After asking some people around town what had been happening, I quickly made my way back to Sharpedo Bluff, being careful not to be recognised. Then, as I set foot the steps, I heard Yuuki talking.

"But, you know. You need to look out for your friends, and that's what I'm gonna do. For both of you." I paused for a second, smiling. Gosh he was wonderful… I already knew he stood up for his friends – He'd done it for me enough times for me to figure that out – but to hear him say it so plainly and so confidently… He really was amazing. I took a moment to daydream, but then quickly composed myself and walked down the steps. Yuuki noticed me straight away.

"Tycho!" He said happily as I entered the room. "How'd it go? You okay?" He asked. I nodded, smiling at him.

"I think it went well. I don't think anyone recognised me either." I answered him.

"That's good." Grovyle responded. "So, what's the word?" I paused, uncertain how to say it.

"It doesn't sound good." I said, concern now evident in my voice. "The Time Gears were taken back to their original places, but time there didn't start up again and… It's spreading…" I said. They both looked shocked.

"Damn… That can't be good…" Yuuki said, the worry in his voice mirroring that in mine. "What does that mean, Grovyle?"

"If time's stopping… that must mean Temporal Tower is collapsing…" Grovyle answered.

"Temporal Tower?" I asked.

"Temporal Tower is the home of Dialga. It's tied to him. When Temporal Tower collapses, so does Dialga's state of mind." He explained.

"And when Dialga loses his mind, that's when time stops, right? And Dialga becomes… What we saw in the future?" Yuuki asked. Grovyle nodded.

"That's right, Primal Dialga." He paused. "If Temporal Tower is collapsing now… Then the planet's paralysis is starting." I gasped and that, and Yuuki looked afraid too.

"We need to hurry then!" I said.

"Yeah. What do we need to do?" Yuuki said, looking serious. Grovyle seemed glad to cut to the chase.

"There are two things we need to do. Firstly, we need to collect the Time Gears, and secondly, we need to set them in place at Temporal Tower."

"How do we… Get there?" I asked, hoping the answer wasn't staring me in the face.

"That's the problem. Temporal Tower is in a place called the Hidden Land. As you might be able to guess, no one knows where that is." He responded, now looking uncertain himself. It did seem daunting, but…

"So we'll find that out then." Yuuki said, a confidence in his voice that I couldn't help but smile at. Grovyle smiled as well.

"Sounds like a plan." He said. "Now, since there are two things we have to do, I was thinking maybe we could split up. I could gather up the Time Gears, and you two try to find out about the Hidden Land."

"Sounds good to me." Yuuki said. "Fine with you, Tycho?" He looked at me, and our eyes met. Yuuki had that kind smile on his face again, and I suddenly realised that if it were just him and I… That could be the perfect chance to tell him how I felt, as well. I nodded.

"Of course!"

"That's decided then." Grovyle said. "I'm sorry I can't be more help with the Hidden Land. It could be almost anywhere…" Yuuki still looked determined.

"We'll find it, Grovyle. Don't worry." He said. Grovyle smiled again, and I recognised the look of pride in his eyes before he turned to leave.

"I'll go gather the Time Gears then. Good luck, you two." He said as he turned back to us.

"Thanks, Grovyle. Good luck to you too." Yuuki said, before Grovyle left.

There was a pause. I was suddenly quite aware of how quiet I had been.

"So we need to find the Hidden Land, huh?" I said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah…" Yuuki said, sounding unsure. Another pause. "Tycho?"

"Yeah?"" I said. The way he said that… He was worried about something.

"This is going to be kind of dangerous… Are you… Sure you're okay with doing this?" He asked, once again looking me in the eyes. There was something there… Like he was… Pleading for something.

"Yes." My answer came straight away. He seemed surprised by that, but his lips curled into a smile as soon as soon as I said it. The question worried me, like he… Didn't want me to be there. The thought was unbearable to me. I took each of his hands in my own, ignoring the butterflies that gave me for the moment, and kept gazing into his eyes, a determined look on my face. "I know it's dangerous, and that's exactly why you're not doing it alone. We're a team Yuuki and… You're really important to me." I had to pause for breath, my determined look no doubt fading to a pleading one as I finished. "Please… Let me help."

Yuuki's smile was joined by a blush as I talked, but that smile suddenly disappeared with those last four words. "Tycho…" He said, giving my hands a squeeze. The way he said that made the butterflies come rushing back. Why did he have to be so gorgeous… Just as I thought that, he suddenly pulled me into a hug. It startled me, but I gratefully returned it, unsure what it meant just yet. "Of course… Of course you can!" He said, a slight quiver in his voice. "I'm… Really glad, actually…" He said, parting from the hug. "I just… You know… Don't want you to get hurt…" I didn't often see him flustered like this, but as cute as it was, I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yuuki…" I began, still holding his hands. "I don't want you to get hurt either, so I'm coming, okay?" I said, a happy smile on my face. Yuuki's first response was to hug me again.

"Thank you." He whispered into my ear, and I could hear the sincerity being it. "You're… A really great partner, Tycho." Another pause, and he pulled back to look me in the eyes again. He was still blushing… "And you're really important to me, too." I pulled him back into the hug, and held him there for a while, just savouring the feeling of his fur against my scales.

"Thank you Yuuki." I said, just as he did, and just as sincerely. He rubbed my back affectionately, and I leaned into him. That felt good…

We stayed like that for another minute before parting. We were both blushing messes, but Yuuki quickly composed himself.

"So… The Hidden Land… Any ideas on how to find it?" He asked, a light blush still on his face. I paused for a second to think

"I don't… Think so." I conceded.

"Yeah, me neither." Yuuki said, and we both laughed. We didn't exactly have much to go on… "Uh… Well… Grovyle said it could be anywhere, so maybe it's not even on this continent…" He said with a frown. That was a problem.

"Yeah… and if it hasn't been discovered yet, maybe it's somewhere really out of the way… A small island, or something." I suggested. Yuuki turned to me with a smile.

"That sounds good! Although I suppose we'd need a way to cross the sea if we're looking for islands…"

"Yeah…" I said. Yuuki thought for a moment again.

"Maybe we should think about that then. Should we head to the beach?" He said. I smiled, always happy to go to there with him.

"Good idea." I replied.

Authors Note:

Bit more narrative heavy this time. Sorry about that! Still, hoping that sweet moment at the end makes up for it! I always thought that, with the Hero being kind of protective of the Partner, they must have been a bit worried about the Partner helping with such a dangerous task. Not that Tycho isn't tough, and not that Yuuki doesn't know that, just... Y'know... Protectiveness!