Welcome back to another chapter of Diary! As always, I do not own Pokémon, and enjoy!

40. The World Beyond

Day 39 (October 15, 2019): Sinnoh

Finally out of Snowpoint and off to warmer places! There is still the rest of the world to see, and even what lies beyond.

Well, after clearing up some business at the lake. Now that I found Rock Climb in the snow, I can finally teach one of Gracie's partners and get up there…

Only to see Barry losing to Team Galactic.

Luckily, there's no battle this time, and Jupiter simply mentions heading to Veilstone.

I quickly do the same, but not before scaling the cliffs on the route and defeating everyone there. I also go on a little shopping trip, to gather something that I don't believe I've used before.

X items.

X items increase a stat by one stage, as if the Pokémon had used the move like that. They're subject to the same restrictions as other stat boosts, and continue until the Pokémon is withdrawn or otherwise has it stats reset. There are other similar items, such as those that increase critical hit rate or prevent a Pokémon's stats from being lowered for a set amount of turns. Gracie already has a move, Calm Mind, that increases two of her stats, but it is not enough. If the battle against Candice taught me anything, it's that Gracie's defense and speed are low. Given what's coming up, I will need something to compensate. And the items are the perfect solution.

With new items in hand, I am now ready to head to Team Galactic's base in Veilstone. I have to say I love the music here, and the dimly lit halls give off a very sinister vibe… Also, nice to have Looker doing something useful by obtaining the storage key needed to access the place, and opening it himself… Interesting he went on ahead, even though he can't really battle… I wonder if something like that is how he lost his partner…

Even though the base is large, the puzzle is pretty simple. It's just a matter of looking for a key to open doors, fighting Trainers and using warp panels along the way. The warp panels have been greatly simplified from previous games, so it's just a matter of process of elimination.

After that, I find the key and enter the true Galactic Veilstone hideout. The halls are now well lit, but there are still plenty of enemies. They go down easily, though.

The next area to enter is the one where Cyrus is speaking. As I sit backstage with Looker, Cyrus, unaware, proclaims that the new world he and his team will create will be only for them. Then there's the idea that no matter where the Team Galactic members are, they're all working towards the same goal. At this, the members of Team Galactic cheer, and Cyrus exits the stage. With this, is clear that the Team Galactic members admire Cyrus.

But knowing evil teams, it's probably all just a huge blatant lie.

Regardless, the scene quickly shifts back to Looker's perspective, and the player's as well. Looker comments on how Cyrus's speech was mesmerizing despite not understanding what he said, and how they're on opposite sides. I'd call the speech chilling if I heard it, or maybe even grandiose, but not mesmerizing… Of course, Looker is implied to be from an area that does not speak the same language as most of the other regions, so maybe he just didn't quite know the right words… Oddly enough, he's shown to be able to pick up other languages rather easily, if his dialogue from Pokémon Sun and Moon is any indication…

Regardless, Looker reveals that Cyrus is fairly young, being only 27 years old at this time in the game. Seeing as the player is supposed to be 10 or 11 years old, and some player characters can be as old as their late teens, Cyrus isn't that much older than the people fighting against him… And since Cynthia acts like a mother figure to the player character in some interpretations, it can be assumed that she's also around that age, if not older… Certainly, some of the Gym Leaders and Elite Four members would be older than him, and not just the ones that are elders already…

Regardless, Traveler changes that.

In that story, Cyrus is married and has children that at least in their preteens. As a result, he is significantly older but looks mostly the same. I'm not currently sure how old he will be in that story, or if his age will even be stated at all.

To put the age change into even more perspective, the protagonist of Usurping is 25 at the start of that story. She has no children, but the oldest a child of hers could possibly be would be around 13 or 14. That's assuming she gets pregnant the instant she is physically capable of doing so (around age 10 or 11) without any relationship beforehand. Furthermore, Cyrus is already a successful businessman in a high position, and will most likely have completed a college degree of some sort. The protagonist, in contrast has recently finished a college degree by the time the story starts (at around age 22 or 23, or even 24), is extremely new to her profession and leaves it soon after she tries to work in it, and can't apply for anything other than entry-level jobs, let alone try to get into a high-level position. All of this realistically would be the same for Cyrus (aside from leaving a profession), with everything having a difference of about two years at most. That's not enough time for him to get into the position he is in Traveler, let alone the canon games.

Canonically, it's possible, because his business is illicit, he is implied to have created it himself, and it's not known what sort of education he has. However, there's still a slim chance of that working out (his business would most likely realistically be just starting, assuming it was not created as soon as he became an adult or near that, and he instead opted to go for things like higher education), and he and his company probably wouldn't have the notoriety they have in the canon material. They have to be completely honest and successful, and they're not. Not to mention Cyrus is good at keeping his dishonesty and true identity hidden from the public, so hardly anyone is put in a position where they can find out. So it's improbable that Cyrus would realistically be able to do what he does at age 27.

Therefore, Cyrus's young age doesn't still make much sense, even if what he does in the canon games is possible.

In Traveler, Cyrus's actions despite his own age go from improbable to impossible.

Hence why his age is changed.

It goes without saying that due to Cyrus being honest, his followers' admiration, as well as his unity, kindness, and respect for them, is genuine. He also keeps his talent for speaking and his ability to captivate audiences. However, I am not currently if he will make a speech at some point in Traveler, what that speech will be about, and how Cyrus will otherwise use his talents.

However, I do know that none of that matters now.

Because now is the time to face him.

I had a feeling this battle would be tough.

But I had no idea how tough…

Sneasel leads, and surprisingly, Gracie is faster. Unfortunately, Gracie's Thunderbolt isn't enough to take it out. Sneasel uses Screech, and the attack tears Garcie's physical defense to shreds. Luckily, Cyrus heals, and Sneasel goes down in two Thunderbolts. Honchkrow is destroyed by one.

And then comes Crobat, and I think Gracie has the advantage due to her Type.

But she doesn't.

Because Crobat is faster.

And it uses Bite, targeting Gracie's destroyed defenses and previous Type advantage.

Gracie barely survives with 36 HP, attacked before she can even strike.

With Crobat being faster, Gracie could flinch, missing her turn.

One missed turn means it's all over.

But flinching doesn't bother Gracie, as she retaliates with a Psychic.

Crobat is put down with a single shot, ending the battle once for all.

And I'm left to reflect on how close the battle really was.

One wrong move could have ended everything, and then I would have no choice but to start over from the point before.

And since the battle was effectively won due to luck, I'm not sure what I would've done differently.

If the battles now are like that, I shudder to think of what awaits in the future…

I've prepared as much as I can, but will my best be enough?

There is no time to think about that now as Cyrus accepts his defeat and hands over the Master Ball. I can think of a place where I will use it in the game, but I have no idea how I'm going to write that in the story…

Regardless, it's time to rescue the kidnapped Lake Trio.

But not before a fight with Saturn, which results in him accepting defeat and allowing me to free the legendary Pokémon.

Saturn goes down easily to Thunderbolt and Psychic. Which makes sense, considering Gracie's level.

What doesn't make sense is what's going on in the background.

The corridor and the area where the legendary Pokémon are being kept is filled with creepy music. The scientists there don't want to battle, saying that they feel sick over what they did and they're not sure if they can follow Cyrus's orders anymore. It brings a horrifying, terrifying, and extremely dark scene.

There's just one problem.

The player never learns exactly what the scientists did, and thus, how it was so horrifying. So as a result it severely diminishes the impact of what happened. When the player gets to the chambers where the legendary Pokémon are being kept, interaction with them merely states that they are in pain, with a few obvious signs depending on who was interacted with (shudders, twitching, and eyes squeezed shut). It's meant to be horrific, but considering there has been many Pokémon that have been stolen and suffering because of it throughout the series, it makes the idea not so different than anything else there. There's a possibility it could be because the three are legendary Pokémon, but it's never stated that what's done is so terrible because of that fact. It's not the first time a legendary Pokémon has been suffering because of the actions of an evil team either (with the first clear time being Pokémon Emerald, with the two main legendary Pokémon forced to fight because of what the evil teams did), so it just rings hollow. It's implied that whatever the scientists did was too dark to put into a Pokémon game, but considering what later games would do, it just makes it baffling. The anime tried to expand on it by making the whole thing similar to mind control, but that is something that has been done before, so it faces the same problem. Other Pokémon media don't elaborate on the process either.

Since Cyrus's role is different in Traveler, it's not known how or even if this area will play a role there. Perhaps it's a place where Cyrus can communicate more directly with the Lake Trio, with a room specifically for them to amplify the power instead of harming them with it. He might receive a message from the lake trio, telling Gracie that one of the gods, Giratina, wishes to speak with her. However, she will need to travel to the top of Mount Coronet, where Giratina's power is the strongest, and the Lake Trio will guide her when she gets there. His power will also guide her, so that he will be waiting on the top of Mount Coronet. However, he has set up several others to serve as a test, and in order to prove she is worthy, Gracie will have to go through the area herself and defeat the others in battle. Gracie is confused, but accepts, considering an honor to meet one of the gods. Alternatively, members of Charon's group have taken residence in Mount Coronet, the Lake Trio come to warn Cyrus, and Gracie has help fight them off.

Regardless, Mount Coronet is my next destination.

It serves as the last major dungeon before the final, containing many twists and turns that result in large amounts of lost players. Additionally, there is little healing, and many powerful enemies and wild Pokémon await. I will need all the strength I have if I want to get through, so it's best to make sure I am properly prepared. Luckily, I've been through the area several times, so I know what to expect. There are many Hidden Machines that have to bring in order to clear constant obstacles, but thanks to Gracie's partners, that's not a problem. Additionally, this area has probably the best music in the game, containing a perfect mixture of beauty, but also urgency and foreboding… Extremely fitting, considering what's happening next, and makes getting lost or otherwise having trouble not so much of a problem…

Also, I find it sad that Looker is not much of a battler, because he makes a challenge to battle the player here. However, he can't follow through and tells the player so, and to relax, because he himself does not battle. But it would've been cool if he could, and would've also helped later on. It ends up being a weakness and used directly against him in one of the other games, to the point where he's forced to go into dangerous situations because of his job, but has no Pokémon at all because he is not strong enough to really battle. In Traveler, Looker not being able to battle is part of his backstory, and said weaknesses is exploited even more. However, unlike in the canon series, he eventually does get a Pokémon that is able to battle, so I might take that a step further and have someone train him to fight... Especially since it doesn't seem to be an issue of Looker being unable to master battle tactics (as he does mention them in some of the later games), but rather, that he chooses to prioritize other skills over it… I'm not sure where Looker would be in in training at the time of Gracie's story, though… Considering he is important, he probably would pop up at least once… Regardless, Looker leaves Team Galactic to me, realizing that he can't continue on without going over his head.

So I've no choice but to proceed.

Luckily, I don't have any issues. The one problem I have is with Gracie running out of Power Points for Thunderbolt, and being forced to use not very effective attacks in a few cases. It allows enemies to hit her that would not normally, but still nothing too bad.

With that I'm on to a new area, Spear Pillar. Home to some very good music, one of the best cutscenes in the series, and one of the toughest boss battles in the game, if not the series.

So I brace myself for it.

Luckily, I will not be alone. Barry fights with me, his team at a high level and mostly evolved.

My opponents?

Jupiter and Mars, with extremely high level, almost fully evolved, teams of their own.

The duo starts with two Bronzor, while Gracie and Muchlax take the lead. Munchlax is probably Barry's weakest Pokémon, so many players choose to take it out. I opt not to, because I don't want to waste turns when I could be attacking opponents.

At first, the battle seems to be going well, with Bronzor and Golbat going down with Thunderbolt. There's even paralysis, which allows me to attack freely, as I'm still only attacking one opponent. Bronzor waste turns with Reflect and Gyro Ball, and Golbat still goes down with one strike.

But then, there's Purugly and Skuntank.

These two are powerful Pokémon, capable of taking more than one attack from Gracie fairly easily. To make matters worse, both of them have super effective attacks with high critical hit chances (Night Slash for Skuntank, Shadow Claw for Purguly). They waste no time exploiting Gracie's weaknesses before she can do a lot of damage. So I'm forced to heal while both of them are on the field, and have a chance of taking Gracie out at any time.

Luck is on my side, because although Skuntank hits me after I heal to full health, Night Slash does not critical and I survive the hit. Additionally, Purguly is paralyzed from Muchlax's earlier Body Slam, and cannot move, lessening the damage to take. With Skuntank weakened from an earlier Thunderbolt, I waste no time making my move. One Thunderbolt destroys Skuntank, and Purugly gets succumbs to paralysis again. Another Golbat comes out, but Psychic wipes the floor with it. After that, only Purugly is left. Psychic rapidly takes care of it.

Interestingly enough, that battle seemed to be easier than it is on my regular challenges. Perhaps it is because Gracie is around level 70, while my opponents are in the high 40s. To put that in perspective, I'm around the level one would be if they were fighting most of the opponents of the postgame, not the end of the main game. Then again, I did get quite a few lucky breaks. The paralysis in the battle turned a lot of things into one-on-one, where it would've been two against one of a lot of cases. So I might not have done so well had that not happened… I couldn't imagine what that would be like…

Regardless, all eyes are on Cyrus now, shortly after I receive healing and Barry runs off.

Interestingly, the following cutscence does not render properly if the game is sped up at all. I only found that out after I watched one unfortunate player miss half of it because the person had the game sped up… I don't want to end up in that situation, so I slow the game down just for this.

But it is worth it.

Red flashes envelop Cyrus and the rest of the screen as a giant chain the same color appears. The cries of two Pokémon can be heard, as black holes appear from the sky. They expand, revealing two Pokémon. One, the master of time, Dialga. The other, the master of space, Palkia. Cyrus starts to use his new item, now formally called the Red Chain, to try and give the two newcomers commands. But before he can do so, the cries of the Lake Trio are heard, and they are shown floating above the mountain. The three materialize, bodies as shadows, hovering above all the chaos. Cyrus simply laughs, stating that even if they can calm one of the two new legendary Pokémon, their powers are useless if more than one is here. So it seems there will be no one to stop Cyrus.

But then…

The screen suddenly darkens, and Cyrus acts confused as he realizes something is enraged.

A circle of shadows rapidly appears, and Cyrus takes a few shocked steps back. Glowing red eyes appear in the shadows, sinisterly locked on Cyrus. The glowing red eyes are revealed to belong to another creature, as said creature emerges, enveloped in shadow. Cyrus simply scoffs, thinking that this creature can't interfere with his plans. However, the creature has other ideas. It lets out a screeching cry as it lurches from the shadows, taking Cyrus with it. After that, a dark portal appears. Everything around the place becomes twisted, leaving the Spear Pillar at risk of becoming a shadow of its former self. Cynthia rushes up, explaining that the creature was a Pokémon called Giratina. It's furious at Cyrus's attempts to destroy the world, and its rage and power is second to none. It has taken Cyrus to another place on the opposite side of the world. This world, known as the Distortion World, is a place unknown, but so feared that only Giratina is there. It is not known what is happening there, but if whatever is in the Distortion World is not calmed, both worlds may never see the light of day again. Cyrus may be a threat looming on the horizon, but Giratina may also annihilate everything if not stopped. Faced with no choice but to chase after them both, the player and Cynthia leap into the portal.

This was one of the most intense, dark, and powerful scenes ever seen in a Pokémon game at the time it was created. Although it's outdated now, it's still a haunting scene for those who have played the game. It was also advanced graphically for its time, showing visuals that Pokémon had never seen before. I still remember the sheer horror of watching Giratina turn the entire screen black save for its glowing red eyes. And I also remember the adrenaline rush of having to explore an unknown world possibly filled with terror and known only in legends…

So it makes sense that something inspired by it would be present in Traveler.

In a different context, of course.

In Gracie's story, she makes to the top of the Spear Pillar to find Cyrus and Cynthia. She is surprised to find Cynthia there, but Cyrus states that Cynthia's abilities are necessary to enter the place where Giratina's power is the strongest. Gracie wonders what Cyrus means when he says abilities, but all of a sudden she sees him throw a red chain on the floor. The red chain glows slightly, and Lake Trio appears. Cyrus replies that this Pokémon has been summoned by Giratina in order to take his test of strength, and receive his wisdom. Cyrus goes on to speak to the Lake Trio again. He tells them, "I trust you know what that means." The Lake Trio nod, coming closer. Cynthia steps forward, and Gracie is expecting her to speak as well. However, she only seems to give a silent command, as the red chain glows again. At her command, shadows appear, and Gracie gasps. Cynthia tells her not to worry, and the shadows linger on the floor near the red chain, as if trying to decide something. Eventually, a portal opens up, and the three Lake spirits and Cyrus enter. Cynthia holds out her hand, saying it is time. Gracie shudders, and Cynthia tells her not to be afraid. She then goes on to say that this will only help with her mission, and to remember that this is an honor. Gracie nods, and lets Cynthia lead her into the portal.

The idea of the Red Chain being used for a ritual to access the Distortion World benevolently actually is inspired by some unused data in the canon games. Normally, the Red Chain can never be used by the player. But a look through game data suggests that this was not always the case. The Red Chain is found as an item the player can carry. It is theorized that the Red Chain would've been used to allow the player to summon Dialga and Palkia themselves. They could then be caught like regular Pokémon. Another theory is that this item would've made the duo stronger somehow. But it's not known what would've happened, and forcefully putting the Red Chain into the player's bag does nothing. But it's still interesting to theorize what might've been, so it appears differently here.

But not everyone has good intentions.

In Holly Rising, the character known as Kristine steals two orbs that canonically make Palkia and Dialgia stronger. In this game, they also have the added bonus of helping people summon them. To make the process even easier, she may also steal the Red Chain. Regardless, all of this attracts Cyrus's attention, and he uses his team to try and slow her down. He catches up with her at the Spear Pillar, with the protagonist having defeated all his grunts. However, he is too late as she uses the items to summon the two legendary Pokémon, as well as both that and some other latent powers to control them. Cyrus realizes too late that he played into her hand, as his presence at ability to summon the Lake Trio means that there will be resulting chaos. This also means that the protagonist has cleared the requirements to access Giratina's trial and enter the place where his power is the strongest, regardless of her intentions. With all of this, Cyrus is sure Giratina will appear. And then the protagonist will get what she was after, Giratina's power. Cyrus's fears turn out be correct as Giratina appears, taking the protagonist into the Distortion World. But shortly before that, she uses her other abilities to turn Dialga and Palkia against him. This injures him, and prevents Cyrus from following her. Cynthia appears later on to fight off the foes, but not in time to stop the protagonist. Due to the protagonist's other powers, she cannot bring her down without risking herself and her loved ones, so she chooses to stay back.

The protagonist of Usurping becomes close to Giratina as a result of something else and figures out how to utilize her own powers related to all legendary Pokémon properly. They also meet several times, although he functions more as a friendly wild Pokémon than a Pokémon she owns, and it stated that he is the first Pokémon she met and commanded, even if he wasn't officially hers. Consequently, Giratina's role is similar to that of the wild Pokémon befriended in the Pokémon Ranger games, or the wild Pokémon that follow and help out various Trainers in the anime. She later learns that the reason for her being gifted Giratina's companionship and power was both because of her ability to survive and because of a test, but it's one she passes with flying colors. After her version of the events at Goldenrod Radio Tower, Giratina sees her as worthy of the full extent of his powers, and permanently joins her party. The protagonist of Usurping may still see the Distortion World through things like dream sequences. She may also still venture to the Spear Pillar in order to begin the process of capturing the Lake Trio, but it's not known if she will capture them there. Additionally, it's confirmed that she will head to the Spear Pillar to help someone else, but that's something I will talk about a bit later in this chapter.

For now, it's time to head into the Distortion World.

So I jump into the black abyss that seems to swallow the entire screen…

And come out in an entirely different place.

A place with eerie music, Giratina the only creature here while its ominous shadow blocks the sky, and several areas that defy physics.

Such as objects that suddenly disappear when I walk up to them, climbing walls of water at different angles, and traveling upside down without ever falling.

This makes the Distortion World one of the eeriest areas in the entire series, and it's one of the easiest places to get lost in as well. The different dynamic of the area makes the puzzles more complex and blending in than what players are used to. The player does receive some basic guidance from Cynthia and Lake Trio on how to solve the Strength and moving platform puzzles, but no other help. Luckily, I've been here many times, so I shouldn't have the issue getting lost. If for some reason I do, there is a guide ready and waiting.

When Gracie heads into the Distortion World, she shocked and horrified by what she sees. Cynthia assures her that Giratina simply has different rules in this world than what most would be used to. Gracie thinks that Cynthia will take her through the place, but Cynthia shakes her head. She explains that the only way Giratina will see someone as worthy is if they go through the place themselves. She will meet her at various points, but give brief guidance only then. Gracie is startled and confused, but Cynthia's already gone.

In Holly Rising, Cyrus and Cynthia aren't in the world, but the one going to the world manages to navigate it anyway. This is thanks to some of her latent powers, but mostly her dogged desire to make it to Giratina and her determination to keep going despite getting lost. In Usurping, when the protagonist does go to the world, her strong attachment to Giratina and the other legendary Pokémon along with it allow her to navigate the area instinctively. She still attempts to navigate the area alone, not because Cynthia and Cyrus can't come, but rather because they know she's fine for the most part.

An interesting thing to know is that in the canon lore, the Distortion World was originally created to contain Giratina and his power. According to legends, Giratina once existed in the regular world, but became too violent. As a result, it was banished to the Distortion World where it was forced to live alone. However, it could still see its old home, and silently gazed back at it. It also seems to harbor resentment for the one that banished it, and longing to return. It is implied that the one who banished Giratina was Arceus, and as the former is known as the renegade Pokémon, it can also be assumed it broke one of the latter's rules. This backstory sees many interpretations compare or directly have Giratina as the devil, and the Distortion World is compared to Hell. However, in Traveler, the interpretation of Giratina is much more positive, and the banishment never happens. As a result, it's not known what role the Distortion World will play other than being a place where those worthy can see Giratina.

Regardless, I must traverse it now.

Admittedly, I do get lost trying to figure out the final Strength puzzle. I think I'm going the wrong direction, but a guide solves that. It actually makes more sense that I got lost, since of course, Gracie would. She is a mere mortal, after all…

At last I am able to reach the bottom, where I can finally square off against Cyrus.

And what a terrifying foe he is.

So terrifying, that my first attempt results in a loss.

Houndoom uses Will-O-Wisp, burning Gracie. As a result, she takes damage every turn and her attack is halved. Luckily, she has no physical moves and she also has the Shell Bell for recovery, so I think she's going to be fine. Houndoom goes down to a second Thunderbolt without even launching an attack. Cyrus also wastes a turn healing, so it's one less time later. Honchkrow goes down with one Thunderbolt.

Then, there comes the issue, Weavile.

Weavile comes out when I'm weakened, and the burn is doing more damage than my item can heal. It has the move Fake Out, striking at my bad defenses before I can attack back. So I heal, getting hit with Night Slash. Luckily, I still happen to be faster. Therefore, I strike back with a Thunderbolt, which I think should destroy my opponent.

Except when it doesn't.

Weavile is takes quite a bit of damage, but still manages to fight back with a Night Slash.

That attack takes Gracie down to 16 HP.

The burn from Houndoom does the rest.

So I am forced to return and battle a second time.

But this time, I have a plan.

Despite having powerful attacks in her arsenal, Gracie has one move that isn't.

And that move is Calm Mind.

Calm Mind boosts the user's special stats, which means that Garcie's moves will do more damage. Additionally, she will have better protection against her opponent's attacks, provided they're also special.

And assuming Houndoom only has special attacks, and Gracie is able to outspeed everything on Cyrus's team, it should be no issue setting up Calm Mind and then attacking until everything is gone.

So that's exactly what I decide to do.

Houndoom still has Will-O-Wisp, which uses immediately. After that, it starts launching Dark Pulse, which does less and less damage while still being super effective. The burn also continues to wear Gracie down, requiring me to heal several times. To make matters worse, Houndoom eventually switches to Thunder Fang, a physical move that can get around Calm Mind. Thankfully, it still does little damage. Within a few turns, I am fully healed and ready.

After that, there's not much of a battle left.

The only opponent that even tries to put up a fight is Crobat, and it only uses Toxic before being taken down.

Perhaps this is some sort of test Cyrus sets up, in order to see if Gracie is truly worthy of hearing the words of Giratina. And perhaps Gracie doesn't do well at first, but then realizes that if she calms down and focuses and truly uses what power she has to her maximum potential, she can win.

Regardless, she passes the test, and it's on to the final foe of this place.

Giratina.

Gracie hops on to the last two platforms, ending up standing right in front of the Distortion World's chaotic vortex. Giratina's screeching cry can be heard as it flies up from the shadows. Eventually, it bursts from said shadows. The Pokémon's massive form stops right in front of Garcie, eying her intently…

It's a scene so intense that there are reports of players dropping their handheld systems upon seeing it. Although I'm not one of those, the scene is something that still amazes me, even years later.

And then…

A battle initiates with some of the most chilling music in all of series. Giratina swoops down from above, still flying high above the ground as the world is covered in shadows… Gracie steps forward, but is faced with her most formidable foe yet… Giratina has unbelievable defenses, and attacks that could tear Gracie apart…

That is, until I just capture it with my Master Ball.

Giratina, like most legendary Pokémon, has a very low chance of being captured. Even with the best possible chances, the battle can go on for a long time. Normally, I would just take it down, but I like Giratina too much to condemn it to that fate. It's not like the battle was really worth noting anyway, as Giratina simply went down to two Psychics. But if Gracie wasn't so high leveled, she wouldn't have been so lucky. Giratina carries the moves Ominous Wind and Shadow Force, both which exploit Gracie's weaknesses. The move Ancient power also gives Giratina the chance of increasing its stats even further (although Ominous Wind can do the same). Dragon Claw does solid damage, targeting Gracie's much weaker physical defense. So if Gracie and Giratina were on even terms, the fight might end in the opponent's favor.

Regardless, they are not now, and in the story they still aren't.

Gracie tenses, expecting a battle. Instead, she finds that the god of death's gaze is soft, almost comforting. Perhaps even welcoming. There are no words exchanged, but Gracie can feel herself mentally be linked with him, almost drawing closer to become one. Although she is at first confused and startled, she can feel the kindness around her again, and realizes that it is also coupled with wisdom and power. Gracie realizes that Giratina is showing her what's probably a timeless amount of knowledge and strength, and that he's willing to share some of that with her. Gracie, despite still feeling a bit overwhelmed, accepts.

She is then shown a vision where there is a lot of light in an unfamiliar area. Suddenly, the light seems to strike everything, becoming a raging fire. Gracie coughs, feeling like she's choking even though there's no fire where she is. She's not even aware if she herself is coughing, since no one seems to comment on it. What she is made aware of is that there's something below the fire, and the object is burned to ashes. She notes that the other objects in the path of the fire seemed to somehow be fine. She wonders if this is some magical fire deliberately targeting someone, or perhaps, it is not a fire at all. Gracie glimpses a person, but it's a mere flash, and she's unable to determine who it is. Before she can do anything more, the vision disappears.

Gracie leaves the vision, registering Giratina carrying a concerned expression. Cyrus and Cynthia appear concerned as well, and Gracie registers the sensation of sweat combined with her own confusion and fear. She tries to tell them what is going on, but Cynthia says she's not required, and it is best to explain the vision in a place where she has recovered. Cyrus agrees, stating that neither of them are the ones that formally interpret visions anyway, so it's best not to tell them for fear of an incorrect interpretation. Gracie agrees as well, and Giratina lets them leave the Distortion World through the portal.

Giratina and its encounter also play a part in other areas of the series.

And those parts, are unfortunately, a lot less positive.

In Holly's Rising timeline, Kristine encounters Giratina after going to the Distortion World. This happens after the death of her friend, Wally. Once she meets Giratina, the protagonist states that she knows he is the god of death, and that he and the other gods must bring Wally back to life, for his journey ended too soon. Otherwise, she will battle Giratina exchange for Wally's soul, even willing to put herself in his place. Giratina replies this is not within his power to resurrect the dead, and it would be difficult to contact other gods here. He goes on to say that what Wally does out of his power now. Kristine is confused by what he means, demanding that Giratina at least her see Wally, so that she can carry his soul to someone who can do the resurrection. Giratina states that he can't even do that, as Wally has become a restless soul, angry at how he died and not bound by any god. Giratina cannot force someone like that to the realms of the gods, no matter how much he might want to. If he does, the restlessness only grows worse. Kristine appears deflated, but Giratina reassures her that she has passed the test and proven herself worthy for battle with him anyway. If she wins, he will join her on her adventures, and try to ensure what happened to Wally will not happen again. Kristine accepts, and the fight commences. It results in her victory, with Giratina now joining her party.

There is also an alternative version of something that may happen in Holly Rising's timeline. In the alternative version, Kristine heads to Giratina prior to Wally's death. She is still full of anger, asking the god of death if he sees all the souls of the deceased that have met their unfortunate fate because of the conflict. Kristine then goes on to say if the god of death also sees those that will become the souls of the dead because of the same. Giratina guesses correctly that Kristine is referring to her friend Wally, and Kristine affirms this, adding a line about on those who are still at risk of death. Kristine's anger mounts as she asks the god of death what he is going to do. She continues that saying he has power over that domain, and asking him why he doesn't stop it.

Giratina replies that though he has that power, he can't completely control mortals' fates. And what parts he can control still give them choices about others. So even though he controls the domain of death, choices like the ones that Wally and others made that put their own lives at risk, or those that got innocent victims killed, are still the mortals' own. As long as those choices are made, people will still die. He pauses, and then states, "like the choices you chose to get here." Kristine realizes he most likely knows most of the choices she's made up to now, including what she did to get here being seen as selfish. However, she knows it's all for a good cause, as she responds that Giratina can stop any of these choices and deaths from occurring in the future. Before Giratina can reply, Kristine states that by clearing the trial here and making it to the end of this place, she is considered worthy to fight Giratina regardless of intention. She tells the Pokémon to battle her now, and join her forevermore, so together they can work to stop any more senseless deaths and choices behind them. With that, they can make sure death only comes to those who deserve it, and that the innocents will no longer suffer. Giratina agrees to battle her, interested if she can hold up the promise, and believing that she is worthy regardless. As a result, the protagonist wins the battle as before, Giratina joins her team, and the two become a powerful pair ever since.

The reason the alternative scene is considered is that it not only allows Holly Rising's Kristine to get Giratina earlier, but also doesn't go into too much detail about the powers of it and the afterlife. Doing the latter prevents things from being too confusing later on, especially since those powers are not fully developed at this time. There are a few other characters who are wielding or are planned to wield the power of Giratina, and they all do so for different reasons or in different capacities. So not revealing too much early on means of the different characters do not clash with each other. The revised scene also puts more emphasis on the fact of the protagonist's motives are selfish, and those that are considered worthy of the legendary Pokémon's power may not necessarily have the best interests at heart, or be the best choice overall. It also paints a clear picture that the protagonist's initial reasoning of preventing unnecessary deaths is good, but it's marred by the people she hurt to take those steps. Additionally, the people will survive that reasoning are those who she considers worthy of living, and considering how ruthless Kristine has become, her definition may not necessarily be one that doesn't lead to even more people being hurt. And with other people likely in similar situations or otherwise feeling the same, it puts all of that as a central theme, and reinforces that theme as important overall.

And it also leads into Usurping's timeline.

Usurping's protagonist realizes she can use the power of Giratina to stop people from getting into situations that could result in their death. However, she realizes that type of power only works if she's at the situation in that moment. It doesn't prevent a person from making more choices that could put them into those situations in the future, nor does it stop the similar choices in the past (or whatever past choices led up to the situation in the present). This is even the case if she realizes she can prevent a situation when the choice is far in the future, since there's no guarantee certain other choices won't invalidate what she finds out (such as someone simply not believing her). Even if said protagonist and the power are there at the time of someone's choice, it still doesn't stop them from making horrible choices in the future. With the protagonist understanding this power and its limitations, she is able to help that many people and even save lives.

Such as one Trainer, Dawn.

Dawn grows angry and restless over the conflicts in Traveler, and decides to get the power one of the gods. Believing she can gain the power and help solve the conflict herself, she heads into the Distortion World in search of Giratina. Being close to Dawn and Giratina, Cynthia believes that Dawn chasing after Giratina is a horrible idea. Therefore, she tries to talk Dawn out of it, but what she says falls on deaf ears. Since Dawn is relatively young and inexperienced, Cynthia is afraid she will get hurt or killed. Thus, since the protagonist is also close to Cynthia, the latter recruits her to travel to the Distortion World to try and stop what's going on. Cynthia figures the protagonist who is closer to Dawn's age, and doesn't have a relationship getting in the way, so Dawn is more likely to listen. Using her powers with Giratina and the other legendary Pokémon, the protagonist is able to reach the area where the battle between the two is going on. While she is able to put a stop to the battle, Dawn and her Pokémon are injured and are still too angry to really listen to anything.

Cynthia then appears afterward, is the protagonist expresses remorse that she is unable to stop the injuries and overall anger from occurring. Cynthia replies that she saved Dawn's life, bringing with it the hope that she will eventually recover physically and be able to be at peace with herself. She then reminds the protagonist of the powers that the legendary Pokémon she possesses give her the ability to prevent some life-threatening situations, but not the choices that lead up to them. Thus, while Dawn's death in the Distortion World was prevented and could have been, this does not mean the protagonist automatically could have prevented Dawn from jumping into the Distortion World (or even having thoughts about doing it). This rings particularly true in that the protagonist was nowhere near the entrance to the Distortion World at the time, and had to go there herself quite a while after Dawn had jumped through. Cynthia ends this by saying that Dawn did not understand the idea of choices, and that led to her own horrible choices. Cynthia also goes on to say that even if Dawn could use Giratina to prevent deaths, it would not have prevented the choices leading up to the situations. After that, Cynthia leads with Dawn, both helped her to heal her injuries and deciding, what punishments, if any, should be given. However, later on Cynthia does report that Dawn is recovering, and she is hopeful that a near tragedy like what happened in the Distortion World will never happen again.

The scenario continues to fit with one of Traveler's overall themes (especially considering the protagonist of Usurping) that even if one has access to a lot of power, it does not automatically guarantee every problem will be fixed. This also means that situations may not go the way the person with power wants them to even if there is a resolution, and that some problems that seem to need fixing may not be problems in the first place. That happens because of variables in the environment, and others' choices going differently than one expects. The whole idea as seen in the scenarios in the story can be broadened to all legendary Pokémon, so they may very well be when they come up. However, at least some of the ones involving Giratina and his trial may stay the same, both to make them relevant to what's happening, and still have the theme.

Since Gracie doesn't have a lot of unusual power, she doesn't have to deal with that situation directly. But she will hear of others affected by it, and wonder what she should do.

However, that will be for later.

Because now is the time to finally escape from the Distortion World.

The portal to the Distortion World takes the player to a place called Sendoff Spring. Sendoff Spring is known as Sinnoh's fourth major lake, mostly remaining secret from the public. It's also said to be the place where souls travel to reach the afterlife. Unfortunately, there's not much the player can do here aside from getting a few Pokémon and items. If they did not capture Giratina before in the Distortion World, they can head into an adjacent area called Turnback Cave to get another chance. I'm not sure what to do with Sendoff Spring in Traveler at this time. However, with Traveler's heavier focus on life after death, I can think of something where will be relevant. If that idea is put into action, Sendoff Spring will be more well-known, but its connection to the spiritual world will not be.

Regardless, Gracie's time in the world beyond has ended.

Now, she must return to the mortal world, where her final steps of her Sinnoh journey await…