A Brief Moment in Time

After walking for several minutes in silence in the long, dark tunnel, I manage to ask what has been on my mind since Ash and I were brought here.

“Celebi? Where are we?”

She looks at me briefly then looks forward again, slowly leading us through the tunnel. *We’re going into the core of the Whirl Islands.*

“You mean we’re already at the islands?!” exclaims Ash.

She gives a small smile and nods slightly. Celebi’s wings flutter and she suddenly dips down, then back up. She dips back down again and I dive for her.

She looks up at me and closes her eyes.

*It’s getting worse Rose.*

I bring her little body closer to mine for support. Thoughts race through my mind. Why is this happening?

“Just hang on Celebi. You’ll feel better soon.” ...I hope...

A hand lands on my shoulder. Ash.

“We need to hurry Rose.” I nod in agreement.

“Come on. Let’s go.” I break into a run, clutching Celebi close. Our footsteps echo through the long tunnel. I feel a small shudder in my arms, and down my spine too. I can feel her gasp, struggling with her breaths.

Hang on Celebi. Don’t give up. I won’t.

The minutes of running seemed like hours to me. My own breathing become labored as the tunnel seemed to stretch out forever in front of us. Would we ever reach the end?

A shadow of a doubt crosses my mind. Maybe we can’t do it... Maybe I can’t do it!

I shake my head. No. don’t start thinking like that. I quickly glance down at the motionless form in my arms. I can do it. I have to. And not just for Celebi, but for the world too.

I have to.

“Rose! Look!”

I look up and see what Ash saw in the distance. The end of the tunnel. We speed up and we finally reach the mouth of the tunnel. I skid to a sudden halt, balancing on tippy-toe and Ash runs into me. I struggle at first then I regain my balance I step back in fear of falling.

Ash’s mouth falls open as he looks past me, seeing the reason that I suddenly stop.

The core. It was huge. The ceiling seemed to started at the edge of our tunnel, stretch up in a curve for what seems like hundreds of feet, then dips down again to form the bottom, where it continues back up.

“It’s like we’re in a giant egg!” exclaims Ash. With my mouth open in awe, I nod. He was almost right. But eggs were smooth in the inside. The core seemed to have hundreds of cliffs, all different sizes. Some led into tunnels, just like ours.

*The Whirl Islands were formed from an underwater volcano millions of years ago that started right here. But humans don’t know this because they stay away from the Islands. Heh, they actually believe the Islands are haunted from the departed souls of Pokemon. Shows how intelligent they can be at times.*

My eyes widen, startled from the voice appearing out of nowhere. But that didn’t seem to effect Ash. After listening to that he was fuming out of the ears, literally.

“What gives you the right to judge us like that?! Yes we’re not perfect! But who is?!”

There was a long pause. *So, it is you.* There was another pause. *It seems like you haven’t changed.*

“Just what’s that suppose to mean!?!” Ash yells.

I grab Ash’s shoulder suddenly. “Ash remember what Celebi said? The Legendary Pokemon are meeting here. You must be-”

There’s a blast of brilliant bright light, blinding me. The light starts to subside and ten figures miraculously appear.

“-talking to Mewtwo.” I finish. I put a hand on my hip. “Couldn’t you have waited until I finished my sentence?”

He doesn’t respond but he just gives me a halfway smile, but it quickly disappears again when he sees what’s in my arms. He floats closer.

*Celebi? Are you alright?*

Her eyes slowly open and she smiles. *I told you I would get them down here safely.*

Without bothering to reply he quickly scans her over. *Your body’s weak from the time displacement, and it’s accelerating.* He closes his eyes and puts his hands above her stomach. A ball of what seems to be energy floats from his hands to her body. He’s using Recover!

He looks back at her. *This will help some. But unless we can fix the rift in time, it will only slow the process down.*

She sits up, then slowly floats up to a cliff among the others.

*You have successfully brought the Chosen One, Celebi.* booms Lugia’s deep voice.

*Now we must complete the Prophecy!* continues Mew.

*Before it’s too late!* exclaims Raikou.

I shake my head. “It is too late.” I mutter to myself.

Silence echoes through the cavern. *What did you say young one?* Celebi calmly asks.

Although I know I would have been scared to repeat my statement to the most power Pokemon on the world, for some odd reason I was not. I feel like I have passed being scared for some time and now was in complete... well... fear. I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“I said it’s already too late! Celebi is dieing! Team Rocket has taken over everything! And you’re just now gathering to stop them?!” A shake my head viciously. “There’s no more hope left! As much as I tried to hang on to what I had left I can’t any longer!”

*But Rose, that’s not true. As much as Team Rocket has driven fear into the lives of people, they still can’t steal what is the most precious to them. Their hope.*

I struggle with my tears, trying to hide them. They gently fall down my cheeks, sometimes clinging to the ends of my blond hair, for my face was almost to the ground.

Celebi tried harder. *Even Brock has hope right now.*

Brock?!

“Where is he?! Is he alright?!”

She gives a small smile, more out of pity than from happiness. *He’s alright for now Rose. But he’s going to-* She stops herself.

I gasp in recognition of what she was going to say.

But he’ll going to die.