A pokémon resided in a haven. It had been resting. However, 15 minutes ago, he had felt a disturbance in time. He did not control time, but that didn't mean he didn't feel it. However, though the rip in time lasted a good while, only ten pokémon exactly came through. And he wasn't able to get a good glimpse on who they were.

However he was now working to find out who. He had not been able to find them for a while, but now he was getting a signal.

His eyes glowed and a purple mist floated before him, which began to show him images and sounds of what was going on.

"Faster! We must keep running!"

The pokémon frowned. The pokémon was Grovyle. And he was running with two other pokémon. He remembered Grovyle had gone to the past with Layne. He should know, because he brought Layne here to this world to begin with. But where was Layne?

...wait...

The mist showed him the other two pokémon. "Grovyle, listen! I'm exhausted." the Charmander spoke.

The pokémon shook his head. That wasn't him, though the Charmander did possess something rather...unique.

"There's no time to rest!" Grovyle said. "If those Sabeleye catch us, there won't be another chance for escape. Do you understand."

The Buizel approached Pyro, "Come on, we must keep running."

So Layne...you've transformed into the pokémon Buizel...a rather curious result. Very curious."

Palkia then felt the entry of Giratina once again. It had been a while since they had last spoke. "Giratina..."

"Palkia, do you see who's returned here?"

"Indeed I have seen it." Palkia replied.

"The job remains unfinished. What are they doing here?" Giratina asked almost somewhat angry.

"My only guess is they were captured in the past and sent back here." Palkia said. "How this is, however, I cannot tell, for I do not know."

"I will say," Giratina said, "That it is good to see that our last gift to him worked."

Palkia nodded, "Though, he has transformed into the most unusual choice of a pokémon."

"What makes you say that?"

Palkia closed his eyes as he took a break from watching the group run.

"Most humans we send to this world, if they are transformed, are transformed into more common pokémon. I at first mistook Layne for the Charmander they ran with, but it would seem, he was not destined to transform into one of the usual transformations."

"Palkia, do you perhaps think this could be because he knew nothing about pokémon to begin with. Most humans we've seen here know of pokémon, and have a favorite."

"It could be..." Palkia said, "But personal preference of pokémon has never influenced the gift before. Layne's received a very unique choice for a pokémon. There may not be a reason at all, to be honest. We ourselves still are not sure how the transformation gift works. I just hope that body of his is good enough for the task at hand." Palkia said looking once again into the mist.

"What makes you say that?" Giratina asked.

"The amount of moves a Buizel is able to learn naturally greatly differs from most other pokémon transformations we've seen."

Giratina sighed. "Palkia, he's made it so far as he is. I think he should be fine. Come. We must try to figure out some way to help him."

"That's going to be a challenge." Palkia said.

"What makes you say that?"

Palkia closed his eyes and simply said, "Grovyle does not seem to notice the transformation in Layne. In the same way, Layne does not seem to recognize Grovyle as the pokémon he once was. This could be for a number of reasons. And we cannot tell them the truth about themselves, without Dialga sensing our presence. Which puts them at risk..."

Giratina sighed as he focused on the mist as well. "Well we can't just sit around and watch your mist pictures all day."

I know, Giratina...I know..."

"I can't run anymore..." Pyro said. "I need to rest..."

Grovyle stopped and looked behind them. "All right." he said and they stopped just short of a cave. As Pyro caught his breath Grovyle looked around. "This alcove is natural. For the meantime, this will shield us from view from Sabeleye on the road. But do not get comfortable. We'll need to get moving again, shortly."

"Now hold on." Pyro said. "We escaped the Stockade together with you because we had no choice! But we didn't say we'd travel with you afterward! A bad pokémon like you...I cannot trust you."

Layne looked at Pyro. Did he really just say that? Would Pyro rather throw his towel in with the pokémon who had just tried to have them executed? "Pyro..." Layne managed to say.

Grovyle looked at Pyro. "Humph. So I'm the bad guy, and Dusknoir is the good guy? Dusknoir just tried to have us all executed. He always has a reason, even if you feel like you have done nothing to anger him. How do you explain Dusknoir's actions? Dusknoir wants us all dead."

Pyro looked down. "That doesn't mean I should put my trust in you, Grovyle." he said. "Not after what you did in our world."

Grovyle almost rebuked that statement, but shook it off. "Earning your trust isn't as easy as I thought it would be it would seem. I thought having allies again would help, but apparently, I was wrong. There's no point in continuing together if we don't trust each other. Very well. From here, we'll go our separate ways. I must keep moving." Grovyle went to the entrance of the cave, and took a look at Layne. Layne looked at him, and Grovyle said, "You both should get moving, as soon as possible."

Layne said nothing at first, but nodded and said, "...thanks for the help back there."

Grovyle shrugged off the thanks and simply said, "Good luck."

"Grovyle..." Pyro said, before he dashed into the cave. "You tell us to keep moving, but why? It's dark, and hard to tell where we go."

"You better get used to the dark...Pyro." Grovyle said, remembering Pyro's name. "Because here, the day never comes."

"What?" Pyro asked. "You mean..."

"Yes." Grovyle said. "This world, your future world, is a world of perpetual darkness. The sun never rises, and therefore, morning never comes. Darkness has been over this land, for as long as I can remember."

"But...why?" Pyro asked.

"Do you really need to ask, 'why'?" Grovyle asked. "Didn't Dusknoir tell you about the Planet's Paralysis? This is what happens when a planet is paralyzed."

Layne remembered Dusknoir's description of the planet's paralysis. He remembered hearing how the sun never came, the wind never blew, everything.

Pyro simply said..."The planet's paralysis...If you came to our world to paralyze the planet, and we stopped you, how did it get paralyzed here?"

Grovyle simply shook his head. "Me? Cause the planet's paralysis? Dusknoir really did do a number on you. You are free to believe, or reject everything I have told you, either way, I still suggest you leave as quickly as you can. I've wasted my time here. I must go. If you value your life, do not let those Sabeleye catch you." With that, Grovyle ran into the cave, leaving them.

"Layne..." Pyro said.

Layne turned to see Pyro on the verge of tears, or depression. "Pyro?"

"I don't know what to believe anymore..." he said. "I just don't know what to believe anymore. Dusknoir said the planet's paralysis would be caused by the theft of every Time Gear."

"I don't know myself, Pyro." Layne said stretching a bit. "We did what we could to prevent the Time Gears from being stolen."

"Did we...do what we were supposed to do, Layne? The Time Gears were going to get returned, which should have prevented everything like this from happening..."

"Then something's not right." Layne said. "Look around you, Pyro."

"I know, Layne...I just don't know what to believe anymore! It's so frustrating!"

It was then that Layne heard faint laughter. "I think we have bigger problems than what we did right or wrong. We better get moving again, and fast!"

The run through the cave was exhausting. Five minutes in, they ran into some very disturbing sights. Pokémon were indeed, frozen in time, some with a look of fear, and some with a look as if they had no clue as to what was even going on. Pyro almost lost it in that cave, Layne had to drag him a good amount of the way, and they even had to hide to let a few Sabeleye pass them by. Everything seemed out of place. It was enough to make Layne's head spin, almost to the point of perhaps raising more memory flags. But that was the last thing on his mind.

Layne did not like to see Pyro in this state. He had grown too close to Pyro to let him get upset and not do anything. He would find a way to get them back to the past, if he had to die trying.

They ran out of the cave. "I think we've lost them again, for now." Layne said, but they ran a little more, and Layne's foot sunk into a small stream.

Pyro turned to look. "Water."

Layne examined the place his foot had splashed. The splash was made, and water expanded, but the hole remained, and no ripples were made at all. "Layne...look."

Layne looked up to see what Pyro was looking at. The waterfall.

"Is this...the exact same..."

Pyro said, "This is the place we were assigned for our first Guild mission.

Layne looked around. "The river...is much more shallow than when we went. The waterfall too, is also not as powerful. What could have happened?"

"Is Grovyle really right? Has time...really stopped here?"

Layne sighed and grabbed some water and rubbed it on his body. "It would seem, so, Pyro. I don't know what else to think."

"Then why did Dusknoir bring us here?" Pyro asked. "The great, Dusknoir..."

Layne simply said, "Pyro..." He wanted to tell Pyro to stop calling him great. He had always had a funny feeling about Dusknoir, and now here they were.

"He was so kind to us too..." Pyro said.

Layne sighed, "Pyro...we've got to put that all aside right now, and focus on here and now. We need to find out the truth, somehow."

Pyro then lit up. "Your ability!"

"The Dimensional Scream?"

"Yeah! Use the Dimensional Scream!"

Layne shrugged, and said, "Well, it's worth a try..."

Layne came forward and placed his hand once again in the water. He relaxed and calmed his mind. He breathed, in and out. He wasn't getting anything. He tried to calm and focus himself more.

"Anything?" Pyro asked. "Can you see anything?"

Layne took his hand from the water and sighed. He shook his head. "Nothing. I'm not even feeling a little dizzy."

"No?" Pyro asked. "Well, we tried. It's disappointing that we still don't have much of a lead on what happened here, but it can't be helped."

"We should continue on." Layne said. "We shouldn't stick around."

As they continued on, at a more comfortable pace, Layne couldn't help but think of Grovyle. Where was he now? Layne was thinking mostly about that as they climbed over a few hills. They then found themselves on a familiar road. Layne and Pyro couldn't decipher it immediately so they decided to follow it for a ways. They couldn't pinpoint just where it led or what it came from. Layne could tell during this little journey, that Pyro was conflicting inside. However, Layne didn't have the slightest idea on how to cheer him up. He couldn't stand knowing his friend...perhaps one of his very few friends, was as sad as he was.

"Layne...I...I don't believe it."

"Believe what?" Layne asked.

"Look for yourself...Layne."

Layne took a look at what Pyro was talking about. He then saw what he was talking about. "It can't be...That's..."

"Treasure Town..." Pyro said. "It's true. The future really is a world of darkness..."

Layne finally felt some sadness. Treasure Town seemed so lifeless. The town's residents, though he didn't see them, were surely frozen in time as the countless pokémon they had previously encountered. The cliff they were standing on overlooked more than that. Layne looked and recognized, that a little further down the road, would be the spot he used to sit to simply watch the ocean. But that meant...Layne turned around. "Oh God..."

Pyro turned to see what he looked at. "Oh Layne...the Guild..."

On a hill behind them, was the stairway to the Guild. They followed the Stairway until they both reached the top. What they saw nearly made Layne's heart stop. And Pyro could no longer hold back anymore tears. The guild members all were standing there, looking to the sky, in a look of what appeared to be...preparation. Preparation for what? The end? Did they see Time's paralysis coming? Layne went down the line. Loudred, Bidoof, Sunflora, Corphish, Chimeco, Croagunk, Diglett, Dugtrio, Chatot, Wigglytuff...and Autumn. Upon seeing Autumn, Layne had to shed a few tears himself. Autumn looked sad, and a few tears were frozen on her face. Layne offered a small smile, and wiped them away. "Now we need to know what happened." Layne said. "We cannot let this happen, Pyro."

Pyro was still sobbing, "I just don't understand Layne. "The great Dusknoir saved us more than once. He taught us many things too, like about your ability. I...I really came to respect him."

"I know, Pyro." Layne said, giving his partner a comfort hug. "I know."

"But...could it possibly be that...Dusknoir, deceived us?"

Layne sighed and said, "It's always a possibility Pyro. Right now...anything is a possibility. I understand how you feel, because I feel the same way. Frustration. Jumbled up. I don't know what's what anymore. But we have to focus on the present, which is currently...the future."

"Then what should we do...? We cannot run forever, and that certainly won't help us get back to our own world." Pyro turned to look at the guild member's time frozen bodies. "I wonder how they are doing back home. Bidoof, Autumn, Wigglytuff...everyone..." Pyro said. "I m-m-miss the guild. I want to see them all again."

Layne nodded and wiped his face. "I miss them too, Pyro." Layne said, sensing Pyro's depression. "But this is natural. I won't deny how this is all hard to believe. Even so, Pyro, we haven't given up through anything, and we most certainly cannot give up now."

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Pyro, you won't like this, but I think we need to go find Grovyle." Layne said.

Pyro of course didn't like it. "What? You are suggesting we go after Grovyle? Wh-why?"

"To be honest, I'm not too sure either, Pyro. But we need to know some things. Grovyle came to our world from this one. That means he would know how to get to our world, but it also implies that he was possibly there for other reasons, than causing, the apparently inevitable Time Paralysis."

"But isn't he...a bad pokémon?" Pyro asked.

"What defines a bad pokémon?" Layne asked in return.

"He came to our world, and began stealing Time Gears. I don't think I'd be able to trust a thing he'd say."

"Dusknoir said he was stealing Time Gears to cause Time to paralyze the world, which looks like it would have happened either way."

"Are you saying you trust him, Layne?"

Layne was taken aback a bit by the question. "Pyro...I don't know the answer to that."

"Neither of us do, Layne." Pyro said, "Yet you insist we catch up to him so you can talk to him."

"More than that, Pyro."

"Would you trust what he says?" Pyro asked.

Layne was starting to lose patience with his partner in this conversation, which was a first, but times were getting desperate. "Pyro, I don't know what else to tell you!"

Pyro went straight for the throat, "Well, Layne, I don't dislike this idea, I hate this idea! There is no way I could trust a pokémon like that. Never!"

"I never said you had to trust him, but he came to our world somehow, which means he can do it again!"

"Trust that...bad...I don't want to, Layne." Pyro said again forming some tears.

Layne was about to give up. They were back to square one. Layne didn't know where to go from here.

"But..."

Layne's ears twitched. "What?"

"But...I think you're right. We don't really have much of another choice. I don't know why Dusknoir wants to get rid of us, but the only other pokémon we know here in the future, is Grovyle."

"And he's the only one who has even offered in the slightest bit, help." Layne said, rubbing Pyro's shoulder to comfort his upset friend. "It's just another gut feeling, Pyro. We've gone with these before, and perhaps...this is another we should follow. Also...I don't know how to explain this. But I looked at Grovyle today, and listened to him, and it's almost...almost as if...I should know him from somewhere perhaps..."

"What?"

Layne shook his head. "I don't know anymore. Are you up to the task?"

"We have no choice." Pyro repeated. "We must pin our hopes on Grovyle."

"Then...are you ready?" Layne asked.

"Yes." Pyro said, straightening out, as he stood up. "Let's go find Grovyle."

Layne finally smiled a bit, and said, "...Pyro..."

"You don't need to say anything." Pyro said. "Let's go find him."

Layne nodded, and set down the guild stairs, but as he did so, Pyro said, "Layne...thank you."

Layne turned around, and looked at Pyro. He didn't say anything.

"You've been trying to comfort me because of what's going on here, and you're handling it unlike anyone else could, even though you should be just as scared as I am, Layne."

Layne smiled and chuckled a bit and said, "Pyro I am scared."

"You are?"

Layne nodded. "I have not felt this scared in a long time. This is a new experience for me, Pyro. Time traveling, this environment. Pyro, the day we met, I was scared because of my transformation, and memory loss."

"You did a good job at hiding it." Pyro said. "But even so, I'm sorry."

"Why should you apologize?"

"Even though I have you, my best friend with me, I worried all alone, and began t o doubt. Therefore, I almost gave up, alone."

Layne walked to Pyro and put a paw on Pyro and held on strong, "You're not alone, Pyro. I'm going to see through this, one way or another. And I'm not leaving you behind."

"Then let's keep going, Layne!"

"I couldn't agree more, Pyro."

They gave one last look to the guild, and Layne simply clenched his paw and said, "We cannot and will not let this happen. Are you with me?"

Pyro was already halfway down the stairs, which finally gave Layne reason to laugh as he caught up with his partner. Things were going to be just fine. It was just another gut feeling...

Layne and Pyro were walking down the road. "Are you sure he went this way, Layne?"

"Not at all." Layne said. To be honest with himself, Layne had no clue where Grovyle could have run off to, but he had run off in this general direction, and for the most part, there weren't any branching roads or forks in the road. Plus, Layne felt that Grovyle would be going this way. It could have been another gut feeling, but Layne felt as if Grovyle had reason to be in this neck of the woods.

"Then why are we walking this way?"

Layne shrugged. "Gut feeling."

"Layne, that's not very reassuring." Pyro said.

"Pyro, I know. To be honest, I'm just trying to make a logical guess. The main road hasn't seen very many branches off the road. So it's a fair guess that we're not too far behind Grovyle.' Layne then saw footprints in the ground and said, to Pyro, "Pokémon detected."

"What?"

"Isn't that what Diglett says when he sees a pokémon's foot? Well that's what I see."

"Well, who's footprint is it?" Pyro asked.

"Pyro, you know how good I am at that job...not very good. You're gonna have to tell me."

Pyro came over and looked. "Looks like it was freshly made in this...mud."

Layne simply said, "Time's stopped here, so don't try to judge by freshness."

"If I had to guess, it's looks like Grovyle's footprint."

It was then that they heard a noise. Followed by what sounded like a shout. "Did you hear that?" Layne asked.

"Yeah." Pyro said. "You think it was Grovyle?"

"I will say the shout certainly sounded similar." Layne said. "I think we better investigate."

Layne and Pyro followed the direction in which the shout came from at running speed. Strangely also, the footprints also led them. Perhaps Grovyle indeed had recently made these...if they were even his. Even Pyro could make mistakes in pokémon footprints.

But they continued running. It was then that they found him. However, Grovyle was on the ground. He was also encased...in a very strange glow of pink and yellow.

"Grovyle?" Layne asked

Grovyle managed, though with difficulty to look up. "You again?"

Layne popped his neck, and crossed his arms, "Yeah...us." His actions gave him a look from Grovyle, but it was dropped almost as soon as it came.

Pyro said and approached, "Are you okay?"

"Stay back!" Grovyle shouted as his head once again met the ground.

Layne looked around, "Uhhh, look, I'm sorry if we're...interrupting something, but-"

"You don't understand!" Grovyle said. "An enemy is right here!"

"Where?" Pyro asked, getting into a defensive stance. Layne followed his lead.

"R-right beside the Buizel..."

Layne looked beside him, and saw a strange rock, and he picked it up. "This thing? Come now, Grovyle, you can't be serious. "And my name is-"

"PUT us DOWN this INSTANT!" That startled Layne so much as to drop the rock and fall behind. "Mother of Mercy..." Layne said. "The rock can talk?"

"Don't be so dense!" Grovyle said. Layne almost rebutted that statement, but as they spoke, a spirit-type thing...just emerged from the rock cracks and openings.

Layne simply looked at this mysterious pokémon and said, "Okay...I'll be honest, and say I wasn't expecting that."

The pokémon said, "All who trespass on this land, we will not forgive them! None of them! Not even you!"

Layne simply said, "Oh come on! We don't have time for this!"

"I don't think he's going to listen to us." Pyro said.

"We are Spiritomb. A manifestation of the spirits!"

"There's that word again." Layne said. "'We!' Yet I only see one talking rock with a weird spirit thing."

"Fool!" Spiritomb said. We are a manifestation of exactly one hundred-eight spirits!"

Well...I guess that makes sense..." Layne said.

Grovyle then said, "This pokémon is extremely powerful. It has seized control of my body!"

"Look, there must be some way to resolve this peacefully." Layne said popping his neck. "I mean we just wandered onto your land accidentally, after hearing our...friend...shout. We could just-"

"SILENCE!" Spiritomb shouted. "No one shall be forgiven for trespassing!" Spiritomb repeated. "Prepare for your punishment!"

It then charged Layne and Pyro. Pyro dodged and jumped aside. Layne got into a defensive stance and punched the pink part of this weird pokémon. Layne however had forgotten, that this pokémon was a spirit. The punch just went through the pink void, and hit nothing. "Crud..." Layne thought, and was immediately hit in the face by some different punching attack.

He was forced back as he was punched. He rubbed the area, and then smiled. "Like playing dirty do you?"

Spiritomb did nothing but laugh as it once again charged Layne.

Pyro was thinking fast, and didn't know what else to do but use Fire Spin. Layne saw the flames and jumped out of the way as the flames engulfed the Spiritomb. Spiritomb wasn't showing pain, but the flames made it shrivel somewhat. What was the key to defeating this pokémon?

Layne charged up a Water Pulse, and fired. Yet again, the attack went right through the pokémon. "Is there no way to defeat this creep?"

"You have to attack...the key-" Grovyle began, but was cut off.

"SILENCE, YOU!" Spiritomb shouted to Grovyle.

Layne thought fast. What did he need to attack? That's when he remembered. He had been able to pick up the pokémon. Was that little stone truly the...key or whatever Grovyle would have called it?

There was only one way to find out. Layne jumped high, and prepared for a powerful Iron Tail. Spiritomb never saw him coming. The Iron Tail impacted very hard with the odd stone at the bottom. Spiritomb screamed them, and shriveled back into the rock. Layne stood back, as did Pyro, and rock began to move! This creeped Layne out, but the rock was running away, which made Layne...a bit more comfortable. "Trippy." Layne simply said, crossing his arms.

"What...just happened?" Pyro asked.

"Who knows." Layne said. "I don't wish to see something like that again."

"You spooked them enough to run away." Grovyle said, finally managing to stand up.

Pyro and Layne approached Grovyle. "Are you okay?" Pyro asked.

"Yeah." Grovyle said, dusting himself off. "I'll be fine. You surprise me with your combat skill, both of you. I did not expect you to win that battle."

Layne shrugged, "I guess I'll take that as a compliment."

"That pokémon was very cunning. It took control of my body by entering...my nose."

Layne and Pyro looked at each other. Layne then said, "Okaaaay...didn't need to know that, but whatever."

"So that was a bad pokémon." Pyro asked.

Grovyle shook his head. "I do not like that term at all. Spiritomb was not, but it was only protecting it's territory. It was frightening, only because it became as angry as it did, and lost all self control. However, when it's weakness was revealed, you both saw how it ran away. Normally, Spiritomb, are very timid pokémon."

"Well..." Layne said. "I think we can trust your knowledge there."

Grovyle simply said, "There are many such pokémon similar here in your future. Pokémon that deep down inside, are very good, but have gone mad because of time's paralysis."

Pyro nodded. "I understand. That is saddening." Pyro said, with a bit of a down tone in his mood.

"Enough about that." Grovyle said. "Have you two decided to finally trust me?"

Layne was about to answer when Pyro said, "Um, somewhat. I have to admit, I do not fully trust you, Grovyle, but-"

Layne almost face-palmed. "Pyro...come on..." He muttered to himself.

"Humph!" Grovyle said. "I've told you once already. If we cannot establish a trust between us, there is no point in traveling together. I'm leaving."

Layne was about to say, "You're welcome..." for his liberation from the Spiritomb, when Pyro simply aid, "Grovyle, wait!"

Layne looked to Pyro and then to Grovyle. Grovyle looked to Pyro, and simply said, "What?"

Pyro said, "I didn't say I didn't believe you! To be perfectly honest,we don't know what is what anymore. We need to learn as much as can learn about this world, and though I don't fully trust you Grovyle, everything you've said makes some sense and it all seems logical. So please...tell us what you know about this future, and why you came to our world."

Grovyle scoffed a bit at that. "And what if everything I say is a pack of lies?" Grovyle asked.

Layne popped his neck. "This is getting us no where." he said.

"Well," Pyro said, "I guess we'll have to hear what you have to say before we decide what is what."

Layne for some reason did not believe this to be a very good answer. And he could only guess that Grovyle would be leaving them momentarily. But strangely he looked in thought and said, "Very well. But not here in the open. We need a place to lay low while we talk about this."

Grovyle began to walk. Layne looked at Pyro and simply smiled and said, "So far, so good."