Began chapter: May 26, 2012
Posted: May 30, 2012
Rating: This entire fanfiction is rated K+

Other notes: Gosh, can this fanfiction just hurry up and finish itself? Nah, I'm just kidding. I love writing The Passionflower, but sometimes, when your story is getting closer to its finale, you can't help but wish you were writing the conclusion already. I'd like to put complete on its status and then move on with bigger and better fanfictions. (You know, like the se—)

AHEM. I don't know what my alter ego was about to say there, but you should probably get onto reading now. You probably shouldn't pay attention to anything said ego has already said. Ridiculous things tend to come out of its mouth. Ridiculous.

Read, enjoy, review, share. Get moving.

Chapter Twenty-Four

"E—Epsilon, the sky. Look at the sky!"

The Lucario's breath hitched and he whirled around in all directions, unable to remove his fixed stare on the clouds above. At first, he could only hear the panicked screams of both his friends and all of the trainers around, but then there came the distant rumble of thunder and the smell of destruction. He shut his eyes, thinking to himself, This is it. This is the day that we have feared for so long. Obsidian is here.

Yami, who was not usually so straightforward, grabbed him by the shoulders and demanded, "What's happening?" When he received only a garbled response, his voice climbed to a fragile yell. "Epsilon, the sky looks like it's about to fall apart, and Alfie has literally just disappeared into thin air! You're the one who's all smart when to comes to stuff like this, so do something about it!"

Everything with matter was beginning to fall apart – the cliffs, the ground, the buildings. They did not shatter into nothingness like expected, but they instead broke into their basest parts. Debris fell from above, and Epsilon could almost hear the sound of Obsidian's pleased laughter. Trainers, all of whom had no clue what was happening, merged into frightened crowds. Pokémon, some who had been expecting the overlord's downfall and others who had not seen it coming, could not help but tremble with fear.

Even Feilong looked on the verge of mental breakdown, even though he was normally so composed and refined at the edges. He took Yami's arm and pulled him away from the other man, who was still trying to accept the fact that the overlord had finally lost his battle. The Dragonair breathed heavily, and then he said, "He's right, Epsilon. You've been preparing for this day for so long, and now it's time to act."

"I—I cannot!" exclaimed the Lucario, who immediately felt abashed at saying such a thing. He repeated Yami's frantic words in his head, The sky looks like it's about to fall apart, and Alfie has literally just disappeared into thin air. Do something about it. Then he thought, Alfie is gone. Obsidian took her, and he did it right under my nose.

"Time and space, all gone," said Étoile, who looked to be the calmest of the bunch. She observed the crumbling world around her, but she paid no special attention to the disintegrating buildings or the reddened atmosphere above. "And now, the overlord as well. The one who created everything that we are and everything that we've ever known." Her eyes flickered with the first signs of apprehension. "We've lost him. Alfie too."

Epsilon swallowed hard, resting his hand on Ever's shoulder for support. For several moments, he pressed his forehead to her hair and just breathed in her scent. She smelled like life, like his future, and he was not willing to relinquish that. "No, he has not given up on us just yet," he said, "and neither has Alfie. They are both still alive."

"How do you even know that?" Yami clenched his hands into fists from frustration. "What? Are you going to tell us that you can see their auras? Because I'm not really in the mood for that kind of bull right now, y'know, with the whole world practically falling down right now!"

Epsilon's voice remained steady, and he quietly said, "I can sense them, whether you think so or not. They may not be in this dimension, but I know that they are with us still."

And again, Yami was yelling, "This dimension? She's not even in this dimension anymore?" He paced back and forth on the platform above the plateau, treading lightly as if the flooring beneath him would crumble into dust at any moment. When he returned his attention to the others, his hands were wringing his hair. "There are only so many dimensions, you know, and one of them is dead."

"Alfie is not dead, and neither is the overlord." Epsilon's words came out harsher than he had intended. "Both Arceus and Alfie know that, if our world is ever going to be normal again, then we must be strong and fight for it. We must do the same."

"But, Epsilon—!" Étoile cut herself off, searching for the words she wanted. Her collection of embellishments and colorful adornments trembled as she did, but the sounds of the bells were lost amongst the destruction of the world. "If she is no longer in our dimension, then how is she going to obtain access to the overlord? Where has she even gone? She—"

Epsilon himself interrupted her with a quote from a certain, panicking boy. "There are only so many dimensions, but like our ghost-boy has guessed, one of them is not dead. We are all familiar with them. One of them is space, one is time, and another is within the mirror."

"The Reverse World?" Feilong's eyes widened at his own guess, and then again as a large stone slab fell from the building above and shattered a short distance away. His silver hair shined red as the skies grew darker and darker. "But we haven't heard from Giratina in…in centuries! What makes you so positive that his universe is the one she's vanished into?"

"Nothing," said Epsilon. "I am not sure of anything right now.

The Mirror Walker is not going to allow the destruction of this world, thought Epsilon. His realm is the only one that I know nothing about, but I know that it is the realm that lives besides ours in harmony. Aloud, he added, "But if there is one thing I do know, it is that both Arceus and our little lady still live on. I believe that the overlord will hold onto life and that Alfie will do what she was brought here to do."

Obsidian does not realize how strongly we will fight for our kingdom. He will fall by her hand, because he has not yet taken our hearts, and he has not yet won the war.

Would you look at the destruction that we are causing together, Arceus? Obsidian watched the world fall to ruin, pleased at how well everything was going. Centuries of manifesting inside of the overlord's heart was worth the wait, because now he was getting his own special treat, and that was watching everyone run and scream from what he had caused. The overlord had not stood a chance, anyway. Humph, some lord you are. These people should be considered lucky that they will live to see me rule.

The overlord's body only watched blankly, his expression vacant and his limbs still. The only time he would move is when he tilted his head to observe what was happening, and even then the movement was slow and absentminded. However, even though he was quiet externally, his mind was fighting a valiant battle, and Obsidian was beginning to get irritated.

Of course, I have not controlled your body just yet, said Obsidian blandly, wishing that the process would speed itself up. When I do, however, everyone will see to me as the ruler. Not only will I have overcome the overlord, the creator of everything that is and ever will be, I will have assumed his shape. There will be no reason for disloyal subjects then. Having your powers will prove to be worth the wait of a millennia.

J—just because you will have my shell will not make you a ruler, said Arceus, who was slowly weakening. He was no longer in control of his own body, but his mind was still alive, and that meant he could talk as much as he wanted to and Obsidian, unfortunately, could do nothing about it. When they realize who you are, they will not listen to you.

Obsidian cackled to himself. Fool, you have had organizations brought against you, threatening your rule. They are looking for someone to lead them in the right direction, and that is something I can offer. As he began to become one with the overlord's body, for the first time he experienced sensations on his skin. He lifted the overlord's – no, his hand – to his face, touching the jaw line gently. And so what if they challenge me? I have the sixteen Plates on my side, not to mention an additional one. I will be unstoppable.

You shall not use my powers to hurt my people! growled Arceus. Yet, as Obsidian began to gain more control over his body, his voice became quieter and quieter. The sixteen Plates were not meant to be used for intimidation!

Whenever I emerge into your body, Arceus, the sixteen Plates will not cross my mind again. Obsidian, in experimentation, then began to flex and bend his new arms. He grinned at the slender fingers in front of him, finding joy in the simple things like the way the overlord's wrists were shaped. I will only need one, and that will be the one that destroyed you.

Arceus' mind sparked, as if he was pulling against his chains in protest. The Destruction Pla—

Oh, hush! Obsidian had already gained enough mobility in his legs to turn himself around. He faced the mirror on the wall behind him, looking pleased at the shape he had acquired. Suddenly, his expression grew dark, and he reached forward to softly press his fingers against the glass. How foolish of me, to leave this stupid thing in the Hall of Origin. I should have known that there would be a gateway into the Reverse World from this place.

My son would never allow you into his realm, Arceus snarled weakly, his breaths becoming short, labored gasps. And now that he has Alfie, he—

Obsidian interrupted again, Now that he has the girl, nothing will have changed! He raked his fingers along the mirror's wooden border, glaring into the glass as if he could intimidate that stupid Giratina to come out. Before he stole her from me, I was ready to strike her down where she stood. And when she comes back, I will only do the same thing.

You are not powerful yet, Obsidian. You may have obtained my body, but still you must obtain my powers. Until you have gained full control of both my embodiment and my mind, you will be unable to do anything to her. There was smug silence after Arceus spoke.

Oh, Obsidian hated when Arceus was correct. It matters not, he said nonchalantly, looking into the eyes that would soon become his own. When she comes back, I will finally rid myself of just another pest. Despite my influence, you foolishly invested your strength into bringing her back from the dead. That proved to be your fatal mistake, friend, and for what? A waste of time?

You would have worn me down anyway, said Arceus. This way, I was able to give my subjects hope. I gave them something to believe in. And I gave a young girl another chance to live.

Obsidian gripped the side of the mirror and threw it down. The glass did not shatter, but when it hit the ground, appearing there were several hairline fractures. For the first time, he moved the overlord's lips to his own words, "All you gave her was another chance to die, you fool. I will allow you to live for a little longer, that way you will be able to watch your precious divergent one fall to her worst nightmares!"

Alfie groaned as the first pains of headache began to throb in her head. She took several uneven breaths and pushed herself to a sitting position, her hand trembling just over her temples. When her blurred vision finally cleared, she blinked herself back into reality and into whatever strange world she'd just fallen into.

She was floating on a slab of rock, huge in diameter and crumbling at its edges. All around her were trees and buildings, and for a moment, she had to wonder if she'd bumped her head a little too hard, because nearly everything was upside down. Beneath her stone platform, there were only clouds, and above her, there was a black sky that twisted and turned around itself.

W—what is this place? Alfie crawled backwards, but as she ventured closer to the edge of the stone slab, the entire thing began to tip over beneath her weight. She immediately corrected herself and went to the middle of the platform again. To herself and the vacant world around her, she whispered, "Where on earth am I?"

"You are not exactly on earth," said a deep voice, which came from her left. There stood a man, who had his hands in his pockets and his eyes set on something far in the distance. He coughed into his palm before adding, "You might say that you are parallel to earth, or you could say that we are above earth and it is below us, or vice versa. Either way, you understand the point."

"If not on earth, then where are we?"

The handsome man had golden hair, and his eyes were blackened but had slim, red irises in the center. He was long and lithe, much like a dragon, and on his back were six dark wings that fell limp. The way that he stood, as if he no longer had the energy to stand proud and straight, reminded Alfie of a fallen seraph. Slowly, he answered, "We are in a place where you will be temporarily safe from Obsidian and his puppet. That is all that matters."

Obsidian…that's right! He was screaming at me, and then there was this white portal, thought Alfie. She shakily stood on her feet, looking up at the man whose solemnity she'd never experienced before. "You're the one who reached in through that portal, right before Obsidian…" she trailed off. "You saved me."

"Yes, you could say that," said the man. He finally looked at her with his black eyes, but she didn't feel as frightened as she imagined she would be. "I have heard many things about you, divergent one. Even though I am isolated here, in the Reverse World, I can see what you are doing – attempting to rid us all of that parasite known as Obsidian. This is the only dimension he cannot reach, but still I am affected by what he is doing to your world."

"The Reverse World…" repeated Alfie, glancing up at him. "Who are you?"

The man was quiet for a moment, and then he answered, "My name is Giratina, the Mirror Walker. I am the full brother to both the Master of Space and the Master of Time." At those words, he smiled grimly. "I am sure that you are…acquainted with the more theatrical brother."

Alfie could then see the resemblances between him and Dialga – they had the same narrow face, almond-shaped eyes and slender stature. "I've never heard of you before," she said, even though prior to her transformation she hadn't really heard of anyone. "How come you're here, all by yourself in this weird place? At least your brothers have contact with the outside world."

"That is a long story, divergent one," said Giratina, looking amused. "But though I reside here in isolation, there are several benefits that counteract the loneliness. I have been watching Obsidian, safely from here, since his arrival in your world. There have been several times where I have attempted to warn the overlord of his presence, but alas, I was doubted."

Well, nobody doubts him now, Alfie deadpanned. "So you've known about him from the start?" Though she didn't know him, she felt betrayed thinking that someone could have prevented Obsidian from escalating this far and hadn't.

"I hear the accusations in your voice." Giratina sighed, and his eyes returned to the distance. As he stood there, contemplating his next words, several stone slabs floated past them. "Perhaps I had grown so accustomed to my isolation that anything outside of the Reverse World did not matter. Maybe I did not think that Obsidian would become this powerful, that he was merely just another sickness. Now I know different, and still, there is not much I can do."

Alfie's feelings of anger faded when she heard his regret. "Well, you saved me from getting blasted to pieces," she offered, and he chuckled in response. "But now I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm here, Obsidian and Arceus are there, and there's no way that I can confront them again."

"I am going to tell you something, divergent one, and perhaps you will be able to learn some good from those words," said Giratina, and for the first time, he completely faced her. "Millennia ago, when the first shreds of Obsidian were nothing but nightmares, the overlord feared that his world was collapsing. Though his subjects were loyal and his people were strong, he doubted his own ability to continue his rule. He had never been afraid before, but for the first time, his heart was exposed to the monsters that sought his power."

"Like Obsidian," said Alfie.

Giratina nodded, continuing, "There are sixteen Plates that give the overlord his power, each of which he is holding at this moment. Obsidian knew of these power sources, and with that knowledge, he was able to create what is called the Destruction Plate. Nobody in either world has heard of it before, and nobody besides Arceus has seen it with his own eyes. This Plate, in particular, is the one that has manifested Obsidian inside of the overlord's body."

"The Destruction Plate…" Alfie thought to herself for a moment, and then she said, "Like how Obsidian was in Dialga's diamond! Dialga was sick because Obsidian was inside of it!"

"Unfortunately, you are one of those who have experienced the terror of the Destruction Plate, including my brothers," said Giratina bitterly. "This Plate, unlike the other sixteen, does not bestow someone power, but instead is strengthened by their fear and loss of hope. By the time that Arceus realized what was growing inside of himself, it was already too late. The Plate had already become one with his body, and then he slowly began to die."

Experienced the terror of the Destruction Plate, along with Dialga and Palkia. Alfie felt horrible, thinking about what awful things she'd seen under Obsidian's careful watch. She couldn't imagine that the two brothers had to endure the same thing.

"Fear is like a plague, as the overlord discovered," continued Giratina. "Arceus was well aware that, if he managed to find the courage to overcome the Plate, then his illness would be revoked and all would be well again. For the first several decades, he was able to fight it back, but as time went on, every moment that he doubted himself added up. After the first century of fighting it, he knew that he was losing. That was when he locked himself inside of the Hall of Origin."

"That's right," said Alfie. Then she felt twice as terrible, because the overlord had to withstand what she did, but for centuries longer. "Even though I knew that I wasn't supposed to be scared, I couldn't help it. I just kept getting more and more scared."

Giratina stared at her. "The Destruction Plate, even though Obsidian is almost at his most powerful, is in its most vulnerable state. It is not within the overlord's body anymore, but it is emerging. During this stage, the Plate is open for anyone who wants to get a hold of it, which is why Obsidian keeps Arceus hidden for now. The window to its defeat is open."

"So you're basically saying that I should probably get a move on and go destroy that Plate," said Alfie, her stomach fluttering. "Right, of course."

"I am not saying that you should jump into this recklessly, divergent one." Giratina's eyes followed a small, glowing orb, which slowly floated past them. Inside of the orb was an image, a picture of the Indigo Plateau falling to ruin, and then in another orb, the forests of Johto burning to ash. "But at this moment, there is so much at stake. It will not be long until the Reverse World is also turning to dust. If you do not act now, there will truly be no hope and all will be lost forever."

Alfie closed her eyes, her breaths beginning to come up short again, and her hands trembled in a panicked fever. "It's just too soon," she said, imagining her friends in the other world. "When I learned about why the overlord brought me here, I thought since he's lasted so long already, I would have more time to get myself together."

"There is no special training program for learning to be brave," said Giratina, and Alfie's eyes opened in shock. "Arceus is the one who created our universe and everything inhabiting it, and still he could not obtain the courage he needed to fight the monster inside of him. Bravery is not always evident in those who are the strongest or those who are the fastest. Sometimes, one can find it in the smallest of things, right inside of the girl who knew that saving the world was more important than being afraid."

Alfie, even though she hated to admit it, knew that Giratina was right. "But—"

"Tell me, girl from the human world, who are you fighting for?"

I'm fighting for the creatures that I never thought could feel like humans do. The ones who I didn't know could love or hate, and the ones who managed to make me feel like I really do have a purpose. I'm fighting for the boy who makes me love so much that it hurts, for the couple that I traveled back in time to bring together again. For the parents who deserved a better daughter, for the best friends who I should've let go a long time ago. For the Pokémon who want to be happy again.

Instead of saying all of that, however, she said, "I'm fighting for what's right."

To not see through their eyes is to misunderstand, and I misunderstood. She was brought back to the evening that she saw her life flash before her eyes. Epsilon's exact words flowed through her mind, faster than she could even think them. All this time, I have lived knowing that the human world is not where I was meant to shine. I will realize that what I can accomplish was not in that world. She lowered her eyes. But in this one.

"Are you afraid, Alfie?" He might've sounded cruel, quoting Obsidian's exact words.

Alfie looked up at him, her expression serious. "Not anymore."

End of Chapter Twenty-Four

Other Notes: Let's get moving into ACTION.