Once we were at the Crossroads, I turned to Thunder and stopped him.
"What…What's wrong Grovyle?"
"I…I want you to go back to Sharpedo's Bluff and stay there."
"What?" I slapped my forehead softly because not only Thunder cried out in surprise, but Morrithi and Mia did to.
"Look, you've been wonderful, and very, very helpful. But…please. I need you to do this. Please stay at Sharpedo's Bluff…we'll get Rega, I promise." Thunder looked at the others, I think for encouragement, but Morrithi and Mia had nothing…their eyes weren't full of hope, they were silent, just as confused as Thunder was.
"B-But…But…I, I-I…" Thunder stuttered to find the right words, but once he looked me in the eyes, all he saw was plead-fullness. He looked down and sighed, showing that he'd do it. "Alright…I'll stay…"
"Thank you. I am sorry. We'll be back as quick as possible. Let's go you two." As we started down the pathway to the beach, I heard Morrithi whisper to Mia.
"This seems familiar." Mia giggled sightly, but I could hear that in her voice, she was upset…and I knew why. When we reached the beach, I smiled in relief when I saw Lapras there.
"Oh! Morrithi, Mia, and Grovyle! How are you three?" She greeted us gladly, but frowned when we approached her closer and she saw we were in a hurry. "What's wrong…did something happen?"
"Yes…we need to get to Tempral Tower, Lapras." Morrithi explained, and Lapras turned toward the sea and looked over her shoulder.
"Hop on then. I need no explanation…just come. I'll get you there as quick as possible." We then got onto Lapras and she started swimming in towards the sunset, which I just now realized was setting. After at least two hours, Lapras look behind her and at us three. "So…now that we're on our way…what's going on?"
"Someone has taken a friend to Tempral Tower…and we believe its Darkrai." Morrithi said carefully, as if Darkrai could hear, he would come. But me and Mia looked at her in confusion.
"We do?" We said simultaneously, making Morrithi look at me than Mia, back at me than Mia, than she shook her head.
"Ok…I believe its Darkrai. Maybe it's not, but if it is, then we have to stop him."
"Yes…mostly because he'd be at Tempral Tower…he could cause the Planet's Paralize again." Mia pointed out.
"Good point, Mia. I hope it's not Darkrai though…I don't ever want to deal with him again." I said, looking to the side, watching the water go by.
"By the way…why are you three on my back but the other one isn't?" Lapras wondered, looking in front of her again. After we didn't respond for a few seconds, she looked behind her again and noticed the three of us were staring at her.
"What?" I questioned her…I had a thought in my mind, but I hoped it wasn't.
"Yeah, there's another one. You didn't know? Is there a stowaway on me?!" Lapras stopped swimming and angrily looked behind her. We followed her gaze and saw Thunder appear on top of her tail.
"Hello…" Thunder greeted himself to us, slightly embarrassed but more scared.
"Thunder?!" I yelled out, frustrated. I couldn't believe that he followed us!
"I-I…I'm sorry, but I…" Thunder tried to explain, but his words only came out in sputters. I groaned and slapped my forehead.
"I told you to stay at Sharpedo's Bluff! Why did you follow us-"
"I'm not losing Rega again!" Thunder exploded at me. Once he said that, a memory came back to my mind. A memory from when me, Dusknoir, and Celibi were still in the Future and Dusknoir and I were on our team together.
I stood looking out over the watery horizon, watching the sun set behind the ocean. I sighed and looked down, closing my eyes. Every time I closed my eyes, all I saw was Morrithi's face…I couldn't get her out of my mind. When I heard the sound of a slight rustle, I turned around and saw Dusknoir floating towards me.
"Hi, Dusknoir." I greeted, haftly hoping he'd leave, the other haft hoping he'd stay. He was my best friend…more like a brother to me now after all we've done. I felt safe around him now, I felt…peace…
"Grovyle…what's wrong? Is it…Morrithi again?" Dusknoir asked me concerned. I only turned away, my leaves dropping down like they were wilting. Dusknoir floated next to me and I looked at him, in distraught, and he looked back ashamed. "I'm sorry, Grovyle." He was about to look away when I grabbed his arm.
"It's not your fault, Dusknoir, it's-"
"It is my fault. Please don't try to make it not, because it is. I couldn't understand…"
"You were raised that way by Primal Dialga. It's not your fault. I swear…it's not."
"Then who would you blame? If not me, then who Grovyle?"
"…Dusknoir…if I allowed myself, I would've taken the risk of letting you go or pushing you into the Dimensional Hole. But I didn't…I believe I had to take you back personally…so I did. It's not your fault, it's mine. Please…stop blaming yourself."
"Fine." I let Dusknoir's arm go and he looked out towards the horizon as well. After a minute or two, Dusknoir looked back at me, ashamed once again. "Grovyle…I'm sorry…"
"I told you-"
"No…not that. I mean…leaving Morrithi like you did. I'm sorry you went through that."
"Oh…t-thank you, Dusknoir."
"…And I'm sorry I put you through that."
"It's not your fault!"
"Yes it is!" We were then silent for a few seconds when Dusknoir looked at me once more, but this time a bit worried. "Um-"
"It's not your fault…"
"Whatever! Grovyle…I just want to know, are you going to be alright?"
"…Yeah…eventually…maybe…" I looked down in sadness…the thought of Morrithi re-entered my mind again and made me tremble inside. Dusknoir saw this and looked away in pain and sympathy.
"That must've been hard. But, how were you able to go through with it…if I may ask?"
"Um…"
"You don't have to tell me if you really don't want to! Really!" Dusknoir explained to me, worried that he offended me.
"Its fine, Dusknoir. Really."
"If you're sure, then…ok." I sat down on the edge and Dusknoir looked more down at me, indicating that he wasn't going to sit down. I looked up at him and started explaining.
"You see…I knew I had to do it, but I wasn't ready to lose Morrithi again."
"That's what got me wondering how you got through it."
"Well…I remembered that both I and Morrithi promised that we'd do anything to save the world from the Planet's Paralize. So…"
"This was nothing different? It was…a sacrifice you were willing to make?"
"Not really willing…but I knew I had to. I was willing to sacrifice myself for the world…but I wasn't willing to sacrifice someone close to me like that. I had to…even if I didn't want to." I looked away from Dusknoir and continued to watch the sunset.
"So…wait a second. What's bothering you now? I need to know, Grovyle." I looked up slightly but then I looked back down.
"I'm ashamed of myself…"
"What…for what?"
"For abandoning Morrithi. I promised her that I wouldn't leave her again…and I broke that promise."
I looked at Thunder with heartache…I wish I didn't put him through that, but I didn't know.
"I understand…" Thunder looked at Mia who shrugged, so he looked back at me. "I'm sorry…" I looked at Thunder than I looked at Morrithi who reacted by looking at me with surprise. "…to both of you."
"What? What are you sorry to me about…?" Morrithi started but I cut her off.
"I abandoned you before…when I promised I wouldn't leave you. I'm sorry."
"W-What? Wait…are you talking about that incident with Dusknoir?" I nodded my head and she put her hand onto mine. "Grovyle, that wasn't your fault. You had to."
"No, Morrithi. It was my fault. If I had watched Dusknoir closer we wouldn't have been surprised…and I could've risked going with you and leaving Dusknoir to try and follow, but I didn't. I left you…and Mia…and I'm so sorry." I toke her hand with both of my hands and looked down at them in shame.
"Grovyle, please-"
"Grovyle?" I looked up and stared at Thunder. Why was he worried? "Grovyle…whatever happened between you and Dusknoir or whatever it's about…it can't be your fault."
"You don't know what happened, Thunder."
"That doesn't matter. If it was your fault, then you would have to have been fully willing to do it. And over the time I've gotten to know you guys, I know you won't leave Morrithi. Are you two together, by the way?"
"Yeah." Morrithi replied, knowing I wasn't in the mood to talk.
"Ok, good. Confused for awhile there. Anyways…Grovyle…" Thunder moved closer to me and sat in front, Mia sitting next to him. "…I know it wasn't your fault, because it's clear you didn't want to but you had to. For it to be someone's fault, they have to be willing to do it and do it. I've learned that over the course of my life. You didn't abandon her…" Thunder then suddenly smiled at me. "You just temporarily left her. Besides…weren't there positives to what happen there?"
"Mia and I got closer." Morrithi explained happily.
"Dusknoir and I…got closer…" I explained with a small smile, making Thunder even happier.
"You see? It wasn't all bad….both of you got closer to friends and you eventually got back together. Everything worked out in the end, right, Grovyle?"
"I…I guess so." I smiled happily. Then Lapras suddenly started swimming again, almost jerking Mia and Thunder off of her.
"Obviously he's important, so I guess he's coming, huh?"
"He has to, now." I smirked at Thunder who blushed a bit, embarrassed once again.