:3 Getting near the big 2-oh mark! CHAPTER DANCE *Dances*

Also, major end spoilers in this chapter (For the fanfic).

Chapter 19

Kiara's POV

"Well, that was easy!" I cheered.

"Now... you should go." Lapras said.

"Wait. She needs a guide." Ginko butted in.

"I agree!" Chatot said, out of character.

"No." Lapras muttered vaugely.

"Wat." I asked, confused.

"Escuse me, miss..." Bubble asked. "But... can I ask you something? If it is size... Stella, Cabbage, and myself an carry ourselves-"

"That's not it." Lapras said. "The Hidden Land is a sacred place. ONLY the Chosen One may enter."

"But what if 'Lord' Dialga has already gone insane? How the bloody hell am I going to fight him alone?" I said.

"The Eon Pokemon asked for my help." Ginko said.

"Oh.. that's right." Lapras said, looking defeated. "THANKfully you seem to be the only one-" Lapras' head twisted to the side as she good a good look at Rook, who was sitting calmly by the shore. "Fine." Lapras muttered angrily. "The Eevee can come." Rook perked up and ran to my side.

"Wait- How many were on your team, Ginko?" Cabbage asked.

"Seven." Ginko smirked.

"So we can bring seven pokemon?" Cabbage asked.

"No."

"What if we used a voting syst-"

"No!"

"What if we-"

"NO!"

"So I can come too?" Teryx asked, breaking up the arguement. Lapras scowled angrily and sliiightly crazily.

"This is NOT what I signed up for." Lapras sighed.

"...so this is a no, right?" Teryx said.

Ginko tightly hugged Teryx. "I want you to stay, okay?" Ginko asked softly.

"But mom..." Teryx protested.

"We'll be fine!" Ginko cooed. Teryx gave her a odd look.

"Cute." Lapras said with a cough, breaking up the family-togetherness. Does she have a soul? I thought. "Now, everyone say your goodbyes." She went on. "Truth Bearer, Scarface," Ginko scowled. "and WereEevee. Get on my back when you are done. We've wasted enough words in this fanfic on this anyway." Ginko, me, Rook, and Teryx huddled together.

"Good luck, you guys..." Teryx said softly, handing off a bag of goods to Ginko.

"Thanks, Teryx!" I cheered.

"Good Luck!" Everyone else said in strange harmony.

"Good luck, Rook.." Stella whispered, snuggling close to Rook for a brief moment.

"We will be back soon." Rook replied.

Then, suddenly and in my ear, Loudred appeared out of nowhere and screeched how we are the best team ever. I'm going to be deaf in my left ear for weeks now. Teryx began arguing with his mom, and I just sat there, enjoying the bliss of togetherness for my last few seconds... at least for a while.

"Pfffft, Bubble always worries."

"Just hope Dialga is still sane!"

"Hey... you gals stay safe, kay?"

"I'm actually really jealous.."

"Teryx, you scared these pokemon. I want you to do community service, okay?"

I clambered shakily onto Lapras' beck. I hate water I hate water I hate water I hate water- hey... this isn't so bad. I think. Ginko and Rook climbed on after saying their last goodbyes, and we departed. It felt like we were moving at the speed of sound, even though are friends were disapearing into the horizion slower than that. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Xatu watching us swim away rom the top of a cliff. I couldn't resist glaring at him. Then, the rest of treasure town appeared around him, and I waved farewell, forcing a smile. I noticed, looking closer, the same Absol from when we had to go get a Time Gear was there. Rook bowed her head and fell asleep next to me.

Xatu's thoughts

So the time has come. ... Kiara's belief that I cannot see ahead is now true. I cannot see into the Temporal Rift, so this is the first time I fear for her return. ... Absol. ... You feel the same way about your human trainer, don't you?

End Xatu's thoughts

Rook's dreamland

"Dead to both worlds; One early, one late." a voice decreed. "You do not belong to either." I was standing in a purple nebula, stars glistening around me. I bobbed around, unable to control my motion.

"What are you talking about?" I asked in front of me. The world started to fade. "NO! WAIT! STOP!" I screeched.

I snapped out of my dream and into the real world. It was close to nighttime at this point, and Kiara + Ginko were almost rocks, peacefully deep in slumber. I decided to go to sleep again.

I was back in my dreamland, except the nebula was darker. "Your end is drawing near." The disembodied voice said.

"Cut it out!" I yelled into the deep. The stars around me started to lose their glow.

"With every passing moment, you get further into the end." the voice said. "The twins used their power without warning, and I will fix them."

I couldn't take it anymore with these weird dreams. I forced myself out, discovering everyone was awake.

"In a manner of speaking..." Lapras sang.

"Is that a whirlpool?" Kiara asked as Lapras grew closer to a dark spiral.

"YOU TROLL." Ginko scolded loudly. Lapras got steadily closer until we could fall in. "BRACE YOURSELVES!" Ginko screamed. We were swept into the whirlpool at extreme speeds (no pun intended) until we were finally sucked into the dark abyss of water. I started struggling, lungs about to crawl to my throat in a effort to get to air. Then I sank all the way through the whirlpool and discovered we were soaring momentarily above a thick, dark green jungle.

Then we began to free-fall, Kiara screeching beside me as I fell. I saw the jungle canopy get close and closer and I felt as if I was already broken. I felt my back left leg scrape against a tree branch, then another one across my chest. I hit the ground, the little air that was left in my chest escaping and I blacked out.

"Rook." I heard someone call out sometime later. "...are you there?" I opened my eyes and struggled my way up- wait a minute. I was fine except for minor cuts and bruises. Ginko as staring at me, smiling.

"Are we dead?" I asked groggily.

"No, of course not." Ginko said. "The gravity here in the temporal rift is different, due to the presence of dialga. In short, we weigh less here than in Treasure Town for example."

"You could have explained that before we were sucked into the whirlpool." I grumped. Ginko smirked at me.

"Anyway, i'll keep explaining." She said. "Kiara's with Lapras. A tree branch 'jumped out' and struck her on the head at the end of her free-fall. Lapras can't go over here to rescue you, so I was sent."

"Why not?" I asked, being led to the edge of a cliff. I couldn't see the bottom.

"Lapras can 'swim' in this type of abyss." Ginko explained. "However, she can't go onto the land." Ginko glanced over to the left. I followed the motion, seeing Lapras with a still Kiara on her back. "YOO-HOO! LAPRAS!" Ginko shouted, calling Lapras over.

"She's fine." Lapras said when she made it over. Kiara stood up shakily and walked across Lapras' back and safely to our floating island. "Haha, afraid of heights." Lapras teased for a second. "Either way.. Kiara risked a concussion, but she's fine. If she is dizzy at any time, send her back to me with this." Lapras held out a tiny blue shard.

I took it. "What's this?" I asked.

"It's a piece of the 6th Time Gear." Lapras said. "The 6th one was in a volcano, but was destroyed by a greedy pokemon many years ago." She grimaced.

"It's shocking how the world held up with it." Ginko said with a emotionless face.

"I agree." Lapras said. "Just take a better look around this wasteland." I did. The jungle was the only green on the hovering island. There were gray chunks of frozen time from here to there, and shards of the island flying free somewhat far away. "I'm getting off track." Lapras said. "That Time Gear shard should send you back to the edge of the jungle."

I nodded. "So we will have to hike to Temporal Tower, I guess." I gestured at the crooked dark bronze tower.

"You will take the Rainbow Stoneship directly to Dialga once you finish your run." Lapras said. "Good luck." I nodded and we went on our way.

I thought this was going to be a boring stroll through the mushy wasteland... but I was wrong. "GINKO!" I screeched. I hugged a thick-ish log and attempted to cross a gap between islands. "I didn't mean it!" I said, trying to reason with her. "You are the best tree-climber, Ginko! Please help mee!"

"She's gone." Kiara smirked from the other side.

"WHAT?!"

"Yep." Kiara confirmed. "She went to scout ahead. Like YOU said you would."

"She can't leave me here..." I chocked out, mistakenly looking down. "Ohhhh g- i mean arceus..."

"Not a chance." I heard Ginko's voice beside me. "Now move your fat butt across." Ginko pushed me to the end of the log. I sprawled on the ground, kissing it. Kiara looked away.

"We're right next to it." Ginko reported after a rather long pause. I got up, smiling probably sheepishly. "We just can't see it because of how thick the jungle is."

"Okay, sounds good." Kiara said. "We should get there by nightfall then?"

"I think you are misunderstanding me." Ginko said, shoving a hanging blanket of vines away. "We're literally right next to it."

"Wow." I breathed. We clambered our way over and into a entrance... a small, dusty gray temple. Inside were portraits of legendary pokemon. I stopped in front of Latios and Latias, staring into their eyes. "Rook." Ginko said. I shook my head and trotted onwards.

Ginko pointed to a ancient picture of Groudon and Kyogre, rotating in a endless loop. "This is what we are going through in our world. The significant crack is Rook!"

"Haha." I said sarcastically. I turned my head and noticed the exit and the now setting sun. "wow." I said quietly, staring at the massive trail of stone steps spiraling upwards. "This is neat!" Kiara said, dangling her front paws over the edge of a railing. I stared over the island, and a odd feeling of dread passed over me.

"Rainbow Stoneship." Kiara said suddenly. "That's a bad name- how unoriginal can you get?"

"Keep in mind that it was made thousands of years ago..." Ginko sighed.

"Ugh. More stairs." I said was we climbed ever so higher. "I'll take a look over this ledge, you keep climbing. I'll catch up." We were near the top anyway, and the sun had just about sunk under the trees and lack of time. I stood and looked over the edge. Long way down. I thought before moving on and running after the crew.

Chapter End

God, Wingedpaws. Bad way to end.

Also, if you are wondering why I named 'Rook' Rook, it's because like in chess.. small people don't pose much of a threat until they persevere and show how powerful they can be. (A rook is a kind of bad chess piece to bet on, but in my games it's the sole reason I won. :3 )

Loljk fooled ya

See you all later! We are getting near the end of the story and I will take suggestions on what to write next.