(Keeper, I'd just like to respond to you and everyone else that thinks all this is going nowhere, or has no point; do you believe in serendipity? Because everything that is/has happened/happening will make sense eventually. It's all going to fuel many, many, plot points. Okay? And for the record, the idea of Opal is Keeper's, while his personality-to-be is mine.

Also, most, if not all, of the next chapter will be in flashback, explaining the past of one of my favorite characters. And some important points will be revealed! So stay tuned!)

Mew sighed, and swiveled her head around to stare at all the Legends assembled in the court. They were all here to discuss the oh-so-important matter of her Pokeball being found. She, personally, did not particularly care. But she was forced to attend anyways, since, well, it was her Pokeball.

She tried to be inconspicuous as she fell asleep. Arceus was babbling about something or other. "Blah blah blah... world domination... blah blah blah... total destruction if Pokeball is put in wrong hands... blah blah blah... MEW! ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION!?" The Alpha roared. She opened one bleary eye.

"...No." She grumbled. Arceus rolled his eyes. "Oh, well, do so. This is important. You gave YOUR POKEBALL, the Pokeball of a GODDESS, to an Eevee and his unstable trainer. In short, are you CRAZY?!" He shrieked. Mew drew herself up.

"I trust him. And the girl will keep the both of them safe." Arceus frowned.

"It's not a question of whether or not you trust them; it's a question about how much they'll be able to stand. The League the humans have established is going to want to get their hands on the Pokeball."

Mew shook her head. "The kid's the daughter of the head honcho at the League. They probably won't go after her." Arceus nodded.

"Emphasis on probably." Mew sighed.

"Well? What do you want me to do? Hide it again?" Arceus shook his head.

"No... let's see how this turns out. Let's see if they can handle it." Mew frowned.

"If they can't, they'll likely die." Arceus shrugged.

"As long as the Pokeball is safe, I don't particularly care. It's one human, one Pokemon, versus the entire human and Pokemon races. The math doesn't add up." Arceus looked around. "Meeting is adjourned."

Mew breezed past every other Legendary to find the one she was looking for. "Giratina!" The Death Dragon looked up at her. Mew recoiled slightly. Giratina was one of the most imposing Legends there was; he was in control of the entire Realm of Death, in the Reverse World. Simply put, he was intimidating. And voted "Most likely to kill us all" in the last Legends meeting.

"...Mew. I take it you need my help with the Eevee?" He grumbled. Mew nodded.

"I just... if they die, make sure the Pokeball's safe, like Arceus said." Giratina nodded.

"And do me a favor; please talk to one of the dead in the Cemetery. Her name is... Celeste. Celeste Trent. Just ask her about the Pokeball. She'll know what you mean." Giratina nodded, and disappeared.

With that task accomplished, Mew decided to go back to sleep.

The Reverse World is cold. Not in the way that a snowy day is, but a kind of cold that chills the heart and soul. Giratina was picked to rule over it because it was said he had no heart or soul to cool.

But he did. And it ached him to do what he did, but he kept to his duties because there was no one else to perform them.

But for each child, mother, lover, and friend that died, a part of his heart throbbed in sympathy.

They pleaded with him; begged him, cajoled him, threatened and bargained with him to let them live. But he had no authority over who died; he was only the one that picked up the pieces after a life was shattered irreparably.

There were so many more deaths, these days. More rules in society meant more corpses of the ones that broke them.

But this girl Mew spoke of, he remembered. And he knew where she'd be.

He found her exactly where she always was. In front of the memorial to everyone that had ever died. The slab of onyx was so long and so high, no one had ever seen to the end, or to the top. And it kept growing.

Giratina appeared behind her. She said nothing for a long minute. "Celeste." He rumbled. This caused her to turn around, and glare at him. "What do you want?" Giratina shook his head.

"It's not what I want, it's what Mew wants." Evidently, she still remembered what she'd accomplished. "Mew's back? What does she want, then?" Giratina's eyes glowed a menacing red for a minute.

"The Pokeball, Celeste. The Pokeball that you caught her in. A child found it; a girl by the name of Olivia Kent. She's from the same place you came from, you know." Celeste braved his gaze for a long minute. Then she smirked.

"So, you suppose she's my daughter or whatnot?" Giratina nodded. "I suppose that's what Mew wondered, yes." Celeste sighed, and smirked.

"I had a child, true. But it wasn't her. My child was a boy. A boy by the name of Opal." Giratina nodded. Her eyes became pleading. "Please, please tell me. I've been searching this wall for a long time, reading name after name. Tell me, is my son alive?" Giratina's eyes glowed again.

"...Yes."

I grunted in annoyance, surveying the entire scene of the gym. They'd taken away the switch traps, which bemused me slightly; what was the point in that?

The Gym Leader was currently taking someone else's challenge. I registered myself, and went to watch the match. It was winding down, apparently; they both appeared to have one Pokemon left.

The Gym Leader, a large, dark-skinned man who looked to be about twenty-eight or so, had a Magnezone on his side. The boy had a Mightyena.

It was fairly matched; the Mightyena was gutsy, and took hits that would've felled other Pokemon. I noted the skill of the Magnezone, however; it was a part-Steel type, and as such, took hits fairly well too.

The battle dragged on for about ten minutes more, during which obscenities were hurled by the spectators to move on, already—but eventually, the Mightyena won out, and the badge was given.

I got a good look at the leader. He appeared tense, and probably waiting to revenge himself for his loss. I gulped. Great.

I walked down, and stepped into the area. "Go crazy Johto girl!" Gold cheered from above. I rolled my eyes. The leader gazed at me. And then he spoke, in a deep and rumbling voice, that sounded more like an earthquake, if anything; "Johto girl, eh? Well, won't this be interestin'..." I got another look at him. Closer up, he seemed a lot... well, nicer. He had laugh lines already, and his eyes glimmered with humor.

I couldn't help but smile at him, and it was soon returned. The announcer called, "Okay! Match between Olivia Kent and Jerome Hanley!" He winked at me, and tossed out his first Pokeball.

"Go, Shocks!" A Pikachu leapt out onto the battlefield. I noted the nickname with a bit of amusement and impressed feelings; it wasn't commonplace to nickname Pokemon, and I respected him for that; but Shocks? Really?

I thought for a minute. Grimwald jumped down from my shoulder, and hissed at Shocks. I snickered. So Grimwald's cuteness was challenged; he was in it for honor.

Grimwald mimed taking off a glove, and slapped Shocks. "You, sir! We duel now!" I rolled my eyes. "Grimwald, go! Use Crunch!" Jerome didn't even blink.

"Volt Tackle." I swore. Grimwald tried to leap out of the way, but he was hit. Grimwald, however, was barely fazed, and clamped down on Shocks' tail. He howled in pain, and tried to shake him off, but Grimwald held fast.

"Now use Discharge!" I called. Grimwald let loose a bolt of blue electricity, bringing Shocks down. Grimwald leapt back, and surveyed his opponent. He tried to stand, stumbled—and slumped down.

"Shocks is unable to battle! Olivia Kent wins Round one!" I high-fived Grimwald, and he leapt back up onto my shoulder. Jerome frowned.

"Oh, damn it all. Zoner!" The Magnezone from before flew out, apparently ready to go. I selected Santi's Pokeball, and tossed it out.

"Quick! Start things off with a Flamethrower!" Santi spewed flames in Zoner's direction. Jerome shook his head.

"Zoner, use Zap Cannon!" I froze. Silver roared. "What the hell? He can't use that!" Gold checked his Pokedex grimly.

"Uh, yeah, he actually can. It's a legit move for Magnezone." He announced, checking Magnezone's Pokedex page. Silver slumped down in his seat. "She's so fucked."

Santi got the full brunt of it. I felt like screaming in frustration. But amazingly, he stood up from his self-made crater, and made a 'come on, fool' motion to Zoner. Both Jerome and I were amazed.

"Uh. Santi! Flamethrower again, and aim for the red spot!" He blasted Zoner back, and this time, it looked like serious damage had been dealt.

"Zap Cannon!" Jerome ordered. It hit Santi again, and I knew there was no way he could stand it. Sure enough, he'd fainted. I swore quietly, and recalled him.

Zoner floated there evilly. "Bitch." I grumbled. I checked my arsenal; Grimwald wouldn't be of much help, and Lev was worthless in an Electric-type gym.

That left Useless. Crap.

But I guess I didn't have a choice. I tossed the Pokeball out. "Jack! Use Shadow Ball!" He backflipped, and hit Zoner back on the red dot. Zoner hummed in annoyance.

"Try a Thunderbolt! Don't think we'll need much firepower for this little 'un, huh?" Jerome roared. Jack looked downcast. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity.

"Jack! Don't listen to him! You can do it! Use Dig!" Jerome frowned, as Jack burrowed himself underground.

"Magnezone floats; it'll miss him." I shook my head, and grinned.

"Dig up! Shadow Ball out of the hole!" A black blob of ectoplasm flew out of the hole, and struck Magnezone's bottom.

In a dramatic whirring of gears, Magnezone fainted. Both Jerome and Jack were stunned. I was merely amused.

"...Okay. You've managed to surprise me. But I won't loose twice in one day! Livewire!" An Electabuzz rubbed his feelers together, and leered at Jack.

This one didn't have the Levitate Ability. I smirked. "Dig, Jack!" He burrowed his way underground again. Jerome frowned.

"Livewire, when he comes up, use Thunderpunch!" I shook my head.

"Then don't come up! Jack! Shadow Ball!" Jack popped up from behind Livewire, and threw a Shadow Ball at the back of his head. Livewire howled in pain, and grabbed Jack from the hole, and tossed him up.

I got an idea. "As you come down, bite his FACE OFF!" I cackled, as Jack did just that, gripping Livewire's nose. Livewire shrieked, and danced around, trying to get off the foxlike appendage that had mysteriously become stuck to his nose.

Even the audience snickered. Jerome frowned. "Thunderbolt!" I groaned. "Hurry up and Dig!" Jack got down just in time, burrowing under. "COME UP!" I shrieked, and he did so, sending Livewire skidding.

He stumbled, but did not get up.

"...Holy shit, Jack just won something." I gaped. "Wow!" I ran over to him, and swung him up, spinning him around and around. "You did it, Useless!" I hugged him tightly, and buried my face in his ruff.

I sneezed; it was really thick, and it forced me to realize the Gym Leader standing in front of me, his teeth bared at me in a grin.

"Red was right. You are good." He whispered. As he pressed the badge in my hand, I stared incredulously up at him. He winked again. "It doesn't hurt to have allies inside the workings, miss." And with that, he departed the arena.

"...Uh." I was at a loss for words. Jack was jumping about my ankles. "We did it, Livvy! We did it, we did it!" I nodded.

As we made a quick pitstop at the Pokemon Center, Gold checked his map. "So, next is Rock Tunnel, then Celadon City! Who's up for it?" We all screeched, "YES!" And ran off.

As we ran, Anna stopped, bent over, and took a sharp intake of breath, as her face flushed a blanched white. Akira was at her side in an instant.

"Doll? What's wrong?" She raised an eyebrow, coughed, and said nothing. Akira looked at her, and his eyes glowed white.

"Don't you use those goddamn mind tricks on me, you bastard! You can't get to me! I know what you're thinking!" She spat, struggling to stand upright. She glared at Akira, and rushed off, oddly quick for someone who had been short of breath about five minutes before.

"Doll...? Doll! Come back!" Akira looked at the thin form of his retreating lover. Shaking his head, he rushed off for the others.