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Grovyle woke up.
He sat up slowly in an attempt to get his bearings. He blinked a couple of times as he looked around. Did I make it?
Grovyle stood up. It was dark; a darkness that he was, sadly, all too familiar with. He was standing in a small, grassy clearing, with trees surrounding it. A forest loomed beyond.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
He looked around. The clearing was empty, save for himself. He felt panic bubbling up inside of him. “Rachel?” He called, his voice hoarse from lack of use. He cleared his throat again. “Rachel?” His voice was now stronger, and it seemed to carry with the air. “W-where are you?”
No one replied.
Grovyle’s pulse hitched. He wandered around the clearing, trying to take it all in. There was no breeze, so the trees did not sway. No recent rainfall, so the droplets of water did not hover precariously over the edge of the leaves. Did Celebi send us too late in the past? Did Temporal Tower already fall? And where’s Rachel? She was just with me when--
Grovyle smacked right into a tree.
He fell back, stunned. The impact shook the tree, sending down a shower of leaves. What--?
Before he could even wrap his head around the leaves surrounding him, a flock full of startled, annoyed Pidgeys started squawking at him.
“Hey, watch where you’re going!” One said, perched on a lower branch and glaring at Grovyle. “Some of us are trying to sleep here!” Others followed suit in an annoyed chorus.
Grovyle managed a choked apology. Sleeping? He pulled himself up quickly. Is that why… it’s so dark? “I-I didn’t mean to wake all of you.”
“Well, kid, you already did. Now scram!” The Pidgey on the lowest branch shooed him away with a feathered wing.
“W-wait!” Grovyle objected. “I-I need to ask you something!”
The Pidgey rolled his eyes. “
Now
what do you want? I told you to beat it!”
“I-I’m looking for someone. A h-human. Named Rachel. I was wondering if… if you saw her. She’s my best friend.”
The Pidgey barked out a laugh. “A human ? Here? No one’s seen a human here in a long time. I think some screws went loose when you hit your head there, kid. But that’s none of my business. Get lost.”
Feeling defeated, Grovyle pulled himself together and fled as the Pidgeys hurled insults at him. But Grovyle wasn’t paying attention to any of it. They didn’t see Rachel, so where is she!? Did… did something happen while Celebi was sending us over--?
He didn’t know how long he was running through the forest until it began to thin out. It became more rocky, with the hint of a salty breeze in the air. He slowed to a stop and caught his breath, but his mind still went on. I think… I think I remember telling her to hold on… But after that… it goes dark.
He sat on the edge of the rocky cliff on a boulder that jutted out from the edge. It overlooked the sea that stretched beyond what Grovyle could see. His panicked mind eventually calmed down enough to clear, and focused on the sea.
He wasn’t completely sure, but he swore he saw the waves washing the shore.
He sat there for a long time, taking in the salty air, and the sound of the sea. It almost lulled him back to sleep. But something else caught his attention. When Grovyle cracked open his eye, he noticed the sky was significantly lighter than he remembered. It was still dark in the direction he came, but over the ocean, it was a lighter blue, with a faint pink hue.
A pink hue that seemed to spread.
For a blissful moment, Grovyle forgot about losing Rachel. For growing up in a world full of darkness. A world that threatened to make his own heart full of darkness. Awe took over him as he watched the sun rise for the very first time. The sun was very small, a mere yellow sliver. Then it seemed to grow, filling the whole world with its light. The clouds surrounding the sun turned bright orangey-pink as they parted, as if allowing the sun to come into the world.
It seemed to fill every inch of Grovyle’s being as it drove away the darkness. It could not, however, drive away the lonely darkness that clawed at Grovyle’s heart.
As soon as the warm rays touched Grovyle’s face, he wept.
Is this was a sunrise is, Rachel? Is this what you wanted to show me? Is this… life?
***
“Rachel, Twigg! I’m alive! We’re all alive! Please hear me—!”
Something caught the corner of Grovyle’s eye.
He turned away from the edge of the peak, away from the sunrise. The sunrise he dreamed to see. His body felt anew. But what was—?
Faint particles of light fluttered down from the sky. His gaze turned up, following them. There was a break in the clouds, with green portal wedged between them.
“Celebi?” Grovyle called out, getting her attention. He pointed to the portal. “Is that what I think it is?”
Celebi followed Grovyle’s pointed finger and gawked. “It is a Passage of Time! What is it doing here?”
Diagla, who was standing off to the side in silence, finally spoke. His voice seemed to echo and fill Grovyle’s entire being. “IT SEEMS YOUR FRIEND WILL BE JOINING US SOON.”
Grovyle, stunned, felt his mouth hang open. Rachel?
He watched as a ball of light shot out of the portal. The Passage of Time snapped closed behind it. Particles of light falling off the ball of light, it soared through the sky, aiming right for the peak.
Right in front of Grovyle.
It hit the ground, hard. But there was no sound that accompanied it. The ball exploded into the same particles of light that Grovyle was all too familiar with. They dissipated quickly, leaving behind a body lying motionless on the ground.
That snapped Grovyle out of his shock. “Rachel!” He felt himself start to run over to her. Celebi followed quickly behind in a panic. Dusknoir and Diagla stayed behind.
Grovyle knelt down beside her and propped her head up in his arms. Her body still felt warm, but it was covered in dirt and wounds, no doubt from her fight with Diagla. “Rachel? Rachel! Wake up!” Grovyle’s voice rose in a panic. “Can you hear me?! I’m alive! We’re all alive!” Grovyle’s voice finally broke, and he bowed his head over Rachel’s. “...Please, Rachel. Wake up.”
A moment of tense silence followed. Dusknoir, watching from afar with his single eye, finally made his way over to the group. Celebi locked eyes with him and fluttered over to him, nearly barreling into his face. “Dusknoir, don’t you dare lay a single hand on her! Don’t—”
“She’s not dead. Or dying.” Dusknoir said, his voice deadpan. “She’s still alive. Barely. But she will live.”
Grovyle’s head snapped up and he looked over to Grovyle and Celebi. “She’s—?”
“DUSKNOIR IS RIGHT.” Diagla said, his voice once again echoing through Grovyle’s body. “SHE WAS WEAK WHEN SHE DISAPPEARED, AFTER FIGHTING ME FROM THE PAST. SHE NEEDS TIME TO RECOVER HER STRENGTH.”
Grovyle finally felt his body relieve the pent up tension he felt. Relief washed over his body in a rush, making him feel high. “Thank Arceus.” He murmured. Then he slumped, threatening to teeter over with Rachel in his arms.
The entire world went black.
***
Grovyle faded in and out of consciousness. The exhaustion and stress he felt finally caught up with him.
The first time he woke up, he felt a strange, cold substance hitting his face. It was gentle, but enough that it woke him up. Unable to open his eyes, he felt the substance, a semi-solid, melt on his face. His skin greedily took up the melted solid.
He passed out again.
The second time he woke up, it was the computerized, artificial voices of the Porygon that pulled him out of unconsciousness. They reacted in a panic when they saw Diagla return. Then, he felt a rumbling sensation, similar to Diagla’s voice but not quite, flow through his body. Dusknoir’s voice followed.
“Porygon.” Dusknoir said. “You’re free to do as you choose. Enjoy your new existence.”
He passed out again.
Finally, he woke up completely. He was lying on his back in a flat nest under a large tree. He watched, fascinated, as the leaves swayed gently in the new breeze. The leaves rustled under his movement. They felt soft. He could actually move them.
Grovyle managed to sit up. It was a slow process. He looked around. He wasn’t sure where he was. It looked like Celebi’s forest, but… not. It was full of life. He saw bird Pokémon making nests in the trees. Squirrel Pokémon scampering around. Deer Pokémon grazing lazily. And it was bright .
“I see you’re finally awake, Grovyle.”
Grovyle’s head turned to the sound of the voice. He blinked. “...Dusknoir? What are you still doing here?”
Dusknoir, lying against the trunk of the tree, regarded Grovyle with his singular eye. “I wanted to make sure you recovered.” He finally said. “After all, I carried you and Rachel all the way back here.”
“You—?”
“Yes.” Dusknoir finally broke his gaze with Grovyle. He seemed to be more focused on a blade of swaying grass than Grovyle’s face. “I… I still very much appreciate what you have done for me.” He paused. Grovyle couldn’t tell, but he swore he heard Dusknoir’s voice hitch ever so slightly. “For believing in me.”
Grovyle didn’t know how to reply.
Dusknoir rubbed at his arm. “I… was also wondering if… you will forgive me. For acting foolishly against you. And deceiving you. I realize now how blinded I was under the influence of Ma—Diagla.”
“...I forgive you. I won’t forget what you have done, but I won’t hold it against you.” Grovyle finally said.
Dusknoir let out a sigh of relief. “I expected you to say as much. But… thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.” He paused again, then stuck out his hand. “Friends?”
Grovyle reached over and took it. They shook. “Friends.”
The crunching of leaves and pine needles underfoot broke their handshake. They turned towards the sound. They saw two figures making their way over to them. One was small and pink. And the other… blue and red.
Grovyle’s eyes bugged out. “Rachel!” He called. He pushed himself to a standing position, but his legs threatened to give out from under him. Dusknoir grabbed his shoulder to steady him. “Rachel!”
The blue and red figure dropped what they were holding and rushed over, taking Grovyle in her arms. She held him close, squishing him with all of her might. “Oh, Grovyle! I thought I would never see you again!”
Grovyle’s arms wrapped around Rachel’s back. Dusknoir slinked away to Celebi. “Me neither. I…” He trailed off. “I thought I lost you. When you came from the past after you disappeared. I… I was so scared for you. I wished I could see you again… to tell you I was still alive. And it seems my wish did come true.”
“...Me too.” Rachel replied.
Dusknoir and Celebi joined them, carrying two old treasure bags stuffed with food. Grovyle and Rachel parted, but did not completely separate.
The four of them ate, savouring the new food that seemed full of life. Life that they had been deprived of for so long.
After, Rachel brought Grovyle off to the side, away from Celebi and Dusknoir. Suddenly, that apple Grovyle had went sour in his gut. “...Grovyle. I have something I need to tell you.
“I… have been speaking to Diagla. And he has allowed me to go back to the past.” She said. Her voice seemed to hitch. “He… he told me how much Twigg misses me. How much he hurts . I can’t bear to make him hurt any longer. I have to go back to him.
“Diagla has not yet prepared enough power to send me back yet. But he will be ready soon. So… I will be leaving soon.”
Grovyle let out a breath. “I… I expected as much.” His heart threatened to shatter all over again. He let out a shuddering breath. “...I understand.”
“...I’m going to miss you, Grovyle. Thank you so much for what you have done. Even though I still cannot remember the times we had before when I was a human… I still appreciate our friendship.”
“Me too.” He said.
Silence passed between them. Grovyle was the one that broke it. “Rachel?”
“Hm?”
“When… when you go back to Twigg, can you deliver a message to him from me?”
“Of course I can.”
“Tell him that we’re alive. And we’ll keep on living. And maybe one day, we’ll all meet again.”