PMD: Warped Skies Arc 1 - Treasured Times Chapter 24: We're Going 'Round the Twist, a pokémon fanfic

I'm sure you are ALL just dying to know what happened at that huge climactic cliff-hanger? You know. The one where Rai misses the portal.

The future can wait, for now we're heading back to Treasure Town! Because that was a situation and a half.

Rai was pawing at the ground, eyes wide but blank in shock as he tore up dirt and grass. As if he could dig his way to the future.

Striker's mouth had fallen open and he stared blankly at where the portal had come and gone. He wasn't moving and did not appear to be breathing either.

The sounds of pokemon approaching reached both of them but neither responded, neither was in the state of mind to process other people let alone what had just happened.

"No."

It was not Rai who spoke first, but Striker.

"No," Striker murmured again, shaking his head in a jittery fashion. "No, no, no."

Rai's ears pricked and suddenly he screamed, a discharge of lightning blasting in every direction like a storm cloud's eruption. He spun to Striker, incandescent fury flashing through his body like golden ichor.

The air burned into ozone as Raigeki took a step forward, grass withering under the voltage crackling through his body.

Striker did not respond. He continued to mutter. "No, no, no." Over and over again.

Rai was a hairsbreadth from attacking before Striker staggered, falling to his knees and wailing, "SEAN!"

That howl of despair, of grief so whole and true, struck Rai harder than any Leaf Blade ever could. He staggered as well, mind flashing to the Sean he knew as well.

His shiny koban, half-smile of an expression that knew more than he told but glimmered with kindness and hope and belief in Rai himself.

Rai's vision blurred and he slumped as Striker grabbed his head, screaming Sean's name again. Screaming it over and over and over again.

As pokemon attracted by Trill's cries and the flashes of battle circled, unsure of whether to come any closer. Not towards Grovyle the Thief and yet also not towards Raigeki. No one approached him as he pressed his head painfully into the ground, clawing at the grass with choked sobs breaking through from his chest.

It wasn't until the guild finally arrived. A flash of pink and white at the head as Guildmaster Wigglytuff raced onto the scene.

"Shinx!" Wigglytuff called, racing into the ozone-stinking battlefield. He almost scooped the shinx up to hug him.

Yet, he did not. Wigglytuff appraised the situation as he could see it between steps.

Charred ground and grass, the stink of smoke and ozone, gouges in the ground, several trees. Ichor and blood splashed in a few places. Signs of a massive battle, one that involved far more than those who were in sight.

He moved up to Rai and softly picked him up. Rai shocked him on reflex but Rhythm didn't even twitch, he was humming and hugging him, a soothing magical song that slowly weakened his squirms until he fell into an enforced slumber.

Rhythm set him in Chimecho's care, waving off her concerns as Rai had scratched him up pretty badly. He walked across the battlefield, to where Striker had stopped moving again.

Stopped making sounds.

He was as rigid as a statue but trembling slightly because of it. He had cut himself with his claws pretty badly, leaving his contenounce fearsome, blood dripping down his face and neck.

As Rhythm stepped too close, Striker raised his Leaf Blade to the Guildmaster. The entire town hushed, many pokemon taking steps back. Striker's eyes were blank yet focused, staring down Rhythm with the gaze of someone with nothing left.

And so, Rhythm stopped.

They stared at each other for a very long time.

"Can you explain what happened?" Rhythm asked calmly. Striker's eyes twitched. "Where did everyone go?"

"..."

"Please."

"To the future," Striker spat, all but confirming the townsfolk's belief in Dusknoir's words. "He took Sean and Scout. As well as the litleo."

"And Chatot," Rhythm surmised. Striker gave a stiff nod.

Rhythm's expression softened into a painful look of grief. Where Striker had cracked and thrashed and screamed as years of fear and tension had come together with Striker's worst nightmare coming true, Rhythm's gaze shifted in a different way.

The expression of someone who had experienced the worst moment of their life and was reliving it again with the only person they had left.

His belly heaved slightly as tears filled his eyes but unlike Striker he held himself together.

"Surrender," Rhythm urged. "And explain all that you did not before."

Striker's jaw tensed, his Leaf Blade still raised and glimmering like a disc of death. His hand clenched as well, his body tensing.

"Please."

That word drifted out into the dangerous silence left by the holding of breaths on the knife's edge.

Energy dripped from Striker's blade, fostering grass where it fell. His body as rigid as metal, as sharp as a blade. The scarred body of a mon who had lived through times of chaos, where nowhere was safe and few could be trusted.

"Grovyle." Rai had come to and was out of Chimecho's grip. He came back onto the battlefield, as bold as anyone.

Well, that was not true. No one else dared to step onto the charred grass, no one besides the Guildmaster. Rai stepped forwards again, bold as Rhythm, with no Scout or Mane to back him up this time.

Rai walked until he was only just further back than Rhythm, he sat on his haunches and looked up at Striker. At the blade that had nearly ended his life, raised to strike down the Guildmaster.

His eyes were narrowed, red and puffy with the remnants of tears, narrowed with the anguish of losing everyone he cared about. Again.

They stared at each other then. More silence, more time that grew too much for some pokemon who found themselves just running away. Though not too far.

Rai had heard Striker scream.

"Do you really care about him?" Rai asked, the words coming freely. "That sound you made… how can someone like you make that kind of sound?"

Striker's expression twisted into a snarl. "It is you. You. You are the expression of the pokemon of the past. So content in your own safety that you resist any reason to change it. You don't know what the future is like. And it's your actions that will lead to it."

Rai was unmoved by the vitriol spat in his face. "Then convince me," he said.

Striker actually blinked, his furious disgust shivering across his face. "...what?"

"If I'm the 'expression' of everyone that won't believe you, then talk. I'll listen." He swallowed, his expression darkening for a moment. "But don't think it's for you. It's not. You would have killed me. Whoever you are, pokemon of the future seem to care nothing for our lives and will do anything to get your way. But talk. Talk. Talk because Meowth said you were right, and even if he's not told me the truth all the time, I trust him."

Striker's eyes flicked to Rhythm who nodded.

He did not lower his blade, but he did begin to speak, "The future is a world already dead. It is frozen, time collapsed, its ruler went mad and trapped many of the other legends in time. Even its counterpart, and so space is also in chaos because it can no longer maintain it. Time broke so greatly that it can not be fixed in the past, for the place to fix it has been destroyed."

His head tilted slightly. "There was only one option left. The past. Fix time where it could still be fixed. To do that, the gears of the tower had to be retrieved and brought to it."

"The Time Gears," Rhythm said softly.

"Yes. Even though it would temporarily cause time to further decay in their areas, once returned to the tower all would be repaired and everything would return to normal."

Murmurs broke out and soon pokemon were booing Striker. He did not react so much as a twitch to the sounds, for it was all that he expected.

Rhythm nodded once. "Can you prove it?"

Striker shook his head. "No. And we knew we couldn't. Thus, we had to steal them. Do it fast, do it quick, get to the tower. We only get one shot, our patron cannot send anyone else."

Rai turned his head, hearing the calls for Striker to be taken down, as a liar, as a thief.

He turned to Rhythm. "Meowth said pretty much the same," he said. "Litleo and I, we were asked by Riolu who's the real human to help break out Meowth. We agreed and distracted Dusknoir, but he broke out Grovyle as well. So, we chased after them. We tried to stop them but then Dusknoir showed up and…."

Everything had happened so fast, Rai could barely organise it in his head.

"Well, another fight broke out, Chatot showed up, Meowth said Grovyle and Riolu were telling the truth and Dusknoir decided to take everyone to the future. So, again everyone fought and Dusknoir chucked people threw a portal thingy he made."

"Dimensional Hole," Striker corrected.

"...whatever, eventually though he began pulling Meowth and Chatot to the future. Litleo and I tried to catch him, but only Litleo made it. He knocked them into the… Dimensional Hole and we're the only two left."

"Do you believe him?" Rhythm asked quietly, so that Rai didn't have to say one way or the other in front of Treasure Town.

Yet, Rai held his head up and spoke loudly, "I believe Meowth," he said, voice carrying. He turned, eyes twitching and glimmering with both electricity and fresh tears. "What are you people doing? Saying these things. Didn't you hear him scream? Didn't you hear us both? Is he right? Is Grovyle right about us? If you're so sure what has to be done, then step into this circle and do it yourself!"

No one stepped forwards.

Rhythm smiled proudly at Rai, but Rai just seemed to slump after his words, his vigour fading from him like a punctured balloon.

Striker was staring at Rai, very complex emotions crossing his face. Slowly, his blade vanished and he lowered his arm.

Rhythm turned to Striker as Team Magnezone finally arrived on scene.

"BZZT! Make way, make way! BZZT!" Magnezone ordered, pokemon separating to let them through. They floated over the battlefield without hesitation.

"BZZT! Grovyle the Thief, you are hereby under arrest, again. BZZT!"

Rhythm raised a paw as Striker frowned, halting their movement. He offered a rare Guildmaster Wigglytuff Frown at them which froze Magnemite and Magneton in their tracks.

"Grovyle, belief is all well and good. But right or not, the world is clearly at stake. I will need to conduct a test myself and smooth things out. I ask you, a beg you, please surrender. We will not allow Dusknoir to take you, nor will you be treated poorly."

Striker faced Rhythm with a stony expression. "No one stopped him from taking Sean and Scout. Nor Chatot and Litleo."

Rhythm's expression cracked again and he needed to take a breath, tears falling again like he had been punched in the chest.

"I know," he whispered. "I know. And so we must do better. I know you don't trust us. And for clear reasons as well. But. If I am to trust you, I need trust in return. One last time. Please?"

Striker's eyes seemed to dim and, like Rai, all the air seemed to fizzle out of him. He essentially fainted, wobbling a moment before falling into Rhythm's arms.

Rhythm held him a moment, testing his pulse before lifting him up. He turned to Team Magnezone. "Officer Magnezone, lead the way."

Magnezone studied Rhythm a moment before nodding. Magnemite and Magneton swooped down and pulled Rai up in an electric cage and more than a few people shouted in anger at that action.

"BZZT! He is culpable in the escape. BZZT!" Magnezone said.

"Officer Magnezone," Wigglytuff begun pleasantly; two eyes meeting Magnezone's one. "Shinx has had a terrible few days. This can be overlooked this one time, please."

Magnezone hesitated. Everything Wigglytuff said was pleasant yet they found themselves profoundly terrified.

Despite that.

"ZZZT! I am afraid I cannot allow that. ZZZT!" Magnezone shook in place rapidly in an attempt of a head shake, or perhaps because Wigglytuff began to frown. ""BZZT! The laws are clear, none may break them. Not even ourselves, especially not ourselves. BZZT!"

Rhythm nodded and whispered a quick order to Chimecho, the next most important member of the guild, before heading off to Team Magnezone's base.

They would not be placed in the same cell.

Perhaps as a show of compassion, or even as a form of punishment, Rai found himself placed in Scout's cell. It was a comfort because he could smell him. But also a torment because he couldn't escape his thoughts, escape the knowledge that his Sean had been left terrified and alone in this room while Rai did nothing but chase a ghost and yell at magnemite.

He couldn't sleep, so he took up his Sean's favourite thing to do and began to pace, trying to work the nervous energy out of his muscles.

It helped in one way, he began to exhaust himself physically. However, he could not stop thinking, and in frustration, he unsheathed his claws, copied his Sean's coping method, and began to scratch at the stones surrounding them.

He scratched and scratched until he found himself losing track of time, his mind finally began to relax, and he followed the many patterns his Sean had created, following them along and picturing images and stories to them all.

He followed them to the bars, to the straw, to the corners. And Rai began to grow tired.

He found himself plodding along and yawned. He pulled himself to the bed but couldn't get comfortable. One way, or another, even with the comforting smell of his Sean that reminded him of nights in the guild, his mind stubbornly refused to sleep.

Rai still had no answers for the enigma that was Dusknoir. Despite yelling at him to cover for Sean's traitorous break-out, Dusknoir had given no answers. He had simply floated there, and ignored them both.

Both.

Even Mane was gone now.

Rai snorted into the straw. He remembered Mane coming to him and Sean, Scout he reminded himself, to try and scare Scout off for some insane reason. In a twisted way, they really did leave him. Just as Mane claimed everyone would.

He had apologised for that, and Rai would much prefer having him with him now than lost to times yet-to-be, but it was funny in that bitter way.

Rai turned again and began batting at the wall, brushing the straw away as he did so. There was no escape from his thoughts, but at least he could stew in his misery without anyone trying to buoy his spirits. That'd be frustrating at this point.

As he went he found that Scout had clawed even behind these, but the straw had hidden it. He continued batting at it in a mixture of sadness and apathy, before a shape began to form.

Rai frowned and began brushing the straw away faster.

He uncovered what appeared to be a scribble of sorts. It would have been unremarkable, except all of Scout's other scratches had been chaotic. This one seemed deliberate, and it had been covered up. Coincidence? Rai wasn't so sure on that one.

He rolled onto his belly and stood up to get closer and take a clearer look at it. It wasn't dark in the cell, but the light didn't shine on this wall.

It was a triangle with a part seemingly bitten out of it and placed on the top, in the bitten-out portion there were spikes.

It almost looked like…

Rai's eyes went wide as his heart did a flip.

Sharpedo Bluff. Scout had scratched a, very poor but still recognisable, drawing of Rai's home. "Why would he…?" he whispered before glancing behind him. He was completely alone here. Rai covered the scratch up and laid back down on the bed.

His mind was sill cluttered, but he now had something that wasn't terrible to fixate on. Sharpedo Bluff. Rai had to go to Sharpedo Bluff.

"Are we there yet?" Electrike whined.

"Statement: No."

"Why?"

"You asked that," Beheeyem growled, headache pounding, "I think… thirty-two seconds ago. The answer yet remains that we are over an hour away from even hoping to land in Treasure Town."

Electrike huffed, rather dissatisfied with that answer. "Well why can't we go quicker?" he grumbled, giving a reproachful look to the two Psychic-types. "If YOU two weren't so slow."

"Inquisitive: If we weren't so slow… what would we be?"

"Faster!"

"Statement: That is obvious."

"Well, why did you have to ask then?"

Beldum's eye swivelled away from Electrike and he grinned in victory.

"Play nice, children," Beheeyem sighed, trying to rub the headache away.

"Statement: Volt is the oldest of the three of us." Beldum's eye continued rotating as Beheeyem spluttered furiously at them. "Addendum: You are the youngest of the three of us."

"And you both nominated me as your leader," Beheeyem pointed out. "AND the two of you are both far too immature to even hope to function on your own without a guardian. Ergo, you are children."

Beldum was silent for a moment, weighing Beheeyem's words. Beheeyem took that as a respite, he knew it wouldn't last long.

"Inquisitive: If we are children, are you our parent?"

"Daddy?" Electrike added and Beheeyem was sure he was on the cusp of an aneurysm.

"Shut up, Cobalt," he demanded, ignoring Electrike.

"Inquisitive: Are you using my name as a form of discipline?" Beldum asked, curiously. "Example: A parent declaring their child's name in a fit of frustration to stun the child into listening to them. Inquisitive: Is this your view? Do you see me as your child?"

"Daddy?"

"What did I ever do to deserve this?" Beheeyem groaned, finding the erratic display of waving his arms to be stress relieving. "I'm sorry our search in Solemn Valley was pointless but that is NO excuse to be treating me like this!"

There was silence for a moment before Electrike decided to add his two cents. "Sorry, I was just trying to lighten the mood."

Beheeyem managed the tiniest smile towards Electrike, Beldum decided to continue being a little shit though.

"Statement: My inquiry was frank and honest. Inquisitive: Do you see me as your child?"

Beheeyem turned a truly flat glare onto Beldum, who was unaffected as always. "Enough talking you fistless sack of sassy sauce!"

Electrike snorted as Beldum's eye bore into Beheeyem with immense judgement. "Defiant Statement: There is no such sauce product."

Beheeyem felt a little more of his sanity be surrendered to the void and wondered if he could deafen himself to acquire some sliver of peace.

All the while they continued making their way to Treasure Town. Partially destroyed, still a little on fire, chaos reigning in the ashes of what remained.

Standard fair of Treasure Town, really.

Rai followed his nose.

He wasn't sure why, but by pressing his nose down closer to the ground he looked extra busy and no one intervened to try and console or judge him.

Treasure Town was recovering from the previous day. Not only from the loss of Chatot and the possible betrayal of Dusknoir but from Rai's own words. No one had expected the cheerful shinx who many saw as their own little brother or nephew to lash out like that.

Rai wasn't sure if he had ever felt so angry as he had that night. From lingering frustration with his Sean and Mane, to Riolu manipulating them to help, to the chaos of the fight to the apathy of the town afterwards.

He also couldn't help but note that many pokemon were sympathising with Wigglytuff, but no one had so much as mentioned Mane and only a few had spoken of his Sean.

Rai wondered if Wigglytuff was feeling something similar. He and Chatot were very close, very close. There were rumours. Although there were rumours about everything ranging from Mane having a crush on him, to Sunflora and Chimecho being together, all the way to the entire guild acting as Dusknoir's consorts during his time here.

Rai paid them no mind and continued on. He did manage a smile to Kangaskhan, she had not been in the crowd last night.

All the while he felt the eyes. He felt the whispers as he passed by. He felt the mixture of pity and concern but he did his best to ignore it.

In the tightness of Electivire's smile, Rai knew he was so sorry that he'd been led astray by the wicked Meowth.

In the knowing look Purple Kecleon gave him, he knew that he was confident that he had been right about the cloying influence of Mane.

In the eyes of Treasure Town, Rai knew they were pitying him for being used to further the goals of wicked pokémon. He hated it. Hated how they were so sure of themselves, of everything. Had his and Grovyle's words meant nothing? So easily brushed off as the lashing out of someone manipulated and the silken words of the enemy?

He wasn't so sure he believed Grovyle, or at least he didn't agree with the way the Grass-type conducted himself. If this was true, he should have said something! Rai would have listened!

Would he have…?

He tried to shake the thoughts out, but he couldn't help but wonder. He idolised The Great Dusknoir. Was he too just someone comfortable with the way the world was? It had taken him so long to join the guild, Mane had kind of said something similar about him in a way.

Was it only because he'd seen the look in Dusknoir's face? Seen his dear Meowth so afraid of him?

Rai stepped out of Treasure Town and felt the sea breeze blow into his fur. He smiled more genuinely, letting the wind blow the negativity away, and closed his eyes with a deep breath. This was home, this was the place he had lived for years. Ever since Ara had convinced several residents to dig out the cliff for the two orphans to live in.

The guild was lovely, the guild was home too. But only with Sean. "Scout." Rai reminded himself, shaking his head. That was still too weird to think of and he wasn't entirely convinced without asking the meowth himself.

A dull throb echoed in Rai's chest as he thought of him again and his smile slipped off his face, the wind stole it away with the comfort of home.

He set his jaw and quickened his step. There was no time to be standing around thinking about things, now was the time for action.

As Rai approached the jutting stone that appeared like a sharpedo's fin, he noticed he was not alone.

"Dugtrio?" Rai called in surprise, the Ground-type turned in equal surprise.

"Young Shinx?" Dugtrio replied, three mouths speaking in perfect chorus. It was always a little trippy to talk to Dugtrio, with three heads, three sets of eyes, and three mouths. He was never sure which one to focus on, although the middle head seemed appropriate enough. "What is it that draws you to us? Is it the sea?"

Rai smiled slightly, even after the events of yesterday, Dugtrio was still his weird old self. "No," he answered, shaking his head. "I'm actually going into my house to look around."

Wigglytuff had bailed him out this morning as promised, but Rai didn't stick around to go back to the guild. He headed straight here and hadn't thought to tell Wigglytuff exactly what he was going to do, although the Fairy-type seemed to have an inkling that Rai had regained some sort of drive.

"To look around?" Dugtrio repeated. "What is it that Young Shinx wishes to search for?"

"Well," Rai said as he trotted to the covered entrance. He removed the living blanket of grass to open the pathway into his house. "I found something in Sean's cell last night. It's led me here." He paused at the entranceway with a paw raised, hesitating.

Now that he had said it, Rai felt a wave of doubt crash over him. Not unlike the waves hitting the cliff far below. Dugtrio stared at him in concern, the shinx had just stopped moving completely.

"Young Shinx?" he asked gently. Rai blinked and swallowed, lowering his paw back down.

"I," he said, unable to continue. What if he was reading into it too much? What if the image was purely a coincidence? What if it wasn't, but there was still nothing here? Even if there was, how did he know it would mean anything?

Dugtrio seemed to pick up on his inner turmoil and he burrowed up closer to Rai. "Whatever you think may be down there, you have to find out for sure," he said wisely, Rai swallowing again and turning to look at him. "If you don't go, you'll never know. If you never know, you will always wonder."

Rai swallowed once more before managing a smile. "That's wise. Have experience there?"

Dugtrio bobbed in place, suddenly flustered. "We will move at our own pace," he defended, Rai blinking at the sudden change in personality. Dugtrio stopped bobbing in place and glanced out at the cliff, or most likely beyond it. To the distant sea, the blue waves rose and fell, crashing and bubbling, in endless motion.

Rai sensed that he'd lost Dugtrio's attention to the sea and turned back to the tunnel to his own home. It had never felt so foreboding to step into it. "I'm going to do it," he said, mostly to himself as Dugtrio was no longer aware of his existence.

A glance at Dugtrio confirmed that the Ground-type was enraptured by the sea again and Rai chuckled slightly before stepping forward.

Everything may have felt like it had changed, but Dugtrio was still the same as he always was. Rai never suspected that'd be comforting; this was not the first time he had caught Dugtrio above his home, staring out into the ocean.

Sharpedo Bluff was quiet. The sounds of the sea were still there, but the mouth of the cove always somehow drowned most of it out. It was there to lull him to sleep, otherwise quiet.

Rai glanced around. Scraps of straw of beds long since lost to the winds. He could still see the scratch marks Ara had made on the floor in a stubborn fit, decreeing one side to be hers and the other side to be his.

She had the bigger side of course.

In the corner was where he had slept the first two weeks they were here, Ara huddled up with him and almost pressing him further into the wall. She always protected him, even then when they were both terrified of some monster coming into their new home to finish them off, she protected his sleeping body with her own.

In the mouth of the cove was the one broken 'tooth' of the sharpedo, broken when Ara finally perfected Iron Tail and smashed it to pieces.

It was their home. And then his, just his, when she left.

Rai shook his head, it would do no good to be buried in old memories. He walked forward to the water hole and took a drink before looking around.

There were really not many places that anything could really be hiding something. No marks on the floor to imply something buried, or on the walls. Rai looked up at the roof just in case his partner decided to be even more paranoid than he usually was.

In the end, the message wasn't well hidden. Rai decided that was probably for the best, if it was too well hidden he may have given up to his own fears and decided that he really was overthinking things.

Pulling the piece of thick parchment out wasn't fun with paws and teeth, he ended up managing to hook it with a claw.

His heart pounded as he unfolded and smoothed out the message Scout had left him. Then, he frowned.

"What… is this?" he muttered, peering closer and farther. The characters were not footprint runes. No, instead they held a vague similarity to unown script, but Rai had no idea how Scout could possibly know that.

"There's a lot I don't actually know about him," he thought to himself and frowned. He couldn't read unown script, not many could. Unable to help himself, those little old doubts wormed their way into his brain.

He trusted Scout, he was so very important to him. And yet… he wasn't blind to the fact that the meowth knew things he wasn't sharing. Events stuck out in his head that he allowed to get brushed off, but had never entirely left his head. He truly wished he'd get a chance to speak to him about it all.

He resolved to himself that he would. Future or not, if pokemon could get to and from the future then so could they!

He refolded the letter and picked it up in his mouth. It hopefully wouldn't smudge before he could get it to the guild.

He may not be able to read it. But he had an inkling of someone who could.

"Rai, I hope I never have to give you this." Wigglytuff read, frowning hard. Rai had given him the note and quickly explained what he had found, Wigglytuff brought him into his bedroom to read it in privacy.

Rai had never been in Wigglytuff's bedroom, part of him wasn't sure if Wigglytuff even had one or if he just existed sometimes and didn't exist other times. In looking around he was surprised at how bare it was. Just a bed and a window with an actual curtain. Not the opulence he had thought before, yet strangely he wasn't overly surprised now that he knew the Guildmaster a little better.

"But if uu are r-reading this," Wigglytuff read on with some difficultly, stumbling over the occasional word, "know that I'm sorry for… just ever-ev-everything. Trust Grovyle and find the Relic Flagment. You have to find it."

Wigglytuff had paused on the mention of Grovyle and Rai frowned too. They exchanged a glance and Wigglytuff read on, squinting as he deciphered the particularly sloppy unown script as best he could. "If you are reading this, I'm going to ass-ume everything has gone to hell in a hensbasket and something I was comfletely unfrefoared… un…unprepared for has happened."

Rai listened on, terrified and eager. He didn't know what Sean, Scout dammit, was going to reveal, but he knew this had to be important. The fact Scout felt the need to hide whatever he was hiding from him hurt, and Rai had an idea now on what he was hiding, but he held onto the hope that he had a reason to do it.

Mane had almost yelled at him until he agreed to looking at it from that angle.

"If Grovyle is agrou… around, trust him. I know he's probaby viewed as the caase, cause, of this, but he… isn't." Wigglytuff paused, as Rai frowned, neither said anything. "He's trying to SAVE the world and I came back from a fnozen, frozen future to help him. Only, I lost my memory. It's… comqlicated, I remember stuff but at the sane time I don't feel like it's an actual nenory. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you this in person. I just…."

Rai leaned in. Hearing the truth from Scout was painful, but he had accepted it as the truth anyway. At least, most of the truth.

Wigglytuff looked uncomfortable, an exceedingly rare expression on him. He knew this was really just meant for Rai, but Rai couldn't read it. So, it was up to him. "I don't know why I'm like this. Instincts left ower from the future mayde? I do trust you, but Dusknoir. Dusknoir. He's the euemy, enemy, he's an agent sent back to stop Grovyle and me as he doesn't want the frozen future chang'd. It's probably because of him that whatever has happened to me, happened."

Rai almost smiled, Scout was eloquent as always.

"So, you, or anyone who might be reading this if this is not Rai hello, need to get the Relic Fragment. Here's an ideu of what it looks like." Wigglytuff turned the parchment around and Rai nearly laughed at the terrible, but still vaguely accurate, drawing.

Smiling slightly, Wigglytuff continued. "That is a key of sorts to the Hidden Land and it HAS to be found. Find Team Skull, talk to the townsfulk, you have to find out who has it. You also need the Time Gears."

Both of them stared at the letter in silence then. With a strong voice still, Wigglytuff continued. "Yes, really. Taking them will only stop time in their places for a short tine, once they are placed in Temporal Tomer, tower, time will be completely fixed. Placing them back where they were token won't help, time was already falling apart. You have to get by Dialgaga though, I can't even imagine that though."

Wigglytuff turned the page, they were nearly done. "Rai, even if I newer have to show you this, please know that I was going to tell you every-thang-thing eventually. Dusknoir was simply too dinegierous, but maybe I made it worse by hiding all this. I'm sorry, it feels like an excuse and lt prodadly is."

Rai didn't respond. "I've feen trying so hard to keep things 'one way' tat I've comfletely screwed it all up I bet. Just… please beleeve me when I say this. All of this. The gears have to go to the tower, time is already collopsing. They hafe to go to Temporal Tower. Please. Sean."

Wigglytuff finished and took a deep breath.

Rai sat in silence, trying to digest that entire spiel.

"What do we do?" he asked quietly. Scout had mentioned Grovyle several times as someone to trust.

Dusknoir had said the opposite, but Dusknoir had taken Scout, Mane, and even Chatot too.

Yet, Scout was a member of a team stealing the Time Gears, he had lied. Or had he? And for how long? Did he ever really have amnesia?

Rai simply didn't know. And Scout wasn't here to ask these questions to.

Someone else, however….

"I think we need to free Grovyle," Wigglytuff said softly. "I asked Magnezone after seeing you out to see him myself, but they refused me. I have an idea of how we may sway the town to our side."

Rai swallowed. He didn't want to believe Dusknoir was the bad guy, but they were out of options regardless. They had to speak to Grovyle, even if just to ask how he had come to the past.

"Do you really believe this?" Rai whispered.

"I don't think Grovyle is bad," Rhythm said softly. "Do you?"

He'd nearly killed Rai. Used him, confused him.

That scream still echoed in his head.

"I don't," Rai said, the mark of Striker's attack on him itching.

Rhythm smiled at him.

"What's your idea?" Rai asked.

"Maybe if we take the Time Gears back?" Rhythm began as Rai's eyes widened in alarm. "And if they don't work, that'll be a big point in his favour. It's the logical part of why I believe him, because reports of time going haywire were coming in well before the first gear was reported missing, before Meowth wound up on Sharpedo Bluff. And if he fell there right as they came from the past, then there is no way they could have been the cause!"

Rai's eyes almost sparkled at how smart the Guildmaster really was.

"He also hugs really good!" Rhythm said. "Though some people don't think that's logic, I disagree, boo-boo."

Somehow, that made Rai giggle and feel much better. He felt some energy return to his aching muscles. "Okay! We gotta convince everyone! Gears and Grovyle!"

Rhythm nodded. "I will gather the town. Shinx, I… I want you to take a nap! Guildmaster's orders!"

Rai looked puzzled for a long moment, but one had to obey the master of the Guild and that was that.

When Rai arrived in the centre of Treasure Town to find Wigglytuff addressing the populace. He listened in as he made his way through the crowd, this was something he could interrupt.

Wigglytuff spotted him as he emerged and beckoned. On his right side floated Magnezone who stared at Rai with an eye that reminded him of Dusknoir. Rai didn't like that the comparison now made him uneasy. On Wigglytuff's right stood Alakazam, stroking his moustache distractedly.

Rai crept past Wigglytuff and behind him so that he didn't have everyone staring at him in that mixture of pity and worry they had been doing earlier. He could still spot the whispers though.

Wigglytuff wrapped out his word. "And could I request a member of the town to volunteer to accompany Officer Magnezone and myself to Boulder Quarry?"

The town broke into excited murmurs as Wigglytuff turned to Rai with a beaming smile. "I remembered," he whispered happily, "exactly what Chatot tried to teach me when talking to everyone! Yay-hooray!"

Rai gave a smile back, even now Wigglytuff's optimism was heartening and he felt a few of his worries slide away.

Eventually, Wynaut stepped forward. "I will come!" they said, smiling bashfully. "If that's okay with everyone else?"

No one objected to Wynaut's inclusion and they stepped up beside Rai.

"How are you doing?" Wynaut whispered as Magnezone finished up the explanation.

"I'm fine," Rai replied with a bland smile. Wynaut smiled apologetically, but anything they were to say was drowned out by Magnezone.

"ZZZT! It is decided then! Wigglytuff, Wynaut, and Officer Magnezone will take the Time Gears to Boulder Quarry and test them all until they work. ZZZT!"

The crowd cheered and Wynaut gave a sudden bow, nearly smacking their head on the grass. Wigglytuff giggled and shouldered the bag containing the Time Gears.

"Are you ready?" Wigglytuff asked Alakazam, and he got a slight nod. Alakazam was focused and ready. Rai stepped back to allow the three to touch Alakazam and soon they disappeared.

He blinked the afterimage away before noticing he was now the only one standing in front of the town. Rai realised his plan of hiding was filled with many exploitable holes and his ears fell back. He didn't like this much attention.

He quickly turned and trotted away, aiming for the guild where he could hide. Even as he walked, not ran, Rai could still hear a few pokémon whisper well-meaning, but hurtful, things.

Scout wasn't the bad guy. And if this last-ditch effort didn't work, then Grovyle might not be one either.

Rai truly couldn't say exactly what he hoped. He did believe Grovyle now and not just because he trusted Scout first. But if it was true then the world was on the precipice of destruction. And if it was false, then his closest companion was trying to destroy the world.

His walk, not a run, turned into a run and Rai fled Treasure Town, never feeling so unwelcome.

"Wigglytuff?" Wynaut asked softly. There was no response. "Wigglytuff?"

Wigglytuff stood frozen, staring at his paws in horror. They had arrived at the end of Limestone Cavern, and both Magnezone and Wynaut were impressed Wigglytuff was the first to discover the secret of this place.

They had moved past where Ditto was once frozen, Team Gazer and Corphish had brought him with them to the guild a while ago, and to the inner sanctum.

Even with no Time Gear in place, the area was still lit up in a clear marker of where to put it. Although the stiffness of the place and absolute silence unnerved Magnezone and Wynaut, Wigglytuff had seemed unaffected until it was time to try the Time Gears.

He had reached in to pick a gear up and then recoiled with a gasp of horror. Now he was just staring at his paws and neither Magnezone nor Wynaut knew what to do.

So, they kept trying to rouse him.

"BZZT! Guildmaster Wigglytuff? What is wrong? Are you injured? BZZT!"

"Wigglytuff?" Wynaut reached out to touch his arm and Wigglytuff jerked from the touch, but finally returned to them. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yes," Wigglytuff said, forcing cheer through his voice clear enough that even Magnezone could hear it. "The gear just… reminded me of something."

"What?" Wynaut asked, but Wigglytuff didn't answer. It took a moment for Wynaut to realise that may have been a very personal question.

He took a breath and reached back in, one eye closing as his paw rubbed against a gear. He wanted to recoil again, but took a deep breath and curled around it, pulling the Time Gear out.

With an uncomfortable grimace, Wigglytuff clasped it in both paws and walked up to the slot the Time Gear needed to be placed in. He reached up and pressed it in, pulling back as soon as he could.

They waited.

Nothing happened.

"Not this one then," Wigglytuff said lightly, grimacing again when he had to remove the Time Gear. To help him, Wynaut reached in to grab a gear of their own but upon touching it, recoiled with a shriek.

Their cry of alarm caused Wigglytuff to drop his Time Gear and it bounced once before settling.

"BZZT! What is it? You are alarming me. BZZT!"

"I-it felt like," Wynaut stuttered, pointing an arm at the bag as Wigglytuff brought the first gear back. "Like… the-uh…." They trailed off, glancing to the side as their face went a little purple.

Wigglytuff set the Time Gear to the side and managed a genuine smile. "Let me do this," he said, and Wynaut didn't object.

Each time he touched a Time Gear, the same feeling would crash into him, as heavy and painful as the first time. Somehow, someway, the Time Gear felt like feathers, a gentle weight, and blood. It was the worst thing Wigglytuff had ever felt, knowing his friend and partner was going to die in his arms.

Somehow, the first touch of the Time Gear felt like that. It felt like Trill dying in his arms in Brine Cave, emotions and all. If it wasn't for finding help at the end of the dungeon, Rhythm knew he would have lost Trill.

He blinked tears away when the others couldn't see his face, Tril lwould tell him that the Guildmaster had to remain strong and composed. Or maybe he'd distract everyone with some awkward anecdote or seemingly irritated complaint to draw attention away from him so he could compose himself.

It was always the way it'd been. Rhythm felt things intensely. Intense joy, intense excitement, intense anger, intense sadness. And touching the Time Gears was bringing the final, and worst, one right back to his mind.

He didn't know where Trill was.

He didn't know WHEN Trill was.

He just had to hang onto the hope that everything would be okay.

The second gear felt worse. So much worse. Because it was the same weight of blood and feather with the sting of abject betrayal, betrayal of himself and Trill… and his own betrayal of everyone.

"Wigglytuff?" Wynaut said gently, and Wigglytuff realised he was trembling in place with the gear in hand. He quickly pressed it into the hole, but nothing happened. It was the fourth gear, the last one. One of these had to have been taken from this place, and none of them were working.

With a shaky breath, Wigglytuff pried the gear out and returned all four of them to the bag. His arms shook as he brushed the tears away and tried to put on a smile.

"W-we need to g-get back," he said weakly, standing up. "That's that then. None of the gears work. Grovyle must have been telling the truth."

"BZZT! If Grovyle is not the enemy… then? BZZT!"

"H-have we been deceived by Dusknoir?" Wynaut asked.

"We might have," Wigglytuff admitted softly. "We have to get back as soon as possible, we need to speak with Grovyle, with the whole town. Everyone needs to hear this."

"I can help get everyone back into the town square," Wynaut said, focusing on what could be done.

"BZZT! We cannot simply let Grovyle free," Magnezone objected. "At the very least, he must be guarded. BZZT!"

"Of course." Wigglytuff nodded, face drying. The gears were unpleasant, he decided, but a fantastic defence mechanism, if touching them brought to mind and feel of the worst experiences of one's life. Who could stand to touch them? Wigglytuff couldn't help but wonder what Grovyle felt when he touched it, he wouldn't ask though.

There were better questions that had to be asked. Chatot would agree, Wigglytuff was sure. He wanted to do what Chatot would have advised.

Alakazam didn't say much before bringing them back and Wynaut immediately ran off to bring the town in yet again to hear what needed to be said.

Magnezone floated off to Team Magnezone's base to retrieve Grovyle, while Rhythm took a moment to breathe.

He wanted to bounce through the trees.

He wanted to chatter away with his apprentices, now that Trill couldn't tell him off for that.

He wanted to hear Trill tell him off. He just wanted to see him.

He had to keep being strong, he had to push the silly down and away as this was not the time or place.

The oak trees agreed.

But he still took a moment to breathe. Just a moment. Before heading to the guild to get everyone. He put on a smile, his voice remained light, if still concerned, as he directed anyone still in the guild to come to town.

He rocked back and forth on his feet as if carefree and content. He didn't want to cause any undue panic, but perhaps looking so happy would drive the wrong point home?

Rhythm wasn't sure, Trill could tell him. But Trill wasn't here. So he continued bouncing in place.

He continued bouncing in place.

"I came from a dark future," Grovyle said, the crowd listening in silence. "The wind doesn't move, rocks hang in the air frozen. Nothing moves, everything is dead or dying. The few that remain alive have mostly lost their minds, I would have lost myself as well if it wasn't for my partners. My partners." His words choked to a stop and Grovyle needed to take a moment to compose himself.

Wigglytuff blinked. He seemed to have zoned out completely, missing Grovyle's arrival as well as the beginning of the dialogue. He hoped no one had noticed.

"Why should we believe you?" someone shouted as Grovyle pulled himself back together.

"You heard Wigglytuff!" Grovyle snapped. "The Time Gears don't work, time was already failing before Sean and I took the first one." Grovyle turned to Wigglytuff for confirmation, the Fairy-type was thrown for a moment.

"Uh, y-yes!" he proclaimed, Grovyle frowned at him. Wigglytuff turned to the crowd to tell the bad news. "Wynaut, Magnezone, and I tried all the Time Gears at Boulder Quarry and none of them worked. Right?" he asked, to Wynaut who was actually already standing by him.

They gave him a puzzled look. "…Yes." They nodded, Wigglytuff wondered why everyone was acting so strange. He checked to make sure he didn't have any food on his face. "You've gone over that already," Wynaut said and Wigglytuff paused.

"…Oh, yes. Of course, just…" he gestured randomly at Grovyle, "making sure we're all on the same track."

Grovyle continued staring at Wigglytuff as an awkward silence fell over the town.

"What if Grovyle did something to the Time Gears?" someone yelled, if just to break the silence.

Grovyle turned on the crowd with a scowl. "How could I damage artefacts of such power?" he demanded angrily.

"How would we know?"

"Why can't you consider that Dusknoir deceived you all for weeks?"

"It's his word against yours."

"And Dusknoir isn't here anymore!" Grovyle exploded, the magnemite restraining him buzzed in worry. "He attacked you all to force his way into the future with prisoners! Not even considering to abide by your own laws, wants, or customs. He lied to you all and spread false information and has admitted to deceiving you all before! Why should you believe HIM?"

Grovyle fell silent as the town all began breaking into murmurs. Dusknoir's actions HAD led to the chaos that Treasure Town fell into. He HAD admitted to deceiving them of his true purpose, and the rumour that he had manipulated Young Shinx to get information had spread, although few knew how to take that.

Shinx nodded to Grovyle's words and the murmurs grew louder. The entity that was Treasure Town began to panic and was bordering on a breakdown. That would be expensive and necessitate more rules.

The individuals may be rational, but Treasure Town as a whole was highly prone to crowd mentalities panic response.

"Yoom-Tah!" Wigglytuff shouted, without any real TAH to it. The town quietened, they all remembered the quake Wigglytuff had caused only a short time ago.

"We must look at the facts, everyone!" Wigglytuff said brightly, shining with force of personality. "We know Dusknoir has deceived us once. We know that the Time Gears do not work. We know that Dusknoir has taken some of our valued community members, and he has NOT returned to bring them back."

"But the Time Gears are not to be disturbed," someone protested. "And now that they have, everything is going wrong. How do we know time was going wrong before HE took the first gear?"

Wigglytuff considered the question for a moment. He raised a paw. "I wish Chatot was here," he said plainly, yet it packed more emotion than anything he had said up to this point. The whole town fell silent. "He would know. But he said that the first reports of issues with time was dated before the first Time Gear was found to be taken. And we know when the people from the future arrived with Meowth's appearance. I think it's true, I believe that Grovyle is telling the truth."

Grovyle cast a look of terrified awe at Wigglytuff as the town began to nod. If the Guildmaster believed this, then that combined with what Dusknoir did. It could be true.

"The only wish," Wigglytuff added, turning to Grovyle, "I only wish you had told me during the expedition. I would have listened."

Grovyle stared back with a changing expression. First, it was defiance, then suspicion, then a dawning regret. He swallowed and ducked his head as the magnemite began to release him. "I… you must understand, the world I come from. The time I come from. It is a place where you can't trust strangers, even your allies." He scowled briefly. "Even they can turn on you. If I had told you what I was really doing, it could have risked everything."

Grovyle dropped his gaze from Wigglytuff's sympathy as the magnemite fully released him. He didn't run, sprint, hop, or bounce to freedom. He seemed to sag in place without them to hold him up. "But perhaps I should have. You probably would have listened."

Wigglytuff gave him a rueful smile but didn't say anything. The answer was plain as day.

"This should be all for today," Wigglytuff said loudly, turning back to the anxious crowd. "Return to your duties! The Wigglytuff Guild will solve this problem!"

Grovyle stepped forward, somewhat unsure of his position. Wigglytuff beamed at him and gestured for him to stand with him.

Wigglytuff almost hugged him but restrained himself as Grovyle wasn't looking so good. The rest of the guild looked conflicted to have Grovyle standing with them again, but a few were smiling. Rai wasn't.

"It is good to have you back, friendly friend," Wigglytuff said and Grovyle nodded.

"Thank you," he said, glancing at the dispersing crowd. The majority were still keeping an eye on him. "I don't know how that went well, but it did. Thank you, Wigglytuff."

Wigglytuff couldn't hold back the desire for touch completely and he took Grovyle's hands in his soft, fluffy, paws. Grovyle's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm sorry this has all happened, but we've made it here. Now we need to work out what to do next. And we can do that at the guild."

Wigglytuff quickly led the apprentices back to the guild. No one was talking, besides Wigglytuff. And he was simply filling the silence.

Grovyle continued wearing an exceedingly uncomfortable expression as he was led into the guild. Kindness and trust like this were not known of in the future and believing in someone offering it was what got you killed.

Got you killed.

You killed.

You.

"Our first method of action," Grovyle explained to the guild. "Is the key to the hidden land. Sean and Scout both failed to find it, and all we really know is that Shinx either had, has, or will have it at some point."

"It's called the Relic Fragment," Rai replied plainly. "And it's my treasure. It was stolen by Team Skull and sold. Apparently, Litleo had it at some point, but it was stolen from him."

Grovyle nodded. "Yes, Sean was able to fill me in on that. He tried to find it during… my failed attempt to retrieve Azelf's Time Gear, which is our next priority. But he also was unable to make any hide or hair of it. Dusknoir doesn't seem to have it, at least we hope."

"Litleo's gone…." Rai turned away. "And no one else can help."

"What about Team Skull?" Sunflora piped up. Most of the guild was happy to just eavesdrop, but she would be part of the action. "If we can find them, we can ask who they sold it to. Then find them and follow the trail."

"It ends with Litleo though," Rai protested, but Sunflora held a leaf up.

"Maybe. But if the item has passed through several of the townsfolk, then it's possible someone has seen or heard something else about it. I'll find my girls and spread some roots, see if I can dig up any information. But finding Team Skull is a good idea."

Grovyle coughed awkwardly and took the spotlight again. "I had a run in with them shortly before the expedition began."

"Oooh," Wigglytuff hummed. "Did you!?"

"Indeed." Grovyle nodded guiltily. "I tried to see if they still had it, I… did some damage to them but once I failed to find anything I let them go."

"So, Skuntank and the rest of that Team Skull could be anywhere," Sunflora sighed. "Well… I'll still do what I can. I do think finding them is a good idea, even if it's just to ask for their help. Getting as many exploration teams searching for, uh…" she glanced to Rai.

"The Relic Fragment," he offered, and she smiled.

"Right. Getting as many pokémon searching for the Relic Fragment as possible can only help."

Grovyle nodded and Sunflora smiled. As a fellow Grass-type, she didn't feel the need to be so hard on him.

"Finding the Relic Fragment and retrieving the final Time Gear," Grovyle said firmly. "These are our goals."

"And getting to the future," Rai said and Grovyle paused. "To rescue everyone."

"Yes-yes!" Wigglytuff nodded, looking happily to Grovyle. "Could you explain how to do that?"

"There isn't any point," Grovyle said harshly and Rai growled. "Look." Grovyle began to pace and Rai was reminded of Scout. "I don't think you are all understanding what Dusknoir would do. Even if you could find Celebi in time and somehow also pinpoint the right time and place to get there, there would be no one to save. Only Scout, but we cannot split our resources with so much on the line."

"Stop implying they're dead!" Rai shouted. "Why are you so sure? Have you such little faith in YOUR partner?"

Striker looked taken aback. "I-"

"Well, I know Mane, Chatot, and Sean. Scout, dammit!" Rai sparked for a moment and Corphish edged away. "We can't accept that they are just gone. They could have escaped. You don't know that they didn't?"

For once, Grovyle actually considered Rai's words. He was not unaware that Sean had experienced a Dimensional Scream while being held by Dusknoir and had managed to hide a Luminous Orb. It was hard to allow himself to hope though, hope hurt.

They couldn't split time trying to find the Celebi of this time, however. Grovyle could see that Rai wasn't going to quit. Wigglytuff was looking on the verge of tears as well.

"Perhaps it's not… entirely impossible," he admitted, reluctantly. "Sean seemed to have something in mind. I wouldn't pin your entire self on it, and we MUST fix the tower before even attempting to find Celebi."

Grovyle wondered what would happen if the future was erased while pokémon from the past were in it. Perhaps the guild could track down Celebi later and retrieve them. Maybe.

Rai was satisfied at winning and nodded. "Exactly. We'll save them all. Or maybe they'll get back on their own! If you got here before, then they could do it again right?"

Grovyle's eyes widened slightly. Rai was making a lot of good points he hadn't considered. He didn't want to hope, but the last time he had actually ended well for once.

He smiled slightly and Rai returned it. "It is possible, yes."

The guild now re-energised thundered off in a cavalcade of action. Everything MAY have gone to shit, but they could only go up from here.

Right?

Right?

We're back in business. Woo!

Hope you all enjoyed this! A little more light-hearted then what's going on in the future. Only a little.

The past still knows hope after all.