o-o-o- Chapter 8: Friends from the Past –o-o-o

As we trekked through the dungeon, I could feel that we were nearing the Passage of Time. Once we finally reached the plateau, I recognized the flashy blue lights of the portal.

"That's the Passage of Time?" Liam asked me, and I nodded. Grovyle turned to me and said, "Celebi, only you can open the Passage of Time. Do your thing."

"Sure," I smiled and had only moved forward by an inch when I heard a familiar voice boom, "Stop there! That will do!"

I froze in my place as Grovyle's eyes widened, "What…? That voice!" I heard Liam mutter weakly behind me, "It…It can't be…" And the next moment, we were surrounded by multiple Sableye and in front of us was Dusknoir himself.

"Hello to you all. It's been a while." The ghost-type's low voice sent shivers down my spine. "Dusknoir.." Grovyle snarled, similar to the last time he left for the past.

"Your scurrying has carried you far…" Dusknoir glared, "But sad to say, that's all over now." The Sableye around us cackled happily, "Wheh-heh-heh!"

The grass-type beside me 'humped', "That's crafty, Dusknoir. You allowed us to roam free, but you kept your eye on us the whole time…" He shot at glance at me before glowering threateningly at Dusknoir, "So you could capture Celebi as well as us."

I didn't know why, but I could feel heat going up to my face. G-Grovyle…

Behind me, Liam exclaimed, "What? ! So you mean we were followed the whole time? !"

Grovyle ignored him, still glaring at the Ghost-type, and muttered to me, "I didn't see this coming. It's all my fault, Celebi."

I raised my eyebrows at him, "Oh? Apologies don't suit your style, my dear Grovyle! And do you honestly think that I can be caught? Tee-hee!"

I could see the small smirk that appeared on his face briefly before stating, "Everyone! Are you ready to fight? !"

The Riolu behind me nearly yelled, "What? ! Do you even need to ask? ! Of course we are!"

I smiled slightly as Grovyle told Dusknoir, "Dusknoir! You and me! Now!"

Much to my surprise, our opponent chuckled lowly, and I got the feeling that we were in for some trouble. "Grovyle… Are you really such a fool to think that I'd come alone?" he did his one-eye smirk.

Oh no.. I thought as the wood gecko Pokemon beside me exclaimed, "Wh-what? !"

"Now, Master Dialga!" Dusknoir bellowed as everything suddenly turned pitch black. Lights flashed, almost like lightning, and we heard something we'd never thought we'd hear. Primal Dialga's roar.

When we could finally see properly again, Primal Dialga, in all his power, stood on another plateau above ours. His eyes glowed a scary red and he roared again, causing the ground to shake slightly. "D-Dialga…" I whimpered quietly, bringing my arms up to my chest. We all took a step back, and I saw that color had drained from Grovyle's face.

I glanced at him with worry, "My dear Grovyle…" He closed his eyes and frowned, "Urf… This… is it for us…"

"What? !" Liam half whispered, half yelled from behind me in shock. Even I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "There's no chance for us now. If it was just Dusknoir, sure, we could try to take them on, but…" Grovyle glanced at the Temporal Pokemon above us. "With Primal Dialga here…we'll barely put up a fight against them."

"Grovyle…" Liam muttered, and I glanced at him and Leonna. They were both frowning. I did not want to give up… not now… not after what I've gone through. I clenched my fists, and tried to keep my emotions at bay, hoping that no one noticed that I really wanted to cry right now.

My dear Grovyle, whom I have always loved and looked up to, was giving up right in front of me. Before, Leonna and I agreed that Grovyle was our leader, as he had the strongest will among the three of us. "Perhaps even stronger than the legendary's Azelf's," Leonna had said. I agreed with her. The wood gecko Pokemon was not one to give up without trying, and once he was determined about something, he was dead set on accomplishing it. But now, as easy as a Rattata could bite, he was giving up. I couldn't believe this was happening.

Grovyle took a step forward, his gaze set on Dusknoir, with an expression of frustration, guilt, and sorrow. "I surrender Dusknoir. Do with me…"

I didn't bother try to hide my tears anymore. "My d-d-dear Grovyle!" My voice trembled as I spoke, two or three teardrops rolling down my cheeks.

He seemed even more pained to see me cry, and ended up whispering his next words. "…as you will.."

I sniffled, and felt the paw of Liam on my arm, trying to comfort me. When I glanced at him, he was frowning, and Leonna looked confused and downcast. Dusknoir addressed Grovyle, "Hm? It's not like you to give up so easily."

I could tell that Grovyle was trying to ignore us, me especially, because I was crying. He gave Dusknoir a frown, "Yes. I am giving up. But…"

But? Grovyle inhaled deeply, before stating with firm conviction, "… hope is still alive." He turned to me, and his eyes softened a bit. "Celebi, you remember… That last time… When I travelled back in time to prevent the planet's paralysis… I wasn't alone." My dear Grovyle… he really doesn't know, I thought as he continued, "There was another."

"W-what?" Leonna muttered in surprise. Even her partner, Liam, was suddenly perked up, of sorts. Grovyle nodded at them, "I had gone to your time with someone else. My… with one of my best friends…" He glanced at me, and I had a feeling he included me in that category. "Unfortunately, we were separated when we arrived in the past. I woke up somewhere near Treeshroud Forest, which made it easier for me to reach the Time Gear there. My partner, however…" We all frowned again, but I had a different reason for doing so. Grovyle, Liam and Leonna were frowning because they were worried about Grovyle's "missing" partner, while I was frowning because I knew that partner was neither lost nor missing, but standing right beside us!

Grovyle shook his head and tried to wipe the frown on his face, "But my partner is probably still back in the past, and so long as she's there, I know she won't give up. Even if I wasn't with her anymore." He faced Dusknoir with a determined glare. "That's why I still have hope. Because I have faith in my partner." Hopefulness flashed in the eyes of the Pokemon beside me, but I still frowned.

As I feared, and much to the shock of Grovyle, Liam, and Leonna, Dusknoir laughed. Not exactly an evil laugh, but it was closer to laughing from amusement. It was easy to see why Dusknoir would be amused. After all, who wouldn't be if their enemy believed in something that was surely a mistake?

I clenched my fists to calm myself. I didn't know if I wanted to shut Dusknoir up, or just scream in Grovyle's face that Leonna, the Vulpix, was actually his partner. I winced, and decided to just stay quiet. They would find out about it soon enough, I'm sure. I thought gravely.

"What's… what's so funny?" Surprise filled Grovyle's voice as he asked. Dusknoir chuckled a bit before answering, "So you claim someone went to the past with you… Incidentally, what's the name of your partner? Go on. Say the name."

Grovyle raised an eyebrow in suspicion, "Why ask such a thing?"

"Can't tell me?" Dusknoir taunted, his one eye forming some sort of smirk.

"No, that's not it." A bit hesitantly, Grovyle said, "My partner's name is Leonna. My best friend…"

The Vulpix with us, as expected, was frozen in shock, her eyes wide with surprise. "What? ! Grovyle!" The Riolu behind me, however, yelled so loud, I winced. "Did you say Leonna?" I sadly watched them as Liam glanced from Grovyle to Leonna. "Well, this is Leonna right here!"

Grovyle turned around so quickly, I thought his back would break. "What? !" He studied the Vulpix briefly before asking, "You're… Leonna?" Leonna, confused with the turn of events, merely nodded her head once. Grovyle shook his head, "No, it can't be. It isn't. The Leonna that I know isn't a Pokemon. The Leonna that I know…"

My thoughts were in synch with his words, "…is a human." I closed my eyes sadly. I could just tell that the two Pokemon were just even more surprised. I wonder how you remembered you were human, little Leonna… I thought. "What? !" Liam exclaimed once more, making Dusknoir laugh again.

"Precisely!" Even if he had no real facial features, I could tell Dusknoir was grinning. I glared at him weakly, for there was nothing else I could do. "My good fellow, Grovyle, that is unmistakably your friend, Leonna!"

"W-what?" Grovyle muttered in disbelief, and glanced at Leonna.

"That Pokemon you see was once a human! She is the partner you travelled with to the past!" My companions could only listen in shock as Dusknoir told of how he found out that Leonna had turned into a Vulpix, their hope dwindling smaller.

I blocked out Dusknoir's words from my ears. I clenched my fists and closed my eyes, trying to control the burst of emotions I was feeling. One could describe me right now as angry. Frustrated. Heartbroken. Hopeless.

I was angry with Dusknoir, for laughing and making fun of our emotional turmoil. I was angry with Leonna, for not fulfilling her promise to take care of herself and Grovyle. I was angry at Grovyle, for… I don't know! I was just angry with him. I was angry with Primal Dialga, for obvious reasons. But the one Pokemon I was really angry with wasn't with us. Arceus.

Arceus…why? ! I thought angrily. My train of thought was broken when Dusknoir bellowed in his deep, rumbling voice, "Everything ends now!" I opened my eyes and glared at him.

"Dusknoir…" Liam whispered weakly, behind me, while the rest of us merely stood motionless. Dusknoir smirked again, "You have finally come into terms with your fate!" The Sableye sharpened their claws and were getting closer by the minute. One of them even leered at me.

I glanced at my companions, and while Grovyle and Leonna had hopeless expressions, Liam actually seemed to still have hope. "Grovyle! Leonna!" he whispered, while Dusknoir was basking in his supposed victory over us. "Hey, Leonna! Grovyle! You guys can't give up!" Liam whispered harshly, and I was surprised at his determination. A miniscule smile crept unto my mouth as I thought, He's right. We can't! But…

Grovyle sighed dejectedly, "Gah… You say not to give up…?" He glanced around him hopelessly. "But what can we possibly do in this bleak situation?"

Liam looked at me for support, and I just gave him a small smile and nodded. He seemed thankful that not everyone had given up. "We have to think!" He glanced at Leonna, then Grovyle, and then his gaze fell upon me. A flash of hope flickered across his features, "I know! Celebi!" My eyes widened, and I briefly wondered what he could have possibly thought of. "Can your time travel ability transport us just the short distance into the Passage of Time?"

I frowned a little, "It won't be easy with Dialga here! Dialga is the Temporal Pokemon… It controls time itself! Even if I can make us travel in time, he'll have no problem exposing it!"

Liam looked at me desperately, "It just has to work for an instant! Please!" I nodded, somehow convinced by this Riolu's determination. I began to concentrate my powers when I heard Dusknoir yell, "Attack!" I released the energy and a bright light encompassed the four of us, and suddenly, the Sableye and Dusknoir were frozen in place.

"Move! Quickly!" I ordered as my companions and I hastily scrambled towards the Passage of Time. We got past Dusknoir and were only a few more steps to reaching the Time portal when I heard glass shattering. Oh no, I thought as an invisible force burst in front of me, pushing me into Liam's chest and my time travel path was shattered.

"There they are!" Dusknoir exclaimed behind us. We glanced at them. The Sableye were coming on quick. I turned to my companions, "Dive in now! You can make it if you go now!" The Riolu looked incredulous, "Wh-what about you, Celebi? !"

I frowned at him, "Don't fret over me! I told you, I can't be caught!" I glanced at Leonna and Grovyle, "Stop the planet's paralysis… Change history!"

Grovyle nodded, "Thanks!"

"Thank you, Celebi!" I smiled at them as they entered the Passage and disappeared. "No! Not again!" Dusknoir bellowed, and I turned to face him. He glared, "Capture her!"

I smirked at him, and glanced at the Sableye who leered at me earlier and winked. "Time to travel!" and just like before, I was gone in an instant. I told them I couldn't be caught!

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Urk… my back… it hurts… Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, because it took a lot of my energy writing this. So… who noticed the…uh… sparks (?) between Liam and Celebi? I don't know, but I kept noticing it as I typed. Probably because it's kinda sad for the two of them to be left out 'cuz Grovyle and Leonna were partners. Oh, and did you know that 'to leer' means to 'smile in an unpleasant way, usually because of sexual interest' ? So, yes, there were miniscule hints of SableyexCelebi and CelebixPartner ( GrovylexPlayer was already in the game, I won't emphasize it anymore) Oh, and by the way, I will NOT update until I get at least 3 reviews for this chapter. I can write in my spare time, but even if it's finished, I won't post it until you review. Please? I'm seriously getting sad here, from the lack of appreciation. But thank you, to those who already reviewed! You don't know how you made my day :D