?

I still feel dread. Defeating Kyogre wasn't my objective. Frost is still out there somewhere. No, not somewhere. I know exactly where she is. It it her aura? I don't know. I don't have any more time to waste. It's not like me to give up easily, so I have to wake up.

You won't be waking up any time soon.

Oh, it's you again. Why wouldn't I wake up? I should have recovered my strength by now.

We told you before, if you did anything I didn't like, than we would stop you from doing anything else.

So that means you're preventing me from waking up?

Yes, but don't worry. The sooner you join the fun, the sooner you can wake up. You want that don't you? Then forget everything else, AND THINK ABOUT STICKS!

Sticks?

Yes, life is bad, so 'forget everything else and THINK ABOUT STICKS' they would tell us. 'FORGET YOUR BAD MEMORIES' they would tell us. But JOKES ON THEM! Now we are bad memories, and bad memories NEVER FORGET!

What does that have to do with me? I need to save my friend.

Save a friend? Save a FRIEND?! Why would I let you save your friend, daughter of wings, when they didn't save US!?

I couldn't have saved you. I don't even know who you really are.

Don't know who we are? I told you before, we are fragments of the past who won't let go of the future.

Exactly, I don't know what that means.

Yes, perhaps you're right. You would understand us better if we explained. A person like you who has her fair share of bad memories, should understand us eventually. We represent those memories, not of you, but of another. My dream is to one day be free to demonstrate to all the naive creatures of the world that there is no such thing as life without pain. Pain is the sole teacher. Not love, hate, war, peace, freedom, slavery, or anything else. To all, dreams will be crushed, loss is inevitable, and betrayal is iminent.

So you want to teach them so they can change the way things are?

No, don't be stupid. Things will never change. I just can't stand the sight of those who ignore their bad memories and carry on with their lives like nothings wrong. Every bit of happiness is deceptive, every moment of joy an illusion. There is no escape from it, but as soon as everyone realizes this, at least they can come to terms with reality.

I understand how you think, Lorem, but don't think you can bring me down just by giving me a speech of hopelessness.

…

Lorem?

…

You can't keep me here forever, Lorem. I'll wake up one way or another, and then I'm going to prove you wrong.

Branna, you can't prove me wrong, but I guess you'll never believe us unless you experience it for yourself. I don't imagine you'll last long, though. Even if a being finds true happiness for even a moment, it only comes after magnitudes of pain. I don't believe you'll ever get there considering all you have going for you is willpower and determination.

So you'll let me wake up?

Yes, yes. Run along. Survive as long as you can, and come running back to me when it doesn't work out for you.

That won't happen.

Yes it will, you'll see. Anyways, be seeing you.

STEEL LABYRINTH, NIGHT

Wake up, will she, ever? Give her, I have to, this present. I tap my fingers together as Aphot, Djinn, Rayquaza, Ferion, and I wait for Branna to wake up. As I do, my eyes drift to Djinn's bottle. Keeps calling, it does, to me. Destroy it, I have to, I do. I avert my eyes away from it as Branna stirs. She opens her eyes and looks around. As soon as she sees Rayquaza, she bows her head.

"Um, I'm sorry I took your, uh, energy, but Kyogre was in my way."

He shakes his head, "It's completely fine. I originally told you that your body was repairing itself, because you used an ability that you had no practice with. What your body is actually doing is adapting to it."

"Does that, um, mean I won't fall into a coma?" she asks with a hopeful expression.

The sky dragon sighs, "I'm afraid that you still will. After all, your body is changing in a dramatic way. You will still need to rest, but not for another day. In fact, the more you use your ability now, the faster your body will adapt."

"If I still only have a day then, um, if you don't mind, I have to go," she says with a worried expression.

As she starts to turn around, I stop her with my claw. She looks at me, and I give her a box with the words 'To Branna' written on the front.

"I found this on the ground outside where Sepullen and I were fighting. It appears to be addressed to you."

She looks at it with unease, "I don't think we should open that."

"What's the matter, it's just a box."

"Venomitus, there's a massive-" she is interrupted suddenly, as I open the lid to see a mass of light.

"Well damn," I say with a helpless expression.

ASHEN WASTES, NIGHT

"I don't need you help," Lyle says as Myro hands him a glass jar full of a purple liquid. He takes it and drinks the whole thing within a matter of seconds.

The empoleon laughs, "If you didn't need my help, you wouldn't have come to me as an ally."

He ignores her and spikes the jar down at the ground. It shatters a few feet away from where Pyros lay. The flygon turns to Myro and gives her a sharp glare, but says nothing.

"Why did you bring her?" Lyle points to an unconscious Frost.

"If Branna and Venomitus got my gift, they should at least know who has her. They'll both come here. Once they do, the real finale will begin."

"YOU IDIOT!" Lyle outbursts. "We can't fight them! Especially not in the shape we're in. Besides, what possible finale could you have now?! Branna defeated groudon and me, and you lost control of Kyogre!"

Myro smiles, "We still have Moon."

Lyle looks over at the furret, "You're right, we do have Moon don't we?"

Moon perks his head up, "Me? What are you guys looking at me like that for?"

"You're going to fight them when they come."

"Why me? I can't fight two of them alone."

Myro smiles at him, "That's why I'm staying behind to do what I can."

"I do admit, it'll give me something to do, but even with the two of us, how do you expect to beat them both when they come?"

The empoleon looks toward the city just as a bright light explodes outwards. She only slightly stumbles as the shockwave quakes the ground around them. Myro bursts out into an insane laughter, as most of the buildings in Steel Labyrinth collapse along with part of the wall nearest to them.

She turns to Moon with an excited expression and says, "Something tells me their going to be feeling a little weak when they get here."

STEEL CITY(DEVASTATED), NIGHT

Happened, what did? My vision is clouded with the black smoke from my regeneration. Looking up, I see a massive mushroom cloud hovering over the city. The barrier that had covered the city turning it into a dungeon is gone. Even around me, every building except the Power Plant had been leveled. The only thing that hinted that the area had been a city before is the barely standing wall acting as the parameter. I pick myself up off the ground and look around. Scattered around me are the unconscious Rayquaza, Aphot, Ferion, Djinn, and Sepullen. Missing, she is. What, to her, has happened.

"Next time vould you mind varning me if you're going to short circuit," a voice says from behind me.

I watch as Team Gold, Dr. Hardware, Dr. Software, Pareidolian, and Zapdos push themselves out from underneath a pile of metal beams. As soon as they do, the Pareidolian wacks the electivire to the side. He lands on the ground next to me.

"It wasn't me, Hardware. How could I have short circuited when the explosion came from the ground. I was on top of Lightningrod Palace when it exploded."

"Alright fine! Just don't knock me around. I've had enough of zat for one day."

"Hey look," Dr. Software interjects, "it's Venomitus."

"Oh, Venomitus! Good to see you!" Hardware says as he puts his arm unintentionally tight around me.

"Good to… see you too… but this… really isn't an appropriate time," I say uncomfortably.

He drops me to the ground, then asks, "Vhat do you mean? I haven't seen you in a long time."

"Everyone's unconscious and I can't locate Branna anywhere."

"You've… certainly changed. Have you been eating persim berries again?" he asks.

"That's beside the point, if you know where Branna went then-"

A sudden pain in my chest makes me fall to the ground. An unbelievably hot sensation wells up inside me. Heart attack, is this? Only once before, I had this, I did. Energy, my energy, gone, it is.

"Are you alright? You don't look so vell."

"Just tell me… if you know… where Branna is."

"She has gone to fight," a weary looking Rayquaza says from of to my side.

"Fight?" Mr. Money says in a worried tone.

"Yes, fight. Frost has been captured and Branna has gone after her. What troubles you?"

"It's just that… whenever Branna fights, she's unnecessarily violent."

"What do you mean?"

"Whenever she's around most people, she confines her emotions, then let's them out during battles. Though she doesn't usually do it when other people are watching. All I'm saying is that if she's alone with her opponent, she might kill them."

"Then we have no time to waste," Sepullen says while floating of the ground.

Zapdos gives him a scornful look, "What makes you think you can just-"

"I apologize, Zapdos, for my behaviour earlier today. I know I can't make up for my… stabbing you, but I don't want you to think I wasn't prepared to make a deal so…"

His eyes glow for a brief moment, then a yellow and white contraption next to him. "I know you said you already had them, but these are my DNA splicers."

The lightning bird gives him a look, "But we never made a deal, why are you giving me that?"

"I tried to kill you. It's not my end of a deal, but rather my payment for a debt."

Zapdos stares at give with a relatively blank expression, but I can tell he doesn't know what to say. They look at each other for several moments, before Sepullen turns away.

"Take it or leave it, but we have to go. You won't have to ever worry about me in the future. As per a deal Venomitus and I made, he is now my equal and makes decisions alongside me."

"What will you do, Zapdos? Will you trust him?" Rayquaza asks curiously.

With I sigh, he says, "As much as I hate to say it, I look forward to doing business with you, Relic Master."

"Very well then. Now if you don't mind, we'll be on our way. I will meet up with all of you later at the camp so we can head out. We're already late as it is."

"I have already sent Jude ahead to notify Nova what has happened here."

I raise my hand up, "before we go, I have to ask what I have to do to repay you, Zapdos."

"You?" he gives me a strange look. "I don't remember you doing anything."

Bowing my head, I say, "I opened a present that what addressed to Branna that turned out to be from the enemy. It exploded and caused the destruction you see around you."

I am surprised to see the majority of the pokemon around me burst into laughter. Even Sepullen lets off the strange static of his laugh. I look at Zapdos in confusion.

With a smirk, he says, "I have said time, and time again that Steel City can never be damaged." He looks back at the barely damaged Power Plant, then back at me. "As long as that structure right there is still standing, Steel City can never be destroyed."

Nodding to Pareidolian, they fly over to the edge of the power plant and release a simultaneous Zap Cannon. The Power Plant suddenly flares to life and fires light blue colored electricity in all directions. The bolts of electricity chain throughout the metal of the city until it glows with a brilliant blue. I watch in amazement, as the masses of metal and stone piece themselves back together.

I stumble backwards as ruble is lifted out from beneath my feet. As I fall, Sepullen Teleports us away, "We don't have time to stay and watch this light show."

ASHEN WASTES, NIGHT

"So you came alone did you?" Myro says with a smirk.

Branna ignores her and looks around. She sees Frost laying on a rock, unconscious.

"Well you must be pretty sure of yourself if you think you can beat both of us," Moon says.

The serperior stares at them with a blank expression. "No, it's not that. I don't care if I can beat even one of you. It's just that I have to try to save my friend."

"Try all you want," Myro taunts. "You can't save the froslass. After all, Lyle has told us how nice you are, even to your enemies. What a pushover."

"Pushover?" Branna repeats.

Moon tries to add, "Yeah, I bet you won't even-"

In a split second, he is caught in the serperior's vine. As she moves him closer to her, she starts to crush him. To her surprise, even as he spits up masses of blood, he smiles. She Glares at him with a frightening power that immediately wipes his smile away. Then, she throws him at the ground and looks at Myro. The empoleon starts to move away when Branna reaches for her, but the serperior is stopped when Moon wraps his body around her neck. Before he can tighten himself, she rips him off and throws him away once again. He lands softly on his feet next to Myro.

"If we're going to beat her, we need to attack together," he says to the empoleon.

Branna takes her Scout Lens out of her bag and puts it over her eye. She turns it on and tries to pinpoint Moon's weak spots. Myro is too weakened to be much of a challenge, but that furret needs to be defeated if I'm going to save Frost. After a moment, the Scout Lens reads; 'target has no weakness. Attributes consist of; light, brittle bone structure and hastened cellular regeneration'.

"So you're essentially invincible then," Branna states.

"Ha, using an item as support proves how inferior you are compared to us," Myro says with a laugh.

Without responding, Branna sticks her vines into the ground. The opposing pokemon dash to opposite sides as Branna's Frenzy Plant explodes from beneath them. The wirelike roots spread out and chase after them. Evading them, Moon suddenly changes direction and rushes toward Branna with Quick Attack. More roots erupt from the ground in an attempt to stop him, but he nimbly dodges every single one and closes in on her.

With Branna focused on Moon, Myro tries to hit her from behind with Aqua Jet. Without looking, the serperior smirks and stops her in mid air with the sudden formation of another root. The root wraps around the empoleon's midsection and holds her in place. To secure her, Branna generates more limbs and vines from the root that wrap around the rest of her body.

In front of Branna, Moon launches at Branna and tries to Slam into her, but she tilts her head to the side to dodge. As he flies past her head, she once again grabs him with a vine and holds him in place. She stops moving for a moment, but only to look at him.

"I'd cover my ears if I were you," she says in a plain voice.

He starts to ask, "What's that supposed to-"

The furret suddenly flinches as Myro's scream pierces the air. He looks over to see that one of Branna vines had dug under her skin and grabbed hold of her leg bone. The empoleon shrieks even louder as the vine chips a section of the bone. Branna rips her vine out of the empoleon and uses it as a needle to impale Moon to the ground.

"You may be invincible, but if you can't move then it's useless."

She drops Myro on the ground and slithers over to Frost. "It's good that you're okay."

I'll restore her to health using the energy I took from Venomitus. She releases her energy into Frost through her vines and waits in anticipation for the Froslass to wake up. After a moment, the ice ghost stirs and opens her eyes. She looks slightly surprised to see Branna, but gives her a soft smile.

Then with wide eyes she shouts, "Behind you!"

Branna turns around just in time to be struck in the face with a Metal Claw. The attack hits her directly in the Scout Lens, tearing it up and spraying microscopic shards of glass and metal into her eye. She falls on the ground next to Frost, grabbing her eye in pain. Standing over them is an infuriated Myro. She launches forward with a point blank Aqua Jet/Drill peck combo, but is immediately knocked backward when Frost shoots up and punches her in the face. Myro falls onto the ground next to Moon. She tries to get up, but fails when dizziness from the loss of blood washes over her. Frost looks at Branna for a moment, then looks at Myro in anger.

"You could have beaten me, broken me, or even killed me and I wouldn't have cared. Instead, I assume the only reason you're still near the city is because you wanted to lure Branna or someone else out here by capturing me. Lyle and that flygon aren't here, so obviously you've had time to escape before Aphot, Zapdos, or somebody else found you."

She pauses, then deepens her glare at the empoleon. "You asked me earlier if there was someone I loved. The answer is yes. In a sense, I love all the people you would go out of their way to care about me. There's Djinn, who for some reason finds me inspiring. There's my sister Vanish, who, despite her mistakes still cares about her family. Oddly enough, there's Venomitus and Sepullen. Though I haven't really gotten along with either of them very well, I imagine the road ahead will bring us closer together."

She softens her voice and gains a serious expression. "Then there's Branna, the one pokemon who waited nearly twenty years for me to return, but I didn't because I was being selfish. Not once in those years did I ever meet a pokemon with that much devotion. Ya'know, I was debating in my head earlier whether or not I was the same as you, if I was the enemy. However, I'll say this to you; yes, if a loved one was in danger, I'd throw everything aside to save them, but we are not the same. I live to protect the ones I care about, but I don't revel in hurting others in the process. So I have come to a conclusion. Though we are not the same, I am the enemy. I am your enemy, and I'm going to show you what happens when you put one of my loved ones, especially Branna, in danger."

Frost materializes an Ice Shard in her hand and with a last word, she says, "This once, I'm going to revel in hurting you."

Myro looks up as Frost moves closer to her. They only look at each other for a moment, before the froslass dart forward and starts viciously jabbing her with the Ice Shard. The empoleon once again lets out a shriek. Moon watches Frost stab her repeatedly and struggles to shove the bone fragment out of his body. Despite his struggling, it doesn't move even slightly. He watches as blood sprays up from the empoleon onto Frost's face every time she thrusts the shard downward. As she's about to stab Myro again, a voice come from behind her.

"That's enough, Frost. She's done for."

Without turning around, she says in a spiteful tone, "Isn't this what you wanted, Sepullen, for us to be ruthless killing machines like yourself?"

When he doesn't respond, she looks back to see him and me standing next to Branna. The claydol is looking at the ground in thought. She waits impatiently for his response. After a moment Sepullen looks up at her.

"I had a certain conversation with Aphot earlier. I have been excited these past couple of days to be able to train Branna, but some of the things the darkrai said to me made me want to learn from her, instead."

"So just like that, huh? Where do we go from here then?" she asks.

"You can start by putting down the Ice Shard."

Frost looks at the shard, then at Myro. The empoleon is unconscious and barely alive. If I give her a few more, she'd be dead. Going against her motivation, she dematerializes the Ice Shard in her hand with a sigh."

She floats off of Myro and looks down at Branna.

"Let's go back to the camp, everyone's waiting."

She lifts Branna up and nods her head. "Yeah."

?

"You almost lost them, Felicia."

"I know."

"You would have failed if it wasn't for-"

"I KNOW!"

She shakes her head, "I'm sorry, I just don't want to remember him."

"Felicia?"

"Yes?"

"When he left a long time ago, he gave you a clue of where he went didn't he?"

"Yes."

"Recite it for me."

"But Kyurem I-"

"FELICIA!"

"Alright."

She clears her throat. "A soft umbrella to blow away the rotten smells, but you don't need it here, it's raining somewhere else."

"Have you solved it?"

"Yes, he's talking about the other world. The one where agents never go near."

"Well I need you to you there and retrieve a certain book that belongs to our dear friend Aphot."

"But that's-"

"Just go, Felicia. I don't want you to end up like either Frost or Sollavera when it comes to straying from your path."

-Vein Locke