When Worlds Collide

Chapter Three

The ground beneath me was hard and rough.  I looked down and saw the gray stone walkway under the palms of my hands.  The edges of the path dropped off into a dark oblivion.

Princess was panting hard, standing erect next to me.  She was staring into the distance, which was swathed in an endless black abyss.

"Where are we?" I asked aloud, despite the fact I was hopelessly alone.

Princess growled, taking a step closer to me.  Her blue fur shined like fire as she wrapped her body around mine.  I could feel the heat emanating off of her pelt, managing to calm my nerves.

As I relaxed, a familiar shape started to advance towards us out of the darkness.  It was the snake-like pokemon, it's body slithering through the void. I could hear it's voice hum in my ears, "Alessa, you have come."

I flinched, burying my face into Princess's fur. The Pokémon emitted a strange noise, bringing its metallic face close to mine. It's body hung, suspended over the edge of the gray path.

"Why am I here?" I asked bravely, my hands shaking as they clenched Princess's fur.

"The Dark Coven can not reach you here," it replied, "we will protect you."

Princess nudged me with her muzzle, I could tell that she trusted this massive Pokémon. "Who are you?" I asked it.

"I am called Giratina. I am ruler of this distortion world." Its snake body coiled and the shadowy hands once more sprouted from its back. It extended one hand toward me, feeling like an offering of friendship.

"Do I have to stay here forever?" I asked shakily, not yet willing to place my palm in this creature's shifting shadow.

It did not reply.  As it swiveled and turned to leave, I called out loudly towards its retreating form, "I want to go home!"

It made no inclination that it had heard me.  It's red and black armored body shimmered and disappeared from view, hidden by the shadows of darkest night.

Princess nudged me, a soft whimper escaping her parted jaws.  "We have to get out of here," I whispered in her ear.

Slowly, we got to our feet and stood.  I could see further into the distance.  More gray stone walkways were suspended in the air, fading in and out of the shadows of this strange dimension.

I took a step towards the side of the path, looking downward.  Princess growled next to me, clenching her teeth around my shirt as I leaned a little too far forward.  With a quick jerk, she pulled me back onto the balls of my feet.

"That's a long way down..." I mumbled, rubbing my slick palms down the front of my shirt.

Turning my head, I could hear a faint humming from somewhere nearby.  It sounded everywhere; in front, behind, to both sides of my body.  Princess started to bark aggressively, her spike tipped tail waving behind her.

Somewhere beneath the humming, I could hear voices.  "Alessa!  Alessa, are you there?"

"Mom!" I called, recognizing her voice under the commotion.  "I'm here!"

Suddenly, the darkness seemed to rip and split in two.  A portal was opening, right before my eyes.  Through the opening, I could see a dark foyer.  The stone walls were lined with shadow and hung decoratively with dark red and black tapestries.

"Alessa, you need to come through," Talia called, her voice drifting lazily through the open portal.  I could hear the strain in her voice, the worry for my safety.  Princess had quieted next to me, and was also staring into the doorway home.

I reached my hand towards the opening, my other clenched in a fist at my side.  As my finger touched the magical surface, I felt the world shift around me.  In a blink, I was phased through the portal and was standing in the mysterious foyer.

I turned to see that the portal was closing, at the hands of a hovering gray and black Pokémon with a single red eye under its hood.  I watched as it flourished its hands, a massive yellow rimmed eyes and mouth glowing on its rounded stomach.  There seemed to be a crudely drawn oval of yellow sand on the ground just below, shimmering with energy as the portal vanished from sight.

"Alessa, you're safe!"  My mother's voice called from the other side of the room.  I twisted around, looking at her tear stained face.  She looked like she had taken her Rapidash drawn carriage straight here after she had disappeared; she still had her slippers on her feet. 

There was another shape, standing in the darkness at the back of the foyer.  It stepped forward, adorned in a familiar black cloak.

"Yes, it is quite surprising we were able to call you back from the Distortion World," it said, it's voice low and husky.

I ran towards my mom, my arms outstretched.  I didn't know where we were or what was going on, but I knew she would be able to protect me.  "I want to go home," I groaned into her royal, jeweled dress.

"Yes, we can go home now," Talia agreed, a slight edge to her voice.  I looked up to see her glaring at the cloaked figure, "thank you for your help."  Her voice was hard with distaste, I could feel her hand closing tightly around my wrist.

"Don't worry, I will let her leave with you for now.  But with what I have learned today, believe that I will one day come back for her.  She will see that dark and ghost Pokémon are superior." The voice stated, calm and even.

"Never!" Talia shouted, standing abruptly.  With that, she started to pull me towards a large stone archway near the end of the foyer.  I turned to look behind me, realizing I didn't hear the clicking paw pads of Princess behind me.

"Wait!" I yelled, straining my arm against her grip.  But it was pointless.  I stared desperately behind me as Talia whisked me down the passageway and out to her carriage. 

"I'm glad you were able to find the young Miss," our gracious carriage driver chimed as we climbed in and sat down.

"Yes, it is quite pleasant.  Now please take us to the Aquene Forest," she instructed kindly, her gaze turning to me.

"Where's the Aquene Forest?" I asked slowly, feeling like I was wading through a bad dream.

"It's a very quaint little forest right outside our kingdom. It's very safe there," she insisted. I felt her hand clasp mine, but I was too busy staring out the back window.

Back down the gravelly path, through the rock opening of that cave was my only Pokémon. Princess was gone.