Author's Note: Well, I missed my target deadline to get this in before school started. And, unfortunately, updates will likely become even more infrequent now that I really need to get my college applications in check. But I know all of you have been supporting this piece pretty well already, making this (as of September 17, 2013) my most reviewed and most favorited piece. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I do hope to get the next chapter up as soon as possible.
Amy frowned in order to conceal her surprise. "How do you know about the Doctor?"
Piplup didn't back down. "Answer my question first. Then I'll answer yours."
Amy and Rory weren't sure exactly what they should and should not tell the Pokémon regarding the Doctor. They frankly did not know much about him themselves despite having travelled with him for such a long time. They also wondered how much would be safe to tell them as they had no idea how much even the knowledge of the Time Lord might alter the natural course of events in the world. They sure as hell wouldn't tell them that he was their son-in-law, something that even they still couldn't wrap their heads around. Still, they knew that they couldn't just leave them in the dark after they had evidently taken care of them. They then remembered that they had no idea where the Doctor was. If they were kind enough to help them, these Pokémon could help track him down before he got into too much trouble.
"The Doctor," Amy started, "is a very good friend of ours. He is a man who travels to many different places, and everywhere he goes he does everything he can to help others." She paused for a moment to read their faces. None of them seemed to hold her in suspicion. In fact, they all looked rather interested in what she had to say. "We trust him with our lives and all our friends' lives because no matter what the odds he always comes through for us in the end."
Seeing as no one seemed to want more, Rory spoke up. "Well, now that you know that bit, can we know how you even knew the Doctor? He's definitely never been here before."
Piplup nodded, but, before he could talk, there was a loud boom heard in the room that seemed to come from above. "What was that?" almost everyone in there asked. Without another word, they all headed outside to see what had happened. As they exited the Guild, they saw that there was a battle going on between two foreign Pokémon, noting that there were many other Pokémon witnessing it. Most of the onlookers, including all of the Guild members, were fixated on the black one that possessed the most horrible aura, making them feel sick just by looking at him. Those who knew his identity were horrified to see him again, especially Piplup and Chimchar.
"Piplup, look…" Chimchar murmured. "It's…"
"Yeah…Darkrai…" he finished. Both of them had hoped that, after Darkrai had disappeared, they would never have to see him again. They remembered how manipulative and destructive he had been for the sole purpose of eternal darkness. He had been terribly difficult to defeat, even with the help of his mortal enemy, Cresselia.
However, they noted that Darkrai was looking beaten up and much weaker than he had looked at any other time they could remember. It was then when they turned to face his opponent. At first glance, he appeared to be an ordinary Salamence, one that they would probably have thanked for taking on Darkrai for them. Except, his eyes were not filled with the fire that they usually saw in other Pokémon. Instead, they seemed to be filled with hatred and fury with the slightest pang of despair and regret. As if he actually didn't want to be fighting at all…
"Come on, Salamence," came a stern voice that felt devoid of any actual encouragement. "We can't let Darkrai get away again before we can test the device on it!"
Piplup and Chimchar turned towards the direction of the voice. It came from what they thought was a woman, though it was hard to tell because of the sunglasses and thick clothing the human was wearing. The blue hair seemed to fit an icy air about her that unnerved them to say the least.
"That woman…" came a voice to the left. Piplup turned and saw that Amy and Rory were fixated on her. "Don't her clothes look like the ones that guy was wearing on the ship?
"Yeah…" Rory said. "You don't think…"
He didn't finish his thought as the Salamence managed to unleash a Flamethrower attack on Darkrai that was able to knock him out. "Finally! I have you now, Darkrai!" The woman pulled out a strange, box-like device. She pressed a button, and a purple wave emanated from it, surrounding Darkrai. Piplup and Chimchar noticed that Darkrai's eyes, normally blue with a little bit of black, became a solid purple. He soon rose from the ground in an eerie fashion, as if he were merely a puppet.
The woman took out another device, which seemed to resemble some sort of headset. She put it on, making sure the microphone. "Darkrai! I am your new master! Take the powers of time and space and demonstrate your worth by blasting that structure over there!" She pointed towards the Guild entrance. Before anyone could move, Darkrai unleashed a powerful Spacial Rend on it. The building collapsed, covering the entrance to the lower floors with rubble.
The woman smiled. "The test is a success. Enjoy your freedom while you still can, you disgusting monsters! Move out!" A dark portal opened up, sucking in her, the Salamence, and Darkrai.
"What just happened?" one voice asked.
"Did you see what happened to the Guild?" another asked.
"How did a human find us?" came a third.
"What did it mean by 'while we still can'?"
"Mommy, is it going to eat us?"
Before long, the chatter erupted into a lot of commotion, everyone wondering exactly what had happened. Wigglytuff soon had enough of the pandemonium. "EVERYONE QUIET!" he yelled, drowning out all other voices. "It has indeed been a very long time since a human set foot on these lands, our homes. It is stranger still that this human was able to command Darkrai, the Pokémon who had threatened to bring darkness to the entire world. We know neither the identity of the human nor the human's intentions. However, we must remain calm and rational as we figure out the meaning behind these strange proceedings so that we all see tomorrow. Constant chatter will not bring solutions. For now, try to continue leading your normal lives as the Guild investigates these events."
General agreement seeped through the crowd, and it wasn't long after before it dispersed, leaving the Guild members, Team Poképals, Amy, and Rory. Chatot addressed the Guild. "Alright! You heard the Guildmaster! You all know what to do!"
All the Guild members, Piplup, and Chimchar nodded and shouted, "ONE! DON'T SHIRK WORK! TWO! RUN AWAY AND PAY! THREE! SMILES GO FOR MILES!"
As the Guild members dispersed to their regular tasks, Wigglytuff made sure one of them stayed put. "Hold on for a moment, Bidoof."
"Hm? What's going on, Guildmaster?"
"I think you might be needed for a special task." He turned to the rest of the gathering. "It seems like we have the strange appearance of a human whose desires seem to be malevolent at the same time this mysterious Doctor is first heard of. Now, according to our new friends, the Doctor himself is a very valiant individual, but, by the doubt expressed on their faces before, it seems like this is not the first time he has come in a time of potential danger."
"How did you…" Amy started.
"I am very good at analyzing my environment and making logical deductions. It's something Master Armaldo taught me very well when I was young. It seems to me like you know him enough to trust him yet also don't know many of his secrets. As such, we need to figure out whatever we can regarding his appearance and our current situation."
Something occurred to Piplup, and he swiftly turned to Manaphy. "Manaphy, didn't you say that you read something about the Doctor when you were staying with Walrein?"
"Yup…but I don't really remember anything about it…"
"I think it would be a good idea to pay a visit to see what information there is about him. With any luck, we'll get enough information to make enough sense about what just happened."
Manaphy smiled. "Oh, of course! I think Mr. Walrein will be happy to see us in Winter Wonderland." He paused. "Oh, you've never been there, have you?" As he saw Piplup shake his head, Chimchar took out the map. Manaphy made a mark that was to the north of the Surrounded Sea. "There! Winter Wonderland! Mr. Walrein sometimes took me to his home there to play with Ice type Pokémon. We should head there first!"
Wigglytuff spoke up. "I assume you three can do fine on your own, but I do think our friends are also curious as to how any information about the Doctor even exists here. Am I
right?"
All the two could do was nod at that point. Wigglytuff's skills in deduction were far more than they would have guessed from his cute, fluffy appearance. He would certainly get along well with the Doctor.
"Then, you must go with them. Bidoof will travel with you as well, in case your journey takes you through a few mystery dungeons. You know what those are, right?"
They both nodded. Though they hadn't kept up much with the new Pokémon games as they grew older, they were familiar with how mystery dungeons worked.
"Good. Follow Team Poképals to the destination. Make sure you all stay safe and don't get into too much trouble." He then turned to Bidoof. "I'm counting on you to guide them to their destination. Can you do that?"
"Golly! Um…yes! Definitely, Guildmaster!" came his stuttered reply.
"Good. I know you will represent the Guild well to our friends up north." He finally turned to the Poképals. "It seems like we will be asking for your help once again. Do you mind?"
"Not at all, Guildmaster," Chimchar said. "We'll always be ready to help the Guild!"
"Well, we should get going," Piplup said. "Lead the way, Manaphy!"
The trip did not take very long. Manaphy arrived first, soon followed by Piplup and Manaphy. There was enough room on Rory's back for both Amy and Bidoof as he flew behind them. To Amy and Rory, the place looked like the inside of a snow globe. Snow covered the entire landscape, though there were plenty of evergreen trees visible. There were plenty of Ice type Pokémon running about and having fun, as if they didn't have a care in the world.
"This is Winter Wonderland, everyone!" Manaphy declared. "Mr. Walrein lives over here!" He pointed to what seemed to be a cozy igloo, and they all hurried for it. Inside they saw that there were stairs leading down. They followed the stairs and soon found themselves in a much more spacious environment. Piplup and Chimchar were struck by the paintings on the wall, all of which were probably made by an especially talented Smeargle. They depicted a large variety of different landscapes: from deserts to forests, even one of the night skies. Amy and Rory chuckled to themselves as they noticed a library that was filled with volumes of books…and included a small pool. They soon spotted a blue walrus-like Pokémon with very long tusks. He spotted them as well and began to approach them.
"Hello, Mr. Walrein!" Manaphy announced.
Walrein smiled. "Ah, Manaphy! What a surprise! I didn't expect to be visited so soon after you returned to Treasure Town. Who are your friends here?"
"You remember Piplup and Chimchar, right?"
"Ah, yes…they were the ones who first raised you." He faced them directly. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you two."
Both Piplup and Chimchar nodded and smiled. "It's nice to meet you too, sir," Piplup said. "Thanks for taking care of Manaphy for us."
"Ah, it was not trouble, no trouble at all! And who else is that with you?"
He looked straight at Bidoof. "Oh! Me?" He started sweating a bit. "I-I'm Bidoof…a member of the Guild." He took a breath to steady himself. "The Guildmaster sends his regards."
Walrein chuckled a bit. "Ah, yes. I've known Wigglytuff for a long time." He took out a small box and gave it to Bidoof. "Please give this to him. I know how much he loves them." Piplup and Chimchar smirked, knowing exactly what was in the box before Walrein had made his request. "And finally, may I know your names?"
Rory spoke up first. "I'm Rory, and…"
"I'm Amy," she finished. "Um, not to be rude, but we needed to hear something you might know."
"Hm? And what would that be?"
"We want to know how you know the Doctor."
Walrein shot a puzzling look at her before chuckling. "The Doctor? I only know that name from an odd prophecy about a terrible battle that has never made much sense to me. I doubt that such a man even exists."
Before she could retort, Manaphy spoke up. "But, Mr. Walrein, it might be important! The Guild was just attacked by a human who somehow was controlling Darkrai!"
"WHAT?!"
"It's true," Chimchar said. "But that's not all. Before she left, she issued a threat, telling us to enjoy our freedom while we still could."
"Oh, dear…perhaps there is some truth to that prophecy after all…"
Amy was getting a bit impatient. "This is all very unusual, but what does any of this have to do with a prophecy about the Doctor?"
Walrein was silent for a long time, but he eventually spoke in a quiet voice. "I'd never given much thought to that strange prophecy, but it seems as if events are taking shape to prove me wrong." He paused. "Humanity. A word that is full of contradictions…On one hand, you may see the very worst: greedy, lustful, and vengeful creatures devoid of morals and willing to do anything to get what they want, allowing others to suffer without remorse."
As he paused, Amy and Rory knew that the Doctor had met so many people who fit that mold. There had heard of a company that profited by selling a race of aliens known as the Ood as slaves. The Doctor admitted that he was not a particular fan of Torchwood, an organization that was basically set up by Queen Victoria with the purpose of defending Britain from him and other alien life. If he had occasionally disapproved with the tactics of UNIT, he definitely condemned Torchwood on more than one occasion. The worst of all, though, did not consist of a large organization antagonistic to him. No, the worst of all was a man named General Cobb. The Doctor himself hadn't told them about him; it was River who revealed someone who definitely would have fit the definition of the worst. Intent on driving his people on a planet called Messaline to victory by committing genocide against their opposition, a race known as the Hath, he was infuriated when the Doctor had managed to end the war that had spanned generations yet only lasted one week. In fury, he attempted to kill the Doctor, but he actually did something far worse. He had killed his daughter.
Her name was Jenny. She was created from a sort of cloning machine that both the humans and the Hath were using to keep up their war against each other. Though she was programmed to be a perfect soldier, Donna Noble, a very good friend of the Doctor, knew that she could break free from it, provided that she could get both her and the Doctor to realize it. He furiously denied her to be a proper child of his so that he would not feel the void in his heart of all the family he had lost in the Time War. But when he heard her two heartbeats, he could no longer deny that the existence of a proper Time Lady. When Cobb attempted to shoot the Doctor, she sped in front of him in order to save his life at the expense of her own. But even then, the Doctor had refused to take his life. Sometimes they wondered why the Doctor continued to protect humanity time and time again when there were so many people like Cobb.
The two looked up as Walrein continued the tale. "On the other hand, you may find the very best of humanity: those of kind hearts and brave souls who strive to make things better for all."
And then, they would remember. The Doctor, as he had once said, chose his friends very carefully. Whenever the mysterious man invited someone into the TARDIS, he or she was always a worthy friend. They would be the best of humanity, helping right wrongs throughout time and space and keeping the Time Lord from wandering the universe alone. Every friend became a part of his family, them more literally than other ones. Though mankind was surely flawed, they would always know that the Doctor would count on his friends, the best of humanity, in the toughest of times.
And Walrein continued. "In most of this world, Pokémon are always ready to stand alongside mankind in companionship for when times are tough. In the lands where we live, this is not the case. These lands were long ago decided to solely belong to Pokémon as a sanctuary should they need refuge from humanity. Natural formations and the power of certain guardians have long kept humans from discovering them. However, there was a Pokémon who prophesized what would happen once a human rediscovered this land. It is said that the walls of reality weakened, and a vision came to him foretelling what awaited at such a time."
"Walls of reality…do you think it has something to do with whatever created that crack?" Rory quietly said.
"I don't know, but I don't like the sound of it," Amy replied. "Now hush."
"The human will bring many more along to these lands. They will come to conquer and control all Pokémon for their nefarious purposes. They will grow strong and take the powers of time and space. Just when all will seem lost, a stranger from another world will appear in his vessel, a large blue box. The visitor will have many names to mask his own: from ominous ones like the Predator, the Oncoming Storm, and the Destroyer of Worlds to reassuring ones like Merlin and the man who makes people better. He will refer to himself as the Doctor."
Piplup and Chimchar shared a concerned look. "Destroyer of Worlds?" Chimchar asked.
"I wonder how he got that name…" The man in his vision certainly didn't look like someone who would gain such a threatening title. He hoped that he wouldn't have to find out why he had that name.
They glanced over to see Amy and Rory sharing a quizzical look, though it seemed to be for a different reason. "Merlin?" Rory said. "Seriously?"
"We'll ask him about it later."
Walrein moved to finish the tale. "The result of the great battle was something that was not foreseen. It may be presumed that an unspeakable fate would befall us should the enigmatic Doctor fail. We can only prepare ourselves for whatever will come, though I had always thought that such a thing would never happen. Of course, I was wrong regarding many things that have threatened this world." He turned to speak to Piplup and Chimchar directly. "You two have thwarted Darkrai's schemes to use time and space for his purposes. If the time of the prophecy has at last come, I at least feel assured that you will do whatever it takes to keep this world safe."
"Don't worry, Walrein," Chimchar said. "You can always count on us!"
He nodded and turned to Amy and Rory. "This is the prophecy from which the Doctor can be found. I take it you are satisfied?"
"Yeah," Rory said. "Thanks for telling us about the prophecy. At least we have an idea about what's going on, now."
"Big threat to the world that needs to be stopped by the Doctor," Amy said. "That sounds about right. All we need to do then is find him."
"Which is easier said than done…OW!" Amy had jabbed his arm, which seemed to have been very effective. "What? It is true…OW!"
"Shut up, stupid face," she said. "We'll find him. Or, he'll find us. Whichever comes first."
"But where would we even begin to look…OW!"
"Ahem…" both turned to see Piplup had had enough of their bickering. "If you're done arguing, I have a general idea of where he might be."
"What?" they both asked. "How?"
"Er…I was going to mention it earlier, but I can sometimes see things in the past and the future." At least, that's what the Dimensional Scream seemed to consist of. He occasionally wondered if there was more to it than that, though.
"So that's how you knew about the Doctor…" Rory said. "I wonder how…"
"Never mind that," Amy interjected. "You said you might know where he is?"
Piplup slowly nodded. "Well, yes and no…in my…vision he was on some sort of flying craft. He used some weird device and caused it to crash into the sea. The background seemed to look like the Marine Resort. I'm…not sure he made it…"
He carefully observed their reactions. Instead of the pessimism he had expected, their faces were resolute. "I know he made it," Amy flatly stated. "He always cheats death. I know we'll find him."
"This Marine Resort…we have to go there. Do you mind leading the way?"
"Sure, no problem," Chimchar said. "This Doctor seems to be pretty important. We should go right away."
Manaphy turned to Walrein. "Thank you for having us, Mr. Walrein. It was a pleasure to see you again."
"As it was to see you again, too. I hope to see you all again soon."
They promptly left for Marine Resort, none of them noticing a helicopter following them from a distance.
