top of my tail."

"I won't treat you like a Pokemon."

"You're not doing anything wrong; I'm the one who's doing this to myself. If it's really that important to you, I'll use my clothes as a miniature mattress."

"Alright, fine...and you're probably going to eat all of that Pokechow yourself, right?"

"Yep! You know, the Pokemon Center's Pokechow is pretty good."

A steady silence lingered in the room, until it was interrupted by a knock on the door. Julia opened it, and a Chansey was at the door with a small bag of Pokechow and a food dish.

"Special delivery!" it cried.

Julia took it, and the Pokemon ran off. However, when she turned around, Mira was no longer there. Suddenly, a scratching came from the bathroom door; Julia opened it, and on the floor was a Flareon, carrying a number of clothes in her mouth. She walked out of the room and put the pile of clothes on the ground. However, when the Pokemon noticed the bag of food, she tore the top off, and greedily plunged her head in and started eating.


It was early morning when a hiker was adventuring in the once-dense forests surrounding Mt. Ember's base, shocked at how much damage the eruption had down. He wandered around a bit more before deciding to leave, but as he was returning back to the town, he stepped on something: something soft. He jumped back in surprise, and aimed his flashlight down on the ground. Laying there motionlessly was a young boy with brown hair.


Mira and Julia were in the Pokemon Center's main lobby, checking out before searching for Mark and Ryan again. However, Mira noticed something...it was a siren...it was pretty far away...but it was becoming increasingly louder...the noise was coming closer...

Suddenly, a pair of Chansey carrying a stretcher entered the Pokemon Center, and an unconscious Pokemon trainer was in it. He has messy brown hair, and his clothes and face were covered with dirt.

"MARK!!!" Mira cried.

Mira did not pay attention to the events that followed; Mark was carried away to an ER room, and Nurse Joy inspected him. Now, Mira was sitting in a chair next to his bed, waiting for his body to start moving again. Her face was covered with tears; Nurse Joy said that he got a major bump on his head, which was probably what knocked him out...she also said that he might have suffered brain damage or memory loss if the hit was severe enough, but nothing was certain until he woke up. Julia was sitting in another chair, a bit farther away from Mark, knowing that Mira was emotionally hurt regarding what had just happened. Dewdrop and Sunrise were sitting on the ground next to Mira, and Sparky, who had appeared from the shadows when Mark entered the Pokemon Center, was sitting in his sister's lap.

It was not long after that Mark moved an inch or so, and started groaning.

"M-Mark?"

"...Mira?..." he murmured.

"Mark, it's me; I'm here!"

His eyes slowly opened. "Mira?"

She put her hand on his, and the turned his head at her.

"Are you okay, Mark?"

"I think so..."

Suddenly she burst into tears. "Oh, Mark! I was so scared. Julia and I were looking for you, but the volcano erupted and we thought that we were going to die, and I was so worried about you, and when we didn't find you in the town, I was even more worried, and then you were carried in here, and Nurse Joy said that you might have suffered brain damage, and...I thought that you were going to die!!!"

Mark sat up straight. "Look, Mira, I'm fine! No brain damage! I'm still alive, aren't I? Now, what happened? Did you win?"

Mira smiled. "Yeah..."

Mira spent most of the day telling Mark what happened, and Julia introduced herself as well. However, when Mira finished, she had a few questions of her own.

"Mark...what happened to you, and where's Ryan and Sarah?"

"Umm...nothing that important. We didn't find Shadow..."

However, something strange just happened. Mira felt something warm up on her chest...it was the Magatama...suddenly, everything around her became slightly darker, and without notice strange, metal chains appeared out of nowhere, and crossed themselves in front of Mark. A mysterious lock appeared where all of the chains met; it had a decorative design to it, but something about it...felt really wrong.

Mira screamed.

"What's wrong!? Mira!?"

Julia was worried as well, and grabbed her arm and shook it. The chains disappeared, and everything seemed much brighter again; she was just brought back to reality.

"Ummm...yeah, I'm okay," replied a very nervous and awkward Mira.

Suddenly a voice appeared in her head; it belonged to Dewdrop.

Mira, based on your reaction, I'm assuming that you saw that. I saw it as well; it's what I see every time I try to read somebody's mind, but their secrets are too close to their heart to be released. In other words, Mark is hiding something from us. It's obviously not too big of a secret, since there's only one lock. Now, I need you to do this...reach down and grab the Magatama, and then yell "Take that!" Don't bother if you don't want to know the secret though, or it'll be like an empty promise. Don't worry, though, because I'll be able to give you advice if you chose to use the pendant.

Mira gulped. Here goes nothing...

Mira grabbed the pendant, and it started glowing an even brighter red than before. "Take that!"

It all returned...the darkness...the chains...that stupid lock...

"Mark...I need you to explain what happened while I was gone."

"I already said that it wasn't really anything important...Ryan and I didn't find Shadow. We searched, but we failed."

"No, Mark...you're hiding something...from me, Mark...I told you a truthful story, so tell me yours."

"Ryan and I were searching together, until around mid-day. After that, he chose to split up...I think..."

There was a deadly silence lingering in the air...

"I...I don't remember what happened. I got hit on the head, and I don't remember anything that happened that day when you weren't with us..."

"Hold it!"

Mark nearly jumped off the bed, and Dewdrop's voice returned:

He just screwed up. He made a big contradiction in his logic. That's your chance!

"Mark," said Mira, "You said that this all happened while I was gone, but that was a single day. Just now, you said that you didn't remember anything that happened that day; in other words, you were lying to me. You said that you split up, but how do you know? You said that you didn't find Shadow, but how do you know? Also, what about Sarah? Did she leave the group? How come she wasn't with you? You know why? Everything that you just told me was a lie.

"I...I..."

Suddenly the lock shattered, and the chains retracted to wherever they came from. The darkness faded, and Mark was crying.

"Mira...I'm sorry...I didn't want to tell you..."

"Mark, why were you lying?"

"I...I was scared...I'll tell you now...

Ryan, Sarah, and I went up to Mt.Ember's peak, where we found Shadow. He captured Sarah, and Ryan fought him. Shadow blurted out some crazy plans about world domination, Pokemon hybrids, and something called Shadow Pokemon...he beat Ryan...after that, a huge airship flew overtop the mountain, and it used mechanic arms to pick up Sarah, Shadow, Ryan, and me as well, but as I was being pulled onboard, I released your brother, in case you came...which you did...Shadow looked at all of my Pokemon, and said that they were all pathetic, so he returned them to me, but then hit me on the back of my head. After that, I don't remember anything else..."

"...Pokemon hybrids? Is this what this is all about? I don't think so..."

"What do you mean?" asked Julia.

"I bet that Shadow was lying...or at least not telling us everything...I think that his plans go farther than just Pokemon hybrids and Shadow Pokemon...what are Shadow Pokemon anyways?"

"I'm not sure..." replied Mark.

However, Julia was frowning as if she knew something.

"I heard about them once, but nothing specific...they apparently caused two really major events in the Orre Region, and were created by some kind of organization similar to Team Rocket...that's all I've heard."

"You did well, sis," said Dewdrop.

"Thanks..." She turned to Mark. "Do you know where Shadow might have went?"

"No...I wish that I did though..."

"Well..." said Julia, "He'd probably go to some kind of headquarters, right? Well, I know a bit about Team Rocket, being connected to the Elite Four for so long, and I am aware of these Team Rocket hideouts:

There's one hidden in Celadon City's Game Corner.

There's a warehouse somewhere in the Sevii Islands, but I heard that somebody found it, and everyone was arrested.

There was one in Viridian City Gym's basement, but it was apparently removed when Giovanni resigned as Gym Leader."

"Wait," said Mira, "Giovanni used to be Gym Leader before my dad!?"

"Yes...it's true; nobody knew that he was the leader of Team Rocket, until somebody found out and made him resign. However, that hideout should have been cleared out, and the entrances were supposed to have been blocked out...actually, I don't think that he would go to any of these, since so many people know about them. For all we know, he could be heading to a hideout in another region. After all, he isn't really Team Rocket anymore, now that Giovanni's gone..."

"Well where do we go now?"

Suddenly, Mira's pocket started glowing.

"THE CARD!!!" yelled Dewdrop, "IT'S ATTRACTING HUGE AMOUNTS OF PSYCHIC ENERGY!"

Mira pulled it out, and it stopped glowing. However, its original saying disappeared; instead, one side was blank, while the other had a picture on it.

"What is this?" asked Mira, and everyone crowded around her.

"Wait a sec," said Julia, "That's a picture of Seven Island!"

"What does that mean?" questioned Mark, "Are we supposed to go there?"

"I guess," said Mira, putting the card back in her pocket, "It's the only lead we have left.


Location: Seafoam Islands

I was sitting on a large rock nearby the Seafoam Islands, as the ocean wind blew against my face. I just finished my last investigation, confirming my claim; these three events are linked to the disappearance of their guardians, the three Legendary Birds. However, I know that he was responsible for this...but why? Why is he doing this? That question has been with me for so long now...it's almost as if there's no confirmed answer.

I am certain of these facts:

1. He is responsible for all of this.

2. These three events are linked together.

3. These three events all have to do with Aura.

4. These Aura changes occurred in a very short period of time, and all started and finished at the same time.

5. The world's True Balance is being destroyed.

6. Space and Time are at risk.

7. Arceus is defenceless.

8. The sword is not simply a weapon.

I pulled out the card form my pocket.

Mira Ketchum is going to need help...because she isn't prepared for what is going to come...I guess I'm going to have to meet up with her after all...


Well, this is my longest chapter ever! That little Magatama thing will not be the only one of it's kind, because that is the only way that Mira will ever find out the dark secrets that this story has to hide. Anyways, these little sections about the new character shall no longer be included once he makes his appearance, which will most likely be in the next chapter. That's also why I put more spoilers in this one than I normally would.

By the way, there's a new section at the bottom of my profile, which I'd like everyone to read. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter; it will probably be the last one before school starts again.