School has been a real killer. So perhaps that's part of the reason why this is late. Actually, it would be lucky if I can update once a month now. Parts of this were written when my brain was fried, but have been edited as best as they can be.

The kicking of Rena in the shin is an inside joke. Don't ask, really.

And just one last thing, I wanted to say OMG wow to the person that read over my whole story and gave me so many reviews. You rock Matt!

Chapter 31

The bellowing of Artimus could be heard all around, his powerful voice echoing around his hollow cave under the sea. "Sister! Explain your actions!" He roared both physically and psychically, giving headaches to the Pokemon that made their nests close to his lair.

The only reply the beast of the sea received came from Sundav in a small voice, "I have lost her."

Those four words were enough to get him going in a fury. Even if it was him that had said that very thing such a long time ago, Artimus could feel no compassion for his sister's state of mind. "You are a fool." He growled angrily, "You are a fool to believe in the nonsense that humans can return to life, you are-" But he cut himself off as he realized that his sister had blocked out his voice.

"Have it your way." He murmured and slashed the water under him with one vast wing in a show of his anger that created a wall of water that caused the wall of his cave to crack. It was ignored, as Artimus was already lost in a flash from his past…

He was still a little chick with a mission to keep himself and his sister safe, or die trying. That was when they actually still got along, of course that day had long since gone by as Sundav was ripped of her powers, and Artimus was forced to take cover from humans and their modern inventions called Pokeballs.

The two of them had been nicknamed the Fire and Water Twins, and were inseparable. But both went their own separate ways, Sundav leading the Light Crusade by the side of the human that Artimus had never enjoyed being around, Mystic. But he had found a human of his own, a beautiful lady named Selra. She'd been all he wanted in a partner, down to her flowing blue locks that so matched the sea that he loved.

But life went on, as it was supposed to, Selra died of old age after saying one last good-bye to him. It was that day that Artimus had left his happiness behind.

He was snatched out of his dreams of Selra when Sundav established their mind link again, and when he prepared to speak again, he was cut off by her saying, "I need your help, here's what you need to do…"

Sara shuddered as she awoke to darkness all around her. It was thick, and covered her like a furry black blanket that seemed to have a life of it's own and wouldn't let her go, or let her even move. She found that movement was absolutely impossible, and caught a fleeting thought of: So, this is what it's like to die.

Her heart thudded as she realized what that meant, and she let out a little moan of sadness. That means I've failed. Recited that one alive voice in her head, I'm a fail-

"Not so fast, little one." The voice came over her like a breeze, chilling Sara to the bone. It seemed to be a sound not meant for mortal ears, for when it spoke, it made her head scream in agony, "You mustn't give up."

When the sound had died away, the darkness and silence seemed to call out Sara's name, if only she could just close her eyes and rest…

"You…" Sundav's gaze looked the girl over and shook her head, "Sara's sister?"

"That's right." The short, silver-haired girl said, the mysterious sparkle never leaving her lilac eyes as she gazed on the Ho-oh with no show of any fear. "I am Sara's sister." She repeated more slowly, putting emphasis on every syllable.

"Preposterous." Elvina murmured, "I don't believe you, psychic."

Rika's smile widened as she looked upon the blue-haired girl, "Still you are a non-believer. No, I am definitely Sara's sister."

The Ho-oh had been silent for this conversation, a stunned expression on her face. Sundav tried to read off Rika's outer thoughts, but there was nothing there to help her with the knot that the girl had just handed her. "Why?"

"I'm sure you all know why I'm Sara's sister, but how is a different story." The psychic shook her head slowly, "I'm Sara's older sister, the one that was kidnapped and never found again. She's probably never heard of me because… well, the Baraa that took me did a good job of hiding her tail marks." Rika shrugged causally, as if telling a group of strangers she was kidnapped by a thief Pokemon was no big deal.

A loud squealing noise came out of the mouth of a Pokemon that was being chased by an angry-looking Houndoom with his teeth bared in a snarl. The two of them raced through the now-empty stadium, it having been abandoned after the announcement of the end of the match.

She looked like a sort of raccoon, with silver and brown markings on her head and down her back. The Pokemon ran ahead on all four of her short legs, and had a bone protruding from her mouth. Perhaps Fiendre's meal…

The Baraa was very large, and carried herself quickly down the stadium wall and over to Rika, where she chirruped and offered the mangled chicken leg to Rika. Devon and Drake looked her at strangely when she chirruped back and the Baraa nodded and went off to eat the chicken for herself.

Fiendre walked by, looking absolutely livid, as Drake murmured, "What did she say?" To Rena, who shrugged and murmured back.

"She still thinks she's my mum." Rika said with a sigh, "Not convinced that I'm a grown cub now."

"She's off her rocker." Elvina said, looking after the Baraa and growling at Rika, "And you are too. Why should we believe you?"

The silver-haired girl frowned up at Elvina and finally said, "I know where Sara is. If you follow what I have to say, then there is still hope to save her. There is nothing I can say or do to make you believe that I am Sara's sister, but I assure you, I am. Now who's going to hear me out?"

"R-Rena? Are you sure you want to do this?" Devon stammered out nervously as both Gryff and Solorite got on top of Rena as she lay in a bed, the Absol splayed across her legs, while her Pokemon daintily sat across her chest. From under the cover of feathers and fur, Rena glared at her stalker.

"For the fifth time, YES!" She roared back, "I want to save Sara, and this is how we're going to do it."

The Baraa perched on the very tips of Rena's toes chattered at Devon disapprovingly, her fur puffed out as if she was encountering a threat of some sort. Pocky had said that Baraa were the evolution of Furrent, and the Pokemon's slim body backed her up on that. That was just as Sundav, in the form of Solonfree again, flitted up to the Pokemorph's side and said, "I will do what Rika requires, but the effects are only temporary. I take no responsibility for any discomfort you encounter, though."

Sundav returned to her Ho-oh form and began to chant under her breath, a golden aura forming around her. The aura moved to surround both her and Rena, and the girl was suddenly glad for the warm Pokemon surrounding her. Her body shuddered as a wrenching occurred that caused Rena to blank out.

To finish the transaction and ensure Rena got to the rift between life and death without harm, Sundav kicked the fainted girl in the shin.

"Sara?" Rena called out, and her voice echoed back to her, as if it were a thousand Renas calling out at one time. She shivered from the icy grip of the world around her, one that seemed to be colorless, like an old movie. The background of the rift was a dark, dull gray that did not lighten the mood of the place at all.

It was surprising that there was any ground to step on at all, or that it did not give way to her feet as she walked quickly around the featureless areas. Gosh… she thought, looking around helplessly, I'll never find Sara this way.

She yelled out again, but only a low moaning from the surrounding area responded, a groan that caught her attention and held it, before Rena shook her head and continued on. The sound was repeated, this time louder, and she quickened her pace until she was close enough to see the things making the noise.

A patch of gray on the 'ground' depicted Sara, lying spread-eagled on the ground with a black cloud surrounding her. A dark cloud of a shapeless form was around her, and it was that that the moaning was coming from. Its little voice came together in a little chant that made Rena's ears numb. "Join us Sara… you musssssssssst…"

Sara groaned and lifted one arm with effort in the direction of the shapeless thing. By impulse alone Rena yelled out, "Not so fast little one!" The words echoed awkwardly, and a flush of embarrassment at what she'd said flooded over Rena as she continued with a small cough, "You mustn't give up!"

There was a disturbance, like a visible shiver, from the cloud. It's black form turned with a shapeless head towards her, and a serpent's hiss escaped from its solidifying lips. "Sssso, I get two sssssnackssss thissss time…" He spluttered, mouth opening again to show the forming of large silver canines.

"You won't get any snacks." Rena replied bluntly as she dashed under the creature with her hand out for Sara, "Come on, I didn't come here just to let you die!" She exclaimed to the girl as she grasped her cold arm and slung Sara over her shoulders. "But you need to lose a couple of pounds…"

Sara groaned again just as a black head came snaking down in their direction. Rena avoided it, just barely though, and set off at as fast of a pace as she could manage with the load on her back. "Re…na…?" The younger girl asked brokenly as she was shaken around enough to wake up.

"Yup, it's me." Rena said, trying to sound like not a care in the world was wrong, "Hold on, I'll get you home."

A last roar was heard as Rena spotted the white hole in the ground that she'd entered from. "Told ya', sucker!" She blew a raspberry over her shoulder and jumped down the hole, feeling very proud of herself.

But that was when the mistake happened.

She'd been told about it, but Rena wasn't ready when it actually happened. As they both came closer to the real world again, Rena lost her solidity and her soul disobeyed the order to hold onto Sara. It coursed back to her body, and left Sara, body and all, to fall where she may…

The man was scraggly, his beard unkempt and teeth ragged and broken. You would take him for what he was, an old beggar. But as he trudged through the grass and tripped over the body of a young blonde girl, he found himself almost face-to-face with her. "Uhhhh… excuse my missy, but don' ya' think that's a bad place ter take a nap?"

When she didn't reply, not even twitch; he was tempted to kick her to get her to wake up. But instead of doing that, he kneeled down and tapped her shoulder. "Missy? Wake up!"

He sighed, puzzled, and turned away from her, just to take a step back from what he saw. "Kill him." The red-haired woman said carelessly to her Scyther, who moved his scythe to do as she said. She snickered and looked away, clutching a small device in her hand, where she murmured, "I have found her, master."

"Star, there was something I wanted to ask you." Sandsinger said conversationally as the wind played on her face. She was frowning intensely, and both Star and Karen knew what the reason was for.

"What is it?" Star replied, her voice not the normal snap it normally was. They'd escaped when Dominus and Siron were busy with Sara, after knowing it was too late to save her. Sundav had appeared and disappeared, the look on her face saying what she didn't put into words. What her Pokemon dared not say aloud. They thought that Sara was dead. And were heading back to Slateport just to hear what was inevitable in their minds.

Karen, who was taking a free ride on Star's back, half-singed from the Flamethrower attack that had freed her, sighed and murmured, "I've been wondering the same thing." She stated.

"What do you think we should do now?" Sandsinger finished with a sigh as the small lights of Slateport came into view.

Star opened her beak to reply to the statement what she thought, but was interrupted as a yellow projectile tackled her. "Berrrrrrryyyyy!" Mellow chirruped happily, "You wouldn't believe what happened!"

"I know what happened! You don't need to repeat it!" Star snapped.

"No, you don't understand! Star, you dingbat-" Karen and Sandsinger gasped in shock. "-Sara's still alive!"

"WHAT!" The Espeon on her back had to dig in tightly to avoid falling off the bucking Star, "Oh Mellow, I LOVE YOU!"

"I know, you just hate to say it." Mellow replied smugly as he was caught up in a hug with Sandsinger. "I'm a chick magnet!" He exclaimed, with a joyful look as Star and Karen crowded around him happily. This was why he'd voted to be the message barer.

"I scratch what I said earlier." Mellow huffed, looking down at Amber as he kept her back with defensive jabs of his beak or talons, "I'm a Torchic magnet."

He'd been thrown (against his will) into the area that caged the fire starters for the Hoenn region. Because that was what he new girlfriend thought would 'mellow' Mellow down a bit. A mass of Torchic looked up at him from his perch on top of a poll, each of them wanting to get him down. Mostly the baby chicks wanted to play, but there were some little fireballs that wanted to be just that and see how fireproof Swellow feathers are. Mellow wasn't going to have a good night…

"You mean you don't know where Sara is?" Star growled at Rena, who was rubbing her forehead as if she had a headache already.

"Yup, and I'm sorry little bird. So go away."

"Come on Star-bird before you make her headache any worse." The Flygon dragged her friend out into the open air, where a small group was massing up to see something interesting, the new Saladreth. Star let out a squawk of disapproval, but finally let herself be taken over to Saladreth to 'admire' him with the rest of the early morning crowd.

Saladreth waved his long tail to acknowledge that he was alright with their presence as Sandsinger sat down propped against his side. "Having fun?" Star asked him sourly.

"Nope. But I'm going to have to get used to this." He replied, snorting hotly on a little boy that had gotten close enough to touch him. "We'll find Sara, don't worry Star, Sandsinger." He continued with a glance at their expressions.

"Indeed." Rika, who ignored Saladreth's warning snort, sat down Indian style next to Sandsinger and smirked.

"I can't get used to that… Rika, don't you give warnings?"

"About what, cheerful Swellow?" She replied, with a grin at the fluffed-out Swellow.

"About… about everything. You just show up without rhyme or reason."

"That's not true. Everything I do has a purpose. Including starting this conversation. Star, if I told you where your trainer was, would you freak out on me?"

"Probably." Sandsinger said for Star.

"Just between you an' me, my dear friends, Sara is in Kanto."

And with that, Rika waved to the three Pokemon that had heard what she'd said in Baraa and flounced off.

"Well." Saladreth murmured, "That sure puts a monkey-wrench in things."

"We're going to Kanto." Star said, ignoring him completely, "Are you with me, Sandsinger?"

"What about me!"

Gryff skidded by, her wings outstretched. "I wanna come!"

She's a fast flyer, we can use her… Star thought and nodded with a bird-smirk in Gryff's direction, "Sure, let's go to Kanto!"

"Uhhhh…" Sandsinger hesitated and looked around before clearing her throat, "How far is Kanto?"

"Finally, sleeping beauty awakens." The deep, rich voice of a female sounded just near Sara's ear and the blonde stirred again.

The red-haired lady sat by her bed, white teeth glinting in the dim light of a fire sizzling and burning out in the fireplace. Sara was surprised to be in an actual bed, not a cloud in the sky. "Are…you an angel?"