They have traveled, trained and battled together, they were able to relax before making the next trip, both Rose the busty female Houndoom, seeking to be the next Champion and Konjou the 9-tailed blue Renomon disguised as Kazuki "Silver" Nobu to all but Rose, are on their way to the championship tournament in Ever Grande Town; but it would have to wait as something was about happen in the middle of their travel to the tournament.  They had just left Pacifidlog and would be at Ever Grande Town in a matter of 4 hours, but they will making an unexpected stop to a strange and mysterious island known as 'Mirage Island' that is surrounded by many whirlpools.  They were relaxing on the deck going through some strategic battle tactics of herself against different types of PoKe'MoN using cards that had specific elements, "Good.  Now then... if you were fighting against a Fairy type.  What would be the 1 type that would take them out?  And... what other types in your arsenal can be used on certain mixed Fairy Type PoKe'MoN?" he asked as she thought for a moment, "That would be... Poison!  And for the mixed there are my... Steel and/or Ground type moves."  "Very good, Rose." he said as she smiled, "Thanks for helping me get ready, Master Konjou."  "My pleasure, I know it's a bit much to take in but I'm sure you'll remember when the time comes in combat." he said as she nods, "Also, Rose... don't expose the potential that I've taught you when using your 'Hidden Power' attack, unless... you actually need to on a PoKe'MoN that has taken every type you currently have."  "Yes, Master, I will make sure not to use 'Hidden Power' wisely." she said w/ a determined look to hold his trust as he nods w/ a gently smile.

Just as Konjou puts the cards away the ship shook a bit as a passenger speaks, "Oh no!  We're too close to the whirlpools!  We're getting pulled in!" the ship tries to move away but it was too late as Rose and Konjou inspect it, "What do we do, master?" she asked as Konjou examines the situation, "Rose, tell the captain to turn towards the whirlpools I'll use 'Energy Ball' to stop the whirlpools for a time to dock safety at the island." Konjou said as Rose was not sure but nods and heads to the helm, Konjou focused his energy while Rose gets opens the door, "Captain!  Head towards the whirlpools!"  "What?!  We'll get sucked in!"  "Just do it!" she said as the captain turns towards the whirlpool, Konjou's eyes focused on the whirlpool sensing the ships movement to then see his chance and launches 2 'Energy Ball' attacks that once touching the water bursts causing the whirlpool to disappear as the ship moved fast enough to pass safely to the island where a dock and house was there.  An old Noctowl welcomed them to Mirage Island and hopes they were alright, the captain said they were safe thanks to Kazuki's plan but wondered when they can leave, the Noctowl said that he'll call for help as this happens a lot and offered the people to stay and relax until help arrives, where only Flying types would be able to leave here w/o trouble.  Rose sighs a lil as Konjou touches her should, "Come on, we'll train a bit in the woods."  "Just a moment!" the Noctowl said, "The woods of Mirage Island aren't for the faint of heart, step in there and you'll find yourself in another place, in another time.  Be careful, for anything you do in there might chance your very future." he said w/ a glare of seriousness as Rose blinks a lil, "... you expect us to believe that?  That's just... well, silly... right, master?" she asked him as he lightly bowed his head, "Thank you for the warning, we will be careful.  Let's go and train." he said as Rose looks to him then bowed her head and followed as the Noctowl looked at them go as he breathed out then heads inside to make the call.

Rose caught up w/ Konjou as she spoke, "Master?  Do you believe in that?  I mean the whole... ending up in another time and place kind of thing." she asked as they walked, Konjou was silent for a moment then spoke, "Yeah... I do."  "Really?" she asked a lil curious then realized that Konjou isn't a PoKe'MoN like herself that she stops covering her mouth a bit, "Oh!  I-I'm sorry, master, I forgot that you’re not from here." she said bowing her head in respect, "It's alright, Rose." he said touching her shoulder, "When traveling around, even I don't think about where I'm originally from, only where I'm at now." he said as she smiles a bit at him.  They continued on in the woods to find a good spot to train in private while the mist was gently moving in on them, "Master, before we do any training... what is it like where you lived... before coming here?" she asked, "Well... like I said before when we first met, I am from a world where humans would see me as a daemon.  But what I didn't say... was that daemons were something to be feared and hated because they’re not what they would call normal, but of course most well-known were... mischievous... or loosely put evil.  So I've lived among them, hidden, disguised as a human to live a... slightly normal life, but I always keep moving forward, never stopping, never settling... just like I do now." he said as she remembered seeing Konjou in his alter ego; the world renown Phantom Fighter: Kazuki "Silver" Nobu, brave, strong and graceful, but she was the only one that's seen his true form as she gently smiles and lightly touches his back to lean against him, "... it must be pretty lonely there.  Never allowed to be w/ anyone, you hiding from the world." Rose said lightly moving her hands down his back, "It wasn't always... but time changes things and so... I adapted." he said as he felt her arms wrap around his waist and hugged him as he gently touches hers standing still for a moment.

Rose w/ her eyes closed and head against his back gently spoke on what she was thinking, "... I would never let you be alone again... as long as I lived." she said holding him close as he softly breathed staying silent as he lightly rubbed her hand w/ his own as his eyes were closed as well thinking to himself, Rose opened her eyes realizing what she was doing and blushes, "Oh, uh, I um... I'm ready to continue training." she said almost stumbling on her words a bit as he Konjou nods his head, "Alright, let's begin." he said as they begin their sparring session.  The mist moved in on them almost instantly in the middle of their sparring as Konjou and Rose dashed at each other but Konjou stops by blocking and holding Rose's wrists, she grunts a bit from the firm hold, "Ow!  Konjou?!" she said as she saw his face looking at the mist as if he was sensing something, "... Konjou?" she asked nut still tugged a lil more, "You’re holding my wrists to tight."  "Hmm?  Oh, sorry." he said looking to her then releasing her as he looks at the mist seeing that it was getting thicker by the second, "It's getting a lil hard to see let's head back."  "No... don't move.  Something strange is around us." he said as Rose looks behind them, "Is it another PoKe'MoN wanting to battle?" she asked, "No... something else.  I think it's..." Konjou's voice faded before he finished as Rose speaks, "It's what?  Konjou?" she turns and gasps, "Master!  Master, where are you?!  Master!" she called out as her voice echoed in the mist.

Konjou was sensing something to where he then freeze sensing the air shifted around him as he spoke, "I think it's a time rift that's surrounding us." he said then quickly turns to see Rose fade away, "Rose!  ... damn it..." he said to then begin calling out for her feeling she was still in the area, the mist was indeed thick as he walked he felt the texture of the ground was no longer from Mirage Island, but suddenly he looks to his left as an attack came towards him, 'Ember' he thought as he quickly brings his arm up to form a barrier stopping the attack and when looking at who threw the attack he sensed there was a young PoKe'MoN there, "It's ok, young one.  I won't hurt you." he said as he walks up to see a young female Houndoom in her early teens, she appeared to have been crying as he walks up to her he sees she's next to the steps of an old tower that appeared to have been burned years if not centuries ago, "Are you lost?" he asked, "N-no..." she replied and he walked to the stairs and as he turns to sit on the stairs to where his eyes dart to the PoKe'Ball earring on her left ear, his mind quickly came to the conclusion that it was Rose when she was a younger but he didn't want to upset the young girl, once sitting he reaches and pulls out and hands her a few Oran Berries, "Here, you must be hungry." he said as young Rose's stomach growls a lil and she looked at her stomach to touch it a bit then spoke, "... yeah... I am." she said to then sit down and began to eat while he wondered to himself on how the older Rose was doing but can't do anything but wait until the fog shifted again for him to continue his search but didn't mind being w/ Rose's younger self as it seemed like she needed someone to talk w/ about something troubling on her mind.

Rose walks around a bit calling out for Konjou hoping he would answer but there was no sign of him anywhere as she lightly gripped her arm a bit a lil afraid on what's happening and if Konjou was sent back to his own world, she felt lonely and some heartache if this was true but when walking she slips and steps in the water as she gasped and falls back and moved away from the water as she didn't want to get pulled into the whirlpools if any were close, she sighed then stood up but then heard someone yelling in the distance along the shore as she followed to where the voice was coming from, she knew it wasn't Konjou's as it was a female voice that sounded familiar but couldn't quite make a connection but as she got closer she stepped on a twig that stopped the voice.  Rose froze in place prepared for whoever this female was that's in the area if they were to attack where she does sounding very angry as she dives from the air w/ 'Fire Punch' as Rose dodges it left then right as the unknown female PoKe'MoN was striking w/ a 'Fire Punch' flurry that Rose then grips the arm and flips her over her shoulder and to the ground having used 'Reversal' where she grunts and Rose had time to speak, "Stop it!  I'm not here to hurt you."  "Ouch!  You just used 'Reversal' on me and your saying you’re not here to hurt me?!" the unknown female said, "I'm sorry but I used it out of self-defense, please just relax." Rose said walking up to see it was a Houndoom as well then when unknown lifts her head up Rose and the mysterious other Houndoom looked at each other thinking they were seeing a double of themself but the earring was on the opposite horn, they were in different clothing and the difference in their horn length.

The other female Houndoom stands up still staring at Rose as they both were speechless seeing an almost exact double of themself that they both speak at the same time, "Who are you?" the other quickly responded, "You first!" Rose was a lil taken back from her barking an order that she stepped back and replied, "I'm Rose, you?" she asked as the other female Houndoom speaks, "My name is Liz, now explain to me why you look like me!  Are you a Ditto?!"  "No, no I'm not a Ditto!" Rose said a bit frightened from Liz's threatening attitude and glare, "Then tell me why your here!" Rose gulped a bit and spoke, "I'm a bit lost, I was separated from my master while we were training." she said to where Liz's expression changes entirely too then put her arms around her and was starting to cry, "Ooh, I'm so sorry, you lost your master!  I'm very sorry for scaring you like that, I just had a fight w/ my own mentor and I don't want to lose him!"  Liz was crying while Rose tried to comfort her, "I-it's ok, I'm sure your mentor will take you back, just speak w/ him."  "I don't think he will." Liz said wiping her tears a bit from her face, "I was very rude to him this morning.  You see... I had just won my last badge and we partied that night, but when we arrived here, he was talking about relaxing physically a bit before arriving at the championship tournament, I wanted to continue training hard to be sure I was ready for anything, but it got worse until then I stormed out of the center and came here to... well, train some more... but I... I feel like I'm going to lose him... and I... I love him." Liz said as she seemed to calm down the more she spoke.

Rose listened to Liz looking to her, "... Liz... I know how you feel.  I feel the same w/ my master.  He's very caring and patient w/ me, making sure I'm healthy and sure I'm safe and prepared for any battle I will face." she said while Liz looked to Rose, "I'm sure like my master, he's only looking out for your health and well-being.  Shouldn't you do the same if he got hurt?" she asked as Liz looked w/ a realization on times she's helped him when he was hurt during their travels as he then looks down, "... yeah, I would... and I have.  I've been there for him and he's been there for me.  I... don't know what came over me... because I know I love him very dearly that I... well... I want to marry him."  "You want to marry your mentor?"  Rose asked as Liz nods, "Yeah, he's the greatest PoKe'MoN to ever come in my life." she said blushing and touching her heart, Rose looked to Liz and smiles, "Then you should go to him, go and apologize about before, win the tournament and marry him." she said smiling widely as Liz smiles as well, "Your right, I'll go and apologize to Jason and go win the tournament and marry him the next day." she said as she hugs Rose, "Thank you."  "Y-your welcome, Liz." Rose said as she thought to herself on the name of her mentor 'Jason', she had a thought of her grandfather and grandmother but shook it off to where Liz looks to Rose smiling, "Thank you for the pep talk, I hope we cross paths again someday." she said as Rose nods.

A voice was calling out as they both looked to the direction it was coming from, it was male as Liz smiled knowing the voice, "It's my mentor Jason." she said as Rose looked to her, "Then you best get going to him and continue your dream."  "Yes, I will, thank you, Rose.  Why don't you come and meet him?" Liz asked as Rose shook her head, "No thanks, I need to continue looking for my own mentor." she said as Liz nods, "Ok, good luck and don't be afraid to let him know how you feel as well." Rose blushed w/ a nod as they both said their goodbyes and Liz ran to where Jason was as Rose watched them hug a bit before he looks to her, "Elizabeth, I'm sorry."  "No, it's my fault." they both continued to talk while Rose then froze a lil on their names, "... Elizabeth?  Jason?  Grandma and grandpa?" he asked to herself before starting to walk towards them, but then their voices and silhouettes faded, "Grandma!  Grandpa!  Wait!" she said running but slows to a stop as she breathes out, "... did I... did I really see my grandmother?  No, I couldn't have... could I?" she asked while then remembering what the old Noctowl said "The woods of Mirage Island aren't for the faint of heart, step in there and you'll find yourself in another place, in another time."  "Was he telling the truth?" Rose asked herself, "... if so... then... I did meet my grandmother... when she was young and heading to the tournament." she said w/ a lil smile then it fades as she thinks a lil on what her grandmother Liz or as she knows her, Elli had said, "Don't be afraid to let him know how you feel as well." Rose giggles a lil and nods, "I will grandma... I will." he said to herself as the mist was starting to lift.

Rose looked about a lil as the mist was moving on but still no sign of Konjou but then she turns hearing a voice behind her and instantly knew it was his, as the mist moved exposing more of the trees, grass and sky she saw his figure coming out of it while he called out her name and she calls out, "Master, I'm here!" she said as he turns a lil then walked towards her to appear out of the mist, "Rose, are you alright?"  "I'm fine, master." she said as she hugs him and he gently hugged her back lightly patting her head, "You sure you’re ok?" he asked as she nods, "Yes, are you ok?"  "I'm well, but I'm a lil more used to things like that, this was your first in a time rift." he said as she looks to him, "A time rift?"  "Simply put, someone from the past or future appearing in the present or visa versa for a short while before returning." he said as Rose thought to herself that if this is true, she did see and speak w/ her grandmother in the past, "I know something like that is difficult to take or even understand at times, especially when it's your first time going through that... but other times, it's almost as certain that you were meant to appear there for a reason; you needing help w/ something or someone needing help themselves." he said as she looks to him and smiles, "I understand." she said thinking to herself that her grandmother Elli needed help to overcome what she felt from the argument they had back at the center and have now patched things up, Grandma Elli understood that Grandpa Jay didn't want her to hurt herself now that she was close to her goal, thinking not only a her mentor but also her love.

Konjou looks to Rose, "Let's get back, help should be here soon." he said while she nods, both get back to the ship as help did arrive moments later as a 2 Dragonites pulls the 2 anchors from each side of the ship and hands part of it to the 2 Wailords that pulled and tugged the ship out and away from the whirlpools and back on course to its destination, the Wailords and Dragonites left back to their base once the ship was safe.  Rose was looking out at the island rubbing her earring thinking back on meeting her grandmother in her youth, "... I'll let him know, grandma... I let him know how I love him... I promise." she said as Konjou walks up, "Promise what?" Rose gasped a bit and stuttered a bit, "Oh um, I... I was talking about my promise to be a champion." she said lightly fiddling w/ her hair a lil, "I see.  Well, I'm sure you'll win the tournament and be the new champion." he said as Rose looks to him as he touches her shoulder making her blush a bit but still smile brightly, "You've trained long and hard, learned many new things since you've started on your journey.  You will go out there and battle w/ honor and your heart." he said as she smiles and nods, "I will fight w/ honor, master, I will especially fight w/ my heart." she said looking at him w/ her fist gripped and a determined look, he nods his head, "It's almost time for dinner, Rose."  "I'll be inside in a few minutes." she said as he nods and heads inside, Rose watches him go while she thought to herself that she will tell Konjou how she felt about him but like her grandmother, she will tell him when she becomes the next champion of the Hoenn Region.

THE END