A meeting across time and space

Dian gathered up all the Pokéblocks on the ground, then immediately handed his backpack to Misdreavus.

"Mis..."

Misdreavus let out a worried cry, her earlier liveliness gone.

She immediately sent out two shadows, using one to bind Liyin and the other to pick up the backpack.

Though Liyin was somewhat bewildered, her adult mind kept her from struggling, and she obediently let herself be bound.

"It's all right!"

Dian calmly reassured his Misdreavus.

He was about to lead the way toward the lake, but hesitated and turned back to call to the Pokémon still inside the cave. "There's a fire outside. You'd better not stay here."

Only then did Liyin cry out, "A fire?!!"

She could hardly believe it. How could a fire have broken out with such heavy rain outside?

"Pidgey!"

The Pidgey immediately straightened up.

Even Sentret dropped the disdainful expression usually plastered across his face and grew serious.

The three Rattata beside them trembled, seemingly terrified.

Dian sighed. "Misdreavus, bring those three Rattata along too."

With that, he rushed toward the cave entrance.

Time was running out. They could no longer afford any delays.

This time, a wave of heat truly did rush straight at him.

Dian crouched low and ran swiftly toward the lake.

A Sentret raced behind him, while three Pidgey wheeled through the air overhead, flying low.

Their surroundings were even busier, with all kinds of Pokémon running toward the lake.

Dian was merely one inconspicuous member of the crowd.

He inwardly sighed in relief. When it came to escaping danger, the Pokémon that had lived here for years were leagues ahead of him.

If even they were running toward the lake, it could only mean that it was the best place nearby to take shelter.

Otherwise, if not a single Pokémon had been heading there, Dian would have had serious doubts.

Splash!

Water splashed as Dian's foot slipped. He was about to fall, but his expression remained unchanged. Sure enough, a black shadow swiftly reached over and pulled him upright.

"Misdreavus, go ahead!"

He shouted through the rain. Perhaps it was his imagination, but the downpour seemed to be growing heavier.

The water pooling on the ground had almost become a stream.

Thud, thud, thud...

Dian took long strides over several fallen trees.

He could clearly hear flowing water up ahead.

Almost there!

Joy welled up inside him, and he hurriedly picked up speed.

Misdreavus had already reached the lakeshore and joined Beedrill, who had arrived much earlier.

A swarm of Beedrill occupied a clearing, holding a broad canopy of leaves high above the Kakuna and Weedle beneath them to shield them from the rain.

With a plop, Misdreavus set Liyin down, quickly handed her the backpack, then immediately turned to look toward Dian.

Dian had just burst out of the forest and was moments away from reaching Misdreavus and the others.

Suddenly, a streak of green light descended from the sky, enveloping him and the nearby Pokémon that had not reached the lakeshore in time.

It was not just this area. Almost the entire forest about to be engulfed by the fire was shrouded in green light.

At the same time, rain swept rapidly toward the blaze, forcibly halting its advance.

The green light erupted violently, blotting out the darkness and surging toward the distant flames.

Almost instantly, the fire was suppressed, and wisps of smoke curled upward.

Finally, a white cloud abruptly appeared beneath the black clouds blanketing the sky. Flickering with lightning, it drifted about briefly before vanishing reluctantly.

Beedrill and Misdreavus stared ahead in bewilderment. As the green light vanished, Dian and the Pokémon around him had disappeared too.

Darkness, so pitch-black that he could not see his hand before his face.

Silence, so complete that he could not even hear his own breathing or heartbeat.

"Waaaaaaah!"

"Crying again!"

"Hmph. Weak!"

Scene after vivid scene surfaced. Dian watched quietly, his expression more detached than ever before.

"Do you want power?"

A pair of unseen eyes stared fixedly at him from the darkness as an eerie voice rang out.

"With power, you can repay a tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye."

"With power, you can truly live!"

"Don't you want power?!!"

Dian silently closed his now-useless eyes, and stillness returned to the darkness.

Suddenly, the darkness around him receded like a tide, and vivid scenes filled the space once more.

Scarlet firelight descended from the sky, and crystal-clear droplets slid across his cheeks.

Yet the final image reflected in his pupils was a blurred human figure.

Bang!

Dian withdrew his fist, unable to hide the fury in his eyes.

"Fool. If you'd made the best choice back then..."

Clap, clap, clap...

A figure emerged from the shadows, finally stopping at the boundary between light and darkness.

Utter hatred lurked in his gaze. "What do you say to that, Dian?"

Dian gazed impassively at the painfully familiar face in the darkness. It was none other than himself, the deepest darkness within his heart.

"What is there to say? Failure is failure."

His expression remained calm as he spoke.

"Hahahahahaha..."

The figure in the darkness burst into wild laughter at his words. "How wrong. How foolish!"

In the end, that absolute hatred turned into absolute grief.

Gloomy rain.

Thick streams of rain slid past his ears.

Dian closed his eyes countless times, but to no avail. The relentless rain kept flowing.

The rain still fell. When would it stop?

"Do you want power?"

The voice came from the darkness once more.

"Power... I'll obtain it myself!"

Dian silently raised his head. "I'll find everything I've lost myself. Even if it takes ten years, a hundred years, a thousand years, I'll never waver."

He raised a hand and looked at his fingertips, as though the warmth of that fleeting moment still lingered there.

Dian clenched both hands tightly. "It won't be too long. I'll reclaim it all, from time itself."

"The god of time, Dialga; the god of space, Palkia; and Celebi."

He exhaled.

"Celebi?!!"

Dian suddenly snapped out of it.

Just then, he heard a faint rush of wind.

Dian abruptly opened his eyes and sprang to his feet, both hands darting behind him. "Damn!"

His face darkened.

Although all his Poké Balls were still there, Hoppip was the only Pokémon he had with him. Misdreavus and Beedrill had both been left at the lakeshore.

"Still, it could be worse."

Though he had only recently caught Hoppip and had not given Hoppip any dedicated training, a Pokémon was still a Pokémon. At the very least, keeping him safe should be no problem.

"Come out, Hoppip."

With a flash of red light, a pink Pokémon sprang out. "Hop-hop?"

The leaves atop Hoppip's head stirred, and confusion flickered in those little eyes. But a moment later, Hoppip bounced over to Dian and gave an obedient little cry.