Sorry for the long wait. I've finally taken care of that pesky Writer's Block! Enjoy a really long chapter!

Chapter Thirteen: Prophetic

The sky had been clear for a very long time. The six Pokémon sped through the forest in a blur. Sage carried both Pikachu on her back, Orion had Meowth on his back, and Mewtwo flew a few feet above them, his brown cloak flapping in the wind. They'd easily gone a few miles in their short flight.

"We should take a short break soon," Sage said. "Meowth is starting to look a little green."

"Let's stop here," Orion said immediately.

Sage almost laughed. Pikachu and Topaz leapt off her back when they came to a stop. Orion nearly dropped Meowth when he put him on a nearby small boulder.

"Motion sick much, Meowth?" Sage asked.

"I don't usually go dat fast," Meowth moaned.

Orion quickly scaled a nearby tree to scan their surroundings.

"How far are we now, Orion?" Sage called up as Mewtwo landed nearby.

Orion slid down the tree with a disappointed look on his face.

"We're much farther into the forest than when we started," he said. "They must have dragged us several miles to that lab when they caught us."

Sage was distraught.

"Then it may take days?" she asked. "Even at the rate we're going?!"

"Maybe," Orion told her.

"More running?!" Meowth cried.

"Pika," Pikachu said, downcast.

They were suddenly distracted by a strong wind blowing to the north. They all looked west and saw huge, dark clouds a distance away.

"We should find shelter!" Orion told everyone.

"No, we don't," Sage said calmly. "It won't reach us."

"How do you know?" Orion asked. "I thought the winter storms in Kaeta were unpredictable."

"The freak storms are," Sage told him. "This is a bigger storm. It doesn't form as fast as the storms we've seen lately and it doesn't travel as fast. It won't reach us because it's traveling north, with the wind. If the wind does change, we will have plenty of time to find shelter."

"You seem to be very knowledgeable about these storms," Mewtwo said. "I find it hard to believe that you had the time to study them while being the princess's Pokémon."

"Zaela and I often take Avery and Aera on flights in our spare time," Sage answered. "Even in the winter. So, of course, we'd need to watch the weather patterns."

"Avery and Aera?" Orion asked.

"Staraptor and Swellow," Sage said. "Respectively."

Everyone grew incredibly quiet when someone's stomach growled loudly. They all looked at Topaz.

"Well," Sage began, "I think someone's hungry."

"Piii," Topaz said bashfully.

"Is anyone else hungry?" Sage asked. "I can go look for something to eat, since we can't just walk through that storm unscathed."

"Maybe I should come, too," Orion suggested. "No one should be on their own out here."

"I sense edible herbs nearby," Mewtwo told them. "Although, I cannot guarantee that they will be pleasant-tasting."

"Thank you, Mewtwo," Sage said. "Where would they be?"

"Roughly five meters to your left," Mewtwo answered.

"We'll be back soon," Sage told everyone.

"Five meters," Orion mumbled, swatting away a prickly bush branch. "Who talks that way anyway?"

"Many thousands of people and Pokémon," Sage said simply. "It's roughly calculated as sixteen feet and almost five inches. Is that better for you?"

Orion didn't know if she was being either kind or sarcastic. But he chose the former and let it be.

They both were silent for a few minutes. It began to feel awkward to Orion, so he decided to strike up a conversation.

"So, the castle," he began. "Has anything exciting happened there?"

"Oh, not really," Sage answered mundanely.

Then she stopped as she remembered something. She giggled a little.

"Well, there was one thing," she said, continuing to walk. "It was a nice spring day, but Zaela was very busy. I had spent a few days sick in bed and, not being able to run in the morning with her, I got impatient and began running laps around the castle. All that day, I ran, stopping only for meals. Miss Khilos kept complaining, but how would she or the guards, if they decided to help, catch me? I finally stopped in the late evening, when Zaela called me in. I passed out on her bed not an hour later and didn't wake until late the next morning."

"Really?" Orion asked. "How red did Khilos turn?"

"Very," Sage told him. "Dr. Rainer was worried that she'd get heat stroke from running around and yelling at me outside."

The two laughed for a short while.

"Any other remarkable achievements?" Orion asked.

"With the castle or life?" Sage asked. "Life is more exciting."

"It's your choice," Orion told her.

"Let's see," Sage began. "I hold the record for our species of youngest evolution."

"You do?" Orion asked. "How old were you?"

"Two months," Sage answered.

Orion tripped and recovered quickly.

"You were two months old?" he asked. "I thought the youngest was five months!"

"I don't think I could help it," Sage continued. "Most Pokémon can't tell exactly when they'll evolve."

"I guess not," Orion said.

Sage nodded. They both fell silent again. Orion felt courage rising up within him. He decided now was the time to tell her.

"You may not have realized," he told her. "We have met. Before the festival."

"We have?" Sage asked. "When?"

"A little over three years ago," Orion said, "at Sunyshore."

Sage was shocked.

"I don't remember you there," she said. "All I remember is that Kodi almost sent Zaela home early."

"But do you remember why he became distracted?" Orion asked.

Sage thought for a moment.

"Not really," she said. "What happened?"

"His Riolu evolved," Orion said simply.

Sage's eyes widened.

"You evolved?" she asked. "Why?"

"Most would say that it was a random occurrence," Orion started. "But only I can say what really happened. You may not have seen me, but I saw you."

Sage felt her heart swell.

"You... saw me?" she asked quietly. "This made you evolve?"

"Yes," Orion told her. "What I remember is that I saw you, then my surroundings lit up, and then you were gone."

Sage almost couldn't talk. This was so sweet that she started to feel tears well up.

"It must have been so hard," she said. "You evolved for me, and then I had just disappeared as if I were never really there."

"It was," Orion continued, "until I found a flyer with you and Zaela on it three months ago. I couldn't waste the opportunity, so I showed it to Kodi. He was more than happy to go."

Sage had to smile.

"I would believe so," she said.

She wiped the tears away from her eyes. As she did so, Orion noticed a peculiar bush. He remembered his life before Kodi had caught him. This was a bush very similar to a bush with the leaves he had once eaten. It was bitter, but it wasn't poisonous.

"Do you think this was what Mewtwo was talking about?" he asked.

When Sage's eyes were clear, she glanced at it.

"This must be it," she said, rushing to it. "It's found everywhere, and most wild Pokémon often feed on it during the winter. Oh. But you must have known that."

Orion simply nodded and helped her pick some of the leaves.

"It's 'bout time!" Meowth cried. "Wait a sec. What is that?"

"It's lunch," Orion told him. "Eat up. We won't likely find berries outside of Legend Falls in this part of winter."

"The ones we will find would likely be rotting," Sage said. "So think of it this way: bitter leaves or disgusting syrup."

Topaz immediately took the leaves she was offered. She gagged as soon as she put them in her mouth and chewed and swallowed with difficulty.

Sage shuddered after she swallowed her leaves.

"Ugh," she said. "Terrible aftertaste. At least it will keep us awake while we travel, rather than freeze to death."

"Now I don't know," Orion struggled to say. "I may prefer the disgusting syrup."

"Pitiful," Mewtwo said almost out of earshot. "If they had continually eaten such bitter things, they would not be complaining."

"Says the one who probably ate it for all the winters he's been alive," Orion called, a little peeved. "It would likely take me two full years of eating this daily to get me used to it."

"Stop complaining, Orion," Sage said with a slight smile. "He has a point."

She stood up.

"Is everyone else ready to leave?" she asked. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll get back to the castle."

"And the sooner we can stop eating these leaves," Orion growled.

Sage laughed at his remark. She took a step toward the two Pikachu and felt the ground crumble under her. With a cry, she fell a few feet and landed in a heap.

"Sage!" Orion cried, he and the others rushing forward to where she disappeared. "Are you okay?!"

Sage stood up and brushed herself off.

"I'm fine!" she called. "I didn't get hurt!"

She was about to leap up to the others, but stopped. She turned toward a darker, more open area. As if she were hypnotized, she took a few steps forward.

"What are you doing?" Orion called down to her.

No response. Orion jumped down to her.

"What are you doing?" Orion asked again. "Let's go back up."

"I can't," Sage told him. "I sense something. It's beckoning to me."

"Dat ain't a good sign," Meowth piped up.

Mewtwo jumped down into the hole and looked around.

"There is an ancient sense to this place," he said. "It is almost the same as what is felt at Spear Pillar."

"What do you mean by that?" Orion asked.

Then he noticed glyphs lining the walls of the somewhat large room Sage had gone into. They were all difficult to see because of the lack of light.

Orion examined a glyph closely.

"These glyphs can easily be more than two thousand years old," Mewtwo said.

"Can you read any of them?" Orion asked.

"I would be fortunate to guess one," Mewtwo answered.

"'Ancient time... after time's beginning...'"

Orion and Mewtwo looked at Sage in surprise. She was scanning the walls with extreme interest.

"You can read this?" Orion asked.

Sage turned to look at him as if she were surprised he was there.

"Yes," she told him. "I can read this as if it were written yesterday."

"Pii?" Topaz squeaked, leaping into the hole with Pikachu.

"I understand that she has not done this before," Mewtwo said.

"Pi pika!" Topaz answered.

"Can you read more?" Orion asked Sage.

"It may be a little difficult because of the condition of some of the glyphs," Sage told him, "and it's too dark to see some of them."

Nearly everyone cringed as the room suddenly lit up.

"Thank you, Topaz," Sage said as she regained her sight.

She turned to the glyphs and read them, touching them with her paw as she did so.

"'... ancient time... after time's beginning... dark rage fills world...'"

"Sounds kinda like what's happening now!" Meowth said, staying above ground.

Sage continued.

"'... light... banished... decline to extinction...'"

Topaz shivered. Everyone looked worried.

"'... pure maiden... at side... greatest light known by man... consuming darkness... shade remain...'"

"What does that mean?" Orion asked.

"We may be missing more of this story," Mewtwo told him. "Many of these glyphs are damaged beyond repair."

But Sage continued to read.

"'... world filled with light and dark... tale is passed...'"

"Does that mean this story is passed down?" Orion asked. "By who?"

"'... shall come... great darkness... maiden... guardian...'"

Sage said the last word as she barely touched the glyph for "Guardian". The glyph suddenly glowed with a pale blue light. Sage took her paw off the wall and jumped away as the light began to spread to the surrounding glyphs.

"Oh!" Sage cried. "What's happening?!"

Meowth ducked away and the two Pikachu leapt for the surface. The room was lit, but no longer by Topaz's light. The strange light spread to chiseled cracks on the floor and straight for Sage. But the Lucario leapt backward until the light was diverted. It filled the cracks on the floor that circled her and kept spreading along the floor and to the other walls. Orion tried to run for Sage, but Mewtwo pulled him back to keep him from stepping on a lit crack. No one knew what could happen.

There were seven other circular tiles similar to the one Sage stood on. When the room stopped lighting up, small balls of light rose from the seven round tiles and hovered in place for a second. Then, these balls expanded into the images of seven Lucario. Each looked directly at Sage.

"Ye of the purging flame of truth,
Bonded to the ever-strong branch of trust.
Ye of times long past, ye born of two times, hear our plea:
A terror of the future, darkened is the light.
Coming is a time of destruction,
A time when none may deliver.
When none may deliver but one.
Ye of the purging flame of truth,
Let thy flame banish the darkness.
From ashes reborn is an ember of hope.
But be ye warned:
To give thy flame as light, ye will lose something of thyself as well.
Be ye warned, as ye will lose a prized treasure.
Only ye may provide hope.
Ye of the purging flame of truth,
Bonded to the ever-strong branch of trust,
Ye of times long past, ye born of two times, hear our plea.
Rescue all from the terror of despair.
Bring forth thy light."

When the seven Lucario finished speaking, they bowed to Sage and seemed to fade away. The strange lights dimmed until the room was dark again. Sage looked around nervously.

"What... what was that?" she asked.

"I don't know," Orion replied cautiously.

Then Sage noticed Mewtwo's expression. He was completely pale and his eyes were wide. It was as if he'd suddenly come to a complete understanding of what happened.

"We must leave," he told them suddenly. "Now!"

Sage suddenly found herself out of the hidden room and felt as if she'd been dragged out of there.

"Mewtwo!" she cried. "What's wrong?"

"Do you not understand what those Lucario said?" Mewtwo demanded.

"Not really," Sage said. "It sounded like a prophesy."

"It was a prophesy!" Mewtwo told her. "It is a prophesy similar to the stories I have heard from the more ancient Legends! We must leave quickly!"

Sage hesitated for only enough time for the two Pikachu to get on her back. Orion grabbed Meowth and they started running toward the castle.

"But what does it mean?" Sage cried, keeping up with Mewtwo. "I don't understand!"

"Do you think it has to do with Sage?" Orion shouted. "It could be foretelling about someone else!"

"Sage could read the two thousand year old glyphs!" Mewtwo barked. "I understand that she is born of two times! The prophesy was foretelling of her arrival three years ago!"

"What?!" Sage cried. "Born of two times? How are you so sure?!"

"Her knowledge of those glyphs could be just a coincidence!" Orion shouted. "Anyone of our species could be able to read those glyphs!"

"Could you read them?" Mewtwo demanded.

That question silenced Orion.

"Sage must return to the castle before -!" Mewtwo continued.

He suddenly stopped rushing forward. There was a swish of his cloak and a Hyper Beam was deflected into the sky.

The two Lucario stopped just as quickly. Dark figures appeared at a frightening speed.

"The Dusk Pokémon!" Sage cried. "They've found us!"

"Continue to the castle!" Mewtwo barked, casting a Shadow Ball at the Dusk Pokémon in their way. "I will follow! Go now!"

The two Lucario ran for the break in formation and fled as fast as they could.

"ZZZZT!" "MAGNETON!" "MAGNEZONE!"

"WAAAAH!" Meowth cried. "We got trouble!"

Orion and Sage looked back to see hordes of Magnemite and Magneton, led by a few Magnezone. They were all sparking, charging to attack.

"Bone Rush! Quickly!" Sage cried.

She summoned a Bone Rush and clutched it like a lifeline. Orion tried to do the same, but nothing happened.

"What?!" Orion cried.

He and Meowth received a powerful Thunder, but Orion remained standing, dazed.

"What happened?!" Sage cried, throwing her Bone Rush and leaving it to ricochet off of their hovering enemies. "Why didn't you use Bone Rush?!"

"I... I don't know," Orion said, coming back to his senses. "I think I forgot it. I forgot Bone Rush..."

They suddenly found themselves surrounded again by diverse Dusk Pokémon. Pikachu and Topaz suddenly leapt into the air and linked tails.

"PI...KAA...CHUUUUU!" they cried, loosing a powerful electric attack that pushed their enemies back and left them temporarily paralyzed.

"Ka!" Topaz cried, she and her mate landing back on Sage.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried.

"Let's go!" Sage cried.

They continued their flight at incredible speed. They came to a stop at a break in the forest. There was a very wide dirt path that continued on to the north and to the south for as far as they could see.

"Great," Sage groaned to herself. "Now I know exactly how far from the castle we are."

"Pika," Topaz squeaked.

"Come on!" Orion ordered. "We need to keep moving!"

They ran for the other edge of the path and stopped in their tracks. Dusk Pokémon jumped out of the bushes, dropped out of the trees and sky, and popped out of holes in the ground. Others simply ran up to cut off their escape.

"Watch out!" Sage cried.

She and Orion stopped at the very center of the long, wide path. They looked around hopelessly at how many of their enemies there were.

A Dusk Magmar stepped forward and shot a Fire Blast at the small group. Orion put himself between the attack and his friends to shield them. But there was a sudden gust of wind and they found Mewtwo right in front of them, redirecting the attack at the other Dusk Pokémon. When the attack was over, the Dusk Pokémon pushed forward.

"Don't worry," Orion said to the others. "If we can find a weak point in their lines, we can-!"

He suddenly cried out in pain and put a paw up to the back of his neck. Meowth landed on the ground, surprised by Orion's sudden movement.

"Orion!" Sage cried. "What's wrong?!"

Nothing happened for a small moment. Then purple electricity began to come off Orion as he acted like he was being shocked. Everyone gazed in fear at him, but then became distracted when Pikachu fell off Sage's back. He seemed to be reacting to the same pain. Then Meowth acted as if he were suffering in the same way. Mewtwo grew extremely uneasy as he noticed that the Dusk Pokémon stopped their advance.

Sage only dared to approach Orion when the sparking stopped. She inched forward and put a paw on his shoulder.

"O-Orion?" she began. "A-are you... are you okay?"

Orion suddenly looked at her. His pupils were very small and he stared at her blankly, the feeling of malice coming off him. Sage yelped and jumped back. Topaz promptly backed into her, making the Lucario see Pikachu and Meowth acting the same way.

"Orion?" she whimpered.

He lifted a paw as if to strike her, but then turned and hit Mewtwo with Dark Pulse, blasting him past the Dusk Pokémon and out of sight.

"Orion!" Sage cried. "Why did you do that?!"

"Because I told him to."

The voice made her shiver. She turned to see a man walking forward from the midst of the Dusk Pokémon.

"It's scary how obedient these Dusk Pokémon are," Kage said, "don't you agree?"

"What have you done to them?!" Sage barked.

"Isn't it obvious?" the professor asked. "I implanted a chip that makes him do as I say. Unfortunately, it only works on Dusk Pokémon. But that little immunity of yours won't last forever."

"Immunity?" Sage whispered to herself. "Does that mean...?"

"Now if you'll come quietly, I won't have to use drastic measures," Pr. Kage told her.

"Never!" Sage barked. "I'd rather die!"

"Hmm..." the man mused. "You're too valuable for me to just destroy. Either you would be the strongest of my legion, or you'd be one of the mothers of my strongest army."

Sage let loose a ferocious snarl.

"But you won't fight me," Kage said with a smirk. "I have all the right cards."

"Why do you think so?" Sage growled.

"Orion, won't you explain this for me?"

If Sage didn't have fur, she'd have gone as white as a ghost. She turned back to see Orion approaching her.

"O-Orion," she whimpered. "Please. D-don't!"

She saw him raise a charged fist.

Some distance away, Zaela felt a cold hand around her heart and came to a stop.

"What's wrong?" Ash asked.

Zaela didn't answer.

"Is something happening with the Pokémon?" Kodi asked.

"... I... I think," Zaela began.

Then she shrieked as if she had suddenly been hit.

"Zaela!" the boys cried.

"Wh-what's going on?!" James nearly shrieked.

"Is she p-possessed?!" Jessie whimpered.

"Sage!" Zaela cried. "Control your emotions! Sa-!"

She shrieked again and again.

"What's happening to Sage?" Ash shouted.

But Zaela couldn't answer. She shrieked one last time before falling unconscious to the ground.