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Chapter 21

Meadow

Night in the Waterscape was cold, damp, and unpleasant, it was a place that wasn't for the week of heart of the weak worst the weak of soul. Meadow didn't like nor want to be in the waterscape at this time, it was nasty, and she would rather be anywhere than here. But here she was making her way through the misty terrain, her heart set on finding Delphine and figuring out what she needed to do next. The Shaymin was sure that she could locate her so called friend before morning, if she lucky she would have already found a place to settle down for the night meaning that Meadow could make up some ground.

The shaymin came across a small stream that was cutting its way through the woods, like many of the others it was cold and was flowing from the falls nearby. Meadow had passed by the falls on her way here, she knew where she was, the memories of her trips in the past had come back to her as she made her way through the forest. She was near the entrance to the plate, when they had hidden the plate long ago it was placed in between the falls. The entrance was hard to get to though with some determination a Pokémon could locate it. But determination would only get you so far as an item from the ancients would be needed to open the passage, an item that she always kept on her.

"It's time like these that I wish this damn thing worked at night." Meadow says to herself as she stopped near the water. She looks at her Gracidea charm, it glowed from time to time reacting to her energy and emotions but for the time being it was useless, the limitations of her transformation ability being that it didn't work at night or when cold. One would believe that the ancients would have made the charm work whenever but that wasn't how life worked and as such she was stuck walking. Meadow preferred to be in her landform but sometimes it would be nice to just fly to the needed location.

Meadow looks down at the water, her reflection stares back at her, the shaymin looking made Meadow dip her paws in the water and start cleaning, she was so dirty and there was no way she could possibly meet Delphine looking like this. Meadow stops cleaning herself when she thought of the Vulpix, how she was cleaning herself so she could look her best for her, what was wrong with her? Grumbling Meadow goes back to cleaning; her emotions made her have to think a certain way about herself.

_'You want to fight her...or...something.'_Meadow stops cleaning again. The water had become a little brown from dirt that had been on her but as quickly as it got dirty the flowed away, becoming pure once more.

'Settle your heart Meadow, be like the flowing water, clear, cool and fluid.' Meadow tries to think of a few words that Aqua had told her long ago. Despite her playful nature Aqua was always able to easily go with the flow, life did not beat her down. She always admired her for that. There was something to take away from all her lifelong friends and companions in the other generals. Ruby, Neoral, Aqua, Ace, even Dynamo...oh Dynamo. That colt had an ass that she could wear as a mask.

_'Hey, keep the thoughts sane.'_Meadow tells herself. She rubs her head as she tries to not get too worked up. With a smile the shaymin decides it was time to get going. She lets her mind think of her friends once again, this time she even included Destiny, the little Celebi that no one ever seems to be able to find. All her friends in one place once again...how she missed them so much. Meadow hadn't thought of them for such a long time, why now was she worried about them? The shaymin vowed that after she got out of this mess, after she handled her mission, she was going to take a break and throw a get to together and all of them were showing up whether they liked it or not...Destiny.

Meadow suddenly heard footsteps walking towards her, the sound of the steps seemed to echo off the nearby trees. Meadow wondered what to do, she didn't know if she was about to meet a Refraction Pokémon or not. When the mist was this thick it meant that a mystery dungeon was nearby...or you were in it. The veil between worlds was so thin in areas like this that it was easy for a Pokémon to cross between realms, worlds whatever you liked to name it. The sounds of the steps came closer and closer by each passing moment and Meadow knew that she needed to decide as of what to do as soon as possible.

'If someone is stepping this hard it means they want to be noticed.' Meadow thinks as she gets up. The Shaymin closed her eyes and allowed her senses to touch the nearby area, she could feel magical energy all around her, she was in a mystery dungeon for sure. What more she could feel the entrance to the plate's dungeon nearby as well, it was much further away than any of the magical pockets were, and she still had a bit of a hike ahead of her, but she could feel that door for sure. The plate itself couldn't be felt as it was behind a magical door that protected its power from seeping out too much though a Pokémon who understood how magic worked could pick up on the plate's presence though the door's power.

The steps came closer.

Meadow notices a few rocks pocking out of the water and with little effort jumps onto them using the stones as a path across the stream. As soon as she reached the other side, she saw a shadowy figure reach the spot that she had just been. The figure looks across the water at her.

"Why do you run from me? I only wish to help." The figure says. Meadow gulps, she wasn't ready for the figure to speak.

"What are you?" Meadow asked.

"Meadow...Meadow...you don't remember your old friend..." The figure holds up a hand, a moment later light shined from it revealing a most familiar figure for sure...

"Ommni?"

The Alakazam smiles at Meadow, an arm was behind his back while his spoons floated around him. He touches both causing them to glow a bright white light, afterwards he places his other arm behind him.

"That is my name, please don't wear it out." The psychic type chuckles. "Why not you come over here so we can speak."

"No thanks, I'm fine where I am, and you're better where you are." Meadow says she didn't want to be anywhere near this mon. Who was he, why was here out here at such an odd time, there were more questions than answers.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, that is a good question huh." Ommni chuckles, he takes a deep breath and began scratching his chin. "I am out here at such an odd hour, in a forest that I have little business being in and sneaking around. My so many questions--"

"Why don't you stop beating around the bush and answer me!" Meadow found herself screaming, she had become so patient. But there was a reason for her mood, nothing was adding up correctly.

"I told you last we spoke; I am here with the Templars of Light Order; we are here seeking the plate. That should be of little concern to someone like you, right? We have a right to be in this forest--"

"So why sneak around?" Meadow asked.

"Who said I'm sneaking? I'm just out for a midnight stroll through the woods. Nothing more, nothing less. I felt your energy nearby, so I came to see you, what is wrong with that my dear?" Ommni asked. "Why the way you're acting I'm to believe that you are the one sneaking around, but the question is why? Why are you sneaking around Meadow at a time like this? This is your forest, isn't it? Your plate is the one that is here." Ommni tilts his head.

Meadow doesn't respond, how could she, he was right. This was her forest but here she was sneaking around it like she was an outsider. When did she come to believe that she was an outsider like this? She used to move through this forest with authority but that felt like a lifetime ago at this point. She had given up so much to live a life of peace, her plate, friends, her position, all so she could live a life of peace and what had it gotten her?

"Meadow tell me how do I enter the passage leading to the plate?"

"Why would I tell you that?" Meadow asked. "I thought you was out for a walk?"

"I am, though why shouldn't I multitask if I can." Ommni vanished in a bright light. Meadow didn't see him for a moment before he reappeared near her, the Alakazam was behind her, his arms still behind his back, spoons crossed in front of him.

"Two choices my dear, you could come with me, we get to the plate together and I help you regain your power."

"What do you know about my power?" Meadow asked as she jumps back to distance herself from Ommni. A fight was on her paws.

"I can feel it...that lack of energy, that lack of power, how much you struggle to use just as basic attack. I've been watching you Meadow since you came to the outpost. I've seen what you've been going through, and I want to help you. I too know what it's like to have lost your power due to time itself taking it away. This is not the first body that I've had. I'm much like your little Vulpix friend, I've managed to survive through time itself by bouncing from body to body, why...I wasn't always an Alakazam."

"Who are you?" Meadow asked.

"My name is Ommni, that is all I'll say on that subject. Just know that I was there during the final battle against Lord Necrozma. Yes, I fought on his side, myself along with several others who are now the heads of the Templar Order fought with our Lord to protect him from your kind. We failed in that regards but we learned much, our Lord had tasked us in his dying breath to protect this world and help bring him back so he can restore order. Order that your kind has not been able to maintain."

"Shuddup!" Meadow snarls. "You know what kind of psycho that bastard is! There is no way I'm going to help you get my plate."

"Well, you can never say I didn't ask nicely." Ommni looks closely at Meadow, his eyes scanned their way to her charm.

"Nice jewelry."

Meadow puts her paw on the charm. She began backing up, stepping away from Ommni though as she did so the Shaymin was stopped by a new Pokémon. It was the Sceptile from before...

"You?"

"Long time no see Shaymin." The gecko laughs.

"Don't mess this up, I want that charm. Don't let me regret not doing something that I can do myself you fool. She's barely able to fight. I expect to see you at the cavern before sunrise." Omni's voice became low, his true colors were being shown as the nice guy act was long gone. "I need to make preparations for my new body that should be coming soon. If the breadcrumbs have been left correctly, I should see in this forest before too long."

"The other mons will be waiting for that group of city Pokémon. As long as that ring does what it is supposed to do, we should be good." Sir Godfrey says.

"What are you two talking about?" Meadow asked.

"Nothing that concerns you, your role in this story has come to a close." Ommni smirks. He turns around and much like before vanishes as he teleports away leaving her with the gecko. Meadow dodges a quick swipe from her opponent as the mon was trying to get a quick attack in on her. She lands on her paws but falls over, her body oddly was giving out at the wrong time.

"No one here to help you this time, your all mine." Sir Godfrey bellows, his arms glow as he channels his magical energy into them. Up above Meadow saw that the moon was high in the sky, it wasn't going to be morning for a good while.

"You just want my charm?"

"The charm is what the boss wants, kicking your ass, embarrassing you for what you did to me and the boys back in the desert, that is what I really want. I want to find out just how immortal you are, your soul might not die but let's see how many times I can kill your body." The gecko comes at her quickly, he was faster than last time. Meadow couldn't dodge the attack this time and was knocked back into the rushing water, falling into them.

"Aaaahhhh...." Meadow fights to stay on top of the water, her body was struggling to stay afloat. She heard the Sceptile let out a curse as he was struggling to keep up with her while on the shoreline. Meadow soon was able to fight enough to not only float but doggy paddle. She knew she remembered how to swim, aqua had shown her long ago just what to do.

'Yet again my friends save me, even if they didn't do it directly this time.' Meadow thought of Chip, that adorable Zorua and all he had done for her. His small act of courage had an odd impact on her, she didn't know why, or how but she just had a feeling that it meant something to her. Why would someone who was so small...well he was still larger than her by a good bit but that was beside the point. The point was that someone as young as her shouldn't have any kind of impact on someone who was as old and experienced as her, but it did.

Washing up a bit further down the stream, Meadow rose out of the water sure that her pursuer was well behind her. Walking out of the water she shook herself dry, letting out a cry as she was ready to get going. From the looks of it she was well off of course, as a matter of fact she was near the edge of the woods leading towards the very area she had come from earlier.

"I keep making progress and then somehow getting pushed back, this is kind of getting old." Meadow tells herself. The area wasn't right by the camp, that was a good distance to the west, but where she was near a different entrance into the woods.

"This stream leads towards the falls that house the plate, if I follow this, I should be able to back track the way I came." Meadow spoke to herself. Looking upwards she pictured the Templars out looking for her and even more so them finding their way into the entrance. She'll need to be careful on the way back up.

Meadow starts walking her way back through the forest, following the stream towards the falls. It'd take her the rest of the night to make her way there but oddly she felt that she was finally on the road she needed to be. And if that Sceptile was to find her again...no she wanted him to find her again. Meadow purposely made sure she didn't sneak through the forest, instead she made sure she was visible to fall to see. No more hiding, no more sneaking around, she was done sitting on the sidelines and letting everyone else do her work.

~

It was a bit later; night was slowly starting to turn today as the night sky saw the first light. Meadow could sense that the mist was becoming thick once again, the feeling of its magical energy was becoming hard to ignore. Meadow felt herself becoming excited, she liked the feeling that the magical energy was producing. Long ago Arceus took the time to train his generals on how to make the most of magical mist, the great Pokémon God didn't like magic himself, but he didn't stop his generals from making use of it.

Meadow was taught that by channeling one's magical energy they could merge it with the mist allowing them to extend their senses and feel the world around them. This was a great trick to use to help you find your way or sense something that might be hiding in the mist, but just as you are extending your magical presence others can use this same trick to find you. It's best to use it smartly.

Meadow pushed out her mind, she the world around her, she could sense nature though the mist, the trees, bushes, grass, even the flowing water. It all made itself known to her, though as she did so she also felt other Pokémon's presence. She couldn't tell that easily what was what, but she knew that she wasn't alone in this area.

"That feeling..." Meadow felt something approaching her. It wasn't just one Pokémon but two...

"There she is, just as the boss said she where the boss said she would be." A ghost type Marowak and ice type Sandslash appeared from the fog, the two looked nasty to say the least. Meadow gulps as she didn't like the match up as both these Pokémon could be a paw full to deal with.

"Well, well what have we here, a little lost Shaymin." The Marowak says as he clears the fog, his bone club was attached to a holder on his back.

"Boss said that she would be walking along the stream and sure enough here she is."

"He also said that if we bring her back quickly, we'll be rewarded greatly, I don't know about you my friend, but I intend to cash in on that beautiful offer." Marowak says.

"Yes." The Sandslash snickers. "He didn't say how we should bring her back, only that we bring her back."

"What kind of Templars are you two?" Meadow asked as she looked around for a spot to escape.

"We are bounty hunters employed by the Templars to handle the dirty work that they don't want to be associated with. In this case bringing you back for the boss's pleasure."

"Pleasure?"

"He didn't say what he had planned for you only that he needs you back. Sadly, for him he lost you during the confusion earlier this evening, but he suspected that you would most likely come back looking to do some kind of "heroic" thing so...here we are. I would say for you to make this easy and not fight us but...I'd be lying when I say I wouldn't mind going toe to toe, paw to paw against a General of Arceus." The Marowak pulls his club from its hoister and points it at Meadow. His partner moves forward to join him.

"Beat her to an inch of her life...that sounds like fun." The ice type Sandslash says. His quills looked nasty, made of ice and were as hard as steel. The other was a ghost and fire type, Meadow had only read about such variations of Pokémon though this was the first time she saw them for herself. She knew that she'd need to make sure she was on her paws for this fight.

"Let's make this fast, we can still get back in time for breakfast." The Sandslash says. The Pokémon curls into a ball and his partner raises his club.

"Lets!" With that he slaps the other with his club sending the balled-up Pokémon at Meadow. The shaymin casts a lightscreen to stop the incoming attack though it did little to help her as the Sandslash crashes though it knocks Meadow back, the Shaymin nearly falls into the water again, but she feels something grab her hindleg. The Marowak had grabbed her.

"Tsk, tsk, you were expecting to escape again." He pulls her back to shore throwing the shaymin onto the nearby ground.

"I thought your kind was stronger than this!" The club Pokémon raises his weapon and comes down at Meadow...

"We are stronger than you think!" A voice calling from nearby...

"What are you?" The Sandslash asked, the rodent was on all four nearby. Meadow looked towards where the voice came from and saw that Delphine was standing there, the Vulpix was no longer a Vulpix but the mighty Ninetales that she saw when she had found her. She looked more deadly than the last time Meadow saw her, the fox's pelt was darker, her claws were out, and Meadow could sense her shadowy aura from where she laid. Delphine was standing several yards away; the fox was on top of a large stump.

"I am Delphine Doomtail, and you are messing with my mate. I'd advise you to stop hurting her before I lose my patience."

"She's just a ninetales." The Sandslash laughs. "A disfigured one if you ask me."

"Oh, is that so..." Delphine smiles, the fox steps from her stump and walks slowly towards them. "You have until I reach you to try to take me down."

Meadow slowly tries to get up.

"And what happens if we don't?" The Sandslash asked.

"I'm going to end that pathetic thing you call a life."

"You hear this?" The rodent asked his partner who puts his club on his shoulder.

"Doomtail huh...I've heard of their family; they are not to be toyed with." Marowak throws his club towards Delphine who takes the blow to the head, the fox stops moving for a moment, but it was only for just that...a moment.

"What the hell?" The Marowak gasped. "That hit was sound, why is she still moving?"

"You're getting soft!" The Sandslash digs his claws into the earth and takes off at Delphine. He slashes at her; the fox again took the attack head on and much like before she just shakes it off.

"Pathetic." Delphine slaps the Sandslash knocking him into the dirt, his face left a creator where the impact took place. The Marowak along with Meadow gasped. The Sandslash didn't move...

"What did you do?"

"I told him, when I got to him, I was going to end his pathetic life. Now...go tell your boss that we're coming for him...NOW." Delphine's eyes glow as she glares at the Marowak who raced away the male didn't want to meet the fate of his partner.

"How are you doing sweetie?" Meadow heard Delphine ask.

"...." Meadow didn't say anything, instead she stares at the Ninetales...or rather Vulpix as Delphine walks over to her, the fox transformed back into her Vulpix form. As she reached her the fox pressed her nose against Meadow's.

"You?" Meadow asked as she stares at her friend...or so-called mate.

"I'm sorry for not coming sooner, I wanted to get to a good stopping point before I came back for you. I wish you would have stayed in the camp until I returned."

"You left me..."

"I know, but I didn't want you to get hurt. That was a big mistake, I should have just brought you along and protected you." Delphine says as she puts a paw against Meadow's face. "You look so tired." Delphine says to Meadow.

"Why are you being so nice?" Meadow asked, the shaymin was feeling tired, the trek through the woods all night without any rest or sleep left her feeling drained. She feels herself wanting to fall over but keeps herself up out of sheer willpower. Delphine must have picked up on it as she nuzzles Meadow before transforming back into a ninetales. The large fox picks Meadow up like a vulpix pup holding her by the fur on the back of her neck.

"HEY"

"Sorry couldn't resist." Delphine chuckles. "Before you asked, I figured out how to flip between forms without using so much of my energy. It's easier to use a gem or potion to do it but it can be done without it. Though it's not perfect nor does it last as long. But more on that later, let's get you back to camp."

With that Delphine takes Meadow back upriver the pair. Meadow felt embarrassed about how she was being taken care of but...maybe this wasn't so bad either. Delphine...she wanted to see her again, to speak to her, too well...get her back but now here she was being taken care of by her. As much as Meadow didn't like the idea, she knew that she couldn't go on all on her own either. She needed others.

"So tired..." Meadow yawns. She rubs her eyes and feels herself starting to drift off.

"Rest your eyes sweetie, you're safe now. I'm here for you." Delphine says.

Meadow does feel herself slowly starting to drift off, the image of Ommni, Sir Godfrey, Delphine was all swimming through her mind. Though none of those were the last thing Meadow thought of before full falling asleep, no it wasn't about the plates, her charm or anything of the sort.

It was of a tan and purple Zorua who was willing to stake himself and his wellbeing to take care of her.