Began chapter: April 8, 2012
Posted: April 14, 2012
Rating: This entire fanfiction is rated K+

Other notes: Back to plot. :3 But I have more plans for another fun chapter soon. I just need to get things moving a little bit if we're going to finish by chapter twenty-nine. Lots and lots of better stuff in this arc, I think. A little more excitement and emotion (eep, now that our lovers have been established.)

I wish there was some way that I could thank everyone who reads/reviews. (: In fact, there's got to be some way I can, right? Well, I will. In a very big way! :D

Eventually, though. Not now.

This chapter goes more like (slow) plot – character development – (slow) plot. It's a plot sandwich. :o There's no major events happening in here, but I swear on my life that there will be next chapter. I don't want to fill every single one with a major event because then it gets boring. -_-

Anyway! Read, because I write for you. Enjoy, because I try my hardest to make this enjoyable. Review, because I like to know what you think. Share, because I learn about some of the greatest fanfictions from my friends and you should do the same. Jump into the bandwagon.

Chapter Nineteen

Suicune knew that she was withering from the inside.

Not literally – she was not quite that old, nor was she infected with some sort of foreign disease, like the overlord. No, it was the feeling of secrecy. For nearly a week now, she had harbored the secret that the overlord Arceus had vanished from the Hall of Origin. Epsilon was right when he had told her that it must remain hidden, of course, but to sit idly by and wait for some miracle to happen was beginning to make her feel conflicted.

She stared at the wall, safe within the confinements of the House of Beasts. In there, nobody could touch her and no harm could happen to her – but the winds required freedom, and freedom was not something that she was willing to sacrifice. She thought, It is something uncontrolled, something that needs to feel the sky and the earth. Even though there is inevitable danger, I must do something.

Suicune dared not tell the other Legendary Beasts of the overlord's disappearance. Entei was agitated enough, and it was possible that he may attempt to join the rebellion against the falling ruler. His temper had become so uncontrollable lately that even Raikou's more sensible and peaceful attitude could not hope to contain the fire. And if she could not even trust her own brethren, she knew that any other higher-up was out of the question.

But whom can I trust? She bit her lip, staring at the wall as if it would provide her the answer. Epsilon was clear when he said that he wanted nobody else to learn of this. But I must tell someone. I must. What if I could speak to someone who might already know of this happening? Someone who I know would never betray the overlord?

Dialga briefly crossed her mind, and she frowned. The last time she had seen him, he had thrown her to the ground and implied her a weakling. Even though he had long been free from the character known as Obsidian, she and him were not exactly on the best of terms. But he is the only one that I know of who has been loyal all this time. And if there were anyone who knows what has happened, it would be him.

"I do not wish to go against Epsilon's wishes, but I must do something," she murmured to herself. And sitting at the edge of her bed, staring at her wall – that was not the ideal plan. She gripped the silken bed sheets, stiffening her neck until she thought her muscles were going to give out. "If he is not going to do something, then I will."

The Temporal Tower was where she needed to go. Though her insides were screaming for her to remain at the House of Beasts, every part of her knew that she had to find support. Dialga was not the trustworthiest of the higher-ups, nor was he the friendliest, but he was the most loyal, and that was all that Suicune cared about.

She lifted herself from the bed and went to the window. Down in the courtyard were Entei and Raikou, her brothers. They were having a mock battle – the raging power of fire against the quick spring of electricity. Her eyes softened as she gazed upon them, and then she unlatched the lock and pushed open her window.

She closed her eyes and breathed as the wind welcomed her. One foot stepped out onto the stone ledge, her hands gripping the frame. For several moments, she stood there and enjoyed the poetry that her winds were. Were the overlord gone, this too would vanish. Were he to succumb to the evil that attempts to cloud his mind, we may be here no longer. Then she exhaled and pushed herself into the air.

When she felt her breath return to her, she was standing at the vacant throne of the Temporal Tower. When she did not immediately see Dialga, her brows flattened in concern, and then she heard him behind her, "Suicune, I do not recall ever allowing dogs into my tower."

The Master of Time looked handsomer than ever. When he had been under the influence of a malicious entity, his expressions and physical attributes had been twisted yet dull. At that moment, he was filled with color and health – trimmed hair, ironed clothes, a shining diamond on his breastplate. The proof of his recovery almost pushed Suicune to tears of relief. At that moment, she knew that there truly was hope.

"But since you are the most prestigious visitor I have had in months, I will allow you to stay. It seems that ever since I have made my recovery, Pokémon have been more inclined to come see me," said Dialga, smirking. He slouched against one of the columns beside his throne, watching her carefully. "My newfound popularity is something I am not quite used to. Have you seen the state of my palace? If I do say so myself, I have done an excellent job of refurnishing it."

"Dialga," she said hoarsely, and then she cleared her throat. "As much as I would love to linger to look at the…furniture, I have actually come here to speak with you."

"Yes, I presumed that." The Master of Time fiddled with the ends of his hair, cocking his leg as he relaxed against the column. He might have appeared at peace, but Suicune knew that he was silently calculating her, making sure that he could predict her every move before she even knew them herself. "And you have come all this way to talk to me. What could that be about?"

Suicune swallowed, quietly apologizing to Epsilon for going behind his back. "It is about the overlord," she said. The look on Dialga's face made it obvious that her answer had been expected. "The seeker – er, Epsilon – and I were originally planning to keep this confidential, but I thought that it was something that could be shared with you. Are you aware of the overlord's disappearance?"

Dialga had been occupied with checking the dirt beneath his nails, but now his attention was on Suicune. "What was that?" he asked warily. "Disappeared? You are saying that Arceus is no longer in the Hall of Origin? As in he has vanished without a trace?"

Suicune nodded, refusing to budge when his imperious gaze held traces of doubt. "I am being serious," she insisted. "I was lounging on the front steps of the House of Beasts when I felt a ghostly shift in the air. It was the same malevolent power I had felt coming from your palace, many months ago, but this time it was not stemming from here. It was from the Hall of Origin."

She paused, waiting to see if Dialga had any remarks to that, but he was waiting patiently for her to finish her tale. She gravely continued, "I used my winds to travel there. It was dark, darker than most nights. I heard the sound of his breathing. Yet, when I pushed the doors open to the throne room and stepped inside, there was nothing but the noise of laughter. He was gone."

"Ah. When did this happen?"

"Not before last Saturday. During the evening time." Suicune paused, waiting for his response. "You told Alfie of something like this, did you not?"

Dialga played with the pocket watch that he carried. "Yes, I have warned the girl of flowers about this already," he sighed. The ticking of the clock overlapped his voice, setting a rhythmic cadence that gave him a certain allure. "When I went, nearly a fortnight ago, he was quiet, but his presence was still there. I warned that she might remain alert, in case something were to happen to him."

"Then it has happened!" exclaimed Suicune. "Master Dialga, we must do something."

Dialga tilted his head down, chuckling beneath his breath. "Master Dialga," he repeated softly. "A name that I have not heard in many decades…" Then his eyes abruptly darkened. "Fine, canine. I believe your tale. This is what I have to say. It will not be long before changes begin to happen in the Pokémon world. Terrible things are about to arise."

Suicune gulped, trembling beneath her robes. She had feared those words for many centuries, ever since the overlord had first contracted his disease. She hastily said, "You do not need to elaborate."

"I do not want to say that it would be the end of everything we know." The Master of Time, once again, whisked out his pocket watch and stared into its face. Whether he was absorbed with his reflection, the time – Suicune did not know. "Before, there might have been several options. Some higher-ups may have started a rebellion, or attempted to create their own government or council of sorts. Now that I know of Obsidian and his intentions, however, that will not be the case."

Suicune wanted to huddle down and cover her ears, but instead she just settled for wrapping her arms around herself. To herself, she thought, Even though Dialga is not my favorite, it pains me to think that one of our own kind has been under the influence of such a monster. The dark place he must have been in, the dark things he must have experienced…oh, the horror.

"Obsidian would never reside in the overlord for centuries if he did not have an ulterior motive," said Dialga, who sounded confident of his theory. "Several months ago, he was nothing but a myth. But now, I know that he is real. I have heard him myself, felt him influence my mind, take advantage of the closeness I had with our overlord. He was merely speaking with me, but the overlord…through the illness, Obsidian must be harvesting some kind of power within him."

"Oh!" cried out Suicune, her hands flying to her lips in grief. She was so entirely devoted to Arceus, so utterly lost without him that it pained her even more to hear of such a thing. The feeling of helplessness was growing larger, like a tumor in her chest. For the first time, she wished that it were not Alfie's destiny to restore him, because now Suicune was forced to wait.

"Yes, what an awful thing," said Dialga flatly. He sounded as nonchalant as ever, but his face was filled with anguish. "How the overlord has managed to withstand this evil thing, and for centuries at that, I cannot comprehend. Perhaps, I will pay a visit to my brother so we may investigate the overlord's disappearance for ourselves."

Suicune was taken aback by his sudden proposal. As loyal as he was, she was not expecting any sort of cooperation for the cause from him. "Why is that?"

"Lately, there have been breaks in time, breaks that I cannot control. I suspect that it is because of his disappearance that what is happening is happening. And it might even be happening with my brother as well." Dialga exhaled, as if the whole affair was just one big annoyance.

Suicune's interest was piqued. "Breaks in time?"

Dialga closed his pocket watch with a snap, almost declaratively. "Pokémon traveling to the past without warning, closing their eyes and suddenly meeting someone who has been dead. I have had representatives from several groups attempt to contact me, but I have been so distracted by these disasters myself that I have ignored their pleas for help. I think that it is time that I take matters in my own hands."

"You and Palkia will go to the Hall of Origin?" Suicune whispered, feeling great relief in her chest. Surely they would be able to find some clues, or at least some sort of lead on this whole matter. It was horrible enough that there were these uncontrollable schisms in time.

"Alas, I have not seen my brother in years, but there is nothing that brotherly…love cannot coerce." There was an interesting smile at the corner of Dialga's lips. "We will attempt to figure out what we can. After that, however, everything will be in the overlord and Alfie's hands. We must trust them to lead our world back to greatness. And then, all we can do is hope."

From inside the Pokémon Center, Alfie watched the pouring rain outside, wondering if she would rather have a spring with all clear skies and no flowers, or have one month of the year where it never stopped raining and there were flowers all over. She tapped her fingers against the cushioned bench, bouncing restlessly as she crossed her ankles. If Suicune controls the winds, is there a Pokémon that controls when it rains?

The time was late, but the world was still gray outside. The lights inside the Pokémon Center were dimmed down, allowing weary travelers to roll their sleeping bags out on the floor and close their eyes for the night. Alfie jumped as white lightning illuminated the inside of the building, a loud crash accompanying it shortly after. There were several rustles in the sleeping bags behind her, but nobody was awake.

"Happy birthday to me," she said softly, picking at the fabric on her dress. Her evening, so far, had been sleepless and difficult to live, but the reason why she couldn't explain. She sighed and pulled her legs to her body, resting her chin on her knees and finding contentment through the sound of the rain at the window. "Well, not until tomorrow, at least."

"You didn't tell me that tomorrow was your birthday."

Alfie turned her head slightly, just enough so that she could see Feilong's tall figure. "Well, I wasn't sure if Pokémon even celebrated birthdays," she said, earnestly looking at him as he went over and sat down next to her. "Besides, it wasn't something that I thought was that important anyway. With everyone focusing on the training for the Indigo Plateau, I figured that the last thing we needed was some distraction."

"That's no distraction." Feilong frowned at her, and she suddenly felt very guilty for keeping her birthday a secret. "Us Pokémon aren't really informed when it comes to many of the human celebrations, but birthdays are something that some of us like to keep up with. I, myself, haven't paid much attention to my age. I assume that I'm nearly fifty years old."

"That's impossible. You barely look a day over twenty-five."

Feilong laughed beneath his breath – a husky, throaty noise. "The dragons age much slower than some of the other Pokémon do," he said, offering her one of his beautiful smiles. "If I was twenty-five, I would be only Epsilon's age. Many of the older Pokémon may not pay special attention to their age – after all, it is only a number – but Epsilon keeps hold of his tightly. Maybe it's something that he uses to feel connected to his human self, I'm not sure."

Alfie could see why Epsilon would do such a thing. Now he and Ever have a reason to hold onto their time together, she thought. For the first time in months, she felt genuine happiness for the couple. Then she realized how, so slowly but surely, Ghost-boy was changing things. And then she felt genuine happiness for herself.

"How old would you be?" asked Feilong, sensing her longing for quietness. "In the human world?"

Alfie swung her legs back and forth, and then again she pulled them to her body. "By tomorrow, I would have been sixteen," she said. Then she laughed to herself, pressing her lips together so that the tears in her eyes didn't step too far from their boundaries. "What am I saying? I will be sixteen. I shouldn't talk about myself like…like I've died, or it's in the past tense, or—"

"Ah, gold-eyed starlet," said Feilong. He placed his hand on her back, rubbing her shoulder blades soothingly. He was speaking to her, and his touch was on her, but his eyes were staring through the windowpane and into the rain outside. He was well aware that she was on the verge of another breakdown. "Don't be afraid to tell me."

Alfie stiffened her jaw, forcing her emotions to steady themselves. Crying is for children, she repeated in her mind. I'm stronger than that. It's been almost six months. I am strong. I am brave. Those were the lines that made her feel best. "I don't have anything to tell," she said firmly, and she commended herself for recuperating so quickly. "Really, it's not a big deal."

"I know how hard you're trying, starlet." Feilong removed his hands and put them in his pockets, but not before brushing his long hair behind his ears. "Trust me – even Epsilon still struggles after all this time, and he made the choice to remain a Pokémon nearly a decade ago. He and I are the closest of friends, and from personal experience, I can tell you that you'll eventually find the answer."

"But how can I find the answer when I'm so torn?" Alfie asked miserably. "I have Lyra and Ethan, a—and my parents at home. Home is where my house is, where my school is, where I was born and raised, isn't it? But here…here I have you guys! And I have these special powers, and I can be that strong person that I've always wanted to be."

Feilong contemplated her statement, leaning back against the bench and letting out one, huge exhalation. "Why were there tears in your eyes, dear?" When she opened and closed her mouth, searching for an answer, he repeated, "Tell me why there were tears in your eyes."

"It just isn't fair." Before Alfie could stop herself, she had blurted it out. "Sometimes, I wonder why I can't have everything. In the human world, you guys can't talk. I can't do things like…like hold Yami's hand, or listen to your jokes or Étoile's singing. But when I'm here…I can't tell my parents that I'm all right, tell them that I'm not dead. And it just isn't fair, because I want both worlds."

Feilong smiled to himself, either at something he'd thought of or what Alfie had said. "This may sound better coming from Epsilon," he began, "but once you know where you belong, then you won't be torn between our world and your world. You'll know exactly where you'll be happiest. Whether that's with us or with your family, that's for you to decide."

"But…" Alfie trailed off. "You guys are my family."

Feilong looked startled by her remark, and for a moment he returned her stare. His eyes were wide, as if that was the first time he'd ever heard something like that. Then his expression softened, and he turned away to smile to himself once more. Breathily, he said, "Let me tell you something that happened long ago. Once upon a time, I was in love with Rhine – a beautiful Milotic, the loveliest I've ever seen. I loved her like nobody else did, and she returned my feelings."

Alfie furrowed her brows, intrigued by Feilong's sudden memoir. From what she'd noticed, he hadn't ever paid attention to any attractive women. They had giggled nearby, sneaking offhand glances and giving him seductive looks, and yet, he had so easily overlooked them. The thought that he was once in love with someone was completely absurd to her.

"Rhine was not much older than you," continued Feilong "And there was someone that she loved more than me – her younger brother, who she could not envision life without. One day, he grew deathly ill. She pleaded with me to join her on the high seas, to travel with her to her home so that she may have both her brother and me. But I cannot stay cooped up for long. And so, I let her go."

It's amazing to believe that Pokémon are, in a way, just like us, thought Alfie. Epsilon, who would have sacrificed himself for Ever. Yami and Rhine, who love their brothers. And Feilong, who still talks about this like it happened yesterday. To each other, they look like humans and they love like humans. So what makes them different from us?

"I let her choose where she was happiest." Feilong pursed his lips and leaned forward, silky hair draping over his narrow shoulders. The look on his face was that of absolute sadness, but not for one moment did Alfie detect any regret. "For years, I have died over and over, wishing that there was someway she could have traveled the world with me. I've had the opportunity to see her several times now, but I don't think that I could. You would never see me again if such an occurrence were to happen."

Alfie lapsed into a respectful silence, so that Feilong could have time to himself. Finally, he spoke again, "The point is, my gold-eyed starlet – someone is going to have to let someone go. In the end, the decision is all yours. Whether you're in our world or the human world, you have something amazing. You need to choose the place that you're happiest." He smirked, ruffling her hair. "Even if it means that Ghost-boy will throw a temper tantrum for weeks on end."

Alfie laughed, and when Feilong removed his hand, she gave him her warmest smile. "Thanks, Feilong," she said. "You're the best."

"Remember this: Arceus will know what you truly want." Feilong looked at her seriously. "You don't need words to tell him where you want to be. When the time comes, you will either remain here or return to your life as a human. Let your heart speak to him, and he will always answer."

There was a muffled yawn behind them. "What're you guys doing up?"

Alfie's face grew warm. "Oh, Yami," she said, suddenly feeling very embarrassed. "Feilong and I were just talking about some stuff. The usual Indigo Plateau strategies and all."

Yami was sleepily rubbing his eyes, and his mouth was opening in mid-yawn. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and sat next to the pair, hardly awake enough to understand what was happening. "God, Alfie," he said, sounding slightly irritated. "You're a bad liar, you know that. Your cheeks get all red and stuff, and then you fiddle with your clothes and all that."

Alfie snatched her hand away from the end of her dress. She didn't bother to tell him that her lie wasn't the reason that her cheeks were reddened. She glanced at Feilong for help, but the Dragonair was lifting himself from the bench. When she caught his eye, she widened her own desperately, yet he only gave a satisfied smirk in return.

"I bid you both a good night," said Feilong, slightly bowing to them. Then he turned around and casually walked, his hands in his pockets and his posture somewhat slouched, towards the back of the Pokémon Center. The light outside illuminated the back of his silver hair, and for a moment, he resembled a phantom walking into the darkness.

Alfie looked at Yami, who was still occupied with rubbing his barely open eyes. "The truth?"

"The truth."

"We were just talking about…about where I was happiest." Alfie stared at his hand, wondering if she was supposed to hold it or to pretend like nothing had happened last week. She knew one thing for sure, though – having him was on the perks of remaining in the Pokémon world. "Epsilon keeps telling me that I'll eventually have a choice. I can stay here, or I can go back home."

"Stay here?" he asked, furrowing his brows. "Or go back home? I thought you would always be here. I didn't know that you could back if you wanted to."

"O-oh," said Alfie, flustered. She awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, that's what he said – that I have a choice. And Feilong was telling me that, in the end, it's going to be my choice and my choice alone." She looked at him, mesmerized by the crimson eyes against his dark hair. "But that's what the problem is. I don't know if I could leave."

Yami surveyed her for a few moments longer, his arms crossed. "Well, then you'll have to stay here," he declared. "There's no other option. If you go, I'll personally come back and haunt you for the rest of your life."

It sounded like he was joking, but Alfie knew that he was being completely serious. "It's not that simple, Yami," she said helplessly. "It's just more complicated than that. I have a family that misses me, friends that miss me. I was doing well in school, I had a potential career ahead of me, exams to take and things to do. And being here is like feeling unaccomplished. Is the only thing I'm ever going to do as a Pokémon is win battles?"

Alfie expected his reaction to be rude, or at least harsh, but it wasn't. He sat there, contemplating her words. He worked his mouth, as if he was trying to say more but couldn't bring himself to do it. Eventually, he said, "Well, there's got to be something here that you like doing. Reasons that you would rather be here than there." His eyes flashed imperiously, and he was back to his normal, unreasoning self. "Here is way better anyway. You told me yourself that you weren't happy there."

"I was happy, just…" Alfie paused, realizing the heaviness of her words. "Just unaccomplished."

"Exactly," Yami said brightly, raising a pointed finger in the air as if that solved everything. "And for every one thing that makes you happy there, there's gotta be a hundred more here! It's not like humans have powers. You'd go back to being a boring, old person. And we don't have chores like Lyra does. We don't have to…what's it? Take out the trash, or set the table or clean up our rooms."

"Just because I don't have that many responsibilities here doesn't mean that here is guaranteed to be better," said Alfie, feeling slightly defensive about the human side of her.

And then she realized that she did have responsibilities, and they were a heck of a lot more important than taking out the trash. Saving the overlord, for example. Epsilon pretty much said that the entire fate of the Pokémon world rests on my shoulders, just because Arceus thought that I had a little more potential than other humans. That doesn't make me the fabled hero. Just a person who does everything that she's supposed to do.

Alfie, who was shocked at her selfish thoughts, silently scolded herself. No, she told herself firmly. I didn't save Ever because someone told me to do it. I did it because I wanted to, because I thought that she deserved another chance. Is that how I feel about the entire Pokémon world? The burden of curing the overlord's disease is mine to carry…but who am I protecting this time?

She glanced at Yami, who was going on about the perks of being a Pokémon. With every new idea, his voice was getting more and more desperate, and soon, it was almost like he was begging her to stay.

Her eyes softened, almost sadly. Could I do that to him? Give him a chance and then tuck tail and run home as soon as I've done what I have to do? Is that fair to him? She pursed her lips into a tight line. Is that fair to me?

"And that's why you should stay," concluded Yami. He kept averting his eyes, as if he was desperate to look anywhere but in her direction. His expression was lost and confused, an expression that she didn't see often. "Because you can't go back there. You can't go back to that place. You're needed here. If—if it helps, I'll never call you fat again. I swear on it."

"I wouldn't leave just because of that," said Alfie, who strangely felt inclined to laugh.

To give him the extra assurance he needed, she scooted closer to him and let him put his arm around her. As soon as she leaned against his shoulder, like she had at the clock tower, she felt his tension melt away. She closed her eyes, listening to the rain outside and letting him find comfort through her presence.

They remained there for what felt like minutes, but could have been hours. After a particularly loud crash of thunder, Alfie slowly opened her eyes and stared at her hands. They were the hands of a human – small, slender fingers, with a soft palm and connected to a thin wrist. Yami's arm, which was draped across her shoulders, was that of a human's as well. The skin was warm, and she could feel his relaxed breathing against her back.

Would I have ever experienced something like this with Ethan? Alfie placed her trembling hand against Yami's arm, gulping down the lump in her throat. And if not Ethan, would it have been another human boy? Could we have grown up together, lived in a house we built ourselves and had children? Would they have been Pokémon trainers?

Being with Yami was like experiencing what happiness was supposed to be. But it's all wrong, she thought bitterly. I wasn't supposed to be here. I wasn't supposed to fall for a Pokémon, wasn't supposed to be torn between two worlds. When I first got here, I made a pact to return home as soon as I could. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. I was meant to be with a human boy. A human!

And yet, she couldn't see herself doing that with someone like Ethan, or any human for that matter. They wouldn't have Yami's dark, violet hair or his scarlet eyes. She pinched her eyes shut, forcing any doubt that she had back into the furthest corners of her mind. Then she pressed her lips to the back of Yami's hand. This was warmth that she knew, feelings that she recognized.

"Yami," she said gently, and he hummed in response. The words that she said next felt like a lie, but at the same time, they felt so perfect coming from her thoughts. "I…I won't leave you. I promise. They've already accepted that I'm gone. They don't need me."

Ghost-boy only tightened his embrace, and soon she heard his soft breathing in her hair. The guilt that she was building up in her chest was almost enough to send her over the edge. She felt like she had made an empty promise, something that she couldn't guarantee. She remained awake for many hours, wondering what the meaning of true happiness was while gazing out at the world beyond the window.

"I am surprised to see you here, Dialga," said Palkia. He narrowed his eyes, as if he believed that the man before him was nothing but an apparition. "It has been many decades since we have made any kind of contact with one another. I thought you were still acting a tyrant, and a fool of yourself. What is this change I see in you?"

The dimensional space in which Palkia lived in was not as inviting as the Temporal Tower, or so Dialga thought. Outside of Palkia's palace, there was nothing but an exponential vastness of fuchsia-colored space. The stone castle itself was white as marble, and there was large, coral pearls floating around the premises. For Dialga, it was a very discomforting territory to be in, considering the location.

Dialga had considered his options. At first, he had wanted to directly teleport into Palkia's home and see where it went from there. Despite his crude nature, however, he thought it best to show up at the front door and politely knock. After all, he had not seen his brother in many years. The Master of Space had spent several minutes staring his visitor down, and then they had graduated from the silent treatment to speaking.

The Master of Time straightened his clothes, paying special attention to his collar. "All is well," he said, swatting away one of the floating pearls. "My savior is the little girl – the one who looks like sunshine. I am sure that you have heard of her from the other higher-ups. But that was long ago. Months, actually. I am here to see you for a very special purpose."

"I have heard," said Palkia. He still stood in the entrance of his palace, denying his brother entry. "Some of the crueler higher-ups mock you, saying that you would have been a vegetable for centuries longer had it not been for the child. But I do not care. It is good to see you again. You are here for a special purpose? What could that be?"

The Master of Time was a skeptical creature, and taunting with words but good in nature. On the other hand, his brother was less of a jester. He was kinder to the Pokémon and was much more generous. He did not have room for clever tricks, so when he bestowed someone a compliment, it was sincere and straightforward. Out of the two, Dialga realized, Palkia might have been considered the light – the good brother.

With a gentle face, pale skin and hair the color of a white seashell, he might have even been thought of as weaker, but that was not true. His red eyes were just as calculating as Dialga's, just as dangerous and just as lethal. He walked with a more graceful posture, but that was not because he was inferior, but because he held himself with great respect. Even his voice was softer, and that again did not parallel his personality. Even Dialga knew that his brother was something of enormous power.

"Just this morning, I was visited by Suicune, who had some very interesting information to share," said Dialga. "I was aware of the overlord's dormancy already. He had been hibernating in the Hall of Origin for several months now, refusing to speak much. But then Suicune came to my realm, telling me that she had felt a malevolent presence coming from there. When she journeyed there to investigate, she discovered that Arceus had vanished."

"Well, vanished!" exclaimed Palkia, his eyes wide with surprise. He opened the door wider and slipped into the main corridor, and so Dialga followed him. In the mostly uninhabited hallway, Palkia's voice echoed, "That is news. I have not been there since last autumn myself, and I am not as close to him as you are. I might have never noticed."

"She beseeched that us higher-ups try and find out the cause of his disappearance for ourselves." Dialga frowned at the enclosed space, as the Temporal Tower was never surrounded by walls. He raised his eyebrows as he examined an intricately engraved vase standing off to the side. "So I vowed that you and I would go to the Hall of Origin. Besides Giratina and perhaps Suicune, we are the closest to him."

Palkia frowned. "I would agree," he said. He moved to stand in front of Dialga, who assumed it was because Palkia did not like people touching his collections. "But what could we possibly do? Everyone, even the legends, know that the transformed one is who is supposed to right this situation. The overlord summoned her for good reason. Why not lounge in this castle, far from conflict so that I may rule space as I please?"

"It is time to take action, Palkia," said Dialga firmly, thinking to himself, Plan B: If he refuses me, then I shall knock his vase to the ground and laugh as he mourns. "The transformed one did not save my soul all by herself. She had help from her friends. I think it polite that we return the favor. Perhaps there is something that we can find that she could not."

Palkia crossed his arms, giving his older brother some kind of smile. "I never thought that I would hear those words from you again," he commented. "Many centuries ago, you were the most valiant of us all. You would given your life in an instant if it were the good of our people. And then you changed. You became corrupted, tainted at the heart with no sense of morality or kindness. It seems that the transformed one really has transformed you."

Dialga responded with stubborn silence, so Palkia continued, "I am startled at the change in you. I guess I am in debt to this transformed one. After all, she did return my brother to me. I did not doubt her from the start, but now it seems that I have good reason to trust her entirely."

"So let us help her."

Palkia stood again, regarding his brother with the same scrutinizing gaze they shared. "You are so persistent," he said, as if exasperated. "That is another thing I am surprised to hear. It does not look like you are doing this for the overlord's cause. And that is the most shocking part of it all."

Dialga was quiet again. He thought, Palkia has always been more intuitive than I have been. Unlike myself, who can only read the movements and intentions of another, my brother can read their feelings.

"She must have made some impact on you," mused Palkia to himself. He twisted his mouth as he contemplated, and then he began to smooth his white clothes. "Very well, brother. I will accompany you to the Hall of Origin. You insist that, this way, we can help the transformed one. Because she brought my brother back to me, I shall repay my debt to her. It is the least I can do."

Dialga, on the inside, felt great relief. Through his exterior expression, though, he kept his emotions under control. I suppose that his elegant pot has been saved then. I was hesitant to destroy such a lovely piece of art anyway. "I am grateful, Palkia."

Palkia stared down at the floor. "Surely you have noticed too." When Dialga's grave face confirmed his suspicions, he sighed and added, "Fragments of space for myself – as for you, I am presuming time. Pokémon have stepped forward and ended up somewhere else. Giratina has already had several innocent bystanders accidentally wander into his realm. He has had to erase their memories and hope that nobody questions too much."

"So you understand that it is vital we find where Arceus has gone."

"Yes, as does Giratina."

"And that it is imperative that we leave immediately," reminded Dialga pointedly.

Palkia exhaled noisily, running his hands through his tousled hair. "Yes, I assumed that," he said, clearing his throat. The look in his eyes was troubled, and it was beginning to show through the tight lines around his mouth. "Then that means we should be on our way. We cannot waste any more time."

"Ah, and about that vase—"

"You cannot have it."

End of Chapter Nineteen

Other Notes: It's the Me Gusta Vase. Get it? Aha…like…the Me Gusta FACE. But it's VASE. Eh ~ (It's not a VAY-CE, it's a VAW-ZE.)

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