Author's Notes – Yes, that's right! After over a year, memories is back! You didn't think I was just going to end it with them all dying a fiery death at the hands of a helicopter, did you? No.

\\Chapter Nineteen: Mortality/

Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson sat on a small bench within the Olivine City Pokémon Centre. About a hundred people were gathered around a small television mounted on the wall, while uncountable others were waiting in a line that stretched throughout the building.

"We go now live to Olivine, where Elisha is reporting on the evacuation. Elisha."

"Thank you, Dave. As you can see behind me, thousands of people are gathered around and inside the Olivine City Pokémon Centre, most of which have undoubtedly been relocated from Goldenrod within the past two hours. Some of them likely left whole lives behind, while others may have become separated from their families in the evacuation.

Many people are searching for a glimmer of hope inside this disaster. Some began celebrating after the destruction of the supposed base where the leader of this terrorist attack, General Gregory Alvin Rich, was located, likely hoping the weapons could not be detonated without the base of operations. Additionally, we are receiving the first reports from the Johto Government that suggest all of Goldenrod city will be evacuated to Olivine within the next two hours…"

{-/|!|\-}

I'm probably dead Adam thought. For most people and pokémon, this would be an illogical thing to think, as they had never experienced death before. Adam, however, was an exception, so he could make a fairly accurate comparison. Though he found it painful, after about thirty minutes, he managed to open his eyes and sit up, and saw that he was lying on a cloud. Yep. Definitely dead. Kind of figured heaven would hurt less, though. Groggily, he turned himself over, only to be greeted by a William in his face.

"Oh, good – you're up," he said. "Stephanie and I were worried."

Looking around, Adam saw Stephanie sitting about five yards away, tending to Treecko. A pile of metal that was once a helicopter sat five yards past that. Other than that, the only thing of note was they were in a perfectly rectangular room made out of clouds, with only one exit: a hallway (also made out of clouds). Much to his surprise, he found the setup familiar.

"How did we survive?" Adam asked.

"Stephanie pushed us out of the helicopter when we fell through the cloud. About two seconds later, we hit something solid. She got up first, with me getting up five minutes after that. You've been out about an hour, though."

"And Treecko?"

"Just bruised. It's really fortunate we landed on this cloud. Speaking of which, how did we land on a cloud?"

Adam looked around for a second. He felt as if he had been here before. Slowly, it dawned on him.

"Have either of you two seen any pokémon?"

"Stephanie thought she saw an Altaria fleeing from the crash, and I saw a Salamence walk past the room in that hallway, but I guess any others that were here got scared off by the blast. Why?"

"You're not going to believe this…"

{-/|!|\-}

General Rich regained consciousness shortly after Adam and the others. Two things were different from his crash than that of the children. First, he was one floor up. Second, he had anticipated the impact and knew about Sky Tower, and thus was able to lessen the force of the crash with his flying skills. As a result, the majority of the helicopter was intact, save the area the other helicopter hit, but it would never be able to fly again. Likewise, most of the equipment inside the helicopter was damaged. After checking to ensure the helicopter would not explode, Rich proceeded to perform an inventory of everything still intact. This search yielded two rice balls (which he tossed aside), two pistols, a portable video camera capable of video chat (which he packed just in case he did not make it to civilization) and portable internet connector, all of which he kept, and the Master Ball containing his Abra, which he also took with him.

Once the inventory was finished, he sat down, activated the camera and transmitter, and held the camera close to his face, sending a live video stream across oceans through the use of satellites. Within minutes, the President and Prime Minister were both talking to him, with the Prime Minister looking very smug.

"I commend your work, Mr. President and Prime Minister," General Rich said as he once again appeared on the screens of the respective leaders, both of whom were in the middle of meetings. "Using my own weapons against me – that was genius. Not to mention having discovered where the bomb was hidden in Johto. But I do have one question: what gave it away? Did you find radiation?"

"It was the remote countdown, Rich. Now tell us where you are hiding. Your plan has failed, and there's no point in running," the Prime Minister said. The President said something similar, but Rich was only able to receive one audio / video signal on his camera, so he could not hear him.

"Oh, I don't think my plan has failed, Prime Minister. Have you ever heard of the Canalave Inn Disaster?"

"The what?"

"Never mind – just my mind wandering. But as I was saying, I really don't think you've stopped my plan."

"How so?"

"You've destroyed my base of operations. True. As a result, I no longer have the ability to create more bombs, nor can I arm the ones I've already sent. For that matter, I can't send any signal to them at all…including the signal to disarm the one with the countdown already started. You have two hours."

"We'll evacuate in one!"

"I hope you do, Prime Minister. I really do. But congratulations on your evacuation. One million people in just a few days is very impressive." With that, Rich deactivated the camera, tossed them aside, and wandered down a cloud-built hallway.

{-/|!|\-}

"You mean to tell me," Stephanie said, "that we're currently in Sky Pillar –"

"Tower," interjected Adam.

"– Tower, which is a dungeon made out of clouds where Rayquaza lives? And you came here before, and that this is what my sister's gym is based on. Oh, and it's made out of solid clouds?"

"Pretty much," said Adam.

Stephanie was about to say something else when William interrupted her.

"Adam, you said something about pokémon being here?"

"Yes, why?"

"I hear something coming down that hallway. How powerful are they?"

"Very. We should…find cover…or prepare to battle…or something."

Quickly, the three children and one pokémon ran behind the rubble of the helicopter. Stephanie had a pokéball-in-hand, ready to fight if necessary, while Treecko practiced some moves. Adam looked out over the rubble to see what they would be facing.

He did not see a pokémon. Instead, he saw General Rich, pointing a gun at him.

"Hello, Adam," Rich began. "We have much to do. Get your friends out here and I promise I won't shoot you."

{-/|!|\-}

Immediately after Rich left, the Prime Mister and the President both had their men research anything they could about the disaster. In the end, the President's men failed to find anything, while the only thing the Prime Minister's men had found was a small excerpt in the back of the long-outdated textbook The Complete History of Canalave City. It read as follows:

The Canalave Inn was known for two calamities that plagued it throughout its fifty-seven year history. The first was that, like all the other inns in the city, it was a regular place for visitors to be attacked by Darkrai, giving them endless nightmares. The second, and much less well-known, happened shortly after the inn opened in 1903. A terrible earthquake struck the town, causing many buildings in the city to collapse. When the Canalave Inn was about to fall, a trainer instructed his Machamp to hold up the building so the guests could escape. Twenty-five people made it out before the building collapsed, killing the Machamp. Yet the heroic act was in vain – every single person the Machamp rescued, including his trainer, vanished overnight. Since that night, no trace has ever been found.

A short while after reading the excerpt, the Prime Minister phoned the President, although neither could think of any significance it might have.

{-/|!|\-}

"I'll make this simple," Rich said as he released his Abra directly between him and William. He also took another gun out of his pocket. "I'm going to give this gun to William. He will use it to shoot me, but ensure he shoots the Abra as well. If he does not, I will kill Adam, Stephanie, and Treecko."

"But that doesn't make any sense," William said. "Why would you want me to shoot you? And why do I have to kill Abra?"

"I do not wish to tell you, nor is it important. Now, shoot," Rich said as he tossed a gun to William and pointed the other at Treecko.

"Why not shoot me instead?" William asked.

"Because you can't die! Now shoot!" The sound of roaring thunder sprang forth from Rich's gun as a bullet hole appeared in the clouds between Adam's feet. "Missed. And with no spare ammo. At least I can still kill two of you." Another thunderclap rang out. The two children and grass type shut their eyes. Adam prepared for the end, for the third time in his life. Stephanie stood fearfully in place, as Treecko attempted to run toward the hallway.

However, no life-shattering bullet came. The three opened their eyes, only to see a dead Abra, William on his knees crying, and Rich with a hole through his stomach.

"You shot?" Adam asked as William nodded his head.

The three began to comfort William when Rich made his first noise in a long time. Adam rushed over to him.

"I wonder," Rich began, "if our rivalry will continue. But my bet's been placed."

"What bet?"

"You don't need to know. But I need you to finish my plan."

"Why would I do that?" Adam asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Because if you don't, millions will die, and I still win."

"Wha – "

"You have forty five minutes to make it to Johto."

"Where in Johto?"

"The tallest building west of Goldenrod."

"How are we supposed to do that?"

Rich reached into his pocket. Adam tensed, fearing he hid another gun. Instead, he removed a spherical object Adam could not see. "With this," Rich said, as he gave Adam the master ball. "It should – gah!" Rich suddenly entered into a coughing fit as blood seeped from his wound. When it subsided, he continued, "It should…be usable…running out of breath…now that the Abra…is…" Another coughing fit began. Unlike the last one, this one failed to end. A few seconds later, for the third time in his life, General Gregory Alvin Rich died.

\\\End of Chapter Nineteen/

Coming Soon

Memories, Chapter Twenty

I decided to leave the geography note out. It was not that important. Also, the problem with chapters 11 thru 15 not having their breaks shown is (hopefully) fixed!