I stared down at the darkened void. I was standing in ankle deep water that floated above the black.

I swiveled my head around sweating profusely. Butterfree flew in my stomach. I shouted out, but no sound occurred.

I heard footsteps in splashes behind me. I turned to look at the sound.

It was me.

We faced each other in matching poses. My clone smiled before black mist was secreted from it's skin, enveloping it in a cloak of dark smoke turning it into a mere silhouette of me. It's originally purple eyes turned blood red.

I felt wind whoosh around me as my tail failed in air.

I heard whispers all around me. They started silent, but eventually got louder and louder, until it became screaming.

I ducked down and covered my ears as tears steamed down my cheeks.

I saw my shadow laughing before the entire world was pulled away from me.

I woke up soaked in sweat. I was hyperventilating and I felt sore. I touched my paw to my cheek, and found tears.

My breathing gradually slowed, and then returned to it's normal pace. I couldn't bare to close my eyes again.

I left the room quietly and went to the table, where Climont sat, tinkering with whatever thing he was making.

"You're up early." He spoke softly. I looked to the window and saw the sun barely peaking above the horizon. I sighed and bounded up the couch and curled up. I rested my head on my tail.

"Bad dream?" Climont muttered. I nodded while staring at a potted plant in the corner. "I get those too. It's why I don't like sleeping a lot."

His words peaked my interest for a moment, before I sank into my own thoughts.

Suddenly, Climont knocked a big metal box accidentally with his elbow, sending off the table. I panicked and summoned a chain to catch it. It was pretty heavy, but I managed to get back on the wooden platform.

"Uhh... thanks."

He pushed it inward towards the center of the table and continued his activity.

The morning came fast. Serena, Ash, and Bonnie woke and prepared breakfast. For once, it was pretty uneventful.

"So Ash," Serena said. "Where are we going, now after Shalour?"

"I was thinking Cyllage." Ash responded. Serena got up from the table and placed her dishes in the sink. She pulled out her phone momentarily.

"Then we have to leave in an hour or two," she spoke. "It'll be dark when we get there."

Ash sighed.

"I'm tired, so I'm gonna rest here until we go."

TWO HOURS LATER

Ash slung his blue and white backpack onto his back. He wore his usual attire, a thin blue and white coat and red hat. He attached several pokeballs to his hip and started out the door along with Bonnie, Climomt, Serena, Pikachu, and I.

But Climont stopped.

"Ash?" He spoke. "Wouldn't it be safer if we had Ghasteon in a pokeball? We don't want Team Rocket trying to take her again."

Ash scratched his head.

"Yeah, good point."

I looked up at the trainers as they looked back at me.

"What?" I said, slightly getting more and more nervous.

"They want to know your opinion." Pikachu said behind me. I mumbled 'oh.' at Pikachu and nodded my head towards the trainers. If it's for the best, for all of us, then I can't say no.

Ash smiled as he slung his backpack over and unzipped it. He dug through it and produced a pokeball, which expanded in his hand.

Wait, have pokeballs always done that?

He held the orb out to me and I touched my paw against the front button. I was sucked up into the thing as my senses vanished, and I saw through the pokeball.

I observed as Ash picked my pokeball up and clipped to his belt.

I saw Pikachu trailing behind him, smiling a bit.

We exited the hotel doors and began walking down the road and past the urban buildings and shops, till once again we were engulfed in forest. I lost myself in my head as we made our way to Cyllage.