Chapter 33
Here I am, a candle in the wind
Just a gleam, a sparkle in the sea
Now I stand, my heart is overthrown
As I leave… all I've ever known.
Even now, it feels like yesterday
Found a home, a place where I could stay
And a life, purpose I could fill
Now I watch… as it fades away.
And my heart, it reaches for the sky
For the life, the dreams I leave behind
For the strength it takes just not to cry
For the strength… just to say goodbye.
"No…"
Char vaguely felt the tug of Saura's vine as it gently led him through the darkened corridor. With barely any sense of direction to call his own, he let it guide him forward.
It felt so surreal, like he was still fast asleep and adrift in his dreams. But there he was. The time had finally come. It was time to leave.
"Hey, don't forget the other bag," he heard Saura's voice say.
Now, as he saw his home passing before his eyes, the place he loved so dearly, it looked so cold and dead. The silver ornaments which decorated the walls no longer sparkled in the firelight—they were only shadowy cut-outs in the absence of the torch flames Char never imagined would ever stop burning. The rug which spanned the distance of the hall no longer exploded with beautiful orange and red—it appeared as featureless as the gray stone floor.
"No," Char whispered again.
The aches, the twinges of regret, all started to descend upon him as he watched it all go. He knew he wasn't all that sad about leaving his team's personal hall; after all, he'd only lived there for a couple of days. But somehow, it wasn't just a comfortable living space he was leaving, it was something far greater. It was as if he was leaving his life, his own self behind.
"Easy," Saura's voice hummed gently, so that the others couldn't hear. "It's going to be okay."
"But I… I don't want to leave," Char whined weakly, not even caring who would listen. "I want to stay. Can't we stay?"
"No, we can't," Scythe rasped, hurrying the group along. "This has gone out of our hands and above our heads. We have no choice."
"But… I'm so happy here," Char muttered. "I'm so happy here. I just want to stay here…"
"Control yourself," Scythe grumbled dismissively. "You did not come this far just to be a coward. Dialga would not be proud of you. Take charge of your destiny."
"We're all going to be in this together, just like you wanted," Saura reminded him. "We won't leave you for a minute! And besides, we'll be back someday. I promised my little sister I wouldn't be gone forever. I have to make sure we come back!"
"Do you have a habit of making promises you can't keep?" Scythe asked in an unusually harsh tone.
"Huh?" Saura gasped, a bit surprised at the response.
It was then that Char noticed Scythe's disposition that morning. A hard scowl was spread across his face. His eyes were almost completely red, darting around constantly as if to check his surroundings for danger. His entire form shook with uncertainty, as if he regretted every step he made. And… for a minute, in the light of his own tail, Char thought he saw a gleam from the Scyther's face. It was a gleam he recognized, one he'd seen before. Scythe had been crying.
"Make no mistake, Saura. This will be the hardest journey of your life," Scythe tried to say solemnly, but only succeeded in adding a cutting bitterness to his voice. "There is a very good chance that you, or any of us, for that matter, will not return alive."
Char gulped hard, suddenly feeling very afraid. He understood that whatever petty homesickness he felt was irrelevant compared to Scythe's despair. For some unknown reason he had chosen not to let Eva tell him, this was a hard day for the old warrior… perhaps the hardest in a long while.
…And why, Char wondered, did he sound so sure of an imminent casualty on this trip?
"Sorry… I apologize," Scythe mumbled, shaking his head. "I know I'm not helping the matter. I didn't sleep well last night. Once I have fully roused myself, I promise I'll be able to act a little more polite than this."
"Do you have a habit of making promises you can't keep?" Char shot.
Instantly, Char wished he could recall the words. He'd lost control of his tongue, and it wasn't the first time it had happened. Immediately, he felt his breath catch in his chest and his eyes fall to a close, wishing he could take refuge in the darkness with the dancing remnants of his vision. What was this personality flaw of his, he wondered, which let him stab at his friends with cruel, piercing words? What was it that he lacked? Was it Ray's friendliness? Saura's way with his words? Or perhaps Otto's virtue of silence and brevity? Was it just part of the Charmander, or was it part of his own heart, that let him disregard his respect for his companions? And why, oh, why, did it have to happen now?
Opening his eyes again, he glanced at Saura, if for nothing more than silent support. Saura returned a glance of sympathy, but there was nothing more he could do; he couldn't fix Char's mistake. Char did the only thing he could: he emptied his lungs and awaited the consequences of his words.
In response, Scythe turned a single, bloodshot eye in his direction, causing the trail where the tears had fallen across his face to once again gleam. He closed his eyes, and, after an exasperated sigh, opened his mouth to reply:
"No. I don't."
To that, Char had no desire to reply. His apology was implied.
… … …
Once the door was shut and locked behind them, Team Ember's hall became just like the rest of the unused quarters in the base: deserted. Barren. Devoid of life. Inaccessible, save for the occasional ghost Pokémon making its rounds. And it would stay that way, a memory behind a closed door, a reserved chamber for a respected team, until the day would come when Char and his friends would triumphantly return…
…assuming that day would even come. Char knew he wanted it to, and determined he would keep telling himself it would come until he no longer doubted it.
"Hey, what gives?" a familiar Treecko's voice shouted from just outside the front door as the group emerged into the hallway. "What kind of friends are you, leaving without saying goodbye?"
Char balked. Lined up in front of his door were several… no, many of his acquaintances and friends from the resistance, gathered together to see him off on his epic mission. There was Team Stripes, lead by Taka, Evan, Nohill the Nidoran, Genie the Clefairy, and many others he'd had the pleasure of meeting and working with during his time at the base.
"Have fun at the Emerald Division!" Evan cheered. "Bring back lots of good stuff!"
Behind them stood several members of Team Remorse, Scythe's closest confidants, and Team Absolution, their recent partners in business. There was Ursa, Shander, Kain, Nidoroch, Kyria, Marrow… Even Daemon was there. The dark hound stood in front of them all, offering Char a respectful bow.
"Don't disappoint us," Daemon told him as he passed. "Don't let your fire fade."
"Make sure you come back in one piece, alright?" Ursa said. "We don't know what we'd do without you!"
"You'll do fine," Marrow asserted cheerily. "Scythe's done his work and turned you into fighters. You've got nothin' to worry about!"
"Be sure to keep an eye on Scythe for us," Kyria said. "We don't want to lose him!"
"Please," Shander added, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. "Don't let Scythe down. He's putting his heart into this mission. I don't wish to see him heartbroken."
"Do not let your enemies stand in your way," Kain said in his deep, powerful voice that always sent chills down Char's spine. "If anyone dares to stand in your way, do not even hesitate. Burn them! Burn them to the ground!"
Finally, at the end of the weird lineup, was High Intelligence. Alakazam and Xatu stood at the end of the hall.
"Be off at once," Alakazam said. "All our hearts go with you this day. May the greatest graces of Arceus be with you, and may you bring peace to our ravaged homeland!"
Char sighed happily. His courage welled, and so did his pride, at seeing so many of his friends take time off from their busy schedules just to offer a fond farewell.
…Or not.
No, there actually wasn't anyone gathered in front of their door that morning. No Team Stripes, no Team Remorse, nobody; they had all been in his imagination. It was something he merely hoped to see, but something which did not come.
In truth, it was an ordinary day at the base. The rocky halls through which they crossed were almost empty, just as they were every other morning at the Gold Division base. Only the earliest of early birds were up and active, marching with their teams to be off for whatever jobs or journeys were in store for the day. Everyone close to Char's heart was either still fast asleep, or just too busy with their daily duties to notice. Even Team Remorse was told that Scythe and Team Ember were only setting off to an extended mission at the Emerald Division; there was not a single other soul in the base, besides for High Intelligence, who knew of Char's true destination. His mission was top secret. He was alone.
Alone, that was, except for the three Pokémon which meant the world to him, the three Pokémon whose companionship gave him more strength and comfort than he could ask for. They would be at his side, he reminded himself, and they would never stop being at his side. Realizing this, Char made the resolution to suppress his lingering sense of self-pity. He knew it was only a waste of energy and emotion, serving to hinder has fire and make him feel weaker on the inside. He knew it only made him more vulnerable.
The world doesn't revolve around me, Char told himself. Here I am wallowing in my own pains, when my friends have pains of their own… Look at Saura. He turned down an opportunity to be with his family just to come here. I bet that was hard, but he's not complaining. And Scythe… look at how miserable he is! He can barely walk straight! But he's holding on… Maybe that's why he's so much stronger than me. He's not just strong in battle, but he's emotionally strong, even under so much stress. He knows how to stop feeling sorry for himself.
This doesn't have anything at all to do with pain, Char determined. This isn't about my pain, or Scythe's, or any of our pain. This is about ignoring it and doing what has to be done. So, I've got to stop being so sensitive to pain, and the feelings that bring me pain. I have to start making myself stronger, like Scythe.
"I have a favor to ask of you guys," Char yawned, finally starting to feel halfway awake. "If I ever start to whine again, Saura, I want you to tie me up, and Ray, I want you to shock me as hard as you can."
"Hah, but I don't want to send you into a coma!" Ray answered with a smirk. "But I understand. I'll shock you just hard enough."
"Perhaps a shock is what I need right now," Scythe muttered to himself just barely under his breath.
"I think I can help with that," Ray said kindly. "Hold on for just a moment."
Scythe closed his eyes and visibly cringed, expecting at any moment for his body to be flooded with enough electric power to reduce him to a pile of ash. But after the shock did not come for a few moments, he peeked back at the Raichu… who was happily offering a blue, oddly-shaped berry to him, a berry which contained the power to ward away drowsiness for hours.
"You packed Chesto berries, did you?" Scythe said as a pleased smirk formed across his face. "Just what I was craving. Very thoughtful of you. Intelligence would be displeased if we stopped downstairs for breakfast this morning."
"We packed most of our favorite supplies," Saura assured him. "Last night, we thought about all of our missions and tried to remember which things worked best with our techniques, so we filled the bag with stuff we know how to use. That was after Kecleon decided to give us all the cheap seeds and berries we wanted for free."
"Very good," Scythe said with a smile, accepting the berry and balancing it on the end of his blade. "I'm very proud of you. I'll tell you, I find it hard to express how glad I am to see you three develop the way that you have. What I mean is, for as long as I've been around on this world, I've been a warrior. It's been my one and only role to play to Ambera. I have no regrets about that. And I don't think a minute has passed in my life where I didn't assume I would always be a warrior… I certainly never imagined I would end up as a teacher. I think it was a whimsy of mine from time to time, but never a possibility I took seriously. And then, when the time came for Char to appear in my life, it was dropped upon my shoulders… I knew I had to guard you with all my heart, the precious treasure that you are… and so, I would have to train you… Let me tell you, it was a new kind of challenge trying to pass my own experience to a new generation… And I was never convinced I was doing all that well."
"Who are you kidding, Scythe? You're the best teacher!" Ray interjected. "You always challenged us, but you always made sure we had what it took to pull through!"
"And you always set such a good example!" Saura added. "I'm sure we made ourselves a better team just by watching your team do its work. We always have to push ourselves hard just for the honor of living in your shadow!"
"Ah, hah hah hah, you flatter me," Scythe laughed heartily. "I suppose it must mean something that my students approve of my methods, even if some others don't. I really tried hard to do things the right way… many of my sleepless nights were dedicated to digging through my instincts for the answers to what to do with you. But… we're about to be put to the test, and we'll shortly find out just how good of a teacher I really was."
Char frowned. Despite Scythe's streak of cheer, there was still a dark tone lingering in his voice. It was something he wanted to ignore, just to pretend Scythe was being completely optimistic, but he couldn't…
"Let me tell you something else," Scythe continued. "When this trip was first in the works, I was deathly skeptical of everything. I planned for Char and I to travel alone. My instincts told me that taking anyone else would be an unnecessary risk that would just cause tragedy. I tried to think of ways to justify this to you, Char, and the rest of you, in a way that you would accept. But as I continued to mull over it, I realized that it couldn't be any other way. You three are a team. Your greatest strength comes when you work as a single entity, both in heart and on the battlefield. Especially after I saw how Char wasn't keeping any secrets, I realized I had to comply. I had to honor that. And besides… what business do I have tearing a human away from his Pokémon?"
Scythe flicked his blade to send the berry flying and snatched it from midair with his jaws. He bit down through the hard exterior of the fruit, eager to get the stimulant into his brain as soon as he could. With his mouth full, he eyed Char as if curious to watch his reaction.
"Thank you," Char said. "I don't know what else I can say. You've given me everything I ever needed… and I know I have a problem with being selfish. I can't really help it. I think it might be part of being a Charmander. But you asked me what I'm willing to sacrifice, and I think I have an answer for you. I'll try my best to sacrifice my pride."
"That's a good start," Scythe hummed, trying not to slur his words with his mouth full. "But I ask you something: if you have no pride, what will make your fire burn?"
Char didn't know how to respond.
"But we should stop with this rambling," Scythe said. "It's time to face what is ahead of us. Time… to see what you and I both can do."
Char decided not to take one final look at the spacious main chamber of the base as the team approached the long, darkened corridors which would lead to the top of the great plateau. He knew he'd had enough nostalgia for the time being. He needed to move on.
Great Flatlands
Team Ember didn't often get to see the top of the great plateau in the sunless hours of the early morning; the lands to the west of the division never seemed to have all that many tasks in store, particularly none of those so urgent the team needed to leap out from the shadows at the precise moment the Watchers dissipated. So, when the occasional chance arose to glimpse at the dark hemisphere overhead, obscured by no tree, faraway hill, or any sort of terrain but the flat, featureless ground, it was a marvelous sight to behold. The sun still nothing but a miniscule stain of discoloration on the eastern horizon, several stars still shimmered overhead, illuminating the dark void of space like the many twinkling torch flames down in the division base. One by one, they were going out, peering through the scattered clouds for as long as they could before drowning in the sun's rays…
The sight of the stars always touched Char's heart much more than he expected. They were something he knew, somehow; they were something he remembered strongly, even from before his transformation. Visions of the gorgeous night sky speckled with its sparkling rivers of constellations were imbued into his mind, like a beauty he had once known, a memory of pleasant nighttime walks or unobscured lookout points he may have once enjoyed. In a way, it made him sad, sad that the stars were objects of fear to the Pokémon of Ambera, their glory disregarded as a sign that danger was imminent, a reminder that the world belonged only to the savage ghost Pokémon in the hours of darkness. But no matter what the others told him, he knew that the stars were a thing of beauty, and he wished for the day when the Watchers would leave so that he might enjoy them more frequently…
As he followed Scythe across the surface of the plateau, taking in the pleasant humidity of the dawning spring day, it crossed his mind, just as it had done a few times in the past, that his memory of the stars might have been another well-disguised clue to his past. Yet, he was never inclined to give it much thought. After all, every human knew how beautiful the night sky could be… right?
"Oh, WOW!" Ray suddenly gasped. "Are those… what I think they are?"
Following the direction of Ray's attention, Char squinted at the eastern horizon. There, he spotted several silhouettes against the light of the rising sun. They stood tall and proud, some observing the sky as the last several stars blinked out of existence, their miniscule wings spread and poised for takeoff…
"Dragonite," Scythe hissed. "So this is the… transportation… Alakazam has arranged for us."
"D-dragonites!" Saura repeated, barely believing it. "Wow! What a rare kind of Pokémon they are! I was starting to believe that Dragonites were just a myth!"
Ray was absolutely wide-eyed. "This is going to be exciting…" he muttered. "I hear they fly really, really fast."
Wait, what? Char wondered. Flying…?
That's when it hit him. For some reason, it hadn't really occurred to him how exactly they would be making their journey. Even when Alakazam mentioned the word the previous day, his mind had only glazed over it, unable to comprehend it and forgetting it quickly…
He was going to be flying.
Char found himself feeling very uncomfortable , very fast. He wasn't ready for this! If there was something that he learned from hanging on for dear life by Scythe's neck for only a couple seconds, and seeing the ground so far below, he was terrified of flying. Too terrified for words. He'd done an excellent job of blocking that recent event from memory, as short an event as it had been, but… What now? Was he going to be flying for whole minutes? Hours? …Days?
"Be warned," Scythe said quietly while they were still out of the hearing range of the dragons. "Dragonite are known for their humility and good cheer. You can never tell by looking at one if it is offended by your words and actions, or even if it is burning with anger on the inside. They always have a smile on their face like they're in the best of moods, but that's because they bottle up their rage so well, you can never be sure when they are about to… release it."
"Uh-oh," Saura said. "The way you say that, it sounds as though…"
"…As though I've seen it happen?" Scythe almost laughed. "I have. Twice. I used to think I was a master at reading a Pokémon's face. But when I met my first Dragonite… never saw it coming. I can still give myself headaches just remembering the pounding it gave me… So just remember: treat them with the utmost respect, do what they say, and try not to be a bother. An angry Dragonite is not something you would be proud to witness."
Char was barely even listening; all he could think about was flying. Every step he made seemed like it was bringing him closer to the fateful moment, the moment where he would cling with all his might onto the Dragonite's back as it rose miles into the air… just one slip, and it would all be over… it would be miles away before it would notice it was missing a passenger… he would be lost among the clouds, never to be seen again…
Char cringed, trying to block the thought out of his mind.
"You alright?" Saura asked. "Still having some regrets?"
"Yeah," Char muttered back. "That, and… I don't think I'm all that ready to fly. Even just yesterday, when Scythe carried me, it was pretty bad. I don't know if… if I could survive something longer than that."
"Don't worry! It's going to be fine!" Ray assured him. "Sure, it's scary! But you have to slap yourself if you're even thinking about passing up this opportunity!"
"Yeah, and I'm sure that Alakazam wouldn't have called for them if they weren't good at flying," Saura added. "Me, I'm really excited to try this! I've always wanted to fly!"
"Oh, I don't know…" Char fretted. "What if I can't hold on? They don't even have any saddles on or anything! What if I just… slip off? I'm scared of heights!"
"Hey, Saura!" Ray barked. "Quick! Tie him up!"
"Wait, WAIT! WAIT! NO!" Char clamored, quickly backing away from Saura. "No! Okay, fine! Fine! I'll stop! It's just… not easy."
"Not easy?!" Ray cried, though very sarcastically. "Who are you, and what have you done with Char?! You stood up to fifty rock Pokémon all by yourself and beat a Steelix to death with your bare hands, was that easy? And now, you can't even let another Pokémon carry you through the sky? Dragonites are some of the most skilled flyers, ever! Where's the Steelix-slayer, Huh?"
Char took a deep breath, knowing that anything he'd reply with would probably provoke Ray to jolt him. Besides, Ray was right. He had to find some courage, and quickly. It was down there somewhere, he just needed to get it working.
Before he knew it, the team was closing the final few yards' distance between them and the Dragonite team. Curiously, he gazed upon the creatures, of which there were seven in all. They were tall, proud, and very majestic, towering much higher than even Scythe. Covered head-to-toe in bright orange scales, their forms seemed to glow like molten glass in the light of the rising sun. He couldn't help feeling jealous of the scales, given how they were strangely missing from his own body; he was often puzzled as to how he could classify as a reptilian creature when all he had for protection was a rather sensitive layer of red skin which bruised and bled not unlike a human's. He looked into their eyes and saw their pride, but also their purity of heart. Their faces betrayed such a kindheartedness and a sense of honor that Char wanted to trust them unconditionally, if it hadn't been for Scythe's prior words of warning. In all, they appeared to be very respectable, powerful creatures…
The only real thing that took Char by surprise was the size of their wings. They were laughably miniscule! He gawked at them, wondering how such a heavy, bulky creature expected to fly with wings that were not even a foot in length.
"And here they come. Good morning!" the lead Dragonite shouted cordially, noticing the group approach. "Your reputation precedes you, Scyther. I am Arshall. My fleet and I are under orders by Lucario to ferry you to the Emerald base."
"And good morning to you, and your fleet," Scythe replied as official-sounding as he could manage. "How are the skies?"
"In this vicinity, very friendly," the Dragonite replied, looking to the horizon. "Though, a wave of cold presses in from the north. Though we only noticed some tension in the clouds on the way here, we may brave some storms in our flight."
"The front carried a westward pitch," another Dragonite noted. "Luck be with us, it will avoid our course. After all, we won't be flying directly over the Master's lands…"
"True," Arshall said with a thoughtful nod. "It is a possibility. But, we can't count on Kyogre to cooperate with us. If we meet with tornadic weather, we have several points of rest charted along our course… Oh, and good morning to you! You must be the children Lucario mentioned! How are you on this fine morning, little dragon? Ready to fly?"
"I'm ready," Char choked out, not completely honest.
"Glad to hear so," it replied with a smile. "What about you, Bulbasaur? Raichu? Oh, well, I suppose Lucario was exaggerating a bit when he referred to you as children. I have no place referring to a fully grown mouse as a child. My apologies! I meant no offense."
"No offense taken!" Ray replied. "I'm really honored to meet you! I've never met a Dragonite before!"
"I suppose the honor should be all ours," Arshall said with a slight bow of her head. "Lucario seems very excited to meet you. And the Scyther of resistance legend walks at your side. You must be important! Though it's not my place to understand why. My greatest desire is just to see you through your journey through the sky."
"It is the Charmander who is the most important of these three," Scythe noted, trying his best not to sound awkward. "The others are his support. So, if anything should happen… his life means more than theirs. And ultimately, even more than mine."
"Oh, you underestimate us, Scyther!" the Dragonite laughed. "Nothing will go wrong on the flight. Nothing can! That's the beauty of flying; up there, there's nothing of danger! Nothing but the clouds, and the Pokémon perseverant enough to carry themselves through them. And besides, even if twenty Rayquaza stage an ambush from the stratosphere, our evasion skills are unmatched. You will all be delivered to Lucario without so much as a scratch. That's our promise!"
"And for that, we are most grateful," Scythe respectfully replied. "But, if you would pardon it, there's a nagging question I have… where did you stay the night? Did Alakazam grant you hospitality in the base without our knowledge?"
"Oh, no, of course not!" Arshall answered. "We found a cave not far from here, oh, about twenty miles or so, which gave us all the hospitality we required. When the sun rose, came here and waited, just as we were told to do."
"Oh, wow…" Saura gasped quietly to his friends. "Do you think… they could be referring to… you know… that cave?"
"What cave?" Ray asked. "Do you know one of them personally?"
"Yeah, the Gravelrock Tunnel entrance," Saura replied. "But that's kinda far away. There's no way they could have flown all the way up here just in the time it took for us to walk here… could they?"
"You know, I've heard that Dragonite can circle the whole world twice in one day," Ray gasped. "They could have gotten here in seconds! They're just that fast!"
"Can I ask a nagging question, too?" Char said out loud, unable to contain himself.
"Certainly, little dragon!" Arshall replied. "Although, we must depart soon, so be brief, if you may."
"How do you fly with such small wings?" Char asked curiously.
A moment of silence hung in the air, and Char could almost feel his friends shudder at his irrelevance, hoping that the Dragonite would not feel offended or annoyed by the question. Arshall, though, seemed endlessly amused by it, returning a beaming smile.
Then, something happened which almost made Char's head explode. Arshall jumped about two feet into the air… and didn't come back down
. To Char's amazement, the dragon simply hung there, supported by nothing! She held her position with effortlessness; not even her wings flapped to help stay aloft. She was levitating!
Char could hear the stunned gasps of his friends at the sight, and he struggled unsuccessfully to produce a comment himself.
"Dragonair fly without wings," Arshall explained, gently setting her body back onto the ground, "and so do we. Like the Gyrados and the Rayquaza, it isn't our wings that keep us aloft, but our hearts. Though, still, our wings are invaluable for controlling and stabilizing our flight. They are what let us steer our course with such precision! And we're thankful that they are so small; they're very unlikely to get injured, especially in an intense battle! You see?"
"I see," Char responded, full of awe.
"So indeed, little dragon, they aren't the laughable little appendages they seem to be," Arshall laughed. "Certainly, if they were, we wouldn't hesitate to laugh at them ourselves!"
"Not to mention the humans who try to raise Dragonites themselves," another added. "They teach them to flap their wings when they fly. Quite laughable, if you ask me, but also a little demeaning. It becomes such a force of habit that you can't convince them it's not needed."
"Wow, that's amazing!" Saura commented. "I never knew Dragonites were so gifted! But hey, does this mean Char will be able to fly like that when he grows up?"
"Oh, I'm afraid not," Arshall said with a wink. "No, Charizard have to support their own weight with their wings. But oh, it's not a curse! It's a wonderful gift on its own, too! In compensation, you'll be given such a limitless supply of endurance, and your wings will so strong—"
"Pardon me, captain, but time is fleeting," another Dragonite whispered. "We should be leaving soon!"
"Oh, I'm sorry! You're right," Arshall said, snapping back to attention. "Would you look at me, rambling on? Here, I was telling you to be brief, then I went and ended up wasting our time. Well, no more! To the skies!"
At that, the Dragonite team directed Char's group into getting situated for the trip. Two of the fleet members were assigned care of the bags, while the rest of them, save for the captain, took one passenger each. Char was admittedly a little disappointed and scared when the Dragonites refused to let him ride with Saura, but he clenched his fists, mustered his courage, and decided not to complain… even though he was shaking in his skin.
"Everything okay?" asked the Dragonite, another female, whom Char was directed to mount. "Nervous?"
Char nodded in response to the question as his limbs softly scrambled and panicked to find handholds and footholds on the dragon's back. Its back was as smooth as could be (except for when he happened to rub its scales the wrong way), with not even the slightest ridge or spike to grasp. Already, he could feel himself slipping down! Am I supposed to just hug with my arms? Or my legs? Char wondered, his throat tightening. I can't do it! I'm just not big enough!
"Let me guess… afraid of heights?" the Dragonite asked.
Again, Char nodded, saying nothing.
"If you ever feel insecure, you're welcome to hold my wings," the Dragonite said. "But only at the base, please. Otherwise I may not be able to control them. And if you feel like you cannot breathe, raise your head. It will help you avoid the vacuum. I'm Zahira, by the way. I'm not a member of this fleet. I belong to Lucario's team. He sent me to come with Arshall and oversee the flight. If you are who they say you are, I've got to make sure you see Lucario as soon as possible."
Laying on his belly, Char grasped the base of Zahira's wings as hard as he could. He hoped the position he had found was as secure as it felt.
"Don't be tense," Zahira assured him. "Arshall doesn't exaggerate when she says nothing is going to go wrong. Dragonite are not in the business of screwing up the simple things. Besides, there aren't any unknown factors to flying. Everything but the weather is calculated, and even that is predictable. Well… there's also the issue of betrayal. You're not planning to backstab us in mid-flight, are you?"
Char shook his head, as if to reply "Are you crazy?"
"Didn't think so," Zahira hummed. "In that case, there's nothing to be afraid of. Just relax. Enjoy the flight. And try to trust me. Can you do that?"
I can trust you, Char thought, But I'm not sure if I can trust myself!
"Pokémon! Prepare yourselves!" Arshall proclaimed. "We set a course to return home. Unlike the trip here, the return trip will be a two-day venture; we are now carrying supplies and precious cargo. Should all go well, our rest stop will be Nincadia, but if the time grows short and the weather is uncooperative, we will change course and settle in Redblood Desert before the Watchers catch us in the air. Set your bearings for north-northeast, by about three-and-a-quarter wingspan, approaching the Master's domain no closer than one hundred eight miles. Through the first leg, keep the elevation no farther than twenty-one geodes…"
The Dragonite's speech became gibberish to Char as she rambled off undoubtedly important numbers to her fleet, all of which meant nothing to him. He glanced at his friends, all comfortably seated upon their mounts and bursting with excitement. Scythe held on with only the strength of his legs, yet seemed surprisingly content with his position. Saura's vines were hooked around the base of the Dragonite's wings and held as taught as could be. Ray… didn't even appear to be holding on; it looked much more like he was uncontrollably jumping around and cheering for joy across the dragon's back.
"Ready for this, Char?" Ray cried. "Just look! Look up there! Look at the clouds! See them? In just a few moments, we're going to be up there with them! We're going to be above the clouds! Can you believe it? Are you ready?"
"Really, I'm not so sure!" Char responded.
"Oh, come on!" Ray cried. "Grit your teeth! This is going to be amazing!"
Char scowled and held on tighter to Zahira's wings, feeling a tiny wince shoot through her body as he did so.
"Char! Hey, Char!" Ray called back. "THE FIRE WILL NEVER DIE!"
When Char tried to respond, he found that he couldn't.
In fact, he could barely even breathe.
The sensation was like being pinned, face-down, underneath the weight of a Snorlax. He couldn't lift a muscle from Zahira's back.
From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the ground. It was shrinking. So terribly fast. In one moment, he saw the barren plain of land which was the top of the great plateau, the Goldenrod Meadow, and… and…
And in another moment, he saw the entire plateau, and all the surrounding civilizations, like Iron Town and Fort Loyal, all like tiny pebbles in a riverbed. He saw the forest next to Saura's residence, like moss growing on a rock…
And then, he saw only white.
If he'd had the breath to do so, he would have screamed in terror.
His eyes snapped shut.
The Sky
Some time later, after his heart had calmed down enough, Char snapped back to his senses. His eyes blinked open, revealing to him nothing but a bright orange hide of scales. Without having to look, he remembered where he was: hanging for dear life on the back of a Dragonite as it rocketed through the sky, miles and miles above the surface of the earth. Though now, a small wave of acceptance, and thus peace, started to diffuse through him. Yes, he felt much calmer than before, though his grip on the Dragonite's wings never loosened. He feared his claws would soon start to cramp.
As Zahira had suggested, he decided to try and relax, though it was easier said than done. The relentless whoosh past his ears didn't help matters, nor did the force of the wind against his body, threatening to tear him away from his handholds and send him tumbling hopelessly into the sky. Breathing was not all that easy, either, even while taking Zahira's advice and raising his head to breathe. No matter how hard he tried to inhale, his lungs always seemed to collapse under the force of the vacuum before it could surrender an acceptable amount of oxygen. It reminded him of the time he stood inside of the fire, feeling the air burning away before he could suck it down his lungs. When he tried to voice the complaint, he found that his throat held no words. Any sound he tried to make fell entirely flat against the wind, especially since he couldn't collect enough breath to add force to his voice.
Another odd feeling which soon settled into his perception was the tingling. His whole body tingled as if being poked repeatedly with pine needles, whether from adrenaline or just lack of oxygen to his head, but no part as bad as his tail. He realized that his tail was blowing and waving out behind him, the flame struggling to stay alive against the might of the wind. Surprisingly, it prevailed, but not without a constant stinging sensation. Char almost wanted to gather it into his claws and hold it against his body, but didn't dare for a second to let go with either claw. After a few moments of trying to bear the pain, Char realized that the stinging wasn't actually so painful. In fact… there was an odd sort of pleasantness to feeling the wind whipping past his tail, trying, yet failing, to snuff out his flame. The feeling was perfectly bearable, especially when he stopped focusing on it so much, and he let it drift to the back of his mind behind all the other loud, overbearing sensations surrounding him…
Struggling to lift his head, he dared to glimpse at the passing sky. Immediately, he spotted the other members of the fleet. They held a formation of three arms, presumably to help them stay on course, with the captain up front, and with Char at the very end of the rightmost arm. They were spaced out rather far; the next Dragonite ahead was at least twenty yards away, and the central arm was at least forty. Squinting at them, it brought a smile to his face to catch sight of a tiny speck of green atop the neighboring dragon. He couldn't tell if it was Scythe or Saura, but just knowing his friends were so close by in this insane venture caused his heart flutter.
Then, Char did the unthinkable… he looked down.
Layers of drifting clouds passed before his eyes, some bright white and opaque, others translucent. Far, far down below, wherever the clouds had parted enough, he saw the landscape glowing in the midmorning sunlight. Rivers appeared like scars across the ground, hills were like blisters… everything but the greatest, most prominent terrain features were invisible to the eye. The ground, the place where he belonged, now seemed so foreign… so alien…
Or did it?
To his utter awe, a jolt of familiarity flashed before Char's eyes. He'd seen this sight before! He knew exactly what he was looking at! In fact, it was something he saw every evening with the rest of his team as they plotted their missions. It was Ambera, as depicted on the Map of Jirachi! Gazing out from one horizon to another, he recognized the patch of land as part of the map, one that lay just north and to the east of the division. He spotted roads which he and his friend had walked once or twice, as well as a few cities and wild Pokémon habitats. He couldn't believe it. The map was so exceptionally accurate! All along, it had been like a photograph of the land, taken from the level of the clouds!
He gazed down at the surface, pretending that all the notes written on the map were superimposed upon his view. There was Route 412, winding like a giant white seam to the west around Shellwind Point, across the Quagsire River (the same river which ran all the way down into Blackriver City), and into the Orphaned Village… and branching off from it was Route 414, which ran far to the west into lands he had never explored… And Route 427, which forked southeast into the ominous land marked as the Onix Graveyard, and to the northeast into the mountains called Red Haven, an apparent location of interest to Scythe…
Too late, Char realized that his claw was starting to slip.
The ensuing cry which erupted from Char's lungs fell flat as a pathetic squeak against the rushing wind. Every muscle in his body cramped and became unresponsive, clinging like mad to the Dragon's back in any way he could. He knew he'd made the mistake of ever-so-slightly leaning too far to the side, just to get more of a glimpse of the ground. In doing so, he had shifted his gravity off-center, gravity which was now intent on betraying him and shoving him to his doom. Millimeters of distance began to slip away from his claws faster than he could believe, millimeters impossible to regain due to the wind's pressure and his body's unfortunate position…
Char's world erupted in unspeakable panic. It was as if his mind was no longer there; all that existed was acrophobia. Again, he gathered his whole heart into a cry of anguish to alert the Dragonite of his peril, but again, no sound came out. The vacuum of wind, the same vacuum which was causing him to drift from his mount at such an alarming rate, was just too strong. Soon, his right claw would be ripped away from her wing, causing him to jerk to the side with such force that his tiny left claw would be powerless to keep hold.
Sensing something amiss, Zahira momentarily glanced back. She met Char's terrified expression with one of indifference, as if not noticing that anything was wrong. Char silently screamed at her, unable to flail for attention at the risk of losing what little hold he still had. Just as quickly, she blinked and faced forward again, leaving Char on his own and shattering the last remains of his hope…
The awful truth hit him. There was no use in struggling. He was going to fall, and nothing, save for getting Zahira to roll in mid-air or slow down, was going to prevent it. He shut his eyes, taking refuge in his lightheaded imagination, attempting to accept his fate…
A majestic Charizard soared across the sky, enjoying the powerful sensation of the wind whipping across its face and beneath its wings.
It was his could never ask for anything more.
Char felt as his claw was ruthlessly torn from its hold, snapping his body to one side and sending him tumbling from the Dragonite's back.
Thump.
He could feel the wind rushing past his body in ways he could never comprehend. His chest was exploding, tingling, like his heart was being shoved into his brain… He was falling…
He wondered how long it would take for him to hit the ground. A minute? An hour? A day? Where would he land? Would his body shatter against a jagged rock? Would he be lucky enough to land in a body of water and live to tell the tale? … Or not, since he was a Charmander now, and it would spell certain doom… Would Dialga smile upon him again, and let him fall into a Mystery Dungeon, directly atop a Reviver Seed? Or maybe… could he gather enough heart to evolve to a Charizard before he hit the ground?
Did it really matter?
I knew this was going to happen, Char told himself. I don't know how, I just knew. All along, I knew. I would fall off…
"HEY!"
Char winced at the unexpected sound of a voice.
At first, he was unable to comprehend what he saw. Adrenaline was still pumping through his veins in place of blood, so his mind gathered the information in a slow, placated manner. The color of cream. A shining orange. Eyes, with black, beady pupils. A smile.
Char blinked again. It was unmistakable. A Dragonite. Zahira. She was holding him in his arms, smiling down at him, and looking quite proud of herself, too.
It hit him. He hadn't been falling at all. The thump he felt was the sensation of being caught in her arms mere moments after losing his grip. She had performed some sort of masterful maneuver, banking straight down into a loop and catching him instantaneously, without even so much as breaking formation.
"READY TO TRUST ME YET, OR DO YOU WANT TO FALL AGAIN?" Zahira screamed over the wind.
Char looked up at her like a helpless baby in a mother's arms, and nodded. He didn't really care which question he was answering, he just nodded.
"RELAX!" she shouted. "LET ME DO THE FLYING! STOP TRYING SO HARD!"
Thump.
In the blink of an eye, Zahira had pivoted in some complicated way, and the next thing Char knew, he was once more sitting atop her back.
As soon as the adrenaline started to subside and let his thought process take over, which wasn't actually all that soon, his panic died down exponentially. Clearly, Zahira was a skilled flyer, as skilled as they came, and probably knew how to catch a falling passenger in each of the thousand ways possible for one to fall. Somehow, falling didn't seem all that threatening anymore… in fact, he felt nearly as secure as if he were standing on solid ground. Still dazed and euphoric from his panic attack, but secure.
A moment after that realization set in, so did another one: he wasn't even holding on. No longer was he laying on his belly atop the dragon's back, holding onto her wings… he was sitting, almost upright, his claws both set down in front of him. Yet… the wind vacuum, vicious and merciless as it had been, seemed to have lost its effect entirely. In fact, if he was perceiving things correctly, it almost felt as though the vacuum was helping him, keeping his body firmly planted in place, giving him an impossible sense of balance.
His new position also allowed him a much clearer view of all the surrounding sights. Rather than having to shift his weight just to glance in a new direction, he found he could effortlessly see everything at once.
What changed? Char kept wondering as he looked toward the horizon, noticing the looming tower of clouds far in the distance. I feel so much better now. I can breathe. I can hold on. And I'm not being swept away by the wind. What made the difference? Is it just… because I'm not afraid anymore? Could that be it? It can't be! Confidence wouldn't help this much… would it? Maybe that was the problem. I knew I would fall. I expected it. But I had no idea I was safe all along…
"FEELING BETTER?" the Dragonite shouted back to him.
Char nodded in reply, then attempted once more to speak.
"YEAH!" he shouted, surprised that his voice could overcome the wind.
"IT'S REALLY EASIER IF YOU SIT UP," she said.
"I SEE," Char replied. "WHY?"
"WELL, BECAUSE IT'S MORE COMFORTABLE FOR BOTH OF US," the Dragonite said. "BESIDES, I LET YOU FALL ON PURPOSE, YOU KNOW. YOU WOULDN'T LIGHTEN UP!"
She WHAT? Char yelped to himself.
"SINCE YOU TRUST ME NOW, I'LL KEEP YOU BALANCED, SO IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN," Zahira promised. "UNLESS YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO JUMP OFF YOURSELF. I CAN'T STOP THAT."
"I WON'T JUMP OFF!" Char blasted, a hint of anger evident in his voice. "WHY WOULD I DO THAT?"
So that's why it suddenly got easier to stay on, Char realized. All along, she was trying to provoke me to fall in order to prove a point. Well, she did it! I hope she's happy. I really do.
Char felt his inner ember gradually getting inflated by his glowing ire. Though the stinging sensation in his tail was dampened as his flame became bloated, he realized he was making a mistake. He didn't want to turn himself into a loose cannon at a time like this. He had to swallow his pride. He was not going to accidentally release a sarcastic remark that would drive the Dragonite into rage! Not now!
"SO, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN FLYING?" Char inquired, attempting to lighten his own mood.
"SINCE THE DAY I HATCHED!" the Dragonite replied. "WHEN A DRATINI IS BORN IN THE OCEAN, IT LEARNS TO SWIM, ON THE LAND, IT LEARNS TO FLY. TO SWIM IN THE AIR."
"I MEAN, LIKE THIS," Char yelled. "DID YOU GET TRAINING TO CARRY PASSENGERS?"
"WE CAN FINISH THIS CONVERSATION TONIGHT, IF YOU DON'T MIND," the Dragonite replied. "UNLESS YOU WANT US BOTH TO LOSE OUR VOICES YELLING!"
"YES, MA'AM!" Char responded, shutting his mouth immediately after.
Char fell silent again, trying for a time to occupy himself however he could. Though his fears were gone, and the view continued to be marvelous, Char found that his mind was so saturated and subdued with the fading fight-or-flight sensations that it was difficult to focus on anything. The tingling feeling in his limbs was more prevalent than ever, starting to remind him of the sensation of being paralyzed. Plus, aside from being momentarily traumatized, he realized that he was getting quite hungry. Dragonite apparently didn't believe in breakfast, or even lunch, and looked as though they were happy with letting their passengers starve to death for the sake of arriving on time. All in all, Char found his experience flying to be a rather unpleasant one, and started to look forward to landing.
After exhausting every pastime he could think of, including trying to find pictures in the passing clouds, imagining himself as a Charizard flying by his own power, and fantasizing about leaping off the dragon's back just to get back at her, Char fell bored. It was around noon by then, and there was still no sign of the procession stopping to eat. Char glanced down and tried to decipher the earth's surface, and vaguely recognized that they still were quite far from their destination. They had long since crossed from the south hemisphere to the north, marking only about two-fifths of their journey complete, and flew over lands of tropical forests and red deserts that Char had never thought to concern himself with. He'd been looking forward to enjoying the warmth of the sunlight while crossing over the planet's equator, but he figured he missed it; it was never too warm so high in the clouds, most of the time, it teetered on the edge of being uncomfortably chilly. He tried not to let it remind him of the cold wasteland he would soon be venturing through…
But perhaps the most frightening thought of all, even more so than imagining the numbing chill of snow and ice, was the fact that they would soon pass the Master's domain. Char knew the Dragonite team would make sure to stay far away from it, probably enough to ensure that it would not appear this side of the western horizon, but it still sent a shiver through him to know that the fabled and mysterious Master who dominated the land under an iron fist, the one whose reign caused so much pain and so many tears to so many Pokémon, dwelled in a dark fortress just out of sight. It was a place he never wished to go, a place he so dearly wished his destiny would never lead him.
Finding that he had nothing left he wished to reflect upon, and feeling as numb and sore as a stuffed animal, Char began to wonder if he could pass the time in a much more effective way.
"HEY," Char shouted to his mount. "MIND IF I TAKE A REST? CAN YOU KEEP ME BALANCED IF I LAY DOWN?"
"YOU TELL ME," the Zahira replied simply.
It was all Char needed to hear. Filled with a hundred unpleasant feelings, Char collapsed onto the dragon's back in hopes to satiate his exhaustion.
… … …
CRASH!
After what seemed like seconds since he had closed his eyes, a horrible, earth-shattering explosion made Char jump awake. He soon realized there had been no nearby earth to shatter, as he was still miles in the air. Instead, a dark curtain of smoke and mist surrounded him on all sides. The sound had been one he recognized—thunder.
"GOOD MORNING!" Zahira shouted over the winds, which were now more forceful than ever. "SLEEP WELL?"
"WE'RE IN A STORM, AREN'T WE?" Char asked, feeling the tension in the air.
"WE GOT NICKED BY THE EDGE OF THE STORM FRONT," Zahira answered. "ARSHALL ALREADY GAVE THE SIGNAL TO SLOW DOWN. WE'RE APPROACHING THE REST STOP."
CRASH! KABOOM!
There was a bright flash of light, followed by the deafening sound of splitting air as the surrounding clouds wrestled with one another and exchanged electric charges.
"ISN'T THIS DANGEROUS?" Char cried. "WHY ARE WE FLYING INSIDE OF THE STORM? CAN'T WE GET HIT BY LIGHTNING?"
"IT'S VERY DANGEROUS," Zahira answered. "DO YOU STILL TRUST ME?"
"YEAH," Char answered reluctantly. "YOU DO THE FLYING."
Char sat back up and observed the restless skies ahead. The clouds formed a kind of strange tunnel through which the dragons flew. All around, the shadow-colored formations churned and swirled in strange ways, almost making it look like the inside of a great beast's digestive tract. It was very dark, with only the glow of the masked sunlight behind the clouds and the occasional blink of lightning to guide the way. He wondered if the clouds would all suddenly condense into rain to come down upon him like a waterfall…
Before he knew it, though, something unusual was going on. The rest of the Dragonite fleet vanished, like they had been swallowed up by the dark sea of clouds when he wasn't paying attention. Then came a most unmistakable sensation—descent. Zahira had settled into a shallow dive in preparation for landing. It was the strangest feeling yet, producing a nagging fear that he would fall off in the most unlikely of directions: straight upward, rather than downward or backward. He reached forward to gently clasp the base of the dragon's wings, as he had been given permission to do, just to make certain he wouldn't become disconnected.
The feeling of descent soon intensified, re-igniting all the horrible feelings in the pit of his stomach he hoped he was rid of.
We're going to land, Char said to himself, shutting his eyes just as he had done on the ascent. In just a few moments, I'm going to be back down on land, where I belong. Just a little while longer… C'mon, I can do this. Then it's no more flying. Not until tomorrow. I can spend all night with my friends down on the ground…
CRASH! Rumble…
Another lightning bolt tore across the sky somewhere nearby. The winds became more intense.
Zahira's dive became steeper. Char cracked an eye open to see that they'd descended beneath the clouds, far enough that he could clearly see the ground, shrouded as it was by the shade of the storm. He did not have a clue what time of day it was, nor did he recognize the landscape below; he just didn't care. His mind was only in one place: the anticipation of having his feet planted back on the earth.
"THERE'S THE SIGNAL," Zahira notified Char. "I JUST RECEIVED THE SIGNAL TO BREAK FORMATION. WE'RE GOING TO LAND."
"I CAN TELL," Char replied.
"YOU'RE STILL AFRAID OF THE SKY," she noticed. "YOU HAVE A STRONG FEAR OF HEIGHTS."
"WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?" Char screamed back. "THIS IS MY FIRST TIME FLYING LIKE THIS! AND I'M NOT AFRAID SO MUCH. JUST ANNOYED. "
"IT'S ALRIGHT," Zahira said, smiling back at him, and slowing her flying pace. "YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE AFRAID. IT'S NATURAL."
KABOOM! A lightning bolt dropped out of the clouds less than half a mile away, zigzagging through the sky and striking the ground far below. Char had to wince at the sound of every lightning strike, imagining each time that he would be the recipient of the million-volt surge of energy. It was just another discomfort of flying to add to his long list…
But, for as many discomforts as he counted, he knew she was right. Beneath it all, he was still afraid of heights. He feared it because there was still so much outside his realm of comprehension. After all, he didn't have wings yet. The sky wasn't his place. Of course, there was the one fear that overshadowed them all, the one fear which couldn't simply be explained away. The fear of hitting the ground.
"WOULD YOU LIKE TO FACE YOUR FEAR?"
"WHAT?" Char responded. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"
"WANT TO KNOW WHAT A FREE-FALL FEELS LIKE?" Zahira asked. "I CAN SHOW YOU."
She… can't be serious! Char told himself. What is she saying? She wants me to jump off? No, no, no, no, no… no!
"IF YOU WANT TO OVERCOME YOUR FEAR, STARE IT DOWN!" Zahira proclaimed. "ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU FEAR, YOU STOP FEARING!"
"I DON'T WANT TO!" Char asserted as loud as he could, squeezing her wings even tighter.
"I KNOW," she answered. "BUT DO YOU NEED TO?"
"YES!" Char blurted. "I NEED TO!"
"WHY'S THAT?" she asked.
"BECAUSE…" Char cried. "I WANT TO BE STRONGER!"
CRASH! Yet another lightning bolt lit the world. In the flash, Char glimpsed at the ground down below, still far enough to appear like a woven tapestry…
"THEN JUMP!" Zahira shouted encouragingly.
"I- I- I…" Char started, his heart pounding just as hard as when he had first slipped off, as he peered over the edge of the Dragonite's back and instinctively shirked away from the edge. "I… I MIGHT NEED HELP!"
Without any further delay, Zahira twisted in mid-air, rolling her body in a complete circle. When she righted herself, she no longer had a passenger.
And Char fell.
It was a humbling feeling, dropping endlessly through the void of the sky, knowing there was no hope for him to save himself. His eyes snapped completely shut, his mind filling with a deafening euphoria which drowned out all other thoughts. He felt like a toy of the wind as it rushed past him more powerfully than ever before, stinging his skin and challenging the flame on his tail for all it was worth. He felt it rush past his face, rendering his poor lungs nearly inoperable…
At first, that was all he felt. The wind. And the sound of the thunder erupting about him.
When the initial shock faded enough, Char allowed his eyes to flutter open. He perceived his surroundings from a trance-like state… he watched the ground as it moved toward him ever so slightly… he watched as several little raindrops fell with him at his side, dancing like tiny, translucent, self-sustaining flames…
And then… before he knew it…
Thump.
He was staring into Zahira's eyes again as she cradled him in her arms. He'd fallen for just over a whole minute, convinced it had been no longer than a few seconds.
"Well?" Zahira said in a quiet voice as she hovered motionlessly. "How was it?"
"That wasn't so bad," Char admitted, cracking a little smile. "I think I could get used to it!"
"It's wonderful, once you learn to fly," she said. "If only you had wings…"
While the stunt hadn't completely vanquished his fear of heights, it certainly made it retreat and cower behind a rock. He felt very proud of himself for facing his fear, and exploring the unknown which it had hidden behind. He knew that it was a big step in becoming stronger.
As the storm continued to pick up, and as Zahira carried Char down to the designated rest point, he was already starting to look forward to flying again tomorrow.
Author's note:
Zahira the Dragonite was created by rabidcatking.
The lyrics are sung to "Don't Ever Forget" from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky.