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Description
Part four: A Second Side?

As soon as Eevee hit the ground, Azelf moved to his side to make sure the eevee was alright.  But when it did, Eevee groaned and pushed himself off the ground, shaking his head.
“What happened?” the eevee asked as he held his head, “And who are you?”
“You…do not remember?” Azelf asked.
Eevee thought for a minute, and then shook his head, “I remember being knocked out…”
Azelf looked to Mesprit who was back on the ground holding its side.  As it got back up, Azelf floated up to Eevee, circling him to examine the fox pokémon.
“What’re you doing?” Eevee asked.
“Very odd.” Azelf muttered as it went back to Mesprit, “Very odd indeed.”
“What?” Eevee asked again.
“You truly do not remember a thing about what has just happened?” Azelf asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Eevee replied, and then he saw Claire still lying on the shore, “Claire!”
Immediately, Eevee rushed to his partner’s side, lifting her head tenderly into his lap.  As his fingers lay on her neck, the eevee sighed as he felt her pulse.
“I am sorry about what I had to do.” Mesprit said weakly as it floated to his side, “I did not want to harm her or you, but I had to.”
Eevee picked up a revive seed from the lopunny’s pack.  As he crushed the small, weak shelled seed in his hand, the eevee opened Claire’s mouth and sprinkled the crushed seed into it.
“Before you attacked me, you said something about a gear.” Eevee said, “Why would you attack us over something we didn’t even know about?”
“If you did not know about the gears, why would you have come down here?” Mesprit asked as it lay on the ground, still too weak to say much else.
Eevee began to reply when he heard Claire softly groan.  He sighed happily when her ruby eyes opened again.  With a groan, Claire pushed herself to sit up.
“What happened?” She asked, “Last thing I remember is being thrown into you Eves…”
“Allow me to explain Mesprit’s recent actions.” Azelf said, “Mesprit is not in the best of conditions to explain anything right now due to what has happened.”
Claire looked at the small pokémon in shock, “Is it ok?”
“It will be in a short time.” Azelf said as it picked up Mesprit and moved it to a safer spot.
As it floated, Azelf took a few seconds to think before it explained, “You see, we are guardians of the sacred objects.  These objects are called ‘Time Gears’.”
“Time Gears?” Claire asked, “But aren’t those just legends?  A bedtime story told to the young pokémon to explain that everything has a reaction to a certain event?”
Eevee looked to his partner, clearly confused.  He had never heard the stories before now.
“What stories?” Eevee asked.
Claire thought for a minute and then explained, “If I remember it right, there are three Time Gears.  Each gear is located in a specific part of the continent based on its guardian.  To each gear, there is one guardian.  As long as they are undisturbed, the gears will continue to do what they were designed for.  They will keep the time stream intact, keeping it flowing through eternity.
“But if the gears are disturbed, everything will stop.  Each gear controls a part of the world.  If it is disturbed, time in that part will slowly stop, the time freeze spreading all through the parts of the planet it controlled.  If all three are removed from their places, the entire planet will be frozen in time and everyone would die from the lack of resources.
“This is why these gears must never be removed.  For every action you make, there is a reaction to it.  Just like the Time Gears story.”
“You know the old legend well.” Azelf smiled, “I am only telling you this because, for the time being, I can see into your very souls.  I have borrowed power from Mesprit to tell if you are indeed trustworthy.  And I can sense that you are.”
Azelf looked out towards the water.  With a quiet grunt of effort, the pokémon strained to lift something.
Near the center of the lake, the water began to stir, waves rising up from the center and fanning out in all directions.  As Azelf focused, more and more waves came, getting higher and higher until, finally, the object was pulled from the depths.
To the amazement of the two, a green object sat atop a pillar of water.  Almost like a ball being pushed up from a fountain, the object sat, rotating slowly as the water parted below it.  Along the edges of the object were several markings, pulsing softly with a white glow.
“No way…” Claire gasped softly, “That’s a…a…”
“A Time Gear.” Azelf smiled, “One of the three, to be exact.”
“But that’s impossible.” Claire said, still awestruck from the sight of the powerful gear, “They were only legends.”
“And we aim to keep it that way.” Azelf said as the gear slowly fell back into the waters depths, “Only once have the gears been touched since their creation.  Unfortunately, it was by a thief from another time period which does not exist anymore.  The planet was almost thrown into paralysis by the actions of not only the thieving, yet good intentioned, Grovyle, but also by Dusknoir, who we thought was on our side.
“Now, the gears are back where they belong, as well as watched over by the protective eyes of Dialga and Palkia.  Unfortunately, we were ordered to defend the gears at any cost, attacking anyone who discovered their whereabouts again.  In case he decides to try to take them again.”
“I understand now.” Claire said, “That’s why Mesprit attacked me and Eves, because I got too close to the gear.”
Azelf only nodded, but then looked at Eevee.  As the psychic pokémon looked into the fox pokemon’s eyes, it didn’t feel the same presence it had during the fight.
“What?” Eevee asked, “Why’re you looking at me like that?”
“During the fight with Mesprit, you seemed to change.” Azelf said, “And you say you don’t remember a thing past being knocked out by Mesprit?”
Eevee shook his head.  The more he thought about it, the less the eevee was able to remember.
“Hmm…this is most disturbing.” Azelf muttered.
“You say something?” Claire asked.
“Oh, no.” Azelf replied, “Just thinking aloud.”
As it examined the two, Azelf finally sighed, “I will allow you two to leave, but you must promise never to speak of what you have seen.  When you leave, the tunnel will be resealed.”
“We won’t say a word.” Claire promised.
Eevee nodded in agreement and Azelf smiled.
*           *          *
Hours later, the two emerged from the dark tunnels.  While the night air had a refreshing breeze to it, the hot summer night was still much warmer than it had been before the collision.  The stars above them twinkled softly, a glistening curtain over the world as the full moon illuminated the barren earth below it.
But as Claire dug through her supplies, she looked to her partner and noticed that something was very wrong.  Eevee’s ears were lowered sadly as he slowly walked out into the night.  He was shaking his head, mumbling under his breath.
“Eves?” the lopunny asked, “Is something wrong?”
“I changed?” Eevee muttered softly, “But I don’t remember anything…”
“Eevee!” Claire called to him.
Immediately, Eevee’s ears perked up as he looked back to her, “Oh, sorry.  Did you say something?”
“I asked if something was wrong.” Claire replied, “You seem a little…distant…since we were told about those things.”
Eevee looked down, “Sorry.  I guess I’m just a little worried about what Azelf said.”
“About the gears stopping time?” Claire asked, “I’m sure they’ll be left alone once we report back that nothing was down there.  Besides, Azelf said that it’d seal off the entrance to the caverns.”
“No, not that.” Eevee sighed, “It’s more about what happened to me.  The last thing I remember is hitting the wall.  Then I wake up and Mesprit’s hurt and Azelf is floating over me.”
Claire looked down, then hugged her partner close, “Whatever you did, I’m sure it was for a good reason.”
Eevee returned the hug, “I hope you’re right Claire.  I really do.”
The lopunny released her partner and pulled an escape orb out of her pack.  The light blue ball rested in her hands, its energy glowing within the sturdy orb.
“Let’s go home.” Claire said, taking her partners hand, “We will figure this out.  Promise.”
Eevee nodded.  He knew Claire well enough to know the lopunny would be at his side until they did figure it out.
In a blinding flash of white light, the two vanished.
*           *          *
Down in the cavern, Azelf finished sealing off the entrance.  With a new seal around the stone entryway, it would seem to any one the other side that the cavern was a dead end.  With it’s task finished, Azelf glanced to its still recovering friend.
“That power…” Mesprit said quietly, shaking its head as it got up, “You felt it as well Azelf?”
“It was hard to miss.” Azelf replied.
“It was him…” Mesprit stated, “It had to be.  There is no mistaking that presence.”
“I am not so sure.” Azelf replied, checking the gears one last time, “If it was him, he would have made his presence known long before you attacked them.  Instead, it only came out after you attacked the eevee.  Plus, it seems that the presence only came to defend his partner.”
“So what are you suggesting?” Mesprit asked.
“I am simply suggesting that perhaps this is not as we think it is.  After all, as long as the eevee remains in control, we may not need to worry at all.” Azelf smiled, “I have faith that this will resolve itself in time.”
Mesprit nodded, “Let’s hope you are right.  The last thing we need is another attempt on the planet after the last two incidents.”

Description
Part four: A Second Side?

As soon as Eevee hit the ground, Azelf moved to his side to make sure the eevee was alright.  But when it did, Eevee groaned and pushed himself off the ground, shaking his head.
“What happened?” the eevee asked as he held his head, “And who are you?”
“You…do not remember?” Azelf asked.
Eevee thought for a minute, and then shook his head, “I remember being knocked out…”
Azelf looked to Mesprit who was back on the ground holding its side.  As it got back up, Azelf floated up to Eevee, circling him to examine the fox pokémon.
“What’re you doing?” Eevee asked.
“Very odd.” Azelf muttered as it went back to Mesprit, “Very odd indeed.”
“What?” Eevee asked again.
“You truly do not remember a thing about what has just happened?” Azelf asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Eevee replied, and then he saw Claire still lying on the shore, “Claire!”
Immediately, Eevee rushed to his partner’s side, lifting her head tenderly into his lap.  As his fingers lay on her neck, the eevee sighed as he felt her pulse.
“I am sorry about what I had to do.” Mesprit said weakly as it floated to his side, “I did not want to harm her or you, but I had to.”
Eevee picked up a revive seed from the lopunny’s pack.  As he crushed the small, weak shelled seed in his hand, the eevee opened Claire’s mouth and sprinkled the crushed seed into it.
“Before you attacked me, you said something about a gear.” Eevee said, “Why would you attack us over something we didn’t even know about?”
“If you did not know about the gears, why would you have come down here?” Mesprit asked as it lay on the ground, still too weak to say much else.
Eevee began to reply when he heard Claire softly groan.  He sighed happily when her ruby eyes opened again.  With a groan, Claire pushed herself to sit up.
“What happened?” She asked, “Last thing I remember is being thrown into you Eves…”
“Allow me to explain Mesprit’s recent actions.” Azelf said, “Mesprit is not in the best of conditions to explain anything right now due to what has happened.”
Claire looked at the small pokémon in shock, “Is it ok?”
“It will be in a short time.” Azelf said as it picked up Mesprit and moved it to a safer spot.
As it floated, Azelf took a few seconds to think before it explained, “You see, we are guardians of the sacred objects.  These objects are called ‘Time Gears’.”
“Time Gears?” Claire asked, “But aren’t those just legends?  A bedtime story told to the young pokémon to explain that everything has a reaction to a certain event?”
Eevee looked to his partner, clearly confused.  He had never heard the stories before now.
“What stories?” Eevee asked.
Claire thought for a minute and then explained, “If I remember it right, there are three Time Gears.  Each gear is located in a specific part of the continent based on its guardian.  To each gear, there is one guardian.  As long as they are undisturbed, the gears will continue to do what they were designed for.  They will keep the time stream intact, keeping it flowing through eternity.
“But if the gears are disturbed, everything will stop.  Each gear controls a part of the world.  If it is disturbed, time in that part will slowly stop, the time freeze spreading all through the parts of the planet it controlled.  If all three are removed from their places, the entire planet will be frozen in time and everyone would die from the lack of resources.
“This is why these gears must never be removed.  For every action you make, there is a reaction to it.  Just like the Time Gears story.”
“You know the old legend well.” Azelf smiled, “I am only telling you this because, for the time being, I can see into your very souls.  I have borrowed power from Mesprit to tell if you are indeed trustworthy.  And I can sense that you are.”
Azelf looked out towards the water.  With a quiet grunt of effort, the pokémon strained to lift something.
Near the center of the lake, the water began to stir, waves rising up from the center and fanning out in all directions.  As Azelf focused, more and more waves came, getting higher and higher until, finally, the object was pulled from the depths.
To the amazement of the two, a green object sat atop a pillar of water.  Almost like a ball being pushed up from a fountain, the object sat, rotating slowly as the water parted below it.  Along the edges of the object were several markings, pulsing softly with a white glow.
“No way…” Claire gasped softly, “That’s a…a…”
“A Time Gear.” Azelf smiled, “One of the three, to be exact.”
“But that’s impossible.” Claire said, still awestruck from the sight of the powerful gear, “They were only legends.”
“And we aim to keep it that way.” Azelf said as the gear slowly fell back into the waters depths, “Only once have the gears been touched since their creation.  Unfortunately, it was by a thief from another time period which does not exist anymore.  The planet was almost thrown into paralysis by the actions of not only the thieving, yet good intentioned, Grovyle, but also by Dusknoir, who we thought was on our side.
“Now, the gears are back where they belong, as well as watched over by the protective eyes of Dialga and Palkia.  Unfortunately, we were ordered to defend the gears at any cost, attacking anyone who discovered their whereabouts again.  In case he decides to try to take them again.”
“I understand now.” Claire said, “That’s why Mesprit attacked me and Eves, because I got too close to the gear.”
Azelf only nodded, but then looked at Eevee.  As the psychic pokémon looked into the fox pokemon’s eyes, it didn’t feel the same presence it had during the fight.
“What?” Eevee asked, “Why’re you looking at me like that?”
“During the fight with Mesprit, you seemed to change.” Azelf said, “And you say you don’t remember a thing past being knocked out by Mesprit?”
Eevee shook his head.  The more he thought about it, the less the eevee was able to remember.
“Hmm…this is most disturbing.” Azelf muttered.
“You say something?” Claire asked.
“Oh, no.” Azelf replied, “Just thinking aloud.”
As it examined the two, Azelf finally sighed, “I will allow you two to leave, but you must promise never to speak of what you have seen.  When you leave, the tunnel will be resealed.”
“We won’t say a word.” Claire promised.
Eevee nodded in agreement and Azelf smiled.
*           *          *
Hours later, the two emerged from the dark tunnels.  While the night air had a refreshing breeze to it, the hot summer night was still much warmer than it had been before the collision.  The stars above them twinkled softly, a glistening curtain over the world as the full moon illuminated the barren earth below it.
But as Claire dug through her supplies, she looked to her partner and noticed that something was very wrong.  Eevee’s ears were lowered sadly as he slowly walked out into the night.  He was shaking his head, mumbling under his breath.
“Eves?” the lopunny asked, “Is something wrong?”
“I changed?” Eevee muttered softly, “But I don’t remember anything…”
“Eevee!” Claire called to him.
Immediately, Eevee’s ears perked up as he looked back to her, “Oh, sorry.  Did you say something?”
“I asked if something was wrong.” Claire replied, “You seem a little…distant…since we were told about those things.”
Eevee looked down, “Sorry.  I guess I’m just a little worried about what Azelf said.”
“About the gears stopping time?” Claire asked, “I’m sure they’ll be left alone once we report back that nothing was down there.  Besides, Azelf said that it’d seal off the entrance to the caverns.”
“No, not that.” Eevee sighed, “It’s more about what happened to me.  The last thing I remember is hitting the wall.  Then I wake up and Mesprit’s hurt and Azelf is floating over me.”
Claire looked down, then hugged her partner close, “Whatever you did, I’m sure it was for a good reason.”
Eevee returned the hug, “I hope you’re right Claire.  I really do.”
The lopunny released her partner and pulled an escape orb out of her pack.  The light blue ball rested in her hands, its energy glowing within the sturdy orb.
“Let’s go home.” Claire said, taking her partners hand, “We will figure this out.  Promise.”
Eevee nodded.  He knew Claire well enough to know the lopunny would be at his side until they did figure it out.
In a blinding flash of white light, the two vanished.
*           *          *
Down in the cavern, Azelf finished sealing off the entrance.  With a new seal around the stone entryway, it would seem to any one the other side that the cavern was a dead end.  With it’s task finished, Azelf glanced to its still recovering friend.
“That power…” Mesprit said quietly, shaking its head as it got up, “You felt it as well Azelf?”
“It was hard to miss.” Azelf replied.
“It was him…” Mesprit stated, “It had to be.  There is no mistaking that presence.”
“I am not so sure.” Azelf replied, checking the gears one last time, “If it was him, he would have made his presence known long before you attacked them.  Instead, it only came out after you attacked the eevee.  Plus, it seems that the presence only came to defend his partner.”
“So what are you suggesting?” Mesprit asked.
“I am simply suggesting that perhaps this is not as we think it is.  After all, as long as the eevee remains in control, we may not need to worry at all.” Azelf smiled, “I have faith that this will resolve itself in time.”
Mesprit nodded, “Let’s hope you are right.  The last thing we need is another attempt on the planet after the last two incidents.”