Hello!

Well, school's out for me, so I can start posting chapters waaay more often! At least, for now-there are a few things that are going to throw my posting schedule for a loop, so...

Anyway, here's the next chapter!

Chapter 18 - Dreamscape, part 3 (Khrista's POV)

I was experimenting with what everything looked like in my head. The house was starting to get boring - and somewhat creepy - so I decided to get a change of pace.

I waved my arms around a little as my surroundings changed; it was just something that I did instinctively.

Maybe it's just an automatic thing with dreamscapes? I dunno.

Anyway, the house disappeared in a swirl of color, and everything around me darkened.

Little white pinpricks appeared in a starry sky, and I found myself standing at the entrance to a cave that didn't look like it was made of rock.

I reached out and touched the wall near me; cool metal. I found myself moving out of the cave and having a look around at where I was standing. The entire landscape was made of metal.

I was on an alien planet that I'd never seen before. What was this?!

I heard something whispering from within the cave and I panicked a little. This place was not one I wanted to hang around at for long.

I waved my arms again, and the area changed with a shift of color to a brighter, more friendly environment.

I found myself standing next to a small lake that was completely surrounded by trees. A breeze threw some leaves around while the sun - high in the sky, about noonish - shone down around small, fluffy clouds that could give sheep a run for their money.

The place was really peaceful, and I liked it.

"I'm delighted that I'm not the only one who is capable of finding Lake Verity in their dreams."

I stiffened, then started to look around quickly for the source of huge voice. It sounded like a young woman had just spoken, but most young women don't speak into your head - even if you're dreaming.

I caught sight of a pink figure coming towards me from a cave in the center of the lake, and I blinked in surprise. "Mesprit?"

The little Lake Spirit gave a smile. "Please, call me Lien."

I blinked. Not the name I had expected, but...OK.

"What are you doing here?" I asked warily.

"It's been some time since we last saw each other, and I wanted to make sure that you were coping well with the situation."

"Saw each other? We never -"

I got a flash of my memory of getting into the citadel.

Lien saw the realizing look on my face. "Yes." The grim look on her own face was soon replaced by a brighter look that definitely didn't reach her eyes. I guess the toil of what was going on was starting to show.

"So, how have you been doing?" Lien pressed. She started to circle me, giving my form a curious look.

"Uh...okay, I guess," I replied with a shrug. "There really hasn't been much for me to do, and I haven't been able to work very much with my abilities..." I trailed off for a moment, wondering if Lien knew of what I could do or not. I shook the feeling off. "But other than that, things are going fine."

Lien cocked her head slightly, giving me a curious look. "Do you need something to do?"

"Uh...not so much as training time," I replied hesitantly. "I kinda want to make sure I'm ready before I go out and do anything."

"Real Trainers and Pokemon don't have that luxury," Lien replied flatly. "There's nothing you're going to be able to do when it comes to having activities thrust upon you."

"Then what do you want me to do?" I demanded. "It's not like I can just go down there and say, 'I want Silver and everybody from my neighborhood or I'm gonna fry your brains out!'" My shirt flickered from dull red to gold and back as I spoke, as though to emphasize what I was saying.

Lien chuckled. "No, you cannot. However, there is something you can do here in order to prepare for what is to come."

I looked at her in surprise. "I can? What?"

"Go to the dreamscape you were at before I arrived here, and you will find out."

Lien gave me a knowing smile and disappeared in a flash of light, leaving me standing alone at the edge of Lake Verity.

"The dreamscape where I was before?" I repeated to myself. "What's that supposed to..." I trailed of when I realized what the Psychic Legendary had been referring to.

The metal cave was honestly the last place I wanted to go to, but it sounded like I didn't have much of a choice.

I waved my arms around again, and the area darkened to where I had been before. The stars twinkled brightly, and I couldn't help but wonder which one happened to be Earth - probably one of the faint ones, if any of them.

"I was wondering when you would show up here."

I turned my head towards the cave upon hearing the voice, and I took a step back in surprise.

There was a woman standing there - I couldn't tell if she was in early twenties or somewhere in the thirties. She had long, blond hair that was tied up in a ponytail at the back of her head, and she was wearing a gray jacket with a pair of red and yellow stripes on her elbows. The jacket was zipped up, so I couldn't see the shirt that was underneath.

"Who are you?" I asked, turning my attention to the woman's bright blue eyes.

"I have gone by many names," the woman replied, "but you may call me Arsenal."

Many names? Arsenal? What kind of woman is this?

"Um...okay?" I wasn't sure how to take the situation, so I just decided to take it easy and tried not to accidentally make this Arsenal woman mad. "What are you doing in my head, then?"

"You need help." Arsenal uncrossed her arms from their position over her chest and held them out at her sides. "And I can offer it."

"How? You can't do what I can."

Okay, so maybe I sounded a little cocky saying that.

"That may be true, but that doesn't mean I can't assist you." Arsenal walked away from the cave and towards me. "And I have an idea as to how I can help."

"How, then?" I asked, frowning.

"My abilities are similar to yours, but you aren't at my level. Yet."

Arsenal must have seen that my frown, because she smirked and snapped her fingers. A moment later, she started to...morph.

And I mean morph.

I could see her skin color changing as she shrank - and her clothes shrank with her! Next thing I knew, she looked like a Pikachu.

"What are you?" I asked, at a loss for words.

"I?" The Pikachu smirked. "I am a shifter, capable of mimicking anything's appearance."

Whoa. That's nuts.

"You have these abilities, but not to this extent," Arsenal added. I watched as she morphed back to her normal, human self, amazed that the yellow color didn't stay with her blue jeans - or even those gray tennis shoes of hers.

"What do you mean?" I asked. So, I'm feeling a little more comfortable with this woman, but sheesh. She's a walking Ditto, and my abilities are supposed to be just similar?

"You can mimic abilities. I mimic forms." Arsenal shrugged. "They're similar enough that I can assist you in gaining new abilities to work with."

"How? I have to see an actual Pokemon Type in order to get it to work!"

"Gengars aren't Dark-Types, but you managed to use that ability when you escaped Joshua's cell."

Arsenal smirked, and my eyes widened. She was right - I had gone ahead and used the Dark-Type ability without copying off anyone. Did this mean that I could copy any Type without actually copying from a Pokemon?

But there was still a missing piece...

"How'd you know I did that?" I asked, frowning.

"I have my ways, just as Ash does his," Arsenal replied calmly. "Now, are we going to start discussing a new Type for you or not?"

Well, wanting to maintain a mysterious cover, are we? Fine. I can deal.

"Ok, then," I replied, crossing my arms over my chest. "Which one's first?"

"Why don't we try...Fighting-Type?"

Spacial Break - change in POV

Alak opened one eye, a psychic disturbance awakening him from the deeper recesses of his mind and bringing him into the dream state of other, normal Pokemon and humans.

"Who's there?" he asked, looking around at the dreamscape-version of the storeroom.

"Just a friend," came a response.

The Alakazam caught sight of a figure hovering in a dark corner. He frowned cautiously and pointed a spoon in the figure's direction. The metal item started to glow with energy, but the attack was never fired.

Alak hesitated as the figure floated out of the dark corner. The Psychic-Type frowned. "I was not expecting to see you here, considering what has occurred here."

"We knew we had to take the risk in order to contact all of you," the small Pokemon in front of Alak replied.

"'We'? Do not tell me the others followed you here, Merlin."

"We agreed that we all had to come and speak with those who were here," replied the Uxie. "It had to be done."

"If you wish to have yourselves caught again, so be it."

"I will not be here long enough for them to find me, Alak. What I have to say is too important to be left alone." Merlin took in a breath as though to steady himself. "Khrista will not be able to stay here forever. I have seen that she will end up being discovered and captured again if you stay here for much longer."

"Then what do you suggest? I cannot simply leave; the sensors will be alerted of my presence just as much as they are aware of Khrista's!"

"That would no longer be an issue if you Teleported out of the building and went to the Underground."

Alak's eyes widened. "The Underground? Why?"

"They will need your help as much as you need theirs. You, Gangrene, and Arsenal will not be able to teach Khrista everything she knows."

Alak frowned. "Arsenal?"

Merlin ignored the question. "There are other Pokemon and Trainers in the Undergound who can help teach Khrista what it is that she can do, while also learning of what it is that can be done in the world above."

"I cannot take her."

"Then have Gangrene take her and hide near your Trainer until events have either died down or picked up to a feverish boil." Merlin sounded oddly insistent as he spoke. "After all, there are things that must be done in order to cause Cyrus and his dark citadel to fall."

Alak's frown deepened as he listened to the Legendary's words. He could sense that there was knowledge in them, but he was still cautious. "You are certain that this must be done."

"I am. Keep watch, Alak, for you will not know the day, nor the hour, that your human charge will be forced to move." Merlin's tails twitched, entwining themselves together for a moment. Then he vanished in a flash of light.

So...Khrista seems to have someone else to help her with her Type switching ability. I know who she is and what Arsenal is doing in a land made of metal...but as for my reasoning behind it, you guys are going to be left in the dark for a little while. You won't find out who Arsenal is in this story, though - hat I'm sure of.

So, see you guys next time!