The Stream of Time Carries Memories; Farther and Farther Away [Closed-Join With Permission]

[This is all I gotz for now x3x]

Dark, upon finishing his small speech to Evangeline, listened to her response. He hugged her. "I have my answer," he thought. He looked up towards the sky, noticing the clouds becoming even more dense and dark, completely annihilating the small amount of sunlight there was within mere moments. His focus was diverted by Jonathan's swift return. Dark's eyes stared at the envelope, the wolf struggling up given that he was also helping Evangeline to her feet. "Let's use each other as props to walk; deal," he asked light-heartedly. "Until Giratina's energy makes it so I can carry you on." It was as if Evangeline had lifted a sort of stress from him upon giving her words. Anyway, Dark didn't give regards to Jonathan; he waited for him to lead, as was expected with his distrust.

"Thank you Jonathon," Evangeline smiled, lighting her face with a wide grin, though the expression was the opposite of what she was still currently feeling. There was so much going through her mind, the sudden appearance of the Ninetales-hybrid, her aching body, the voices that still clawed at the back of her mind, whispering. Always whispering. There wasn't much she could do, and that terrified her even more. She let a small sigh escape her lips as her eyes darted to the ground, just for a moment betraying the mask of happiness she wore. It was quick to come back to her face, though, so she doubted either Jonathon or Dark noticed.

She gratefully started to push some of her weight against Dark's body, quickly losing her breath as she struggled to find the proper balance to keep herself from tumbling back to the ground below. Her wings stretched out, helping to keep her steady. One extended farther than the other, maintaining a focal point of balance with Evangeline awkwardly in the middle, keeping almost perfectly straight. Her weight pressed harder against Dark, and she winced, knowing it would probably cause him more pain. Her entire body ached with each movement, but the promise of a hotel room, a cozy bed, was enough to keep her from giving up and simply collapsing. "You two lead the way," she huffed, allowing her plastered smile to falter to a grimace, teeth clenched to help bring focus away from the rhythmic pain of each throbbing heartbeat.

Jonathon wiggled his way between the two of them to try to help balance both. Dawn stood behind them just in case. "Alright, let's get going." He slowly walked them to the hotel. He made his way up the stairs and to their rooms. "Alright, here we are. Our base of operations until we need to skip town." He opened the door and led them in, helping Evangeline to one bed and Dark to another. "You two need anything?"

Dark didn't seem to mind the smidge of pain caused when Evangeline accidentally bore more weight than she would've approved of upon his shoulder. After all, it was in the name of assisting her; he was just happy to be helping her for a change. Despite being a bit frustrated by Jonathan's sudden wiggle, he was just a bit grateful that he offered his assistance and helping the group along. He didn't do much to stare around their surroundings; it seemed they had all been doing that moment by moment given that they'd been pushed about enough by the twisted strings of fate. Upon reaching the motel room, Dark's eyes finally gazed about, finding himself laid down in a single bed near another in which Evangeline was set. "Not too relaxing... But better than the floor," he thought to himself as he sat up exhaustedly, sighing lightly. He turned his gaze to Evangeline. "I suppose we'd be best to rest over anything else," he told her as he reached over, took one of her hands and laid back. "So given that and having a good place to rest, I'll do just that." With that remark he had his eyes shut, bidding Evangeline a good rest; however, even after falling asleep, his hand kept its grip on Evangeline's.

[Plain post is plain... Next one will be of some thought~ ;3]

"I think some sleep would suffice for me as well," Evangeline chuckled in response to Jonathon's question. She helped Dark into the bed that was next to the one she claimed before sitting on her own bed, feeling his grip still lingering on her hand after he had closed his eyes and fallen limp. Once she was sure he was asleep, she gently released her hand from his own so he could lay in a more comfortable condition. She herself, despite her words, stayed conscious. There was too much going on in her head, too many thoughts darting around, to be able to actually fall asleep if she closed her eyes.

Instead, she laid back and turned her head toward Jonathon while she allowed her wings to stretch out to the width of the bed after being so cramped and folded up. "Jonathon," she started her question, "please don't find any meaning in this but... what would you do, if you began to not even recognize yourself anymore?" So much has changed... am I really the same person that ran out of that lab with the help of a Pichu? I... I don't think that me is around anymore. She knew it to be true, but denial was better than the oblivion of trying to figure out just what exactly she was now. The second mentality, the insanity. They had done a hell of a job to put a kink in her armor. She even doubted herself now.

Jonathon plopped himself down into a chair and let out a long sigh, rubbing his hands across his face. He was tired, but so were they, and he didn't trust what Dark would do if he fell asleep. He picked his head up when he heard Evangeline say his name. "Huh?" She asked him a question and he started to think on it. She told him not to find meaning in it but he was already started to put a lot of thought into her words. She was most likely referring to herself but he was having the same issue, he'd come so far from where he started and still so far from when he was first in the distortion world. He went from being a guy and trying to take down an evil organization, to now having come toe to toe with arceus. "I don't know Evangeline..." He started, making eye contact with her. "I think I'd try to figure out where I am and who I am again. I mean, I've been having a hard time figuring myself out recently to. In just the past few months alone I've gone from just being another trainer to taking on legendary pokemon and having some...thing take control of my mind and..." falling for a girl with wings. He wouldn't say it out loud, not with Dark here, not with the fact that he wasn't even sure if it was just the current moment or if he was really having feelings for her. "Right now, try to get some sleep. Who knows how the world is gonna try to kill us tomorrow." He reached over and grabbed a little foot stool and put his legs out in front of him. "Good night Evangeline." He said, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.

(I actually had an idea or two about how to attempt such again, but I'm not sure if it's too soon to pull the stunt or if it'd actually just escalate things b/t Jonathan and Dark again while leaving Evangeline at peace (or possibly not). Ava, you should be getting a PM soon on it)

Dark, upon his hand being released, instinctually pulled it back to himself, turning onto his side after manuveuring himself under the blanket atop the bed. He began to have dreams about recent events and about how they all connected, as well as what changes they caused for everyone in the group; however, as if a peaceful dream was too much to ask, Arceus' appearance in them directed them to being nightmares. Unable to peacefully rest, Dark began to toss and turn in the bed every once in a while, hands wiping his face and grasping the pillow his head laid on a bit tightly. It was too much for him to handle, and being so, he ended up sitting up, eyes closed as he awoke in his mind, gaze turned away from Giratina as he shivered and wrapped his arms around his legs. "Too much to ask for a peaceful sleep, hm," he grumbled to himself. "Oh well... Don't need sleep anyway; I'll just stick here until I wake up..." He turned his head around, looking towards the pokemon before returning his stare to the ground; he doubted Giratina actually slept, and if he did, whether or not he'd share the same dreams as he did. "Dumb gods and labs... Dumb second personalities... Blasted Jonathan," he grumbled. "It's their fault..." "But I wouldn't have met Evangeline or Giratina... So I suppose that's all I can say to it," he thought to himself.

As if it wasn't creepy enough for the three to be observed by a god, somebody else was, secretly, observing them from outside their window, hiding their head if and when anyone of them would make a motion or look towards the window.

"Goodnight," Evangeline murmured back toward Jonathon, considering his words. Try to figure out who I am now...? It seems simple... but... which me is the true me? Based on Arceus's own words, she herself wasn't truly herself. She was a mistake, something to be dealt with. And yet, despite all of that, she was the one in control. Y̸͜o̶̡̨u̷͡͠ ̀c̴̨͞o͠u͏l͘͘d́͘ ͟h͏͘av̡͜e͠͝ ̧̧s̡͏̷o ͘m̨͞u̸͢c̛h͞ ̵m͟͝o̧r͟e̡ ̡̀c̀o̴nt̶r͘o͟l̴͡. T͞h̡́é͢r̢e̢ ̸̢is̨͢͠ ̸̨n͟͝o ̵͞d̵̀͢o͢͟ų͟͝b̸̀͟t͘ ̛wit̛h́҉̷ ̡͢u̡s̵̨̕.̨́ She couldn't shake off the trickles of sweat on her forehead, the shiver down her spine. I am not who I was before. But am I beyond recognition?

She couldn't ponder for long, though, as exhaustion was an overpowering thing. Although her mind raced, her eyes fell heavy, and nothing but darkness greeted her. Unlike Dark, she did not dream. There was only blackness, and the eerie feeling of being watched as she tossed and turned above her sheets...

As much as he tried, Jonathon couldn't really get to sleep. He had a few minutes of peace, then the dreams started. Watching the events he witnessed in the distortion world, seeing himself hurt Dark and Evangeline while someone else was in control of his body. He woke up before things got worse. He saw that Dark was sitting up and sighed. "You couldn't sleep either?" He said, standing up from his chair and adjusting his back and stretching. "I'm gonna take a walk." Jonathon grabbed one of the keys and left the room. He shut the door quietly but didn't go far, he slowly sat down in the hallway and sighs.

"Rough day boy?"

"Get out." Jonathon said out loud, the shadow just laughed.

Dark, despite having sat up in reality when he also awoke in his mind, was still unconscious; therefore, he had heard none of Jonathan's words. His body just stayed upright, likely to remain that way unless somebody adjusted it for him. Regardless, while he stayed up in his mind, he began to ponder a few questions, and as such, stood up and turned around to his pokemon companion. "Giratina, are you awake," he asked. "I... Er, have a couple of questions if you wouldn't mind taking time to answer them for me."

Meanwhile, when Jonathan spoke to the voice in his head, a stranger approached him. "Are you talking to me," she asked, obviously joking since he didn't know her. Truth be told, she was the one that had been secretly watching them. "Listen... I have something to tell you, from someone special to you... Well, if you wouldn't mind listening to it, that is. Don't ask about identity; I've been sworn to not tell you who sent me."

The shadow fell silent when the girl spoke to Jonathon. "What...no, uh...sorry." He said, standing up, hoping she wouldn't ask too many questions. "What do you mean? Someone special to me?" He as very confused by this, not sure who it might be. "I, I don't know if you have the right guy." In his travels, everyone Jonathon had met was either in that room or had gone into hiding as much as he could remember. He looked at the room, not sure if he wanted to leave Dark and Evangeline and go with this stranger. "What do you have to say?"

The woman laughed lightly at Jonathan's remarks. "Well, here I was thinking that Magnus sent me for a reason." She gestured with her shoulders, shrugging off her thoughts as she turned around. "But apparently I have the wrong kid; he wouldn't know anything of the Distortion World, or of an absol... Or of an experiment gone wrong or any of that stuff, right?" She turned back toward Jonathan.

Jonathon's eyes got wide when she mentioned Magnus. "What did you say?" He said, grabbing her arm. "Why did Magnus send you here? What...experiment." Jonathon was in the distortion world and he had the absol with him, but he couldn't remember an experiment. "Who are you?"

(Improvision, for I have no clues of what I was doing before (a bit) ;p)

The woman stared at Jonathan after he had grasped her arm. "Why should I tell you? It's not like you know anything that would be demanded of who I'm after," she spoke, pulling her arm free of the trainer's grasp before she turned around. "Unless you'd rather prove that you're the person I'm looking for, but it doesn't seem likely... You have too many questions to ask." The woman, truthfully, hadn't been sent by Magnus, but Jonathan didn't know that; however, she was knowledgeable a bit about a few topics that'd impact him.

"What do I need to prove?" Jonathon said, not moving. "Whatever it is I'll do it. I've been to the distortion world twice. I watched a man die and then Magnus left me with nothing I WANT ANSWERS!" Jonathon said, his aura beginning to grow out from him, a sudden rush of air could be felt in the hall way. He could hear the shadow chuckling in his mind, impressed at the show of force. "Tell me what you know...I'll do whatever you want just tell me."

"You wouldn't bear the guilt of the price I'd demand of the one I'm searching for," the woman spoke to Jonathan, looking towards him after the hallway became just a bit more different to her nerves. "What answers are there to give anyway?" She gestured her hand at the trainer. "So put your aura away; I don't answer to people who think they can force someone into speaking."

Jonathon sighed and relaxed his hands, his aura dissipating. "Just tell me who you're looking for or what you know or...anything. Please, I just want some answers finally. No more cryptic crap. No more teases of some sort of answer only to get left with nothing but more questions. I'll do anything, just tell me something."