"Mummy, Mummy," whispered Ada, gently shaking Sabina, "Mummy, Daddy's gone mad!"
Sabina's eyes fluttered open. Slowly registering what Ada said, she started to sit up.
"Oh, no," she said. "Ada, were his eyes not quite right?"
"They're normally blue and shiny, but they were glassy and murky. And he was really mean to me! He wouldn't listen to a word I said…"
"Stay here, Ada. To keep you safe, I'm going to tell you what I told Daddy. You see, the baby has sent me a vision…" Sabina told her daughter the full story of what happened before she was born and of both visions.
"… and I fear it's already started."
"Mummy, what do we do?"
"We need to pretend that everything is fine. Daddy can't know that we know what we know. It's going to be very dangerous for us during the next few years. Ada, do you know when the moon will cover the sun next?"
"No…"
"Judging from the timing of my visions, I think it would be another six years."
"Why do you need to know?"
"Because that is when Arceus will come." The statement hung in the air like a bad smell that refuses to dissipate.
"So that is six years of pretending! But the more we do nothing about this, the more danger Arceus will be in! Pretending won't be enough to save Arceus and Daddy!"
"When Arceus comes, it will be hurt. But if we don't pretend, we will also be hurt, as will your younger sibling. Ada, listen to me. This is only just the beginning. When the shrine is built and finished and we're living there, you are going to work there. It's the only way I know you'll be safe."
So the two of them pretended. Pretended that there was a distant relative staying with them for goodness knows how long. Pretended this to their friends. Pretended this to their family. Thankfully Ada could tell someone.
The more Ada thought about who to tell, the more it became apparent that she should try contacting Arceus.
'Arceus, please, we need you,' she called, after speaking the incantation. 'It's been two years. I need to talk with you.'
'Ada, what's wrong?' it answered.
'Daddy's been hypnotised. By a man named Marcus. Marcus wants the Jewel for himself!'
'How do you know about the Jewel of Life, Ada?'
'I saw Daddy use it one night. The Jewel lit up and it was brighter than the moon!'
'Ada, let me ask you a serious question. What do you believe about the Jewel?'
Ada thought about this for a moment. 'I guess I believe that you got us started again by giving it to us. That's it.'
'That's a good answer. Thank you.'
'That's alright.' Ada severed the connection.