• “GROOOOOOOOOOH!” screeched Primal Dialga.

    “Is it already too late!?” screamed out a blue finned Pokémon, Mudkip. The Mudkip, wearing a brown sash bag, turned his head over to an orange lizard that stood up on its two feet, its tail brightly lit by a flame.

    No, it can’t be too late… It can’t be…

    “No… I don’t think so!” yelled back Charmander. The two Pokemon stared up at the ravaging God of Time, looking at the problem at hand. “I think we still have a chance!”

    “Are you sure, Char?” questioned the Mudkip. Another roar from the savage Temporal Pokemon froze the Mudkip in his tracks.

    …I never am… But I must keep up! I must protect this world! My team! My guild!... And you, Sapph. I must protect the world you’ve grown up in… Even if it means……

    The Charmander stayed silent for a few moments while the God of Time continued to roar, before replying, “Yeah… We have a chance, Sapph. As long as he’s not completely under the influence of darkness, we have a chance!” Char’s fire red eyes looked over at Sapph’s blue eyes, and he saw hesitation in Sapph’s eyes.

    I can’t give up. I can’t give up! If I do, then the fate of this world is doomed!

    “GROOOOOOOH!” Primal Dialga screeched at the two. A ripple of shockwaves was sent at the two Pokemon, destroying the sanctuary and pillars.

    So now, it’s all or nothing…

    “Sapph!” Char yelled out. “It’s now or never! The fate of the world is at stake!”

    Sapph gazed in awe as Char, his claws beginning to glow, broke into a run with his claws stretched out and ripping into the pillars and scattered rocks.

    Dialga’s blood red eyes stared down the charging Charmander, and green embers started to escape the closed jaws of the best. The two opposing forces were growing closer and closer, and the flames were jumping out more so.

    I won’t lose. If I do, then everything I’ve done up to now will be in vain!

    The flames in Dialga’s mouth erupted, flowing toward the charging Charmander. However, before the collision, Char had jumped away onto a pillar, sliding down after landing. The God of Time grew enraged at the missed hit, glaring its eyes at Char as he jumped off the pillar.

    I don’t want to lose anymore people! I’ve already lost Grovyle and Celebi…. I can’t let the others disappear! Not Azuril! Maril! The others at the Guild! Wigglytuff! And all of my other friends!

    Char continued to slip through the Dragonbreaths, his claws ripping through the green flames. He found himself closing the short distance between the two forces. His fiery eyes glared at Dialga’s blood eyes, and Char jumped up into the air.

    I can’t let them disappear!

    Char slashed his claws at Dialga, but it proved to be useless. Dialga whipped around, slamming his tail into Char, sending him into one of the half-destroyed pillars left.

    Sapph, watching all of this, merely stood there, frozen from the pressure exerted by Dialga. “I can’t just stand here…” Sapph muttered to himself. “Char needs my help. I need to do my part!”

    Another roar was heard, and Sapph watched with horror as Char was flown back even further, being buried under the rubble that was flung back from the shockwave.

    “Damn it… Move body!” cried Sapph. His eyes were shut from the struggle, not noticing Dialga changing his attention toward the blue finned Pokemon. “Move!” Small traces of tears were forming on the edges of Sapph’s eyes.

    Dialga began walking toward the Mudkip, stomping down and destroying the sanctuary even more.

    “Move!” Sapph yelled out.

    Dialga craned his head back and roared, leaving his mouth open, a small orb of energy hovering inside it.

    “DAMN IT! MOVE!” Sapph cried out, eyes shut closed as tears began to trickle down.

    Dialga rocked his head forward, and a shockwave was sent toward Sapph.

    “Why won’t you move!?”

    “Sapph!” cried out another voice. “Run away!”

    Sapph’s blue eyes shot open from hearing Char’s voice. “Run…away?” mouthed the Mudkip as the shockwaves came closer and closer to Sapph. “…I can’t…” Sapph felt the brunt of the shockwaves and was sent crashing into another pillar, forcing the pillar to collapse on itself and bury Sapph.

    Dialga walked over to the rubble-buried Mudkip, showing nothing but anger and darkness in his eyes.

    Char looked over at Dialga shortening the distance between Sapph and himself. “Crap…” He clenched his claws and, using his other hand, tried to push himself up and out of the pile. “Damn it.” Char’s body shook from the struggle of the heavy weight on him. “I can’t let this happen…”

    Dialga stopped as he saw a pile of rubble begin to shake. A few pieces began to move, but then the center rose and the rocks were pushed aside, showing Char panting. Several cuts were seen on his body, but his eyes stared straight ahead, away from the entity of time. He turned his head, his fire red eyes piercing into Dialga’s blood red ones. Seconds, minutes, it seemed like eons as the two Pokemon stared each other down, slight movements only occurring at moments.

    Char’s claws glowed once more as he stared.

    I can’t stop now. We’re running out of time.

    Primal Dialga pierced Char, green embers starting to form and jump out of his mouth.

    I have no other option.

    Char leapt forward, eyes burning bright, his claws stretched out, sparks flowing off of them. “I can’t lose against you, Dialga!” cried out Char as he sprinted towards the Temporal Pokemon.

    Dialga opened his mouth yet again to release a stream of green fire, but Char continued to dash forward, countering with his own attack, releasing a jet of red-ish blue fire. Dialga’s eyes widened as Char continued the attack, closing the distance between the two even more.

    Rubble moved a bit, opening up some to allow Sapph’s eyes to see the battle. “Wait for me, Char… I’ll be there to help…” Sapph weakly said, struggling to get up. He began to pant with the difficulty and cried, “Move, body…”

    Char stopped his jet of flames as he reached Dialga and jumped forward, escaping the green fire crashing onto the ground. “We will stop you, Dialga!” Char screamed as he jumped up, slashing Dialga with his claws and knocking Dialga back. “At all costs!” Char landed, but jumped toward Dialga again, catching Dialga off guard as he whipped around and smacked Dialga across the diamond orb with an Iron Tail. Dialga stumbled back, only to be bombarded by a series of bright orange, fiery orbs.

    Char landed and stood there, panting, as smoke enveloped Dialga, obscuring his vision of the whereabouts of Dialga. However, Char’s eyes widened quickly as a shot of green fire was flung toward Char, and Char could do nothing as it crashed into him and tossed him back.

    Damn it…

    Char skidded across the ground until he stopped, facing toward Dialga and given a good picture of seeing Dialga stomping towards him. However, a ring of water pounded into Dialga’s side, knocking him off balance and forcing him to fall. Char looked over to the side and saw Sapph, panting and remnants of tears seen. “Sapph, what took you so long?” Char weakly asked, struggling to get back on his feet.

    “Sorry, it just took me a while to realize what we’re dealing with,” Sapph replied, running over to Char. Using Sapph as a holding, Char stood back up.

    “It’s alright, as long as you can fight…” Char commented. He looked back at Dialga, who was now standing back up, his rage even more obvious and intense. “Are you ready, Sapph?”

    Sapph looked up at his partner and, with a grin, replied, “Does it matter? We have to win no matter what.”

    Char looked at him and remarked, “Good answer. Just make sure you don’t lose those Time Gears.” Sapph looked at him with a look telling him, “Don’t worry about it.”

    Char turned his attention back to the enraged Dialga, his tail flame burning ever so brightly, and he yelled out, “Let’s go!” Char dashed towards Dialga, shooting more fiery orange orbs at the God of Time’s neck and chest, causing the God to flinch. A pump of water soon fired into Dialga’s face, stealing Dialga’s field of vision and allowing Char to run up in front of Dialga. Fire erupted from Char’s claws as he ran under Dialga and jumped up, slashing at Dialga’s underside and causing the Temporal Pokemon to release a roar.

    Dialga shook his head and stomped down ferociously, crumbling the rock beneath him and causing rocks and small boulders to fly up, smashing into Char and Sapph continuously and chipping away at their stamina. A mighty roar soon followed, and shockwaves were sent everywhere, destroying the sanctuary and flinging Sapph and Char further away.

    “Dang it…” Char muttered as he slammed his claws into the ground. “We gotta try again!” He, along with Sapph, rose up, panting and exhausted.

    “We’re almost there, too..” Sapph stated with little energy. “Dialga’s also exhausted. We just need to have one more good hit to take him out…” The two looked up at Dialga as Dialga continued to run rampant on the sanctuary, the darkness gaining more and more control over the Temporal Pokemon.

    Dialga release a powerful roar, shaking the entire sanctuary and causing even Char and Sapph to lose their balance. Before they could settle themselves, Dialga ran over to them, twisting around and knocking Char aside with its tail.

    “Char!” Sapph yelled out, but soon screamed as Dialga slashed at him, knocking him to the side and ripping the sash bag, sending it further away. “No!” Sapph cried out as he laid paralyzed on the ground. “The Time Gears!”

    “Crap!” yelled out Char as he jumped back up in a not-so-graceful way. Releasing a Flamethrower at Dialga, Char dashed toward the bag, watching it slide across the ground and getting closer and closer to the edge of the sanctuary.

    Dialga stomped down once more, throwing its two front feet deeply into the ground, causing small juts of rock to arise from the ground. Twisting its body, Dialga swung its tail at the recently created stalagmites, hurtling them toward Char and Sapph.

    However, as the rocks were growing closer and closer to Char, an icy blue beam collided with them, freezing them in their tracks and reducing them to mere rocks. A powerful burst of water soon erupted from Sapph’s mouth, spraying the remaining rocks away into the endless void of space outside the sanctuary.

    Dialga turned his attention to Sapph, sharpening his eyes and growling at the same time. Flames danced in its mouth as he leveled his head with Sapph.

    Panting and sweat rolling down his face, Sapph yelled out, “Your fight’s with me, Dialga!” And with that, an aqueous ring shot out from his mouth, splashing into Dialga’s head. Dialga shook its head quickly before firing the burst of flames at Sapph, missing by several feet. Sapph charged forward, spewing out more bursts of water at Dialga, obscuring its vision and distorting its sense of balance.

    Char, however, remained oblivious to the fierce battle happening behind him as he continued to chase the bag, watching it edge closer and closer to the outer boundaries of the sanctuary.

    No! If we lose those, then all we have done would be in vain! I can’t mess up. Not now!

    Char dove for them as they neared the edge, grabbing hold of them only a few feet away from the edge. Out of breath, Char stayed there, lying on the ground, exhausted. “Thank… Arceus… I made it…” However, the ground soon began to tremble, causing cracks to stream along the sanctuary.

    The sound of Dialga falling to the ground echoed throughout the land, with each part impending itself into the ground a unique sound. Its blood red eyes remained closed, and its body rose and sank with each breath it took. Sapph, standing some feet away, remained standing, his eyes drooping ever so slightly and his legs shaking. Under Dialga’s weight and weakened from the destructive battle, cracks appeared and stretched from Dialga, causing instability in the ground. Soon, the cracks began to shift the sanctuary, causing the ground to bend up and down.

    “Char!” Sapph cried out. “Char! Where are you?!” Sapph ran toward the Time Gear altar, but soon crashed on himself, fatigue starting to get the better of him. Eyes now clenched, tears started to make their way to the outer edges of his eyes, and he cried out, “Not now. Not now…”

    Char watched as the cracks formed a web around him, the ground trembling as it began to fall apart, piece by piece.

    Crap…

    Char, bag in hand, struggled to stand back up, the energy he had left now draining away.

    We’re almost there...

    A layer of crimson fire soon enveloped Char, a flickering flame shown in his eyes. With a single jump of his last remaining strength, he moved as the ground beneath him crumbled and fell toward the surface of vast ocean miles below. Landing just a foot from the edge, Char let out a sigh of relief, glad to be on the sanctuary. One step taken, and the floor beneath his foot cracked.

    Oh no…

    His body seemed to drop gradually, every rock slowly drifting down, and his reaction gone. Out of instinct or on a whim of hope, Char grasped onto the ledge. His claws dug into the sanctuary, Char hung there, his fatigue greatly overcoming his strength. Char could hear Sapph yelling his name as he stood near the altar. Looking down, Char could only see the blue that stretched across the surface, the bag dangling on his other arm and his tail’s flame flickering. Closing his eyes, Char took a few deep breaths, a tear rolling down his eyes.

    I’m sorry, Sapph…

    “Sapph!” Char yelled out as he threw the bag with his remaining strength. Sapph, hearing his voice, turned his head in the direction it came from, seeing the bag come closer to him. “We’re running out of time! Put the Time Gears back now!”

    Grabbing the bag, Sapph yelled out, “Char! Not without you!” Frantically, he jerked his head around, hoping to find any sign of Char.

    “Now isn’t the time!” barked Char, freezing Sapph. “I’m fine! Now hurry before it’s too late!”

    “But Cha-”

    “I believe in you, Sapph!” consoled Char, silencing. “You’re the only one now that can do it! Now hurry!”

    A second passed by before Sapph turned around, running towards the altar. A layer of ocean blue appeared on Sapph, and he soon began to run even faster, tears flowing back.

    Looks like this is it…

    Char, his breathing harder and sweat starting to drip from his head, looked down, his eyes observing the vastness beneath him. The edge he hung onto began to crack, the extra weight too much for it to bear.

    Sapph, finally arriving at the altar, quickly took out the Time Gears and began placing them on the altar, one after the other. And at last, all five of the Time Gears were placed on the altar, and a bright light began to emanate from the altar, expanding quickly and engulfing everything it came into contact with. Sapph stared in awe as he was the first to be engulfed, followed by the unconscious Dialga.

    Char watched at the light finally got to him, and finally seeing the calming light as it was.

    Goodbye, Sapph…

    The rock finally gave away, breaking off the sanctuary, and Char began to fall, every part of his body seeming to be as graceful as the water far beneath him. His tail flowed up as his flame flickered even more, and his arms and legs drifted into numbness. Tears flowed up, and Char’s breathing began to settle some.

    Goodbye, everybody…

    Time clocked by, seeming like eternity. Char’s body seemed to go numb, and he continued to plummet toward the surface. Silence seemed to be his end, until…

    “CHAR!” cried out Sapph.

    No… I can’t go… Not yet.. Not yet!

    Char’s body began to glow intensely, his body increasing in size and wings sprouting from his back. The light dissipated, revealing Char to now be a Charizard, and he began to glide down toward the Hidden Land, hoping to find Lapas.

    I’m almost there… Just a bit further…

    However, he soon lost his short burst of energy and crashed into the Hidden Lands, only a few minutes short to the entrance.

    No… I’m almost there…

    Struggling, Char forced himself up, his knees quivering and giving away at times. Wild Pokemon that populated the area walked nearby, watching the lone dragon move forward in much struggle. His legs trembled with each small step he took forward, growing closer and closer to the entrance to the Hidden Lands. And at long last, Char stumbled upon the entrance of the land, finding the Transport Pokemon, Lapras, elegantly waiting at the edge of the land.

    Before any word could be formed and released from his mouth, Char collapsed, falling forward.

    No… I’m so close, too…

    “La..pras…” muttered Char, hoping that she heard him. Nothing. Lapras stayed there, looking out at the endless sky.

    I can’t stop now… I’m too close for all of this to fall from my hands…

    A crimson aura appeared around Char again, and he soon began to stand back up, surprising himself as he found strength once more. He walked over to Lapras, rustling a bush near her and notifying her of his presence.

    “A Charizard?” muttered Lapras. Char walked forward a few more steps before finally collapsing near Lapras. It couldn’t be… “Char?” she hesitantly asked.

    Char coughed a few times before replying, “Lapras… did we do it?”

    A small grin appeared on Lapras’ face, and her eyes watered up a bit before she answered, “Yes.. You did it, Char. You and Sapph restored the fabrics of time… and you saved everybody on this planet.”

    “Thank Arceus…” Char commented. He rolled over, his view changing to the sky, and he looked up to where Temporal Tower stood. Not much of a tower anymore, every block that built it remained scattered in the sky, frozen in space, except for a series of blocks that appeared to be a spiral staircase that went from the ground to the altar at the top. However, the storms that once hovered over the tower were now gone, and the fires and cries of the ravaging Pokemon now settled. “We did it. We weren’t too late…”

    After a few moments of silence, Lapras wondered, “Where’s Sapph, Char?”

    Taking long, deep breaths, Char regained some of his strength before answering, “I’m… not sure…” Lapras looked at him in a confused manner before Char continued, “I was separated from him after our fight with Dialga…” He sighed, and Lapras looked at him with such concerned eyes. “Sapph is fine… He’s a strong one, I know he’s fine… But Lapras…” Lapras looked at him at the sound of her name.

    “Yes?” she asked in her elegant voice. “What is it?”

    “I…” Char looked away from the tower and now at the endless sky, “I don’t think I’m gonna be here for much longer…” Char sighed before he began his struggle to get back on his own two feet.

    “Char… I am not exactly following what you mean by that,” commented Lapras.

    Char rested on his knees, his breathing still hard. Sweat rolled down his face from the intense fatigue. “The battle took too much out of my life, Lapras… I don’t think I can make it back to Treasure Town with you and Sapph…”

    Lapras looked at Char with saddened eyes before whispering, “Oh…” She sighed before floating over next to Char and asked, “ So what would you like for me to do?”

    “Can you send a message for when Sapph comes back? I don’t know when that will be, but I’m pretty sure it will be too late by the time he comes back…” Lapras let Char’s words sink in first before she replied with a silent nod. “Well… Can you tell him that I’m sorry?”

    “Sorry..?” she asked. Before Char his mouth, Lapras noticed the bushes behind him rustle, and a blue fin could be seen in it.

    “Yeah… Sorry that I couldn’t make it back with him… But…” Char sighed as he watched the clouds begin to drift in the sky.

    Sapph, beaten and tired, walked out of the bush, seeing Lapras and a Charizard talking to one another. I wonder who Lapras is talking to… He took another step, but he soon heard what they were saying.

    “…tell him that I was proud to be called his partner in Team Gem-”

    Sapph’s eyes widened at those words. Char… so it is you…

    “-And that, even if I can’t be next to him as he graduates from Wigglytuff’s guild-”

    What? What is he saying..? Isn’t he going to be with me?!

    “-I’ll always be somewhere else on this planet…”

    Lapras eyed him before questioning, “On this planet?”

    Char sighed before answering, “Yes, on this planet… I may not have the life energy to continue living, but I can use the remainder of it to help restore the damage that was created Primal Dialga…”

    Sapph’s eyes began to water up as he heard this. “No… please don’t, Char…”

    Lapras looked at Char before asking, “That’s a noble thing to do, Char. Are you sure you wish to not say that to Sapph yourself?

    Char sighed before answering, “It would only be too painful for Sapph if he saw me…” Char turned around and began to walk toward the edge. “Goodbye, Lapras. Thank you for taking us here.”

    Sapph jumped out of his hiding spot, yelling, “Char! Please, don’t! Don’t leave me!” Char turned around to see Sapph panting, tears welling up his eyes. “Please… Don’t leave me. I can’t go back by myself…”

    Char stared at Sapph and, after a short moment of letting Sapph’s words sink in, he grinned. “Sapph, you can make it,” he commented, surprising Sapph. Char walked over to Sapph while saying, “Ever since I first met you when you found me on the shore, you were a scared boy.” Char bent down and held onto Sapph, hugging him tightly.

    “But, every time something dangerous happened, we would always go stop it. And every time we came back from a mission, you grew stronger and stronger…” Sapph held his eyes closed, tears running down his cheeks as he listened to every word Char spoke.

    “And now, even with Dialga’s battle, you showed just how brave you were. You fought with Dialga by yourself, and you won.” Char let Sapph down on the ground before standing up and saying, “You are strong, Sapph. You can make it without me.”

    Sapph cried as he asked, “I don’t want to be alone, Char…”

    Char walked over to the edge once again and stopped. Taking a deep breath, he turned his head and argued, “You’re never alone, Sapph. You have the guild, Maril, Azuril, everybody in Treasure Town… And I will truly never leave this planet.”

    Sapph stared at him as Char turned his head back to the endless skies. “Char, everybody will miss you back there. You need to come back. Maybe someone can help you…”

    “Sapph…” Tears slowly trickled down Char’s eyes, silencing Sapph completely. “Goodbye…”

    Lapras and Sapph watched as Char allowed himself to fall off the edge. Sapph ran over to the edge, watching Char fall down the abyss of the sky. Char’s body began to light up, small particles of golden light drifting off from him.

    “Char…” Tears were building up at the corners of Sapph’s eyes.

    Char looked down as he felt his body feel lighter and lighter with each second. His body began to become nothing more than a golden light, and then drastically, Char’s body of light scattered, being sent across the fabric of space on the planet.

    “CHAR!!!”

    Sapph’s cries echoed throughout the space as tears fell down into the endless abyss of Dialga’s sanctuary…

    Sapph traveled back to Treasure Town with Lapras, being welcomed back with congratulations of his achievements. Everybody celebrated the fact that they were saved by Sapph and Char, with a memorable placed near the guild in honor of his sacrifice. Where ever Sapph went, he dared not to tell everybody what had happened: about Dialga, Dusknoir, Grovyle and Celebi… and most importantly, Char. He told everybody about how close they were from impending doom, about how Grovyle was branded a villain by the villainous Dusknoir. About the scenes they witnessed as he and Char were dragged forward in time by Dusknoir in hopes of eliminating any possibilities of stopping Primal Dialga. Told others about their trek through the Hidden Land and Temporal Tower. About their fight against Dusknoir before the Rainbow Stoneship, and Grovyle’s sacrifice in order to let him and Char go to Dialga. About their fight with Primal Dialga and… about Char’s sacrifice in order to save the planet. Sapph let everybody know about what had happened, telling them the struggles and hardships they went through. And at last, Sapph left the memories embedded into each and every mind that wished to know what happened. And every time Sapph retold the story, he feels the winds blow a warm feeling of care swoop by him…

    Months later, Sapph watched the shoreline as the waves rocked back and forth. It looks like I’m ending our journey where we first began, Char… Sapph sighed as he thought about how it all began, with finding Char sprawled out on the shore. But I guess you’re right. I’ve grown stronger, and I’m doing fine… But I still miss you, and I promise you… Sapph turned around, seeing all of the Pokemon who lived in Treasure Town and were a part of the guild. We will do whatever it takes to prevent such a disaster from happening again. Reaching into his sash bag, Sapph pulled out a necklace with a claw tied onto it. He placed it on the sand before turning around and walking to the others.

    Thank you, Char. Now it’s my turn to sacrifice myself for the world…