Team Libra - The Times of Darkness (Complete)

Chapter 20 A Terrible Dream

Nathaniel opened his eyes when he felt something strange. He looked up from the mat he was sitting on and saw Chimchar and Satoshi tossing in their sleep. They were clearly having some kind of nightmare. But that wasn't what disturbed him from his meditation. He felt some kind of presence that seemed familiar somehow. He couldn't identify it however so he set that aside and walked over to his teammates. Before he could even touch them, they both woke up and bolted upright.

"Are you two okay?" Nathaniel asked.

They were silent for a bit and then smiled. "Sure we are. Never better!"

Nathaniel didn't believe them for one second but let it go. He had bigger things to worry about. Things like the diapers that seemed like they were almost bigger than the ones wearing them. He laid them both back down and untapped the diapers. He tossed them down a chute that the team had installed for that purpose and then wipped them both up. After sliding a new diaper under both of them, Nathaniel taped them back up and looked them both in the eye.

"Are you guys sure you're okay?" He asked. "You two were tossing in your sleep and those diapers were wetter than usual."

"We were?" Satoshi asked, sounding genuinely confused. Unfortunately for Satoshi, it was so convincing that Nathaniel was sure that something was wrong. Words might fool him but their auras never could.

"Okay spill it!" Nathaniel said irritatedly. "Now I know something is up. The more convincing you act the more your aura responds. I know you guys aren't telling me something so speak up!"

Chimchar and Satoshi looked at each other and then back at Nathaniel. Satoshi then said, "Please don't make us Nathaniel. We'd both really rather not say anything."

"Guys." Nathaniel said worriedly. "I'm only asking because I care about you two. Please. If something is wrong, just tell me."

"NATHANIEL! NATHANIEL!" a voice yelled as it got closer and closer. Chatot came, almost tumbling, down the stairs and squwaked, "Azurill wont wake up and he's in some kind of a fit! He's being tormented somehow! You've got to come quickly!"

Nathaniel looked at his teammates in a way that clearly said, "This isn't over." and then followed Chatot with the both of them close behind (after he threw his own wet diaper down the chute in passing). Chatot led them to their old room in the guild and they found Marill and Wigglytuff standing next to Azurill. He was tiwtching fitfully and mumbling incoherantly. Nathaniel touched a paw to his forehead and felt the same presence as earlier when he did.

"Something familiar is here." Nathaniel said. "I've recovered most of my memory but there's something neither me nor my team can remember about my past. I think this has something to do with it. When I touch Azurill, I feel some presence that I know I've felt before."

"Do you think that presence is giving him the nightmare?" Marill asked.

"Sounds logical to me but I can't be sure." Nathaniel answered. "Do any of you know Dream Eater by any chance?"

"I do." answered a familiar voice behind Nathaniel. He turned and saw Drowzee behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Nathaniel asked suspiciously.

"Paying the last debt I feel I owe." Drowzee answered. "I'm not proud of my past but I can say at least I've paid for my crimes. Now I hope to clear my conscience for what I did to Azurill in the past. I heard when I went into town he was in trouble. If you'll let me, I'd like to help him."

"Can you use Dream Eater without harming him?" Marill asked.

"That's something any Drowzee can do." Drowzee answered. "I'll try to wake him up by taking his dream. I'm going to feel horrible after eating a nightmare like this but at least my conscience will be clear."

"Then do it please." Marill said. "My little brother is everything to me."

Drowzee nodded and walked past the still suspicious Satoshi and Chimchar. Nathaniel let him pass however because he could tell Drowzee was being sincere. Drowzee opened his mouth wide and began inhaling deeply. He suddenly stopped and fell over in a half faint. Nathaniel rushed over to him and propped him up before examining him.

"I'm fine." Drowzee said. "Unfortunately Azurill is not. I can't eat a nightmare that size. I feel ill just for trying."

"Is there anything you can do?" Nathaniel asked.

"Yes." Drowzee answered. "It's risky though. I can send someone into that nightmare. Trouble is it will be one heck of a mystery dungeon. I'd go but I know I can't do it. This one is just way too big for me to tackle."

"Then send us!" Satoshi said. "We've saved the world before so this shouldn't be that much more difficult."

"Maybe, maybe not." Nathaniel said. "Something tells me this might be tough even for us. Regardless, we still need to go. We're the only ones who might be able to do it."

"If you're sure." Drowzee said standing up. "Okay then close your eyes and stand near Azurill."

Nathaniel did as instructed and felt a falling sensation. He opened his eyes and saw instead of his old room, the bleakest looking dungeon he'd ever bee in, including any of the dungeons in the dark future. He felt the presence again and it made him shiver. It was much stronger now.

"Nathaniel." Drowzee's voice echoed quietly. "Delve as deep as you can and hope you find Azurill. You'll then have to either find a way of breaking whatever nightmare Azurill is in or get Azurill back to where you are now. This is the only spot I can reach you."

Nathaniel nodded and looked to see his teammates standing next to him. Nathaniel motioned for them to wait for a second.




"What's up Nathaniel?" Chimchar asked.




"I'm going to try something." Nathaniel answered.




"What?" Satoshi asked.




"I'm going to see if I can still my own mind in order to travel through this dungeon more quickly since technically we are just inside one bad dream." Nathaniel answered.




"But it's Azurill's bad dream." Satoshi said. "Wouldn't he be the only able to control it?"




"Maaybe I can reach Azurill and help him to guide us to him." Nathaniel said. "Now please be quiet. I need to concentrate."




Nathaniel sat down and began meditating. It was very hard for him to get past the feeling of the presence but once he did, he felt several minds touching against his. He could sense Satoshi and Chimchar near him and he could feel the presence bombarding him as it tried to break his concentration. He then felt a tiny mind somewhere and reached out to it. Azurill screamed as Nathaniel touched him but recognized him after a bit.




"Mr. Nathaniel!" Azurill said in amazement. "Help me! Please!"




"I will Azurill." Nathaniel reassured him. "We need to find you in order to get you out. I need you to focus and wish more than anything that we will find you. I will do the same and then I should be with you along with Chimchar and Satoshi."




Azurill nodded and then scrunched his face up with a look of sheer concentration. Nathaniel felt a sudden tug and heard Satoshi and Chimchar give a cry of amazement. He opened his eyes and found himself in a large room. He looked around for Azurill but saw a different pokemon instead. Oddly enough he no longer felt the same presence as before.




"Who are you?" Nathaniel asked the pokemon. "And where is Azurill?"




"Your focus was released and Azurill fell even deeper into the nightmare." the pokemon answered. "Any hope of recovering Azurill this way has just been diminished greatly. I doubt even ten master rank teams together could reach him now."




"That still doesn't answer who you are." Nathaniel growled, not believing the pokemon about Azurill (even though he couldn't sense any aura about the pokemon).




"I am Cresselia." The pokemon responded. "I patrol the dream realm, curing great nightmares when they grow too strong. This one however is too great for me to break."




"Why is that?" Satoshi asked.




"Do you not remember the dream from this morning?" Cresselia asked Chimchar and Satoshi. "I tried to tell your friend as well but he was outside my reach since he wasn't asleep."




"I think you should tell me that dream guys." Nathaniel said. "If I was supposed to have it, I need to know."




"Cresselia came to us in our sleep." Satoshi said sighing. "She told us that since we came back from the future that wasn't supposed to exist anymore, we were causing a distortion in space. If you remember, that was why we couldn't evolve at Luminous Spring. Cresslia told us that terrible things will happen if the spacial distortions continue and the world will end up like the dark future anyway."




"I was interrupted from fully explaining how to stop it." Cresselia said. "The only way to stop the distortions is for you three to dissappear."




"WHAT?" Satoshi and Chimchar asked in shock.




"How is it you know about this?" Nathaniel asked suspiciously.




"It is affecting the dream realm as well." Cresselia answered. "Why do you think Azurill's nightmare is so strong? Because of the spacial distortions affecting the dream realm, more and more pokemon will be drawn into dreams like this. And what's worse, few good dreams are strong enough to trap a pokemn but most nightmares are! You must be erased from existance before the spacial distortions become to strong to stop."




"Isn't there some other way?" Chimchar asked sadly.




"There sure is!" Nathaniel said. "We can choose not to listen to Cresselia. Something doesn't sit right with me on this. Since there is a pokemon that governs time, here should be a pokemon that governs space. I know that I knew the name of it but it escapes me at the moment. It's the same way of knowing that I feel that Cresselia is lying about this somehow."




"Enough of this!" Cresselia yelled. "I will not allow this. If you will not let me erase you from existance I will wipe you from it by force!"




Nathaniel felt the presence one more and prepared an Aura Sphere. Before he could fire it, Cresselia gasped and then turned, vanishing as she did so. Nathaniel swore under his breath and turned when he heard a voice.




"Nathaniel?"




"Drowzee? Is that you?"




"The nightmare has been weakened a bit for some reason but I still can't break it. Do you have Azurill?"




"No but get us out of here anyway! We have a new idea!"




Nathaniel felt a sudden tug and found himself and his teammates standing by Azurill again.




"No time to talk guys." Nathaniel said. "We've got places to go and pokemon to see if we want to save not only Azurill but the world as well (again)."




Nathaniel ran out of the room with his team leaving four bewildered pokemon behind. He ran down the beach with them and stopped when they reached Lapras.




"You boys seem to be in a hurry." Lapras laughed.




"Do you know anything about the pokemon that governs space?" Nathaniel asked.




"Hello Lapras. What a wonderful day." Lapras said slightly annoyed.




"Sorry but we've got a planet-wide crisis to prevent." Nathaniel said.




"Oh." Lapas said. "Well I know his name and where he resides but I don't know where to find him. His name is Palkia and he live in the Sky Rift. That's all I can tell you."


"Thanks Lapras." Nathaniel said. "That does help a bit."

"So now what do we do?" Satoshi asked.

"I have another idea but then we should go and ask Torkoal." Nathaniel answered. "He knew something about the Hidden Land so maybe he'll know about the Sky Rift."

"So what's this new idea?" Chimchar asked.

"I'm going to see if maybe Anthony has found out something." Nathaniel answered. "I was able to see him before meditating so maybe I can again. I haven't been able to since time was in trouble but now that space is, maybe this will work."

Satoshi and Chimchar nodded and then followed Nathaniel back to base. Ninetales was waiting for them and immediately started questioning them when she saw how troubled they were. Nathaniel let Chimchar and Satoshi do the talking while he diapered himself and sat down to meditate. There was a series of incomprehensible flashes and then he saw Anthony and the others moving on fast forward it seemed with what could only be Shaymin following them. They were currently battling a Heatran together and just defeated it. The team picked up some kind of drum an added it to a bag that also held a harmonica, what looked to be a harp, and a pair of cymbals. There was a flash and the Heatran reappeared and began following the team as well. the vision started slowing down and when it was moving at normal speed, the team was in a very snowy area. Nathaniel's vision was interupted then when he heard a loud noise and he looked up to see a tall pokemon bearing down on him and his teammates.

"HOW DARE YOU DISTORT SPACE!" it roared. "YOU'RE COMING WITH ME!"

Before Nathaniel could respond, a globe of light surrounded him, Satoshi and chimchar and he felt himself being rushed through the air.

"NO!" Ninetales screamed as she fired several Flamethrowers after the orb of light that had stolen her kits. "I've got to go get help!"

***

Nathaniel fell to the ground with a squish from his diaper. He looked around and saw himself on a high platform with nobody but his teammates and who he assumed to be Palkia. He was in the process of clearly trying to kill Chimchar and Satoshi.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Nathaniel roared. He opened his mouth wide and let loose an oddly colored flame from it. The blast struck Palkia and he screamed in pain as the super effective Dragon Pulse hit its mark. Palkia turned to him and charged. Nathaniel ran towards him and then slid underneath, making sure to hit Palkia's legs with a Metal Claw each as he did. He stood up next to Chimchar and Satoshi, who had fortunately been dodging Palkia's attacks, and looked at them.

"Are you guys ready?" Nathaniel asked.

They both nodded and as Palkia stood up from having his legs cut from beneath him, they both unleashed a Discharge and a Flamethrower. Palkia blocked both hits with Protect but couldn't stop Nathaniel's Feint. He tried using Dragon Claw on Nathaniel, but was stopped by a Flamewheel to the chest. As the flames flew away from Chimchar after the impact, Satoshi leaped in from behind them and slammed Palkia to the side of the head with Iron Tail. The combo was finished when Nathaniel came down from above and slammed into Palkia with Hi Jump Kick right at the base of the neck, knocking over the already overbalanced Dragon pokemon. Palkia tried to get up once but fell again and began twitching. The reason soon became apparent to Nathaniel as he felt the presence once more.

"Palkia has been trapped in a nightmare." a voice said. "Would you like to try and free him? Just close your eyes and will yourself to enter it."

"We need Palkia's help to stop this guys." Nathaniel said. "This is definetly a trap but we have no choice."

Chimchar and Satoshi nodded and the trio did as instructed bfore they felt themselves drawn into the realm of dreams once more.

Here is the final chapter of the Times of Darkness

Chapter 21 The Nightmare and the End

As everything came into focus, Nathaniel began to make out Palkia standing in a small room, looking very confused. Palkia noticed his arrival and stared at him angrily.

"YOU!" he roared.

"Calm down Palkia." Nathaniel said. "You've been trapped in a nightmare and the spacial distortions may have been creating a lack of judgment for you."

"A NIGHTMARE?!" Palkia roared again. "LACK OF JUDGMENT!? ARE YOU SAYING I'M CRAZY?"

"Of course not." Nathaniel said. "We were actually going to look for you to see if something can be done about the distortion. Time almost stopped at one point and Dialga almost completely lost his sanity. You may have been feeling the begining effects of that. So do you know how we can stop these distortions?"

"Of course he does." A familiar voice said.

Everyone turned to see Cresselia appear in the room.

"You know what must be done Palkia." She said. "They must be erased from existance."

"Is there no other way Palkia?" Satoshi asked.

"FOR A DISTORTION OF THIS MAGNITUDE, NO." Palkia answered. "THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT WOULD BE TO DESTROY THE FOCUS OF IT. THEN THE DISTORTION WILL WEAKEN CONSIDERABLY, ALLOWING ME TO STOP THE REST OF IT."

"Then look for the focus elsewhere!" A new voice said.

Everyone turned to see a new Cresselia show up. Everyone except the two Cresselia looked back and forth between the two. Nathaniel knew now that the Cresselia they knew was a fake. He could see the Aura surrounding the new one.

"Since you're the real Cresselia, who is this?" Nathaniel asked.

"Someone I've been chasing for a long time." Cresselia said. "Why don't you show yourself Darkrai?"

"Curse your meddling Cresselia!" the other one snarled. The form blurred and shifted and there stood Darkrai. Nathaniel felt the presence a lot more now and finally remembered where he felt it before.

"You're the Nightmare!" Nathaniel shouted. "I thought you were destroyed at Western Cave!"

"Oh no." Darkrai laughed. "I remember you now myself. You were that meddling Riolu who stopped me from destroying this pathetic planet when I possessed that useless Mewtwo!"

"USELESS!" a thankfully familiar voice roared. Nathaniel turned just in time to see Ninetales leap over Cresselia and advance upon Darkrai snarling furiously. "That poor thing hasn't slept well since that event and he's been sleeping progressively worse since we arrived in this time. That's because of you isn't it?"

"Might be." Darkrai chuckled. "He may remember me and the stronger I get, the more he feels me."

"THIS IS ALL VERY ENTERTAINING BUT YOU DID HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL ME DID YOU NOT?" Palkia asked impatiently.

"Yes I did." Cresselia said. "These three are not the cause of the large distortion that has been happening."

"HOW DO YOU FIGURE?" Palkia asked. "I CAN SENSE THE DISTORTIONS THEY ARE CAUSING."

"You sense them yes." Cresselia said. "But the amount is something else you sense. The distortion they are causing is insignificant. It wouldn't even register with you normally. The distortion that has been growing has been caused by someone else entirely."

"The Nightmare Darkrai right?" Nathaniel asked. "Seems like something he'd do."

"Curse you Cresselia." Darkrai snarled. "I was so close to getting rid of the ones who stopped me before."

"Before?" Satoshi and Chimchar asked simultaneously.

"Oh yes." Darkrai laughed angrily. "You stopped me from halting time. I had successfully damaged the Temporal Tower and even had a time of absolute darkness where my power was in the very air you breathed. But then you showed up Satoshi and changed all that. You even stopped me from stopping you. You were a human when you went through the passage of time, but I was going to destroy yo and your group while you were going through. You stopped me by throwing yourself in front of my attack and by your sheer force of will, you stopped the attack and turned into a pokemon. I almost thought you were no longer a threat when you lost your memory because of that but noooo, you had to be in the way again. It doesn't matter much now anyway. Soon, my plan shall be complete. Why don't you come to the Dark Crater and watch."

"How about I stop you here?" Ninetales roared. She leaped at Darkrai and the there was a flash. Both Ninetales and Darkrai were gone!

"If you want her back, come and get her!" Darkrai's voice laughed evilly.

"Palkia, there is a way to stop this." Cresselia said. "Now that Darkrai is focusing himself into the land of the waking, you should be able to find where he has focused the spacial distortion. Go there and slow it as much as you can. I'll go to Dark Crater and try to stop him. If I can defeat him, the distortion will stop."

"We're coming with." Nathaniel said. "We can stop Darkrai together. I've beaten him before, I can do it again."

"I welcome your help." Cresselia said. "Ninetales told me of your courage when she came to me for help. She did not exaggerate. Azurill has already been awakened. Now it is time for us all to wake up!"

Nathaniel opened his eyes and found himself on a barren stretch of land. The air smelled of sulfur and Nathaniel knew somehow they were at the Dark Crater.

"I carried us through the corridor of dreams." Cresselia said. "Darkrai is within. Let's go."

Nathaniel nodded to his team and the marched into the dungeon. Several fire pokemon attacked immediately but Nathaniel sent one packing so ferociously that they all high tailed it out of there. Satoshi and Chicmhar were even a little scared. All Nathaniel could think of was Ninetales. Cresselia started to scare them too. When ever she saw a pokemon, she would attack it just a furiously.

"I can understand Nathaniel, he's worried about Ninetales." Chimchar whispered. "But why is Cresselia so determined?"

"I don't know." Satoshi said. "Maybe she and Darkrai are like Groudon and Kyoger. Opposite forces determined to be foes. Groudon and Kyogre became allies at least when they joined Nathaniel's team but neither of them were trying to destroy the world. Darkrai is now so that might make Cresselia even more determined to stop him."

Chimchar nodded understandingly. The team eventually came to a black platform surrounded on three sides by hot, bubbling magma. Darkrai was standing at the end of it.

"So you've decided to come." Darkrai laughed.

"Where is Ninetales?" Nathaniel snarled.

"I've got an offer for you three." Darkrai said. "You know you can't stop me now, even if you were to defeat me. If you want to know where Ninetales is, you'll have to look somewhere else in time. I can send you with her. The path led far to the past so you wont be able to interfere with me and you can live in that disgustingly peaceful time with her for the rest of your life. That's a good compromise is it not?"

Nahaniel growled but he found himself actually considering the offer.

"I don't offer you the next thing because I don't really trust you." Darkrai said. "You actively tried to stop me so be greatful for my first offer. My second offer are to the ones who never knowingly tried to stop me. Chimchar, Satoshi, how about you two join me in ruling the darkened world?"

"WHAT?" they both shouted.

"Yes." Darkrai said. "I'd be willing to give you both power. Once I rule the world, you two will have all the power you'd like as well. It's impossible to stop me so why not just join me?"

"He's right." Chimchar said sadly. "We can't stop him."

"That's right Chimchar." Darkrai said. "Come and stand by my side."

Chimchar did and looked back at Satoshi. Nathaniel felt his heart drop. It looked like he might take Darkrai's offer after all. Cresselia just stood there in disbeleif.

"What about you Satoshi?" Darkrai asked. "All you have to do is come over here and help me destroy Cresselia. I promise I'll even leave Nathaniel alive. Plus if you don't want to live in the dark world, I can send the both of you back with him if you'd like."

"Please Satoshi." Chimchar pleaded. "He doesn't want me alone. I'm nothing without you. If you don't help him he'll just destroy me too."

Satoshi walked few steps towards Darkrai and stood in front of him. Nathaniel felt his hear sink even more. He remembered he couldn't beat the Nightmare alone the last time. He had the support of his team. Even with a legendary to help him, he knew he couldn't win now. Not with his teammates against him if he tried to stop Darkrai. He looked at Satoshi sadly and then felt his spirits lift when Satoshi winked at him. Satoshi began to surround his body with electricity and did an abrubt about face and slammed full force into Darkrai. Darkrai flew back with a cry of shock and the illusion was broken. Chimchar stood right next to Satoshi, flames still surrounding him from his own Flare Blitz to match Satoshi's Volt Tackle.

"I knew he trapped us in a nightmare somehow." Satoshi and Chimchar said in unison.

"Actually," Darkrai laughed as he got up and knocked the diapered duo backwards to Nathaniel's feet. "I only trapped the two of you in a nightmare. Cresselia and Nathaniel were too strong to trap as well so they just witnessed both of yours. It doesn't matter now anyway."

There was a sudden flash and the team was surrounded by many local pokemon. Several dozen pokemon suffering from the same effects as the Spiritomb from the future were standing around them all. Nathaniel knew this was no illusion because they each had their own aura.

"It's hopeless now." Darkrai laughed. "DESTROY THEM!"

There was a loud shout and everyone turned around to see the rest of Team Libra rushing in with the fury of battle in their eyes. Caterpie was the first to reach them and grabbed hold of a Rhyperior by the horn and threw him into a Mismagius. The battle just escalated from there as more local pokemon arrived as well.

"You three go help them." Nathaniel said. "Darkrai must be using a lot of power to do this so he and I should be at equal ground now. GO!"

Cresselia, Satoshi and Chimchar leaped into the battle and Nathaniel ran across the field to clash with Darkrai. Darkrai raied his arms into the air and a balck sphere appeared in his hands. Nathaniel knew what was coming and smirked as Darkrai's Dark Void was launched. Darkrai looked around in confusion when he saw that all of Team Libra was still awake.

"We all have various ways of stopping Sleep Darkrai." Nathaniel laughed. "You'll have to think of a different attack to use."

"How does this work for you?" Darkrai yelled as he zoomed forward with blinding speed and struck Nathaniel back a few paces. Nathaniel smirked once again as he swung his shining hand upward and struck Darkrai with the Focus Punch he had prepared. Darkrai flew back much further than Nathaniel did.

"I have the advantage this time Darkrai." Nathaniel said. "The last time, I was a pure Fighting pokemon and you were in a Psychic pokemon. Now I'm a Steel Pokemon as well to resist your attacks while I can still use Fighting attacks against your Dark element. The one thing that could have helped you, your sleep based attacks, are absolutely useless."

Darkrai looked around and saw that all of the combatants around them were on the ground. The local pokemon were knocked out, but Nathaniel's team was just tired. All except for three, Satoshi, Chimchar, and the one who had helped them get here, Cresselia. They joined Nathaniel and then each prepared their attacks. Thunder, Aurora Beam, Fire Blast, and Aura Sphere were launched together. Darkrai surrounded himself in some sort of visible dark aura and fired it all forward screaming "SHADOW STORM!" The attacks collided and only the Aura Sphere passed through to strike Darkrai. There was a large explosion and when the smoke cleared, Darkrai was still standing.

"Curse you all." Darkrai wheezed. "Fortunately I had additonal plans."

Nathaniel watched in horror as a tear in time and space opened behind Darkrai. He knew he couldn't get there in time to stop him from getting through, and judging by the aura Darkrai was gathering in front of him, he couldn't break through it to stop him.

"No." Nathaniel moaned in defeat.

"Oh yes." Darkrai coughed laughing. "You can't stop me this time. I'll stop the passage of time as I pass through so you'll never be able to follow me. Farewell you fools. Know in this last time we have together that I will eventually win."

As he finished saying that, two beams of raging light flew through the portal and exploded into Darkrai's back. Darkrai flew forward with a shriek of pain and landed halfway between the portal and Nathaniel. Nathaniel noticed a weak Aura floating from Darkrai's body and realized that Darkrai was just another poor puppet of the nightmare, and the aura that was rising from Darkrai was the actual nightmare. Nathaniel felt power surging through him and heard a voice say, "End it now!" A visible aura of many different colors surrounded Nathaniel and the air grew dim in its light. Nathaniel cupped his hands together and felt the energy surge through his arms. He knew then that this was the true Power of Aura! The nightmare had his dark Shadow Storm. Now it was time for him to feel Nathaniel's, "AURA STORM!"

There was a brilliant flash of light and a beam of pure aura flew through the wispy remains of the Nightmare. There was a scream and one more flash as an even greater surge of aura pulsed through Nathaniel's attack and then it was over. Nathaniel couldn't sense the Nightmare anymore. He slumped to the ground in sheer exhaustion. He felt a familiar tongue going across his face and smiled as he realized who had fired the Hyper Beam at Darkrai.

"I'm glad you found Absol Ninetales." Nathaniel said. "Welcome back, both of you."

"It's good to be back." Absol and Ninetales said together, sounding happier than they had ever sounded to Nathaniel.

"Darkrai?" Cresselia said tentatively as she lowered towards him.

There was a cough and then Darkrai said weakly, "Cresselia?"

Cresselia sobbed and then to everyone's surprise, Cresselia embraced Darkrai and held him close to her.

"WHOAH!" Satoshi said to Chimchar. "I did not see that coming."

Nathaniel laughed until he felt something strange. He looked down and saw tiny beads of light floating off of him.

"NATHANIEL!" Ninetales wailed.

"What's going on?" Nathaniel asked out loud.

"YOU USED TOO MUCH POWER IN THAT LAST ATTACK NATHANIEL." Palkia said as he showed up. "ONCE THE DISTORTION STOPPED, I SENSED WHAT YOU TRUELY WERE. YOU ARE SOMEONE'S PROJECTION INTO THIS WORLD. YOU LOST THE ENERGY THAT KEPT YOU IN THIS WORLD WITH THAT LAST ATTACK. YOU ARE SIMPLY RETURNING HOME."

"NO!" the entirety of Team Libra wailed.

"He can't go!" Satoshi wailed as he leaped into Nathaniel's arms.

"Can't you do anything?" Chimchar asked Palkia.

"I'M AFRAID NOT." Palkia said sadly.

"Can you somehow get my friends to where I am going?" Nathaniel asked as he kept fading slowly.

"I DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO DO THAT ON MY OWN." Palkia said. "HOWEVER, THERE WOULD BE A WAY. IF DIALGA AND I WORK WITH THE DRAGON OF DIMENSION, AND WE HAVE SOMETHING TO FOCUS ON YOU WITH, WE CAN CREATE A ONE WAY BRIDGE TO WHEREVER YOU MAY BE. IF YOUR TEAM CAN FIND HIM, I WILL GLADLY MAKE IT SO."

"Then this isn't goodbye guys." Nathaniel said smiling. "Anthony is already seeking out the same pokemon to save Grovyle. If I know Anthony, he'll come back with him and then Anthony can be the focus for you to follow me."

"We'll see you then Nathaniel." Satoshi said backing away from him with tears still in his eyes. Chicmhar did the same.

Nathaniel turned to Ninetales and said, "You will put the Nine-Tail Curse on me again Ninetales. I look forward to it. Until we are reunited once again, you are once again the leader of Team Libra."

"I look forward to that day too dear one." She said with tears pouring down her face. "I wont let you down."

Nathaniel turned to the rest of his saddened team. "I look forward to when I will see you all again. Until then do your best for the team and make Team Libra a team worth remembering!"

"TEAM LIBRAAAAAAAA!" everyone, including Cresselia, Drakrai, and Palkia, roared at the top of their lungs as Nathaniel faded completely from sight. There was a small metallic cling and Ninetales picked up the badge that fell from Nathaniel's forehead and headband. She held it high to the air and the Master Rank Exploration Team Badge shone like the sun on a new day.