I think it's been almost three weeks since we left our home in Fogbound Forest. Currently, we're crossing over the beaches near Craggy Coast. It's rough terrain and it would've be easier to take the path through the mountains, but it would've been easier for our enemies to spot us as well. There would be nowhere to go to escape them except to push on through or backtrack, and no decent places to hide. Down here, although it would take far longer to move across, it had excellent cover and the availability to run off to find food more so than higher up near the peaks.

We've stopped to rest and make camp. Lira, having never seen the ocean before- neither of I, but it holds no amazement for me- has stripped free from her clothes to play in the shallows. I keep an eye on her since she's also never much had the chance to swim, and any time she goes deeper than I believe she should, I call her back. She's been listening to me more lately, staying by my side instead of straying away.

I can't stop thinking about what Dusknoir said. About her being a harbor of destruction. About her draining energy to store up power for her own use. About her trust and innocence being nothing more than a lie… That Pokemon knows how to play with minds and use words to his advantage, but by the slim chance that he's telling even the slightest truth, would Lira harm me?

If she did try that, what would I do? I'd like to think that I'd easily defeat her or maybe talk some sense into her, but I'd know it'd be futile. No amount of pleads spoken would deter her if that is her true nature. And I don't think I could ever bring myself to hurt her either. Not now.

Lira's laughing now. At what, I don't know, I'm so deep in my thoughts.

When she's older. When she can take care of herself- fight her own battles, get her own meals, perhaps someday decide to try to return to the other humans and find a mate. What then?

For her powers to work, unless she wishes to waste herself away, she needs a source of energy to feed from. It's not her fault; it's in her very nature and out of her control, but to gain her powers… She needs someone to love a creature like her.

How truly dark not just this world, but people and Pokemon can be? She doesn't know, does she?

"Grovyle!" she cheers, giggling. If she expects me to go into the water with her, she's mistaken. She'll probably regret it herself until we get a fire going. I look back, wondering what she wants me for.

Oh, Arceus… I think with a gulp. I'm frozen still by raw fear.

"I made a new friend!" Lira exclaims happily, fifteen feet above me.

By the shoreline, with Lira sitting atop his head, is a Gyarados.

It is with much convincing later that I discover the dual Water/Flying-type isn't our enemy, but more of a gentle giant of sorts. From what he says, he guards these waters from Pokemon who would harm the Magikarp that live here, who had little chance of defending themselves. At first, he was just as wary of me as I was of him, with me being a Grass-type. However, Lira's friendliness put those feelings to rest. I suppose he feels that if I care for her, and since she's kind-hearted, I must be as well.

He invites us to share a light meal under the safety of a hidden grotto. It's a strange mix of seaweed and other underwater and coastal plants I've never heard of. It's a taste one has to get used to- at least that's what I keep telling myself, but Lira and I politely keep quiet and continue eating.

Sometime later, Lira runs off to collect broken shells and play with the Magikarp that have bobbed to the surface to investigate the two of us. Meanwhile, before I can begin to bunker down, the Gyarados asks me something.

"If I'm not prying, what's your story?"

"Excuse me?"

"I'm curious. Pokemon around here are very rare, and a Pokemon watching after a human is unheard of. There haven't been many bonds like that for many years, not since I was a young."

I don't answer. Hoothoot's betrayal is still fresh on my mind and we knew him. We trusted him. To talk to a stranger of all of this…

"Then let me answer for you," he says, grinning and lowering his head to whisper to me, "You two are running from something or someone. Someone who wishes you harm. And you refuse to tell me because you're afraid of what I might do with that information, afraid of being back-stabbed… again." Seeing my eyes widen in shock, he lets out a loud, hearty laugh, "Grass-type, I have many, many years on me; enough to remember a time before the planet's paralysis, when the waves roared and crashed against the shoreline, sending droplets of water flying, shining in the air when they caught the sun's rays. I'm not some newborn who understands little of the world or the people that reside in it.

"But you have nothing to fear from me. The child means no ill will, I can tell just by a simple glance, and you mean no harm either, I would assume, as long as none comes to either of you. Let us be friends here."

Eventually, shockingly, I find myself breaking into a soft smile. And so I tell him about how I've been raising Lira, about Dialga wanting to capture her, and about the strange power she possess that neither of us have answers to. I admit my fear of Dusknoir's words and how Lira may not be the girl we both know.

But when I'm finished telling him all of this, he simply roars with laughter again. "What's so funny?" I question, my smile fading, raising a brow.

"My friend, this power you're referring to I know well. Not that I could use it, but it's been around since the beginning of life itself. You're talking about something called aura."

"Aura?" I've never heard of it.

"It's the life energy that surrounds all things. People and Pokemon who can use aura are few, but they are very powerful. However, the things Dusknoir told you are untrue. The only harm this child could ever be while using this power is to herself. It's unheard of for an aura user to absorb the life from other beings, however, they can transfer their own energy to others in order to heal and help."

I find myself able to breathe easier so suddenly. I'm glad to hear some good news for a change, but then something else comes to me. "What if she manages to kill herself while using her powers? She had no idea what they are or what she's doing!"

"I doubt you have much to worry about," he says, looking after to her, "Still, most of the time, users of aura don't even know their power until another user has found and trained them. This case is different, since she now is able to untap that energy despite her lack of knowledge about it. She must be powerful indeed to not only accomplish that, but for Dialga to send his men after her as well."

"So what can be done?" I have to control my voice so it doesn't seem like I'm begging.

"Hmmm…" he falls silent in thought for a moment before his eyes light up. "You know the resistance, right?"

I give a single nod. Who doesn't? While a small group, their name has been spread out all over the various regions just for the simple fact that they oppose Primal Dialga's rein openly. "What about them?"

"Their leader, so I've heard" he begins, his grin getting wider, "is a user of aura himself. And if he is the Pokemon many claim him to be, than he may be willing to train our human friend."

"How would you come by this?" I ask. The resistance protected its members dearly, especially those with significant rank. And now we were talking of someone right at the top. Their identities were kept secret in order to protect them and their families and friends from Dialga. Many of the typical, ordinary rebels didn't even know who they followed and only listened with faith in those people. It couldn't even be guessed what species a Pokemon of that much importance could be.

"From the heart of the resistance to the deepest depths of Dialga's ruined land, we seafarers have our ways of discovering many secrets."

"Why are you telling me this then? That information could do you a good deal if you gave it to someone like Dusknoir." I begin to grow wary. Who knew whose side he was on.

He chuckles, using his tail to pat me on the back with more force than I think he means to use. "You're a funny fellow. If I worked for Dialga, than that information would've been let out a good, long time ago and then where would the resistance be? Where would I be?"

I begin to piece together what he's telling me, and my caution vanishes. "So… that mean you're …"

"Part of the resistance as well," he finishes, a gleam in his eyes at my finally having reached this conclusion, as if he's been waiting for this, "Head of the Craggy Coast Interoceanic Reconnaissance Sector to be exact." Seeing me gape at him, he continues, laughing, "Though divided into fractions we are very few, we're larger in number than you would think.

"Head to Treasure Town," he points his tail off in one direction, "And there you should find who you are looking for, though it may take some searching. I do not receive orders or send information directly to him, as there are still others above even me. It's a start anyway."

I recall having been to Treasure Town once before, although I can't remember why or when. And I know someone there who could help us- a Toxicroak. While strange and mysterious, he is very knowledgeable. In fact, he is even one of the few people who can tell the passing of time despite the planet's paralysis.

"Right now, you must rest," Gyarados says, "Your journey has been long and hard, and I sense it's not going to get easier so soon."