Pokémon Chapter 16

The room he sat in was empty, barring two chairs, himself and someone else. It was not dark, but not light either, it was simply there. He started to stir and the person sitting in front of him said: "Finally woken up have you?"

His eyes shot open and he looked at the person in front of him: "You're… me."

"That's right, I'm you, and you're me. Welcome to the confusing world of the mind, starring you and me and also me and you, Calem," the person said.

"You did that one on purpose," Calem commented and the one in front of him smirked.

"Yes, I did. I rarely get to talk so I try to enjoy it as much as possible," the latter explained.

Calem smiled before he remembered what situation he was last in: "Wait, what happened? Why am I in my body? Did Darkrai get control?"

The teenager in front of him looked serious: "Sadly, yes. We have lost the battle. You created me to have a blockade against Darkrai, but I could only do so much. In the end we were too weak and lost. Now our friends are suffering from our mistake. Luckily he couldn't kill you and me, he just managed to trap us in this part of your mind."

"And where are we inside of my mind? It's so empty…" Calem asked.

"Well, part was just something to make it sound epic, this is your mind, empty. Ok but all jokes aside, we are currently stuck within a part of your memories, memories you chose to forget along with a few of your friends, memories of the town of sleeping champions. But it looks like no one can help you access these memories except for Arceus, which is why this room appears empty although it is filled with emotions and experiences.
Now, we need to get out of here to help your friends, any suggestions?"

Calem scratched his chin and stood up. When he started to move forward he felt the ground beneath his feet disappear and quickly jumped back onto his char.

"Oh yeah, I should've told you that these chairs are the only thing of matter besides you and me," Calem's copy told him.

"Tell me that sooner!" He shouted back and sat down, trying to get all the rage out of his system. His copy chuckled but when he started to say something he was interrupted by a light. They both knew who it was and they looked up. There they saw him, Arceus, or rather an ethereal form of the Alpha Pokémon.

"Ah, there you are, your mind is pretty complicated, so many twists and turns within it, how do you stay sane?" Arceus asked sincerely.

"Good question, let me tell you my secret, I don't. It's too much of a hassle to stay sane so I'd rather be insane," Calem's answer was so nonchalant that Arceus couldn't help but believe him, although his observations told him otherwise. But then again, Calem had always been the biggest mystery for Arceus, a person he couldn't read and couldn't understand no matter the circumstances.

"Well he is from the town of sleeping champions after all…" Arceus muttered underneath his breath before he turned to Calem: "So, I came here to ask, are you willing to save the world?"

"Nope," Calem said. His copy smirked and they both leaned back in their chair in sync. Arceus suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

"I'm not willing to save the world, but in the end, I'll have to, to save my friends. So help me out of my mind, Arceus," Calem smiled a sincere yet pleading smile, and Arceus realized why he felt the chill, he understood that Calem knew more than he lead on.

"Anyway, you know each and every one of my memories don't you?"

"Yes, but I don't see how that has anything to do with your current… oh," Arceus finished his sentence in understanding and Calem's copy thought about it for a moment.

"Nope, I still don't get it, aren't we supposed to think alike?" The copy commented.

"That's what I want to say… Anyway, where are we right now?" Calem asked.

"In your mind, section memories… oh… But how are you going to force this to happen?" Calem's copy finally brought out.

"Ah, now we get to the fun part for which I will need your help. Now listen closely…"

While Calem explained his plan, Red and the others were staring at Darkrai, their Pokémon and themselves exhausted. They had managed to keep some Pokémon awake and dodge the onslaught of Dark Voids, Dark Pulses and the occasional Sludge Bomb, but it cost all of their strength to dodge it all and get in the occasional attack. The exhaustion was clear on everyone's faces yet they also had determination clear in their eyes along with the few bruises on their dust clad bodies. Darkrai was annoyed at the fact that he couldn't destroy their morale although he had displayed his power to the fullest extent of his abilities. He couldn't understand why they were so determined to fight a losing battle so he stopped his attacks and asked in his inhumane voice: "Why? Why do you fight? This boy has been lost within the depths of his own mind yet you continue to fight, what is your motivation?"

"Huh, funny that you're asking," Hilbert started, "It has do to with something called trust, not that you would know what it is."

"Go Hilbert! School the fool!" Ethan shouted encouragingly. Everyone started to look a bit embarrassed and Darkrai looked at the others in disbelief.

"How do you hang out with this guy?"

"At least we don't have to live with him, we always feel sorry for his wife," Brendan commented. Before Ethan could give another statement though Lucas pointed at Red who gave Ethan a warning glance before he opened his own mouth.

"We believe in Calem, after all he beat us all in Pokémon battles so we know that he will win against you even if you say that all odds stand against him, after all, he caught you once already," Red knew that this statement would just anger Darkrai, but he truly believed in Calem and couldn't stop himself from saying his mind. Not fearing Darkrai also helped immensely in speaking his mind. He had guessed correctly because this Darkrai was surrounded by a dark aura which disappeared promptly only to reappear. This happened again and again, and every trainer who was worth his money knew what that was, Nasty Plot. They attacked before it became too much of a boost, but it was too late, Darkrai held out his hands and a massive Dark Pulse blew everyone away, the Pokémon quickly recalled into their Pokéballs by their trainers and the trainers themselves struggling to get up from the ground. The one it had hit worst was Red, he felt that at least one of his ribs was broken and had trouble breathing as a result. Darkrai brought them all together with Psychic and started to charge a Dark Void. The huge ball of dark energy flew at them slowly, ominously, fear rising inside all of them. Then they were enveloped in Darkness, only to see light. Light on a clearing with a lush green meadow decorating it. They looked around to see where they were, but a few knew, the champions and Blue. They had seen the iconic buildings, smelt the wonderfully fresh air that smelt of grass and trees. Red got up, testing his broken ribs but feeling absolutely nothing, confirming that this was not reality.

"Welcome to Pallet Town! Home of the sleeping champions! How may I help you?" They heard someone shout from the direction of the buildings. Red looked at the town in front of him, but he noticed something in the corner of his eye, a group of people. He walked closer, followed by the entire expedition. Then he saw what had caught his eye, the group had been separated into two groups, one was a group of adults and the other one of kids. The kids were the people who had caught Red's interest, those kids resembled them, the champions.

There was one boy, black hair, red cap and red eyes wearing a serious expression, one with black hair, a mischievous smile decorating his face, and a black cap his head, in a tussle with a brunette haired boy who had a white hat on his head, both separated by a boy wearing a red beret and a boy with a red and white cap, a light blue hoodie keeping him safe from the winds of Pallet Town. To top it all off there was a small boy, brunette hair and a red cap that was clearly too big for him yet he hung on to it dearly. Two things shocked the entourage that had gone to save Calem, the kids passed through them as if they were not there and the first thing the boy with the red eyes said: "Ethan! Brendan! Stop! Act your age! You guys are nine years old, only one year younger than me and yet Lucas and Hilbert who are respectively one and two years younger than you guys are acting more mature than you! And Cal, I'm telling you that that hat is too big for you."

"I don't care Red, it's mine," the youngest boy replied, stretching his tongue out at the red eyed boy.

The champions looked at each other, then at their child forms, then back to each other. When Lucas was about to ask something a door appeared out of thin air and Arceus stepped through.

"Hello saviors of the world, I barely managed this on time. You'll probably be trapped here until Darkrai and Calem finish their duel so make yourselves comfortable, I need to tell you a long story. By the way, did any of you miss me?" Arceus asked.

"Uh, you were missing?" Lucas asked in return and one could hear the Alpha Pokémon's defeated sigh and he cursed under his breath inaudibly.

Outside of the Dark Void, inside of Calem's mind they sat opposite each other. One a mass of darkness, the other a clear human.

"So, how did you get out?" Darkrai asked.

"Pretty easy actually, although it cost me a lot, I erased my memories," Calem replied.

"I hoped you would think they are far too precious for you," Darkrai sighed.

"They are precious, but I can always make new ones, I can only kick your ass once though, excuse my French," Calem smirked.

"Oh ha-ha, very funny, since the Kalos region uses French as their secondary language… Anyway, why don't you give up? You know very well that you can't beat me Calem, your current state is only upheld because memory loss hasn't caught up to you yet, in a few minutes time you will only remember little of your memories. I can just stall this out and win," Darkrai looked triumphant, but something felt wrong, Calem was smirking.

"Hate to break it to you Darkrai, but you know, I sort of regained control of my body already so I'm just here to talk to you. I'm just tasting out the moment of you actually realizing my victory. I wasn't sure at first on how to celebrate, but I decided that I could do that later. Anyway, good game Darkrai, in the end you lost fair and square to me and I hope you will stop trying to take over, although that's mere wishful thinking. Now, you have somewhere to be, and I have somewhere to be so have a nice day Darkrai, I wish you all the best," Calem stood up and left, Darkrai slumped down inside his chair and laughed, a truly interesting human. He got out of the chair himself and left, inside the room of memories only two chairs remained, and a chest filled with memories, lying had always been his forte after all.

The Dark Void disappeared along with the end of Arceus' story, they saw Calem's body up inside the tower, his legs dangling out of the window he sat in, his eyes were gazing at the sky and glazed, as if he wasn't actually registering the sky he looked at.

"Hey Cal!" Ethan shouted. Calem looked down, completely confused. He looked around him and saw no one standing there, then he looked at Ethan and pointed at himself.

"Me?" He asked.

"Of course you! Is there another Calem here?" Ethan shouted a bit mad.

"Excuse me but, who are you?" Calem asked with such sincerity in his voice that everyone turned to Arceus.

"Ah, I forgot to mention, for him to fight with Darkrai he erased every single one of his memories, which means that all he currently knows is the stuff that is ingrained into his body," Arceus explained only to find out that everyone had left him already. "I'm a god yet no one respects me, its times like these when I wonder why I haven't destroyed this world yet…"

There they were, all climbing up Spear Pillar, Calem had already left his spot in the window and climber upwards, his friends found him sitting at the top, playing with his Pokémon. Arceus had joined them all and then they saw something they didn't expect, Calem laid down on the ground and stretched his hand upwards. He grabbed after the world, and then he looked at Arceus: "You should know better than anyone that I am a pretty good liar."

The next thing he felt was how everyone jumped on top of him, hugging him, Saber and Kate excluded, it was a good day.

A.N: Well that's Arc one done, go Arc two! ^-^