A/N: Wonder what's been happening with the new pokemon games. I haven't had the time to catch up so all of this will be strictly Unova and earlier.

As always: /Disclaimer/ I don't own pokemon or any part of it.

What's your favorite color?

The pale aquamarine that lights up the sky after the rain: the cheap cousin of the deep, rich indigo that clothes royalty.

Selena.

Who knew that the champion Cynthia had a younger sister. Probably not the champion herself. She had always lived a carefree life with Marie by her side. The cool and confident champion Cynthia lived with the support of an unknown trainer. And yet... the entire Pokemon world lived without knowing her. The little sister did not exist. Neither did Marie.

A few faint notes played from the Azure Flute. The melody haunted the ears of its listeners and inspired a new holiness. Or a new hollowness. No one could distinguish the two emotions anymore. Their entire life's work had forsaken them. The fabric of time and space seemed to rip apart. But those were just dramatics and truth be told, the entire cavern of planetary figures understood the situation. Saturn and Jupiter sank to the ground, no longer interested in their plans for world domination. Cyrus' eyes had gone blank as he sat mesmerized by the piping of the Flute.

How does the world tear apart so easily?

Dark clouds gathered over the contest stage. Marie couldn't be found and Cynthia was beginning to worry. Her encounter with Steven only lasted a few more precious moments before the paparazzi burst into the hotel. The sight of two champions cradling each other in their arms was too much for the news-starved press.

"My favorite color is turquoise." Cynthia smiled and brushed Steven's light steel blue hair away from his face. "They're the color of your eyes."

"They've never been described as turquoise before," Steven said, perplexed. "Maybe they're only turquoise when you're reflected in them."

A warm feeling crept up her back and she felt her neck turning hot. "I'm the only person they should be reflecting," Cynthia pouted.

Steven returned her smile, "They can be whatever color you want them to be."

She cupped his face tenderly in her hand. This man was precious to her, but there were other things she considered precious. Marie was one of them. Cynthia had always had the feeling Marie didn't belong in this world, like there was some ethereal quality about this girl. But throughout her own hardships, Marie had always been there for Cynthia. The Sinnoh Champion always returned her favors. Extracting herself from Steven's embrace, ignoring his questioning glance, she headed to the front desk.

"I'd like to put a call in to Marie," Cynthia informed the pink and jovial Nurse Joy.

The nurse seemed puzzled and frowned strangely, "I'm sorry champion Cynthia, we don't know anyone by that name."

Cynthia's eyes widened, "Did you check the tournament registry? I'm not quite sure what you mean when you say that."

"Well, there's no one registered in the tournament under that name and there's no one currently staying at any of our hotels with that name either. Which is actually strange since I'm sure it's a common name."

"Can you check again? That must be a mistake, she's supposed to be participating in the upcoming contest." Cynthia felt herself beginning to panic. What a strange occurrence. How could they not know who Marie is? She had been at the front desk before and it was rumored that Nurse Joy never forgot a face.

"I'm sorry Miss Cynthia, but I checked again and confirmed that there's nobody here by that name," Nurse Joy replied, adamant but respectful.

"Alright, thanks anyways." This was definitely strange, but interrogating Nurse Joy, when the woman was trying to be helpful probably wouldn't help. Cynthia approached Steven. "Do you know someone named Marie?"

Steven looked back at her with empty eyes. Her heart almost froze, but then recognition creeped back into them, until his turquoise eyes turned warmed again. "Of course, she came through here earlier and-"

"And? And what?" The tone of her voice rose along with her emotions.

"I'm sorry, Cynthia. I... don't actually remember anything? What were we talking about?" The warmth seemed to drain out of him. No, not drain. Whatever gentleness he had held for her seeped out of his eyes. Steadily and incessantly, like the drip from an IV. The turquoise eyes that reminded her of the warm sand and clear waters of her Unova resort continued to pale until they settled on a light steel blue.

Cynthia had to make sense of the situation. Suddenly everyone was forgetting about Marie. Steven didn't know who she was, she wasn't listed on any of the registries, beyond that, there wasn't even a Pokemon contest being held. Marie could be playing a prank, but she couldn't go so far as to stage an entire contest. Could she? No, that wasn't even a possibility. She backed away from him slowly, not taking care of where she headed in her haste to rush back to her room. She bumped into something. Turning around, she locked gazes with red eyes and then concerned black ones.

"Pika?" Red's Pikachu inquired kindly, as if asking her what was wrong.

"Did you hear the Azure Flute playing too?" Red asked. His curiosity over the legend overwhelmed his need for isolation. Besides, he didn't mind Cynthia. She treated and trained her Pokemon well, even if she couldn't even come close to beating him.

"What Azure Flute? What are you talking about? That thing's a myth," Cynthia stumbled over her words, not sure why she was suddenly nervous.

He sighed, "So you couldn't hear it. That's a shame." The excitement in his eyes died down slightly. For some reason, he looked disappointed in her.

An idea flashed in Cynthia's mind. Red was Marie's roommate, he definitely would remember her! She asked him and he thought for a moment.

"She's my roommate, of course I know who she is. What does she have to do with anything?"

Cynthia breathed a sigh of relief. At least someone else shared memories of Marie. It wasn't some figment of her imagination.
"Please help me."

He didn't reply. Even though she was wearing heels, he looked like he towered over her. The slightly tattered clothes and the Pikachu on his back. And that demeaning gaze. What was this man who conquered the entire Pokemon world and then abandoned it? What kind of man could do such a thing? She was intrigued, but at the same time, she knew the answer would be as inhospitable as his personality. He could crush her with his Pokemon. He probably had enough firepower to destroy the world.

"Explain." He spoke clearly and without any indication he would continue talking.

She leaped on the chance. "Well, no one remembers your roommate, Marie. She was supposed to participate in the Pokemon contest that's coming up, but something happened and she hasn't shown up. I asked Nurse Joy and Marie doesn't show up in any of the registries and Steven doesn't know who she is anymore either! Apparently the Pokemon Contest is a fake also and the next matches are continuing soon..." she trailed off.

"But you didn't hear the flute awhile ago?" Red inquired brusquely. Cynthia talked too much.

She blushed. During that time she had been otherwise occupied.

Red shook his head. Another look of disappointment flashed on his face. He didn't want to get stuck with her. She would just be dead weight while he investigated.

In the Temple of Lost Time

Arceus paced back and force, long deerlike legs stretching with each stride. Strands of gossamer floated out behind it, like the very fog condensed and bowed to its great presence. Its golden hooves clattered against the marble. Growing tired of the sound, it casually levitated himself, consigning its restlessness to the air. Observing the scene through Psychic, its eyes narrowed and turned upwards, in an almost joyous expression. This show would at least be entertaining.

"My favorite color is red. Or is it Red?"

A/N Whew! First update in awhile :) Don't expect them frequently. What challenges will Red be facing? How will he overcome facing a God? Time for him to kick some a**. Cynthia's probably gonna be a drag from now on...