The Winds of Time
Chapter 21
Time Moves Forward
"SPEAR teams have failed to drive out the Swords and their force of pokemon. Gateway City is now firmly under their control," the red-haired woman said.
"It's about time, Serena. I was beginning to think they weren't going to take the bait." Simon Vanderburg leaned back in his finely upholstered chair, clasping his hands behind his head. "So, has Doctor Talbot finished with the last batch of recruits?"
"Indeed he has," Serena Crane said, smiling. "He was exceptionally pleased with the amputees he was able to get back into full form. With some improvements, of course."
"Good. Those will be our strongest forces yet. After all, the human form can only be improved so far. Replacing missing limbs with all-new pokemon-infused flesh has thus far proven to provide the best results." He turned to the large, blue-scaled man standing nearby. "Isn't that right, Commander Sardis?"
"I'd say so," Sardis said, flexing a large, clawed hand that briefly pulsed with a purplish glow. "So is it time to deploy the Prometheans?"
Vanderburg shook his head. "No, not yet. We'll wait for Cobalion and his rabble to sweep down through Aureus first. Once they're knocking on Angel City's door, then we'll act."
"But what if he stops before then?" the Promethean commander asked. "We'll miss our window of opportunity."
Vanderburg glanced at the large computer monitor on his desk. "Codnor castle. Quite the fortress, once upon a time. That is, until Cobalion found out they were turning pokemon into weapons for their war machine using some of the most brutal methods you can imagine. The description of the breeding pits alone would be shocking even to you, Miss Crane. The Swords reduced it to a smoking ruin in a single night. And I'm sure you remember the final outcome of the Unova witch trials?"
Serena looked over the top of her glasses with a longsuffering expression. "Yes, yes, the Swords of Justice stopped them. I did go to elementary school, you know."
"They stopped them only after pokemon started getting burned at the stake along with the so-called witches and they did it by razing half of the colony to the ground." Vanderburg chuckled softly to himself, then looked toward the Promethean commander. "But to answer your question, Commander Sardis, no, he won't stop. He's like a force of nature, that one, when he's riled. What's more, he understands the calculus of power better than most. He'll keep going until he has the humans of this region on their knees. Then, he'll dictate his terms which they'll be powerless to refuse."
Vanderburg glanced at the computer monitor and the image of a painting of the blackened ruin of the seventeenth century colony of Unova displayed there. "It's hard not to respect someone like that. It'll almost be a shame to exterminate him."
# # #
Azelf zoomed through the trees, finally having spotted his quarry - a tiny pink dot hidden amongst the dead leaves fallen from the branches of a tall oak. He swept in, finding his sister Mesprit huddled against the broad trunk of one of the trees, her tiny arms clasped around her middle.
I've been looking for you, Mesprit, Azelf said, hovering a few feet away. Nobody's seen you for days! What's wrong?
Mesprit looked up, her large eyes reddened from the tears which stained her cheeks. When recognition finally registered on her face, she rushed forward, throwing her arms around Azelf.
I don't know what to do! she cried as a fresh round of tears burst forth. I tried and I tried and I tried...
Easy, now, Mesprit, Azelf said, patting his sister on the back. Just slow down and tell me what happened.
It's my fault! she wailed. He wouldn't listen! I'm supposed to be the one who knows how, but I couldn't! All the fire and the screaming, Azelf, and I couldn't make him!
Azelf sighed. He knew he wasn't going to get anything meaningful out of his sister when she was like this. It was her nature, after all. So he just held her and let her cry into his shoulder until at last, her muffled sobs began to subside.
Now, tell me what's wrong, Azelf said, brushing away the tears from Mesprit's eyes. I'm sure this has something to do with Cobalion getting all bent, but I don't see how any of it could be your doing.
Mesprit detached herself from Azelf and floated a few feet away, clutching her hands together. But it is. I went to go speak with Dialga, just like father wanted. But I couldn't get him to listen. I thought if anyone could talk him out of his funk, it would be me! I'm supposed to be the one who understands feelings and emotions better than anyone, but I... Mesprit buried her face in her hands. I failed, Mesprit, and now there's blood and fire and...
It's going to be okay, Mesprit, Azelf said, sensing another impending bout of tears and hoping to head it off. Let's go talk to Uxie. If anyone can help us figure this out, it's him.
Uxie? Mesprit looked up, visibly incredulous. This isn't a problem that can be solved with cold logic, Azelf.
You know, sometimes I don't think you give our brother enough credit, Azelf said. Yeah, he's a bit left-brain, but he's good at figuring stuff out. Besides, at this point, what's the harm in asking?
Mesprit plopped down on the ground and stared down at her tails splayed out in front of her, contemplating his words. Azelf merely waited, glad that his sister was thinking and not just feeling. At length, she looked up and nodded. Azelf smiled and took Mesprit's hand, and a moment later, they both disappeared with pop.
They reappeared nearly half a world away on the shores of Lake Acuity where the sun was only just beginning to peek above the eastern horizon. They flew high among the boughs of the evergreens that stood near the edge of the placid waters, arrowing toward a cluster of trees that, to any other observer, appeared wholly unremarkable among the many others that surrounded the lake. Azelf and Mesprit, however, knew these particular trees to be a favorite spot for their brother, Uxie, to sit and ruminate.
They came at last to a tall pine, its upper branches sheltered from casual eyes by dint of its height and the surrounding trees which rose nearly as tall. There, perched upon a spread of branches which offered an unobstructed view of the lake, sat Uxie, his eyes closed and head bowed in contemplation.
After waiting a few moments without receiving any acknowledgement of their presence, Azelf floated forward and waved a tiny hand in front of Uxie's face.
Yes, I see you Azelf, Uxie replied in a slightly irritated tone, his eyes remaining lidded.
Well, I can never tell when you keep your eyes closed all the time, Azelf retorted.
I see more with my eyes closed than most do with their open. Uxie tilted his head for a moment. I presume that you're here to speak to me about the Swords' attack on Aureus?
How did you know? Azelf asked.
Uxie shrugged. A simple deduction given recent events coupled with Mesprit's singularly distraught frame of mind and that twitch you get in your left tail when you're pursuing a particularly interesting problem.
My tail does not twitch, Azelf replied, gripping the appendage in question.
Yes, it does.
No, it...
Your question? Uxie cut in.
Oh, right. Azelf let go of his tail and, with a glance toward Mesprit, began recounting his conversation with her.
Once Azelf had finished, Mesprit then added her own account of her repeated attempts to rouse Dialga to action, each one ending in failure.
Things have gotten out of control, Uxie, Mesprit said, and I don't know how to get Dialga to fix it.
Uxie pondered for a moment, then said, I believe you are correct in your initial assessment that Dialga is the best one to correct the situation. After all, we all know how - focused - Cobalion is when he decides to act. Trying to dissuade him would be futile. However, judging from what have told me, I believe your failure stems from the fact that you lack familiarity with the particular emotional components of his current mindset.
I lack familiarity? Mesprit replied, eyes wide in disbelief. I'm the Being of Emotion, smarty-pants! I have familiarity, and then some, with every kind of emotion there is!
Uxie held up a hand. You misunderstand. You undoubtedly have superior knowledge of emotional states, but there is a qualitative difference between knowledge and experience. You may know what Dialga is going through, but you've never experienced a situation quite like his, and he knows it. I believe this to be the crux of the rift in communication between you and Dialga.
Mesprit floated silently, her mouth gaping in astonishment at Uxie's analysis. I... I guess never thought of it that way, she finally said.
Azelf floated up behind her and gave her a chuck on the back. See, I told you he could help.
So what do you think we should do? Mesprit finally asked.
It should be obvious, Uxie said. We need a third party to intervene - someone who has experience with personal loss, hardship, loneliness and despair, but who also has a strength of personality such as to be able to confront someone as powerful as Dialga.
Seems like a pretty tall order, Azelf said. Where are we going to find someone like that?
Actually, Uxie said, a slow smile spreading across his face, I think I know just the person.
# # #
Ryan sat on the floor of his room, leaning back against the side of his arcanine with several holographic screens floating in the air before him.
"Christina told me all about your trip to Gateway City with Jennifer," came Stacy's voice from one of the screens. "Thank you for keeping her safe."
"No sweat," Ryan said. He glanced over his shoulder where Trace sat on his bed, projecting the multiple screens floating before him. "Couldn't have done it without my guys, though."
"Then they have my thanks as well," Stacy said. She paused, glancing slightly to the left of Ryan, then added, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Ryan said, casting a sharp look at Cutter, who knelt at his side, examining his forearms in detail.
I'm just checking to see if the burns require any further attention, Cutter responded without looking up.
Ryan's arcanine, seeing Cutter examining his arm, swung her head around and began inquisitively sniffing at it herself.
"Well, they don't. And you're starting to get Rika wound up, so cut it out."
"Aw, they're worried about you. That's so sweet," Stacy cooed.
Ryan's attention abruptly shifted down to where Buster, who was previously lying placidly between his outstretched legs, had suddenly wrapped his paws around an ankle and was now fervently gnawing on his heel.
"Seriously?" Ryan exclaimed. He attempted to shake the metalleon loose, but this only served to make the feisty pokemon grip his leg tighter and intensify his efforts, now accompanied with playful growling. Ryan quickly scanned about, his eyes settling on the rubber bone-shaped toy that lay nearby and, thankfully, within reach. He snatched it up and squeezed it, causing it to produce a high-pitch squeaking sound.
Buster's head shot up, following the toy as Ryan waved it in the air above his head, then took off after it when Ryan threw it across the room.
Ryan looked up at Stacy's video image and sighed heavily. "I swear, half the time it's like I have six mothers, the other half it's like I have six children. Well, five, actually," he added as he glanced over at the bagon huddled on its own bedding in the corner, casting surly looks back at him. "Sky still doesn't like me very much."
"Just be patient. Sometimes a pokemon just needs time to come around to its trainer."
"Speaking of pokemon, how are yours doing?"
"Max, Freya and Samson are doing fine," Stacy said. "Dredge is off of the I.V.s now and Rush is on the mend as well."
Ryan felt a tug at his sleeve. He glanced to his side as Cutter leaned in close with anxious eyes.
Ask her about Gia, Cutter said.
Ryan rolled his eyes, one corner of his mouth curling into the tiniest of smiles. "Cutter wants to know about..."
"...About Gia?" Stacy asked with a grin. "I figured he would. Here, I'm sending you a picture."
A few seconds later, another window appeared in midair showing a photo of Gia reclining on a pokemon center bed. A beaming smile lit up her face, which was now free of the bandages previously wrapping her head. A small but noticeable swell was visible where her skirts flared out from her abdomen, upon which one of her delicate hands rested.
"She's getting a little round in the middle, now that the egg is almost about to come," Stacy remarked, "but once it does, it's going to be a bit before it hatches."
Cutter reached out and took the floating photo in his hands and stared down at it, eyes wide and full of emotion.
"There's something else I wanted to ask you about." Ryan took hold of another floating screen which displayed an image of two crossed spears over a shield and turned it around to face Stacy's screen. "Do you know anything about these guys? They're called SPEAR and I saw them fighting the Swords of Justice during the attack on Gateway City. So far, all I could turn up on them was that they're some kind of specialized military unit."
Stacy nodded. "The name SPEAR is an acronym for Special Pokemon Emergency Action Response. You see, when there are problems involving pokemon, people usually call in a League trainer to deal with it. If it's something a trainer can't handle, they'll call in the Pokemon Rangers. But if the problem is something really bad that even the Rangers can't handle, which almost never happens, that's when they call in SPEAR teams. I'm not surprised you couldn't find much on them. They're a military unit tasked with putting down pokemon threats fast and hard. With pokemon being such an integral part of our society, they don't exactly advertise."
"I guess they've never had to deal with someone like Cobalion before." Ryan shook his head ruefully. "That guy is scary strong. The thing is, it wasn't just the Swords fighting. They had tons of other pokemon fighting with them. Three guesses what's got 'em all bent?"
"Xenon," Stacy said without hesitation.
"Yeah. Xenon," Ryan said, his face hardening. "Something needs to be done about these guys before even more pokemon start losing their shit."
"You know I'm in."
"I know," Ryan said, "but just hold off for a bit and let your pokemon get better first. In the meantime, I'm going to work a few angles and see what I can do."
"Just promise me you won't run off by yourself, okay?"
"I won't. Besides, this is way bigger than a one man job now, anyway. I'll catch ya later, okay?"
Stacy smiled and waved. "Okay. Be safe, Ryan."
The video image winked out and Ryan turned to Cutter who still held the image of Gia in his hands.
"When we get a chance, maybe we can drop by the Pokemon Center and pay Gia a visit. I'm sure she'd like to see you." He gave Cutter a clap on the shoulder. "Now why don't you go downstairs and have one of those muffins that Doctor Lynd has been drowning me in? I have one more call to make."
Cutter looked up with a smile and nodded. The photo dissolved into a scattering of light as he released it, then he turned and left the room.
# # #
Ryan watched the car drive up the long driveway leading to the clinic and park out front. He waved at the man who stepped out with the familiar mop of sandy hair.
"Thanks for coming Gerard," Ryan said.
"Bon jour, Ryan," Gerard replied with a smile as he approached. His braixen, Fleur, hopped out of the car and followed close behind. "It is good to see you again. You are doing well, no?"
"I'm doing alright. Better than the poor bastards in Gateway City, anyway. That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. Not about the attack, really, but something that happened during the fighting."
"Ah, yes," Gerard said nodding, "you said on the phone that something had happened between yourself and Cutter that caused him to change."
An excited barking caused the two to turn toward Buster who came running straight toward them. He skidded to a stop near Fleur and let out a single bark, his bushy tail swishing furiously. The braixen smiled and touched a finger to the tip of Buster's nose.
"Why don't you go play, Fleur?" Gerard said, gesturing toward the lawn where the rest of Ryan's pokemon were enjoying the midday sun. "Ryan and I have some things to discuss."
Fleur nodded and headed off toward the grass with Buster following close beside her.
Gerard chuckled and turned back to Ryan. "Now where were we?"
"I was telling you about the fact that Cutter mega evolved during the fighting in Gateway City, only neither of us have a Mega Stone or Key Stone. How is that possible?"
"No stones, you say?" Gerard tapped a finger to his mouth. "This is very interesting. Please, tell me everything that happened before and during the fight. Leave out no detail."
Ryan and Gerard began walking slowly about the clinic together as Ryan recounted the events of that day, culminating in the fight in the hotel lobby.
"I see," Gerard said after listening carefully to Ryan's account. "I'd like you to tell me more about this psychic link you mentioned."
"Well, it's pretty much how it sounds. It's a way for me and Cutter to be able to communicate psychically with each other without having to concentrate our attention on it. The first time we did it was during the final match of the pro-am."
"Ah, yes. That was the match where Cutter had his miraculous comeback, wasn't it?"
Ryan stopped and turned to Gerard. "Do you think the two events are related somehow?"
"It's very possible," Gerard said, nodding. "In both cases, you and Cutter were closely connected to one another and under considerable stress. Do you know how mega evolution works?"
"It happens when a trainer has a Key Stone and their pokemon has the right kind of Mega Stone, right?"
"This is true, but there is a great deal more to it than that. You see, the stones do not hold any power in themselves. Rather, they serve as a conduit that facilitates the connection between a pokemon and its trainer."
"Connection, huh?" Ryan said with a wry smile. "You know, as a pokemon researcher, I'd have thought you'd be more into science than sentiment."
"The bond between a pokemon and its chosen trainer is a very real thing," Gerard said with an expression of complete sincerity, "and there are deeper aspects to that bond than most people realize. It's one of the mysteries of pokemon that we as researchers study."
Ryan glanced away, pondering Gerard's words. While he couldn't deny that he felt a growing attachment to his pokemon, sometimes he couldn't help but feel that there was something else, an ineffable depth that he couldn't quite put his finger on, especially regarding Cutter. At first, he thought it was something that came from the heat of battle, an emotional connection that arose from sharing mortal peril. Now that he thought about, though, he wasn't so sure.
"So what do you mean 'a pokemon and its chosen trainer'?" Ryan asked. "Don't you have that backwards?"
"Not all pokemon are with a trainer because they were caught, you know. When I found Fleur, she took an immediate liking to me. In fact, when I left the field where I found her, she quickly made it clear that she would not allow herself to be parted from me. You see, sometimes," he added, with a nod and smile, "the pokemon catches its trainer."
Ryan was about to offer a retort, but then his eyes fell upon his metalleon playing alongside Gerard's braixen on the grass. His thoughts returned to the night when Buster hatched, and how from the first, Buster had formed an immediate attachment to him.
"And sometimes, the opposite is true and a pokemon will reject its trainer." Gerard said, quickly adding, "Though this does not happen often, of course. Pokemon are usually quite accepting, even when perhaps they should not be."
Ryan had never heard of such a thing before. After all, pokemon were always portrayed as stalwart companions who stuck by their partners through thick and thin. Then again, he knew that Orion had always resisted any trainer's attempts to catch him.
And then there was Sky.
His eyes drifted toward the young bagon standing well away from the others near the trees, just within the field of Rika's watchful gaze. Could this be the reason behind Sky's stubborn resistance to his efforts to train him?
"But to return to the matter at hand," Gerard said, drawing Ryan from his thoughts, "I suspect that Cutter's ability to mega evolve without stones may be due to your own psychic ability. Because of this, you are able to form a direct connection with him without need of an external aid."
"But there are lots of psychic pokemon out there," Ryan said. "If a psychic link was enough, why can't anyone with a psychic pokemon do it?"
"It is true that there are many psychic pokemon, but there are very few psychic trainers." Gerard smiled and glanced skyward. "So many mysteries these peculiar creatures have. If you are willing, I would be very interested in studying this phenomenon. At your convenience, of course."
# # #
Ryan sat at the base of one of the many bare-branched trees near the clinic, far enough to be out of sight of the building but near enough that he could hear the far-off sounds of his and Gerard's pokemon playing in the distance. The absence of bird pokemon from the bare trees added to the bleakness of the landscape and the stillness of the air which seemed to stand out all the more in stark relief against the distant sounds.
He'd excused himself from Gerard's company while pokemon researcher had gone to confer with Doctor Lynd. Now, he sat alone with his thoughts.
A small yellow shape walking among the dead leaves carpeting the ground caught his eye, and as he turned, he saw that it was Spike ambling toward him. The pikachu seemed to take no notice of Ryan, focusing instead on the MP3 player carried in his hands as he sat down against a nearby tree. He adjusted the earphones in his long, black-tipped ears and closed his eyes, lightly nodding in time with whatever music he was listening to.
Ryan half-smiled and leaned back against the rough-barked trunk of the tree he sat beneath, his mind quickly returning to the revelations of recent events: The Swords of Justice attacking Aureus. Pokemon connections and rejections. His own expanding psychic abilities.
But the one thing that occupied his thoughts more than anything else was the flareon that attacked him and what he saw, what he felt when their eyes met.
Anger. Malice. Hatred.
And it wasn't just that one pokemon, either. He'd felt it emanating from all of the pokemon attacking Gateway City.
A wild pokemon that attacked humans typically did so because it felt threatened, or was defending its territory or was just plain hungry. But this was different.
He'd only recently come to have any real regard for pokemon, and even that generally only extended to those belonging to himself and his friends. Even so, he thought there was something strangely disturbing about the idea of a pokemon that actually hated you. It felt wrong in a way he couldn't describe. Almost unnatural.
Just then, he felt something against his leg and he looked down to see Spike climbing into his lap. The pikachu glanced up at him, then turned his head to press his nose under the palm of Ryan's hand before leaning back against him, focusing on his MP3 player once again.
Ryan smiled, grateful for the distraction. He wrapped one hand around Spike's middle and slowly ran the fingers of his other hand through the fur sticking up from his head, eliciting a contented murmur from the pikachu.
"How did we wind up in this mess?" Ryan said with a sigh. "And how the hell are we going to get out of it?"
Actually, I was hoping to ask you about that very thing, Ryan heard in his mind.
Ryan blinked in surprise and looked down at Spike.
No, up here, silly, the bright voice called.
Ryan looked up and saw a trio of small floating pokemon, each similar in form, differing mainly in the color of their heads. After his previous experience with Uxie, he knew these others to be his siblings, Mesprit and Azelf. Mesprit waved and smiled with a, Hiya!
Ryan turned toward Uxie, about to inquire about their sudden presence, but then suddenly threw his arms in front of his face and looked away.
"Dammit, Uxie, what the hell?!" Ryan exclaimed.
Spike, jostled from his seat, hopped to the ground and began chattering angrily at the trio.
Mesprit frowned, her eyes flitting from the cowering Ryan and his now-aggravated pikachu to Uxie, who was staring open-eyed at Ryan. Recognition quickly dawned on her face. Oh, please don't tell me you're still shopping that nonsense around, she said, shooting Uxie an annoyed look. To Ryan, she said, It's okay. He can't wipe your brain just by looking at you.
"Are you sure?" Ryan said, lowering his arms, but still not looking directly at any of them.
I assure you that you are in no danger from me, Uxie said mildly.
Slowly, Ryan looked up at the trio and, to his relief, felt no adverse effects. He laid a reassuring hand on Spike, still bristling at the trio beside him. "Then why does everyone say that meeting your eyes causes you to lose your memory?"
Yeah, Uxie, Mesprit said, arms crossed and glaring, why do they say that?
Uxie glanced at his sister and waved a dismissive hand. It's merely a deterrent. All I had to do was make a few obvious appearances among small groups of people, stun them, move them to a different location, dirty them up a little and suppress a bit of their short term memory. They snap out of it having lost about half an hour of memory with the last thing they remember being seeing my eyes beginning to open. Their assumptions do the rest, with the story growing with each retelling.
"Wait, so the whole thing about your eyes is bullshit?"
It's a misconception I have deliberately cultivated, yes, but as a result, I almost never need to resort to violence when dealing with humans. It keeps things quite civil, which is as I like it. I actually can alter a person's short-term memory easily enough. Tinkering with long-term memory is much more difficult, though and usually not worth the effort. Honestly, though, I'm surprised no one has puzzled the ruse out. After all, if merely meeting my gaze erased your mind, then how would anyone know? The victims wouldn't remember how it happened.
Ryan shook his head but couldn't help but smile at the simple deviousness - and effectiveness - of the scheme.
Uxie bowed his head slightly. But I do apologize for upsetting you. I was merely taking the measure of your psychic development. I must say, your facility with telekinetics is quite impressive.
"But my telepathic ability sucks," Ryan said with a rueful chuckle, "which is ironic because my mother was awesome at it."
Uxie smiled. Don't be discouraged by that. Psychic ability is very personal. Your mother's abilities aren't necessarily yours. Besides, psychic talents take time and practice to develop. Just be patient and let your own abilities be what they are.
Ryan nodded, then glanced at the other members of the trio. "So, why are all of you here, anyway?"
As I said, Mesprit said, floating down to eye level, we're here to talk to you about Cobalion and the other problems in Aureus.
Azelf landed on the ground in front of Spike. Do you mind if we borrow your human for a bit?
# # #
Ryan stared up in wonder at the multicolored points of light studding the dark vault of the sky in this strange realm. Then his eyes slowly drifted down to the massive tower rising up from the horizon ringed by vast fields of green. Though far distant, its grim spire pierced high into the sky. Even the air around him felt unusual - noticeably cool and still with a not-quite-stagnant whiff that somehow managed to make the wide-open space feel close and heavy.
"Couldn't you have brought us in a little closer?" Ryan asked Mesprit. By the agreement of her siblings, she was the only one who accompanied Ryan into Dialga's realm.
Oh, certainly, Mesprit replied, but I don't think it would've been wise to pop in too close to Dialga's home with an uninvited guest. Besides, this will give us some time to talk if there's anything else you need to go over with me.
"Nah, I think you've already explained it pretty well." Ryan looked up, shaking his head as Mesprit's retelling of Savi's tragic tale flashed through his mind. "Damn. How many times did he watch her die?"
Too many, she said quietly.
Ryan stuffed his hands into his pockets, his brow furrowing. Being here in this realm, the gravity of who he was about to speak with was starting to settle upon him.
Don't worry. You'll do fine, Mesprit said, patting him on the shoulder.
They walked on in silence, making their way toward the tower on the horizon. After a while, Mesprit landed on Ryan's shoulder, resting one hand lightly on his head. Though she didn't speak further, her mere presence seemed to quiet his nerves and ease his mind.
At length, they arrived at the outer rings of the gardens. As they made their way inward, rows of simple shrubs and trees gave way to flower beds and then berry bushes.
"Whoa, this is some serious greenery," Ryan said, examining a particularly large rabuta berry. "I never would've thought the Guardian of Time would be into gardening. There must be every kind of berry in the world here."
All except for one, Mesprit said. You won't find a single shuca here.
"Oh." Ryan glanced at Mesprit with a somber expression. "Those were her favorite, right?"
Mesprit nodded, her face equally grave.
"Why have you returned, Mesprit?" a voice boomed from behind them.
Ryan spun around and saw, towering above them, the massive form of the time's guardian himself. The lights twinkling above reflected off of the angular metallic plates girding his body in a harsh array of color while the tracery that followed the lines of his form glowed with an electric blue luminance, starkly contrasting the midnight hue of his body.
Ryan felt a light tap on the back of his head from one of Mesprit's tails. He took it that this was his cue and drew himself as straight as he could under Dialga's smoldering gaze. "I don't know if you're aware of this, but things are getting really bad in Aureus. First we had a bunch of people doing weird experiments on pokemon to give themselves pokemon powers and now, apparently because of that, the Swords of Justice are laying waste to entire cities. The shit's hitting the fan in a really big way and we need your help."
Dialga looked down at Ryan in silence for a time, as if considering whether or not to even bother answering him. Finally, he spoke. "Yes, I am aware of it and no, I have no interest in getting involved." He turned to Mesprit with a baleful glare. "I thought I made myself clear on that point."
"Yeah, I heard about that. Apparently, you've stashed yourself away here for a really long time. I also heard about why."
Dialga rounded on Mesprit, his eyes flaring with anger. "You told him? You had no right to do that!"
"She told me because she gives a shit about you." Ryan said, hoping to divert the tone of the conversation to a less adversarial one. "Two hundred-plus years is a long time to be out of commission, you know."
"You speak of things beyond your understanding, human."
"Actually, I understand better than you think," Ryan said, sensing an opening. "Yeah, you lost a friend. I lost my whole family. All of them, except for the one piece of shit who hated me the most. Then even he got taken out of the picture, which didn't help much because everyone else who came after treated me almost as badly. You think you've had it bad? My entire life has been one long shit show."
"Then you were fortunate that your loss occurred at such a young age," Dialga replied. "You never knew what you had lost."
Ryan shrugged. "That's sort of true. Or, at least, it used to be. You see, I recently came into the company of some very interesting pokemon. I didn't want to at first. Had no use for that kind of attachment. I thought it was stupid and sappy. Made you weak." Ryan looked off into the distance, scratching the back of his head. "But dammit if they don't have of way of growing on you. Having them around made me realize what I'd been doing without for all these years. I still don't completely get it. Maybe there really is something to this whole pokemon-and-human-connection thing. All I know is when I look back, it feels cold and shitty in a way I can't even begin to describe. So, yeah, I understand what loss is."
Dialga slowly shook his head. "You are but a child who thinks his momentary troubles can compare to those of one who has the weight of centuries upon his shoulders. Consider that before you think yourself wise enough to chastise the way I bear my burdens."
Ryan flashed an annoyed look at Dialga before turning half away. "Whatever. Look, it's your life and if you want to spend the rest of it being miserable, then be my guest. But if you really cared as much for this Savi girl as you say, then you need to get back to work and help set things right."
"How dare you!" Dialga hissed. "You think to goad me into action by simply invoking her name? I will not stand here and let you insult her memory so."
"Really?" Ryan spun around, looking directly up into Dialga's eyes. "Did you ever stop and think for one moment why it was that Savi liked you so much? I mean, I know how hard it is to step out of your own head, especially when you're not used to having others care about you, but did it ever cross your mind to think about how she saw things? Because maybe she saw something special about you, that you were someone with real power who actually cared about people and tried to make the world a better place and not just look after their own interests like most people with power would."
Ryan flung his arms wide, pressing on before Dialga could respond. "Now, look at you. Do you think she'd want to see you cloistered away with your head stuck in the sand? Do you think this is the Dialga she'd want to see? Because I seriously doubt it. So don't get mad at me, because I'm not the one insulting her memory. You are! You say your relationship with her was important to you? Then get up off your dead ass and prove it!"
Dialga's face twisted into a mask of bitter fury as he threw his head back, howling in outrage. Ryan stepped back involuntarily as the massive jewel in Dialga's chest suddenly flared with blinding brilliance. Ryan knew he was taking a risk when he decided to take the approach he had. It was a fine line to walk.
Apparently he'd crossed it.
Ryan only had a moment to contemplate his error before Dialga turned his burning red eyes upon him and loosed a primal roar so powerful that it twisted the very air that it passed through. As it washed over him, he felt as though the world around him and even his very being were being pulled asunder before being plunged into a swirling emptiness that finally consumed his consciousness.
# # #
Can you hear me, Ryan? came a distant voice, echoing into the darkness of his mind. Open your eyes.
Ryan slowly opened his eyes but the searing light of the afternoon sun made him quickly blink them closed. "Am I dead?" Ryan said in a low slur.
The hovering form of Uxie over his face blocked out the sun's brightness, allowing him to open his eyes once again. Uxie's tails pressed gently against his temples, the smooth jewel on each one pleasantly cool against his skin. A moment later, he felt a gentle warmth wash through his head and the clinging dizziness begin to fade.
How do you feel now? Uxie asked.
"Better. Thanks." Ryan slowly pushed himself upright and looked around. Nearby, he saw Mesprit sitting on the ground, a bit worse for wear herself, with Azelf standing before her, holding both of her hands as the jewel in his forehead softly glowed.
Mesprit blinked a few times, then hovered slowly off the ground and turned toward Ryan. Boy, you really pissed him off but good! she exclaimed.
"Not the result I was going for," Ryan replied. "Now what?"
Azelf floated forward. Well, if he won't help us, then we'll just have to do things ourselves. Maybe we...
The sudden appearance of a portal swirling into existence among them cut Azelf's words short. A moment later, a large, hulking form strode out from the wavering aperture.
It was Dialga.
As one, Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf flew forward, interposing themselves between Dialga and Ryan.
Listen here, you big jerk! Mesprit yelled, thrusting a tiny finger at Dialga's towering form. I don't know what you're planning, but you're not going to lay a finger on this human. You may be able to toss me around when I'm by myself, but you know damn well that you can't take the three of us together.
Ryan could tell that Mesprit's words weren't merely bluster. He felt a psychic pressure building among the trio that, even though he could sense that it was being directed away from him, still felt immense. He could only imagine what it would feel like to stand in front of such power.
"Be at ease, Mesprit," Dialga said, slightly bowing his head. "I have not come to quarrel."
Then why are you here? Azelf asked, his eyes narrowing.
"I have decided to help you."
Mesprit blinked in disbelief. You... you have?
"Yes."
But just a minute ago you tried to kill us!
"If I was trying to kill you, you wouldn't..." Dialga's words trailed off under the collective withering glares of the triplets. He glanced away uncomfortably for a moment and cleared his throat before continuing in a more subdued tone. "Yes, well, as you said, I was indeed quite angry. I have difficulty remembering the last time anyone had managed to provoke me so. Thus, I spent the better part of a week considering the situation."
Dialga paused, looking up into the sky. "The sheer absurdity and offensiveness of your words clung to my thoughts and would not let go until I puzzled out what ridiculous notion had possessed you to say them." He let out a long, slow sigh and his brow pulled low over his eyes. "It had been so long since I'd truly thought on her. But the more I considered, the more elusive became the flaw in your thinking that I sought. Finally, I realized that the reason I could not easily banish your words from my mind was because you were right.
"Savi," his mouth worked reluctantly around the name, "had spent untold hours plying me for stories of the things I had done, the wrongs I had righted, the crises averted. These were the tales she was most fond of. As such, I do not believe she would wish me now to be idle in this time of trouble. And so, I have decided that the best way to honor her is by setting this situation right."
"If you're saying you've spent a week thinking on this, I take it that means you've traveled back through time to talk to us now?" Ryan asked. "So does that mean there are two of you in this time?"
"Yes. And one of them currently wishes to harm you - elaborately - so I suggest all of you keep away from my realm for a while."
"Right," Ryan said, suppressing the urge to fidget nervously. "So, what are you going to do?"
"I will start by freeing Palkia. Or, more accurately, prevent him from being captured in the first place. You know where he was captured, correct, Azelf?"
Yeah, but he seemed pretty intent on getting his jewel fragment back and you two aren't exactly the best of friends, Azelf replied. You think you'll be able to change his mind?
Dialga nodded. "Palkia and I have our differences but he knows better than to question my word when it comes to the future." He turned to Ryan and "Though you shall not remember it after I change this timeline, you nevertheless have my apologies for the rough treatment you have received from me. If anything, I suppose I should thank you."
Yes, Mesprit said pointedly, you should.
It was then that a thought occurred to Ryan that sent a chill through the pit of his stomach. If Palkia had been captured a couple of months ago and Dialga changed that event, then that meant everything that happened since then could change as well. His psychic abilities, his reunion with Rika and meeting Orion - all these things could change or even not happen at all.
"You look troubled," Dialga said, looking down at him.
Some rather significant events have occurred for him in the time between Palkia's capture and now, Uxie said. I was present for one of them. He is justifiably concerned about the impact your temporal incursion will have upon him.
"It's okay," Ryan said slowly. "I understand what's at stake here. If you can put an end to this madness, then this is a price I'm willing to pay."
Dialga nodded. "Indeed, there will be changes. That is the point, after all."
Mesprit shot a dagger-eyed glare at Dialga. He regarded her mildly, seemingly unruffled by her sharp stare before continuing.
"Though I may be bit out of practice, I am not as artless as you may think. Things will change," he paused to return an annoyed look at Mesprit, "but I will see to it that you do not suffer the loss of anything important."
Damn right you will, Mesprit muttered.
Enough, Mesprit, Uxie said, casting a reproving glance at his sister. The time for bitterness has passed. Let us now set thought and deed upon the present.
"Indeed," Dialga said. He turned to Azelf. "Come. You were with Palkia before his capture. You know where we need to be."
Azelf floated up to Dialga and perched high upon his head. The jewel in Dialga's chest flared once again and his giant form shimmered and faded away.
"That's it, then," Ryan said heavily, sitting down on the ground. "I'd go back to the clinic, but what's the point, right? I mean, none of this is going to exist in a minute, right?"
Don't worry, Ryan, Mesprit said. Azelf is with him. He'll make sure Dialga keeps his promise.
# # #
"So this is the place," Dialga said, surveying the structure before him. "It doesn't look very impressive. My brother must've been truly careless to be ensnared in such a place."
I tried to tell him to be careful, Azelf said.
"I'm sure," Dialga replied. "Now, I shall take us back and drill some sense into that empty head of his."
Dialga closed his eyes and the jewel in his chest began to glow brightly and both he and Azelf began to shimmer and fade.
Suddenly, Dialga's eyes snapped open and the two quickly resolved back into solidity.
"Something isn't right," Dialga said.
Azelf looked around, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. What is it?
"The ones who captured Palkia, you said they had possession of a fragment of one of his jewels, yes?"
Yeah. He was pretty upset about it, too. Why?
# # #
Dialga and Azelf reappeared in the midst of Ryan and the rest, much to the surprise of all.
"What's going on?" Ryan asked. "Are the temporal changes about to take place?"
"There will be no changes," Dialga intoned.
What do you mean? Uxie asked. You haven't forgotten your promise already, have you?
"It's not that," Dialga began. "The ones who captured my brother used his own power to do so, creating a powerful spatial anchor, undoubtedly to prevent him from escaping."
"Okay, but what does that have to do with anything?" Ryan asked.
"Because time isn't as simple a thing as people think it is. Changes in the timeline don't just happen because I alter an event in the past."
"Why wouldn't they? I mean, if someone went back in time and killed my parents, I wouldn't exist now, right?"
"Of course you wouldn't, but that's the result, and the result is irrelevant."
"How is it irrelevant? If you make a change, then things become different. That is the point!"
A long sigh of frustration hissed out between Dialga's teeth. "I'd forgotten the difficulty most humans had in grasping even the most basic concepts of time. Savi never..." Dialga paused as if suddenly conscious of his own words, a shadow seeming to pass across his face.
"Apologies," Dialga continued, his tone much subdued. "I will try to explain in simpler terms. Time is a continuum. It has its own kind of shape and form. When I travel through time and make alterations in an earlier part of the timeline, the resulting changes don't occur instantaneously. They propagate forward through time like ripples on the surface of a pond."
"Okay, I follow what you're saying," Ryan said slowly, "but I'm still not seeing the problem."
"That's because you're focusing on a part and neglecting the whole. You see, time is inextricably linked with space, creating what your kind refers to as the space-time continuum. Temporal changes unavoidably cause spatial changes. Thus, if space is anchored, it won't be able to shift in response to the propagating changes in time."
Ryan mulled over Dialga's words in his mind for a bit. "So, it's kind of like wanting to pull a tablecloth off of a table, but you can't because it's nailed down in the middle."
Dialga nodded. "A crude analogy, but apt."
"But why haven't you run into this problem before? I mean, if Palkia's power can keep space from adjusting to changes in time, wouldn't the same thing happen when he used his spatial powers himself?"
"My brother knows how to use his abilities. When he feels a dramatic shift in the Winds of Time, he knows to let loose his grip on space to prevent... problems."
"Problems?" Ryan felt a twinge of dread creeping up within himself at Dialga's troubled countenance. "So, what exactly would happen if you tried to change events in the past with the spatial anchor in place?"
"One of two things would happen. In the best case, spacetime would dislodge the anchor as the changes propagated to that point - the metaphorical tablecloth pulling the nail free from the table's surface. Unfortunately, spacetime is much more elastic than a tablecloth and the spatial rebound would cause an energetic release centered at the location of the anchor equivalent to several large atomic bombs."
"Atomic bombs?! But that would wipe out..."
"Most of Aureus, yes." Seeing Ryan's horrified expression, he added, "Obviously, this is to be avoided."
"And that's the best case scenario? What could possibly happen that would be worse?"
"What would happen if you pulled hard on the tablecloth and the nail didn't pull free?"
"You'd probably rip it." Ryan paused, then looked up at Dialga. "What would that mean?"
"If the spatial anchor is strong enough, the temporal propagation could cause a rupture in the fabric of spacetime itself. This has only happened once before in the history of this world. Palkia and I working together were able to quickly mend the rupture, but the damage was - catastrophic, nonetheless."
"Define catastrophic."
"The spatial disruption resulted in a mass-extinction event which eradicated the dinosaurs and plunged the earth into an ice age. To this day, spacetime anomalies persist in the area of the rupture. I believe you call this area the Bermuda Triangle."
"So why not just go back and prevent the anchor itself from being put in place? Wouldn't that allow you to change time freely?"
Dialga shook his head. "You still don't understand. The effects of going back and changing even that event would propagate forward through time and run into the anchor when it did exist. I know it's difficult to understand, but this is something that even I cannot change."
Azelf's large eyes angled into a frown. So wait a minute, are you trying to say you can't ever go back in time again? I find that hard to believe.
"Well, technically, it is possible to go back far enough that any changes will cause the future - our present - to unravel into probabilistic chaos before the temporal wavefront resolves it back into reality. But," he quickly added, seeing Azelf's hopeful expression, "before you ask me to do so, you should know that this is not a viable solution."
"Why the hell not?" Ryan asked. "I mean, it sounds like the perfect solution, if you ask me. You could actually prevent whoever is causing all this trouble from being born." Ryan's expression hardened. "I could think of a particular red-headed scientist I wouldn't mind seeing erased."
Dialga lowered his head to look into Ryan's eyes. "And are you willing to sacrifice your own life to see this done?"
With Dialga's eyes so near and fixed firmly upon him, Ryan's breath briefly caught in his throat. "What do you mean sacrifice my life?"
"In order to ensure a sufficient margin of safety, I'd have to travel back at least twenty years. I'd be more comfortable with about thirty. And yes, I could indeed prevent this entire series of events. But in doing so, the cascade of changes would entirely reshape the future to come, including the circumstances leading to your birth."
"So you're saying that changing the past could mean I'd never be born."
"Not just you, Ryan. The fate of millions, perhaps billions, would be altered. Many who now live would be gone. Your friends. Your pokemon. None would be safe. Would you be willing to sacrifice their lives as well?"
Ryan considered the terrible events of the recent past. So much blood had already been shed and this was likely only the beginning. But the alternative seemed to carry an equally terrible toll.
"No," Ryan finally said looking away, his shoulders sagging slightly.
Dialga nodded slowly and drew himself back up to his full height. "Perhaps now you understand some measure of the burden I bear."
So what do we do now? Mesprit asked.
"I will first focus on finding a way to retrieve Palkia in some other way. Given the circumstances, I believe it to be unwise to continue to allow him to remain imprisoned. I suggest the three of you keep your eyes open as well, but be careful not to get too close to danger. The last thing we need is to give Xenon more of us for their uses. As for Cobalion, I think you know as well as I that trying to change his mind is pointless once he's been stirred to action."
"What about me?" Ryan asked.
"Do as you see fit," Dialga replied. "I'm sorry I cannot offer you better counsel, but for now it would seem that, for better or worse, we're stuck with things as they are."