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Hero of Unova

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The pleasant weather epitomizing Unova's tropical summers had finally descended upon the region.

It came as a distinct relief to Unova's citizens not only because of the cozy temperature, but also due to the added assurance that it wasn't going to randomly start pouring on a sunny day during a walk in the park, which had been typical of Spring. Now there was no questioning it.

It was Summer time.

Hilda felt it, especially in the satisfying breeze wafting into Nuvema Town from the sea. No other sensation felt better when she was home. However, the breeze today wasn't as noticeable as it should've been.

Five minutes earlier, she had been approached by her two childhood friends to discuss something important. Originally, it had been an exciting matter, almost unbelievable. Then it turned into an issue that Hilda knew would eventually move them to come to her and try to figure out a way to make things work.

They were here to discuss the nature of an e-mail Hilda had received from Cynthia more than several days ago, inviting her to come to Sinnoh. And they wanted to know why she still hadn't given an answer yet.

"You really should consider the offer, Hilda. This only comes once in a…a generation!" Bianca hopped up and down excitedly in the grass.

"You mean lifetime." Cheren corrected her out of instinct. Then he seemed to remember what they were here for and he coughed to clear his throat. "Yes, I agree. Opportunities like this don't just pop out of the sky." He went so far as to look up, daring the heavens to disagree with his assertion.

Normally, Hilda would've leaned casually against the railing that overlooked the sea in her hometown and laughed at Cheren's antics. However, the circumstances of this particular day made her tense enough to stand upright.

So, instead of laughing, she simply made an amused sound and nudged Cheren in the side for his brusqueness. "We'll see." She said mysteriously to them before turning away from them both to rest her arms on the railing and look out into the ocean before her. Behind her, Bianca said something Hilda didn't hear very clearly and Cheren immediately made a reply. Before long, they had broken out into their own conversation A common occurrence. Gradually, Hilda slipped into the memories of their recent past.

It had been two years since she'd come back home, opting instead for the trees of White Forest, the beaches of Undella Town, or the storehouses of Nacrene City. In that period of time, Cheren and Bianca had fallen into their relationship. Hilda had squealed like the teenage girl she was supposed to be when Bianca had told her the news in a breathless voice after running away from a confounded Cheren. He had had to chase Bianca for about a mile or so before she stopped in her tracks, turned around, and sprinted into his outstretched arms.

Hilda looked back towards her two childhood friends, watching them interact so happily with one another. It was amazing just to think about all they'd been through and all they had been willing to sacrifice in order to achieve their dreams.

Therefore, it hadn't come as a surprise when Cheren, using a number of his resources, acquired a warehouse in Nacrene, about half a year ago, from a family who was moving out. The family had been under the impression that he was a blooming artist, with a young wife, looking for some place to stay. As a result, Bianca became his unofficial spouse, much to the girl's chagrin. But it got them a discount on the house! Or so Cheren argued as he blushed furiously. The two of them had been only sixteen then and Cheren had already begun discreetly setting up the pillars to hold up a possible future with the girl he cared for. Bianca, as expected, did not suspect anything of the sort. To her, the warehouse was a fun getaway for her boyfriend and Hilda.

"I'll think about it, guys." Cheren and Bianca paused in their talk to look at her expectantly. "Anyway, I'm going shopping with my mom later in Castelia City. She already has it in her head that I'll be trekking through the most dangerous places in the world and I'll need all the bug repellants Castelia has to offer."

"So you've decided?" Cheren asked, tilting his glasses so he could look at her over the rims.

Hilda took one last look out towards the horizon. The waters took on a blue-green sheen and she was suddenly reminded of a man with hair nearly down to his waist and green as the grassy floors of the White Forest. She touched her lips then, another memory floating just above them. This was the true reason why she had delayed her answer until now. But, just yesterday, Hilda had realized that if she took up the offer to go to Sinnoh, she really might end up meeting him again. And that was what possibly scared her more than anything else in the idea of leaving for a foreign region. She wanted answers from him, but at the same time she wasn't sure if they were going to be things she wanted to hear. And yet, even though she was so intimidated by it all, she couldn't resist the feeling in gut that told her called her to go.

"Yes."

She could look at it this way. She was the hero of Unova, the only one who could stand a chance against the mysterious green-haired man with the Dragon-type Pokemon who defeated nearly half the gym leaders in Sinnoh since his appearance there two years ago. And the strangest thing was that he hadn't advanced since then, forever keeping his status of four gym badges, almost as if he were waiting for her...

It didn't matter. Even if she was over-thinking all of this, it still wouldn't stop her from taking up Cynthia's offer to go there and she would challenge him for the answers to a question she had desperately wanted to ask him for the last two years.

"Tomorrow, we meet Skyla at Mistralton City." Hilda was happy to hear her voice so resolved for once. The past few days since Cynthia's e-mail had been full of uncertainties. "The only way to get to there is by air and Cynthia will be waiting for us at the Pokemon League. Good luck to all of us because we're going to Sinnoh!" Hilda punched one fist into the air and her friends did likewise.

They were off to a good start.

— The next morning—

"So Sinnoh doesn't have an airport." Cheren stated, finding it incredibly hard to believe even his own words.

"You're not listening!" Huffed Skyla, her arms crossed in frustration. "That's not the main problem! This plane carries vegetables, not people, so you can't bring all that luggage with you."

"Wait, wait!" Bianca cried, refusing to believe her ears. "You mean we have to leave all our stuff behind and there's no airport to land in?" She threw her arms up toward the sky. "This is terrible! What are we going to do, Cheren?"

"Hold on let me think." Cheren placed his fingers under his chin, immediately brainstorming up a solution.

Hilda simply looked between her belongings and the cargo plane and sighed. "I guess we'll just have to go without all this stuff. We have money don't we? All we need to do is buy a few changes of clothing when we get there."

Cheren looked like he was about to disagree when Bianca sighed as well. "You're right, Hilda. And I suppose we still have our Pokemon with us so it's not too bad."

Cheren gave in. "By the way," He inquired. "Do you keep Zekrom in a ball? I've always wanted to ask you about that."

Hilda smiled and shook her head. "I think most legendary Pokemon have something in common. They sure hate their poke balls! He'll be there when I call him. I'm a hundred percent sure of it."

"Maybe you're just rounding up." Cheren teased.

Bianca, however, took Hilda for her word. Her eyes were wide when she asked, "How? Don't tell me you can call him with your mind? That means you're psychic!"

"I wouldn't say that." Hilda shrugged. "I just say his name out loud and picture him in my mind. So far, that method hasn't failed me yet."

"Hurry up, guys!" Skyla tapped her foot impatiently. "I have to make it for a shipment to Driftveil by tomorrow and the trip to Sinnoh takes more than six hours!"

The trio immediately began boarding the large plane. Moments before Hilda could step foot into it, however, she heard her name being called.

Looking back, Hilda ended up staring in disbelief. "Mom!" She called. "Why are you here?"

Her mother, in all her early morning glory, stood at the entrance to the runways, along with Bianca and Cheren's parents. "We just wanted to send you all off properly! I'm not letting my daughter sneak away to some distant land without being there for her!"

Hilda wanted to hide her face because of her mother's bluntness. Cheren looked like he wanted to leap into the plane and yell for Skyla to start driving, while Bianca turned slightly pale. She alone out of the three had a good reason for being so nervous due to her father's initial opposition towards her becoming a Pokemon trainer. Perhaps she was afraid he'd changed his mind at the last minute and was coming to take her back home. The next words out of his mouth, however, set her mind at ease.

"Bianca! I know I've said things before! But this time I…I support your decision!" He had cupped both hands around his mouth and hollered his words so Bianca could hear over the sudden roar of the plane's engine. Skyla had already slipped into the pilot seat and was starting the plane up.

"Cheren, call me on your Xtransceiver when you get there! Mommy loves you!" Cheren's mother had tears coming down her eyes; and, much to the trio's horror, the rest of their parents broke into tears as well. Bianca's father was crying the hardest.

Hilda shared eye contact with her two friends. Then the three of them shouted at the same time to their sobbing parents, "See you later, mom!"

"Bye daddy!"

"I love you too, mom!" Cheren's cheeks turned red with embarrassment when he said this, but he had no regrets. Then the trio entered the plane and Hilda closed the hatch behind them. Instantly, the roar of the engines was cut off and they were drowned in silence.

Phase one of their journey had begun.

Inside, Hilda looked around and was impressed. All around her, piles and piles of vegetables surrounded and dwarfed her.

Skyla's voice suddenly came in over the plane's PA system. Her voice was grilled and scratchy. "All passengers please hold on to something."

The plane started moving forward. Then it suddenly began increasing in speed at an alarming rate.

"In three…two…one…and we have liftoff!" Taking off faster than any normal plane should, not that Hilda or any of her friends knew about it, the cargo hold shook crazily and she was forced to latch onto the nearest box of cucumbers. "We're experiencing turbulence! Get ready!" Skyla's voice cut off suddenly from the PA and the plane dropped for a whole millisecond. Hilda was sure everyone saw their lives flash before their eyes.

Five minutes later, she was lying on the ground, her heart still racing. The plane had stabilized by now and was currently flying smoothly over cloud cover. Bianca and Cheren were also lying on the ground nearby. No one could bring themselves to get back up. What if there was another round of turbulence?

"Hey, guys. Watcha doin' on the floor?" At the sound of Skyla's voice, all three sat up in disbelief. Bianca openly gaped, while Cheren coughed nervously.

"Uhhh, Skyla?" Hilda managed to mutter.

"Yes?" Skyla blinked.

"If you're here, then…who's driving the plane!" Hilda shot to her feet, followed by Bianca, who tried in vain to pull Cheren up.

"No, no, don't worry! I recently installed autopilot on this thing and it's set to taking us for a roundtrip to Snowpoint City and back. Cynthia told me that place is probably the safest for parachuting down. The snow softens the fall."

"What?" Bianca screamed before anyone else could express their shock. "We're parachuting down?" Her voice had gone all high pitched.

"Agh! You're not listening to me again." Skyla sighed. "That's not the most important part. It's after you touch the ground. Cynthia gave me these coats for you guys to wear since it's always snowing there."

"Always?" Cheren asked as Skyla passed him a coat. "Is that even possible?"

"Don't ask me?" Skyla shrugged.

Hilda caught the fur coat thrown at her. She gave it a good once over and was surprised to find that the fur, albeit a terrible fashion statement, was practical and comfortable. She tried it on and was happy to see that it was just as nice on the inside. Almost immediately, her body heat collected and she began to feel very warm. She slipped it off. "Thanks." She said.

"Ooh. It feels so soft." Bianca sighed into the coat, snuggling deeper into it.

"These are very well made," observed Cheren. "It must've cost a lot."

"She attached one feather on each of those coats from her Braviary. She told me it'll bring you good luck when you're parachuting." Then Skyla put one finger to her chin. "But I don't know what she's talking about. There are only two parachutes in this plane and she told me not to add a third one. Does she expect one of you to jump?"

Bianca went weak at the knees and Cheren had to catch her. "What do you mean?" he demanded. His eyes were sharp, like when he was about to engage in a challenging Pokemon battle.

"I'm saying it like it is." Skyla put both hands up in a shrug. "I mean, I'd help you out, but there are only two parachutes on this plane. Besides, both of you have flying Pokemon right? I bet Cynthia wanted to see how well one of you can use them. That is, if you have the guts." Skyla's eyes turned mischievous. "If not, then you'll have to take the easy way down."

Her challenge did not go unheeded and Hilda saw the gleam of competition in Cheren's eyes. As for herself, she felt the familiar icy burn of nervousness in the pit of her stomachn. She was just as eager for the challenge as Cheren.

"I'll do it." She and Cheren said at the same time. Irritated at having her challenge interrupted, she glared at Cheren and he glared right back.

"You'll have to step back for this one, hero of Unova. I got it." Cheren asserted.

"Those glasses are going to frost up the minute we open that hatch. At least I'll be able to see when I go down." Hilda argued back.

"Now, now," mediated Skyla. "No need to fight between friends. We all know it's bad practice to work with Pokemon when you're angry."

"Cheren," Bianca said unexpectedly. No one noticed that she'd recovered from her faint. "I don't want you getting hurt just because you want to prove you're a brave person. I already know how much courage you have. Isn't that enough?" She looked at him with those pleading eyes few could bring themselves to say no to.

Cheren sighed and patted her head fondly. "Fine, fine. It's just…you know how I take challenges."

"Oh yeah, Cheren, about the glasses thing. I didn't mean it." Hilda said apologetically. "I just don't like it when people call me hero of Unova. My name is Hilda and I make sure people leave it at that."

"I'll keep that as future reference," Cheren smiled. "Ms. Hero."

Hilda stuck her tongue out at him. Perhaps she was still a kid at heart and not the adult she was gradually coming to be as time went on. She would turn seventeen in just two weeks. Until then, she would enjoy being sixteen.

Skyla clapped her hands together in excitement. "So! Now that we've got that settled, I'll have to instruct you two on how to put on a parachute. It'll be even easier than a piece of cake."

Bianca moaned softly to herself. "Oh boy. And we all know how that's going to go."

—Seven and a Half hours later—

"Okay, for the last time, this strap goes around your waist like this. Then you clip this on here." Skyla fussed over Bianca's work. Cheren had had his parachute up and strapped within the first hour of Skyla's teachings. Bianca, nervous at the very prospect of being in free fall for the first few seconds of jumping or so, had trouble keeping her hands still while working at the straps. In the end, Cheren had to strap Bianca's parachute on for her.

"So, do I just jump?" Hilda asked.

"Aren't you going to take out your bird Pokemon?" Skyla asked incredulously.

"Don't worry, I have a plan. I'll go first." In truth, all her plan consisted of was jumping out of the cargo plane, falling for a few seconds, then calling Zekrom and hoping that he came.

"Okay, we close in on Snowpoint city in about thirty minutes. I'll get you guys to land a little before the city. That way you'll have less chance of landing on top of the Pokemon center." Skyla laughed at the idea, though Hilda didn't think it would be very funny at all if it actually happened.

"Ready, Cheren, Bianca?" Hilda asked her friends. Bianca nodded slowly, while Cheren gave a brief, quick one.

Half an hour passed faster than any of the three could imagine. Before Hilda could even take her bearings through the frosted window of the plane, Skyla had begun unlocking the hatch.

"We're almost here!" She threw the hatch open and bitterly cold air blasted into the hold. "Hilda! Go ahead!"

Hilda walked up to the howling doorway. She looked down and saw the powerful swirling snow beneath her and felt her heart jack up with fear and adrenaline. For a moment, she felt unsure. Then, she shook her head to clear it and reminded herself of why she was even here. If this was what it took to get the answers she wanted, then this was what she would do. She looked back at her friends and shouted at the top of her lungs, "See you in Snowpoint!" Then kicked off from the hatch with all her might.

Immediately, she was swept away by the wind and all around her was wild snow. At first, her mind was blank with the sudden plunge in her stomach from free fall. Then she realized that if she didn't call Zekrom now she really was going to die. "Zekrom! Zekrom!" She screamed. "Come to me!" She imagined the strong limbs of the dragon with its booster-like tail and crimson eyes. "Zekrom!" She called one last time.

A great roar that belonged solely to Zekrom pierced through the howling winds and she felt his presence almost instantly. So he had followed them all the way from Unova. She was glad that he did.

"Zekrom!" A huge, black shape suddenly appeared beneath her and she fell with a thud on to the back of Zekrom, the Deep Black Pokemon. "Thank you." She whispered and directed all her emotions and thoughts toward him. The great dragon growled in answer.

The Pokemon's body was very warm due to the electricity constantly being generated in its tail and Hilda found that she really had no need for a coat when riding on the back of this wonderful being.

They flew aimlessly together for a few moments, allowing Hilda to recover from one of the most daring jumps she'd ever attempted before. When Hilda finally managed to gather enough thoughts together to think coherently again, she began surveying the ground for any sign of Snowpoint city. From her vantage point, she easily spotted the top of an ancient stone building resembling a temple of sorts. Before she could call Zekrom to head in that direction, however, she saw a dark spot in the vast plain of snow beneath her.

"Wait!" She tried her best to yell over the winds, though she knew that they were most likely blowing every one of her words away. "I think there's someone down there in the snow! They aren't moving!" Please take me there, Zekrom. Her last sentence was asked from her mind.

With a deep rumble, the Pokemon obeyed and descended towards the prone figure in the snow. Zekrom landed lightly for a Pokemon of his size and Hilda wasted no time in hopping off his back and running for the person lying so still before her. Her heart was beating oddly faster than she expected and she didn't think it was just because of all the effort she was using to trample through thick snow.

Eventually, she could make out the person a little better and saw that it was a blonde man. Her pulse did nothing to slow when she bent down to inspect him further.

He was wearing extremely little for someone traveling through such cold weather; he had a blue jacket on, barely hiding the plain black shirt underneath, and jeans. His chest rose fractionally with every breath he took. Good, he was still alive and Hilda didn't end up having a frozen dead man on her hands.

Before she did anything else, however, Hilda found herself staring at the man's features. Even with the wild snow flying all around her, and much of it whipping into her eyes, Hilda could see that he was very handsome.

Hilda snapped herself out of it.

He wouldn't look very good for long if she didn't get him out of this weather.

Standing up, she reached for her belt. "Go, Beartic!"

The large polar bear appeared before her and growled.

"Beartic, hey boy. I want you to help me carry him."

Hilda pointed at the man in the snow and Beartic grunted in understanding.

"He looks pretty bad so be careful okay? Good boy."

She watched as he picked the man up and threw him over one shoulder. She winced. Hopefully he wouldn't get any more bruises from that. Then she turned to Zekrom, who had been squatting silently in the snow behind her. He quieter than usual today.

"You can go now. But if you want, you can come with me. I'm going to find the nearest shelter."

Zekrom gazed at her then nodded towards the sky. Hilda understood. He would be watching from above in case she needed his help. Then he crouched and launched himself into the air, causing a slight shockwave that nearly upended her. Beside her, Beartic stood firm. He was already used to the presence and power of Zekrom.

Stabilizing herself and then slipping on the coat she had shoved into her travel pack, Hilda immediately felt the blood rush back to her numb fingers.

"Let's go."

She pointed one finger stiffly in the general direction of Snowpoint City.

Wordlessly, both Pokemon and trainer set off into the perpetual snowstorm.

Chapter Text

—Cheren and Bianca—

"Something's not right with this city." Cheren pushed his glasses further up his nose. "We've already reached the port and there's no one in sight. Whatever happened must've occurred not too long ago."

Bianca gazed around the docks forlornly before she spotted something they should've seen earlier. Tugging on Cheren's coat sleeve, she spoke in hushed tones, "Footprints over there by the steps! Both human and Pokemon!"

"The snow must not have covered them in time." Cheren observed as he made his way sluggishly through the snow. Once he neared the prints, he realized, upon closer inspection, they were of a Pokemon far larger than any they had seen in all of Unova. They were in a pattern indicating that the Pokemon had approximately six legs and a dragging tail. The reptilian footprint indicated that the Pokemon had been most likely a Dragon.

"Could these be N's?" Bianca pointed to the footprints on the left of the Pokemon's.

"If these are, then he has found himself a new partner, which I don't think is likely. Reshiram did not seem like the Pokemon that likes being replaced." And then something occurred to Cheren. "Bianca, do you remember what Cynthia said when she mentioned N's appearance in Sinnoh? Her exact words were, 'a green-haired man with a Dragon-type Pokemon'. She didn't specify a name or a Pokemon." Cheren paused in his rush to convey his theory and took a breath to calm himself.

"Who else do we know besides N that has green hair?"

Bianca's eyes widened in fear at the new possibility. Before she could voice her thoughts, however, the ground suddenly began shaking violently.

"What-!" Cheren fell to his knees in the snow, as did Bianca. "What's going on!"

"Look!" Bianca pointed forward into the distance and Cheren looked up from the ground. They could see the city's gym through the snow. Then the ground stopped shaking and they watched in silent horror as the gym was suddenly enveloped in a deep, black shadow that blocked the entire building from view.

Every pore in Bianca's being screamed for her to turn and run. Cheren felt his knees begin to shake. The brave duo refused, however, to leave before they found out whether or not their terrifying conclusion was true.

"Let's go, Bianca." Cheren spoke the very words she had been thinking and she nodded. He grabbed her hand and they made their way slowly towards the gym, not a single person in sight.

They could be hiding or...

Cheren saw a trail of footprints leading away from the gym as if the person had been running away from something. Then a few feet before the doorway of one of the small houses, the prints stopped abruptly.

They could have just disappeared.

—Hilda—

"It's a lake."

Hilda was impressed at the sight. Upon nearing a space in the trees, she had suddenly felt a tug on her mind, similar to how she felt whenever she communicated with Zekrom. She had stumbled through the space and come across a small clearing. At the edge of the clearing was the beginning of a vast lake.

Then Hilda realized that the wind was no longer whipping her face and back. Everything was calm, quiet. Not a single wave disturbed the surface of the lake. In the center of the lake was an island. On the island was a cave. Hilda felt the tug on her mind again.

"Beartic," the Pokemon grunted in answer. "Think you can swim?"

Beartic set his burden down near the edge of the lake and stepped without hesitation into the water. He waded out a few feet, then turned back and looked at Hilda inquiringly.

"Hold on. I got this." Taking off her shoes and socks, Hilda placed them into her travel pack. Then she stepped into the freezing water. It reached her knees and she took a shuddering breath. After getting used to the water, which meant waiting for her toes to completely numb over, she turned back to the man.

She wondered if dumping an unconscious person into insanely cold water could wake them up.

Pushing those unconventional thoughts to the back of her head, Hilda reached down and used all her strength to heave the man over her shoulder and wade to where Beartic awaited her. Setting the man down as gently as she could on to the Pokemon's back, she marveled at her own capabilities, then wondered if it was because he had been lighter than she anticipated.

Beartic started swimming towards the cave.

Hilda took out another poke ball. "Go, Simipour!" Once he appeared, the monkey jumped up and down with anticipation at the edge of the lake. "Sim, I need you to help swim me over to Beartic. Don't worry, he won't bite." She added the last bit when she saw Simipour look uncertainly in the large polar bear's direction.

Simipour jumped into the water, splashing Hilda bodily. She squealed at the coldness. The monkey crooned apologetically. Irritated, Hilda did her best to dry squeeze out her wet clothes, but to no avail. At first, she was about to give Simipour an annoyed look, but then she saw his wide, pleading eyes and she relented. "Of course I'll forgive you, Sim. What are you thinking?" Then she latched on to his back and the water monkey began swimming to the island.

She shook herself in an effort to dry off, though it was even more futile than her last attempt. Giving up, she decided to take out her socks and shoes and put them on. At least they were dry. By the time she finished, Beartic had already gone into the cave. Simipour, however, remained by her side. He refused to budge unless Hilda went with him.

"What's wrong, Sim? It's just a small cave. You've been to Chargestone Cave haven't you? There were Electric-type Pokemon there and you still went through with it. I trust in you." Then Hilda stepped past the cave entrance with Simipour at her side. "See? That wasn't so-"

The ground suddenly began to shake.

Hilda reacted fast. There was a great rumble in the cave and she heard rocks shift. Immediately, she grabbed Simipour's hand and leaped forward. Behind her, she felt a rush of air and dusts propel her forward.

The cave was smothered in darkness.

—In the Darkness—

Hilda did not move from where she was on the cave floor until the sounds of moving rocks died down. She felt movement beside her and was relieved to hear the shaken hoot of Simipour. She reached for a Poke ball at her belt.

"Go, Darmanitan!"

The fiery ape was bewildered for a moment when all it could see was darkness all around him. Then he exhaled a fireball from his mouth into the ceiling of the cave and light blanketed the entire area.

Beartic came into sight and Hilda was glad to see that he was safe as well.

The rocks had only collapsed around the cave entrance.

The polar bear had placed the man down on the ground and was standing on all fours over his body. So the Pokemon had been prepared to shield the man from harm using its own body. Hilda was inwardly impressed.

"Sunny Day won't last very long..." Hilda murmured. "I guess we'll have to go without light sometimes." She hoped, however, that they wouldn't end up having to stay long enough for there to be more than one 'sometime'.

Then Hilda walked over to the unconscious blonde man and knelt beside him. She touched his forehead. It was cold like a dead man's. Alarmed, she called her Pokemon over, "Darmanitan, sit here please."

The Pokemon hesitated for a moment. He wasn't used to associating with absolute strangers. However, Hilda's coaxing eventually led him to obey.

"Thanks." Feeling rushed back to her toes the moment Darmanitan sat down beside her. Then she lay down beside the unconscious man.

"Who are you?" she asked as examined his features more closely. It was a very serious one with a frown line here and there, but otherwise clear of any other signs of age. She felt almost shy looking directly at him. It was obvious that he was a man and not an adolescent teen because of the way his face was set and the firmness of his jaw. At the same time, he looked young because of his smooth skin, not a single trace of a beard or mustache.

She touched his forehead again and thought it felt warmer than before, which was a relief. Then, out of curiosity, her hand shifted to touch his blonde hair. It was messy and some parts stuck out in messily. It wasn't like Cheren's, all straight and neat. It wasn't like N's either, so elegant and long. It was soft to the touch like satin and Hilda wondered vacantly to herself why she was feeling up the hair of a complete stranger. Then her hand felt something wet in his hair and she pulled her hand away.

It was blood.

She shot up, startling the Pokemon around her. Without considering anything in her travel pack, Hilda did the first thing that came to her mind.

She began tearing off strips of cloth from her shirt.

A few minutes later, Simipour looked over her shoulder to assess her handiwork. Hilda sat back to appreciate her attempt at wrapping a head injury.

"Not so bad if I do say so myself." Hilda joked. It was of course the best she could do. Simipour crooned in her ear.

Little did she know, Simipour was crooning in sympathy for the yellow-haired man. What a surprise he was going to have when he woke up. What was he going to do when found out his head resembled a watermelon?

Now that she had managed to fix an immediate problem, Hilda relaxed and lay back on the dusty cave floor. It didn't take long before she remembered that Zekrom was still circling the skies. "I wonder what he's going to do now." She thought aloud, more to herself than to any of her companions. She considered calling for him, but decided against it. Zekrom was one of Unova's strongest Pokemon. He was not good, however, at breaking down cave-ins without destroying the entire cave.

She settled with sending him the message that she was perfectly fine.

Zekrom did not answer.

—In the skies—

The black dragon flew in circles as he tried to connect with his partner. Their link had been severed the moment she'd stepped into the cave. A mysterious force was interrupting it.

Then the earth shook and Zekrom watched as the cave entrance was suddenly blocked by large rocks. He had given a roar of frustration. He knew he could not do anything to save his partner without hurting her. Why was this happening? Who dared challenge him with this act of great power?

Then he spotted the shadows. That was the source. It would feel his wrath.

Zekrom gave a roar of battle. Then he plunged down towards Snowpoint City at such high speeds that he pierced the clouds.

—Cheren and Bianca—

They were almost there to the entrance of the gym when the swirling darkness suddenly dissipated. The gym doors began to open.

"Quick! Over here!" Cheren pulled Bianca into a cover of trees. It was a mediocre hiding place, but it was better than standing directly in front of whatever monster may have exhibited that much energy.

A familiar man stepped out of the gym. He wore a conspicuous cloak bearing the pattern of two staring eyes. The hated insignia of Team Plasma was engraved on the cloak's clasp. His green hair was unmistakable.

"Ghetsis," Cheren hissed. "So I was right."

Bianca suddenly clasped both hands over her mouth because she nearly screamed at what happened next.

Out of nowhere, a towering and decidedly vicious Pokemon appeared beside Ghetsis. If there were an angel of Death, then this Pokemon was certainly its earthly form. Its form appeared almost skeletal with the golden rings around its long neck. Its wings were bat-like and could touch the trees on either side.

Cheren scanned the Pokemon with his Pokedex and wasn't surprised to find a question mark on the screen. "Stay low, Bianca." He whispered to her. They peered through the foliage at the massive Pokemon and its unlikely partner.

Ghetsis suddenly broke into laughter, which caused the hairs on the backs of their necks to rise. It was as cold as the snow they were standing in up to their ankles. He continued to laugh as he began walking forward, the Pokemon following him silently.

Then Bianca made the mistake of stepping back and breaking a fallen twig.

Ghetsis whipped his head towards the sound.

Without any warning, the Pokemon opened its mouth and shot a ball of energy to where they were.

Cheren wrapped his arms around Bianca and threw both of them bodily into the open, successfully avoiding the ruined trees. Coughing, Cheren tried to get back to his feet but found that his legs refused to obey him.

"Well, well." Ghetsis began advancing on the fallen Cheren. "It's the one who tried to arrest me. I seem to recall you very well. You and that Alder…" Before he could get too close, however, Bianca threw herself in between them.

"Don't. You. Touch him!" Bianca whispered savagely. She had a look in her eyes that she did not have before. It made Ghetsis stop in his tracks.

"Little girl. You are of no importance to me. Why do you place yourself in a situation you can easily avoid?" Ghetsis asked in a curious voice. He sounded almost like a child asking about the birds of the sky or the fish of the sea. "I don't understand people like you sometimes. You are willing to sacrifice your lives for something the person you are sacrificing for may never be able to pay back. Foolish-"

"No!" At Bianca's cry, Ghetsis fell silent. "It's not. It's something you may never understand even if you tried! Haven't you ever thought about doing something for someone without expecting them to pay you back?"

Tears began to form in her eyes even though she knew how pointless they were. "I'm doing this for him because I love him."

Ghetsis did not say anything for a moment. He just looked at her. Then he said, in a low voice, "Stupid girl."

The Pokemon behind him opened its mouth.

"NO!" Cheren screamed. "BIANCA!"

But the blow never came. There was a screech as the giant Pokemon was suddenly taken down by a black form from above.

"What!" yelled Ghetsis and whipped around.

It was Zekrom! Cheren watched in amazement as dragon fought dragon, claws glinting in the sun, mouths open in a roar. They crashed into the trees and into a few small houses. Zekrom had the advantage of surprise.

"So the girl is here too." Cheren heard Ghetsis mutter. "The next time I see her, I'm going to get rid of her for good."

Zekrom was strong. He was a graceful and grand Pokemon. He was, however, smaller and less violent than the other dragon. Before long, the black dragon was being overcome little by little. Finally, the deciding blow was done and Zekrom was slammed into the gym. He fell down in a heap.

Cheren found he could move his legs again and he and Bianca rushed over to the wounded Pokemon's side.

"Zekrom, get up. Come on." Bianca urged him.

"If you faint now, Hilda will be in danger." Said Cheren.

The Pokemon's eyes remained closed. He did not move.

"Oh, Zekrom." And Bianca's tears began to fall. "Don't give up on us now. We need you."

"Zekrom-!" Cheren began. He was suddenly slammed into the side of the gym, along with Bianca. The blow rendered the girl unconscious on impact, but Cheren managed to hold on to consciousness for a few more seconds.

He heard Ghetsis speaking, though nothing was making it through to his mind. As he drifted into unconsciousness, Cheren thought he heard the cry of another Pokemon he did not recognize. And then he closed his eyes and was lost to the world.

—Several hours later, In the Cave—

Hilda had fallen asleep, the remnants of her shirt barely covering her back. Her hat lay somewhere in the coils of Serperior. Her hair was splayed messily all around her head. She had let out the rest of her Pokemon before asking Musharna to use Hypnosis on her and now they were all lying around her and the man. The cave was still bathed in light due to the heat rock Hilda had dug out of her travel pack and given to Darmanitan to hold.

The man began to stir.

"Ugh, my head." He sat up stiffly. "What-?" he touched the bandages on his head. Whoever did this for must've been terrible at it, he mused. Then he noticed his craggy surroundings. He was in a cave? How-

Hilda shifted in her sleep and her hand touched his.

He gave a start, but did not move his hand. "Did you do this for me?" He asked the sleeping girl lying beside him. She had torn her shirt for him. He spied a discarded coat nearby and shook his head in amusement. "Silly girl, that coat would've worked just as well."

Then he heard a growl from beside him and he turned his head to find himself face to face with a Pokemon that resembled an ape with flaming eyebrows. Seeing its small hostility, Volkner raised an eyebrow at it. His unspoken message seemed to have been relayed successfully and the Pokemon stopped growling, though it still seemed highly suspicious of him.

He was suddenly curious. Shifting his attention away from the ape, he looked around at the various Pokemon surrounding him and said, "You're all very strange-looking. I've never seen any like you in this region before." Then he looked down at the girl. "Just who are you, girl? You don't belong here."

His eyes shifted to her hand, which was still touching his. He should've moved his hand already. So why hadn't he? Perhaps it was because she resembled a sleeping child, innocent and oblivious to everything around her. However, if he leaned in a little more, he might begin to notice the distinct arch of her eyebrows or the ordered messiness of her hair, how it splayed across her forehead as if each individual strand knew where to go…

He groaned and put a free hand to his bandaged head. "What are you doing, Volkner? She's just a kid."

Suddenly, the girl groaned and then she muttered something in her sleep. What did she say? It sounded something like-

"N…" Her hand curled around his and he did nothing to stop her. "Why…? Why did you…" She gave a deep exhale. Then her eyes began to flicker open.

Volkner then spoke his first words to the girl. "Hey."

He used a gentle tone, so unlike how he would normally speak to a fellow trainer that he surprised even himself.

"What's your name?"

—Hilda—

She sat up faster than a flick of Serperior's tail. "You're awake." She said dumbly, still caught in the vestiges of sleep. "Wait! Wait…I mean…you look nice now." She smiled. Then she realized what her words sounded like to her own ears. "Wait! Wait!"

He laughed, much to her extreme embarrassment. What in the world was he going to think of the person who saved him now! First impressions were always important…

Then Hilda realized he had asked her a question. "It's Hilda," she answered She opened her mouth and was going to ask for his when she realized she was holding on to his hand.

She gasped instead and mumbled an apology before letting go immediately, now almost permanently unable to look him in the eye. Somewhere in her mind, Hilda wondered where in the world had her confidence gone?

A minute of silence passed between them, the longest Hilda remembered ever having to endure.

Finally, she brought herself to ask, "What's yours?" She looked up only to look away again when she was caught in his direct gaze. For some reason, it was frustrating for her to look him in the eye.

"Volkner," he said. His voice was a mildly deep tone and Hilda decided she liked listening to him. "I want to thank you, but I don't know how."

She thought about what that entailed for a moment. Here she was with this stranger who owed her a rather big favor. What could she possibly ask from him in return? And, as she thought about it, Hilda quietly inched over to her coat and slipped it over her ruined shirt. At least this Volkner had been enough of a gentleman not to mention her lack of cover.

Then she had an idea. "Why don't you show me your Pokemon? I have a national Pokedex. Besides, I didn't get to meet any Pokemon near the lake since I guess Beartic was a little too intimidating." Though it was probably because Beartic knew how to roar and keep wild Pokemon away.

"So that's the name of your bear? I'd scan him myself, but I can only assume it won't give me any information. Did you say you have a national Pokedex?"

"Only those who have beaten the elite four have one." Hearing his impressed tone, Hilda looked up, pleased at the idea of having that sort of impact on him. She could meet his eyes now.

Then a memory tickled her brain. The elite four... something about... Then it occurred to her. "Have you ever met Shauntal? She mentioned you while we were battling."

His expression changed to a shocked one before he quickly recovered. "So she's one of the elite four now…"

"How long have you known her?" Hilda brought her knees close to her chest. It felt like they were going to be here awhile.

"I battled her once. And I won," Volkner turned away from her to look at a spot on the cave wall. Hilda took that moment to observe him. His pride in his achievement was obvious, satisfaction evident in his expression. He looked…very handsome like that. "It was a tough battle, electrifying! She was one of the few people I actually thanked for challenging me. There was one other…She probably has a national Pokedex like you by now." His eyes took on a nostalgic look. He seemed to be looking at a scene from the past. "She should be around your age."

"You talk about her like she's your daughter," Hilda laughed. "I'm almost seventeen already. We should count as… well... maybe not adults yet but close." She disliked how she hesitated for a second. Was she that reluctant in even the idea of becoming an adult?

"I'm already twenty-four. It's natural to think that way of people so much younger than me." He looked at her then, his gaze suddenly calculating.

Hilda found herself looking away again. He was just so hard to understand at times. It was almost like playing tennis, exchanging glances back and forth. "What's it like?"

"What is?"

"Being an adult," Hilda shifted so she was leaning against Darmanitan's big, warm belly. She felt him snoring gently. "What's so different about it?"

"Well…" He shifted as well from where he was sitting only to sit on Serperior's tail. Immediately, she retaliated with a hiss. "Whoa, boy! Sorry!" She continued to glare at him for a few more seconds before sliding her tail safely to her side.

"She's a girl." Hilda was trying hard not to laugh out loud, her sides shaking in her restrained mirth. When she quelled the desire enough for her voice to start working again, she said, "Don't worry. She's always like that. She doesn't hate you or anything. Ha-ha!"

"I'll try to remember that." Volkner said wryly. "By the way, I think my head feels better now. Can you help me take off the bandages?"

"Oh, right," Hilda was mortified now to remember her terrible job of wrapping his head. "I'll get those off and you can forget I ever did that to you. I'll die if you mention that to Cheren or Bianca..." She suddenly remembered that they were still out there somewhere, possibly still searching for her in the snow...

She motioned for Volkner to dip his head down for her. Then she began un-wrapping him almost fervently.

He must've seen the change in her expression because he asked her, "Did something happen to your friends?"

For the time being, she didn't answer his question. She continued to unwrap his head. When she finished, the bandages fell to the floor between them.

"Your hair..." Her hand reached up to touch the area of his head visible to her. "There isn't any blood. That's good." As she finished searching for any remaining wetness in his hair, Hilda couldn't help her fingers from lingering.

She heard Volkner take in a breath and the moment was broken. Hilda quickly retracted her hand and thought they were going to fall into another round of awkward silence when Volkner asked her, slowly at first... "Where…are they? They came with you?"

Figuring that he was asking about Cheren and Bianca, Hilda replied, "They should've reached Snowpoint City by now." She was about to ask him if he had been trying to go there too until he beat her to it.

His eyes lit up like he'd been struck by a volt of electricity. "Snowpoint! I have to warn them!" He made as if to stand up, but then grabbed his head and sat back on his haunches with a groan.

"This isn't good," he muttered. "I need to warn Candice...about that man!"

Hilda immediately perked up at his last words. "What man? What did he look like? Did he have a dragon Pokemon with him?"

Volkner looked at her then. "You know him?"

"His name is N. He should be around my age. Tell me," Hilda could hear the desperation in her own words, though she could do nothing about it. "Did he do this to you?" If he had…then Hilda did not want to know what that meant.

He was looking at her in that calculating way again, as if he were thinking hard on what to say to her next, which Hilda didn't take as a good sign. When he spoke, he spoke as if he were choosing each word carefully. "He had green hair and he also had a dragon Pokemon with him. They match your description. He did not, however, look the same age as you. He was much older and he wore a strange cloak." At this, Hilda was flooded with relief. So N hadn't just randomly attacked an innocent man. "He didn't even need to tell his Pokemon what to do. It was like they shared a mind."

The full weight of Volkner's words quickly descended upon her. Relief was quickly replaced by foreboding. Hilda knew, with all her soul and mind, that the only other man besides N who shared green hair was…Ghetsis! She wanted to throw her transceiver to the ground at the very thought of him. What Volkner was telling her was that, somehow, Ghetsis had managed to acquire his own dragon Pokemon, to which he could connect with mentally.

Volkner's news had not been good news at all.

"I'm going to take out my Pokemon and break away those rocks. We need to get out of here sooner or later." Hilda watched Volkner force himself to his feet. "Besides, I feel like something's pulling at my mind in here. It's suffocating."

Hilda was surprised that he felt it too. But, for her, once she was inside the cave the tugging had stopped. Why was he feeling it now?

"Go, Electivire!" A furry, yellow creature appeared beside Volkner. It was half as tall as Serperior, but two times wider in muscle. Volkner gestured towards the rocks and the Pokemon obeyed.

Hilda got to her feet. "Darmanitan! Help him."

Before either of the Pokemon could reach the blockade, however, a voice sudden called out in Hilda's mind. Stop!

She gave a yelp and fell back to her knees. It was like listening to metal sound. She looked up and saw that Darmanitan and Electivire were looking all around them in surprise, while Volkner had fallen to a knee as well, one hand gripping his head. When she looked behind her, she was surprised to see all her Pokemon had their heads lowered toward the ground.

Hero of Unova. We finally meet.

"Who...are you?" Hilda asked once she got her voice box to work.

I am Uxie, creator of all knowledge in the Pokemon world. Your fear is misplaced. I am not the enemy here.

"You…" Volkner was fighting to stand back up. "You only appear when Sinnoh is in danger. That Pokemon I saw earlier, what was its name?"

His name is Giratina…His origins lie in the Distortion World. He is a violent and territorial Pokemon. Ghetsis discovered Turnback Cave, where the barrier between our world and Giratina's is weakest, and summoned him.

Hilda couldn't keep from making a noise. It was so typical of him. Of course he'd try and gather power in another region. He was just that evil. "Do you know how we can get Giratina to go back to his world? Ghetsis can't have complete control over him, can he? I can't imagine such a powerful Pokemon yielding to that man!"

Ghetsis' will is stronger than you think. There is, however, a way to bring Giratina back to his original world.

Of course there was a way. There had to be a way. Hilda clenched her hands into fists. Otherwise Sinnoh and Unova were doomed.

"Tell me, Uxie. I'm prepared to make any sacrifice to stop him." The determination in Volkner's voice bolstered her own. He understood what was at stake.

First, you must locate Turnback Cave. Even I do not know where it is, though I know there is a road called the Spring Path that leads to it. Once inside the cave, you will know where to go.

"That's it?" Hilda questioned. "It sounds too easy. Find the cave and go inside. There has to be something else besides that."

"What about the remaining lake guardians?" Volkner added. "Are they unable to help?"

Azelf and Mesprit are still asleep. They are the beings of emotion and will. They are not needed in this battle.

Hilda was unsatisfied with Uxie's answer. "What do you mean? Emotion is needed in judgment. And will is needed for the strength to go on. As humans and Pokemon, we need all three components to work together. I've seen what happens when people act based on knowledge alone." She pictured the very man who was causing all this trouble and was filled with the desire to go up to him right now and sock him a good one in the cheek.

Uxie was quiet, upon hearing her words, for a much longer time than Hilda anticipated. She was suddenly struck with the idea that she may have angered the Pokemon.

Quiet your unease, Hero of Unova. I am simply contemplating your words. My explanation for my instructions is this: Once you find the place where the barrier between our world and Giratina's is weakest, you must open a gateway to the Distortion World. To open this gateway, however, a price must be paid.

Giratina's world is a dark and lonely place, full of shadows. Emotion and will have no place there and only a meaningful sacrifice from a person of worth can create a proper gateway. Otherwise, the Distortion world will begin consuming ours'. Once the way is open, Giratina will begin to break free of its bonds with Ghetsis, as its instinct to protect its territory from intruders is far greater than that of any mortal man.

If Ghetsis had possessed a special item, he may have had complete dominance over Giratina. However, the key lies with you, Hero of Unova.

"What?" gasped Hilda. "You mean one of those orbs the Shadow Triad handed me two years ago? But Ghetsis himself ordered for me to have it!"

Perhaps he knew he may one day go too far in his quest for power and he placed responsibility in your hands. It is both a selfish, yet thoughtful thing to do.

A thoughtful thing…Hilda's eyes widened in horror. "Uxie, what…what did Ghetsis sacrifice to summon Giratina?" Her heart began to beat fast, her breathing grew shallow. No…it couldn't be…

I believe it was his son.

Hilda went numb at Uxie's words. She put her hands to her ears, refusing to believe it. No! The one man who could answer her question was gone! No, no, no!

"Hilda…"

Why was she even here? What was the point?

Suddenly, two hands grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. Electric blue eyes gazed into hers.

Volkner brought her close to his face. "Listen to me. Stay calm. Uxie's telling you more right now. He's saying that your friend's still alive."

Volkner's eyes were clear and his gaze acted almost like a guide to calming down. Gradually, her breathing slowed and she nodded. When Volkner brought his hands down from her shoulders, she surprised him by grabbing his sleeve instinctively, just so she could have something to hold on to.

That is correct. He is not dead. He is simply trapped within the Distortion World, lost. Once you open the gateway, you will be able to find him.

"Then we will go." Hilda managed to keep her voice from wavering. "But first, I want to find the remaining Lake Guardians. I feel they will help us fight the shadows in that place."

Your journey will take longer if you choose to go that path.

"I have no qualms." Said Volkner, which caused satisfaction to bloom in Hilda's chest.

Then, as her consort, you must show her the way.

"Consort?" Hilda peered at Volkner's face when he questioned Uxie's choice of word. His expression was a ruminative one.

Hilda herself wasn't very sure about it either. The word had more meanings than she was comfortable with. Or maybe she was just over-thinking. Surely, Uxie didn't mean it that way.

Hilda wondered if Volkner was thinking the same thing.

I will teleport you and your Pokemon to the clearing before the lake. Do not worry. You will see me again when the time comes.

A light surrounded them on all sides. Suddenly, it was like someone doused her with cold water and Hilda gave a yelp. The cave walls began to melt away from sight and for a brief moment all she could see was darkness.

And then sunlight hit her directly in the eyes.

Hilda exhaled sharply at how sensitive her eyes were after hours of dim lighting.

"Amazing," Volkner murmured. "So that's Uxie's power."

"Yeah..."

The two of them stood together before the lake in a contemplative silence, each considering their own thoughts on everything they had heard from Uxie.

Hilda realized all of a sudden that her journey had just gotten a lot more complicated than it initially appeared to be.

She felt something soft touch her leg, startling her out of her reverie. "Musharna, I almost forgot about you." She turned to face the rest of her Pokemon. "And the rest of you guys over there too. Go back into your poke balls." Good, she was getting back her bearings. "None of you guys want to go walking out in a snow storm like the one outside."

"That reminds me," Volkner's unexpectedly light tone of voice made Hilda look over at him. "I haven't shown you the rest of my Pokemon, have I?"

She finished calling the rest of her Pokemon back before agreeing, "No, you haven't. And I suppose you still owe me so…"

"Go, Raichu! Luxray! Lantern! Jolteon!" The four Pokemon appeared and Hilda momentarily forgot her worries as she marveled at the diversity of the Pokemon before her.

"This one's very cute." She knelt beside Jolteon, who growled at her. "And this one." She reached a hand out towards Raichu. "Hello. My name is Hilda and it's nice to meet you."

The large electric mouse turned its head away.

Hilda was not about to be put off, however. "I can tell we'll be great friends some day." She said it with a mixture of sarcasm and sincerity. Then, smiling down at the pleasant looking blue fish floating at the lake's edge, she said, "You're a nice one."

There was one last one left to scan. Hilda faced the great lion, electricity causing its black mane to stand up on end. She kept eye contact as she took small, but sure steps forward. She was reminded of when she met Zekrom for the first time. Luxray had a similar aura. Hilda was sure she could take it on.

Zekrom…In the back of her mind and in her heart, something was calling out to her, warning her, but right now she was too caught up in the eyes of the Pokemon before her. She was too caught up in the challenge.

"Luxray," She asked. "May I touch your head?"

The Pokemon gazed at her with wary red eyes. However, Hilda could see that her intentions were being conveyed successfully to the lion and, much to Volkner's obvious surprise, Luxray bowed his head just enough so Hilda could place her hand there with ease.

She thought she heard Volkner murmur something, but she wasn't quite sure. She could feel the electricity coursing through Luxray's fur. His head was warm. If only Zekrom could meet him, they would get along very well.

Zekrom…! Hilda realized, finally, the empty feeling in her chest and what it had actually represented. She had been feeling it for a while now, but she hadn't questioned it.

She could no longer sense Zekrom's presence.

"Volkner! We have to hurry!" Hilda ended up grabbing the lapel of Volkner's jacket in her desperation. "One of my Pokemon is in trouble! We have to get to Snowpoint City!"

What he did next was almost enough to completely breath through her haze of fear and uncertainty. He encircled his hands around both of hers and brought them slowly away from his chest. Then he spoke to her in a firm voice. "We will. The city isn't too far from here. Letting your emotions get the better of you is not going to help us. Maybe that's why Uxie was so reluctant to allow us to awaken all three guardians."

Hilda fought not to start crying right in front of this man. The feeling in her chest was starting to become unbearable. But if she did cry, he would probably be disappointed. Her eyes watered nonetheless.

In that moment, his expression seemed to change and Hilda wondered if it was because he pitied her. His tone was gentle like one he had used when she first woke up to see the man she had saved looking down at her. "I'm sure your Pokemon is still alive. Seeing as he wasn't there with you in the cave, I get the idea that you know he's capable of handling things by himself. Let's start walking now. We'll get to the city in less than twenty minutes if we hurry." Volkner quickly called his Pokemon back. Then he did something unexpected again.

Hilda was struck by a strange feeling in her chest when his hand closed around hers and he began leading her out of the clearing. No, it wasn't the feeling of a father or big brother holding her hand; she couldn't describe it. The closest thing she could come up with was the hand of a friend.

She figured that that was a start.

—Snowpoint City, Fifteen Minutes Later —

"There's no one here," Hilda whispered. Her voice still managed to carry in the silence despite that. The silence was as thick as the snow at their feet. "Is everyone still hiding? Ghetsis should be gone by now."

"I don't know." Was all Volkner could say in reply.

Then she made her way into the main part of the city, walking with growing trepidation at what she would see. Her hand was still locked with Volkner's.

At the sight before them, Hilda had to stifle a yell.

The glass windows of the gym were all shattered and there was a noticeable crack all along the roof. There were the vaguest hints of a large scuffle in the snow.

Hilda let go of Volkner's hand and ran as fast as she could towards the spot right in front of the gym doors. The snow was messiest there. She looked to her left and right and saw the ruined houses. The battle was between two very large Pokemon. And she knew one of them had been Zekrom.

Blood was mixed into the snow.

"Oh…" A noise came from Hilda's throat, though her ears barely registered it. "Whose..?"

"Hilda…" A voice spoke softly in her ear. "There are tracks around the side of the gym. They lead to the temple. Wherever your friends or Pokemon may be, they aren't here."

Her eyes shifted to look back at the blood, but a hand covered her eyes. "There's nothing more to see here. Come with me. I have the feeling your friends are still alive."

Hilda closed her eyes and put a hand over the one covering her face. As she pulled Volkner's hand away, she took a deep breath. Then released it.

"Okay, let's go."

—In the Temple—

The moment they set foot on ancient grounds, Hilda knew something was about to happen.

A deep groan suddenly echoed throughout the temple and the floor shook with what felt like heavy footsteps.

"Something's coming! Does the temple have a defense mechanism or something!" Hilda yelled over the noise.

"No! None that I heard of!" Volkner yelled back.

A huge shadowy figure suddenly towered above them and she saw Volkner instinctively reached for his belt. Hilda was about to do the same until she realized it wasn't doing anything to attack them.

"Wait! Stop!" She grabbed Volkner's arm. "It doesn't seem agitated."

Volkner stopped. Then he took a closer look at the colossal Pokemon. "This is the statue found in the lowest level of the temple. How is it alive?"

It was golem-like and imposing with grass growing on different parts of its body. It was one of the stranger looking Pokemon Hilda had seen. Were those various small, multi-colored orbs its eyes?

The Pokemon stood there watching them for so long that Hilda almost thought it had turned back into a statue. Then it turned slowly away from them and began walking deeper into the temple.

"I think it wants us to follow him." Hilda wasted no time in running to catch up with the Pokemon. When she noticed Volkner wasn't following, she turned back to call for him only find him looking at her in a way that made her feel embarrassed. "What? Is there something on my back? Come on!"

—Volkner—

Waiting until they were a good distance away, he eventually started walking as well. Had Hilda not heard the words that echoed in his head? The golem had conveyed a message to him through telepathy and it appeared Hilda hadn't been told a word of what went on.

The message was sent to him the moment he had paused to look at the Pokemon. Its presence had penetrated his mind and its smooth, stony voice became one with his thoughts.

The human protects what is his, as all humans should do. Some humans, however, do not always do what should be done.

The Pokemon had paused for a moment before continuing, as if waiting for its words to sink in, and ending on a warning note.

The shadows within you are as strong as the light you possess. Take care not to let it consume you or else all will be lost.

With that the Pokemon had turned and left him with those words. Unknowing of everything that just happened, Hilda had run after the golem like an eager child. He had deliberated the message in his mind over and over. What was his...

Volkner wasn't sure he quite understood what the Pokemon was trying to tell him. He had no such feelings.

"Come on, Volkner! Hurry up or we're leaving without you!" He had nearly smiled at the way she called back at him. Her actions were definitely still reminiscent of a little girl's. He didn't have much to worry about.

Once he caught up with her, however, his long strides easily overtaking her smaller ones, Volkner was serious again.

What was his? If he hadn't understood what those words meant, then why was there just the slightest hint of satisfaction dancing in his chest?

Chapter Text

—One Hour Earlier…Cheren and Bianca—

The first thing he felt when he woke up was a dull pain in his side.

Cheren gingerly reached down to touch his ribs only to realize he had been bandaged and his coat was gone. He opened his eyes to stare up at a grey ceiling. Where were his glasses? He made as if to get up only to lay back down because of a sharp pain from his injury.

He heard the voice of an old woman. "Stay still, child. Your wounds are not light."

"Bianca," he managed to croak out. "Where is she?

"If you mean the girl, she's lying beside you and still asleep. You woke up faster than any of us expected."

"Us?" Cheren blinked several times. "You mean there are more of you here? Where are we?"

A hand came down to touch his forehead, though it did not feel like that of an old woman's.

Another voice spoke up. This one sounded like the owner of the hand, a female. "You were brought here to Snowpoint Temple by its guardian, Regigigas. Both of you were very lucky you didn't suffer any more damage before he got there. Your friend, however, has a fever right now and-Don't move so much! Your ribs!"

Cheren willed himself to sit up, despite the raging pain. "Where are my glasses?" He demanded.

"I'm afraid you weren't wearing any when we-" Cheren saw Bianca's brightly dressed form beside him and moved to her side as quickly as he could. "What are you doing!"

"Shut up!" The murmurs that had been going on around him stopped abruptly. "What's wrong with her? I can't see."

Cheren wanted to pound the ground in frustration. She had practically presented herself to be killed right in front of his eyes, all while he had been cowering behind her like some child!

"Things weren't supposed to happen this way. Bianca, wake up!" He reached down to touch her forehead, her cheeks and neck. They were all dangerously warm.

"Boy," Cheren heard the rough voice of an old man. "If you really want to know what her current condition is, how about you listen a bit instead of insulting a number of your elders?"

He was about to argue back when a hand rapped him on the arm, silencing him.

"Her fever is high enough to be a danger to her. That is the reality," The old man paused to see if the boy was going to make any more sudden moves. "She may have a slight concussion due to the wound on her head. It's swollen, but no blood."

Cheren listened quietly, then sighed and apologized. "Please forgive me for my earlier behavior. I was worried about my friend. So please…someone pass me our coats."

There was a bit of shuffling and Cheren reached out a hand to grab on to what felt like a blanket instead. Surprised, he fingered the material. Then, without a word, he began undressing; first, taking off his shirt, then jeans so that he was left in nothing but boxers.

People murmured from all around him. Let them watch. Their whispers would not shame him.

After slipping off his shoes, he hovered over Bianca's unconscious form and started undressing her as well.

He heard a voice whisper, "Don't look."

After he had her dressed down until she was in nothing but her undergarments, he lay down beside her, shivering slightly when his bare skin made contact with the cold floor.

"I love you too." He whispered the words over and over like a mantra as he held Bianca close to him and pulled the blanket over their bodies. "I love you so you can't leave me behind."

A small group of the city's inhabitants watched the young couple silently, no one moving a muscle, as they were all in awe of the scene before them.

"Now that's sacrifice for you." Grunted the old man who had spoken earlier. He was quickly shushed by those around him.

"Shh!" scolded the only little boy amongst the people watching. "They're sleeping!"

—Snowpoint Temple, Current Time, Hilda—

She hid her uncertainty well.

The further Hilda had walked into the temple, the greater the voice in the back of her head told her something was very wrong. Hilda wanted to stamp her foot in frustration. Where was the confidence a hero should have? Did she even deserve to be called one if she couldn't trust in her own Pokemon?

She followed the colossal Pokemon down a flight of stairs to the lower levels of the temple.

Hilda was overwhelmed at the sight before her. There were at least half the city's inhabitants down here! She could see several groups of people huddled here and there tending to the wounded.

A few people turned their heads to look at her and Volkner. One of them, an old woman, shuffled forward without a word. Then she spoke.

"Your friends are over there." And Hilda followed the woman's finger to a corner where Cheren and Bianca were lying in plain view. "They were having trouble earlier, but now they are going to be fine. The boy took away the girl's fever himself, you know?"

Hilda found she had no words to say. She could only watch her friends from a distance, almost afraid to approach them. Was it really alright to continue calling Cheren a boy? She saw how he held Bianca so possessively, as if she might leave if he let go.

She knew then that they had something unbreakable between them, something even she as a friend could not interfere with. And she was suddenly feeling jealous for a reason she didn't want to understand.

If things had happened differently at N's castle, would he have...?

"Hilda," Volkner's voice startled her out of her thoughts. She turned her head to see him watching her. "Aren't you going to go see your friends?"

Was she that obvious? "Right." Hilda scolded herself mentally for such a moment of stupidity. Jealous! Of her friends even! In a partial daze of emotions, Hilda told him, "You can go check on Candice." Then she left Volkner's side to approach the sleeping forms of Cheren and Bianca.

Hilda knelt down beside her unconscious friends.

"Look at how much he loves you, Bianca." she murmured. "You're a lucky girl to have someone like that." Hilda paused to consider her next words. "And...sometimes..."

She thought of the possibilities that could've happened if only things had been different back then. It wouldn't be hard at all to label the past two years as embodiments of 'what-ifs' and 'just maybes'. It wouldn't be hard to say she had more regrets than she cared to admit. So she tried to say it. Admit it.

"Sometimes I wish that N-"

"Someone help me over here!" A woman's voice called out, penetrating Hilda's concentration. The urgency in the woman's voice, however, caused Hilda to stand up and look in her direction. "Chansey doesn't have enough strength to heal this Pokemon! It's too big in size!"

Her eyes immediately focused in on a familiar black body lying in another corner of the temple. Suddenly, it was like plastic had been stretched and pulled over her eyes and mouth and ears so that everything seemed to blur and muffle at the same time. Her mouth opened, then closed, as she tried to find the words that could express the deep despair that was rapidly filling her heart.

Then finally, "Zekrom...!" Her partner's name came rolling in a single cry out of her throat and it propelled her to run so swiftly in Zekrom's direction that she nearly pushed a man over in her fervor.

The crowd of people watching the Pokemon parted to allow her through. There, Hilda found the woman, who turned to reveal herself as, most likely, a cousin of the many Nurse Joys in Unova.

"What's-?" Hilda's had mouth opened to ask about Zekrom's condition when she forced herself to look at him, opting instead to figure it out herself.

There was her partner, a Deep Black Pokemon and magnificent in his own right. His tail, which was usually humming with contained electricity, lay limp and lifeless beside him. Numerous gashes covered his body, even though Hilda had always thought his scales had been impenetrable. Her partner, her precious partner. What in the world had Ghetsis done to him?

The nurses's voice barely permeated her blurred mind. "...bleeding so much. We tried... bandages... struggling." Then Hilda somehow managed to fully comprehend the nurse's last sentence. "Chansey is keeping the blood flow at bay, but she can't keep it up much longer."

Hilda decided something then and there. She waved the nurse away, along with her Chansey.

Then she knelt down beside her partner. "I'm here now, Zekrom. I know you're in there somewhere." She touched his snout gently. "It hurts to see you like this, you know that? I don't feel like a hero at all when you get hurt."

Surprisingly, Hilda did not feel like crying. The state of her partner should've induced wild, uncontrollable tears from her, but she felt stable.

Perhaps it was because of the insane theory that she had just resolved to believe in. If she could send emotions and thoughts to Zekrom, who said she couldn't send him her life as well?

Then Hilda felt a hand on her shoulder and the voice of the same old woman, who had talked to her earlier, spoke.

"Regigigas is coming over to see you. Perhaps he has a few words of wisdom."

Hilda looked up to see that the colossal Pokemon was truly heading her way. When it came close enough, Hilda asked, in a wavering voice, "So your name is Regigigas? Please...tell me what to do."

When the Pokemon made no sign of responding, Hilda grit her teeth. Then she noticed how close the crowd was huddling around her.

"Get back," she warned them. When only the old woman moved, she stood up suddenly, grabbing her coat in the same action, and threw it down at her feet.

The people immediately backed away.

"Oh my!" gasped one of the spectators at the sight of the girl's almost bare back. "How shameless." The voice carried loud and clear, but in this moment Hilda really didn't care. At least she no longer felt so enclosed on all sides. At least now she could feel Zekrom's presence a little more clearly.

She probed inside her heart and mind for the strongest concentration of Zekrom's presence. She sent him the uncertainty she felt in that moment, her skin cold from exposure and the feeling of a hundred eyes on her back. She refused to give him false assurances.

Then she felt another person come up close behind her and she knew who it was. She was immediately filled with a sense of safety and she sent that to Zekrom as well.

But what was she looking for, truly? Emotions and images were all she could do right now. How could she send what was neither of those things? Her vitality. Her life.

Then she heard a stony voice in her head.

Human to Pokemon. The connection will be completed with physical touch.

Hilda grabbed the last vestiges of her shirt and threw that down at her feet like she did her coat. Fine. If it was physical contact he needed, then…

The moment Hilda began taking off the last piece of clothing covering her chest, she felt two larger hands encircle both of hers.

—Volkner—

He wasn't sure why he was doing this, but his body seemed to have come to a decision without him. There was a limit to how much a man could take watching a little girl expose her body in order to save her Pokemon. How that would work, Volkner didn't know, but he knew he couldn't just stand there and watch.

"Wait," he whispered, bowing his neck over her shoulder so only she could hear him. "I won't let these people see you like this." Then he let go of her hands to reach for a poke ball.

Luxray appeared at his side, causing all the people to step even further back. The lion growled and then the people understood. One by one, they filed away, some shocked at the girl's actions, others impressed.

Her voice was quiet when she thanked him, just a soft whisper in his ear. Then she finished slipping off her bra and let the garment fall carelessly to the ground. Even as she stood before him with her back completely bare, she seemed to forget he was there. No longer conscious of the people around her, Hilda knelt beside Zekrom's head once more and wrapped her arms around it, letting it rest on her lap.

He felt himself kneel down beside her. His eyes rested first on the ivory skin of her shoulder blades, how they flexed as her entire body suddenly tensed in anticipation of what she planned to do. Immediately, his gaze followed her prominent spine up her neck, before ending at her eyes.

The intensity in them was more electrifying than anything Volkner had seen in a long time.

Suddenly, he felt agitated. "Hilda what are you-?"

She cried out and the peal of her cry pierced Volkner's mind ruthlessly. It was like something inside him had torn in two at the sound of her agonized wail. He didn't know what was going on. He wanted to yell at her to stop. He wanted to fling his arms around her and drag her away from the Pokemon. He wanted to-

Blood flecked on to his cheek. Still warm. Where...?

Things his mind could hardly fathom were happening before his eyes. With a bone deep numbness, Volkner watched as countless lacerations appeared all over the girl's body.

Several people screamed as they looked back and saw the messy scene before them.

He understood what she was doing now. And he hated how helpless it made him! Volkner's mind raced to think of a solution. He had no healing Pokemon, no bandages to wrap her with! She was trying to heal her Pokemon's wounds by taking them on to herself. But at this rate she was going to die of blood loss!

Then colossal Pokemon's voice invaded his mind again.

The human shares the burden of her friend. The same can be done for her.

As cryptic as the Pokemon's words sounded at first, the truth of what he needed to do unraveled before him. As he began stripping off his jacket and shirt, he found his gaze focusing solely on the profusely bleeding girl before him. Yes, even if it meant taking on her pain, he would do it for her.

"You've done enough, Hilda," Her skin was cool when he gathered her compact body into his arms. He slid a hand up to her shoulder to keep her from falling over. "Now let me-"

Volkner bit off his sentence before it completely left his mouth. Shuddering, he suddenly felt what seemed like hundreds of small knives tearing into his skin. He bowed his head into the crevice of her neck, fighting to stay upright. He watched as drops of blood fell on to her pale chest.

His blood.

Everything felt raw. With each passing second, several new waves of pain would slam into him, causing him to hiss in barely contained agony. The pain, however, was only temporary. What came next astounded him beyond words.

He suddenly became aware of the girl in his arms. Without warning, his mind flooded with the presence of another conscience and he reeled and nearly let go of her.

Hilda...!

Emotions, that weren't his, rushed into his consciousness. Fear! Whose fear was this? It was so overwhelming that Volkner almost couldn't tell the difference at first, but then the initial shock of intrusion passed and he could eventually pick out the ones that belonged to...

The girl was scared. It was just the fact that he could feel her heart hammering against his forearm, but he felt the fear building within her. Instead of letting go and demanding to know what in the world she had done to him, instincts led him to do something he wasn't supposed to do.

He tightened his hold on her, his arms pulled flush against her skin. With the increased contact, he naturally became conscious of the swell of her breast against his arm.

She reacted as well and her fear was quickly replaced by shyness and embarrassment.

"Why...?"An abrupt change in emotion, her curiosity pushed against the intangible lining in his mind that seemed to be the only thing that was separating his consciousness from hers right now.

Her question, although left unfinished, was easily filled in with his thoughts.

"What man in his right mind would leave a girl to suffer like that?" He found himself whispering back to her before his arms moved of their own accord and pulled her firmly to his chest. A chill ran through his body. "Not when it's happening like this right in front of him..." Without thinking, he began rocking her back and forth like a child.

The movement calmed her.

"I'm sorry." She whispered and he was washed with her guilt. The emotion was so strong, it nearly left a bad taste in his mouth.

"We're even now." He had to assure her. Anything. As long as she stopped making him feel this way. "Besides, it's what friends..." He stopped before he finished the sentence. His vision was starting to blur.

But he hadn't stopped only because of his fading sight. His thoughts became increasingly incoherent.

... a friend? This... girl? Only one day... took less than one day.

"Friends..." Hilda repeated his last word and Volkner knew she was also losing grip on staying conscious. "Yeah...you'd make a pretty good friend." Then her presence in his mind all but flickered out as she went limp in his arms. The presence in his mind was faint now, but definitely still there.

The amount of blood he had lost suddenly caught up with him and Volkner was thrown into an anticipated wave of dizziness.

The last thing he saw before losing consciousness completely was a pair of feet approaching him. They looked vaguely familiar. Where had he seen them before?

His mind was out, however, before he could answer the question.

—The Mysterious Pair of Feet—

A girl with pigtails and dressed mostly in blue stood before the two unconscious people on the floor. She was covered in bandages from head to foot. Most of her wounds had been from the broken glass windows of the gym.

"Well, well! What do we have here?" The girl giggled. "It's Volkner. And he's holding a girl! What an interesting development."

Luxray allowed her to pet him behind the ear, purring as she did. Then he lay down majestically by the heads of his unconscious trainer and the girl with the strong eyes.

"Candice, please step away. I need to apply more bandages."

Candice did as she was told, but her good humor remained nonetheless. "How long was I out, grandmama?"

"Three hours." Her grandma replied shortly.

"Ooh, no wonder I'm so sore. I've been lying down all day!" She did a few calisthenics while watching her grandmother tend to the unconscious couple. "So who's the girl? Are those her friends?" She gestured towards the other unconscious couple lying on the other side of the temple.

"We don't know, Candice. And yes, those people most likely know each other."

"Oh, that's too bad. Hey…" she skipped over to where her fainted Pokemon were being tended to by Nurse Joy. "They're looking much better now! All of them will be up and running in no time!"

"You're so energetic all the time, Candice. I don't know where you get it." Nurse Joy laughed.

"I have to be! Otherwise everything will be too gloomy!" Candice grinned widely. "Besides, we still have hope. There's Regigigas here to protect us and now there's this cool Pokemon over here!"

She pointed to where the black dragon began to stir.

"Oh, look it's waking up. I hope it isn't grouchy from sleeping for so long."

Zekrom growled as he got up and stretched his wings. He remembered hearing his partner's voice and then the haze around his mind gradually disappeared before it was gone completely. He had been filled with the vitality of one…no, two people. Then he looked down and saw the woman bandaging his partner up, along with another person.

The old woman was startled when a shadow loomed over her and she looked up to see the dragon bending over to observe her handiwork.

"Your trainer lost a little blood, but she should be fine."

Zekrom noticed that his partner was getting fewer bandages than the man beside her and was reassured. She would live.

"Hey there! My name's Candice! It's nice to meet a strong Pokemon like you." Candice put one hand out in greeting.

Zekrom gazed at her, and then blinked once, which caused the girl to smile big.

What a strange human. But she was an interesting one nonetheless.

—Dreaming, Hilda—

This was not her dream.

She was standing at the edge of a beach, light waves lapping at her feet. Her shoes were gone.

Where was she? Behind her, when she looked, stood a small port city. It wasn't anything special, just a few buildings. The city itself was built on a small strip of land looming higher over the beach. She spied a tiny gym peeking out over one of the larger cliffs.

"What are you doing here?" It was the voice of a child.

Hilda whipped her head around to see a blonde boy standing beside her. The boy's hair was familiar, but that wasn't what surprised her. Instead, it was the fact that she didn't have to tilt her head down in order to look at him.

"Why am I a kid again?" She looked down at her hands and feet and saw that they looked the same as when she was still in school. Maybe close to ten years old.

"Because this is my dream and my city," he gestured toward the buildings behind him. "That is, before I helped install a few solar panels and other things."

"I wonder what it looks like now." Thoroughly impressed, Hilda voiced her thoughts.

"Who are you?" The boy's question startled her.

"You don't remember my name?" She asked incredulously. "But we just met a while ago!"

The boy shook his head. "No, I mean, who are you? You still haven't shown me that part of you yet so I still don't know you."

"I haven't shown you?" Hilda shook her head as well. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm the hero of Unova! I mean…" Her words suddenly felt empty.

"Do you like being the hero?"

Hilda knew what her answer was. "I told Cheren that I didn't want to be called a hero…but…I just called myself one." Hilda toed the sand at her feet. "Maybe I'm starting to believe what everyone says. They tell me heroes are mature and smart. They tell me I'm like an adult already even though I'm not."

"Who are they?"

"Almost everyone in Unova," Hilda admitted. "And sometimes, even my friends."

"What's wrong with being an adult?" Hilda looked up to meet the boy's deep gaze. "I was an adult when I built the panels needed to keep my city alive. And while there are many responsibilities that come with being an adult, there are also many freedoms." As he spoke, the boy began to grow and his voice matured.

"Your insecurity stems from something other than the fear of simply growing up. There's something else holding you back, but you still haven't shown me what it is so I wouldn't know." He was the Volkner she knew, a sturdy young man the age of twenty-four.

"Tell me, Hilda." He was tilting his head down to look at her now. "What are you really trying to do?"

Hilda looked back at him, her eyes suddenly large. "I…I'm…" She suddenly saw a memory of green hair and vacant eyes and her heart hardened.

She lowered her eyes and Hilda began toeing the sand again with her foot.

"I'm sorry," she said with no apology in her voice. "But I can't tell you just yet." She looked up to see he had an unreadable look on his face.

"Fine." The tone in his voice caused her heart to waver ever so slightly. "I'll wait until you're ready. On the other side of this dream." He turned and began walking away. Then he called to her over his shoulder. "You will be able to enter this city's future once you find what you're looking for. Until then, you will only see its past." Then his body became more and more out of focus until, finally, he was gone.

Hilda was alone on the beach. The waves lapped at her feet with an empty rhythm and she wondered if she'd done the right thing.

But the memory of N was just too strong. If she grew up now, it would forever remind her of what she had left unfinished.

—Dreaming, Volkner—

Hilda had been in his dream. What was she doing there?

He stood on the beach of the present-day Sunyshore City, solar panels forming walkways between the buildings. Even in sleep, he still dreamed of this city.

He had been close. Just a few more words and Hilda would've been able to come with him to this part of his dream. But to what end?

Volkner looked back toward the vast city he'd helped to grow. Despite the bright sun in the sky and the solar panels gleaming with its rays, the city had no electricity. Once, the city in his dreams was well-lit and powered. But, in recent years, the lights had dimmed.

"What will happen once they turn back on?" He murmured. Perhaps he himself wasn't ready for Hilda to grow up.

It was because he knew that once she did, everything would change.

—The Next Morning—

Bianca had the biggest headache in the world. Was it even possible to have such a terrible pain in her head? It was like she'd split it open.

"Ow…" She tried to move, but she was being held in place. Then she realized something was missing. "My clothes!" They were gone! And so were Cheren's… How did she-?

Cheren groaned and tightened his hold on Bianca. When he heard her squeak, he opened his eyes groggily. "You feeling better?" He asked sleepily.

"Cheren…did you do this to me?" Bianca knew her face was probably tomato red by now. "Wh…why?"

"You had a pretty bad fever." Cheren repositioned her so that his chin was touching the top of her head. "And you hit your head so it's logical to assume I was very worried."

"Oh…" Bianca found that she rather liked being in Cheren's arms like this. "Thank you."

"I love you, Bianca." Cheren felt her stiffen in surprise at his words. Then she relaxed and snuggled deeper into him and they stayed like that for a few minutes.

Suddenly, a girl's voice spoke, startling the two out of their moment. "Hey! Look, grandmama, they're awake!"

"Here are a new change of clothes," The girl's grandmother approached the couple and placed her burden in front of them. "Some of these belong to a boy around your age, who was visiting our city. He disappeared once the man and his Pokemon came, however. The rest belong to Candice."

"I'm surprised I haven't disappeared." Candice murmured to herself. "I wonder why…I guess some people were just unlucky." She had a frown on her face for a brief moment before she smiled again almost immediately afterwards. "We'll see them again. I have a strong feeling that we will."

Cheren was reluctant to let go of Bianca, but he needed to get up, get dressed, and assess the situation. The clothes given to him fit him almost perfectly, much to Cheren's surprise. They consisted of a sleeveless black shirt, a white t-shirt he assumed was worn underneath the black one, and long, blue jeans. He finished dressing by slipping on his own blue jacket. His old shirt had most likely been discarded.

Bianca saw that the clothes she had been given were identical with Candice's, except that they were a light shade of green, the same as the one on her old clothes.

"Thanks." She said in a happy voice. "It's very pretty."

"Of course it is!" Boasted Candice. "They belonged to me after all!"

"I thought my ribs were broken," Cheren touched his side in small wonder. Before putting on his clothes, he'd noticed that his bandages had been taken off and it hadn't hurt to raise his arms over his head to slip on a shirt.

"The nurses in our region all have healing Pokemon with them," explained the girl's grandma. "We are very lucky our Nurse Joy hasn't been taken away as well."

Cheren could barely see, but his brain was still sharp. "So the Pokemon really does have the power to just make a person disappear?"

"That appears to be the case," answered the old woman. "All you see in this place are all the people left in our city. The boy whose clothes you are wearing was also taken away."

"I see…" Before Cheren could say anything else, he felt a tug near the bottom of his pants. He looked down to see the slightly blurry figure of a small boy who was holding what looked like a pair of glasses of to him.

"These were my father's," he said in a nervous voice. "Umm, I think he would've wanted you to use them."

Cheren reached down to take the glasses from the little boy's hand. "Thank you." He said, feeling slightly touched. Then he slipped them on and was felt relieved to see the temple's walls come into focus. It was intimidating to know how bad his eyesight was sometimes.

Then he noticed the large form of Zekrom hovering over two unconscious people. A Pokemon that resembled a lion appeared to be guarding the couple as well. A blanket had been placed over them. Whoever did it must've been braver than the rest, as everyone else in the area was giving the Pokemon a wide berth.

"Hilda…?" He called uncertainly.

"Did Hilda get here already?" Bianca asked as she followed Cheren over to Zekrom.

Once she got up close, she realized that Zekrom was no longer covered in wounds. In fact, he looked better than ever, which didn't make any sense. Then she looked down at the people Zekrom appeared to be protecting and gasped.

It was Hilda and some other man she had never seen before in her life. Where her body wasn't covered by the blanket, they were wrapped in bandages. Kneeling down beside them, Bianca tentatively moved the blanket away to see how much damage had really been done.

She was surprised to see the greater amount of bandages the man had on him than her friend. His entire back was covered.

She blushed to see that the two had even gone beyond what she and Cheren had done. Hilda's back was completely bare, a neat pile of clothes beside her. Someone must've folded it. The man, who Bianca did not know at all, held Hilda from behind in a way only Cheren would hold her.

One hand was on her belly, while the other was on the lower swell of her breast.

Bianca felt like giggling. What a surprise her friend was going to have once she woke up.

But was this a good thing?

Bianca went from feeling humored to worried. She had no idea what this man was like. What if he was secretly a jerk? Or what if he was some playboy who threw girls away like tissues?

"Tissues? What are you talking about?" Cheren sat down next to her to keep vigilance over his childhood friend. He smirked. "Just wait until Hilda wakes up. I hypothesize that she's going to just lie there until that guy moves his hand."

"I see that happening too," Bianca agreed. Then she turned to him and spoke with a worried tone. "What if he hurts her, Cheren? I don't know about this. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours and we find our friend in the arms of a total stranger."

Cheren listened to Bianca's worries. Then he sighed. "I get what you mean. But look at his back. How do you think he got those wounds? If my theory is correct, Hilda should've been the only one who took on Zekrom's pain. However, it looks like this man somehow managed to take on some of it as well."

"That's Volkner." The couple was caught by surprise as the girl in pigtails and snowy blue clothing crouched unexpectedly next to Cheren. "I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. He saved her from dying of blood loss. Besides," she winked. "I don't see him holding girls like that very often."

"Who are you?" Cheren pushed his glasses up his nose to look at her more clearly.

The girl stood up suddenly and pointed one finger at herself. "My name is Candice and I'm Sinnoh's 7th gym leader! I'm only one level away from Volkner. He's Sunyshore City's gym leader. He is said to be Sinnoh's best one, but I'll prove him wrong someday!" She made a fist to show her determination.

"I'll challenge him in the future and then we'll see who's the strongest!"

The man she was yelling about groaned and everyone immediately quieted down.

—A New Connection—

It was just so strange.

Volkner instinctively pulled the source of warmth in his arms a little closer to his body.

His mind felt heavier than usual, as if someone had placed a small stone atop a part of his brain and just left it there. And he could hardly put the sensation into words. However, the heaviness also left him with a basic understanding of what was going on.

Something inside him had changed.

Suddenly, he felt the thing in his arms move against his frame and then something tickled his nose. It was the light caress of someone's hair.

He realized whose it was. Hilda, the girl he met less than twelve hours ago.

Something stirred, then, in the region of his mind that had been weighed down by the invisible stone. Someone. Someone had put it there.

Hilda put it there.

Again without warning, Volkner was overwhelmed, with an inconceivable certainty in every cell of his being, that she was going to wake up. He could feel her in his mind and it was like she had become a part of it.

Then Hilda's consciousness pulsed. And jolted his memory.

Zekrom, the pain, his dream. Volkner suddenly found himself remembering it all. The fact that Hilda still couldn't fully enter his dream hadn't mattered. Things between them had changed the moment he made the decision to share her pain. Something had happened when he touched her. He had ended up sharing more than what he bargained for.

He had, unintentionally, shared his mind.

—Hilda—

Her eyes were open before her brain was fully awake.

She wanted to sit up but a pair of arms was stopping her. The fact as to who they belonged to still hadn't made it into her brain yet. But they held her protectively in a way that Hilda couldn't keep herself from reaching down to touch one. She was kept fascinated until she noticed, with a very dry throat all of a sudden, the hand that was dangerously close to her right breast.

Her explosion of complete panic was cut short when a familiar tenor whispered into her ear. "Sorry," Hilda wanted to squirm because of the way his breath blew against it. "I'm letting go now."

Hilda nodded as best as she could, her mind much too alert now. She knew, without a doubt, that if Bianca and Cheren were to see this-

"You were right! She did freeze up like a rock!" A voice she could not recognize cried out.

"You…!" Hilda sat up lightning-quick while holding the blanket up to cover her chest. She was beyond indignant once she saw the amused expressions on Bianca and Cheren. "How long have you all been sitting there!"

"Sorry, Hilda," Bianca apologized between giggles. "We just wanted to keep an eye on you."

Hilda rolled hers. And then, although she wanted to peek behind her to see what Volkner was thinking, she realized she didn't need to because she could tell that he himself really wasn't sure of what to think at being watched like that. He was going to reach over and grab his clothes instead. That sounded like a good idea and-

How in the world did she get all that without even looking at him?

Before she could answer her own question, however, Hilda felt him move from behind her, as his intentions said he would, to grab his jacket when he accidentally brushed up against her back.

What she felt from him next was more than an impression. It was an overpowering emotion.

Surging down her spine with all the ferocity of a triggered bomb, anticipation wracked Hilda's body. This connection was too strange! He had only grazed her skin and it was like he had done much more than that! No amount of physical touch Hilda had done in the past could match up with what she had experienced though the most accidental touch she could ever think of.

Hilda used nearly all her willpower to keep herself from leaping up and running far, far away from the man she couldn't bring herself to look at right now.

However, her curiosity eventually got the better of her and Hilda found herself peeking back to see what his reaction had been. She wasn't really getting any readable impressions from him right now.

He met her gaze, but did not give her any outward sign that there was anything out of the ordinary. In fact, he seemed unfazed at the entire incident over all. It made sense since, during her intrusion of his dream, he had made it clear. She would never stand on equal footing with him until she found what she was looking for. This mental connection wouldn't change that.

"Tell us what happened, Hilda." Bianca demanded of her friend.

"Yes! Tell us how you met Volkner!" Candice leaned in eagerly.

Hilda grabbed her clothes and turned away from her friends to slip them on. She answered them once she finished, "I saved him from the snow. That's all. And then he saved my life here so we're even."

"You say it like that stuff happens every day!" said Bianca. She shook her head. "You could get a medal for what you did if you told someone important about it."

"Wow…I can't imagine Volkner lying around in the snow. So the man with the dragon Pokemon really was that tough, huh?" Candice wondered aloud.

"I didn't get my Pokemon out on time, alright?" At first, Volkner surprised her when he snapped at Candice, but then she saw that he had done it jokingly. "He struck me down because he knew I was coming to warn you, gym leader or not." He took out a Poke ball and called Luxray back. The Pokemon had been sitting there quietly and observing them the entire time.

"Okay, okay," Candice put both hands up in mock surrender. "I believe you."

Hilda decided to break the news then. Now that she was finally back together with her friends, she needed to tell the truth.

"Bianca, Cheren, he got N."

—Candice—

As Hilda told her story, Candice was silent the entire time.

She had stopped talking the second she noted the grave look Hilda had suddenly given her friends as she told them news that was obviously very troubling. She could only assume that the person, who seemed to have taken by a man indicated by "he", was someone important to all three of them.

Especially to Hilda.

Maybe Candice might've a little air-headed to others, especially to people she would meet for the first time, but she could vouch for herself that there was nothing easier to read than a trainer's emotions.

While Hilda seemed to be a very strong trainer and would most likely prove to be a tough opponent, she could still put a little more work on her poker face.

As a result, it hadn't been very hard for Candice to notice something was up between Hilda and Volkner the moment the former flinched ever so slightly from an instant of physical contact with the latter. Candice didn't think it was natural for anyone to react that way from that kind of accidental touch and Hilda did not look like the type to over-react about things.

Candice had quickly switched then to Volkner's face to see if he showed any indication of experiencing something just as prominent though that small touch and was surprised to find such a rare display of vulnerability flash in his eyes that Candice had trouble describing it. Was it fear? Uncertainty? Maybe it was a mixture of both, but there had been something else too. She could vaguely remember seeing that kind of look once before.

It was an expression that Candice had only ever seen her father giving her mother.

But then Candice laughed at the parallel she had drawn. No way was it anything like that! As quickly as the look had appeared on Volkner's face, it was gone by the time Hilda turned around to see for herself. If that expression had remained for even a second longer, Candice might've suspected something. But it looked like she didn't have much to conclude with.

For now.

—After Hilda Tells The Story—

"So now you have to find the other two Lake Guardians all because you wanted to." Cheren concluded.

"I'm sorry," Hilda apologized for the third time, except this time she matched Cheren's sarcastic tone. "I didn't mean to upset the great logic of Cheren the Brain."

"But imagine how much easier your journey could've been. Like Uxie said, the Distortion World is too much for emotion and will." Cheren argued. "And he mentioned a sacrifice so I see his point."

"We would be no better than Ghetsis then," Hilda continued despite Cheren's look of disbelief. "Ghetsis acquired the knowledge to find Turnback Cave, but he ended up sacrificing his son. I'm sure that, somewhere in his mind, he thinks he's done the right thing, but I won't ever buy it." No, she would never accept that kind of twisted logic. Concluding, she said, "Emotion and will are two very important things humans should have. I'm sure even someone like you can understand that, Cheren."

"Someone like me, what are you implying?" Cheren was more than a little unhappy with the way this argument was going. His arms were crossed.

"What she's trying to say is that you should be able to see the repercussions of making a decision with only knowledge," Volkner had spoken up after a long time of staying quiet and listening. "Just by looking at what happened to your friend, you should be able to come to the conclusion that maybe a little emotion and will won't hurt."

Hilda felt a rush of gratitude at his words. He caught her eye and then sent her a smile that surprised her. Had he felt it?

Cheren was quiet and Bianca spoke up instead. "I agree with you!"

This caused Cheren to sigh and nod. "Yeah." He said grumpily.

A smile found its way to Hilda's face. Cheren always did hate losing an argument. "So we should get started now." She stood up to emphasize her words. Then she looked down at her ruined shirt and sat back down again. "Haha…" she laughed nervously. "Does anyone have an extra change of clothes?"

Candice raised her hand up in the air like a student answering a teacher. "Ooh! Hold on! I'll go get you something." She came back with a complete outfit.

Hilda found herself staring. It looked exactly like Candice's clothes, except it was all in white.

"You don't have to wear the bow if you don't want to." Candice gestured to the ribbon tied around the collar. "Personally, I still want it."

"It's fine. You can take that back." Candice happily tore off the ribbon, causing Hilda to wince, before handing it to her.

No longer caring who watched, though Hilda was sure the people around her had turned around to leave her some modesty, she changed into her first, and definitely not her last, borrowed outfit.

Bianca laughed. "We match now, Hilda."

"Are you young folks starting on your journey now?" The group turned to see an old man approaching them, followed closely by Candice's grandmother.

"Grandpa," Candice was now being serious all of a sudden. "They're going to go find Mesprit and Azelf."

"Is that right?" The old man had bushy, white eyebrows that lifted conspicuously at Candice's words. "Then you want to head for Lake Verity first. It's the closest."

Cheren thought of something then. "If Uxie, the creator of all Knowledge, doesn't know where this Turnback Cave is, then how will the other two know?"

Everyone around him nodded in agreement with his question. Would they have to explore every last inch of Sinnoh to find the Spring Path? That would take much too long and Ghetsis might already have the region, if not the entire world, in his hands.

"There is a library." Candice's grandfather spoke quietly and several people leaned in to hear him more clearly. "It is located in Canalave City. I once journeyed there when I was a Pokemon trainer myself, although I'm sure many of you have already heard old men like me talk about our glory days often enough."

"No, no, keep going." Bianca urged him. "This gives us some idea of what to do."

"Very well." The old man put his hands behind his back and continued. "I remember reading about the origins of Sinnoh there. And it was there that I discovered the existence of Uxie in Lake Acuity. The books that contained the information were already very old when I read them and I can only assume that they may have been taken into the library's basement to be restored. I'm sure you could gain permission to look in a few of them if you ask nicely. Ah, but wait!"

The old man put a hand up to keep Hilda and her friends from leaping into action right then and there.

"The city itself is the origin of a myth. It was about another one of Sinnoh's ancients, one who has lived for almost as long as Giratina. But I can't seem to recall his name…"

"You useless old man!" Candice's grandmother scolded, much to everyone's surprise. "You always forget the most important things!"

"Okay, okay! No need to get all huffy about it!" The old man retorted. "I remember now! Maybe not his name, but I remember what he can do. Tread carefully once you enter the city." He changed his voice so that it sounded like he was telling them a ghost story. "That Pokemon has been known for throwing a person into perpetual nightmare. And, recently, there have been incidents…" The old man made a funny face that was probably meant to be scary and waved his arms around.

"Stop trying to scare the kids!" The old woman cuffed her husband upside the head. "They've got enough on their hands already without having endure the antics of an old man." She took his place as she swept him aside nonchalantly. "What he says is true, but this Pokemon does not do it on purpose. All in all, what he is trying to say is: Be careful."

Hilda gave the old woman a gracious smile, while Cheren nodded, and Bianca smiled shyly.

"So! Since we're done making faces at each other, let's get going!" Candice put her fist in the air and was about to head for the stairs when her grandmother grabbed her by the collar.

"You're not going." She said sternly. "They are!"

To everyone's surprise and horror, Candice suddenly burst into tears.

"But I want to help avenge us all! Look at what he did to our city. And my friends… That man should be thrown into the darkest pit in the world and left there!"

Volkner went to her side and put a hand on her shoulder, probably in his best attempt at comforting a crying person. Or more specifically, a sobbing Candice.

"Hey…" He said in a low voice. "Ghetsis will be taken down. We'll make sure of that. Don't get your hands dirty with revenge. That's not what makes a Pokemon trainer."

Hilda was impressed. And Volkner must've felt it because another small smile started playing at the edges of his lips.

Candice started drying her tears. "Well…then I'll start by becoming a better gym leader. And I'll call you out for a battle one day." She gave Volkner a challenging grin. Then she turned to Hilda. "And after I'm done with him, I'll call you out too. I want to see your dragon Pokemon in action."

"It'll be fairer if we battle without him. You wouldn't want me having an advantage would you?" Hilda couldn't help but match her grin.

"No, I suppose not." A challenging light gleamed in Candice's eye.

They would've faced off right then and there if Cheren hadn't interrupted them. "Let's not waste any more time. We set off now."

"Your packs and coats are over there. I packed an extra one for you too, Volkner. They're small so none of you will have much trouble carrying them. We've also added some emergency supplies for the snowstorms." The old woman paused for a moment, as if getting one last good look at them. "Once you pass the storms, you must enter Mt. Coronet in order to reach the rest of Sinnoh. Our city has always been a rather isolated one."

"Make sure you visit some time, okay?" Candice said, though it was more of a demand. "We have a ship that goes to the Fight Area where you can train your Pokemon to be even stronger!"

"Fight Area?" The word fight caused Hilda's ears to perk up.

Volkner stepped in. "I'll tell you all about it later," He said. "But we have to start going now. The longer we stay here, the closer Ghetsis is to the Pokemon League. He may be on his second to last badge. Or he may have more to collect. Either way,"

He then looked specifically at her.

"It won't be long before he reaches Sunyshore City."

—Outside the Temple—

Zekrom took flight the moment he saw blue skies.

The group that appeared in his wake left the temple in a somber mood. Regigigas simply watched them, as silently as the statue it had once been, from the temple's entrance.

Candice saw them off at the port, shouting all the while that she would continue to work at becoming the best gym leader Sinnoh ever knew.

It was only after everyone had gone out of sight did a single tear trail down her cheek, then followed by many more.

She wished them the best. She really did. But why was it that, from the way everyone was acting, it felt like she was never going to see any of them again?

A chilly wind blew through her and, despite her warm clothing, Candice shivered. She continued looking into the distance for a while before turning and heading back.

She would pray every day for their safe journey.

Chapter Text

—The Journey Begins—

"We're right here." Volkner pointed to the blinking dot on the town map. The snow whipped ruthlessly all around them. "Route 217. It'll take the entire morning to get to Mt. Coronet. We'll decide on what to do next once we get there."

"What's there to decide?" questioned Bianca. "We already know which lake we should go to first, don't we?"

"But look at the way the region is split." Cheren noted, pointing at the two pathways branching out from the center of the mountain. "One road goes to the right side of the map, where the other lake is. We could split up and find both lakes much faster than if we all stuck together."

"He has a point." Hilda agreed. "But at the same time, Ghetsis could be roaming anywhere, either hunting for more badges or making his way to Sunyshore. If we spread out so much…" She made as if she was just giving a simple suggestion, but, inside, she was reluctant. She didn't want to separate from her friends.

With this new outlook in mind, Volkner found himself watching her expressions. It was almost fascinating to him whenever she felt an emotion that didn't agree with her demeanor.

Her eyes suddenly flickered toward him and she caught him looking at her. Caught off guard, he averted his gaze before she could see how much she'd surprised him.

"That could go either way." He said, doing his best to overcome the pregnant moment. Raising his voice over a renewed onslaught of wind, he continued. "We can make the decision once we reach the lodge located at the beginning of Route 216."

Bianca mumbled, "Yeah." And Cheren nodded his taciturn agreement. The only one who didn't give any tangible answer was the girl who was now ardently avoiding his eyes. She was... confused and intimidated.

She could feel their strange connection too.

Volkner knew, however, that he couldn't talk about it in front of her friends. For now, their unusual bond would have to be kept quiet.

He turned from her and began leading the way. Wordlessly, everyone followed him.

As they walked together, Volkner couldn't shake off the imposing sense of unease and apprehension that used to come to him when he was much younger and still trying to figure out the world. It was a response he had become unused to and now he was feeling it again, only much more prominently than before. The further they traveled from Snowpoint City, the greater his sense of danger. It eventually came to the point where he couldn't deny it.

It was possible, with each new step, that they were leaving their last place of sanctuary behind.

—The Snow Lodge—

"Where does Zekrom go?" Cheren had finally spoken up after a period of silence between the four people in the lodge. As it was the only source of conversation in the room, Volkner couldn't help but listen in. "He can't circle the skies forever."

"He always finds somewhere to stay." Hilda answered shortly. She huddled a little closer to the only heater in the lodge. She wasn't used to this weather.

Unfortunately for him, even though he was used to it, her vulnerability to the cold seemed to be affecting him too. He found himself also wishing he was closer to the fire.

"So someone just built this place and left the door open for people like us?" Bianca had directed her question at him.

It immediately brought an old memory to mind, though it wasn't so much a memory as a story. Keeping his gaze at a spot on the wall, he replied, "There was a family that lived here many years ago, when the weather wasn't this bad." He remembered how, during one of his visits to Snowpoint, Candice's grandmother just told him the story out of the blue. He hadn't even had to ask.

His silence must've piqued Bianca's interest because she asked next, "Did something happen to them?"

Cheren made an obvious eye roll at the blonde girl, which she didn't seem to catch. Did he think it was going to be a boring, unbelievable story?

Volkner nearly smiled as he thought of how the younger male would soon realize how wrong he was. Then he began, "There was an unexpected snowstorm. It happened when they were all still sleeping."

Bianca started to tense up. She looked a little nervous now. As for Hilda, he didn't even need to look since he could feel her alertness pressing into his conscious.

He continued, "When the family finally awoke, they realized that their house was buried in snow, too much for any of them to dig through.

The family consisted of a mother and father and their two children. None of them owned any Pokemon and the four of them didn't have enough strength by themselves to make a difference in the snow."

"Did they ever get out?" Bianca was leaning forward now, her eyes shining with hope.

"No," said Volkner, feeling no remorse for extinguishing the light in her eyes because he knew how the story would end. "It was because of their youngest child, a small boy. He claimed he could hear the spirits of Pokemon in the snow that buried their house. He said they spoke to him when everyone was asleep.

'Child,' they would whisper to him. 'If you give us something important to you, we will save your family from the snow.' And so, like the child he was, he asked them what they wanted and they replied. 'You must give us your humanity.'"

He saw Hilda's shoulders tense up.

—Hilda—

Suddenly, she thought of N. The little boy in this story sounded so much like who N might've been when he was younger, innocent and unknowing. She could easily imagine Ghetsis replacing the snow spirits' voices. He might've told him of the Pokemon lives N would save if he would just do as he said, if he would just become the puppet he'd always wanted.

Volkner's voice flowed easily through her mess of thoughts. "So he did. And then the next day, everyone woke up to find all the snow gone and their son missing. The only signs of life outside the house were many sets of footprints that looked like several Pokemons'. The footprints belonged to ones, rarely seen in that part of Sinnoh, called Snorunt.

The family concluded that their son had been taken away by the Snorunt for a reason they may never understand. Finally, the family packed their bags and left, leaving their home far behind. Later, several traveling trainers found it and refurbished it to become the lodge it is today."

"So…what really happened to the boy?" Hilda found herself asking him. Without even turning around, she knew his eyes were on her back. He was reading into their connection to see what she feeling at the moment. How she knew, Hilda could only owe it to the same invisible line that seemed to be connecting their brains together. She peeked over at Cheren.

She nearly laughed at how hard he was trying not to look interested in the story.

Volkner's voice was somber when he spoke, though Hilda had the biggest suspicion that he was only doing it to create a mood. "The family's remaining child, a daughter, became a Pokemon trainer and came back to the lodge after it was re-done. There she was surprised to find an especially small Snorunt standing in the doorway by itself. Normally, Snorunt travelled in small packs. She assumed that this one had strayed from its group. However…"

"However…? What happens?" Cheren demanded, his inability to stay nonchalant finally showing through.

"The Snorunt approached her and when it came close, the girl knew right then that this Pokemon was her little brother who had disappeared several years ago."

"What, so…she took him back with her?" Bianca pressed.

As one, Hilda and both her friends huddled together to stare at Volkner with focused looks. She wanted to laugh at his slightly unnerved expression, though she felt that he was simply making a face to amuse them.

Or amuse just her, but Hilda couldn't be sure.

"No...She left him where he was because he seemed genuinely happy. She knew he had only chosen to appear before her so he could let her know he was alright. So the brother and sister parted ways after that, knowing that they may never see each other again. They were content, however, with the knowledge that the other was doing well."

"Did this really happen?" Hilda's voice was low, though neither of her friends detected the emotion behind it.

Volkner gave her a long look. He seemed to be concerned with what she was thinking about, though his thoughts didn't have enough precedence in her mind to be any more specific than that.

A reaction? She picked up one last impression from him. With a fascination that Hilda couldn't describe, she returned his searching gaze. In telling her this story, what kind of reaction was he looking for?

"It's only a myth I heard from Candice. That's all." And then he looked away from her, breaking whatever moment they might've been sharing.

The four of them didn't talk for another long while.

—Half an Hour Later, Volkner—

Every now and then he would get an emotional message from Hilda, which would cause him to glance at her every so often.

He had to remain patient. The chance to talk with her about the new phenomenon occurring between their minds was coming soon. It was only a matter of time before he settled the issue with her once and for all over what really happened back in Snowpoint. While he had been willing to save her life by taking on her pain, he hadn't taken sharing his psyche with another person into account.

If he had had a choice, he would never have accepted this sort of outcome. But since he hadn't... Volkner supposed things weren't truly as bad as they could've been. As the twinge of yet another emotion hit his senses, he found himself wondering.

What kind of expression did she have this time?

Almost immediately, as he shifted his eyes to look, Volkner found himself staring into inquisitive, light brown eyes. Hilda, as if she had followed his train of thought, had turned her head to look at him at the exact same time.

In her eyes, he saw... sadness, mixed with an underlying nostalgia. Volkner unconsciously pictured Ghetsis, the man who had been behind everything since the beginning and also the man who had given Volkner his previous head injury. Back in the cave, Hilda had mentioned another man, one who was most likely on her mind right now. She called him N, who was apparently Ghetsis' son, closely resembling his father in green hair and even in the Pokemon they favored. Had he been a criminal once like his parent?

Hilda broke eye contact first, quickly averting her gaze back to the hearth. Her expression never wavered once.

Seeing this, Volkner figured that, despite the possibility that N had been a criminal, the younger male mattered enough to her so that she couldn't think of anything right now, but him. There was no denying he was on her thoughts, for Volkner had begun to see a trend. It was the way her expression tightened so intensely as if she was fighting her own battle over the mere memory of him. However, what truly got to Volkner was the way she looked so crestfallen.

Gradually, an unfathomable irritation that had no reason to be there stirred within him. It surprised Volkner to the extent that he had to question his own sanity. He had known this girl for no more than a day and he was already working himself up over a speculation he had on her private thoughts.

Then, in the middle of being nostalgic and sad, Hilda switched gears. Turning to Cheren and Bianca, she said, "I'm ready to go now. What about you guys?"

Her attitude had changed rather abruptly, but Volkner had no qualms against it. At least it showed that she was able to pull herself out of moments like that.

Eager now to get going, Volkner shifted several times back and forth from one foot to the other, in order to warm them up again. Finally. He had been ready since they'd entered the lodge.

"Yeah, let's go. It won't be so bad once we enter Mt. Coronet. At least there won't be so much snow." Bianca said this as she stood up and stretched.

"Bianca and I will take the road leading to the east. We'll locate Lake Valor. Give one of us a call if you find anything on Turnback Cave in Canalave." Volkner saw Hilda smile and then the feeling of deeply missing someone struck him in quick succession. Catching on, Volkner figured that this was her insecurity towards separating from her friends.

So this was the full extent of Hilda's friendship with Bianca and Cheren. It reminded him of the one he shared with Flint. Had the roles been changed and had Flint been the one telling him their plans, Volkner would've had the strongest feeling that they were telling each other, without actually saying it aloud, goodbye for the last time.

It seemed he had matched her emotions rather accurately because Bianca said, in what must've been a reply to Hilda's conflicted expression, "We'll be alright, Hilda. Really!"

Volkner could tell she said it in an effort to reassure her friend, but it fell short because she didn't really seem to believe it herself either.

"Yeah…" That was all Hilda could say for now.

—Leaving the Snow Lodge—

With little choice in the matter, Hilda headed for their next destination with the inconsolable knowledge that she would soon be separated from her friends.

But, as each step she took brought further and further away from the lodge, Hilda realized something. Yes, it was without a doubt that she was going to miss Cheren and Bianca once they parted ways with her, but seemed that that wasn't the only thing bothering her. What did was the fact that she was going to be traveling alone with the region's eighth gym leader, a man who she had taken to be both motivated and distant.

But then a new bond had formed between them as a result of a selfless act from Volkner, which had been his way of paying her back for saving his life. Things changed when he touched her skin. And, before either of them knew it, Hilda was suddenly pulling words, impressions, and ideas out of a myriad of thoughts from a man she hardly knew. Just how much of their connection was Volkner aware of?

Hilda breathed a sigh of irritation as she gave up on her troublesome thoughts, though no one heard her because it was lost in an arbitrary gust of wind.

At least the snow was calmer here and it lifted her spirits considerably. Snowflakes landed inaudibly on her winter clothing as it became easier to walk in the thinning snow. They were making good time, still a couple hours away from noon. The lodge was growing smaller by the minute. It wasn't until they were more than a half mile away when Hilda was suddenly struck with the uncanny desire to look back just one last time.

She turned back for a look, just a quick one.

In that fraction of a second, the mid-morning sun emerged fully from behind the clouds and reflected off the snow so it shone in her eyes and Hilda had to shield them to see what suddenly looked like a small, child-sized shadow in the snow in front of the lodge.

She squinted as hard as she could make sure she wasn't just seeing a misshaped shadow. However, there were no other trees or bushes nearby that could possibly make that kind of shadow.

It was a Pokemon she couldn't recognize. And it stood there, watching them leave, making no move to either follow or leave its spot.

She kept walking forward, all the while still looking over her shoulder at the figure in the snow. For reasons unknown to her, she tentatively put up a hand and waved, not really expecting it to wave back.

But it did. And she turned away from it somehow feeling a little better than before. Maybe what happened just now had been a figment of her imagination. Or maybe it really happened. Either way, perhaps the story of the little boy hadn't been so sad after all.

Perhaps N's story could end the same way.

—Mt. Coronet—

The place was several times gloomier than Twist Mountain. At least the mountain in Unova had given trainers the opportunity to grab a breath of fresh air by exiting through one of the numerous tunnels built into the mountainside.

Here, the caverns were huge, with many paths turning unexpectedly only to have it result in a dead end. It was almost as bad as the Victory Road in Unova, though Hilda would always remember the first time she had to slide down the face of a mountain.

Luckily, it seemed Volkner had traversed these caverns often enough that their journey took much less time than if it had only been just the three of them.

Volkner eventually came to a stop and Hilda took a moment to study their surroundings. The dim lighting of the cave revealed two large branches in the road.

"The paths split here," Volkner took out the town map. "This entire road, however, counts as Route 211. Once you head east, you'll hit Celestic Town. Look for the town's elder. She knows Cynthia so you could ask her for a Town Map. She most likely has a copy."

"So the fastest way would be to head for Veilstone City and then… Route 214 to get to Lake Valor." Cheren murmured, obviously trying to memorize most of the map then and there.

"You'll need your Pokemon to clear a few boulders in the way, but other than that, it should be easy going from there." Volkner suddenly offered his hand, much to Hilda's surprise. She had expected maybe a formal goodbye from him with as little skin contact as possible, but it seemed he was a handshake sort of guy. "It was my pleasure in meeting the two of you, Cheren…Bianca…"

Cheren took his hand and shook it firmly. "Same here."

Bianca shook his hand as well. Then she smiled and said, cheerily, "Take care! I'll give you a call every now and then, Hilda, to let you know how we're doing."

As Bianca's wavering eyes met hers, Hilda was struck once more with the realization that she might not get to see either of her friends like this again for a long while. "See you, guys…I…" Hilda wasn't able to keep from hesitating. Then she figured that she just didn't care anymore and threw herself at her friends, trapping them in a tight hug.

"Oof!" Bianca exhaled. "You sure hug hard, Hilda."

"I get the feeling we'll definitely see each other again." Cheren's voice was firm. "No matter what happens, we'll find a way to meet."

Hilda held them for a few more seconds before letting go. Neither of her friends said anything as they held her gaze. When Hilda stepped back from them, it was almost like she was finalizing their separation. Then she said her parting words, "Good bye." And turned away.

They replied,

"Bye Hilda, Volkner."

"See you, you two."

She paused in midstep at her friends' goodbyes, her hesitation lasting a whole second. Then she put her foot down and began going her own way.

Just like that the three childhood friends separated, Hilda on a search for joy and sorrow, Cheren and Bianca on a journey for will.

Surely they would all meet again soon.

—Route 211—

"It isn't snowing here." Hilda looked around in pure amazement and some disbelief. Everything was as it should be. The grass was green, the sky was blue, and the water wasn't frozen over. It was no longer just miles and miles of endless snow.

The first thing they came to, once they left Mt. Coronet looming behind them, was a rickety, wooden bridge. Were all bridges in Sinnoh like this? However, she couldn't ask Volkner this at the moment because her euphoria at seeing green grass and blue skies again was too overpowering for any curiosity she might've had.

As it was, Hilda found herself laughing all the way across the bridge as she skipped back and forth on the rickety platform. It was nothing like the ones in Unova, but Hilda supposed having some kind of bridge here was better than trying to cross the fast-flowing and narrow river below their feet.

"Does the weather surprise you that much?" Volkner refused to do any skipping. Hilda felt like giggling as she got the impression that he was unwilling to ruin his public image. He also didn't think it was a good idea to make the bridge shake any more than it did now.

Subsequently, Hilda stopped skipping and answered him, "When I see bipolar weather like this, it reminds me that I'm in a foreign land. In Unova, sometimes it isn't easy to see the sun so clearly."

"I've never been to your region before, but I've heard of it." But Volkner didn't say from who.

Hilda peeked over at him, curious. She swore he had been about to tell her someone's name and that she definitely would've known this person had he said it, but his thought had darted away before she could pick up on it. All she could get from him was the strongest feeling of reluctance.

Volkner caught her staring. "What is it? Did you..." His expression darkened somewhat and Hilda knew then he had caught on to the nature of her side of the connection. She could pretty much read his mind.

Hilda immediately apologized. "I'm sorry."

They had just finished crossing the bridge when she stopped abruptly, preventing either of them from going any further. Volkner didn't say anything and simply waited to hear what she had to say. Both of them knew what was coming now.

Hilda exclaimed, "This thing we have going on in each other's heads!" Once the words left her mouth, Hilda almost wanted to breath out in relief. Finally, this issue was being addressed! "... I didn't mean for this to happen."

Volkner was quiet, his eyes were boring into hers. He hadn't wanted it either, but the words that came out of his mouth next didn't reflect his thoughts at all.

"Your emotions just fly at me sometimes."

It made Hilda wonder at the complexities of the human mind. Just how many layers of thoughts were there? And exactly how many of them did she actually have access to? Then the full impact of his words fell on top of her. Just like she could get a general reading of his thoughts, he must have the same level of insight on her feelings!

Immediately, Hilda was filled with mortification at the various messages he must've gotten from her and how easily he could've used them to gauge her intentions. In her view, Volkner might've gotten the better end of the deal.

Suddenly, he gave her a smile. Hilda got the message. She was... amusing to him? Hilda so taken aback by his reaction that he must've seen it clearly in her face as the smile faded quicker than it had appeared. Then he looked away.

Now Hilda couldn't help but wonder, since he had access to her emotions, if he had caught on to the last sensation she felt right after her blatant surprise. She had been appreciative. Appreciative of his smile because he really did look good wearing one.

"Can you feel mine?"

Hilda stared at him for a moment. "Can I...?" She was about to repeat the question when she shook her head, an attempt to clear it. "No. I mean... It's different for me."

"How?"

"Well..." Hilda tried to put it into words as best as she could. "I... can feel your emotions if it's a strong one, but it's usually only your thoughts. I don'thear them, but I can get a general idea of what's on your mind... And you?" It was a little hard admitting her apparent invasion of his privacy, but now she deserved an answer from him too. She looked at Volkner expectantly.

At the same time, Hilda also realized the seriousness of her question. Just what could Volkner feel from her? Was there also a limit to how much of her emotions he had access to? Or could he feel everything?

"Like I said, your emotions fly at me." Volkner slowly brought his eyes back to meet hers. "But your thoughts never do."

His gaze arrested her and Hilda started losing grip on whether or not he was even looking at her. Her mind was beginning to swirl like the dream clouds of Musharna. It was strange how a single look could make her feel this way.

Then a clear thought entered her mind. He was going to touch her skin.

Hilda flinched backwards right when Volkner's fingers twitched like he'd been about to reach up and press them light against her-

Hilda felt a flash of uncertainty from him. Why uncertainty?

This time, he gave her a smile that was perfectly symmetrical. Perfectly artificial. "It's my turn to apologize now, I guess. I didn't want to scare you like that." Hilda would remember to watch out for those smiles from now on.

"No." Hilda made an apologetic noise and shook her head. "I overreacted. You were just trying to test out something, right? I mean... what happened back there in the temple, when we touched..."

"So I wasn't the only one who felt it." His relief had been strong as Hilda felt it distinctly in her own chest. Even though the emotion hadn't belonged to her, it still managed to worm its way in until it was.

So that was one of the powers of their connection. They could even influence each other's emotions.

"No," Hilda answered him. "You weren't the only one, but I don't know if you felt it as... much as I did."

Did she want to find out? Volkner's unvoiced question was hovering just above her mind.

Hilda gave him her answer in the quickening of her heartbeat and the returning sensation of a swirling mind. Yes, she wanted to test out the potency of their touch one more time.

She offered him her hand.

No turning back. And, before Hilda could even consider that idea, Volkner clasped her hand.

Hilda squeezed her eyes shut! She fully expected pandemonium to break out, the skies to come raining down, and the ground to break apart beneath them.

But nothing like that happened. Nothing close.

A gasp tore itself from her throat as an unforeseen torrent of emotions collided with her. She had tried to prepare for this, but to almost no avail. The surge had been so much stronger than she anticipated!

There were no words, no thoughts, no sense of identity. Every sensation that boiled through her veins was incoherent and wild. Her mind was being overcome solely by the sheer weight of another person's consciousness practically fusing into hers.

In a panic, Hilda imagined herself reaching out and latching on to one of those flying emotions for dear life. Anything, anything that would stop the relentless assault of unreadable sentiments!

That was where she made her biggest mistake.

The storm subsided and was stripped away until only one emotion remained. Something in her stomach began to burn and spread. Up to her cheeks, causing them to flush uncontrollably. Then down... down to her...

Volkner released her hand.

"What have you done, Hilda?" She barely heard the strangled whisper come from Volkner's throat, but she agreed with him.

Yes, what had she done?

Then Hilda felt pressure against her cap. Dazed, she opened her eyes to see Volkner peering at her, his forehead resting against the brim. It was a strange position for him to be in, but Hilda really didn't feel like thinking logically anymore.

Volkner used no words, but simply gazed at her. His thought was clear.

What had she done to him? He wanted to know the answer? So she told him.

"I don't know."

In that moment, Hilda wanted to exist anywhere else in the world but here. Right now, this was the worst place to be.

"Then we'll just leave it at that." The pressure on her cap was removed. Volkner returned to standing straight up, though he continued to look her in the eye.

His words surprised her.

"Then..." Hilda hesitated. "How about we..."

"Get going?" He finished.

"Yeah. That sounds good."

Wordlessly, Volkner started walking first, though he kept a slow enough pace for her to catch up. Once she was in step beside him, he quickened his pace and Hilda kept up with him.

As they walked, she decided to wall herself in. Mentally. She had a lot of thinking to do and not even Volkner's impressions could penetrate the whirlwind inside her mind.

She was thinking back to the moment she had shared with Volkner not too long ago. That particular emotion she had grabbed while it had been racing by in a never-ending flood, was there a good word to describe it? The way it had been so focused, so... powerful, had Hilda wondering if there was even a decent word for it without sounding crude.

Then she thought of a good one.

Passion.

Memory of the burning she experienced all over her body sprang unbidden to her mind and, while she was a little embarrassed remembering it, Hilda supposed it hadn't been that bad.

It was just that, unbeknownst to her at the time, Volkner had felt exactly the same way.

—Outskirts of Eterna City—

Any semblance of a normal moment between them had been ruined by what happened earlier.

Volkner found himself watching Hilda from the corner of his eye. Even if he could read her emotions, there he still had that human habit of observation, though it was just as well. Her expressions were something to be seen.

Hilda peeked at him from under her cap, then quickly looked away again. Her eyes were wide with the sheer force of her embarrassment.

Things had somehow managed to turn awkward between them when the journey was just starting! What would it take to return things to simply being partners on a mission? Volkner had the feeling that Hilda had been about to answer him when something in the distance caught her eye.

"That Pokemon statue reminds me of Zekrom. Is it a Legendary as well?" She was pointing at the figure standing tall at the top of a set of stairs.

Nearly smiling at her genuine eagerness to know, Volkner told her, "That is the statue of two Pokemon in one. The head belongs to Dialga, the body to Palkia. They are two separate Dragon-type Pokemon. Legend says that when Dialga was born, time began flowing as well. Palkia was born with the power to bend space to its will, Dialga's counterpart." Feeling her growing anticipation in the story, Volkner couldn't help lowering his voice dramatically. "They say the two didn't get along very well."

"That's just like Zekrom and his counterpart!" Her excitement was infectious.

"Does the other dragon belong to N?" Then Volkner wished he could take that question back. Maybe her friend was still a tender subject for her.

She surprised him when she gave him an answer, "Yes. His name is Reshiram."

Hilda's eyes took on a glazed look. She was filled with the wistfulness that Volkner had long associated with nostalgia.

"Our myth says that both dragons used to be one entity. This entity was supposed to be used by twin brothers to create the Unova region. But their beliefs turned out to be different." Her emotions were getting harder to read now.

Volkner couldn't decide if she was feeling regret or disappointment or maybe even bitterness, but nevertheless her expression didn't sit well with him.

Pausing for a moment in her words to look at him and Volkner could feel her struggling to untangle her mess of emotions. He wanted to tell her that she didn't need to, but before he could she continued speaking,

"I guess if N and I were to represent the twins, then I would be the one who looked for ideals. He would be the one looking for the truth. Maybe he's still looking for it even now..."

Hilda turned her gaze to the statue.

"Because of the conflict between the brothers, the single entity split into two dragons. Zekrom sided with seeking out ideals, while Reshiram sided with seeking out the truth. I think it would be safe to assume that, naturally, the two dragons wouldn't be able to stay together in the same room either."

Volkner had nothing to say to her story. It wasn't simply a tale that she decided to tell him. It was also an issue that belonged solely to Hilda and he didn't think it was right for him to involve himself. They were beginning to lapse into another round of silence when Hilda's attentions were diverted, again, to the top of a strange building that came into view once they climbed the stairs.

"Is that a…spaceship!" She gaped openly at the building. "Forget what I said about our regions being similar. This is just too out of this world!" She laughed once she realized her lame joke.

"Funny…" At his sarcastic tone, Hilda playfully elbowed him in the ribs, much to his discomfort.

"So what was this it used for?" She asked once she finished laughing at the face he'd made.

"This used to be one of the headquarters belonging to Team Galactic. As you can tell from their name, their creativity is about as professional as their building."

"I see… So there had been organized crime groups here as well... Are they still looking to take over the region?"

Her question brought back memories of the first time the entire region had been in considerable danger. Like what was happening now, powerful, otherworldly Pokemon had been involved in the battle. "They used to have a plan for that and they were almost successful in going through with it."

"Almost…?"

"Their plans were thwarted by a single person. I mentioned her to you once. After saving the world, she came to battle her last gym leader and won." Volkner found himself remembering the moment his last Pokemon had fainted. It hadn't felt very good, but he ended up chuckling, "Her victory shouldn't have surprised me at all."

He felt Hilda's impressment at hearing Dawn's recurring victories. First, she saved her region, then she made herself eligible to face the Pokemon League and, subsequently, defeated Cynthia.

Anticipation immediately followed her impressment and Volkner nearly smiled again. The Trainer within her was most likely thinking of calling for a battle with her fellow Pokemon Champion.

"People sure love their bicycles here…" He turned to see Hilda actually surveying the bikes up close from where they were chained. She was in awe. In her eyes, she must've been overwhelmed by the sight of row after row of bicycles. Were bikes rare in Unova?

"We don't make fancy ones like these. Our's normally have only one gear, but Unova imports these bikes for their richer customers."

Volkner wondered how long it would take him to fully accept the fact that she could read his thoughts. The moment this crossed his mind, she looked up at him apologetically, feeling a combination of frustration and helplessness.

He didn't like it when she looked at him like that. Her expression changed, then, to one of question. He could see it clearly in her gaze. What kind of lookdid he want her to make?

He grasped her lightly by the shoulder, making sure his fingers didn't touch her skin, and led up up a set of stairs leading to the city's statue. Once they were there, from their vantage point, he pointed at a particularly fancy building right across from the Pokemon Center and said to her firmly, "One of Sinnoh's best bike shops is stationed here." Would she feel better if they took a look at the bike's latest version?

"You think we should buy one?"

Volkner sighed. Apparently, she had read his initial intentions differently. Her brows immediately furrowed as she held up a hand and started small calculative movements with them. "I heard they were very expensive."

Then she turned to him.

"But you bought one anyway, right?" She taunted him playfully.

"No, mine was a present."

Hilda made a helpless sigh at his answer. "Well mine was a gift too, but I... kind of left it back home." She was actually heavily disgruntled by her mistake. "Either way, I'm getting one for both of us to use. Let me see the map."

"As your majesty wishes," Volkner gave a mock bow before pulling out the Town Map. "Route 206 is a cycling road. If you manage to get your hands on a bike, then we can take it for a quick short cut to Oreburgh City."

When he glanced at her to see her reaction, he noticed her eyes weren't looking where he'd pointed. Instead, they'd strayed over to the left of Eterna City where the road would take them through Floaroma Town.

"Did you want to go here?" He pressed the icon on the map and a small description of the town appeared.

He felt her longing. It seeped into his own pool of emotions, past the invisible barrier between their minds. It enveloped him, causing him to breathe in sharply in an effort to control the influence of Hilda's emotions.

She looked up at him when he breathed in like that, but didn't comment on it and simply shook her head no.

She explained her reasoning, "If we go there, we'll have to go through a forest and everything will take longer. Like you said before, the more time we waste, the closer Ghetsis gets to your hometown."

Her words only served to remind him of the whole point of their journey. What had he been thinking? He'd almost forgotten…

Her yearning had made him forget.

Hilda suddenly felt shy and Volkner refocused in time to see her running off by herself into the streets.

In a clearly flustered voice, she said to him, "I'm going to the bike shop whether you're coming or not!"

Did she really want the bike? Though all Volkner could sense right now was her shyness, it wasn't hard to guess that she might be forcing herself to get one.

He felt like laughing at what he had in mind to do. The idea had come up in his head without warning.

So he would put aside his city for this? For someone he hardly knew? Or maybe he could call her the girl who held his thoughts in the palm of her hand. Perhaps she could hear his absurd idea right now, though she currently wasn't giving him any alarming or sudden signals.

Either way, Volkner knew there was no point in thinking otherwise. If she couldn't bring herself to be selfish, then maybe he become selfish for her.

Just this once…

—The Bicycle Shop—

"What do you mean one million dollars!" Hilda exclaimed, outraged at the atrocious price. "No one in their right mind would sell a bike for that much!"

"I mean one million dollars." said the adolescent boy flatly, wiping down a bike as he talked to the angry girl.

"I want to see the owner of this shop. He can probably offer me a better price." Hilda said stubbornly.

"Unless you've saved his life before, I doubt it. Even he has to make a living." The boy hadn't looked her way even once, which really irked her.

By the time Volkner had entered the shop, Hilda was storming out, her hair billowing agitatedly behind her.

As she left, she also passed a middle-aged man on her way out. She was so angry that it never occurred to her he might've been the owner of the shop.

—The Bicycle Shop Owner—

Mr. Rickshaw glanced behind him wondering what in the world had that girl in such a bad mood. Then he remembered his assistant had been in the one in charge of the store and perhaps there was a very good reason for her anger.

When he was about to turn back to scold his assistant for the second time today, his eyes alighted on someone else.

"Ah, Volkner! It's nice meeting you again. How long has it been? Four years?" He was nostalgic for a moment. "You had another young lady with you last time. What was her name? Elesa, I think…"

"Mr. Rickshaw," Volkner's expression had hardened.

Upon seeing the look he received from his words, Mr. Rickshaw wondered what might've happened between the couple for him to the 8th Gym Leader to give him that sort of expression. Apparently, much had changed since the last time the young man had entered his bike shop.

The young woman by his side three years ago had been tall, graceful, exhibiting all the manners of a professional model, and Mr. Rickshaw had immediately assumed she was Volkner's lover. However, now that things appeared to have gone wrong between the them, Mr. Rickshaw couldn't help but wonder if the look on her face at the time had truly belonged to that of a lover. It seemed so sad at the time.

"That time was then and this is now." Volkner's voice interrupted Mr. Rickshaw's rapidly firing thoughts. "We already decided to go our separate ways and I would appreciate if you didn't bring up the past."

"Of course," Mr. Rickshaw nodded sagely. Then he might as well bring up the present. "Who is the girl you are traveling with now?"

"A friend." Volkner replied shortly. "I'll apologize on her behalf if she seemed rude."

There he went pushing his politeness again. "Don't worry about it!" Mr. Rickshaw mustered up his lightest tone of voice. "So you came to get another bike? Broke my last one, did you?" He laughed at his own joke, while hoping it was one at the same time. What if the young man really had broken the bike? "Anyway, I'm just kidding. I can understand why you need one. After all, the green-haired man who recently came to our city defeated our gym leader and is on his way to collect his next badge. I can only assume-"

"Nothing else happened while he was here?" Volkner cut in. He looked surprised. So he knew just how destructive that mysterious man could be.

"Nothing happened to our city. But…" The conversation were becoming serious now. As Mr. Rickshaw spoke, he felt a buried anger welling up in his stomach. "Many people disappeared shortly after he came."

In his mind's eye, he saw the outline of an immense Pokemon, perpetually covered in shadow even though the day had been cloudless. Mr. Rickshaw shuddered slightly at the memory.

"It must've been that dragon Pokemon he had with him. It had a terrible aura surrounding it." He sighed. "The only reason we're still here is because that boy and I watched this happen from the shop window. Luckily, because of our job, we don't have to set foot outside the shop very often."

"I see..." The young Gym Leader's eyebrows were furrowed as he seemed to be considering something. Then he relaxed his face and said sincerely to him, "Thank you for telling me, Mr. Rickshaw. I'm sorry about my attitude earlier." Then he turned to leave. "But as for a free bike, it's alright. One from you was already enough."

Taken back by this turn of events, Mr. Rickshaw commented, "But your friend seemed to want one pretty badly! Perhaps you could give it to her."

"Mr. Rickshaw," Volkner stopped right before the door. He didn't speak for moment, perhaps wondering if he should tell him what was on his mind. He made his decision when he said, "She... wants to go to Floaroma Town... I want to take her there."

Volkner sounded almost unsure of himself when he said that last part and Mr. Rickshaw noticed it easily.

"I see…"

He gazed into the young man's back and, even though their eyes didn't meet, Volkner was conscious of his gaze. As Rickshaw scrutinized him, he began to wonder. Yes, many things had changed since the Gym Leader last appeared before him, especially his eyes. They seemed to carry a weight, possibly even a burden, that hadn't been there before. Rickshaw was almost certain that the girl had something to do it, though for better or worse he couldn't tell.

What he told him was, "You're starting to get this look I don't normally see in people your age, but I want you to remember," He hardened his expression to make sure Volkner paid extra attention to his next few words. "Whatever you end up doing, whatever the choice you decide to make, there is always a consequence. As to what that may be, it depends. The consequences of your actions can either work against you or work to your advantage. Though I can't see the future, I can tell that the two of you have a difficult journey ahead no matter which path you decide to take."

For the duration of his speech, Volkner had been facing the door, but as it came to a close, he turned back around. However, instead of meeting the young man's eyes, which Mr. Rickshaw knew would be bright with strong emotion, he held up his hands and looked at a random corner of the shop.

"And since you refuse my offer of a free bike, I can only wish you good luck." He smiled as he finally matched Volkner's gaze. He had calmed and now his expression was as normal as ever. Mr. Rickshaw added as an afterthought, "Oh yes! And make sure you show her the honey trees there. I hear they tend to attract more Pokemon than any other in Sinnoh."

A genuine smile found its way on to the Gym Leader's face, something Mr. Rickshaw had been waiting to see. Volkner nodded. "I will remember that."

Then he exited the shop and rejoined the girl waiting impatiently outside for him.

Mr. Rickshaw watched them leave.

"Who is she, Mr. Rickshaw?" His assistant boy asked him. "I've seen Volkner before but the girl is something new."

The only thing Rickshaw found he could say was, "She's someone who will become special to him."

The boy shook his head and turned back to inspect his work on the bike he'd been wiping down.

He just couldn't understand adults sometimes.

—Outside Eterna City's Gym—

The doors were intact, the windows still there. All in all, the gym looked perfectly fine. Whether or not the Gym Leader was, however, could be a different story.

Volkner entered first, not hesitating to walk up to the sliding door.

The door opened. Immediately, Hilda was overwhelmed with an explosion of lush green grass and trees. A fresh, healthy scent of forest blanketed everything in the gym.

Volkner peered over his shoulder. "Coming?"

"Right." she breathed. Hilda stepped through the doors, then went over to touch a nearby oak.

It was real.

Volkner passed her without a word, drawing her attentions to him. Apparently, he knew where to find the Gym Leader. She was located all the way at the back of the gym.

Hilda followed him and, eventually, they came across a small clearing in the maze of trees.

There, a girl with short, orange and black hair sat cross-legged, obviously brooding over a recent loss in battle. She wore a green cloak that only went down a little past her chest, of which she wore a shirt that exposed her belly. Her cloak matched her shoes in color.

Instead of saying anything, Volkner simply waited.

The Gym Leader eventually acknowledged to his presence and said, "What are you doing here, Volkner? Shouldn't you be in Sunyshore tinkering with your solar panels?" Her voice was bitter.

"A loss is a loss, Gardenia." Volkner said smoothly.

Hilda smiled at how fitting the Gym Leader's name was.

"But nothing compared to being banished to another dimension."

Gardenia looked up in disbelief. "I thought you were going to say 'losing your life' or some other piece of wisdom. I'm surprised myself why nothing else happened to me, but losing still bugs me."

"I understand. And since you seem perfectly fine, we'll be leaving."

"Wait!" Gardenia stood up. "Where are you headed? If it's Eterna Forest, then I need to warn you about the Gastly outbreak. That man, Ghetsis, must've disturbed the spirits of the Old Chateau and now they're running amok in the forest." She sighed and messaged her temple with one hand.

Hilda wanted to groan in frustration as well. Their journey had barely started and they were already being stopped left and right by countless obstacles.

"The path leading out to Floaroma Town is blocked by a Haunter. And I don't think brute force will get rid of it."

Hilda's senses perked up. If not brute force, then...

"Haven't you tried putting the spirits back to rest? They're all in the Chateau, right?" She asked Gardenia.

"How?" She demanded. Then her face paled a little. "You mean go in there? Why…why would I do something crazy like that?"

In an attempt to look more authoritative and confident of her words, she quickly put her hands on her hips.

"I mean, no one in their right mind would walk into a mansion that really is haunted…not that I scared of it before…" She fidgeted.

"We're not here to test how brave you are," Volkner reminded her. "We just want to know if it's possible to calm the spirits down."

"Probably. I'm not a Medium." Gardenia shrugged. "But I can take you there and cut down the small trees blocking the way to the mansion."

"Sounds like a plan." Volkner shared a glance with Hilda. He had confidence that they would get the job done.

Inspired by his conviction, she nodded, agreeing firmly.

—Eterna Forest, In Front of the Small Trees—

"I almost forgot to stop by the Pokemon center. What an amateur mistake." Gardenia muttered to herself as she reached for a poke ball at her belt.

"Go, Roserade!" An elegant Rose with flowery arms and eyes covered by a mask-like petal appeared in front of her. She pointed at the small trees and they were cut down with ease.

Hilda quickly scanned the Pokemon before Gardenia called it back.

"You've never seen a Roserade before." Gardenia noted. "Where are you from?"

"Unova. It's region that's far away." She answered.

"Is that so?" Gardenia flipped her cloak, letting it billow back. "Well! I'm done here so if you need me again, just go find me at the gym. By the way, I never caught your name." She looked at her expectantly.

"I'm Hilda. It was nice to meet you, Gardenia…?" Hilda trailed off when the Gym Leader gave her a strange look all of a sudden. "Is something wrong?"

"No…" Gardenia shook her head. "I was thinking about something... Well, I'm sure you won't need me to go in there with you. After all, Volkner's here." She grinned. "And he kicks butt. See ya!"

She ran off abruptly before Hilda could thank her for her help.

Then she heard Volkner call her. "Let's go, Hilda. You want to see Floaroma Town soon right?" His voice was warm when he said this and suddenly Hilda felt happiness bubble up in her stomach.

Why was she reacting this way? The question pushed against her consciousness.

Hilda spoke up before she was forced to answer it, "I'm also doing this because that boy tried to sell me a bike for a million dollars." She wrinkled her nose and walking past him. "A million dollars! Seriously…"

She wondered what her deal was. The happiness still lingering in her stomach didn't make sense and she hoped Volkner wouldn't think of it any more than a strange phenomenon that occurred only with girls.

She couldn't bring herself to look at him until they reached the debilitated double doors of the mansion.

"Hilda," Hilda made herself look up at the man beside her. "It's okay to be happy."

His words filled her with an overflowing relief and Hilda couldn't keep a smile from appearing on her face.

It was time to open the doors. She was ready.

—The Old Chateau—

Despite her what she'd thought earlier, Hilda had been completely unprepared for the sudden enmity that struck her mind the moment the Chateau doors swung in. All her earlier confidence immediately scattered like the many shadows she swore scuttled out of the way once they let light in through the double doors. Her smile turned into a grim look.

Sucking in a breath, she turned to Volkner so she could see his expression, but it was unreadable. However, he had sensed the emnity.

She asked him anyway. "You felt that? There was so much…hate."

Volkner closed his eyes. "I think Ghetsis did more than simply disturb these spirits. Giratina must've been powerful enough to infuse some of them with his own violent aura and now they've become a danger to every Pokemon in this forest."

The doors suddenly started creaking behind them.

Hilda whipped around, as did Volkner, only to watch them slam shut in their faces. An unnatural wind blew past them.

Suddenly, she felt something grab her ankle. Then a second hand silenced her as it clamped down hard over her mouth.

She was whisked away before she could even convey alarm.

—The Games Begin, Volkner—

His mind knew something was wrong before his eyes did.

Realizing the absence of weight on his consciousness, Hilda's presence... He no longer felt it! But someone else was standing where she used to be.

He turned to see a little girl looking back at him solemnly. He exhaled sharply in surprise, while taking a step back.

Seeing his reaction, a smile started playing on her lips, which unsettled him further. Then she spoke.

"He took your friend away."

Scrutinizing her, Volkner noted that the girl was wearing an old-fashioned school dress and her brown hair was cropped neatly to her shoulders. She looked no more than five years old. "She's probably in the master bedroom. The Haunter here likes it there."

"Who are you?" Volkner realized he could see the walls of the mansion through her body.

Her answer caught him off guard. "I'm Hilda."

"Funny…" He said humorlessly. "Who are you really?"

The girl crossed her arms and frowned. "Okay, fine. So I can't remember my name." She sighed. "And it's all because I'm a ghost. I can't even remember how I died. But I heard you say your friend's name earlier and I liked it a lot."

"You said she was in the master bedroom?" Volkner promptly walked off before she finished telling her story. The sleeping quarters were most likely on the second floor.

"Wait!" The girl grabbed his sleeve, much to his surprise. She could touch him? "You need a key. All the rooms are locked."

"Do you know where it is?" He couldn't tell if this girl was lying or not. She might've looked like a child, but how long had she been one? Her ghost could be centuries old for all he knew.

"I saw it earlier in the kitchen. You need to go through that door over there." She pointed at a large, conspicuous doorway between the two main sets of stairs.

He approached it and, as he did, the barest of whispers fell on his ears from all sides. So there was more than one ghost watching him, though the voices were most likely impersonated by Gastly.

Beyond the doorway was a dank and ancient dining room. The majority of it was occupied by a single table, long enough to seat a large party of people. There was still silverware and candle holders decorating its surface.

He took one step into the room.

And all hell broke loose.

A candle holder flew at his head. He ducked and heard it smash on the wall behind him. Then the chair nearest him raced forward and he stepped nimbly to one side.

Spying several paintings on the wall, he immediately reached up, took one down, and held it in front of him like a shield.

It was just in the nick of time. He heard the silverware rattle and then there was a whoosh of air as several forks speared themselves into the canvas. The force of the blows caused him to back up against the wall.

Then two hands grabbed his arms. They came from the wall! And Volkner was forced to drop the painting.

Rising into the air, the remaining forks readied to aim for his chest.

No! He couldn't let things end this way!

Volkner fought hard to free himself from the disembodied hands, but the grip on his arms was too strong.

Finally, the forks shot forward and he closed his eyes, preparing for the blow. At the very least, he might be able to stop the bleeding afterwards, enough to survive.

"Stop, Mr. Ranson!" screamed a girl's voice.

The pressure on his arms lifted almost immediately. There was a clatter of falling silverware as murderous forks lay innocently once more on the table.

Relieved as he was at being released, Volkner felt his legs give way. Leaning his body against the wall, he allowed himself to slide down into a comfortable sitting position.

If he was completely honest with himself, he would admit that, throughout the whole ordeal, he had been angry and terrified. Terrified, because he could've died and Sinnoh might've lost all hope. Angry, because Hilda would've been forever trapped in the Old Chateau, alone.

Therefore, in order to satisfy the anger that continued to strike within him, he would make sure she was returned to him safe.

—Several Minutes Ago, Hilda—

She glared at the only portrait on the wall.

It depicted a little girl with hair cropped to her shoulders and a dress Hilda herself would never have worn. Originally, there must've been two. Where the other one used to be was a dusty imprint.

Something about the portrait struck Hilda as familiar. But what was it…?

Sighing, she fell back on the bed she was sitting on. What was the use? It wasn't like she was going to solve anything by staring at a painting anyway.

When she came to, she found herself in this spacious room, lying on a bed that could easily fit more than two people. The room was well-furnished with all the things one could imagine belonged in a normal, albeit slightly old-fashioned, home; drawers, a lamp, and a very soft bed. In another place or time, Hilda might've been impressed. Nevertheless, the years of abandonment had taken its toll and everything looked decrepit in general so there really wasn't much to appreciate.

Hilda heaved herself off the bed and marched up to the portrait. "Why me?" She demanded of it exasperatedly.

"Because you are the perfect vessel for my lady."

She whipped around at the voice that suddenly came from behind her.

It was a butler. He looked old, close to seventy years, but his eyes were sharp and his voice had been that of a man closer to forty.

"Vessel?" Hilda stood with her legs slightly apart, readying herself in case this butler tried anything funny.

"You wound me. Do you really think I'll try to damage the one my lady is interested in?" The butler gave a mocking bow. "Mr. Ranson, at your service."

Hilda did not like him. "So…Mr. Ranson…Do you know why I'm here in this mansion?"

"And why would I know something about that?" If she wasn't overhearing things, then his tone sounded sarcastic. "It's none of my business."

"If you're a spirit, then it is." This butler definitely wasn't human, but…at the same time, Hilda did not get the sense that he was a spirit either.

The butler gave her a look that sent shivers up her spine. "Do you know?" His voice was low when he spoke. "About the story behind this Old Chateau?"

Hilda shook her head no.

He was about to continue, but then he suddenly looked down at his feet, though his eyes seemed to look past them.

"An intruder in the dining hall... One moment please."

Hilda's eyes widened the moment she heard the word intruder. Volkner! She tried running at him to stop him but he had already disappeared straight through the floor.

"No…" She sank to the ground, touching the spot where the butler had gone through. "Please, don't hurt him."

—Dining Hall, Volkner—

"Why won't you let me get rid of this annoyance?"

Volkner blinked twice.

An old butler appeared to be arguing with the girl.

He simply watched the whole affair from the sidelines, deciding that this was one argument he wasn't going to be involved in.

"I like him! He's okay!" The girl yelled back. She seemed pretty adamant about him, which was a good thing. At least it meant the butler wasn't going to try and kill him again anytime soon.

Then she lowered her voice so that only the butler could hear her words.

But Volkner listened hard and he picked up a key word.

Plan.

With that, the butler was subdued and he nodded to the girl. Then he started walking back into the wall he'd come from. Before he did so, however, he turned his head to give Volkner a disdainful look. Clearly, the butler didn't like him very much.

Once he was gone, the girl tugged on the collar of his jacket, urging him to keep looking for the key. Was this all part of the plan? He did as he was told, though he kept this question in mind.

But, if playing along with this girl led him to Hilda, then it didn't matter.

As he made his way to the kitchen, which was connected to the dining hall, he began formulating a plan of his own. So the girl had mentioned her missing memories.

Now what would happen if she somehow managed to get them back? Would it change anything?

He stepped onto cracked white tiles, illuminated by the light from the many windows in the dining hall. The kitchen resembled one that could be found in well-funded restaurants. Three tables, two of them plated with dishes long abandoned, took up most of the center space.

On one of the plates, he spied an inconspicuous, iron key. As he walked over to grab it, he observed the state of the kitchen.

The white-washed walls peeled with age and there was a stain on the floor, most likely from a spill no one cleaned up. Several pots sat on the stove, still waiting to be picked up by a chef and the three trashcans in the kitchen had been left there so long that their contents had long disintegrated. Whoever used to live in this house had left in a hurry.

"How long have you been a ghost?" He asked the girl casually, changing his voice so that it sounded like he was only trying to strike up a conversation.

She was quiet for a moment and Volkner wondered if he had sounded a little too interested. Then, she told him in a small voice, "Fifty years."

He stared at her then, unsure of what to say.

Fifty years was a long time.

—Master Bedroom, Hilda—

"Your friend is safe, if that's what you're worried about." The butler appeared on the bed this time.

Hilda looked up from where she still knelt on the floor. She was about to open her mouth in a retort when the butler's new appearance made her swallow her words.

"Do you like it?"

Dressed incredibly out of character in a butler suit, a man with Volkner's face sat on the bed before her.

"I decided that if this was the look my lady liked, then it wouldn't hurt to try it on."

His lady…He had mentioned her several times already. Was she with Volkner now? The thought didn't sit well with her.

Mentally shaking her head to clear her mind, she tried directing her thoughts to other things such as the fact that the butler apparently had the ability to change his appearance at will. Spirits couldn't do that, could they? Then something clicked in her brain and Hilda realized something about this butler that she should've guessed from the beginning.

"You didn't finish the story," She said. "You were about to tell me, but you left before you did."

"Ah, yes…" The butler, now with Volkner's likeness, crossed his legs in a comfortable fashion. "The story of the Old Chateau…"

Hilda stared at him, unable to process the sight of Volkner sitting like that.

"Have you ever wondered why this Chateau was abandoned?" His voice was suddenly quiet.

She didn't have to think hard. "Someone important here died. That explains why there are spirits like your lady roaming around here."

The butler stared at her with Volkner's serious eyes, which caused a different kind of shiver to travel up her spine even though it wasn't really Volkner doing it. Then he said, "The Chateau was abandoned because someone went missing." He paused. "They never did find her body."

"Whose? Your lady's?" Hilda stood up. "Is that why she's still here?" She leaned in closer out of curiosity.

"Yes…" The butler suddenly looked very sad and Hilda started to feel a small ounce of pity for him. "Fifty years ago…this place was everything a human could dream of. Beautiful, clean, and, most of all, inhabited by the living. A family of three lived in this mansion; a father and his two daughters."

Hilda's eyes immediately strayed to the portrait of the girl. "One of them was your lady." She whispered.

The butler continued on as if she hadn't interrupted. "There was a single room in this mansion that neither the father nor his oldest daughter would ever visit. Only my lady would. And that was because I lived there."

Hilda decided to stop him there for a moment.

"You're Haunter." Was all she said to him.

He smiled at her, though it wasn't a malevolent one. It was simply…a smile. "Good answer."

Then he transformed before her eyes.

"Even before my lady's family came here, I have long roamed these halls." A purple ghost Pokemon with disembodied hands spoke with the butler's voice. "I was the reason many families left, but if only that had happened with the family of this particular and unfortunate girl."

He went quiet for a moment and seemed to be contemplating his next words.

"They wanted the room blocked up, instead, in their assumption that such a thing might keep me from doing anything out of hand. They had all the workers ready and everything…" Haunter gave a humorless laugh.

"And then my lady came in for the last time, though she did not know it."

"No…" Hilda gasped in horror. "No, they can't have-"

"Blocked their employer's daughter in? Humans have always been careless, even with their own children… I stayed with her to the end." Haunter closed his eyes. "She cried for hours, calling for her father, for her sister. She asked me to save her and I tried. But in the end I couldn't. Her father's assumption had been right."

His eyes flashed red.

"They had a Medium place a cleanse tag on the door so all I could do was watch the girl grow weaker with every passing day. As you can probably guess, there was only one other option I had."

"You took her life." Hilda said shortly.

"I gave her another chance." The Haunter suddenly took on a sinister look and Hilda couldn't help but start to back away. "I waited fifty years for an opportunity like this."

"So the reason why you told me all this..." Dread squeezed her throat and Hilda's hand started inching toward a poke ball. "What's the point if you're just going to kill me?"

"Kill you?" Haunter chuckled, then suddenly lifted up his hand.

Immediately, Hilda felt a force hold her in place. The Pokemon move being used on her was easily identifiable.

"What I'll be doing to you is far worse. Now that I told you the truth, you won't feel so bad after all this is over."

"Destiny bond?" A ball of ice formed in the pit of her stomach, but then Hilda remembered the second part of the move. "You're going to sacrifice yourself for this? But what about your lady? How do you know she won't need you in the future!" She demanded to hear an answer from him!

"Once she gets a new body, she will realize she doesn't need me anymore." As Haunter continued to speak, his body gradually disintegrated before her eyes. "I've always been alone all these years…No one could ever understand me. But my lady…she became my first friend. My only friend."

Only his eyes and mouth were left now.

"And yet she was hurt because of me so I will do everything in my power to make her happy again."

Hilda's chest suddenly began to hurt. She gave a yell and fell to her knees, clutching the area over her heart. It hurt so much!

"I will do anything." Haunter closed his eyes.

Then the rest of his body dispersed and the Pokemon was gone forever.

Hilda screamed. It hurt so bad, she wanted to die. It lasted all of one second. Then the pain stopped and Hilda found herself lying on the ground.

Why did she feel so strange? She was numb all over.

Then she noticed a hand lying next to hers. It looked extremely familiar. Once she raised her head to see who it belonged to, time seemed to stop.

The person lying so still in front of her was herself.

—Earlier, Volkner—

"Mister, what's your name?" The girl was leading the way.

"Volkner…" He answered quietly.

They had left the dining hall and just made it up the stairs when Volkner paused to look at an open room to their right. Several shelves of books were visible through the doorway. "Is that a library?" He asked.

"Yes. But I can't read so I don't ever go in there." The girl reached up to grab his sleeve. "Come on! We gotta hurry! Don't you want to see your friend again?"

"Fifty years and you never bothered to learn?" Volkner raised an eyebrow. "What have you been doing all this time then?"

"I was playing with Mr. Ranson," Her answer seemed honest enough. "And I'm not interested in books very much because I can't pick them up. You have to really like something in order to touch it." She tugged on his sleeve a little harder to prove her point. "See?"

There had to be a few personal records in the library. Volkner decided to take a chance. "You're curious to learn more about your past. Am I right?" He looked down at the girl as he said this, looking for her reaction.

Her expression turned serious and she seemed to consider his question for a moment before she nodded her head with vigor. "Of course! I'd be a dummy if I didn't!"

"Then, how about I read a few of those books in there for you since you helped me so much? We might be able to find out more about the life you had before."

The moment her eyes lit up like she'd been given a birthday present, Volkner knew she took the bait.

"Let's go now!" Swift as a ghost, she ran to the library, her feet never once touching the ground.

It took Volkner at least five minutes to browse quickly through the shelves before he reached a section with several photo albums, though only one of them still had legible writing on the side. The moment he managed to make out the faded, flowing script, his breath caught. No…was it a coincidence…?

The album was labeled Hilda.

He slid the medium-sized tome off the shelf, his eyes staring at the cover still in disbelief. So was this the reason why the girl had liked Hilda's name so much, because she had the same one?

"What does the cover say?" The girl floated up until she could see the book from his point of view.

"It's a photo album." He avoided the question, but kept the girl from noticing by immediately flipping the book open.

The moment he saw the first few pictures he thought his assumption had been correct.

A girl that looked very much like the ghost girl smiled and played in all of the black and white photos. It was an album dedicated almost all to her.

Then the girl said something that truly confused him until he flipped to a later page. "Wait! That isn't me…!"

Several pages in, the photos suddenly had another girl in the same dress with the same face playing with the girl from before. If the album wasn't dedicated to this girl and Hilda wasn't her real name, who was she?

"Hilda…" Volkner had been successful. Seeing the photos had triggered something in her memory. "My sister…I had a sister. Yes, that's why the portrait didn't look like me at all. I…"

The girl had her hands on her head now, holding it like it was going to come apart at any moment! She wailed such a shrill wail that Volkner stepped back, his mind picking up danger.

In that exact moment, he heard a scream come from the direction of the sleeping quarters and was simultaneously struck with a deep feeling of anguish, so acute that he flinched from the mental impact.

"Hilda!" He called out. But, before he could move, the girl suddenly rushed past him, faster than he'd ever seen her go.

She was trying to get there before he did!

Volkner dropped the album at his feet and ran after the ghost. His plan had failed.

But the girl's was working!

He chased her to a long hallway of closed doors, four of them. Looking closely, he noticed one near the end of the hallway where the wood was more prominent, more decorated, and he immediately used the iron key on that door's lock.

The key fit and Volkner twisted it so that he heard a grating click. The door was unlocked now, but he hesitated.

His heart was pounding so hard it hurt.

What would he see once he opened the door? How was he going to cope if he saw her just lying on the floor like a tossed doll?

His heart clenched and Volkner realized the full extent of his uncertainty. It had the potential to drive him mad with anticipation.

No more! This game ended now.

Throwing open the door, Volkner entered the room.

Chapter Text

 

—Hilda—

There was something deadening about seeing her own body lying on the floor.

Hilda's airways constricted as she stopped breathing. There was no more air in her lungs. However, more than several seconds passed and she still didn't feel anyinclination to take a breath until she realized something.

She didn't have to breathe.

The explosion for her absolute terror was interrupted when something came in through the door. A white wisp. And it shot straight into her body! Seeing this, she gave a cry.

What was happening!

Her body twitched once. Then the eyes flickered wide open, causing Hilda to scramble backwards. Just from a glance, she knew those eyes didn't belong to her. They were deep and at the same time too young to be hers. They were eyes that children had when they experienced something beyond what any human should go through. Then Hilda realized something.

She thought of N and the look he had given her two years ago, right before he left her behind. It must have been the same way for him! The eyes he had shown her then were just like the eyes of a child.

Then the mouth on her body moved and Hilda looked up to make out what it was trying to say. The person controlling her body repeated it one last time.

"I'm sorry."

And Hilda immediately knew who it was. Before she could reply, however, Volkner burst into the room.

She leapt to her feet at the sight of him, but in the next moment her heart sank with disappointment when she saw that his eyes hadn't looked at her, but at the imposter before him.

"Volkner!" The imposter ran up to him with relief and gladness in her voice. Her eyes must've been shining with happiness. This was, after all, her second chance at being alive.

Hilda thought he might sense something was wrong, that he might be able to see through the lie in front of him. His next words, however, made her heart clench in hopelessness.

"Are you alright?"

She wanted to scream and yell and stomp her foot so she get him to look her way. She was panicking, seeing how invisible she was to him. 'Look at me!' she wanted to say. 'I'm right here!'

"The Haunter scared me a little before you came, but he ran away as soon as you opened the door." The false Hilda stepped closer to him. "We can use this chance to get out of here!"

She was about to take his hand when he pulled it away.

—Volkner—

Shocked, Hilda looked up at him with fearful eyes, but it wasn't Hilda who was looking at him in that way.

It was the girl.

He had it figured out the moment he saw her expression. Those eyes…they weren't Hilda's. And when she answered his question, it only erased whatever doubt he had left.

This had been her plan all along: a new life. However, he knew that in the end her plan would fail because he was never going to let her get away with it.

She didn't see Volkner's hand pull back from the girl.

Hilda's emotions had temporarily blinded her to the world. The feeling of being ignored, of being invisible, was threatening to drive her mad. If this was how she was going to live the rest of her life, then she would do anything to stop that from happening.

Without hestiation, Hilda pushed forward, reaching both hands out to grab his.

"No!" She heard her own voice cry out for her to stop and knew it was the girl, but she didn't care. All that mattered was if he would just look at her like she existed.

Her hands touched his warm skin.

—Game Over—

Volkner felt pressure on his hand.

Surprised, he immediately looked down to see a pair of see-through hands on his own. Then he felt an overwhelming wave of emotion wash over him.

"Hilda…?"

A pair of arms quickly came into visibility, then the torso and body, and finally…

"No…" The false Hilda backed away. Her hands were beginning to clench into fists at seeing the scene unfold before her. This wasn't part of the plan!

Hilda cried his name once his eyes truly locked with hers and leaped into him so she could catch him in a tight hug. He could see her!

Volkner found his arms almost moving of their own accord as he wrapped them around her waist and pulled her even closer to him. Her head only reached his shoulder so her face was buried in the crook of his neck and he could feel her hair tickling his chin. Even as a spirit, he could still feel every little sensation of herbeing against him. It didn't take him long to realize that most of the satisfaction sweeping through him was his own.

"I'm not giving it back."

He released Hilda from their embrace when he heard those determined words and stepped back to look at the girl possessing Hilda's body. She had her arms crossed and stood with both feet planted stubbornly into the ground.

"I don't want to go back to being a spirit." She said and shifted her eyes to stare balefully at Hilda. "Now that you're one, can't you understand what it's like? Or maybe you don't because you still remember everything! It's not fair! Even after all these years I can't even remember my own name!"

Suddenly, a familiar voice declared from behind them, "It's Helen."

Volkner smiled at this. Her timing was impeccable.

"Your name is Helen and you are the younger sister of my grandmother who lived here fifty years ago."

Gardenia stepped past him; her eyes were blazing with a determination that was a reminder of why she was a gym leader. She was focused. She was driven. She was intent on telling Helen the truth.

So she did.

"You were reported missing. No one knew what happened to you and how you simply disappeared one day, but many efforts were made to look for you. For weeks, my grandmother searched the house, hoping you were just hiding somewhere for fun. However, eventually people stopped looking for a little girl. People stopped looking for a living, breathing person. People stopped looking altogether. Finally, after three weeks, you were declared dead."

Helen's breathing grew harsh. Gardenia's last words hit her hard. The Gym Leader did not pause in her story, however, because she knew that if she stopped, she might never be able to start again.

"Soon, your father decided to move out of the house because he couldn't handle the heartbreak of living in the mansion that took his younger daughter's life. But, before my grandmother followed him and left the house, she took two things with her."

Gardenia held the two items in front of her. The portrait in one hand was almost identical with the one on the wall, except this time this one looked exactly like Helen. And the other hand held an extremely old piece of cloth with faded symbols written in black ink. The spell tag.

"My grandmother told me how, in the end, she knew her little sister's spirit must still be in the house so she removed the cleanse tag from the wall. She never stopped telling me about you, how you were before you died, what you loved to do, she would always find a way to mention you. And, because of her stories, I know where every last room in this chateau is. If you'll let me, I can take you the room where you died."

Helen was silent now, her mouth pinched in an effort not to wail from the overwhelming emotions assailing her. How easily could a five-year old, even one with a soul older than fifty years, accept the truth about her death?

Gardenia swallowed hard, forcing herself to continue despite her pause. "She said that once you learn the truth and find your body, she'll be able to see you again." Then her gaze flushed with shame and she looked down, "But I was always too afraid to come here. If I had, I might've been able to reunite the two of you sooner."

The room was quiet for a long time.

Then Helen, with Hilda's face and body, started to cry. She cried because of her happiness at finally knowing her name. She cried at how overwhelming the knowledge of her death could be. And she cried at finally being able to express her bottled pain.

"I'll come." She looked Hilda straight in the eye. "Now that I know my sister's waiting for me, I don't want to hurt you anymore."

"If I were in your shoes," Hilda replied. "I might've just ended up doing the same thing. I can't stay angry at you, but Haunter…he…knew the truth and didn't tell you."

The girl shook her head and said,

"He always felt bad about it, even though I never blamed him. I think he always thought this way was better. I don't think he regrets it. But maybe once I find my body again he won't be so sad anymore."

Volkner could see an understanding in Helen's gaze that again went beyond what a five year old should have.

Feeling a longing come from Hilda, he turned his head to look at her. She subsequently avoided his eyes as the longing inside her turned to embarrassment. Having someone constantly aware of your emotions was something anyone could forget about every now and then.

Gardenia turned and led Helen away, bringing their attentions back to her. She motioned for them to follow.

Hilda continued to hold his hand. Perhaps it was so she could remind herself that she was still there as they followed Eterna's Gym Leader one room over to the right.

It was obvious that there used to be a doorway there, the doorknob removed, and the door painted and wallpapered over. There was another imprint on the wall where the cleanse tag used to be.

"I remember it now." Helen stood before the sealed doorway. "I came in here to play with Haunter as usual, but forgot about the workers and fell asleep." She shook her head with the memory. "By the time Haunter woke me up, it was already too late."

Gardenia did something unexpected then.

She walked up to the girl, who was standing so stiffly, and hugged her. There was no crying or murmurs of regret and remorse, just a hug.

After getting over her initial surprise, the girl returned it and whispered, "Thank you."

Then they pulled apart and Helen turned to Hilda.

"I'm leaving your body now. Haunter used destiny bond on you, but you still have time." Then she looked at Volkner. "Catch her."

Helen closed her eyes and Hilda's body suddenly stiffened, then went limp and started leaning to one side. Hilda released his hand so that he could lunge forward and catch it without hesitation.

He laid Hilda's body out before her, his hand supporting the head.

Hilda knelt down beside her own self. Then took a deep breath. Her heart must've been pounding with the sudden swell of anxiety that peaked inside him. "Here we go." She whispered, referring to them both. After all, he was still connected to her in mind. Once she returned to her body, there was no guarantee that something wouldn't happen to him as well.

Volkner watched as she reached out a tentative hand toward her body's face. Was a touch all it took?

It was.

Suddenly, her figure began to deteriorate. Hilda immediately caught him in an anxious look, but he kept calm and thought reassuring thoughts in his mind, knowing she would feel them.

When she did, her expression relaxed and Volkner no longer felt the sharp tension in his chest that had indicated her anxiety.

Finally, she was nothing more than a wispy, floating light, which then filtered through her body's mouth. The body shuddered in his arms as Hilda's spirit re-claimed then there was a distinct sigh of relief from her lips as her lungs began functioning properly once more.

Her eyes, however, remained closed.

Volkner pulled her closer to him, holding up her head with one hand and the other... He reached down to pick up her hand.

It was warm and alive, bringing relief to a part of him deep inside. Then, as he watched her, that part of him began to spread until it threatened to engulf his body in an emotion that was foreign to him.

Volkner shuddered.

All of a sudden her presence was overflowing in his mind! He was almost drowning in the contents of her soul.

As if instinctively, he pulled her even more tightly into him and pressed her hand against his chest where his heart was beating three times faster than it should've been. Was this what she could do to him? Her face was so close now.

Halfway to the space of her neck where he would've claimed the area in a searing kiss, Volkner flinched and pulled away. What was he doing?

How easy it would be to simply let go of her hand and push her hat away and press his lips on to her forehead and-

His heart no longer made sense.

Then Hilda's hat fell soundlessly to the floor, exposing her face and the few bangs that covered it.

Volkner stopped breathing in that moment, his mind so full with Hilda's consciousness, his heart so torn by the emotions that lived inside of it, and... before he could control his impulse, his fingers gently brushed the bangs away.

Something changed inside him then, feeding off the heart that pulsed with a foreign emotion screaming to be released all at once. It was the way he held her and the way her mind almost melded with his and the way he pushed the hair out of her eyes like a man would for a lover that fed the change happening inside him.

How could he suddenly feel this way? Or had he felt this way since the beginning?

As the Gym Leader cradled the girl's head in his arm and gazed down at her face, he felt a tenderness enter his heart.

Right then in that moment she never looked more beautiful to him.

Volkner shivered.

Everything was happening too fast.

And then the reality of this new emotion hit him hard.

Throwing up logic and reason as barriers against his decided moment of insanity, his mind forced him to look at the facts. For most of his life, he had been treading a careful path to maintain a certain distance and a barrier between him and most everyone else. Even when he had entered what was supposed to be considered a close and personal relationship with Elesa, he had placed a line between them. But with Hilda, with their overwhelming mental link, and with the circumstances that had thrown them together, it was too late. From the start it had been impossible to keep this from happening, impossible to keep their relationship from staying as it was, impossible to stay nothing more than partners.

Volkner had the largest suspicion, lodged somewhere deep in his mind, that meeting Hilda had been decided for him since the beginning. In his mind, he saw the protective path he had walked over the years crumble right from beneath his feet as he fell into something he had never truly experienced before.

In his mind, he saw electricity course like a powerful thunderbolt through the solar panels in his dream, maximizing his city's power capacity. Everything had changed, just as he feared it would.

But who knew it could feel so good?

—Gardenia—

She saw the change in Volkner's eyes and watched as the man, who had always seemed to her a leader, a mentor, and a guide, bend his head down to press his lips in as tender a kiss as she had ever seen any man give on to the forehead of the girl lying so still in his arms.

"You'll have to move her, Volkner." Gardenia had to break the moment. No matter how important or special it was, there were still other things that needed to be done. "I'm tearing this door down and giving Helen a proper burial in the yard. Afterwards, if... she doesn't wake up, I'll take you to a house where you can stay the night."

She called out Roserade and, when the Pokemon appeared, paint and wallpaper were immediately sliced away. She kicked the door hard and it crumpled on impact.

"By the way, her dragon's waiting outside for her."

Then Gardenia entered the room where the remains of a girl, who was no longer alone, lay waiting to be discovered.

—Dreaming, Hilda—

For the past two years, she had had recurring dreams where she would find herself in N's castle, standing at the gaping hole where she had last seen the castle's owner.

This time, though, things were a little different.

This time someone was with her.

"Hilda. You still dream about this place?"

Hilda turned to look at the owner of the voice. She turned a little too gracefully, a little too perfectly, which was natural since the dream belonged to her. "Do you?" She asked.

Her first question.

"Of course." N walked up so he stood by her side, staring at the hole in the wall alongside her. "I remember this moment like it was yesterday, if you don't mind me using such a common saying."

They stood together for a while in companionable silence until Hilda broke it by asking, "Tell me, N. What are you afraid of?"

"Afraid of?" He repeated. "I would think it was the same thing you're afraid of."

"It's not really the same thing." Hilda said. "It's true, I'm a little reluctant to call myself an adult and I don't feel confidant at all as the hero of Unova, but there's another problem."

N looked over at her. "What is it then?"

When Hilda turned to face him, he did the same. He saw she was being serious. "I'm waiting for you, N."

"Were you?" His eyes softened, which surprised her. He had never given her that kind of look before. "I guess it's my fault then. I didn't mean for that to happen to you."

He turned away then and started walking slowly down the long platform leading deeper into his castle.

"I did leave because I was scared. But it wasn't in becoming an adult, no. I was scared of what we would become." He stopped unexpectedly, which caused Hilda to freeze up as she had been about to fall into step beside him.

"We?" Now she was the one repeating things. "What do you mean?"

"That moment, right before I left…I tried to kiss you. Do you remember?" His words were quiet and his back was still turned to her so she couldn't see his face.

"It's the part I remember best," She said, half-jokingly. "Who forgets things like that?"

"I stopped halfway because I was afraid of what it might mean, what it might become." N shook his head, his hair swaying back and forth like the leaves of the White Forest caught in a gentle breeze. "I was afraid that I might be falling in love and I wasn't ready for it."

His last few words caused her to flinch.

Then he turned to her and Hilda had to ask herself if this was really the man she thought she knew two years ago. There was that soft look in his eyes, which was so hard to understand.

"But I've already grown up, Hilda. You don't need to wait for me anymore. Believe that you're an adult. Have faith in it. Then once you turn seventeen, that belief will become a reality."

She looked at him with an unasked question in her eyes. He smiled.

"How each person becomes an adult is different. For me, it was when I accepted the fact that I do have feelings for you and I hoped, with all my soul, that it would be the same for you. But that's only an example. I'm not forcing you to do anything you don't want to, Hilda."

Hilda didn't know what to feel, but she had to tell him the truth of the matter now. If she was going to start believing she was an adult, then she was going to have to be honest with herself.

"N…I…I knew I liked you then, two years ago. And I know I still like you now. But…" She faltered. Her mind was trying to grasp at the right words to say. "I... don't know if I can return those kinds of feelings to you just yet. There's still something I need to figure out."

The castle around her warped for a moment and suddenly Hilda was alone again on the beach of a Sunyshore City years into the past with a single, lone figure standing beside her. She looked up to see Volkner looking down at her.

Yes, even in her dreams she knew it. One day she would set foot on his side of the dream and see for herself the city that he had envisioned and built with his own two hands. And it was that feeling of anticipation, of excitement and curiosity, that kept her heart from belonging completely to the man who had disappeared along with her dream of the castle.

She thought hard of N again and the beach fell apart as the castle rebuilt itself around her.

"I see…" N had such a downcast expression on his features that Hilda felt her heart turn in pity for him. Then his look changed to mild disappointment. "I saw that one coming. You've spent less than two days with this man and he already has you so interested." He laughed when she made a face at his words. "I know this because, despite being trapped in this other dimension for possibly eternity, I can still keep tabs on you through Reshiram. It took a few tries, but it looks like I got it right this time."

Hilda perked up at this last bit of information. "How did you get there? To your father I mean." She tried not to look too hopeful at the possibility that he might just be able to give her a good answer, but she ended up failing anyway.

"I don't remember the exact location, but I can give you a general one." He gave her an apologetic smile. "I found out about his plan several weeks ago and I managed to get a few leads. By the time I got to the eastern part of Sinnoh, I had a chance meeting with the Shadow Triad in Veilstone City. But it seems that that wasn't the case for them. They were purposely sent by my…sent by Ghetsis to take me to some cave where he'd been waiting for me. I don't have any more information for you besides that."

Hilda shook her head in disagreement, taking note of the way N had avoided calling Ghetsis his father. "That gives us a city name and takes away about half the region to search. I'll also have to remember to call either Cheren or Bianca and tell them about the triad." She gave him a smile, a real one. "Thanks…I owe you one."

"Then you owe me an official answer. After you've 'figured things out'. Yet, somehow, I get this feeling that that won't ever happen until we meet again face to face." He gave her a smile as well, though this time Hilda knew it was just as real as hers.

"Am I waking up right now or are you leaving?" She asked as the castle around them began to shimmer and lose substance.

"I'd say both because I can't very well stay here, can I?" N put a hand on her head, like he would a little sister, though she knew now his feelings were beyond that. "If you want to talk again, just think of me. The place where I am now knows no time so it won't be long before I see you again. And I look forward to that." Then he leaned forward unexpectedly and kissed her on the forehead.

Indignant, Hilda bristled at the sensation and demanded to know why he did it.

Seconds before her dream completely collapsed, he said something that didn't really make much sense, though she shouldn't have expected it to. It was N after all.

"Just sending a message through."

Then her dream ended.

— Outside Someone's House, Five hours before Hilda Wakes Up—

"You can stay here. It's owned by someone who hasn't come back for a year so I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you stayed here a day or two."

Gardenia decided that it felt cool telling her senior Gym Leader what to do. She pointed at Hilda, who was currently being held in Zekrom's claws.

"You should probably take her back from him too. He's attracting a crowd."

It was true. When a dragon of unknown origin landed in the center of a city holding a girl in its claws with two of Sinnoh's gym leaders riding on its back, most people tended to be a little curious.

For a legendary, Zekrom's pride hadn't gotten in the way of giving a lift to his partner's comrades. Most of the reason for his decision, however, lay with his curiosity as to why the male had a connection with his mind as well. Only his partner could truly sense his presence and communicate with him. And yet, that man had easily sent him the message that he was not going to hurt his partner when he had approached him with her in his arms.

Truthfully, Zekrom was mildly impressed with this turnout. This man had a kind of darkness in him that Zekrom liked. Paired with the light of his original partner, that wasn't so bad. If Reshiram ever found out about this, he'd be very much jealous of him.

"Zekrom." Volkner walked up to the large dragon, arms outstretched. "Let me take her into the house. She'll be staying there until she fully recovers."

Excitement pooled in Gardenia's stomach when Zekrom handed Hilda over to Volkner without any fuss or hesitation. So he could win the trust of such a powerful Pokemon so easily? She supposed this was why he was known as Sinnoh's top gym leader.

"There's a market that closes at around five near the statue at the city's edge. You…have money right?" Gardenia looked closely at Volkner to make sure he was going to tell her the truth.

"There are PC's in the Pokemon Center. I can take money out from there."

Satisfied with his answer, she waited until the dragon crouched and shot up into the air before waving goodbye to Volkner. Then she turned to go back to her gym, shooing off all the curious onlookers on the way. People were just too inquisitive for their own good these days.

—Someone's House—

The whispers of the people and the children pointing fingers were cut off once he closed the door behind him.

He took a good look at his surroundings.

The house had seemed plain on the outside, but the interior was well-furnished with stately, wooden flooring, lush-looking carpet here and there, and practical, but decorative lights built into the ceiling. In the living room was a small high definition TV placed on a sturdy drawer pushed up against the wall. The kitchen was tidy and organized with a generously large stove and fridge, though he doubted if the fridge had anything good to eat.

There were three bedrooms: a master bedroom and two guests. Small bathrooms were located in each one.

Volkner placed Hilda in the master bedroom since the bed had enough space for her to roll around without falling off. He slipped her small travel pack off his shoulders and leaned it against the edge of the bed. Her transceiver had rung earlier, but Volkner had been a few hundred feet up in the air when it did.

Whoever called probably left a message.

He helped Hilda change out of her shoes, her socks as well, tucking them into her shoes. He hadn't bothered taking off his own since he planned to visit the market later. Then he walked back out and placed the shoes at the doorway.

Walking back to the bedroom, Volkner noticed that the house was kept rather cleanly for having had no inhabitants for at least a year. He half expected someone to walk through the front door and demand to know why he was trespassing on someone else's property.

When he entered the master bedroom again, he suddenly heard a sound and Volkner tensed, wondering if his thoughts had become a reality. He heard it again, only this time he realized it was coming from beside him.

Hilda's stomach.

He stared at her sleeping form for a long time, unable to believe his ears. Then, chuckling softly to himself, he knelt down beside the bed until their heads were level. "How long has it been since either of us ate anything? I can't believe I didn't notice."

She remained as immobile as ever, her eyes closed, her chest rising in calm, yet uneven breaths, and her lips parting slightly with each light snore.

Volkner closed his eyes and simply listened to her breathe. How could he describe what he was feeling right now? He couldn't think of a good word, but if he had to give one it would be...

Satisfied.

He had assumed that things would change only after Hilda entered his side of their overlapped dream, which had occurred less than a day ago. Yet, despite that, everything still ended up changing after Hilda's very soul nearly melded to his for a fleeting second and he had been almost overwhelmed by the sensation that rushed through his body all at once. It was also most likely the sensation that led him to feel so... satisfied... by simply listening to Hilda's soft breathing.

And, even though the intensity of her consciousness was no longer filling that space in his mind anymore, he…

Volkner snapped back to reality. Before he knew it, his hand had strayed close to her face, having moved without his knowledge. This time, however, he managed to stop it before he made contact with the soft skin of her cheek. He knew that if he touched her now, then he might do something she may never forgive him for.

But she wouldn't ever have to know…

Volkner pulled himself away.

After pacing in the living room for a few minutes, he decided that he had to leave the house now before he gave in to... this growing desire. Volkner started for the front door, but before he left he called forth Luxray and had him stay. His glare would ward off any unwanted visitors to the house.

Then he left in hopes that walking through the Eterna market for their dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow would clear his head.

He then wondered if it was possible that that might never happen.

—Eterna City Marketplace—

Volkner wondered how he and Hilda could've missed this place on their way into the city.

On the main road there were long rows of similar-looking houses built facing one another. The roofs were all he same color. The wood was painted a light-catching white. In front of the houses were signs boasting of all kinds of meats, vegetables, Pokemon Exclusive Bits, and herbs.

In truth, the only house that actually sold herbs was the one at the very end of the street. It stood a little ways away from the others and no house had been built across from it. The herb-selling house was also painted in different colors; the roof was red instead of a light orange like the rest.

By the time Volkner had reached this last house, one of his hands was already holding a bag filled with a fresh cut of steak, a few slices of pork, several random vegetables he could make a salad with, and more than a few cans of Pokemon food.

Apparently, he was not the only customer who had felt drawn to the herb house. There was already a small line of people at the doorway and it seemed only one customer was allowed inside at a time. Volkner wondered why he was even here. It would be a while before it was his turn to enter the house. He already had everything he needed. And yet…

The next thing he knew he was almost at there to the front of the line. He knew many were either staring hard into the back of his head or practically turning their heads every now and then to sneak a look at him. Then they would quickly turn back once he made eye contact.

So it seemed that every last person in Eterna had heard about his conspicuous return to the city.

Finally, the last person in front of him entered and left the house and Volkner wanted to breath a sigh of relief. Now it was his turn.

The house was much smaller inside than its exterior had led him to believe.

There was a counter that spanned from the back wall of the house to the wall on his left, mimicking the counter found in a Pokemon Mart. An old man and woman sat behind the counter. On the wall behind the man and woman were many shelves and each one had rows and rows of various herbs.

Again, Volkner had to ask himself why he was here. It seemed blatantly obvious, just by looking at the sheer number of herbs in the room, that customers usually had a specific herb in mind. It didn't help that he couldn't recognize a single one sitting on the shelves.

The old woman suddenly spoke up, startling him out of his reverie. "Your name is Volkner, am I right?" The only sign of surprise he showed her was the sharp turn of his head as he directed his attentions to her.

She had kindly eyes, but the first thing he'd noticed was her black hair. There were enough wrinkles on her face to make it safe to assume she was in her late sixties, but her hair was black enough for a woman in her forties.

"Yes." Volkner answered evenly.

"Your story has reached our ears so we already know what you need." The old man spoke up this time. He also had black hair that didn't quite match with the age he appeared to be.

"What do you mean?"

The old woman gave him a small smile. "We heard of your journey into the woods and your adventure in the Chateau. When we were your age, the Chateau wasn't so old back then. We're glad you managed to free that girl's spirit. She's been trapped there for a very long time."

Then the smile disappeared as her voice turned solemn. "But I also hear she's possessed your friend's body for a period of time. Your friend's spirit must've left her body in order for that to happen. Then she had to return or else she would have been separated from her body for good. What you do not know, however, is that there are reparations…"

The old man continued without missing a beat. "In order to prevent those reparations from becoming permanent in your friend, you must have her drink a special mixture. We will give you the herbs you need for this drink, but there is another ingredient..." The old man paused.

And the woman continued, "And that would be the honey sold by the man in the town of flowers. Mix the herbs we give you with the honey, have your friend drink it, and she will recover from the aftereffects of leaving the body as a spirit."

Volkner didn't speak for a long while, though it wasn't so much because he wouldn't speak, but because his mind was still trying to process the strangeness of the whole situation. Word seemed to have traveled to them a little too quickly and in too much detail for him not to be suspicious of them. But suspicious of what? He could watch as the old woman reached down and brought out a velvet bag, no bigger than her hand, up on to the counter. She ignored the many shelves of herbs behind her indicating that they'd prepared this bag of herbs before he had even come in.

He concluded that this old couple wasn't normal.

"Who are you?" Volkner asked them finally after a full two minutes had passed in total silence. He had visited Eterna City many times, but not once had he ever paid much attention to the marketplace, let alone to the herb shop at the very end that housed this strange couple.

"We are people who have a connection similar to the one you and your friend share." The old man answered. "However, ours is the kind that only happens between two psychically enhanced people. Yours on the other hand was created through the work of a greater power. Thus, your understanding of who or what we are may be a little different…"

Again, the old woman spoke on as if she knew exactly what her significant other wanted to say. Just by seeing this, Volkner figured that the biggest difference between the couple's connection and theirs was that the couple's ran deeper.

"We know of your journey and wish to help because, after all, everyone's lives are at stake and we need to keep up on our share of the contributions. We will warn you of the effects of possessing such a beneficial yet exhausting connection of two minds. You have already experienced what if feels to have too much of a person's conscience in yours. Your eyes tell us that you have been influenced heavily by it. The truth of the matter is that your connection will be even stronger once your friend wakes because she will become fully conscious of you then. Your ability to work together as a team will increase dramatically. Few will be able to overcome your combined skills as Pokemon trainers. Your self-control, however, will naturally decrease. And that is where you must be cautious. This setback can happen to only one of you and, right now, you seem to be the one most susceptible to it. We believe that is simply because of who you are. And it is something neither of us can change for you."

The couple stopped talking and appeared to have finished saying all that they had to say.

Volkner took that opportunity to let the large piece of information they had presented him sink in. Loss of self-control? Their words were startling accurate. Yes, loss of self-control had to be one of the setbacks in the bond he shared with Hilda. Less than half an hour ago it happened to him while Hilda had been asleep. Nearly everything he'd done in those moments with her had been based on impulse, the unconscious roving of his hands, the traitorous thoughts that slipped into his mind before he could stop them from forming, the desire...

The couple was right in that they couldn't take those dark feelings away from him, but what about him? Was it possible to take them away using his own power?

He toyed with the thought for a moment longer before walking up to the counter and pocketing the small bag of herbs.

"It is a gift." The old woman said when she saw his hand reach for the pant's pocket where he kept his money.

After pausing for a moment, Volkner recovered and said, in a low voice, "Thank you." Then he turned and left, closing the door softly behind him.

Before the next customer could come in, the old woman whispered softly to her husband, even though she did not need to.

"He will attract many shadows indeed."

The old man merely nodded.

—Someone's House, Volkner returns—

He loosened the poke balls from Hilda's belt, as well as the ones from his.

In the back, the house had a yard and there he released all their Pokemon. Laying out Pokemon food in several bowls he'd found in the kitchen, he kept them busy for the time being.

By the time he came back to check up on her, Hilda was turning restlessly on the bed, her movements turning the sheets into quite a mess. She might as well have been trying to make a sushi roll out of herself. He allowed a chuckle to leave his throat before reaching down to help her out of it. Just how was she so adept at wrapping herself up like this in her sleep? As he released her from her self-made prison of sheets, her expression relaxed and her lips smoothed out until it almost looked like she was smiling. Her eyelids fluttered as if she was about to open her eyes.

Was she-?

But, instead of opening them, she made a noise. It was a quiet one. Gentle, teasing, pleasurable, quiet...

And was enough to make his body react and, suddenly, his hands were on either side of Hilda's sleeping form, his knee on the edge of the bed.

Did his self-control only amount to this much? Volkner thought with a combination of bitterness and alarm at the acuteness of his reaction. All it took was one sound from her and he was already fighting against the most basic of desires that a single noise from her could awaken in him.

Then she spoke while trapped in whatever dream she could've been having. A name.

N.

Volkner was taken aback by the rapid switch in his emotions as a terrible, biting jealousy suddenly filled his chest. It became a shard of glass that cut into him so that his hands balled into fists on either side of Hilda's head, crumpling the sheets.

What did it matter if she became a woman right now and broke the barrier of maturity he had placed between them? What did it matter if she could join him in his dream and he told her the truth about how quickly the way he looked at her had changed? What did it matter if she tried to accept him?

For how could she do any of those things when the man she cared for was the one in her dreams right now.

Volkner tore himself away from the unsuspecting girl.

It was almost time for him to start making dinner.

—Someone's House, Current Time, Hilda—

She woke up to the smell of food.

Food? In an abandoned chateau? Her thoughts weren't adding up just yet, but the next thing she noticed was her cramped muscles.

Stretching herself out first, she used the next moment to sniff her clothes and hair and was mortified to find out how smelly they were. She really needed a shower. Sitting up, her fingertips explored the spacious and soft bed beneath her. Since when did the furniture feel so new? And why was it so dark in here?

Answering her latter question for assurance, Hilda assumed that it was night time already. After all, the foggy state of her brain hinted to her that she'd been asleep for a while.

She finally realized something was wrong the moment she tried to get off the bed and fell over instead. Her legs gave way completely and she cursed quietly as she landed painfully on to her butt. Hilda tried not to panic, but any attempts to stay calm became futile once she figured out the reason why everything looked so dark.

Numb, Hilda reached up to touch her face. Her eyes were wide open. So how come she saw nothing?

She tried to reason with herself, calm herself down, but in her mind she knew that even a person with terrible sight could at least make out a few stray details. She should be seeing at least something no matter how faint the room's lighting was. Yet, despite blinking multiple times, rubbing her eyes, and trying to clean them out, nothing happened.

She couldn't see.

Running footsteps came pounding toward her. Then there was a click as a light switch was flipped. However, her world was still smothered in total darkness.

But then a familiar voice called her and her senses flooded with relief. "Hilda!"

Shakily, she spoke to him, "Volkner…I... I can't see." It scared her to admit it out loud, but it had to be done. She had to come to terms with the glaring reality. "My eyes..." She placed trembling hands on both of them.

She felt Volkner kneel beside her. Then his larger hands took hold of hers.

In that moment, Hilda was suddenly overwhelmed by another surge of emotion, only this time it felt like her fear and insecurity had multiplied by threefold! Hilda cried out as her own emotions tore into her. Relentless, unforgiving...!

But wait... there was something else... something beneath all the chaos.

She could tell, as the whirlwind of fear began to die down, that the emotions there didn't belong to her. They were such strong emotions, but they were complicated, a mixture of things that made her feel heady, intoxicated... excited. They were emotions that made her body shiver in anticipation, but anticipation of what?

Before her mind could answer this question, a shuddering breath tore from her throat and Volkner subsequently released her hands.

Her mind still reeling, she could barely interpret Volkner's thoughts as they floated down on her conscience like feathers. They were nearly incoherent, but a whisper of it carried through to her and it was enough to send her shivers of anticipation vibrating down her spine.

Possession.

He knew exactly when she'd woken up. The sudden flood of her consciousness into his mind nearly brought him to his knees and he narrowly missed upturning the meat he'd been cooking on the stove.

Every little thing she did: smelling the food, wanting a shower, feeling the bed. He knew it all.

Then she had fallen, her legs weak, and he had felt her fear at realizing that she couldn't see. Louder than any words she could've used to call him over, her anguish drew him. She needed him.

He ran faster than he'd ever run before as he rushed to her side. The sight that met him sent a pang into chest, surprising him so much that he had to clutch at his chest for a moment before kneeling down beside her. When was the last time his heart did that to him?

This must've clouded his judgement because, in the very next moment, he made the big mistake of placing his hands around hers in an attempt to calm her.

And it was in that moment when she entered his mind. Before, she only had access to the barest impressions of his thoughts, but now... now she felt things that clearly caused her body to react. The shudder that coursed through both of them at the same time said it all. In that instant, he couldn't hide it from her.

He wanted to kiss her.

He wanted to press his lips to hers and feel her in mind and body and soul. He wanted to let go of her hands so he could encompass her body with his, press her deeply against him, and hear her uneven breaths gasp in his ear as he trailed from her lips to her neck to consume her scent and replace it with his because she could only be his.

He wanted... he...

Probably wouldn't be able to look her in the eye for a while.

She sucked in a breath and let it out to calm herself, but it was like trying not to panic while sitting in a car that was rapidly filling with water. Even if the water pressure stabilized and the door was free to open, many drowned in the end because their minds went blank at the opportunity to escape.

She had to do something or else she would miss hers.

"Please…" Hilda managed to gasp out. "Help me. I can't…I can't stand up by myself." Hilda swallowed hard. "Vol- Volkner..."

When did it become so difficult to say his name?

"Do you know what's wrong with me?"

She wasn't sure why she was asking him, but she had a small feeling that, if anything, he would be the one to have a good idea of what was happening.

However, it was a long time before he said anything to her. So long, in fact, that she nearly thought he'd walked away even though she could sense his presence before her.

When he finally did speak, he said, "I met an old couple in the marketplace here. They knew about what happened to you and warned me that there'd be... reparations... You need a special medicine."

Hilda opened her mouth to speak, but Volkner continued on in a reassuring tone, "I have one of two ingredients with me." Had he known what she was going to say?

Despite her question, however, the impression she got from him told her he hadn't. It had been Volkner's own observation.

"And the remaining ingredient is in Floaroma Town? Just a feeling…" Hilda smiled at him, or maybe she was smiling at his neck for all she knew, but for now she didn't really care. For some strange reason that she couldn't explain, she was feeling content.

Suddenly, Volkner's plan unfurled itself in her mind and Hilda widened her eyes in surprise, despite not being able to see. This was no simple impression! This was... detail.

Wordlessly, he reached down and put one arm under her knees and the other behind her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck, making sure only her sleeves touched his skin and then he picked her up like he would a small child. Was she really that light?

Before she could finish asking herself that question, however, Volkner carried her away. His destination was the living room and then... the kitchen.

Hilda's stomach growled in anticipation and a light blush colored her cheeks.

Of course something like that would happen.

—Dinner for Two—

She hadn't eaten any food for nearly two whole days. He didn't have to listen to Hilda's stomach to know she was hungry.

He placed her carefully on one of two chairs at the dining table, which was made so that it could be adjusted to seat more than four. He had fixed it so only two people would fit.

"You know how to cook?" Hilda asked him when she sniffed the air and smelled the delicious food once more. "I always thought that as a gym leader, you wouldn't have time for this kind of thing."

"I had to learn from a young age." Volkner replied as he shut off the stove and placed the meat on to plates for the two of them to eat.

He knew what she was going to ask next.

"Why?"

He replied shortly, "My mother died while giving birth to me." Almost immediately, he felt a surge of sympathy from her.

"I-" She began. But, again, he had a good idea of what she was going to say. Probably something along the lines of I'm sorry.

"You probably hear that all the time don't you?"

"Eat." He pushed a plate in front of her.

Subsequently, Hilda opened her right hand and he placed a fork in it.

Then she did as she was told, stabbing into the steak and taking a small bite before she paused. Volkner took that moment to grab his own plate and join her at the table.

Her delight at the steak's tastiness filled him up better than what several bites of his piece might've done for him.

Volkner checked himself before the feeling could develop any more.

Throwing all caution to the wind, Hilda started digging in with healthy gusto as she quickly demolished her share. Afterwards, she poked around on her plate for a while, probably her best attempt at looking for any food she might've missed.

Volkner himself had finished his steak already and found himself watching her antics.

"My dad passed away when I was young too."

He was stirred out of a reverie he had unwittingly fallen into. Gradually, he realized the significance of what she was telling him.

"My mother and I never really found out what happened, but I heard that it was because of a mishap with a Pokemon. Despite all that, I still ended up becoming a Pokemon trainer just like him. Weird, isn't it?"

Hilda smiled and Volkner saw that it wasn't regretful or sad. Instead, it was a satisfied one and it impressed him. Not many people looked at things the way she did. Even he hadn't at first...

In reaction to his thoughts, her happiness brushed him as her smile widened. "If my dad were here today, he'd be proud of me," she said. "I'm glad I'm one of the people who can say that seriously."

Volkner spoke then. Her words deserved a follow-up from him. "My father always told me that what happened with my mother wasn't my fault. I finally accepted that only after I turned seventeen, so around your age."

"Did you learn how to build solar panels from your father?"

"No, he was a mechanic, but I inherited most of my skill with machines from him. He was a good man. Money wasn't easy to come by and he wasn't used to taking care of a kid at the same time, but he still did it anyway. He could've dropped me off at the orphanage anytime. The only setback in all this was that he couldn't cook."

A grin found its way to his lips.

Immediately, he felt a spike in Hilda's emotions. She was feeling happy again. But over what?

Hearing his thoughts again, he could feel her new emotion of embarrassment as she asked him, "How did you end up becoming interested in electricity?" Her fork, which had been randomly roaming her plate all this time, found a piece of meat she'd missed, stabbed it, and slipped it into her mouth. Nothing could go to waste here.

"My father presented me with a Pikachu on my seventh birthday. Pikachu shocked me at first, when I touched him, but all mouse Pokemon like him are nervous when meeting strangers." The memories filled him with a combination of fondness and nostalgia. "He didn't like me very much, but I eventually got him to trust me. By the way, I have all our Pokemon out in the backyard. They're eating."

Hilda nodded, though he could feel her impatience.

"There isn't much left to tell." He said, reading her impatience as a desire to hear the rest of his story. "Because of Pikachu, I was inspired to learn more about becoming an electrician. I also made the choice to pursue the dream of a Pokemon trainer. And I worked hard to make it to where I am today. I worked hard... and met you."

He didn't have to wait long for her reaction.

His last few words caused her stomach to jump like she'd just free-fallen for a second.

"Same here," she said somewhat lamely. "It makes me think about everything we've been through for the past two days. Anyone would feel like it was a dream."

She pushed her clean plate away from her and attempted to stand up. For a brief moment, she thought her legs had gotten better. Then they buckled again and she fell back down into her chair with a clatter as one of her legs knocked against the table, rattling the plates.

"Ow…" She groaned. "That's the second time today. By the way, is it still today? I don't know if what I ate was dinner or breakfast."

"You'll have both eventually." Volkner came to her side. "We'll be staying the night here since it's 7:00 p.m. right now and you're in no condition to go anywhere." He was going to pick her up again so Hilda quickly obliged, wrapping only one arm around his neck this time, while grabbing a random part of his jacket with the other, though she suspected it was his lapel.

Now that the distance between them was reduced to absolutely nothing, Hilda suddenly remembered how much she smelled.

That was just great! She was perfectly convinced that no one in today's society wanted to smell bad in front of anyone else no matter what the situation might've been.

Inevitably, a certain idea popped into her head. It was an incredibly crazy, insane, and outrageous idea, but it was an idea nonetheless. The reason why she was thinking these dangerous thoughts was clear. However, at the same time, that didn't change anything about how incredibly crazy, insane, and outrageous it was to even think about suggesting it.

But the words tried to tumble out of her mouth anyway. "I want to take a shower. Can you help me?"

Or that's what she would've said had Volkner not come to a stop an instant before she could speak.

In his mind, she was stunned to read the echoes of her own wish and, unwittingly, her heart began to pound.

She had only started noticing it now. What had changed about their connection... all of a sudden Volkner could...

His arms tightened around her and she froze.

In his mind's eye, Hidla's heart was like a myriad of colors.

One moment she was feeling something akin to embarrassment for some reason or other, then the next she was nervous because she suddenly had a new idea.

But now he could see more than that.

As if the thought belonged to him, Hilda's idea translated itself into a desire that was easily absorbed into his conscience. He heard it like it was his own.

Immediately, Hilda gave a start, surprising him. Then he realized that she must've seen his mind.

Her body trembled once and that was all he needed for his chest to clench up.

She was afraid... of him and the constantly changing connection they shared. If this was truly what she was afraid of, he couldn't say because he had no real access to the deeper thoughts in her head, but it made sense.

Without thinking, he tightened his grip on her and she froze like a deer in headlights.

His chest clenched again.

Volkner didn't like this. What was it that was acting up? His chest or his heart? Deep in his mind he already knew the answer, but he couldn't accept it yet.

He loosened his hold on her just a fraction. She felt so small in his arms.

He'd been with a woman before, knew what it felt like to be in the thing that everyone called a relationship and right now... right now the person in his arms was still a girl and both of them had been thrown into a mission to stop an evil man from fulfilling his own selfish dreams. That was the point of their journey so why was he so close to doing the same thing?

The truth was, the greater a man's freedom in the choices he made, the higher the price he had to pay.

"Do you have a change of clothes?" He asked her.

"No, but I have money." She gave a soft laugh and it brushed past his ear like a bird's wing. "Though you probably wouldn't want to go shopping for me. Just take me to the bathroom and..." She trailed off.

"I'll take you there."

Volkner set her down on the toilet seat once he entered the white-tiled room. Then he made his way to the vat-like tub, against the wall, taking up most of the space. Beside the tub was an enclosed shower and Volkner marked it as future reference for when it was his turn to wash.

He hadn't had one since he'd left Sunyshore and, judging from the way he couldn't seem to smell anything unpleasant from Hilda who had a record of two days, he could only come to terms that his own scent was probably several times worse.

Hilda couldn't fight back a giggle.

"I keep forgetting you can hear me." He said, as he peered over at her from where he was working the taps on the bath.

She was smiling, her lips curling up in a way that he wouldn't mind seeing again. Then they parted so she could tell him, "But you have something new now." Her words were followed by a swell of insecurity and Volkner could practically hear her unspoken question.

Just how much had their connection changed?

"I can't read your mind if that's what you're wondering." He said in reassurance. "Except-"

"You know what I want?"

"Something like that." Volkner felt his own sense of insecurity. What about him? How long could he go about with the fact that she could read his thoughts clearly enough to pull the words right out of his mouth? Before he could properly reign it in, a flash of irritation rippled through him.

It took Hilda by surprise and he felt her conscience literally flinch away from his as she quickly tried to apologize. "Sorry," she said with genuine guilt. Volkner supposed it was a sizable perk to know when her words matched how she felt. "I... I felt that."

He looked at her.

She sensed his inquiry and elaborated. "I didn't just read your thoughts. I... felt something too." Her hands, which had been resting on either side of her, reached down to grip the edges of the toilet seat. She was struggling to find the right words. "Normally I... feel only hints of your emotions, but this time it was a lot stronger than before." She laughed. "I guess something changed on my side too."

All he said to her was, "Perhaps," and left it at that. He'd assumed from the beginning that, although she couldn't feel his emotions the way he did hers, she was still somewhat susceptible to them. None of it came as any big surprise.

"If you're trying to be polite by not telling me your real opinion, there's no point." She was grinning at him now, apparently finding this amusing. "So you think I'm wrong? I thought you'd be more on the offensive in arguments. Lightning strikes quickly, doesn't it?"

Her question compelled him to say, "Then should I strike you like I strike my opponents?" It was supposed to be rhetorical, but she answered him anyway.

"If you did, then doesn't that mean you consider me an opponent worthy enough to attack with all your strength?"

He didn't reply at first. Turning the last tap, water came rushing out into the bath and the air quickly turned humid.

"I used to be like that." He said quietly. When he felt her confusion, he explained. "I used to put all my effort into finding worthy opponents."

"And getting into big arguments?" Hilda was just joking, but in his case it rang true.

"And big arguments." He said, nodding and enjoying her interest at this new piece of information. "I was like lightning, striking fast and mercilessly. If I thought someone looked strong, I challenged them on the spot. For a long time, I lost to no one until one day-"

"You challenged Dawn."

"And you already know what happens from there." A nostalgic smile found its way to his lips. "After that battle, I realized that, while Dawn was one of the stronger opponents I'd faced in a long time, plowing through life like I was at the time wasn't the way to go about it. Aggressiveness should be reserved for the battlefield, not the world."

"I see..." Hilda contemplated this seriously for a moment. "So basically you're telling me your attitude went from yellow to mellow."

The way she said it caught him off guard him. Yellow! Was that just because of his hair or-?

"I mean it in a good way! Geez!" Hilda laughed heartily for a few seconds before putting both hands up in surrender. "You used to be 'electrical', but then you rewired yourself to accommodate your surroundings. I think that was very nice of you."

Volkner found himself staring at her and he was glad that she couldn't see him do so. Shaking his head in disbelief at the parallels she drew, he cleared his throat and said, "That's... one way to put it." Though he made it sound like her words hadn't meant much, inside he was feeling rather satisfied, as hard he tried to stifle it.

Then she asked him unexpectedly, "Are you going to take a bath later?"

"A shower," he replied as he came over to offer a helping hand. "This bathroom has both."

He led her to the edge of the bath. Judging from the surprisingly little pressure she put on him, he could tell that, without him, she possibly could've made it to the tub by herself, albeit clumsily.

"And I think I'll be able to get out by myself too. You won't have to come back for me."

He nodded and was about to leave her be when his new awareness of her suddenly picked up on something she wasn't telling him, something that caused her so much embarrassment she couldn't even bring herself to ask it.

"Anything else?" He prodded, despite the misgivings his mind had. "If you want me to do something else for you, tell me and I will."

"No…I can't…" She sounded distressed, but inside nervousness and longing clashed together. She was torn between two decisions. "You'll probably laugh. Or tell me it's a bad idea."

So he made the decision for her. "I won't. What do you want?"

Shocked into silence, Hilda had to pause a moment before asking him, "After I get into the bath, could you...help me wash my back?"

Knowing he was the one he put them in this situation, he had no choice but to comply. "Get in then. I won't look."

His heart beat for an instant with foreign happiness before Hilda released his arm and he turned away. He wondered if he would ever get used to that.

If Hilda had a reply, she didn't say.

She stood still for a few seconds, still trying to wrap her head around the fact that he had actually consented to her request. It made her more than a little nervous when she couldn't even get a sense of what he thought about the whole ordeal.

She started unbuttoning her shirt.

Once her last piece of clothing landed noiselessly on the floor, she slid as quickly and quietly as she could into the bath.

He wouldn't look. She was sure of it.

The water was hot, but just enough to relax her body once she settled herself down completely. "This bathtub is really big." She sighed, more to herself than to anyone else. The water reached her shoulders.

"Are you ready?" Volkner asked her. He had two towels in his hand. She didn't have to see. She just knew.

"Yes."

He placed one on her shoulder. Then Volkner's hand moved there to latch on firmly.

"I know I said I won't laugh, but I have to ask: Does your mother do this for you at home?" Another towel touched her between the shoulder blades and he began moving it up and down, scrubbing her back.

She laughed. "How did you guess? Don't tell me you feel like a mother duck!" The analogy washed a new wave of laughter over her and Hilda pictured Volkner with a very amusing expression as he made a face at her words.

When her laughter finally died down, Hilda continued to smile, but at a certain point, she began to realize that there was something else keeping her lips curled up in such an expression. She relaxed her face and even tried to frown a little to see if it made a difference and was surprised when her lips remained firmly in place.

"Is something wrong?"

The force holding her lips up was suddenly gone as her cheek muscles became hers again.

"No. Nothing." She said it a little too quickly and a light poke of suspicion tapped her mind. Volkner was curious to know what was up with her, but she didn't feel like elaborating.

"Alright."

He was dropping the subject, whatever that subject was going to be. So for the remainder of the time, they were quiet. Then Volkner finished washing her back.

"Th-" She coughed to clear her throat. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

As he had been washing her back, she had noted how his hands had applied just enough pressure to clean her back, but not enough to irritate the skin. Perhaps that kind of control was one of the perks of having a mechanic as a father.

She heard Volkner's footsteps and knew he was leaving the room.

"Volkner, wait. If you want…" She fought to keep from stammering because that would only increase the awkwardness of her offer. "I can... help wash your back too since I can't see so... I won't have any chance to look. Please... let me pay you back." As she finished speaking these words, her heartbeat grew in speed. It was so easy to get nervous now. It felt almost... exhilarating.

Hilda waited for his answer.

The frustration in him threatened to reveal itself through their mental connection, but Volkner easily beat it down.

It was a frustration concerning both Hilda and himself.

"Hilda." His voice came out sterner than he intended so that it almost sounded like he was reprimanding someone much younger. "There are better ways of repaying me."

Her shoulders stiffened and Volkner felt the expected backlash of disappointment, but underlying that emotion was something else.

Suddenly, he heard the water splash as Hilda stated in a controlled voice, "I'm not a child."

"Get back in the water, Hilda." He kept his voice even, forced his mind to clear so that she couldn't pull words from his mouth.

"Then quit treating me like a kid."

He didn't answer her question, but said to her instead, "Get back in the water. You know better than this.

Her anger lashed against him fiercely.

He endured it without a word, but his discomfort must've slipped through their connection because, in the next moment, there was an overwhelming guilt as Hilda came to her senses.

Water rippled as she slid back down into the tub.

"Sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you."

Volkner started walking away.

Immediately, he felt a pang in his chest, which could've only belonged to Hilda, and it left him feeling satisfied because he taught her a lesson.

Yet there was another part of him that felt empty too. It was a strange combination.

He stopped, halfway out the door.

And it refused to go away.

Relenting, he turned his head and spoke to her over his shoulder. "If you really want to do me a favor, then you can help me with the dishes later."

Deciding that that was good enough, Volkner left.

What was that?

Hilda was unsure of what to feel right now. She hadn't prepared for that whole exchange between Volkner and her. It had been a shaky moment and she tried to recall what just happened.

She could remember the frustration that had permeated her body, how she could tell most of it belonged to Volkner and how it had rolled over her in waves.

And the anger.

Her anger.

For that one instant in time, she was provoked so far beyond reasoning that she got up from the bath and faced Volkner down, not caring whether he saw her body or not. She figured out the reason why he rejected her offer.

Again, Volkner had labeled her as a child!

For a while now, she was noticing this. It started since their incident at Snowpoint Temple, where their strange connection had been created. Hilda knew the idea often played around the edges of his mind every now and then when he looked at her, but she hadn't expected it to sink so deep into his consciousness that he wouldn't see her as anything else!

Just because she had appeared as a child in their dream didn't mean her mind still resembled one...

There was nothing child-like about the way she could remember every detail in the moment Volkner clasped both hands over hers.

If she had to describe it, she would say lighting her her belly on fire was as close as she could get. And, unlike actually setting her stomach on fire, it had felt…good.

It was something that, no matter how much her mind screamed at her otherwise, she wanted to feel again.

Hilda was glad Volkner couldn't make sense of her thoughts. They just sounded so depraved sometimes that, once he knew about them, she was sure she would never be able to look him in the eye again.

However, despite this foreboding in her heart, the moment he'd said those last few words before closing the door behind him, Hilda couldn't keep from smiling.

Washing dishes didn't sound like such a bad idea.

—The Hallway, Thirty Minutes Later—

Stepping on to wooden flooring with messily-tied, long hair practically dripping wet wasn't a good idea.

But Hilda had little choice in the matter because she could only be so meticulous in drying herself when she no longer had the same hand-eye coordination as before.

"Volkner! I'm done over here! Lead me to the kitchen!" She called, although she really didn't need to.

Besides the unsettling amount of water that was dripping and seeping into the woodwork beneath her feet, it was even more so to feel the shift in Volkner's thoughts as he caught on to her needs before she even finished her last sentence.

Just another example of how much his side of the connection had grown.

In the end, she didn't want to make him do all the work so, in an attempt to walk a little by herself, Hilda started feeling her way down the hall. Inevitably, her hand came into contact with something on the wall. An oil painting.

Gasping, she quickly withdrew her hand, hoping she hadn't ruined it. Then she heard footsteps.

Reaching out in his direction, she started, "Volkner, I-" and was cut short when he caught her deftly by the wrist, just before her shirt sleeve ended.

He led her away mid-sentence.

"The kitchen?" she asked.

Reading his nod, Hilda smiled. It seemed washing dishes was inevitable.

By the time they got there, Hilda had counted a total of twenty steps. The place was pretty big.

Volkner stopped and she dutifully halted behind him. Then he positioned her next to the sink and Hilda immediately put out a hand to feel for the faucet head. She felt the bare counter instead.

"I'll dry then." She beat him to the punch.

There was a brief pause as he realized she'd read his thoughts again.

Then the faucet was turned on, a dish was washed, and the plate was placed into her expectant hands.

Truthfully, the task didn't take them more than five minutes, but it allowed both of them a way to let their minds idle for a moment and get used to how easily they could read each other's movements. Volkner would finish washing a dish and Hilda would reach her hand out to grab it from him without hesitation.

He mused that this was probably what the old couple in the herb shop meant when they talked about an improvement in teamwork. This also explained why double battles with Psychics were often more challenging than others.

"Are you thinking about Pokemon battles, even when you're washing dishes?" Hilda asked him mock incredulity.

"Are you reading my mind now or are you still getting impressions?" He returned, though he was genuinely curious.

"They're getting stronger. The impressions I mean." Hilda smiled, then looked at him even though she was blind.

It was almost uncanny how she could position her eyes so convincingly that, if you weren't paying too much attention, she could trick you into thinking she could see.

"Only with you."

"What-"

"I mean..." He felt uncertainty flash within her and her smile wavered. "I think I'd only be able to do that trick with you. I can sense you. I know you're there. Probably better than most other people, but..." She closed her unseeing eyes. "I don't get much emotion from you. Sometimes, I wish I had that instead."

He opened his mouth to speak.

"And no, that doesn't mean I want them 'flying at me'." She laughed while miming quotation marks with her fingers.

"Then I think we'd both be in trouble." Volkner said, allowing a chuckle or two. "But when I told you that, I didn't think it was possible for our connection to grow any stronger."

"Do mine fly at you now?"

Volkner fell silent. She was suddenly asking him this in such a soft voice, expecting him to give her a legitimate answer. But he couldn't, not without...

Before she could react, he did something neither of them expected him to do.

He reached over and held her hand. Gently.

But that was all it took.

The plate in Hilda's hand dropped on to the counter with a clatter!

Overwhelmed, Volkner shuddered as her emotions crashed down into his like a wave against a wall and her thoughts became tangible to him, opening up so that he could see Hilda was torn between either tearing away from him or holding on even tighter.

Volkner held on tighter.

Hilda was flooded with a longing that didn't belong to her, so intense that she tried to back away, but her hand was held fast.

Stop. Stop it, Volkner! Before I-!

Suddenly, as if in answer to her mental cry, she heard a loud screech and then the sound of impact, along with Volkner's yell of surprise, as something made contact with his body.

"Simipour!" Hilda called out at first in shock and then in horror as she realized Volkner could be seriously injured. "You're hurting him!"

The sound of feet hitting the ground told her the water monkey was doing as he was told, but it turned out he wasn't done yet. There was a splash as Simipour drenched his target from head to toe in water.

Volkner hissed in another bout of unpleasant surprise, cursing silently in his head.

Had Simipour tackled him too hard? Hilda wondered.

She reached out and was about to check his cheek for swelling when he caught her wrist firmly. This time he made sure he didn't touch her skin.

"I'm sorry." He told her quietly. "I didn't mean to do that to you."

Feeling a sliver of his genuine sincerity, Hilda accepted his apology by simply nodding, albeit a little shakily.

Then he let go and she heard him start to walk away.

"Wait, where are you going?" For a moment, she was afraid that he might just leave the house.

But then she finally focused enough to read his impressions and calmed down.

Oh, so that was where he was going.

"Just finishing the shower your Simipour gave me. You can wait for me in the living room and I'll take you to the bedroom afterwards."

Then he left.

Crooning softly from beside her, Simipour tugged on the bottom of her shorts to get her attention.

Hilda placed a hand on his head and said, "Thank you, Simipour. I think both of us needed that. If you hadn't shown up…" She couldn't finish the sentence.

Then, remembering where Simipour had come running from, she asked him, "How are the others doing? Are all of you getting along? I know you probably didn't like Volkner's Pokemon very much." The monkey was a Water-type Pokemon after all.

Simipour hooted and Hilda assumed it was a positive answer so she nodded her head and smiled at him or at least in his general direction. Then she touched the counter and knew she would have to clean all this up herself.

"There's an easier way," She mused. "Simipour, go back to the yard, but can you call Darmanitan over for me?"

The monkey ran off, probably leaving wet footprints behind him and making Hilda want to sigh, but the solution to the problem came in less than a minute. Before long, the large fire ape was calling to her from the doorway and Hilda somehow managed to coax him into helping her clean up Simipour's mess. On the way, Darmanitan had probably already blown the monkey dry, leaving the rest of the house wet-free. Simipour was just going to be a mess of fur tomorrow.

Darmanitan worked quickly and the kitchen was dry before long. The ape left after a good belly rub down from his trainer.

Now all she had to do was get to the living room without overturning an expensive vase or something stupid like that.

"And I doubt I'll ever be that lucky." She grumbled to herself.

True to Hilda's word, at least three expensive-sounding vases hit the floor on the way to the living room, though none of them broke because they were apparently sturdier than she'd imagined. It took her several minutes groping around on the floor to find each one and several more put them back in their original spots.

So this was what blind people went through every day? Maybe not even like this. At least most were either well-equipped to handle their blindness or completely familiar with the house they lived in.

In Hilda's case, it was neither.

Collapsing on to the living room couch, Hilda mused it must've taken her a full ten minutes scrabbling her way to this small sanctuary of rest.

Volkner should be back by now.

As if on cue, a door opened and Hilda stood up holding out her hand, expecting Volkner to take it.

But, the moment he walked up to her, she realized something felt very out of place, promptly dropped her hand, and stammered, "Volkner, wh-why aren't you wearing any clothes!" She didn't even have to see him to feel terribly embarrassed!

Suddenly, his hand caught hers, immediately striking her with a powerful sensation of calm. Then Volkner quickly moved so he was holding her wrist.

"I'm wearing a towel. There's no need to scream." He told her with the barest hint of amusement in his voice. Much to her surprise, her own lips lifted in a smirk that didn't belong to her. "Besides, your Simipour soaked my only change of clothes so I have to hang them out to dry."

Hilda wanted to know. "How did you do that?"

"Do what."

"Make me smile like that!"

Volkner laughed, which sent her into a few chuckles too. "I don't know anything about that."

"No, of course you don't," Hilda released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, "Neither of us know anything about what's happening."

His fingers tightened on her wrist. "So it just means we'll have to work all the harder to understand it. Come on, Hilda. It's time to go to bed."

"Treating me like a kid again."

Volkner sighed.

—The Bedroom—

"Are we sharing a room tonight?"

If Volkner ever took the time to dole out awards for the worst questions to ask at a given moment, he'd be awarding Hilda one right now.

On cue, she made an apologetic face at him. However, she felt no remorse whatsoever and, based on the way she'd asked him, the question was practically rhetorical.

"Do you trust me that much?" He returned.

He was still trying to understand why she wanted to sleep on the same bed as him, despite his actions earlier, but perhaps knowing the reason wasn't really that important.

Because he found himself feeling the same way as well.

Much to his dismay, Hilda's cheeks colored red. She heard that.

"I can take you on if you try anything." She said half-jokingly, lifting a fist up to his face for good measure. "It's scary sleeping in a big room by myself, but whatever happens..." She released her fist. "I know you didn't do it to hurt me."

She was just a little too trusting, but right nonetheless. Before he could help himself, his hand reached out and patted her head, then stayed there, causing Hilda to give a small start.

Her surprise was magnified several times as the full extent of her emotions flowed through their point of contact. Volkner found himself whispering, "It's easier to sympathize with you because of this... If we didn't have it. I guess I... I guess everything would be different."

Hilda grinned at his words, clearly pleased. And perhaps also pleased by whatever other impressions she might've pulled from his mind that even Volkner himself might not have been conscious of.

When he reached down to take hold of her wrist, she grabbed his hand instead.

Shocked, he braced himself for a fresh onslaught of rampant emotions, but it ended up being something else entirely.

He simply felt... happiness.

"We can learn to control this."

Hilda was focusing, concentrating all her energy into creating that semblance of happiness. But that was all it was. A semblance.

Volkner shook his head, which caused Hilda to frown. "Just how long do you expect to stay like that? It's not reasonable."

Already, he could feel her concentration slipping, just enough so that he became aware of the dormant flurry of emotions running just beneath her facade of happiness.

"I don't have the same control as you do, Hilda. Let go-"

"Have you even tried?" Hilda demanded. Her irritation with him immediately dominated their connection.

Volkner flexed, then switched it so that his hand was the one gripping now, and squeezed, just enough to make a point. "Every time."

Then he let go, but not before he felt a stab of fear. What kind of fear, he didn't know, but he knew, from that moment, none of her fears would ever sit well with him.

"Go to sleep now, Hilda." His voice came out gentle, coaxing. "I'll be back later."

When she didn't move and just stood there in what looked like a daze, Volkner decided to act quickly and swept her right off her feet into his arms.

She squealed in total surprise. Then clapped both hands over her mouth as if she couldn't believe she even made such a noise.

Walking over to the mattress, Volkner placed her down softly. Then he turned to leave.

"Wait." she called.

He waited.

She sat on the bed with crossed legs.

Her ponytail had come undone so she hastily pulled the rest of it out, resulting in a tangle of bangs blocking part of her face.

Knowing that Volkner was waiting for her to say something, Hilda chose her words carefully. "I... I don't know how to thank you, Volkner. For all this I mean. You've done more than... well, much more than I expected a stranger to do. I know thank you isn't enough, but I'll think of something." She chanced a promise, "Maybe I'll save your life a second time."

She heard him shift.

Suddenly, the thought of her hair came to mind, from the way it ended just a few inches above her back to how familiarly messy her bangs were. The thought filled her mind quickly and without warning.

Then, as if in answer to that thought, fingers picked up a good portion of her bangs and tucked them behind her ear.

Hilda froze, dumbfounded.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that." She heard him murmur. Then he shifted again and Hilda knew it was to leave the room this time.

Once he was gone, Hilda lifted a hand to her chest, feeling the rapid beating of her heart. There was no doubt that he read her spike in emotion, heard the shallowness of her breath, and saw the burning flush that traveled up her neck and into her cheeks.

Alone in the room, Hilda shakily released the breath she'd been holding.

His fingers never even touched her skin, but that was all it took. Just one touch.

She shook her head roughly. This wasn't the time to dwell on it any more!

With renewed purpose, Hilda slipped out of her shirt and bra, put the shirt back on afterwards, and slid under the bed covers, tucking her legs close beneath her.

There were more pressing matters at hand, one of which was the fact that her seventeenth birthday was in two weeks, than any future issues she might have regarding her relationship with her new partner.

In fourteen days, she was officially going to be an adult. Many things could change on that day or nothing at all.

Until then...

Hilda was asleep before she could finish that thought.

—Fifteen Minutes Later, Volkner—

He flicked off the lights and the master bedroom was drowned in darkness.

Then he lay down on the bed wearing nothing but his boxers. For as long as he could remember, he'd always slept that way so he did it automatically and without thinking.

However, the soft breathing of the girl beside him served as a reminder that he had someone else to consider when going through his normal routines. He had a mental picture of her waking up in the morning and screaming because of him.

With that in mind, he reluctantly got out of bed to go slip on his shirt. Sometimes, it was hard to act like a gentleman.

Once he came back, he whispered, "Good night," though he knew Hilda was already long gone. It was surprising to see how, even after being unconscious for five hours, she could still fall asleep so quickly.

He wondered for a moment how their sleeping arrangements were going to work out. The bed had two pillows, but only a single large blanket. Was Hilda a sheet stealer?

Volkner prayed with some determination that she wasn't. The last thing he wanted was to wake up cold in the morning.

As he pulled his share of the blanket over him, the girl shifted in her sleep so that she ended up facing him. Subsequently, her hand fell on his hip and he felt the pleasant tingle that was now a trademark of any physical contact between them.

He closed his eyes, breathed in slowly, then exhaled and opened them.

The bedroom had a single window looking out into a small part of the yard, which allowed moonlight to stream in through its sills. The light illuminated a part of Hilda's sleeping face and that was what he studied when he opened his eyes.

There was something unique about her looks, something that drew him in and set her apart from other girls. Of course, that had also been the case with Elesa.

The name brought forth a rush of memories and Volkner closed his eyes in an effort to control it. For two years, he'd been reluctant about even thinking of his previous lover again, but it was inevitable. Elesa and him…

If the time came for it, how should he tell Hilda about it? How would she react?

He wondered, for a moment, if she would laugh it off as an interesting piece of news. Or would she send him a wave of jealousy? Volkner was a fool if he couldn't see that he had a place in Hilda's mind to some degree. Her reaction to his touch earlier had been proof or... had she reacted that way simply because of their connection?

He opened his eyes again.

Hilda's lips were lifted in a slanted smile.

What could she be dreaming about? Volkner wondered. Who could she be dreaming about?

The answer came in the form of a single letter in his mind, but Volkner pushed it away before anything could manifest.

Then he found himself smiling. Even if Hilda had someone else in her dreams right now, slowly, but surely, he was becoming a bigger part of her thoughts than anyone else.

The satisfaction he felt from this surprised him.

"Dangerous waters, Volkner. You're treading in dangerous waters." He murmured to himself, almost like a mantra.

Then he finally broke out of his reverie and realized that his arms had wrapped unbidden around Hilda's waist and pulled her close to him, close enough so that the top of her head touched the bottom of his chin. Her breath was tickling his neck ever so slightly and he wondered how he hadn't noticed it earlier.

The way he held her was familiar. He'd done it back at the Old Chateau when Hilda was still separated from her body, only now she was warmer, more substantial. Alive.

There was a faint scent coming from her hair. It was a soothing smell that led him to bury his face there. She'd probably used the unmarked shampoo bottle near the bath, while he'd used the one marked Spelon.

Perhaps after they reached Floaroma Town and found the man with the honey, he could ask around for the flower with the soothing smell. It suited Hilda very nicely.

As he continued inhaling the light scent, he began drifting off.

Yes, Volkner found himself thinking right before his eyes closed, it's okay to stay like this.

Just a little longer.

Chapter Text

—Seven Hours Earlier, Cheren and Bianca—

She exploded.

"Bianca!" Cheren yelled.

His glasses were covered in a layer of dust, forcing him to scrabble around the cave walls to get his bearings.

"STOP LAUGHING!"

Bianca nearly fell over, clutching her sides, as she burst out in another fresh round of laughter. She laughed so hard that she teared up.

"This isn't funny at all!" Cheren continued groping around in the dark until he found the cave exit, which was where Bianca had been standing the whole time, watching him in all his blinded glory.

"It's not my fault you used Gigalith to smash those boulders." She teased him. "Don't you know Rock-type Pokémon always make a mess? I think a bit of their bodies chip off whenever they do things like that.

"Well now I know." He said testily.

Bianca was still chuckling when she went over to dust him off. Then she slipped his glasses straight off his nose and began cleaning them with the hem of her shirt.

"I'm sure Candice wouldn't mind a little dust on her clothes. I'll definitely wash it off later!"

"Thanks." Cheren said quietly when she handed them back to him. "So…shall we go?"

Bianca nodded. "There's no time to lose."

—Outskirts of Celestic Town—

"Hey, Cheren," Bianca pointed at the figure ahead of them. "Is that grandma expecting us?"

"Where?" Cheren demanded, squinting to look into the distance. Even with glasses, he still had trouble seeing far.

"Standing at the town entrance you dummy, where else!" Bianca did not hesitate to take the opportunity to call her lover a name. His reactions to them were always so cute.

"What-!" He began, but by then they'd already come within hearing distance of the grandma so Bianca cut him off.

"Aha! I guess Cynthia was correct. You are coming in from Mt. Coronet. I never would've imagined foreigners experiencing some of Sinnoh's toughest terrain straight from the get-go! I hear you had to parachute in, am I right?" Right away, the grandma set herself apart from other old ladies. Her zeal for excitement appeared to have been unaffected by time.

"Yes, you're right, madam." Cheren replied, suddenly very polite. He figured this must be the elder associated with Cynthia.

But, this time Bianca was the one who saw even further into the old woman's identity. She had only met Cynthia once before and that had been from a distance. It was the time Cynthia had challenged Hilda to a Pokémon battle due to the strength she saw in her eyes. The Pokemon champion herself had had intense, grey ones.

And this grandma was looking at them in the same way.

"Are you…" Bianca hesitated for a moment. Then she gathered enough courage to ask. "Are you related to Cynthia in any way? I mean, you kind of have her eyes…"

Cheren took this moment to look a little closer and realized Bianca was right. What an observant little lover she is, he mused.

"Of course! Didn't Cynthia tell you?" the grandma gave a big laugh. "I'm her grandmother and Celestic Town is where she was born."

"I think I know where Cynthia gets her energy from now." Cheren attempted to say discreetly to Bianca, which was ultimately picked up by the old woman and earned him another laugh from her.

"I like both of you already. Call me Carolina." The woman pointed at herself with her thumb and smiled with a gleam of her teeth and one eye winked. It was such a cheesy pose that Bianca had to bring both hands up to stifle a laugh and Cheren coughed into his jacket sleeve.

"Come with me, young ones. You must tell me your names, ages, how many badges you've collected, everything! And…" Her eyes grew serious all of a sudden. "Who this new terror traipsing about Sinnoh is."

At this, the mood became tense and all three people were quiet for a moment, each silently reflecting on the situation.

Finally, Cheren spoke. "Okay, Carolina. We'll tell you everything. Starting from page one."

"Alright then." Carolina grinned at the two of them. "We'll go to my house. It's easier to talk in private there."

—Carolina's House—

The woman was indeed the town's elder, for she owned the largest house in town. Her home was furnished traditionally. Along with sliding rice paper doors, there was even a small alcove in one corner of the house, where a scroll with ancient calligraphy was hanging.

Carolina noticed their interest in the alcove and said, "This town is a historical site. All houses here own an alcove and a scroll just like that, though I believe ours is supposed to be the oldest out of all of them."

"How old is the shrine outside?" Bianca asked.

"It's been there for as long as anyone can remember," Carolina replied. Her eyes looked faraway for a moment, as if she was seeing something from many years ago. "It must've been built by the first few settlers of this town, which was more than five centuries ago."

Bianca made an impressed sound.

"There is also a ruin here, a cave of sorts, where the carvings of ancient Pokémon are depicted." Carolina's eyes refocused and she looked at the two of them. "I can bring you there to take a look if you'd like, after you've told me your story that is."

"Of course," said Cheren matter-of-factly. "We wouldn't want to deprive you of a good tale. Everything that's happened to us so far feels like one."

"Then I'm sure parachuting into Snowpoint City was the least of your worries." Carolina winked at them. "From the few sources I have here and there, I hear that he left Snowpoint City only yesterday. Many people have disappeared since then." She became serious.

"There is only one Pokémon with the power to banish so many people so quickly. And that is Giratina."

Both Cheren and Bianca nodded. The name wasn't anything new, but it seemed this woman knew more about the Pokémon than they did.

"We came from a region called Unova." Cheren began, deciding to start their story from there.

"Oh yes, I've heard many stories about that place from Cynthia. She also told me of the legend you have there as well. It's very similar to the legend of Palkia and Dialga, which I'll tell you more about once we go to the ruins."

"Yes…" Cheren hesitated for a moment. He wondered how she would react if he told her that both Pokémon from their legend were currently somewhere in Sinnoh. "And our friend happens to be partners with the one called Zekrom."

"Oh!" A spark appeared in Caroline's eyes. "So she's one of the two heroes in your legend! Sit here, young ones." She gestured towards a small table with legs close to the ground and four cushions placed all around. "Your story will probably take a while. Isn't it better if we all sat down?"

When they did, with Bianca sitting adjacent to Cheren, they noticed Carolina didn't sit down with them.

She smiled at the two of them and said. "I made some tea and it's still sitting on the stove in the kitchen. Nothing should go to waste!" Then she left the room.

Alone for the moment, a somewhat awkward silence unexpectedly fell between the two lovers.

Cheren wondered what Bianca was thinking. Perhaps her mind was wandering back to their time in the temple when he…had…

The silence became heavier.

Unable to bear it for a second longer, he reached his hand over and caught Bianca's under the table. She squeaked and turned incredibly red, only she wasn't alone in this reaction. He didn't need a mirror to see how crimson his cheeks were right now, but that was because he wanted to do something else than just hold her hand.

Slipping off his glasses and placing them on the table, he tugged on Bianca's hand to bring her closer to him.

Shocked, Bianca made eye contact with him, only to see that he'd taken off his glasses.

"Cheater." She muttered, though she knew he could see her face clearly.

"I don't want them getting in the way."

Then he pressed his lips none-too-gently against hers. But that was his style and Bianca loved it. Bringing his other hand up to her cheek, he held her in place. His heart was beating so fast and he wanted so much to hide it, but what would that achieve?

They separated, both breathing slightly harder than before.

"Cheren…" Bianca's eyes were darker than usual and he knew she wanted more.

Just like him.

"Bianca, feel this." He brought her hand up to his chest, placing it over his hammering heart. "If we do any more, I don't know...I don't think my heart can take it. It can't be scientifically possible to have a heart beat this fast just from kissing, can it?" Then he gave a small laugh at how silly his question sounded even to his own ears.

"Maybe it is." Bianca brought his hand to touch her chest as well and he was happy to feel her heart beating just as fast.

And then both of them realized he was touching something other than her chest.

Cheren whipped his hand back like he'd been burned.

"Bianca! I-I'm so-sorry!" Cheren's face instantly flushed to match the color of the shrine's roof outside.

God! Would he be sent to hell early for touching Bianca like that?

"Cheren. Cheren! It's okay. You didn't mean to do it. I'm the one who put your hand there remember?" Bianca's cheeks also reddened when she said those words, but what she said next enflamed them even more.

"But…I wouldn't mind if you did it again."

"Do what again, young ones?" Carolina slid the paper doors aside with her foot, a tray of tea in her hands.

The expressions on both Cheren's and Bianca's faces at her timely entrance would still be remembered for days to come.

—Half an Hour Later, After the Incident—

"I see…" Carolina mused. "So his name is Ghetsis and he's a wanted criminal in your region? It seems this man already has a bad reputation to begin with. And you're on your way to Lake Valor to find Azelf? I see…"

She took a moment to think.

"Well…I better show you the ruins now. You've entertained me with your very intriguing tale and I suppose I should pay you back. And, I'm not surprised Volkner somehow managed to get caught up in all this. That boy has always shown a potential for looking for bigger fights than most people can handle. And this may just be one of the bigger fights all of Sinnoh may have to face."

The room went quiet for a while. Bianca kept her eyes trained on Carolina for the duration of the silence. The older woman suddenly looked tired and her eyes finally matched her true age.

"Carolina…?" Bianca called her.

The older woman shook her head, as if breaking out of a trance. "Oh. Sorry, I was just thinking…" She looked between them, her eyes unreadable.

To Cheren, however, it looked almost like sympathy.

"The path ahead will be a hard one for all of you." She warned. "I know those in Snowpoint have already told you this, but…you need to be careful. It doesn't help that I know too much about Giratina's darkness and violence. The Pokémon itself isn't naturally malevolent, but now that a hateful man somehow gained some sort of alliance with it… Well… As you can see, no good came out of that."

She took a breath, then exhaled softly. "I'll tell you more once we get to the ruins."

—Celestic Ruins—

"These engravings…" Carolina ghosted her fingers over one of them. "They form a triangle of lights with a single large one in the center. On the map, can you see this same pattern in the lakes of Sinnoh?"

"Yes…" Cheren pointed at the light in the center of the triangle. "Does that one represent Giratina?"

"Perhaps." She answered vaguely. Clarifying herself, she said, "It could be Giratina, or Dialga, or Palkia. Any one of them actually."

"What are Palkia and Dialga exactly?" Cheren mused. "If Giratina represents darkness, then shouldn't those two represent the light?"

"No, it's not quite as simple as that. All three have darknesses of their own. No Legendary Pokémon is without its own pride and righteous anger, though Giratina happens to have a little more than the other two. You could look at it this way. The three points of the triangle don't have to represent only the three guardians of the lakes. They can be Palkia, Dialga, and Giratina as well."

"So they balance each other out, despite their differences." Cheren concluded.

Nodding, Carolina continued, "Palkia is a render of space. Dialga is a manipulator of time. And Giratina…well, he's the guardian of an entire dimension, separate from ours. I believe you know of it already."

"The Distortion World." Bianca chimed in. Based off her expression when she said it, Cheren could see that it was difficult for his lover to even say the name.

"Yes, it isn't a place fit for humans, or other Pokémon for that matter." Carolina's voice was grave. "If what you say is true, then the price to be paid for opening a gate to Giratina's world… Can you already see what she may have to give up?"

Cheren and Bianca both nodded. After all, when one made a sacrifice… it was always something or someone close to them.

"No…" Everyone turned to look at Bianca. She'd come to a horrifying realization. "What if...? She'd have to sacrifice someone too, wouldn't she? I mean, for Ghetsis it was his own son!"

"Calm down, Bianca." Cheren said, trying to soothe her. "No matter what happens, Hilda will pull through. Besides," he added. "Nothing says she has to sacrifice a person."

The meaning of those words fell upon them.

"So if Ghetsis sacrificed his son, then... he really did care for his son…" Bianca murmured, lost in thought. And then her expression grew dark. "Enough to know he was the perfect sacrifice for the stupid portal!" She shook lightly with anger at the memory of Ghetsis' emotionless face looking down at her before she was almost killed by Giratina's attack.

Even if the man truly loved his son, whatever part of him that did was already dead. The one walking around Sinnoh no longer had any such emotions left. No more love.

Just a deep hatred.

"And that is why it's important that you stop him. Time isn't what's running out. It's people's lives."

Carolina's words were frightening ones indeed, but her next ones really put the reality before their eyes.

"People can only live for so long in the Distortion World. Luckily, time there runs slower than in our world so the rush to save lives doesn't start till much later. And it seems that Ghetsis is currently taking his time in collecting badges."

"How many has he collected so far?" Bianca asked.

"Three: Eterna, Orebough, and Snowpoint." The relief at telling them this news was clear in Carolina's eyes. "He still hasn't stopped by Canalave yet. He probably plans on spreading terror throughout Sinnoh over a number of days and chipping away at our defenses bit by bit so that, eventually, none of us will be able to fight back. But he really underestimates us. We're more determined than he thinks."

She grinned at her own words and no one questioned them.

Then, turning to look directly at both of them, she said, "And as for your friend and Volkner. Hilda has proven herself worthy of Zekrom's partnership. If that doesn't say something about her, what will? And Volkner isn't called Sinnoh's top gym leader for nothing. Perhaps you're only thinking of them separately. But together, they will be able to pull through many obstacles now and in the future. I know the two of you can do the same. After all, you were so intimate in my living room earlier." She winked at them.

Both trainers were utterly aghast.

Carolina laughed at their expressions and turned to leave for the cave exit. "Let's start heading back. One of the reasons you needed to see me was for a town map, yes?"

Cheren couldn't bring himself to follow her, mortified as he was.

When Carolina saw how neither of them were moving, she gave another hearty laugh. "Don't worry! I was just teasing both of you!"

"Yeah…we know…" He grumbled.

Determined to deter their next wave of embarrassment, Bianca reached back and grabbed his hand, tugging him along. "Come on, Cheren. Let's hurry up or else Carolina will beat us back to her house!"

Oh, who was he kidding?

He tightened his grip on her hand ever so slightly. She was his lover. Was there anything else to it? The revelation filled his heart and his words came out as a whisper when he said them.

"I'll take care of you, Bianca. If you'll let me."

"Did you say something, Cheren?" Bianca looked back at him and her eyes caught the light streaming in from the entrance. They suddenly seemed to him like lanterns, overflowing with happiness and energy, and the image was burned into his mind's eye.

"No," he replied. "I was just wondering what will happen if we really do lose to Cynthia's grandmother."

"Then let's go faster, Cheren, so we never have to find out!" Bianca picked up speed.

"You'll never beat me, young ones!" Carolina cackled as she suddenly broke out into a run that no woman her age should still be able to maintain.

"She's fast!" Bianca shrieked.

"She's Cynthia's grandmother." Cheren said matter-of-factly. Then a gleam shone in his eye. "But this is a worthy challenge."

With little to no warning, Cheren blasted off after the old woman at full speed, Bianca now dangling helplessly behind him.

"Cheren, you dummy, slow down!"

—East of Celestic Town, Outskirts—

"It's so foggy," Bianca whisked her hand back and forth in front of her in an attempt to disperse the mists. "Is the rest of Sinnoh like this too?"

"No, only in a few areas." Peace entered Carolina's eyes momentarily as she gazed out over the mountains of her home. "Celestic Town is well guarded by mountains and fog. Ghetsis will most likely leave this place alone. You have the map I gave you?" She turned serious again as she looked at Cheren.

Dutifully, he patted one of the pockets on his backpack.

Carolina nodded, "Good. And the clothing?"

Bianca shook her head in confirmation.

As if it came as an afterthought, which it probably did, the old woman decided to mention, "Oh yes, I packed something extra in there in case you should need it. I'm sure at least one of you has something similar."

Bianca blinked. "And that is...?"

The smile Carolina gave her seemed almost... mischievous. "It's a surprise." She winked at Cheren then as if they were sharing a secret.

Cheren's cheeks quickly grew warm. Unfortunately, the statement wasn't far off from the truth. He understood all too well what she had given them. As a matter of fact, Candice's grandparents had packed them the same thing. Placed discreetly in a corner of his bag was an unmarked jar filled with pink pills. When Bianca wasn't paying attention, he went through her bag and found an identical one.

Whether it was to his advantage or not, since he was almost seventeen, he had had to take a mandatory class instructing him on the usage of these pills. The experience hadn't been the most pleasant one, but at least for moments like this he wasn't just staring dumbly at what basically counted as birth control.

"Thanks." Cheren managed to croak, his throat suddenly very dry. If Bianca only knew...

"You're welcome. You'll definitely be thanking me more later on." Carolina chuckled in good humor. "Oh yes, and one last thing."

She gestured to the mists. "A powerful Flying-type Pokémon can easily blow the fog away. Here we call it Defog. It isn't hard to get your Pokémon to do. Just a few flaps should be enough!"

Then she turned away, her back facing them, so they couldn't see her face. When she spoke again, her voice was gentler.

"If my granddaughter were here, she'd set off with the two of you without a moment's thought. What wouldn't she give to see a Pokémon like Giratina in person? But she's up at the Pokémon League right now, preparing the tower's defenses."

At this, Bianca instinctively felt a pang of sympathy for the older woman. Just when was the last time Carolina saw her granddaughter?

The sympathy only lasted so long, however. Carolina's words led Bianca to bring a more crucial question to light. "Just how long do we have, Carolina? How long does it take for the Distortion World to start affecting the people trapped there?"

She didn't say anything at first, but when she did her voice was low. "The people… I would say about a month... before their bodies begin to deteriorate. And, once that happens, their spirits will be exposed to the world's distortional atmosphere. At that point, it wouldn't be long before..."

She trailed off and was silent for a moment, her unspoken words lingering in the air between them. Then she turned and slowly began to walk away.

Cheren and Bianca simply watched her go. At the same time, her words sank in. So they had a month's time to stop Ghetsis before most of the people in the Distortion World ceased to exist.

Then, suddenly caught in a swell of gratefulness for all the old woman had done to help them, Bianca called out after her, "Carolina! Thank you! Thank you foreverything!"

In the distance, Carolina put one hand up in the air to show that she heard her.

They continued to stand there, watching Carolina's retreating back, until neither of them could see her anymore.

"We better get going, Bianca." Cheren tugged her gently toward the mists. "After all…one month. That's all we have."

"Yeah…" She let her lover lead the way.

As the mists enveloped them, there was the cry of a great bird and then the mists were blown away with a single powerful gust of wind.

"Unfezant, return."

Then silence reclaimed the area once more.

—Café Cabin—

With one month left to save Sinnoh and several hundred people's lives on the line...

"Bianca, why are we here?" Cheren demanded, his glasses flashing angrily. "We can't afford to make stops like-"

"Yes we can!" Bianca replied stubbornly.

In one arm she cradled a small Psyduck, perhaps only a few months old. The other hand held a small bottle of Moomoo Milk, which had cost them five hundred Pokémon dollars.

Five hundred!

"We may have only one month to get everything done, but it takes less than a day to save a Psyduck!" Bianca said before occupying herself again with making baby noises to the Pokémon.

"I'm glad your girlfriend decided to save that baby Pokemon." Said the maid at the cash register, who had happily rung them up for the bottle of Moomoo milk. "It's been at our front door since yesterday and refused to budge. But, I guess it finally ran out of energy."

"It's a she." Bianca said after doing a quick check.

"You sure?" Cheren was about to lift up the Psyduck's tail, but Bianca lightly slapped his hand away.

"You're not allowed to touch her, you heartless man!" She scolded him while coddling and feeding the Pokémon.

Psyduck looked much better now, her previous sickly green now a healthy sunny yellow. She quacked with some energy, her closed eyes creased in happiness.

"Oh, Cheren, I think she's thanking me!"

Cheren could practically see the sparkles surrounding Bianca on all sides. She had always been good with children. So…when the time came for it…

His cheeks were suddenly warm again and he put a hand over his face to hide his blush from all the faces watching in the café. He actually made eye contact with the maid at the register and she winked at him. Other people were also smiling and making faces at him. Could they read minds?

"Why don't you make yourself useful, Cheren, and give Hilda a call?"

It was both a tease and an order in one. The things women were capable of...

Cheren marched grumpily out of the café, slipping his transceiver out from his bag as he did so. He might as well try calling. Canalave City was going to be one of the cities on their friend's route and who knew what might ensue if Hilda and Ghetsis were to meet face to face.

She'd probably try to kill him herself, Cheren decided with some exasperation. After all, if the man's name was considered despicable, it would be several times worse for Hilda to see his face.

Once he was outside, he dialed Hilda's number and waited for the phone to pick up. After six rings, the call immediately switched over to voicemail and Cheren considered canceling it and trying again. However, he remembered that Hilda checked her voice mails, unlike Bianca, who simply deleted them on sight.

He waited until the beep. Then he left his message.

"Hilda, keep an eye out for Ghetsis near Canalave City. He still has to fight the city's gym leader, but he may be gone by the time you get there. Bianca and I are fine. We just passed through Celestic Town and got the map. Now we're headed for Veilstone. However…"

Cheren sighed and massaged his temple.

"We've stopped at this café because Bianca found a sick Psyduck. I'm sure you've met a few of those in the White Forest. She's tending to…her right now so we may take a little longer than anticipated. I hope you're doing well, Hilda. And…Volkner, you too, if you're the one listening to this. If not, then, Hilda, tell him Bianca and I said hello."

He flipped off the transceiver.

Slipping it back into his bag, Cheren took the time to look around the cafe's tropical environment. Who knew Sinnoh also had so much tall grass, though there was considerably less of it compared to Unova. Either way, Cheren had always disliked how tall grass always seemed to enjoy snagging on to all parts of his clothing. And it seemed Sinnoh's grass was no exception.

Now if he had a machete…

As Cheren dreamed of his revenge on everything to do with tall grass, he took his time coming back inside the café. Hopefully, Bianca was almost done taking care of the Psyduck.

"Cheren, look! Look! I think she likes me." Her happy voice was the first thing he heard as he re-entered the cafe. He watched as Bianca walked in circles with the Psyduck following dutifully behind her.

"She thinks you're her mother." Cheren pointed out. "She probably strayed from her flock."

"She's so cute!" Bianca squealed. Then a thoughtful look appeared on her face. "But I can't carry more than six Pokémon at a time so…"

"Solaceon Town is nearby." The maid suggested helpfully, though she missed the livid look Cheren shot her. "You can deposit your Pokémon in the center there."

No sooner had the words left her mouth did Bianca turn to give Cheren the look-that-he-could-never-turn-down.

He tried, but lasted no more than five seconds. "Okay, okay!" He said after much effort. "We'll go!"

"Thank you!" She ran forward, popped a small kiss on the corner of his lips, and left the café with Psyduck zipping after her feet. Cheren touched the area where she kissed him. It was a promise of more to come.

"You got a special girl there, partner." One of the café's customers told him. He had a beard and was wearing a stiff, brown hat that Cheren knew was a trademark of those living in the western half of the Pokémon world.

"You've got a special hat there, sir." He replied.

The man gave a big-bellied laugh. Literally. Cheren watched as his stomach shook from the force of his laughter. Across from him, a young, blonde girl wearing the same hat giggled as well.

"You're funny, mister." She said as she pointed at him in good humor. "Solaceon's known for having a few ranchers and cowgirls like us roaming around. But seeing as you ain't never met one of us before, I can tell that you ain't from these parts."

"You're right." Cheren straightened his glasses. "My friend and I come from a faraway region called Unova. You've probably never heard of it. On our continent, we have cowgirls and ranchers just like you. But, like you said, I've never met any of them."

"Well, now you have!" exclaimed the big, bearded man. "And you better catch up with your girl or she might get lost! There's a lot of tall grasses between here and Solaceon and going straight will only take her down a mud slide."

Cheren quickly thanked both of them and, before he left, tipped the maid. If he didn't do it now, Bianca would be running all the way back into the café to do it herself.

He started sprinting before the cafe door closed behind him and caught his lover seconds before she slid and ruined her clothes.

"Wrong way, Bianca." He whispered to her in a low voice. He kept his arms wrapped tight around her waist to make sure she couldn't move away.

"Th…thanks, Cheren." She stammered.

Cheren, picturing the bright flush of her cheeks, smiled.

"You know…" He said, after a few minutes of simply standing like that at the edge of a small drop. "If we stay here any longer, your Psyduck might just get hungry again."

"You're right!" Bianca gasped. She put two hands up to her mouth in mock horror. "We shouldn't touch each other ever again so Psyduck can eat!"

Cheren pulled her even closer, then pressed her up against him to kiss her softly on the neck before letting go. "Not a chance." He breathed.

His own actions caused himself to blush and, when Bianca turned around, he ended up granting her such a full view of his vulnerable expression that it only made his cheeks burn more.

Bianca took his hand. "Take me to Solaceon Town, Cheren, so we can return to our journey and finish it quickly. Maybe... after that... we can return to our regular lives again. Just the two of us and…well, maybe two more people."

She probably meant Volkner.

"Who knows?" Cheren mused. "I see it happening too."

It didn't take long for them to make their way into town and, after depositing Musharna, which ended up being an interesting experience, the duo set off once more for Veilstone City and, from there, Lake Valor.

Little did they know, however, that they would meet someone in Veilstone who would play an important part in their mission, as well as in the future of their most important friend. Nothing would be known about her at first, for the duo's meeting with her would be sudden and unexpected, but all three would eventually become the best of friends.

And who else could this person be but none other than…

—Veilstone City Game Corner, One Hour Later—

"Dawn!"

A girl with dark hair, tinged a curious blue, turned to see who had called her name, but wilted when she saw that it was just another stranger who was simply passing by.

Since the media had interviewed her regarding her role in the removal of Team Galactic two years ago, the number of people who knew her name and face had increased significantly. Most of the time, that wasn't always a good thing. And then she had gone ahead and defeated Cynthia less than two weeks after uprooting Team Galactic.

Now, even with her scarf wrapped as meticulously as possible around her neck and face, people could still recognize her for who she was.

Politely, Dawn waved back at the overly joyful girl, who proudly exclaimed to her mother that she managed to say hello to the infamous Pokémon Champion. Once the girl and her mother was out of sight and mind, Dawn muttered to herself, "Lucas, where are you?"

Two days. She had waited in front of the game corner for two days.

And still no sign of her friend.

"Stupid Lucas…" She was even resorting to calling him names now. "I almost got mugged waiting for you last night."

It was true. Just the other night, she very nearly lost all her Pokémon and, possibly, her life. It was all due to a number of reasons.

One of which was the fact that the Veilstone Game Corner, true to its name, was a money-eater. There were rumors of people losing their life's savings at the slot machines, though that was a story commonly heard at every game corner in the Pokémon world. Therefore, some shady characters often loitered around the game corner's vicinity, having used up most of their money in gambling addictions. And, recently, it became an increasingly common occurrence for them to look for opportunities to get more no matter what the method.

Dawn figured this out last night when she picked a bad and particularly late time to wait for Lucas in front of the game corner. However, in the same night, the miracle that a person could be saved from certain death at the last minute was also made clear to her in a way she would never forget.

—Twelve Hours Ago, Veilstone Game Corner—

Tonight was especially chilly.

Dawn's scarf was already drawn tightly around her neck, but it hardly made a difference against the cold.

Glancing up, she noticed how the old building that used to house Team Galactic's Headquarters looked more menacing than usual in the flashing lights of the game corner. Perhaps she should've gone to a different place to wait for Lucas.

If only she had listened to herself...

Suddenly, the game corner lights shut off with a loud click! And the entire area was drowned in darkness.

Startled, Dawn walked as fast as she could to one of the streetlights, trying not to look too panicky. Bad things always happened to people who started to look too panicky. Her stomach, however, started roiling and Dawn knew that it was too late.

She was being watched.

As if on cue, three figures stepped into the light of the streetlamp and surrounded her on all sides. They were bald-headed, stout men with forgettable features. She didn't notice the fourth one until he spoke.

"Well, well…what do we…have here?" His voice grated like a knife on a rocky surface. In the darkness was the silhouette of a slim man.

One of the stout men replied, in a smooth and controlled tone, "A girl. We have a girl here."

It surprised her. She had expected him to sound like a gorilla.

This could only mean two things. One, that these men were smarter than they let on, and two, that her chances of escape were suddenly much smaller than before, but perhaps it was possible for them to underestimate her so long as they didn't know her identi-

"She isn't…a mere girl, boys." Her hopes were dashed as the wheezing man laughed harshly. "This is the little girl…who saved Sinnoh. Don't you…read the news? Defeated our Pokémon champion too…So be careful, boys…don't let those fingers touch her Poke balls."

"We'll cut them off before she does." The stout man to her right leered and Dawn nearly forgot to breathe.

This kind of violence... she wasn't used to this kind of violence. The reality sank in quickly. Maybe, just maybe she'd gotten herself into something bigger than she could handle.

Dawn took a gulp of air. She needed her brain to work.

Alright, so there was a good ten feet between the three goons and her. Running in the wheezing man's direction wasn't a good idea.

So that just left... charging the three goons head-on!

"What-!"

She barreled as hard as she could into the man directly in front of her, catching all of them by surprise.

And then she was home free! She wanted to give a loud cheer! Things might work out for her after all. Or so she thought.

"Too…slow."

She heard his wheeze before she fell.

Something wrapped around her feet and tripped her, making her fall face first toward the ground, though she caught herself with both hands in time. She heard the sharp call of a Purugly and winced. The Pokemon had its tail wrapped tightly around both her ankles. No... if only she had noticed it in time...

Either way, she had been in trouble.

"Got you…Dawn."

She felt disgusted hearing him gasp her name like that, as if he was getting some kind of sick amusement from it.

In pure defiance of her fate, Dawn began kicking and thrashing against the Purugly's tight grip on her ankles. She grit her teeth as she hissed. "Get... Off... Me!"

The man simply cackled. "You know… what we want."

"Money?" She ground out.

"And something…else." He pointed one finger to the Poke balls at her waist. "We want… those Pokémon."

Dawn found out it was possible for her insides to grow even colder. She should've seen this coming.

"Go ahead. And try!" She lashed out and sank her nails into the flesh of the Purugly's tail. The cat yowled and loosened its grip. She kicked free.

Just when she was about to get up and run as fast as she could in the opposite direction a hand caught her by the hair and wrenched her head back.

It hurt so much tears welled up compulsively at the corners of her eyes. And then she did what everyone thought girls did best. She screamed with all her might into the night sky. Someone had to hear her. Someone, anyone, please-!

"Shut up." Something cold was pressed to her throat, cutting her scream off successfully. "No one's coming to help you. No one's brave enough to risk their neck for a little girl like-"

"No one will come to save you either."

Suddenly, she heard a different voice. And then there was a low grunt as the hand holding Dawn's hair was gone.

Frozen, Dawn could only listen as shouts and groans filled the air. She heard several resounding cracks as either a leg or arm made contact with someone's else's body. The beatings seemed endless and the noises didn't stop until all feeling had returned to her limbs.

Scrabbling to her feet, Dawn whipped around, reaching for a Poke ball, only to see…

Four unconscious men tied to a streetlight. The fat Purugly also had its own place on the pole, strapped to it by the tail and hanging over the wheezing man's face.

"What…what's going on?" She whispered, almost unable to believe what she was seeing. "Who..."

She saw movement from the corner of her eye, causing her to turn and shout, "Wait! Come back!" The figure raced from sight.

She saw a flash of white in the darkness.

"Dawn, Dawn! You alright?"

A petite pink-haired girl sprinted to her side. Her eyes, which were the same shade of pink as her hair, were wide and concerned.

"Maylene…" Dawn could only stare blankly at her friend, who had begun surveying the bound men and Pokemon, now looking rather pitiful in the dusty gaze of the streetlight.

"I'm pretty sure you didn't do this." Maylene commented. "I haven't taught you how to tie a good knot yet."

"He got away."

"Huh?" Maylene came up close to Dawn's face. "What do you mean?"

"The guy who did this," Dawn didn't know why, but her lips were lifting up into a smile. "He got away before I could get a good look at him, but now I know we're keeping an eye out for someone with white hair."

"An old man did all this!" Maylene exclaimed.

"I don't think so." Dawn stepped away from Maylene to survey the subdued men as well. "No old man can move like that. I'm sure of it. Maylene!"

"What, what?" The young gym leader looked her way in surprise at her raised voice.

"You have to teach me some more moves so I can be like that." Dawn pointed at the men, who were now being unbound by several Black Belts that trained over at the Dojo.

Maylene rolled her eyes.

"Of course."

Minutes ago, Maylene had been prepared to go out alone and look for Dawn, after her father, who liked to gamble at the game corner, told her that Dawn still hadn't left yet. Upon hearing the screams, the young girl ended up rousing several Black Belts sleeping in the gym in order to help her with a possible gang fight.

Looking at her friend now, she seemed more than a little shaken.

"These gambling addicts have been going much too far lately." Maylene mused. "Things have been getting weirder ever since sightings of that large dragon Pokémon have been reported." She clenched her fists. Change was coming to Veilstone and none of it was any good.

"People have gone missing."

"Missing…" Dawn's expression fell. "Lucas…" She began to stare off into the distance, falling deep in thought.

"Dawn? You alright?" Maylene waved a hand in front of her face. "Come on, let's go back to the Dojo. My guys will help clean up this mess. You look like you're gonna throw up."

Dawn allowed her friend to drag her back to the gym, where she planned to stay for the next few days. That was just in case Lucas didn't show up on time. And at this point he was already one day late.

Had she done the wrong thing by letting him go to Snowpoint? The empty feeling stayed in her chest, even after she was back in her comfortable sleeping bag. If Lucas didn't show up tomorrow, then she would fly for Snowpoint and that would be the end of that.

Tomorrow, she would see. Tomorrow, she would definitely see.

—Veilstone Game Corner, Current Time—

So why was she here standing in front of this place once again? Didn't people learn from their mistakes? Or perhaps...

A man wearing a white cap walked past and her eyes inadvertently followed his figure.

Perhaps she was looking for the white-haired man, hoping that he might appear before her again.

White hair... There weren't many people on the planet, let alone Sinnoh, who had hair of that color and could beat and tie up four healthy men to a pole and escape from the scene in less than two minutes. It had to be a young man, with hair color that didn't match his age. Now how many people walked around looking like that in broad daylight?

Suddenly, her thoughts were cut off the moment she realized her eye was trained on clothing she should've seen from miles off. That black shirt! Those incredibly worn blue jeans! How did she not recognize them right from the get-go?

"LUCAS!" Dawn raced for the boy, who come to an abrupt stop at her rapid approach. Her arms outstretched, her eyes still on those blue jeans, she was almost there!

"Lucas!" She yelled again, only with less enthusiasm because she was about do something that required almost all her attention. Her hand began to form a first. "You…JERK!"

But by the time she looked up it was already too late. Her punch had been quick and hard and point-blank.

No, the face she saw wasn't Lucas's. It was a boy who had glasses, a shocked expression, and ear-length hair. And she had just punched him right on the nose.

—A Second Later, Cheren—

How many men in this world could tell other people they'd been slapped by a girl? A good few, perhaps.

Now how many ever mentioned being punched by one?

And then had a nosebleed?

Cheren yelled so loud that more than several people looked over to see who had gotten into a fight, only to see a girl holding a fist in the air and a young man holding his nose, which was bleeding through his fingers. Growing disinterested at the sight, the people who looked went back to walking to wherever they were originally headed.

"Whad's your problem!" Cheren demanded, nasally, of the girl who had called out someone's name and then come running over just to punch him in the nose. "Whad do you dink...!" He trailed off when he saw the girl made no more moves to physically hurt him in any way.

She could only stare at him with her mouth slightly agape, as if unable to believe he wasn't this…this Lucas person. But now that he looked at her more closely, her clothes did somewhat resemble the ones he wore, except she also wore a scarf and white beanie. He supposed her actions made a little more sense now.

Cheren gratefully took the handkerchief Bianca wordlessly handed to him. The baby Psyduck following at her feet quacked sadly at the scene before her.

"I'm…I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else…I… Your clothes, they look exactly like the ones my friend wears."

Cheren didn't need glasses to see the apology in her eyes. However, her words caused him to remember something Candice's grandmother had said to him back in Snowpoint.

The boy whose clothes you are wearing was also taken away.

"You said his name was Lucas?" Cheren had to make sure. This girl had been waiting for someone who wore clothes similar to his. "Has your friend gone to Snowpoint recently?"

By the time the girl replied to his question, he had gotten most of the blood off his nose. Bianca probably wouldn't want this handkerchief back.

"Yes…" Her voice was quiet, but she didn't sound very surprised. Instead, she simply deflated somewhat. "He's been to Snowpoint. And here you are wearing his clothes and no Lucas in sight. That outfit is his favorite, you know? If he lent it to you, then he should be traveling with you guys since he was supposed to meet me here yesterday. But he isn't here so…"

"I'm sorry," was all Cheren could bring himself to say, though he wasn't sure why he was apologizing. Was it because he had donned these clothes in ignorance of what happened when a girl like her, who actually knew their owner, saw him walking around in them? Yes, that was probably why he was telling her he was sorry.

"Apology accepted." The girl replied, as if she had followed his line of thought. "And I'm sorry, too, for... you know... Anyway, it's nice to meet the two of you. Erm…"

"Cheren." He replied.

"Bianca." She gave a small wave, apparently having forgiven the girl rather quickly for smashing her lover's nose in.

"Mine's Dawn and you need to tell me how you ended up with Lucas' clothes on your back."

When he nodded, Dawn's eyes seemed to light up with the anticipation of hearing a good story or two. "By the way, do either of you have a place to stay? You don't look like you live here."

"We don't and we're working on it." Bianca said with a somewhat embarrassed smile. "But we're kind of lost."

Cheren muttered something that sounded like: "Yeah…"

"That's good."

"What?" Bianca stared at the girl's response to their plight. Cheren looked over at her too.

"The gym leader here. Marlene. You can stay with me at her place. You're definitely welcome there and I'm sure she won't have any problems with me bringing a few friends over."

Cheren shared a glance with Bianca, who nodded. They were in agreement then.

The trip to Lake Acuity and back was probably going to take up the rest of the day so a place to stay in Veilstone didn't sound too bad. Otherwise, they would have to find refuge in Pastoria, where another chance like this might not happen again.

"Thank you we'd like that, but we'll have to head for Acuity Lake first."

"To re-awaken Azelf?"

Cheren was taken aback by her knowledge of the Lake Guardian. "You know about Azelf?"

Dawn winked. "Of course, I was the one who woke them up the last time." Then she looked to the side, as if embarrassed at telling them this rather astonishing fact. Maybe it was because both Cheren and Bianca were staring at her as if she'd grown two heads.

"Why?" Bianca asked her. "What did you need their help for?"

"Dialga..." the expression on Dawn's face was suddenly unreadable. "And Team Galactic… I'm surprised you don't know this. It was all over the news how Cyrus, the leader of Team Galactic, was trying to create the perfect world using Dialga. He wanted to make 'a world without spirit', or so he said."

Cheren was about to tell her that they actually came from a different region, but Dawn spoke up again before he could.

"He also told me he was going to come back and finish what he started…These disappearances... They could be because of him! This might be Cyrus' revenge!"

"Dawn." Cheren interrupted her before she strayed further from the truth. "The one behind Giratina's awakening isn't Cyrus."

The girl was quiet for a moment. Then she asked, "Giratina…? I've only ever heard it once or twice in my travels… And you say Cyrus isn't the one behind it... Then who is?"

"His name is Ghetsis." Cheren was reluctant to say the man's name out loud. From the corner of his eye, he saw Bianca wince.

Then she began to explain, "He managed to lure Giratina by using his own son to open a portal into the Pokémon's world. I think he no longer has a shred of compassion left in his soul… if there was even any there to begin with."

"He sounds much too similar to Cyrus." Dawn mused. "They could be working together for all you know."

"No, it's unlikely." Cheren dismissed the idea. "He was alone when we encountered him in Snowpoint. And I doubt Ghetsis is the type to want to share power with anyone. I can probably assume the same with this Cyrus."

A shadow crossed Dawn's face. "Then if that's the case, even after Ghetsis is defeated, Sinnoh may still be in danger from another man just like him."

There was a moment of silence between the three of them as they all realized just how disconcerting Dawn's words were.

Then she sighed and crossed her arms. "I suppose there isn't any point in coming up with theories right now. We'll have to deal with the problems as they come. So..." She uncrossed her arms and pointed in the direction of Lake Acuity. "Lead the way!"

"Wait, you're coming with us?" Bianca looked uncertainly at Cheren, then back again. "You don't have to, you know?"

"But I can be useful since I know my way around. You'll need me a lot more than you think."

It seemed there was no arguing with her so Cheren simply nodded.

"Finally!" Bianca cheered. "We have directions!"

He groaned.

Then, without further ado, the quartet set off for Lake Acuity with Dawn leading the way and Psyduck stumbling along at the rear.

"By the way, where's your hometown?" Dawn asked conversationally. "Mine's Twinleaf."

Cheren looked back at Bianca to see if she was going to answer her. When she didn't, he said, "We're from a different region actually. Our hometown is called Nuvema. And it took us seven hours to fly to Sinnoh."

Since Dawn's back was to them, Cheren didn't see her eyebrows rise in surprise, but he easily heard it in her voice. "Wow…" She looked back. "Did you use Pokémon or a plane?"

"I would imagine only Legendaries can afford to fly from region to region." Cheren noted.

"Right... forgot about that." Dawn turned back around. "Anyway, where did you land the plane? We don't have any cities with runways in Sinnoh. Everyone mainly travels by using Pokémon to fly from city to city, or by boat."

"We parachuted."

When Dawn whipped around to stare at them in amazement, Bianca giggled.

"Don't worry, we weren't crazy." Cheren said rather seriously. "I had to question my own sanity several times."

"But it isn't so bad once you jump." Bianca added.

Despite Bianca's honest gaze, Dawn didn't look quite so convinced.

After she got them started once more on their way, she muttered to herself, "Maybe... but it all depends on where you land."

—Route 214—

"This route has a lot of fences doesn't it?" Bianca commented.

Dawn laughed. "I've wondered about those too. I think someone wanted to go for a maze effect."

"It does seem to be that way." When Dawn looked to the side, she saw Cheren actually analyzing them from afar. "And there seem to be a few Psychics hanging around. They've always had a preference for mystery... and mazes."

Pointing to the mountains, Dawn told them, "There are a few cliffs to our right. We won't have to walk around these fences if we go that way, though the area has some tall grass-"

"No." Cheren interjected. "I think we should go with the fences."

Behind him, Bianca simply crossed her hands and shook her head silently.

"I see..." Dawn looked sympathetically at Cheren for a second before she said, "The fences then."

It was a while before the three of them ran into trouble and their journey for the day was put on hold, but, when they did, Dawn was the first to see the figures among the trees.

"Hey…" Slowing down to a gradual walk, she pointed at a spot in the dense forest. "I saw something over there."

"A Pokémon?" asked Bianca. Psyduck began to struggle in her arms and Bianca had to pick her up after the Pokemon kept straying away towards the mountainside, almost as if… "Psyduck, what's wrong?"

Psyduck refused to stop squirming to get out of her grasp so Bianca eventually had to put her down. Upon touching the ground, Psyduck unexpectedly unleashed a weak stream of water from its mouth. It was strong enough, however, to penetrate the wall of trees.

Suddenly there was movement between the tree trunks and Cheren saw what Dawn had spied earlier.

"Come out where we can see you!" He demanded. That white blur, those masks, there were only three people in the world that could move like that. And how could he ever forget? They had been the ones to help Ghetsis escape from arrest in the first place.

"Shadow triad…" Bianca whispered. Then, in her mind, two and two came together and she hissed, "They've been sent by Ghetsis!"

Cheren wasted no time.

"Run!" He grabbed Bianca's hand and took off for Lake Acuity. She barely had time to bend down and scoop Psyduck up into her arms. If they could cross the lake before the triad overtook them…

"Dawn!" He heard Bianca call out.

When he looked over his shoulder, he saw that Dawn had reacted late to his cry and one of the triad had tripped her before she could start running away.

When Bianca turned her head back towards him, her eyes suddenly widened in fear. "Cheren, look out!"

He whipped his head back only to force both of them to stop abruptly before the remaining two Shadow triad members who had appeared in front of them faster than humanly possible.

"No…" He breathed. He felt Bianca tighten her grip on his hand. "What do you want? Did your master send you to stop us?"

As expected of them, they made no reply. Instead, they took their time, stepping slowly, gradually decreasing the distance between them and their prey. Then, without warning, the triad members shot forward and grabbed each trainer by the collar.

Cheren had no time to react before a single fist sank deep into his stomach and his vision began to darken.

He was out before he hit the floor.

—Dawn—

She never made it.

In the little time she had before he tripped her, she understood that that was the cost for her hesitation. But what she couldn't understand right now was why the person who saved her the other night was trying to hurt her now.

She landed so that she only received a few scrapes, but she knew it wasn't over yet. A pair of black-clothed feet appeared in her line of vision and she knew something was coming right… now!

Dawn rolled out of the way just in time to dodge the punch that had been aimed for her head. He'd probably been trying to knock her out with that one. She rolled again but this time she rolled to her feet and stood up cautiously, circling so that the trees weren't at her back. Instead, her back was to the fences.

"So you're working for Ghetsis, huh?" She glared into the whited-out eyes of the man's mask. It was almost like talking to a statue. So still. So cold. Was this the man who saved her life? Or was it one of the other two?

A small wind blew and a few strands of the man's long, white hair fell across his face. He made no move to remove them, however. He was either too focused on her to do it or he just didn't care.

Dawn wanted to laugh at herself. What was she doing thinking about his hair at a time like this?

"They are unconscious now, brother. What shall we do with them?" Someone else spoke and Dawn's ears perked up. That voice…it…didn't belong to the one from last night.

They stepped into her field of vision now. Two, nearly identical, white-haired men appeared on either side of their sibling, each carrying a body over their shoulders.

The one she couldn't tear her eyes from had the longest hair, lithely flowing past his collar bone and stopping just short of his waist. When was the last time she'd seen a man with such long hair?

Then she snapped herself out of it and took several steps back. These men were still dangerous ... and fast. Even with a head start, Cheren and Bianca had still captured and thrown over their shoulders like flower sacks. There was no outrunning them.

"What are you going to do with them?" It was a time-old question, but Dawn tried to ask it with authority. "Are you going to kill them like your master wants you to?" Instead, her voice just sounded frightened to her ears.

She nearly flinched when the white-haired man before her took a step forward, but clenched her fists to help her hold it in. Had she hit a nerve?

"Take them back to Veilstone. I'll take care of this one." His decision surprised her. It was almost like... he was making this personal. But the next thing that registered in her mind made her want to cry out in frustration.

This was his voice. This was the one.

His two brothers immediately did as they were told and they left the scene, leaving Dawn to face him alone.

A plan, she needed a plan. No going down without a fight, especially not with this man.

He'd seen her at her weakest moment and if he thought that was all she was, then he was dead wrong.

She was not weak.

"Dawn."

At the sound of her name, her eyes snapped up to meet the lens of his mask.

"That's your name isn't it?" His lip suddenly lifted into a smile that made Dawn's stomach drop like she'd been flung several hundred feet down a cliff.

The bad kind of cliff.

This was the man who saved her life? She was filled with disappointment all of a sudden. Really, what had she been expecting?

And why was she being intimidated like this? Where was the girl who had once spoken with all three Lake Guardians of Sinnoh, gazed into Dialga's fearsome eyes, then, shortly afterwards, stared down the region's Pokemon Champion? Where was she and who was this shaking girl standing in her shoes right now?

Dawn grit her teeth. Savior of Sinnoh or not, she wasn't about to be pushed down by this man.

"You will let us through," She forced herself to straighten her back. "Whether it's today or tomorrow, or the days after that, no matter what it takes, we will defeatall of you and you won't be bothering us again until we've stopped your master's plans." Dawn paused to take a breath. The tension in the air was like a rubber band about to snap. "I don't care if you're the one who saved my life. If you work for a man like Ghetsis..." The man who took Lucas away.

"I won't forgive you."

And then it was a long time before anyone spoke, but, when someone did, their voice penetrated the silence easily.

"You think I saved you because I cared about what might happen to you?" His words cut into her like little glass shards, even though his voice was calm… cruelly calm. "You will never understand a man like me, Dawn. It's better not to get involved in matters like this, even if you are a Pokemon champion."

The way he spoke to her made Dawn feel like a fourteen year-old again. It made her feel like the Dawn who just started out in Twinleaf with her Piplup and still knew nothing of Pokemon battles. It made her feel very, very angry.

"I'm glad you didn't care!" She hissed. "Now I won't feel bad when I beat you at your own game."

"You think you can defeat me?" The man smirked.

"Like I said, if not today, then tomorrow." She kept her voice from faltering, but her stomach was once more blanketed in ice. Yes, she wasn't going to be able to beat him this time, but she would have her chance in the future... if he chose to let her live.

His foot made as if to step forward.

Now! She grabbed for a Poke ball and the man raced forward like that was his cue, his fist aiming low for her stomach.

What she did next, however, wasn't to stop his blow, but something he did not see coming at all.

She whipped the Poke ball straight into his forehead!

His fist caught her in the gut and she saw stars, but before she blacked out she had the privilege of hearing a resounding thunk as her ball made impact.

She wanted to shout out her triumph with a 'That's right!', but all that came out of her mouth was a very inelegant groan. Then she fell forward and could remember nothing from that point on.

He caught her before she landed and lowered her slowly to the ground, crouching.

For a long time, he stayed like that, simply gazing down at her. His forehead continued to throb somewhat, a reminder of the interesting things this girl was capable of.

Saving her... He had simply been in the right place at the right time. There was no more meaning to it other than that, but to this girl perhaps it meant a little more... His fingers strayed toward her hairline.

Then he caught himself. What was he doing?

Shaking off the moment, he bent down until he could whisper in her ear, "I'll be waiting for you... for you to challenge me. And then you will learn to hate me, for I will ensure that Ghetsis fulfills his dream no matter what."

He picked her up and threw her over one shoulder. Then, almost unconsciously, he wondered at how slender she was. She felt so light against his body.

Again, he shook off those disturbing thoughts and was about to leave, but then he remembered the empty Poke ball she had thrown.

Upon throwing it, the ball had enlarged. But, since it hadn't been used to catch a Pokemon, it shrank back to its original size.

Crouching down again, with the girl still dangling over his shoulder, he picked up the Poke ball.

For the second time in his life, the first being due to Ghetsis' downfall, he felt a small shiver of uncertainty travel up his body. All these movements and... the way both his body and thoughts gravitated toward her almost unnerved him.

It felt almost... natural.

He stood up. Then, in one motion, he threw the Poke ball as hard as he could into the forest lining.

No, this girl wasn't meant to be. None of this was meant to be. He had better things to worry about.

Silently, the leader of the Shadow triad turned and began walking back to Veilstone with his burden. Before he left Route 214, the forests were quiet and the Pokemon hidden away. The winds did not blow, as if even they were waiting with bated breath for the last triad member to leave the vicinity.

Once he was gone, the place came back to life and everything was as if nothing had ever disturbed its peace.

And thus did the day end.

Chapter Text

 

—Someone's House—

The first thing to register was a light, spicy scent.

The smell worked its way into her dreamless world and in reality she shifted sleepily. Her body felt cramped, but also very, very warm and the reason as to why she was feeling so warm didn't fully penetrate her brain until the man beside her began to stir.

Hilda's sightless eyes widened as she realized where she was.

Pulled tightly by long and angular arms against a chest that rose fractionally with each breath, her nose was being pressed up into a solid chin.

As awkward and strange this position was, she didn't hate it. But, she had to get out and get changed or else things would be even more awkward as it was.

Slowly she brought one hand up to push against his chest and create room for her to wriggle out. However, it soon proved to be counter-productive because…

Hilda felt her cheeks grow hot.

His muscles were firm and unyielding, and they hardly gave way under her push. This man definitely wasn't lacking anything in fitness and she felt that she now understood one of the reasons why girls loved being hugged by men.

For a while, she just stayed like that, her hand plastered against Volkner's chest like… like—

"Ugh, what am I doing?" She groaned and forced her hand away. He was going to wake up soon. She knew it. So she opted to pull at his arms instead of pushing him away.

Once she was free, Hilda started feeling around for her bra.

Stupid! She realized with a pang. She'd left it on the other side of the bed and the idea of even more effort needed to get dressed made her cringe. She was almost done inching off the bed when Volkner woke up.

His awakening was like a tap on her brain.

"Where are you going?" He asked her hazily. His tone was light, maybe even amused.

He thought she looked cute with her hair down.

It was times like these that she cursed her ability to intrude on Volkner's mental privacy. Her face and neck burned with embarrassment and she tried to answer him. "To get…" but she didn't finish her sentence.

Because the craziest idea just popped into her head.

"To get—" My bra. As if shooting a gun, she thought those words at him as hard as she could.

Volkner suddenly gave a shout and a flash of pain coursed through her body.

"Volkner!" She scrambled across the bed to get to him. "I overdid it. I'm sorry." She listened hard for any groans of pain, though thankfully there were no more. "Sorry…" She repeated.

Nothing could've prepared Volkner for the mental blow. His brain felt like Hilda had taken a mallet and…

"Don't." He moved away from her quickly. She was suddenly much too close. "You shouldn't touch me."

She was immediately disappointed, though it didn't show on her face. And also, underlying the disappointment, was hurt.

Volkner sighed. Women were definitely complicated creatures.

He felt a flash of annoyance.

He quickly picked up her bra, so as to distract her from getting even angrier, "Here," and pressed the cottony material into her fingers. "You wanted that didn't you?"

She hesitated at first, then calmed down and said, "Thanks," before taking it. She started fingering the garment. "Did it really hurt that much?"

"You mean like a mallet against my brain?"

"Yeah, that…" She suddenly smiled mischievously. "Can I try again?"

"You…" Volkner sighed and shook his in disbelief. This girl…

"Okay, I'm going to try again, but with less force this time." Hilda promised.

Her brow wrinkled in concentration and Volkner closed his eyes to brace himself for impact.

Outside… need to change. The words were no louder than a whisper, but Hilda was nearly bursting with triumph.

"Am I going outside or are you?" He asked her jokingly as he slid off the bed and started walking towards the door.

"I did my best," was all she said with the widest grin he'd seen on her face in a while.

Volkner couldn't help grinning too before he left the room.

— —

Hilda changed quickly.

She did it in record time, whipping off her shirt to slip on her bra. She even took a moment to feel pleased with herself.

However, it wasn't long before a small, nagging thought entered her mind and she remembered that this was the only bra she had.

Hilda sighed.

It was inevitable. Volkner was going to have to go shopping for her.

Done?

How distinct… the clarity of the word was like he had spoken it to her.

"Amazing…" She whispered.

He was even better at it than she was.

Volkner opened the door without waiting for her to answer and she tilted her head just enough so he could see her face clearly.

"Ever heard of knocking?"

Weren't you finished?

Although she couldn't see it, she knew he was smiling. As he experimented more with the profound, new way of communicating that she'd discovered, she had access to his thought processes, which were a fascinating experience in itself.

Can you hear me?

She made a face at him. "Stop talking like we're on the phone." Then an idea occurred to her again. "Hey… why don't we test that out?"

"Why not?" Volkner opened the door like he was ready to leave. "Then we can do it while I go to the market. You wanted to buy…?"

"Oh, right. I…" She was about to answer when something clicked to understanding in her mind. "Wait, how do you-?"

"More than one thing changed for us, Hilda." His mind moved faster than his mouth and Hilda understood what he meant before he finished talking.

"I see… then that means…" He had access to her emotions and some of her thoughts. "It's a little unbalanced, don't you think?"

"I only know you want me to buy something, Hilda." Volkner told her, reassuringly. "I don't know any specifics."

Hilda supposed he was right and she also knew she shouldn't be complaining because he technically had even less privacy than her.

"What do you need, Hilda? Just tell me and I'll get it for you."

She sighed.

The day was already turning out longer than she expected.

Then she quickly rattled off a small list of items.

— —

Before Volkner left, Hilda had asked him to pass her her bag.

Flipping open one of the pocket flaps, she took out her transceiver then took a moment to locate the wake-up button. A digital voice declared that she had voicemail, which wasn't surprising seeing as she had neglected her phone for a good portion of yesterday.

Her fingers moved fluidly over the correct keys and she managed to play the message without difficulty. Almost immediately, Hilda heard Cheren's usual, impatient voice penetrate through the speakers.

She listened to the message once. Laughed. Then replayed it, just so she could hear her friend's familiar way of talking.

So, Ghetsis was on his fourth badge and Cheren was had warned them to "keep an eye out" for him near Canalave City.

Hilda shook her head.

That really didn't tell them anything. Ghetsis could have chosen to go east instead for all they knew. He had never been a conventional man in the first place.

Then, another unsettling thought found its way to her mind.

Shouldn't Cheren and Bianca have already reached Lake Valor by now? The voicemail had stated that this message was left half a day ago, which should've given them plenty of time. But then again…

"Ugh," she groaned while laying back on to the bed. "This isn't going anywhere. Too many factors, too many possibilities…" At least the good news was that they'd found a map, saved a Psyduck, and seemed pretty happy together, but other than that there wasn't much.

Hilda knew it was time for Volkner and her to get moving again. Now.

She sat up quickly, then imagined she was calling someone on a phone. Volkner, can you hear me?

Several seconds ticked by. Hilda was just about to try again when a reply came.

Loud and clear.

She laughed in delight, his clarity impressing her. Now there was no doubt that he was good at this.

Finish soon. I need to talk to you when you get back.

Regarding Ghetsis?

She wondered for a moment if he was simply guessing or reading her thoughts. It was a strange thing to consider. Then she replied. Yes.

There was a noise of confirmation. And then their link ended. It was like hanging up.

Hilda released a breath she didn't even know she'd been holding. Apparently, telepathically communicating with Volkner was very exciting.

But now it was time to get ready.

She began gathering her hair into her hand and was just about to tie it into a ponytail when the most natural question crossed her mind.

Did Volkner like girls with long hair?

Her hair fell back down in a messy heap, her hand suddenly nerveless.

Did she really just ask herself that question?

Hilda sighed exasperatedly.

Since when did she care about something like that? Volkner probably didn't even care about how long her hair was… but now that she thought about it…

She sat there for a minute or two, pondering.

Even with N, she'd never asked that kind of question before since she'd always been too busy admiring his long hair. She always thought its shade of green was the most beautiful color in the world and now it was kind of strange to imagine him thinking something similar of hers.

"Focus, Hilda, focus!" She chanted. She had to think about something else… like where in the world did she leave her hat?

The front door suddenly swung open and Volkner was back in the house.

Hilda cursed quietly. She wasn't ready yet.

HIs footsteps were swift and light, leaving her only a few seconds before the bedroom door opened and a shopping bag was pressed into her hand.

"Here." He said shortly. She followed his thoughts as he wondered for a moment at her untied hair and why she hadn't put it up yet.

"My hat-." He pushed that into her hand as well.

The room was quiet as she tied her hair up and then quickly slipped on her hat. She wished he'd say something.

"You're welcome." He told her.

Smiling, she rummaged through the shopping bag, taking each piece of clothing out and placing them neatly into her backpack.

Her smile faltered when she got to the bottom. "You bought me something else?" There was one last piece of clothing and, when she reached it, her fingers met with something delicate. "A white blouse?"

"You can tell what color-? Oh… that's right…" He laughed. "Looks like nothing I do will ever surprise you again. No pranks either, I guess."

Hilda fidgeted on the bed. "I need to repay you…"

Then buy me clothes next time.

She made a face. "So that was your plan in the first place!" Then, after a moment's consideration, she said. "Alright, I promise."

When she finished packing, she stood up. To her delight, her knees only wobbled once. "Yes!" She cheered softly to herself. Then she reached for her bag, but Volkner picked it up instead.

"Let's trade." She felt him put a hand on the Poke balls at her waist. "Give me those and I'll give you your bag." So I can call back our Pokémon.

"I'm getting the feeling you do bargains like this quite often." She said with a smile that gradually widened. "Fine. You can meet me at the front door when you're done."

As he unclipped her Poke balls for her, Hilda reached out with both hands to grab the backpack. That was when she accidentally rubbed her fingers against the back of his hand.

Instantly she received several emotions at once. Surprise, concern and… contentment? Hilda's heart was suddenly several beats faster.

She swallowed hard. "We should hurry." Taking the backpack, she slipped it on. "Even if you have to drag me behind you, do it. I think time is running out very quickly."

"Did you get a message from Cheren?"

She nodded, then quickly relayed a brief summary of Cheren's warning.

"Then I agree. We have to hurry."

—Veilstone City Gym—

All Bianca wanted to do was go to a corner somewhere and be sick.

Despite being dizzy with a gross feeling in her stomach, she was forced to stare up at the ceiling of a brightly lit dojo. This was because she was lying flat, facing up, on a thin futon. Her body absolutely refused to move.

Unfortunately for her, the lights were the first things she saw upon waking up, blinding her for a good five minutes. Shortly following that, a general achiness began to settle everywhere on her body, especially her-

A twinge of pain shot through her stomach and Bianca gingerly pressed her hand against it.

It still ached. It looked like the shadow triad really didn't hold back on girls.

She heard a soft quack.

Bianca turned her head to the side to see Psyduck sitting there watching her with eyes full of pity. "Hello, Psyduck." Bianca said, as she smiled as best as she could at the Pokémon. "I'm glad you're alright."

"You really like her don't you?" Maylene appeared suddenly beside Psyduck, which made Bianca jerk back in surprise, only to groan and rub her stomach. "Oh! Sorry about that. Dawn always told me that I have this bad habit of popping up in places. But don't you worry! I'll try to tone it down." She grinned.

Bianca sighed at the toothiness of her grin. "Thank you. By the way, has either Cheren or Dawn woken up yet?"

"No, not really."

Her answer seemed vague so Bianca pressured her to explain. "Is something wrong?"

"Cheren's just rolling around on his futon mumbling your name. It looks like he really cares for you."

"Yes…he does." Even in her nauseated state, Bianca smiled at Maylene's words. Of course Cheren was going to fine. Boys knew how to take a punch or two. "How's Dawn?"

"She's gotten hit in the stomach before so she's definitely going to be fine!" Maylene's words this time, however, sounded a little too cheerful and, when Bianca looked hard into the girl's eyes, she saw uncertainty.

"She hasn't woken up yet?"

Maylene frowned at her question, looking unhappy that she brought it up. Then she sighed and shrugged her shoulders in a 'who knows' gesture. "I guess not."

"Don't worry." Bianca found herself saying to the girl. "Being unconscious is the same as being asleep. Everyone wakes up eventually. And I bet Dawn's still sleeping so she can get a few more hours in."

Maylene let out a somewhat nervous laugh at first. Then she laughed again and it was stronger and more confident. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right! I shouldn't think too much about it, anyway. Hey, after you start feeling better and everyone else wakes up, you can tell me what happened on Route 214."

"It's a long story." Bianca said, flashing another weak smile at Maylene. "You're going to fall asleep before we finish."

"I'll listen so hard, I'll memorize every word." Maylene vowed. "And I promise I'll do everything in my power to help out. I bet you need to go save everyone like Dawn had to do last time."

…

"I won't let you guys- Bianca?" It took Maylene a minute to realize the blonde girl had fallen asleep again. Her mouth was partially open like she'd been about to give a reply, but fell asleep before she could do so.

The gym leader scratched her head in confusion. "Was it something I said?"

—Eterna Forest—

The sleepy silence of the forest seemed to embody solitude.

"It's hard to believe we're back here again." Hilda said in a low voice. It felt almost inappropriate to speak too loudly. "Have you seen any trainers yet?"

"A few."

They fell quiet again. Hilda moved her gloved fingers restlessly.

"No, I'm not going to take them off." She said firmly at Volkner before he could say anything. "And thank you for getting me green ones. They're very nice."

You're welcome.

He pulled her hand up to indicate a small obstacle on the forest floor and Hilda stepped over it without a break in step.

"Eterna forest is about as big as its city. It'll take more than an hour to cross it." Volkner explained to her as they walked. "Contrary to everything we've just experienced in the past twenty-four hours, the forest isn't actually known for having Ghost-type Pokemon and spirits."

"But as 'the place where time flows eternally'?" Hilda asked, though they both knew the question was rhetorical since she'd already garnered the answer from Volkner's thoughts.

Volkner chuckled. I keep forgetting you can do that.

"Do you hate it?" Hilda held her breath in anticipation of his answer.

He didn't reply for a moment and, when his thoughts reached her, she realized his reply was too complicated for her to decipher. All she could get from it was a question he sent directly to her.

Would you?

Taking her silence as her answer, Volkner said no more.

And they continued on.

— —

Eventually, they had to leave the open road and move into the forest lining.

That it was a forest lining was all too apparent from the countless roots Hilda had to step over.

"Psychics and Bug Catchers…" Volkner told her. This forest is one of their favorite haunts.

At some point, Hilda began tuning her ears to Volkner's steady puffs of breath as he led them past the aforementioned trainers. In a way, he was literally her eyes. What he saw was naturally translated into his thoughts and subsequently became instructions for when and where she had to step. They also told her when to hold her breath and stay still, and how to step so that she didn't crush any twigs. The entire the time, Volkner kept a firm grip on her hand and she gripped him back just as hard. He was her lifeline. There was no doubt about it.

The Psychics… they're looking around like they know someone's coming. It looks like they can sense us.

We can fight… We can handle them…

"No." He squeezed her hand. "It's too dangerous."

You aren't my mother. She thought to him firmly.

"Hilda…" Volkner sighed. Then he prodded her mentally, which surprised her to no end, and thought to her sternly. But I'm a friend.

Hilda was about to retort when a voice suddenly called out to them.

"Come out now, Gym Leader Volkner."

Hilda's pulse spiked.

— —

Volkner felt his heart leap for a moment with—not fear—excitement.

It took him a moment to realize that it hadn't come from him, but the Pokémon Champion holding his hand. She was ready for a fight.

Hilda. He told her sternly. She was getting him riled up too.

"Come out, Gym Leader Volkner. We will not fight you."

Volkner hesitated, wondering for a moment if the voice was sincere.

He could be…

Volkner came to a decision and Hilda made a noise of annoyance. He ignored her and wordlessly led them out of the thick lining of trees.

A young man with closed eyes stepped into view.

"And you are Psychic…?"

"Elijah. And this is Lindsay." The young man motioned to the small girl leaning against the tree across from him. Her eyes were also closed. "We foresaw your approach and your great power as well."

When neither party spoke after that, Lindsay opened one eye and spoke.

"You're too good for us, simple as that."

That brought Elijah to speak. "And we understand that your friend is not used to being blind." He tilted his head towards Hilda. "Even though we Psychics do not often count blindness as an excuse from participating in battle, we will not attack someone who is not trained for it."

"Why don't Psychics count it as an excuse?" Hilda asked. And, though it was an unnecessary question, even Volkner found himself interested in hearing the answer.

"Psychics don't need both eyes see." Lindsay said, while pointing at her single open eye. "And when there's two of us, we only need one eye to fight."

The question slipped out from his mouth. "Then you can communicate telepathically during battles…?"

"That's if you actually believe everything Psychics say they can do." Lindsay smiled smugly. "Because we can. Oh sure there are fakes every now and then and we also have Psychics who are less proficient than others, but make no mistake. We're the real thing."

"Can you bend spoons?"

Lindsay cackled, successfully unnerving him.

What a crazy girl, he mused.

She laughed and laughed until she gradually calmed down.

"That's for little kids!" She cried. "Bending spoons? How about pans? Or lamps? Or poles? Or…" She gestured at the forest around her. "Trees? Much easier than metal in my opinion."

Hilda's hand shook once with disbelief and renewed excitement.

Have them…!

Volkner winced at her insistent thoughts. "Can you show us?"

"Even though your lover won't be able to see it?" Lindsay drawled.

"He's-" Hilda began.

"That's alright. I'll tell her about it later." Hilda, I'll be your eyes so stay quiet. Let them think what they want.

A noise of reluctant agreement came from her throat. From his perspective, it almost sounded like a growl.

Volkner wanted to laugh. Lindsay was a crazy girl, but Hilda definitely had all the potential to become a beast.

"Lindsay…" Elijah seemed to be having his own misgivings.

"I'm tired of keeping this a secret from everyone. Let's just show them what we can do."

Then, before anyone could say anything else, the petite Psychic, with her single open eye, walked toward her partner until his face was only inches away. Elijah opened his eyes.

Almost immediately, his expression changed and Volkner easily recognized it for what it was.

Desire.

Lindsay must've been looking for that because, the second the look appeared on his face, she reached up past his ear, grabbed a fistful of hair on the back of his head, and wrenched him forward into a rough kiss.

Volkner heard Hilda gasp from behind him and her hand squeezed his all the tighter.

Volkner! Can you feel it?

The air was suddenly heavy with a raw and wild energy.

Lindsay breathed as she broke the kiss, then pulled away from her partner, "Now, watch."

Turning towards the tree she'd been leaning on, she raised her hand and opened her remaining eye. Her pupil was slit.

There was a resounding crack! And wood went flying in all directions.

Watch out! Volkner forced Hilda behind him as chips of wood whistled past them. He grunted when several grazed his skin.

A special attack… Hilda's thoughts fired rapidly at him. What color was it?

What?

Her attack… what color… "Was that Shadow Ball?" Hilda whispered.

The petite Psychic was still breathing hard when a look of surprise appeared on her face. "How… how did you know? Impossib-"

"That is because they possess a similar power to us… only different." Elijah interrupted her, even though he was still breathing heavily. Then he grabbed her by the sleeve and pulled her towards him, away from Volkner and Hilda. "Theirs comes from a power greater than us."

"Humans can't use Pokemon moves." Hilda spoke as if trying to convince herself. "Psychics shouldn't be able to use Ghost attacks. None of this adds up." She suddenly shook herself free of Volkner's hand and dodged him when he tried to grab her back.

Hilda!

— —

Her desire to know burned like a coal in her stomach.

"Tell us," Hilda said in a voice so low that it came out as a whisper. "Can we do that too?"

Lindsay laughed humorlessly. "No, probably not. It'll be hard for you to even bend a spoon."

"Oh." Hilda couldn't hold back her flood of disappointment.

What we have right now is good enough, Hilda. Volkner was obviously just trying to console her, but he of all people couldn't hide from her the one instant when he felt exactly the same way.

"But we are considered amateurs at best." Elijah said suddenly, before Lindsay could speak again. "As you have just seen we have little understanding of the responsibility that possessing such a great power entails." He tightened his grip on his partner's arm. "I am disappointed in you, Lindsay."

"Don't be," She allowed herself to be held in such a manner. "I didn't…" She trailed off, but their conversation seemed to continue elsewhere as Elijah's expressions changed from fury to exasperation to gentleness in several seconds.

Elijah turned towards them. "Leave." He demanded. His eyes were wide open now and they were a dark, dark purple. "Leave us now." Both pupils were slit.

"Fine." Volkner caught her hand before she could move away. Let's go, Hilda.

She didn't put up a fight, much to his surprise.

Alright… let's go. Before, he…

Volkner squeezed her hand, conveying his agreement and just like that, they left the two Psychics behind.

— —

When Elijah saw that the people were gone, he turned to his lover.

She was looking at him so sensually. Well?

"Well…" In the next instant, his lips were on hers and they struggled with one another, each vying for a more dominant position though neither would ever truly dominate the other. She belonged to him and he belonged to her. It was as simple as that.

When they finally broke apart, they were both breathing hard. "Well, we did not tell them that only partners can hope to unlock the full potential of a psychic connection."

Lindsay traced a finger down a vein on his neck. "And I doubt they have anything like that going on between them."

"Perhaps." He pulled her in close so that their noses were only centimeters apart. "For them, only time will tell."

Then he closed the distance and captured her in another fervent kiss. This time, however, there wasn't going to be much talking for another while.

—Route 205—

Until they left the fringes of the forest far behind them, Hilda did not speak or think a word to him.

High above them, the sun shone down. Its rays were greatly welcomed after the perpetual shade of Eterna Forest.

She stopped abruptly.

"What…?" He had to stop as well. "What is it now, Hilda?"

"I don't understand you sometimes…" She clenched her fists.

"What do you mean you…" He trailed off, as he gradually understood what she wanted. "No… That isn't a good idea."

"An idea's an idea, Volkner. You saw what they could do. Even if we don't have the same powers as them, don't you want to see what we can do? What we can be capable of?" She stepped towards him with her unseeing eyes.

…You want this as much as I do.

In that moment, he stepped forward too and he watched her falter for a moment. "Do you?"

She stared at him.

Do you want one that much?

Her cheeks flushed a light pink. "You know that's not what I mean." She muttered.

For a moment, he just listened to the soft sounds of their uneven breaths. She was just as nervous as him.

Then his heart skipped a beat. It didn't belong to him.

"But it doesn't hurt to try." Suddenly Hilda slipped off a glove and-

Stop! He tried to grab her hand before she could reach up.

It was a mistake.

— —

Hilda flinched like she'd been struck.

His emotions! If she had to describe them, she would say they felt like hundreds upon thousands of volts of electricity.

She tried pulling her hand away, but Volkner caught it again.

It hurt.

"Hilda…" There was something about the tone of his voice… and heat involuntarily pooled in her stomach. "I…"

She could hear it in there. In his voice. Again, she could hardly describe it, but the word that came up in her mind was want. Yes, that was it. In his voice, she could hear nothing but a raw want.

Her knees went weak and she tried to keep from falling into him by reaching her hand up and clutching the collar of his jacket for support.

Why, why, why! She felt it inside of her too. She could feel the desire coursing between the two of them and how powerful it was and how much it scared her. There were just so many things at once-

Suddenly, he leaned in close and whispered in her ear. "You're not making this any easier." He was gripping her hand so hard and it hurt and yet…

The burning in her stomach intensified. The way he whispered in her ear just felt so intimate. What in the world was wrong with her?

Hilda fought the simple effort of turning her head and touching her lips to his cheek. "I-It's not something I can control that easily…"

His lip was barely close enough to brush her ear.

"Weren't you going to kiss me?"

Her eyes widened. Was he encouraging her to do it?

Or have you given u-

His sentence cut off abruptly. His thoughts fell apart and became incoherent. His mind turned blank.

Because she kissed him.

—The Kiss—

Volkner couldn't remember the last time he'd been as upset as this.

Of all the things that could've happened to him, from psychic powers to powerful Dragon-type Pokemon to Pokemon Champions, this one blew his mind the most.

Hilda had bitten him on the chin.

She bit him on the chin. And as good as it'd felt…

Immediately, he released her and used his free hand to touch where she'd nipped him. "You-!"

"I'm not feeling anything." Hilda stared blindly at her hands, opening and closing them again and again as if waiting for something like a Shadow Ball to just happen. "Not even a spark." Her brow wrinkled in thought.

Seeing this, he saw that she wasn't fazed by what she just did. Seeing this, he was surprised because he never expected her to act so boldly. Seeing this, he realized that he felt unsatisfied…

Unsatisfied? For a maddened moment, Volkner wanted to laugh. Of course he would feel unsatisfied. He'd wanted Hilda to immediately address the problem at hand, acknowledge what just happened between them. He wanted her to acknowledge the fact that the dormant lust they had for one another had just been thrown in their faces.

Hilda was suddenly confused.

"What do you want me to do, Volkner?" She asked the question so suddenly that it took him a moment to understand what she was saying.

"What?"

"You… were thinking about…" Hilda turned her face away from him and Volkner felt her shame. Why shame?

"We usually don't… don't talk about what happens when we touch. I just don't understand." As if those words ignited something within her, she suddenly whipped her face back towards him. "What you want me to do about it!"

Her reaction subsequently caused a rare anger to flare up within him.

"Nothing!"

"What?" Her eyes widened.

"You don't have to do anything. It's in my own head so I have to deal with it." He sighed and slid his hand across his face. "That's the thing, Hilda. This connection, this link that we have… it's unnatural. That's what the Psychics were saying earlier. You aren't meant to be in my head like this. Sometimes… sometimes people think things that don't make sense-"

"I get that." Hilda interjected. "I really do. I get your point, but I can't not read your thoughts, Volkner. This connection is part of both of us now and I can't help it if I react to what you're thinking because people are usually honest with themselves in their own minds!"

She shouted her last few words. Then proceeded with breathing a little heavier than before, as if she was catching her breath. But when she said no more, Volkner realized she was waiting for his response.

He decided that he'd had enough of this.

"Let's just keep going, Hilda." He took her glove. Then he gave, not an order, but a request. Give me your hand.

She hesitated for a second, her face blank as she stared at him, but her heart in a mixture of confusion and surprise; trying to decipher…

To his pleasant surprise, she did as she was told.

As he helped her put the glove back on, he told her, "Floaroma should be another hour and a half away."

She said nothing at first. But then-

"Hey… what was that earlier?"

"What was?"

Hilda motioned towards her chest. "You were thinking about your heartbeat and how it… didn't make sense. You thought it right before I… uh…"

"Oh… that…" Volkner coughed to clear his throat. "Right… um…it's hard to explain, but my theory is that my heart reacted to yours… somehow…" Volkner groaned. "That was a stupid way of putting it."

Hilda laughed at him. "Well, it's good enough for me." Then she teased him using his own words. "Let's just keep going, Volkner."

"Right." Despite what happened earlier, Volkner couldn't hold back a smile.

—About an Hour Later—

"How long before we get to Floaroma?"

"Thirty minutes."

Hilda quieted down… but not for long.

"You're still angry about the kiss?"

What? Volkner nearly stopped, but forced himself to keep walking. "… angry isn't the right word."

"So you're annoyed?"

He didn't say anything so she picked up on his thoughts instead.

"Because it wasn't a real kiss?"

He sighed. "Hilda…"

"Alright, I'm sorry! It's just hard to believe that I… you know…" Bit you. "But, I thought it counted."

"You'll figure it out sooner or later." He told her and left it at that.

— —

She asked him about the windmills when he first saw them peeking over the treetops.

"Efficiently done." He answered her and the admiration in his voice was evident as he slid into a nostalgic memory. "I was impressed with the idea when I first heard about it. With Mt. Coronet close by, the availability of wind becomes much greater. This power plant was still being planned out when I came here ten years ago. I talked to one of the workers there and he said it should be finished in the next year or so. I was just turning fifteen when I came back to see everything for myself."

Hilda felt Volkner's smile on her own lips again.

"How do you keep doing that?" She asked with a laugh, wiping at her lips with a free hand before quickly returning to the topic at hand. "Anyway… you started your Pokemon adventure at fourteen? That's not too bad, though most people like to start when they turn ten."

"When did you-?"

"Fourteen and three-quarters." Hilda laughed again. "I guess we both liked that number. I remember the day I first met Serperior. Cheren and I practically destroyed the house when he challenged us for a battle."

Volkner chuckled. "Pikachu managed to short-circuit mine for a week."

"Oh yeah?" Hilda grinned, but then sobered a little when she remembered something. "Bianca's father was against her becoming a Pokémon trainer."

Volkner made a surprised noise. "Really?"

"Yeah. So can you imagine what would've happened if we left earlier than that?"

Volkner really did try to imagine it. And decided that Bianca's father could hardly be called his favorite person.

Hilda laughed.

"What?"

"Well if I had a ten year old who was going to leave," She explained. "I'd think about his safety every day." She drew her eyebrows in for a sincere look. "And when I start to look at it that way, I can understand why he might've been so worried. I mean, what if the child got in trouble and his parents…" She trailed off, remembering something too late.

"I've gone without a mother for twenty-four years now." Volkner reassured her. "And my father…" His voice trailed off. His father…

For some reason, Hilda's throat constricted when the truth dawned on her. So his father had eventually passed away too. Maybe even shortly after his mother… thus, leaving him all alone in the world…

"There's no need to feel sorry for me. I'm alright." But there was something off now about his voice.

He was thinking about Bianca's father for some reason.

Quieted by the change in mood, Hilda was forced to allow silence to come back and sit awkwardly between them.

— —

"Have you ever met the honey seller before?"

When the atmosphere started feeling a little less tense, Hilda decided to break the mold and start a conversation. She even smiled at him, hoping that that would be more likely to get her an answer.

Volkner didn't disappoint. "I met him on my second trip to Floaroma." He went on for a little longer about how someone saw that he was a trainer and was probably interested in collecting more Pokemon.

"Honey trees?" Hilda asked him, which he would've thought was a strange question, had he not been thinking about them in that exact moment.

"They're indigenous to Sinnoh and they are where you'd normally slather the honey. Usually it takes about six hours…"

"Golden leaves." Hilda mused. "Do you think Pokémon appreciate its beauty too?"

"Can you see them?" He asked her, sounding genuinely interested in knowing. "In your mind, I mean. There are some over there by the river."

"No… it's just a feeling." Hilda's lips pulled down into a frown that she knew belonged to him, so she quickly explained, "It's like I'm reading a book and picturing things in my head. I don't think our connection is good enough for us to share images yet."

"Yet…" Volkner wondered if they would really have to kiss in order to strengthen their connection.

Hilda immediately ducked her head in embarrassment and he couldn't keep from smiling at her antics.

"We can figure that out later." He said playfully.

She lifted her head to raise an eyebrow at him.

"You know," he added. "When you turn your head like that, it makes me wonder if you managed to trick me for a good twelve hours."

She laughed at that, almost forgetting her embarrassment before she realized that her laughter was a little louder than usual. When she finished, she gave a groan.

"That sounded really bad."

Sorry, I was laughing on the inside.

"Right."

Then he unexpectedly pulled at her hand and brought her to a stop. She turned her head at him, questioning.

Ledge. There are three down this road.

"Right." Hilda sighed, knowing what was coming next.

—Two Down, One More to Go—

As Hilda proceeded in meticulously dusting off her dirty shorts, Volkner asked her casually, "Did you know a Drifloon appears at the Valley Windworks every Friday?"

"Really."

"Yes, really. They're about a foot tall."

Hilda stopped walking for a moment to lift her foot up to the approximate height, then down again. "That's pretty small."

"Yes, that is." Volkner laughed.

— —

It wasn't long before they reached the last ledge. Hilda, sick of sliding down small muddy slopes in her only pair of pants, decided to jump it.

Are you sure? Volkner asked her uncertainly.

Why was he uncertain?

"I'm sure." She told him with confidence. "Just keep an eye on me and I'll be fine." A wide grin found its way to her face, but this time it was all hers. Her stomach rolled a little even though the ledge wasn't actually that high, maybe a little shorter than three feet.

"Wait."

"Wha-"

Volkner jumped down first, landing with hardly a sound like he did for the last two ledges. "I'll be here." He told her. Just in ca-.

Hilda didn't even wait for him to finish that thought before she leaped forward with all her might.

"Whoa!" She heard him exclaim.

Suddenly, instead of meeting the ground with her feet, she met Volkner's head with her ribcage, which then slid up to her chin, in an awful impact.

"Oof!" She gasped as the wind rushed out of her lungs. Her arms wrapped around his neck to keep from falling.

Volkner lowered her none-too-gently on to the ground.

For several heartbeats, pain clouded her senses and she couldn't bring herself to move, but she could hear Volkner's uneven breathing from the unexpected effort of having to catch her. Gradually her arms loosened and fell to her sides.

She brought a hand up to cradle her chin. "Ow…"

At that moment, Volkner sucked in a breath. He was going to speak.

Close, but it was more like a yell. "Who told you to go jumping off by yourself, you stupid kid?"

Hilda's jaw dropped so low that she amazed even herself. He was actually angry at her. Even his thoughts were angry at her. "Did you just-?"

"You can't see yet you went ahead and jumped off a ledge without warning me. A stupid kid!"

"Wha… I…" She stuttered her way throughout his unexpected tirade.

"You've got to think a little more, Hilda!"

At this, she suddenly found her voice and snapped back, "Well maybe you should've trusted me more!"

Volkner stopped talking like she'd startled him into silence.

He processed her words for a minute, wondering if she could be right. Hilda believed that she was and the feeling of confidence she felt then made his thoughts take on an annoyed tone.

Maybe "You're right." He said finally. "I should've let you land and helped you only if you had any trouble."

Though his words sounded reluctant, Hilda was still taken aback. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Stop being angry so easily. I thought…"

He followed her line of thought and sighed. "Hilda, remember that just… just because I train Electric-type Pokémon for a living doesn't mean I will explode every time I lose my temper. And-"

"I wasn't talking about your Pokémon."

"That also doesn't apply to Fire-type- then what were you talking about?"

Hilda stalled. "Uhh…"

"Hilda."

"Okay, okay." She exhaled, then breathed in slowly. "Your hair."

"You- What?"

"Your hair." She repeated with a straight face. "The way it's shaped makes me think you get angry often."

For the longest time, Volkner said absolutely nothing. Even when she listened hard to his thoughts, she could only discern a kind of disbelief, but something big was coming. She felt it in her bones.

But instead of the disaster she was expecting, the next amazing thing happened. Hilda's lip twitched upwards and…

Volknerstarted laughing.

It was hard to describe his laugh. Hilda tried to think of a word for it, but couldn't. She just stood there, something big bubbling up inside of her too.

Finally, she couldn't hold it in any longer and she roared with laughter too.

Volkner sobered a little. Why are you laughing?

Hilda paused to think. Then she tried to tell him, "Your laugh is so…" She snickered. "So…"

"So what?"

"High like mine!" And she burst out once more into a fresh round of laughter, which eventually petered out into light chuckles.

"That's not fair. Now you're laughing at me." He was probably shaking his head right now.

Hilda laughed for just a little longer before she calmed down and said, "Let's just get going again, Volkner. I think we wasted enough time here."

He compliantly took her hand. But before either of them took a step, Hilda thought she heard him say something.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

She made noise of suspicion, but accepted his answer. She probably heard wrong. For a moment, she thought that he had said…

I don't think it was a waste of time.

She gave a start, but, before she could say anything, Volkner was already pulling her along.

—Floaroma Town—

The onslaught of at least a hundred different aromas found its way to his nose the moment he stepped past the town's welcoming sign. He'd forgotten that the smell could be so overwhelming.

Beside him, Hilda flinched visibly at the smell, but she seemed to like it nonetheless. In fact, she couldn't get enough of it as her head turned left and right, her ponytail whipping him at least once across the face. She hardly noticed.

Other than that, she amused him greatly. It was like…

You remind me of Jolteon when he's smelling for a new place to dig.

She promptly ignored him, but continued sniffing the air.

Volkner was about to get them going again when he realized something. None of the buildings looked familiar to him.

"Lost?"

Volkner looked down into Hilda's unfocused, but steady, eyes to find them filled with delight. She was just so eager to catch him in these awkward moments.

"A lot can change in ten years." Volkner countered. "The streets are still the same, but…"

"You can't remember where the honey man is? Then we can go to the flower shop to ask for directions."

She was feeling pleased, probably about being able to read so much of his mind. And it unsettled him again to remember that.

Uncertainty flashed across her face and heart momentarily when he thought this, but Volkner quickly diverted her thoughts. "Let's hurry then. We should be able to get to Canalave by nightfall. Once you get your eyesight back, we'll be moving much faster."

Hilda nodded and made no comment.

—Floaroma Flower Shop—

"Welcome to Pick a Peck of Flowers! How may I help you?" A girl who looked no older than eleven greeted them at the door.

Volkner vaguely remembered her as a baby, not even old enough to walk, cradled in her older sister's arms. At the cash register still sat the eldest. She and the middle child were looking at him with remarkable recognition. It wasn't hard to guess why.

"Volkner?" He turned to the cash register where a blonde was giving him a good once-over. "Well, what do you know? Sinnoh's top gym leader has decided to pay us a visit after a decade."

"Move aside, Christina." The middle child, a shorthaired brunette gently pushed her little sister aside so she could get to him.

The moment she came up to him, Volkner corrected himself.

No… not child… He remembered that she should be close to Hilda's age by now so maybe child-like.

"So, are you here for directions? Or maybe you'd like to take a look at this Wailmer pail?"

"Where's the honey seller?" Hilda butted in before Volkner could open his mouth. Her patience was already running thin.

Luckily, Hilda wasn't able to see it, and Volkner forced himself not to think about it, but the girl rolled her eyes and looked away as if annoyed.

"You'll have to go back the way you came and take a left before the welcome sign since the townspeople don't like it when people step on their flowers. From there, just follow the path of flowers all the way down until you get to a house. You'll find the honey man there."

"Thanks." Hilda was about to turn around and somehow lead him out the door when he suddenly recognized a familiar floral scent.

He stopped her, touching her arm lightly to let her know.

Wait here.

Her annoyance prickled him, but he ignored it.

He turned towards one of the many tables in the shop. It was sprinkled in countless flowers, but one in particular caught his eye. He moved closer to examine it.

Almost immediately, the shorthaired girl was at his side. He didn't have to look at her to know she was curious about his choice.

There was something different about the flower that set it apart from the others. It was more vibrant, alive, as if the flower itself knew it was destined to be special.

"You don't recognize it?" She asked him, though he had trouble discerning if she was just teasing him or actually wanted to know. "I thought gym leaders knew all about Sinnoh's legends. Anyway," She waved the matter aside. "That can only be found on Seabreak Path. You know. The one our champion discovered? Right, anyway, now we only have one of these in stock. And since this type of flower doesn't wither very easily we get barely two shipments every month."

She turned her gaze to the flower and studied it for a moment. She was considering something.

"The name of this flower… is the Gracidea." She'd paused like she hadn't been sure of herself, but then she suddenly leaned in close, which startled him enough for Hilda to get suspicious. When she spoke, it was in a voice only he, and subsequently Hilda, could hear. "And if you promise to escort me to Jubilife City, I'll give it to you for free."

Hilda's suspicion only grew, but Volkner didn't see it that way. Instead, he was simply curious. Why Jubilife? At the same time he wanted to ask himself, why the flower?

Volkner gazed at the Gracidea's scintillating petals.

There was something other than its smell that was drawing him to it, something that went beyond any of his senses and could be described as a gut feeling or maybe even an innate and unexplainable knowledge. The flower was here for a purpose, but what?

"We'll consider it." Volkner said finally. "But first, we need to see the honey seller."

Still waiting at the door, Hilda was beginning to prod him. Hurry up!

The shorthaired girl nodded as her eyes filled with triumph. Volkner wasn't sure what it meant, but he was satisfied with their deal. "Thanks." She said before turning away to begin preserving the Gracidea.

"Let's go, Volkner." Hilda called to him.

Sensing her desire to leave the shop as soon as possible, he walked swiftly toward the door. As he passed by, Hilda latched quickly on to his sleeve.

Eventually, the shop was empty again and a few minutes passed before—

"Why him?" Bridgette asked her younger sister.

Sarah slowly blinked her dark, brown eyes at her.

Bridgette frowned. Her sister only did that when she had an idea. Usually, a bad idea.

"He really wanted that flower," Sarah explained. "So I'm giving it to him. For a price. I want to see what his relationship is with that girl. It didn't seem normal. For one, she's wearing gloves in the middle of summer. And besides," she grinned at both Bridgette and Christina. "We have that deal with the Poketch Company in Jubilife right? I'm killing two birds with one stone."

"Or maybe three birds because you like him, Sarah!" Christina teased.

"That too…" Sarah admitted, her cheeks turning just a shade redder than usual. "But mainly so I can see what's going on between them. I'm telling you, it didn't seem normal."

"I know what you mean, but… I have the feeling you're getting into something way over your head." Sarah's face pulled into a frown, but Bridgette was undeterred. She was warning her sister for good reason. "Maybe it's better for all of us," she began. "If he doesn't come back. You can always go with-."

"You don't understand," Sarah interjected angrily and Christina took a cautious step back from her older sister. "There's just something I have to see for myself and I can't explain it very well!"

"That's what you always say!" Bridgette suddenly snapped back.

Sarah bit her lip.

As they stared one another down, Bridgette held her gaze.

Finally, Sarah lowered her eyes. "It's different this time." She murmured.

Bridgette stared at her a while longer. Then sighed. "I don't feel good about this, Sarah…" She ran a hand through her hair. "But I suppose…"

"Yes! Thank you, Bridgette!"

"What—no, I didn't-!" Her sister ran up to embrace her. "Sarah…"

"I'll be good, Bridgette. I promise."

Knowing she would be the exact opposite, Bridgette sighed again. "Just… just remember to bring a water bottle with you."

"Yes, ma'am."

—Floaroma Meadow, Home of the Honey Seller named… Mister—

"Now, where did you say you were from?"

Deciding not to answer his question right away, Hilda took a sip of the hot tea that the honey seller had placed into her hands less than five minutes ago. A little bitter.

It's terrible. Volkner was disgusted.

Too bad.

She turned to the honey man politely and said, "Unova. By the way, thank you for the tea. People don't usually drink it where I live. We mainly have soda…"

"A different region!" The man reacted the way she thought he would, but it still gave her a start when he shouted. "I might've seen that one coming, but it's still hard to wrap my mind around it! So did you come all that way just to get some of my honey and cure your eyesight?"

"No, it's nothing like that." Hilda tried taking a bigger sip this time, but the tea was still too hot. She burned her tongue.

Immediately, Volkner's hand fell on her wrist.

—Volkner—

The honey seller had recognized him immediately.

"Is that you, Volkner? Gym Leader Volkner?"

A balding forty-year old man was waving at him. Volkner raised a hand to wave back.

"Welcome!" The man exclaimed. "Come in, come in!" He energetically ushered them into his house faster than they could ask questions.

The second they passed the front door Hilda froze in bewilderment, confused as to why they were suddenly being invited into the honey man's house. She tried to explain why they were there, but less than three-fourths of the way through the man suddenly declared that he had the perfect solution.

Later, when Volkner asked his name, the man simply turned around and smiled.

"Call me Mister."

Now they sat around a table watching Hilda drink tea. It was tea made from honey, medicine leaves, and hot water. The man was asking Hilda something about her region.

She drank some tea and Volkner turned discreetly to the side to wrinkle his face in disgust. Where in the world did the old couple get those medicine leaves?

The two chatted some more.

Just when Volkner thought things couldn't get any worse, the girl burned herself. He flinched as a sharp pain stung his tongue. He grabbed Hilda's wrist, which startled her.

Careful, Hilda.

"Sorry." She mumbled, taking a smaller sip this time. The tea isn't that bad…

Right.

"Something wrong?" asked Mister.

"No." Hilda replied a little too quickly, but she immediately changed the subject. "By the way, why are you called…?"

Mister stared at her for a moment. Volkner himself almost started feeling uneasy until understanding dawned in the man's eyes and he exclaimed, "Oh! Right, that's just what the kids around town like to call me. I guess I'm lucky since they seem to have developed a great taste for honey. I remember when I first moved here, the children just couldn't get my name right so they just settled for 'mister', which is fine by me! You know just the other day…"

A pleasant tingle began to spread throughout his body.

Volkner glanced at Hilda to see if anything was happening and noticed that her eyes were half-closed. Was this a side effect of the medicine?

Just… a little tired. She smiled at him, but her lips only lifted halfway.

Without hesitation, Volkner turned to the honey seller. "Do you have a couch where she can lie down for a while?"

"…and told me to look out for—why yes! Yes, of course. Is your partner alright?" Mister brought his face a little closer to Hilda's. "Ah… I see… yes, let's get her to the couch. On to the living room…"

— —

Hilda clung on to consciousness.

Her limbs were feeling more and more sluggish as her sightless eyes began to droop with a weight that was neither light nor heavy. It all felt very uncomfortable.

She was placed on to a hard, leather seat. A couch. When did she start needing to be carried?

"When…?"

Volkner's voice came to her gently. "Your legs stopped working a few feet back."

She remembered that she liked how it sounded; a mild, medium voice that could be spirited when it wanted to be.

She thought she felt him moving away. As quickly as she could, which was probably closer to a tired lunge, she grabbed his sleeve. "Don't leave." She said, but her voice came out as a whisper. The medicine was working much too fast.

The first thing Volkner did was take off her gloves.

— —

Her hands were sweaty from the wool.

This was the first thing Volkner noticed when he made contact with her exposed skin. Then the emotions flooded in and he was suddenly aware of a dull exhaustion in the back of his mind. He had to close his eyes and shake his head to push it back. For now.

Then he kneeled so that his face was more on level with hers.

She surprised him when her sightless eyes opened wide. "Mister didn't ask about the gloves at all, did he?" She said with an unexpectedly big smile.

No, he didn't. Volkner admitted, chuckling. Then he realized that it was a mistake to talk using his mind because the exhaustion was suddenly back again.

"You should let go, Volkner. Or you'll be the one to fall asleep." She warned.

"You're right. I should, shouldn't I?"

Hilda didn't say anything. Maybe she was thinking about what he said.

He thought about it too.

"It's not going to be a good dream." Her eyes were uncannily focused on his when she said this. "So—"

"So what?" He squeezed her hands lightly. "I'm a grown man, Hilda. I can do whatever I want… whenever I want." He wasn't sure what compelled him to say that, but the exhaustion was already creeping up too close for him to care.

"Just promise me something, Volkner."

"… What is it?" Volkner turned so that he was sitting with his back against the couch. He still had one hand in contact with hers.

With great effort, Hilda turned herself so that she was lying on her stomach and her hand rested comfortably in his upturned palm.

Then she whispered with a gentle smile that Volkner thought looked good on her, "That you won't forget to wake up."

He tried to open his mouth, but realized that he didn't have enough strength left to do it. He answered the only way he could.

I promise. Then he lost consciousness and fell into a deep, deep sleep.

—Nightmare, Hilda—

Before her lay a great, black casket.

Whose…? She wondered.

Gradually, it became clear where she was.

A morgue. Even though she'd never been in one, she'd seen them on TV often enough to know. What she didn't know, however, was how sterile they could be; lifeless and barren like its occupants. The only source of light was a single candelabrum at the foot of the casket. Did they have those in morgues? The walls were dirty white, the floors murky grey; candelabrum and caskets didn't belong in morgues, bodies did… The room reminded her of an abandoned attic.

Suddenly, her legs began moving of their own accord, with a distinct clacking of what sounded like dress shoes. They brought her towards the casket.

No, no, no, no, no! She tried to scream, but her mouth stayed shut. What was wrong with her?

Then a hand lifted to grab the casket's handle and Hilda realized with a jolt that it wasn't hers.

A teenage boy… the hand of a teenage boy; what in the world was going on?

The hand closed around the handle. Then flung it open.

Hilda screamed, but the boy's mouth only twitched, as if he had had stifled his in time. As she gazed upon the body in the casket, her mind gripped in horror, everything suddenly made sense.

A blonde man, with hair even wilder than his son's, was lying in the casket. The face was the epitome of a corpse, bland and expressionless. The lids were sunken and the skin was loose, indicating that the man had been much bigger in life. Looking even more closely, she saw traces of laugh lines around the mouth.

This wasn't just an image conjured up by Volkner's mind. This wasn't just a nightmare. This was his father's body as he had seen for himself on the examining table.

Her eyes started to blur and, slowly, the tears came.

The boy wept quietly. "Dad." He gasped softly.

There was an instant of silence.

Then the body sat up.

Hilda screamed and this time her mouth obeyed as she tripped backwards, her hands landing hard against the cold, cold floor.

Its neck cracked to the left.

Hilda flinched like she'd been slapped. A sob escaped her throat.

The head twisted towards her, snapping bones, and fraying nerves. Their eyes locked. Hilda suddenly found herself staring into two empty, black holes. Where the eyes should've been, there was only absolute nothingness. Death.

The mouth opened and the corpse began to speak. "Pathetic."

The word pierced through her haze of fear and struck her in her core. The fear that was gripping her so fiercely was briefly interrupted by a flicker of anger.

"You are not my son."

She stared into those black holes where a red light was shining in them now. They reflected the growing anger in her heart.

She opened her mouth to retort, but the corpse cut her off.

"You killed your own father."

—Nightmare, Volkner—

A man with long green hair was laughing manically, his laughter echoing off the walls of a lonely, grey castle. Recognized dawned as Volkner finally placed a face to the name.

It was the man who had left him to die in the snow two days ago. Ghetsis.

As if Volkner had spoken his name out loud, the man stopped in his wild laughter to look at him with his single visible eye.

Chills immediately ran up his spine, as his stare pierced him.

Volkner looked down. Six poke balls rolled lifelessly at Ghetsis' feet, the results of a recent battle. Had he won against him?

"He's nothing more than a freak without a human heart. And you think you can actually save him? Don't be foolish, Hilda."

Hilda?

His lips moved and a female voice resounded clearly from his mouth. "That's enough! I don't need to listen to you, Ghetsis. You're just a sore loser." His arms crossed. "There's still hope for N. I believe in him!"

An arm lifted and then he saw physical proof of what was going on. It was slender, like a girl's. Hilda pointed at Ghetsis.

"N will become a much better man than the one you tried to create. I know it." Her voice was so firm and unyielding and confident that Volkner actually felt a tinge of pride.

Ghetsis was silent for a moment. Then he smiled maliciously and said, "Pointing a finger at me and lying to my face. No manners at all, you stupid girl." The coldness of his voice froze Hilda's confidence.

He stepped forward and Hilda took a step back. Her heart beat faster and faster and so did Volkner's because he was in there with her.

Suddenly, Ghetsis came close and caught her wrist. Volkner subsequently hissed in pain. The man had such a vice-like grip!

"You're still just a child, but I'm sure you'll soon be able to bear me a grandson good enough to be raised as my new heir. He will be even more worthy than that useless boy of mine."

Enraged by his words, Volkner wrenched his hand back. He was in control now. "You sick bastard," He growled, all but shaking with anger. "I'm erasing you from this dream."

Ghetsis opened his mouth and Volkner's hand curled into a tight fist, ready to punch it. However, the strangest thing happened next.

Nothing.

Ghetsis stood there with his mouth open, his fist still holding on to an invisible wrist, and eyes gleaming with an oncoming wave of laughter that would never happen.

"What are you doing here?"

Volkner turned to see another green-haired man approaching him from an open doorway. His hair was the same shade as his father's.

N's proximity induced a quiet enmity in him. He didn't bother hiding his displeasure at seeing the other trainer. No matter how much Hilda cared for this man, for some reason Volkner just couldn't bring himself to feel the same. "I should be asking you the same thing."

N waved a hand and the castle darkened once before brightening up again.

By the time Volkner looked back to what had changed, Ghetsis had already disappeared.

"It's disconcerting to see you in Hilda's body." N walked up to stand beside him, staring at the place where Ghetsis used to be.

"If I had a choice, I wouldn't be here." Volkner said simply. If he had a choice, Hilda would be standing next to him instead.

"So whose choice was it? Hilda's? I don't believe she would-"

"An accident." He cut in. "Neither of us wanted this."

For a moment, the two of them just stood there. Every fiber in his body was on edge.

"Then find a way to get out of it." N said suddenly and turned to face him. "Find a way to save Hilda from your own nightmare."

Volkner held N's piercing gaze. Save her?

"She's in your nightmare and your mind. That makes it impossible for me to go in and save her." N paused a moment and shook his head. He had just admitted one of his weaknesses. "So take responsibility and go get her."

N had hit a nerve. "Then why don't you tell me how to get out here?" Volkner felt his enmity rising. "Tell me what to do so we aren't standing here wasting time. Tell me so that you don't ever have to see me ever again." He pointed at him. "Or are you too busy trying to relieve your temper on me?"

"Are you saying I'm selfish?" Hissed N.

Unconsciously, they had advanced on one another until their faces were no more than a few inches apart.

Volkner was breathing just a little heavier than before as he glared at the man in front of him. They had stared each other down for nearly a minute before Volkner became aware of the fact that the scene would've been much more effective if he hadn't been a head shorter than he usually was.

N could only maintain his glare for several more seconds before the hostility in his eyes faded and he looked away. His cheeks seemed to be deepening in color.

It took him a moment, but Volkner eventually understood what was going on. For an instant, he nearly felt sorry for the trainer. It must've been incredibly disconcerting for him to argue with a man wearing the face of a woman he had feelings for.

A woman he had feelings for…

"Tell me." Volkner said once more. "Show me how to get to her."

Without hesitation, N pointed in the direction he had originally come from. "There. Through that door. Just focus your mind on what you're looking for and it'll take you to where you need to go."

Volkner looked towards the doorway only to be taken aback by the bright light that was now shining through. It had been dark when N first appeared.

He turned to go, but a hand caught him by the shoulder. "Hilda's waiting." He said calmly, but his patience was already wearing thin. Volkner made as if to shrug off his hand, but N's grip tightened.

"What is she," he asked in a low voice. "To you?"

Caught off guard by the question, Volkner froze. He'd wanted to ask himself that question for a while now, but had never gotten around to it. Now, he couldn't bring himself to look at the other man, nor could he pull away. So, for a while he just stood there and tried to come up with an answer. When he did find one, it was the most honest one he could give for now.

"A partner." He gazed at the shining doorway and pictured Hilda in his mind. "She's someone I'm… learning to trust." N's grip loosened. "And I…" He hesitated.

Hilda was trapped his nightmare. Hilda was alone when she didn't have to be. Hilda was in grave danger.

He shook off N's hand. "I just can't leave her alone." Then Volkner walked forward and out of his reach.

As if to get one final say in, N told him, "She doesn't belong in your world. Not your dreams or your region." Then N finished with, "She doesn't belong to you."

In the few seconds before the light enveloped him, Volkner turned his head over his shoulder and simply said, "She doesn't belong to anyone."

Then the light swallowed him.

Suddenly the whiteness around him drained away and he found himself falling into an abyss. The abyss of his own mind.

—Nightmare, Hilda—

The tears that streaked her face were her own.

Somewhere between the time she had fallen to the floor and the time she locked eyes with the corpse before her, she had acquired control over Volkner's body.

"Stop, please." She whispered. She begged. "I don't want…"

"Your fault. It was always your fault. From the moment you were born, you had the world in your hands. You could've become the greatest engineer in Sinnoh, you had all the resources… but you chose to focus on Pokémon instead. "

"But, dad-!" Hilda caught herself and shuddered.

This wasn't her father, what was she saying! But…

She shook her head.

How could any father be like this? Even when she tried imagining her own father as a strict and uptight man, she could never have imagined him saying such cruel things to her. There was something wrong with the way this was going, there was something off, because Volkner was too good of a man to have a father like this.

"No." She was still shaking her head, but this time in defiance of the corpse's words. She forced herself to stand up. "You're wrong."

The corpse was silent, but Hilda took that as her cue to keep talking.

"If you actually knew what your son has already done for Sinnoh, if you really knew what he is capable of, you'd be a proud father." As she spoke her back straightened; her voice grew in confidence. "Volkner is Sinnoh's best engineer and gym leader. He's done two times what you said and he has more responsibilities under his belt than most people do. He doesn't deserve to hear you have to say about him and he doesn't need you to tell him what he needs or doesn't need to focus on. If you can't believe in your own son, then you don't deserve to be his father." Hilda was breathing harshly when she finished.

"That's because that isn't my father."

Startled, Hilda whipped her head to the right just in time to see the real Volkner step past her.

— —

That wasn't his father.

That thing was never his father.

As Volkner continued walking towards the corpse, he said, "He's just a nightmare I created unintentionally after my father's death. That's why you look like I did when I was thirteen." He was talking to the corpse now as he stopped less than a few feet away from it.

"You're late." The nightmare smiled and the skin on its lips cracked in several places.

Volkner remembered that that used to make him shudder. Now, it just filled him with a faint disgust.

"It's been a while since you came to visit me. Looks like I can't make you cry anymore." The nightmare laughed at the memory. "Ahh, those were the days."

"The fact that you still exist means I haven't forgotten…" Volkner admitted. Then he closed his eyes. "But no, you're right. You can't touch me anymore. It's already over."

"Or is it?"

"Volkner!" He heard Hilda scream.

He opened his just in time to see the nightmare's hands disintegrate before they could touch his face. Volkner stared in triumph.

However, as the rest of its body began to deteriorate and break down, the nightmare smiled. Volkner would never tell Hilda this, but this time he couldn't prevent chills from racing up his spine after seeing it. The nightmare knew something it shouldn't have.

"This body may be destroyed and you can think you've won, but the nightmare will always exist inside you. Lying dormant, that's all I'm doing. The cold, hard truth is that I will be the one beside you in the end when you are alone."

Its head had gone loose now, its neck held together by only a few frayed nerves and skin. With its remaining efforts, the nightmare leaned forward and whispered its last words into Volkner's ear.

— —

From behind, Hilda saw his shoulders stiffen and his hands curl tightly into fists.

She had to say something. Anything! "Don't listen to him, Volkner. He's just trying to get to you!"

The nightmare pulled back from him and, as the last of its body fell away, it murmured words that caused her to shudder. "Foolish girl… if only you knew…" And then the monster was no more.

All at once, the room began to fall apart. Parts of the ceiling collapsed as the wall paint peeled and the floor cracked with a deep rumble. The coffin deconstructed itself, slowly degenerating into pieces of black, lacquered wood and bent nails.

The debris, however, did not touch either of them. Instead, it simply crumbled into nothingness and they were left suspended in darkness so endless that, when Hilda looked down at her feet, she had to marvel at its vastness.

For a while, it was quiet between them. Then Volkner told her quietly, "Leave."

She stared at him. "What did you say?"

His back was still facing her. "I said for you to leave. You don't belong here…"

Several emotions went through her at once and she asked him incredulously, "You didn't come here just to tell me that, did you?" The way he said it, he made it like it was her fault she was here in the first place. She felt a sense of unfairness… as well as a tiny prickling of hurt.

"I came here to save you… and send you back."

"Back? Back where?"

"Your own mind where your friend is waiting for you."

"You mean N." She didn't like his tone of voice. "What do you have against him?"

"Unlike you, I don't have a reason to trust him." Volkner turned to face her. When he did, she saw that his eyes were cold, forbidding. "Go back before something else happens to you here."

Behind him, Hilda saw a door, half-open. Was that where "back" was?

"Go." His tone was final and allowed no room for objection.

"Fine." She said simply. Crushing the sudden sting of rejection, she walked past him as quickly as she could. However, she made a mistake when walked too closely and grazed his shoulder.

Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed her arm so tightly that it startled her.

— —

Her pain came to him like a bee sting, making him flinch on the inside.

Fool, he thought to himself, of course she would feel this way! He was trying to make her feel a certain way so that she could be repulsed enough by him to leave as fast as she could. But… he hadn't anticipated this powerful of a reaction.

His hand had reached out to her subconsciously, which was a dangerous sign because they were closer to his subconscious than it was normal. "Hilda, has it ever occurred to you that I might not be a good person?"

His words made her stiffen. "What do you mean?" She asked uncertainly.

"I thought…" He stopped talking for a moment and closed his eyes. When he composed himself, he looked up and found her gazing at him. "I hoped that the things in my mind would leave you alone, that you would be safe here."

He held her stare, her intense stare backed by the anticipation that overflowed from her heart, as long as he could.

"But I was wrong."

Hilda's lips twitched as if she'd been about to say something to him when the door behind her suddenly flew open.

A bright light spilled in through the entryway and blinded him. That was also when Hilda chose to step back out of his grip. Vaguely, Volkner was reminded of going through the same motion with N.

"I have to go now." She told him softly. The light shining through the door drowned her face in shadow. "I'll see you on the other side."

Then she stepped backwards and soon the light engulfed her completely.

A/N: There. Now on to the next chapter.

See you sometime in the future.

—Someone's House—

The first thing to register was a light, spicy scent.

The smell worked its way into her dreamless world and in reality she shifted sleepily. Her body felt cramped, but also very, very warm and the reason as to why she was feeling so warm didn't fully penetrate her brain until the man beside her began to stir.

Hilda's sightless eyes widened as she realized where she was.

Pulled tightly by long and angular arms against a chest that rose fractionally with each breath, her nose was being pressed up into a solid chin.

As awkward and strange this position was, she didn't hate it. But, she had to get out and get changed or else things would be even more awkward as it was.

Slowly she brought one hand up to push against his chest and create room for her to wriggle out. However, it soon proved to be counter-productive because…

Hilda felt her cheeks grow hot.

His muscles were firm and unyielding, and they hardly gave way under her push. This man definitely wasn't lacking anything in fitness and she felt that she now understood one of the reasons why girls loved being hugged by men.

For a while, she just stayed like that, her hand plastered against Volkner's chest like… like—

"Ugh, what am I doing?" She groaned and forced her hand away. He was going to wake up soon. She knew it. So she opted to pull at his arms instead of pushing him away.

Once she was free, Hilda started feeling around for her bra.

Stupid! She realized with a pang. She'd left it on the other side of the bed and the idea of even more effort needed to get dressed made her cringe. She was almost done inching off the bed when Volkner woke up.

His awakening was like a tap on her brain.

"Where are you going?" He asked her hazily. His tone was light, maybe even amused.

He thought she looked cute with her hair down.

It was times like these that she cursed her ability to intrude on Volkner's mental privacy. Her face and neck burned with embarrassment and she tried to answer him. "To get…" but she didn't finish her sentence.

Because the craziest idea just popped into her head.

"To get—" My bra. As if shooting a gun, she thought those words at him as hard as she could.

Volkner suddenly gave a shout and a flash of pain coursed through her body.

"Volkner!" She scrambled across the bed to get to him. "I overdid it. I'm sorry." She listened hard for any groans of pain, though thankfully there were no more. "Sorry…" She repeated.

Nothing could've prepared Volkner for the mental blow. His brain felt like Hilda had taken a mallet and…

"Don't." He moved away from her quickly. She was suddenly much too close. "You shouldn't touch me."

She was immediately disappointed, though it didn't show on her face. And also, underlying the disappointment, was hurt.

Volkner sighed. Women were definitely complicated creatures.

He felt a flash of annoyance.

He quickly picked up her bra, so as to distract her from getting even angrier, "Here," and pressed the cottony material into her fingers. "You wanted that didn't you?"

She hesitated at first, then calmed down and said, "Thanks," before taking it. She started fingering the garment. "Did it really hurt that much?"

"You mean like a mallet against my brain?"

"Yeah, that…" She suddenly smiled mischievously. "Can I try again?"

"You…" Volkner sighed and shook his in disbelief. This girl…

"Okay, I'm going to try again, but with less force this time." Hilda promised.

Her brow wrinkled in concentration and Volkner closed his eyes to brace himself for impact.

Outside… need to change. The words were no louder than a whisper, but Hilda was nearly bursting with triumph.

"Am I going outside or are you?" He asked her jokingly as he slid off the bed and started walking towards the door.

"I did my best," was all she said with the widest grin he'd seen on her face in a while.

Volkner couldn't help grinning too before he left the room.

— —

Hilda changed quickly.

She did it in record time, whipping off her shirt to slip on her bra. She even took a moment to feel pleased with herself.

However, it wasn't long before a small, nagging thought entered her mind and she remembered that this was the only bra she had.

Hilda sighed.

It was inevitable. Volkner was going to have to go shopping for her.

Done?

How distinct… the clarity of the word was like he had spoken it to her.

"Amazing…" She whispered.

He was even better at it than she was.

Volkner opened the door without waiting for her to answer and she tilted her head just enough so he could see her face clearly.

"Ever heard of knocking?"

Weren't you finished?

Although she couldn't see it, she knew he was smiling. As he experimented more with the profound, new way of communicating that she'd discovered, she had access to his thought processes, which were a fascinating experience in itself.

Can you hear me?

She made a face at him. "Stop talking like we're on the phone." Then an idea occurred to her again. "Hey… why don't we test that out?"

"Why not?" Volkner opened the door like he was ready to leave. "Then we can do it while I go to the market. You wanted to buy…?"

"Oh, right. I…" She was about to answer when something clicked to understanding in her mind. "Wait, how do you-?"

"More than one thing changed for us, Hilda." His mind moved faster than his mouth and Hilda understood what he meant before he finished talking.

"I see… then that means…" He had access to her emotions and some of her thoughts. "It's a little unbalanced, don't you think?"

"I only know you want me to buy something, Hilda." Volkner told her, reassuringly. "I don't know any specifics."

Hilda supposed he was right and she also knew she shouldn't be complaining because he technically had even less privacy than her.

"What do you need, Hilda? Just tell me and I'll get it for you."

She sighed.

The day was already turning out longer than she expected.

Then she quickly rattled off a small list of items.

— —

Before Volkner left, Hilda had asked him to pass her her bag.

Flipping open one of the pocket flaps, she took out her transceiver then took a moment to locate the wake-up button. A digital voice declared that she had voicemail, which wasn't surprising seeing as she had neglected her phone for a good portion of yesterday.

Her fingers moved fluidly over the correct keys and she managed to play the message without difficulty. Almost immediately, Hilda heard Cheren's usual, impatient voice penetrate through the speakers.

She listened to the message once. Laughed. Then replayed it, just so she could hear her friend's familiar way of talking.

So, Ghetsis was on his fourth badge and Cheren was had warned them to "keep an eye out" for him near Canalave City.

Hilda shook her head.

That really didn't tell them anything. Ghetsis could have chosen to go east instead for all they knew. He had never been a conventional man in the first place.

Then, another unsettling thought found its way to her mind.

Shouldn't Cheren and Bianca have already reached Lake Valor by now? The voicemail had stated that this message was left half a day ago, which should've given them plenty of time. But then again…

"Ugh," she groaned while laying back on to the bed. "This isn't going anywhere. Too many factors, too many possibilities…" At least the good news was that they'd found a map, saved a Psyduck, and seemed pretty happy together, but other than that there wasn't much.

Hilda knew it was time for Volkner and her to get moving again. Now.

She sat up quickly, then imagined she was calling someone on a phone. Volkner, can you hear me?

Several seconds ticked by. Hilda was just about to try again when a reply came.

Loud and clear.

She laughed in delight, his clarity impressing her. Now there was no doubt that he was good at this.

Finish soon. I need to talk to you when you get back.

Regarding Ghetsis?

She wondered for a moment if he was simply guessing or reading her thoughts. It was a strange thing to consider. Then she replied. Yes.

There was a noise of confirmation. And then their link ended. It was like hanging up.

Hilda released a breath she didn't even know she'd been holding. Apparently, telepathically communicating with Volkner was very exciting.

But now it was time to get ready.

She began gathering her hair into her hand and was just about to tie it into a ponytail when the most natural question crossed her mind.

Did Volkner like girls with long hair?

Her hair fell back down in a messy heap, her hand suddenly nerveless.

Did she really just ask herself that question?

Hilda sighed exasperatedly.

Since when did she care about something like that? Volkner probably didn't even care about how long her hair was… but now that she thought about it…

She sat there for a minute or two, pondering.

Even with N, she'd never asked that kind of question before since she'd always been too busy admiring his long hair. She always thought its shade of green was the most beautiful color in the world and now it was kind of strange to imagine him thinking something similar of hers.

"Focus, Hilda, focus!" She chanted. She had to think about something else… like where in the world did she leave her hat?

The front door suddenly swung open and Volkner was back in the house.

Hilda cursed quietly. She wasn't ready yet.

HIs footsteps were swift and light, leaving her only a few seconds before the bedroom door opened and a shopping bag was pressed into her hand.

"Here." He said shortly. She followed his thoughts as he wondered for a moment at her untied hair and why she hadn't put it up yet.

"My hat-." He pushed that into her hand as well.

The room was quiet as she tied her hair up and then quickly slipped on her hat. She wished he'd say something.

"You're welcome." He told her.

Smiling, she rummaged through the shopping bag, taking each piece of clothing out and placing them neatly into her backpack.

Her smile faltered when she got to the bottom. "You bought me something else?" There was one last piece of clothing and, when she reached it, her fingers met with something delicate. "A white blouse?"

"You can tell what color-? Oh… that's right…" He laughed. "Looks like nothing I do will ever surprise you again. No pranks either, I guess."

Hilda fidgeted on the bed. "I need to repay you…"

Then buy me clothes next time.

She made a face. "So that was your plan in the first place!" Then, after a moment's consideration, she said. "Alright, I promise."

When she finished packing, she stood up. To her delight, her knees only wobbled once. "Yes!" She cheered softly to herself. Then she reached for her bag, but Volkner picked it up instead.

"Let's trade." She felt him put a hand on the Poke balls at her waist. "Give me those and I'll give you your bag." So I can call back our Pokémon.

"I'm getting the feeling you do bargains like this quite often." She said with a smile that gradually widened. "Fine. You can meet me at the front door when you're done."

As he unclipped her Poke balls for her, Hilda reached out with both hands to grab the backpack. That was when she accidentally rubbed her fingers against the back of his hand.

Instantly she received several emotions at once. Surprise, concern and… contentment? Hilda's heart was suddenly several beats faster.

She swallowed hard. "We should hurry." Taking the backpack, she slipped it on. "Even if you have to drag me behind you, do it. I think time is running out very quickly."

"Did you get a message from Cheren?"

She nodded, then quickly relayed a brief summary of Cheren's warning.

"Then I agree. We have to hurry."

—Veilstone City Gym—

All Bianca wanted to do was go to a corner somewhere and be sick.

Despite being dizzy with a gross feeling in her stomach, she was forced to stare up at the ceiling of a brightly lit dojo. This was because she was lying flat, facing up, on a thin futon. Her body absolutely refused to move.

Unfortunately for her, the lights were the first things she saw upon waking up, blinding her for a good five minutes. Shortly following that, a general achiness began to settle everywhere on her body, especially her-

A twinge of pain shot through her stomach and Bianca gingerly pressed her hand against it.

It still ached. It looked like the shadow triad really didn't hold back on girls.

She heard a soft quack.

Bianca turned her head to the side to see Psyduck sitting there watching her with eyes full of pity. "Hello, Psyduck." Bianca said, as she smiled as best as she could at the Pokémon. "I'm glad you're alright."

"You really like her don't you?" Maylene appeared suddenly beside Psyduck, which made Bianca jerk back in surprise, only to groan and rub her stomach. "Oh! Sorry about that. Dawn always told me that I have this bad habit of popping up in places. But don't you worry! I'll try to tone it down." She grinned.

Bianca sighed at the toothiness of her grin. "Thank you. By the way, has either Cheren or Dawn woken up yet?"

"No, not really."

Her answer seemed vague so Bianca pressured her to explain. "Is something wrong?"

"Cheren's just rolling around on his futon mumbling your name. It looks like he really cares for you."

"Yes…he does." Even in her nauseated state, Bianca smiled at Maylene's words. Of course Cheren was going to fine. Boys knew how to take a punch or two. "How's Dawn?"

"She's gotten hit in the stomach before so she's definitely going to be fine!" Maylene's words this time, however, sounded a little too cheerful and, when Bianca looked hard into the girl's eyes, she saw uncertainty.

"She hasn't woken up yet?"

Maylene frowned at her question, looking unhappy that she brought it up. Then she sighed and shrugged her shoulders in a 'who knows' gesture. "I guess not."

"Don't worry." Bianca found herself saying to the girl. "Being unconscious is the same as being asleep. Everyone wakes up eventually. And I bet Dawn's still sleeping so she can get a few more hours in."

Maylene let out a somewhat nervous laugh at first. Then she laughed again and it was stronger and more confident. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right! I shouldn't think too much about it, anyway. Hey, after you start feeling better and everyone else wakes up, you can tell me what happened on Route 214."

"It's a long story." Bianca said, flashing another weak smile at Maylene. "You're going to fall asleep before we finish."

"I'll listen so hard, I'll memorize every word." Maylene vowed. "And I promise I'll do everything in my power to help out. I bet you need to go save everyone like Dawn had to do last time."

…

"I won't let you guys- Bianca?" It took Maylene a minute to realize the blonde girl had fallen asleep again. Her mouth was partially open like she'd been about to give a reply, but fell asleep before she could do so.

The gym leader scratched her head in confusion. "Was it something I said?"

—Eterna Forest—

The sleepy silence of the forest seemed to embody solitude.

"It's hard to believe we're back here again." Hilda said in a low voice. It felt almost inappropriate to speak too loudly. "Have you seen any trainers yet?"

"A few."

They fell quiet again. Hilda moved her gloved fingers restlessly.

"No, I'm not going to take them off." She said firmly at Volkner before he could say anything. "And thank you for getting me green ones. They're very nice."

You're welcome.

He pulled her hand up to indicate a small obstacle on the forest floor and Hilda stepped over it without a break in step.

"Eterna forest is about as big as its city. It'll take more than an hour to cross it." Volkner explained to her as they walked. "Contrary to everything we've just experienced in the past twenty-four hours, the forest isn't actually known for having Ghost-type Pokemon and spirits."

"But as 'the place where time flows eternally'?" Hilda asked, though they both knew the question was rhetorical since she'd already garnered the answer from Volkner's thoughts.

Volkner chuckled. I keep forgetting you can do that.

"Do you hate it?" Hilda held her breath in anticipation of his answer.

He didn't reply for a moment and, when his thoughts reached her, she realized his reply was too complicated for her to decipher. All she could get from it was a question he sent directly to her.

Would you?

Taking her silence as her answer, Volkner said no more.

And they continued on.

— —

Eventually, they had to leave the open road and move into the forest lining.

That it was a forest lining was all too apparent from the countless roots Hilda had to step over.

"Psychics and Bug Catchers…" Volkner told her. This forest is one of their favorite haunts.

At some point, Hilda began tuning her ears to Volkner's steady puffs of breath as he led them past the aforementioned trainers. In a way, he was literally her eyes. What he saw was naturally translated into his thoughts and subsequently became instructions for when and where she had to step. They also told her when to hold her breath and stay still, and how to step so that she didn't crush any twigs. The entire the time, Volkner kept a firm grip on her hand and she gripped him back just as hard. He was her lifeline. There was no doubt about it.

The Psychics… they're looking around like they know someone's coming. It looks like they can sense us.

We can fight… We can handle them…

"No." He squeezed her hand. "It's too dangerous."

You aren't my mother. She thought to him firmly.

"Hilda…" Volkner sighed. Then he prodded her mentally, which surprised her to no end, and thought to her sternly. But I'm a friend.

Hilda was about to retort when a voice suddenly called out to them.

"Come out now, Gym Leader Volkner."

Hilda's pulse spiked.

— —

Volkner felt his heart leap for a moment with—not fear—excitement.

It took him a moment to realize that it hadn't come from him, but the Pokémon Champion holding his hand. She was ready for a fight.

Hilda. He told her sternly. She was getting him riled up too.

"Come out, Gym Leader Volkner. We will not fight you."

Volkner hesitated, wondering for a moment if the voice was sincere.

He could be…

Volkner came to a decision and Hilda made a noise of annoyance. He ignored her and wordlessly led them out of the thick lining of trees.

A young man with closed eyes stepped into view.

"And you are Psychic…?"

"Elijah. And this is Lindsay." The young man motioned to the small girl leaning against the tree across from him. Her eyes were also closed. "We foresaw your approach and your great power as well."

When neither party spoke after that, Lindsay opened one eye and spoke.

"You're too good for us, simple as that."

That brought Elijah to speak. "And we understand that your friend is not used to being blind." He tilted his head towards Hilda. "Even though we Psychics do not often count blindness as an excuse from participating in battle, we will not attack someone who is not trained for it."

"Why don't Psychics count it as an excuse?" Hilda asked. And, though it was an unnecessary question, even Volkner found himself interested in hearing the answer.

"Psychics don't need both eyes see." Lindsay said, while pointing at her single open eye. "And when there's two of us, we only need one eye to fight."

The question slipped out from his mouth. "Then you can communicate telepathically during battles…?"

"That's if you actually believe everything Psychics say they can do." Lindsay smiled smugly. "Because we can. Oh sure there are fakes every now and then and we also have Psychics who are less proficient than others, but make no mistake. We're the real thing."

"Can you bend spoons?"

Lindsay cackled, successfully unnerving him.

What a crazy girl, he mused.

She laughed and laughed until she gradually calmed down.

"That's for little kids!" She cried. "Bending spoons? How about pans? Or lamps? Or poles? Or…" She gestured at the forest around her. "Trees? Much easier than metal in my opinion."

Hilda's hand shook once with disbelief and renewed excitement.

Have them…!

Volkner winced at her insistent thoughts. "Can you show us?"

"Even though your lover won't be able to see it?" Lindsay drawled.

"He's-" Hilda began.

"That's alright. I'll tell her about it later." Hilda, I'll be your eyes so stay quiet. Let them think what they want.

A noise of reluctant agreement came from her throat. From his perspective, it almost sounded like a growl.

Volkner wanted to laugh. Lindsay was a crazy girl, but Hilda definitely had all the potential to become a beast.

"Lindsay…" Elijah seemed to be having his own misgivings.

"I'm tired of keeping this a secret from everyone. Let's just show them what we can do."

Then, before anyone could say anything else, the petite Psychic, with her single open eye, walked toward her partner until his face was only inches away. Elijah opened his eyes.

Almost immediately, his expression changed and Volkner easily recognized it for what it was.

Desire.

Lindsay must've been looking for that because, the second the look appeared on his face, she reached up past his ear, grabbed a fistful of hair on the back of his head, and wrenched him forward into a rough kiss.

Volkner heard Hilda gasp from behind him and her hand squeezed his all the tighter.

Volkner! Can you feel it?

The air was suddenly heavy with a raw and wild energy.

Lindsay breathed as she broke the kiss, then pulled away from her partner, "Now, watch."

Turning towards the tree she'd been leaning on, she raised her hand and opened her remaining eye. Her pupil was slit.

There was a resounding crack! And wood went flying in all directions.

Watch out! Volkner forced Hilda behind him as chips of wood whistled past them. He grunted when several grazed his skin.

A special attack… Hilda's thoughts fired rapidly at him. What color was it?

What?

Her attack… what color… "Was that Shadow Ball?" Hilda whispered.

The petite Psychic was still breathing hard when a look of surprise appeared on her face. "How… how did you know? Impossib-"

"That is because they possess a similar power to us… only different." Elijah interrupted her, even though he was still breathing heavily. Then he grabbed her by the sleeve and pulled her towards him, away from Volkner and Hilda. "Theirs comes from a power greater than us."

"Humans can't use Pokemon moves." Hilda spoke as if trying to convince herself. "Psychics shouldn't be able to use Ghost attacks. None of this adds up." She suddenly shook herself free of Volkner's hand and dodged him when he tried to grab her back.

Hilda!

— —

Her desire to know burned like a coal in her stomach.

"Tell us," Hilda said in a voice so low that it came out as a whisper. "Can we do that too?"

Lindsay laughed humorlessly. "No, probably not. It'll be hard for you to even bend a spoon."

"Oh." Hilda couldn't hold back her flood of disappointment.

What we have right now is good enough, Hilda. Volkner was obviously just trying to console her, but he of all people couldn't hide from her the one instant when he felt exactly the same way.

"But we are considered amateurs at best." Elijah said suddenly, before Lindsay could speak again. "As you have just seen we have little understanding of the responsibility that possessing such a great power entails." He tightened his grip on his partner's arm. "I am disappointed in you, Lindsay."

"Don't be," She allowed herself to be held in such a manner. "I didn't…" She trailed off, but their conversation seemed to continue elsewhere as Elijah's expressions changed from fury to exasperation to gentleness in several seconds.

Elijah turned towards them. "Leave." He demanded. His eyes were wide open now and they were a dark, dark purple. "Leave us now." Both pupils were slit.

"Fine." Volkner caught her hand before she could move away. Let's go, Hilda.

She didn't put up a fight, much to his surprise.

Alright… let's go. Before, he…

Volkner squeezed her hand, conveying his agreement and just like that, they left the two Psychics behind.

— —

When Elijah saw that the people were gone, he turned to his lover.

She was looking at him so sensually. Well?

"Well…" In the next instant, his lips were on hers and they struggled with one another, each vying for a more dominant position though neither would ever truly dominate the other. She belonged to him and he belonged to her. It was as simple as that.

When they finally broke apart, they were both breathing hard. "Well, we did not tell them that only partners can hope to unlock the full potential of a psychic connection."

Lindsay traced a finger down a vein on his neck. "And I doubt they have anything like that going on between them."

"Perhaps." He pulled her in close so that their noses were only centimeters apart. "For them, only time will tell."

Then he closed the distance and captured her in another fervent kiss. This time, however, there wasn't going to be much talking for another while.

—Route 205—

Until they left the fringes of the forest far behind them, Hilda did not speak or think a word to him.

High above them, the sun shone down. Its rays were greatly welcomed after the perpetual shade of Eterna Forest.

She stopped abruptly.

"What…?" He had to stop as well. "What is it now, Hilda?"

"I don't understand you sometimes…" She clenched her fists.

"What do you mean you…" He trailed off, as he gradually understood what she wanted. "No… That isn't a good idea."

"An idea's an idea, Volkner. You saw what they could do. Even if we don't have the same powers as them, don't you want to see what we can do? What we can be capable of?" She stepped towards him with her unseeing eyes.

…You want this as much as I do.

In that moment, he stepped forward too and he watched her falter for a moment. "Do you?"

She stared at him.

Do you want one that much?

Her cheeks flushed a light pink. "You know that's not what I mean." She muttered.

For a moment, he just listened to the soft sounds of their uneven breaths. She was just as nervous as him.

Then his heart skipped a beat. It didn't belong to him.

"But it doesn't hurt to try." Suddenly Hilda slipped off a glove and-

Stop! He tried to grab her hand before she could reach up.

It was a mistake.

— —

Hilda flinched like she'd been struck.

His emotions! If she had to describe them, she would say they felt like hundreds upon thousands of volts of electricity.

She tried pulling her hand away, but Volkner caught it again.

It hurt.

"Hilda…" There was something about the tone of his voice… and heat involuntarily pooled in her stomach. "I…"

She could hear it in there. In his voice. Again, she could hardly describe it, but the word that came up in her mind was want. Yes, that was it. In his voice, she could hear nothing but a raw want.

Her knees went weak and she tried to keep from falling into him by reaching her hand up and clutching the collar of his jacket for support.

Why, why, why! She felt it inside of her too. She could feel the desire coursing between the two of them and how powerful it was and how much it scared her. There were just so many things at once-

Suddenly, he leaned in close and whispered in her ear. "You're not making this any easier." He was gripping her hand so hard and it hurt and yet…

The burning in her stomach intensified. The way he whispered in her ear just felt so intimate. What in the world was wrong with her?

Hilda fought the simple effort of turning her head and touching her lips to his cheek. "I-It's not something I can control that easily…"

His lip was barely close enough to brush her ear.

"Weren't you going to kiss me?"

Her eyes widened. Was he encouraging her to do it?

Or have you given u-

His sentence cut off abruptly. His thoughts fell apart and became incoherent. His mind turned blank.

Because she kissed him.

—The Kiss—

Volkner couldn't remember the last time he'd been as upset as this.

Of all the things that could've happened to him, from psychic powers to powerful Dragon-type Pokemon to Pokemon Champions, this one blew his mind the most.

Hilda had bitten him on the chin.

She bit him on the chin. And as good as it'd felt…

Immediately, he released her and used his free hand to touch where she'd nipped him. "You-!"

"I'm not feeling anything." Hilda stared blindly at her hands, opening and closing them again and again as if waiting for something like a Shadow Ball to just happen. "Not even a spark." Her brow wrinkled in thought.

Seeing this, he saw that she wasn't fazed by what she just did. Seeing this, he was surprised because he never expected her to act so boldly. Seeing this, he realized that he felt unsatisfied…

Unsatisfied? For a maddened moment, Volkner wanted to laugh. Of course he would feel unsatisfied. He'd wanted Hilda to immediately address the problem at hand, acknowledge what just happened between them. He wanted her to acknowledge the fact that the dormant lust they had for one another had just been thrown in their faces.

Hilda was suddenly confused.

"What do you want me to do, Volkner?" She asked the question so suddenly that it took him a moment to understand what she was saying.

"What?"

"You… were thinking about…" Hilda turned her face away from him and Volkner felt her shame. Why shame?

"We usually don't… don't talk about what happens when we touch. I just don't understand." As if those words ignited something within her, she suddenly whipped her face back towards him. "What you want me to do about it!"

Her reaction subsequently caused a rare anger to flare up within him.

"Nothing!"

"What?" Her eyes widened.

"You don't have to do anything. It's in my own head so I have to deal with it." He sighed and slid his hand across his face. "That's the thing, Hilda. This connection, this link that we have… it's unnatural. That's what the Psychics were saying earlier. You aren't meant to be in my head like this. Sometimes… sometimes people think things that don't make sense-"

"I get that." Hilda interjected. "I really do. I get your point, but I can't not read your thoughts, Volkner. This connection is part of both of us now and I can't help it if I react to what you're thinking because people are usually honest with themselves in their own minds!"

She shouted her last few words. Then proceeded with breathing a little heavier than before, as if she was catching her breath. But when she said no more, Volkner realized she was waiting for his response.

He decided that he'd had enough of this.

"Let's just keep going, Hilda." He took her glove. Then he gave, not an order, but a request. Give me your hand.

She hesitated for a second, her face blank as she stared at him, but her heart in a mixture of confusion and surprise; trying to decipher…

To his pleasant surprise, she did as she was told.

As he helped her put the glove back on, he told her, "Floaroma should be another hour and a half away."

She said nothing at first. But then-

"Hey… what was that earlier?"

"What was?"

Hilda motioned towards her chest. "You were thinking about your heartbeat and how it… didn't make sense. You thought it right before I… uh…"

"Oh… that…" Volkner coughed to clear his throat. "Right… um…it's hard to explain, but my theory is that my heart reacted to yours… somehow…" Volkner groaned. "That was a stupid way of putting it."

Hilda laughed at him. "Well, it's good enough for me." Then she teased him using his own words. "Let's just keep going, Volkner."

"Right." Despite what happened earlier, Volkner couldn't hold back a smile.

—About an Hour Later—

"How long before we get to Floaroma?"

"Thirty minutes."

Hilda quieted down… but not for long.

"You're still angry about the kiss?"

What? Volkner nearly stopped, but forced himself to keep walking. "… angry isn't the right word."

"So you're annoyed?"

He didn't say anything so she picked up on his thoughts instead.

"Because it wasn't a real kiss?"

He sighed. "Hilda…"

"Alright, I'm sorry! It's just hard to believe that I… you know…" Bit you. "But, I thought it counted."

"You'll figure it out sooner or later." He told her and left it at that.

— —

She asked him about the windmills when he first saw them peeking over the treetops.

"Efficiently done." He answered her and the admiration in his voice was evident as he slid into a nostalgic memory. "I was impressed with the idea when I first heard about it. With Mt. Coronet close by, the availability of wind becomes much greater. This power plant was still being planned out when I came here ten years ago. I talked to one of the workers there and he said it should be finished in the next year or so. I was just turning fifteen when I came back to see everything for myself."

Hilda felt Volkner's smile on her own lips again.

"How do you keep doing that?" She asked with a laugh, wiping at her lips with a free hand before quickly returning to the topic at hand. "Anyway… you started your Pokemon adventure at fourteen? That's not too bad, though most people like to start when they turn ten."

"When did you-?"

"Fourteen and three-quarters." Hilda laughed again. "I guess we both liked that number. I remember the day I first met Serperior. Cheren and I practically destroyed the house when he challenged us for a battle."

Volkner chuckled. "Pikachu managed to short-circuit mine for a week."

"Oh yeah?" Hilda grinned, but then sobered a little when she remembered something. "Bianca's father was against her becoming a Pokémon trainer."

Volkner made a surprised noise. "Really?"

"Yeah. So can you imagine what would've happened if we left earlier than that?"

Volkner really did try to imagine it. And decided that Bianca's father could hardly be called his favorite person.

Hilda laughed.

"What?"

"Well if I had a ten year old who was going to leave," She explained. "I'd think about his safety every day." She drew her eyebrows in for a sincere look. "And when I start to look at it that way, I can understand why he might've been so worried. I mean, what if the child got in trouble and his parents…" She trailed off, remembering something too late.

"I've gone without a mother for twenty-four years now." Volkner reassured her. "And my father…" His voice trailed off. His father…

For some reason, Hilda's throat constricted when the truth dawned on her. So his father had eventually passed away too. Maybe even shortly after his mother… thus, leaving him all alone in the world…

"There's no need to feel sorry for me. I'm alright." But there was something off now about his voice.

He was thinking about Bianca's father for some reason.

Quieted by the change in mood, Hilda was forced to allow silence to come back and sit awkwardly between them.

— —

"Have you ever met the honey seller before?"

When the atmosphere started feeling a little less tense, Hilda decided to break the mold and start a conversation. She even smiled at him, hoping that that would be more likely to get her an answer.

Volkner didn't disappoint. "I met him on my second trip to Floaroma." He went on for a little longer about how someone saw that he was a trainer and was probably interested in collecting more Pokemon.

"Honey trees?" Hilda asked him, which he would've thought was a strange question, had he not been thinking about them in that exact moment.

"They're indigenous to Sinnoh and they are where you'd normally slather the honey. Usually it takes about six hours…"

"Golden leaves." Hilda mused. "Do you think Pokémon appreciate its beauty too?"

"Can you see them?" He asked her, sounding genuinely interested in knowing. "In your mind, I mean. There are some over there by the river."

"No… it's just a feeling." Hilda's lips pulled down into a frown that she knew belonged to him, so she quickly explained, "It's like I'm reading a book and picturing things in my head. I don't think our connection is good enough for us to share images yet."

"Yet…" Volkner wondered if they would really have to kiss in order to strengthen their connection.

Hilda immediately ducked her head in embarrassment and he couldn't keep from smiling at her antics.

"We can figure that out later." He said playfully.

She lifted her head to raise an eyebrow at him.

"You know," he added. "When you turn your head like that, it makes me wonder if you managed to trick me for a good twelve hours."

She laughed at that, almost forgetting her embarrassment before she realized that her laughter was a little louder than usual. When she finished, she gave a groan.

"That sounded really bad."

Sorry, I was laughing on the inside.

"Right."

Then he unexpectedly pulled at her hand and brought her to a stop. She turned her head at him, questioning.

Ledge. There are three down this road.

"Right." Hilda sighed, knowing what was coming next.

—Two Down, One More to Go—

As Hilda proceeded in meticulously dusting off her dirty shorts, Volkner asked her casually, "Did you know a Drifloon appears at the Valley Windworks every Friday?"

"Really."

"Yes, really. They're about a foot tall."

Hilda stopped walking for a moment to lift her foot up to the approximate height, then down again. "That's pretty small."

"Yes, that is." Volkner laughed.

— —

It wasn't long before they reached the last ledge. Hilda, sick of sliding down small muddy slopes in her only pair of pants, decided to jump it.

Are you sure? Volkner asked her uncertainly.

Why was he uncertain?

"I'm sure." She told him with confidence. "Just keep an eye on me and I'll be fine." A wide grin found its way to her face, but this time it was all hers. Her stomach rolled a little even though the ledge wasn't actually that high, maybe a little shorter than three feet.

"Wait."

"Wha-"

Volkner jumped down first, landing with hardly a sound like he did for the last two ledges. "I'll be here." He told her. Just in ca-.

Hilda didn't even wait for him to finish that thought before she leaped forward with all her might.

"Whoa!" She heard him exclaim.

Suddenly, instead of meeting the ground with her feet, she met Volkner's head with her ribcage, which then slid up to her chin, in an awful impact.

"Oof!" She gasped as the wind rushed out of her lungs. Her arms wrapped around his neck to keep from falling.

Volkner lowered her none-too-gently on to the ground.

For several heartbeats, pain clouded her senses and she couldn't bring herself to move, but she could hear Volkner's uneven breathing from the unexpected effort of having to catch her. Gradually her arms loosened and fell to her sides.

She brought a hand up to cradle her chin. "Ow…"

At that moment, Volkner sucked in a breath. He was going to speak.

Close, but it was more like a yell. "Who told you to go jumping off by yourself, you stupid kid?"

Hilda's jaw dropped so low that she amazed even herself. He was actually angry at her. Even his thoughts were angry at her. "Did you just-?"

"You can't see yet you went ahead and jumped off a ledge without warning me. A stupid kid!"

"Wha… I…" She stuttered her way throughout his unexpected tirade.

"You've got to think a little more, Hilda!"

At this, she suddenly found her voice and snapped back, "Well maybe you should've trusted me more!"

Volkner stopped talking like she'd startled him into silence.

He processed her words for a minute, wondering if she could be right. Hilda believed that she was and the feeling of confidence she felt then made his thoughts take on an annoyed tone.

Maybe "You're right." He said finally. "I should've let you land and helped you only if you had any trouble."

Though his words sounded reluctant, Hilda was still taken aback. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Stop being angry so easily. I thought…"

He followed her line of thought and sighed. "Hilda, remember that just… just because I train Electric-type Pokémon for a living doesn't mean I will explode every time I lose my temper. And-"

"I wasn't talking about your Pokémon."

"That also doesn't apply to Fire-type- then what were you talking about?"

Hilda stalled. "Uhh…"

"Hilda."

"Okay, okay." She exhaled, then breathed in slowly. "Your hair."

"You- What?"

"Your hair." She repeated with a straight face. "The way it's shaped makes me think you get angry often."

For the longest time, Volkner said absolutely nothing. Even when she listened hard to his thoughts, she could only discern a kind of disbelief, but something big was coming. She felt it in her bones.

But instead of the disaster she was expecting, the next amazing thing happened. Hilda's lip twitched upwards and…

Volknerstarted laughing.

It was hard to describe his laugh. Hilda tried to think of a word for it, but couldn't. She just stood there, something big bubbling up inside of her too.

Finally, she couldn't hold it in any longer and she roared with laughter too.

Volkner sobered a little. Why are you laughing?

Hilda paused to think. Then she tried to tell him, "Your laugh is so…" She snickered. "So…"

"So what?"

"High like mine!" And she burst out once more into a fresh round of laughter, which eventually petered out into light chuckles.

"That's not fair. Now you're laughing at me." He was probably shaking his head right now.

Hilda laughed for just a little longer before she calmed down and said, "Let's just get going again, Volkner. I think we wasted enough time here."

He compliantly took her hand. But before either of them took a step, Hilda thought she heard him say something.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

She made noise of suspicion, but accepted his answer. She probably heard wrong. For a moment, she thought that he had said…

I don't think it was a waste of time.

She gave a start, but, before she could say anything, Volkner was already pulling her along.

—Floaroma Town—

The onslaught of at least a hundred different aromas found its way to his nose the moment he stepped past the town's welcoming sign. He'd forgotten that the smell could be so overwhelming.

Beside him, Hilda flinched visibly at the smell, but she seemed to like it nonetheless. In fact, she couldn't get enough of it as her head turned left and right, her ponytail whipping him at least once across the face. She hardly noticed.

Other than that, she amused him greatly. It was like…

You remind me of Jolteon when he's smelling for a new place to dig.

She promptly ignored him, but continued sniffing the air.

Volkner was about to get them going again when he realized something. None of the buildings looked familiar to him.

"Lost?"

Volkner looked down into Hilda's unfocused, but steady, eyes to find them filled with delight. She was just so eager to catch him in these awkward moments.

"A lot can change in ten years." Volkner countered. "The streets are still the same, but…"

"You can't remember where the honey man is? Then we can go to the flower shop to ask for directions."

She was feeling pleased, probably about being able to read so much of his mind. And it unsettled him again to remember that.

Uncertainty flashed across her face and heart momentarily when he thought this, but Volkner quickly diverted her thoughts. "Let's hurry then. We should be able to get to Canalave by nightfall. Once you get your eyesight back, we'll be moving much faster."

Hilda nodded and made no comment.

—Floaroma Flower Shop—

"Welcome to Pick a Peck of Flowers! How may I help you?" A girl who looked no older than eleven greeted them at the door.

Volkner vaguely remembered her as a baby, not even old enough to walk, cradled in her older sister's arms. At the cash register still sat the eldest. She and the middle child were looking at him with remarkable recognition. It wasn't hard to guess why.

"Volkner?" He turned to the cash register where a blonde was giving him a good once-over. "Well, what do you know? Sinnoh's top gym leader has decided to pay us a visit after a decade."

"Move aside, Christina." The middle child, a shorthaired brunette gently pushed her little sister aside so she could get to him.

The moment she came up to him, Volkner corrected himself.

No… not child… He remembered that she should be close to Hilda's age by now so maybe child-like.

"So, are you here for directions? Or maybe you'd like to take a look at this Wailmer pail?"

"Where's the honey seller?" Hilda butted in before Volkner could open his mouth. Her patience was already running thin.

Luckily, Hilda wasn't able to see it, and Volkner forced himself not to think about it, but the girl rolled her eyes and looked away as if annoyed.

"You'll have to go back the way you came and take a left before the welcome sign since the townspeople don't like it when people step on their flowers. From there, just follow the path of flowers all the way down until you get to a house. You'll find the honey man there."

"Thanks." Hilda was about to turn around and somehow lead him out the door when he suddenly recognized a familiar floral scent.

He stopped her, touching her arm lightly to let her know.

Wait here.

Her annoyance prickled him, but he ignored it.

He turned towards one of the many tables in the shop. It was sprinkled in countless flowers, but one in particular caught his eye. He moved closer to examine it.

Almost immediately, the shorthaired girl was at his side. He didn't have to look at her to know she was curious about his choice.

There was something different about the flower that set it apart from the others. It was more vibrant, alive, as if the flower itself knew it was destined to be special.

"You don't recognize it?" She asked him, though he had trouble discerning if she was just teasing him or actually wanted to know. "I thought gym leaders knew all about Sinnoh's legends. Anyway," She waved the matter aside. "That can only be found on Seabreak Path. You know. The one our champion discovered? Right, anyway, now we only have one of these in stock. And since this type of flower doesn't wither very easily we get barely two shipments every month."

She turned her gaze to the flower and studied it for a moment. She was considering something.

"The name of this flower… is the Gracidea." She'd paused like she hadn't been sure of herself, but then she suddenly leaned in close, which startled him enough for Hilda to get suspicious. When she spoke, it was in a voice only he, and subsequently Hilda, could hear. "And if you promise to escort me to Jubilife City, I'll give it to you for free."

Hilda's suspicion only grew, but Volkner didn't see it that way. Instead, he was simply curious. Why Jubilife? At the same time he wanted to ask himself, why the flower?

Volkner gazed at the Gracidea's scintillating petals.

There was something other than its smell that was drawing him to it, something that went beyond any of his senses and could be described as a gut feeling or maybe even an innate and unexplainable knowledge. The flower was here for a purpose, but what?

"We'll consider it." Volkner said finally. "But first, we need to see the honey seller."

Still waiting at the door, Hilda was beginning to prod him. Hurry up!

The shorthaired girl nodded as her eyes filled with triumph. Volkner wasn't sure what it meant, but he was satisfied with their deal. "Thanks." She said before turning away to begin preserving the Gracidea.

"Let's go, Volkner." Hilda called to him.

Sensing her desire to leave the shop as soon as possible, he walked swiftly toward the door. As he passed by, Hilda latched quickly on to his sleeve.

Eventually, the shop was empty again and a few minutes passed before—

"Why him?" Bridgette asked her younger sister.

Sarah slowly blinked her dark, brown eyes at her.

Bridgette frowned. Her sister only did that when she had an idea. Usually, a bad idea.

"He really wanted that flower," Sarah explained. "So I'm giving it to him. For a price. I want to see what his relationship is with that girl. It didn't seem normal. For one, she's wearing gloves in the middle of summer. And besides," she grinned at both Bridgette and Christina. "We have that deal with the Poketch Company in Jubilife right? I'm killing two birds with one stone."

"Or maybe three birds because you like him, Sarah!" Christina teased.

"That too…" Sarah admitted, her cheeks turning just a shade redder than usual. "But mainly so I can see what's going on between them. I'm telling you, it didn't seem normal."

"I know what you mean, but… I have the feeling you're getting into something way over your head." Sarah's face pulled into a frown, but Bridgette was undeterred. She was warning her sister for good reason. "Maybe it's better for all of us," she began. "If he doesn't come back. You can always go with-."

"You don't understand," Sarah interjected angrily and Christina took a cautious step back from her older sister. "There's just something I have to see for myself and I can't explain it very well!"

"That's what you always say!" Bridgette suddenly snapped back.

Sarah bit her lip.

As they stared one another down, Bridgette held her gaze.

Finally, Sarah lowered her eyes. "It's different this time." She murmured.

Bridgette stared at her a while longer. Then sighed. "I don't feel good about this, Sarah…" She ran a hand through her hair. "But I suppose…"

"Yes! Thank you, Bridgette!"

"What—no, I didn't-!" Her sister ran up to embrace her. "Sarah…"

"I'll be good, Bridgette. I promise."

Knowing she would be the exact opposite, Bridgette sighed again. "Just… just remember to bring a water bottle with you."

"Yes, ma'am."

—Floaroma Meadow, Home of the Honey Seller named… Mister—

"Now, where did you say you were from?"

Deciding not to answer his question right away, Hilda took a sip of the hot tea that the honey seller had placed into her hands less than five minutes ago. A little bitter.

It's terrible. Volkner was disgusted.

Too bad.

She turned to the honey man politely and said, "Unova. By the way, thank you for the tea. People don't usually drink it where I live. We mainly have soda…"

"A different region!" The man reacted the way she thought he would, but it still gave her a start when he shouted. "I might've seen that one coming, but it's still hard to wrap my mind around it! So did you come all that way just to get some of my honey and cure your eyesight?"

"No, it's nothing like that." Hilda tried taking a bigger sip this time, but the tea was still too hot. She burned her tongue.

Immediately, Volkner's hand fell on her wrist.

—Volkner—

The honey seller had recognized him immediately.

"Is that you, Volkner? Gym Leader Volkner?"

A balding forty-year old man was waving at him. Volkner raised a hand to wave back.

"Welcome!" The man exclaimed. "Come in, come in!" He energetically ushered them into his house faster than they could ask questions.

The second they passed the front door Hilda froze in bewilderment, confused as to why they were suddenly being invited into the honey man's house. She tried to explain why they were there, but less than three-fourths of the way through the man suddenly declared that he had the perfect solution.

Later, when Volkner asked his name, the man simply turned around and smiled.

"Call me Mister."

Now they sat around a table watching Hilda drink tea. It was tea made from honey, medicine leaves, and hot water. The man was asking Hilda something about her region.

She drank some tea and Volkner turned discreetly to the side to wrinkle his face in disgust. Where in the world did the old couple get those medicine leaves?

The two chatted some more.

Just when Volkner thought things couldn't get any worse, the girl burned herself. He flinched as a sharp pain stung his tongue. He grabbed Hilda's wrist, which startled her.

Careful, Hilda.

"Sorry." She mumbled, taking a smaller sip this time. The tea isn't that bad…

Right.

"Something wrong?" asked Mister.

"No." Hilda replied a little too quickly, but she immediately changed the subject. "By the way, why are you called…?"

Mister stared at her for a moment. Volkner himself almost started feeling uneasy until understanding dawned in the man's eyes and he exclaimed, "Oh! Right, that's just what the kids around town like to call me. I guess I'm lucky since they seem to have developed a great taste for honey. I remember when I first moved here, the children just couldn't get my name right so they just settled for 'mister', which is fine by me! You know just the other day…"

A pleasant tingle began to spread throughout his body.

Volkner glanced at Hilda to see if anything was happening and noticed that her eyes were half-closed. Was this a side effect of the medicine?

Just… a little tired. She smiled at him, but her lips only lifted halfway.

Without hesitation, Volkner turned to the honey seller. "Do you have a couch where she can lie down for a while?"

"…and told me to look out for—why yes! Yes, of course. Is your partner alright?" Mister brought his face a little closer to Hilda's. "Ah… I see… yes, let's get her to the couch. On to the living room…"

— —

Hilda clung on to consciousness.

Her limbs were feeling more and more sluggish as her sightless eyes began to droop with a weight that was neither light nor heavy. It all felt very uncomfortable.

She was placed on to a hard, leather seat. A couch. When did she start needing to be carried?

"When…?"

Volkner's voice came to her gently. "Your legs stopped working a few feet back."

She remembered that she liked how it sounded; a mild, medium voice that could be spirited when it wanted to be.

She thought she felt him moving away. As quickly as she could, which was probably closer to a tired lunge, she grabbed his sleeve. "Don't leave." She said, but her voice came out as a whisper. The medicine was working much too fast.

The first thing Volkner did was take off her gloves.

— —

Her hands were sweaty from the wool.

This was the first thing Volkner noticed when he made contact with her exposed skin. Then the emotions flooded in and he was suddenly aware of a dull exhaustion in the back of his mind. He had to close his eyes and shake his head to push it back. For now.

Then he kneeled so that his face was more on level with hers.

She surprised him when her sightless eyes opened wide. "Mister didn't ask about the gloves at all, did he?" She said with an unexpectedly big smile.

No, he didn't. Volkner admitted, chuckling. Then he realized that it was a mistake to talk using his mind because the exhaustion was suddenly back again.

"You should let go, Volkner. Or you'll be the one to fall asleep." She warned.

"You're right. I should, shouldn't I?"

Hilda didn't say anything. Maybe she was thinking about what he said.

He thought about it too.

"It's not going to be a good dream." Her eyes were uncannily focused on his when she said this. "So—"

"So what?" He squeezed her hands lightly. "I'm a grown man, Hilda. I can do whatever I want… whenever I want." He wasn't sure what compelled him to say that, but the exhaustion was already creeping up too close for him to care.

"Just promise me something, Volkner."

"… What is it?" Volkner turned so that he was sitting with his back against the couch. He still had one hand in contact with hers.

With great effort, Hilda turned herself so that she was lying on her stomach and her hand rested comfortably in his upturned palm.

Then she whispered with a gentle smile that Volkner thought looked good on her, "That you won't forget to wake up."

He tried to open his mouth, but realized that he didn't have enough strength left to do it. He answered the only way he could.

I promise. Then he lost consciousness and fell into a deep, deep sleep.

—Nightmare, Hilda—

Before her lay a great, black casket.

Whose…? She wondered.

Gradually, it became clear where she was.

A morgue. Even though she'd never been in one, she'd seen them on TV often enough to know. What she didn't know, however, was how sterile they could be; lifeless and barren like its occupants. The only source of light was a single candelabrum at the foot of the casket. Did they have those in morgues? The walls were dirty white, the floors murky grey; candelabrum and caskets didn't belong in morgues, bodies did… The room reminded her of an abandoned attic.

Suddenly, her legs began moving of their own accord, with a distinct clacking of what sounded like dress shoes. They brought her towards the casket.

No, no, no, no, no! She tried to scream, but her mouth stayed shut. What was wrong with her?

Then a hand lifted to grab the casket's handle and Hilda realized with a jolt that it wasn't hers.

A teenage boy… the hand of a teenage boy; what in the world was going on?

The hand closed around the handle. Then flung it open.

Hilda screamed, but the boy's mouth only twitched, as if he had had stifled his in time. As she gazed upon the body in the casket, her mind gripped in horror, everything suddenly made sense.

A blonde man, with hair even wilder than his son's, was lying in the casket. The face was the epitome of a corpse, bland and expressionless. The lids were sunken and the skin was loose, indicating that the man had been much bigger in life. Looking even more closely, she saw traces of laugh lines around the mouth.

This wasn't just an image conjured up by Volkner's mind. This wasn't just a nightmare. This was his father's body as he had seen for himself on the examining table.

Her eyes started to blur and, slowly, the tears came.

The boy wept quietly. "Dad." He gasped softly.

There was an instant of silence.

Then the body sat up.

Hilda screamed and this time her mouth obeyed as she tripped backwards, her hands landing hard against the cold, cold floor.

Its neck cracked to the left.

Hilda flinched like she'd been slapped. A sob escaped her throat.

The head twisted towards her, snapping bones, and fraying nerves. Their eyes locked. Hilda suddenly found herself staring into two empty, black holes. Where the eyes should've been, there was only absolute nothingness. Death.

The mouth opened and the corpse began to speak. "Pathetic."

The word pierced through her haze of fear and struck her in her core. The fear that was gripping her so fiercely was briefly interrupted by a flicker of anger.

"You are not my son."

She stared into those black holes where a red light was shining in them now. They reflected the growing anger in her heart.

She opened her mouth to retort, but the corpse cut her off.

"You killed your own father."

—Nightmare, Volkner—

A man with long green hair was laughing manically, his laughter echoing off the walls of a lonely, grey castle. Recognized dawned as Volkner finally placed a face to the name.

It was the man who had left him to die in the snow two days ago. Ghetsis.

As if Volkner had spoken his name out loud, the man stopped in his wild laughter to look at him with his single visible eye.

Chills immediately ran up his spine, as his stare pierced him.

Volkner looked down. Six poke balls rolled lifelessly at Ghetsis' feet, the results of a recent battle. Had he won against him?

"He's nothing more than a freak without a human heart. And you think you can actually save him? Don't be foolish, Hilda."

Hilda?

His lips moved and a female voice resounded clearly from his mouth. "That's enough! I don't need to listen to you, Ghetsis. You're just a sore loser." His arms crossed. "There's still hope for N. I believe in him!"

An arm lifted and then he saw physical proof of what was going on. It was slender, like a girl's. Hilda pointed at Ghetsis.

"N will become a much better man than the one you tried to create. I know it." Her voice was so firm and unyielding and confident that Volkner actually felt a tinge of pride.

Ghetsis was silent for a moment. Then he smiled maliciously and said, "Pointing a finger at me and lying to my face. No manners at all, you stupid girl." The coldness of his voice froze Hilda's confidence.

He stepped forward and Hilda took a step back. Her heart beat faster and faster and so did Volkner's because he was in there with her.

Suddenly, Ghetsis came close and caught her wrist. Volkner subsequently hissed in pain. The man had such a vice-like grip!

"You're still just a child, but I'm sure you'll soon be able to bear me a grandson good enough to be raised as my new heir. He will be even more worthy than that useless boy of mine."

Enraged by his words, Volkner wrenched his hand back. He was in control now. "You sick bastard," He growled, all but shaking with anger. "I'm erasing you from this dream."

Ghetsis opened his mouth and Volkner's hand curled into a tight fist, ready to punch it. However, the strangest thing happened next.

Nothing.

Ghetsis stood there with his mouth open, his fist still holding on to an invisible wrist, and eyes gleaming with an oncoming wave of laughter that would never happen.

"What are you doing here?"

Volkner turned to see another green-haired man approaching him from an open doorway. His hair was the same shade as his father's.

N's proximity induced a quiet enmity in him. He didn't bother hiding his displeasure at seeing the other trainer. No matter how much Hilda cared for this man, for some reason Volkner just couldn't bring himself to feel the same. "I should be asking you the same thing."

N waved a hand and the castle darkened once before brightening up again.

By the time Volkner looked back to what had changed, Ghetsis had already disappeared.

"It's disconcerting to see you in Hilda's body." N walked up to stand beside him, staring at the place where Ghetsis used to be.

"If I had a choice, I wouldn't be here." Volkner said simply. If he had a choice, Hilda would be standing next to him instead.

"So whose choice was it? Hilda's? I don't believe she would-"

"An accident." He cut in. "Neither of us wanted this."

For a moment, the two of them just stood there. Every fiber in his body was on edge.

"Then find a way to get out of it." N said suddenly and turned to face him. "Find a way to save Hilda from your own nightmare."

Volkner held N's piercing gaze. Save her?

"She's in your nightmare and your mind. That makes it impossible for me to go in and save her." N paused a moment and shook his head. He had just admitted one of his weaknesses. "So take responsibility and go get her."

N had hit a nerve. "Then why don't you tell me how to get out here?" Volkner felt his enmity rising. "Tell me what to do so we aren't standing here wasting time. Tell me so that you don't ever have to see me ever again." He pointed at him. "Or are you too busy trying to relieve your temper on me?"

"Are you saying I'm selfish?" Hissed N.

Unconsciously, they had advanced on one another until their faces were no more than a few inches apart.

Volkner was breathing just a little heavier than before as he glared at the man in front of him. They had stared each other down for nearly a minute before Volkner became aware of the fact that the scene would've been much more effective if he hadn't been a head shorter than he usually was.

N could only maintain his glare for several more seconds before the hostility in his eyes faded and he looked away. His cheeks seemed to be deepening in color.

It took him a moment, but Volkner eventually understood what was going on. For an instant, he nearly felt sorry for the trainer. It must've been incredibly disconcerting for him to argue with a man wearing the face of a woman he had feelings for.

A woman he had feelings for…

"Tell me." Volkner said once more. "Show me how to get to her."

Without hesitation, N pointed in the direction he had originally come from. "There. Through that door. Just focus your mind on what you're looking for and it'll take you to where you need to go."

Volkner looked towards the doorway only to be taken aback by the bright light that was now shining through. It had been dark when N first appeared.

He turned to go, but a hand caught him by the shoulder. "Hilda's waiting." He said calmly, but his patience was already wearing thin. Volkner made as if to shrug off his hand, but N's grip tightened.

"What is she," he asked in a low voice. "To you?"

Caught off guard by the question, Volkner froze. He'd wanted to ask himself that question for a while now, but had never gotten around to it. Now, he couldn't bring himself to look at the other man, nor could he pull away. So, for a while he just stood there and tried to come up with an answer. When he did find one, it was the most honest one he could give for now.

"A partner." He gazed at the shining doorway and pictured Hilda in his mind. "She's someone I'm… learning to trust." N's grip loosened. "And I…" He hesitated.

Hilda was trapped his nightmare. Hilda was alone when she didn't have to be. Hilda was in grave danger.

He shook off N's hand. "I just can't leave her alone." Then Volkner walked forward and out of his reach.

As if to get one final say in, N told him, "She doesn't belong in your world. Not your dreams or your region." Then N finished with, "She doesn't belong to you."

In the few seconds before the light enveloped him, Volkner turned his head over his shoulder and simply said, "She doesn't belong to anyone."

Then the light swallowed him.

Suddenly the whiteness around him drained away and he found himself falling into an abyss. The abyss of his own mind.

—Nightmare, Hilda—

The tears that streaked her face were her own.

Somewhere between the time she had fallen to the floor and the time she locked eyes with the corpse before her, she had acquired control over Volkner's body.

"Stop, please." She whispered. She begged. "I don't want…"

"Your fault. It was always your fault. From the moment you were born, you had the world in your hands. You could've become the greatest engineer in Sinnoh, you had all the resources… but you chose to focus on Pokémon instead. "

"But, dad-!" Hilda caught herself and shuddered.

This wasn't her father, what was she saying! But…

She shook her head.

How could any father be like this? Even when she tried imagining her own father as a strict and uptight man, she could never have imagined him saying such cruel things to her. There was something wrong with the way this was going, there was something off, because Volkner was too good of a man to have a father like this.

"No." She was still shaking her head, but this time in defiance of the corpse's words. She forced herself to stand up. "You're wrong."

The corpse was silent, but Hilda took that as her cue to keep talking.

"If you actually knew what your son has already done for Sinnoh, if you really knew what he is capable of, you'd be a proud father." As she spoke her back straightened; her voice grew in confidence. "Volkner is Sinnoh's best engineer and gym leader. He's done two times what you said and he has more responsibilities under his belt than most people do. He doesn't deserve to hear you have to say about him and he doesn't need you to tell him what he needs or doesn't need to focus on. If you can't believe in your own son, then you don't deserve to be his father." Hilda was breathing harshly when she finished.

"That's because that isn't my father."

Startled, Hilda whipped her head to the right just in time to see the real Volkner step past her.

— —

That wasn't his father.

That thing was never his father.

As Volkner continued walking towards the corpse, he said, "He's just a nightmare I created unintentionally after my father's death. That's why you look like I did when I was thirteen." He was talking to the corpse now as he stopped less than a few feet away from it.

"You're late." The nightmare smiled and the skin on its lips cracked in several places.

Volkner remembered that that used to make him shudder. Now, it just filled him with a faint disgust.

"It's been a while since you came to visit me. Looks like I can't make you cry anymore." The nightmare laughed at the memory. "Ahh, those were the days."

"The fact that you still exist means I haven't forgotten…" Volkner admitted. Then he closed his eyes. "But no, you're right. You can't touch me anymore. It's already over."

"Or is it?"

"Volkner!" He heard Hilda scream.

He opened his just in time to see the nightmare's hands disintegrate before they could touch his face. Volkner stared in triumph.

However, as the rest of its body began to deteriorate and break down, the nightmare smiled. Volkner would never tell Hilda this, but this time he couldn't prevent chills from racing up his spine after seeing it. The nightmare knew something it shouldn't have.

"This body may be destroyed and you can think you've won, but the nightmare will always exist inside you. Lying dormant, that's all I'm doing. The cold, hard truth is that I will be the one beside you in the end when you are alone."

Its head had gone loose now, its neck held together by only a few frayed nerves and skin. With its remaining efforts, the nightmare leaned forward and whispered its last words into Volkner's ear.

— —

From behind, Hilda saw his shoulders stiffen and his hands curl tightly into fists.

She had to say something. Anything! "Don't listen to him, Volkner. He's just trying to get to you!"

The nightmare pulled back from him and, as the last of its body fell away, it murmured words that caused her to shudder. "Foolish girl… if only you knew…" And then the monster was no more.

All at once, the room began to fall apart. Parts of the ceiling collapsed as the wall paint peeled and the floor cracked with a deep rumble. The coffin deconstructed itself, slowly degenerating into pieces of black, lacquered wood and bent nails.

The debris, however, did not touch either of them. Instead, it simply crumbled into nothingness and they were left suspended in darkness so endless that, when Hilda looked down at her feet, she had to marvel at its vastness.

For a while, it was quiet between them. Then Volkner told her quietly, "Leave."

She stared at him. "What did you say?"

His back was still facing her. "I said for you to leave. You don't belong here…"

Several emotions went through her at once and she asked him incredulously, "You didn't come here just to tell me that, did you?" The way he said it, he made it like it was her fault she was here in the first place. She felt a sense of unfairness… as well as a tiny prickling of hurt.

"I came here to save you… and send you back."

"Back? Back where?"

"Your own mind where your friend is waiting for you."

"You mean N." She didn't like his tone of voice. "What do you have against him?"

"Unlike you, I don't have a reason to trust him." Volkner turned to face her. When he did, she saw that his eyes were cold, forbidding. "Go back before something else happens to you here."

Behind him, Hilda saw a door, half-open. Was that where "back" was?

"Go." His tone was final and allowed no room for objection.

"Fine." She said simply. Crushing the sudden sting of rejection, she walked past him as quickly as she could. However, she made a mistake when walked too closely and grazed his shoulder.

Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed her arm so tightly that it startled her.

— —

Her pain came to him like a bee sting, making him flinch on the inside.

Fool, he thought to himself, of course she would feel this way! He was trying to make her feel a certain way so that she could be repulsed enough by him to leave as fast as she could. But… he hadn't anticipated this powerful of a reaction.

His hand had reached out to her subconsciously, which was a dangerous sign because they were closer to his subconscious than it was normal. "Hilda, has it ever occurred to you that I might not be a good person?"

His words made her stiffen. "What do you mean?" She asked uncertainly.

"I thought…" He stopped talking for a moment and closed his eyes. When he composed himself, he looked up and found her gazing at him. "I hoped that the things in my mind would leave you alone, that you would be safe here."

He held her stare, her intense stare backed by the anticipation that overflowed from her heart, as long as he could.

"But I was wrong."

Hilda's lips twitched as if she'd been about to say something to him when the door behind her suddenly flew open.

A bright light spilled in through the entryway and blinded him. That was also when Hilda chose to step back out of his grip. Vaguely, Volkner was reminded of going through the same motion with N.

"I have to go now." She told him softly. The light shining through the door drowned her face in shadow. "I'll see you on the other side."

Then she stepped backwards and soon the light engulfed her completely.

 

Chapter Text

—Home of Mister the Honey Seller—

He regained consciousness first.

"Ugh…" Volkner groaned as he slid a hand across his throbbing forehead. Forcing himself into a better sitting position, he spied the minute hand on the clock and noticed the hand had barely moved. "Ten minutes." He murmured, before sighing and he leaning his head back against the couch, only to find the back of his head resting against Hilda's hip.

He wondered what would happen after she woke up.

"Nothing good." He muttered.

Of all the things that could've happened with the tea it had to involve a nightmare that hadn't bothered him for ten years. He reluctantly recalled the monster's last words.

If you let her in any more than this… you will consume her body and soul.

His chest tightened as the words echoed in his head. No matter how much he wished they weren't true, there was still that terrible feeling in his chest that refused to go away. Maybe the nightmare was right. Maybe the longer Hilda was exposed to his dreams, the more likely she could get hurt. Maybe it would be better for both of them if he just-

"And would it actually make things better?"

Startled, he turned to meet Hilda's angry gaze. He had to blink twice. Her eyes were profoundly sharp and clear.

Hilda was awake.

"You can see…" He whispered, his fingers grazing her cheek as he reached up to touch the area of skin around her eyes. "Looks like the tea worked after all." He didn't care that a small tremor traveled up his arm from the contact.

The anger in her eyes faded as she felt his sincerity from the touch. She was also a little pleased.

That reason alone made Volkner break eye contact and lower his hand. "I keep forgetting about that."

"So you say." She teased.

The sound of padding feet interrupted Volkner in the middle of his chuckle and he stood up.

"Oh!" The honey seller nearly dropped the two wet towels in his hands. "You're both awake! I was expecting you two to be out for at least an hour! But I can see the tea worked like miracle."

Volkner extended a hand. "Thank you. You've given us more than we could ask for. It's been a pleasure."

Evidently pleased that he was paying proper respect, the honey seller took his hand and shook it. "You must be wondering why I invited you into my house and it's not just because you're our 8th gym leader just so you know."

Volkner raised both eyebrows and the honey seller laughed before he went on to explain.

"Just this week, a girl from the flower shop was coming by to pick up some honey when she told me something very interesting. She said she wasn't sure but something unusual was going to happen in the next few days and that I was to be ready to help out when the time came. I think she was referring to this, but…"

"She's probably the one," Hilda caught Volkner's eye. "You know, the girl who wants us to take her to the next city over."

"Oh, so you know Sarah! She's been talking about visiting for a few weeks now. So she hasn't gone yet?" The honey seller looked both of them up and down. "You know what? That girl's always been a sharp one. Did you know she comes to buy honey whenever I pick up a fresh batch? Now that's what I call good intuition." He went on to discuss how people these days really didn't have good intuition anymore.

While he rambled, Hilda started looking around for her hat.

By the entrance. Volkner told her. I see it from here.

Hilda stopped searching and peeked over the honey seller's shoulder at the doorway.

Thinking her impatient, the honey seller exclaimed. "Oh, where are my manners, Sarah must be waiting for you!" He immediately set his towels down and ushered them to the door.

"Thank you for everything, Mister." Hilda said with genuine gratefulness. "You saved us a lot of trouble."

"Don't mention it." The honey seller replied bashfully before he bid them goodbye, shooed them out of the doorway, and waved to them until they were completely out of sight.

—Route 204, The Third Wheel—

Sometimes, even Sarah questioned her visions.

"Hey…" Grass caught her laces and she stumbled. "Hey!" A mosquito landed on her head and she slapped at it, hitting herself on the head. "HEY!" But the two figures in the distance were rapidly leaving her behind. She was going to lose sight of them soon. So she yelled out as loud as she could, "WAIT!"

For a second there, Sarah thought they might've slowed down. However, it was a trick of the light and suddenly they were even further away than before.

Sighing, Sarah hiked her sizable backpack higher up her shoulders and muttered. "If only this backpack wasn't so heavy."

— —

She wasn't sure when she first started referring to Volkner and his new partner as 'they'. Perhaps it was the way they walked in sync or for all she knew the way they seemed to be having a conversation with their eyes. Sarah couldn't put her finger on it.

Nevertheless, they finally slowed down for her.

Sarah wasted no time and jogged the last twenty meters to catch up. Once she reached them, however, she saw that she wasn't the reason they slowed down.

Two little girls were standing in the middle of the road, a pair of pokeballs peeking out from their pockets.

Sarah wanted to groan. She'd forgotten about these brats.

"Hi! We're twins Liv and Liz and we want to have a double battle with you!"

Everything about them was identical, from their short, brown ponytails down to their matching sunflower dresses. The last time Sarah met them, they'd been wearing butterflies.

"Go, Pachirisu!" Two voices called out in rehearsed harmony as two EleSquirrels appeared in the grass.

Sarah wanted to clap a hand to her forehead. She had to say something! If she didn't, the girls would be inexorably destroyed!

"We don't have time-" she thought she heard Volkner say.

But Hilda cut in with a mischievous look. "We'll have a quick one. Let's go, Musharna!" There was a small pop as her Pokémon appeared.

How could she describe it? Something resembling a flowery purple ball was hovering in the air before her and Sarah could do nothing but stare at its voluminous shape.

Disapproval crossed Volkner's face, but he pulled out his own Poke ball without a word.

"Jolteon!" The Lightning Pokémon growled bad-temperedly as he landed smoothly on to the grass.

Fascinated by the intriguing Pokémon, Liz hesitated to start the battle. Seeing her sister's uncertainty, Liv took the initiative. "Quick attack, Penny!"

Penny dashed headlong into Musharna. However, the Drowsing Pokémon was so large in comparison to the Pachirisu that the squirrel bounced back, dazed.

"Hypnosis." Hilda finished Liv's sentence.

Penny instantly dropped to the ground and the other Pachirisu hissed, crackling his fur in anger at Musharna.

"Spark, Patric!" Liz cried and Patric charged his opponent.

"Take it." Volkner said evenly.

Without question, Jolteon threw himself between the two Pokémon.

Sarah gasped in surprise, as did the twins. However, they worried for nothing because Pachirisu bounced harmlessly off the slightly larger Pokémon and the electricity from his attack dissipated into Jolteon's fur, which caused it to spike up higher. Jolteon simply looked even more intimidating.

"Hypnosis."

Sarah's eyes widened slightly.

Hilda had ended the battle, but the amazing part about it was the fact that she gave her command a split second after Volkner's, faster than any trainer she'd seen during a double battle on TV.

Patric fell to the ground beside its friend, sound asleep.

The battle had lasted less than a minute.

"Oh noooo!" The twins wailed as they rushed over to their defeated Pokémon.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sarah saw Volkner give Hilda a stern look to which Hilda simply shrugged. After raising an eyebrow at her, he turned to the twins. "Listen. Next time, know your opponent before you challenge them. Not everyone will just put your Pokémon to sleep. Some people…" He bent down until he was eye level with them. "Some people won't go out of their way to keep from hurting both you andyour Pokémon. Remember that."

The two girls nodded, sobered by the seriousness of his tone.

But that didn't stop Liz from whispering, "You're strong."

"Pokémon champion strong," Liv added.

The two older trainers exchanged looks and several seconds passed by before they both looked away at the same time and laughed.

"Close enough." Hilda said. She was about to continue speaking when she paused as if she had been interrupted… Then, gradually, her demeanor changed and soon she was speaking stiffly as if repeating someone else's words. "We have to go. We're in a hurry." Then they turned in sync and continued on down the road.

"Wai-!" Began one of the twins, but the couple was already too far away by then to hear.

Meanwhile, Sarah stared at the trainers in the distance as they left her behind… again. Together, she and the twins stood for a while in awkward silence. Then she shook her head, roused herself, and said. "See you," and tried to slip away.

"Wait!" Sarah stopped and turned around impatiently. "Why are you following them?" demanded Liv.

"I'm keeping an eye on them okay? This doesn't concern you girls."

Her words made Liz turn grave, a look that didn't suit the twelve-year old. "You see something bad, don't you? They're in trouble, aren't-?"

"I didn't say it was anything bad." Sarah said a little too quickly. She hiked her bag up higher on her back. "Anyway, I have to go now. I'll see you two later."

Before the twins could delay her any longer, Sarah took off at a sprint after her escorts with her ungainly backpack, kicking grass everywhere.

Volkner and Hilda were already halfway down the stairs.

—Ravaged Path—

For the first time, Sarah found herself alone with Volkner. The reason was because Hilda, followed closely by a large polar bear called Beartic who wore a beard of ice, had gone on to smash the rocks up ahead.

It was time to start asking questions. So she started with a simple one.

"Where are you going after Jubilife?"

"Canalave."

That was start. "Why are you traveling together?"

Volkner took a little longer to answer her this time. "It's a long story."

He didn't elaborate like she expected him to, which irked her, and she gave him a hard look. Gym leader or not, he wasn't getting away with answers like that. "Why are you together? How did you meet-?"

"Hey!" Hilda suddenly poked her head into the space between them. "Have you heard of the green-haired man traipsing around Sinnoh like he owns the place?"

"Yes!" Sarah yelped, alarmed by how easily the older girl had snuck up on her. She breathed in slowly to calm down, then said, "I mean…Of course. Who hasn't? We still hear things in a flower shop."

"Then know that we're going to stop him."

Her words made Sarah pause. Slowly, she raised her head to look at the experienced trainer and found herself gazing into steady hazel eyes. Sarah opened her mouth, but could not utter a word because there was really nothing to say. Hilda would keep her promise because Sarah could see it in her eyes. Literally. Sarah could see sincerity, she could see truth, but most importantly she could see the future.

Her vision hit her with a wave of dizziness.

"Are you alright?" Hilda reached out to her, but Sarah ducked away even though she was still seeing spots.

"It's…" She waited for the dizziness to stop. "It's nothing. I just don't like this cave, that's all." Sarah looked up to find Hilda staring and she glanced away. After a few seconds, she glanced back and saw that Hilda was still staring at her. As she fell under the impression that something unexpected was about to happen and was beginning to fidget uncertainly, Hilda suddenly grabbed her by the neck of her backpack.

"Then let's get out of here."

"What-!" Sarah exclaimed in shock.

"I said we're getting out of here! Let's go!" And then Hilda pulled Sarah, while Sarah skidded, all the way to the cave exit.

To add insult to injury, Volkner laughed.

—Jubilife City—

A brightly decorated street sign beamed at them from the corner of an empty intersection. The sign boasted the words, Joy Street, reminding anyone who saw it of the city's namesake.

Standing across from the joyful street sign, Sarah and Hilda waited for Volkner who had gone into a nearby police station to ask questions. He had a good reason.

"No one's here." Hilda murmured. "They must've cleared the streets."

Sarah could only nod as she surveyed the quiet, unusually dim city. Glancing at the buildings around them, she thought she saw a child peek out from a window before being promptly pulled back by someone's hand, most likely a parent's.

"So this is Jubilife." Hilda sounded impressed despite the current state of the city.

"Trust me. The place is usually a lot more impressive than this." And Hilda nodded absentmindedly, allowing a few moments of silence to sit between them before Sarah asked, "By the way, most people in Sinnoh have visited Jubilife at least once in their lives. Where are you from?"

Hilda smiled. She knew the question was going to come up sooner or later. "Unova. Sounds interesting, I know, and it takes about seven hours to get here by plane so you probably won't have a chance to visit."

"By plane?" Sarah's eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. "But… Sinnoh doesn't have any—"

"I know." Hilda said, continuing to smile her amused smile, and left it at that.

"I see…" Nonetheless, Sarah couldn't help making grand speculations. Unless they'd landed a full-sized plane right on to a city street, the only other option Sarah could think of was to jump. Although she burned to ask how it all happened, she decided not to say anything and they lapsed back into silence again, though this time it was a little more companionable. Sarah found herself thinking back to what the twins had said before and chuckled.

Hilda blinked. "What is it?"

"The twins were right. You do have eight gym badges, just not from this region."

"How are you so sure?" She asked, but then a small grin found its way to her face. "You flatter me."

Her tone was warm and, for the first time since meeting her, Sarah felt something stir in her heart. It was hard to describe, but she knew that it was a feeling that preceded friendship.

"About what happened back there in the cave…" Sarah tried to smile. After all, she was just telling Hilda what the older girl deserved to know, but her smile fell short nonetheless. "I…"

"Go on," Hilda told her kindly. "Tell me what you saw."

Her words caught Sarah off guard and she stuttered, "Did-… did you already know about me?"

"What Mister said about you gave me a hint."

"I see."

Hilda reached out and, this time, Sarah let Hilda's hand fall on her shoulder. "You know… you don't have to tell me if you-"

"I'll tell you." Sarah kept her eyes glued to the space between their feet. "I can't just leave without giving you an idea of what will happen."

And so, she thought long and hard for the right things to say. She reached back into her memory and pulled forth the vision of Hilda and Volkner's future. She studied the images thoroughly, trying to piece together a coherent summary of its contents. She pictured herself in Hilda's shoes and tried to imagine what it felt like to be waiting for someone to tell her the future. When Sarah was ready, she raised her eyes until they met those hazel ones once more.

"What I saw back in the cave isn't set in stone. The future can be changed by the smallest detail, but here's what I know for sure." She spoke with conviction. "As you travel against time to save this region, you will encounter many obstacles even greater than the ones you've already experienced. You will endure hardships that you never imagined having to face. There will even be a time when you need to make a choice that will decide a person's fate."

"Put it this way." She had gradually leaned forward until her face was only inches away from Hilda's. "You hold the fates of many, many people and you will find a way to save them all. When things seem hopeless or terrible or even impossible to face, remember what I said. No matter what choice you make, you will always save lives. But, you also need to know…" Sarah swallowed hard and then steeled herself for the end of her own sentence. "You'll lose something important, or someone. I don't know. My vision stopped being clear after that." When she finished, Sarah found herself holding her breath, waiting for Hilda's reaction and hoping that the older girl wouldn't condemn her for what she said.

After nearly half a minute of silence, Sarah looked up and saw that Hilda's eyes had grown wide. They were so wide that Sarah had to wonder if she was the first person to see that kind of look on Hilda's face.

"Hilda?" Sarah called out to her, beginning to worry that maybe she'd said too much. "Are you oka-?"

Hilda broke eye contact and looked away, but Sarah was quick to realize that she was actually looking at something so Sarah turned her head to look too.

Volkner was coming back and his mouth was in a grim line.

His lips moved and his sentence began with "Hilda," but he was still so far away that every word was lost on them. However, Sarah knew Hilda could hear those inaudible words because, in addition to seeing their future, Sarah had seen proof of the psychic connection between the two trainers.

He started talking to her once he was within hearing distance. "Sarah, we're going to take you to the Poketch Company right now. We separate at Route 218. Do you understand?" His tone was commanding and rough, but she thought nothing of it because she understood why.

Their future was already beginning to unfold. The citizens of Jubilife had spotted a dark shadow in the sky and the police had ordered all civilians to return to their homes and lock their doors. The future, starting now, would begin with the inevitable misfortune of Jubilife City. The shadow was going to come back and finish the job. Although Sarah hadn't seen this happen specifically, her gut told her that this was so and her gut had always been reliable. It also told her that her presence in Jubilife wasn't a coincidence and she wondered exactly role she would play in the impending battle between order and chaos.

"Yes, I understand." Sarah replied. "We should start walking now."

As the trio crossed the city's expanse to Route 218, the city's atmosphere closed in on them. Leaves lay still, untouched by a silenced wind, and no Flying Pokémon skirted the skies, leaving them ominously empty.

The police informed him that the shadow had passed approximately one hour ago, Volkner explained as they walked.

While they made their way to the Poketch company, Sarah calmly and nonchalantly turned to look into the glass window of a passing building. There she saw her reflection and, in her reflection, she saw her fate.

Volkner came to a stop. "We're here." He turned to face her and she averted her eyes, hoping he wouldn't see them start to water. "I hope all goes well. Take care, Sarah."

"Thank you."

He smiled for the first time since entering the city. "No, thank you. You had the courage to tell us the truth." He must've been listening in on their conversation earlier. "You're a strong girl, Sarah. I hope we meet again someday."

Sarah smiled and nodded, but Volkner noticed the strain in her expression. "It's nothing you need to worry about." She assured him, though she was already blinking away tears as she said this. "Anyway, you better get going. You don't have much time left."

Volkner gazed into her eyes, trying to find an answer for her tears. But when she just continued smiling at him, he nodded and turned to leave. As he walked away, Hilda fell in step beside him, while he murmured, "Goodbye, Sarah."

Hilda nodded too before she waved. Sarah raised her hand to wave back. "Goodbye."

—Route 218—

"The fishermen are gone." Volkner murmured.

Hilda watched him survey the empty docks. "Do they fish here all the time?" she asked.

"Every day except Sunday." Volkner answered and Hilda immediately felt her stomach drop a little.

"Then he must've landed here at some point." She said grimly. "He might even still be in Canalave City."

Volkner nodded wordlessly.

His mind was working hard towards their next step. If they made a wrong move now, they might just end up face to face with Ghetsis himself and that was an encounter Hilda knew Volkner practically recoiled from. His last chance meeting with the man had left Volkner lying unconscious in several feet of snow.

Suddenly, her bag started ringing.

"Oh!" She reached inside and whipped out her transceiver. "Hello?"

Bianca's face popped into view. "Hilda!" Her anxious face relaxed as she sighed in relief. As usual, her bed hair took up most of the screen. "I've been trying to contact you for ten minutes already."

"Sorry, bad reception," Hilda said, barely holding back her excitement at seeing her best friend for the first time in days. "Anyway, have you gone to Lake Valor yet? You look tired."

Bianca's expression immediately soured. "Well… I guess being punched in the stomach does that to a person."

Hilda drew her eyebrows together. "Someone attacked you? It couldn't have been Ghetsis—"

"The Shadow Triad," Bianca said darkly. "We were on going down Route 214 when we… met."

The Shadow Triad! Although the name brought back many memories of white blurs and black masks, this wasn't the first time she'd heard them being mentioned. N had told her about them a few days ago.

"I knew."

Bianca, who had been in the middle of explaining how terrible it was to have someone's fist in her gut, did a double-take and asked, "What?"

Hilda explained as briefly as she could, "I knew they were in the area. N told me in a dream and that sounds out there I know, but the point is that the Shadow Triad is guarding something on Route 214. He mentioned a cave, Turnback Cave. When you encountered them, did you see any paths branching off into the forest?"

Bianca closed her eyes and pursed her lips to think. Then she opened them again. "No. Maybe we didn't walk far enough."

Hilda tried not to look disappointed, but she must've failed because Bianca was staring to look guilty. "Sorry, Hilda." She muttered.

"Why are you apologizing?" Hilda said, now feeling guilty as well. "I'm the one who forgot to tell you about-"

"Hey! You must be Hilda." A girl with long, curiously blue-tinged hair playfully bumped Bianca out of the way. Hilda immediately wondered if her hair was that natural shade or if she'd dyed it.

"Dawn?" Volkner was suddenly by her side, peering into the transceiver.

Hilda raised her eyebrows. So this was her. Gazing into Dawn's eyes, she saw the familiar look of a Pokémon champion... and more.

Upon seeing the gym leader, Dawn grinned widely. "I guess what Bianca and Cheren said was true. You really are trying to save the world."

"Are all of you in Veilstone right now?" Volkner asked.

"Of course," she said before her expression changed to match Bianca's. "The triad members were kind enough to drop us off at the gym. Right now we're coming up with a plan." Dawn turned her attention back to Hilda and gave a small grin. "It's good to finally meet you, Hilda."

"Likewise. Let's battle someday," Hilda added, figuring that it was either now or never. "Just us one on one."

"Yes. We can-"

"Talk about this some other time." Cheren's face suddenly replaced Dawn's in the transceiver screen. "Hilda, listen to me carefully."

In the background, Hilda could hear distinct noises. If anything, it sounded like Bianca was trying to stop Dawn from scrapping with Cheren for the transceiver. Cheren shot Hilda a look when he noticed her attention was straying. She smiled sheepishly.

Cheren sniffed. "Okay, now where was I? Alright, we talked with Cynthia's grandmother and she told us a few important things about the Distortion World. Hilda," His expression grew solemn and there was suddenly a new tension in the air. "All the people that have disappeared so far are in the Distortion World. And because humans can't survive there, it won't be long before their bodies deteriorate completely and their souls are exposed to the distortion."

The news washed over her like a breaking wave. Hilda breathed in slowly to calm herself, then asked. "How long…" Nevertheless her voice wavered and she coughed to mask the shakiness. "How long do we have before things get that way?"

Cheren gave her no time to prepare for the answer.

"One month." He said in a final tone.

One month.

"That's…" She glanced at Volkner. We have a time limit now. "That's more time than we can ask for."

"But, Hilda, we also need to consider the three days that already passed since the people were taken from Snowpoint. If we want to save everyone, we have less than one month to do it. Also, Caroline herself estimated the process to last about a month so it's not clear if we initially start with a full thirty days or a few days short of that…" Cheren sighed and rubbed his temple with one free hand. "I'm sorry if I sound so cynical, but, as you heard from Bianca, we were apprehended by the Shadow Triad before we could reach Lake Valor."

"Cheren. About the Shadow Triad," Hilda fought to recall the details of her dream through the haze of fear that was beginning to cloud her senses. "I remember… N himself told me that he encountered the triad in Veilstone and then they took him to a cave where Ghetsis was waiting. N traveled to Veilstone City because he found a lead on Ghetsis' position so the triad couldn't have traveled far."

"So you're saying that the Spring Path could be right on Route 214?" Cheren's eyes grew wider and wider by the second. "But…" He reasoned. "Even with the speculation that the Spring Path is hidden there somewhere, we still don't know for certain. Although, I suppose it won't hurt to take a look seeing as we have some evidence supporting this claim."

"But you're still unsure?" Hilda asked after studying his expression.

Cheren brought his index and thumb up to his chin and focused hard. "It's just that we still don't know anything about what to expect in Turnback Cave. Therefore," He looked sternly at her. "You still need to go to Canalave City and visit the library..."

"Of course," Hilda said, feeling a little chastised, though it distracted her from the less-than-one-month issue. "We're less than ten minutes from Canalave and the last thing we'd do is turn around and leave. Anyway," She shot a stern look right back at him. "You need to focus on Lake Valor before anything else. Even if we do figure out where Turnback Cave is, we still aren't prepared to face Giratina and Ghetsis until we contact the last two Lake Guardians."

"Yes, we're actually working on that right now." Cheren looked to his right and gave a satisfied smile. "Dawn is calling up a few friends to help us with our triad problem. If we detain the brothers, then we open up Route 218 for any and all observation. By the way, do you have any idea of Ghetsis' whereabouts?"

Volkner answered for her. "He's flown over Jubilife and landed at route 218, which means he's either still in Canalave or gone by air."

"I see…" Cheren was thoughtful for a moment. "You may be closer to Ghetsis' vicinity than you'd like, but… perhaps that's for the best."

Hilda and Volkner both nodded in understanding.

"He may not expect you to be there." Cheren continued. "While there is the possibility that he may have already left Canalave, I suggest you treat the situation otherwise. I wish I could give you more advice, but that's all I have. I'm sorry, Hilda."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Cheren." Hilda comforted him. "You're already doing everything you can. Anyway, we'll think of something."

Slip into the nearest hotel and stay the night.

Hilda rolled her eyes. If we can slip past a mad man and his giant Dragon.

"Did you just…?" Cheren spluttered.

"No, relax. Volkner was just proposing a plan." Hilda explained, pitying her confused friend. "He said that we should just find the nearest hotel and stay the night. Of course, that's after we sneak past Ghetsis if he happens to be there."

Upon hearing the plan, Cheren went quiet, his expression conflicted. "Give the transceiver to Volkner for a minute." He said after a little while.

Curious at what Cheren had to say, Hilda handed it to the gym leader.

"Do what you have to do," Cheren told him. "But…" Then he lowered his voice so Hilda wouldn't hear. However, his words rebounded from Volkner's thoughts so that Hilda heard him as if he was talking to her as well. "If you try anything, you'll have to answer to me and, trust me, I'm a better fighter than you think."

Volkner only chuckled and, looking up to catch her eye, said, "You need to have a little more faith in her capabilities."

Hilda gave a tell-tale smile as she peeked over Volkner's shoulder and waved goodbye at her somewhat sullen friend. "Bye, Cheren. We'll talk to you later."

"Bye." He said with a small, but noticeable pout.

That was when Bianca shoved him to one side and yelled, "Bye, Hil-!" before Cheren cut the connection.

When Volkner looked up, he found Hilda smiling at him with eyes full of laughter. "What?" He asked her, though he knew that it had to do with what he said earlier.

Hilda opened her mouth to tell him, but something happened before she could.

Her vision whited out.

"Hilda!" She heard Volkner cry out to her both vocally and mentally, but she couldn't see him because the grass and the trees and sky above her suddenly all melted away like paint washed off of white canvas.

She could still hear his voice. He could hear him calling her name over and over and she could feel his hands that were now clapped on either side of her face, trying to bring her closer to him so he could get a better look at what was wrong with her. And yet, the world was still drenched in white. Then she clasped both her hands over his and felt his concern and worry wash over her. For some reason, the whiteness didn't seem as frightening after that and her hands molded themselves against Volkner's as she smiled at him in the midst of her blindness. However, the whiteness really only lasted for a total of five seconds.

For suddenly out of nowhere a magnificent aerial view of Sinnoh rushed into existence and Hilda realized, with amazement, that she was now seeing the world from Zekrom's eyes.

—Danger in the Skies—

Much of the day had been dedicated to flying.

His partner was off doing what she usually did, saving the region, etc. And she hadn't had any need to call for him yet.

Truth be told, Zekrom was bored. And when he was bored, he often flew atop cloud cover and traversed the skies until the sun found its way to another part of the world.

Recently, however, he began checking in on his partner more often in case she was encountering trouble of any kind. After all, the annoying man with the unpleasant eyes was still alive and treating the land like his territory.

Now flying just under cloud cover, Zekrom knew he had aerial advantage over than any other Pokémon in the sky, including his new rival. Although Zekrom did not know the other dragon's name, he had known from the moment they met that the other dragon did not belong in the clear, clean skies of Zekrom's world and therefore could not handle flying too far from the ground.

Then Zekrom saw something. Immediately, he beat his wings once and came to a glide as his eyes honed in on the small figure of his partner standing next to a patch of water. He had located her without difficulty.

But what was this? Zekrom focused in on the dark figure beneath him and recognized it for what it was.

Calling out to his partner wouldn't be enough. No, she had to see the situation for herself. Zekrom reached out for the intangible bond he shared with her. It had taken him more than two years to discover this new form of communication, but this would be his first time using it. He located the core of their mental connection, which resembled something like a stone pillar in his mind. Searching for the particle in the pillar that would control her sight, he pinpointed it and wrapped a strand of his consciousness around it.

Then he pulled as hard as he could on the strand and, almost immediately, he felt the connection go through and she was soon watching the skies with him. Swooping down, he closed in enough on the ghost dragon for her human eyes to see.

She had to hide. Hide as fast as she could.

—Route 218—

Hilda's irises changed back, filling him with relief.

He remembered how his heart had leapt into his throat when her eyes suddenly turned a pale blue, so pale that it was almost white. And then the most amazing sensation filled him as Hilda witnessed something breathtaking. However, that wonderful feeling quickly turned into shock and then fear as the seconds slipped by.

Now as he gazed into Hilda's eyes with his thumb resting lightly against her cheek, he stroked the delicate skin there ever so lightly. It was his way of asking if she was okay, only he hadn't done anything like that to anyone for the past several years. However, now was not the time to think about what that meant.

Because Hilda knew exactly what time it was.

Run!

Before he could say a word, she snagged him by the jacket then started sprinting for the trees! "Hilda, what-!"

No time. No time. Ghetsis! He's coming!

Her thoughts were nearly incoherent as they broke through the wood-line, running in deeper and deeper until they came across a tree with a small hollow in the base of its trunk by pure chance.

She threw her backpack into the hollow then dove in herself, her hat falling off in the process. She still had a hand on his jacket so she brought him with her into a sitting position.

She put a finger to her lips. You're breathing too loudly.

Volkner shot her a look. And whose fault is that?

Hilda wanted to roll her eyes at him, but the adrenaline pumping through her body was keeping her alert and on guard.

They stayed there in utter silence for what felt like hours, the forest rustling with the sounds of various Pokémon watching them from the trees. To his surprise, Hilda's hand found its way into his.

It makes me feel better. She hardly sounded embarrassed, but he could feel her heart thudding against his palm. He also heard her unspoken words. Holding his hand made her feel good. Although he would never tell her this, at least not up front since she could read it in his heart anyway, but holding her hand made him feel good too.

He could feel her reacting to his thoughts already, but then the moment was over all too soon when Hilda stiffened as she suddenly remembered something.

My transceiver! Horror flooded her mind as she nearly stood up to go get it, but he held her fast.

Did you mean this one? He reached into his pocket and pulled out the device.

She stared at first in disbelief, but she gave a tiny sigh of relief as she took the transceiver back from him.

I was holding it. Remember?

Thank you. Her lips lifted into an incredibly relieved and grateful smile as she gazed up at him with steady eyes. My heart nearly left my chest.

Volkner simply held her gaze as he squeezed the hand that was holding his and Hilda flushed as she realized that she still hadn't let go. As he watched and felt her fluster, Volkner allowed his eyes to stray, roaming down the bridge of her nose until they were resting on the soft indentation above her lips. By allowing this, he knew he was already giving in to what he was suddenly thinking of doing right that moment.

"Volkner…" she whispered as her heartbeat spiked with the rise of anticipation that filled his stomach. The sensation was both strange and wonderful at the same time. Hilda's growing desire did nothing but fueled his maddening thoughts of slipping his head forward and catching her in what he considered a real kiss.

Do it…

His eyes widened when he heard her request. Then he watched as Hilda closed her eyes and tried to make sense of what she'd just said. However, she came to a consensus with herself faster than Volkner expected of her. Slowly, she opened her eyes and his heart nearly stopped as she looked at him with a mixture of vulnerability and honest determination.

Please… She thought to him, but she didn't finish her sentence because he could already feel her wish in every part of his body.

Kiss her.

He closed his eyes fractionally as he pushed himself forward and tugged on her hand at the same time, bringing her so close to him that he could smell the shampoo she'd used last night. His lips had been about to graze hers when they heard the faintest beating of a dragon's wings.

They both stiffened and held their breaths, lips still millimeters apart, eyes gazing deep into one another's only this time with real fear.

For what seemed like a long time, but was really just one minute, nothing happened. No voices, no roars, no harsh command.

Hilda blinked. Maybe he-

A tree crashed wildly into the ground!

Volkner shielded her by trapping her in his arms just as a blast of air sent shredded wood chips flying past the hollow on either side.

Despite Hilda's light trembling in the aftermath of the shockwave, she sounded calm when she gathered her thoughts. He's angry about something, but hasn't seen us.

He nodded in silent agreement, his chin tapping lightly on her head since she was still in his embrace. For several eternities they stayed like that, Hilda's forehead leaning into his chest and his arms enveloping both her shoulders. He could feel her slightly uneven breathing against his neck and knew it was because of both the danger of being discovered and the exhilaration of being so close to him. In the next instant, his mind betrayed him and an image of him lowering his head a few inches and pressing a kiss to her forehead, to her cheek, and then finishing on her mouth filled his mind. The heat would then spread from there to the rest of her body and the passion collecting in her belly would wrack her small frame. But, he didn't do it. He couldn't.

Because then he might never be able to stop.

A large gust of wind disturbed the foliage and caused both of them to flinch, but still he held on to her. The sound of rustling leaves lasted until Hilda began to grow restless in his arms. Once the noises died down and the chattering of Pokémon filled the area once more, Hilda left his embrace to peek outside.

She looked around the hollow and between the trees. "Is he gone?" She asked, though Volkner knew the question was rhetorical because the feeling of danger was no longer in the air. Satisfied that the coast was clear, Hilda sat back down inside the hollow.

Now they were face to face once again.

Hilda left her hands resting on her knees as she examined the grass between them.

Volkner didn't have to think twice to know what was on her mind. Because they had been touching, she knew exactly he'd been thinking earlier, what he'd been feeling. If anything, she might've even seen the imagery conjured by his mind. As she studied the grass, he studied her. Her softened hazel eyes gave him so little to go on, but her emotions surprisingly ranged somewhere between amusement and satisfaction.

She sensed his inquiry because she made eye contact right with him as he wondered why she felt that way. "Is it me," she began. "Or is it easier to touch now?" To prove her point, she boldly reached over and picked up his hand before he could object. Despite his uncertainty, he admitted that she was right. A light spark traveled between their fingers, running pleasantly up his arm, but other than that there was none of the explosive emotional whirlwind that had plagued them in the beginning.

"Maybe this connection weakens over time." He offered.

"Or maybe we're just more used to each other now. Who knows?" She cajoled to which Volkner nodded in agreement.

Then he had an idea.

Slowly, gently, like he was testing the water before jumping in, he stroked his thumb over the back of her hand. Instantly, the spark between their fingers sharpened and a breath escaped Hilda's mouth.

Her eyes were glued to their fingers, as if waiting for their hands to catch fire. A fine blush dusted her cheeks as she whispered. "We should go."

Volkner watched her. Her words said one thing while her heart told him another… which only meant she wasn't ready for this yet, "Alright."

Immediately, he felt from her both disappointment and relief at his words, leaving him with no regrets on his decision. He released her hand.

She let out a small frustrated huff, though Volkner knew she hadn't done it on purpose. He understood all too well what she was going through.

Hearing his thoughts, she pouted at him. You know I don't mean to be like that.

"I didn't know you could make that kind of face." She looked rather cute.

That had her blushing even deeper than before and he chuckled as she tried to hide it by turning away.

"Not fair, definitely not fair." She muttered. Then she fell quiet, averting her eyes to watch the wind blow leaves aimlessly around the hollow. Despite everything that had happened earlier, an unexpected sense of calm came over both of them, one that enveloped him so perfectly that he felt at ease with himself and the world around him.

He closed his eyes to enjoy the moment while it lasted. Then he felt the lightest of taps against his conscience as Hilda began standing up. When he opened his eyes, she was motioning for him to follow and, together, they left the hollow, made their way back out of the forest, and on to the road where they found six large, fresh footprints in the ground.

"Zekrom should be safe where he is." She murmured, examining the footprints. Then she threw a poke ball toward the water. "Go, Beartic!"

"Lanturn!" Volkner followed her lead.

Within seconds, two Pokémon were waiting patiently in the water for their trainers to mount.

Glancing up at the sky, Hilda murmured, "Just a few more hours."

We'll find a place to stay. Volkner assured her. Then he leaped on to Lantern's back and Hilda did the same.

Finally, they were on their way.

—Canalave City Gateway—

"I'm sorry. The city is in disarray and most hotels are closed. Finding an available room won't be easy." The officer at the customs desk pushed the point as gently as he could. "It might be easier to try your luck in Jubilife."

While she fully understood the city's situation and felt pity for its people, frustration still welled up in Hilda's chest at the news.

He said it won't be easy, not impossible. Volkner's words reassured her and Hilda nodded absentmindedly.

The officer thought she was agreeing with him. Smiling politely at her, he picked up a phone and started dialing. "I'll call them and tell them to expect you!"

"Wait-" Hilda started.

Through the receiver, the repeated buzzing of a failed call came through.

"That's strange." The officer muttered. "Marlin should still be on duty. I'll try again." He sounded more optimistic than he should've been. What gave him away, however, were his eyes. They were uncertain and worried now.

"Does your friend ever leave his post?" Volkner demanded.

"No, he… Sometimes he goes out to grab a snack, but-"

Hilda cut him off with a piece of advice. "I think staying in Canalave right now may be best for all of us."

The officer nodded dumbly, his expression still clouded with anxiety for his friend. He didn't seem to have any more to say. Hilda lingered just a few seconds longer. Then, prodding Volkner mentally, she turned and headed for the exit.

"Hold on!"

Hilda stopped.

"I remembered—" The officer motioned with his hands as if trying to use sign language to tell them what he just remembered. "Just wait." He told them quickly before reaching behind his counter and digging around for a good minute. Hilda and Volkner shared a glance. "Take these."

In her hand, he placed a tattered slip of paper and a plastic card. Someone with chicken-scratch handwriting had scribbled down an address on one side of the paper and a name on the other side. As for the card, it was colored black and white and looked decidedly like a hotel room cardkey.

Hilda stared at the name on the paper. There was nothing familiar about it.

~Captain Walter~

The officer explained. "A few days ago, a sailor put those on the counter and told me to give them to the first young couple I see. I couldn't ask why." Sighing, he leaned in and said, in a sincere voice, "Alright look, I know that this isn't conventional, but I think it's your best bet in a situation like this."

Hilda passed the paper to Volkner who slipped it into his pocket. "Thanks." She said with a grateful smile. Then she turned and started walking out, for real this time, with Volkner.

When they were almost to the door, she grinned mischievously at him.

If this doesn't work out, we can always sleep in a tree.

No matter how playful she was right now, Volkner hoped she was just kidding.

—Canalave City—

The waning rays of the setting sun trailed over two lone figures on a metal bench. With the streets around them empty and quiet, heavily reminiscent of Jubilife only worse, they were the only signs of life in the port city.

Between his forefinger and thumb, Volkner played absentmindedly with the addressed piece of paper of such mysterious origin. Slouched against the bench's backrest, every once in a while he peered over at the girl beside him, who lay in a similar position, though she had her arms splayed out on either side of her and her eyes closed.

After visiting every single hotel on their way into the city and ultimately being turned down by each one, they eventually ran out of options. Finally, exasperation found them here, on a bench parallel to and facing the city's central park. Volkner hardly glanced at the miniature Zen garden in front of them, too busy debating whether or not they should go to the address written on the paper between his fingers. Hilda felt particularly sullen as the sunlight disappeared behind the park's treetops.

Neither of them would've spoken for a long time if it hadn't been for the streetlights, which flickered on with a sharp buzz.

"You never told me your father passed away too."

Her voice snapped him out of his reverie. "I haven't?" He tried to make his voice sound light, as if they were having the most normal conversation in the world, but failed.

"You haven't." She agreed, her voice neither expectant nor accusatory, which confused him.

He thought she was going to push him more on the matter.

"If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to." She said as she met his gaze with gentle eyes. He thought the look suited her and her cheeks lit up a soft pink as she continued, "Stuff like that isn't something you mention in front of other people."

"You know you're not other people." He told her sincerely. Almost immediately, he felt a small surge of happiness from her as she sat up in a better sitting position and averted her eyes. Her happiness changed into embarrassment as she found out that he'd felt her reaction.

"So…" She kept her gaze on the lawn-mown grass beneath her feet. "When did he pass away?"

Volkner let out a deep sigh and leaned back into a more comfortable position as Hilda turned so that one knee lay sideways on the bench seat and the other hung off the side. "It happened a few days after I turned fourteen."

Hilda bit her lip, remembering that that was also when he'd started his official Pokémon career.

"I had to get away from my city for a while after that. To clear my mind."

Hilda read the memory of his pain as he relived it in his mind. The nightmare she'd experienced… that had also been a part of the grief back then.

Beside her, Volkner made a noise that sounded like a mix between a laugh and a sharp exhale. "It actually proved to be the best thing that's ever happened to me, my leaving that is. If my father hadn't passed on and if I hadn't been so determined to prove my worth, I might've stayed in Sunyshore for the rest of my life."

"And then you'd just be Engineer Volkner, not Gym Leader Volkner." Hilda said, grinning sideways at him.

"That's right…" Volkner studied her expression for a moment, then turned his head to gaze up at the orange sky. "I wonder what my father would really say about that."

Hilda felt a pang as she recalled the words the nightmare had said while it still assumed the appearance of Volkner's father. Certain that Volkner was also remembering those very words, Hilda wanted to reach out to him, touch him, anything that might give him some comfort. Then she had an idea.

Tentatively, Hilda reached out to him with what she imagined to be the invisible tendrils of her mind, maybe something that resembled tentacles. She fumbled for the pocket of space in her mind that seemed to house Volkner's consciousness. When she found the alleged space, she pictured her invisible tentacle reaching inside… and wrapping around the emotional aspect of Volkner's mind.

Hilda gasped as the first waves of sadness rolled over her and kept going until they splashed and petered out somewhere in her mind. Beside her, Volkner exhaled harshly as he clenched his hands together tight.

"Hilda!" He ground out. "Stop." He sounded more pleading than angry. "I don't want to—" He broke off as the wave-like feelings from their new connection caught him off guard. Yet he still managed to finish his sentence. I don't want to hurt you!

But, Hilda could not.

Her hands reached up to touch her chest in a mixture of shock and pain. "It…hurts." Her heart felt like it was being torn in two. "I didn't know you hurt this much."

At the same time, though the grief assaulting her right now was more intense than she'd anticipated, it was also frighteningly familiar. A vague memory suddenly resurfaced. Father. Father! She called out to him, but he wasn't answering. Where was he now? She wanted to see him again, but he had gone. Left. Passed away. He'd passed away before she got to know him and now-!

Suddenly, long, gentle fingers wrapped around her wrist and a hand pushed the back of her head forward. Before she knew it, her forehead was resting on Volkner's shoulder and her head was tucked under his chin. Faintly, she heard his soothing voice. "Shh… it's okay, Hilda. You're going to be okay." And then a rolling caress of empathy washed over her, unlike anything she'd ever felt from the man holding her right now.

"Those negative emotions don't belong in your heart so don't cry anymore." His embrace was warm.

Then his words sank in and Hilda sat back, albeit a little unwillingly, to feel her cheeks. The tears running freely down them surprised her. "That's weird. I don't remember…" She trailed off, but didn't dwell on the matter. Instead, she laughed. "Is working with emotionally unstable people part of being a gym leader?"

"No," Volkner replied. He brought a hand up to her cheek in such a warm gesture that Hilda almost shied away. Almost. "It's part of being human."

His words turned her heart a little. It wasn't very noticeable, or at least that was what Hilda wanted to think, but Volkner felt it too and he hesitated, suddenly torn between pulling his hand away and pretending nothing happened or pulling her even closer and…

That was also when a puff of wind blew away the already precariously balanced slip of paper resting on Volkner's lap, which was where he'd put it before comforting the crying girl in front of him.

"Volkner!" Hilda pulled herself away from his hold and made for the runaway piece of paper. "The address!"

It landed momentarily and Hilda stepped out with one foot to secure it to the ground, but another rush of wind sent it flying away again. She started after it, but Volkner's swifter form overtook her.

He caught up with it easily and snatched it while it was in mid-air.

Hilda smiled and cheered through her tears, a grin actually finding its way to her face while Volkner gave a mock bow. She was about to congratulate him for getting the paper when she noticed the street name of the intersection Volkner was standing on.

Volkner… the address… what was the address again?

He looked behind him at the street sign and then peered down at the paper. "What are the chances…?" He murmured.

There, at the corner of Crescent street and Moon street, a wide, two-story building suddenly seemed to loom and stand apart from the others. Drawn by its presence, Hilda and Volkner made their way to the building. Why hadn't they noticed it earlier? A sign with the faded script that matched the card's address, Harbor Inn, hung from the roof. It creaked back and forth to the murmurings of an insubstantial wind.

"This place doesn't look like it's had any customers for a while." Hilda commented, walking past Volkner and approaching the inn's plain-looking blue door. Upon closer examination, she saw the considerable collection of dust in the doorframe and on the knob. Underneath, there was a slit to insert the card.

Volkner stepped up beside her and the wooden porch groaned under his weight as he did. He raised an eyebrow at this and Hilda couldn't help smiling. They shared a glance.

You know, we could be trespassing for all you know. Then he raised his hand to knock on the door, but then Hilda touched his wrist, which made him jerk back.

"Sorry." She said sheepishly when he gave her a look. "Anyway, if they gave us the card, then shouldn't we use it?"

Volkner sighed, but it was in agreement so he took out the black and white card and slipped it into the hole. They heard the lock click open.

Then that means whoever is inside will be expecting us.

—Harbor Inn—

It took the combined strength of a gym leader and a Pokémon champion to open the door to Harbor Inn.

"Why do I get the feeling that no one's fixed this stupid door in years?" Hilda grunted as they pushed and shoved.

Finally, the door gave way and, with a deep groan, it dragged back on its hinges. A cloud of dust and cobwebs billowed out into their faces and the two trainers coughed for a good minute in the doorway. Finally, the coughing subsided and Hilda got a good look at the inn's lobby.

The only source of light in the low-roofed lobby was from an antique chandelier in the center of the room. The carpet was a dark maroon covered in patterns so twisting and confusing that Hilda found it difficult to focus on. She quickly moved on to the light maroon walls where there were thankfully no overwhelming shapes on them. Completing the room was a thin wooden counter, behind which hung a glass panel that guarded multiple mismatched keys and a door that was slightly ajar, as if someone had just passed through moments ago.

Chills ran unbidden up her back. The fact that she now knew spirits were real also didn't help.

When she looked over at Volkner to see what kind of face he was making, he winked at her. Creepy.

She knew he was trying to make her smile and it made her feel just a tiny bit better. "So…" She said companionably to him. "Why don't we let them know we're here? Whoever they are…"

"I was hoping you wouldn't put it that way."

Hilda rolled her eyes.

"That looks like our best bet." He motioned at a tarnished, silver bell placed near the counter's edge.

Alright. Let's do this. Hilda stepped forward and pressed the bell. Without delay, a sharp note split the air, making both of them wince.

Nothing happened at first. Hilda tilted her head slightly, listening for footsteps, still nothing.

Then the door creaked and they both turned sharply toward the sound. For what seemed like an eternity, no one came out from the coal-black room beyond and Hilda stared into the darkness for so long that she wondered if the door opened because of loose hinges.

And then a man stormed through!

Hilda's heart shot up into her throat as she gave a shocked yell, "Geez!" Beside her, Volkner flinched hard.

Slowly, as she recovered from her shock at the man's sudden entrance, Hilda gazed up at him. He was the very definition of unique.

Dressed in a battered sailor outfit, the man looked to be in his late forties, early fifties, and still strongly built. His head and chin were swathed in thick, black curls with streaks of grey, making him look like an old bear. To add to his intimidation, he towered over Volkner by a full head. However, his crossed arms and grey-blue glare added the most to it.

Hilda stepped up to him and, in a less confident voice than she would've liked, she asked, "Captain Walter?"

He didn't do anything at first, just kept glaring at them. Hilda had already started fidgeting when he uncrossed his arms and broke out into the biggest smile a person could possibly have. "Ah! Yes. I've been waiting for you!"

All Hilda could say to that was, "Huh?" And then she glanced over at Volkner to see the incredulous look on his face. All she could hear from him was, What-?

Continuing on benevolently, he said, "I see the officer was successful in giving you my card and address. All is well. Now, come with me." He started toward the set of stairs leading to the second floor. "I've already prepared a room for both of you."

"Wait!" He was halfway there when she made him pause. Hilda half-expected him to be glaring again when he turned back around slowly, but his face was neutral this time as he waited for her to speak. "How much…" She coughed to clear her nervousness. "How much for the room?"

He gave a long look, leaving Hilda with the feeling like she was being chastised for something she should've known already. "If you must, then it is thirty dollars total for the night and the following day."

Hilda nodded, reveling in the room's cheap rate. "And one last thing," she said before he could walk off again. "…how did you know we were coming?"

Captain Walter took longer to answer this time.

Next to her, Volkner still hadn't said a word, but, if she wasn't mistaken, his hand was inching closer and closer to the poke balls at his belt. Yes, he had every right to be wary of this man. Depending on the captain's answer, their situation ranged from staying for the night to—at the rate this seemed to be going—a fight. Hilda prayed for the former.

When the captain still didn't reply, Volkner's fingers were already grazing his belt. As if he saw this, the captain immediately put both hands up in something resembling surrender. "I apologize for making you nervous. I understand how this all seems very questionable, especially after a day like today. If it assures either of you, when I gave the officer my card and address I asked only for a couple, not anyone by name. Whether you choose to believe this or not, you are here by pure chance and if you choose to go," He gestured at the open door behind them. "I will not stop you."

She caught Volkner's eye and smiled wryly at him. At least we'll have a place to put our things.

At first, Volkner hesitated. He still wasn't sure about the whole arrangement and the captain still roused his suspicions, but the day wasn't getting any brighter and they still had work to do. If anything, she did have a point. The inn would provide them with at least some form of shelter, however temporary it may be, and the rate was a good deal.

Hilda couldn't help smiling at him as she saw that he'd reached a decision.

Volkner nodded imperceptibly at her in agreement and said, "We'll stay."

Captain Walter clapped his hands together, obviously pleased. "Then the matter is settled. Follow me."

— —

It took one look at their room to make him go numb.

"Don't worry about hot water." He heard the captain saying. "We have plenty. But if you are wondering about food I am afraid we only serve breakfast in the mornings. When you have settled in, ring the bell on the first floor and I will direct you to a few good restaurants in the city." He smiled broadly and then closed the door behind him. The movement threw up a fresh coat of dust that settled eagerly all over Volkner's jacket.

Even if he ever recovered from seeing the room's choice of wallpaper and bedding, he would be suffocated by dust bunnies.

"Well…" Hilda said after a while. "At least it looks happier than the lobby."

"Those curtains…" Volkner trailed off in the disbelief that something like them could even exist.

"Are pink." Hilda finished for him. "And there's nothing wrong with that color, even though I prefer blue."

"There's nothing wrong until you mix pink curtains with purple bed sheets and yellow carpet." Volkner said in quiet horror. From the looks of things, the carpet might've been a solid sunny color, but over an unknown number of years, the sunny yellow had turned tawny.

He heard a snicker. When Volkner turned to glare at the amused girl, she asked him a very good question, "So who gets the bed?"

Honestly, the issue hadn't occurred to him until now. He glanced at the purple-sheeted bed. He had automatically assumed they would be sharing it.

"I'm fine with that too." Hilda said with a light laugh. "I shouldn't have put you on the spot like that. We'll share. You take one side and I'll take the other. And then the next morning we'll wake up on top of each other, but that's neither here nor there."

"Right," Volkner replied, playing along with her sarcasm. "I wonder if that's before or after someone steals all the blankets in her sleep."

She laughed when he said this and Volkner couldn't help feeling pleased.

"By the way, what time is it?"

Stirring from his strayed attention, he checked his watch. "It's half an hour until six. We still have some time. Do you want to go out for dinner?" It was only when Hilda blushed that he realized what his question sounded like to his own ears. "The library." He told her quickly. "I meant go out for dinner and look for the library."

"Right." Hilda said, copying his tone earlier. "Then let's go." She grabbed his hand before he could turn away and led him toward the door.

"Where did you put your gloves?" Volkner wondered aloud when he felt her bare skin.

"In my bag." She said shortly. They were halfway out the door when something suddenly compelled Volkner to glance over his shoulder at the wall behind them. Hilda stopped walking when she felt him tugging back on her hand. "What is it?"

He wasn't sure exactly what he was looking for at first, but it didn't take him long to find it. There, in the top right corner of the room where the ceiling met the wall, was a dark stain. Volkner wondered why he hadn't noticed it before. The stain wasn't just dark, but an inky black so heavy that he couldn't see the wallpaper behind it at all. It sent an unpleasant shiver up his spine.

"What is it, Volkner?" Hilda asked again. She squeezed his hand ever so slightly, which roused him out of whatever reverie he'd entered. When he brought his attention to her again, he was surprised to feel uncertainty emanating from her. What was she so worried about?

"Nothing." He squeezed her hand back assuringly. "I was just checking to make sure we didn't forget anything."

"Okay then." She said, though he could hear it in her voice now, that endless uncertainty. "Ready?"

"Ready." And then Volkner closed the door behind him.

— —

She didn't want to think about it, but Hilda couldn't stop.

Maybe it wasn't that big of an issue and maybe she was just overreacting but there was no denying what happened back there. Starting from the moment Volkner had turned to look back into the room to the moment she squeezed his hand to get his attention, for the first time since they'd formed their mental connection she hadn't been able to read a single one of his thoughts.

And that scared her more than anything else.