The stars fail to come out today. Just darkness stretching as far as the eye can see. The Time Gear shimmers beneath wispy tendrils of water. Its signature green glow is much brighter than before, but that's only possible due to everything else losing their light.

"The destruction of time will reach Fogbound Lake in a matter of days," Uxie mutters. Echoes reply. "Mesprit, Azelf, how goes it on your end? Your big brother is having the time of his life staring at a piece of green rock…"

Rather than listening to himself speak, Uxie performs his usual inspection of his domain. The geyser is beginning to shrink. The Volbeat and Illumise appear less frequently. Even Foggy Forest below is starting to look quite sinister…

"Dialga should've given more specifics about the Relic Key," he grumbles for the millionth time. "'IT IS LOST IN THE HUMAN WORLD' but all things get lost in the human world! 'IT IS THE QUALIFICATION FOR THOSE CHOSEN TO ACCESS THE HIDDEN LAND' but what about us three? We're stuck watching over you beloved Time Gear without you showing a sliver of gratitude!"

A tingle taps Uxie's neck. Someone is approaching Fogbound Lake. Who? Quick, deploy the Groudon illusion—

"Uxie!"

Uxie streaks over. "Cynthia! Oh, was I so lo—ahem. So we meet again."

Cynthia smiles. Uxie tries to suppress his own idiotic grin because after all, he has an image to protect. "The Relic Key," she says. "Any luck with it?"

"No." Uxie conveniently neglects to mention that he doesn't know what it looked like. "But I am making progress."

Cynthia whistles. "Well… I have good news." Uxie leans forward, intrigued. There's something in her palms… something radiating a immense energy. "Tadah!"

"Huh. Moonstones aren't whitetetete…" The breath escapes Uxie's lungs. In that flash of surprise, his eyelids creak open ever so slightly.

"This is! Why, I recognize that intricate and odd inscription anywhere! The Marker of Time!" He gently cradles the White Moonstone into his arms. "That's the Compass of Heaven, just as I remember from millennia ago!"

"I completely forgot I had it," Cynthia admits. "I found it on the beaches of Sunyshore. Garchomp was insistent I take this to you."

"Torkoal wished you were more specific in your description," says the land dragon.

"Oh hush you. I am reminded enough." Uxie finds himself bouncing on his tails despite his scowling. "This is a splendid development! I knew you were special somehow, Cynthia!"

"Cool." Then Cynthia straightens. "So now that the Relic Key's been recovered, do we go to Temporal Tower and kick some dinosaur butt?"

Uxie deflates. "Well… We still need the second key. Only then will the path to destiny open…" Cynthia hesitates. "Let's see…The counterpart of the moon is the sun… So we ought to focus our search for a Sunstone… The compliment of white is red…"

"Uxie?"

"One second, Cynthia. I think I remember something…"

"Uxie." There's something pressing in Cynthia's tone. "Is this it?"

"That's! Why, that's the Red Sunstone!" Unlike the White Moonstone, this one is cold to the touch. Broken instead of whole. Uxie's mirth vanishes. "There is… blood etched within the stone. I sense a great loathing. Anger. Abandonment…This Red Sunstone was abandoned by its host…

"Cynthia, do you know what happened to its bearer? We must reclaim acknowledgement for the Key to work again. Right now it's just an empty husk stripped of its magic."

The temperature drops in a heartbeat. Cynthia tears her gaze to her feet. Her lips move, but only hot air comes out.

"Cynthia?"

"The owner of that stone isn't here anymore, Uxie."

"I can see that. Tell them to come here so I can talk sense into them."

"No, he's gone! He doesn't exist anymore!" Cynthia's scream ripples down the lake. Mesprit would be better at this emotion stuff, but Uxie can tell that this human is very upset.

After a silence, Uxie speaks. "I see a thread coming from the White Moonstone to your finger, Cynthia. I see a thread, barely tangible, coming from this Red Sunstone to its owner."

Cynthia's head snaps up. "U-Uxie… are you sure about that?"

"Of course I am. Fate connects you to your relic. That way, it's bound to return to your side eventually."

"Then! You can lead us to Cyrus's whereabouts based on where that thread leads!"

"Cyrus? Was he not the one you accused of hurting you in Fogbound Lake?" But out loud, Uxie says, "I can. The thread is weakening, however. It's liable to break—"

Cynthia grabs Uxie's arm. "Then let's go! Holy Arceus I knew Cyrus wouldn't give up so easily!"

"Are you sure about this, Cynthia?"

"When am I not sure about anything, Mars?"

Saturn rolls his eyes. "Just because some tiny Pokemon told you about a thread…"

"Excuse me, child, but I am the Guardian of Knowledge. It was me who bestowed humans the ability to use your brains!"

Cynthia tightens her grip on Togekiss's feathers as they follow Uxie across the skies. It's an understatement to say that her heart can barely contain itself.

"It's so warm! Amazing, look at the sun! So blue!" Uxie changes its pace randomly, even twirling and leaping around without a care in the world.

Cynthia scoffs. "Wow, you really get lonely in there, huh?" A faint flush blossoms across Uxie's cheeks.

"I can't believe we're about to see Master Cyrus again," Saturn mumbles, hugging the box to his chest. "I don't think I'm ready…"

"I brought cake!" Mars chirps. "He must be really hungry!"

Cynthia looks down. Trees. Thick, lush trees. A strange fuzziness drums its phantasmal fingers down her spine. "Eterna Forest," she whispers. "'The place where time stands still…' how fitting."

Uxie descends onto a clear patch of land. It holds up the Relic Stone like how one would read a compass.

"It's so quiet here," Saturn mumbles. The party stops. Beyond them lies the rusty, ivory gates. Neglected gardens overrun with brambles. A breeze blows by, scattering shriveled leaves across the entrance of the Old Chateau.

"The thread continues in there," says Uxie, hovering behind Cynthia. "Cyrus must be close."

"I-I saw someone looking down from the window!" Saturn squeaks. "F-From the fourth floor!"

"That's just blood," Mars says.

"I-I sense great malevolence in there," Uxie adds. "Ghost Pokemon, all harboring deep, unfulfilled grudges… Proceed with caution, Cynthia."

Cynthia nods. She marches to the heavy wooden door. With a deep, dust-filled breath, she brings up her foot—

"WAIT!"

Cynthia spins around. Three people. Even without their space cadet uniforms, she recognizes—

"JUPITER!" Mars cannonballs into her arms with Saturn scurrying after her.

"Hey," Jupiter says softly. She squeezes the young Commanders into her embrace. "I'm sorry I left without telling anyone… Oh? Did you grow taller?"

Cynthia exchanges hugs with the former Grunts. "Back to your normal hair, huh? You look like regular law-abiding citizens, B… uh…"

"B-2 is fine," he says. "And she's also fine with R-8. Ja—"

"Jupiter is fine," says the older woman. She looks quite dashing in a blazer, but at least she kept those gravity-defying buns. "This is… an interesting reunion. What's with Uxie?"

Uxie gives a weak, robotic wave. Cynthia snorts. "Uxie's been a great help. In fact, we're about to…" She clears her throat. "So what are you three doing here?"

"We met up since we all lived in Hearthome," says B-2. "Ja—Jupiter's sister got us jobs in the Hearthome Police Station! We've been assigned to help our new detective on cases!"

Jupiter covertly pockets her badge. "Jenny thought I was dead. She almost crushed me to death with that hug of hers…"

But Mars and Saturn stumble back. "Jupiter… you're part of the police now?" Fear. Fear in their voices, as one would address an intimidating stranger.

This just complicates matters, Cynthia sighs.

"I'm technically off-duty," Jupiter blurts with forced nonchalance. "Now that I'm back to my previous occupation, I've been conducting a side investigation of my own…"

"We don't believe for a second that Cyrus ended his life like that," R-8 says gravely. Straight to the point. "We know Charon's been pulling some strings. Think about it: he suddenly got rich overnight just before that accident?"

B-2 bobs his head. "We know you've been poking around too, so we kinda… followed you." Then his expression darkens. "There's also something we'd like to clear up with Cyrus. Jupiter, show them."

Heads turn to the reluctant older woman. Jupiter groans but nevertheless produces what appears to be stolen evidence. "When he woke up in the hospital, investigators questioned him about our involvement… about Galactic's involvement." Her voice catches at that name. "He said… see, he wrote that it was all his idea, and that we were blind, misguided scapegoats. That's why we were released, because police deemed that we were simply brainwashed victims of a cult."

Cynthia frowns. "So he… took all the blame?" Jupiter's mask breaks briefly before returning to its stony demeanor.

"I don't know why he would do that, especially if he had planned to sell us out from the start."

"About that." Mars takes the box from Saturn. "We found this in a secret cubbyhole in the Nap Room. I think… I think Charon somehow managed to steal the final version before those drafts were sealed away."

R-8 looks up from the papers. "You mean… that speech was never supposed to see the light of day? Hey… A-Aren't these birthday cards? Look, B-2, he wrote one for all the Grunts!"

Jupiter slowly puts her card down. Conflicting emotions are racing across her eyes. Fury. Hurt. Anger. Confusion. But she shakes her head and kicks down the door.

"Let's just get this fucking mess over with."

The Old Chateau is ominous even in daytime. Floorboards creak without the aid of feet, the walls groan without the presence of wind, dust falls from the ceiling as if someone is upstairs.

"I sense great bloodshed," Uxie says from behind Cynthia's head. "The Ghosts here used to be human just like you…"

"AAH!"

"Saturn, that's just the shadow." As Mars speaks, the Grunts observe that shadow hovering to an eerie knot dangling from the ceiling beam.

"There is an unusual gathering of Lampents in the fourth floor," Uxie mutters. A Haunter winks at it, much to its chagrin. "Th-That's where the thread leads. Hm? Oh, Haunter tells me that there was an unusual visitor here not long ago."

"Cyrus," Cynthia huffs. "Are you really here…?"

Upon entering the fourth floor, Saturn screams. "B-B-Bloooood!" Jupiter kneels down, face grim. A streak of blackened blood. A smell of burnt flesh etched into the peeling walls.

"Zzt…" Something is hissing from an unplugged television. A silhouette appears under the bands of static.

Uxie hovers closer. "No, we come with no intention to harm. Has a human passed by here?" It turns. "Rotom confirms that it had brought a human to the Old Chateau. The furthest room down the hall."

"Thanks!" With that, Cynthia is gone. Uxie is about the follow when Rotom calls it back.

"Zzt… don't disturb his tomb, zzt…"

A Dusknoir stands guard before the unmarked door. Upon entering, Cynthia didn't expect the sweet smell to blast into her face, much less the presence of the garden of Gracidea flowers in the room. Its petals are plump and vibrant, as if springtime has arrived.

"What the hell?" summarizes everyone's reactions. There's no one here save for the Ghost Pokemon and a large cocoon on the bed.

"It could be an Ariados sack," R-8 hisses. "D-Don't provoke it." Cynthia runs to the open window. There's no blood trail, and it's quite a jump down to the ground.

"Uxie, I thought you said Cyrus was here. Uxie?"

Uxie slowly shuffles into the room. At its side is a pulsating lighting rod-like Pokemon. "He is," the former says. "That's why Dusknoir is here: to guide lost souls home. That's why Lampent is here: to feast upon the spirit once it leaves the body."

The horrifying realization sinks into Cynthia's skull. She stares at the cocoon. At the perfectly still, completely sealed, human-size cocoon.

"No way…" She brushes past the agitated Beautiflies and begins ripping out the silken threads.

"KYAAA!" A blood-curling screech comes from outside. The Commanders move just in time to block Crobat's Cross Poison. Toxicroak intercepts Weavile's vicious Slash. Tangrowth cushions the blow from Honchkrow's Dark Pulse with its vines.

"They forbid you to touch him… Why, I wonder?"

Cynthia ignores Uxie's remarks and continues tearing into the cocoon. At one point her fingernails chip off and blood streams down her fingers. At one point Gyarados prepares a Hyper Beam before a quick-thinking Togekiss steps in.

With one great heave, Cynthia peels off the final layer of silk.

Time stands still when Cynthia sees his face… or what's left of it, anyway. Gashes on his skin, gaping holes where jagged rocks have torn skin. Her gaze follows the dried blood that once oozed from those burns down to the bones protruding from his knees.

"C-Cyrus?" She can't even speak his name without choking up. Aside from the broken state of his body, there's an air of calm around him. Hands clasped over his chest, fingers interlacing the petals of a Gracidea flower. Lips slightly parted as if he was simply taking a nap.

"CYRUS!"

"BOSS!"

"The cocoon preserved his body." Uxie stares down at the Red Sunstone. "The thread finally fell…"

"NO!" Mars screams. "Master Cyrus, please wake up! I don't hate you anymore, so stop sleeping!"

"DAD!" Saturn shrieks. The Grunts pull the young duo back. Even Jupiter is struck speechless by the sight before her.

Cynthia's knees buckle. Is this it? Is this how it ends? After all the shit I threw at him, h-he took them down to the grave…

"Wait!" Uxie turns to Dusknoir. "Dusknoir says that Cyrus's spirit never came here. At the moment of death, the soul was severed from the individual… Rotom brought the body back, but the spirit…"

Uxie lays a paw on Cyrus's forehead. "There's still time! He must live if we wish to save the world! I will search for his wandering spirit and force it back into its vassal!"

Without waiting for a reply, Uxie takes off. Lost souls are bound to the place of their demise… but there are also sacred locations that act as intermediaries to the afterlife. Fogbound Lake is one such location. The other two…

"Cyrus, look!" Mesprit dips its paws into the lake, and out springs a sea of multicolored bubbles. The sight stirs a peculiar sensation within Cyrus's chest. So familiar… but the more he tries to remember, the more his brain riots back.

"I've heard of places where Pokemon blow bubbles come dusk," Mesprit continues, its tails absently skimming the lake surface. "I wish I could see that… I wish I could see all the beautiful sights of the world…"

Then Mesprit giggles. "Sooo… I've been telling you a lot about myself. Your turn." Cyrus scowls. "Come now! I'm sick of hearing myself talk!"

You can read my heart, so what's the point?

"What's wrong with old-fashioned dialogue? Don't humans love to ramble about themselves?" Mesprit pouts until Cyrus finally sighs.

What more could you possibly want to know about me?

"Well… who's your favorite Pokemon?" Asked with a mischievous wink. A silhouette flashes into mind… a bat or a crow or a serpent or a cat or something… but memory eludes him. He shakes his head in defeat.

"Boo!" Mesprit huffs. "Wrong answer! Okay, here's an easier one: how many siblings do you have?"

Cyrus remembers that, oddly enough. He finds himself staring down at his charred hands as if they're the most interesting thing in the world. I don't have siblings.

"Oh, so an only child? Lucky you. It's always, 'Mesprit, can't you be like your older brother Uxie? Mesprit, can't you be a good example for your younger brother Azelf?' No one's ever satisfied! They expect me to be better, but that's just not who I am! Argh, you have no idea how much it sucks to be the middle sibling, Cyrus!"

Cyrus musters a faint smile, but even that fails to reach his eyes. I wouldn't want you to change either, Mesprit. I wish… I wish I could've been strong like you when I still had… when I…

"Cyrus?" Cyrus peels himself from the ground. He suddenly feels so dizzy to the point of throwing up. His body also feels very, very heavy.

"NO!" Mesprit cries when he collapses again. "No… But you barely got here!"

I'm sorry. The world is fading. His reflection stares back in Mesprit's glimmering golden eyes. I guess I'll crumble to dust now. At least it's better than being reborn into a Yamask… and much cleaner to dispose.

"T-This is no time for your dark humor!" A tear rolls down Mesprit's cheek. Cyrus presses his face into the Pokemon's cold body. "Oh… that's the problem with you humans… you never stay long enough…"

As his spirit gives the last flickers of existence, Cyrus tightens his grip on Mesprit. "Don't be scared," it murmurs. "I'll be here until you go. Thank you for keeping me company—"

"WAIT!"

Mesprit jolts. "Who… Uxie?! Uxie, quick, I'd like you to meet—"

"CYRUS!" Uxie freezes in its tracks. "No… Am I too late…?"

"Uxie, what are you—"

"This is the bearer of the Red Sunstone, Mesprit! We have to lead his spirit back to his body!"

"Wha… No, Uxie, you can't! If you interfere with his departure, then his soul will never rest—"

"Cyrus!" Through swimming vision does Cyrus make out something gold. Something pink. Something red. "Remember this?" Uxie shouts. "The Red Sunstone! You and Cynthia were chosen to bear the Keys, Cyrus! You must live to see this story conclude!"

Red… Sunstone… Red… Blood. Lightning. That accursed stone. Fling that abomination into the darkness. Burning. Falling, falling then…nothing.

Cynthia… CYNTHIA?! The one who almost KILLED me in Celestic Town? The one who stood idly by when they SHOT me?! The one who pushed me around like a TOY in Crystal Cave?! ThAT UnGraTeFUl hErO WHo WaSn'T SatIFIeD WItH The TRuTH?!

"Your loved ones are all there!" Uxie cries. "You must return to the world of the living, Cyrus! Everyone is waiting for you!"

Everyone? Everyone… EVERYONE WHO Turned thEIr BACKS on me? EVeryOne who disMIssed Me as a LIAR?! a THIEF? a aRavINGLuNatICcUlTlEADEMOnStERmOnSTeRermO

"Cyrus, don't let those negative emotions overcome you! Cyrus—"

Cyrus slaps Mesprit aside. He rears his head, and with a forceful claw rips the stitches from his lips.

"Grr….GrrrraaAAAAHAH!"

"See what you did, Uxie?" Mesprit barks. Crystal Cave is beginning to unravel. The waters turn an inky, frothy black as crystals melt into colorless puddles.

Cyrus's body twitches violently. He lands on all fours, skin and fangs bristling. "GRRAAH!" He lunges for Uxie, who launches an orb of psychic energy into his open jaws.

"Wow!" Mesprit says with undisguised sarcasm. "It wasn't me who messed up this time! The perfect Uxie provoked his negative emotions and turned a harmless spirit into a vengeful grudge!"

"Don't just stand there!" Uxie snaps back. "We have to contain him before he escapes into the world of the living!"

"GraaaAAAH!" Wings rip from Cyrus's back. He's much faster now, his attacks all aimed for the Pokemons' hearts and throats.

"Take this! Future Sight!"

"GrrraAAHAHHAAHAH!"

"Uxie, stop! He's in pain!"

"Mesprit, use your head instead of your heart for once!"

Cyrus snarls weakly. He crawls forward—and flinches from a steaming wound in his chest. Uxie wraps its tails around his neck before he can run away.

"AAHHHAAAHHAAH!"

"You're hurting him!"

Uxie shoves Mesprit aside. "I didn't want to do this, Cyrus, but you leave me no other choice!" The blades of its tails sink into his neck. Cyrus screeches. Uxie thrusts his head into the water, pinning him down as he flails helplessly.

And Uxie opens its eyes. The darkness immediately releases its clutches over Cyrus's heart. Brighter and brighter the light grows, seemingly exploding from its confinement, blinding his world in relentless, unforgiving white.

The last thing he remembers is Mesprit crying his name before all goes black.