Watcher of Arceus

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. Only the idea and OC's.

Author Notes:

-X-This will be used for scene breaks and for when the story switches to another character, but it does not mean that a new section of the story has started.

~xXx~ This will identify where each paragraph breaks.

"Human Speech" 'Character Thought' {Pokémon Speech}

Co-author: Catsithx

The following is a total and complete Reboot of the story "Watcher of Arceus".

~xXx~

Chapter 19 : Acceptance

The meal was set and everyone could eat a full meal without issue. Sure enough it was a home in some ways, with proper beds and a full kitchen space, but Thomas still couldn't help but feel a little on edge just a bit. Radara and Suicune felt so comfortable and at ease as they ate, rather content around friends and family. To them, this was home in many ways, one of many, and maybe a home for Radara more then Suicune, but it was home, a true home. One that catered to the god-children and their many sizes and shapes, to their minds and more.

There were even dozens of adjustable chairs, various sizes of seats on stackable racks that could make it desirable for just about human or any of the pokemon siblings of the god-children able to sit in them at table height. All of Sarah's pokemon and those who traveled with Thomas had their own seat around one of the larger tables, where the full spread was set out for them. Everyone else was already eating with the exception of Thomas and Rebecca. There was a minor debate about Mewtwo and his laptop, but otherwise things seemed to be going well around the table as everyone enjoyed the meal.

Just seeing it, Thomas was reminded of what it was like to actually have a full family and a home, everyone there together with no concern for things like differences in species, or a care that anyone might be different. The only empty chair was there for Thomas and Rebecca though, someone having picked out an extra large one for them to sit side by side at the table. And seeing them enter, Suicune smiled at them quickly and patted the chair for them both to sit down at it, of course right next to her.

"T-thanks." Thomas said softly as he just moved and sat down carefully, Rebecca quickly into his side. She was careful about it, but now that she didn't have to hide it and Sarah knew anyway, Rebecca wanted to care for Thomas as much as she could still.

As they sat down, Sarah quickly looked to them, still thinking about yesterday and when Rebecca made it clear that Thomas and Rebecca were a couple. "Thomas... can I ask you something? Well, something personal?" She asked as she looked over the two over them sitting together.

"Yeah, sure." Thomas just looked over to Sarah, gently rubbing Rebecca's side now, more to keep her calm and show that he was hers, but Rebecca didn't seem to care right now, which was very good. She just seemed more interested in the thing of curry that in front of her and going to enjoy it while Thomas just went for the pancakes in front of him, Suicune having prepared a small plate to start even before they sat down.

"How... how long have you been into pokemon? I mean... I don't want to be rude, and I'm really not judging you, but its just..." Sarah asked, major curiosity sparking in her over the past day and needing some answers herself. She honestly wasn't judging him, but thinking back now, it just sorta made sense to her now maybe. She also didn't want to be rube, but she did just want some answers. She had long since given up trying to win him over, but part of her still wondered if she had a chance.

"It was never you, Sarah." Thomas said softly with a small sigh, Sarah getting a little confused. "It was all me, I was scared of sharing my feelings with someone other then my true family. I'm old, and the last wife I took, the last time I really connected to anyone... I... it..." Thomas started.

'The last wife that my brother took was taken too early from him by a group who would take a lot more from us. It became needed for us to hide who we were, but it was far harder on him. We are social creatures by nature, we have to be part of the human and pokemon world, but it became complicated. He never recovered well.' Radara stated in Thomas's stead, knowing that he still had a hard time talking about it, but of course speaking mostly to Sarah and letting the words only echo lightly in Thomas's head.

"My last wife was over 600 years ago. She was killed trying to protect me from someone, and then my brothers and sisters were hunted by the same people, one by one until its just been me and Radara, the two of us alone... I never had a true chance to mourn my loss of her in that life and then the loss piled up as more were taken from us over the years." Thomas said softly, thinking about things now, still scared in many ways, but something just felt right to talk a bit about it now, a calmness in his mind.

Radara just looked up at him a bit impressed now though, surprised about what he was willing to talk about his last wife.

"What... what is home if not... a place to be true with yourself?" Thomas asked as Suicune just draped her ribbons over his side, comforting him as well as Rebecca just staying leaning on him. "I don't know, I feel... calm here, maybe its... its just... Part of me doesn't want to belong, but part of me feels at peace here."

"That this place was meant to your true home, the place that would be beside you through the ages." Suicune said softly. "Our mother really did make this place for you and your personal siblings. A place for you to feel welcome, to feel at peace with yourselves. It would have been nice if we found place sooner, and we could have shared it with others."

Radara and Thomas both just went quite now, looking down a bit as they thought on it, Radara eventually giving a small nod. 'It would have been nice, very nice if we did... Mother never finished this place for us first though before... before it happened.'

"It took a lot of power to make this place. She must have been doing what little she could while recovering from the War of Legend, but this kind of thing must have taken a lot out of her, and then it happened and she spent what little power she had trying to save those who were hurt that day." Suicune said looking over the place a bit more, looking over all the crystalline items and golden metal accents through the place and then thinking back the mural. "She must have tried to continue your history, but eventually tore it down. I know that it hurt us all when it happened, but think of how she must have felt, it wasn't her brother that attacked her... it was her own son."

Everyone else just looked on confused now, listing to the conversation wanting answers aside from Juno who had heard the story before. Juno knew what had happened, but for now she just stayed silent, feeling it wasn't her place to ask more about it, or even speak about it to others.

"What... are you talking about? Are you saying that one of your kind or one of the legendary pokemon attacked Arceus?" Sarah asked, only for Suicune to shake her head.

"I would like to ask that you do not ask about that this specific topic. Its... still very painful for us and most of us still don't know why it happened." Suicune said, her voice almost a whine now, only to look up suddenly with a smile, if forced one.

"No, let's talk about something better. Sarah, do you have any love interests? Have you found anyone that you would like to be with?" Suicune quickly asked, eager to the change the subject to something much nicer.

"W-what... no, no I don't right now!" Sarah gasped out, having almost have gone for a bit of eggs, but about spilling the whole spoonful she had, blushing a bit now.

"Its only fair that I ask. You asked about Thomas's love interests first." Suicune laughed a little, along with a few others, the rest mostly just trying to contain their smiles. Even Thomas had to smile a bit, just lightly shrugging.

"Suicune is very motherly and wants to be involved with a lot of things..." Thomas said quietly, just leaning more into Rebecca, rubbing her side softly as he started to enjoy the place a bit more, thinking that maybe for once, he might have a home again, a real proper home as he looked over the counter top where most of their food stuffs were laid out. "Sarah, did you leave my caramel topping in easy reach?"

"I think you used the last of it last night." Sarah quickly stated, eager to change the subject right now.

"There were two bottles." Thomas replied, still giving it a look.

'That was the second bottle. You drank the first one just before we even left Goldenrod City.' Radara explained, only for Thomas to sigh some, Sarah giving him a look.

"I didn't think you had a real sweet tooth. I mean sure, you love your fruit, but I've seen you add a lot of sugar to things." Sarah said, Suicune just giving a giggle.

'We all have our vices when stressed. When my brother gets stressed, he found that caramel sauce mixed with milk was something to help. Vivian helped reinforce that habit this life before he got his memories back as well, so now he savors it greatly. Of course, she personally favored bluk berry sauce to mix into a cold cup of milk which I favor more.' Radara explained.

"My son has always enjoyed a little sugar. When chocolate first came to our home, it was a bit bitter, but when people figured out to sweeten it, my Soular became a small fan." Suicune smiled.

Thomas quickly looked down though at the mention of his true name though, only for Suicune to just nuzzle him a bit more. "I am sorry... if you still need more time, then I shall give it to you my son." She smiled, having hoped that this place was helping him remember his true self, and be confident in who he truly was.

Sarah meanwhile just took a few deep breathes, trying to figure everything out, this of course only adding to her questions.

'It shall make sense in time. Keep an open mind and stop thinking of them as human. Do this, and you understand things more easily.' Mewtwo stated finally speaking again looking to Sarah for a moment.

"But how can I not think of Thomas a human. I mean I grew up with him for years, I watched him grow older any person would..." Sarah quickly half shouted in confusion, trying to keep her voice down and down well enough, but still being a bit louder.

'This does not change the Thomas that you know. He must appear human after all. Now you why he makes some of the decisions that he does however.' Mewtwo shrugged. 'Either you will accept this, or you will not learn.'

"You are not helping." Sarah said, Radara and Suicune just giving a sigh.

~xXx~

It was the first time in a long time that Thomas has felt so welcomed at a meal in a home. He had hadn't felt this truly welcome at a home since before his awakening. Sure he had always known he was welcomed back at the Falstons and he was always well fed and cared for, but it also felt just a little wrong that Andrew and Vivian had always asked that Radara wasn't at the table itself until a few years ago.

But here though, without having to hide, and having everyone sit at the same table without a care for differences in size or shape, it really stuck with Thomas as Rebecca helped him back up slowly. He would have liked to help clean up some, but Suicune just gently shoved him away, Radara also stating that he needed the chance to recover.

Walking slowly back into the main chamber again, he just started to look around a bit more, seeing the faces of each and everyone one of his person brothers and sisters now at last, finally seeing more then just the mural in the room.

It was a strange thing for him to see, but the more he looked around, the more at ease and calm he felt. 'What is it Thomas?' Rebecca asked as she felt him stop and this his aura started to show a lot of debate in his mind staying silent as he looked around for something very specific.

"Rebecca... go find Suicune and ask her to bless a bowl of water. Tell her it needs to be truly pure." Thomas finally said after a long silence, before giving her a soft kiss to her cheek. "I want to share something with you, but I'll need the water to do it."

Rebecca just eagerly leaned into this kiss, her tail wagging a bit before nuzzling him a bit. 'You sure you'll be fine?' She asked, and as soon as Thomas reassured her, she dashed back to the kitchen.

Thomas just began moving slowly down the main passage before coming across the image of himself and Radara near the entrance. As he moved closer and started reaching up, he could feel the power of his life within a bit, and felt a clarity in his past. It wasn't strong, and he could feel that it was restrained, he would need to come back in 9 more years when he was a complete adult to feel its full effects.

Gently reaching up and peeling back a small sheet, this one felt different from all the other times that he had done this. Each crystal after all was tied to one of the legendaries, and he had assumed that this one would be tied to his mother, but instead a different feeling came over him, a feeling of himself, this crystal wasn't just in his image, it really was his.

He just continued to peel away a few tiny strips though, carefully holding them as he turned back around, and then started back for the large cross of Arceus on the floor now, and gently knelt down, carefully placing the strips onto the four gems on the corners of the cross, and then just knelled down in the middle waiting for Rebecca to come back with the bowl of purified water. It didn't take long, Rebecca coming back, but with Radara at her side.

'You will need help for what you are planning.' Radara said as she came up, moving into the image of the cross of Arceus on the floor with him, and gently guiding Rebecca to sit in Thomas's lap.

"I intended to do this slowly, not all in one sitting. It will be far easier to do it stages, over a week or two instead of all at once." Thomas said, taking the bowl with one hand and gently holding Rebecca with the other hand, who was happy to be with him.

'What are you going to do with this pure water?' Rebecca asked, leaning back into him and just looking as Thomas held the bowl up, and then slowly lifted it up in front of them, and then letting go. He strained himself some, but the bowl stayed in the air as he used his mind to keep floating there.

"This will feel a little strange, but I want to give you the blessing of legendary sight. It will do a few things, the biggest will be allowing you to read the language of the legendaries. It will also let you see the world more like me." Thomas said, moving the hand that had been on Rebecca's side up to her eyes and gently holding them closed for her.

Rebecca just giggled some, reaching her paws up to Thomas's hands, but Radara gently stopped her. 'Careful now. This can get uncomfortable if you try and force it. Just let Thomas do this and I shall watch and observe for now.' Radara said softly, just barely helping Thomas now.

Even as the bowl just stayed there floating in the air under Thomas's influence, a bit of water rose up and began to swirl some, a few drops starting to pull away, before more followed. A fair bit of water slowly moved over to each of the four emeralds on the tips of the cross of Arceus, washing over the strips of crystal that Thomas had laid over each one.

The last of bit water though moved closer to Rebecca though, Thomas still just holding his hand over her eyes as she felt something now. 'This feels a little tingly.'

"Yeah, and it will feel more tingly in a moment." Thomas said softly, slowly pulling up his blade and holding it close to Rebecca's face, making sure to keep the sharp edge facing away even as the water began to drizzle around it. "Okay, don't move now. I'm going to move my hand, but keep very still." Thomas said as the water washed over his blade and away from it now, just kind of waiting in front of her face as Thomas lowered his blade.

As Thomas removed his hands though, Rebecca just looked at the water in front of her as Thomas gently held the sides of her face. "This water is sacred now, it holds a bit of me, and my brothers and sisters. Just let it wash over your eyes. It will be a little uncomfortable at first, but just let it do its thing." Thomas said softly as the water gently moved up and then just eased itself over Rebecca's eyes.

There was just a minor bit of discomfort, but it all passed quickly and Rebecca never once lost trust in Thomas. She knew that she could trust him even as the water swirled lightly over her eyes, and then just washed down her face. Once it did, Thomas just slowly got up. "Stay here, just a bit longer." He said, rubbing her shoulders and then got up fully and picked up one of the strips of crystal, before coming back and just sitting in front of Rebecca now, kneeling down and gently holding up the strip of wet crystal.

"This will sting just a bit, but it will pass quickly. Just keep your eyes open and let the crystal bind itself to your eyes." He said, carefully reaching the strip up and over her eyes, pressing it against the bridge of her nose, and then along the sides of her face. Once he did, the crystal just kind of melted down and pressed fully over her face, and then her eyes.

Rebecca gave a small sharp gasp now, but kept her eyes just like she was told, and waited. It stung lightly for a few seconds and then it was done. "Just blink a few times now." Thomas said, pulling the crystal back and set it down, letting Rebecca quickly close her eyes. She went to go go rub them, but Thomas just took her hands first. "No. Just blink a few times." Thomas repeated softly, and as Rebecca did, the sting passed fully and her eyes felt right away, like normal.

"There... now look to the mural. Can you see the specks of emerald like color now?" Thomas asked as Rebecca looked around a bit. The outlines of each of the faces in the crystal looked a little clearer now, and just as Thomas said, there were specks of emerald all over the golden mural on the wall.

'Yeah, yeah I can see... something.' Rebecca said softly. 'I can't make anything out, but it is green now a bit.'

"Good. That's all I'm going to do for now, we'll do this again in a few days. The first time is the only time it hurts and it will be easy every time after this." Thomas said, gently pulling Rebecca into a hug. Her face and shoulders were still wet from the water though, but Thomas didn't care. In fact, he even just took his shirt off and used that to dry off Rebecca before getting up.

"Let's go take a bath Rebecca. And yes, we can take our time, just rest in the tub for a bit and enjoy some time." Thomas said softly, Radara giving a nod.

'I'll go tell the others not to look for you. I'll also pack up the other crystals for later.' Radara said with a smile, feeling Thomas so accepting of everything right now, that he wasn't pushing another lover away, but starting to enjoy it fully.

~xXx~

As the second night rolled up, Thomas was walking better now. He had read another large portion of the mural, but now he needed time to think on it hard. The Oath was a strong point for him, but he still wasn't sure that the Oath could really be called his own contribution. The next several passages all talked about how the god-children, now called Watchers instead by their own choice, were given several new freedoms.

Gali was the first to take the true steps of freedom, and began to travel far. There were several passages that talked about her choice to allow another family to raise her next form, without the direct guidance of the legendaries watching over them all the time. He knew the family well, everyone of the Watchers did. They were a large family, a collective group of humans with dozens of psychic pokemon. Sure the family had its flaws, but they raised Gali well and in turn, Gali helped change and helped raise them. She set the tradition of allowing other families the honor of raising a Watcher, to become a bigger part of the world.

Daltha, Khora, and even Tavu were all quite happy to do the same when their turns for reincarnation arrived and each of their chosen families were good picks for them all as well. Not every family was perfect, and there were even some times that the families were so poor a choice that their elder brothers, the legendaries intervened in some way and would help raise the watchers.

Thomas himself had three instances where things happened, and Suicune had raised him personally during those lives, like she had done a few before in the past before the Watchers would ask a family to raise them outside the direct influence of the legendaries. One time, it was because the family had grown greedy quickly and tried to use his past life as means to elevate themselves, demanding tribute and more.

The other two families that needed intervention were other cases and could have been great families though. The first was during a time of stress among the cultures of the humans. Things were rough as a massive wild fire had tore through large parts of what would later be known as the Sinnoh Region, and lots of pokemon and people were displaced from their homes. Thomas's ancestor had just just reincarnated a few years before the flames and things looked good then. After the fires though, food was short in the region and pokemon became violent trying to forage themselves because the fires had burned so much. The family that Thomas had chosen to help raise him then had come under attack, and while Radara did her part to help defend them, it wasn't enough and the mother of the family was killed. The father become over come with grief and realizing that he was now a danger to Thomas and even himself, went to the temple of Arceus in the region and quickly left the young Soular there.

The other time was much much more recent, just two cycles, a few hundred years ago. The family that had been chosen to help raise Soular was also the family that he finally and fully cast off his true name. He had just turned ten, and was still growing in all ways when the Knights of Arceus had happened upon the villager where he was being raised. The village was quickly split into what may as well have been a civil war. Split mostly into two sides, around half of the village wanted to trust the knights and some began to blindly follow their ideals, while others rejected them. The end result was a blood bath, and over thirty people were burned at the stake, including the family that was raising him. Although he was thankfully spared seeing the act itself, it changed Thomas hard then. Once more, Suicune had come forth to raise him, but it was still a dark time.

Thomas gave a loud sigh, just walking through the temple now, finding a large staircase and walking up curious about it, only to find that it lead to a balcony hidden just behind the cross of Arceus that adorned the outside of the temple. It was a cozy spot for him, with a few stone cut benches and chairs around a small fire pit and a few water features, a small water fall cut into the stone to add some nice natural tones and sounds to the spot.

While still hidden away behind the cross that covered the front of the temple, Thomas could still look out and see part of the sky, the stars shining nicely tonight as he just looked out, the river also glowing with the hundreds of crystals that helped give the place its power and protection. The view was wonderful and just so calming as Thomas enjoyed the sights for now. Thinking back on his past lives, the fifteen families spread over 1800 years was a varied time with its share of hardships and its share of joy as well.

He couldn't help but think of the good times he had with those families though. Aside from those three, there were all mostly really good times, and his current life was no exception. He actually rather enjoyed this life and his time with his family. Andrew had always dreamed of talking with pokemon after all and for him, it was just second nature by the time he was an adult. Of course, he was only considered an adult to the humans, he still had a fair bit of growing to do both mentally and physically. Radara was still translating some thing for him, but he was able to make do when he truly needed to.

And then there was Vivian. Like Andrew, she wanted to help pokemon as well, but maybe not in the same ways. She didn't think herself above pokemon, but she also didn't think of pokemon as real equals. That was just a part of human culture these days though. They were dominant species of the planet, the most plentiful singular species across the planet and the one with the most cultures. Thomas couldn't fault her though, it was the way that she grew up and she still cared for pokemon, she just had never seen the world like he did. Despite all that, she still helped raise him this life and helped teach him many of the values that helped define him this life, good qualities that his past lives would have taught him anyway.

It wasn't perfect, and the two of them had their own issues at times, even with each other, but it wasn't truly their fault. Work just piled up and it kept them apart for days a time, but they still tried to make time for him while he was growing up. Both of them being lead researchers though still made it difficult, but they still made it work.

"Do I really have to lie to them..." Thomas said softly, just thinking out loud. He had to ask the question after reading so much of the mural and thinking about what he was intending to do to them. Eric he didn't really care for of course, but if Thomas did fake his own death again, then news would get to Eric. Thomas didn't know much about Andrew's mother otherwise though, just that she was always a kind woman and Andrew always thanked her a lot for how he was raised. On the other end of things, he didn't know anything about Vivian's parents, who had moved abroad decades ago. They called Vivian from time to time, but didn't show interest in Thomas.

"Lie to who?" A voice asked, Thomas quickly looking up to see Sarah having followed him up. She just looked at him some, before slowly looking around the balcony now before moving over and taking a seat next to him. "Let me guess, you still can't sleep. Whatever is healing you here needs you to be awake still doesn't it."

"Yeah. I tried sitting down for a bit and it hurt less, but I couldn't really get tired." Thomas said as he looked around and found some old properly stored logs, and put one in the fire pit. Right next to the logs as well as a piece of flint and a small steel rod in a leather pouch. Like everything else, it was just preserved and sure enough, Thomas got a fire in just a few tries.

"So, who are you worried about lying to?" Sarah asked once he got the fire started and put the flint and steel back. Thomas once more gave a sigh though as he looked down some, a bit ashamed and now really questioning things.

"To my foster parents..." Thomas finally said after a few minutes of silence, clearly deep in thought and thinking about it.

"Why would you lie to them? I mean, unless they don't know about this... all of this." Sarah said, still trying to figure out things.

"They don't know what I am, but that's part of the problem. I'll live to be one hundred and twenty years old before I reincarnate. I'll have a few days of overlap where I'll see my next life, but otherwise, its just easier to call it a flat hundred and twenty years." Thomas explained slowly.

"Its just that in a few years, it will be as if I just stop appearing to age. I'll physically grow older, stronger, but I just won't look the part. Because of this, people start to notice if someone doesn't look like they are getting older. Its gotten me in trouble before several times so in recent lives, I've just moved away, hid... sometimes faked my own death." He explained.

"And you were wondering what you... what might..." Sarah asked, getting the idea, already not happy with the idea of thinking that Thomas might be just dead one day.

"I've done it to protect others. There are still people out there who want to hurt me for false religious beliefs, and they've even burned others at the stake because they think my true mother demands it." Thomas continued slowly, just giving a nod.

"And that's why you haven't told them, hiding it from the family that raised you and even your friends." Sarah was starting to understand a bit now, but still had some trouble with it all.

"There was a time before, hundreds of years ago that I never had to hide anything. I could travel freely, I was welcomed openly by people and pokemon who all accepted that my birth sister was Radara, that we were true blood family. Radara could openly speak with anyone she wanted and it wasn't a problem, there was no need for people to fear us." Thomas spoke softly now, his tone a bit unsteady but he still kept speaking, just going with it even with his doubts.

"Why would people fear you?" Sarah asked, but making sure to give him a few to collect himself.

"They don't have to fear me, but after It happened, people twisted the story. No one knows the real truth about it, but one group would go on to... to hunt us and hurt the people who tried to defend us." Thomas continued slowly, just staring into the fire now.

"You mean that thing that... no, sorry. Suicune asked me not to talk about that didn't she." Sarah started, only to quickly back off, getting the idea that this was that topic that Suicune asked her to avoid.

"Yeah... after it happened though, a group rose up and gained a lot of power. They call themselves the Knights of Arceus, and their first leader was the man who killed my last wife. He was a jealous man. He thought that the only reason that... that Yolanda loved me was because I used my powers as a god-child to make her love me. Yolanda loved me for me though, and at times, I felt that she feared him. When... when it all happened, this man used his standing and influence to spread the first lies and … and he began to hunt us calling us demons, refusing to listen to any of us, even the legendaries. He swore that we were demons, that we were taking everything for ourselves, even the powers of the gods who were under our spell. I hide what I am because even after six hundred years, the knights hunt me still. They know I'm the last one, and they want to kill me, to free the world, and they will kill anyone who stands in their way, even kings." Thomas explained slowly, just keeping his head low now, staring hard into the fire.

"So, you really are just worried about the people who would hurt the people you trust, including your foster family. You told me though... maybe you could tell them anyway." Sarah said, once again giving a long pause first, giving Thomas a chance to continue speaking if he wanted first.

"To be honest... I never wanted to tell you, but things happened. I treasure you as a dear friend, someone I grew up with and helped me grow up myself, but back in Goldenrod City. Calling out your name, I wasn't looking for you. I just felt guilty about things, about hiding what I was from you. I never wanted to send you away like that and I was even almost thinking about letting everyone think I just died in an accident." Thomas said quickly just slowly looking up to her.

"I never wanted to put you or anyone in danger, but now, there's just so much danger anyway. All these organized crime groups, the knights are still around, and then there are just strong bad people and pokemon out there. And until my elder brothers and sisters are fully recovered, they need help defending themselves from those that might try to enslave them or make them do bad things. I have to help now because I'm the only one who can, but doing that puts those around me at risk. I kind of did go out of my way to go find Mewtwo and now Team Rocket has my image and they know I have him. Look, I'm just sorry for everything alright." Thomas couldn't help but feel a bit more guilty about things now though as they talked.

"Its not your fault. Its... its just who you are. You want to protect your family, even if they look different. I just don't get why people would want to hurt you for any... for religious reasons though." Sarah started, but changed her mind as she spoke. She also knew that there were bad people in the world, the kind of people who just wanted to hurt others for fun, or worse in her mind, greed and power.

"It started off as a small group, but so few challenged them when they started and they hurt those that did. They used their influence to force people to accept their ways and their leader saw it all as a chance to get rid of me because he didn't want to accept that the person he wanted to bear his children could in his own feelings, dare to be with someone else. That's part of why I think Yolanda was scared of him, he was too demanding... obsessive even. It was a shame, he did so much good, helped so many, did his best to improve almost everything about himself but he couldn't help but be jealous, violently so at times. He used his good standing and more to get his way and then when he couldn't have Yolanda, he just turned on my personal brothers and sisters, and even tried to take on our role, protecting the legendaries." Thomas explained.

"His obsession to eventually be me and protect the world from what he didn't agree with, all in Yolanda's name and... and hatred for not having her. His standing grew and because he treated it religiously, he made others who joined him treat it so, and they believed it. They passed their false beliefs on to those who would follow them, and then it wasn't just an act. With each new person recruited, the ideals of a religion grew from within until those who put on the act died and were replaced with those who believed it fully on their own seeing only that religious value. And when the world didn't want to hear them anymore because there were so few of us left, they turned secretive and like my brothers and sisters were forced into hiding, they moved into the shadows to hunt us as well." He continued.

"They believed that someone was right, that it was a just cause, that the great evil that existed in stories and legend was real, and that we were it, only wanting to hear what they believed without a care for anything else, even despite what my elder brothers and sisters said. And now, they hunt anyone who they think that I might have turned and tempted into dark powers. They don't believe that people I could talk with can be innocent. There are only those that they can save, and those that they can't... those who can only be saved by a higher power and judgment that cannot be found in life." He just slowly covered his face a bit, feeling so heavy with guilt about pulling Sarah into this now.

"And you think that they are still around after all this time?" Sarah asked, getting up and finding a blanket, just draping it a bit over Thomas.

"I know they are... I knew to search here because Team Rocket and the knights were both interested in history, but for different reasons. The knights try to protect things relating to my mother, but also try to burn any temple dedicated to my personal brothers and sisters. Team Rocket cares about the past because its how they found a Mew fossil, and used it to create Mewtwo. This place was happened by random chance apparently though by someone else, and both groups were trying to find it for different reasons and are now at odds with each other. There's no proper maps though because both sides don't want the other to know the exact site and so I had to find it hard way, but … well I found it. I meant to just come here, and close the door and leave. And if I did, then I never would have known whats inside for maybe decades or longer, only returning once it was safe." Thomas just gently took the blanket with a smile and scooted over a bit, giving Sarah a spot to sit next to him, as well as pulling up a second blanket for her.

"And because of them, you really think that faking your death is the best way to save them... or even me?" Sarah asked, just wrapping up herself now just getting comfortable, and then pulling out her thermal canteen off her hip. "You know, Suicune asked me personally to stay at your side, that if I could do anything to help, that I should."

"She worries for me a lot. She really is like a mother to me, and others. Even in her times of youth, she was always very mother like. She was caring, she was eager to help raise us, to protect us... She wanted us all to be happy with ourselves, with who we were, to be happy with what we are and our family, even if that meant being with someone else." Thomas said as Sarah took the large cap of the canteen and poured some of the contents into it, before handing it to Thomas.

"Its berry tea. It usually helps me sleep too, but there's just too much on my mind. I guess I can sort of get an idea about what your going through right now, but you really have it bad right now don't you." Sarah said taking a small sip from the canteen herself right now.

"Thanks." Thomas just slowly sipped his own tea as well, the drink still warm and rather pleasant.

"Personally, I think you should tell them. Even if you can't be around them, then you can at least tell them why. They both love pokemon, and they both believe in doing their part in helping pokemon. You already said that Mewtwo and Suicune aren't on the public register, which means that one of them had to help you hide it. No offense, but you've always kind of old fashioned. I mean sure you can use technology and all that, but you've always tried things the more old traditional way when you could as far as I know." Sarah knew that it wasn't an easy choice no matter, but it was what she would want and she thought that maybe Andrew and Vivian would want to know why Thomas couldn't be around either.

"Maybe... I kind of already have been thinking about it, but its just not that easy. I know I'm their son, and they treat me right in every way, but its just not that easy. I mean so much them, I was the child they could never have themselves, and it meant so much to them when Devon Corp helped make sure that they could adopt me quickly when I was a newborn." Thomas just thought back to his earliest memories of this life, of how Vivian and Andrew were so eager to help raise him. His memories of his earliest years each life weren't the best, and those very early years each life were some of the few that he had trouble recalling each life, but it was just part of who he was.

Radara was always honest with him though, and with her, he could tell what those early years each life were like. The same was true in reverse as well, him and Radara were brother and sister, twins tied to each other. And Andrew and Vivian were both happy to treat Radara and even Juno like they both part of the family as well regardless of how they looked. They were still pokemon to them, and yes they weren't allowed at the table or other things like that, but they were still family and cared for so much.

"I really want to, but is it worth putting them at risk? Would they even understand now?" Thomas asked.

"I know I still don't understand, but I also know that if you don't tell them, they will never have a chance to even try and understand." Sarah said, pulling out her pokephone and pulling up a few images, thinking back about her family now.

"If... if you fake your death, I'll have to lie to your family... and mine. And if I have to run away for a while to protect my family, I do know that my parents would want to know why. They would want to do anything that they could help even if it put them in danger too." Sarah said, just looking over the image of her family.

"Yeah... yeah, its not easy no matter what choice I make. But maybe I should tell them. Even if I have to stay away from them, they do deserve to know why." Thomas just still kept slowly sipping at the offered tea, thinking about it hard.

"I'm not sure what else to say right now... I mean as old as you are, don't you have an answer somewhere in that long life of yours?" Sarah asked.

"I'm still mortal right now in a sense. I've got a few more years of growing before I can recall my whole life. My instincts guide my memories for survival and things I have learned more then anything right now, but I'm remembering more each day in bits and pieces. Even with all these memories though, there's not really a good answer. At least not for these times." Thomas said, not that he wasn't trying to search the memories of past lives.

A few moments of silence passed as they both just sat there thinking, both confused and thinking about things before Sarah spoke up again with a new question. "Hey... Thomas. How... how old are you exactly anyway?" Sarah asked.

"Today, I'm just eighteen. Humans may consider me an adult in many cultures, but I won't be considered a real adult among my own culture for a while though, not until I turn twenty-seven. If you're asking about how many lives I've lived and how long its been since my first birth, Arceus gave birth to me and Radara thousands of years ago." Thomas explained.

"And you have all of those memories? From all of those lives." Sarah asked.

"Not yet. I can recall parts and pieces right now from many of them, but not all." Thomas said, finishing his tea, and then handing back the cup top to Sarah's canteen.

"And... having all those memories, it doesn't bother you?" Sarah asked, thinking about what it must be like to have thousands of years of memories. She couldn't the details of some of her earliest contests, just pieces and parts of those times, mostly remember the hard work that went into trying to win them.

"I'm the child of a god, and like her, I have the mind to match. How I think, how I see things, my memories, my future lives, its all so much more then just a single life that you can physically see about me." Thomas said with a soft smile.

"I'll be fine with all these memories, it just part of who I am, part of what I am. I've lived thirty-three full lives, and of course a half life. I live shorter lives to be the bridge between worlds, something that mortals can all feel closer to. Sure, I may look human and my sister is an eevee, who chooses to evolve differently based on personal preference any given life, but we're still god-children. If we aren't hunted to... to ex... if we are not killed, then we shall just continue on with our god-like minds. My eldest brothers and sisters have been around for tens of thousands of years, and there's no reason why I shouldn't be around just as long. There is some risk of mental strain in our early years before we become full god-children, but otherwise its just so natural, time holds a different meaning to us." Thomas said, his words catching up to him again as he thought about things and just recalled all of his dead brothers and sisters, of how he was the last of his kind.

"But... that is the thing about time I guess. Its always moving forward, and its always changing. Maybe I'll survive and maybe one day, when my mother recovers, I'll have more brothers and sisters... or maybe I'll... I'll..." Thomas started only for Sarah to stop him.

"I'm sure you'll have a large family again one day. Like you said, times are always changing, but that doesn't mean it will always get worse right. The rest of your family still cares for you right, and it sounds like they want you keep going on, and they'll support you. And I know that Andrew and Vivian would support you fully too." Sarah said, scooting closer to him.

"I know I can't understand how you really feel about this, but that doesn't mean that you don't have friends and family... You should tell Andrew and Vivian the truth. Maybe they will understand, or maybe not. They still count as family though, they helped raised you, and who knows. They might be able to help you now." She continued, just pouring him another drink for the moment.