Alex found himself back in the clearing, the same one where it had all started. Celebi's shrine was nearby, while the forest felt thinner. The air wasn't the same, less oxygen maybe, and it certainly made each breath feel a little heavier.
He felt weaker. Probably a mix of the environment and whatever toll time travel took on his body.
As his senses settled, he realized what was missing. Grim's bond and energy were gone. That raw, primal energy that had settled deep inside him, woven into his muscles and thoughts, was gone.
The emptiness it left behind hit harder than he expected. Grim had been more than just extra power. It was a presence, a reminder of something wild and ancient. Without it, everything felt quieter, like part of him had been cut out and the echo still hadn't faded.
The bond just hadn't been strong enough to survive the jump. Not like the ones he had with the others. They were still there when he landed in the past, and it was stronger now that he was back.
With Grim gone, his head finally cleared. The aggression that used to simmer just beneath the surface was gone too, leaving room for something else. Balance. Emotions. He could actually think like himself again, without that constant pressure weighing down his choices or that quiet, animal growl lurking behind every thought. For the first time in a while, he felt like himself.
He reached into his pocket and felt the feather was still there, a quiet reminder that he would do better. Maybe one day, they'd cross paths again. If they did, he'd be ready. Next time, he wouldn't just try to keep up. He'd be the kind of trainer Grim deserved. Someone strong enough to stand beside him.
Until then, he would train, meditate, and bolster his sense of self. And when that moment came to finally meet, he'd make sure of one thing. He would still be himself. The power would move with him, not control him.
Being a Champion wasn't just about the strength of their Pokémon. It was about mental stability and a powerful sense of self to tie everything together. About knowing who you were and holding on to it, no matter what kind of power you were connected to.
Strong bonds helped carry the weight. Weak ones let it crush you.
That was Gravik's problem. His Pokémon were too strong for him, and it messed with his head. Celise had said as much. The way he lost control, the way he kept spiraling, it all lined up. If he had just taken the time to build a proper bond or learn how to handle their energy, maybe he wouldn't be as aggressive as he was.
"Welcome back," Celebi greeted as it sat on the shrine bringing Alex out of his thoughts.
Alex immediately noticed the difference. The Celebi he had rescued was barely Expert rank. The one in front of him now, however, was leagues beyond in both power and presence. It was so immensely powerful that Alex couldn't even sense it.
As far as his senses were concerned, the green creature sitting before him had no aura at all. If he closed his eyes, he would only feel Gardevoir, Espeon, and Arcanine by his side.
He imagined this was what it felt like to stand before a god, no aura, no majesty, no fanfare. Just a ghost barely affecting reality.
Taking the chance to interact with a Mythical Pokémon, Alex suddenly asked,
"Why me?"
"Had to be you," came its reply.
"Are you the one who sent me to this world? Is saving you back then the reason I'm here?"
Alex had never cared much about how he ended up in the Pokémon world, but with a possible answer sitting in front of him, he didn't mind asking. It made sense that he had been sent to save Celebi. Its past came first, so he had to be the one who was summoned.
"Yes, I asked a friend," Celebi replied. "No, you are needed."
"What do you mean?"
"Asked friend Dusknoir to revive a soul."
'That's interesting,' Alex thought, before refocusing on the answer that mattered.
"What is the reason I was revived? Why am I here? What do you want from me?"
"I don't know."
"What do you know?"
"I only know our world will be destroyed. I have done what I must to stop it. The world is now saved."
Alex felt a headache coming as he parsed through the broken logic.
Celebi was a Pokémon of time; hence, it might not necessarily know the how or why, but it knew the what and when. It knew the future of the world was to be destroyed and knew what must be done and when to do it to avoid that future.
So, like tossing a pebble into a pond, it asked a Dusknoir to revive a soul, but likely didn't know which soul, only the time it must ask, and it had done so. As far as Celebi was concerned, the world was saved because it had done what was necessary. It didn't care about the how and why.
Celebi didn't know what Alex needed to do to accomplish it. It only knew that it had done its part.
As for being rescued, that was perhaps just a convenience or an added detail. Time had already resolved all loops and ensured Celebi took the necessary actions to influence the past. If Alex hadn't been summoned, Celebi would have sent someone else. It would have known exactly who to choose and when they would meet.
Ultimately, Alex decided to not care about the consequences. Just as he had trusted Celebi and accepted its mission on his own terms, he would now move forward his own way. Celebi had already said it. The world was saved. That meant whatever happened next wasn't his responsibility.
No matter what choices he made or what paths he took, the future was already secured. So as far as he was concerned, there was no reason to care about it at all.
In the interest of milking this little bundle of information, Alex decided to ask about a few other things that had been bothering him, like why Arceus had become a pet, for example.
"Do you know why Arceus is under a human's control?"
Celebi tilted its head and sent a wave of confusion through its psychic intent before suddenly perking up.
"Ah! That poor pup that lost its home. It is too young to care for itself, so it needs a human to help it."
Alex felt another headache coming on as he tried to make sense of the answer.
Pup meant Arceus was still young and far from the godlike being it was known to become. Lost its home meant it didn't belong in this world. There was another Arceus that belonged to this world or universe, and it certainly wasn't a pet. The one Cynthia controlled likely came from another dimension, world, or universe, one that had been destroyed, or at the very least, forced it to leave.
"Is that the same for the other Legendaries?"
"I don't know. Tired. Goodbye," Celebi sent before suddenly disappearing.
It didn't feel like teleportation either. Celebi simply vanished from Alex's senses.
He stood there, dumbfounded, before pulling himself together. His eyes drifted to the phone lying on the ground, Rotom still inside. He picked it up and checked the time. It was noon. The time he had left.
He felt tired from the day's adventure but chose to keep moving. He wanted to get out of this forest and never come back, lest he be dragged into another adventure far beyond his capabilities, no matter how exciting it might be.
He mounted Arcanine and returned Gardevoir and Espeon to their Poké Balls before heading north through the narrow forest paths. A few hours later, they came across a lake that Arcanine simply blitzed through, sending waves crashing in every direction to the shock of the Psyduck and Golduck swimming leisurely in its waters.
By the time the sun began to set, they finally emerged from the forest and entered Route 34. The area was still wooded but more open, with scattered clearings, tranquil lakes, and the vast sea stretching out to the west. A soft seabreeze drifted in from the coast brushing against Alex's face and tugging gently at his clothes. It carried the scent of the ocean like a quiet promise of calm after the chaos of the forest.
Having made it out of the forest, Alex teleported back to Violet City to finally get some rest. The day had been intense, physically exhausting, emotionally draining, and filled with unexpected shocks.
He had been psychically tortured, sent back in time to discover that Arceus had destroyed an advanced civilization similar to Earth, nearly eaten by a Champion ranked Pokémon, driven mad by its power instead, saved a Mythical Pokémon, met a truly god-like being, uncovered his past, glimpsed his future, learned of other dimensions in turmoil, and all he got out of it was a feather.
It had been one hell of an adventure, draining every ounce of the violence he had been craving throughout his journey. Maybe now, it was time for some well-earned rest.
His next stop along Route 34 was Goldenrod City, a place as technologically advanced as Saffron City. With any luck, he could find a luxurious place to stay and treat all his Pokémon.
-----
Support me on Patreon
patreon/babywrath