Caley slowly opened his eyes. The last thing he remembered was a blinding sphere of light and a searing agony coupled with his and Jirachi’s helpless screams. Now the terrible pain that had once encompassed the young man’s body had vanished and the screams had given way to a silence so intense, one could have assumed every molecule of air had ceased to exist. Caley could feel his limbs bobbing aimlessly on invisible waves, seemingly beyond his control.

 

Am I…dead?

 

The trainer pondered over the incomprehensibility of his current weightless circumstance. Death was an absence of life, so surely this was not his state of being. At least he hoped not – the concept of death had been stepped around repeatedly by Caley’s parents during his childhood. Any possible suggestions were given by the elderly occupants of Prela Village, and their descriptions of wandering mournful spirits served only to make Caley feel like someone using the bathroom, knowing all the while that the lock on the door was broken.

This current train of thought was halted by a swift tug to the sleeve. Caley glanced down to see Jirachi staring back at him, looking none the worse for wear, save a confused and panicked expression in its eyes. At least the pokémon’s presence confirmed one thing – they were both still alive. But how? And even more puzzlingly:

Wasn't Jirachi inside his Taragirite cocoon a moment ago?

A shadow passed into the corner of Caley’s vision, prompting the trainer to look to his right. There, suspended calmly beside Jirachi and himself, was another blue and white member of the Lati species. Hovering on the opposite side was its red and white counterpart. Both pokémon had their tiny arms raised as if grasping something. Caley reached out curiously and ended up flinching as his hand met a flat, strangely cold surface. No sooner had he touched this invisible barrier, it shimmered momentarily before spreading out over Caley and Jirachi’s head, revealing that the two figures were encased in a protective bubble, preventing exposure to the unknown effects outside.

It was then that Caley saw them draw into view. Hundreds of floating winged beings now surrounded the pair that held the bubble intact, heads turned and faces filled with reverential expectance. The trainer concluded that this realm, wherever it was, must have been where the celestial Lati species lived. But what were they waiting for? It couldn’t have been something from him, for every pair of eyes, even Jirachi’s, were staring firmly into a distant part of the void.

As Caley directed his own gaze toward that very same point, he thought he could see a star glimmering amongst the vision of empty infinity amassed with blue and red-coloured clouds. While he watched, two shafts of light cast themselves forth from this star into the waiting audience, tearing the atmosphere, and pushing it apart like one might open a pair of curtains. Upon sight of this, the Lati were roused into chorus – their soft, haunting calls merging with one another to create a unified wave of sound that grew with the approaching brilliance. Caley attempted to use his abilities to decipher the song, but the sides of the shield that surrounded them also prevented his telepathy from reaching anyone outside. Instead, the trainer turned to Jirachi for answers.

“What are they saying?” he inquired.

They are saying…that he…is coming, Jirachi responded somewhat distantly. Caley opened his mouth to ask who was being awaited, only to have the words snatched from his throat and cast into the eerie glow that now bathed every figure present. The trainer and the pokémon surrounding him had been presented with a window through space, the sight of an unknown location where glowing flickers tumbled and richoted from one another amongst a sea of green….

 

A churning turmoil of chaos.

 

Memories of long-forgotten lessons were quickly unearthed inside Caley’s mind. He recalled the many hours he had spent flicking through books in the Trancia School Library for no other reason than to keep out of the cold schoolyard. A sentence written within the “Book of Sinnohan Legends” served as an accurate description of what he currently beheld. Caley couldn’t help but wonder if the author had viewed such a scene also.

But was an experience like that even possible? Were he and his pokémon companion even meant to have entered this place? Caley reached up a hand to massage his head which had once again begun to ache as a result of thoughts too deep for comprehension and questions without answers. If only someone could provide him with enlightenment.

You were not meant to come here.

Caley didn’t so much hear this new thunderous voice as feel it. The sensation was most unlike anything he’d felt before, a far cry from the mental conversations he had grown so used to involving himself in. No, this voice was like a pulsing force that grasped every fibre of the trainer’s being and shook it into a state of distinct alertness.

You were not meant to come here, it reiterated. But circumstances intervened.

“C-circumstances?” Caley struggled to keep his voice from quavering in his fearful apprehension.

The one who wished to see his plans fulfilled, he was responsible for your pain, he has condemned many others to equal suffering, came the reply. A device was implanted within you that caused the aura within your body to become unstable. Your energy, combined with that of Jirachi, was enough to cause a rift that cast you both here. I eradicated the device before it consumed you entirely.

“You…” the trainer paused while his mind processed the vast amount of information. He knew all too well that it had been the leader of Team Rocket who was so determined to have his plans succeed, but the identity of the one he conversed with seemed impossibly out of reach. “Who are you?”

 

I am Tajiri, was the simple response. Your creator.

 

Caley was stunned into silence. Apprehension had fast given way to awe and excitement over his privileged position – there were so many things he wanted to understand about life, so many questions to ask. What surprised the trainer more was the lack of nervousness at the thought of even attempting to speak to a being far more powerful than he was. At this moment he felt an inexplicable bond between himself and this invisible presence.

As this single man has interfered with the affairs of my world, so must I do the same to his, Tajiri stated. The effects of this misguided devotion must be reversed, before the passage is lost again.

Lost… the word sank like a rock in Caley’s gut. He could see his father in his mind’s eye, someone whose memory still caused the trainer anger and yet, another part of him was well aware of the turmoil that had been endured by the one he’d looked up to for so long. Turmoil that neither Caley’s mother nor Caley himself could have taken away.

“It must have been heartbreaking to know something bad had happened to your loved ones and yet not been able to help them,” he murmured softly.

Yes… Tajiri responded in oddly saddened tones. It is not always possible to save all those who pass away.

“You mean those people in Team Rocket…and my dad…” Caley could feel a lump beginning to form in his throat. He’d been relying so heavily upon the hope that Tajiri could return everyone to life. Had this been just a foolish impossibility?

I’m sorry, Caley. Sometimes their remnants are just too corrupted for me to restore.

“Remnants?” Caley repeated brokenly. “I d-don’t understand…”

You are a remarkable boy, Caley, Tajiri told him. And there is much wisdom to grant you, but it is something destined for a future time.

“Okay,” the trainer replied with as solemn a tone as he could manage. “But there is one thing that has troubled me for some time now, something I must know.”

And that is?

“Did you…” Caley began, preparing himself to utter words that were unnaturally condemning for him. “…create Sattochi?”

A gasp arose from the Lati as their gazes flitted from the uncomfortable-looking trainer to the portal behind which Tajiri resided. Jirachi seemed to freeze at this point, his wide blue eyes filled with confusion and fear over what he heard. It was obvious this name was not as unknown amongst these Pokemon as Caley had first thought. Silence returned to the void for what seemed like an eternity. Eventually, Tajiri spoke.

Yes. I created Sattochi, it said, in tones saturated with regret. But it was a product of turmoil, not something planned. I tried to rectify this unfortunate happening, still this creature has hidden just beyond my reach, constantly using my own creations against me. Even now, the dark force your concern dwells upon shields himself with a human’s form. Without the full extent of his power, he is incapable of survival alone. Unless he emerges from where he hides, it shall be impossible to destroy him without causing his host equal suffering.

Caley swallowed his next sentence. The words that Tajiri spoke echoed those of Denai, the mysterious mecha-like entity he had encountered back at Cosma Point.

 

He constantly hid behind the face of another and took their identity as his own.

And somewhere out there, he’s doing just that, waiting for the moment to strike.

 

Had Sattochi been the one to govern Giovanni’s thoughts this whole time? This was hardly good news – without a way of truly knowing who Sattochi’s host was, the creature was free to seek the means to regain the energy it needed to become a far more dangerous threat.

Do not trouble yourself so, Tajiri reassured him. There is someone coming, he will be the one to quell the flood. Your duty lies here and now, in granting me this moment of blessing to my treasured ones.

“I am honoured to have been given this chance,” Caley subconsciously bowed his head, prompting the Lati which surrounded the bubble to do the same. As the trainer did so, Jirachi positioned himself in front of Caley’s hands, holding them between his own. Then the portal before the bubble stretched out two luminescent tendrils, making contact with its shield-like surface.

It was like a door had been opened in his mind. Caley could now sense the presences of every other Nexus across the world that was assembled for this very moment. Though he was unable to see them, he could hear their thoughts and feel their anxiousness, hope and determination. The Lati’s unearthly strains filled the air once again as a white aura spread from the bubble and cast shafts of light amongst the celestial pokémon. Caley lifted his head, eyes aflame with the very white glow that now surrounded him, Jirachi and their bated audience.

“We are one,” he stated in monotone, his voice taking on an eerie quality which sounded like many people speaking in unison.

“We are ready.”

 

***~~***~~***~~***~~***

 

 

“CAAAAAALEEEEEEEEEY!”

Denise’s distressed cry broke down into fitful sobbing as she clutched her vanished friend’s scuffed satchel tightly to her chest. Rose, Errol and Adam stood in silence, eyes wide with horror and disbelief while Cory sat forlornly but protectively beside Nikkos’ motionless body. None of them wanted to believe what they were seeing was really true. Had Caley simply been unable to cope with the burden of the responsibility placed upon him? Somehow, each of the travellers felt they were to blame. Why hadn’t they done more to help?

In the end, what more could have been done to help?

“He can’t be gone…” Adam murmured, staring at his feet as his shoulders began to shake. Falling to his knees, the youth pummelled the floor repeatedly with one fist while his tears spattered against the cracked tiles. “He can’t be gone! This isn’t fair!”

“Everything dat kid did for us,” Errol agreed in unnaturally quiet tones. “An’ dis is his reward?”

“Poor Caley,” Rose wiped at her face. “He was so brave and kind-hearted…”

“So is this how it’s going to end, huh?” Adam asked bitterly, like it was Rose’s fault. “That boss creep winning? If our chances were really that small, why did we even bother to risk our necks trying to get here in the first place?”

Denise glanced round at him at this point. Her eyes were red and her face was streaked with wetness, but therein lay an undeniable defiance that shone through even the most sorrowful of countenances.

 

“Because it was the right thing to do,” she said softly through gritted teeth.

 

“The effort alone has been noted,” Nikkos spoke up weakly, trying to lift his head from where it had been resting upon Errol’s rolled-up jacket. “You shall all be blessed.”

“Nothing could ever make up for Caley being dead,” Adam muttered coldly, while Cory lifted his puzzled emerald gaze toward the remnants of the tower roof.

“Maybe you are jumping to conclusions too quickly,” Nikkos reminded him. “Not all what the eye perceives is what truly exists.”

“What are you rattling on about?” Adam yelled, finally losing his temper out of sheer frustration from what had just happened. “I’m fed up of all these cover-ups and fricken mystic words! Why don’t you just tell it to us straight? What’s happ-?”

Suddenly the adolescent caught sight of the faraway look in Cory’s eyes. Turning his head to see what exactly the pokémon was staring at, Adam’s mouth fell open as his face was suddenly illuminated by a faint white aura. The center of the room was now aglow with a pulsating brilliance as an unexplained radiant orb pierced the darkness like a miniature sun, causing those around it to shield their eyes from the glare.

Errol glanced over his shoulder and across the violet sky, just in time to see a massive beam of light coursing towards the tower’s pinnacle from the east. Rose too bore witness to a similar beam as it approached from the west with phenomenal speed. There was little time to react, as both shafts of energy made contact with the tower in a spectacular shower of phosphorescence. These ethereal sparks gathered together, merging into powerful bolts of lightning which streaked their way down the tower’s outside walls while the glow from its peak became ever brighter. Caley's friends were crouched against the tiles now, eyes tight shut - despite being so close to the source of the eerie glow they could feel no heat from its radiance.

No one saw the smile of triumph as it made its way onto Nikkos’ face.

“He made it,” the young man murmured elatedly.

 

“It is time.”

 

As he said this, the orb of light practically exploded before them, sending a massive wave of energy sweeping across the mountainside and the crowds that stood upon it. Trainers, gym leaders and their pokémon uttered gasps of astonishment as this brilliant lustre rippled past them, engulfing the enhanced pokémorphs with whom they had recently been fighting.

From the observance bay of the executive aircraft, Giovanni clasped his hands to his face in a state of infuriated perplexity while his Persian leapt from its master’s knee and bolted from sight. He had never expected what he had considered a flawless countermeasure to actually be overthrown. As the glow continued to head toward him, tearing his flying soldiers out of the sky in streams of energy, the once-fearless authoritarian figure now found himself overcome with an unfamiliar panic. Part of Giovanni was certain there was no escape, but a larger, more desperate part was adamant to attempt a retreat.

“Turn this thing around!” he barked at his fearful pilots and subordinates. “Take us out of range!”

All four engines fired in preparation for a rapid getaway, but even this last minute exertion was to be in vain. With a crackle of electricity, the wave broke through the shell of the aircraft, reaching forward and immersing Giovanni in an unforgiving white blaze. His surrounding operatives winced, listening unwillingly to the man’s exasperated screams. Once the glow finally faded and the underlings' vision was finally cleared of the brilliant lingering spots, they found themselves looking upon nothing but an empty chair covered in scorch marks.

Darius stepped from the lowered ramp of the executive aircraft with a satisfied smile on his face, watching the rings of light spread across the sky like a beacon of glory to the world. He had tried to reach Giovanni before the man could activate the nanodevice that Brody had implanted within Caley, without success. Guards inside the aircraft had stopped him from entering his boss’ office until it was too late. But now, none of that mattered – it seemed that despite all efforts to prevent it, the Ahnloka Prophecy had once again been fulfilled.

The man’s smile faded. If only he had come to this realisation before, about the futility of his actions under Team Rocket, then maybe his precious wife would still be here, watching this moment of triumph with him.

 

Dear Janice…

 

Upon the field, further astonishing developments were unfolding. The pokémorphs had vanished and in their place stood multitudes of bewildered men and women clad in outfits bearing uncanny resemblance to the outer skins of the pokémon they’d been just a few moments previously. After their return to humanity had dawned upon them, the reaction of these once-enslaved figures was of overwhelming joy and excitement. Some broke into dance with whoops and cries, while others embraced fellow operatives and even the trainers and gym leaders that had fought them so valiantly. Such euphoria proved to be contagious, as those left standing also erupted into cheers of exultation.

Glancing from Persep’s stunned expression to her mother’s happy one, Cassidy brushed the dirt stains from her clothing and let out a breath of relief at a tough assignment completed.

“Good one, Caley,” she nodded respectfully in the direction of the tower’s peak, before turning to Butch who was also back to being human and now examining the new red and orange mottled leather outfit he had recently acquired. “Hey Butch, nice fashion statement.”

“I prefer it over being naked,” the man retorted, while Radeu and Persep chuckled amongst themselves. Despite it being the more modest option, Butch still happened to be blushing.

 

***~~***~~***~~***~~***

 

Caley surfaced from this moment of mental unity to a feeling of warmth and accomplishment. He could no longer see the Lati or the portal to the realm where Tajiri resided, instead the trainer found himself surrounded in a faint violet aura, face to face with Jirachi. It was the greatest feeling of peace the trainer could recall experiencing since beginning his journey – that naïve state of mind he had started out with, soon shattered by what he would uncover.

“Well, we did it,” he murmured finally. Jirachi nodded, but said nothing. Caley noticed an uncomfortable reluctance in the pokemon’s eyes. Something was most certainly bothering him and it provoked the trainer to ask a question he’d longed to pose earlier.

“Jirachi?”

Yes, Caley?

“How come you reacted the way you did when I mentioned Sattochi? I mean, I understand you being upset…but the look on your face was so panicked, more intense than the other pokémon. Do you have particularly bad memories of Sattochi?”

You could say that, Jirachi glanced up with a sorrowful expression. It’s not welcoming to know you’re a child of the most evil being known to this world.

“You mean it created you?” Caley’s astonished words trailed off into silence. Part of him wanted to know why something so dark would bring to life a Pokemon that seemed so innocent, but another part scolded him for even wanting to ask a rather insensitive question. He turned to more sympathetic thoughts, while Jirachi nodded slowly.

There are many pokémon like myself that were destined for unseemly purposes. Since being released from Sattochi’s control, however, we have each sought ways to redeem ourselves from his influence. I am thankful for my penance of undertaking Tensoku’s duties – before then, I felt so torn up inside. I wanted to do good, but I thought it wouldn’t be possible because of who had brought me here. At least not until I met Max.

Jirachi’s eyes lit up as he continued his reminiscence.

He was such a wonderful boy, full of carefree thoughts and dedication to his friends. By just being himself, he proved to me that I could do something beneficial with the power I had been given.

Caley flinched as Jirachi suddenly swung his gaze upon him, face overcome with realisation.

Wait, he blinked. Something in the back of your mind…it’s… it’s him!

“Wh-what?” Caley spluttered, a little taken aback by this sudden change of emotional pace. Jirachi squealed with excitement and threw himself at Caley before giving him a tight hug. Or at least the trainer figured it was meant to be a tight hug, despite the noticeable enthusiasm of the action, he hadn’t felt a thing.

Max! You’ve met my best friend Max! Jirachi exclaimed. I saw the memory you have of him, where he was sat out on an ice floe with your other friends! He may be a few years older, but he was Max nonetheless!

The tiny creature paused before its happy grin dissolved into something more sombre.

…I wish I could see him for real again.

“Well why can’t you?” Caley asked, puzzled.

I am still trapped inside that crystal, Jirachi explained. What you see of me is just a projection made possible by Cyberspace.

“Oh,” came the awkward reply. “It’s a pity Max couldn’t see you in the same way I can right now.”

Jirachi hovered there for a moment, brow furrowed in deep thought. A few seconds later, the grin returned.  

Caley, you’re as smart as you are kind-hearted! Thank you!

“Uh, no problem?” Caley scratched the back of his head, wondering how he’d managed to solve the issue. “So can we go back now? My friends must be worried sick about me.”

 

No need to go back, Jirachi nodded. We are already here.

 

The trainer blinked and lifted his head, only to realise he was now staring into the glassy violet surface of the taragirite crystal, once again clasped between his hands. He released his hold and the jewelled object hovered in midair momentarily before returning to its place amongst the tower’s roof beams. From a short distance away, Denise let out an unbridled squeal of delight before dropping Caley’s satchel, running across the room and hugging the somewhat dazed figure tightly. Rose and Cory followed suit, while even Adam looked as if he wanted to do the same had he not got his pride to think about.

“Ya had us worried dere, kid,” Errol commented in partially relieved, partially humorous tones. “Where’d ya disappear to at such short notice?”

“I…don’t really know,” Caley replied distantly. “So much has happened lately, it feels like my head is going to explode.”

“Then lay off the thinking for a while, okay?” Rose chuckled, ruffling the young man’s hair. “You can tell us all about it after a nice long rest.”

“After all that, I could sure use one,” Caley chuckled, stepping from the welcoming embraces and approaching Nikkos. “So, did everything that need to happen actually happen?”

“Yes,” the figure replied, casting an arm out to direct the trainer’s gaze through the broken window toward the open grassland and mountains below. “Take a look – Tajiri’s light has restored the people. Soon, the birth of a new generation will be upon us.”

“A new generation?” Denise echoed from behind Nikkos’ left shoulder.

“That is correct,” he smiled. “Inspired by the thoughts of the Nexus collective, Tajiri shall create further species of pokémon to grace our world with variety and wonder.”

“Wow…” Adam blinked, noticeably impressed. “Pokemon straight from Caley’s brain, now that’ll be something. I wonder what they’ll look like.”

“I wonder when we’ll get to see them!” Denise exclaimed with her usual enthusiasm. “Only time will tell, I guess. Right, Caley?”

Rose looked on as this excited discussion continued, then turned her attentions to a familiar pink-purple figure standing not too far away. Cory glanced back at her with an inquisitive expression – almost like the very first time they had met in that café, all those weeks ago.

“You’re thinking it too, huh?” the pokémon commented, examining his paws. “All those pokémorphs got returned to normal, so how come I still look like…well…me?”

“And not a Ditto, Espeon or Sableye?” Rose clarified, to which Cory nodded. “I’d imagine it has something to do with the way you were created. The bodies of those Team Rocket operatives were mutated using pokémon DNA. In the case of you genetic pokémon, you were all born looking the way you do. There’s nothing else you could possibly revert to.”

“I never thought of that,” Cory pondered, beginning to grin. “Good thing too, I’ve grown to like being who I am!”

“Glad to hear it,” Rose chuckled, before pausing and looking around. Both conversations in the room happened to be lacking a distinctive voice. “Strange…I wonder where Errol vanished to?”

 

 

***~~***~~***~~***~~***

 

 

As the clouds cleared and the sun peered out over the mountains once more, three old friends stood and watched the multitudes of luminescent beams spreading far and wide across the sky. They’d been through many moments like this together, witnessing the return of some kind of normalcy to the world, but this time things had been different. With the rising of the sun came a rising of a settled resolution in their hearts. Something they had known for so long, but had been kept from expressing until this very moment.

“We’ve found the truth in this galaxy,” Jessie smiled.

“Fighting evil is our destiny!” James exclaimed, with poetic flair. This caused Errol to chuckle.

“Yeah, finally!” he smirked. There was a pause while the trio exchanged knowledgeable glances with each other. It appeared they all knew where this was going, and any chance for a motto recital, even a revised one, couldn’t go overlooked. Jessie stepped forward, putting a hand on her chest as if uttering an oath.

“To promote the virtues of truth and love!”

“To extend true peace to the stars above!” James added, thrusting a hand towards the sky.

"To destroy the roots of a tortured past," Jessie continued dramatically.

"To bring true peace to this world, at last..." James bowed his head in response, a calm, knowledgeable smile upon his face.

“Jessie!”

“James!”

“Errol’s da name!” the third member of the group joined in cheerfully.

“While darkness still threatens the universe,” Jessie began.

“These heroes…” James slipped in, right on cue.

“Will be dere…” Errol agreed, prompting the final line to be spoken by all.

 

“To shatter the curse!”

 

Another moment of silence and the trio collapsed into fits of giggles. Once the laughter had subsided, Jessie assessed the results of their impromptu composition.

“Not bad,” she grinned.

 

“For an ad-lib.”