EPISODE 127: The Path of Matter and Life!

"Welcome to my world... you are no my prisoner. Let's play a game shall we?" The voice echoed loudly as two red glaring eyes appeared in front of me and Riolu.

"It... It was Giratina after all!" I uttered with shock as the islands around me formed a path towards the two glaring eyes.

"You've surpassed the trial of time and space thanks to my help. Its time for you, to surpass mine!" Giratina shouted loudly as a void formed behind the two glaring eyes. Giratina's body was nothing but a large silhouette.

"Welcome to the distortion world, Kalem Ketsueki. I am Giratina, God of all Matter! It's time for the trial of matter to take place!" Giratina shouted loudly as the islands stopped moving and formed a path towards the God of all Matter, Giratina.

"What do I have to do, in order to surpass the trial of matter?" I queried with determination and excitement.

"Oh it's quite easy actually... all you have to do is to get to me!" Giratina's voice uttered and trembled over the whole land.

"Alright Riolu, let's do what Giratina says! Let's hop towards him!" With Riolu clinging to my shoulder, we hopped to the next island.

"Do you think it will be that easy!? Haha!" Giratina laughed hardly as the islands began to disperse.

"Oh no, what the!?" The islands floated further from each other. Some islands began to collide against each other, collision is our only hope to hop to the next island.

The island me and Riolu were in tilted sideways, I had no choice but to cling on a small sturdy shard implanted on the ground.

"Kalem, help!" Riolu lost grip of my shoulder and descended to the distortion void. I was able to grab one of his palm, with my left hand.

"Hang in there Riolu! We're not giving up yet!" I comforted while holding tight to his palm.

An island started to float below us, I removed my grip from the shard implanted on the island me and Riolu were, we fell down to the island below us.

The island continued to move, it was heading for a collision course on another island.

"Alright Riolu... before the island hits, I'll be throwing you to the next island!" I instructed.

"Kalem, what if I don't make it..." Riolu uttered with worry.

"Don't worry Riolu, trust me. I am yours and you are mine. Now go!" I comforted Riolu and threw him to the next island. He landed safely to the next island, now it's my turn to jump!

"Yahhh!" I began to jump towards the island Riolu was in, but the problem is... my hand missed by an inch.

"I got you Kalem!" Riolu grabbed my hand before I met the distortion void. Riolu pulled my hand and lifted my body.

The former island we were on, collided on the present island we're now in. It made the island move towards another incoming island.

"Thanks buddy, You're the best!" I uttered with a relieving smile while hugging Riolu tightly.

"Alright Riolu... same tactic, we need to jump towards the next island!" I instructed.

"Not so fast!" Giratina grinned and moved the next island we were heading to the side.

"I don't think so Giratina, Riolu! Hold my hand tightly." I instructed.

"What do you think I'm doing Kalem!?" Riolu uttered with worry.

I jumped up and clung unto a sturdy rock. We were able to leap to the next island safely. The island moved sideways towards other islands.

Me and Riolu hopped from island to island. Sideways or not, each island has a little detail wherein me and Riolu can cling to.

"Come on Riolu, just one more island and we'll make it to Giratina!" I uttered with determination while wiping off a tear of sweat from my face.

"Hahaha! Let's see if you can reach me now!" Giratina separated the islands far from each other. Very far, that jumping would only lead us to our doom.

"What now!?" I uttered with worry and panic.

"Kalem... do you trust me?" Riolu queried with a confident face.

"Trust you? What's your plan Riolu?"

"Just trust me Kalem..." Riolu smiled confidently.

"Alright buddy... what do you want me to do?" I questioned.

"The only way to make it to the next island is through my force palm. My force palm will give you a jump start and push you to the last island." Riolu explained.

"Wait, what about you Riolu!? I can't just leave you in this world! There must be away for the both of us to reach the end together."

"What other way Kalem!? There are no options. The distortion world falls under the command of the God who rules it. Only one can pass through. Me or you?"

"There's no me or you? Cause if you're not getting out, I won't either. there is always a way!"

"This is the way Kalem... now go and catch the legendary bird!" Riolu uttered and tried to force palm me, but I dodged his attack.

"We can think of a way together Riolu... a better one. I've been traveling with you for almost five months now! I won't leave you behind."

I decided to stay with Riolu on the island. I stopped for a minute and thought deeply, in every problem, there is always a solution. This is no exception.

"That's it! Riolu, hold tightly!" Another island was facing sideways beside the island me and Riolu were on. I grabbed Riolu's palm and leaped to the island on the side!

From the island we hopped on, I pushed my feet to the ground, and leaped as far as I could. The island on the side was a bit closer to the last island.

"We won't make it!" Riolu uttered with worry.

"Riolu, we'll use the horns on your paws as an anchor!" I uttered loudly while holding Riolu's two paws.

With the horns on Riolu's paws, it was able to take a grip on the fertile ground of the island. It pierced through the ground deeply.

"Ahh!" I uttered with fear, while clinging to Riolu's foot.

"Kalem, you're too heavy! I'm losing my grip!" Riolu uttered with worry and panic.

"It's fine Riolu, let go!"

"Let go!? We're going to die if I let go!"

"Trust me Riolu... trust me..." I uttered softly.

Riolu removed his grip from the fertile grounds."Riolu, now use force palm!" I instructed before Riolu and I reach the void.

Riolu's force palm caused me and Riolu to blast up and into the island. Me and Riolu arrived safely on the last island.

"Buddy! Are you alright!?" I uttered with worry while hugging Riolu's tired body.

"Yeah... I feel drained that's all. You're too heavy." Riolu chuckled and smiled while resting on my grip.

"Thanks, buddy, you did a great job!" I beamed with joy and hugged Riolu tightly.

The distortion world began to shake, everything started to crumble. Giratina was speechless, he didn't say a single word. A black portal appeared below me and Riolu, below the portal... we saw the path to the legendary tower.

"Now go!" Giratina uttered with frustration.

Without hesitation and reluctance, I jumped into the portal with Riolu on my grip. It looks like our success angered the God of Matter.

"We'll meet again Kalem! Mark my words!" Giratina uttered loudly as the portal closed slowly.

The portal disappeared, alongside with the thick fog which once surrounded me and Riolu.

"K...Kalem, are we back to our world?" Riolu's blurred vision slowly turned clear. He was still clinging to my arm, looking tired and worn-out.

"We did it Riolu! We're back in the real world." I beamed with joy and exuberance while rubbing Riolu's belly.

"Hahaha!" Me and Riolu played on the pebble pathway. I rubbed and tickled Riolu's belly, and that's when I saw a small flower blooming from the snow.

"R... Riolu look!" I uttered with shock and pointed at the blooming flower.

It was a violet flower, with six elegant petals. Inside the flower was a yellow filling which added a pinch of beauty. The flower bloomed and sweet scents started to flourish the whole path. Pollens scattered everywhere, on the grass, on the tree, and even on me and Riolu's nose!

The pollen melted the snow away, as the grass turned into lush green from pure white. The wind began to swivel around us, as the leaves turned green. Pink petals flowed with the wind, as a glowing circle appeared from above.

The light from the glowing circle, was reflected through the pendant of Arceus.

All the snow disappeared on the path towards the legendary tower. You could see the tower from the distance, it was tall and shiny as a rainbow crossed over, which added a pinch of beauty to the sky.

Pink blossoms sprouted from the ground, as the white circle slowly descended.

"Well done my boy... I, Arceus, the God of all life, allow you to pass through my trial. Take the path of life, and walk to the tower. Fight and capture the legend you wish, and do not fall into temptation." The white circled uttered majestically and dispersed into thin air.

"Thanks Arceus! Soon, I'll be wishing upon you!" I beamed with excitement and determination.

"Yah!" Riolu clung and leaped to my shoulder.

"Let's go Kalem... a legendary bird is waiting for us!" Riolu beamed with joy and excitement.

The path of life was elegant and beautiful indeed. Life will always be there, to show its true colors despite the adversities and hardships we encounter, if we only hold tightly... who knows?

As the journey continues...