"This will do for now." Grovyle said as they found a shallow cave. Layne shivered a bit, just now realizing how cold it was starting to get. Layne noticed a small area in the cave that he guessed had once been used as a fire. Layne would try to toughen it out. He just hoped that whatever they had to discuss wouldn't be too long.

Layne looked up, "You sure?"

Grovyle nodded. "I have used this place as a hide-out several times before. We won't stay long for the Sabeleye to track us down. Now, we have a lot to talk about."

"Yes." Pyro said. "Please tell us, why the planet's paralysis happened."

Grovyle sighed and said, "Light a fire. Your partner's getting cold."

Layne looked up and said, "I don't mean to be that way, I just-"

"It's understandable. To be honest, if most pokémon are able to light fires here, they take the advantage. Plus, Sabeleye thankfully, are not very good at tracking odors. They depend more on sight in the dark. A small fire won't be a problem."

Pyro nodded, and after Layne gathered a few dry sticks, and other flammable material, Pyro used a small Ember attack to light the fire, which sparked a lot before starting to burn. It sparked in a way that made Pyro jump a bit. "I didn't expect that."

"Oh, that's was probably some leftover residue of a material a friend of mine once used to make a fire here." Grovyle said.

Layne could only guess the material was shavings of flint, but he didn't ask. He simply said, "Thanks for the fire option."

"Don't mention it," Grovyle said almost with no emotion. He then said, "Let's get down to the point. The planet's paralysis. That dates back to your time, in the world of the past. Time became paralyzed with the collapse of Temporal Tower, which was governed by the pokémon, Dialga."

"Dialga?" Pyro asked. "I've never heard of him before."

"Dialga," Grovyle continued, "Is a legendary pokémon that controls time. He ensured the proper flow of time from Temporal Tower. However upon the collapse of Temporal Tower, Dialga went mad, and time went out of control. It wasn't long before the planet became fully paralyzed. Dialga, lost all self control when this happened. Here in your future, you see the planet paralyzed. Dialga has lost all reason, and feeds off the darkness here. He is but a shadow of what he once was. He is now beyond all recognition, a pokémon we sometimes call Primal Dialga."

Layne and Pyro took this all in as best as they could. Grovyle was talking like this was his life, and it very well might have been. Layne could only guess how long Grovyle had lived in darkness. "Dialga knows no emotion, and seeks only self-preservation. He therefore prevents all history from changing, which is why Dialga wants me dead. I am trying to alter history, by stopping the planet's paralysis."

Pyro shook his head, "See we were told the exact opposite of that! We were told that you came to our world to paralyze the planet! We believed that as you were stealing the Time Gears!"

"As if!" Grovyle said. "I was collecting the Time Gears. They are essential to prevent the World's paralysis. Taking the Time Gears to Temporal Tower, and putting them in place would reverse the collapse of Temporal Tower, which in your time, has probably already reached the beginning stages of collapse.

"What?" Layne asked.

"I think you heard me." Grovyle said. "Though it's true that time would stop in the area, should a Time Gear be removed, that is only temporary. As soon as the job at Temporal Tower is done, time would have been restored everywhere."

Layne simply said, "I guess that makes sense..." He also couldn't help but get the feeling that he had heard this at one point before, as well.

Pyro said, "Then how do you explain for the things Dusknoir said about you? The things about you being a wanted outlaw, and how you escaped from the future to our world to prevent your capture. Are you saying he's lying?"

"How else can I put it?" Grovyle asked in return. "The only reason Dialga considers me an outlaw is because I seek to alter history. And Dusknoir, don't get me started on him. Yes he's been chasing me for years now, but only because he is an agent to Dialga."

"Really?" Layne said, "This just gets better and better."

"It can't be! Dusknoir was as agent?" Pyro asked in shock.

"Yes." Grovyle said, crossing his arms. "Once Dialga learned that...I would go to the past, he sent an agent that has been his agent now for almost 10 years, to catch me."

Layne couldn't help but feel there was more to that story, and the slight pause wasn't the only thing that gave that away. However he didn't say anything, because Pyro was in absolute shock at everything being told right now. "It...just can't be!"

"I know this must be hard for you to believe, but-"

"I can't believe it at all!" Pyro said. "You're saying all of this about the great, Dusknoir?"

"Once again, I say," Grovyle said, "Dusknoir is anything but great."

"Look, I don't understand why Dusknoir is acting this way here, but there has to...there just has..." Pyro was starting to tremble with mixed emotion now.

Layne rubbed his partner's back. "Hang in there, Pyro."

"I respected him...I just can't believe you, Grovyle..."

Layne sighed. He wouldn't deny, that this was all hard to accept, but he also had to look in the other hand. With what they had faced here in the future,what Grovyle said was reasonable, and now it all made perfect sense. And deep down, Layne knew that Pyro himself knew it. Before Layne could reply to anything though, Pyro immediately got up and began to run out of the cave.

"Pyro!" Layne shouted. "Where are you going?"

Pyro stopped. "Im going to go see Dusknoir, and see if this is all true!" he said through some tears.

"Fool!" Grovyle said, standing up. "What good will that do?"

"Pyro, I gotta side with Grovyle on this one, you'd only be making it easier for them to catch you. They've tried to execute us once, already. Don't think they won't do it again."

Pyro looked to Layne and then asked, "Then what are we supposed to do?"

Grovyle repeated that question, "What are you supposed to do? I'm surprised you are still wondering about that. You said you'd decide for yourself whether or not to believe what I had to say. You said you don't know what to believe. You wouldn't accept the words immediately that came from my mouth. I've said what needs to be said." Pyro looked to Grovyle. "It's times like this when things get tough, that you need to be strong." Layne looked to Grovyle at that. This was stuff he'd been talking to Pyro about. It wouldn't surprise Layne if Pyro's confidence right now was at an all-time low, but he couldn't blame him either. Grovyle continued, "Think for yourself, and then act as you deem right."

With that, Grovyle stood up and said, "I wouldn't stay much longer here. The Sabeleye will gain good ground."

"Where are you going?" Layne asked.

Grovyle looked at Layne and said, "Isn't it obvious? I'm going back to the past. And I will stop the planet's paralysis. To do that, I will need to locate Celebi."

"Celebi?" Pyro asked.

The name once again triggered a small brain wave in Layne, but nothing more.

Grovyle nodded, and said, "Yes. Whether or not, you decide to come with me, is your choice. You decide your own course of action. I've decided mine. I must go."

With that Grovyle left the cave. Layne followed him briefly and watched him run off.

Pyro was in dee disbelief. Layne walked over and said, "Pyro, I know what you are feeling, and I don't know what to believe either, but I can say one thing with certainty. Here, the planet is paralyzed, and if what Grovyle said is true, the paralysis has already begun in our time. To stop this from happening, Pyro..."

Pyro nodded, "I know what you're trying to say, Layne."

Layne continued, "We have to get to the past."

"Layne...I understand that Grovyle is right. Right in what he said. Things are tough now, but we have to be strong. Both of us."

Layne smiled strongly. "I'm glad you see that, Pyro. Shall we catch up with Grovyle?"

Pyro nodded. "Let's go. We...we have to get back. We have to stop this from happening!"

Layne smiled and put a paw on his partner's shoulder. "That's what I like to hear. Lead the way."

Pyro left the cave, as Layne put out the small fire they had made using Water Gun, and he caught up with Pyro. They ran and it wasn't long before they caught up with Grovyle outside the forest. Grovyle heard them approach and turned to see who was chasing him.

"So...you two have decided to join me after all."

Layne nodded, and said, "We're giving you our full cooperation. We have to get back to our world, and if you can do it, we certainly can."

"Very well." Grovyle said.

Pyro asked, "Where are we off to?"

"We're going into this forest. Within this forest, is where Celebi for the most part will dwell. Though she is very busy, she will come here often. We need to find her."

Pyro said, "You've mentioned Celebi before, but just who is she?"

"She is the legendary Time Travel Pokémon." Grovyle said. "She can cross time."

"Interesting..." Layne said, a little uncomfortable about the concept of time travel, still.

"Mind yourself around her, she can be a little...spirited and odd sometimes." Grovyle said. "But Celebi helped me and..." Grovyle cleared his throat. "Celebi helped me get to the past."

"So you're saying, that if we find Celebi, we can return to our world." Pyro said.

"Yes." Grovyle said. "We will not be stopping much on this journey. Celebi has lent her support to reshaping history, and that means..."

Layne simply said, "That means...she's a target of Dialga."

"Yes." Grovyle nodded. "We have no time to waste."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Layne asked.

"Yes," Grovyle said. "We better get moving."

"Wait!" Pyro said.

Layne and Grovyle looked to Pyro. Layne didn't like the way Pyro had said that, and Grovyle apparently was a bit suspicious of it too.

"What is it?"

Pyro composed himself and asked, "If the three of us do manage to get back to our world, Grovyle, will you steal the Time Gears, like before?"

There was silence in the group for about 30 seconds, before Grovyle sighed and said, "Yes, I will. The Time Gears as I have said countless times before, are essential to stopping time's paralysis."

"But I- No! Grovyle I'm not convinced yet! I don't completely trust you yet!" Pyro said.

Layne shook his head, "Come on Pyro-"

"Let him speak his word." Grovyle interrupted.

Pyro continued, "I'm only going with you because I want to return to our world. If we do return, Grovyle...I will investigate perhaps that you really were taking the Time Gears to stop the planet's paralysis. But, if I conclude that you are stealing the Time Gears for the wrong reasons...I will stop you, Grovyle. I will give it all my might to stop you."

Layne didn't know what to say anymore. Pyro's trust wasn't easily earned from Grovyle, and Layne didn't have to hazard a guess as to why. He wished Pyro would put some trust in Grovyle, but at least he was following him. Layne guessed it would have to be enough.

Grovyle crossed his arms, remembering the past confrontations between them. "You are free to do as you will, but keep this in mind...Pyro." Grovyle said remembering his name. "There is only one thing important right now, and that's returning safely to your world. So for the time being, I must ask you to focus completely on getting back home...Let's go."

They began to walk into the forest. Layne stopped in his tracks. The strangest feeling had returned to him. He just knew this place from somewhere! He had gotten the same feeling at Fogbound Lake, the North Desert, and Crystal Cave in the past! But why was he this strange feeling here?

Pyro turned around. "Layne, you okay?"

Layne looked to Pyro, "Pyro I think-"

Grovyle turned around, "We cannot linger! The Sabeleye will catch us!"

Layne head this then returned his glance to Pyro and shook his head. "It's...nothing. I must be going crazy. Lets-"

Then Layne thought he heard the cracking of a twig. Layne turned his head to the direction. There was nothing he could see. No pokémon, no movement...nothing. He turned to Pyro and said, "Let's just get out of here."

They then left. Layne was completely unaware, that a Sabeley scout had indeed been watching them that whole time.