With a light dusting of snow falling not far away, the very morning air at Lake Acuity seemed to have slowed because of the cold. Nothing appeared to move except for a minute shifting of the surface of the lake, which was itself barely moving unless one paid close attention to it. In the middle of the lake was a conspicuous island with a strange cave, and just outside of this cave sat a Pokémon trainer facing a Xatu. The trainer named Lan was medium height and fairly thin. His hair was a brown and his eyes were a piercing blue, framed by rectangular glasses. Lan was staring into his Xatu's eyes, rarely blinking. The Xatu was staring back at Lan just as motionless. They were both completely still and silent, and yet just by their gaze could speak in a way words cannot.
"I finally have owned every known kind of Pokémon, you know." Lan thought to Xatu.
"Yes, I do. Congratulations."
"I had a feeling you knew. Thank you, I'm just so happy to have done it, it's beyond words."
"Understandably so. It's quite an accomplishment for any trainer."
"Yes, absolutely."
"May I ask why you like coming here?"
"I don't really know, it's just a peaceful place that helps me think for some reason. It's a nice place to be, especially after I've been spending so much time at the Fight Area lately. I can't get as long a winning streak there as I'd like to. Quite frustrating."
"Yes, the Others share your frustration." The Xatu was quiet for a few seconds, and then continued with convinction, "I'm sure you'll get through it, though."
"Thank you, I appreciate that." Lan was silent this time, and the Xatu half-asked half-stated, "There is something else?"
"I just... can't help but wonder what I will do now? There are no Pokémon I haven't owned. There's nothing left to find. I can always breed and raise more powerful Pokémon, but I can't help but wonder what the point of it would be. Does that make sense?"
The Xatu did not speak at first, and then replied, "Yes, I think it does. You have proven yourself in what you consider to be the ultimate goal for a trainer, and now are left without a feeling of purpose, or at least direction."
Lan considered it, "Well put. Yeah, that's pretty much correct."
"I believe I can help with this. Would you like me to see if I can discern the path before you?"
"Yes, please, Chrono. I would appreciate it very much. I'll wait until you're finished.
The Xatu nodded and slowly closed its left eye shut, opening its right eye wide. It was then even more silent and still than before, becoming like a statue. Lan looked away from Xatu's eyes at last, and around at the lake that surrounded him. The water was moving gently in waves going in the same direction, making it seem like it was the island was moving. Lan stood up and turned away from the optical illusion, walking into the cave behind him. Xatu hadn't moved a millimeter.
The inside of the cave was a strange place. It was just a single huge cavern with a depression in the center in the shape of an odd symbol, filled with water. Lan walked right over the puddles into the center of the cavern and stopped. He recalled catching Uxie here, it seemed like forever ago. He thought also of Mesprit and Azelf, of the clash between Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina that he had witnessed, and the incredibly rare legendary Pokémon he had met and caught. He thought back on the Pokémon of incredible power his friend TJ had sent him, and all the trading he had done with his friends he had met all over Sinnoh. He thought back to the tournament he entered in Phenac City in Orre, that even though he had lost, was an incredible competition, more intense than most Pokémon League battles. He thought also of the ones Xatu had called the 'Others', the Pokémon closest to him; Alakazam, Gengar, Metagross, Tyranitar, Umbreon, and Mr. Mime. He remembered raising their parents' parents' parents and hatching them from eggs. Lan lowered his head and smiled.
"It's been such a long journey. Incredible." He thought simply.
Lan grabbed two worn Pokéballs from his belt and threw them out into the cavern. There was a flash of light that made it too bright to see, and then two Pokémon, a Gengar and an Alakazam were standing in the cavern with Lan.
"Cheshire. Casey." Lan thought with an apparent tone of attachment. The Gengar smiled wider, and the Alakazam held its spoons over its head and actually managed to grin.
"I wanted to try something different. You're both so powerful and so fast, but what if you don't spend that power on attacking others, but rather as a medium to build, construct, and shape? Casey, think of a way we can most efficiently allow you and Cheshire to... combine each others attacks without focusing them at anything. Does that make sense?" Alakazam nodded at Lan and then didn't move much for about fifteen seconds. Alakazam looked at Lan, explaining the solution to him in a second. Casey then looked at Gengar, and both Pokémon darted off in opposite directions into the large circular cavern. Lan was in the very center with his Pokémon standing at opposite walls, about forty feet away.
Lan shouted in his head, "Okay! You both can do this, I'm sure of it. Both of you go clockwise in as big a circle as possible, as fast as you can, then use your attack along the path you're travelling on! I want both of you in focus mode! Ready??" The Gengar and Alakazam were both silent, and then by some unhearable cue, both of them simultaneously began speeding along the side of the cavern. They both circled the cavern's edge once, then twice, then three times in a matter of seconds. The Alakazam seemed to be levitating itself just off the ground and moving its own body along with telekinesis to speed itself up. The Gengar also appeared to be levitating and gliding headfirst, without any apparent effort, approximately an inch off the ground, both of them constantly travelling in the same huge circular path. The Pokémon went faster and faster. Soon Lan couldn't look at them without seeing a visable blur.
"Okay, now! Casey, Psychic. Cheshire, Shadow Ball!" Both Pokémon grinned at once and Gengar left an energetic trail of a shadowy blob behind itself. The Alakazam sped through the Gengar's Shadow Ball, using psychic to move the shadow around its own body, and then behind itself, twisting it into shapes and textures that there are no words for. The Gengar also kept moving and added more shadow to the ring around the edge of the cavern. The Alakzam and Gengar continued to travel in the same circle using their strongest attacks on the same place.
"Perfect! Keep going! Faster, and use your other attacks!"
Alakazam added a glowing green energy to the mixture while the Gengar left a trail of electricity and a blue-white flame behind it. The Pokémon moved faster and faster and combined their attacks into a ring more and more. They traveled through each others attacks unscathed, as both Pokémon were powerful, precise and synchronised enough to keep their attacks from actually hitting the other. The noise in the cavern was nearly deafening, indivisible, and while beyond words, can only possibly be compared to white noise.
Lan watched the incredible mass around him grow into a wall covering the sides of the cave from floor to ceiling, and observed the dozen or so colours that could be seen in it. Lan stared into it and his mouth dropped open as he began to say, "How can this be?"
~~~
Lan awoke an hour later outside of the cavern. He stood up and saw his Alakazam and Gengar waiting next to him. He turned to them and thought, "How did I get out here? What the hell just happened?" Gengar and Alakazam did not respond, as if any answer they gave would be completely meaningless.
Lan considered it, and then thought, "That was something I'm not meant to see, or not able to understand... right? "
Gengar and Alakazam both at once gave the slightest of nods.
Lan accepted it, "Okay, I understand, but at some point I would like a better explanation. You both did perfect, thanks so much. Chesire, Casey, return!" Lan held up the two Pokéballs and called the Pokémon back into them. One second later the still-unmoved Xatu opened its eye and looked at Lan. Lan and the Xatu locked eyes as Lan sat again.
"Lan. I have a solution for your dilemma of purpose and path. While you have collected every Pokémon, it is not enough to learn and grow stronger. True learning comes when one teaches. True strength comes from making somebody else stronger."
Lan and the Xatu kept their eyes locked and sat still for a few minutes. Finally, Lan thought, "What do I need to do?"
"Obtain a Wynaut Egg and an Absol egg. Do not hatch either of them. Then, wait."
"For what... purpose?" Lan thought.
"That is not yet for you to know. You knowing now will affect the outcome."
"I do not understand."
"You will."
"Lan looked down, then back up. Okay, I get it. I'll get the eggs. Is there any kind of time limit I should know?"
"Within the next two weeks is the only time these eggs will be relevant and useful. "
"Okay, I understand. Chrono?"
"You're welcome, Lan."
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