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Sinners: Arc 2	By : Stormborn Apostle Category: Pokemon > General Views: 46513 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
A/N: So yeah, the desert chapter ended up being around 38000 words, lol. Halfway through copyediting that monstrosity, I realized how long it would take me to finish, and seeing as I'm getting about six death threats a day in my inbox, I decided to split the fucker up, with the "Psymakio's Vision" sequence making up the majority of 22 and the rest of the desert being in 23, which should be in July (I mean it this time, it's mostly done, just needs some editing/minor additions).

Sorry about the cliffhanger not quite being resolved, lol, but...there is information to be had here. There's a lot of information withheld, as well (just enough to be REALLY FUCKING ANNOYING FOR YOU GUYS AND PSYMAKIO, lol), but that is, indeed, intentional.

Also, personal note: if anyone is interested in Star Wars fanfiction...particularly the kind with slash, and particularly the kind with incest slash (Luke/Vader), check my profile's recommended reading section and click on Forbidden. The author recently had to undergo surgery for throat cancer, and it might be nice for her to get a new reader or two for her story when she's recovered and writing again. It's a really, really good story, and the inspiration for Sinners---Slash highly approves. Give it a read if you're so inclined.

So yeah, as for this....read, enjoy, and I'll be back in a week or so with the second half. NOW STOP PESTERING ME FOR A WHILE, LOL :-D

And incidentally, yes, my huge Stephen King fan-ness comes out a few times in this chapter :3

Word count: ~21000

*****

Chapter 22: Other Worlds Than These

Electrike was damn fast.

When running at full speed, unencumbered by his slower traveling companions, he was no longer trudging through the sand---he was practically running atop of it. A huge cloud of dust billowed behind him, rising and twirling in the night's shifting winds, occasionally forming half-coherent shapes of monsters and nightmares.

He didn't notice, however. Looking back was the last thing on his mind. This was about more than his love of running full-out, racing against the world and watching it go by in blurs and smeared colors. This was about his alpha, his friend, his mentor. Gardevoir's life was being sapped away more and more with every passing moment. And the only one who could stop her from dying a painful death in her mate's arms...was him.

It made the nervousness and pressure of facing Watson's Pokemon seem like nothing more than an unimportant, childish memory.

He picked up the speed again, approaching his maximum. Well, his maximum cruising speed---he could go faster, by about three "jumps", but doing so would begin sapping his strength and stamina away at an alarming and potentially fatal rate. And while he had thus far managed to easily evade the roaming packs of Cacturne that were prowling over the dunes, he knew that he had to be prepared for combat in case they cut him off and ambushed him.

And there were a lot of fucking Cacturne.

They were fairly spread out, with perhaps one sighting of a pack every few miles, but it seemed like a lot more at the speed he was going. Most of them were only in groups of a dozen or so, but he had also seen a tremendous colony of perhaps a hundred of them a few minutes prior. While the group laying siege to his pack was far smaller than that, it did worry him greatly---if there was one group that large, there were bound to be more. The desert was huge, after all, and full of life...harsh, tough, dangerous life.

Electrike winced as the wind changed direction once again; every grain of sand that struck his face felt like a needle. His static-charged fur would help deflect a small amount of it, but at his current speed it was nearly useless. He yelped as a spray of dust hit him in the eyes, shut them tightly in reflex, and suddenly found himself tumbling onto the ground in a rolling heap. Thankfully his ego was the only part of him truly injured---the Trapinch that had dug the damned depression was sleeping meters below and was too frightened of predators to risk its life on a clumsy late-night snack.

He spat out a gritty mouthful of sand as he climbed out of the trap. True, he could travel much faster without his teammates slowing him down, but without Gardevoir's shields...it sure hurt a lot more.

It was impossible to tell distance in this featureless, skyless place, but he believed that he was perhaps a third of the way back to the desert's entrance. Still a long way to go. Shaking off a layer of dust, he once again began running forward, slowly picking up speed as he dashed over the sands, hoping that he would make it back in time to save his friends from the horrors that were attacking them.

-----------------

It was quiet.

Very, very quiet.

The small pack stood close together, staring out the entrance of the cave, listening to the soft roar of the wind and the increasingly ragged breathing of the injured girl they were defending. Slash stood closest to her, knife in one hand and Gardevoir's fevered brow in the other, starting to feel a little woozy himself.

All of them were poisoned now.

None as badly as Gardevoir, thankfully---she had received a direct injection of venom, while all of them had only taken varying amounts of Poison Sting---but it could not be shrugged off forever. One by one, they would fall into unconsciousness, and then the Cacturne would come in for the kill.

[How long-------been?] Growlithe asked, the mental communication sporadically breaking down into static. They could communicate to a limited extent without it, but it was a lot easier to get their messages across like this. There was no way of knowing how long it would last with Gardevoir unconscious.

"Ten minutes, I think. Any chance that they're gone?"

Graveler shook his head, blood flying onto the stony ground as he did so. [No way. They know we're injured. They're waiting for the poison to weaken us, and then they'll make another attack.]

Slash groaned as his shoulder cramped up, but managed to stand steady. "That's what I thought. Fuck. How are you guys doing?"

[We've got plenty of steam left. A ----- poison won't take us down.]

"Are you sure?"

Corphish chirped grumpily from his feet. [Even if we ---- on the verge of passing out, there's nothing we can do about it. We're going to die if we fall, so we don't have a choice but to fight to the death.]

Slash sighed, understanding the point but not pleased about it. He gently progged the Pokemon in the cave, trying to ascertain just how injured they truly were. Growlithe and Corphish had received only minimal doses of venom, as had he, but Graveler had quite a bit in his system---while his larger body and armored skin offered him a degree of protection, the sheer amount of poisonous attacks he had blocked and taken so far was beginning to overwhelm him. Damn.

He turned to Gardevoir and checked their bond again. She was getting worse---the venom was creeping ever closer to her heart and damaging everything else in its wake. He had briefly considered returning her to her Pokeball, but decided against it fairly quickly---the stasis effect of a standard Pokeball was negligible, he couldn't give her shots of potion if she was inside, and the stress of withdrawing and resending to medicate her might do more harm than good at this point. Perhaps she was a target out here like this, but at least he could try to keep her stable until Electrike got back with the antidotes.

Slash suddenly felt that strange twinge again in his mind and turned to the cave entrance once more. The sensation was more clear now...at least twenty...no, thirty separate sources. He was sure of it now; he was progging the Cacturne. It shouldn't have been possible, especially with Gardevoir unconscious, but it was undeniable. He focused a bit, trying to determine if they were right outside the cave or farther away, but it wasn't clear enough for that level of precision. Not yet.

But while he could not sense their position or distance, he could sense a little of...them. They were hungry. This particular pack hadn't eaten sufficiently for two nights now, and they had been getting worried. Slash couldn't read why they were so desperate for food---from what he'd heard, Cacturne could go a week without food if they had moonlight and a little moisture---but they were. Perhaps one of their pack members was injured or hadn't eaten for a longer amount of time, but he couldn't be sure.

He could also sense that these Cacturne were not new to preying on human travelers---they had tasted human blood at least once, and they knew how to pin down and besiege a defended position. Slash was shocked and appalled to find that while he couldn't read much about the creatures, he could sense plenty of their last human meal, as though his life force had lingered within them long after his flesh had been digested. He was an older man, about fifty. He had made the crossing seven times before and believed that he knew what he was doing. And he had a Vigoroth as his Kaishakunin, although Slash couldn't sense any of that poor creature's essence in the Cacturnes' strange, not-quite-psychic aura.

[Slash? Are you alright, buddy?]

Slash turned to the worried Growlithe and forced a smile. "I'm alright. It's just...I can feel them. They're out there, all right. Waiting. Hungry. They're desperate for food, very desperate. I don't think we're going to be able to scare them off."

[Then we'll just have to take them ----. I don't mind doing all that compassionate stuff you talked about earlier, but there's ---- way that I'm going to get killed by a ---- of cactus.] He paused. [The communication ---- getting more unstable. She's getting worse.]

"I know."

After one more attempt to prog the Cacturnes' location, Slash turned to Gardevoir and knelt by her side. The poison was starting to speed up again, and each potion would have less and less of an effect as the process accelerated. Still, it was better than nothing, and she needed it far more than any of them. He put down his knife, picked up the needle, and injected her again, pressing the plunger hard to get every last drop into her. While standard potions were something he still had plenty of, it would not be wise to waste them, especially with his mate in such dire condition.

When he finished, he refilled the syringe and set it aside, and once more picked up his blade.

"You're getting pretty drained too, aren't you Growlithe? Not just because of the poison. You've been expending the most energy with all those fire attacks."

[It's ----. I'm not tapped yet. But if ---- don't scare them off or wipe them out soon, I'm going to ---- out of flame long before the poison gets me.]

"Try to conserve it as best as you can. I don't have any medicines to replenish energy, so all you can do is rest when possible and not waste any. I---"

That twinge again. This time moving, and growing more insistent with each passing second. Growlithe saw the look of fear in his master's eyes and turned back to the narrow entrance to the cave, growling loudly. Corphish steadied his little claws and prepared to fire. Graveler, moving a bit more slowly than before, took up his position at the front. Slash gripped his knife tightly, standing protectively in front of his mate, his dark heart starting to pulse ominously, seeming to warn him that it would explode into an unstoppable rage if she came to any more harm---and that would doom them all.

In the blink of an eye, two long and slender vines flew into the cave at a curved angle, striking Graveler and drawing blood even though his armor. Two Cacturne lunged in before he could recover, both focusing on the large rock Pokemon first, knowing that despite his enormous weakness to grass attacks, he was the most physically dangerous of the group. Growlithe spouted off a burst of flame at one of them, but the attack barely affected it; it seemed that these new raiders were a step up from the initial strafing runs. Corphish jumped at its back, slashing and clamping at the beast's body, and the other Cacturne let go of Graveler and aimed a devastating Needle Arm at the little crab.

"No!"

There was a flash of light as the thrown Pokeball sucked in the creature just before it struck. The ball began cracking before it even hit the cave floor. Slash ran in close, and the moment the ball broke and released a disoriented Cacturne, he swung his arm as hard as he could and stabbed it in the neck, jamming the knife in to the hilt and pulling it back a second later. Hot, dark-green blood spurted out like a jet, coating the young man's face and sending him falling and scrabbling backwards in horror. The Pokemon reached out at him with a half-hearted grasp, stumbled a few steps, and then collapsed into the floor in a puddle of foul-smelling liquid.

Corphish dug his claws into the remaining Cacturne, drawing blood and making it thrash about in pain and desperation, trying to get the cursed little creature off of it. Graveler picked himself up and struck its skull from the side, careful not to accidentally hit his own teammate. The beast fell a few feet from Slash, stunned.

[Kill it!]

Slash made no move, simply staring at the still-twitching corpse of the one he had stabbed. Despite clutching his knife hard enough to turn his knuckles white, he made no move to strike the one just starting to pick itself up. He felt like his heart was being ripped in two as the light and dark warred within him, one shocked and horrified at the damage he'd done, and the other shocked and horrified that he wasn't doing more of the same.

Seeing that his trainer wasn't going to strike, Graveler reached down, grabbed it by its neck, and threw it against a wall. [Growlithe!]

Another searing hot blast of flame filled the small chamber, striking the Cacturne's chest and scorching it badly. It raised an arm, trying to aim one last flurry of poisonous needles, and then fell dead beside its brethren. The three remaining Pokemon immediately turned to the cave opening, but no more of the beasts were attempting to enter...not at the moment, anyway. Graveler picked up the corpses and threw them out into the sand, where the bodies of their previous kills lay.

[That was close,] Corphish chirped, flicking his claws and shedding most of the dark blood that coated them. [Thanks, Slash, I...Slash? You alright?]

The trainer made no reply, merely staring at his knife and the viscous mess that was dripping down the blade...and feeling the hot blood still running down his face. He could hear his Pokemon talking to him, but the words seemed dull and unimportant.

He had killed.

He, personally, had killed.

His eyes gazed at the puddle of blood still pooling on the cave floor, slowly seeping into the rocky earth. The last drops of his childhood innocence was seeping away with it. When he had lunged at the creature, throwing the Pokeball, he had felt like a hero---using his quick thinking to overcome a vastly superior enemy, saving Corphish and possibly the rest of his pack, including his precious mate. He had swung the knife at the Cacturne with all his courage, all his strength, but once it had sunk into its flesh with a sick pop...only then did the truth about killing become apparent to him. He had pulled back in reflex, and when the hot blood squirted onto his face and chest he had panicked, blindly backing off in terror and disgust.

When the creature's eyes had gone wide with pain and fear, all thoughts of self-defense and protection had vanished. There was nothing but a scared little boy in its place, realizing that, for the first time in his life, blood stained his hands.

Slash froze in horror as he realized something else: he had done to that monster what he'd wanted to do to his uncle years before---jammed a knife into its throat, pushing it in until the haft hit flesh, and then yanked it out to see the blood pour. He hadn't done it out of rage or anger or a selfish desire to make it pay for threatening him, but...

But the truth was that the gory, innocence-shattering horror of the kill was not the only reason he was terrified. That alone would not have wiped away his reasoning that it was in self-defense, and therefore his action was justified.

The truth was buried deep inside him, so dark and horrible that his subconscious mind was even now trying to shield it from being recognized. But he could still see it.

Part of him was happy that he had killed it.

That hadn't been the reason, but that was the aftermath. Even as he recoiled at the memories of blood and venom flying across the cave, there was a part of him that was pleased about it. Not because he had saved his friends, but because the creature had presumed to threaten him, and it had paid the ultimate price for its impudence.

And as much as he wanted to deny that pleasure to himself, he could not. The same mental self-awareness that gave him his new strength prevented him from being able to hide anything from himself...or his mate.

For the first time since he met her, Slash was glad that Gardevoir wasn't able to access their bond. He was afraid of what she would say or think if she felt that dark heart urging him to kill again...and again...and again.

A splash of water hit his face, jolting him out of his thoughts.

[Listen, Slash, we don't have time for ---- kind of nonsense. There are bound to be more, especially since Graveler is even more hurt now. Get a hold of yourself.]

"I...but I..."

Graveler spoke without turning from the entrance. [You did what you had to. To protect us, ---- ---- yourself, and to protect your mate. There's nothing wrong with fighting alongside us.]

"I know that...even though I wasn't prepared for...actually doing it. But that's not what the biggest problem is."

[What is it, then?]

Slash didn't want to admit it to anyone. Perhaps he would discuss it with Gardevoir later, but no one else. And yet...these were his friends. Maybe he wasn't as closely connected to these three as he was to his mate, but they were still bonded much more strongly than any human friend he'd ever had. He took a deep breath and confessed.

"I...I enjoyed it."

Graveler looked at him in confusion. [Is that all? You saved Corphish. Maybe even the rest of us. You should be happy.]

"You don't understand...I'm not happy about saving us, I'm happy that I killed it! Part of me liked watching it die! Maybe I attacked with honorable intentions, but that doesn't change the fact that afterwards...I was...I am...pleased that it suffered. What does that make me? How am I any different than

(Kiako)

them?"

[I understand what you're talking about,] Corphish replied. [I'm not ---- Dark-type yet, but since I will be someday...maybe that's why ---- understand. Part of me doesn't want to fight...or rather, it doesn't want to fight with the intent to maim or kill, even in life-and-death situations. But ---- another part of me that...craves it. Enjoys it. ---- urges me to use my full strength ---- to fight as hard as I can, and that's the part that's kept me alive during ---- ---- the hard times. It's not something to fear...it's just something that we ---- to control. It's part of me and it's part of you, and without it...both of us wouldn't be ----.]

"You're breaking up," Slash said absently, most of his mind focused on Corphish's words. Was he right? Could the darkness that was as inherent to him as it was to these Cacturne really be controlled? He had felt the loosed power of it before, and it was something beyond reason or discipline. How could something as terribly powerful as that be subjected to any kind of control?

Maybe he was thinking about this the wrong way. Perhaps he wasn't supposed to control that level of darkness, but instead use some of it...sort of opening the door just a little, instead of letting it build up and having it break off the hinges.

He knew that he couldn't deny his dark heart. It was as much a part of him as his bond with Gardevoir, and even she had acknowledged that to him. She had even promised to guide him through the darkness, and to lead him back into the light if he ever strayed too far. Even with her unconscious and unable to help him now, just her presence---and the need to protect her---might be enough to stop himself from losing control.

Besides, like his Pokemon said, what he had done wasn't evil. Perhaps enjoying it was wrong, but...this wasn't an unarmed, sleeping man that he stabbed, it was a powerful and blood-thirsty monster about to deliver a deathblow to one of his closest friends! Surely such an action was justifiable, even if his pleasure was not!

Growlithe scented the air and turned grim. "I smell them. More are coming. Lots more. The majority of the pack is moving towards us."

The Pokemon turned to their leader, looking to see if he was in control of himself. When Slash pulled himself up and took a defensive position in front of Gardevoir, they let out a collective sigh of relief and once again glued their eyes to the entrance of the cave.

(They're right...as long as I use that part of me for good, it's not wrong. It's a gift, and I'd be a fool to ignore it,) Slash thought to himself. (And as for...liking it...well, I should be happy that I managed to save Corphish, right? Why shouldn't I be?)

The light part of his heart reminded him that he wasn't pleased about saving his friend, but for killing someone who had threatened him. There was a big difference, even if the practical results were the same. It was a dangerously slippery slope, and he lacked the age and experience to know how to traverse it without losing his footing...or his soul.

He wished Gardevoir was awake. She would know what to do. And if nothing else, she could calm him down.

The twinge was back, and this time Slash could sense quite a bit more. There were about twenty of them, about fifty yards away, most very powerful, all approaching stealthily and using the louder roars of the wind to mask their progress. His dark heart seemed to smile, urging him to kill them all and show them the penalty for opposing him. He clamped down on the voice, and he was a bit dismayed to find that doing so caused his clarity of the Cacturne-progging to dim back down to its former ambiguity.

Tee hee...such sentimentality, an unfamiliar voice whispered, making Slash jump. Then, in a sing-song voice: It will get you kiiiiilled...

Who's there? Identify yourself!

There was no further response, and apparently his Pokemon hadn't heard it, either. The Interloper? No...he knew her voice, and he doubted she could surface in his waking mind so easily. Then who?

Himself?

Another lightning-fast vine flew into the cave, immediately taking his mind off of strange voices and moral quandaries. As the first dark monster scrambled through the narrow entrance, Slash raised his knife and again led his pack into battle.

--------------------------

The void was stained a dark, poisonous purple.

Psymakio stood alone in the haze, shivering, watching the sky slowly darken as the venom in her body continued to do its damage. She could sense that Slash was doing everything he could to save her, from taking in her pain to treating her body...but something must have been terribly wrong, because she should have been healed by now.

She turned to the doors and found that all of them were closed and locked; in this unconscious state she could do very little to herself and almost nothing to the outside. The mating bond tunnel was closed completely, although the gilded doors were still open; a welcome sign. The tunnels that represented the pack-wide telepathy web she had woven, however, were beginning to close up---while Slash would still have a basic level of communication with his other packmates, it would still make things more difficult in an already difficult situation.

Realizing with dismay that she could do nothing to help them at the moment, she began strolling through her mind, trying to keep her thoughts positive. She briefly considered replaying the memories of her not-so-long-ago coupling with Slash...but no. Right now, with her mate and friends fighting to stay alive, it would not feel right...especially since the reason they were in trouble was because they'd let their guard down with...that kind of thing.

Only now, with all traces of arousal out of her, could she truly understood how stupid it was for them to have done that. Pleasant, yes...enjoyable, oh yes...but utterly, insanely stupid. Even Slash, with his very limited abilities, could see how much latent energy she put out when they made love. Among the city, with countless other Pokemon and energy sources around, such a display easily went unnoticed...but here in the wilds, with Dark-enhanced predators about? Of course they would home in on it like moths to a flame!

Stupid, stupid, she muttered to herself. Perhaps Slash couldn't be blamed for not pointing it out, but she should have known better. I guess making love in the desert is out of the question from now on...

She froze in mid-step, suddenly feeling a strange chill coming from every direction. Even though the bond was still closed and the windows were all but opaque, she could still sense that the source of the sensation was her mate. He was worried about something...and terribly frightened. Was one of the others injured?

Was he injured?

Psymakio angrily kicked at a nearby door, growling in frustration. She was supposed to protect him! If any harm came to him, it would be her fault! Her condition was no excuse, as she was partly, perhaps even mostly, to blame for it. There had to be something she could do!

There is.

She darted her eyes around the void, but could find no source for the strangely familiar voice. It wasn't Slash, but it sounded a good deal like him...close enough to very briefly fool her. Her eyes fell upon a strange door standing a few yards away---it was thoroughly unfamiliar, certainly not one that had been there before now. Its frame was shining gold, the door itself silver, with a knob of solid diamond that reflected a pale imitation of the cancerous violet sky. The placard above it read TRUTH.

Do you wish to help your mate?

Gardevoir hesitated in responding. While she could sense nothing inherently malevolent about this voice, she was not about to blindly trust it; the thought of the Interloper was too fresh in her mind.

Who are you? And what is the meaning of your question?

There is a way to help him...and yourself. The Great Ones have offered you a vision of great truth and importance, little one. It is up to you whether or not you wish to receive it.

She frowned, backing a step away from the door. There was something magical about it, yes, but to think that the Great Ones had sent it? Why would they care about someone as small and unimportant as her? What is the vision about?

If you pay attention...everything.

There was no response to that. She considered that she might just be imagining this, that it was perhaps a dream induced by her poisoning, but the door looked real, as real as any of the others. And this one was not locked...although she could sense, without a doubt, that if she chose not to open it now, it would remain locked up against her forever. How she knew, she wasn't sure, but it felt correct. The feeling was similar to what she experienced during her pack's palaver with Watson the day before...a sort of surety that transcended any logic or reasoning.

...if it will help Slash...I will accept it.

There is a price for viewing the vision, little one.

Gardevoir sighed in frustration. If it's being offered to me, and not sought by me, why does there have to be a price?

For every action there is a reaction. Even in these unstable and crumbling times, the balance of existence must be adhered to, lest the world become even more damaged than it already is. The consequence does not have to be negative, but it must be [....], lest the balance be lost.

'Required' was the closest equivalent Psymakio could make to the complex term, but it was still not correct. It was something far more necessary than necessity...it was more of a fundamental constant of existence than a mere price placed upon her by the Great Ones. Then what do you require of me?

I cannot say. In truth, I do not know. I am merely the deliverer of this gift, not its creator. All I can tell you is that it will not result in harm for you or any of your loved ones...and that its consequence will affect you most of all.

She carefully considered. A simple prog told her that the voice was telling the truth about her friends not being harmed by whatever price she would have to pay for accepting the vision---she had a very strong feeling that, in fact, this voice couldn't lie to her even if it wanted to. Should she trust it? She had no reason not to, and if the consequences of viewing this divine message would fall mostly upon herself...and if it could help her mate...well, there was no denying her instincts on that. If it was a trap, than so be it---she would not wander around her own mind, helpless, while her mate and friends suffered and died.

I...I'll accept the consequences. I wish to hear anything that the Great Ones would tell me...so that I can help those I love.

Then enter, little one. Enter and pay very close attention to that which you are shown, for you shall only be shown once.

The presence of the voice immediately vanished, disappearing totally instead of fading away gradually. Psymakio eyed the door nervously---if the voice was telling the truth, and the vision really was sent by the Great Ones, it would not be a message of minor importance.

She winced as the feeling of panic coming from Slash intensified. There was no logical way that she could be feeling his emotions, not with the bond totally closed, but perhaps the true strength of their connection ran deeper than a mere psychic link. In any case, if whatever was behind this door could help him, it didn't matter if the consequences of looking were harmful to her...she would do it.

Without hesitation.

Psymakio reached out and put her hand on the doorknob, which felt oddly warm---from the fever or from whatever lay behind it, she was not sure. She slowly turned it, but as soon as the tongue of the lock clicked open, the door swung open by itself, knocking her back onto the 'floor' of her void and bathing her with an otherworldly, near-blinding light of brilliant blue---a vastly more potent extract of her own psychic aura.

She began to pull herself back to her feet, but before she could manage, the light swelled in intensity and seemed to engulf her, shining so intensely that the rest of her void paled until it could no longer be seen. There was nothing but the huge, overwhelming light...and the open door.

For you, Slash, she whispered, and then she lost consciousness.

--------------------

Gardevoir awoke to a sight so alien and amazing that she nearly passed out all over again.

Instead of coming to and finding herself on the ground, she was already standing, leaning against something and looking up into a beautiful, clear blue sky. Instead of the poison-induced aching pain she had felt back in her void, she felt...good. Healthy. Happy. She realized with a start that the body she was inhabiting in this vision was not her own, and darted her eyes downward to look at herself; however, while her mind may have been quite different, filled with misty, indiscernible memories and feelings that she could not read clearly, the body was nearly identical. A Gardevoir form, although not the same one---it was a bit older than herself, more mature. The dress she was wearing was vastly different from her natural clothing; while the dominating color was still pure white, it was laced with intricate patterns of rosy pink and deep emerald, and seemingly threaded with gold in some places. None of the Gardevoir she had met as a child had ever worn something such as this.

Her eyes slowly rose upward to take in the surroundings, and upon viewing the sweeping vista before her, she froze in utter shock.

The object she was leaning against was the railing of a bridge, a titanic structure that was nearly a hundred feet in the air and easily wide enough for a dozen Graveler to walk upon side by side. Below this towering bridge was not a river, but a town...no, a city, far larger than even Mauville, which Slash had told her was one of the largest cities in Hoenn.

The city, however, was not filled with humans. It was filled with Pokemon.

The streets were not made of concrete, but rather of soft earth and grass, although very neatly maintained. Canals ran parallel to most of the larger roadways, with smaller bridges criss-crossing them at many points. Traveling over these roads and waterways were Pokemon of countless species, some of which she recognized and some that were unfamiliar to her; there were even a few so alien in structure that she doubted they existed in her own world.

She did not notice any of her own kind in the bustle below, and neither did she notice any Dark-types amongst the crowds (although there were a number of Corphish in the waterways). There were a few humans wandering about, but nowhere near as many as any of the Pokemon species...and they all had the looks of travelers, as though they were only visiting this...strange place.

The buildings on either side of the paths looked to be an odd mix of human design and natural Pokemon dens. While they were mostly roofed, many of the structures had segments that were open to both sky and scenery, allowing sunlight and wind to enter certain parts of the buildings. Other than this open architecture (a stark contrast from the stuffy design of man-made habitations), there was almost nothing in common among them...some were low to the ground, even descending below street level at points...some rose high into the sky, with various ledges and perches for flying Pokemon...some were built around, or even within, trees so thick and massive that they were awe-inspiring. The water dwellings were fashioned into small coves with both open sky and protection, many interconnected with tunnels and above-ground artificial trenches that looked sturdy enough for Wailord to swim in.

While Psymakio had dreamed of such a world, and heard about it in stories since she was a very young girl, none of her wildest fantasies could compare to what she was beholding. Countless species of Pokemon living together, obviously free and unconcerned with the humans visiting their realm...even carnivores roamed the city alongside Pokemon that, in her world, would be considered prey! It was astonishing!

A voice spoke up from beside her, startling her out of her reverence for the sight below.

"My lady, if you don't wish to keep the Prince waiting, we must be going now. You can admire the view later."

Psymakio turned to find two elegant Pokemon standing to her right. The one who spoke, a Ninetales, radiated strength and majesty; the other was an Arcanine, looking wild and powerful. Both were clad in some sort of thin armored material, and considering their strength and defensive position around her, she suspected that they were some sort of guards for herself...whoever she was supposed to be in this vision.

I...who are you? What is this place?

Arcanine looked at her in mixed amusement and mild exasperation. "My lady, with all due respect, we've been playing with you all day. I promise we'll play more games with you tomorrow, but right now the Prince is waiting for you."

"...and I'm sure the games he'll want to play will be much more enjoyable for you."

Psymakio watched as Arcanine shot Ninetales a disapproving and chiding glance, but she was more concerned with her own blossoming excitement...or rather, her body/vessel's excitement. Whoever this prince was, this entity was obviously pleased at the thought of seeing him. As for herself...considering the state of her clothing, the presence of guards, and the fact that she was being taken to see a prince...she was likely someone of some importance. Deciding to go along with the direction of the vision, she nodded at her two companions.

Yes, you are right. Let us be on our way, then.

Both of the large Pokemon nodded at her, Ninetales smirking at her perceived eagerness and Arcanine looking relieved to be on their way. They turned to the westbound direction of the bridge, starting to move forward, but quickly stopped when they realized that their charge had stopped in mid-step, frozen and immobile.

"Princess? What's wrong? Do you sense something?"

Psymakio made no reply, barely noticing Arcanine's term of address. She couldn't form words, or even shake her head in response. She was too overwhelmed by what she saw. While the city below them had been incredible and amazing, the sight before her now was something far grander than anything she could have imagined.

It was a castle.

A castle so incredibly massive that it seemed to defy logic.

Looking upon it from the apex of this tall bridge, she could hardly believe that she could have missed it...and now that she knew it was there, there was no way she could ignore it. It nearly took up her full field of vision, even from here, which must have been at least a mile away from the outer walls! The enormous structure was built of some sort of silvery-white substance, shining brightly in the morning sun, although other colors danced around its turrets and rooftops. The highest towers stretched up into the clouds, so tall that she was unsure anything could actually breathe at such altitudes, with one massive tower in particular rising higher than she could make out. That one must have been at least a mile in circumference, although its unimaginable height still made it appear thin and spindly.

The walls that surrounded the castle must have been quite tall, but next to the sky-scraping magnificence of the structure, they appeared quite low in comparison. Countless roads and waterways reached toward the fortifications, some entrances gated off but many open, giving the city below the appearance of a spiderweb, with the castle at its very center, the shining jewel of this amazing place.

"Are you all right?", Ninetales asked in concern, and this time Psymakio was able (just barely) to nod in a half-hearing response. Ironically, while Psymakio herself was awestruck by the sight, the mind of her vessel thought it to be nothing out of the ordinary.

I'm...I'm fine. I was just...looking at the castle. It's...rather magnificent.

"Ah, yes, it is, especially with the sun as it is, although it's much more beautiful when it reflects the sunrise. You must have missed watching it with the Prince. At least he'll be staying for a while this time, so you two can get to know each other more."

Psymakio was a bit confused about that statement. She had believed that this prince was her vessel's mate, but now it sounded more like that was not the case...not yet, anyway. If so, how could they both be of royalty? Was he perhaps the prince of a different land? Considering the titanic castle before her, she doubted that there were any other kingdoms in the world...or at least, she tried to doubt it, as the thought of more than one castle like this made her head hurt. Perhaps he was considered the prince even though they had not mated yet, a sort of arranged marriage (she briefly wondered if maybe she was the one marrying into royalty, but her vessel's lack of wonder at the sight of the castle, along with the personal guards, made her doubt it).

Quickly becoming overwhelmed by all the new sights and information being presented to her, Psymakio decided to take more of a passive role in the vision. She pulled her consciousness back from the body, becoming more of a spectator than a controller. The vessel instantly filled in the void she made in her retreat, taking over control of both body and mind.

As the three resumed walking toward the castle, Psymakio heard the vessel finally respond to Ninetales. I've missed him greatly. I wish he never had to leave. The voice was a bit different than her own, although the guards did not seem to notice it. Perhaps, to them, it hadn't changed at all.

"They believe that they've finally cured his father's cancer, and so he will be able to visit for much longer this time. Long enough for you two to finally get around to having---"

"A proper mating, of course," Arcanine quickly interjected, giving the smaller Pokemon another chastising look. Psymakio felt her body blush, a bit embarrassed at both the sexual and romantic implications.

It's a little early to be talking about mating, The Princess said shyly, although her mind flowed with warm fantasies of just such an event. Psymakio could also feel that the princess was hiding the full extent of her and the prince's relationship from these guards, and even from those friends and attendants closest to her. A bit more quietly, she muttered, even if the entire Kingdom is buzzing with rumors about it.

"And the humans are buzzing about rumors of marriage," Arcanine said with a faintly disapproving tone. "While I suppose it would be necessary if the two of you became mates, it's still so insignificant in comparison. Nothing like a true mating bond. Does the Prince even understand just what he's missing out on?"

The Princess's heart seemed to stop cold for a moment, and Psymakio noticed Ninetales glaring at Arcanine with quite a bit of anger. The larger Pokemon flinched and lowered his head apologetically.

"I'm sorry, my lady...I did not mean to imply that he would be unhappy with you. In fact, I meant it to the contrary...that is..." He sighed and stopped walking. "I only mean to say that he is a human, and thus you won't be able to share the full closeness that a mating bond would create. Are you sure that you want to spend the next fifty years or so with a mate whose heart you can't touch? With someone who will grow old and die long before you do?"

"You forget your place, Arcanine," Ninetales said icily, but the Princess showed no anger towards her outspoken guard...all she felt was sorrow and worry, something that Psymakio could relate to. All at once she understood; the prince they were referring to was human, and such a relationship was not common in this dreamworld. This princess was not sure if the mating would be truly possible, as it had rarely, if ever, been attempted...and while she loved this prince with all of her heart, and was confident that he loved her, it was possible that their bond would only be a shadow of what a true Pokemon mating bond would be.

She worried that he would leave her if he understood what she could not give him.

She worried that she would feel unfulfilled at the lack of such a bond, despite their very real love.

She worried that he, as a human, would die long before her. Psymakio was unclear on this---Gardevoir had far shorter lifespans than humans---but perhaps this vision was not to be taken literally. Maybe it was just a story, not meant to be completely logical.

In any event, it was a painful feeling that Psymakio had experienced herself on more than one occasion. Before she and Slash had mated, she had been unsure as to whether or not the bond would work (although she had been much more confident than this poor girl). She had not known if they would be physically compatible (and, as they had discovered, it was a close call in that regard). And most painful of all, before they had revealed their love to each other, she had been sure that her affection, if known, would have disgusted him.

Perhaps this was what the vision was trying to show her...the fear of losing love, seen from an observer's standpoint. It might even have something to do with the Interloper.

"There are stories that some humans can form mating bonds with each other," Ninetales said to the princess kindly. "And don't forget, some mixed couples are rumored to have done it successfully, as well."

Arcanine looked doubtful. "That has never been proven and you know it."

"Only because certain outdated fools made it dangerous for mixed couples to show their faces in either kingdom," Ninetales spat. "Perhaps if so many of them didn't wind up dead, others would have been more than willing to help us find out."

"Are you insinuating that I approve of such violence?"

"Do you?"

Stop it! the Princess yelled, stunning both guards into silence. I don't know if I'll be able to make a bond with Slash, but I do know that there will be no more of this pathetic hatred allowed in this Kingdom!

Psymakio's mind jumped at that. Slash? Her Slash?

The time for that is over. Everyone's been talking about political alliances and treaties that may come of our relationship, but I couldn't care less about any of that! All that matters to me is that me and Slash follow our hearts...and that no matter what happens, there will never again be violence between our kingdoms. We will no longer be enemies or estranged neighbors, not after what almost happened at the Tower. No more.

Arcanine spoke up again, this time with a bit of hesitation: "With all due respect, my lady, it is your father who makes those kinds of decisions, not you."

Here's something that my father will be hearing as soon as he returns from the Distant Lands...Slash proposed marriage to me right before he left to see his father. And once we're back at the castle, I will be telling him that I accept his proposal. If my father has a problem with my decision to marry him as well as mate with him, or with the ideas that our two people will forever become equals with our union, then me and Slash will leave both kingdoms and find somewhere else for us to live. And that is final.

The Princess began walking again, leaving the two stunned guards to stare at each other in shock for a moment before they began following her. Psymakio was almost as surprised as they were. Despite seeming even more worried over the potential bonding troubles as she had herself, this girl had such a strong will that it made her envious. While this dreamworld was clearly not as forbidding of Pokemon-human relationships as the real world, it was still quite evident that a substantial degree of prejudice existed...but this princess did not care. She was going to demand equality or run away with her love...but she would never submit.

A sudden epiphany occurred to Psymakio: perhaps this vision's purpose, helping her protect her mate, did not have anything to do with the chaos going on in the desert...nothing to do with Cacturne or venom or battle. Maybe, instead, it had to do with the future...and their place in it.

She and Slash agreed that if anyone unfriendly discovered their forbidden relationship, it was very likely that one or both of them would be killed. Thus, their decision had been to simply hide the truth from the world, regardless of how difficult and stressful it would be. Was that the wrong decision? Could they really live together, but not in fear? Was the right thing to do confessing their love to the world and not asking, but demanding, equality and respect? Psymakio couldn't imagine herself in such a bold role, and couldn't believe that two people could single-handedly change things so much after so many years of hate. After all, she was no princess, and Slash was no prince...they were just a trainer and his Kaishakunin, two confused, forbidden lovers.

Considering that the vision did not appear to be ending, she was not sure if that realization was really what the Great Ones intended to convey...but even if it wasn't, she would keep those thoughts close to her, maybe even tell Slash about the idea when everything was back to normal. It couldn't hurt to discuss it, at least.

As the three walked toward the titanic castle, the guards remaining silent, Psymakio took a little more control of the princess and continued observing the city. As the bridge descended towards ground level, she could see more and more of the land in detail. The waterways were filled with Pokemon large and small---frolicking Marill, lazy Lotad, countless Magikarp. There was a pack of unfamiliar Pokemon behind them, with the appearance of Sharpedo but clearly not Dark types. When these predatory-looking creatures swam past the more peaceful swimmers, Psymakio was again surprised to see that not only did they not attempt to take a bite, but also that the smaller Pokemon did not even appear frightened or concerned.

There were countless other Pokemon on the roads, all sharing the same space, many of whom would never mingle in the real world. The skies were full of flocks of flying Pokemon, some in groups so large that they occasionally blotted out the sun. Along some streets and canals were markets, filled with food and trinkets. Curious about her dreams of a world such as this, Psymakio gave those food stalls a closer look---some of them did offer meat, although it did not appear to be the meat of any Pokemon---and clearly not human, as there were several humans shopping as well. What, then? Some species that was neither human nor Pokemon? What sort of beast could that be?

The bridge finally reached ground level, seamlessly transitioning into an ornate roadway, clearly the main thoroughfare into the castle, bordered with marble pillars on either side. Atop each were statues of magnificent Pokemon, many of which looked somehow familiar to her, despite having never seen them before in her life (although that may have meant that the Princess had). There were great birds of fire and lightning, dragons and beasts...possibly all Great Ones. The statues were so realistic that Psymakio wouldn't have been surprised if they began moving at any time. The road opened up into a rotunda a hundred or so yards from the main gate, leading to countless other smaller roads that were packed with Pokemon coming both to and from the castle. There was a large fountain at the center of the circle, with a statue at its heart that was much larger and grander than any of the others.

The Pokemon displayed was a huge, bipedal giant, with mighty clawed arms crossed at its chest. There was no clear face to this being, no clear eyes or mouth, yet it didn't look entirely alien to Psymakio...it just looked

(higher)

...unique.

As the princess and her guards walked past the fountain, Psymakio noted writing at its base, and was stunned to realize that it was the same type of script that was on the artifact mentioning the Pearls. Like before, she was easily able to read it:

He who bore the world on his shoulders will rule until the sun sets for the last time.

The King.

Was this the King that the artifact had referred to? If so, then did that mean this dreamworld was real? Or at least was real at one point in history? That thought electrified Psymakio---even if the truth was only a tenth as marvelous as the world stretched out before her now, it would still be something incredible. A voice in the back of her head seemed to whisper that, perhaps, it was even greater than this vision, but she couldn't believe that. This world managed to overwhelm her just fine, thank you.

My father...when will he return?

Arcanine spoke reluctantly, still worried about being yelled at for his disrespect earlier. "A few weeks. My lady...I apologize for earlier. I'm an old dog who grew up in a different time, but it looks as though I will see great change before my days are through. I wish you and Prince Firestorm the best."

The princess nodded, accepting his apology. Ninetales lost her somber expression and broke into a grin. "So when will you make your engagement public?"

I'm unsure. Not until my father returns, for certain. And...I may want to mate with him before any marriages take place. I have not decided yet.

The girl looked up at the towering, sky-reaching castle and smiled. I must inform Slash of my decision first, of course. I can sense him now, and he is quite nervous about my decision.

Psymakio dipped into the mind of the princess and found the tenuous bond that already existed between her and the prince. The presence of the prince felt much like her mate's...very close, so close that it was possible that she would mistake the two if she was careless. While frail and insignificant compared to her own full bond with Slash, its familiarity still made her feel a little depressed and lonely...her mate was fighting, perhaps dying, while she lay helpless on the ground having a dream. The warmth flowing through the princess's bond made Psymakio long for her mate's touch, his embrace. She wanted them to be out of the desert and back in Mauville, safe with their friends and able to make love without fear.

The princess wanted much of the same...to be mated with her first and only love, married and bonded in every way possible, without anyone cursing their union just because they were different. And if they succeeded...it could open the door for countless other couples who had to hide their love for fear of reprisal or disgust.

While Psymakio was becoming more and more certain that this world had truly existed in one form or another, she was still unsure if the role of princess was one that really existed, or one merely put into being for her role as viewer. Regardless, the feelings and desires that she shared with this girl made her heart ache. Even if this girl died long before she was born, if she ever existed at all, she still made Psymakio feel a little less afraid. Someone understood, even if that someone only existed in dreams.

She wasn't alone.

You're never alone, a voice replied in her head. The mind of the princess did not react to it; apparently it was a message for her only. It was male, unfamiliar, not the same as the voice which had offered her the vision earlier. Before she could question it, it continued: I suppose this is a good time to end the tour.

With that, her vision began to grow hazy. The castle, the city, and the Pokemon all around her grew thready, indistinct. It was not the same as losing consciousness, however...more of a transition from one world to another, with her remaining aware throughout the change. The cool morning wind shifted into stillness; the bright light of the sun softened into golden candlelight. Even her mind, formerly two distinct and separate consciousnesses, was changing. There was no longer any clear boundary between her own mind and the mind of the princess...instead it had become a melding so perfect that there really wasn't a difference. When she looked down upon her body, she was surprised to find that it, too, was neither one nor the other; the royal dress remained, as had some of the princess's features, but she could recognize some of her own traits in it; Psymakio ran her fingers over the last traces of a scar Rotom had left on her during their battle, the only one that had not yet healed.

When she looked back up, the world had finished its transition. She was in a bedroom, a large and elegant chamber strewn with statues and tapestries that told stories of heroes and kings. There was a balcony, but the doors and drapes were closed, leaving the room awash in the golden glow of a hundred candles....and a large, soft bed with silken sheets stood in the center. The resemblance to the penthouse suite where she and Slash had mated was beyond coincidental.

And she was, indeed, not alone.

The kind eyes looking back at her from across the room offered her familiar vows...promises to keep her safe, happy, loved. Despite never having seen this man before in her life, not even in her dreams, Psymakio did not feel the need to raise her defenses. He was clearly the prince that the guards had been referring to, the center of this vision. The light armor he wore, more for show than actual protection, was interwoven with patterns of gold and silver that left no doubt over his status in the world.

Beyond the ebony hair, his physical resemblance to Slash was minimal. This man was older, perhaps in his mid-twenties, with piercing green eyes and a welcoming smile. While she didn't find him as attractive as her mate, he was still quite fair.

Where are we? She shook her head as a strange, but seemingly more important question occurred to her. Which time is this?

The black-haired man's smile faded a bit. He sat down on the edge of the bed, motioning for her to do the same. Despite being nervous about this place, she felt no fear, and did so without more than an instant's hesitation. When he spoke, Psymakio felt a sudden and unexplainable sorrow in her heart, as though she had deeply missed the prince's voice for a thousand years and only just now became aware of it.

"We're in both."

Both what?

"Both times. Both eras. We shouldn't be, but...we are."

Confused by her question and his answer, Psymakio instinctively progged at the man's mind, surprised at the ease of which she could do so. It was not Slash, not in any form she could recognize, but he had one thing in common with her mate.

Your heart...it's sunset. Almost like...

"Your mate's. Yes, I know. You're a little afraid of it."

She looked away, not used to being so easily read. I...I take it that this means you're not a part of the scenery, like those guards and that city were. You're the real voice of this vision.

"Yes."

Are you really named Slash, as well?

He considered. "Not really. My name is something different, of a language not spoken in your time, but...well, it's the same as the text on the relic. While you've never been exposed to the language, never heard it spoken, and have no direct translation for it...it just sort of becomes clear to you. You hear my name as Slash because it's how your mind interprets it."

Perhaps you should give me a different name, so I won't become confused.

The prince considered for a moment. "Alright. You may call me Quiero." Seeing the recognition in Psymakio's eyes, he explained. "My mate...the princess...she called me that. In the verbal language of her kind, it means---"

Cherished one...then the story I was told...is it true? Or are you just an element of a story, too?

Quiero stood up and went to the largest window of the room and threw back the curtains, exposing a wide swath of the amazing Pokemon-inhabited city. "The walk through town wasn't the point of the vision. The knowledge of the city, of its existence in the long ago, won't help you or your mate...in the short term, anyway. But I felt it important for you to see. After all, it's not like we're in a rush."

So it's real.

"It was. And it was even more magnificent than what you were shown." He again sat down on the bedside, a little closer to Psymakio than he had been before. She was not concerned, however---she could sense nothing malevolent in this entity's intentions. "Would you hear of it?"

Will it help Slash?

"...like I said, not in the short term. But in the long term...it will almost certainly save both of your lives. Perhaps the lives of everyone in your world."

Psymakio's eyes widened as a thought occurred to her. Slash...he took on the task of hunting down Kiako without any hesitation, and not just because he was nearly killed by him. Both he and I have had nightmares of that man our whole lives, despite only having seen him very recently. And during a palaver that we had before we left for the desert, we felt guided by something...something far greater than ourselves. Do the Great Ones have a plan for us?

Quiero smiled. "You're as full of curiosity as Miyako was. I---"

Miyako? I've heard that name! In the desert---

The prince put a finger over her lips, and while her voice came from her mind, not her mouth, the physical contact still brought her to silence. "If you let me, I'll explain as much as I can...as much as I'm allowed to. Alright?"

Blushing slightly, Psymakio nodded, trying to ignore the warmth flowing through her at his touch. While it was probably due to the princess's personality being interwoven with her own, it still induced a touch of guilt in her heart, as though enjoying the contact made her unfaithful. Alright.

"I'll start by introducing you to...well, this."

Quiero pointed out at the cityscape. Psymakio climbed to her feet and walked to the window, taking in the magnificent view once again. It was clear that this bedroom was in the great castle, high enough to offer quite the view. A hundred or so yards from the window, a small group of Beautifly fluttered by, headed toward an expansive section of flowery meadow outside of the city's bustle. It's beautiful. Nature and civilization mixed...no pollution, no fighting, no...no predation...this was really once real?

"This is the capital of the Pokemon Kingdom, and yes, it was quite real. Centuries before you or your mate were born, two great kingdoms ruled over Hoenn. One was the kingdom you see before you...the other, where I hailed from, was ruled by man."

You're real, too, then?

"Yes. At the time setting of the little tour you experienced, me and the princess of the Pokemon Kingdom, a Gardevoir named Miyako, were about to become engaged. It was a time of great change for both kingdoms...a time of unity after countless centuries of hostility, separation, and even war."

Psymakio whirled around to meet his eyes at that. ...there were wars? Between humans and Pokemon?

"Many. And about a hundred years before this vision's time setting, there was a truly terrible one...a war that nearly destroyed the entire land of Hoenn. You see, Pokemon are very powerful themselves, far stronger than the mightiest human...so humans had to rely on their technology in order to stand a chance."

You mean Pokeballs?

"No, no...the

(enslavement)

"whole concept of trainers didn't come until much later. The weapons I refer to were much more terrible, and, thankfully, did not survive into your time...although there's always the possibility that a few could be dug up. There were weapons that fired chunks of metal with such force that a single man could kill a Charizard, as long as he did it before it got close. There were huge, armored machines that crushed all plantlife underfoot as they traveled, flying machines made of iron that went faster than sound and could launch projectiles that detonated with the force of a Hyper Beam. But the worst weapons of all...were the Sunderers."

The name alone sent a chill through Psymakio's body. It brought up terrifying memories of Mightyena ripping apart her family...the Aggron that struck her mate down with thunder...the Golbat that ripped her body to ribbons...

What were these Sunderers?

"The most terrible mistake man ever made. They were bombs...far more potent and deadly than the most powerful explosives in your time. A single Sunderer could annihilate this castle, and a handful more could rip this city into nothingness. But the explosions weren't the worst part of them...it was the poison. Wherever a Sunderer was detonated, it left a horrible, invisible cloud of poison that infected everything for dozens of miles in every direction. Nothing, not even the most powerful Poison Pokemon, could survive in contaminated areas. The last great war between man and Pokemon left nearly a third of Hoenn uninhabitable, so toxic that nothing would be able to live in the tainted regions for thousands of years."

Then how did the Pokemon survive? How can a city like this be here, thriving?

Quiero walked over to the window and stood by Psymakio, and pointed out at the large statue of the King in the courtyard. "When the Pokemon were on the verge of defeat, the Great Ones sent them a mighty King. His power was unlike anything that had been seen in the world before. He was even able to overcome the Sunderers and force the humans back from their lands, winning the war and transforming the formerly-mighty human kingdom into a chaotic, crippled mess. The government broke apart, with warring factions taking control of what few weapons were left, leaving the human kingdom on the verge of civil war. Anarchy surely would have finished off the human kingdom if it weren't for the actions of my great-grandfather Tobias."

The prince glanced apologetically at Psymakio. "I wish I could tell you everything about what he did, but...I may only tell you so much. I am sorry, but...I am bound by certain rules, and besides that, there is much that I do not know about his experiences, even now."

Why don't you know? You know about me, the Great Ones...

"I am not a Great One, and I do not possess their knowledge. I'm just...a lost soul. Someone long-dead, granted a brief reprieve to return to the world of the living, share what I can, and pass on the message I was instructed to deliver." He paused for a moment, sadness suddenly washing over his features as his eyes darted to Psymakio's face. "Nothing more."

Psymakio did not reply...she did not know how to respond to the sudden, intense heartache radiating from the prince. There were emotions at work here that she couldn't hope to understand, histories and long-gone relationships that she knew nothing about. Deciding not to risk making things worse by getting involved in matters she couldn't comprehend, she urged Quiero to continue. Tell me whatever you can, then. About your ancestor.

Shaking aside the look of pain from his face, he nodded. "Yes...yes. Legend goes that he left the kingdom alone, risking death by crossing the poisoned wastelands to meet with the King of the Pokemon, hoping that perhaps he could save the humans from annihilating themselves. When Tobias arrived, the Pokemon immediately brought him before the King, expecting him to order the human's execution. Instead, the King conferred with the Great Ones, and a choice was offered: if Tobias was willing to risk death again by venturing into the God's Forest, a sacred place on the edge of the Pokemon Kingdom, the world could possibly be saved. Despite not knowing what to expect, he readily accepted.

"He succeeded in reaching the legendary forest, and it was within that he met a great and powerful Pokemon, one of the Greater Ones---a being that dwarfed even the Great Ones in power. This being made a deal with Tobias: if he was willing to sacrifice his life, he would be allowed to make three wishes. Tobias agreed, and wished for the damage done by the Sunderers to be undone, the knowledge of how to create them to be destroyed, and for the few Sunderers remaining to vanish from human hands. The Greater One did so, and the lands of Hoenn were cleansed...and the terrible weapons which caused the damage disappeared from the fighting factions of humanity, ending the threats and violence before the human kingdom could face destruction.

"Tobias then lost his life, but his son, who was a brave and resourceful man in his own right, was given the right to rule the shattered human kingdom, and attempt to bring it back into prosperity. While the former glory of humanity was gone, they could finally begin to rebuild...and thus the First Kingdom of Hoenn was created."

Psymakio was silent for a long moment. Was all of this true? Slash had taught her a little of Hoenn's history...at least, the human history...and there were no stories of such terrible war, or such terrible weapons. Of course, the events surrounding the First and Second Kingdoms of Hoenn were incredibly fragmented, the sum of the information being little more than "they existed". Did the two kingdoms ever go to war again?

"No. After the war, the humans were in no position to attack the Pokemon. While the Pokemon could have easily conquered them, the King was a just being, and saw no reason to do so. After all, a human had given his life for peace, dying to restore the land and remove the Sunderers from the world...the King believed that maybe, just maybe, all debts had been repaid by that sacrifice.

"The peace was, however, uneasy. Tensions still ran high, and neither people visited the other...not in large numbers, anyway. The few encounters between Pokemon and human often led to violence...especially when members of the two species were found to be...intermingling."

The look in Quiero's face told Psymakio all she needed to know. By that you mean romantic relations...between a human and a Pokemon. Like me and Slash...or you and Miyako.

"Yes, and the public opinion on both sides wasn't much better than in your world. While there were no official prohibitions of inter-species relationships, the problem was worse due to the people of both kingdoms largely loathing the idea, largely due to the war. Many discovered were exiled...or worse."

But you and the princess...things obviously changed. While that Arcanine wasn't exactly enthusiastic about it, he wasn't trying to Flamethrower me, either.

"Things changed, all right...because we changed them. When I was a young man...not much older than Slash is now...my father, the king, sent me to the Pokemon Kingdom in hopes that more stable diplomatic relations could be established. During my visit I saw Miyako, the Princess, for the first time. She was...so beautiful. So radiant. An angel of silver and emerald sitting aside the throne, looking at me with a mix of curiosity and intrigue...I was, after all, the first human that she had ever seen."

Psymakio smiled at the Quiero's tone. It sounds like it was love at first sight.

"Perhaps, but obviously I couldn't just walk past the King and ask of his daughter."

I have a question. His daughter? If that statue of him is really what the King looked like, how could a Gardevoir be his daughter? Do you mean in adoptive terms, or literally?

"Both, in a way. The King was a Great One in his own right, a being of amazing magic and power. He had four children...three sons, the Princes, and Miyako, his daughter. While his sons resembled him, they were, like him, unique...the only ones of their kind, meant to live for eternity. He created Miyako differently...the first of a new species, able to fall in love, take a mate, and have children. Miyako herself was a near-god as well in terms of aging, but her heirs would be mortal. The sons of the King were his heirs...and his daughter was his heart."

That's...nearly unbelievable. He was able to create a new race himself? He was truly that powerful?

"I do not believe that it was something he could repeat...but we are drifting off-topic again. Back to Miyako. When I met her during my audience with the King, I only had the chance to say a few words to her when I was introduced to the royal court---'well met, my lady', nothing more. She didn't say anything, only nodded in reply, but...she also turned the faintest shade of pretty green. I wish I could convey to you how beautiful she looked then...sitting beside her father, wearing a dress of pink and gold, staring at me with those exotic ruby-red eyes...despite the importance of that first meeting with the King, I could hardly keep my mind on him and his words. My eyes kept drifting to the princess, watching her play nervously with her fingers, occasionally smiling at me with a mix of shyness and curiosity...she was so beautiful. So perfect. I was taken before we had spoken a single word to each other."

Psymakio knew the feeling. It was how she had felt the first time Slash had let her out of her Pokeball. She had looked up at the strange dark-haired boy and been instantly overwhelmed. He looked so strong, so gallant...even before he spoke to her and promised her food and shelter and friendship, she had been lovestruck.

"That first meeting was rather short, as it was merely an introduction between myself and the King. When it had finished, I left the castle and began heading through town to my hostel...I had sent my bodyguards and advisors on ahead, because...well, I wanted to be alone. I wanted to be able to think and daydream about the beautiful girl I had seen at the castle. Despite the importance of my visit to the Pokemon Kingdom, all I could think about was Miyako, and if there was any way I could speak to her alone, away from guards and attendants. I had never cared one way or the other about the taboo against such desires, and even if I had, one look at that angel would have cast away that prejudice like light on a shadow.

"I didn't go straight back to the hostel. In fact, I wandered out of town, into the fields on its borders, letting the sun and wind guide me. There was magic in the air that day...even I, a human with no psychic awareness, could feel it. And then..." Quiero smiled at the memory, eyes no longer focused on Psymakio, instead looking past her...perhaps at the girl within her. "And then she appeared in front of me. Teleported and scared the daylights out of me. I was totally unsure of what to do---what to say, how to act, whether I should speak to her as the mere diplomat I was or use the chance to tell her that I wanted her more badly than anything I had ever desired in my life...but before I could utter a word, she addressed me; with no trace of hesitation or stuffiness, she asked me if I wanted to play with her."

Now Quiero focused on Psymakio, his smile brightening. "She was so innocent. She had lived her life protected in the castle and the surrounding city, unaware of the wars and hatred that had plagued our two peoples generations before. She knew nothing of Sunderers or humans with black hearts. When I asked her what she meant by her question, she just told me that I had looked interesting, that my mind was 'much less boring than her attendants', and that she wanted to play with me. She wanted a friend.

"You know what it's like to be alone, Psymakio. I had lived my entire life before her without friends. While the human kingdom had been stabilized by the actions of my great-grandfather, there were still radical factions that longed for an overthrow of the monarchy and revenge against the Pokemon Kingdom. I was rarely allowed to leave the castle grounds, and never allowed to do so alone. Miyako...she had lived a similar life. We were both...lonely. Terribly lonely."

She just...appeared out of the blue, unafraid and undemanding, offering you everything that you wanted, Psymakio whispered, more to herself than to the prince. Yes, I...I understand that.

Quiero's eyes softened again, as though he was reliving the memory as he spoke. "We ended up spending the rest of the day together. We ran around in the fields, climbed trees in the forests, swam in the river...all the while talking, sharing our life stories, both incredibly curious about the other. At the end of the day, we both felt...well, a little less lonely. She asked me, in a terribly insecure voice, if I was her friend. I told that I certainly was, and that I hoped to see her again, and not just in royal meetings. Her eyes lit up at that, and before she left she gave me a laughing embrace, thanking me for being so...so kind. I could only stammer out that a reply that I had enjoyed her kindness, as well.

"Over the next few weeks, whether there was a meeting with the King that day or not, we continued to meet in secret outside of town. During those playful afternoons, me and the princess grew...very close. Miyako told me of her family, her bodyguards and attendants...and about the Great Ones who occasionally descended from the skies, whirling with power and radiance that made the surrounding city look dull as stone. I told her of my father, the struggle to rebuild our society after so much war and anarchy. One afternoon, the question of mates came up...something I had been very curious about, but was too nervous to ask her. She had no romantic interests herself, thankfully...but when I told her that my father had been attempting to find a noblewoman for me to marry, perhaps would even have one waiting when I returned home...Miyako looked...heartbroken. She went from cheery and chatty to sounding like she'd been hit in the stomach. I had known that she enjoyed our friendship, but only in my wildest dreams did I think that she could possibly share my feelings! She tried to shrug it off, tried to play it like she didn't really care, but then she started to cry, and...I couldn't help what I did next. The sight of that beautiful, adorable girl crying her pretty little eyes out was more than I could bear."

Psymakio's memories flashed back to the cramped clinic in the Mauville Pokemon Gym, where a little Kirlia, in tears and terribly vulnerable, had been embraced by her trainer and pulled into a kiss that had changed her life. Despite having sworn to never allow herself to do so, she had been unable to pull away, letting her lips be taken until Slash reluctantly released her. Neither had expected it...but neither could ever forget it. Nothing could ever be the same.

"I took her by the hand and told her that I had met someone that I felt strongly for, someone strong and kind and beautiful, and that I would defy my father and stay by her side, regardless of the consequences. Her tears stopped, but she looked at me with uncertainty, wanting to believe that I meant her...but too afraid to ask it outright. She asked me what I would do if such a love was forbidden, and what I would do if someone found out...she started crying again, even harder, and that, Psymakio, is when I made the same gamble that Slash did."

You kissed her.

Quiero wiped a small tear from his face and nodded. "There's no way I can describe to you how sweet and wonderful that kiss was, but...well, I don't have to, do I? My life with Miyako and yours with Slash are mirrors of the same love. You already know what it felt like."

She took the prince's hand, feeling a jolt of his mingled sorrow and happiness jump into her as she did so, and motioned for him to continue.

"Well, after the happy delirium wore off, we both understood that our relationship had to be hidden...at least, for a while. The King himself had never voiced any disapproval of human-Pokemon couples, but...Miyako wanted a chance to slowly warm him up to the idea, just in case. As for my people...I was well-loved and respected in the kingdom, so I hoped that my reputation would lend our relationship some credibility. Like my new love, I decided to work on my people...but slowly. When I returned to my kingdom, I pushed my father to pass strong penalties against those who committed violence against such couples, telling the people that regardless of their own opinions, violence in our unstable kingdom would not be tolerated. Before long I received a letter from Miyako, informing me that the Pokemon Kingdom had done the same. Violence did occur from time to time, but the repercussions for those who committed it were swift and severe. It wasn't much, but...it was a start.

"I also told my father that I had met someone during my travels, someone who I loved very much and wanted to take time to know. It took some doing, but I eventually convinced him that it was serious enough for him to end the search for my 'suitable wife'. I did not tell him who she was, but...I think he knew that she was a Pokemon. He never admitted that to me, not even after it did become widely known, but...I think he knew."

How did it become widely known? Judging from what I saw in the tour earlier, there weren't any riots or wars over it.

"After we felt that we had done as much as we could, we told our parents. The King was not surprised---while he had not been sure, he was apparently not clueless as to where his daughter had been sneaking off to so often. He approved without any problems, because over the course of our diplomatic talks, he had judged me to be a good man. My father was a bit more difficult. He, himself, was not disgusted by the idea, but he brought up the fact that many of our people were---we were, after all, the ones who lost the great war a century prior, and we were still rebuilding from it. Needless to say, there was still a degree of anti-Pokemon sentiment. I told him that I needed to make it public, and while there would likely be some rioting over it, it could be dealt with."

Quiero gave Psymakio a long look. "I...underestimated the response. There was a little bit of rioting, which was quickly quashed, but...a group of radical anti-Pokemon extremists, the Justiciero, were much less pleased. They stormed the Great Memorial Tower, a site sacred to both humans and Pokemon, and threatened to blow it up as a sign of a new war against the Pokemon Kingdom. Both peoples were outraged, and tensions ran high. I took responsibility for their actions...and went there myself to try to stop them. I killed a few of them, but was quickly captured...and then I learned something horrible. They had a Sunderer. They were planning to destroy the Tower and irradiate the holy land, as a call for others to wage war against the Pokemon...perceived vengeance against them for the war that had ravaged our people. The fact that we had started it didn't matter to loons like them."

I don't understand. I thought Tobias Firestorm had wished for all the Sunderers to be destroyed.

"No, he wished for them to be out of human hands. The remaining weapons were scattered across the world, hidden from both kingdoms...but somehow those bastards had found one. It seems that weapons such as those always find their way into the hands of madmen."

What happened?

"The King knew that while it was what the Justiciero wanted, he had no choice---he had to order the destruction of the Tower in order to preserve the surrounding lands from being irradiated. Such an action would be viewed as an act of war by my people, and the actions of the Justiciero, whether they set the Sunderer off or not, could well become an act of war for the Pokemon. The King sent the Lord of the Sky, Rayquaza, to destroy the Tower, but...it didn't come to that." Quiero smiled, a wave of pride surging over his aura. "Miyako herself came, both to stop the attacks and to save my life. She freed me from my captors and, together, we stopped them from detonating the Sunderer. Afterwards, Miyako asked Rayquaza to take the weapon into space and destroy it safely.

"After the incident, we found that our actions had made us heroes. I had proven myself to the Pokemon by risking my life to stop the terrorists, despite them being of my people. Miyako had proven herself to the humans in saving my life and helping me save the holy lands and the Memorial Tower. It was the turning point in our acceptance---anyone who spoke against our relationship was seen for the closed-minded, prejudicial monsters that they were. It didn't stop some from still hating what we had, but...I don't think that it could ever be possible to satisfy everyone. We had the blessings of the vast majority of our peoples, and...that was enough."

So...you earned your right to live freely. To love freely.

"Yes."

I was wondering how it came about...when Arcanine and Ninetales discussed it, I was hopeful that, perhaps, the vision's purpose was to show me a way to end the hatred that me and Slash will face if discovered. I guess I was wrong.

Quiero shook his head. "No. You're not wrong. The true purpose of the vision was to warn you about...something terrible that approaches your pack...but I asked the Great Ones to let me tell you of these things. It took some bargaining, and they set limits upon what I could tell you of...for example, limits upon much of the information on the Greater One I described earlier...but they agreed. And while this knowledge will not help you or Slash in the immediate future...it could still help you someday. If the two of you succeed in the task the Great Ones would have you embark upon, perhaps you will earn the world's respect just as Miyako and I did."

And what is the task the Great Ones want us to do?

"That's not for me to say. Both you and your mate must hear their desire together, as both of you must agree to it. The path they would have you follow will be revealed to you soon...but not today. All I am permitted to tell you now is this: soon you will come face-to-face with a Great One, and depending on your actions, the true path may be shown to you and Slash at that time."

Psymakio frowned, not happy with his words but unable to see any way to find out more. She sensed that he was telling the truth---while Quiero did know the intention of the gods, he was not permitted to tell her certain things. It didn't matter how much he wished to, either; part of the conditions for this long-dead prince to be brought back to the living, even if only in prophesy, was his agreement. After a moment, she turned to him again. Okay, I understand that. In that case, can you tell me the rest of the story? What happened after you stopped the Justi...Justice...

"Justiciero. You know the rest, my dear. I went to the Pokemon Kingdom to be thanked by the King for my actions, and spent some weeks there with Miyako, enjoying our newfound freedom. We were able to play in town for a change, able to swim in the waterways and share romantic walks along the market and seaside...it was wonderful. After a month or so, my father fell ill, and I had to return home for a while...but before I did, I took Miyako aside and asked her a question...a question that I hoped to have answered when I came back."

You asked her to marry you, Psymakio concluded with a sunny grin. Quiero returned it and nodded.

"Yes. And now for the part that came after your experience. She accepted, and a few months later we were wed. It was far more than a mere wedding, though---our joining represented a complete bond that was not only between ourselves, but between our two kingdoms. Since we, the crown royalty, were marrying, the two kingdoms would become unified...a world of human and Pokemon living together in harmony. The Second Kingdom of Hoenn."

The artifact from Slateport...it came from that Kingdom.

"Indeed. As a result of my mating with Miyako, I had gained her lifespan, and the two of us were set to be together for countless years, enjoying each other's love as generations came and went around us. It was a wonderful time for the Kingdom, and there were a hundred years of peace and prosperity following our marriage."

And what happened after that?

Quiero's face turned dark, all happiness and humor gone from his eyes. Outside the window, the Kingdom suddenly changed, the beautiful vista transforming into a mess of ruin and flame. Faint screams and cries could be heard coming from the city as the sky slowly cycled from blue to jet black.

"And then the Shadow fell."

Psymakio's heart froze cold as the words reached her ears, and tears began sliding down her cheeks, though she knew not why.

--------------------------

Electrike leapt from the narrow passage separating the desert from the southern mountain passes, sighing in relief as the stinging sand finally stopped ripping at his body. He would have to go through it again on the way back, of course, but for now he could run without pain. Instead of heading south towards Mauville, which even for him was several hours away, he turned west, toward where the horizon was faintly brighter than the rest of the night sky. The tremendous cloud of ash that hung like a death veil over central Hoenn was, thankfully, all but invisible.

Still, he was not ignorant of the fact that something was very wrong with this area, something that had not been nearly as much out of place when they had camped on the route the day before. There was a smell to the trail, something horribly pungent that reminded him of rotten eggs...and despite never having scented it before, it made his breath catch and his heart jump.

It was the smell of death and destruction, and it was infecting the wind.

The thought reminded him of the situation his packmates were likely undergoing back at the cave. His alpha female was poisoned and dying. His trainer and friends were fighting to stay alive against the killing creatures that were laying siege against them, possibly becoming envenomed themselves. He had to hurry.

Remember Slash's orders about taking a short break once he reached Lavaridge, he picked up the speed, shifting from gallop to sprint, no longer worried about conserving energy. If anyone was on the route, they would have barely seen him, a blur of green and yellow that rocketed by so quickly that his dust wake took a whole second to follow after. But it was still not enough.

He was no Psychic Pokemon. Gardevoir was unconscious, and even if she weren't, her bond wouldn't be perceptible at this distance. But he still thought that he felt something ominous in the air, something unrelated to the volcano or the strange smells.

He had to go faster. Time was running out.

A few minutes later he had arrived in Lavaridge, which was oddly quiet and deserted, even for this time of night. A Pokemart was, thankfully, near the edge of town, and he skidded to a stop a few yards from it.

The door didn't open.

It was programmed to open for humans, not small Pokemon such as he. But there was no time for this nonsense, no time to wait for some insomniac trainer to come by and open it for him. Charging up his power, he released a tremendous jolt of electricity at the door, blowing it off its tracks and sending it crashing to a thud inside. The late-shift worker at the front nearly had a heart attack as the door exploded in, and nearly had another as an agitated, out-of-breath Electrike leaped onto the countertop, barking frantically.

Reluctantly, as though he were afraid that the creature would rip his fingers off if he moved too quickly, the cashier turned the Pokenav around its neck toward him. On the screen was a message, one too dire to disbelieve. A stock boy ran toward the front of the store, shaking from the sudden explosion at this late hour.

"What's the hell was that noise?"

"Come here and take a look at this! It's a Pokemon!"

"An Electrike? What does that Pokenav say?"

"Trainer traveling across desert, ambushed, Pokemon badly poisoned...antidotes destroyed, need more...holy shit, I think this is from the guy we saw fighting Watson! That Firestorm kid!"

The stock boy looked at Electrike and nodded. "He did use an Electrike. I think you're right."

"All right then...I don't think the manager will be mad if Watson really pays us for the medicine...although I really hope he'll pay for the door, too...okay, go get some antidotes, and hurry!"

Running to the appropriate aisle, the stock boy gathered up as many boxes of antidotes as he could and stuffed them in a bag. He was sure that it would be enough---if this many vials couldn't cure the poison, nothing could. He ran back to the counter and slung the bag around Electrike's neck, tightening the straps so that it wouldn't fall off as he ran. "Okay, it's secure. Get going, little guy."

Electrike barked in reply and leapt down, racing out of the store and back towards the route so fast that both shopkeepers could barely believe he had actually been there at all. The cashier looked down at the mess on the ground, sighed, and motioned for the stock boy to help him pick up the door.

Once back on the trail, Electrike picked up the speed again, to his maximum and beyond. He knew that he should follow Slash's order to rest for a few minutes before heading back, but something told him that there was too little time to waste for him to take a break. He could only run his hardest and hope that he got back before Gardevoir succumbed to the poison...and before he fell down in the traces.

And as he raced down the path, fast enough to rival lightning, legs beginning to burn and ache from the strain and breath getting harder and harsher, Electrike began to change.

-----------------------

The...the Shadow?

The sounds of pain and chaos from outside picked up in intensity. Every now and then a huge explosion rocked the streets, sending huge fireballs roaring into the sky. Quiero nodded, his eyes blazing like burning jade.

"I cannot tell you the specifics...as with your destiny, that is not my story to tell...but I can tell you enough. After a century of peace for the unified Kingdom, all civilization and light crashed into a blood-soaked nightmare under the veil of the Shadow."

Psymakio cringed as a wet, agonized scream sung through the horrors outside the castle. What was it? A war?

"No. The Shadow made even the Sunderers pale in comparison. It swept across the land, tainting and corrupting all life, turning the righteous into twisted monsters that turned on each other, spilling blood across the Kingdom. The source was a man possessed by a Demon...a man who I, and Miyako, once trusted. He had left as a fugitive and exile...and returned as a horribly powerful madman, with the powers of darkness under his control. One by one, he and the Demon destroyed the provinces, spreading plagues and poison and murder throughout Hoenn. Even the strongest Pokemon could not overcome the Shadow, and the human military likewise faltered. Things got so bad that some wished that the Sunderers were still around."

That's terrible...wasn't there something that could be done? Couldn't the King stop it somehow?

Quiero shook his head. "The King's armies went against the Shadow and its offspring, but all that happened was that many Pokemon were murdered...and worse, many were corrupted, their minds destroyed, making them turn against their own people. The Shadow moved into the capitol city, and me and Miyako were forced to fight it in a terrible battle. We succeeded in killing the possessed man, and it appeared that we had stopped the flow of darkness over our Kingdom...but we were wrong. Moments later, the Demon itself emerged, no longer bound by flesh and mortality, exponentially stronger and without any trace of hesitation or remorse. Miyako and I fled, knowing that we stood no chance, and the King himself engaged in battle with it."

Did he...did he die?

"He was able to match the Shadow's strength at first, but it quickly became clear that the Demon was still growing in power, and would very soon overcome him. Me and Miyako were useless in battle, so we consulted the other Great Ones and determined the best course of action---like my great-grandfather before me, we would go into the God's Forest and try to find the Greater One who had saved Hoenn centuries before. We succeeded in locating him, but...well, as I told you, Tobias Firestorm had to give up his life in exchange for the purification of the lands. It turns out that the Greater One did not require this out of spite or a test of resolve, but out of necessity---for every wish that this Pokemon could grant, a price had to be paid. This rule was absolute, nonnegotiable. By this time the Shadow had grown too powerful for even the Greater One to destroy, and all we could do was seal it away, hoping that perhaps, in the future, a way would be found to be rid of it permanently."

The cost of sealing the Shadow away...what was it?

"Everything that we held dear."

In a sudden flash of light, the bedroom...the castle...even the city was gone. Psymakio found herself standing in an empty world, nothing but scorched earth and dead trees around her. There were no traces of the half-building dens that made up the city, or the waterways that crossed it. Most shocking of all was the absence of the castle itself---for something so titanic to just disappear...it was clear that the prince could not tell her just what the cost was, but she thought she heard a snippet of song in the back of her mind---beasts lose their Freedom, and men lose their Souls---

"In the final battle to seal the Shadow away, both me and Miyako lost our lives. I am not sure of what happened immediately after our deaths, but I do know that the King was defeated and both he and the Demon were sealed away together."

Psymakio shivered as the words sunk into her. Qui-Quiero?...is the Shadow still alive?

"...yes. When we agreed to seal away the Shadow, we were hoping one of two things would happen. The first was that a new, more powerful Great One would emerge and be able to destroy the Shadow---that is why we left a means for unsealing it. The other was that the Shadow would eventually fade away in its prison, decreasing in power until it just...disappeared."

I take it that neither happened.

"While many powerful Pokemon are alive today, none are capable of destroying the Shadow---not even the Great Ones. And unfortunately, despite our hopes, the Shadow...it is not dying. Its power is continuing to increase, growing more and more with each passing year. It is unstoppable, even sealed as it is."

Is it possible that the Shadow will be able to break the seal?

Quiero shook his head---not in negation, but in frustration. "This is as much as I can tell you about this matter, as the rest of the story falls under the role of another. But you can figure out some of it on your own."

Suddenly it was clear to her---why Kiako posed such a threat to the world, why Slash had instinctively decided to hunt him down, why the two of them had nightmares of the red-eyed man all their lives. It is still alive, isn't it...and if Kiako unseals the King...he'll also unseal the Shadow, won't he? Does he know of the Shadow's existence?

The prince didn't respond, and Psymakio understood that it was because he couldn't respond---he was forbidden to.

What were the costs of sealing it away?

No reply.

Is it possible to seal the Shadow again if it is freed?

Nothing.

"I am sorry, Psymakio, but...I have told you all I can. I was granted great lenience in telling you what I have, but...the lenience ends here. I wish I could tell you more, but I cannot. It is not my place. My purpose now is to pass onto you three warnings, one of which is the promised information that can save your mate from death."

Death!?

"Perhaps not an immediate death, but...in a way, it would be better if it was. The fate he risks suffering is far more sinister than that."

I want to hear that message first. Please.

"I understand. As you know, Slash possesses a unique heart...the same type of heart as I."

Sunset. Or sunrise. I can't tell which.

"I can, for I have the same kind of heart. It's sunset. His heart is a mix of light and dark, but...as much as you may disbelieve this, particularly after having mated with him...it is mostly dark. All humans have darkness within them in varying degrees, usually in equal amounts, but...Slash is special."

Psymakio shook her head, disbelieving. I have seen my mate's heart several times in the past few days. I assure you, he is of the light!

"Relax, my dear. Having darkness in your heart does not make you evil...in fact, some darkness is necessary, just as light is. Without light, a being would be cruel and heartless, yes, but without darkness, one lacks ambition, determination, resolve. The purpose of light is to give happiness to others...and the purpose of darkness is to give happiness to oneself. Simple as that."

She considered that description carefully. Slash had described his 'loss of control' state as having no concern over others---that fit the idea of self-serving darkness---but since he had some light in him, he only rarely descended to that state.

"As Slash fears, he has the same type of heart as Kiako, but there is a key difference---you. A mate. Someone who he loves and cherishes even more than himself. You add to his light, helping him overcome the dark. Should he ever truly lose control of himself to his inner darkness, only you will be capable of returning him to the light."

Slash would never lose himself like that. Not in the manner that you're hinting at.

Quiero looked away nervously, but quickly resteadied his gaze upon her. "I am sorry, Psymakio, but...you do not fully comprehend the allure of darkness to someone with a sunset heart. The dark, coupled with his own inherent strength and the strength granted to him by your bond, gives him enormous potential power. Once he realizes this power, it will become very difficult to refrain from using it."

Why would he need to?

"Using the power of darkness requires one to think only of themselves, not of others. To make use of it would require him to narrow his bond with you. It would harm you, both physically and emotionally, and while he would loathe to ever cause you harm...the nature of that dark power is addicting. And eventually...it is consuming. It will become harder and harder for him to resist over time and with repeated use. The only way to prevent this is for you to constantly be by his side, even when the temptation to use his dark heart is strongest. No matter what he does, no matter how horrible his actions, you cannot leave him. If you do, he will have no reason to try to resist the darkness, and...he will become capable of the same destruction as Kiako."

Something about that phrase---becoming capable of the same destruction as Kiako---seemed to resonate on a level which she Psymakio couldn't quite reach. Realizing that it was beyond her for the moment, she brought her concentration back on the present issue. Why is it so urgent for me to hear this? How can this help him now, in the middle of the desert?

"Because soon...very soon...Slash will be faced with a choice. A corrupted god, still living from the ancient times, will make him an offer that will strongly appeal to his dark heart. If he makes the correct choice, he will stand by your side and all will be well. If he makes the wrong choice, he will try to convince himself that he did it for your protection, but that will not be the truth...the truth will be that the choice will be a selfish one, made for himself and not out of love for you. And if he continues down that path, it will eventually lead him to deceit, treachery, and murder."

Psymakio bit her lip, suddenly feeling very insecure without her mating bond active. She wanted to believe that Slash was incapable of those things, but...after witnessing the inhumanity of humans, both in her own time and in the story Quiero had shown her...despite Slash's warnings to her about his dark heart, she had never truly believed him to be capable of doing something evil. Now, though...she was not so sure.

...which choice will he make?

"I do not know. Not even the Great Ones know---their ability to pre-cog is limited, just as with all Pokemon. But even if he makes the wrong choice...especially if he makes the wrong choice...you must stand by his side. It may be easy to hold it against him, but believe me when I say that withdrawing your support for him in those terrible times will only make it worse."

I would never stop supporting him! Never! I swore to him that I would be by his side in all things, and I meant it!

"I know that, Psymakio, but...you know little of the darkness that resides in him. You may think you know it, but you do not...not yet. And while it's easy to say that you will still care for him when he falters, it will prove far harder to do so when his selfishness breaks your heart." Quiero's gaze locked on hers. "How much heartbreak are you willing to suffer for him, Psymakio?"

As much as my heart is capable of withstanding. I will not abandon him. Never. There is nothing in the world that I am more sure of.

The prince was silent for a moment before smiling wanly. "I see. Very well, then. If that is true, then you have little to fear. You remind me of Miyako even more now...she, too, stood by my side when my own darkness took hold of me. It was not easy for her, but...if she had not been there for me...well, just be thankful that she was."

If you were mated to a Gardevoir, how can you possibly question the strength of my bond with him? You should know how strong it is.

"It was quite different for Miyako and I. Our era was one of peace, enlightenment, advancement. What the world has become now, for both humans and Pokemon, is the opposite---a slow decay, headed towards oblivion. Though the Shadow has been sealed away, its influence continues to grow, and it continues to damage the balance of the world. Love and trust are just as much a part of the balance as everything else, and are falling apart just as assuredly."

Psymakio froze at that statement. What do you mean by falling apart? What exactly is the Shadow's increasing strength doing to the world?

"I cannot tell you much, as that, like so much else, falls onto another. But I can say that the events transpiring in Fallarbor, the catastrophe which is drawing all lines of force towards it...that is but one symptom of the Shadow's building power. This, Psymakio, is the second warning I am to deliver to you. In the north, in the ashlands, a focusing point for the Shadow has begun to form...a nexus of darkness that will spread over Hoenn and accelerate the world's destruction if it is not stopped. You and Slash must stand together, throughout hardship and temptation, because only the two of you can stop what is happening there."

And what is happening there, Quiero?

"A Great One, the Lord of the Sky, is in grave danger. His heart has been stolen from him by a terrible monster, and unless he regains it, he will surely die...and if he dies, the balance will tip beyond salvation, and the world will fall into oblivion far earlier than we expected. While saving him will not end the damage being done to the land, it will slow it, and until a way is discovered to destroy the Shadow itself, that is all that can be done. And it must be done soon, for the veil of the Shadow is continuing to spread from the north. Surely you have observed the effects."

The volcanic activity...the strange pulses of discord coming from Fallarbor...

"And that is not all. Even the attack upon you and your friends is partially due to the spread of the veil."

A surprised chirp came from the disbelieving Gardevoir. Surely you're not serious. How could that possibly have any effect on what happened to us? All that happened was that we let our guard down, chose to make love instead of keeping an eye out for trouble, and alerted the Cacturne to our presence by doing so. This...veil...it cannot have anything to do with it.

Quiero's face turned grim as he looked away towards the dream world's setting sun. The sky was stained a beautiful but ominous red, looking more like blood than the regal colors that normally came with dusk.

"You do not understand the power of the Shadow. The Great Ones do not know what the Shadow truly is, or its origin, but they do know that its power dwarfs anything that they have ever come across. Logic, reason...they may seem like unbreakable laws, but in the face of the Shadow, even reality itself begins to falter. Under the veil of hatred and malevolence that it is casting over Hoenn, its black magic slowly begins to affect everything. Humans clumsily break glass, trip over their own feet, get into arguments with their friends and family. Pokemon's dens collapse, they fall into holes while running and break their legs, come home to find their food supplies raided. Under the veil, the best intentions, such as your lovemaking with Slash, lead to the worst of outcomes. Bad luck, misfortune, hot tempers...all of those and more come with the spread of the Shadow. You and your pack must be exceedingly careful, particularly as you head closer to the source of this disturbance."

Psymakio stood a few yards from the prince, barely able to believe his words. She had thought that she understood power---after all, what could be more incredibly strong than the bond she shared with her mate?---but now she felt uncertain and afraid. Something with as much power as Quiero was describing...something powerful enough to destroy a mighty Kingdom, corrupt the Great Ones themselves, and influence the world like that even when sealed away by a god...such a Demon was beyond comprehension.

"Psymakio, I can sense the direction of your thoughts. But as horrible as it is...it gets worse. The Shadow's influence is stronger still. It is not my place to tell you of its true interaction with the world, but I am permitted to say this much---if it is not destroyed, the effects that I described will not be contained to central Hoenn. More and more focusing points will spawn all over Hoenn, with catastrophes that could easily destroy civilization by themselves...and whether the Shadow manages to break free on its own after centuries, or is untimely released by Kiako, it will ravage and feast on whatever remains of this planet. Human, Pokemon, it matters not. All of Hoenn, and eventually the entire world, will succumb to its soulless fury."

Things l-like the volcano?

"Volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, those are only the beginning. Wars, plagues, anarchy...the effects of the Shadow are not limited to the natural world. Man and Pokemon are also influenced by it...Kiako, Slash, the Jirachians, the Aquas, everyone."

A thought ran through Psymakio's head---a giant leap of intuition that suggested that perhaps, just perhaps, the increasing power of the Shadow could have something to do with what Slash referred to as the deterioration of society...the increasing violence, the bigotry, the crime and lack of compassion and everything else that made society seem to weaken even as it advanced technologically. Something told her that even if this was a correct assumption, Quiero was not permitted to say anything about it. The prince gave her a small nod, as though he could read her thoughts (he very possibly could), and she held her tongue on the issue.

Slash's heart...the veil of the Shadow...that's two. What is the last warning you are to tell me?

"Do you know of playing cards, Psymakio?" She nodded curiously. "In the end, four entities will be drawn from the world to oppose the Shadow. Slash would be the King of Clubs. You, the Queen of Hearts. The Jack of Diamonds and the Ace of Spades have yet to be revealed to you...and to me...but they will come in the future. However, there is one player in all of this that defies classification. The Great Ones cannot read him at all, nor can they sense his true intentions. He is a strange, dangerous creature, neither human nor Pokemon, and if he was assigned a card, he would most assuredly be a Joker. A wild card."

Her breath caught as she intuited the answer. There was only one who fit that description.

Kiako.

"I am sure that you've wondered about the symmetry of my time and yours. I, a human, married and mated with a Gardevoir. You, a Gardevoir, also mated with a human, and together you will oppose the Shadow's damage on the world, just as we did. There is a reason for this, though it is, regrettably, another of those forbidden topics, but my point is that Kiako is also part of this symmetry...there was a Kiako Sensiari in my era, as well. In my time, he was one of the only hybrid children publicly known, and only protected due to his status as advisor to the King---"

Hybrid!? Do you mean---

"He was born to a human mother and a Pokemon father, yes. I know that you have questions about that...and considering how much pain that issue has brought to you and your mate, I truly wish that I could explain it to you...but..."

Sighing in disappointment, Psymakio nodded slightly. I understand. I'll just have to hope that this second storyteller comes to me soon, because I really wish to know why that's...not possible for us.

"It will be a while yet until the second storyteller comes to you, but less time than you fear, I assure you. In any case, yes, Kiako was a hybrid, and served the King as his chief advisor. Though neither of us knew it at the time, he longed for Miyako, and was heartbroken when she fell in love with me. Once our relationship became known, he began acting rather strangely around us, and a few months after the wedding, he fled the Kingdom without an explanation. He returned a few times early on---to attack us and the Kingdom with crude terrorism---but for nearly a hundred years, we knew nothing of him or his whereabouts. Even now no one knows where he went or what he did during that time. All we know is that when he finally did return, he brought the Shadow back with him."

Quiero again turned to the bloody sunset, eyes squinting from the sunlight...or from anger. "We don't know a lot about my era's Kiako, but we did know his origin and his motives---his unrequited love for Miyako drove him mad, and he turned against everything that she and I held dear. With your era's Kiako...the Great Ones cannot see him. Not at all. His mind is utterly unreadable. His motives are unknown. Even his origins are unknown...all that we can be sure of is that this new incarnation of Kiako was not born the same way as his predecessor. He is a Joker in the deck, a wild card that is capable of anything and everything. And while he is neither a god nor a Demon...he could, perhaps, become either. His potential for destruction may even be on par with that of the Shadow. Maybe...maybe even beyond it. We just, simply, do not know."

The prince spun around toward the frightened Gardevoir and hardened his voice. "You and Kiako will cross paths soon. Of that the Great Ones are certain. He, like your pack, is being drawn toward the focusing point of the Shadow's veil. We do not know what will happen when you meet...how he will react to you, the mirror of my mate, or to Slash, the mirror of myself."

Other than Stern being killed and Slash nearly so, we survived our first encounter with him without too much difficulty.

"You were not a Gardevoir then, Psymakio...and, more importantly, you and Slash had not yet mated. The Great Ones have no clue what might happen when the trinity is brought together once again. You must be very, very careful. That is the final warning I was sent to deliver."

The world around them, the fields and sunset and desolation, suddenly vanished. The feeling of being fused with another Gardevoir's mind was gone, and her body appeared to be all hers once again. They were in Psymakio's void, which had darkened to a terrible, putrid purple. Her body wouldn't last much longer. Strangely, though, Quiero did not seem to be worried about this---perhaps her death was not in the cards just yet.

"I am glad to have been given the chance to meet you, Psymakio. I wish I could have told you more, and I know that the lack of some of that information is frustrating, but...it took quite a bit of bargaining to be allowed as much time and leeway as I was. I am sorry."

She shook her head vigorously. No, Quiero, it's fine. You told me so much...showed me a world I thought only to exist in dreams...even though that Kingdom is gone, it's still comforting to know that it existed at all...because, perhaps, it could exist again someday.

Quiero looked at her strangely, his eyes widened in surprise, as though she had said something deeply profound and unexpected. "I...yes. You're right. It could. If the balance of the world isn't lost...then yes, it could."

The TRUTH door was paling in brightness now, and the prince sighed at the sight. "I am sorry, but...my time amongst the living has come to its end. I must return to [.....] and hope that you and your mate heed my words."

Where...where are you going? What lies beyond that door now?

He merely smiled, obviously unable to tell her in terms she could comprehend. He started to turn away, but stopped in mid-step and met her gaze once again. "Other worlds than these, Psymakio. Other worlds than these."

He was slowly walking to the door when she realized that there was something that she desperately needed to ask. Perhaps he couldn't answer her question, but she had to be sure.

Quiero...do you know anything about the Interloper? The being that infiltrated Slash's mind after our mating and hovers around him still?

The prince froze, his small smile vanishing in an instant. He spoke without turning, but Psymakio could see the tremble in his shoulders, feel the pain in his heart. "I...I can't tell you anything. Fuck, I want to, and I would if I could, but...maybe I can show you."

He turned back to her, eyes reddened and glimmering with ancient tears. The prince walked over to Psymakio, threw her into his embrace, and kissed her hard, a lover's kiss, a kiss with a millennium of emotion and heartache in it. The girl was unable to respond, unable even to try to pull away---the power of the contact utterly overwhelmed her.

When he finally released her, she found him not embarrassed, not aroused, but...still heartbroken. It was as though the kiss had made things even worse for him.

"If...if you see her again...Psymakio, give that to her, I beg you. Tell her that...that I'm still waiting for her, and I will wait for her as long as it takes. Tell her that I love her still, and I pray for the day when we are reunited...even if it's a little later than I would have liked."

Realization struck her like a bolt of lightning, the shock stealing her ability to move or speak. Quiero quickly turned away and walked briskly to the door, stopping right before passing through it. While she was no longer mingled with the likeness of the princess, a wave of terrible, heart-crushing pain still surged through her at the sight of the prince standing at the doorway. "I love you. Never forget that. Until the end of time, I love you."

No longer hesitating, Quiero went through the door. A moment afterwards, the frame flashed with a pulse of blinding light, so bright that it nearly blinded the thunderstruck and heartsick girl looking upon it...and then the door slammed shut and disappeared.

Psymakio stood in her shadowy void, letting her thoughts and emotions flow wildly around her. So much knowledge...so much worry...so much pain...it was too much to bear. She fell to her knees on the invisible floor of her own mind and broke into tears, crying for the love of her mate and the love of the prince who had died centuries before she had been born. She understood now...she understood the source of the Interloper's pain, and the knowledge made her feel like her heart had been scooped out. Could she possibly blame that lost spirit for falling into madness?

She dragged herself over to the golden doors and the closed tunnel of her mating bond, put her arms around her knees, and cried. It had only been a few hours, but she missed him, missed him so terribly. How could it possibly feel for Miyako?

Her cries turned into sobs, and she squeezed her arms more tightly around herself.

Loneliness.

She doubted that even the Shadow could inflict as much pain as loneliness.

--------------------------

Blood dripped onto the stone floor as a battered, exhausted, gore-splashed boy moved over to his mate.

He reached for the syringe and injected it into her silver skin, irrationally hating doing so even though it was the only way he could help her. After he had refilled it and replaced it by his backpack, he collapsed onto the ground and hissed in pain.

Growlithe darted over to him with concern, but Slash waved him off. He tried to pull himself back up, but...he had reached his limit. He fell back down beside Gardevoir, cursing his weakness.

"Growl!"

"No. No way. They could still be out there. I sensed over thirty of them earlier, and we only have a dozen bodies accounted for. They...they might be back. Gotta...gotta stay alert."

Graveler shook his head and grumbled. Slash was opening his mouth to reply when he felt something wet run down his chin. He moved a hand to his face and pulled it back to find blood on his fingers. The sight made him tremble.

"Graveler. Gravel."

Wiping his blood on his jeans, Slash shook aside his pride and nodded at the huge beast, laying back down by Gardevoir's side. He was right, of course---there was no sign of the Cacturne (although even if they were still around, he was too exhausted to sense them right now), and if he didn't get some rest, he was going to die. Growlithe's suggestion seemed reasonable---an hour or so of sleep by Gardevoir's side would at least rejuvenate him enough to stand and fight, and the closer proximity might benefit her, as well. Hopefully by the time he woke up, Electrike would be back with the medicine and this horrible night would end with all of his friends alive and well.

Wrapping an arm around her fever-hot body, he looked out of the cave and into whirling, endless sands. He pulled her closer as another shiver wracked her frame.

Time was running out.

He closed his eyes, trying not to think of just how little time was left. If help didn't arrive in time...if he lost the beautiful, kindhearted girl trembling in his arms...there would be no reason to live anymore. None at all.

A deep sleep quickly overtook Slash's mind, and while it was without dreams, there was something within it...an eerily off-key, persuasive voice that offered him everything he wanted...everything he needed...and all it would cost...

...was everything.
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Sinners: Arc 2