The next several mornings and nights passed in a flurry of routine and tranquility, relatively speaking. Although Kippy began to accustom himself to this new world, every day he awoke from slumber was yet another testament to the reality he had been so ruthlessly transported into.

I guess I really am stuck here, he concluded on the fifth day.

None of this truly processed in Kippy's mind until this sudden moment; it had all felt like a blur of memories and actions. But then, like an egg cracking, his mind exploded to all the possibilities and impossibilities that faced him.

A tumultuous wave of apprehension and cynicism rooted inside of him. It was contagious, spanning his mind and heart in moments; a feeling of possession grappled his entire body.

His eyes-the lens that perceived the entire world-were being shaped and formed in front of him. Unable to resist, the Mudkip's mind idled until the overpowering feeling halted in its tracks.

The ritual was indeed complete, and Kippy's thoughts twisted and turned, struggling to release from the tension. Doubts, anger, fear, they became centered in front of all matters.

How can I trust Louie? Why is he keeping me away from everything? Why am I not allowed to fulfill my purpose?

Purpose... the word floated uncomfortably inside of the Mudkip's head.

Wh-what... is my purpose?

He stretched toward the farthest reaches of his mind, yet nothing returned.

I have a purpose... but what is it?!

Still, nothing.

I have a name... but what is it?!

Nothing.

I have a partner... but who is it?

Silence.

I have the truth... but where is it?

Deafening silence.

The void perpetuated his mind and trapped him in nothingness. There was little he could do.

"HELP!" Kippy called out with miniscule hope of salvation.

Yet above all odds, a voice rescued him from the eternal abyss.

I recall you were asking for me, Kippy, the familiar voice returned his cry, banishing the darkness shrouding his mind. Light illuminated around him.

"Is it... you again?" Kippy said out loud, surprised by his vocal ability.

Yes.

"Why were yo—"

My apologies Kippy, I'm afraid I cannot sustain this connection all the time. Moreover, I was occupied the last few days.

"Oh..." Kippy said simply, purely grateful for the presence of the trustworthy companion. The anger, the desperation, they all vanished for the moment. He was at ease.

It seems you fared well while I was gone; am I mistaken?

"Yes, it has been satisfactory," Kippy stated reminiscently. "Do you wish to know about it?"

Enlighten me.

"You know, I don't have a vendetta against humans like all of my colleagues do," the mysterious words appeared from the darkness.

Everything was black for Ethan, his visibility barely stretching out to his feet. Weary and hungry, he could barely keep his consciousness. He blinked twice to wear off the fatigue.

"Leave me alone..." he cried out with unexpectedly low energy.

"Don't get me wrong, the Ghosts are quite a fine race of Pokémon, but sometimes they have to chill out a little bit, you know?" the words continued with little consideration of Ethan. "I mean, interrogation, genocide, manipulation, it's all on the board for them. I guess I really can't say that much since they have been haunted with vengeance for hundreds of years, and I've only been here for thirty."

Ethan replied with silence.

"Well... let's look at it this way," the voice paused, "imagine if you were them, massacred and sent to a faraway land, wouldn't you be angry? Wouldn't you want them to pay?"

"No, that doesn't make what you're doing right," Ethan choked out, coughing bits of blood.

"Don't the ends justify the means?" the voice rose in pitch. "Isn't that what they teach you in school? Victory at all costs?"

"Not through the lengths of killing thousands of innocent Pokémon, and they also didn't teach us to be cowards," electricity began to fizzle around his cheeks, but quickly dispersed.

"Oh-ho, maybe Empoleon didn't do that, but your little friend's race did so all too long ago," the voice scoffed. "I mean, why do you think Ghosts exist in the first place?"

Ethan was sent into a confused frenzy, but he reminded himself to never accept this creature's words, "what are you even talking about?"

"You really don't know do you?" Ethan could hear gentle giggling before transforming into full-out laughter. When it ended, Ethan was none the wiser. "Please stop making me laugh... it'll be the death of me, I promise." The shadow took a deep gasp before continuing, "but we should probably get back to discussing about the Ghosts, or I'll be in a coma by the end of this. Hmmm... let's see... how about your mysterious frien—"

At the realization of the alluded Pokémon, thoughts traveled through Ethan's mind at lightspeed. "GEN—" Ethan screamed out of animosity before being interrupted.

"No Ethan... he doesn't go by that, anymore. His name is now Regret, assimilating with all the other Ghosts. That's the first thing that's so interesting. They're so embroiled in anger and hate for humans and Pokémon that their whole identity is based around it. I would tell you my name to prove that I'm not like them, but I can't..."

Ethan's words came abruptly: "I'll see to that by my dying breath, I'll know your name, and I will make sure it will not exist physically or in history," he screeched in anger.

"SEE? You should be named Ruthless Murder or something instead of Ethan, maybe Empty Threats, but that's neither here nor there. So, about Regret, you know this guy was on your side the entire time, right? He's helped various humans to count; if it wouldn't have been for him, the world would have been destroyed four or five or six times, or whatever. He keeps changing the numbers. But once this guy saw the conditions here, he did a full 180, vowing to go against Arceus' gift. He knew who the good guys were, the ones that were truly oppressed. We're just repurposing what Arceus gave us for true goodness, true salvation to those who deserve it."

"Save your speech, you're not changing my mind," Ethan spat out.

"I get it I get it, it's just fun talking to a wall sometimes, you know? Especially with all the yes man's around here, it's cool to find someone who will oppose absolutely everything you say," the voice pausedBut the Ghosts do oppose me on some matters, especially regarding how evil we should be. I mean, my assistant Truth, who's been gone for a while is always obsessed with terrorizing the Human."

"Ugh..." Ethan groaned, clinching his teeth.

"Don't worry, she said she won't do it too often because I told her not to. That's what I'm trying to say: I'm on your side. I don't want to hurt all those innocent Pokémon, nor do I want to torture your friend, but there's no other way around it. Empoleon won't change his mind, and neither will all the Ghosts. But... if you two are on my good side by the end of all this, maybe I'll make a compromise with the Ghosts to let you guys go."

"Wow..." Ethan closed his eyes, attempting to escape from this nightmare. "You should be called Mercy."

"Heh... maybe," Ethan could make out a shadow shuffling back and forth, "the sooner you realize we're all just pawns in this never-ending class struggle, the quicker you'll come to terms with your purpose. And... perhaps you won't be under the weather all the time. You should be grateful to live in a time when the peasants shall become the Kings and Queens."

"At the cost of many, many lives, and the stability of our continent for generations..."

"To escape the corruption and wrath of eternity," the voice snickered. "Sounds like a worthwhile trade to me, doesn't it?"

Ethan shook his head before lowering it to his chest.

"Defeated so quickly?" The voice pretentious voice added, "I heard you were the most outspoken of all the Kingdom. Was that just some rumor or..."
Moisture began to form around Ethan's eyelids. "Come on man..." sniffling ensued. Ethan could not take the voice's remarks anymore, "I've lost everything: my partner, my family, my dignity, my job, my respect, and most importantly, my hope. The last thing I need is for the causer of all my pain to pester me with useless rhetoric founded on truths in an alternative reality." Ethan's face shifted up, tears surrounding his red cheeks. "You try to tell me that you're not as evil as the Ghosts; well prove it by leaving me the Arceus alone. That's the first thing you can do."

A second passed, then a minute, then hours. What was once tears on Ethan's face were little more than spots of dirt less skin, at least compared to the rest of his filthy exterior. The darkness was the only remaining figure speaking to Ethan now, and it was not the talkative type. Ethan soon became lost in his failures and regrets. However, before he passed out, his mind centered even amidst the chaos and uncertainty.

"Arceus, please forgive me for my eternal sins and my failures," he began as his nose became swollen yet again. "I... was unsuccessful in doing what was asked of me, and I accept full responsibility for my punishments in the present," he stopped suddenly to grasp the necessary words. "B-but... he doesn't deserve to be manipulated and used as a tool. Everything that's happened to him, everything that will happen to him, it's all because of me. He deserves to live a life; he deserves another chance. So please... on my death bed, please... for the love of all Arceus and all your righteousness and goodness, PLEASE save him. All I want is for him to be happy and live a life of content and satisfaction... not a life of continuous suffering and contempt." Ethan's voice crackled in strength as he finished his prayer. He took a deep breath before giving his last insight, "apparently, from the history books, humans were inherently evil and sinful, and would hurt Pokémon and human alike for no apparent reason. But... he was never like that. He... always did what was right and never complained about the circumstances given to him. H-he must've been the best mankind offered... I mean, that's why you chose him right? So, guide him down the right path through whatever powers you can use. I just don't want him to be hurt anymore..."

With that, the ambience and the silence returned, the hopes and dreams of the last millennia resting upon his shoulders.

Kippy gathered his thoughts before replying: "it's difficult to begin other than from the start of the third day, the first day you were gone. I had... visions."

Visions, you say. Yes. I recall there was rain, a powerful storm surging that day. Kippy's mind returned to that fateful day, unnerved by the conflicts it brought.

"Yes... it was scary experiencing those places like that; I'm not sure if it's something that gets better as time goes, but it felt overwhelming, controlling of my body and spirit," Kippy's voice wavered.

I don't have personal experience with the ability, but from second-hand perspectives I've heard they are quite powerful and grasping, but Water Pokémon have gotten used to it, utilizing it to their advantage.

"Advantage?"

Yes... the rain gives you the capacity for studying the past, present, and the future. In fact, much of the Water population here migrated to this continent for the very reason of having these pseudo-psychic abilities. I don't... truly blame them. But the Water Continent does not really live up to its name anymore.

"Huh... that's very bizarre."

Nonetheless, tell me of these visions.

Before long, Kippy retreaded down the long path of memories, of the glorious Kingdom, the restless town, the desolate wasteland, and the deceiving farm. A headache transpired by the end of it all.

"And... that's the gist of it all..." Kippy paused to take a breath. "So, what do you make of it all?"

The silence sustained for a moment, unnerving the Mudkip. It is quite interesting. Those places... they are indeed real locations.

"Yes... I know, but what confuses me are the emotions illuminated from all those places. It was like I could not just see the physical description, but also the emotional and spiritual connections to it."

Then your psychic powers are vast and perhaps almost omniscient. You are lucky to be blessed with such natural ability.

"Huh..." Kippy was in deep thought.

Were there anymore?

"N-no..." Kippy said with uncertainty before arriving at realization. "Wait... later in the day, I had one last one where I had a vision of me being tied up in this cave-like structure."

Tied up? I-interesting... just out of curiosity, was there anybody else?

"Actually... yes, there was someone tied up with me, I think. I-I couldn't tell who or what it was."

Anything or anyone else of note...?

"Wa-wait... yes! There was this orange blob I remember that began laughing and laughing like a psychotic. I-it was quite frightening..." Kippy's expression became sour.

Silence. Hm... quite peculiar.

"What does it all mean?"

Poor, poor news, but if you follow my lead, hopefully those things will not be present in the future.

Kippy felt a nerve but replied gently: "Oh-alright." The wave of uncertainty vanished subtly without the Mudkip's attention.

These visions will only become more informative from here on out, do not fret. But nonetheless, we should move on from this dreary topic. Tell me of the next day, darling.

"Huh..." Kippy's head was in a daze. "Yeah, so the last two days have been pretty uneventful. I've been getting used to farming with Louie and all."

And how has that gone?

"For the most part, well!" Kippy paused, memories of irrigating the land flooded his mind. "It's basically just been watering lately, but Louie has been showing me how to harvest once the season's ready."

I see... well do you like it?

Kippy was immediately confused by the question, "like it? Well I mean... it's better than nothing right?"

Why is 'nothing' the object of comparison?

"It's not like I can do anything else..." Kippy meandered in his thoughts.

Kippy... you ALWAYS have a choice. It may not seem like it, but you are the catalyst for your own destiny.

"But didn't you say I was here with a specific purpose, a meaning?" the Mudkip fired back.

Yes... but you are still the ultimate decider of your fate.

"AM I… but why can't you tell me…?" his voice lashed out in anger, before quickly dissipating. "I—I'm sorry. I've just..."

Look, Kippy, I'm trying to help you the best I can. I want you to understand that there is more to life than just... this...

"Wha-what...?" Kippy shook his head in confusion. "What are you alluding to?"

The voice suddenly became gentle, warming. Louie is not what he all appears to be.

"Yeah..." Kippy's face lightened up, "I could tell from the first day."

You've seen how his thoughts contradict each other like a pile of Weedles?

"Yeah, more or less..."

Do you wonder why he goes back on his words?

Kippy audibly gulped, recollecting his last thoughts, "no... not really..."

Deep, deep secrets, ones you would dig a pit for and hope they'd never come out. Yet they persist, creeping their ugly heads every so often.

"Like the outrage, right?" Kippy suddenly realized.

Yes... but worse. He's lied, betrayed, and above all... murdered. The last word was both emphasized and accented.

The Mudkip stared toward the floor, unsure of what to do. He always wanted to put his faith into the Riolu, but the Voice confirmed his deepest suspicions.

I know this has shattered your reality, but I didn't want the eventual reveal of it all to hurt you even more.

"I..." Kippy breathed deeply. "I believe you, yet I'm still not willing to leave. I wouldn't know where to go if I left by myself..."

That's understandable. If you want to...

"KIPPY!" A shout boomed across the hallway.

If you want to know the truth, Kippy, you know where to go. The voice's weight left his conscience without a reply.

"KIPPY!" The voice echoed once again. A Riolu rushed into the room, and Kippy's eyes were dazed.

"Wh-what's going on Louie?" he asked after discarding the random thoughts, rising from the ground.

Louie's eyes glued to his, "who were you talking to?"

"Oh—nobody...?" Kippy frowned.

Louie's face became flustered before giving a more sympathetic look, "if... just if... you hear a voice speaking to you, just know she's full of lies. Nothing she says is true," Kippy returned a disturbed look. "Trust me, please."

"I—I'll try my best," the pair stared at each other, their distance feet apart, but minds miles away.

"So... now what?" Kippy broke the silence.

Louie stirred a bit before conceding: "I guess we should get some breakfast, huh?"

"Yeah," the Mudkip stared at the floor, avoiding the Riolu's gaze. "That's probably right."

The day continued with both Kippy and Louie completing their normal routines: eat breakfast, clean up, walk to the farm, and irrigate. They were both extremely quiet, their tongues being held back from searching for the truth.

When they reached the Cheri section of the Planation, Louie wandered off to mind his own business while Kippy awkwardly waited a few seconds.

"Hello?" voiced Kippy.

He waited a few moments before becoming disappointed. Rustling through the leaves, Kippy initiated the long process of trudging through the crops.

Were you waiting for me? the voice returned.

"Yeah..." he muttered. He slipped into a bit of mud and smiled.

You know... I got other places to be too right?

"Yeah...?" Kippy twisted his in confusion. "I just... need some company right now."

Why...? Louie's not sufficient?

"You know what I mean..." Kippy spat out.

Haha... the laugh was unnerving. You don't really need me; you just want to get your mind off him.

"Ugh..." Kippy stopped in his tracks. "I just don't know what to do, anymore." The Mudkip wasn't sure why, but it felt as if a Caterpie was stuck in his belly.

You know exactly what you must do. Ever since that first day, you knew your fate would persist beyond this place, beyond this time.

Images surged the mind: the red-tinted roof, the stacks of hay, the feelings of suspicion. Everything clicked inside his mind.

"The barn." Kippy voiced, emotionless.

And so, the wall falls...

"But... how will I get in?"

Even Louie knows you're stronger than you seem.

For some reason, Kippy perfectly understood the vague sentence; a sense of clarity revealed.

I trust you will make the correct decision, human.

"Wait... what about.—" before he could finish, the weight of the voice disappeared.

Feeling the powerful rays from the sun and his renewed strength of conscience, Kippy returned to his chore, knowing deep down this will be his last day as a farmer.

It was the best of times. it was the worst of times. It was the age of wisdom. It was the age of...

"King Empoleon," the Lucario bent his right knee, planting his paws on his lap.

"You dare interrupt me in my writing?!" The voice echoed throughout the empty chamber.

The room was grandeur, both in appearance and in lighting. Great stained glass portrayed light, yet a strange darkness gloomed over the surroundings.

"My apologies, my lord, but I'm afraid we must discuss serious business," his tone marked disdain and elitism.

"The history of the past is serious as well, Lucifer," the Empoleon's voice was gravely, yet commanding.

"You can continue so after we conclude our planning," Lucifer coughed. "You wouldn't want to ruin history in the present, would you?"

"No."

Empoleon raised himself from the extravagant throne, ringed by jewelry and gold. Stomping across several ginormous pillars, the two Pokémon met in the center. A table amassed with several maps and legal documents laid there with little organization.

"Get on with it then." He towered over the Lucario, his eyes glued to his forehead.

"Where to even begin..." Lucifer shuffled in place, "there's been unexpected ruckus towards the east, the anarchists of course..."

"What are those no-lives up to now? I thought we satisfied their ambitions after pillaging their castle."

"Appears not …" Lucifer was flipping through several pages before answering, "there seems to be a new regiment added to their militia. A pack of rowdy hillbillies from the coast."

"So, absolutely nothing to fear of?" the Empoleon cleverly concluded.

"I suppose so... but reports show they are growing ever restless, threatening to burn down neighboring villages and whatnot," the Lucario warned.

"Empty words from empty Pokémon."

"This is just a mere suggestion but..." his voice turned timid, "we could prevent others from joining if we lessen our regulations surrounding the land and property-"

"NO. Absolutely NOT," the Empoleon roared as if he was a Pyroar. "Quite the contrary, we must choke these wastes of space. Send further troops to press them out of their homes; show them what they risk by resisting the rule of law!"

"As you wish, my lord," the Lucario knew it was futile to resist.

"What of the rest of the land?" he purposefully redirected the conversation.

"Manufacturing and growth have steadily improved towards the west. The Ghosts have been quiet in the south, and the North's feudal rulers have not interfered with our affairs."

"So, it's only the East that we must relinquish the force of anarchy and resistance in all its citizens. We will overwhelm and crush them, as my forefathers have before," the words echoed across the floor.

"And so, we shall..." Lucifer turned away from Empoleon. "I believe we have reached our conclusion, but I wish for you to satisfy one question of mine."

"What is it?" he asked with angst.

"After this is all resolved, what will the fate of these Easterners be?"

"Punishment." Simple.

"So be it."

Louie and Kippy were both returning to the house from an eventful day. The Mudkip had finished all the watering for the Cheri Berries. Louie had done... whatever he needed completed.

Kippy's mind was wrapped in conflict, but his confidence was at its peak. The thing he had always wanted but never knew was finally exposing itself: the truth.

Throughout the walk in the setting sun, Kippy glanced toward the Riolu, hoping to perceive salvation, a chance for redemption. But in his heart, he knew it was all over but the crying.

When they arrived at the house, they undergone the same routine, eating their share of the leftovers from breakfast while silently glancing at each other in contempt.

"Wanna... talk about something, Kippy?" Louie finally asked.

"Yes..." Kippy faced his head upward at the apprehensive Riolu. "I do."

"Well—"

"Where are the native inhabitants of this land?" Kippy said bluntly, more of a statement than a question.

"Native inhabitants? What do you—"

"You know what I mean Louie," Kippy shuffled in his seat, feeling as if he was being controlled. "Answer the question."

"I mean I really don't know what you're trying to get at," Louie avoided the Mudkip's gaze. "This is a secluded land... no civilized Pokémon would travel here, and wildlife wouldn't either-"

"Then tell me why," Kippy imposed, "why you're here in the middle of nowhere, and no more of your filthy lies! TELL ME THE TRUTH."

"Where is this coming from?" Louie acted infuriated, "why am I getting interrogated? I've told the truth."

"BECAUSE IN MY WORLD," the darkness was unleashed. "THE MURDERER IS ALWAYS QUESTIONED."

Louie was at a loss of words, "you... you think I'm a murderer?"

"YOU ARE!" he didn't know where this anger was coming from, but he was too scared to stop. "You-you're evil..."

"I-I took care of you... I saved you..." Louie gave a fragile look and began tearing up. "And now, you're accusing me of horrid things that you have no proof of?"

"I wish I had just drowned there." No second thoughts, no regret.

"Yo-you..." Louie mentally ignored the last statement. "It's her, right? She's the one that told you all these lies?"

Kippy paused, no words emitted.

"It was her right?" Louie said, emotionless. "It... doesn't matter. Just, tell me what I can do to prove that she's wrong. Just... tell me."

"I..." Kippy realized how silly he was at that moment. The dark, untrusting thoughts vanished for a second; all that remained were tears... "I—I'm so sorry..."

Rivers flowed down Kippy's cheeks; they were endless.

"Kippy..." Louie skidded across the table and grabbed the Mudkip in his arms. "It's okay... everything's okay. Just, please realize your mistake."

"I—it was all-consuming..." Kippy tugged at Louie's arm. "I felt like I had no control... I'm so sorry..."

"You don't need to apologize anymore, Kippy," Louie comforted him. "I messed up. I should've known this was happening. I should've trusted you more. I promise to tell you everything..."

"Promise?" Kippy stared into Louie's glowing red eyes.

"Promise."

The eventful supper had ended, and the two exchanged their goodbyes before heading off for slumber. But neither were ready for it.

Louie closed the door to his room before immediately staring at the wool bed in the corner; his mind stirred, his heartbeat racing from his thoughts.

There's no use running away from fate, for it will always strike faster and harder when your back is turned away from it. The only way is to face it, head on.

His dad's advice from a lifetime ago floated into his head once again.

"But why... Father, is my fate eternal doom? Why Arceus? Did my ancestors sin? Do I now hold the burdens of their mistakes?" Louie glanced toward the roof, hoping for answers. None came.

Suddenly, Louie leaped to his chair and small desk; on the surface was a notebook with a leather coat. He flipped the pages swiftly, setting himself on a blank page with a pen in his right palm.

He wrote. And wrote. And wrote. The words flowed to the page in consecutive strings. His mind would temporarily pause before embarking again.

September 20th 6th Era

I am in dire straits. The world around me is crumbling around me. Yet, I will hold it up with all my strength. Kippy was inches away from fully believing Truth, but I narrowly saved it. But, for me to defeat fate, I must be proactive. I must restore solitude to the land. I will remove the stains of terror, so that Kippy will never be able to incriminate me. If he really was sent here to save the world like all the other humans, then I don't care. Because I don't care if the world burns. Let it. It's done nothing but torture and pained me. But this place, I can't leave. And Kippy, I can't lose. He won't learn... He'll never learn... The barn, the skulls, the knowledge, everything, it will all be gone before he knows it. Then... he'll have to stay.

At last, it was finished. He scanned the page, the penmanship in fine letters. Written letters, with no paw prints or footprints. He admired it because he felt truly human.