Chapter Thirty-Two: Suddenly Celebi



Wes's POV



I stare at the Celebi, not quite understanding. "I... I've returned? Where've I been?"



Celebi giggles. Off at Orre, of course. You knew your father was sent to Orre during the Chengdu Wars, so you slipped off to Colbalt Coast, stowed away on a ship to Gateon Port, and made your way in the world. She wrinkles what must be her nose. And you haven't showered since, have you?



I blink. Shake my head. Try to make sense of all this. "I, uh... I sorta remember bein' here, but why'd I leave? This place is perfect!"



You left after the bombs dropped, Celebi says with utmost seriousness. You were elsewhere at the time of the bombing. You did not understand why Mintale was no longer where it had been. With nowhere else to go, you went to Orre. It hangs its head. I did not realize where you were at the time of the bombing. I am so sorry.



"Uh... 'scool, I guess." How the hell am I supposed to react to a mythical Pokemon apologizing to me? "Um... if you'd like t' make things better wi' me, I do have this problem o' mine..."



I take off my right glove, revealing the burned shape of a bird on my hand. "This is th' Mark of Phancero, I think. Word has it ya know how t' fix this kinda thing..."



I can, Celebi says. But it will take a price. To remove the magic, I must remove all memories of the magic from your body. You will not recognize this symbol if you see it again, and neither will you recognize those who placed it on you. Are you willing to accept this price?



"If it means not bein' cursed t' a shell abomination? Gladly!"



Celebi nods, then flies up to me, touching the mark. Then in the name of the Original One, be cleansed.



I feel the magic ripple through my body. I see the mark burn brightly on my hand, then -- nothing. My hand is normal; what else could it be? When was it ever not?



Why do I feel healed, when nothing was wrong?



Celebi flies back, a pert look on its face. So? How are you feeling? it giggles.



"Great, as usual. But what was that all about? I didn't need healin'."



Celebi laughs, a fair tinkling sound. Excellent! So it worked. You have no memory of being cursed, for ever since this point it is as if has no longer happened.



It turns to my group of partners around me. But you others remember, it says, and it is up to you to keep him safe from this moment forward. I sense great recklessness in this one, which could well lead to his end. The cultists that cursed him will return, and they will not show mercy.



"Cultists?" I ask confused. "What cultists? Wha's goin' on?"



The two glitch cultists you do not remember, Celebi says. The white-haired one is Sho; the redhead, Larry. They serve the cause of Phancero Idola, the great Bird That Must Not Be. They seek to learn the secrets of transmutation, in order to battle this planet's greatest threat: Dark Matter.



Gary shakes his head. "Um, Dark Matter? Isn't that the stuff the universe is made out of?"



Not this Dark Matter. Are you familiar with Aura Theory?



"I know it's what powers Burst Hearts like Gladion's, and that Unown and Lucario can use it, but..." Gary shakes his head no. "I'm clueless."



Gladion laughs gruffly. "The great and powerful Gary is clueless; call the record books."



Aura is the energy that permeates all things, living or otherwise. And like all energies, it can neither be created or destroyed. It simply changes its form. All emotions, pleasant or negative, take form as aura. And once the emotion changes, the aura lives on.



Celebi's voice grows darker. It is the aura from dark emotions, such as anger, sadness, and fear, that floods together to form Dark Matter. Normally, Ghost-type Pokemon feed on these emotions, keeping the rise of Dark Matter in check. However, as more and more humans and Pokemon shy away from these Ghost-types, the power of Dark Matter grows stronger, and threatens to destroy everything we hold dear.



"Destroy everything?" Shu asks. "But how?"



Dark Matter draws power from distant stars, intending to increase gravity and pull this entire planet into the sun, to return the world to a void and lifeless state. You must understand, much of Dark Matter is born from hatred of what horrible things have happened in the world, and some even from suicidal thoughts. Dark Matter does not understand concepts of good or evil; it only knows suffering and pain. And it is determined to end all suffering and pain, by returning the world to the void.



Ali shudders. "Ali's friends must face the darkness that consumes this world..." she says nervously. "Palkia-Kun said that... but how?"



If I knew, I would tell you, Celebi says ominously. But the problem of Dark Matter grows even stronger with evildoers like glitch cultists around. The cultists seek to harness the power of transmutation from a misguided belief that they can drain Dark Matter of power and create a new creature with it. But in doing so, they will wreak more pain and suffering on this world, and increase the growth of Dark Matter.



"So... what can we do?" I ask.



You have among you a girl who comes from a world without aura, who may yet be immune to Dark Matter's machinations. She is the key to saving our world.



Terra speaks up. "Yeah, I keep hearing that, but what can I really do? Everyone else here is more experienced than I am -- even Shu! How am I supposed to do something that no one else on this planet is capable of?"



You will have help. You will have your allies. Celebi pauses, focusing especially on Ilima. And you will have Mew.



Meowth's been quiet all this time. It just takes everything in, looking pretty concerned. I keep an eye on it -- the thing's clearly not on our side, and my bet's that it's just waiting for a good spot to double-cross us. But it looks pretty concerned about the whole saving-the-world thing, and I don't think that's put on. Saving the world usually means also saving the part of it you happen to be standing on.



Meowth. Celebi turns towards the little cat-thing. We Celebi can sense the possible futures of all beings, through the Time Ripple, and yours is an enigma. Your loyalties will be tested. Your friends will be endangered. And your fate will intersect with that of many others. But what happens to you from this point onwards depends largely on what you choose. Choose wisely.



Meowth blinks. "Uh... what now?"



You will understand when it happens. Celebi turns to Gary and Gladion. I can sense that Palkia warned against your quest in Saffron City. But Palkia sees only what is. I, Celebi, see what can be. And for the sake of what could yet come to pass, I approve of your search for the people of Pallet Town. Just be aware that the fruit of your quest might not be what you expected.



"Yeah," Gladion says, "speaking of fruit, are you going to eat the trifle? My arms are getting tired."



Oh! Right! The offering. It looks delicious!



Gladion sets the bowl down on a rock, and Celebi telekinetically lifts a glob of cake, fruit, and whipped cream up to its mouth. Taking a taste, it hums appreciatively. This is good... is this a recipe humans enjoy? The combination of flavors and textures... truly, you are such a creative species!



"Heh. Thanks," Gladion says. "It was Ilima's idea."



Celebi blinks, staring up at Ilima. Oh. I stand corrected.



"It's my idea, but not my recipe," Ilima says quickly. "We all sort of put the ingredients together on the fly."



Well, it's certainly delicious, Celebi says. I wish I could go into town as a human like you do. Alas, some things simply are not meant to be.



Ilima coughs slightly, and I catch him glancing at Meowth. I can see his point; Meowth might not have gotten the memo on Team Rocket's lack of interest in a 'genetically inferior' Mew. Letting Meowth know what Ilima is would be tempting fate.



Oh, Celebi says, and quickly changes the subject. To continue on your journey, go east through Colbalt Coast and through Terra Caverns to Route 16. When you reach Terra Caverns, you must find a girl named Cyan who will help you through the caves. She will aid you on your quest.



"Jus' what kinda quest is this?" Meowth asks. "How're dey gonna fight Dark Mattah if it's all some sort o' aura mumbo-jumbo?"



Nothing is evil in its beginning, Celebi says. The darkness may yet be redeemed. But even if it is not, it falls to the one born without aura to defeat Dark Matter. It turns to Ilima. And you, Captain Ilima, will help her.



"Wha's he Cap'n of, anyway?" Meowth asks.



"It's just something Gladion calls me," Ilima confesses. "It started as a joke on a field trip, since I was leading the way... it sort of stuck."



"Captain suits him," Gladion says. "He usually knows what he's doing."



Not when he fought that Persian, I think, but I'm not going to say that out loud in front of Meowth. I wonder if Ilima has always had problems fighting on his own.



By this point, it's obvious that Celebi isn't going to be finishing the trifle in one go. The bowl is bigger than it is, for crying aloud; it could take a bath in that thing. I shall take this inside to savor at my leisure, Celebi says, telekinetically taking the bowl from Gladion. Thank you. I have rarely tasted anything this divine.



"Told'ja to spend the extra money on the good cake," Gladion tells me.



I stick my tongue out at him. So he's right once. No need for him to rub it in.



I wish you good tidings and the favor of fate, Celebi says. But before I go, there is something that I wish to tell your Captain.



It floats up to Ilima and whispers something in his ear. Ilima brightens. "Oh? That's how you stabilize a time paradox? It's that easy?"



I would not call it easy, Celebi says, but it is indeed possible. But do not speak it aloud around the Meowth. I am yet unsure if he can be trusted.



Ilima nods, bowing respectfully. "Then thank you, Lady of Time. Will we ever see you again?"



That is possible... in time.



The blue-green energy returns, and both Celebi and the trifle start to disappear. Before long, it's just us staring at the empty space where Celebi once floated.



"Darn it!" Meowth sputters. "I wanted some o' dat trifle!"