The Messanger of Time

Chapter 20: Ties Which Never Break

"Who... Who are you? What do you want!?"

"No, no! Stay away from her!"

"Serenity!"

- - - - -

Vincent is awakened by a nudge to his side and mumbles quietly. He opens his eyes and looks around the cavern, then over to Eriah, who he has been sleeping against. She looks down at him, and after a moment, he looks outside, seeing that it is now dawn.

"...I suppose it's time to go then."

She nods and he puts his hand on the ground, pushing himself to one knee, then standing up, stretching a bit. He then walks outside and looks out over the island. And soon, Eriah comes out behind him and stares out.

Vincent sighs quietly as he gazes over the forests and plains that spread out from the mountains they're on. "This really is a nice place, Eriah... I'm sorry that more of your kind isn't around to be able to see it."

She is silent for a while, before stepping over to the cliff. "What's happened is in the past. We need to focus on the present, or there will be even more losses to come in the future."

Vincent nods slowly and then looks at her. "Are you ready..?"

She nods and then lowers down to him. He walks over to her and lightly strokes her neck, before climbing onto her back. She then rises up again and looks back at the cavern. And a moment later, she quietly utters, "Rest well..." And then she spreads her wings and takes off from the cliff, ascending into the sky.

Vincent blinks and looks at the cavern for a second, then back at her, curious about what she meant when she said that. But he knows that if she hasn't told him now, it is best he not ask questions. Now, he focuses on what's to come ahead. As they fly over the island and into the fog spreading across the ocean beyond, he looks forward to their next destination: Slateport... where he hopes to find his family again.

- - - - -

"...You've got something to answer for."

Dialga glares down silently at the cloaked figure who stands before him.

"You refused to attack your dragon friend, why? What power does she hold over you that surpasses your binding?"

Dialga makes no response, and simply stares down at the person, his gaze locked as though to pierce his soul, perhaps enough to shatter the morale of any human being as his very presence would threaten the existence of all around him.

But the individual isn't swayed by his look. He simply takes a step forward and speaks again, his deep, quiet voice calm, but also imposing.

"Even now, you're resisting my grasp... You're proving far more difficult to sway than others, even moreso than one of your own. You've left the gate to the other realm open, as a fleeting effort to allow Vincent to one day pass through. I am not blind to what you've been doing. I know that his will is linked to those of the Dusk Realm. I would've thought you'd figured it out when I imprisoned your time-traveling pet."

Dialga growls deeply at this, these very words almost pushing his boundries. But he is unable to do anything else. And the person utters a quiet scoff in response.

"This power is far beyond any of you, far beyond even your blessed overlord. Arceus himself has done nothing to intervine, and yet... Chaos wreaks havoc across these lands. You will succumb to my power. And the realms will fall before me, one by one..."

Dialga keeps his eyes locked on the individual, who takes a step back and then fades away into darkness. And without any further response, he turns his gaze across the Flare Continent and stares out across the sea almost intently... either threatening the balance of the world... or hoping to protect it somehow.

- - - - -

"That's it, just up ahead!"

In response to the man's voice, everyone on the front deck of the S. S. Tidal looks out to see a mass of land ahead of them, and many cheer at the idea that they have finally made it back to port after such a horrific experience aboard the ship.

Christina comes out of the hallway inside the ship to catch the first glimpse of Slateport straight ahead, realizing that they will be docking soon. And sure enough, the captain's voice is heard over the loudspeakers, announcing to everyone on the ship.

"Attention, passengers. We will be arriving at Slateport in five minutes. Those who have not been injured, I ask that you remain on board until everyone who has been has left. There will be transportation and emergency support waiting at the dock, ready to take those in need of medical help. The rest will be given notice to leave afterwards, and then there will be a crew coming to pick up those who've passed and their loved ones."

His voice seems to trail off at the end. It is clear that he is uncomfortable to have made such an announcement, and nothing further is heard over the loudspeaker.

Melissa and Raven step out and gaze around the deck. A helicopter can be seen parked a ways away from them, having come to deliver necessary medical supplies for people who wouldn't have made it to port otherwise.

Umbros manages to stagger out to meet them, seeing that they have finally arrived and staring out at the sight of land, almost as if having believed they would never make it. He looks up at Christina, who takes her necklace in her hand and holds it for a moment in thought. And he can tell what's going through her mind.

The Umbreon goes over to her slowly and nudges her leg with his nose, making her look down at him. He stares up at her with a look of concern, a gaze of compassion for a friend whom he'd grown to care for after being rescued by her just over a week earlier.

After a brief moment, she smiles a little at him. "I'll be okay, Umbros... It's just hard to really think about it."

She looks out at the port which is slowly drawing closer to them. "...It's January 13th... Today, Hector and I turn seventeen. And really... we've never celebrated our birthday apart... I don't even know whether he's alive or not, or where he could be."

Melissa looks over at her and hugs her tightly, and she sighs quietly. "Christina... I believe he's alive. Our brother's always made it through many things. Remember when he fell off his friend's hoverbike last year? He hurt his leg and couldn't walk for a week, and our parents swore he would never be allowed to ride it again..."

Christina makes a small smirk at this. "Yeah, but they got over it after a month. Still, Jack must've felt so bad about it... He kept calling, and it kind of annoyed mom to hear Hector's phone go off all the time. Especially at dinner."

Melissa giggles a bit and nods. "Yeah... I'm sure he's made it to land somewhere and is just fine. He might be just as worried about us as we are him..."

Christina looks down at her purple necklace in her hand, the teardrop-shaped stone reflecting the sun's light almost like a mirror.

"You know, Melissa... You've always been the more optimistic about things than I was. And just think, two years from now you'll be seventeen too... Sometimes I think you've grown up faster than I have."

She stares at her older sister for a moment and then shakes her head. "No, I've always looked up to you... And I probably always will."

Christina looks back at her, and then to her necklace again. "...Why don't we give a birthday wish to Hector that he'll be okay? And let Vincent know... we're okay too. He must be so worried."

She nods slowly and looks down at her own orange necklace, then takes it in her hand and grasps it. And Christina does the same. The two emit a powerful glow, radiating a calming energy around them, a mixture of the two colors. And suddenly, they notice a faint, yellow wave appear and combine with the other two. A sign... And the two sisters look at each other in surprise.

"He's alive..."

Melissa nods and smiles to her. "I told you..."

Raven looks between them, the two celebrating the older siblings' birthdays, but also the fact that they're here, and never really apart while they have the bond through their stone necklaces. Umbros, however, appears to have a look of longing. But he tries to hide it in favor of the two, allowing them this fleeting moment when their troubles seem almost nonexistent.

- - - - -

Vincent gazes down at his own necklace with a blink, seeing it radiating the three colors in almost a swirl of energy inside the stone. He looks over at Eriah, who is still flying across the ocean, going towards where they know would be the Hoenn region, though it is still a ways off. After a moment, he takes his necklace in his hand while the other holds onto the large, black dragon he's riding.

In response, the stone soon projects a wave similar to that of his siblings', but with the added mix of light blue. He knows now, all four of them are doing the same. And he can't help but feel closer to his siblings than ever... a reassuring notion that drives him to want to see them again. And soon, he is certain that he will...

He gazes across the sea that expands seemingly endlessly ahead of them, looking forward to reaching his next destination, Slateport.

- - - - -

"...So, they're forever bound by their family ties. Such a childish ideology... Vincent thinks he's found the perfect family. But bonds only go so far before they must be severed. Even he knows he can't hold onto them forever. A Messanger will always be cursed to lose all whom they love. I believe the time draws near for us to break their little bond for good..."

One... by one.

- - - - -

Umbros looks around at everyone as he settles down at a table with Christina, Melissa and Raven. They've arrived at Slateport a couple hours earlier and have gone to rest in the lobby of a hotel building near the port. It can be seen that a number of the ship's passengers have come here as well and rented out rooms to stay in.

But they're not here to stay. Instead, they've come to look at some guides telling various bits of information about places in Slateport, as well as other cities around the Hoenn region. They find general information on places such as the Oceanic Museum, the local battle tent, the Pokemon Fan Club and the Slateport Market.

Christina sits back in her chair and puts the pamphlet she's reading on the table. "Well there isn't much here to consider going to... If only Vincent were here to give us some leads. But then again I'm not sure even he would know..."

Umbros puts his forepaws up on the table and looks over the papers scattered around it, but finds none of them of any interest, and Christina looks at him with curiosity.

"Umbros... Can you read?"

The Umbreon nods slowly and looks at her. "I learned to read and talk while growing up in Black City... Many pokemon there have done the same. I guess you can say it's kind of the freak show of all cities."

Melissa folds her arms. "Well it can't be that bad. I've heard of a few pokemon who can talk."

Umbros then lays his head down on the table and sighs. "I kind of wish I were back there right now. I just turned fourteen too..."

Christina blinks and eyes him with a furrowed brow. "When was this? I never even knew..."

"Four days ago... It was January 9th."

She stares at him in bafflement. "You're kidding! You never said anything to us."

"It was a bad time to. Besides, today's your birthday, so I figure now you should focus on yours."

Christina sighs and shakes her head, leaning forward to pet Umbros' lightly. "That's wrong, Umbros... You only get so many birthdays in your lifetime. You should enjoy them while you can."

Melissa nods. "Christina's got something she wants to do for her birthday too, right?"

Christina blinks and stares at her younger sister, who just smiles back at her.

"Yeah, I knew you did." She reaches down to the table and picks up one of the papers, looking it over. "The Slateport Market is a lively place where a lot of people go not just to shop, but to put on their own performances for the crowds."

Christina sits back and looks at her, and Umbros looks between them curiously. "...What do you have in mind?"

"Well... I saw an ad about a store in town that rents out instruments. I know neither of us have our guitars from class. It would've been nice if we could've picked them up while we were in Saffron... But I think we could get a set from the store and play a bit while we're here."

Raven looks at Melissa for a moment, then at Christina. "I think it'd be fun. And hey, maybe Umbros can pound on some drums too."

Umbros stares at him and then lets out a small huff. "I don't do metal..."

Christina smiles a bit. "Come on, it's about having fun... I think it'd be good for us, with everything that's going on. We need a break."

Melissa nods and looks at Umbros. "Besides... I think it'd be cute to see an Umbreon jumping around, batting at a bunch of drums and cymbals."

Umbros lowers his ears and makes a pitiful whine, and Christina rolls her eyes, patting his head. "You don't have to... But it'd be nice to include you, if only to make it up for missing your birthday."

The Umbreon mumbles and looks up at her for a moment. "Fiiine..."

Melissa giggles a bit and looks at Raven. "You two can sing too. That's if you still have the voice for it."

Christina goes to sift through the papers. "You know I do..."

Umbros watches them and Melissa takes one of the pages, showing it to Christina and pointing at the ad for the local music store. She then sits back in her chair. "What should we call ourselves though..? We need a good name."

Christina looks at her for a moment, then examines the ad. "Oh geez, I don't even know..."

Raven folds his arms. "Something with shadow in it. It fits us."

Christina shifts her eyes to him and then stifles a small giggle. "Of course it does..."

He shrugs and grins. "Got a better idea then?"

After a moment, Christina puts the paper down and stares at the table in thought. And then, she utters a single word. "Shadowfang..."

Melissa blinks and looks back at her. "Shadowfang?"

She nods slowly. "If nothing better. I think it'll work." She looks at Raven, who nods back.

"Yeah, I like it."

Melissa looks at him, then back at Christina. "Well... I guess it'll work. Umbros?"

The Umbreon shrugs. "Might as well go with Umbra Sarcina and call it a day."

Christina stares at him. "Where'd that come from?"

He makes a small chuckle. "Nothing... I had this idea back home with a couple of friends. We have this group called Umbra Sarcina."

After a moment, she gets up and goes over to sit by Umbros. "You'll see them again. It'll just take some time."

The Umbreon sighs quietly and leans over to rub his nose in her side. "Thanks..."

She nods with a small smile and pets him, then looks at the others. "We should probably go to that store soon. It'll be night soon."

Melissa nods to her. "We should get something to eat too. I don't think we can play well on an empty stomach."

Umbros looks between them, and then lays his head against Christina, who puts her arm around him. He then closes his eyes and she looks down at him for a moment, stroking his back.

Raven looks at them and then glances at the papers on the table. "Whenever you're ready."

Christina nods and looks outside. It would be a while before they finally get up to leave, making their way first to a local restaurant to eat, before going to the store for the instruments.

By sunset, they would be ready to make their performance, when the market would be illuminated by the city lights. Though they would never notice the approaching black dragon who flies through the night sky, with their brother Vincent riding on her back... overlooking the seaside city with anticipation of seeing his siblings once again...