Previously : Me, Amber and Grovyle have gotten Time and Space Gears from all the universes but one.

Chapter 11 - Memories

We keep on falling. Has time stopped? I don't even remember when we started falling.

Suddenly, we fall through a hole, a gate of sorts.

We fall in a river. Amber instantly goes, "Ughh. I hate water. They make me feel nauseated. I think I'm gonna throw up."

I speak, "Um. Where are we? Shouldn't a sympathiser force be here to help us?"

Grovyle spoke, "Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, we cannot stay here. These are open fields. We can be attacked from all sides."

Amber asked, "So, where will we go? This is a huge world, and Rayce remembers none of it."

Grovyle coughs visibly and says, "I have lived here as well, you idiots. I know where to go."

Amber replied, "Right. Stupid me. Lead the way."

Grovyle points towards my left and says, "There. That's Verge City. Our home. We should go there. The river we have fallen in is the Raven River."

In the distance, I see the silhouette of a town. Following Grovyle, Amber and I go towards Verge City. It takes us around a few hours to reach the city. We mostly keep to the road, but sometimes take small shortcuts.

Verge is a beautiful city. It's more like a metropolis, with a village surrounding it. It's almost perfectly circular. We enter through the southern entrance. We walk in two blocks and we reach the village area. It's a quant area. There are a few buildings here and there, but the area is mostly residential.

"In here." , Grovyle says. He leads us through a small alleyway.

Grovyle takes a deep breath of air and says, "Ahhh. Coffee and bread. I remember the smell of that. We used to have that everyday Rayce. You would come to the laboratory everyday and bring one for me, and sometimes for yourself too. You would sometimes be dressed properly, or sometimes look like you just woke up a few minutes ago. You would be either in a great mood, or be mad about something you never told me. I only saw your house a few times. Across the street."

Grovyle points towards a different side of the street, to the second floor of an apartment building about four storeys tall. The building was lively, with a coffee shop on the ground floor, surrounded by chairs and tables, all shaded by colorful umbrellas. Grovyle says, "You lived with your roommate Jakob. You two would never be seperated from each other. You were best friends, I think. He often came here too. Let's go inside the lab now."

There's a smaller alleyway in the alleyway we are already in. The alleyway ends with a barely visible door made of concrete that almost blended in with the walls, except for a tiny hinge. Grovyle pulled on the hinge twice. The wall slided down. The inside of the building looks like a small storage room for junk material, probably owned by the apartment complex or me, I guess. There is a small door in the corner of the building, hidden by boxes on which he places his hand. The door is electronic and it scans his hand and opens.

He says, "The doors are electromagnetically charged. Nobody or nothing can break inside the lab. You can interact with the items inside normally though. Come on."

I and Amber go into the building. I can't believe that this is a place where I spent years of my life. I remember nothing. It feels like a void. This place is familiar... but also unfamiliar.

Inside the building, we go down the stairs. A labyrinth of pathways were laid out for us with arrows pointing towards various rooms that were named with white color. The path in front of us led to "The Office" and "The Living Quarters". The path to the left of us led to "The DNA lab" and "The Psycho-kinesis lab". The path to the right of us led to the Weapons room and the Technology lab.

I cannot believe that I made all of this at the age of 17. We all go towards the Office. We go straight in front, and then left. We go into the room. Inside is a desk, a sofa and a small bed.

Grovyle replies, "This was your table and sofa and my resting sofa. I remember it all. You used to work very late, so I would wait here for you, and leave for the living quarters only after you had left." On the table, were a pencil holder, a stack of papers and 2 photos. There was also an open Ultra Ball.

Grovyle lead us through to the Psycho-Kinesis lab. He said, "This is where we began our journey. We were supposed to be in the other universe for a month, and then come back to the day after we left. We have been there for almost 4 years. Let me check the date here in the calendar... Wait, it is the right date! March 13th, 2034. 1 day after we left! What a coincidence to have landed in this time. Jakob must be waiting for us. At your home."

Grovyle then leads us to the DNA room. Inside, are huge tubes and big machines laid out. Grovyle says, "These are the DNA machines. You made them in case something happened to us, so that we would be cloned and brought back to life here."

I reply, "Wooow. I don't what to say. I mean, I knew that I had an exciting life because I knew about Primal Dialga and came here to stop him, but I didn't know to what extent. I want to remember it all, but I can't."

Grovyle replies, "You can. There's a DNA machine to make yourself a clone human body of yourself using your stored will get your old life back."

I say in suprise, "I can do that?"

Grovyle replied, "Of course you can. You can finally then come back home. I will make myseld a clone body too, and everything will be just as it was before."

I step back in surprise. I say, "Of course I want to do this. I want my life back."

Grovyle says, "Then start the machine. You will get your home back. Your life will be just like it was back then. So will be mine."

As I move towards the machine, Amber takes a hold of my shoulder and pulls me aside. He says, "Why do you want to do this? You have a life back at home with everyone from the Guild and the city, with me. You are so happy there. Do you want to throw it all away. Throw the last 4 years of your life with me. Do you want to leave me and all of your friends."

I reply, "That is not my home. I want to leave. I do not want to throw the last 18 to 22 years of my life that defined me. Sure, I don't remember it, but it is my real life. I never felt that I had a place in your world. I do not belong to your world. We may be friends, but we don't have a lot in common, you know. We just, kinda got stuck with each other. I have a life here and I want it back. I am a human by soul. I did not choose to be in your world for 4 years. I was stuck there. I remembrr fragments of being a human. I want it all. It feels amazing. If you do not want to leave me, you could stay here. I will find you some Blaziken DNA if you want to stay here as well."

Amber replies, "No need. You said that you do not belong in my world. I too, do not belong in yours. I should've known you would leave your friends and me as soon as you get Grovyle and this... this other person, Jakob."

Hmmm. Amber is stubborn. But I cannot care right now. I am doing this.

I turn on the machine and put in the settings. It whizzes to life The tube fills with smoke. A shape starts to form.

What will happen when Rayce gets his old life back? Will he meet Jakob again after so long? Will he remember him? Find out in the next chapter.