The Guild Members tensed...
...But...
Wait...
Where had the darkness gone? It was about to engulf everyone last time they knew...but...now it was just...gone...
They looked around, and finally, Sunflora smiled. "Did...did they succeed?"
Wigglytuff looked around, and said. "Friends...I think we can all sleep easy tonight..."
With that, the guild members all let out a cheer, as did everyone in the guild. No one could believe it! They had done it! They had found the Hidden Land, climbed Temporal Tower, and stopped the paralysis of time!
Everyone was hugging each other in a joy, at this news. Autumn was overjoyed. They had succeeded...now all Layne had to do...was come home...
Come home...and give her that second kiss he owed her...
Layne coughed. He was completely uncomfortable. He woke up to see a mess in the room. Rocks were everywhere. Pillars had collapsed, and parts of the floor he sat on, had also given out.
He managed to sit up. "Pyro? You okay?"
Pyro groaned and lifted his head. "Layne..."
Layne stood up and limped over to his friend, and helped him up. Pyro's eyes widened. "Layne...where...where are we?"
Before Layne could even hazard a guess, a voice from behind said, "You are standing on Temporal Tower's Pinnacle."
They both turned around, and saw Dialga standing in front of them. "Whoa!" Layne shouted, and got into a defensive stance.
"Dialga?" Pyro asked in shock.
"Do not be alarmed!" Dialga called out. "I have regained reason."
Layne looked to Dialga and relaxed a bit. His skin color was indeed the normal color it should have been, and the red aura, was replaced with the normal light blue silver pulsing.
"You...you mean you're cool now?" Layne asked.
Dialga eyed Layne with curiosity, and said, "Yes..."
Pyro spoke up, and said, "And what about time?"
Dialga looked around and said, "Temporal Tower has indeed suffered heavy damage, but because of your actions, you have ensured it's survival, and the survival of time."
Layne looked to Dialga. "So..."
Dialga simply said, "Behold..."
And with another earsplitting roar, Dialga showed them the world in various places, such as Treeshroud Forest, Fogbound Lake, and Treasure Town. Everything was back to normal, and every pokémon looked around in complete awe. Time was once again moving, and everyone was happy in Treasure Town. The guild. All the guild members were in celebration of what had happened. Everyone looked happy. Autumn, too... It brought a tear to Layne's eye.
Layne then looked outside. Temporal Tower had indeed suffered heavy damage. Whole sections of the building were missing, and Layne considered it a miracle the building was even still standing. It hadn't collapsed.
"Temporal Tower..." Layne began.
"Yes." Dialga said. "Temporal Tower has survived the crisis. Time has returned to normal, all over the world."
"Just as Grovyle said..." Pyro said, smiling to Layne.
"I cannot thank you enough for your actions here, and I apologize if I made your errand any more difficult than it already was." Dialga said. "You saved me, Temporal Tower, and the world. And you have restored the world's peace."
Pyro looked over to Layne. "Layne, we did it! We finally did it!"
Layne managed to smile at Pyro, but that was short-lived. They had succeeded, which meant...that soon, Layne would vanish.
"I am in debt to you both." Dialga said. "But, something is out of place."
"What do you mean?" Layne asked.
"Things like this don't just happen. When I first sensed something was wrong, I had also detected...an intruder here."
"An intruder?" Pyro asked.
"Yes." Dialga said. "I could not find him, but shortly after i detected his presence, I began to sense the oncoming danger that we were all in. Temporal Tower did not go through this destruction naturally. Someone deliberately sabotaged it."
"But...who would do that?" Pyro asked.
"That, I don't know." Dialga said. "But I will investigate the damage here, as I repair Temporal Tower. It isn't just Temporal Tower, but because of the sabotage, the Hidden Land itself has also been ravaged." Dialga turned back to them. "You have done what you came to do, but right now, you cannot do anything else here. Lapras should be waiting for your return. I once again thank you for your actions. Be wary on your way back. Some after effects of the damage could still be present."
Pyro smiled and said to Layne, "Layne, we did it. Let's go home, I'm sure the guild is worried about us!"
Layne still couldn't bring himself to say it. Pyro suspected nothing about what was about to happen...he seemed so happy. Layne just sighed, and said "...Yeah..."
Pyro left the room, with Layne slowly following. Dialga watched Layne leave, and he stopped him. "Something weighs heavily on your mind..."
Layne sighed and looked up to Dialga. "Yeah, I guess I can't hide it from you."
"Hide what from me?" Dialga asked.
Layne sighed. "Dialga, what I'm about to tell you, I've been trying to tell Pyro for the duration of our time here in Temporal Tower. I'm from the future. Though Pyro knows this, he does not know the consequences of my actions."
"Consequences?"
Layne nodded. "Because of what we have done here, I...I will soon disappear. Vanish from existence, as though I was never born. My partner, who also helped us, his name was Grovyle, will also disappear soon, I imagine...I just wish I knew how to tell him..."
There was silence between them both. Pyro came back into the room then and said, "Layne. What are you waiting for, come on!"
Layne straightened out and said, "Yeah...sorry. I'm following you."
Dialga watched them exit the room. He was deep in thought. "Hmmm...Layne..." Dialga said to himself... "I'll have to remember that name..."
The journey out of Temporal Tower was just as difficult as it was climbing it. Floors were missing pieces of rock, and walls exposed the outside. Some holes in the ground went as far as 60 feet or more. But Hydro Pyro managed. And soon they found themselves leaving Temporal Tower, and were once again on the long path down to the Rainbow Stoneship.
Layne was trying to keep up with Pyro, but strangely, he found he was getting tired. No that wasn't even it...
Pyro turned around,to see Layne lagging behind, and said, "Layne, you okay?"
"Y-yeah..." Layne said. "The...the fight must have just taken a lot out of me..."
What a lie. He felt as good as new, and it was probably because of something Dialga did. But...he still couldn't bring himself to tell Pyro the truth. He was hoping to at least make it home to Treasure Town, where he could at least give the Guild one last farewell before leaving...
He doubted he'd even make it past Brine Cave...
"Well, let's hurry." Pyro said.
Layne followed Pyro once again. His feet were like lead weights. And his breathing was heavy. Layne didn't have to hazard a guess as to what was happening. Every movement was a struggle now...
A tremor then occurred. It was minor, but it was enough to make the both of them stop for a moment to let it pass. "I guess things aren't quite settled yet." Pyro said, and turned to Layne. "Let's go..."
Layne nodded and once again followed Pyro...he couldn't.
Layne looked down at himself. His paws were beginning to fade. The time had come.
Layne felt a tear roll down his face, and he simply thought to himself. "All right...I cannot put it off anymore. I need to talk...My time with Pyro...has finally ended..."
"Layne?" Pyro said walking back, "Are you coming or...?" Pyro trailed off. He noticed Layne's body. "Layne...your body..."
Layne sat down. "I guess I can't hide it any longer, Pyro."
"Hide what? What are you talking about?" Pyro asked.
"Pyro...I'm sorry...I've kept this to myself since our arrival, and I couldn't bring myself to tell you the inevitable truth. But...It's time I said goodbye..."
"What?" Pyro asked shocked. "Goodbye? Layne...what are you saying?"
"Please know Pyro," Layne said as tears began to form in his eyes, "That whatever happens, I was truly blessed to have known you. But the truth now must be told. Back at the ruins, Dusknoir informed me and Grovyle , though I knew this at one point, that our actions would jeopardize the existence of all pokémon in the future. This also included me, being from the future myself."
"What...what do you mean?" Pyro said coming closer, showing sadness in his words.
"Pyro, we've created a future, in which, I was not meant to exist. The Butterfly Effect has taken place. Because we've done what we did here, and restored peace, we've made a sacrifice that will end up taking us from existence. I am destined to leave any moment now..."
Pyro was silent but shook his head. "N-no. No! Layne! I don't understand!"
Layne put a paw to his mouth. "Shh...Pyro. Please, don't make this any harder than it already is."
"But Layne...aren't...I mean...we're friends, aren't we?" Pyro asked in a sob.
Layne chuckled softly in sorrow, but tensed as his body once again began to fade briefly. "Pyro...don't ask such a question. You're more than a friend to me. And I owe so much to you. And Pyro...know that even if I disappear from here, I will never forget you."
"But Layne!" Pyro shouted in sadness. "You can't leave! Things are just getting back to normal!"
"Pyro..." Layne said.
"I mean, we've been through so much together! The expedition! The future!"
"Pyro, I know..."
"And...I've only made it this far because of you! You were with me and gave me the strength I needed to do this exploring! Layne, you can't leave! Don't you understand?" Pyro asked as he began to sob. "I need you with me, Layne! Without you, I don't know what I'd...what I'd..."
"Pyro...listen to yourself..." Layne said, placing a calming paw on his partner's shoulder. "I have said it time and time again, Pyro. I only guided you. You have become such a strong pokémon, and such a great explorer, than I believe I could ever be. And I was glad to see you through this all...but now Pyro...you need to listen to me, one more time."
Pyro looked down, and Layne placed a paw underneath Pyro's chin and lifted his face so their eyes could meet. Layne's eyes though, more relaxed and accepting, felt just as much pain as Pyro did right now.
"Pyro...you need to be strong. On your own. You need to live on with your dream. Do you understand?"
Pyro sobbed and nodded, "Y-yes Layne."
Layne nodded and said, "Go to Treasure Town...tell the story of what happened here, Pyro. Ensure that nothing like this ever happens again. Please, Pyro."
"I will, Layne..."
"But above all else..." Layne said, "Pyro...keep exploring. This is your dream...and I was honored to have been a part of it."
Layne felt the fading get stronger. He reached and took off the necklace. and gave it to Pyro. "Tell Autumn...I'm sorry."
"L-Layne..." Pyro sobbed. "Please! Fight it! Don't...don't go!"
Layne chuckled and said, "I'm sorry...Thank you for everything. Pyro, you've become much more than a partner or a friend...much more than that to me..."
"I feel the same way as well, Layne..." Pyro said sobbing.
Layne smiled, and gave Pyro a very big hug. He even kissed Pyro's forehead. Layne didn't know if he had ever expressed to Pyro just how much a a friend he was to him, but...perhaps that would show hiim, how much it pained Layne to be forced to leave the way he was. Layne then said, "I am privileged to hear such words. I was blessed to have known you, Pyro..." Layne felt his feet vanish, and his body began to disappear on the way up. Layne focused his eyes on Pyro and said one last thing. "Godspeed, Pyro..." Then...he vanished...
"Layne!" Pyro said franticly. He ran to where Layne had just been standing. "Layne?" He looked around as if he were hoping Layne would be anywhere else. Anywhere at all. Layne was gone...erased. All that was left of him, was the bag and his goggles that had fallen as he disappeared. And they didn't even have a shed piece of fur stuck on them...
"LAYNE!" Pyro shouted, and he collapsed on the ground. He let it all out right there...Layne was gone...
Pyro walked down the path. His heart long sunk. His vision blurred by tears. He couldn't believe it. Just when things were getting better, something happened that heavily outweighed any success. Layne was gone. A memory, and nothing more. Pyro kept walking, remembering Layne's last wish.
He had to live on, reach Treasure Town, and keep exploring.
He finally came to see the Stoneship. He walked forward but tripped on a rock. he got back up through more tears and stepped onto the Stoneship. The Stoneship began to drift away from the path, and go back towards the ruins. Pyro didn't take his eyes off Temporal Tower as the Stoneship drifted away. He simply felt that with every inch that passed, he was getting further and further away from Layne...
After returning to the ruins, the stoneship deactivated, and the Relic Fragment jolted up, so that Pyro could take it back. Pyro picked it up. It had been his dream to solve the Relic Fragment's mystery...and he saw that dream finished today. He was grateful Layne saw that mystery finished as well...
However...
Pyro didn't feel any happyier about it knowing that he had indeed solved the mystery...
The walk through the forest was long for Pyro. Much longer than when he had come with Layne and Grovyle. But Pyro managed and found Lapras. She saw him approach, and smiled. "You did it."
Pyro said nothing. Lapras then looked around. "Where are..."
Pyro just sobbed, and said, "They're...not coming..."
Lapras closed her eyes, as if she understood, and said, "...I'm sorry, Pyro...come on...I'll take you home..."
Five minutes later, Pyro was still looking back to the Hidden Land. Tears filled his eyes, and both he and Lapras were silent for the duration of the trip. Pyro just thought to himself...
"Goodbye Layne...I...I won't forget all you've done for me..."
The walk back to the guild was long for Pyro. Very long. And when he finally arrived at the Guild, everyone swarmed him, in celebration at the success. The celebration however, was short-lived when they all noticed, Layne and Grovyle were not present. And upon asking of where they were, Pyro just handed Autumn her necklace, and walked inside, and shut himself away in his room. The guild then realized...that the guild had one less member. Wigglytuff, nodded to himself, as Grovyle had most likely forewarned him about everything. Pyro said nothing. He still could not bear the fact, that Layne was gone.
That night however, when Pyro finally emerged, he began to uphold Layne's wish. That night, he told everyone in the guild, what exactly had taken place in the Hidden Land, and at Temporal Tower, to the fullest detail. He also told them of the sacrifice, both Grovyle and Layne had to make to ensure their mission was complete, an d how the destruction of time had successfully been stopped, and how peace had been restored. But the story didn't end there. In accordance to Layne's wishes, Pyro, with the help of the guild, continued to tell the story wherever it was possible, and within the week, it had been spread to every resident in Treasure Town. The guild saw new apprentices come, and Pyro would tell them the story, and let them know that his partner...his best friend had helped save the world. Even the strangers who passed by through Treasure Town would hear the story of how time's paralysis was stopped, and every time, each stranger would walk away...amazed. A story of world peace. A story of hope for future peace. It touched everyone.
Also according to Layne's wishes, Pyro, never stopped exploring, however his heart was heavy, and he couldn't find it in himself to find another partner. Pyro had treasured Layne too much, and though he still had many friends in the guild, no one seemed quite capable of what Layne did in life...as a partner, and as a friend.
The days passed. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. And as time passed, the scars of the injuries the planet had suffered, slowly healed, and before they all knew it, things returned back to normal...the way it always was...
Pyro walked out of the guild. The sun was setting. He had a lot of things on his mind today, and he had to put them aside. He walked out of the guild. Bidoof and Autumn were walking towards the guild, and saw him. "Pyro?" Autumn asked. "Where are you off to? Dinner's just about ready, you know..."
Pyro smiled at both of them, and said, "Oh I'm not going far. There's just something I'd like to do..."
With that, Pyro walked down the guild steps. Bidoof and Autumn looked at each other. "You think he's...okay?" Bidoof asked.
Pyro continued to walk down the road, towards the beach. Just trying to get his day put to rest. He was tired, and worn, but, still couldn't get some things off his mind. But as he stepped onto the sand, all that began to wash away at the sight he saw.
"Oh wow..." Pyro said to himself. "It's...it's been a while since I last saw this."
The Krabby were out. They all were blowing bubbles into the sky as the sun began to set. The bubbles, as they always did, caught the last few rays of the sun, and reflected off the water's surface. It had indeed been a while since Pyro last saw this. He'd been so busy, he's almost forgotten about how beautiful it was. Pyro had indeed missed such a fantastic sight...
He then tried to remember the last time he saw the sight.
"Oh..." he said to himself. "The last time I saw this was...when I...met Layne..."
He walked along the beach to the place he had found Layne in the sand. "He was...right here..." Pyro thought to himself "Right there...we became friends..."
Pyro sighed, and reached into the bag he now carried, and took out the goggles that had once been Layne's. Seeing them again...made him remember all so clearly, as though it had been yesterday, though in reality, six months had passed by.
"Layne, you've showed me a lot today. I know you want to figure out the mystery of why you became like this, but perhaps I can help. Would you, be willing to form an exploration team with me?"
Pyro smiled as he remembered.
"I can see someone's hungry."
"Why don't we hit the mess hall?"
"I couldn't agree more..."
Everything...seemed so clear...
"Layne, this is a risky move, but your visions back then were true. Perhaps...I'm going to take a leap of faith here, Layne. I'm putting my trust in you..."
Pyro remembered that day...all too well...
"It makes me feel that we made the right decision forming this team, don't you think?"
"This team has indeed been one unique experience for me. And I will say your confidence is very much improving...which is good on you, Pyro."
"Thank Layne...the mystery of this Relic Fragment, I will solve it soon. I feel like it's getting that much closer!"
And it went beyond that. He and Layne had faced so much together...Like a Groundon illusion...which guarded that lake...
"This is so magical..."
"Better than fireworks..."
So many adventures...the future...
"Layne...thank you...you've been trying to comfort me because of what's been going on here, and you're handling it unlike anyone else could, even though you should be just as scared as I am, Layne."
"Pyro, I am scared..."
Pyro began to get teary eyed. So many adventures had gone by with him and Layne. More than he could count! The North Desert, Crystal Cave, the future...
"Come on, partner..."
The Hidden Land...Temporal Tower...
"Pyro...you need to be strong..." Pyro felt the tears stream down his face. "On your own. You need to live on with your dream..."
He remembered it all as if it had happened yesterday...all memories he treasured in his heart. But that was all they were...
Memories.
Layne was gone, and nothing Pyro could do would ever bring him back.
"Layne..." Pyro managed to say through a returning and growing sadness. "Wherever you are...I hope...I was strong enough...to live the way you would have wanted..."
A few moments passed, when Pyro heard a voice from behind. "P-Pyro?"
Bidoof.
"Pyro, are you okay?"
Pyro turned to face Bidoof, tears in his eyes. "Oh, Bidoof..."
He managed to say this before collapsing in the sand, and letting the emotion of sadness, once again run free in his body. He couldn't find the heart to be comforted. And Bidoof, didn't even need to ask why...
Pyro let it all out. And for the first time in his life, the scene that the Krabby made...wasn't going to cheer him up at all...
END PART V