Ayame knew Koga followed the proverb 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer' but with how little she could read from Arthur it was difficult for her to classify him as either. Though Taiichi and Mizuki seem to have accepted him as a good person, there were qualities about him that were not adding up. After Taiichi got his Pokémon healed, they continued through the Johto region. Continuing toward Azalea Town Arthur takes a detour, nearly abandoning the group. "Hey Arthur, Azalea Town is this way," pointing south as Arthur was headed west.

"I know, but I've just got word that there's something here that needs investigating before going anywhere else. It's just a couple days out that way so just go on ahead without me."

Ayame looked over to him with suspicion, "When and how did you hear about it?"

Arthur pulled out an odd looking phone, "My friend." Ayame still didn't like this, and she never saw him pull that out before now.

"What was it about?"

Arthur didn't seem like he wanted to talk about it, but he turned to Mizuki with a smile just the same, "Well all I can really say is that it involves ruins."

Ayame turned to Mizuki and Taiichi hoping they might know what Arthur was talking about, but they were also in the dark about this. "Our parents are Pokémon researchers not ruin specialists."

"Yeah, environmental habitats like Mt. Chimney or the Pinwheel Forest we know or have heard of, but I can't think of any ruins that we've ever visited where our time was completely occupied with everything but the place itself."

"Besides it's not like the Gym or the Gym Leader of Azalea is going to pick up and move suddenly. And if there are ruins, there are bound to be researchers at the site if there are mysteries yet solved there. We can't just abandon them if they're in trouble."

Arthur laughed, "Let's hope it doesn't come down to anything like that."


Setting up camp for the night and everyone fast asleep, a shadow started to shift near their camp. Ayame's bag started to move with life as Shedinja freeing himself and followed the shadow that was leaving the campsite. Servine was sleeping with Taiichi but was stirred by the noise of Shedinja coming out of its Poké Ball. From what she knew, Shedinja didn't seem like the kind of Pokémon to do such things so Servine decided to follow from a distance out of curiosity and concern.

After getting some considerable distance from the others, the shadow lifted from the ground as it took on a new form. It was still mostly black, making seeing its outline a bit hard to see against the foliage at night though it was definitely not something Servine had seen while she was with Taiichi or his family. An unnaturally narrow middle making the overall body an hourglass-like figure, and a strange red collar around the head that looked like a jaw but clearly wasn't. It had a bright blue eye but the other half of its face was covered by a white fog-like hair that billowed without the wind blowing.

"Odd to find you here like this old friend. Aren't you pretty far from your home and those you were protecting?"

Shedinja hovered closer, "I am still fulfilling my duty as guardian of the bloodline. Merely the location has altered, nothing more. And I could say the same thing about you, Darkrai. Being the shadow of a human? I thought you didn't trust their kind?"

Darkrai huffed, "It is true, I have little faith in them, as a species, however this one has shown me there are a few that I can believe in."

"As I have told you many times before, the humans are more than the mindless savages you peg them to be," Shedinja started to move around Darkrai, "But I sense that isn't why you've made yourself apparent to the human recently. What business do you have at the Ruin of Alph?"

Darkrai looked off toward where the ruins lay, "I can't say with absolute certainty, however I can sense there is something that cannot be allowed to continue."

"I can also sense something too. However, is it truly something worth investigating?"

"You should know by now, I will not allow such a disturbance to continue if I have the power to change it." Darkrai's eye shifted toward the tree Servine was hiding behind. "It would seem one of yours has followed us."

Shedinja seemed all too aware. "Servine, you should return to Taiichi. These matters with the ruins should be resolved rather quickly before anyone else besides Darkrai and his human are involved. Isn't that correct?"

Darkrai glanced to Shedinja for a moment before returning his gaze looked down toward her, "Yes, however my presence around others at night can be…troublesome. I will reach the ruins before the humans arrive and finish our business, assuming it isn't too much for me to handle alone."

Servine was still staying behind the tree, though it was reassuring to hear that from Shedinja at least. Servine sneered, "Fine. But if they do get involved, and if anyone is hurt, I'm holding the big guy responsible."

Servine rushed through the brush back to camp. "She's a feisty one. Not unlike another I know."

"She can be overzealous about protecting those she cares about. I wouldn't take it personally. They have been through quite a bit. Though compared to our experiences and how long we've lived it may seem trivial to us."


The next morning they continued toward the ruins. Servine wanted to stay out of her Poké Ball for the time being, riding on Taiichi's shoulders like she occasionally does. The path finally opened up at a campsite with a cabin that has been lived in for some time now but something was wrong, tools were scattered, notebooks were left on the ground and a fire left completely unattended. It was far too messy, even by field researcher standards, something Mizuki and Taiichi were both well aware of.

Looking for clues, Taiichi and Mizuki started to read through the notes left behind as Ayame checked inside the cabin. "Unown? What the heck…? It looks like a letter with an eye at the center. And they think it's some kind of ancient Pokémon?"

"Ruin of Alph…" Mizuki found a rather interesting journal as well, "What were they looking for?"

Ayame wasn't having much success on her end. Inside there was little indication as to what happened or where they might have gone. It was as if they were all suddenly taken away in the middle of their day without a struggle. Walking back outside she noticed Arthur had mysteriously left them and Servine was no longer with Taiichi, whose nose was too stuck in the notes to probably notice. Ayame put up her hand for Joltik to climb onto, "Give a small zap to wake him up." Joltik hopped onto Taiichi's back to discharge a small static shock for him to notice.

"Hey! What was that for?"

Ayame had kept her hand out for Joltik's return, "I believe you're missing two things," pointing to his shoulders first.

Taiichi didn't understand what she meant, or at least until he started to look. "Servine? Servine, where'd you go?" After circling a few times Taiichi noticed the second thing Ayame was talking about, "Arthur isn't here either."

Mizuki looked up too, "Do you think they were taken like the others?"

Ayame moved closer to the entrance to the ruins, "I don't think they were taken anywhere." She was following two sets of fresh tracks, one left by a human and the other by Servine.

Before Ayame could actually enter the ruins, one of her Poké Balls started to move on their own until Shedinja forced itself out again and was blocking the entrance. Taiichi tried to enter but Shedinja created a barrier with its halo and stopped him. Shedinja was within the ruins and behind the barrier, preventing Ayame from recalling Shedinja into its Poké Ball. "Shedinja what are you doing?" Shedinja continued to maintain the barrier, preventing any of them from entering. Taiichi moved to grab two of his Pokémon, "Don't make us do this. You know it won't take much for us to break through."

Mizuki was also getting two of hers ready, all of them were selected to target Shedinja's weaknesses. "You've seen our Pokémon, we can take you. Now move so we can find our friend!" Shedinja defiantly refused.

Taiichi nodded to Mizuki as he moved to Ayame, "We're going to hammer away at this barrier. Get Shedinja's Poké Ball ready." All four Poké Balls were tossed into the air as Charmeleon, Druddigon, Kirlia and Scar appeared. "Alright everyone we're attacking Shedinja."

Druddigon and Scar were willing and able without the need of an explanation but Charmeleon and Kirlia seemed confused. "Servine is somewhere in those ruins and Shedinja won't let us through. So we're going to break our way in. Druddigon use Fire Punch. Kirlia, Shadow Ball." Kirlia could feel that Shedinja was doing this for the groups benefit or so it believed, but she could not tell anything else due to the strong emotions of worry, disbelief and anger coming from Taiichi and Mizuki.

"Charmeleon, Flamethrower. Scar, get in there with Wing Attack!"

All four of them did as they were commanded, Scar slashing away with his wings as Druddigon found a sport for himself to punch against while giving each other plenty of room along with Charmeleon's flames and Kirlia's barrage. Yet despite the combined assault, Shedinja's barrier was holding steadfast. "Keep going! We have to break through!"

Ayame was ready, Poké Ball in hand and aimed at Shedinja and waiting for the barrier to drop. "This is one tough Protect. Shedinja must be strong. But we're not leaving without Servine! Come on!"


Arthur was aware that Servine had followed him, though it wasn't like she was trying to hide that fact. Servine could hear something coming from the entrance, undoubtedly Shedinja keeping its promise of ensuring the others had minimal involvement, but in her heart she knew it wouldn't last for long. Taiichi and Mizuki would blast their way through Shedinja soon enough. Arthur seemed to know where he was going, probably being led by Darkrai to whatever this disturbance was he and Shedinja were talking about last night.

All the while going deeper into the ruins Servine started to notice rather strange paintings, most of them were depictions of black letters with an eye at the center or incorporated into the letter's form. She didn't know why, but she was getting the strangest sensation of being watched by these painted eyes around them.

"Don't be fooled," Servine looked up to Arthur, "they may look like paintings, but not all of them are. There are spaces within the spaces in-between worlds, worlds beyond worlds we couldn't comprehend. That is where these things belong, but occasionally rifts open that connect the two together. Sometimes they're by accident others are intentional. From what can be deduced, a group of Unown are causing untold amount of havoc and chaos, and they're probably the ones who took the researchers away." Not long after a shadow moved through the darkness and a blue eye appeared. "Ah, Shadow. Did you find anything?"

"Unfortunately." Servine was somewhat surprised hearing Darkrai speak the human language, especially with how Darkrai expressed his views on humanity.

"These are hostile Unown that are using the humans to provide themselves greater power. And I found something I was not expecting."

"What is it?"

The eye disappeared as the shadow started to move along the walls, "It's easier to show." As Darkrai continued, Servine looked back, wondering if the others had entered the ruins yet, or if they were lost within the maze of passages.


Shedinja's barrier was weakening now, just barely able to hold itself up. "Perfect! Scar…"

"Druddigon…"

"Return," both Pokémon were withdrawn while Charmeleon continued his fiery assault. Kirlia was preparing one last Shadow Ball, far bigger than the ones she was firing off earlier.

Ayame was still focused on returning Shedinja into its Poké Ball, waiting for the barrier to shatter. Charmeleon stopped the flames once the final Shadow Ball made contact, exploding and blanketing the entrance in smoke. Ayame quickly activated the Poké Ball, the beam shot into the smoke and remained for some time before coming back. It work and before Shedinja could get out, they ran into the ruins now to search for Servine and Arthur.

"Nice work Charmeleon," Taiichi withdrew Charmeleon now, "It's time for Riolu to help us out." Once Riolu was out, he started looking around to find Arthur. "Sorry, but we got separated with Arthur and Servine. We could use your help in finding them."

Riolu proudly nodded before he started to focus his energy to find Arthur again. He could feel a faint something, but it was definitely Arthur. Kirlia was right behind Riolu, following Servine's emotional trail deeper into the ruins.


Darkrai had lead Arthur and Servine to a larger chamber but much of the room was covered in shadows. Arthur had a flashlight on hand and started to scan the room for Darkrai. Instead he found it, an impressive nine foot tall Golurk statue that imposed its presence upon them. Arthur took a closer look now, "Odd, I can't feel anything from this. Is it just a statue?"

"No…" Darkrai formed behind them, "This Golurk was one of the first to have been constructed by ancient humans and evolve from a Golett." Darkrai disappeared as Servine turned back, "And one of the many reasons why I still hold no real empathy for their kind," Darkrai was next to Golurk now, "He and many others like him were constructed for personal power and protection or the enslavement of others like you and I," specifically speaking to Servine now. Darkrai almost seemed saddened by the sight.

Arthur could see Servine looked rather uneasy about all of this, but something wasn't making sense, "How can you tell Shadow? Other than their personality and aura, all Golurk look exactly the same. And I can't sense anything from him."

"That is because of the sacrifice he performed. Few remain that remember the event, and even fewer survived the encounter to retell it. I had though he had been destroyed by this act." Shadow's eye started to glow, creating an illusion around them, "Long ago, a human had constructed an empire not far from this place," time was speeding by as they watched an entire civilization rise before them, "and as generations pass, it only takes one to see to its destruction." The man sitting on the throne was older with nothing but ambition in his eyes, "This human sought nothing but power and control. And he would find a means of doing so here." The king was now deep within the Ruins of Alph preforming some kind of ritual. "Unown are not inherently good nor are they evil. Unfortunately the energy they feed on from others can affect them. This former temple was one of the strongest focal points for them to travel through. This human learned of this and wished to use their power to control Ho-Oh for his deranged dream to conquer the world." The human now possessed a stone Poké Ball with a black gem at the center and was facing Ho-Oh with a small army of Unown around them. "Their battle was fierce and with the power of the Unown behind him, it seemed like victory would be the human's. Golurk was informed of the consequences to come should he obtain the power of Ho-Oh. In response, Golurk moved to the center of the temple and used his energy to disrupt the connection the Unown had to this world, and thus the human lost much of his power," the Unown present started to fade away and disappear. "Ho-Oh used the lull in the battle to turn the tide on the human, and in response ravaged much of his kingdom until little remained." A blackened shadow of Ho-Oh imposed over the burning kingdom appeared now, "And the human sealed away in his own vice," the human now appeared as he was pulled into the stone Poké Ball. "Regrettably, the human's vile nature had altered this group of Unown, creating their own reality, and waiting for the day Golurk would lose the ability to contain them." Shadow stopped the illusion, "We cannot allow these Unown to leave these ruins. Our best option is to have this splinter group reunite with the others."

"Dispersing the negative energy over a greater number and weakening it overall. So how do we do it?"

"That will be the trickier part. We require Golurk's aid to perform the necessary task, and when Golurk becomes himself once more, the Unown will flood into this dimension." Shadow continued to look to Golurk's lifeless body, "Unfortunately, even with an entire team of Pokémon, myself included, we won't be able to contain them all long enough for Golurk to finish uninterrupted."

"Then you should've asked for help." Taiichi, Riolu, Kirlia, Mizuki and Ayame managed to reach the chamber, and some of them looked exhausted from running through the place.

Arthur calmly turned around, "How much of that did you hear?"

Ayame walked over, allowing Shedinja to be released once more, "Just from the Golurk using itself as a living door for these Unown and your plans of returning them to their collective majority."

Taiichi walked up to Servine, "Hey, what gives? Why'd you run off on us like that?" Servine started her vine play, telling about the late night encounter and wanting to keep the others safe from this danger. "You know what? You're right. We would have thrown ourselves at this problem, and we still are." Taiichi looked back to Mizuki and Ayame, both nodding to him. Taiichi picked himself back up, letting Servine climb onto him as he turned to Arthur and Shadow, "So, how can we help?"


A/N: Just a heads up now, my updates after next week might be a bit spottier compared to what I've been able to do. It's not due to writers block persay, just things that are popping up that take precedence over writing out my stories. I'll probably put a blurb up on my page with the same message too.