Hidden In Shadows Part 12~ Reversing Time

Rice balls ingested, Eagan and Beluh led the way to the Celebi Shrine. Well, in the case of the Agate forest temple it was more of a pillar than a shrine. Delia and Mimey would be staying at the house in a tidying frenzy. On the way they picked up Nett and the other Cipher kids who were working in the Pokémon Center, trying to remotely hack the Cipher database. Of course they were excited at the prospect of possibly seeing Celebi.

"I wonder if I can analyze the power it uses for time travel!" Nett said in his excitement, carting his laptop.

"Let's get there first, okay?" Cail sighed as they entered the grove where the Celebi Pillar stood.

"Wow, it's really quiet here," Amy whispered. It was true. In fact, it was silent except for the footsteps of the group as it entered the sacred space.

"So... how do we summon Celebi?" Gary asked not bothering to keep his voice down. Beluh smacked his head and shushed him. "WHAT?" he was smacked again.

"We use this," Beluh produced a piece of wood proudly.

"... Okay, what's that?" Celia asked blankly.

Jesse turned his head towards it, despite not seeing it. "I know that! It's a Summoner!"

"... okay, other than the 'no duh' thing as she just said we were going to use it to summon Celebi," Nett said deadpan, "What exactly is a 'Summoner'?"

Jesse sighed. "Well, each legendary Pokémon has an item that will summon that Pokémon to you, or else awaken it. You must've heard of the Red and Blue Orbs in the Hoenn region?"

"Oh yeah, they control Groudon and Kyogre right?" Amy said after a moment's thought.

"Well, they awaken them anyway," Jesse grimaced a little, "Anyway, if this summons Celebi, it must be a Time Flute."

"Indeed it is," Beluh smiled. Jesse went on.

"Of course Celebi is unique as it travels a few regions. So it's the only legendary Pokémon with more than one of its summoning item."

"Okay, so someone has to play the time flute, I'm guessing?" Gary said irritably at Amy's look of admiration directed at Jesse during that last speech.

"Exactly!" Eagan smiled "Beluh, my dear?"

The old woman smiled and put the flute to her lips. In the absolute silence, each note seemed to reverberate off every tree trunk, crystal clear. As the tune went on, Amy noticed a new sound enter; a strange tinkling and rustle as a wind wound its way among the tree branches and rustled the leaves. Then the pillar began to glow. Ninetails' fur bristled, but she stood in rapt attention.

Then a cry pierced the air "BIIIIIIIIII!"

A bright flash of light flashed atop the pillar and stretched into the sky in a beam. Inside Amy squinted and saw a small shape forming in the center. As the beam faded, a small light green Pokémon with tiny wings and a big head floated in its place. It opened its eyes and looked at Beluh. It smiled.

"Bi Bi BI!" he shrieked and propelled itself at Beluh's head. It hugged her quite tightly.

"It's good to see you again, Celebi!" Beluh laughed.

Eagan smiled at the astonished teenagers "Beluh is the guardian of the Celebi Shrine Pillar."

Jesse looked startled. "Really? Who did she inherit that position from?"

Eagan looked a tad confused but shrugged it off. "Her own mother, I believe."

"And before that?"

Eagan frowned a little at Jesse. "Well, Beluh's mother built the shrine. Orre wasn't settled all that long ago. In fact, she fashioned the time flute Beluh just used."

"Did she come from Sinnoh, then?" Jesse asked with raised eyebrows.

"Uh, yes I believe so, but why-"

"Oh!" Jesse exclaimed "I'm related to Beluh! Well, I have to be, if she's a guardian."

Gary stared at Jesse. "Wait... I'm related to this kid?" He didn't seem very happy.

"That's really not very important right now," Amy said in irritation and walked quickly to Beluh and Celebi. The green Pokémon looked at her with big eyes. "Celebi, something really bad has happened to some of our Pokémon. Could you... could you reverse time for them? Till just before their brains were messed with by Cipher? It only happened a few hours ago for, erm, some of them."

"Biiiii? Bi," Celebi nodded.

"Great! Uh, we'll do the ones that were turned at Cipher while we were there first then," Amy said, releasing Isis and Flash. Celia released Gligar and Gary released Plusle. Minin was watching carefully from a short distance and cried out a little at Plusle's glares. Amy felt her eyes water at the pulsing clouds of blackness still flowing around the Pokémon.

"Bi Bi Bi BIIIII!" Celebi screamed in glee as it started zooming round and round the group of Pokémon. As it did so the Shadow Pokémon watched it, getting more and more dizzy. They fell to the ground, seemingly unconscious. Amy bit her lip. There was a bright flash that lasted a fraction of a second. Celebi slowed to a stop and floated near the Pokémon. Amy gasped, the auras were completely gone! It was as if they were never there in the first place, and she supposed for them that was now the case.

"G-Glace?" Isis groaned as she woke first, putting a paw to her forehead and rubbing. She looked around, eyes wide. She saw Amy and ran for her, and Amy fell down to her knees and hugged her. Flash soon woke and joined the little group hug. Gligar was quickly scooped up by a happy Celia and when Plusle woke Minin immediately glomped him and started excitedly trying to fill him in on what had happened since time was rewound for his body and mind.

"Alright. Now, uh Celebi?" Gary asked the flying Pokémon who turned to him with a smile. "We, uh, aren't exactly sure how far in the past the rest of the Shadow Pokémon were turned, but other than Ninetails their Shadow auras are pretty fresh. And Suicune and Raiku could only've been turned a few months ago, right?"

"Uh, yes," Jesse nodded.

"So, could you just sort of gradually make them younger until Amy can't see the auras anymore?" Gary asked.

"Biiiiii….." Celebi seemed to be thinking about it. "BI!" it nodded with a smile. Gary sighed and released Furret, Misdeveus and Murcrow. Celebi went to each one and as he went, Amy noticed the auras grew darker and more thunderous. She was afraid at first, but then realised this made sense. As time passed the aura usually diminished, so if time was going backwards then it would grow until… wait, there!

"STOP!" Amy and Jesse yelled at the same time during each Pokémon's instant of aura vanishing. Amy supposed they might've gone back a couple of weeks and looked far more confused than the first group of Pokémon. Then again, they were with a strange group of people in a strange place, and if Amy had seen the Shadow Pokémon Transition Room, she'd know their last memories were of being locked into a machine by scary people in lab coats. For the moment, Gary tried to recall them. But it didn't work. He stared.

"Oh, that couldn't work, their bodies are still connected to their old Pokeballs right now," Celia reminded Gary. The spiky haired teen rolled his eyes and used his Snag machine to 'catch' the Pokémon again. They'd worry about this later.

"So, Raiku and Suicune…" Jesse dug into his pocket when there was an explosion that rocked the grove. Celebi shrieked and vanished. Beluh hid the Time Flute away and Eagan quickly released Pika. The group's eyes widened as Ein marched into the clearing, looking rather pissed off. He was flanked by a bunch of other scientists, all with Shadow Pokémon at the ready.

"NO ONE ESCAPES THE CIPHER LAB!"

"Uh... we already did..." Amy raised an eyebrow.

"NO YOU DIDN'T!" Ein stamped his foot, "GET THEM!"

"Pika! Thunderbolt!"

"Isis Blizzard, Flash Flamethrower!"

"Gligar, Swift!"

"Min Min!" The blue rodent used Helping Hand.

"PLUSLE!" The red rodent used Thundershock.

"NINE NINE!" Ninetails sent forth a blast of hot flame.

"... crap," Ein said as the attacks hit them and sent them sailing away over the trees.

"... well. That was..." Gary started.

"Weird," Cail finished, "So can we get Celebi back now?"

"Oh, well, it's... we can't," Beluh shook her head, "Not until tomorrow anyway."

"... great," Gary groaned.

"I'm going to find out how Ein and those other scientists got in. Wait here," Eagan said firmly, heading out of the grove.

"I think it's probably some kind of dues ex machine. I'll run some tests," Nett said running out of the grove as well.

"I'd better follow my husband. Gary dear, take your friends up to the house," Beluh said and left as well.

Back in the house the group was sitting watching the TV. Apparently Cipher had hijacked the airwaves and were broadcasting images of Amy, Jesse, and the rest of the group saying they had to be captured at all costs. They also were demanding they give themselves up. Gary and Cail were entertaining themselves by making fun of the broadcaster's hair.

"Seriously, what kind of styling gel makes hair stand up directly from the scalp?" Gary snorted.

"And seriously, who told this guy green hair was normal? It looks like people have been blowing their noses and wiping them in his hair!" Cail laughed.

"Eww..." Celia made a face and Amy shook her head. Boys. Well, not Jesse she supposed.

Meanwhile Ninetails was watching the TV as well. Amy turned her attention to the white fire fox. The thin film of Shadow Aura still pulsed vaguely, but otherwise she seemed like a very normal Pokémon. Was rewinding time for her really necessary? Those were years of experience and memories that would be gone. But Ninetails wanted to go back. Why?

Then Ninetails, who had been paying attention, winced and put her head in her paws, shutting her eyes with a grimace on her face, as if concentrating was painful. Well, she did technically have brain damage... that was probably it. Amy sighed. This was Ninetails' decision, if she thought she'd be happier the other way... but Amy had to know first!

"N-Ninetails?" Amy asked in a whisper and the fire fox looked up at her "Could I talk to you in the other room for a moment?" Gary and Cail didn't notice the two leave, but Celia did, and Jesse noticed Ninetails' aura move as well. They wondered what this was about.

...

"Niiine" Ninetails yawned and sat upright, facing Amy who was kneeling on the kitchen floor. Delia and Mimey were now busily tidying up things upstairs; she really couldn't stand to see a messy house.

"So, I know you want to have time reversed for you, so you won't have trouble concentrating anymore, and I'd imagine other troubles, but that's still a lot of memories you're giving up," Amy bit her lip.

Ninetails shook her head and put a paw on Amy's shoulder. Looking into Ninetails' eyes, she saw mostly darkness, but a tiny crackling light was in the center. Amy stared and there was a flash. She fell backward and shook her head.

"What was that?" she asked, he mouth gaping. Ninetails licked her paw and gave her a sideways glance. "Well, whatever. You're sure, right?" Ninetails nodded. "Then, before you forget everything and won't understand the question, were you my mother's Ninetails? I won't question how you found me or how you controlled those Shadow Pokémon. I won't question that, just please tell me, were you my mother's Ninetails? Were you Rui's Ninetails?"

The white fur on Ninetails' back bristled gently and she seemed to let out a slow breath before nodding slowly. Amy felt her eyes water as she flung her arms around the Pokémon's neck.

...

Eagan and Beluh finally returned looking rather grim.

"What's wrong grandma?" Gary asked Beluh as she sagged down in her armchair.

"Lily's dead," she said blankly.

"Who's Lily?" Cail asked raising an eyebrow.

"She's the woman with the Weepinbell, who was battling you earlier. It seems she was arguing with her husband and Ein just... took them by surprise. Didn't even bother to battle, just blasted straight through." Eagan shook his head. "If they didn't want you two alive, they'd probably have tried ploughing through us just as easily."

"Oh my gosh," Amy said wide eyed, hands covering her mouth.

"Henry's devastated, understandably," Beluh grimaced.

Eagan shot his wife a confused look. "Devastated? He was dancing and cheering about outliving the old broad when we got there."

Beluh glared. "Well yes he thinks he'll be happy. But when he realises how lonely he is without her in the house, he won't be dancing anymore."

"... yes dear," Eagan said , though he seemed skeptical."Well anyway, it's dark out and it's probably in our best interests to get some sleep. Beluh and I have to patrol for the first few dark hours, but we'll be back. Trust me when I say no one will manage to sneak up on us!"

"You bet they won't," Beluh said firmly, getting back on her feet determinedly.

"Well be careful!" Celia said still looking shocked.

"Maybe... maybe I should come too," Jesse said softly.

"What? Jesse, what good would you-" Gary started angrily but Jesse cut him off with a small glare gracing his freckled features.

"I can sense Shadow auras. So I could tell if they're coming, even in the dark. Also, even though Suicune and Raiku are Shadow Pokémon we still have some kind of connection, they could help."

"I sense Shadow auras too Jesse," Amy said darkly, "But the thing is, Cipher wants us. If we're out there in the open that's basically holding bait out for them to attack. At least in here they won't know exactly where we are and therefore might consent to wait a bit before showing up."

Jesse slumped against the back of the couch. "I guess... yeah. I was being stupid."

"Not stupid, just optimistic," Cail said reaching for a cigarette, "Stupidly optimistic... hey Gare, think I could smoke in here?"

"Not unless you pictured being caned by my grandmother as your preferred method of death." Gary said deadpan. Beluh and Eagan laughed at that, and then sent Cail small glares.

"... so I'll be going outside for a bit then" Cail said rising and heading out the door. Eagan and Beluh smiled at the remaining kids.

"Go to bed, I'm sure Delia's done making them up by now," Eagan laughed and the elderly couple made their exit.

...

When Amy opened her eyes the next day, she found to her surprise she was getting sandwiched. On one side Celia seemed to have confused her with a teddy bear. On the other Delia had had Mimey place barrier to stop her falling out of the small bed, and Amy was feeling rather claustrophobic. It was still dark in the room, but an across-the-room glance at the clock told her it was about 6:30am and she felt awake enough to try wiggling out of the body prison. However, when she moved her feet she noticed another weight on her feet. Squinting in the dark she made out a gleaming coat and a pair of red-tinged eyes.

"Nine," it whispered and leaped from the bed, looking back at Amy pointedly. Amy glanced at her bed mates quickly before getting out from under the covers and getting off the bed. How she didn't wake anybody up was beyond her. She jammed her shoes on her feet, ignoring socks, and followed the fire Pokémon out of the room and as she entered the hallway where there was more light, she noticed a bit of wood clutched in the Ninetails' teeth. She wondered what this was about as she continued to follow Ninetails out of the house and down a path. She recognised this path. It was the one to the Celebi Shrine Pillar.

They entered the grove. Above stars silently watched as Ninetails approached the shrine before turning to Amy and setting the piece of wood at her feet. Amy had long since figured out this was the Time Flute.

"But Ninetails, I have no idea how to play this thing!" Amy whispered taking the flute into her hands. "Why can't we wait until we're all together, I thought we could only use this once per day."

"Ninetails!" she shot Amy a glare and the thin aura she had flared a little. Amy still seemed very unsure, but decided to trust Ninetails. Besides, there was always another day... r-right? She raised the flute to her lips and blew.

As it turned out, there was little she had to do other then blow. It was as if her fingers moved on their own to play the notes of the haunting tune. Somehow in just lightening skylight the notes were even more beautiful, and when the trees rustled Amy shivered in anticipation for the beam of light. When it appeared, with Celebi inside, and the last notes of the tune finished playing, Amy fell to her knees, flute clutched in her sweating hands.

"Ninetails Nine!"

"Celebi?"

"Nine Nine! Ninetails!"

"Bi? Bi Bi BI Bi Biiiiii?" Celebi looked concerned about whatever Ninetails was asking for, but conceded in the end. Amy watched in silence as Celebi approached Ninetails who seemed to shudder in her own anticipation.

"Nine!" Ninetails said suddenly before adding a brief speech to Celebi. Celebi frowned, but nodded and continued its work, circling the fire fox who in her last moment before passing out gave Amy a decisive nod and in her mind she thought she heard a soft echoing voice telling her to wait just a moment longer...

Ninetails's aura grew. Amy stared in horror as the peaceful Pokémon's thundercloud grew like a hurricane, flashing red constantly... the others didn't do that, did they? She couldn't recall... but it was horrible to watch, and she had no sense of how long it took. It felt like hours despite the fact the sky didn't seem to lighten much during it.

Then it happened, the aura vanished. Amy was about to alert Celebi, but it stopped on its own. That was weird... did that mean Ninetails told it exactly how far back she needed to go in time?

Ninetails stood slowly, shaking her head. She seemed rather confused, understandably. She looked at Amy. Her eyes seemed troubled but... clear. Wonderfully clear! The darkness was gone. But she also seemed... resigned. And a little sad. She looked at Celebi now.

"Bi... Bi Bi Bi Bi?" Celebi frowned. Ninetails nodded, and seemed to smile a little. She looked at Amy and Celebi sighed, confused, and disappeared back into time. Ninetails walked up to Amy's kneeling form, and caught her eyes again. There was the spark of light again, but much brighter. Then Amy felt her mind go blank.

...

Gary had woken up to hear footsteps in the hallway. After climbing off the edge of the bed and stepping over Jesse and Cail on the floor (as if he was sharing a bed with THEM, geez) he opened the door he caught a glimpse of Amy heading down the stairs. That was... weird. He went into the hall.

He followed her out the house, down the path and watched her enter the grove. He didn't know what was going on, so he sort of spied on them from just outside, saw Celebi appear, saw Ninetails fall and rise again, and then approached Amy.

Then Amy fell forward.

"Amy?" Gary jolted out of his supposed trance and moved forward. Ninetails' fur bristled and she growled at the spiky haired teen, but then Amy's head rose and she reached out to brush Ninetails' fur gently.

"Ssh Rosetta, he's her boyfriend," she smiled and turned to Gary. He stood frozen. This... wasn't Amy. Her eyes didn't look like Amy's, they seemed... well older for one thing.

"Who are you?" Gary whispered his throat dry.

"Hello Gary. I'm Rui, Amy's mother."

Obviously this was cause for some alarm. However, Gary might've overdid it to faint. When he came to a moment later, Amy/Rui was kneeling over him, looking rather alarmed herself.

"Are you alright?"

"I-I think so. Unless I didn't hear you wrong and somehow my girlfriend has been possessed by the spirit of her dead mother."

Amy/Rui smiled wanly. "Then I guess you're not alright, because you didn't hear me wrong," she sighed as Ninetails nuzzled her nose into her mistress' hand.

"Okay..." Gary said, gulping, "... how?"

Amy/Rui smirked. "How much, exactly, do you know about Ninetails in general?"

Gary frowned. "That... they're evolved from Vulpix with the fire stone, and that they're fire Pokémon?"

Rui/Amy chuckled. "Well yes, but did you know that Ninetails were considered legendary Pokémon by the ancients?"

"Um, no..." Gary raised an eyebrow.

Rui nodded. "Ninetails, when they reach a certain age, gain psychic powers that only intensify with their age. They appear exactly 100 years from the day the fire stone touches the Vulpix. This Ninetails, who name by the way is Rosetta, has been part of our family for generations as our guardian." Rui's eyes darkened, she seemed to be thinking. "I need to tell this story. I wish I could tell it to Amy, but I cannot, as her body was chosen to be the vessel for it. Will you tell her?" she asked Gary.

Gary, who was obviously freaking out, had little choice but to nod at that. Rui sent Amy's lips into a smirk and ruffled Gary's hair.

"Thanks," she said warmly and then took a deep breath, "This could take a little while. Celebi? Did you really leave into Time, or are you just hiding?"

"... Bi?" the green Pokémon flew out from behind a tree and slowly approached, seeming very shy.

"Could you hold us in a time pocket for a moment, just until I finish telling Gary everything I want Amy to know?"

"Bi Bi!" Celebi nodded, smiling, and there was a strange wave of energy, and the trees around the grove seemed to blur together and freeze, the air stilled.

"There now," Rui turned back to a completely bewildered Gary, still pretty much lying on his back and staring up at Amy's body with Rui's eyes. "Well... when I was a baby, I grew up with Rosetta watching over me and-"

"Wait! Hold it!" Gary interrupted, sitting up "I really don't need the life story. Can you PLEASE just tell the parts that are relevant to what's happening right now? Please?"

Rui raised an eyebrow and then snorted. "Okay, fine. Well, basically I joined Cipher when they were just an underground, scientist club. Then it took a nasty turn when our president decided to take over the world. I helped create the Shadow Pokémon with Ein yes, and I was wrong to do that. But at the time I did not like Pokémon. Rosetta was watching over me, but that was from afar. I grew up in an orphanage. I still have no idea what happened to my parents, or even who they were, and growing up in Orre meant that the only contact I had with most pokemon was just those held by trainers in Pyrite Town where the orphanage was and they were usually just fighting when I saw them. I made the Shadow Pokémon process and perfected it. Cipher was getting specimens for me to experiment on from Team Snag'em, and through them I met Wes. At first he seemed really into stealing Pokémon, but after a few meetings I had with him on a professional level he seemed less into it, then he broke off from them. I remember when he broke into the lab and kidnapped me to get Ein to give up his Shadow Pokémon files..."

"Why would kidnapping you...?"

"Oh, Ein and I were dating. Briefly!" Rui held up her hands. "I know he's a psycho. And anyway, he had no intention of giving up anything to save me. But when Wes was kidnapping me, Rosetta came and saved me." Rui gave the Ninetails an affectionate rub on the neck. "It was the first time I saw a Pokémon do something like that. Of course, I saw her as an exception to the rule. I escaped Wes and went back to Cipher with Rosetta, after naming her. I was welcomed back of course and came to learn that a woman had been discovered who saw the Shadow auras, besides myself. Until then I was considered an anomaly, so I was quite shocked. But before I could talk to her... I learned Ein had had her killed. Killed. I was horrified."

"Erm... understandable," Gary nodded, starting to wonder if this was some weird dream.

"Well, I thought maybe it would be the only time. I ignored it. Then more came in. At first only a couple, then Cipher started hunting them out. I turned my head away... until that little boy... he had to be three, and I walked into his cell to run tests. Ein had a knife. And he wasn't even aiming to kill, he was making tiny cuts across his body... the boy was screaming..." Rui covered her ears as if to hide from the echoes of pain long passed. "I couldn't take it anymore. I ran. Rosetta came with me. Through it all she stood by me. In the desert, I found Wes again. This time I was ready to join him in his rebellion." She smiled here. "We took out a lot of bases. We saved a lot of people who had Shadow Sight. Eventually, meeting Wes' Pokemon and all... I guess I realised Rosetta wasn't an exception, Pokémon were great! I felt terrible for what I'd done to them, more terrible that it took human suffering before I could properly act against the organization, so I worked to help them. The moment I realised this, I heard Rosetta for the first time," Rui looked elated, "She conveyed memories to me, of my mother and father. Not their identities, but their feeling, their images, it was lovely...'

'Anyway, Cipher found us eventually. They were bound to, I guess. We fought against them. They took me to their Shadow Pokémon base, the one you were held in, Gary. They turned Rosetta, then, into a Shadow Pokemon. They were going to kill me. After feeling the aura of such a close friend pulse in that black cloud I would've welcomed death, but Wes saved me. Saved us. We fled the region. I spent months calming Rosetta's aura which was the most pwoerful I had ever seen, but she never fully recovered... I knew she couldn't. I didn't know about Celebi, or the shrines. But I tried to make things work. I calmed her Hyper mode rages. I tried to help her fight it. I had Amy..." Rui laughed a little, "I remember you too of course, down the street. You two were always fighting. But it's good to see you together like this."

"Oh," Gary blinked, "Uh, th-thanks?"

"No problem," a grin, but it faded, "One day she was out with Wes. Rosetta flew into a rage. This time... I couldn't stop it. My friend..." Rosetta looked up at Rui with large eyes, suddenly shaking slightly, "I don't blame you! You... weren't in your right mind. I would never blame you for this. But..." she looked back at Gary, locking her eyes with his. "She killed me."

"That really screwed Wes up you know"

"I know," Rui sighed. "When my soul was leaving my body, I clung to Rosetta's mind. She felt me, and seemed to beg me to enter her. To help her hold in her rage. To save her. So... I did. I hoped to still watch over Amy, but Wes was driven absolutely bonkers." She shook her head. "He chased us out with a broom. Got rid of all our Shadow Pokémon we'd tried to save. Became paranoid without me to tell him what were shadow Pokémon and what weren't... I watched for a while, through Rosetta's eyes. Later we returned to Orre. We wanted to continue to fight Cipher, and maybe find a cure. But mostly we wandered desert. Rosetta still raged, I was a lost soul inside her, we had to fight ourselves more than Cipher...'

'Then, years later, I hear Amy was in Orre, and Wes soon after. And I had to find you. But instead I found Wes' new wife," her smile became sad. "I don't mind really that he remarried, I'm glad he moved on with his life. I found her in Agate. I listened to Beluh and Eagan explain things to her. When I heard that you went to the desert lab I felt my heart stop in my chest. When Delia reached the lab, Rosetta and I helped her get in, led her to the people... and you have no idea how good it felt to burn that Ein..." Rui ground her teeth. "I hope you can do worse to him by the end of this. I really do. He deserves it. So much."

"Totally. Will do," Gary nodded.

"... you're going to try very hard to just get out of Orre without dealing with him at all, aren't you?"

"Er... pretty much."

"... great," Rui frowned, "Well, still. I suppose you might be wondering how I'm possessing Amy right now"

"Yeah, yeah kinda," Gary frowned.

Rui smiled again, "Well, I sent my soul into Amy through Rosetta. But I was dormant inside her, Amy didn't feel me, and I could do nothing until Rosetta awakened me by looking into Amy's eyes."

"Okay," Gary nodded, "But her memories were erased, how did she know to unlock you?"

"Easy," Rui smiled gently in Amy's body, "I called to her. When the Shadow aura disappeared our connection was re-established. I awakened enough for her to feel me, inside Amy. But Celebi was the one who directed her to look Amy in the eyes to find me. And now," Rui sighed and looked up at the frozen sky, "It's time for me to go."

Celebi started and set time back in motion. The leaves rustled in the new breeze.

"... go?" Gary asked.

"Nine?" Amelia's eyes widened.

"Of course, I'm a spirit, I can't-"

"AAAAIIII!" a screamed pierced the air. It was coming from the village!

"Ninetails!" the fire fox took off.

"Oh no! Rosetta, you have to get me out of Amy- ROSETTA!" Rui looked quite alarmed and she and Gary quickly ran after Ninetails. Hopefully they'd catch her before they ran into anybody else...

Oh yeah. Gotta love that optimism