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Yo. o.o

Long time no see.

Al and Adam will go on about gibberish for a bit, unless you know what it is they're talking about. If you do, you've played PMD Explorers. If not, SPOILERS.
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...

(Welp, here we are in the dead of night, searching for a fox girl from another planet whilst on a world of Pokémon in a war between Darkness and Light. LSD doesn't have anything on this. Mostly because it's completely real here, but that's aside the point. Safiri's darted out on me and my friends. Oh, s**t, maybe I should've said something to Boris and Ilmor about this... Too late now. I think they're a tough duo. They'll catch up... Hey, is that the Plusle girl? 'Looks like she's headed to the beach. 'Guess I'll watch from a distance.)

...

-Treasure Town (Beach)-

[The moonlight shines upon the still, black waters in the distance of the sea. At the small shoreline, two tiny figures awaited the waves. A third approached from the shadows.]

Plusle: [Curiously walking up to these two Pokémon.] ...Hello?

Adam: [Along with Al, he turns around. A pack is strapped to his side. From that pack comes a peculiar glow. This is the Time Gear which Edge gave to the heroes.] Hello there.

Al: Are you alright, Miss?

Plusle: I'm fine. I guess I'm... a little lost...

Al: What do you mean? Do you want us to show you the way back to the guild? It's safest there.

Plusle: No no, I just left that place. Too many people. I needed to be alone, and maybe... [Rubs her arm, looking away for a moment.] Maybe think about things...

Adam: Oh. Do you want us to leave?

Plusle: [Shakes her head.] No, you two are okay... Can I ask what's going on here?

Adam: We were looking into heading somewhere to put a very important item back in its place.

Al: But we've run into a problem... [Faces the vast ocean.] Our ride hasn't shown up. I wonder where Lapras could be.

Adam: Like I said. [Looks down to Al.] He's got to be there. At the Hidden Land... Maybe he's occupied with the Nightmares.

Al: Ooogh, I would really hate for our only way to the Hidden Land to be gone. Poor Lapras. I really hope he's okay. He's more than just a ride. He's a friend.

Adam: Definitely. Al, did you hold onto the relic fragment?

Al: Oh, yes actually. I removed it from the stone ship the second time we visited. Dialga wanted me to...

Adam: Great! Have it with you?

Al: Uh-huh, it's in my bag. Why?

Adam: Well can't we just head back to the place Wigglytuff and Chatot showed us? Remember? It had the same markings as your fragment. The Brine Cave! That's the place. And it shot that signal to the Hidden Land. That told Lapras to come pick us up, Grovyle included.

Al: Oh! Good idea! Duh, why didn't I think of that? Hahaha, Adam, here we are standing around expecting Lapras to know we're waiting when... [gulp] we haven't shown our faces... for like... a while.

Adam: ...Yes, well... W-we're preoccupied. We were. And I'm positive Lapras is too.

Plusle: ...Hey... This Hidden Land... What's it like?

Adam: It's a pretty neat place. It's like the epicenter for everything that has to do with time. I think Palkia has his own part to play there, even though his domain is on the other side of this island.

Plusle: Island?

Al: Uh-huh. We're standing on one big island. We learned that a while back, during our adventures.

Adam: The Hidden Land is an island hidden within split seconds. I dunno how it works! Maybe it already existed, but we travel the sea, and then go back in time and then freeze time a--see? Complicated stuff.

Plusle: ...It sounds like it. Maybe that's the way I need to go.

Adam: 'Beg your pardon?

Plusle: Listen, this is a little crazy... I'm not from this world.

Al: Really? Are you from the Safan side?

Plusle: Y-yes! I am! I'm from Safa! Do you know about it?

Al: We sure do! [Smiles at Adam.] Well, we were just there today.

Plusle: D-do you know how to get there, guys?!

Adam: Yep. The crossroads up at town? Just keep heading straight. You'll run into a strange field of crystal. And then a big shield. Go through that shield and you're home free... ...Hm, but you're a Plusle in every way. How is it that the others who came here are still Safans?

Plusle: ... [Lowers her head again...] Ohh... whoops...

Al: Huh? Plusle?

Cruce: [Hovers into the conversation, quite literally, from the shadows whence Plusle came.] How come she's not a Safan? I don't know about that, but... [He grabs their attention before setting himself down upon the sand.] I know she's from Safa.

Plusle: [Her ears lower a bit at the sight of the dark Shaymin. She turns away, disgruntled.] ...

Al: You're...!

Adam: You're not Cruce, are you?! Who-...?

Cruce: We haven't met? I'm sorry, I am Cruce, but I'm another Cruce. From another dimension. Like Edge, basically.

[Adam and Al give each other a perplexed look.]

Al: So... you're from Edge's world?

Cruce: Nah, I don't know him too well. Nice guy though, real sweet. Tough too. So Plusle...

Plusle: [She remains turned away.] Were you following me...?

Cruce: Sorry. You said some things; some things about Darkness. And just now, you said some things about Safa.

Plusle: Yeah? So? I'm from Safa... Not from here. What of it?

Adam: Is... this a personal thing? Should we go? Really...

Plusle: No, don't mind it. Unless you need to get going for your Hidden Land thingy.

Al: We should really get going, Adam...

Adam: You're right, but... [He hesitates, looking out at the sea once more.]

Plusle: Listen, Cruce... [Smiles half-heartedly at him.] I appreciate your concern and everything, but could you not follow me like this? I'm fine on my own.

Cruce: I can't do that. [Shakes his head, smirking.] I have nowhere else to be but Safa. And why are you the only Pokémon-turned Safan here? Why are Boris and Ilmor still Safans? Safiri herself too. She's still a Safan. And you aren't. But you say you are.

Plusle: Enough already. [She steps back once, hastily summoning a small, cross-shaped blade in both paws. She wields it forward, threatening Cruce.] Stop teasing me. You know who I am, dammit!

Cruce: [He braces himself, lifting himself in the air.] Y-yeah, I do now...! (Saf... The one I'm looking for was right here. The Plusle. She turned into a Pokémon... But why? Is it that Pull thing? H-how? She still has the Crossblade too...)

Al: Whwaaa! [He jumps back, falling to his side and dropping the bag. From it, the small stone fragment rolls out onto the sand.] Oof...! What's going on...?!

Adam: What is that weapon!?

Cruce: Goddammit Safiri, how long are you going to drag this out? You realize this sucks for both of us?

Safiri: {Plusle} I only realize you've messed up everything! You've cursed me with this stupid Crossblade; th-this... evil... world-slayer. You killed everyone! You destroyed my home! My life! My purpose... My role as an Eclipse.

Cruce: Dear God, girl, listen to yourself! You're out of your mind! You think the Crossblade was the only reason Safa got shat on!? I know I made some mistakes, but what else the ******** can you expect from an amnesia-driven, out-of-place freak like me?! From the beginning, I've only wanted to help you. I wanted to help Light. I wanted you and your friends and... your world to be okay! I tried my hardest, and sure, I was fooled and played with by the other Darkness. But I don't know how stuff works here... I'm... completely off my game... Safiri, you're really my only purpose for being here right now... I want to help. I get how I'm doing a terrible job, but at least my motives are worth considering...

Safiri: ... [She hesitates for a few moments, easing her stance.]

Cruce: Safiriii, this is not helping anything, and you know it.

Safiri: The damage has been done! [Glares once more.] There's nothing left to help!

Cruce: How can you even say that...? [Hovers back a bit.] What, do you not have hope or something? I don't remember who I am, and even I have a smidgen of hope...

Safiri: ...W-well you haven't lost your life's purpose... y-you haven't lost... a Connector... You don't know what it's like to have lost him...

Cruce: The Believer...? [He watches Safiri for a few moments before sighing...] Alright, I get it... You've been smacked around with all sorts of dilemmas, I see that... It's...

Safiri: It's what? It's okay? It's not okay. I'm going to show you just how I feel about it! [Hearing no more of this, she charges Cruce, hopping and attempting to strike at him with her Blade.]

Cruce: [He takes a deep breath, not bothering to make a single movement. He feels a sharp pain enter his body as he is grounded under Safiri and her Crossblade. One of the side blades has punctured Cruce's side deeply. He hollers out.] HHUAAH!!!

Safiri: [Growling, her body sparks with a bit of electricity, natural to a Plusle. She holds the Blade tightly into Cruce's side.] This is how it feels! It feels like a thorn in my side has just struck my heart... S-so just... Just... fight me! I don't want to live like this anymore! Just fight me with everything you have...

Cruce: [He struggles to speak.] Saf-firi, is this really what you want? You want...

Safiri: One of us won't leave this beach, I assure you!! I don't care who it is!

Adam: Stop! Cut it out, you're going to hurt him!

Al: [Jumps forward.] Yeah! We're not about to let that happen!

Safiri: Grr, you two just leave us alone! You've got nothing to do with any of this!

Cruce: (Safiri's... lost it. I can't reason with her, and she's trying to kill me... B-being stabbed with a Crossblade doesn't feel so great. I wonder if that would have killed me... were I not as strong as I remember being. Scary thoughts... I-it hurts... It still hurts.) You... want to kill me... and all I want to do is help...

Safiri: Just... stop! You've done enough! [With both paws, she pushes the Blade deeper into Cruce's side.]

Cruce: Hnng!! ...Gn...! [His voice becomes raspier.] Well, I... I can't go back to your world... and at least die trying to save it...? What do I have to lose... now that... you hate me...?

Safiri: You can't...! You can't save anything... [She shakes her head, now frowning... ...Suddenly, she pulls the Blade from Cruce's side, leaving a large wound which leaks a clear, dark gray fluid; seemingly taking the place of blood. She steps back, tormented.] ...You have nothing to lose now that I hate you...? Shut... up... No, shut up... I'm not the only reason... I'm not...

Cruce: [His eyes are shut tight, although he assumes Safiri is still there.] Really... you're... still really all I have at this point, Safiri... What else am I here for, I have no idea... Right now, you're my purpose... And my own purpose wants me gone... But I don't want to go.

[Safiri shakes her head, tears beginning to fall down her face. A few fly from her face as she shakes her head a second time. Al and Adam remain frozen.]

Cruce: [He opens his eyes, weakly watching the Plusle.] I don't want to die... That's why I refuse to... [The wound illuminates for a split second before sealing shut. He stands slowly... Before his balance is certain, a swift yellow beam of light rushes past him at a breakneck speed. It slams into Safiri, pinning her up against a rock wall momentarily.]

Cruce-EC: [Flies into the scene, following this yellow light.] Hey!!

Safiri-EC: [Growling, standing over the Plusle. She has the other trapped beneath her.] You wanna explain why Cruce 2.0 was just bleedin' all over the beach, sister?!

Safiri: Ahh!! [Closes her eyes tightly, looking away and letting go of her Blade.]

Cruce-EC: [He flies to his alternate's side.] You okay, dude?

Cruce: Yeah, for now. [Gathers his balance, looking at the other Cruce with one eye open.] How'd you two...?

Cruce-EC: Find you? We heard some shouts down here. Saf and I came outside to check the parameter of the guild for any baddies. Comin' here, we see you hurt in front of that girl... Who Safiri tackled the hell out of. [Raises his head to the Plusle and the Safiri he recognizes.]

Cruce: !! Wait, that's--!

Safiri-EC: AND do you want to explain why YOU have a Crossblade?!

Safiri: G-get off! Get...! [She opens her eyes, noticing the alternate Safiri standing atop her.] Off... ...

Safiri-EC: Yeah, not so strong now that you see who you're dealing with, huh? You'd better fess up, or I'll grind you into the sand on this beach. Right here, right now!

Cruce: [He dashes to the scene of the fight.] Stop! Stop it, Safiri!

Safiri & Safiri-EC: [Simultaneously, they look back to Cruce.] What?! [They pauses, eyes wide, before looking slowly at each other.] What...?

Cruce: Both of you! Both Safiris! Cut it out...

Safiri-EC: [She hesitates before sighing and stepping off of the Pokémon and returning to Cruce's side.] ...

Safiri: [Her Crossblade vanishes as she stands.] ...

Cruce-EC: So the other Safiri's a Plusle here... That makes sense, I remember that she had a Crossblade for some reason.

Safiri-EC: I didn't think she could transform... I thought the Ecliptic Pull didn't affect Safans.

Cruce: Saf... Plusle Saf, I mean. You've really shown me that you're pissed off. I get it. You've lost it. But guess what? You can't stop me from heading back to Safa and doing my best to fix a few things. I know your friends are still alive, and I know they're going to help us.

Safiri: ...You don't... You don't know that.

Cruce: Not for sure, no... But'cha know what? Even a clueless, amnesic fellow like me has some kind of faith.

Safiri: And you're saying I don't.

Cruce: You've shown that yourself...

[At this point, a small horde joins the few on the beach. Among the crowd are Grovyle, Celebi, Edge, Ilmor, and Boris.]

Grovyle: [Still injured and bandaged.] What's going on here?!

Celebi: It's awfully hard to relax when it sounds like the Nightmares are right outside the front door.

Edge: Al? Adam? I thought you'd already left for... Wait... [Shakes his head quickly.] Great gamma, what -is- going on here?

Cruce: [He turns his head a bit, facing the crowd.] I'm done here. If you want someone to explain everything, ask those two over there. [Motions with his head to Adam and Al.] Boris. Ilmor. Safiri's the small red and white one back there. I've got some place to be right now. If you can handle her, go for it. Catch you all later... [Without another word, he flies off into the direction of the Crystalline Threshold: the border between Safa and Chronic...]

Safiri: [Watches Cruce in silence as Boris and Ilmor approach her from either side. Her EC other stands in front of her.] ... ...

Safiri-EC: [More concerned than angry at this point.] You're not going to try anything else, are you...?

Ilmor: Please, just take it easy now...

Safiri: ... [Looks at Boris, then Ilmor, then her alternate.] ... [She simply shakes her head, keeping it low.]

...

(I'm not going to lie. I've had it with all of this. I just want to go to Safa and fight someone then be done with this whole thing. No more trying to make friends with special Eclipses, or really anyone special. I'm a problem. I'm in the way. I'm better off just being far away from all the troubles at hand. Of course I'll fight the Nightmares that this other Darkness is throwing at us. But I'm not going to work on the front-lines anymore. Enough is enough. I've seen just that. Enough... ...After Safa... I don't know... I still owe Rainbow Dash for saving me in the Tower. Glace too, if she's somehow survived; any of them... I feel like I owe her something, but... maybe it's just pity... Well I've left Safiri behind. So I'd be coming back empty-pawed. But I wouldn't want her friends to see her like that. Next thing I know, they're all fighting each other and I just... leave, I guess... I'm not going to do any more "counseling". Every freak for his or her or itself.)