a/n: Been a long time since I've uploaded anything here. I probably need to clean my account out of old dead projects and move onto my new ones. Still, here's one of the oneshots I've written lately, PMD2-based. It contains several spoilers if you've not seen the story through to the credits, just to warn you. And it mixed around with canon a little bit, being based on a PMD2 fanfic, Spanning Time, that I've been writing lately and may put up here when I finish it. In any case, enjoy.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time/Darkness (c) Nintendo, Chunsoft, and GameFreak

We Go On

She flitted between the trees, filled with purpose, one unlike she'd had in years. Today, after all this waiting, was the day. She'd waited so long. She still had the memory of the other future, as all the Legendaries did. That was something altering time couldn't take away from them.

And it was good that she still had the memories. Altering the flow of time had already taken so much from her. But life went on. She went on. And she was about to see one of the things she had lost returned to her, though they would never know it. It would have to be enough, to see him alive and well, in this joyful future. He couldn never know. It would be too much for him to understand, and unfair to expect him to be a certain way because of who he had been the other time. No, he mustn't know.

"Hey Celebi!" a voice inturrupted her thoughts as she flew. Coming to a halt, she looked down to see a group of Duskull looking up at her cheerfully. One in particular caught her eye, the one she had befriended this group to keep an eye on. But as this Duskull stared up at her with obvious happiness, it was hard to believe in the "other" future he had hunted her down and called her his sworn enemy.

"Hi guys!" she said cheerfully, floating down to them, "What's new?"

"We're going to go spook a group of Surskit that are trying to move into Crossbone's house!" the one Duskull said gleefully, indicating one of his companions, "It's going to be so much fun! Want to come?"

"No thanks," she said with a laugh, "I've got something I'm already doing. Maybe another time."

"Aww..." the Duskull looked sad for a moment, "Okay Celebi. See you later!"

"Bye!" she replied, turning to continue on her journey as the group of Duskull turned to head for Crossbone's dwelling and the invading Surskit. She smiled slightly. Her fears concerning the group were unfounded. It wasn't so surprising, the changes that had been wrought on the world by the preventing of the collapse of Temporal Tower, but when it came to the individual, she was still amazed by the difference at times.

She continued on her journey, seeking out a single group of Pokemon. She'd gone to so many of the other legendaries, to Mew, to Dialga, even to Arceus, and finally, had pinpointed what she was looking for. And today was the day.

Finally, she found them. A large, family group of Pokemon, living in the Mysterious Jungle. The area they had cleared out for their home was large, spacious and comfortable. Several conjoined clearings bordered by trees with teired roots. All among these roots were gaps and hollows that formed perfect nests and storage places, places that were used to their fullest potential, judging by the leaves and moss in some and the piles of fruit and berries in others. Sunlight formed dappled patterns on the ground, and the place itself gave a great feeling of warmth, and welcome, and family.

Family.

The place was swarming with Sceptile, Grovyle and Treecko, the latter of which moved around in little packs. The Grovyle flitted around here and there, bringing news from the rest of the jungle and food for the stores, as well as just chatting with the others in the group. Two in particular stood guard from high points in nearby branches and watched all the others, particularly the packs of little ones. The Sceptile moved with an older grace, coming and going like the Grovyle, but some staying to keep an eye on all the others.

There was a great feeling of fellowship between them all, she could tell. It permeated the very air. As she watched, the packs of younger Treecko flitted over to two of the Sceptile, who began to tell them stories, while the older over to a group of Grovyle, who were calling about teaching them how to climb.

But the crowning sight of the whole area - and from its placement it was clear that it was intended to be so - was the softest, mossiest, greenest patch of ground in a large broken and hollowed-out tree. And in this tree, was a clutch of green eggs. It was checked on often, with Grovyle and Sceptile looking in as they passed, with hopeful and protective expressions on their faces, as well as the ones of frank curiosity from the little Treecko who peeked in.

It was on this that she focused her attention, settling down on a tree branch that was out of sight of the two sentries. So many years. So much time. And here, something begins again, only so different from the last time, I can already tell, she thought sadly.

And then, as she watched, one of the eggs began to tremble, then crack. Seeing this, one of the sentries gave a great cry, and all of a sudden, all other activity began to cease. The stories were hastily ended, the training session called to a halt. Gathered food was hastily dropped into stores, and all of the Pokemon hurried forward to watch as the egg slowly hatched.

At last, at long long last, the last shard fell away, and a baby Treecko poked his head out. As he blinked in shock and surprise at the brightness of this new world, she let out a breath. Even now, those eyes were so familiar, it seemed.

Meanwhile, cries of joy were echoing throughout the clearing. Jubliation, excitement, and the kind of love only a family can give, all of it was clear on every face. With a smile, one of the female Sceptile stepped forward and picked up the newborn, before turning it and beaming with pride, showing him to the others. The cries were repeated, with greater intensity. Even the Treecko, the younger ones peering to see what all the adults were fussing about, the elder trying and failing to hide their excitement behind indifference, were overjoyed at the new addition to the family.

Family.

He'd told her how he had hatched in the other future. Alone, in dark and silence. How different it was, now. Here, he was born into a world surrounded by family who loved and cared and would protect him, who hailed his birth as one of the many miracles of life, instead of a dark and desloate world so sunk into its own paralysis to care. He's better off in the end, she told herself, with a sad smile on her face, He'll be fine without me. I'll miss him, sure, but I did ask for this. I wanted to make a better world for him and Miranda and all the others, and I got it. The world is a better place. They'll grow up in a better place. It's bittersweet... but I am happy...

For a moment, the crowd parted, and she leaned forward to just get one glimpse of the Pokemon who had been her closest friend. For a moment, it seemed like he looked up, right to where she was and saw her too. The little Treecko's eyes widened in wonder.

And in a whir of fairylike wings, she was gone.