Chapter 31;
..........inklings of a human
----------
Tali chose a distant path far, far from where the others had made their camp. She no longer wished for their company, nor did she need it. The quiet calm of the night was all she longed for and it greeted her like a trusted ally, for the two had once been very close. That Pikachu had cut into her deeper than almost anyone; through the flesh down to the very bone, even to her soul. The pain that she felt – renewed once she had mentioned Rakai’s name – she had not experienced in such a long time it was almost like a lost memory. She should have known that memories always come back to haunt you when you least expect it.
Rakai…
It was true the Weavile in question was now one of the Hunters; a known notorious group of Dark Sneasel and Weavile under the command of Deoxys, their claws infected with the ability of shadow poison, through which more Dark Pokemon could be bred. It was also true that those Weavile once happened to be kind souls. At the very least, Tali knew Rakai was. But what had happened to him had changed him forever and he was no longer the Weavile she had known. Yet… she was sure part of him still existed somewhere, deep within.
“Oh, Rakai…” Her own mutter sounded weak and pitiful, even to her ears. “Rakai, where are you?”
Raising her head to the sky, she glanced at the moon, which was a sliver tonight; a full moon had just passed. If she held her paw upwards it could completely cover it until the sky was moonless and just a desolate, dark place like everywhere else. Sighing, the Buizel returned to her solemn pacing, finding comfort in the repetitive thump of her feet on the path. It was then that a familiar voice entered her mind, and with it, the image of a young Sneasel.
---
Tali, look at this. See? My claws are bigger than your paw even! Look how big I’ve grown!
Rakai! You’ve grown so much. It… it’s so good to see you again…
Yes. You too, Tal. I missed you.
---
“Stop it!” Tali growled into the starlit sky with frustration, panting hard and eyes wide. “I never gave you the right to mess with me! Stay. Out. Of. My. Head!”
---
Hahaha! I beat you again! Listen, Tal, you’re never going to win if you keep up the same strategy again and again and again… It’s tiresome.
B-but I was hoping I could beat you with brute strength…
Oh? Strategy hurting your brain? Hahaha!
WHAT?! No! Listen here, tough guy. I will beat you!
---
“I said get away!” the Buizel cried into the air, raising her paws to cover her head as she fell to the ground in pain. It had never hurt so much to remember the past. She never wanted to remember it; all she wanted was for it to be gone. The taste of salty tears filled her mouth as she gasped into the cool air which felt like piercing daggers to her heart.
---
Friends forever. You and I. Promise.
---
“RAAAKAAAI!”
***
Tali hadn’t returned since last night and we couldn’t move on without her. At least that was what Lani had said. To be perfectly honest, I was fine with leaving the uptight Buizel by herself. She’d caused us nothing but trouble so far, especially when I didn’t do a thing to deserve it! The only thing about her that interested me right now was those bands.
What I had felt upon encountering them was strange enough; a dark, hollow feeling, much like being in Rye’s presence when he turned. But that wasn’t the only odd thing that unnerved me. I wondered how she had got her paws on those bands to begin with. If they were some evil tool to be used, that put Tali under a lot of suspicion in my eyes. Our little gathering I had kept secret from Lani, mainly because I had no idea how she would react. And if Tali found out another knew she might run off with the bands before I had a chance to even get to them. I wasn’t certain about much these days, but I knew I needed to get those bands. Before someone got hurt. A sigh escaped my mouth as I realised it was no use; I’d just have to be patient and wait.
The day had been rather dreary so far, grey clouds frolicking in the sky, but it hadn’t rained yet. The weather was making me rather sleepy so I suppose I could take a nap. A little one wouldn’t hurt, and Lani was off exploring the area nearby and to gather supplies before we left. Yes, a nap seemed like a good idea.
I’d also felt a lot better about Rye since I had mentioned it to Lani, and though it still hurt when I thought of him, a little piece inside me had begun to heal. I could tell she would keep my secret and not tell a soul; that was just the way Lani was, and was just the way I liked her.
Thinking of Lani soon turned my thoughts to Jarre, Dash and Codan. I hoped Jarre was doing alright, especially with Dash following in pursuit. I hoped Dash was alright. It wasn’t my idea to stick the two together, but they wanted a team with type advantages, Codan had said. Not the smartest move, but he was the eldest and the main choices were his to make.
It was with that thought I found my favourite tree by Lake Siuryen and curled up beneath it. All too soon drowsiness came over me. The gentle swaying of the wind echoed through my ears with a whoosh whooooooosshhh. The calming noise made my eyelids droop and my head feel heavy. I did not know when I finally succumbed to the calls to sleep, but it came over me so suddenly I was pulled under completely. Dead to the world.
***
A young boy stood before me, a human, no older than seventeen or so. Bright brown eyes welcomed me along with a gentle smile. He wore dull blue jeans with a dark grey shirt, brown hair covering his head in a mess. Again, it seemed he hadn’t brushed it. But that was Cody. That was my friend.
“Hey, Zanna. You’re late, or did you forget again?” His face stretched into the usual grin he wore when in one of his happy-go-lucky moods.
“I did not forget,” I pouted up at him, reaching to tousle his hair before he swatted me away. “You know I just like arriving fashionably late.”
“Hahaha! You know there’s fashionably late, and then there’s just plain late. Guess which category you fall into?”
“Oh, very funny, wise guy.” I ignored the clear smirk on his face and strode right past him. “Ladies first. And since I’m the more manly one here, you first.” Halting, I paused to think. “I also have no idea if that was an insult to myself, or you.” I broke out in laughter, eyeing him with a smile that played about my lips.
“Alright, let’s both go,” he suggested, walking to my side. “The manly girl and the girly man.” A cheesy grin greeted my inquisitive gaze.
“Cody?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re an idiot.”
An airy laugh filled the air as he strode on ahead, raising a hand in acknowledgment. “Say whatever you like, you know you love me!”
“Whatever…” I muttered under my breath, knowing his comment to be true. Still, all the love in the world could not make him revert from being an idiot. It took all the strength I had to bite my tongue and not remark on that fact. Who cared anyway, I’d just get him back later.
I made to follow Cody when my ears picked up a sound that wasn’t the gentle thud of my footsteps. Taking a glance from the corner of my peripheral vision, I spotted a couple of shadows dancing about the corners of a stone wall nearby. The shadows of other humans. It was clear from the yelp that issued from that same direction that they were causing trouble.
“Zanna, what’s up?” Cody had reappeared behind me, gently grabbing my arm and following my gaze. “We don’t know what’s going on over there. I don’t think we should investigate. Besides, I’m not really in the mood to be getting us out of the trouble you always get us into.”
“Well that’s hardly my fault,” I said innocently. “Trouble usually finds me.” Which was true. “I’m going to see who or what they’re hurting; it’s your choice if you follow.” Tugging my arm free from his hand, I stealthily made my way to the stone wall as the sounds grew louder. A harsh cry welcomed me and an even harsher laugh in response.
“Hey, Jack, this one looks weak. Let’s rough him up a bit!”
The voices of teenagers reached my ears, and they were full of malice. Local thugs, no doubt. Some of them held quite a hefty reputation around these parts – especially in the ‘bad’ part of town which I liked to stay well clear of.
Edging my footing slightly to hold my weight to my left, I peered round the corner of the wall. There were five men that greeted my eyes; one was smaller than the rest, and one not too far from him already looked unconscious. It didn’t escape my notice that copious amounts of blood had spattered the ground a none-too-healthy pale red. The remaining three were gathered around the smaller two – one further back than the rest – watching.
One of the larger men raised a hand to the air, casually beckoning to another.
“Sure, Keith. I’m tired of wasting my energy on stupid fools. Have your fun.”
“All right!” The man I’d heard speak first, Keith, sneered down at the smaller man crouched on the ground beside what must be his unconscious friend.
“P-please, don’t hurt me!” he stuttered, raising a hand to shield his face should they attack. “J-just let us go. We didn’t mean to bump into you. Honestly!”
“Heh. Wimp.” Keith’s smile widened to reveal yellow teeth and I cringed inwardly at the sight. “We dun’ care what you did to us. We just wanna hurt you!” Without another word he brought the heel of a boot straight down onto the smaller man’s head, knocking his arms clear.
A harsh cry reached me yet again, and a queasy feeling entered my stomach. Cody’s warning echoed in my ears, but I pushed it back. Now was no time to be sickly and scared. I had to be strong for the man who was defending his friend, even though I had no reason to be.
The third man that sided with the bullies had not yet spoken. He wore a dark brown hooded jacket that covered his face, hands resting in pockets. His gaze was cast to the small man, but I could not tell what expression he wore, or if it was someone I knew.
“Hahahaha! Scream, kid!”
“ARRRGH!”
“C’mon! Don’t like the taste of my boots? Let’s see. LICK THEM.” Keith raised his boot and shoved it clear into the smaller man’s face, possibly breaking a nose in the process, for more howling ensued. He laughed harshly and drew back his foot, making to ram it again, but at the last second the third man stepped in and grabbed hold of Keith’s shoe.
“That’s enough.”
“But he deserved –”
“I said that’s enough.”
The third man, who I was thinking was the leader in all of this, had finally made his debut. His voice was steely and while it held no hint of regret, did not hold malice, either. Keith gave a begrudging look to the small man and backed off, muttering under his breath. The third man raised a hand and grabbed the edge of his hood, slowly sliding it back and over his head.
I drew in a sharp intake of breath at the sight of the man who stood before me, for I did recognise him. Those sad looking eyes; that unruly brown hair.
“Come on, let’s leave here,” Hawk told the two men surrounding him, turning from the victims. “I don’t want to waste my time with them.” The two men exchanged a glance with each other and shrugged, obviously knowing better than to pick a fight with their leader. They followed slowly in his wake, leaving one man badly beaten and the other still unconscious.
I was shaking, wondering who those two had been, and why they were with Hawk. Why was Hawk messed up with them, anyway? He was a trouble maker, true, but he wasn’t a bad kid. I knew that. So then…why?
“Hey, you!” I found my voice and shouted, racing around the corner to the two teenagers once Hawk and his cronies were out of sight.
The smaller one, still conscious, started as he heard my voice. “G-go away! We don’t want more trouble!”
As I reached his side, I held up my hands, motioning that I meant no harm. “It’s okay, take it easy. I won’t hurt you.” I knelt down on the sidewalk to examine his unconscious companion. “Is he alive?”
“He’s breathing,” the smaller man said to me, bending over his friend and eyeing me cautiously. “But those bullies roughed him up bad. W-we didn’t even do anything! I was walking past and accidently bumped into one of them on the corner, that’s all! The next thing I know, we’re being attacked. I-I –”
He seemed about to have a panic attack, so I motioned to Cody to get over here and give me a hand. God forbid if he gave me a death stare, but these two clearly needed help. I couldn’t walk away from someone in need.
“My friend here will help carry your buddy. I know of a hospital that’s pretty close by. You need one, too, by the looks of it.” I grimaced mildly and hoped it looked comforting, though I sure didn’t feel it.
“T-thank you,” the man stammered again, raising a hand to pinch his nose as it started bleeding. “My name’s Daniel.”
“Zanna,” I replied with a curt nod. “But now’s not really the time. Come on; let’s help you and your friend.”
“Right.”
Cody helped lift the boy onto his shoulders, Daniel trailing behind me. These two were certainly a sight for sore eyes. I only hoped we reached them in time.
~*~
I leant on my elbows, leaning on the front counter of the reception desk. The hospital was crowded today, and I was waiting for news on Daniel and his friend. Daniel himself hadn’t been beaten too badly; only a broken nose and a few bruises around the face, but other than that he seemed okay. His friend, however, had taken severe bruising to the head, and might even have a fractured skull. They had him hooked up to an IV right now but no visitors were allowed in the room with him. All Cody and I could do was wait.
A puff of air escaped my mouth as I sighed, turning round to face Cody from the counter. He stared at me with his hollow look. The one that meant I was in trouble.“Look, it wasn’t me who did anything this time. You know I don’t like seeing people hurt, least of all when I can do something about it.”
“But Zanna, it wasn’t your fight to begin with. You should have left well enough alone. And the fact that Hawk-”
“Don’t drag him into this,” I warned with a glare. “I don’t want to talk about it.” And that was that. The last thing I wanted to talk about was Hawk being at the scene with two brutally large men who had attacked harmless civilians. But it strayed into my mind that I hadn’t actually seen Hawk himself attack them; only his two lackeys. Was he really that bad after all?
---
“That’s enough. I said that’s enough.”
---
He’d defended Daniel from a final blow, hadn’t he? But still…
“You can come see your friends now.” A nurse in a white outfit smiled warmly down at me. “Just don’t be too long, they need their rest.”
“Thanks,” I muttered, grabbing Cody’s arm and dragging him with me to room 3.01 where they were being kept. I knew it was thoughtful to bring flowers when you saw people in hospital, but I hadn’t known Daniel for too long and his other friend I hadn’t been introduced to at all yet. I’m sure they would forgive me…
***
The murky scene suddenly changed and it took more than a few seconds for me to realise I was no longer at the hospital. When my surroundings materialised again, I was in a small room – alone. I was seated on a double size bed in a space that wasn’t overly large, but just large enough to hold a computer desk, a book shelf and a TV console. A small radio rested on top of the bedside table next to me and it blared with announcements about the morning news. The digital clock on the face of the radio signalled it was just after eleven.
“…Police had just arrived at the scene. Constable James Wright had this to say:
'It looked like a kidnapping that sources say happened around 9pm last night on the 14th of January. We searched the scene for possible signs of a suspect and where the victim had been taken but with little success. We urge that anyone with any information, however small, contact the police department immediately.'"
My interest piqued and I reached out an arm to turn the dial on the radio. Yet another kidnapping.
“Police say the small house had been broken into, but no signs of a struggle could be seen. Regarding the most recent of the kidnappings, this one definitely strikes as highly suspicious. It seems the child could not have gone willingly, as shocked parents protested, and all the doors and windows were securely locked. A stunned mother had this to say:
'P-please! My child is so young; I don’t know who would be awful enough to do such a thing! My husband and I are both terrified for his safety and we just want him back. I-if you happen to see a child matching the description please call! We’ll give you anything just to have our little Miron back safe and sound. We remember like yesterday only his f-first birthday…'”
I switched off the radio, unable to hear anymore. That was the fifth kidnapping to be reported only this week alone. So many disappearances were happening and whilst I was worried for myself, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for all the parents who had lost their children.
The most peculiar thing, though, was that none of these houses seemed to have been forced into. It was almost as if the children had either gone willingly or some kind of weird magic had happened to make them disappear. According to all news reports so far, no signs of a struggle had been evident. But children didn’t just vanish. There had to be some explanation for all of this. Some logical explanation. It just wasn’t clear at this present point in time.
“Zanna!” The voice of my mother drifted up the stairs to my room. “Zanna, I’ve got something I need to tell you.”
Uh oh. From the sound of her tone something was very wrong. I hadn’t done anything lately that would provoke her, so this wasn’t anything to do with me. I trudged down the stairs with a heavy feeling in my heart. Had my dad been hurt again? His job was always so endangering. But seeing the look on my mother’s face told me it had nothing to do with my dad.
“Listen, sit next to me.” She patted the seat beside her somewhat grimly, and I sat down at the kitchen table.
“What is it?” I asked slowly, drawing out the words. “What happened?”
She paused for a moment or two before opening her mouth to speak. When she found her voice, it was in a husk, and she cleared her throat. “It’s about Cody. You see…”
I tuned out. No. Impossible. Not Cody. Not Cody.
Rising so fast from the chair that I knocked it to the floor, my feet carried me from the room and I raced out the front door, ignoring my mother’s pleading cries. Cody’s house was only a few blocks from mine. If I hurried, it would only take me minutes to reach it. I needed to see for myself. I had to. No way would that have happened to Cody. It couldn’t.
As I rounded the corner all my worst fears were confirmed. A police barrier had been set up around the perimeter of the house. His parents – some of my closest friends – were standing in the doorway. Just standing, so shocked not a word could be coaxed from them. The reporters were trying to gather information but no one would speak. A few policemen ushered the stunned parents inside and closed the door, keeping the reporters at bay for the time being.
Two police cars were at the scene and the men were busily telling passers-by to leave. At that moment one of them came up to me, but I told them I was Cody’s best friend and I needed to see his parents right away. I had to talk to them. When I asked what had happened the policeman who had questioned me gave only a solemn look and shook his head, resting a hand lightly on my shoulder and steering me towards the house.
I entered with a dazed look, glancing towards the tear-stained faces of Cody’s parents. So it was true. The kidnappings were continuing with rapid force, only this time it was my best friend who had been taken. Why not me… Why not me…? Anyone but Cody.
I offered my condolences to his parents, but little could help them. What do you say to someone who has lost a child? Either through murder, or even a horrible kidnapping? Nothing. And I knew that nothing I could say would help either of them, just as nothing anyone else could say would help me. Not now.
Oh, Cody… Why?
***
The scene changed yet again and a hazy fog cleared to reveal a classroom. My school. Cody was at my side and persistently nudging me with an elbow.
“Zaaaannaaa.” His voice echoed throughout my head. “You’re awake, aren’t you? Don’t fall asleep again. Do you know how embarrassing it was the last time you fell asleep? You drooled, Zanna. You drooled.”
“I’m awake!” I snapped at him irritably, batting away his hand. “I’m just tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Stayed up late watching that horror movie? I told you not to. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“For your information, no,” I answered with a yawn. “I was too busy thinking of what kidnapped you.”
There was a hushed silence between us that lasted for a few minutes. Cody, however, was the first to break it.
“I told you I don’t know what took me – who took me. I don’t even know where I went. All I know was that I was in this strange place. It was like animals could talk, or something.”
I raised an eyebrow at his explanation and shook my head. “Did they give you drugs?” I checked for dilated pupils, knowing full well it would irritate the hell out of him.
“They did not give me drugs!” he said under his breath, angrily. “Animals could talk, Zanna. And there was this dark shadow following me. Scared the hell out of me because I didn’t know what it was.” He threw up his hands and rested them on his desk.
“Cody, that makes no sense and you know it.”
“Not everything in the world has to make sense, Zanna,” he said to me, not bothering to look up. “I know what I saw.”
The bell rang for the end of class and we exited in silence. All I knew was that he hadn’t been the same since he’d returned. Others had returned, too. They’d just shown up at home one day to overjoyed parents. Some still hadn’t come back. Not one of these kids knew who, or what, had taken them, and how they got back. It was as if their memory had been wiped clean upon returning.
It was all so strange. So very, very strange. A world full of talking animals?
Ridiculous. I scoffed at the thought.
***
My eyes snapped open and I eyed the darkened sky, noticing the sun had dropped and the moon had now risen. Obviously I’d been asleep for longer than I thought. And those dreams… My eyes narrowed. They had felt so real, as if I’d been there before. And my name. My name was also used. “Zanna” they called the human female. Why had I dreamt about humans in the first place? Was it because I really was one of them? Were these visions or…could they be memories?
I was almost sure they seemed like memories. It would make sense, that I saw memories of my human life. But of all times, why now? Why only now did they start appearing to me? What did these strange disappearances have to do with me? I had known a boy called Cody, and another called Hawk. My mother’s voice had seemed so familiar. It was lilting, as if it called out to me. What were these visions?! They made no sense! Kidnappings, of all things!
Wait.
Kidnappings.
“Animals could talk, Zanna. And there was this dark shadow following me.”
Talking animals and a dark shadow? It couldn’t be. I peered down at my furry paws and held them up to my face. I was known as a Pikachu in this world, yet I was sure I hadn’t originally been one. I was sure I had been a human.
These so called ‘kidnappings’ that had happened in another world, a human world, where people were whisked away and returned with no memory… Where people were sure there had been talking animals… Had it been here? Had it been to Talzere that they were transported to? Was I now one of these humans that had mysteriously disappeared? If so, did that mean…did it also mean that I would return?
What would happen if the others found out? What happened if Rye discovered I had been human? The very thought unnerved me; I didn’t want to think about where that would lead me. If the time came and I had to return, could I? However little time I had spent in this world, I had some sort of a home, at least with Jarre, Lani, Codan and Rye. I could imagine myself happy here. Would I be able to leave it all behind?
It was all so…
“Confusing!” I shouted into the sky abruptly. “What am I?!”
“Zanna?”
My herd jerked towards the bushes as Lani’s face peered out at me.
“I’ve gathered the supplies and Tali has seemed to return. We need to get mov– Are you alright?” The Houndoom ‘s gaze narrowed as she looked me over. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m alright,” I answered over the pounding of my rapid heartbeat. “I’m alright. I was just taking a nap. I think I fell asleep for longer than I thought.”
The Houndoom smiled warmly at me. “It is quite alright, but we must get moving now. The cover of darkness will give us the advantage tonight. If you no longer wish to sleep, that is.”
“Oh no,” I answered slowly, a sickly feeling rising in my stomach. “I think I’ve had enough sleep to last me a lifetime.”
***
Jarre followed steadily in the wake of Dash and Codan, trying to jump in the large Dragonite’s footsteps; everywhere else seemed to be covered in sickly puddles of sewage water. This is not what I imagined when the words ‘covert operation’ were mentioned, he thought with a sigh, hopping out of a pile of green gunk that lapped at his talons. But I guess the sooner we reach this Missionary place, the better.
What they would do when they finally reached the Wingardom Missionary was a whole other question. Codan had said they needed to gain the trust of the people at the Missionary to fight alongside Zanna. Where the war was headed, he assumed they needed all the help they could get. The Missionary were already trying to fend off Deoxys and his followers, but it was no news to them that they were failing. Much more of this and they would surely fall. If they bound together as one, maybe they could hold off long enough for them to find a way to defeat this darkness once and for all. At least, that was what Codan had assured him.
Jarre could no longer see the sky in the world outside, but he could tell by his drowsiness that it was getting darker; night had come upon them. And what better time than to go unseen than in the dead of night in a sewer. That was sarcasm on the Torchic’s part.
“It’s not far now,” Codan called out behind him, motioning with a paw for them to hurry. “The sooner we get there, the sooner we can have a nice bed to sleep in!”
And food, Jarre pondered, his beak beginning to water. Oh, Arceus, how I miss good food. It had been nothing but berries and wild fish as they’d been travelling. True, it was better than nothing at all, but the Torchic missed a good banquet. Perhaps they would have one once they arrived at the Missionary. With this thought in mind Jarre doubled his pace, eagerly hopping in and out of Codan’s footprints.
“What’s this Missionary place like, anyway?” he asked into the gloom, and was surprised when Dash answered.
“It’s a large building that is built underground, far beneath the Marble City. It has many elevators and winding tunnels that lead to it,” he added, “so it’s not hard to get to. The building itself is very large, and the walls are smooth and white. In some of the lower floors there are rocky caverns. Apparently they like to use them as a training ground nowadays, but they used to be where the old Missionary was built before they expanded it.”
“So the Missionary wasn’t always as big as it is now?”
“Of course not,” the Sneasel snorted at Jarre’s words, obviously not impressed. “It was expanded upon Commander Virok’s grandfather’s reign. He saw fit to build a larger Missionary because of all the help the people called for. He said a larger place meant that they could help more people. Whether that’s true or not remains to be seen.” He fell silent for a time again, and Jarre spoke up.
“Do you know anything about Commander Virok?” He was about to ask Dash if he knew Rye personally, but he held his tongue at the last moment. As far as the Torchic was concerned he knew next to nothing about this Sneasel and whilst he had tortured him in the past for being part of the Missionary, he did not know if he was still part of it – wound up in Virok’s soldiers – or if he was now a rogue.
“I know little of Virok’s family. If you recall,” he said in a steely tone, “I was there under his father’s reign.”
So that confirmed it. Dash no longer worked for the Missionary. Tali had been with him for a time, too. If she was with Dash now did that mean she no longer worked for them either?
“I do, however, know that Virok has a son called Riley. His late wife, Ameli, died shortly a few years after his birth. I also know that commandership is passed down through the family. Riley will be the next to inherit it.”
The Sneasel stopped there, refusing to answer further questions. Jarre was partly satisfied with his answers, though. He had learnt that Rye was next in line to inherit the Missionary, and that his mother had died when he was still a child. In the many years that Jarre had known Rye, he knew he had never mentioned his mother. Not a word. And now he knew why. But he didn’t know why she had died.
Something of a conscience poked through when he thought about this. It was not really his place to ask, was it? But I don’t care about him. I never cared about that Elekid and I never will. Not even if it were for Zanna’s sake. Though he somewhat doubted if that last part were true. How far would he go for Zanna?
***
He watched the pool’s surface with distant eyes. Nothing had become clearer than it had been when he was first given that irrepressible vision.
If one survives, the other may fall…
Altair growled, lashing out with a paw and sending water droplets scattering. But he didn’t care. He did not care about anything other than what was going on beyond his reach. Most of all, he cared about what happened to Zanna. He couldn’t do a thing sitting in this god-forsaken place day after day after day… He couldn’t do anything but watch over Darkrai and try to amend for his past mistakes.
It was his fault Deoxys had been created in the first place and he needed to fix it. Because of him, part of his Light Essence had been used to create a monster. Most of it was returned when he had struggled with the darkness inside him, but a little part remained – light traded for dark. Deoxys did not know, but light did indeed reside deep, deep within him, however small. Altair’s light. And he wanted it back.
Was sending that Elekid to Darkrai really a way of self-amendment, or was it just brutality? Did he want to save the Elekid or destroy him? That sneer etched into his face, eyes holding a hint of malice. He was dark – he had darkness in him before he was tainted with the Shadow Poison, Altair was almost sure of that. No, he would not harm the Elekid as long as Zanna felt an attachment to him. He would not hurt her.
A sigh, as light as air itself, escaped the Pikachu’s mouth, and he sat propped up on his elbows again, returning to stare at the still pond. “I miss Trix and Scry. If only I could see them, but…”
The Grovyle and Aipom, Altair’s Light Pokemon partners, had not been sent to his part of the Farplane. The Farplane was split into five segments, each holding different Pokemon according to their death, personality, sins, good deeds and stature. In the very centre, where the five areas met, was where the being Arceus supposedly resided, but that was a long, long time ago. He had not been seen since the Great War. Darkrai resided in the Underworld, an area located below the five segments of the Farplane. That was the area which coincided with the Farplane.
Altair was sent to his area partly as a punishment – to be as close to Darkrai as it would allow him. That way all the memories of his mistakes were constantly forced upon him. Trix and Scry were sent to the more utopian part of the Farplane where Xatu resided. Only sometimes did the Psychic bird break free long enough to visit. The five segments were not often allowed to mix. However, Altair was allowed passage to the Underworld, but at his own risk.
“I can’t stay here forever. Even as an afterlife, I can’t. There has to be a way I can fix all this.”
Even his mutterings did him no good. Ten thousand years deceased had done him no good. He had not yet found a way to escape this prison. Arceus had not answered his pleas for help, and the Light Pokemon was beginning to think their so-called god had forsaken them. For as long as Darkrai remained, so would he. It was impossible. And inescapable. Unless… There could be one way.
The Pikachu raised a paw to his chin thoughtfully. If he remembered correctly, even though it was a long time ago, there was a way in which he could help those in the world of the living. There would be a way in which he could right the wrongs of his past. It was dangerous, of course, but it would all be worth it in the end. Too long had he been sitting around. Too long had he suffered this horrible torment of an afterlife. No more would he be subjected to it.
Unshaken in his resolve, Altair stood and made his way to the far end of the hall, adjacent to the pool. He raised his head to the stone tablet etched to the wall. The depiction of his death. I will change it – No. I will change everything.
“If there is a way, he will know it. And he will free me. Please, watch over me, Lord Arceus.” Altair bowed his head and gazed at the etching one last time with hollow eyes. “It is time I spoke to an old rival.”
Bookmarks