Dialga focused, a quiet energy radiating outwards from it. "Now, before I do this, I must state a few terms; remember them as best you can, little one:"
"As best you can, avoid contact with others. All contact leaves time travel residue, and thus can destabilise the temporal balance;
Do not interact with your past self at all cost. This may cause a time paradox, and potentially spell disaster;
Do not lose track of your objective. Self-assurance is key. Should you begin to doubt yourself, the temporal energy tying you to this plane will cease to exist, and thus so shall you;
And lastly, you have one shot at this. If you fail, it's game over. There is no give without take. In order to gain, you must present something of equal value as offering. In short; Life to save life, little one."
Sparky gulped down nerves. What else was there to do in a situation like this? There was every chance she could be throwing her life away for nothing. Eyes shimmering, she nodded slowly.
"I-I have to do this," She shivered. "Otherwise Miss Holly will be gone forever…"
Dialga stared down at her. "Do you have any questions?"
"Umm…" Sparky trembled. "T-this won't hurt, will it?"
"You shouldn't experience any pain," Dialga said. "You may experience some mild nausea, however."
Sparky frowned a little. It sort of made sense, she supposed. Travelling on a boat made her feel sick when she wasn't used to that, so travelling in time must've had a similar effect?
"If that is all," Dialga hummed. "Let us begin."
The deity closed its eyes and began concentrating. There was no change at first, but then Sparky slowly felt a prickly, static feeling wash over her, like one of Miss Holly's big woolly sweaters. And suddenly, a burst of energy bowled her over.
Bizarre waves started emanating from Dialga, powerful enough to bend light itself. Sparky's jaw fell as the pillars around them started distorting out of shape, warping into a huge wobbly ring above them. Sparky staggered back to her feet and grabbed onto the nearest stable object; Dialga's leg.
She felt like she was being squashed and compressed one moment, then stretched painfully at every possible angle the next. Through the rainbow coloured wind that seemed to be floating downwards past them, she could just about make out the visions of past goings on. It looked like there was two humans arguing a few metres away at one point, and a backwards battle taking place 'afterwards' with four trainers and at least ten different Pokémon she couldn't recognise. That was shortly followed by the memory of a tall man with blue spiky hair standing directly in front of them. He had one hand to his chin, and another grasping at some weird red necklace.
"If it weren't for these past events…" Dialga announced, its voice cutting through the noisy static like a knife. "Your efforts would have been in vain, child. Consider yourself fortunate."
The urge to chuckle bubbled and died in Sparky's throat. Though it might've been the urge to throw up, given what was happening. It was like she was trapped inside a huge, rainbow jelly after all.
Lucky, she muttered inwardly. Lucky wasn't the word. She'd had someone helping her through pretty much every step of this trip, just so she could inconvenience them some more. Lucky was just the tip of the iceberg…
The pulsing distortion finally began to weaken, and Sparky regathered her strength at last.
"4:41 AM." Dialga said, glancing towards the deep blue glow in the east. "You have twenty-four hours. Make good choices, little one."
The rippling slowed to a stop, and Sparky suddenly found herself stranded on top of a mountain.
"Hey, wait-" she cried, spinning around. But another sharp distortion had her thrown back again, tumbling across the ground.
"Remember the terms…" Dialga rumbled through the distortion, before a brilliant display of rainbow light had the deity disappearing completely.
"Oh, no…!" Sparky gasped, picking herself up and nursing a bruised wing joint. "H-how am I gonna get all the way back home in just a day?!"
Suddenly, the dull pain in her arm twanged, and she felt the bottom fall out of her stomach as it started to turn transparent and fade…
"Wha?!" She shouted. "Nooo, no no no! You can't make me disappear! I'm gonna do this, got it!" She cried up to the heavens above. Dialga said self-assurance, so maybe just shouting at the skies would prove that.
"I-I… I believe in me." She said, her heart pumping furiously. More pain ricocheted through her arm as it dissolved back into solidity once again.
"W-wow, they weren't kidding…" she mumbled. "I guess I'd better get moving…"
Shuffling slowly across awkward ground, Sparky confronted the dawn with as much confidence as she could muster. What other choice did she have? It wasn't like Dialga was just going to teleport her home. They were already doing her too much of a favour…
"What were those terms again…" She asked herself as she scuttled down the mountain paths. "Don't talk to past me, that's obvious. Stay confident; I can do this! Umm…"
Lost in the cloud of her thoughts, Sparky took the paths blindly, paying no heed to what was going on around her. Charging across the same lumpy paths however, a blue haired young man rushed past her, with another man in hot pursuit.
"Get back here, Cyrus!" The dark-haired man yelled. "You cannot evade the International Pol-"
But in his haste, the dark-haired man tripped over poor Sparky, sending both of them crashing to the floor.
"C-curses…" he gasped, clutching at his shin. There was a rush of wind, however, as the blue-haired man zipped past on a purple, bat-like Pokémon.
"Maybe next time, Looker!" He laughed coldly, disappearing beyond the horizon.
"That… is ominous." The one known as Looker grimaced at the horizon.
'Oh no! I've changed something!' Sparky shrieked inwardly. She saw those two humans when Dialga was sending her back. She buried her hands in her face. It had only been a few minutes as well! Could she do anything without messing up?
Meanwhile, Looker was talking into the collar of his trench coat. "I have lost Cyrus, however the Spear Pillar is currently safe. Set up a perimeter around Mt Coronet and all should be fine. Looker out."
Clearing his throat, he looked around and noticed Sparky limping her way down the slope. "…oh dear."
He caught up to her effortlessly. "Little Emolga, what are you doing all the way out here? Are you lost?"
Sparky glanced up at this stranger and frowned. They'd just knocked her over, and now they wanted to take up more time she didn't have? But Miss Holly said she should respond when spoken to, because that was polite.
"Umm…" She craned her neck skywards. Why were humans so tall? It made them so hard to communicate with.
He couldn't understand her, and she couldn't speak human, but there were other ways;
She nodded.
"And your leg… I am the one responsible for that?" Looker frowned at the fresh bruise seething on her leg.
She nodded again. By now he just had to be wasting her time. Her stare hollowed. How much longer was he going to talk?
"You appear troubled, little Emolga." Looker said. "Perhaps I can be of assistance?"
Sparky just rolled her eyes. Did this human actually want to help? Or just take forever to say nothing? Candice was nice, sure, but she was definitely in the minority on that matter. Then again, a response would stop this conversation. That way she could figure out how she was going to get home, with or without this guy's help.
Sparky just nodded for the third time, and made her eyes as big as they could go. Socks was the expert at this, teasing treats out of Miss Holly all the time with her 'supercute stare' as she called it, so maybe…?
"Hm, perhaps," Looker said, offering her a hand to climb onto. "Let's help you, Emolga!"
What harm was one more helper going to do? She'd already broken the rule when Looker tripped over her, so borrowing him for a bit longer wasn't going to hurt. Probably. How he was going to 'help' was a different matter, but at least he didn't have a bad leg.
She balanced carefully on his shoulder as he dug into the depths of his trench coat and extracted a pokeball. Humans still used those?
"Mandy, let us fly!"
His capsule opened with a flash of bright red light, and out of it burst a giant, frail looking bird-like Pokémon. Its eyes narrowed expectantly at Sparky, a menacing glare that pierced right through her.
"Mandy, we are to help this Emolga, okay?" Looker said, carefully climbing aboard it.
"…alright." Mandy sighed. "Where to, snack?"
The sharp, beady eyes looked her up and down hungrily, and suddenly Sparky had never felt more vulnerable.
"Um… please don't eat me?" Sparky squeaked. "I've got a really important thing to do, and I can't do it if I get eaten!"
"Oh? Do tell!"
"M-my trainer! She's going to… d-die if I don't get back to her in time!"
"Die? Ooh, how delightful!"
"Y-yeah… wait, no it isn't! It's not delightful at all! And I need to get back to her!"
"…if you insist," Mandy crowed, spreading its inky black wings. "Where is she?"
"Accya…" Sparky struggled. Why did Miss Holly have to live somewhere so difficult to say?
"Acca-you-muller town?"
"Accumula?"
"Y-yeah, that's the one!"
"All that way?" Mandy's ashen eyebrows rose. "Impressive for such a munchkin."
"-you can make it, right?" Sparky mumbled.
"I'll make no promises," Mandy said. "Master wishes it however, so I can at least try."
"Thank you!" Sparky cried. "Thank you so much!"
"Don't thank me yet," Mandy flapped its huge, ragged wings. "We're a long way away."
The enormous bird lifted itself from the ground, taking Sparky and looker with it. Mandy glared at the rising sun for a few moments, before turning slightly to the right and taking off, scattering feathers with some vicious, energetic flapping.
"It appears as though you are in luck, little Emolga!" Looker said. "Mandy seems to know where you wish to go!"
"…sometimes I wish humans could understand us," Mandy squawked against the wind.
"Me too…" Sparky mumbled, a wistful note creeping into her voice. It would've made so many things so much easier. There was only so much you could do with a smile or a nod. Actual words had so much more power.
Wind whistling against her ears as the three of them soared towards sunrise, Sparky took in the atmosphere. There was a wistful, impatient blue stretching across the horizon and fading into the blackness of dawn, not unlike that of the underworld, she noted.
A sense of finality washed over her.
Many hours passed, and a seemingly endless stretch of sea had opened up underneath them, no doubt testing Mandy's endurance. Punishing sunlight wasn't helping matters, and the exhausted creature seized her first chance in hours; a tiny, desolate spit of land.
"S-sorry appetiser…" It gasped, losing height. "But I need a break!"
"It appears as though we're in for a crash landing!" Looker exclaimed, wrapping an arm around Sparky and bracing for impact. Mandy dug her claws into the sand and ground to a halt, before immediately collapsing under itself in the shadow of a lone Pinap tree.
With Sparky still tucked under his arm, Looker dismounted and took a seat in the shade, stroking Mandy's head. "Stellar work so far, Mandy."
Sparky shook herself free and started pacing about the sand. Her teeth were chattering despite the heat, and her limbs were throbbing.
"It's okay, it's okay…" She muttered to herself. "I-I'm gonna make it, I'm sure."
"Calm down." Both Looker and Mandy said at the same time. They turned to each other, offered identical frowns, and Looker continued alone. "Mandy just needs food, water and rest, okay?"
With that notion, he pulled a fishing rod from seemingly nowhere.
"Perhaps you could rest too?" Looker said, casting his line into the water and wedging it against the tree. "You must be exhausted…"
"I'll sleep when I'm dead!" Sparky cried.
"We're going nowhere kid." Mandy groaned. "Do me a favour and quit pacing about at least."
"I-I can't sleep! Now when Miss Holly's in danger!" Sparky rooted herself to the spot.
"Suit yourself…" The bird grumbled. "But the time'll pass quicker if you take a nap or something."
Sparky felt a whimper ripple through her system. Even when she was supposed to be doing the brave, heroic thing, she was still getting told what to do. Was her entire purpose just to look pathetic and get help from others?
Her melancholy was interrupted by a sudden stirring at the end of Looker's fishing line. Snatching at it before his catch could wriggle away, he coiled the line and reeled in a Magikarp.
"Here we are, Mandy," he grunted, dropping it in front of her. "Lunch."
Mandy hummed hungrily, before catching Sparky's gaze. "…you may want to look away or something, kid."
Sparky just grimaced. She didn't need telling twice. As Looker presented Mandy with a glass of crystal clear water that he'd also stowed away somewhere inexplicable, she hid around the other side of the tree, burying her face in her hands.
"Careful, Sparky!" Miss Holly chastised, her arms full of stuff. "Stay out of the way now, sweetie…"
"But I wanna help!" Sparky jumped up at her. "C'mon, lemme carry the butter or something!"
Jumping about in her excitement, Sparky bounced around at her trainer's legs, ready to snatch at anything she could reach. But in the short walk from the fridge to the kitchen counter, it didn't take long for herto get in the way. Holly stumbled, her ingredients clacked together dangerously, and she could only offer a wide-eyed stare as the Rawst berry jam slipped from her arms.
Her gaze slowly dissolved into a lidded glower when the jar shattered stickily into the floor. Shuffling the rest of the way to the counter, she deposited the butter and milk.
"Looks like that's scones out the window…" Holly rubbed at her knee. "Sparky, are you hurt?"
Sparky just looked up at her trainer, wide-eyed and silent. Miss Holly didn't look mad, just… sad. Both of her hands were on the counter, and she was slowly spinning one ankle around. Sparky just glanced up at her and shook her head slowly.
"That's a relief," She gave a little smile. "Can you go get the dustpan for me? It's in the hallway!"
"Okay!" Sparky grinned, toddling off into the hallway to retrieve it. It was a little plastic bowl with a brush attached to it, perfect for cleaning up small messes, which made sense because they'd just made a small mess.
Holding it like a big hero's sword, she staggered back into the kitchen.
"Here ya go Miss Ho…lly?" Sparky's smile withered. Miss Holly hadn't moved since she left to get the dustpan. The flour and other stuff was still in the cupboards, and she was just stood there, resting against her elbows with her head in her hands.
"Hm?" She sniffled. "O-oh, sorry Sparky! I was just… lost in thought. I'll get this mess cleaned up, and then how about we make some poffins together huh?"
"Yay, I love poffins!" Sparky cried, handing her the dustpan. Miss Holly rubbed her face with her sleeve, and knelt down to scrape up the broken jam jar. She walked slowly over to the waste bin and dumped it.
"Well, the kitchen smells nice at least?" She smiled thinly. "Now, let's make some cookies huh? You can hold the big spoon, Sparky."
"Yayyy!" Sparky practically jumped into her trainer's cradling embrace…
"Okay Mandy, are you ready to get going again?"
Sparky grunted, lifting her head from her arms. What was a fierce midday sun just moments ago had washed out for a calming sunset. The rose tinted sky was peppered with pink and grey clouds, while gentle waves casually lapped at the shore. Sparky glanced around, only to find Looker's trench coat covering her.
"W-what the?!" She gasped, springing back to her feet. "What happened?!"
"You fell asleep, kid." Mandy stretched her wings and gave a couple of test flaps. "You must've needed it, to sleep for that long in this…"
"B-but… but where'd the day go?! It was lunchtime like… a moment ago!" Sparky cried.
"Funny thing about time, kid. It carries on without you." Mandy cackled softly.
"Oh no…!" Sparky's lip trembled. That was a whole day wasted. Miss Holly would've been settling down for the night by now, reading them a bedtime story. It was called The Little Lost Aron, and they only got about halfway through it. An overwhelming grief washed over Sparky. Was Miss Holly lost? Was that what she was trying to tell them? Why she did what she did?
Sparky clenched her fists. No matter what, she had to hear the rest of that story.
"Oh, perfect timing Emolga!" Looker said. "I was just about to wake you up!"
He retrieved his coat and mounted Mandy. "Shall we get going again?"
Sparky pushed her exhausted limbs forward, clambering towards his outstretched hand. "Thanks…" she mumbled.
"Okay, and we are ready Mandy." Looker said, thrusting a commanding arm to his right.
Mandy shook her head slowly and took off to the left, away from the setting sun. "Humans. They never know where they're going, am I right kid?"
"Uh huh…" Sparky nodded. "My trainer gets distracted all the time. Like there was this one time she was at the market looking at all these shiny metal things for like… forever."
"Hmm… any chance she just wanted them?" Mandy said.
"I uh, guess so?" Sparky blinked. "They're just shiny bits of metal though. Why would she even want those?"
"Take it from me, kid. Sometimes we just like things that sparkle. They made us feel pretty." Mandy said. "Humans are no different. This idiot buys three watches a week."
It nodded its head back to Looker, who was currently staring at a brightly coloured glassy thing on his arm.
"Hm," Sparky mused. "Those shiny metal things must've been worth lots of dollars then..."
Mandy just murmured softly, gliding silently through the night skies.
Horizons were reached, surpassed, and replaced soon afterwards, with little islands passing underneath every few minutes, little voids in the moon's reflection.
Mandy seemed perfectly calm on this cold night, cruising through the endless darkness without so much as a fluster.
"You can do it, Mandy." Looker would offer 'encouraging' words every now and again. Maybe he was feeling just as useless, Sparky muttered internally. They were little more than dead weight on this long, ocean-crossing trip;
"I believe in you, Mandy."
"We're almost there, Mandy!"
"Yeah, yeah, shush…" She crowed back at him. "You don't even know where we're going."
"I'm sure he's only trying to make you feel better?" Sparky chipped in.
"Need not, want not." Mandy deadpanned. "My species thrives on dark and depressing things, not the squishy, fluffy… happy ones. The fact that Master is trying to encourage me is only a reminder that I'm doing something good for the sake of another. I'd be a laughing stock among my own…"
"…oh," Sparky deflated. "I-I'm sorry to hear that."
"Don't be. I'm just following my Master's orders and helping out a fellow Pokémon. You'd do the same, no?"
Sparky's spirits dropped further. These last few days were all about Pokémon helping her rather than her helping them. She was too small and useless to be of any help to anyone else.
But then there was that time she knocked out a Bronzong to stop it exploding on Eve… that was definitely helping someone else. And she wasn't too small to do it either. Maybe she wasn't completely helpless after-
"'Sides, I'm in a win-win position here. Either I help you and get rewarded for it by Master, or I get to enjoy a heart-wrenching goodbye!"
"I..." Sparky's response faltered, her eyes welling up at the thought. It was entirely true; she might not make it. And if she didn't, all of this was just a waste of time.
"…you always been this innocent, kid?"
"I-Innocent?" Sparky sniffled, wiping her face. "How'd you mean?"
"Y'know, pure," Mandy crowed. "So overly trusting, so blissful, so… naïve." It shuddered.
"I'm naïve…?" Sparky muttered. After all she'd seen and done on this long journey, she was still naïve? Maybe this big bird was super cynical or something…
"You couldn't be more sweet and innocent if you tried, kid." Mandy cackled. "Readily asking for help from complete strangers? You must be the ruby among the rocks in this awful world…"
"But you guys looked nice…" Sparky sighed. What Mandy said made sense, though...
"It's Miss Holly! She's flying!"
"What kinda things do you guys sell?! I'll be your best customer ever!"
"Best of it? How're we gonna do that, Higgle?! We don't know why we're here, or even where here is! We don't even have a TV!"
"Maybe she needs a reality check!"
"You're right." Sparky deadpanned, her face falling. "...I honestly thought I'd changed. Thought I'd maybe gotten better at these things, cause I've seen a lot of nasty stuff these past few days. But I haven't changed at all. I'm still stupid and naïve, asking random people for help because I don't know any better…!"
"Hey now, this world might be a nasty place, but there's no shame in asking for help if you need it, you hear me kid?"
"Uh huh?" Sparky sniffled. Talk about mixed messages. Was asking for help good or not?
"The trick is, to always be yourself. You'll open new paths, and make new friends, if you just show them the real you." Mandy said
"…just like Miss Holly said." Sparky blinked away tears.
"Miss Holly?" Mandy grunted.
"O-oh, she w-is my trainer." Sparky said.
"Hm. Likes shiny things, blunt and honest… my kinda trainer." Mandy laughed. "So uh, what time were you hoping to get home, kid?"
"4:41," Sparky said. "W-why?"
"Hah. How oddly specific," Mandy remarked. "Well you're in luck. Take a look northeast."
"…at what?" Sparky squeaked. "I can't see anything?"
"That's because you're looking west."
"...oh. I-I still can't see anything though?"
"Huh?" Mandy cawed. "Ohh, right, your eyes aren't as sharp. Give it a few minutes then."
"A few minutes for what?"
"Land, kid. You're almost home."
Sparky frowned. This had to be a joke. She couldn't see anything in any direction. It was like that time she fell in the fireplace. But then she looked again. The outer limits of her vision revealed a distant glow. It wasn't in the sky, though.
It was the light of buildings. Of cars. Of streetlamps. Against the darkened silhouette of land. They were almost there!
"O-oh wow, it's home!" Sparky cried. "Oh, you're amazing! You're wonderful! Thanks so much!"
"I wouldn't celebrate yet, kid." Mandy stated. "That land's a good twenty, maybe thirty minutes away."
"Thirty minutes!?" Sparky shrieked. "W-what time is it?!"
"…almost four," Mandy said. "Hey listen, kid. If I'm too late, I just wanna let you know in advance… I'm sorry."
"W-what happened to the win-win situation?" Sparky gasped. "Won't you be happy either way?"
"You're right, I should be," Mandy sighed. "And any other time, I probably would be. But you've kinda grown on me kid."
"I-I have?"
"Yeah, I won't lie. You, an innocent little Emolga, afraid of everything, you find it in your naïve little heart to trust one of the most hated Pokémon."
"Hated?"
"Uh huh. You see, we Mandibuzz are generally feared because we are said to only approach those soon to die."
"Die?!"
"Yet you straight up asked me for help. That was either the dumbest or bravest thing I've ever seen, but dammit, maybe this time I'd like the happy ending for once."
"Then let's end happy!" Sparky encouraged. "We're almost there!"
"Roger that," Mandy started losing height. "Let's save your trainer, kid."
The dawn began threatening the horizon as Mandy clumsily descended upon a small field in Accumula Town. The moment two shaky legs touched grass however, she collapsed beneath her own weight and fell to the floor, heaving.
"There… you go." She gasped. "Now go save… your trainer… kid!"
"Thank you sooo much!" Sparky exclaimed, dismounting Mandy and practically gliding across the field towards her home. "I'll remember you al-wah?!"
She glanced back at Mandy, only to find her and Looker surrounded by a shoal of Frillish.
Floating ominously in the murky dawn, the eerie pink and blue mounts of tentacles had them surrounded.
"Ohhh, no no no!" Sparky cried. She didn't have time for this! Any minute now Miss Holly was going to die, but now Mandy was in trouble too!
"L-leave her alone!" She shouted, rushing back and charging into the nearest Frillish with a Spark attack. "Don't you hurt my friend!"
The Frillish was knocked down, opening up a small gap in the circle, but its cohorts turned to face Sparky, staring her down with their empty eyes…
"What're you doing?!" Mandy choked. "Go, now!"
"I can't leave you here!" Sparky objected. "They'll kill you!"
"I'll be fine!" Mandy hacked. "But your trainer won't if you don't move! Now!"
But then there was another flash of crimson light.
"Kevin! Fight them off with your Sucker Punch!"
A bright purple Pokémon with large red blobs along its body emerged from nowhere, striking the Frillish in the small of the back, one by one. The shoal quivered and wobbled before slowly backing away again, dissolving into the depths of the lake behind them.
"Now go!" Mandy ordered. "There's no time, kid!"
"O-o-okay!" Sparky cried, spinning back around. "Thank youuuuu!"
She scrambled across grassy knolls and cobbled roads, dodging around parked cars and swiping for the open window on the bottom floor. Scrabbling desperately, she clutched at the windowsill and pulled herself up, squeezing through the gap.
"C'mon c'mon…" She puffed, tumbling through the other side and mountaineering the stairs in record time. Lungs ready to explode, she burst into the bathroom and looked around.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Oh no!" She gasped. History was repeating itself.
In front of her, Miss Holly was floating above the bathtub. Suspended by only a rope, she hung limp, and Sparky fell to her knees in front of her.
"I was so close…!" She muttered, tears falling to the floor. Why didn't she just go? Leave Mandy alone like she was told. Maybe she was doing the right thing, helping someone who needed it? But now she was just going to have to relive the nightmare. Again…
"Life… to save life." She sniffled. Forcing herself back to her feet, she dared to look up. "I'm so sorry, Miss Holly. I failed you twice…"
The rope creaked, and Sparky winced at the noise. But then Miss Holly moved.
It was only a little movement, a twitch of the leg. But dead people couldn't move, could they?
"Huh?" Sparky gasped. "Miss Holly! You're still alive?!"
She scrabbled up onto the rim of the bathtub, and tried with all her might to lift her trainer out of her situation. "…dammit, she's too heavy! I can't… do it!"
Sparky hopped about on the spot. Miss Holly was still alive, but stuck like this. What could she, a tiny little Emolga do to save her?
There was only one answer. She needed help. Sparky dashed out of the bathroom and down the hall, where she burst into the bedroom and confronted three sleeping Pokémon; Socks, Sir Higglesworth, and herself…
Her other self looked so peaceful. If only she knew…
"C'mon Higgle, wake up!" She hollered, grabbing his arm and shaking it. "There's no time…!"
A drowsy Higgle slowly opened his eyes. "…what is it, Sparky?"
"It's Miss Holly! Quick quick!" Sparky cried. "She's in the bathroom, and she's gonna die!"
"…die?" Higgle mumbled. "How do you know?"
"I don't have time to explain!" Sparky raked her paws down her face. "Just come with me, quick!"
Higgle just groaned and turned away from her. He had to pick now to not believe her?! All of the dumb pranks she'd played over the years and it was this one he didn't believe?
Maybe she shouldn't have pulled all those pranks. Then they wouldn't be in this situation in the first place...
Sparky fell to her knees. Why was everything going against her? When she needed it the most?
But another voice came to her aid.
"Who're… you talking to, Higgle?" Sparky's past self mumbled, stretching. "It's still early. Go back to sleep, okay?"
"Oh, Sparky…" Higgle moaned. "I was talking to… you!?"
The Kadabra bolted upright. For there was not one Sparky, but two. One snuggling next to him in the beanbag, and the other standing in front of him in the darkness, a look of complete and utter desperation shining in her eyes.
"Higgle...!" She sobbed.
"W-what on earth?!" Higgle sputtered, jumping forwards. "What is going on here?!"
"No time to explain!" Sparky cried, "Come quick!"
She dashed off back into the bathroom, and Higgle was given little choice but to follow.
"I-I must be seeing double…" He muttered to no one. "There is no way that there can be two of Sparky. That is just-"
But he followed Sparky into the bathroom, and once again he saw.
"Lady Holly!" He exclaimed, running over to her. "Oh dear, what have you done?!"
"It's not too late!" Sparky said. "Float on there and lift her up!"
"B-but I lack physical strength! Higgle shouted. "There is no way that I can-"
"Please, just do it Higgle!" Sparky cried. "You've got to try!"
"A-alright," Higgle muttered. Closing his eyes and concentrating, he gently floated upwards and grabbed at her underarms. Her body didn't move, but there was just enough strength to dislodge her head.
And she fell…
With a limp thud, Holly tumbled into the bathtub, and both of them just stared.
"C'mon c'mon…" Sparky cried, shaking her. "W-what do I do?! She's supposed to wake up now, right?"
But her trainer just laid there, lifeless. Meanwhile agonising seconds ticked by.
"What… what am I supposed to do?" The little Emolga mumbled, poking her trainer in the cheek. That always worked.
It didn't.
Poking her in the shoulder did nothing, too.
And more seconds just slipped by. Without her.
"Please Miss Holly! It's time for you to stop flying now!" Sparky pleaded. Another shake had her discharging electricity from her paws, and the static was sent coursing through Miss Holly with a jolt.
The single jolt charged through her, stimulating joints once again, forcing heart muscles to contract just one more time. Blood pumped through her system, just once more. Her diaphragm was forced downwards by the rush of blood, and…
"Hagh?!" Holly spluttered, coughing, hacking, and waking up!
"Oh gosh, yes!" Sparky squeaked. "I-I did it! I actually did it!"
She brought her hands to her mouth, but the feeling wasn't there.
Slowly, the little Emolga's limbs started to fade, starting off as a gentle transparency and feeding along her body.
Now it was her turn.
"Take care of Miss Holly, okay Higgle?" She said, her voice echoing and eyes glittering, as Miss Holly's eyes fluttered open. "I… I've gotta go now."
"But wait, Sparky!" Higgle cried. "What in the world is-"
Socks and the other Sparky ambled into the room, wide-eyed and concerned.
"Higgle!" Her past self cried. "What's-"
And just for a moment, she saw. It looked like a drowsy illusion at first, but then realisation hit. "…oh."
Fading softly into the background, future Sparky waved cheerfully to her counterpart.
"…heh." She smiled, tears sparkling in shiny eyes. With a sniffle, a brave little Emolga faded away into the dawn.
"What… just happened, Higgle?" Socks yawned.
"I am not quite sure," Higgle frowned, staring at the spot where an Emolga stood just moments ago. "But I think we have you to thank, Sparky."
"M-me?!" past Sparky squeaked. "What did I-"
But her confusion was interrupted by a new voice;
"…guys? What… are you doing here?"
The three Pokémon spun around to see none other than Holly. She looked more tired than ever, and the purple bruise around her neck looked nasty.
But she was awake.
"Lady Holly!" Higgle cried, jumping into the bath and hugging her. "Ohh, we are so glad that you are safe!"
He was quickly joined by the other two, gladly hugging into her.
"…you were all worried about me?" Holly mumbled.
Three Pokémon simply beamed smiles back at their trainer.
"Oh gosh…" she mumbled, tears bubbling in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, guys. I was about to be really selfish. But seeing you three made me realise. If you hadn't stopped me, what would've happened to you all?"
She stroked each of them on the head in turn – Sir Higglesworth first, followed by Socks, and then Sparky – and cleared her throat. "I-I'll get through this. With you guys by my side to help me, I'm sure I will. Because we're a family, and family sticks together, right?"
And a happy family indulged in a group hug, thanks to one heroic Emolga…
…plus a friend or two.
"Well done, kid." Mandy cackled. She and Looker gently took off from the ground, and flew off into the distance...
Meanwhile…
"That's another one for me." Giratina laughed, scratching another notch into one of the shrine's many pillars. "Your choice this time, Dialga."
Dialga sighed fondly. "You chose well, but I'll win next. I'm sure our target is waiting in the wings…"