SOUL IN THE DARK, PT. 1 - LOST
A sprawling meadow. Sprawling blue sky above, a sea of flowers below. A perfect place for a Celebi to get in touch with nature - with a nap, among other activities.
Flanking Gorebyss Lake, this unhabited part of Luani Island is a veritable natural retreat, away from the hustle and bustle of the island's towns. Only a few trees populate the fields, with a river cutting through the greenery to the ocean close by. Gali's only real complaint is that this place is nearly the farthest point from Sonnige City on the island, requiring quite a trip here and back, with teleporting such a long distance being out of the question. She didn't really mind if there was nothing on her schedule, but even for her, time flies quite fast out here.
If she's not careful, the Celebi is liable to spend hours just picking flowers, flying along the ground, escaping to the nearby lake to skim across its surface...as if she never left the wild in the first place. Of course, she also gets up to things she wouldn't do in the public spaces the city has to offer, such as going nude (and storing her onesie somewhere safe), practicing her fleeting battle skills, or...screaming. As loud as she could. It's not as if this was a secret place, so she has to be aware of her surroundings so she can pick and choose what she does. Even so, she's aware that the few people she's seen walk around the meadow are ones she doesn't recognize seeing from Sonnige, so she's not afraid of leaving an impression as much as if she were to do these acts in eyesight of friends.
On this particular day, Galiana was content with sprawling out on a bed of flowers, face-up, snoozing away the afternoon. Not a care in the world, she's off of work for a while, only a few people know where she is or what she's doing and all she has to worry about is getting a bite to eat every now and then so she doesn't go hungry. She could spend hours just in this position...the breeze making the grass whistle every now and then, the sound of the babbling brook in the distance. Absolutely soothed to the soul. Were she comfortable being nude and sleeping, she would, but alas she remained clothed in case there were intruders to her quiet time.
Footsteps in the grass. It's not uncommon for people to approach her, but Gali has to ensure she's not appearing dead to anybody that sees her flat on the ground with her eyes closed. Having that happen one time is enough. She turns her head towards the sound and lazily opened an eye.
An all-black silhouette, slowly taking form as her vision adjusts. A flowing gray scarf. A black helmet with what looks like a gray flame atop, with only one blood-red eye and the figure's mouth showing through the opening on the helmet. Walking straight towards her.
Gali got up on an elbow, with a small groan. "Hey." Greeting this person was the least awkward thing she could do, though she has flown away from others before. Why greet this one? Perhaps she was still tired...but, seeing as she's the only person around, it would feel awkward if she didn't notice, and naïve of her to intentionally not.
The figure kept getting closer, ten feet, five feet. The Celebi sat upright. "Is there...something I can help you with...?"
He approached until he was practically standing above her. "So you aren't dead."
Gali scoffed and turned her head away. "Of course I'm not. It's the perfect weather for a little sunbathing, is all."
She laid herself back down, folding her arms behind her head. The Marshadow still wore a frown. "It's also the perfect weather for a fight."
"Not interested." She didn't even dignify him with a glance in his general direction.
"Oh, I'm not asking you. I'm TELLING you."
"And I'm telling YOU, not interested." Persistence. Perhaps she should get up and make the trip home after all.
"Hmph. Fine." ...or perhaps he'll just give up. Good. Footsteps started up again, getting quieter. There's still time in the day to relax...
...and then, right as she went to yawn, the Marshadow had ran up and kicked her. She went tumbling a few yards away. "Oough!"
It took a few seconds for her to orient herself, shaking her head and slowly getting to her feet. "Hey! I told you, I'm not going to fight!"
"Aww, not that nice when life comes at you whether you want it to or not, huh?" The Marshadow spoke in a mocking tone. "Are you gonna cry about it or fight back?" He approached. Gali stepped back.
"Hrrmph...jerk. You could get disciplined for illegal battling like that." The spot where she was kicked hurt...and was oddly cold.
He held his arms up, again in a mocking tone. "What do I care about your island's silly laws?" His smile then disappeared. "Unless you'd rather me make this meadow into a wasteland."
Gali took a second to think about her answer. He could sense the hesitation, of course. "I told you I'm not interested. And even if you do anything, I'll just take the time to grow everything back." She wore a small smile with a chuckle. "Maybe get some of my gardener friends involved."
The Marshadow put his hands down, returning to his frowned expression. "...I see. And you would run from a fight."
"I've ran before. Easy to do when jerks like you stick out like a sore thumb." Perhaps now would be a good time to just fly away. Hinging her bets on that Pokemon not being able to fly would be a good bet indeed.
He rose his voice. "And what will you do when you're forced to fend for your own?"
Gali stopped midway up into the air. She turned, but didn't answer.
"What will you do when something even more important to you is on the line? Because clearly this isn't your home. What if I followed you and took a torch to your house? What would you do then?"
"I..." She looked down. "I'd...not like it. Maybe move away. What reason would you have to do such a thing in the first place?"
"...Hmph. You complacent types bore me." He scoffed again. "You'll run and run and not think to fend for yourself. You'll let ruin befall the world around you before you act."
He turned around. "Go on then, tuck your tail under your legs and run like the coward you are. At the very least I won't have to waste my energy on a lightweight who'd crumple like a piece of paper."
Gali gritted her teeth and barked back. "HEALING is much more important than DESTROYING!" Even she was surprised at how loud she was, how emotionally she was getting invested in this. "...If people didn't have to fight, I wouldn't need to heal. And I've chosen to use my life to heal. So what if I can't hold my own in a fight, if I can live to see another day?"
"You're a fool if you think you can LAST that long!" He turned back around, the helmet the Marshadow was wearing glowing ominously. Gali backed up in the air a little. "You can't heal the dead. All it takes is one person who wants to claim your home as their own, and everyone you know will be LOST."
He gritted his teeth, looking away briefly. "Take it from someone who has experience with that." The helmet stops glowing. "But if you can't find the strength to stand up for yourself, you can't right the wrongs of this world. Closed off as you are on your little island, I doubt you'll ever learn."
He walks away again, fists clenched. "Whatever you think is right, is wrong. So run, before the darkness takes another one of us."
Gali shook on the spot. She didn't have to stay and listen, but...now, she's doubting herself more than ever. All she wanted to do was nap, and she got yelled at by someone she didn't know because she didn't want to fight.
...Yeah. It's time to head home.
By the time she reached the outskirts of Sonnige, flying high up, she was already cold, and the sun was close to setting. She could have really used another day of lazing about, but...there's something else she needed now. Swooping lower, she sped up.
...
She stopped at Karina's doorstep, right when the sky was a bright orange. As per usual, her mother answered the door, and immediately knew something was up by the way the Celebi looked. "Oh, Gali...are you alright, dear?"
"Y-...yeah. Is Karina...?" Even her voice was tired. Thinking about what the Marshadow said to her on the flight over, she shouldn't be so rattled, and yet she couldn't help but think back to it. Shivering a little from the cold, she looked like a right mess. Very much unlike her usual cheerful self; even after a hard day's work, she looked better than this.
"Aww, sorry, dear, she's out with friends tonight. But I think it'd be alright if you wanna crash in her room if you're tired."
Gali sighed. It had to be tonight of all nights. "Oh...that's too bad. But I think I will, Abby. Thank you." Feigning a smile as best she could.
"I'll let her know you're in there when she gets back. Do say if you want an extra blanket or if you want some hot chocolate, dearie."
A soft smile as she passes by. "I'll keep it in mind. I might be going for a nap, so I'll have the light off."
Unfocused as she was, she couldn't bring herself to look up at Abby's face, or notice any of her actions. Her peripheral vision was dark, and all she could think about was going through that door...
Noticing the room was empty...
Not touching a thing in the dim light from Karina's accessories...
And flopping down onto the bed.
With no distractions or people to keep her busy, her thoughts roam to dark places.
White noise fills the void as sleep slowly takes hold.
Curled up, she can only hope Karina comes home soon,
For it felt as if a book of words assaulted her mindscape every second she couldn't say a one.
- - -
Images flashed before Gali's eyes. A life she didn't live, people she didn't meet, memories that weren't hers. An oddly familiar feeling that she can't entirely deny as being true or untrue.
All of a sudden, she finds herself in a pitch-black void. There's no sound or voices to lead her by, but she could feel her heartbeat. She couldn't see, but she could feel a coldness. She was still where there was at least some warmth. Alive. She's sure she was awake. But this wasn't where she slept...if she knew where 'here' was...
A rumbling. The Celebi could feel that she was lying against a floor of sorts, but even with her face pressed close to it she couldn't see it. Colder than the air, at least, but of an undefined material she couldn't discern. At the very least this gave her a sensation of 'down', so she sat 'up' on her hands and knees. It was hard to find her balance as she felt herself and what felt like the entire void shake more violently than before.
Eyes. White, circular eyes. Many of them - but only one, with no two making a pair - now staring at her within the darkness on all sides except 'below'. They float eerily, with some making small movements as if they belonged to a breathing beast. Far away that no other details of them can be seen.
Gali felt her heartbeat race. She could swear they were making some sort of sounds, but with the white noise of the void around her, she couldn't tell what was producing sound and what wasn't. Fear began to run through her, and the void became that much colder. There wasn't a safe haven to see, as she could only see her own body and the eyes of these beings that know she's here.
She tries calling out, but no voice comes out at first. Her fear has caused her voice to rasp to the point where no air escaped. She coughed to clear the feeling, but immediately regrets it when the eyes seem to bulge out and their staring becomes piercing. They weren't looking at her anymore - they were looking at her soul. Judging. Her heart sank, and it became harder for her to move in her fear. Again she tried to speak, but her lips only quivered.
Then, a being appeared from the blackness. Another that she could see besides these staring eyes and herself.
A grotesque image of a pink Celebi. Missing an arm, missing a leg, half of its face abruptly ending. A mangled mass of ripped flesh, bloodied and torn right down the center of its body. What was left of its pink body was aged and wrinkled. Its mouth was missing, and its single solitary green eye shone as if lit with Gali's own vitality and vibrance, as one of the few lights in this dark realm. It, too, stared at Gali. She couldn't even muster the strength to unfreeze her limbs, and any attempt and summoning her Psychic abilities failed. Not being able to move an inch in her paralysis, yet wanting to run.
Its floating was just as eerie as the eyes that parted way for its appearance. No wings to flutter, no psychic aura to suggest it was holding itself up, no trickery to suggest it was floating through other means. The eyes that made up the background appeared to have more life than it. Even then, Gali could see a faint pulse in the light of its eye, and could see its body twitch faintly. She tried to keep her vision on the intact parts of the Celebi, fearing her sanity wouldn't stand anything else. Gali's mind raced with thoughts of what this Celebi could represent or mean, with nothing else to go off of. If she stayed still, would she end up like...it...?
A faint music begins to play from somewhere, and the pink Celebi's head rocked back and forth abruptly and jarringly, as if it was pained to crane its neck back and forth in a mocking tone. Gali was sure she was going to pass out from fear at this point and her vision was becoming hazier by the second, if time was even passing at all. The music played not just in her ears, but telepathically as well. Were she to run, she would have heard it no matter where she was.
Three turns.
The music that had played, strange sounds that seemed to come from the void itself, struck a chord in Gali. There was something about them...stirring a distant memory. Something that was so soothing that it freed up her body from her paralyzing fear. Something to give her the little bit of light she needed, that gave her the power to resist this darkness. She didn't have time to delve into what had spurned such a feeling, as she now had to consider what to do next. Still staring into the green eye.
Run? In this place, there was no place TO run.
From behind the Celebi before her, the eyes that had made up parts of the background moved closer. They appeared as Unown, spelling out a word. Even if she couldn't make out what the word was, she could hear what the word was - perhaps the pink Celebi was sending it to her head via Psychic, but the Unown could be doing that as well. Either way, she heard "LEAVE" in a voice that sounded as if it was echoed beyond time itself. The Celebi's head jerked side-to-side, still staring at her, as a second word came out. "HURRY." The two words echoed off of the void and the Unown surrounding them. The telepathic word come out low-pitched, as did the Unown's, but each reverberation and instance became higher pitched as they were repeated.
Fight? No, she couldn't fight. She could barely work up the courage to move an arm, much less try to activate her psychic powers. The only recourse, then...
"Are you...alive?" Her own voice similarly echoed off of the Unown, particularly 'alive'. Fear rocked her voice, only becoming amplified with each echo, as if they could sense her apprehension.
The pink Celebi stayed motionless, save for its twitching. No emotion could be discerned by what was left of its face or its unblinking eye. Its head position was the only semblance of life it had, again suddenly repositioning and cracking its neck to move it, whatever warped humor it was attempting falling flat on Gali. The Unown that were called forward retreated back into the darkness, with the dome of eyes circling around as if they were collectively aligned on the same thought. More came forward to spell out words, as if she were watching a brain's thought process work as a collective of beings.
"ALIVE?"
"DYING"
Both echoed with the same ferocity as before. Gali felt her fear creep in again, but it wasn't as paralyzing as before. But it wasn't just fear this time. Along with the ominous dread that blanketed her body and the entire area around her, she began to feel a new emotion towards the Celebi before her.
Sympathy.
Compassion.
It was one of her own...and yet, so mangled and warped...trapped in this realm with her...alive, dying. Suddenly, Gali felt more courage than ever before. If she had to do something, she had to do it now.
It was time to act.
Two turns.
"You're dying...no. No, you're not. You're not dying, you're not...as long as I'm here." Gali struggled to get up on her feet. Her entire body was shaking still, but she was at least moving. When she finally did stand up, the pink Celebi was but a few feet in front of her. She reached out towards it. Its eye didn't move, instead merely staring at Gali's face. Tracking her eyes. Unresponsive.
The Unown shifted. "FUTILE"
Gali's face scrunched, as if she were pushing back tears. This...bloodied mass, she was so close to touching. She could feel the raw emotion of its being pour out from its appearance alone, despite it not having a voice nor means in which to display such things. She hadn't even touched its skin, and yet she could feel a lifetime of emotions enter her fingertips. It was enough for her to pull back, now clasping her hands together.
"I...don't care. You need help...I can't leave you like this, alone in this hell."
Vines stretch from behind Gali's arm, crossing over and extending to her hand. They cover the hand briefly, then retreat back, exposing a single seed that fit into the palm of her hand. Visible to the pink Celebi, it instantly shifted its vision to the seed, then back to Gali just as fast as it had looked over. Her own instincts tricked her, making her look over to the Celebi's...
"The pain of living like this...it must have numbed you completely. I'm going to help you, like it or not."
"IN VAIN"
The light in its eye pulsed as it tried to say the words it telepathically spoke, and now that Gali is close, she could see it shiver as it did so as well. She still couldn't discern the meaning behind any of its movements, other than it not having moved away, having not outright denied.
Gali shook her head and closed her eyes briefly. "Your body is torn. You look like you can barely move if not for your Psychic powers keeping you alive, poor thing...please, let me help."
"HELP?"
Its eye pulsed once more. The sound of bones cracking once again displaced in the void as the Celebi tilted its head once more, still with its solitary eye trained on Gali's face.
One turn.
Gali's hand moved closer to the pink Celebi's faded skin with the seed. It didn't budge an inch, although its eye did glance over with lightning speed before refocusing back on Gali.
"I CAUSE"
"DEATH"
Gali stopped briefly. Certainly it had no means of which to do so. And if it did - it was smaller than her. What could it even do, the way that it was? "If you do, then we can talk about that after you're healed up. Just let me..."
The seed touched the pink Celebi's head - on the side that still had skin. Gali held it there as a blue aura began to envelop it, shining from underneath her palm. Bright green vines sprouted from the seed, and Gali moved her hand away. Just then, the Celebi began to vibrate with more intensity than before.
"It will take some time, but this should work. If you can feel any pain from it, I'm sorry, but it may sting..."
The voice from before kept repeating the same words, "DEATH, FUTILE, IN VAIN" as it not just shook, but began making its own movements aside from its stiff stance. The Unown surrounding the two began travelling faster in their circles, shifting vertically as well, making their echos bounce around more erratically. Gali couldn't help but look around at them, then back at the pink Celebi as it began moving its arm for the first time.
The Celebi hunched over, its bones creaking and snapping as it held its head, up near where the seed was placed. The vines from the seed spread across its body, eventually wrapping the bloodied parts in a cocoon. At this, the fairy used its Psychic to scream out, momentarily frightening Gali before it began darting around, shaking intensely and holding its head.
"NO"
"PAIN"
"WHY"
"HURT"
The ominous song it played before rings out once more, but this time the song is echoed by the Unown. The Celebi's body was continuously wrapped by the vines until nearly all but a few parts of its head and body were held, although it still had freedom of movement; such movement was still jittery, and it seemed to be putting its entire being into all of its shaking. It held its head low after coming to a standstill, producing a piercing static-like noise quietly at first, increasing in volume over time and raising its head as it does so.
The Celebi's body gained a blue aura around it. Its glowing green eye faded as the blue aura expanded, and a blinding white light shone from its body. The aura eventually enveloped Galiana, and time seemed to stop...
Zero.
Gali's consciousness drifts off once more, as white fades to black. Nothing remained from before. In this new void, she sees more words, and feels a strange presence...something akin to control. It wasn't the Psychic powers she was used to having, that she knew.
SAVE?
YES
NO
There wasn't time for her to deliberate on the meaning. Mustering all the power she could, she focused on the word. Though she couldn't feel her body, she made all attempts to try and reach for it. As if her entire being was put into signaling, saying, communicating...
...yes...Yes...YES...
> YES
The next thing Gali knows, she's waking up on cold ground again. This time, as the haze clears from her eyes, she's in a lit place and not a void. The Unown are gone, instead replaced by what looks like the inside of a building, the high walls and ceiling a dark brown while the tiled floor was an off-white. White fog covered the area close to the ground, and she could barely make out her surroundings, with too much light and whiteness to make anything out in the distance.
As Gali picked herself up off the floor, she noticed the pink Celebi from before still floating in front of her, its single eye opened, unmoving, and now not glowing as it had been before. The green of its eye had dulled much like its body; it could easily be mistaken for being dead, had it not been floating. It seemed to be facing forward at a fixed angle, as opposed to the small semblance of attentiveness it had before. The vines covering its body were brighter than its actual body, and pulsed with a faint green light. The Celebi had composed itself from its previous outburst, remaining motionless once more.
The Celebi's body twitched and its eyes glowed faintly. Gali could hear a voice in her head again, though without the Unown she could tell it was the Celebi's actual voice. Befitting of its appearance, it sounded ancient, quiet...devoid of life. She could mistake it for a breeze, especially since it took its time pronouncing, even telepathically.
"HOME..."
It turned its body around, its free arm and leg dangling limply from its body. As its back faced Gali, the fog cleared from around them, though it still permeated the area. Gravestone markers laid on the ground for several yards in all directions, a clear path forward on the tiled floor where the gravestones not lay. The Celebi began floating forward along the path, though at a slow pace. Gali hesitated for a second before following it.
She came up beside the Celebi, unsure whether to look at it.
"Are you feeling better? That's a little trick I picked up, healing by making a Leech Seed work in reverse. Since it has temporal powers, it'll heal your body back to its original form, before...whatever had happened to you."
The Celebi vibrated. Gali could see some of the bloodied mass through the vines, having regretted looking over. ...and yet, she tried to focus on its eye. It remained unmoving.
"...I...CREATE DEATH..."
"...Eh?" Gali tilted her head. "You said that before, but..."
"PERISH...SONG..."
It then clicked. "Oh! That's what that was...I didn't even..."
"...YOU...DID NOT...DIE..."
"I...guess it must have been because I'm a Celebi too." Gali wore a small smile, having wanted to connect with the shiny Celebi somehow. She could have sworn its eye moved a little bit there when she said that...and yet, she was spooked all the same. Her fear from before was persisting, as she had lightly flinched from that lightest of twitches.
"...Um, anyway! Do you have a name? Mine's Galiana."
"...CELEBI...NO NAME..."
"You don't have one..." She sounds a little dejected. The area around them seems to shift a little bit, as if distorting, though the fog makes it hard to tell.
"...OWNER...NO NAME..."
"...No owner? Oh, no, wait, you have an owner, but they didn't name you...That's a bit sad."
"..." The Celebi came to a stop in the middle of its floating. Gali took a second to realize this and turned to face it.
As the Celebi turned its head slightly to look at Gali, she noticed there was less cracking than before. Its eye had slightly more color to it as well. "I...KILLED...OWNER..."
Gali's face turned stiff. If that was true, then...she was helping a murderer. But how could she believe it? Or...disprove it, even?
A figure briefly appeared in Gali's vision, alone amongst a black background. Entirely white, a face with hollowed-out eyes. The sight of it caused the anthro Celebi to gasp, though she didn't scream. Her voice refused to work for such an outburst.
"I...DO NOT..."
Gali and the Celebi stayed still, none saying a word after that for a few moments. The smaller Celebi turned its head back to its original position.
"...WE ARE...CLOSE..."
It resumed floating forwards. Gali hesitated even more in following it, wanting to reach her hand out but afraid of what to say or do.
The two make their way to a clearing amongst the gravestones. At the end of the clearing was a ruined building of sorts, white boards strewn about and various materials that made up the structure decomposing and rotten. Yet, from that structure Gali felt a familiar energy...something she couldn't mistake for anything else. Something that tugged at her heart, that gave her a connection to this barren, desolate, desecrated place.
This was a shrine.
"HOM E..."
"This is your..." Gali stared on in disbelief. How long had it been living here...? How did it survive?
"THIS IS...WHERE..." It floated forward. Faint figures made of fog appeared and disappeared on the spot, not lasting for more than a second and not forming enough to get a good look at them.
"I...KILLED..." The pink Celebi vibrated more intensely than it had when speaking before. Again it reached up with its free arm, and again Gali could tell there was less bone cracking - in fact, none at all. It held its own head with its free arm, and the cocoon on its side shifted in position. It was regenerating...as Gali had anticipated it would.
"KI LL ED...OW NE R..." Gali could hear something, not telepathic this time. But even with the telepathic speech, she could tell...there was something different about how it was speaking now. Again the image of the figure flashed before Gali, and multiple copies of the figure seemed to coalesce in the fog around the two, facing her direction as if taunting her to notice them.
Even so, the added confirmation only made Gali hesitate more. But perhaps the Celebi's voice wavering meant more than just its body was healing. "Do you feel...anything?"
"FE E L...F EeeeeEL.." The vines around its head slowly came undone as its healing finished. Some of the Celebi's wounds had healed fully with a fully regenerated face from when it still had one, and with it, a mouth. Gali could hear it trembling as it took... "..huUuuuUu..."
its first... "...uuuUuueeee..."
breaths... "...huuUaAAaaa..."
in who knows how long. It was as if it had almost entirely forgotten how to breathe. As its body was still healing, its breathing was coarse, but Gali could hear it perfectly, as if the entirety of her focus was trained on the Celebi. Its eyes had healed, both a vibrant green without the eerie glowing of before, though they looked unfocused and hazed, perhaps due to the rest of its body still healing.
In, and out...its body had moved with less shaking, now that it had a rhythmic breathing helping to stabilize it. It coughed, instinctually moving its hand up to its mouth, still trembling. Though it shook less, its body was acting as though it was going to fall out of the air, as if the process of feeling alive once more was taking up more of its power.
Gali moved closer, holding her hands under the Celebi's body in case its power let go. She could tell its skin was healing nicely as well, not as wrinkled as before, but its hue was still darkened. "It's okay, it's okay, don't stress yourself. I'm here."
Its coughing fit stopped, and it took another few breaths, sounding as if it was clinging to life - and not actively trying to stop it. "I F E EL..." Its clarity grew with each passing second, a voice most definitely coming through besides the telepathic speech.
And yet, something wasn't quite right. It was fighting...something...within itself. Whether it was the feeling of being alive or something else, Gali did not know, but it hunched over, repeating the same word telepathically as it did with the Unown before. "FEEL...FEEL...FEEL..."
The background suddenly became black once more around the two. The shrine disappeared, and the figures in the fog were barely visible on the outskirts of the light, as if a spotlight had been cast directly on them. A faint static-like noise started up from somewhere, accompanied by the Celebi's own guttural moans.
The pink Celebi vibrated more intensely, causing the vines wrapped around its body to detach and fall off. The body under looked tender and nearly complete, with a functional arm and leg. Even its wings were healed, though with a unique notched shape that Gali believed to be mistakenly not healed fully. She could feel its life energy returning, despite the sense of dread she was getting from its hunched, almost fetal-like position.
"FEEL...I FEEL..." It shook its head, its voice wavering.
Gali leaned forward, intent on seeing this through. "Let your emotions through. Let your heart speak. Tell me what you feel."
"F...FEEL..." Its eyes flashed brightly, stopping in its pose. "...ALONE."
It shot upright with a shockwave, pushing Gali back, and all the light around them dissipated with the shiny Celebi now being the source of all light in the realm. A shower of red leaves began to circle it, forming a ball of high-moving projectiles.
"ALONE!
I KILLED!
I...WHY..."
Gali took a few seconds to right herself before walking towards the smaller Bi, a little choked up at the reaction. It spoke faster, and Gali could sense the emotion in its voice pouring out, overwhelming her senses with its power.
"ALL THIS TIME!
ALONE!
DEATH!
I CAUSED!"
Its voice was booming now, a loud white noise ringing through the area as the shiny Bi convulsed. The red leaves surrounding it was visibly cutting into its skin, making it even more bloodied than before with the amount. Gali reached out, inches from the leaves.
It screamed, and the sphere of leaves grew. Its face morphed into an unholy shape.
"REGRET! REGRET! REGRET! REGRET! REGREEEEEEEEEEE-"
"Stop! Stop!" Gali tried to protect herself with her own Psychic, a faint bubble following along her body that the leaves bounced off of.
"-EeeeEEEEeeeeEEEeEEEEEEE-" Its mouth opened unrealistically wide. Gali was too close to hesitate, but her heart jumped seeing the Celebi's uncanny ability to warp reality around itself. The cuts from the leaves grew more severe on its body, and even begun piercing Gali's protective bubble.
She got close enough, against her body's wishes, against her instinct to flee...
...and wrapped her arms around the Celebi.
"You don't need to do this!" Gali was getting cuts all over her body now, with the bubble fading. The screams of the pink Celebi grew silent, and its body took on a red hue, as did the light shining on the two.
"You're not alone anymore!"
"You don't need to kill!"
"This doesn't need to be your home!"
"You can live!"
"You can choose to be happy!"
"I...SHOULD BE..." The Celebi's telepathic voice was still wavering. The cuts were getting so great that both of the Celebi's bodies were getting shredded to ribbons, adding to the red whirlwind of leaves surrounding them.
"I...will be...your friend...!"
"Just don't...give up...!"
"Have...hope...!"
"I...be...lie...ve..."
The two were completely disintegrated...and the red leaves fell.
Minutes pass...
In complete and utter silence...
...
A blue sphere appears where the two Celebi were. A voice sounds out.
"To you, I was a complete stranger..."
The sphere grows, bathing the dark void in its blue light.
"And yet you invited me to your home..."
It suddenly expands outwards to cover the entire area, with the red leaves being scooped up inside. Undefined pieces of matter generated and grew inside the bubble, patches of white and black swirling like a whirlpool.
"Now I shall return the favor..."
The blue light begins to fade as shapes take form. A light blue grass sprouts up on the ground inside the sphere, spreading for feet, yards around. Small white flowers sprout up, a pond, bushes, shrubs, then tall trees in the distance. A distant light from above shines down, only interrupted by the crowns of the trees around. All of the plant life glows a teal color, lighting the area from above and below.
"And show you my own."
The ground erupts. Dirt swirls together and forms a structure in the middle of the clearing, shaped together by a mysterious force. Light shines upon it from the bottom up, and it sweeps away the dark color to show a fine white coloring. Wood. Glass. It was a Celebi shrine, through and through.
The blue spherical aura from before collapses in from the outer bounds of the horizon, transparent at first but becoming opaque as it closes in. A few feet above the ground it hovers, a few seconds passing before it dissipates and the pink Celebi from before appears from within. As the aura completely disappears, the fairy is lowered to the ground, eyes open and conscious. It stands, its psychic powers suppressed.
It almost instantly leans forward and touches its chest, again showing its unfamiliarity with just the act of breathing. It takes long, slow breaths with a raspy, high-pitched noise as it clears its lungs of the imperfections caused by Gali's healing. Over time, the noise subsides, and it becomes comfortable enough to look at its surroundings.
A dense forest. Open wilderness. There's a solemn breeze, bringing with it the scent of fresh flowers and a hint of berries. The Celebi squinted; such things were lost on it. A memory might have stirred of its life before, but none that would help it recognize what it was experiencing. Experiencing...feeling. The grass brushing against its feet; touch, something it hadn't experienced in forever. And yet, it didn't pull away. It accepted the feeling.
It lost its balance somewhat, still getting used to its now two legs to stand on. How long has it been since it was able to stand? Since that...leg was there...another memory. It...felt good. Yes. It felt...complete. It was...always meant to be this way...its hands, too, as it looks between its regenerated body parts...
...but what caused it to lose such feelings in the first place? What changed? Why did it have to cause others pain, when it had pained itself? Causing much worse than the mutilation it endured...compared to now, this feeling of being alive, it already barely remembers how it felt living when it was so close to death for so long. Having nearly become a grim reaper; not alive, but not dead either.
Yet it still only knows how to cause pain. With its psychic powers limited somehow in this foreign land, all it had was its voice. Even when the breeze picked up and the tree branches rattled, rustling in the distance, its voice boomed above all, even the slightest breath. And its voice carried death to those that heard it. That's all it knew how to do. Why...why would that Celebi heal it, if its goal was to make it hurt less? The emotions were already overwhelming...
It stepped forward. Where it once stood on the grass, it left a gray imprint before filling in with color. Towards the shrine, one small step at a time as it got used to its legs. Feeling its muscles work, feeling the smoothness of moving...it didn't hurt to move now. How it ached before, just to stay in one position...how it hurt to even feel anything touch it. With none of its insides exposed, none of its bones touching the air...it felt nice. It felt good to...have a pulse...pushing it along. Reminding it of life. One step at a time.
A bright light shines down from above. The Celebi craned its neck up to look, but had to cover its eyes to protect them. To...protect...? To shield it from pain. Why would it do this...? Oh, that's right. It can...feel pain now. It was so used to the pain before, but now it could respond. It didn't...want pain. Not anymore. Not from the darkness, not from the light. At least this light felt warm...
An ethereal, almost ghost-like figure lowered from the light. Its shape was familiar, and as it too became opaque as it neared the ground, it recognized. The same Celebi from before. A faint aura surrounded its body, and small blue light particles flew off of it, adding to the ambience of the forest.
"..hhhUUuuuu...yOuuu..." When it exhaled, it made a hissing sound. It wasn't used to speaking just yet. Without its telepathic voice, its natural voice was considerably lower pitched than what one might expect from a Celebi.
Gali gave a light smile, squatting down. "I'm glad you're getting used to your body. Is it all acting how it's supposed to?"
It coughed. "..dOn't...kNow..." Its entire body seemed to fizzle for the briefest of moments.
"I...guess that's a loaded question, huh. Who knows how long you went without having half your body..." Gali's smile turns to a concerning wince. "I should apologize. Not just for...healing you, if it was truly against your wishes."
Concern? For its wellbeing? Who would even...no, that's just it. With its new body, it could feel more than just those negative emotions now. Sympathy and empathy filled it. Even if it doesn't know what those feelings are, having spent so long without them, it could still...understand. It shook its head, briefly closing its eyes. "iT...wAs not...aS bad...aS I..." Again its body fizzled, taking long breaths after each word, coughing again before it could finish. It was as if its speech was limited by more than its body's health...
The larger Celebi's smile returned, and with it a faint blush on its cheeks. "It's okay. You'll heal over time. This is a place where Celebi come to heal. Your strength will return just by being here."
"...yOu...mEan...?" It looked back up at her.
Gali nodded. "There's more than just you and me here. Look up there."
She pointed up at the trees. Faint apparitions appeared to fly around. They, like the larger Celebi, became opaque after being pointed out. Celebi, all flying around, their voices and chirps becoming audible, as well as the sounds of their flying. Their wingbeats, the sound of their life energy.
The pink Celebi was mesmerized. Others just like it, all around. They dart between trees, calling to each other, flying together, playing tag. They hide and laugh, pull apples from the trees to eat, do loops in the air and spin. They sit on the shrine's roof, hold hands, run their hand along the grass as they swoop low, and pick flowers for each other.
A few of the Celebi fly in close to inspect the shiny Celebi standing below. "Hi!" "Hi!" they call, floating just above the ground. A little too close, the pink Celebi stepped back and held its arm up, unsure what to make of the creatures before it.
"..hHhh...hhhHHHHHhh..." Again, its hissing came out. Was this...nervousness? Why would it hesitate? Before this, creatures that came before it would...no, no, that's not its life now. Not when it again lives. But what would it do differently? Its body remained paralyzed in place, unsure of what to do. Unlike the other Celebi flying around, the pink Bi didn't have a glow to it, which provoked the few that came down to circle it to figure out why it looked different, and it wasn't just their color that stood out against the grass.
"Hehe, give them some room. They're new, they need some space." Gali's voice soothed the Celebi that had come down, who had turned their head when the big Celebi spoke. They nodded, waving to the shiny Celebi before flying back up with the others overhead. A group had flown by in a formation, and the ones that just flew up joined them as they flew around trees and playfully bumped into each other.
The pink Celebi watched in awe. Was this...fun? Excitement? Its heart was beginning to race. It knew fear all too well, but this wasn't fear it was feeling - or, well, perhaps it was in a way. It wasn't of horror or comprehension, but another type of fear that was more aligned with positivity. Its hands shook as it tried to process this feeling, and its mouth quivered, as if trying to find the right muscles to use.
"The second thing..." The pink Celebi looked back at Gali. "...is that this really isn't my home. It's a place that I found once while travelling the world, and it's where many like us come together." She looks back up to the Celebi flying overhead, the group from before just flying a few feet above Gali's head.
"In fact, a few of these are the same Celebi - just time travelling so that two of them are here at once." Just as she said that, a Celebi had surrounded itself in a blue aura, and a small flash of light marked its disappearance as it time travels. Another blip in a different location marks a different Celebi coming into this timeline, with it quickly finding its bearings and joining the fun, finding its friends and blending in with the crowd.
Gali looked back down. The shiny Celebi was watching the fairies above with intent again, its mouth still shaking. "...Do you have something you wanna talk about?"
"...I...bElong..." As it stared up, it appears...wanting. Yearning.
A pause. Its voice carried throughout the clearing, despite its quietness.
"...sOme pLace...eLse..." It closes its eyes and looks down. It could feel its heart jump, as if its mind and body were fighting each other to find out what truths it could live with.
"Oh?" Gali tilted her head. "What makes you say..."
"bEcause! I...cAuse dEath..." It snapped back, with more emotion than anything it had said so far. Its eyes were quivering now as well. All of the Celebi in the forest had stopped what they were doing at this point to focus on the weirdly colored Celebi whose voice was carried to every corner of the forest despite little effort on its part to speak up. The outburst of emotion felt like a sharp knife had been taken to the tension of the forest. Not even the trees dared to rustle as the Celebi spoke.
"Because of the song...right?"
It attempted to speak again, but held its throat. Something was choking it up this time, and it resorted to just nodding.
Gali tilted her head down, closing her eyes with a concerned frown. Seconds pass, and she smiles once more and looks back up at the Celebi. "That's where you're wrong."
"...wHat? bUt..."
Gali shook her head. She then held a finger up to her mouth with a wink. "There's a reason why us Celebi are sometimes called the 'voice of the forest'."
She looked up at the Celebi above, and gave an approving nod. Every Celebi in the forest shared looks and gathered above in circles above the two on the ground. One, two, three circles above, forming somewhat of a dome as they looked down with their playful smiles.
Gali bowed towards the shiny Celebi. "I want you to sing with us. We'll lead, and you add your voice whenever you feel it is right. Okay?"
The pink Celebi shook its head, a little more forceful this time. "bUt! I aLready tOld you! pErish sOng...if I sing...i-if I sing..." Though its emotions were raw, its voice was getting better with time. Clearer, less garbled with its mouth working as it should. Its lungs working as they should. Speaking from experience, from empathy...from knowing its powers and capabilities.
Gali nodded. "You'll understand once you join in. Don't be afraid. There's nothing to fear, little one." Another soft smile. The Celebi above shouted their praise and hopes, trilling and calling out for the shiny Celebi to join them.
It...had no idea what to do. It held its head again, fizzling once more. It hadn't faced such stubbornness, such adversity, such...welcoming force, despite its warnings. Warnings it didn't have to give. It could have started its Perish Song right then and there, but...it didn't. Why? It had done so before...its head hurt...
Gali held out a hand. The pink Celebi looked at it, within reach. "Place your trust in me."
This hand...what was it for? What should it do? What gesture was this...
It reached out with a hand itself, though its arm was shaking a little. Gali lightly took the smaller hand into her grasp. A slow gesture, the two Celebi were studying each other intently, one with faith, one with caution.
"You won't regret it." Again Gali nodded to the Celebi above.
A Celebi from above begun to sing. Others around it picked up. As they did so, each individual glowed brighter, with the life particles flying from them becoming brighter as well. Each bobbed their heads to the same beat, angelic voices that sung a slow melody.
The pink Celebi took it all in...and how soothing it was. Its worries, its fears were beginning to wash away. Staring in wonder, its mouth quivered once more. To join...or not. If it began its song, it knew what would happen...all these Celebi would be affected. And if it did...if it did...
No. It had to have trust. Faith. Of the notes it heard in the song overheard, some notes were familiar. They were repeating a small melody. It was as if they were waiting for the pink Celebi to join and lead them in a new direction...
It looked over to Gali. She nodded, mouthing 'Go on' to it. Its doubts washed away with the singing, it took deep breaths. It would need to be as clear as ever, relying on its own voice instead of its telepathy. Each breath it took in, a faint pink aura started to shine around its body.
At the end of the Celebi's melody above was a break long enough for the pink Celebi to start. And so, it did, its two-note Perish Song echoing through the forest. Its immediate surroundings turned gray. The Celebi looked on. They all understood. They all knew.
And they continued singing after the pink Celebi's part. Gali's smile widened, showing her teeth, and she even bounced in happiness. She took a deep breath herself and began to sing; the Celebi's melody had changed. The larger Celebi's aura glowed brighter, her wings fluttering and her body taking flight. A new verse, with a new lead. The serene voices restored the grass underneath to its off-blue color.
The shiny Celebi's glow returned once more. It noticed the changes both to its surroundings and the Celebi, now more alert than before. The Perish Song...failed. But it wasn't because it wasn't heard. It was because...they were all using it. They were using it, and it bought life around them instead of death.
Its mouth quivered once more, feeling more than just the urge to sing again. It wanted to be heard. To have its identity heard. To be...alive. To be itself again.
The pink Celebi smiled.
It sung again. Louder, prouder, longer. Stepping forward, motioning with its hands how it felt. The grass went gray again, but the chorus of Celebi quickly restored it as they followed its part with their own. Its pink aura stayed for good, pulsing as its heart raced further with this newfound joy.
The winds picked up, and the Celebi's instinct picked up to flap its wings. Gali held out a hand down to it, mouthing 'Together' as it tried to take flight. It reached up, and as it took hold of the larger fairy's hand for a second time, it truly lifted off.
The two sang together. Gali's higher pitched voice and the Celebi's lower pitched voice complimented each other, singing for longer, introducing more complex notations. It quickly picked up on the sounds it wanted, the music it wanted.
Joining the circles of Celebi above, some cheered as others continued singing. In the center, Gali and the shiny Celebi spun about, their voices blending in amongst the crowd, yet still being a driving force.
Their light shone across the clearing, as if their very presence was cleansing all evil away.
As if their voices were reaching across time as a signal to others.
As if they were tying their very life to the shrine and the prosperous land they inhabited.
And they sung.
The pink Celebi held its last note as long as it could, receiving applause from its kin; Gali clapped as well, giddier than she's ever expressed before. As it finished, it turned towards the larger fairy with a big smile on its face, who took a bow before it. It returned the bow, following her movements without hesitation.
They turned to the Celebi around and bowed as well, who hooted and hollered and cheered.
"I'm...so proud. You're looking better, you're feeling better...you're okay now." Gali's voice spoke above the Celebi, while the pink one was still looking around at all of the attention it was getting.
"I...I...!" It held its head in its hands again, facing away. Of insurmountable joy, Gali was sure.
"Yes?"
Its body
fizzled.
Contorting, warping. Static filled the air. A collage of numbers and letters filled Gali's vision.
Time stopped.
The background turned black.
All the Celebi took a monochrome color.
All except for Gali and the pink Celebi.
Before Gali could register what had happened, the shiny Celebi turned towards her.
Its face was pale and emotionless. Its body color dulled, leaving just its bright green eyes.
SAVE?
YES
NO
Gali felt coldness, as if the air has been sucked from around her. She hesitated to reach out once more at the prompt before her, with the Celebi staring at her behind it.
Despite how many times her hand touched it,
how long she held it,
the YES answer would not respond. The words disappeared in static.
"I...TOLD YOU BEFORE..." The telepathic voice from before. The Celebi...split apart. Its form returned to what it originally was at the beginning, while the other half looked...dead. Its eye, blackened. Motionless. "...FUTILE..."
"W-wait...wait what...?! N-no! No!" She couldn't move forward towards it, as if she was captured once more in paralysis.
The half that had split away, the part that she helped regenerate, began to spin. Sinking. Lowering. Gali looked down.
The shrine below them had collapsed into the same form as the one in the graveyard, except there was a massive black hole that had appeared in the middle, tearing the shrine even further apart. The body fell towards it.
"NO!" Gali's emotions overcame her body's resistance, flying down after the half. It disappeared into the darkness.
A low pitched laugh; a memory played back. But was it hers? Control was usurped from her once again, as a Psychic power beyond her own took control of her body. With it, she began experiencing more memories. Ones that weren't hers. Shock filled her veins. Two people, sharing the same body.
"YOU HAVEN'T REALIZED...PITIFUL..." Gali was brought up to where she was before, with the half Celebi staring her in the face. Her mouth moved, but no words came out. Fear set in.
Pictures of people she didn't meet. Places she hasn't been. As if it were another world entirely...another time entirely. A reality that wasn't hers. Stirring memories of her own, forgotten to time.
"YOU...AND I...CAN NEVER...MEET..." The Celebi that had surrounded them, stricken black and white and stopped by time, split into halves, all copies of the being before her. Their halves, too, fell to the depths of darkness below. Warped singing rung out before they were swallowed. The remaining halves had the same glowing green eye...all staring at her.
She experienced the feelings of the Celebi through its life. A brutal coldness that froze her heart, realizing its pain...was not something she could heal. A pink face entered her mind, its features blocked by static. It was female, but...was it someone she knew?
"YOUR KINDNESS...IS LOST...ON ME..." Images of the Celebi in its whole form. How it...ended up the way it was. It flashed by so fast, Gali didn't have time to understand it. She thrashed about, attempting to scream in terror. But no matter what she did, she felt her emotions going haywire all the same.
"BUT...IF YOU...WISH...TO SAVE...SOMEONE..." Gali couldn't control her movement, trapped in her emotions. Control was ripped from her so easily, and now it felt like her life energy - all the things that she loved about being alive, her emotions, were all working against her.
The Celebi half floated closer. All the disturbing details, her eyesight caught. None she wanted to remember, but all she did. It rose its hand above its head, as if preparing to strike.
"SAVE...THE OTHER...HALF..."
"Who are you?!" Gali finally managed to speak against the void. But it wasn't just her - there were two voices. The gray Celebi before her was just as surprised, its green eye widening briefly.
"I AM...LOST...TO YOU..." It lowered its hand, and with it, Gali was sent down, spiraling out of control. The image of its body flashed through her mind, each time becoming more and more corrupted. Separating.
"THE OTHER HALF...THE OTHER HALF..."
The words echoed as Gali fell to the open wound on the earth.
She fought to regain control.
Stopping just feet before reaching its lip, she flew up.
It was sucking her in. Yet she fought.
Fought for her life.
The Celebi halves stared down,
hovering above, before the suction reached them as well. Falling.
Each turned into red leaves before passing through Gali. Disappearing completely from the world.
Optimistic outlooks tearing to shreds. Individual songs turn into agony. Their joy cutting her,
their life force gone, all turned to pain. All of their sensations turned into hers,
hurting, overwhelming, destroying.
Each tearing more away from her,
reaching through her body and taking away everything. Emotions, memories, hopes, dreams.
Her body nearly gone, hanging on with mere scraps of her self,
all that was left was the original Celebi above.
Last it was to fall, the last to remove Gali from existence with its leaves. Yet...she welcomed it.
For what remained of Gali was her trust.
As the last of her body fell to the darkness,
she wanted...no.
Not just wanted to believe.
Not just believed.
She knew life,
light,
goodness,
emotion,
change
still stirred
in that dark Celebi's heart.
SOUL IN THE DARK, PT. 2 - FOUND
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
A piercing scream. Gali rights herself up, still holding her eyes shut.
"GALI!"
A familiar voice. The Celebi tries catching her breath, still thinking she was in the nightmare. It's only when the haze clears from her eyes that she realizes she's back in the real world. Karina was by her side, and immediately placed her hand on Gali's shoulder.
"Gali, what's wrong?" The lights were still dim, but as she looked over, Gali could see the light of a phone. The Mawile had decided to snuggle up next to her after her night out. Gali could've sworn she was light enough of a sleeper to hear her come in.
The first thing she felt was how cold she was. Whether it was from her nightmare or not bundling up after the flight here, she didn't know, but she knew in her spine that part of it was because of the dream.
"Th-th-th-the lights, Kari, Kari, please, the l-lights..." Her lips quivered. Where there was darkness in her room, she saw it: the Celebi from her dreams. With every heartbeat she imagined it was right there, ready to torment her again. Spotted patterns of dull pink and red everywhere, eyes staring at her, reliving it all over. Karina quickly got up and turned on the main light in the room, enough to bathe the walls in color. The apparitions vanished.
Her breathing was still hard. She crossed her arms across her body, shivering, her hair disheveled from tossing and turning in her sleep. Her eyes had shrunken, black lines visible against her eye shadow, with the slightest bit of drool having formed at the corner of her mouth. Frankly, she looked like a complete mess.
"Bad dream, Gali?" Karina walked back over, sitting on the bed next to the Celebi.
"The...other half..." Those words kept echoing in her head. "Save...the other half..."
"Huh?" The Mawile tilted her head.
"T-the other half, Karina! Where's the other half?!" She had a desperate look to her...
"Gali, hold on! What're you talkin' about? Tell me what happened." Karina fidgeted with the phone still in her hand, trying to figure something out.
"I-it was...it was hell...that's the only way I can describe it."
She took a deep breath. And then, looking back down, she began to recount the dream right from the beginning, before her memory of it faded to the ether.
Every last detail she could retain, every important feature she could remember. What she felt, figuratively and literally. She even had to check her body at a few points to ensure she wasn't scarred or cut up like she was in the dream.
On and on she went, until at least she
"Gali, I...don't know what to say..."
The fairy had calmed down, though she still felt pangs of fear and the occasional chill on her spine. She had moved next to Karina, resting her head on the Mawile's shoulder, with one of Karina's hands wrapped around the Celebi's waist and the other still holding her phone. "The last thing I remember hearing was 'the other half'...it just kept saying it. Goading me, even. Like...like I'd ever find it. The other half...the other half of it..."
Karina let out a low sigh, giving a few seconds to formulate an answer. "And you're sure this isn't just all a dream? You're sure it's real?" She tried her best not to be condescending, but it was understandably hard not to be.
"I'm sure it is. It felt real, all of it." Her body had warmed in these last ten-to-fifteen minutes. The white noise of the lights, the whirring fan in Karina's computer...the sounds she's used to hearing had helped to calm her down. She exhaled deeply, nearly becoming breathless, her heart finally beating at a somewhat normal pace. "I tried so hard to save it...the pain, it felt so real...b-but..."
Karina rocked back and forth, tightening her grip on Gali. "There there...you don't gotta worry about it anymore." She tilted her head, resting it on Gali's, nuzzling against it. Small 'beep's and 'boop's still came from her phone.
"...So, uhm...that aside...h-how did your night with your friends go? I missed you leaving..." There's a bit more positivity in her voice now, slight pushing over to Karina's side. She hadn't paid much attention to the Mawile's phone all this while, having been trying to recount the dream as best as she could. Still unfamiliar with most of this technology...
"Ah, it was alright. Me n' a few buds went window shopping and got some ice cream while we were out. If I'd've known you were here, I'd-a bought some back for you..."
"Aww, you didn't have to." A small giggle. "Just...you coming home in one piece is enough." Gali pushed back, nuzzling into the Mawile's shoulder further.
"Jeez, I guess that dream did do a number on you, huh..."
A whine. "I...don't wanna go back to sleep. Not 'til I know whether or not it's real." The solemn tone returns.
Karina sighs. She pushes the phone over into Gali's view. On it is the picture of someone she doesn't recognize. "You know of this guy?"
"Can't say I do. Who's he?"
"He's this archaeologist who goes around studying various myths of the world. I guess you can say he's a bit of a celebrity. This here's one of the interviews I had with him a while back. He's got a house high up on the backside of the mountain where he keeps all his research."
"So if someone would know about a mythical Pokemon..."
"...it'd be him. Yep." Karina playfully elbows Gali. "Maybe he's got a book all about you. Y'never know!"
Gali chuckles. A familiar trill escapes her lips. "Get real. Who'd wanna write a whole book about little ol' me?"
"Aaah..." Karina scrolls down on her phone. "You oughta see his pad. There's history written on his walls, literally - and tons of photos. Here, look at a few of 'em."
The Celebi exhaled. "Alright, alright, you've convinced me."
"AND...he's a Jirachi. And you know what that means, right?"
"...Now you're just getting my hopes up."
"Ask reeeeal nice, and maybe he'll grant you a wiiiish...~" Karina scrolls back up and rocks the phone back and forth, trying to entice her.
"Sh-shush. It feels weird enough as it is to even consider asking someone like this about a dream."
Karina giggles. "Tell ya what. I recorded that whole spiel of yours on my phone here, so if you wanna borrow it, you can just play it back to them when you find 'em."
"You'd let me borrow your phone? I don't have the best pockets, you know."
"...Unless you want to recount every single detail again."
"Yeah. Alright. Gotcha. So, tell me, how do I..."
"Right, so, you click this here..."
...
"Just be sure to bring it back to me before sundown. ...But he is sorta hot, isn't he?"
"Aheh, I don't think he's my type..."
"C'mon. Tell me, what would you wish for if he gave you one free wish? Just one." The two have been pushing back and forth on each other for so long at this point that they push only when they have a response. This time, Gali took a while to respond, letting her head tilt down.
"Hmmmm..." She finally pushes back herself. "A bowl of ice cream sounds good right about now."
- - -
After catching up, Gali set off once the sun was up. She hadn't slept the entire night, but she was too awake to go back to sleep - and she sure as heck didn't want to dream again. Still, she had cuddled with Karina before she too went to sleep, taking off shortly after they spent quality quiet time together. Of course, the light was on all the while, with Gali turning it off as she left.
Before she had gotten out the door, she was stopped by Abby to have a small breakfast.
"You got any plans for today, dear?"
"I, uh, was thinking about going up Avalu Peaks...f-for some sightseeing, heh."
"Oh, if you're going up the mountain, you'd better take a coat. It gets rather chilly up there."
So off she goes, thanking Abby for the bite to eat and the spare coat, putting the phone in one of its pockets, floating up to the mountains overlooking the entire island.
Most definitely, the coat helped keep her warm. The winds got a might bit stronger as she neared the mountains, circling them while trying to keep enough distance to scan the entirety of it for any signs of construction.
Just as Abby said, there was a definite home - but not a hut. Rather, it was built inside of the mountain, a decorative roof, lanterns, railing...and the small caveat of being almost entirely embedded inside the cliff face. As she neared, she could hear soft jingling, likely from the ornaments strewn about, tinted windows that she couldn't peer inside easily. She made her way over to the small outlet of land where a door to the inside was, flanked by a well-kept garden full of exotic plants she dared not to touch, and reached up to knock...
...and realized just how stupid this was. Chasing a silly dream. She could be back at that meadow relaxing...
"Ow!" Something sharp poked at the bottom of her foot. Just then, she heard the door click and creak open.
Out stepped a tall Jirachi, red streaks in his yellow cap and wearing a band of odd-colored orbs around his neck. Gali couldn't tell, but there was something about the way he looks that suggest he may be older than most of the residents on the island. And from just the way the inside of his house looked, just from what she can peek at from the entryway, it felt like she was stepping into another era entirely.
"May I help you?"
Gali took a few seconds to compose herself. She hadn't thought of how to really...approach. An awkward smile crept onto her face.
"H-hi, I'm...I mean..." She sighed, her tongue not able to keep up with her thoughts. The Jirachi tilted his head inquisitively. She felt as if this person was undressing her with his eyes... "Are you...an archaeologist?"
"Hmm..." He puts a finger to his chin. "As much of one as you are a Celebi."
"You can tell?" She recoiled slightly, raising an arm to cover herself with. A slight gust had started up.
"Of course." His eye glanced up and down her body once more. "The trademark antennae, eye shadow, wings; you're even wearing their traditional garb under that coat."
Gali's mouth twitched. It wasn't that she was surprised he could tell that much from a glance, but rather just how matter-of-factly he spoke.
She shook her head, a daze she hadn't anticipated on getting into setting on. "I'm Galiana, sir. A-and I have..." The gust blew a bit harder, her coat flapping.
The Jirachi stepped aside, motioning with his hand. "Come in, esteemed guest. Before you get the chills." Gali didn't have to be told twice, hurriedly making her way inside.
Immediately she could tell this was the home of someone who not just studied, but loved history. Every which way she looked there was something that referenced a bygone time. Murals of ancient Pokemon, photographs and portraits hanging on the wall of various places and Pokemon, diagrams and maps, documents in languages she couldn't read...and a certain age-old dusty smell that could swear was a little bit familiar.
"Come, hang your coat and have a seat." The Jirachi makes his way over to a table in the middle of the room, an ornate piece that Gali could tell had exquisite care put into it. As she undid and hung her coat on the nearby coat hanger, she watched on as he cleared out a space on it from the many books and odd gadgets covering it, enough to have a space for two on either side. She floated over to the other side as he wiped away the spots, using his own red-aura Psychic to float over a few books from an adjacent room, as well as a few photographs.
As both took a seat, he placed the books between them, and the photographs to his side. Gali could immediately tell what they were. Celebi shrines.
"To what do I, Rigel, highly-regarded historian of Luani Island, owe the pleasure of meeting a fellow mythical on this fine day?"
"You...uh..." She was quite a bit startled at the formality. Afraid enough to not touch the table, even. "I'm guessing you know quite a lot about, uh...me..."
The Jirachi chuckled. "Well, not you specifically, but your species is one that I have studied before, yes." He motions to the photograph of the shrine next to him. "Mainly congregating in forested areas, they are a sign of peace and prosperity wherever they appear. Having even one around is a sign of good things to come. People build shrines in their honor, making offerings so that they receive more visits from the Celebi, who then repay by protecting their forest, protecting and healing life where it sprouts."
Gali looked down with a small smile. Rigel continued. "But all the history I've found puts them close to heavily wooded areas, away from most communities. And their time travelling abilities allow them to be quite evasive. Take a closer look at the top of this shrine here..." He points to the very top of the shrine in the photograph, offering it to Gali. "I had to stake out for weeks, gift after gift, just to catch sight of this one here."
As he says, right on top of the shrine, resting and kicking its legs up was a Celebi. It looked like it simply enjoyed being there.
"Goodness knows how much time it would take for one of these creatures to trust someone enough to let them get close. Much less...have one walk in on them." He clears his throat. "So...that brings me to my first question, if I may, Galiana."
Gali gives a short chuckle, setting the photo down on the table. "Please, call me Gali."
He returned with a chuckle of his own, his hands folded together on the table. "My apologies, Gali. What brings such an elusive and special creature - humanoid or not - not just to this island, but right to my doorstep?"
She sighed. Right then and there, she felt the largest of twitches rise up through her spine. "R-right...well, uh, I guess I should start with, ah...I've lived here for a few years, um. I know there's not a whole lot of...forests, on the island, but there's definitely a lot of wide, open fields. There's a spot next to Gorebyss Lake that's a favorite spot of mine to hang out."
She felt herself starting to sweat, a hand reaching up to place at the edge of the table. Round edges - at least she won't get a cut. Rigel sighed with a small smile shaking his head. "Ah, you misunderstand. I'm asking why...you're here."
His hands tensed up, gripping each other. A piece of paper floats over, carried by a faint red aura, and lands in front of Gali. A world map. There's markings all over, but the names of the various pieces of land are all legible.
"On Luani Island, there are ruins suggesting a link to a few Pokemon embedded in its history. The legendary Pokemon Zygarde is featured most prominently in old texts and murals, with a fully preserved and maintained shrine to boot. Additionally, there's evidence suggesting Solrock and Lunatone were revered at some point, as there are artifacts with their visage...but not as many as Zygarde."
His eyebrows began to furrow. "You see, Gali...there's no mention of Celebi having been honored on this island before. Most certainly not before today." He shakes his head. "And although I am pleased if you were, indeed, sent here as a sign from Arceus above to bring the island good tidings and blessings...I do not think you were sent here for that. ...And truthfully, I'm not sure how that process would even begin."
Gali looked puzzled. The dots on the map...correlate to Celebi shrines. Most certainly it doesn't mean that if there were spaces of land with no shrines, there wouldn't be life there, as Luani was a prime example of that.
Rigel sighed. "Seeing a Celebi so far away from a shrine isn't exactly unheard of. But if you're not scouting out a place for a shrine, why exactly are you here, on this spit of land you have no business being on?"
All of a sudden, the walls felt really close. "U-uh...I..."
Rigel's stare intensified. "I...just live here, sir...j-just trying to have a quiet life, is all..."
The Jirachi stayed still for a moment, then sighed and closed his eyes. "...Apologies, ma'am. There's a lot of bad actors in the world, and I'm just trying to keep this island peaceful. The world is torn enough with battles and strife between the legends. And history has a nasty tendency of repeating itself." His tone changed.
"It's...ah, understandable, really. I don't mean to create a...following, or anything. Honestly I'm just happy healing people and spending time with the people here. It's quite cozy."
A slight pain in her heart.
"...But, sir, there's a reason I came to you today, of all days."
Rigel made an inquisitive 'huh', then lowered his head with a chuckle. "Oh, of course. Pardon me, I get a little carried away with myths and legends, you see. My deepest apologies if I offended you any. Go right on ahead."
Gali forced a smile, looking away. "I-it's nothing to apologize for, really. But...I guess it kinda is what I've been meaning to talk about."
"It's...you see, I had a dream last night. There was a Celebi that...didn't bring healing. It brought the exact opposite of that. And...I was wondering if..."
She choked up. "If...that's a sign for anything, or if...it had meaning, or..."
Rigel folded his arms on the table, straightening his back. "Dreams have been proven to have quite the impact on the real world, Gali. There's much to gain from studying them, indeed, although dreams are a little out of my field. Still, such a Celebi would be unique indeed, if it existed."
"Would you...would you be able to tell just based on a recounting of it?"
"If you're able to remember all the details, yes."
"That's perfect, because a friend of mine recorded me explaining it in detail." She pulled the phone out of the coat pocket with her Psychic, floating it over and fidgeting with it.
"Stop."
"E-eh?"
Rigel got up from his seat and walked around the table. "If you don't mind, I'd like to peer into your thought process as it plays out. I want you to play out the dream in your head as you listen to it, so I can see what you saw."
Gali sighed, a slight shiver. "If it will help..."
He placed his hand close to Gali's head, a red wave emanating from it. "You may begin."
She starts the recording...
...
...every detail plays back...
...every scream of help, every plea...
...every image, every feeling...
...
At the end, Gali is shivering again. "Did that...h-help...?"
Rigel puts his hand down, looking away. "Fascinating...Grotesque, but fascinating."
He walks back around the table, a hand behind his back. His pace is slow, obviously in thought. When he gets back to his seat on the other side, he instead places his hand on the back of the chair.
"That shrine in that enclosed graveyard...it's nothing that I've come across. You said you felt as if it was a shrine, but feeling such a power may only be relegated to Celebi, and thus, I would likely not be able to find it."
Gali sighs, looking down.
"However..."
"That shrine in the forest, that you said you had visited before. That may be where you will find your answer." He turns towards Gali. "Two places in the world being seen as pairs is nothing uncommon. Why, there's scant evidence to suggest that even in other dimensions or planes of existence, similar places will have similar energies. Though we have yet to uncover why that is..."
Gali looks confused. "Does that mean I'd have to travel to that shrine...?"
He nods. "I can understand your pleas to save that...other half. But I must warn you that there are dangers with messing with the timestream. There's no telling what will happen if you do anything rash with your powers." His assertive tone returns. The hand resting on the back of the chair balls into a fist. "Your power is not one to be abused. Especially regarding that gold ring around your neck."
The Celebi nods. "Of course. But it feels like...I'm the only one who can help it."
"You may be right." He nods. "...but you must consider whether that is the right thing to do, as well. For the balance of the world..."
Gali closes her eyes. A tear wells up. "What...what world would discard half of a Celebi's body, leaving the other half as that...that..."
The two share a silence.
"...Perhaps it's not from this world after all. Perhaps it is just a dream, meant to be forgotten."
"And if it's a plea for help, I can't ignore it. I have to help it."
Rigel sighs. "I probably wouldn't be able to stop you from trying...after all, it wouldn't be on this island where it'd take place. Fine."
Gali bows her head silently. She got up from her seat, and headed for the door...
"...Ah, one second, Gali."
"Hm?"
"I have something for you...and a favor." He walks over to a desk near the big window to the outside, and from it retrieves a small figure. "Would you mind sharing some of the dust from your wings with me?"
"Oh, uh, sure..." Gali turns around. Rigel holds the object near the wings as she flaps them, coating them in their particles.
"That's good." Rigel holds it back up, and Gali turns towards him.
"This here is a miniature Celebi shrine. I received it from a far-off village with a Celebi-themed tourist shop." Gali looks at it. Sure enough, it's got the shape, the wood finish... "If I'm not mistaken, Celebi require blessing a shrine themselves in order to 'mark' it for travel, both through time and as a marker for their teleportation. In doing so, now you have the shrine in your memory, and this...tiny one, to use so you may return easily to the island."
Gali gasps. "I...had no idea! If I had went out and gone there, I'd have been lost..."
Rigel nods. "Tell you what. Just for you, I'm going to add this to my decorations outside, so you can teleport back here whenever you want."
The Celebi bows again. "Thank you very much! My, er, home is in Sonnige, but I'd rather take a small trip across the land than across the ocean."
"Heh, well, that's...about all I'll allow. But in exchange..." He turns to the side. Gali looks on with a slight head tilt.
"...I'd like to ask you to come visit every once in a while. I get caught up in my research, and my place here is so out of the way, that not many visit me. And the few that do ask for a wish without offering anything in return..."
"...If you like, I can answer more questions about my, uh, Celebi-ness, if you're still curious."
He chuckles. "Oh, it doesn't have to be that. Just, y'know, small talk, it doesn't have to be about work. But I won't say no to it, if you'd be willing to share."
She returns the laugh. "I wouldn't mind. Maybe I'll learn a little bit about myself in the process." ...though her smile fades quickly. She puts on the coat she came with. "But first, I gotta help that Celebi somehow."
He nods. "Perhaps it's destiny that you do. Best of luck, friend."
Nodding back, with a determined look on her face, she opened the door and set out.
...back to Karina's, of course. She had to return that phone first. And on that trip back, she flew faster than she ever did before. Air burned on her face, and wind scarred her ears. It didn't matter if she was hundreds of feet above the ground, she had determination. Willingness. It pushed her forward, made her heart jump.
The sun shone down from above, half the day already gone by the time she landed at Karina's house. She quickly put the coat back where she found it, and set the phone on the counter. Her interaction with Abby was as quick as a "Hi-Bye!" before she bolted out, only to return and close the door behind her.
A telepathic voice reached her right as the door clicked shut. "Gali! Have you left the island yet?"
She attempted to return the message. "Rigel? No, not yet. Just about to."
"Good, I caught you before you went." The voice sounds exasperated. "There's something you should know before you head off and do anything drastic."
"That would be?"
"I was looking through some of my research, and thought you should know. By messing with the timeline, you would be drawing the ire of Dialga, the legendary Temporal Pokemon, for one. And maybe Palkia, the Spatial Pokemon, as well, though I cannot say for sure. I would be careful if I were you. They're wildly powerful, and if they see you as a threat, doing whatever it is you plan on doing..."
The voice stuttered for a moment, as if the connection had shut off.
"...you'd meet them on bad terms. And it will go less than stellar for you if what you plan on doing goes against their rules. The rules of this universe. I wish I knew more, but..."
Gali closed her eyes.
"Part of my oath as a nurse...part of why I want to heal, is to stop the hurting of others. Maybe they turn a blind eye to pain, maybe they see it as right..." She rose up in the air. A pink aura surrounds her, growing in a sphere. She closed her eyes, raising her arms, one foot in front of the other.
"But I don't."
Fwip!
- - -
A clearing. A shrine. A tint of teal everywhere. Tall trees, a peaceful quiet.
Not a being in sight.
Fwip!
Gali appears in a flash of pink. Hovering a few feet above the ground, she gently lowered to the grass below. Opening her eyes, she took immediate notice of the shrine in front of her.
A small breeze caused her hair to swish. A determined look in her eyes, a slight furrow of the brow. Staring down the shrine.
She had nearly forgotten how serene this place really was. How unfortunate that a single dream could ruin it, and leave her terrified...but ready. Ready to do what needs to be done.
She walked forward. Slow movements, taking in the scenery. The grass against her feet. Pollen tickling her face. She cleared her throat.
Clasping her hands together, she sang a single note. Then two, three together. "Biii...Biibiii...~"
A sound from somewhere nearby. "Rrriibibiii...~"
More joined, and the beings whose voices they belonged to became visible. Though fewer in number than in her dream, there were quite a few of the pixies fluttering about. They took an interest in Gali's singing, joining in and floating near in their own whimsical way. Seeing her as one of their own, their fears quelled, and they sung together.
After a minute or two of their song, Gali sung her last note, and waited for the Celebi around to finish.
"Wonderful singing, all of you." She smiled at each of the Celebi before her. By her count, there were four, though it's likely there were more in the forest not near the shrine. They all flittered about with their own little mannerisms.
"Yeah!" "The best!" "Nice singing!"
"Didja hear that high note?" "I wanna lead next time!"
"Is she new?" "She was here before, I think..."
"Hehehe...alright, alright. Yes, I was here once before. When I was still new to this world, and looking for my bearings, I followed this shrine's energy here."
She stepped around the Celebi, closer to the shrine. Her earliest memories of the world resurfaced, and she sighed. As much as she would love to visit for the sake of visiting, there was no time to reminisce today. "But...friends, there's someone that needs our help. And I fear they're in dire condition."
"One of us?" "A Celebi?"
"Is it true?" "How bad?" "Where?"
"Not where, dear friends." She turned her head towards them with a smile.
"When."
The Celebi looked amongst each other, confused expressions abound.
"When?" "Not here?" "But...when?"
"That's exactly my thoughts. And I...think I know just how we're gonna help 'em." She turns her body towards the Celebi once more. As her confidence grew, she began to use her hands to help her speak, holding out a palm towards them. "But I will need some help. I understand if you aren't feeling up to it."
"You kiddin'?" "If what you say is true..."
"One of ours is in danger!" "No one left behind!"
Their naiveté was touching. In truth...even she didn't know what she had to do. But she had a feeling...and she was going to see it through. Her hand pulls back as she thinks of how to proceed.
"The shrine itself will be my tether to the present." She looks over to it. Thinking on her own, she tried to think like a determined hero...like in one of Karina's games. What would they do to get the results they wanted? "But I'll need to head between the streams...not in a timeline itself. Somewhere...between."
Gali then turns to the Celebi again. "If you guys can keep a portal open, I should be out and back in the blink of an eye. It will just be the journey that will take some time. It'll be...literally, no time at all."
"Sure!" "No problem!"
"And I thought we'd have to do more!"
Gali shook her head. "Not...quite. I'll be bringing someone back on the brink of death. They'll need immediate healing." Slowly, she had taken on a determined, serious look. "Please be ready. I'll need all your strength."
The Celebi struck poses. "Yes!" "I'm ready!"
"Then please, a Passage, if you would."
They nodded, and took a square formation. Cloaked in blue, they focused their power in the center, a portal growing from the ground. An oval-shaped brightly multi-colored door, glowing and radiating time energy.
Gali put her hands together, saying a quick prayer for herself, taking a few steps back. Yards from the portal, she needed as much velocity as she could.
Flying up, she called out. "Be ready!"
She flipped backwards midair 'til her body faced the ground, then flew forward as fast as she could. Straight into the door, fist first, a missile that whistled as it zoomed past the Celebi holding it open.
- - -
An infinite column of blue light, straight as can be from one horizon to the other. From afar, it is but a straight line, but up close one can see the many individual strands that compose it. Each tied together; one fate, one timeline.
Strands of light reaching out, like a frayed rope, mark those that travel through time, each returning back to the column. A four-dimensional space where both time and space can be seen; time in this realm superposes that of the timestream itself. Time spent here is its own beast. A Celebi is but a guest here.
A blue trail leaves the stream, a comet blazing bright and blue.
The easy part was getting here...but finding that lost Celebi? Where to even look...analyzing each individual strand would take too long. Millions of those in the main timeline, hundreds, possibly thousands of strands that jump away and back. Following each would be an undertaking.
Her time is of the essence here. Her movements must be quick, lest she run out of energy and be lost herself, a thread not able to find its way back after being extended to its limit. The Celebi helping her out offer their power to hers; she hopes it is enough.
A thought races in her mind. To connect with the other half of the Celebi, she had to reach out in a way that would prove their connection. Surely, if the one half she met in her dream had responded to something, the other half would respond in much the same way, right?
So in her mind, as she travels close along the timestream, sparkling blue, she reaches out with song. A shockwave of Psychic energy that brings with it the same tune she had sung in her dream. She never forgot what she sung then.
...There! It was faint, but it was there! She called again, now heading towards where the song came from. Again it responded, faint but there.
If it was out here, in this void beyond space, its light had died out with it becoming disconnected from its timeline. A dark being, hidden amongst darkness...alive despite being ripped from time itself. Calling out for help. Gali had to succeed.
"Are you the Celebi from my dreams? Please! Show me where you are! I want to help!"
The song rings out again. A whisper amongst the windless void. Amongst the reverberations making up its song, Gali could faintly hear its voice. Calling her. Her name.
Without ever meeting her, someone not from its timeline, without appearing once to her, its connection was made. It had to be the other half!
Gali's streaking comet body was wearing thin. If she couldn't reach the Celebi in time, she too, would be disconnected. Just a bit longer...
The blue sparkles emitting from her body lessened. Her rope was reaching its limits.
There, at the very edge of what was possible...at the very edge of reality, trapped in the worlds between, was the half. Motionless. The only thing lighting it was Gali's own diminishing streak.
Before her light faded completely, before the urge to reconnect to the timeline became too much, like holding one's breath underwater...
She took hold of the Celebi's hand,
Enveloped it in her light,
Shared with it her life,
And shot back to her timeline, like a bungee cord snapping back.
- - -
From the viewpoint of the Celebi holding the Passage open, Gali had entered the portal and came back through in less than a second, though they could feel the stress of their time power in those precious milliseconds as Gali had used almost every bit of what power they offered, and then some. As fast as she entered the Passage, she came out, tumbling with the shiny Celebi in tow.
She attempted to slow her landing, knowing full well the Celebi in her hands was clinging to life. Its strand to the timeline reconnected, its condition now mattering more than ever as seconds ticked away on its health.
As Gali came to a stop, protecting the Celebi with her arms as much as she could, she could feel its life force fading fast. "Now! Help me with your Pollen Puffs!" No time to be disgusted, no time to show fear. Even if her arms were now bathed in red, she readied a Leech Seed, fast as she was able, implanting it in the Celebi's head and body. It needed as much healing as she could give it.
The Celebi helping her quickly closed the passage and came over to help. Upon seeing the state of the Celebi Gali had brought with her, they collectively gasped and hesitated. Was...that a Celebi at all? Its hair was missing, its eye closed as if it were already passed, and...half of its...
It took a few seconds for the bravest to get near, flapping its wings and letting its dust coat the Celebi. It absorbed the energy from the pollen, twitching its body repulsively. Still, it was a sign of life.
"C'mon, we gotta help it!"
"But it's..." "Is it really...?"
"It is! J-just...don't look at it too long..." Even the Celebi helping it had turned away.
"Please, please help it! Every second matters!" Gali's voice wavered, raised, desperation clearly in her voice.
Her body was shaking. She had really...done it. In her arms was the other half of the Celebi from her dream...and though she did not know about its history, she had no time to question it. All that mattered was saving it from the brink of death, a brink it was trapped in for so long without time to pass by...its life paused right before the climax. And Gali was determined to ensure it could have its happy ending.
Tears welled in her eyes, cradling it in her arms as the Leech Seeds took hold and spread across its body. Another Celebi had joined in, getting near enough to let its restorative dust coat the Celebi, making the vines starting to take hold of it glow that much brighter.
Gali could hear, feel, its barely-composed mouth take in slow breaths. Her face was blue with disgust and fear, not wanting to think too deeply as to why or how it could survive like this. Yet, with another Celebi joining in, this time one that wasn't part of the original group but had been watching from the trees after being curious, she knew that all would be healed soon enough.
Intently she monitored this Celebi, whose Leech Seeds had spread their vines so snugly around, bringing back memories of the dream she had. Her heart jumped about, knowing that this time, it wasn't a dream. She really was saving it. Or...rather, half of it. But it mattered none to her, so long as she could stop its suffering.
The Celebi around had gotten worn out from spreading their dust, with one finally falling to the ground on its butt, tired and resting its wings. "Whew..."
It took that for Gali to notice two more had already joined in. The vines surrounding the pink Celebi were bright green, and she felt its life energy had been stabilized. With its eye shut, she couldn't tell just how well it really was, but she was sure it was no longer in peril. "Thank you, guys...really. I think that should be enough to save it."
The Celebi around her stopped spreading their dust shortly after, with a few joining the one that had fallen to the ground tired to comfort it as well, with another sitting next to it. No doubt, their entire attention was fixated on the pink Celebi in Gali's arms.
"So, uh, miss...who is that?" "I don't recognize them, yeah..." "Their color is a little weird..."
Gali forced a smile, still watching its face. The vines pulsed in brightness with its heartbeat, wrapped so thoroughly around its body that only its closed eye remained visible. "I...had a dream. And in it, I met a Celebi...who looked much like this one."
"S-scary..."
"It was. I tried my best...saving it, bringing it to a dream world version of this shrine. It...told me that it killed with its Perish Song, and I was trying to teach it how to sing without causing death. Heal the wounds on its body, and teach it to love life."
She shakes her head. "But it was just a dream...and in the end, it reverted to just the half of its body. The...other half, of this one here. And that half...killed me, in that dream. But it told me to look for the other half...this half." She rocks the Celebi back and forth in her arms gently. "I...can't believe it myself. That the dream was...real...and that it existed...it was severed from the timestream, just at the limit of how far outside the timestream we can travel."
The Celebi listened on in awe and wonder. "Does that mean..." "...th-the other half...the one that kills with its Perish song..." "W-we're supposed to forget that move..." "Does the one that you met exist too? S-somewhere..."
Gali looks up at the Celebi around. The one that spoke last was shivering. An instinct rose up in her, and her quiet, calm voice returned. "Dear, please, don't frighten yourself like that. If it does exist..." She looks back at the shrine. "I'll save it too."
They all collectively gasp. "But you'd get yourself killed!" "You barely made it back this time!" "If it's not a dream..."
Gali giggled, despite the worries. With a quieter voice, she spoke. "Have you all forgotten?"
She began humming. A familiar tune...the same she sung in her dream, the same she contacted the shiny Celebi with. The Celebi around her listened on.
They too begin rocking back and forth. One joins in with its trilling.
A second joins. A third.
All the same melody, repeating.
And then a voice they hadn't heard before speaks to them, a voice in their minds that spoke above all others...
It, too, sang. A new lead, a new verse.
The pink Celebi slowly opened its eyelid, its eye clouded and shaking.
At the end of the verse, as the Celebi were still singing their parts, the voice spoke for the first time.
- - -
The Celebi from her dreams,
haunting its graveyard shrine.
A harbinger of death, it stayed loyal to its duty;
Necessary, it was told, that it should lead even its master to a grisly fate,
Keeping its pledge long after it had forgotten who ordered it.
Yet, a new sensation that it had not experienced in eons
overtook its mangled and warped body, experiencing life anew
until its body could handle the stress no longer.
Gnashing and gnawing at its form,
A heartbeat rings out, with latent, delayed emotions filling its body.
Love, compassion, empathy; hate, rage, anger
in all but a brief second of mortality.
As its body fell, its green eye fading, it had its first coherent thought not clouded by death:
No longer would it have to wander this horrible, lifeless, lonely,
Arceus-forsaken land.
SOUL IN THE DARK, PT. 3 - REVIVE
Gali never left the Celebi's side. Not once.
She had given the Celebi of the forest her eternal thanks for helping her, knowing full well she could never really repay the debt that she owed to them for their help. Generous, were they, that they thought nothing of it; rather, that it was their job to heal and maintain the peace. Celebi come to these shrines all the time to get healed, even if some wander outside their forest home more than others, so it wasn't a big deal to them.
What was, though, was absolutely none of them recognized this new Celebi face - or rather, half-face, before it went into healing. Many were curious about its power, sensing not all was right, and its appearance beget even more questions. Still, Gali quelled most of the fears of the fae, hoping that it would have a speedy recovery and be able to handle its own. To that end, she had moved so that she sat just in front of the shrine, where its spiritual energy would be strongest.
And yet...its condition had taken considerably longer than it did in the dream.
"You...can't..." The telepathic voice sounds in Gali's head. The forest glowed with twilight, though many a Celebi still flitted about. One in particular took to taking an early nap next to Gali, while another offered to bring over berries so that the anthro Bi could at least have something to eat, not wanting to move too far away from either the pink Celebi in her arms or the shrine.
"Your strength is recovering...but your body..."
True as it was that the Celebi was becoming more stable, so true was it that its body was not healing as Gali had hoped it would, using her dream as reference. She had hoped that regenerating its body by using its previous state would be enough, but...
"Gali...I appreciate everything...I really do." The vines still glowed, and the Celebi shifts around in Gali's cradling arms. "But...my body has been floating out there for...eons..." It shivered, its eye still closed, and yet she can tell it was scrunching its face. "There's...no history...for it to remember...no time to go back to..."
Gali felt tears well in her eyes again for what felt like the fifth time that day. "No..."
The vines surrounding the Celebi lost a little of their glow. The extent of their healing had finished, and yet the Celebi's body was nowhere near complete.
"I'm sorry...Gali...but, please..." Even telepathically, its voice wavered. "It's...okay...to let me die. These wounds...will eventually..."
"No!" Her voice raised. "If...if we can't pull from your past..." Gali readied another Leech Seed.
"I've spent...far too long in that dark prison. All that's happened...Everybody, even Dialga, abandoning me...without time passing, I couldn't die...long after accepting death, it did not come..." It winced.
"S-shut...shut up! You're going to live, even if I have to...if I have to..."
The pink Celebi opened its eye, looking at Gali. The haze in its eye, shrouding its eye color, had only slightly cleared up. "Please...you've already done more for me...than anybody has. But it's...not enough to cure this pain...not enough..."
"I...I..." Gali lowered her hand, tears streaming down her cheeks. "What...what can I do..." The vines around the Celebi's body began to wilt, and soak red once more.
Her brow furrowed, and her body tensed up. Angry at herself, for not thinking this through. Even all her training as a nurse didn't prepare her for this. And with her time-reversed Leech Seed failing now, she questioned if it even was within her power to heal so much...to regenerate so much. With no history to go off of...
...well, hold on. Did it have to specifically be that Celebi's history? Maybe...just maybe...
"...there's something. I don't know if it'll work, but..." She clasped the Leech Seed in her palm, holding it to the Celebi so that it may take hold once more. But instead of simply letting it sprout after taking her hand away, she held it there with her hand. Once more, the vines spread across the Celebi as the time-reversing healing came into effect, but the vines also grew up Gali's arm.
If the Celebi truly could not heal, with no past to return to,
it would simply have to borrow from Gali's own.
The Celebi struggled, albeit weakly. "It's...not possible..."
Gali held it still as best she could, almost in a hug. "It is possible. Please...even if you don't have a time to return to, trust me. I...I didn't bring you here to let you die..." She shook her head, closing her eyes. "I'm not going to abandon you...please, have hope. You don't have to die, your future can still be bright..." She felt as if her heart was going to jump out of her throat.
Weak as the fairy was, it couldn't escape Gali's comforting arms. "...why, Gali? All this effort, for someone you've never met...it was just chance that my other half even..."
Gali shook her head, the vines extending around her torso, enveloping the two in a reinvigorated green glow. She could feel the seed draining...healing. Borrowing. "That's easy. I don't need a reason to help those in need." She blinked away a tear forming in her eye. "You're a special case. More deserving of a chance than anyone else. And...by far, the toughest, yes, but you're worth every ounce of care, every little bit of power."
Her grip on the Celebi tightened a little. "If you won't give up, I won't either. I haven't given up on anyone I tried healing before. And if it means you have to take more time than the others, I'll stay by your side until you're better. And...if your body doesn't have a 'time' that it can't remember...then take my body, my history. Anything to heal you. Anything..."
The vines wrapped the two together, but even through them she could feel it starting to work. Slowly but surely, the Celebi's ripped body was being mended, now having a proper history to work off of.
And then a sound Gali wasn't expecting to hear.
A hiccup.
"I..I..." Though night had begun to fall, and the two were lit only by their vine cocoon, Gali could see it. A tear, welling.
"I'm...scared..."
No words came out after. None could.
As the Celebi's body regenerated, its first full breaths of air were spent weeping. It was alive. It had found a place to call home. Someone to care for it. Though it had retained its emotions, it had hardened itself and prepared for a death that never came.
The two stayed there, against the shrine, huddled together. Gali quietly hummed her song again, tears drying on her cheeks. Back and forth she slowly rocked, until sleep finally came and gave their souls a brief respite from reality.
- - -
The morning light shone through the high treetops, reflecting off the dew-covered grass. All was quiet except the Celebi that had gotten up early, though their wing flaps were quiet even as they got their morning exercise by flying laps around the trees. Their chirps and trills were the only other sounds in the forest, as not even wind visited the shrine.
Gali came to, noticing that the vines around her had already wilted away. Looking down, she discovered why: the Celebi in her arms was made whole once more, still sleeping. Its pink skin was no longer aged, although its highlights were made a deep red. Its regenerated antennae had the same curve as her own, and it had a bang-like hair behind its right eye. The most noticeable change, and the one Gali first picked up on, was that its hair had grown out, all red, nearly the length of the Celebi itself.
After having noticed its healing was completed, Gali smiled, and her eyes closed once more; there was no reason for her to get up, and perhaps just a few more minutes wouldn't hurt.
The quietness of the forest helped her drift off to sleep once more, but only until the Celebi in her lap began stirring. Its breathing had stabilized during the night, and once it awoke from its long rest, it stretched its limbs...only to notice it had both of its limbs, and could feel them. It quickly sat upright to look at itself, its vibrant green eyes staying even after the healing. A few wing flaps, to be sure she had both; tugging and feeling both of her antennae to their tips, touching its own cheeks.
Gali awoke again, giving off a yawn and stretching an arm up herself. "Good morning, little one."
The Celebi looked back up at her, a mixed expression with joy taking the lead. "Gali! It...really worked..." The two shared knowing smiles, before the Celebi hopped up with its arms wide, hugging around the anthro Bibi's neck.
"It worked! My body...! I have a body...!" Its voice had become noticeably more feminine, though if it was because of Gali's choice to use her own past to define the Celebi's regenerated body, she did not know. Regardless, it was a body that it could live with, and that was all Gali cared about. She returned the hug, giggling at the affection.
But after a few seconds of joy, the Celebi had begun tearing up once more.
"M-my body...I have one again, but..."
Gali patted it on the back. "But...?"
It stayed still for a moment. "There's this...pain. Right in my heart. And it's not something I think your healing can do away with." It clasped a hand over its chest.
Gali held the Celebi up, then sat it down on the steps of the shrine. She got down on her knees on the grass just a foot from the Bi. "I knew it wasn't going to be simple...it's gotta be..."
"The...other half of me, yes. I keep looking for bruises and blood, but I'm not finding any. And..." It holds a hand to its forehead. "I'm not...dying, but I definitely feel it. It's such a weird feeling...but, heh, look who's talking..."
Gali shook her head with a small smile. "No. I think you're absolutely right." She puts a hand close to the Celebi's chest. It looks at the hand oddly, as if expecting another bout of healing. "Your heart is what will guide us to it." A single finger lightly touches the chest. For a brief moment, it was as if the two had become one, aligned.
Gali pulled back her hand. The Celebi touched where the finger just was.
"...but, then, how? Even you said there wasn't a time I existed in before, so then how could the other half of me be in this timeline? It'd be...out of your power, wouldn't it?"
"Perhaps..." She reached up and touched the ring on her neck. "Saving this half of your body took nearly everything I had just to reach you, yes. But I think saving the other will require something more. Something I...am not really sure of myself."
The Celebi sitting on the steps looked up. As morning turned to day, the familiar teal color returned to the forest, and even Gali seemed to be glowing alongside the plant life. A Celebi snuck up behind Gali, looking at the red Celebi quickly before darting off. Gali clasped a finger around the ring on her neck.
"This...I'm not sure why, but this ring around my neck, it's been a lucky charm of mine ever since I came into this world. This...timeline, rather." She infuses the ring with a bit of her Psychic energy, making it expand enough for her to bring it up off her head. As she holds it, it then shrinks back to the size it was before.
The warnings that she received about it before...were they about this?
The Celebi eyed the ring. "What exactly is it supposed to be?"
Gali took a deep breath. "From what I could gather, it supposedly is made of the same materials as the rings a certain other Pokemon uses. One that can control space to an extent - just like we Celebi have limited control over time. But up until now, I haven't found a way to use it. And...maybe I never will. But..."
She holds the ring to the red Celebi. "Today feels different. If we have to venture across space and time to save your other half, I think this is the only way we're going to do it without making an adventure half-way around the world that you're probably not feeling up for."
Though it was sweating and still looked rather ill, the red Bi chuckled. "A dream led you to me, and now you have a 'feeling'. You haven't given me a reason to doubt you, Gali." A smile crept onto its face. "If my body could remember how to use its Psychic powers, I'd travel five worlds with you just to find my other half."
Gali grinned wide. "That's a lot of positive energy I didn't expect out of you. Maybe you've taken more from me than I thought."
The Celebi flipped its bang back, turning its head so its hair also moved. It crossed its legs. "Maybe it's how I was like before, too. But that's more reason to go out there and get it back."
The larger Bibi nodded. "Right. Then...I'm gonna need you to tap into those powers of yours. If we both focus on it...something's got to happen." A light blue aura enveloped the ring, floating it between the two. Gali held up a hand and began channeling her energy into the ring.
The smaller Celebi held up a hand as well, but its body only faintly glowed with power. Yet its pink energy mixed with Gali's, encircling the ring as it spun about in place, held up by their powers. "How will we know if it works?"
The ring expanded with the energy being infused into it. "We'll know. Just...empty every other thought. Let every fiber of your being out into the ring. Tell it you want your other half..."
Gali closed her eyes. Images of the Celebi from her dreams flashed by. "Let the emptiness in your heart tell the ring...tell us, where to go. Speak to it, even if it's beyond reality...beyond our comprehension..."
An image of the Celebi's two halves, reaching to each other on opposite sides of the ring. The red Celebi closes its eyes, its glow strengthening. Its pink energy battles with Gali's own as the ring stabilizes between them. It wanted to be together. Whole. It wanted...
It wanted to end the suffering of its other half. No amount of separation in time or space could separate their soul, their heart. Beating as one.
The proof was in their connection. So too was their shrine. Two shrines, one energy. Across space, across time, across realities - they were together.
A burst of energy surged forth from the smaller Celebi, causing the ring to grow large enough for even Gali to fit through, making it spark. Pouring their one desire into it.
Whether it was through dumb luck or the significant connections at play, the ring responded. An inky blackness filled the gap in the ring, a purple spiral forming in the middle.
"Gali..." The red Celebi spoke from the other side.
"That's it! Just hold it open...keep your desire strong!" Gali coated herself in a blue protective aura - the same as she did in her dream. Now was the time.
She floated through, not knowing what lay on the other side.
- - -
Gali entered the dark realm.
A black shroud cast over everything,
lit only by her protective aura.
In that darkness, the Celebi lay next to its collapsed shrine.
Gone was the life from its eyes, crumpled to the ground;
Anyone else would assume it dead. But Gali did not.
Light shined forth from Gali's hand as fast as she could extend it out towards the fae
In a desperate attempt to keep its heart beating.
Gifted with her life force, Gali quickly grabbed it,
All while trying to ignore the backdrop that reminded her of her dream.\t
Lonely shadows cast upon her from all angles, meeting this trespasser,
Inviting her to share in their torment beyond death.
Giving them not a single ounce of her attention, she sped towards her portal.
A single being came between her and her goal.
Long had it passed from the world, but stay it did,
In an attempt to defy fate.
A ghost from beyond reality, Gali phased through it without realizing it was there.
Not a single trace was left as she entered the portal,
As if it had never existed in the first place.
- - -
The red Celebi kept its focus, its power on the ring. When it heard the shout of Gali from behind it, phasing into existence, it knew she succeeded.
"Close it!"
There was no time to waste. It was in worse shape than the red Celebi; any second could be its absolute last. Gali prepared a Leech Seed, forcing her own life force into the Celebi while it soaked her arm with its blood. "Stay alive, stay alive, stay alive...!"
The red Celebi closed the portal, revoking its energy. An odd tingling sensation began stirring in its gut as it watched the ring shrink down, and Gali and the lost Celebi came into view. As if on instinct, it began to levitate, floating over to the shrunken ring to grab it. It stopped as soon as it saw the half Celebi once more, closer, the ring in its tiny hands.
Its eyes were almost completely gray, and its Psychic energy had diminished to almost nothing. Its skin's pink coloration had almost completely faded. Even the sight of it, draining onto Gali, was enough for it to give even the other half of its body the greatest fright it could have possibly been given. Staring at itself on the brink of death. Feeling every nerve flare up in its own pain. The red Celebi recoiled and jerked about in the air, as if it had felt itself come close to death once more.
"It's okay, you'll be okay, I'm here...!" No mouth with which to breathe. No...
"C-come here! Now!"
The red Celebi did so. And immediately it was wrapped in vines, as was Gali and the Celebi in her hands.
"No time! We have to..."
The Leech Seed pulled from the two of them. Their history became the lost Celebi's own, and with it, it began healing. But the feeling was much more pronounced now; more time being drained. Gali's technique was wrapping around on itself, not just using their body's memories to restore it, but their life as well, as a Leech Seed would regularly do.
"If we can't get its heart regenerated..."
The squeezing from the vines pulled the three together. All in fear.
The fear to lose one that did not deserve their fate.
The fear of dying.
The fear of living without oneself.
Though it took only a scant few minutes for the Celebi's organs to regenerate, it was in those few minutes that they all experienced a lifetime of worry. They closed their eyes, their thoughts going in wildly different directions.
The vines quickly retracted after their burst of healing was done, with the Celebi having regenerated a fair bit of its body, though not complete. Gali sighed in relief, seeing at least a little bit of color in its eye, though she knew there was more to be done.
"Ah, er...I guess this isn't the best time, but uh, would you like a name?" Gali looked down at the red Bi, watching its other half with intent.
"A name...? I hadn't given it much thought, but...having a name might be nice."
Gali exhaled slowly, her mouth forming a smile. She looks off to the side, tilting her head, then back at the Celebi. "Then, how about...Found?"
"Found? Like, the word 'found'?" It said in disbelief.
"Yeah, why not?" Gali prepared a Leech Seed in her hand once more. "You were thought to be lost, but now you're found. So, Found."
It laughed, shaking its head. "And I suppose you'll be calling my other half 'Lost', despite having found it too."
A slight blush appears on Gali's cheeks, the corner of her mouth raising. "...It'd make thematic sense." She was quick to think of it positively. "The two of you together, lost, but found. You couldn't have been found if you weren't lost first. And going by that..." Another seed planted on the Celebi, taking effect right away.
"...the part of me that stayed behind, that wasn't ripped from the timeline. Lost." It took a more somber tone. "I'm not sure if I'm going to regret it later, Gali, but sure. Call me Found. And this Celebi..."
Gali nodded. "Lost..." She stared at it again, finding it hard to believe still that she was holding the Celebi from her dreams. The one she thought impossible to save...
A twitch. A pulse of green in its eye.
Then a telepathic voice, reaching the two Celebi. "...g...A l...i..."
Found shuddered. Something wasn't right, still.
"Shhh, it's okay. Save your strength." At this point, Gali was going to get tired of generating seeds, but she did so because it was necessary. Another formed in her palm. "Found, would you mind wrapping yourself to it, like I did you?"
It took a second to realize what Gali was getting at, a new and unknown sensation running through it. But still, it nodded with determination, placing its hand on the seed.
"Here, let me show you...focus your time powers on it. Like this." A familiar blue aura surrounds her hand, and the seed. The red Celebi's hand also glowed, a blue unlike its Psychic aura.
As the seed was pushed into Lost's torso, it sprouted its vines. Gali pulled away her hand. "Just like that. Keep your hand there, and uh, you may want to get comfortable." Found nodded.
Gali lifted the dull pink Celebi off her lap, Found following it, as she placed it on the grass. Found sat on its knees, the vines taking hold of their arm while still spreading around Lost's body. Gali then got up, walking over to where her ring lay in the grass, squatting to pick it up.
She put the ring back over her neck, turning around.
"Gali!"
The two Celebi were inside a blue bubble. A powerful presence could be felt at play with it. Found was startled, but because of the vines, it couldn't move. Lost looked like it was jerking around. A telepathic stream of static and jumbled noises only somewhat resembling speech was emanating from it...
"Found!" Before Gali could reach the sphere, she too was trapped in a similar bubble.
Lost jerked up, its eye flashing bright green. Before Gali felt her consciousness drift from her, she heard a piercing scream...
It wasn't just one. It was two - with one voice.
- - -
Gali felt herself...reform, the best way she could describe the feeling. It wasn't exactly the same as using Teleport, but similar powers were at play. As her body came to, she noticed she was in a very particular landscape. There was no ground, but it was solid. A spotlight centered on Gali's position, even though her body was fully lit, with the circle of light fading in the distance.
The sky was pitch black above, lit only by the stars and what appeared to be a massive galaxy that seemed a little too close, its spiraling arms putting up quite the light display. Gali looked around, finding nothing resembling a planet nearby, but through the light on the 'ground' she stood she could see even more stars. There was even breathable air in this weird space; time, too, felt warped, and she couldn't get a good handle on 'when' she was.
A sound. Gali turned towards it, seeing Lost and Found appear, still tethered by the Leech Seed. Found surveyed the area, just as Gali. Lost's eye had faded back to its dull green coloration. A booming voice commanded attention from an unknown location.
"YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER THAN TO ABUSE YOUR POWERS, TIME TRAVELLER."
A bright light from above, spiraling, growing. A massive, dark-blue being emerges, covered in steel spikes, a large red gem embedded on its chest. It roared, causing Gali to take a step back.
"YOUR ACTIONS COULD HAVE CAUSED CALAMITY NOT JUST TO YOUR WORLD, BUT THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE."
A second light, and from it a pink dragon emerged, around the same size as the blue beast before. The red gem on its shoulder remained lit after it appeared.
"What actions? Where is this?" Gali looked up at them, trying to figure out what they were.
"DO NOT PLAY STUPID, MORTAL. THOSE TWO BEINGS ARE THE EVIDENCE OF YOUR MEDDLING." As their mouths did not move, Gali could not tell which was speaking. The pink one seemed to have a slightly higher pitch to its telepathic voice.
"Meddling?"
"YES. YOU HAVE BROUGHT A FOREIGN ENTITY INTO OUR TIME AND SPACE."
"A foreign..." She looks over to Found, who looks fatally terrified. "...so, they really are from someplace else."
"NOT JUST SOME PLACE." The pink one spoke. "ANOTHER UNIVERSE ENTIRELY. ONE WHERE THE LAWS THAT BIND US ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT."
"ANYTHING THAT WOULD CONNECT THESE UNIVERSES TOGETHER...RISK THE DISTORTION OR THE TOTAL COLLAPSE OF REALITY."
"Anything..." Gali gasped. "Wait! You're...Dialga and Palkia!" Rigel's warning rung in her mind.
The blue one came forward slightly. "YOUR TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE TIMESTREAM CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. IT WAS WHEN YOU TRAVELLED SO FAR AWAY FROM THE MAIN LINE THAT I THOUGHT TO TRACK YOUR MOVEMENTS."
It turned its head towards Found. "IT IS UNFORTUNATE, BUT THERE ARE A FEW BEINGS LOST TO BOTH TIME AND SPACE. BUT THEY ARE NOT OF THIS REALITY, AND THUS, MUST BE KEPT OUT."
"They...they weren't lost! They didn't have a home to begin with! And they were hurt!"
Dialga's body glowed blue for a brief second. "THEIR HOME IS NOT OURS. EVEN IF ONE HALF OF THEM ENDED UP IN OUR OWN."
Gali closed her eyes and looked down, shaking her head. "How...how long have you known!? Couldn't you have done something about it?"
"OUR LAWS FORBID US FROM INTERFERING. SO, TOO, DOES IT FORBID YOU, MORTAL." The Celebi gritted her teeth. "THEIR PRESENCE WAS OF NO CONCERN TO US, UNTIL YOU MERGED THEM WITH OUR TIMESTREAM."
"You...would have let them suffer? The void beyond our timestream...they couldn't even die, without time passing! Their other half..."
Palkia then floated forwards, with Dialga backing up. "REMAINED ALIVE, AS HALF OF IT COULD NOT DIE. AS A SINGLE ENTITY, IT WAS INDEED TRAPPED IN THAT STATE."
"An eternity could have passed, and still they would be no closer to dying...of their pain..." She looked towards Found again. The two Celebi shared a look.
"BUT THAT IS THEIR REALITY. THEIR RULES, HOWEVER CRUEL IT MAY SEEM."
"I..." Gali balled her hands into fists. She looked back to Dialga, her own body briefly glowing green. "Knowing that they suffered, you didn't act? You couldn't have contacted their own reality's Dialga and Palkia?"
"ALSO OUT OF THE QUESTION. WE CANNOT INTERFERE."
"You would LET them suffer?" Her glow became brighter with her anger. "Some stupid rules would prevent you from saving a life you would be capable of saving?"
"THEIR LIFE IS NOT OF OUR CONCERN."
"Then you have no RIGHT to say that's how they should exist!" She pointed a finger at them.
Dialga's glow intensified. The entire realm shook with its voice "SILENCE! BECAUSE OF YOUR ACTIONS, WE MUST RIGHT THIS WRONG. AND I SEE YOU HAVE NO REMOSE FOR YOUR ENDANGERMENT OF REALITY."
Gali was taken aback, looking over to Found once more. She moves her body between the two Celebi and Dialga, holding her arms out. "I...I won't allow you to take them back! They deserve a chance at life, not the hell they were in before!"
"YOU HAVE NO CHOICE."
"Gali..." Found spoke, still reeling. "I...I don't know if I want to go back...if it would destroy reality, then..." It grappled with the situation.
"Shush! You deserve better than...floating in the void of nothingness. And then having your other half be doomed in its half dead state..." Gali shakes her head, the dream playing back once more. "It's...not right! I won't let you be subject to that torture!"
Found held its head with its free hand. Such conflicting emotions rattled its newfound body...and Lost's, as well, feeling the same due to their connection.
Dialga's gem began glowing, taking in power from the space around it. "WE DO NOT REQUIRE YOU TO UNDERSTAND. COMPLY, MORTAL, OR YOU TOO SHALL BE ERADICATED."
Palkia flew by, mockingly. "OR PERHAPS YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THEM! HYAH HAH!"
Gali faltered slightly. "...if it would mean they would not be alone."
Found quivered. "G-gali...please, you don't..."
The gem shone bright on Dialga's chest. An energy unlike any Gali has felt before gathered as a ball in front of its mouth.
...
A telepathic voice, belonging to none of the beings present in this realm. "A ha ha ha! A bit dramatic, eh, Dialga?"
The gem stopped shining, and the energy forming vanished. "WHO DISTURBS OUR BUSINESS?"
A golden being flitted in and out of existence before fully forming in front of Dialga. "Come now, big guy. That's a bit harsh, considering her only crime is saving a life."
"A LIFE THAT WASN'T HERS TO SAVE."
The being held its hands up - though it had no shoulders with which to shrug. "Who's to say? Maybe it was fate. Have you considered how they knew that Celebi was just hangin' out there?"
"HMPH. CERTAINLY NOT OF MY DOING." Palkia appeared to cross its arms. "BUT WHAT MATTERS IS THAT THE MORTAL DID WHAT THEY DID."
"Ugh. Arceus, you're dull." The gold figure held a hand to its head in a disapproving manner, turning around to face Gali.
"FATE HAS NO HAND AT PLAY HERE. AND NEITHER DO YOU, AUDUN." Dialga responded.
"Oh, I beg to differ. Allow me some time." The figure walked towards Gali. Apprehensive, she still held her arms out.
"GRRR..." Dialga held back.
"Audun? You're not..."
The Hoopa wore a mischievous grin, glancing over her figure as he approached nonchalantly. "Not someone you'd expect to have a connection to Dialga, right? My species sure don't." He held his hands up in a beckoning manner. "But I'm not the only one here with an extra connection, am I right?"
Gali raised an eyebrow, letting her arms rest for a moment. Her awkwardness failed her, not finding the voice to respond.
"Hmph, let's cut to the chase. You give me that ring around your neck, and I'll put in a good word to the big guy and we can work out the kinks and get you and your kids back to your home." He points at Gali. The ring glowed with a purple aura, with the Celebi feeling power coming from it, almost choking her. She held onto it.
"The ring? What do you want with it?"
The Hoopa turned his head, letting the rings hanging from his horns dangle. "Mine are busted up, and I need some for myself to replace 'em. So here I am, thinking I won't find any of these things anywhere, and one falls right in my lap." His grin widens. "Be glad I'm feeling charitable, because ol' Dialga up there sure isn't." He points back at Dialga with his thumb.
"AND WHAT WOULD THAT SOLVE? THEIR ANOMOLY WOULD EXIST REGARDLESS."
"What harm could two little Celebi do? So long as I get my ring, you can do what you want, really." He tilted his head back, looking at Dialga. Gali shifted vision between the two.
"YOU WOULD ABUSE OUR CONNECTION FOR YOUR OWN BENEFIT. AMUSING. YOU MORTALS ARE ONE AND THE SAME."
Audun laughed. "The difference is, I don't have to break any 'universe rules' or whatever to get what I want. And you can save your ire, Dialga. Spend it on someone that cares."
He turned back towards Gali, extending a hand. "Now, the ring."
Gali stepped back, her hand still on the ring. Memories play back in her head.
"This is...my only connection to my own time. My earliest memories are of me with this ring. It'll help me find my way home, I know it." She looks down. "It's far too important for me to give up. Even with my life on the line."
She shook her head. "Thanks for the offer. But I would rather take it with me to the depths of hell than frit it away on just a simple chance of walking away. Either we all stay, or we all go. No more or less."
Audun scoffed. "Frankly, dear, I too couldn't care less whether you disappeared. Give me the ring."
"You already have your answer."
"Gali...please, a-at least save yourself..."
She turns her head back. "I'm sorry, Found."
The Hoopa charged forward in less than a blink of the eye, with Found gasping in shock right as a sharp pain came from Gali's hip. Before she could even register what happened, something knocked her back towards Found, landing just inches before touching them.
"GALI!"
Blood poured down her thigh. A sharpened dagger in Audun's hand glistened, dripping red on the nonexistent ground.
"Stupid girl." He walked forward. "I will have that ring."
Gali tried getting up, but arched her back in pain. Found tried reaching out, but Gali slapped the hand back, instead holding out her own hand and encasing the two in a protective bubble.
"You'd still protect them over yourself, even when all of you are moments away from destruction. You're naïve and stupid." He stood above her, taking out another dagger and flipping it around in his hand.
He raised the dagger high. Found held its hand against the barrier, not even sound being able to escape it. Tears in its eyes as only itself could hear its call.
The slice downwards. Time slowed.
A voice rung in the void that only Gali could hear. But it wasn't anyone she knew...was it? Images from an unknown time circulate within her head as time stops...
"Gali...a life protecting others
is worth protecting itself.
Find your strength within that.
Trust in other's trust in you.
Our strength is not our own.
Friends, family...we all get strength from those around us.
Let the life you give be the source of your own power.
I'm sure you'll understand when you're older.
For the sake of all you heal, you must learn to fight. And fight you must.
Even the best healer must, at times, thirst for battle.
My Galiana, my dear sweet Galiana...never forget.
Even your mother would kill to protect you. "
Clink!
The dagger clashed against a blade of white light, outlined by a green flowing aura. Gali held the blade with both hands, one at the hilt and one at the blade to push back.
"I'll prove...prove that I - we, are worth saving!" An echo in her voice formed for the briefest of moments.
"INTERLOPER!" Dialga called out. A pink light flew past Gali. Against the backdrop of space, she barely registered its presence as it flew back amongst the stars.
"YOU WILL PAY FOR INTERFERING!" Palkia's gem glowed, and it disappeared, leaving just Dialga to watch the battle unfold.
Gali struggled against the dagger. Audun was surprised, but still pressed on.
Two figures phased into existence with a blue light next to Audun, one after another, slashing with their blades. He parried the first with his dagger, but had to dodge the second. Gali appeared three times, the one resting on the ground disappearing before one of the copies that slashed disappeared as well. The remaining Gali had her teeth gritted, gripping the Solar Blade with both hands. It was the angriest she ever looked...and was. For beyond that wall of teeth, she was holding back her pain, a stream of red running down her leg.
"It's useless. You'll all be thrown to the void, whether you resist me or not." He charged again, holding his daggers backhanded. He appeared before Gali faster than she anticipated, only having enough time to block the attack. The second dagger came in for a strike, but Gali backed up, a green energy generating around her hands. She spun in the air before stopping and extending a vine-covered hand out, holding her blade in the other, as an Energy Ball fired off towards her enemy.
Audun prepared himself. He knew what was coming. As soon as Gali touched the ground, she rocketed towards him, a one-two punch with the Energy Ball striking first. Swatting away the Energy Ball was easy enough, but then there was Gali. He held off the assault with a single dagger, though even in its backhand hold she was pressuring him down.
A wild grin, even as he was losing hold. Gali took notice, feeling a shift in time. Immediately she let off and swing back down around and behind her, where Audun had travelled. The initial one blinked away. Gali was on the defensive now, parrying his attacks as they came in from every side.
Conditioned, Audun faked her out by attacking from the front twice, letting him get a clean slash at her back as she turned. Even as she yelled in pain, a copy of Gali appeared to attack Audun, its new gash spraying blood. Gali's blade found a hit here, though unlike the Hoopa's sharpened physical blade, hers was made of solar energy; what it lacked in physical damage it made up for with its quasi-blunt nature, and its draining ability.
Audun was sent spiraling. As he righted himself, Gali shifted in her position, her wounds causing her to shake and falter. Even so, her vine-covered arm still prepared a second Energy Ball to fire off. As she fired it off, she knew she would have to do something different. But the Hoopa was doing something different now. He had gotten out a book...
The Energy Ball was swallowed by a giant dark face that appeared as if by magic from the Hoopa's book. Gali jumped high in the air, letting her wings carry her up. The face traveled to Gali's grounded position, then followed her up. Noticing this, she had to attack. She again gathered energy in her hands, but this time she channeled the power into her blade. She swung in a crescent arc below her, sending a shockwave of light that dispelled the dark beast moments away from swallowing her.
Still in the air, Gali took the opportunity to channel more energy into the blade. Her body glowed bright green as copies of Gali flew in out of nowhere towards the blade, making it grow in size until the blade was many times Gali's height and growing proportionately wide, though she still was able to hold it in her hands. Audun, on the other hand, had a dark wind spiraling around him, red eyes glowing in the shadows that began forming in it.
"No more running!" Gali shouted, her blade shining bright. She pointed it down towards her foe, backing up in the air and preparing herself to fly forward. The dark wind around Audun turned into a sphere, tendrils of red jutting from behind.
As the Hoopa fired off his spell, an even fiercer dark beast with a trailing blackness, Gali flung herself forward as fast as she could.
As her Solar Blade met the conjured beast, Gali clones flew from the blade to pierce and slash away the darkness with their own smaller blades, each phasing out after a few slashes or getting exposed to the dark energy.
The clash caused light to ripple away in a shockwave, the gigantic blade whittling down the spell.
The blade reached its hilt, and the remaining Gali clones slashed at the red tendrils before disappearing.
The original Gali was left, flying towards Audun with her blade readied. One slash...
...right in the gap between his shoulder and hand.
Despite not hitting anything, the two shared a dynamic pose, Gali having slid to a stop behind him. A few seconds pass...and the Hoopa's hand falls, its psychic ties severed. Audun stumbled.
"Y-you...! How are you this strong...? How did you..."
A blue light caught his eye. Over there, in that protective bubble where they first clashed: Found had its arm raised, its eyes and body shining blue. It had given its time powers to Gali.
But not just Found. Lost, with its eye open, was also shining blue, and it too had its free hand held up towards Gali. Even while still in its vine cocoon, healing, having not shared but a few scant words with her before.
The anthro Bibi stood upright. "My power is not my own..." She turned towards the Hoopa; her expression changed. She held her blade down, resting it against the lit ground. "Even if I'm going to disappear, I would rather all of me go. I won't..." A scowl ran across her face, gulping, as she tries to find the words. "I'm not going down without a fight."
He scoffed, picking up his own hand, trying to re-establish its connection to his body. "You'd meet your end either way. In case you forgot, Dialga is still up there."
She shook her head. "Either you or Dialga." The blade evaporated from her hands, leaving just the vines covering her arms intact. A Leech Seed, planted during the fight, embedded into her palm. "If it's my destiny to be lost, then I'll face it head-on."
"ENOUGH." A roar that froze both Gali and Audun in their tracks, though they kept conscious and aware of their stopped motion.
"I HAVE REACHED A CONSENSUS." Time resumed, and the two mythicals looked up towards it. "AUDUN, YOU MAY BE DISMISSED."
"What?!" Audun shouts back at it. "Over one good hit? ONE?!"
"NO. YOUR FIGHT WAS MERELY TO PASS TIME."
"...I'm being degraded to entertainment for the gods? I'm here on BUSINESS, you overgrown goat!" Gali wasn't sure just how to interpret 'business' in this context, but she found the Hoopa's complaining to be a bit amusing.
"YOUR BUSINESS IS CONCLUDED, THEN."
Audun made an audible growl. "I said it before. I'm not leaving without the ring!" He made a quick dash towards the Celebi. She flinched, as he took her by surprise. Before he could reach her, the Hoopa was trapped in the same bubble Gali was in before.
He pounded his fist against the inside of the bubble. Dialga's eyes glowed above.
"YOU!" His voice echoed from inside. "You only survived because of those runts helping you out. Sleep with one eye open! I'll hunt you down! I won't rest until I have that ring!"
Audun's body fades alongside the bubble, and his voice becomes more indiscernible as he returns to the timeline.
Gali sighs, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "What's his deal...?"
As the pain returns to her body with her adrenaline fading, she floats over to the two Celebi, dispelling the bubble around them before collapsing on her knees before them.
"Gali, y-you're hurt..." Found can't help but look at how painted red parts of Gali's body were. Lost, too, seemed mortified, though it couldn't express the sentiment beyond closing its eye and shaking its head.
"MORTAL." The three looked up at Dialga. It paused briefly. "THE BEING THAT INTERRUPTED THE FIGHT...DID YOU RECOGNIZE IT?"
Gali thought back. Was it the being that Palkia chased after? "All I saw were little flashes of pink...I didn't see anybody, no. And I didn't feel any energy from them, either."
"I SEE..." Another pause. "THEN YOU AND THE ONE I MET BEFORE ARE ONE AND THE SAME."
Gali tilted her head. "Eh? Wha?"
Dialga closed its eyes and looked down. "IF YOU DO NOT REMEMBER...IT IS STILL NOT YET TIME."
"Time for..."
Palkia suddenly reappeared next to Dialga. "THAT CURSED MORTAL ESCAPED..."
"THERE IS NO NEED TO DWELL ON IT, PALKIA. WHILE THE MORTALS FOUGHT AND YOU WERE AWAY, I HAD A CONFERENCE WITH THE BEING ABOVE." It looks up, but not at Gali. Instead, it turns to the galaxy lighting up the space; as does Palkia.
"Y-you mean?"
"YES. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE RULES, THEY ARE ARBITRATED BY ARCEUS HIMSELF. BUT NOT JUST ONE; MULTIPLE. MANY."
"WE ARE NOT TOLD WHY HE ACTS HOW HE DOES, OR WITH WHOM HE COORDINATES. ONLY THAT HIS WORD IS FINAL."
"THIS PLACE IS NEAR THE BORDER OF REALITY. YOU MUST FEEL IT TOO; SPACETIME'S EDGE. IT IS WHERE ARCEUS DOES HIS WORK. WHAT THAT IS, WE DO NOT KNOW. WE MERELY ACT ON HIS WILL."
"What does that mean for me, then? And for Found, and Lost?"
"HE HAS DEIGNED IT...POSSIBLE, FOR THOSE TWO HALVES TO MERGE WITH THIS REALITY. THOSE YOU NAME 'LOST' AND 'FOUND'."
Gali's eyes widened. A smile overtook her face, as did Found's. "Y-you mean it?! He did?! Found!"
"Gali! W-we can exist!" The two share an embrace, though Gali had to be sure not to upset the vines still holding the two Celebi together.
"BUT..."
Gali looks back. "B-but?"
"THERE IS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR THIS." Dialga shook its head.
Palkia then lowered its head. "IT...CAN STAY. BUT ITS POWERS MUST REMAIN IN A SIMILAR BEING IN ITS OWN REALITY."
"IT WILL RETAIN ITS SENSE OF SELF. IT WILL EXIST IN OUR REALITY. BUT IT WILL BE STRIPPED OF ALL BUT ITS INHERENT POWER AS A CELEBI. THAT IS THE EXTENT OF WHAT WE ARE ALLOWED."
Gali smiled. "...That's easy to fix. Found is already have of what it is." She turns her head towards the two. "Staying a Celebi, keeping its memories, but losing its powers. It will be better off not remembering how it caused...the things it did. That's...exactly what I'd hope, really. And we can fill in the blanks in its power, Found and I."
"PERHAPS ARCEUS WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR AUDUN'S APPEARANCE HERE. PERHAPS HE WANTED TO SEE HOW WORTHY YOU WERE OF SUCH DELIBERATION."
"NOW NOW, DIALGA, NO SPECULATION. WE MUST NOT MUDDLE HIS WORDS. WE HAVE OUR ORDERS TO SET THE ANOMOLY RIGHT."
Gali clasped her hands together, tilting her head down slightly. "Thank you, Arceus, for this..."
Dialga and Palkia's gems began to glow. "WE SHALL FIX THIS IMMEDIATELY. YOU WILL BE SENT BACK TO WHERE YOU WERE BEFORE, WHEN YOU WERE BEFORE."
"AND, MORTAL...THE ONE NAMED GALIANA." She perked up, being addressed by her name. "ARCEUS DID HAVE ONE MORE ORDER OF BUSINESS. HE WISHED TO PASS ALONG A MESSAGE, AND THAT I, DIALGA, PERSONALLY DELIVER IT."
"Eh? What would that be?" Their glows began to envelop the realm. Gali could feel her consciousness being ripped away once more, being put back where it belonged.
"HE SAYS...CONSIDER THIS AN APOLOGY."
"For..." She couldn't fully ask about it before her body exited the realm.
- - -
From an outsider looking on, as many of the Celebi of the forest were, Galiana and the two Celebi disappeared in the bubbles formed around them, only to reappear seconds later as the bubbles remained in place. Spooked by the weird sounds they made, the Celebi were quick to hide, skittish around such oddities happening close to their shrine.
But in those few moments, much has changed. The Celebi could sense that the Pokemon re-emerging from the bubbles were altered, and it wasn't just that time had shifted. The fae remained invisible, peeking around trees while high up near the canopy.
The three reappeared, taking a quick look around before reconvening. Gali huddled around Found and Lost, scooping them up into her arms. Soft weeping fills the air as reality sets in. She applies another Leech Seed, healing her wounds and finishing Lost's regeneration.
"Gali...thank you." The first words spoken after a long silence.
She held the back of Found's head, pulling it closer in their embrace. "No. Thank you...for giving me your strength. If you hadn't..."
Found shook her head, nuzzled against Gali's side. "N-no, don't want to...think about..." She could feel its tears rubbing in, and it took a few seconds for it to compose itself. "I...I did only what I thought was right. But, even now, I'm not sure if it was right to begin with..."
"My sweet, little dear..." Gali choked up as well. "It's because of you that you and I are here. You saved not just yourself, but me as well. You followed what you thought was right in your heart. You couldn't possibly be more right."
Moved beyond words, it stayed still, wrapping its arm around Gali's torso and pulling itself in. Lost, with the feelings its body was regaining and its strength returning, also joined in, nestling on Gali's lap. The three were enveloped in vines once more, and, slowly but surely, began to heal.
...
They stayed, snuggling on the grass next to the shrine, for what felt like hours. The Celebi of the forest watched, and eventually got accustomed to the three's presence, their fairy sounds filling the white noise in the forest as they resumed their normal activities.
Lost's body eventually healed completely, and Gali's wounds were sewn shut, as if she hadn't been cut in the first place. As the vines lost their glow and their grip loosened, Gali got a better look of Lost. Aside from its body being restored from the half it was before, its pink body had a slight blue tint to it, with its highlights and newly grown hair being blue as well. Its breathing, like Found before, was coarse, even as it coughed during their snuggling.
"Lost, dear...open your eyes." Gali gently nudged it, apparently waking it from a nap. It stretched its limbs out, feeling...feeling. Its vibrant green eyes visible, it looked at its renewed body, finding much excitement as Found did before. Found stirred on the opposite side of the lap, having fallen asleep as well with her face half-buried against Gali.
"I...I-I'm alive...I can...!" Its voice was considerably deeper than Found's, reminding Gali of its voice from the dream. It coughed again, with Found now opening its eyes.
"Don't push yourself too hard, now." Gali smiled down at Lost. Having recovered, holding its hand against its chest, it continued to express wonder and amazement at its own body.
"I have...a heartbeat again...a-a heart, I can breathe, I...!" Its voice quivered. Excitement and fear stirred behind its words. "Y-you, Gali...you risked so much. For...for me, for us..."
Gali nodded. "All to save a life...yes. Or perhaps, in this case, two lives." She took Lost in an arm and hugged the Celebi close. "I couldn't let you live like that...how you were, in that dream. And then Found was...nearly gone, too. Your original body...I can't imagine why someone would..."
Lost let its body rest against Gali. "St-stop...no more, please. I'm...tired, of death. I-I don't..." It shivered. Found, now fully awake, extended a hand towards its Celebi counterpart. "Just remembering how lonely I felt makes me...unnh..."
"Lost...i-is it weird if I call you that? Since you're...me..." Lost looked towards the red Celebi. It still had the look of amazement in its eyes.
The blue Celebi took a moment to think. "...no, no it's not. I like it, really. It..." The Celebi gulped. "If it'll remind me of what...I once was, what I did...I think I can live with it. It should...make me better. Because I'm not lost, now. I'm just...Lost." A faint smile appeared on its face, extending a hand out and touching its counterpart's hand.
The red Celebi nodded with its own smile, its own giggle. "Lost. Listen, I...it's been so long since we were together, our halves. And now we're here again. Not one, but two. Not two, but one." It looked down briefly. "I've even forgotten...how we separated. But..." Back up, at Lost. "I...I missed you, I guess. I-is that weird too?"
Lost chuckled. "Not at all, I think. It's true, I...toiled away, for so long. I lost track of time, but the memories stayed. And when I had the dream, I thought I had reached the afterlife at last." Tears welled in its eyes. "I'm...I'm glad I'm still alive. That you found me, Gali...and you too, Found. And that...that we can live again. It's..."
Tears streamed down its new face. "It's...such a...I-I..."
Then the hiccups started. Found scooched over and pulled the Celebi close in a hug centering in Gali's lap. "Shh, shh. It's okay. We can start living again, even if we're in separate bodies. We can be...our own. Have our own experiences. But we'll always be one in our hearts." It held a hand to Lost's chest.
More hiccups and sniffling, though it didn't come from either of the two Celebi. Gali, whose head was above them, was the culprit. "B-beautifully said, Found. But I think you're more than that."
She lifts the two Celebi up, hugging them close so their heads rested against her neck. "The two of you, if you grow, you're gonna have different powers each. But you're still...one. You've got a bond like nobody else. And I think...with the chance you've been given, you'll do great things together. You'll always have each other, and..."
Tears began streaming down her cheeks as well. "...I'm glad that I could help. You two, who were forgotten...you're not anymore." She squeezes them, though a little tight as the two seemed to struggle lightly as the seconds passed.
She lightens up, but still holds them close. "W-well...ah, how are you two feeling then? Can you feel your Psychic powers returning?"
Found nodded. "I've felt them for a bit. It's...not as strong as what you showed off, Gali, but it feels familiar." It looks away, a little saddened. "Though...I wonder if it'll just be half, y'know? If it's what a Celebi could be capable of, fully."
"I...can't feel anything, myself. I think I can sense how to time travel, but...maybe I just need more time to get used to things." Lost examines their hand. They try to focus power in it, but all they manage is a slight blue aura, the same as their time powers.
"Oh...right. They said..." Gali looks up. "That your powers...the ones you had before. Those were to be given to a similar entity in the reality you existed in before. To keep the balance, I think."
"Yeah...I think I remember that. I felt an urge to send whatever time powers I had out, I saw...you, in danger. And then...everything went white. I kinda don't feel like the same Celebi anymore..." Lost hold its head, making a soft groan. "Did I really have all my powers taken away? Is this what it's like to feel...powerless?"
Found nodded. "It was necessary so you couldn't...do the things you did before."
"Yes, yes, that's right...urrh. How'm I supposed to get them back? How long do I have to wait?"
"Well, if you need time to heal..." Gali bounced them up, getting up on her feet. "How about coming and living with me until you guys feel better? If you feel more at home here at the shrine, I'm sure the Celebi would take you in too..."
"You mean you don't live here?" Found tilted its head. "I think you made a mention of that during the, uh, fight...about your ring, right?"
Gali's smile disappears. "Yeah. I'm...actually not sure of when I'm from. My earliest memories are of me already grown up, but I had this ring with me then. So, I don't have a home in the traditional sense..." ...it then returns. "...but I do have a home with a whole bunch of friends. There's a whole lot to do there, I'm sure you guys would fit right in. And who knows..."
She leans her head towards Lost, nearly resting it on the Celebi. "Maybe you'll gain new powers. Kinda like hitting a reset button. You can choose how you wanna grow, no forcing involved."
Lost playfully pushes away Gali's face. "Heheh, I gotcha, I gotcha. Y'know, I never really thought of...exploring, yeah? Just being cooped up in that dark place all the time, I even sorta forgot what sunlight felt like..."
She giggles. "Oh, there's lots of sun where I live. Lots of wide-open spaces, a view of the ocean...very different from the forest here. Because it's on an island, it may be a bit limited, but...it's peaceful. And there's excitement if you look in the right places!"
Found raised its hands in the air. "Alright, I'm convinced! How's about you, Lost?"
Lost pushed a bit of its hair out of its face. "It definitely sounds like a place to get my bearings...and if it's more time spent with you, it can't be all that bad, huh, Gali?"
"Aww, please...I just wanna make sure you're healthy and all. Can't have you running off without even being able to fend for yourself." Gali smiles wide.
"I-I can! I just, uhm, forgot how to...is all. But if you could teach me a few things, I'd like that..."
"Hehehe...alright. It's a deal."
"...but before we go, could, uhm...could you sing that song again? Just one more time..."
SOUL IN THE DARK, PT. 4 - RETURN
It was still afternoon, and the weather on Avalu Peaks was agreeable. A fair number of clouds around, but they hung above at a lazy pace. The winds were rather tame as well, considering how fierce they can get at the height Rigel's home was at. The model shrine Rigel had put out began to glow with a blue aura...
Fwip!
Gali blinked in, landing on the small patio overlooking the cliff. On her shoulders were Lost and Found, clinging on as a mild gust blew in, blowing their hair back.
"Wa-ahhh! H-high up...!" Lost tightened his grip. Both of the small Celebi surveyed the land below them.
"Oh, don't worry. I've got you both. The person I was talking about before lives right here." As Gali makes her way around to the door, the small shrine loses its glow, both Found and Lost not having noticed it. With Gali moving, the two were inclined to look over the nearby items new to them: decals, the rocky cliff, the weird structure they were near.
"What a weird place..." Found was about to lift off from the shoulder to inspect the weird objects in front of the door, her wings flapping, but a gust of wind put her right back down. "Eep!"
"Hold on, let's just wait 'til we get inside, alright?" A small chuckle. She knocks at the door.
A banging sound comes from within, and a few seconds later the door clicks open. A disheveled Rigel answers, looking as if he had just woken from a nap. He groans before he fully notices who it was that was standing before him. "Unh...Gali? What is..."
The two Celebi stare right at him. He stares back.
"WHAAAT?!" He recoils back. "I turn away for less than twenty-four hours and you've brought back TWO more?!"
"Nonono hold on! You need to listen to the full story!"
"You'd better have a good explanation!" Gali follows the Jirachi in...
...
Gali and Rigel sit across from each other. While Found is flitting about, floating over and around and exploring all the unique objects scattered around the room, Lost sits on the table near Gali.
"So that's it..." Rigel's arms were on the table, and his hands were in a similar position as they were before when he had interrogated Gali. Though this time, he seemed more in thought. "Your dream really was a portent...not a sign of the future, but of a reality parallel to ours."
"And I'm...living proof of that, I guess. Since my powers were taken, I can't prove it, but...I-I don't really know how otherwise, besides, uhm..."
"Shh, it's okay. That's not you now." Gali put a hand on Lost's shoulder. "You don't have to be the Celebi you were before. It's okay to show it, as long as you know you can grow from it."
The blue-tipped Celebi was shuddering, fear in its eyes. Rigel raised an eyebrow.
"You've lived through enough pain. You don't have to prove anything if you don't want to." The larger Bibi assured him.
"No, I..." Lost made a hand into a fist. "I've gotta face my past head-on." He turns back towards Gali. "Just like you said back then, right?"
Gali took a moment to think back to it. Thinking it was cute, but also warranted that he took a lot of inspiration from that fight, she nodded with a smile. "That's more courage than some would like to admit."
"Truth be told..." Rigel spoke, from across the table. "If it's anything like the dream you shared before, that may be just a summary of it all. What's important is...you're alive and in this world now, of course. No thanks to that meddling Celebi you've befriended."
Gali grinned wide. "What can I say? I had to help out."
"Well," Rigel paused, sighing, "if at the end of the day this means these Celebi were brought here to live with you, then I just want your assurances about the things we talked about before."
"About the shrine stuff, right?" He nodded. "Actually, that's one of the reasons why I think living on Luani will be good for them. Just as it was for me, it's a totally different landscape from what someone would expect we'd live in."
Gali looks over at Found, who was look at a globe. "It'll be challenging, but...they're relatively new and not really accustomed to the world. It's like they're starting from scratch. And..." She looks back down at Lost. "...they need someone to look after them. To help hone their powers in the right direction."
Lost crossed his arms, pouting. "I-I don't need to be babied...I just need some help, is all."
Found floated over, hovering over Lost. "C'mooon, don't pretend you didn't like it! When you got someone taking care of you, everything just feels so precious..."
Lost playfully swiped up at her. "Nuh! D-don't spread lies!"
The red Celebi giggled, her hands behind her back and leaning forward just out of reach. "Then why's it I felt your heart jump when Gali was holding you, huh?"
Lost covered his mouth. "Y-you felt that? ...I mean, no! That was your heart!"
"Might I suggest it may be both?" Rigel laughed at the exchange. "It's certainly unique that a Celebi - or any Pokemon, really - be created in such a way. And the way you heal, Gali...it really is extraordinary. Perhaps it's because of how you healed, and that the two Celebi you have with you are, in fact, part of one...that they feel each other's emotions."
Gali nodded. "My thoughts exactly. So that's all why I can't just leave them be, and why I can't just take one. They both need help - from a fellow Celebi." She leaned forward, placing her arms around Lost on the table. Found hovered over Gali's head, setting herself down onto the larger Bibi's green hair.
Rigel sighed, leaning back into his chair and crossing his arms. "Ohhh, to praise or to chide. Witnessing the healing powers of a Celebi, while trying to keep the island protected from outside sources. What am I to do with you..."?
She wags a finger. "No shrines. If we really need the one, we'll just teleport to the one we were at, but...I think it'll be a while 'til we go back there."
The Jirachi closed his eyes. He scrunched his face, looking as if he was troubled by it all. Another sigh, his tension relieved. "Look. Here's what...we'll do. If you can promise me they'll stay with you, then I can rest easy at night knowing nobody's gonna build anything on top of whatever relics we've still yet to uncover on the island. I only ask that we respect the history here as best we can."
Gali giggles, reaching up and petting Found's head. She giggles herself; Lost smiles softly, watching. "You don't have to worry about that. I've got a lot to teach, and they've got a lot to learn about this new world they're in. Maybe someday you can help them out in that regard, too. No doubt you'd like to probe the mind of a Celebi not from this reality, hm?"
"H-huh? Do you mean that..." Lost looks apprehensive.
"Nooo, silly." Gali ruffles the blue Celebi's hair. "It's not what you think. More that we Celebi have unique powers, and someone like Rigel here who likes learning about special Pokemon like us can learn a lot about the world by studying us. Asking questions, trying to understand our culture...things like that."
She rests her hand once more, with Found playfully messing up Gali's own hair, cackling cutely. "But since we don't have much of a culture, since we don't have a shrine we use often - hey, cut it out~! - we have something even more unique about us. Like why we'd choose to live outside the forest."
"That's easy!" Found grinned wide, jutting herself up off of Gali's head, strands of green hair covering her face. "There's lots of things I've been missing in life...and I wanna live it! Maybe it doesn't make me a good Celebi, but if the roots are all that matters, I've got them."
"Yeah..." Lost stands up on the table. "But I'm still not sure what to make of mine. I'm thankful for the clean slate...but there's a lot to the world that I was oblivious to. All that experience, all those years...and I don't have much to show for it now." He looks at his hands. "I've been thinking how I could do anything different, and it's...bogging me down, really. Not remembering how to do that, but then knowing that I shouldn't, and trying to think of what else I could do."
"Lost..."
"...heh, I know. Who I was before doesn't define who I am today." He turns back towards Gali, a smile on his face. "So then, I guess I'll just have to try a bit of everything. Not just 'cause I can prove it, but...there's a million things I'd rather be doing than hanging around in a graveyard. And it took one and a half Celebi to teach me that, of all things."
Gali looks annoyed but smug for a brief second. Found hops off, hovering above Gali's head, wings flapping. "And I know what I'll be doing, too!"
"Yeah, what?" Lost's turn to be smug. Found lands close, grabbing one of Lost's hands and holding it between her own. He's immediately defensive, but doesn't yank it away.
"Being with you. Being your foil." She looks down, a blush emerging.
The blue Celebi's expression changed, smiling too, bringing his other hand to set on top of Found's. "I wouldn't expect my other half to do anything else. It's reassuring to know I have...myself, I guess, to be there by my side." He turns towards Gali. "And you, too, Gali. To guide us, protect us, watch us."
Found went wide-eyed. "You've still gotta show us how you made that cool-looking blade. I wanna see if I can do it too!"
From the other side of the table, a chuckle. "Seems you have your hands full, Gali."
The Celebi merely grinned. "That I do. We'll be so busy exploring all of these avenues of life that we'll probably just blend in with everyone else on the island. Though I think we should keep this whole origin story kept between...a few people. There's a good friend of mine who I see often, she'll probably flip out once I tell her since she's trustable, but...you guys'll like her. And that can be the start of your new journey."
"Then...so long as they're under your care, I think I'll be satisfied." Rigel gets up from his chair. "This has been quite the day for you all. It's getting quite late, so if you want to make the return trip to Sonnige, you'd better leave now before it gets too dark - and cold."
"Oh!" Gali looks out the window, noticing the familiar orange tint starting to take up the sky. "Yeah, we'd better go before night comes." She gets up from her seat, picking up Lost while Found floats up and rests on the Bibi's head. She makes her way to the door.
"Ah, and Gali..."
"Yes?" She turns.
"Do take care. And visit sometime again, hm? Hopefully on a more peaceful day for you."
A giggle. Found grins wide, showing a peace sign. "You can count on it."
- - -
As the trio fly their way back to Karina's, night falls. They watch the sun set across the ocean, and the lights of homes and streetlamps turning on below them. The colors changing on the clouds, the first glimpses of stars in the young night sky - the two smaller Celebi were awestruck, and didn't say a word as they travelled. Mesmerized they were, they barely noticed the chill of the air until they landed.
"Wow..." Lost was the first to break the silence. "I had no idea such a place could exist..."
"Really makes you think about what we missed out on..." Even Found was made somber, though Gali could tell tiredness was setting in. She, too, was getting sleepy - and hungry.
"Yeah...on a grand scale, I guess it is. I haven't really gotten to enjoy a sunset like that before." She holds Lost with one arm, knocking at the door. "And there's more where that came from. This island is full of surprises."
"Like this shrine? I thought that guy said there weren't any..." Found was just about to float up to see above the house when the door opened. She fell right in the field of vision of Abby, who made a brief shriek.
"AH! Oh, Gali!" She laughed. "Goodness, you scared me!" The Mawile lifted a hand, nearly touching the red Celebi's cheek. The Bi merely floated in place, somewhat amused. "And you brought friends! Hello, dearies, come on in!"
Making their way inside, Found floated close to Gali, still looking around. Lost as well, though he didn't have the angle his counterpart had.
"So, may I ask who the little ones are? And would you like some pie? Just bought it today!"
The two look at Gali, who nodded.
"I'm Lost." "I'm Found."
Abby took a second to register what she was hearing. "...Oh! Pet names? Well, there's a reason for everything."
Gali bounced Lost in her grasp. "It's a long story. Pie sounds nice, yes."
"Perfect. Do you wanna hang out for a sec while I get your plates ready?"
"Sure." Gali sets Lost down on the table, who is more than enthusiastic to hop out and stand on solid ground.
"Agh, not having Psychic powers kinda sucks..." He stretches his arms up. Found lands near him.
"Maybe you'll feel better after having something to eat. Can't train without getting your fill!"
"Eat?" A low grumble comes from somewhere. Lost goes on the defensive before realizing it was coming from him.
"A-aheh...yeah, your stomach. Gotta eat to keep your energy up." With Abby nearby, it was most certainly awkward for Gali to have to explain the concept of eating without it coming off as weird...
"Here ya gooo~." Abby brings over three plates, each with a slice of cherry pie, and three forks. "You guys headin' in to see Karina? Oh, of course ya are, Gali." She was quick to dismiss it with a hand wave.
"Heh, yeah...she in tonight?" Gali holds out a hand, taking all the plates with her Psychic and floating them nearby. Found went to grab one, but decided against it as they were enveloped by a pink aura.
"Yeap, she just got up a bit ago. Haven't heard her talking much, though, so I don't think she's doing her streaming thing. Enjoy yourselves~!" Chipper as always, she headed off.
"Shall we go, guys?" Gali holds her arms out, inviting Lost in. He obliged; even with his full weight behind his jump, the Celebi barely recoiled. Found floated nearby, eyeing the pie.
"Such control over your Psychic..." The red Celebi watched on. Reaching another door, Gali opened it.
There Karina was at her computer, her long hair and maw hanging over the back of her chair. She had her headphones on, pulsing with color. A white plate with crumbs on it sat on the desk, opposite of her mouse. "Karinaaa? I'm baaack!"
She appeared to fritz around with the screen, pausing her video and taking off her headphones so she can look over. Noticing Gali back, she was about to wave, but had noticed the two extra Celebi with her and immediately had questions.
"Hi Galiiiiii-what the heck. Where did...- How did...-"
"I'll explain everything in just a sec. Would you mind if I sat them down first?"
"Oh, uh...no, go right ahead. Just don't make a mess on the couch, alright?" Karina looks back to her computer, closing down a few programs. Something caught her attention, turning her body towards the desk again.
Gali sat on the couch, with Found following suit, and placing Lost on the other side. She floats the plates of pie down, as well as the forks. "This is...the first time you guys have eaten this, yeah?"
"I can't remember if I ever had anything like this, no." "Nuh-uh."
Gali smiled. Beyond that smile was the pain of reteaching such basic, daily things. "So, you take your fork like this...and do this, scoop it up...hold it like this so it doesn't fall off, and...!" Oh, how the first bite invigorated her. The Bibi's body jolts up. "Oooo...now you guys try. Use your fingers if you gotta, but don't wipe on the couch."
She surveyed them as they attempted. Found was the first to find success, and was taken quite aback with the sensation. "W..waa...waaaooow~!"
Lost was a little slower, having been frozen in place after poking the pie with his fork and seeing the cherry filling spill out somewhat.
"Just like that, Lost. A little harder..."
"B-buh...but..." Fear filled his voice. "Re- r-red..."
Gali took a few seconds to understand. "O-oh! That's the cherry filling. You know, cherry? It's red, and it's got this real sweet taste. It's not what you think, trust me. Kinda like the insides of berries."
"It'shh...real ghood...!" Found had already taken another bite.
"Now now, no talking with your mouth full."
Inspired, Lost stuck his fork in, then pulled up a small piece of it. Closing his eyes, he too took it in his mouth...and its savory goodness swept away any fears he had. His antennae conveyed how he felt with their wavy movements, his eyes no longer tensed and his back slowly lowering.
"This is...h-how could I have lived so long without this? I-is...do you have this often?"
"Not very. It's meant to be a dessert, a treat after a long day's work. I think after today, we've earned it." She takes another bite.
Karina stepped in front of them, hands on her hips. "And I suppose it was your treat to have too, huh?"
Gali giggled. "Not my fault your mom had it out still. She even offered." She taps the plate with her fork. "Didn't rummage through your pantry this time."
The Mawile huffed. "You've still got to explain why you brought them over. How long have you known them?"
"Since last night." Another bite. Lost nodded, looking livelier by the second.
"Wha? You mean...the Celebi from your dream?"
Another nod. Gali motions to the blue Celebi. "Lost, the lost Celebi," then over to the red one, "and Found, the other half." Found smiles wide and waves, pie crumbs and a bit of cherry on her cheeks.
"...Please tell me those are their actual names, and that you didn't name them yourself."
"I wish I had a name before..." And just like that, Lost's looking down again.
"Ohhh, Lost...it's alright now. Just focus on eating that pie, alright?"
Karina sighed, looking down and shaking her head. "Well, if it really was true, then...I guess you being gone the last day or so was part of why they're here?"
"More or less. You ready for the story?"
- - -
Gali went about explaining the whole thing once more - from her time travelling, to her neck ring helping out, to nearly getting erased, and finally getting the blessing of Dialga for the Celebi to exist, and from Rigel for them to live with her. By the time she was finished, the Celebi had all eaten their slice of pie, and the two small ones had rested up against Gali, heads on her lap as they struggled to stay awake.
"Yeah, so he did turn out to be...a little different than what I thought, for sure." Gali rubbed the heads of the Celebi on her lap. Karina had taken a seat on the couch as well, though she kept her hands to herself for the most part, beyond putting the plates on the small table in front of them.
"I guess I should've seen it coming. But at least he was understanding. I...we, don't need a shrine any more than he needs one of those wishing rocks. Or a Mawile and their..."
"...?"
"...y-y'know, I'm not sure if I should...okay, no, cave."
Karina playfully pushes Gali's shoulder. "You little Rattata. I knew that's where you were going with that!"
"Ehehe! But yeah...it's a wonderful feeling. Saving these little ones, and being responsible for their healing, until their powers return..." She caresses the red Celebi's cheeks. A light trill can be heard...
"Sounds like another full-time job for the nurse. You sure you'll have enough...time?"
Gali's turn to playfully push back. "Wouldn't have done it if I didn't want to put in the effort! And besides, we have all the time in the world. Speaking of which, though..."
Lost yawns. He shifts position, resting the other side of his head on Gali's leg.
"...yeah, I guess we do need to crash here tonight. Would you mind if we...?"
Karina smiled. "Gali. Gali, Gali, Gali..." She shook her head.
"Eh?"
"Gali, you've done more in a single day than most would do their whole lives. And off of a dream, no less." She raises her hand towards the Celebi, holding her chin. "Do you know how worried I would be if you just...never came home? If things didn't turn out how they did, and you were..."
The Celebi on her lap stirred. Gali slowly blinked, a hand softly grabbing hold of the Mawile's arm. "I know. It was...something I was willing to do. And I'd have done it a hundred times over if it meant saving their lives."
Found giggled. "I'm just...glad to be alive again. I don't think I'll ever get over that..."
"Me neither. Thank you, Gali." Lost nuzzled his face into Gali's thigh, prompting Karina to look down.
"I think you should see a seamstress about that cut, Gali..."
"Eh? She looked down. The cut in her onesie where Audun's dagger cut her before was still there, though the skin underneath was healed. "Oh goodness, I hadn't noticed...uh, yeah, I should. Uhm, do you think I could borrow a dress or..."
Karina waved a finger. "I'll do some digging overnight. Soon as you're up I'll tell ya what I find. ...but that's after I get some hours in on my game." She winks. "You should probably get some sleep. Leave the small stuff to me."
Gali smiles, nodding. "Yeah." She takes hold of the Celebi on her lap, propping them up as they laze about. "Come on, little ones. We'll sleep together."
"And Gali..." Karina closed her eyes. She took a few seconds, sighing. "...it's good to have you back home."
"Kari..." Gali leans down, kissing the Mawile's forehead. "I'll always be with you, so long as you keep me in your heart."
She nodded. "And I'm with you."
Gali floats over to the bed, resting on her side. She rests Lost in front of her, a hand over him and cuddling him close. Found originally rested on the pillow behind Lost, but got up so she could lay on Gali's torso. She didn't seem to mind this, as Gali rested her arm on Found as well, huddling them close. Soon, Karina's quieted TV lulled the three to sleep.
- - -
A forest of autumn trees, the ground littered with red. The orange sky above generating a static noise.
Lost found himself walking amongst the leaves. He cared not if he stepped on a few, their cracks barely noticeable as he made his way...somewhere.
A lone tree, small and withering without its leaves. One might mistake it for having already shed itself for the coming winter, but Lost could sense that was not the case. The absence of leaves surrounding it held credence to the theory. He walked up to this tree, its clearing surrounded by red on all sides.
He looked up at the tree. A sad fate that in such a large forest, it was but a small tree. Never to get the light its needs to grow, as those taller than it would steal its light. The rain would filter down through the other trees and their larger root systems, leaving it dry. Lost felt a pang of sadness as he studied its branches, as if he was living through the tree itself.
A flash of white, and then all is black. The sun had fully set, and only the stars lit up the forest already shaded by the hands above. Lost looked around. It appeared as though the sea of red leaves had disappeared as well - or, rather, anything beyond the little clearing with the single tree had turned to blackness, save for the high-rising trees.
A light shines in the darkness. Green. Lost knew all too well what it was.
A single, green light...then another. He looks around; more appear, shrouded in the darkness surrounding him. A low voice forms from somewhere, unintelligible.
One of the eyes appears to get closer, and Lost instantly knew...it was himself. Half of a shiny Celebi, barely lit in the clearing. A few leaves blew into the clearing from behind it.
Its eye pulsed. A telepathic message rung out.
"YOU ARE...ONE..."
A second Celebi emerged from the darkness on the other side of the clearing, identical to the first. They all closed in, slowly, inching forward with nary a movement.
"ONE OF...US..."
Lost backed up until he was against the tree. "No...I'm not! I've stopped! I'm changed!"
More eyes appeared in the pitch blackness. Some began moving around, not just towards Lost. It was as if an ocean wave had hit them, carrying them in its movement. Acting as one. Other eyes, caught in their own waves. Lights barely visible as they twist and turn amongst the trees hidden in the dark.
"NO MATTER...WHERE YOU ARE...
...WHEN YOU ARE...
...OR EVEN...WHO YOU ARE...
...YOU WILL...ALWAYS...
...BRING DEATH..."
"No! That's not me!" Lost briefly lights up with a blue aura. More Celebi enter the clearing, an unknown wind blowing more leaves towards Lost and the lone tree. The leaves come to rest under the Celebi's feet. All were notched.
"YOUR BODY...MAY CHANGE...
...BUT YOU...WILL ALWAYS...
...REMEMBER...WHAT IT IS LIKE...
...REMEMBER...HOW TO KILL..."
The light beyond the trees grew. The eyes that were moving as one were gathering in a gigantic mass of red. Beyond that, Lost could not see. Unknown sounds of mass moving around played out all around him.
Lost, instilled in fear once more, grits his teeth. "I'm...I'm not the same Celebi! I'm not...I'm not..."
"YOUR MEMORIES...
...WILL NEVER...FADE...
...YOU WILL...BE CURSED...
...WITH US...ALWAYS..."
A shrieking sound echos through the forest. Movement among the scattered leaves beyond the veil of darkness, the sound of something sharp being thrust into the ground repeatedly, as if it were footsteps. The mass of red just beyond Lost's eyesight swirled, becoming tangible. It was...a head. Multiple of these heads formed against the wall of black, all with shining green eyes scattered around. No mouths, empty eyes themselves.
"I-I..."
"DO YOU...DENY IT...?
...YOUR FATE...NO MATTER...
...WHICH REALITY...YOU ARE IN...
...IT IS...WITH US..."
"I'm..." Lost's knees buckled, falling back against the tree with his arms wide out. The half-Celebi that had approached were mere feet away. He could make out all of their features, despite how much he didn't want to. And no matter where he looked, there were more. More Celebi halves. More undefined masses in the distance.
"I'm...not...s-scared..."
The sounds of sharp footsteps grows closer, and it enters the clearing's dim light. A four-legged humanoid creature whose long, thin root-like legs and tree-like body were accentuated by masses of red flesh that seemed...incomplete. Its large body, made thicker by its spider-like posture, was taller than the tree Lost had backed up against. Its body jerked with every movement it made, a single large arm ending with a blade of darkness. One half of its head was replaced by tree bark, acting like flesh with a seamless transition down the middle of its face. Lost couldn't make out any details of its torso beyond its visible, pulsating heart in a cage of branches.
As it entered Lost's vision, it shrieked again. Its jittering movements made it hard to get a good look at it. His body froze up in terror, its unpredictable shaking making it hard to judge how it was going to move.
Within a second, its knife legs sped up, and it charged at Lost with its arm raised. He could see its rows of sharp teeth, the emptiness of its eye sockets. He closed his eyes, hoping for one last second that it would go away if he couldn't see it.
The blade came down.
Another bright light. A being rushes forward from behind Lost, as if coming from the tree itself.
A clash of blades, one of sharpened red and one of green light.
"Lost!" That voice...it was familiar.
Opening his eyes, he sees a humanoid creature with two legs, bathed in light, fending off the creature despite being less than half its height. Lost notices its antennae and wings; a Celebi. The monster twitches uncontrollably as it pushes its blade forward, its incomplete, mashed-together form visible in this new light. After a few moments of back and forth, the green Celebi prevailed, forcing it back.
The new Celebi landed in front of him. Leaves scattered on the ground, as if the fiercely burning light of its body repelled them. "Look in your heart, Lost! Let your rekindled emotions be your weapon!"
"ARE YOU...CERTAIN...
...YOU CAN...TRUST...?
...YOUR BODY...IS USED...
...TO KILLING...TO SUFFERING..."
Lost still hadn't moved an inch. The shiny Celebi halves spread out across the clearing come closer still. The green-lit Celebi seemed only interested in fending off the larger monstrosity, and the Celebi halves were only interested in Lost.
"Lost! Is that you?"
From behind the tree, a voice. It knew that voice well - it was its own. He finally gains control of his body, and looks behind himself. There was a Celebi half, but...it was the other side. And on the other side of the clearing behind it, many shiny Celebi halves that were also that side.
There, too, was another light-enveloped Celebi, fighting off another monster. Another monster Lost couldn't accurately describe, a fog of blackness, as if it wasn't for him to comprehend. "Found! You don't have to be lonely anymore! Let your life energy burn bright!"
"YOUR HEART...REMAINS EMPTY...
...ALONE...FOREVER...
...NO LIGHT...CAN HELP...
...NOBODY...IS...YOUR FRIEND..."
Two Celebi, back to back on this tree. "My other half...my other half is with me..." Lost looks like he figured out something. "That's it! Found! It's us together!"
The red and blue Celebi touch hands. The tree began to glow, and from their bodies beings of light flew out, glowing much like the larger Celebi figure from before. These lights were smaller - their own Celebi halves. The beings flew unpredictably across the clearing, ramming into the shiny Celebi halves bathed in darkness.
As the two halves meet, they become one, a single pink Celebi. Each float upwards before disappearing into the darkness. The two larger monsters roared, the background beyond the clearing becoming more distorted and the faces within the darkness multiplying as the Celebi halves in the clearing were neutralized.
"I WILL...LIVE ON...
...IN YOUR...HEART...
...NO MATTER...HOW MUCH...
...LIGHT...YOU ABSORB..."
The Celebi monster, as well as the void being, retreat slowly into the darkness. The cutting sound of its sharp legs jutting into the ground bore into Lost's mind, even as it became quieter and its body disappeared from sight. The two shining Celebi's bodies glowed even brighter, ensuring they would think twice about returning.
Lost and Found, still terrified beyond all belief in their little pocket of light, both approached their respective savior.
Each of the light Celebi turned, shedding their white cloak to reveal one half of Gali's body on each. Just like them before: halves.
"There's not much time." "Take my light...and fill the tree with life."
"B-but! Won't you disappear?" "Who will protect us?"
"I...am but a small part of your journey." "You already have the strength...you just need to reach in and take it."
"So take my light...before the darkness reaches us again." "Only you can defeat the demons in your heart."
The two colored Celebi didn't know what to do. Something in their bodies told them to reach for the light on the body in front of them...so they did. Light gathered in their hands, a ball of light energy forming, absorbing the energy from the one before them.
"W-why...? Why are you leaving me again? I-it's...not fair...!" Lost teared up, as the Celebi's non-lit half began to fade.
"Silly Lost...did you already forget?" The light part of its body had nearly completely been absorbed. "I'm...always a part...of your heart..."
With the last of its light absorbed into the sphere in each Celebi's hands, the halves of the figure become lifeless, falling to the ground as a pile of leaves. They take a moment to mourn. A different type of pain for them to learn, to burden.
They turn to each other. "How do we...?" "Use...them..."
"YOU DO NOT.
YOU EXTINGUISH IT.
ALL LIGHT...
ALL HOPE..."
The ground begins to shake. The ominous red faces in the mist beyond disappear, and a figure looms overhead - way overhead. It eclipsed even the trees, no light beyond the dark blue sky and stars above to tell what exactly it was.
The blue Celebi backed up. The being above turned its head down. An indiscernible feeling washed over Lost, as if its stare alone was causing him pain. A low rumble reverberates through the area, red leaves blowing in out of nowhere. Dirt kicks up off the ground by itself.
"Lost! We have to do it together!"
He turns towards the red Celebi, having reformed. He, too, in her eyes, was made whole. The sight of each other holding the orbs spurred a burning sensation to course through Lost. He gripped his chest with his free hand.
"We...we have to...! Found! With me!"
The two Celebi flew upwards, circling the tree, then each other. Taking the orbs of light with them, the two held their hands up, merging the two orbs together.
"I...I am in charge of my OWN fate!" "I will purge this darkness from my heart!"
The two plunge their hands downwards, sending the enlarged ball of light down onto the tree. The orb took the tree into it, growing even larger so as to keep its shape while absorbing all its branches down to its roots.
Colors began swirling around inside. Light began spreading on the ground, green grass and flowers sprouting where leaves lay. The orb itself began to morph, becoming a closed bud with bright colors; a giant flower, ready to bloom.
The Celebi looked towards each other, floating above the bud's opening. They nodded.
And dove into the petals.
A wind blew, taking the sprouted flowers up into the air and forcing them close to the bud. A light shone from inside the bud, and it began to bloom.
Out came a single Celebi - giant, growing. Humanoid. Green and pink accentuates its body, a crown of leaves, a multicolor dress that shimmered. Growing tall, above the trees. Glowing with power.
The world became two halves. The monster from before stood before the new Celebi, flanked by darkness on all sides, even being cloaked in darkness itself. The Celebi's presence was enough to instill life in the trees at its knees, a bright and sunny day on its side. Yet in the middle of the two, dawn and sunset fought.
The Celebi opened its eyes. Red and blue gems, shining with purpose.
It spoke, many echoes in its voice. "They will never live so long as you exist in their hearts."
"I AM...THEIR DARKNESS...
...I AM...THEM...
...YOU...HAVE NO...RIGHT...
...TO...INTER...FERE..."
The Celebi shook its head. It splayed its hands, as if basking in the sunlight it had created for itself. It still faced the dark being before it. "You will be bathed in light and shown the error of your ways. Every last bit of you will be expelled, so that they may find happiness without doubt."
"I WILL...EXIST...
...FOREVER...INSIDE...
...THEIR HEART...THEIR MIND...
...EVER PRESENT...
...IF YOU...STAY...
...I WILL...ENJOY...
...CONSUMING...YOUR SOUL...
...AFTER...THEIRS..."
A light begins shining from the Celebi's chest. "You'll never take us. Every wound will be healed. Every bit of doubt will be expelled."
"I...WILL...
PULL...YOU...
TO THE DEPTHS...
OF HELL!"
A blade shoots forward from the darkness, aimed at the Celebi's chest.
Right as it touched, the light grew even more intense. Great rays shot forth from its heart, exposing the dark being for what it was. Its bloodied body evaporated in the light, letting out a petrified shriek as the inky blackness it was surrounded in gave way to the million lights the Celebi's heart was shining onto it.
But even as the demon's body whittled away to nothing, the dark void in which it emerged stayed, even as it was pierced through. Green eyes coming from the darkness invaded the light. Dark tendrils followed the eyes as the wall of darkness inched forward with them.
The Celebi's light couldn't last. A gush of red sprouts from where its chest was pierced. Falling, falling.
From that hole, Lost and Found were ejected. Unconscious, they fell amongst the leaves,
eventually becoming leaves themselves.
Falling, falling.
Until naught but their notched wings
remained under the lone green tree
isolated in the autumn forest.
- - -
A whimper. Gali can barely tell what it was. Her consciousness, still fading in.
The lights were off. The pulsing from Karina's computer lights was all that remained. And yet, things were calm. No fear, she felt, even as she opened her eyes and was met with the dimly lit room.
Something moved against her hand. Lost was turning about, huddled close to her, curled up. She could feel...hear, his breathing. Erratic.
"G-...gali..."
A voice from her side. She turns, Found having woken up. She was hugging Gali's side, trying her best to be as close as she could.
"What's wrong, little one?" Gali kept a quiet voice.
"I-I dreamed..." Tears welled in the corner of her eyes. "I dreamed...you..."
"Y-you..." Lost spoke up, still holding his eyes shut. His breathing was so heavy that he was trying to speak with no air to sound out his words. "Th-the...darkness..."
"Shhh...it's okay. Let it out. Gali's here." She slowly raised her arm, placing it over the red Celebi; her other arm held the blue Celebi close, resting her head on his.
They nuzzled into her embrace.
And softly cried until morning came.
SOUL IN THE DARK, PT. 5 - REMIND
It has been a few weeks since Gali brought Lost and Found to Luani.
In that time, Lost gained enough of his powers back to levitate on his own, although he never said no to being carried around by Gali. Found, too, never gave up the chance to rest on Gali's head, or be carried herself. Yet, the two had expanded their horizons greatly.
Many trips to the beachside, to the town park, even to Rigel's to keep Gali's promise, gave them that much more experience with the world. They met many a curious folk, many of Gali's friends on the island who were interested in them, and had slowly but surely integrated themselves as members of society, just as Gali had. Though, they definitely had less of a presence; their powers were still weak, as even Found had trouble using her powers to any large degree.
Their relationship with Gali had only grown during this time. Though Gali had often sought Karina's affection at the end of a rough day, she was getting nuzzles all the time from the two Celebi at her side. Despite them teasing her about often being called 'kids', they certainly relied on her for quite a lot. Gali tries her best to keep a smile on her face, but at night they all can't help but think back to that fateful day, crying themselves to sleep and hoping their next dream would be different. And as the days went by, their past life had a smaller and smaller impact on their minds. With Gali at their side, she helped them all that she could in dealing with their emotions, old and new.
As the days went by, Lost became happier and more confident, and Found's optimism and energy became more tame, yet still above average. The fears they expressed became lesser and lesser, eventually trying things on their own, knowing the consequences wouldn't be all that bad. Things like introducing themselves to strangers, trying new foods, wanting to explore different parts of the island - all they told Gali about excitedly when they wanted to do them, and then also telling her about how it went when they did. She was quick to remind them not to do anything too rash, as she wanted to keep her word to Rigel, but their intentions, as far as Gali could see, were pure.
Nowhere were their improved moods at play than when she took them out to the meadow flanking Gorebyss Lake for the first time since that day. Landing in that wide-open field with the whole lake on one side, sparse trees, and many a flowerbed, it was hard for Gali to keep them contained.
"Now, don't go off too far, and watch how fast you fly! I don't wanna get knocked out again like last week!"
"Ehe! Race ya to that tree over there, Lost!"
"You're on!" And off they go...
Gali sighed, watching the two rocket off. How far they've come, and how far they've yet to go. Seeing them play, so carefree despite their past...it warms her heart. Perhaps it's because she, too, feels their energy, having bonded so close - and with them quite literally sharing a bit of her body.
As the two Celebi race off and do their own thing, Gali stretches her arms out, a bit tired from the trip. If it wasn't so dang long...but at least she can rest. Finding her way over to a flowerbed, she plops down on her back, folds her arms behind her head, and takes a long, deep breath. Peace, again, at least.
She closes her eyes, letting the sound of the grass rustling in the breeze lull her into a nap. The sound of her Celebi companions flying above, flapping their wings audibly as they drew near, never stopped putting a smile on her face.
"Hey, Found, let's...!"
"...that one...!"
Whatever those rapscallions were up to, she'd find out later. Right now, she had a nap with her name on it coming on...
...
"Dead again, huh?"
Gali jolted awake, hearing that voice. She must have dozed off faster than she thought. Must've been because she was still tired after staying up all last night watching Karina play that game. Either way, the Marshadow from before stood over her.
"Not a chance. Eh?" A flower falls from her forehead. In fact, she's covered in flowers. There's chuckling nearby. Gali looks around, then up - Lost and Found begun laughing as they saw Gali's face look up at them. "Y-you rascals..."
He, too, looked up at them. Gali quickly shot up a telepathic message as he looked away; "Stay up there, you two. This person is trouble, but he won't hurt you if you're in the air." They looked serious for a moment, and then flew away towards the lake.
"Found, should we...?" "No, she can..."
He looks back towards Gali. "In a few short weeks and you already have kids."
She hmph'd. "I've no need to explain myself."
"Good. Saves me the hassle of listening to it." He tightens his fist. "Do you know why I came to this spit of land in the first place, a few weeks back?"
Gali has gotten up, crossing her arms. "I feel like you'd tell me even if I said I didn't care."
He chuckled. "You'd be correct. Because I had heard this was quite the hotspot for mythicals. And based off of the few days I spent here, it's all been...lazy. You island folk have no agency."
"And why would we?" She turns to the side, keeping him in her peripherals. "We've no reason to fight. The few that look for fights hang out in dark alleys." A head tilt his way. "But if fighting is all you care about, I'm sure some of those types would entertain you."
"Hmph. I've no interest in useless squabble." He took a step forward. "You're either useful to me, an enemy, or worthless."
"...So what makes me worthy of your attention, hm?" A smug grin. "Certainly you've learned all you needed to know based off of our last encounter."
He shrugs. "I was thinking the same thing. But you can't fool me." He points at the Celebi. "You've been in contact with some legendaries recently, haven't you?"
A head jerk. "So what if I have? Even you said this place is full of them."
"Don't get your quantifiers mixed up, scum. You know what I mean." His tone becomes more aggressive. "You've got the influence of Dialga and Palkia written all over you."
Gali remained silent.
"And not just you. Those things that flew off, too."
She looked at the Marshadow with sharp eyes. He returns the look.
"So tell me. Where did they come from? Or when?"
Still silent, for a few moments. "...Your business is with those of this reality."
The Marshadow then went silent too, lowering his hand and just staring at Gali. Not in disbelief, but rather, it looked as if he was thinking while trying to maintain his tough-guy stance.
"...So, you're not useless after all. Hmph." He turns around, his scarf blowing in the wind. "Consider yourself...on probation. I will use you at a time I see fit."
"You dreadful being...people aren't tools." She turns back towards him, still with her arms crossed.
He waves a hand dismissively, beginning to walk away. "As I said, you're either useful to me, an enemy, or worthless. Be glad you have my mercy today, because if I need you tomorrow, I may not be as nice."
The Celebi sighed, sensing Lost and Found were above, nearby. "...Hey, wait. I'm not gonna ask you your name, but let me say one thing before you go."
He stopped mid-step, turning his head slightly.
"...Thank you."
"What?"
"Thank you." She raised her voice slightly. "It's because of our previous conversation...that I was able to change myself, even a little bit."
He stood in silence for a few moments. The flowers near their feet waved in the breeze.
"...I can tell you're not bad. You hurt on the inside. And, I had an experience that...revealed to me, a little bit of the hurt inside me too."
"Shut up. You know nothing of me."
"Even if I don't, I can still empathize." She looked away. "...You never know what kind of past someone has until they tell it to you."
More silence. Then, he turned back towards Gali, half-way.
"If this is you trying to change my ways, just as I somehow did the same to you...then you can save it for someone you know, and for someone who cares."
She sighs, shaking her head. "...If you were to look for me again, our connection would only deepen. We healers know how to mend a soul and give it respite."
He balled his hand into a fist, looking back away again. "...I won't repeat myself a third time."
The Marshadow began walking away again. Gali did not stop him this time.
Lost flies down behind Gali's back, peering over her shoulder. "What a scary guy..."
The large Celebi sighs again, deeper and longer than before, a shiver going through her body. "He looks the part...and he's not from this island, but I can tell. He's living in this world the way he wants to live in, despite the trauma he's endured."
Found flies down as well, openly at Gali's side, with her arms crossed. "Well, that doesn't excuse him talking to you like that! If he really wanted help, he'd ask for it, right?"
The Bibi shook her head. "Unfortunately, some people don't ask. Some people keep it inside, bottled up, and they turn out like that. Such contempt..."
Lost grabbed onto Gali's arm, shaking it, even though she was standing still. "Y-you're not thinking of helping him, are you? What if he comes back and threatens to hurt you? O-or us, or...the island..."
"He won't." She watches as the black figure fades into the distance. "Because I'll help him even if he doesn't ask nicely."
"Whaaa-?!" Both Celebi react. "Bu-but he's a JERK!"
Gali puts her head down with a smile. "...Found, it may do you good to listen to people's hearts. Could you tell he was hesitating a few times when he answered me? I wasn't goading him on to listen to just his answers. I was looking for the meaning behind them as well."
She turns her head towards Lost. "Do you remember the dream we first shared? The things you said, or were trying to say...they didn't matter. Because I sensed you were suffering, and I knew I had to fix that, no matter the cost."
He winced. "Ohh, why'd you have to bring that up..."
She brought up her arm, with Lost still attached to it, and nuzzled her cheek against his head. "You don't gotta worry, sweetie. You're different now. But...there are people living in this world that have went through similar events, phases in their lives. And they're suffering too."
"Even though I was in another reality..." Lost looks away.
"Yup. It was because you came to me that I helped you, even if it wasn't...the best, clearest way. And even if I didn't have the means to help. That didn't matter at the time...it's that you reached out in the first place that did." She looks forward. The Marshadow had disappeared. "I think...some people are like that. They wouldn't approach others unless they needed help."
The blue Celebi shuddered. "I-if you weren't able to...help..."
She reaches over and holds his cheek with her free hand. "Shhh...don't think such things. Trust in what you feel now, not the future you aren't living in."
Found flies up and sits on Gali's head, crossing her legs, still looking a bit peeved. "I still think he could've been a little nicer..."
"Hehe, maybe he should've. Maybe this isn't the best example to set either...but, well, you've seen me at work. I helped you guys out when my life was on the line. If his life was at stake with whatever he's doing...I don't think I could live with turning him down, even if he didn't follow through on his threats."
"Gee, Gali...how do you do it, then? How do you live with helping people like him?" Found's tone changed, and Gali could tell she had accepted the lesson.
The anthro Bibi looked to the grass below, finding a pink flower sticking a few inches above the rest. She kneels down, running a finger along one of its petals.
"I guess...it's just in my blood."
SOUL IN THE DARK, PT. 6 - REVERSE
A trainer, standing at a PC. Fiddling with the controls. A list of names.
"So I just do this, and..." A button is hit. There's a pause as it records data.
The trainer pulls the plug on the PC, then immediately plugs it back in, awaiting at the controls for it to boot up.
After the screen lights back up, he goes back to checking it. There's a pause as he comes to a realization.
"...Wait. Where's..." He frantically shifts through the various menus. Nothing seems to sate him.
"Where's...?" One less name on the list.
"M-my...my..." He checks his belt. Then the computer again.
"My shiny Celebi! NOOOO!"
- - -
Nothing could encapsulate the joy of being free. Flying through the trees without a care. But this pink Celebi was more than just a free spirit; it was one that stood out amongst its peers. None had the coloration it had, which led it to become somewhat of an outlier.
Its friends amongst the fae saw it as special, a diva of the woods. It was...
someone they couldn't think they could associate with. Chief among the doubts its appearance sowed was that its coloration would let it stand out against the trees. If someone with an evil mind were to wander in the forest, it couldn't hide in the canopy or in the bushes: the pink would give its position away.
"No, you go...see if he'll go away."
One such intruder was before their shrine. Humans were creatures they were taught to avoid at all costs. Being invisible in their presence wasn't enough, they had to escape, get away, hide. Jump through time, if they must. But this one held a ball...something that drew the Celebi folk near.
The pink Celebi watched from afar, hiding behind a tall tree, invisible. It was alone in its spot. A curious power, it noticed, as a Celebi went to investigate the ball, only to show itself. Then, seconds later, it was as if the human had approached the shrine again. Placing the ball on the steps of the shrine, it glowing, a Celebi approaching. The pink Celebi watched it all unfold. Time, after time.
What was happening...? What was this human's goal?
Still it remained, Celebi after Celebi floating down, appearing, disappearing. Reappearing amongst the trees. The pink Celebi watched everything carefully, noticing where its Celebi friends were. Sensing their Psychic power, watching for slight movements. Still the human stood there, placing the ball on the shrine.
It had enough.
The pink Celebi went to its friends.
"Wha- hey! Don't get near us, he'll see us all!"
"N-no, it's not that! I...I'll go down. Just...watch for me, okay?"
"You're crazy..." "No, let them..." "When will he go away...?"
So the Celebi went down, blocking its friends from following it. None did.
Nothing could encapsulate the joy on the human's face once the Celebi made itself known.
- - -
Splitting apart. Data and reality, intertwining.
The Celebi, amongst the void. A faint blue glow from everywhere, suggesting it was still inside its datascape. Streams of numbers in long columns all around, progressing. It breathed yet.
A glitch. Some of the numbers break apart in their streams. The blue is replaced with red. The image of the Celebi distorts. Morphs. It attempts to scream, holding its head. It felt...as if the world was collapsing on it.
It disappeared into a new void. It couldn't tell where it was, or why.
Time was progressing. Space had stopped.
Coming to the edge of reality, it couldn't go as it was. Its body would be lost, but its soul, its conscience would remain somewhere. A ghost without being a ghost could not exist, so it had to live.
Its body being pulled in so many different directions at once, it couldn't help but scream. Scream in this soundless void, until it was torn in two. Broken in half, but with its halves being unequal. Taking different things with them, as each half was plunged in darkness: one with time and without space, and one with space and without time.
Each thrown their separate ways, each separating from reality.
- - -
The shiny Celebi trekked with its trainer. With him, it saw many sights of the world beyond its forest. Cities, plains, oceans - it was mesmerized by all that it saw. So many different species inhabited the world, so many humans that survived despite it all. So many...how did it manage to hide from all of them in that forest?
It fought alongside its trainer, lending its power to him. It was not adverse to fighting, but found itself liking it for the sport. It liked the competitive aspect, if it could prove itself to be better. Better than the Celebi it was yesterday; perhaps, good enough for its friends back home to praise it. But it had to put in the work, staying by its trainer all the while.
It was witness to its trainer's exploits, even when he wasn't travelling the world.
One of the trainer's pastimes, as the Celebi found out, was breeding and hatching the eggs of his various Pokemon. Riding along with him, a basket full of eggs...it liked the wind blowing through its hair. Watching the joy of life every time those eggs cracked open. And from each, a Cyndaquil, soon to be released so that its population may increase in the world.
Such an endeavor was not lost on the Celebi. It recognized the scarcity of life, its trainer's attachment towards this species. And so their connection was imprinted onto its heart, its soul soothed by his commitment.
- - -
One half, still finding that time is passing. Trapped in an endless void.
It couldn't...feel, could it? No, it was feeling...something...
If it wasn't feeling, then the lack of feeling was just as convincing. What was it like to feel again...? How would it feel now?
Pain...yes, that's right. It was in pain. The world begun to take shape around it. Whatever little inlet of space it had landed on after being flung from its proper space, it shaped with its memories. The memories of...pain...
...pain...that never really started, until it realized its existence. It was different. And that human...showed it that its differences didn't matter...right? That it could be its own...
But it was incomplete. It lacked the answers to the questions it had. Filled only by one overarching answer that slowly grew to fill in the gaps. One answer to everything it lacked, acting as though it were its other half. Bringing completeness to its form.
With this new feeling spurring on its thoughts and memories, they began to warp. And as they warped, so did its surroundings. Darker, more sinister. Retelling its story over and over, until it became morbid. It was all it could do, here, where nothing else remained.
As it plunged into its darkness, it never stopped to think. Never hesitated. Those restraints, those hopes for a brighter future...were left in its other half.
- - -
A bright light.
The Celebi emerged from a cave, atop the hat of its trainer.
Ruins of buildings entered its vision. It had seen buildings before, but these were merely scraps. Hints that man had lived here before, but nature was reclaiming the space right back. What made them leave? Was it just...this one?
The trainer entered another cave. Adorned with similar visuals to the eroding craft outside, but more complete. A house...? No, it was more elaborate. Like it were made for some sort of ritual. More humans, inside, inspecting. A bygone era, a scent that spoke of the history left here. The Celebi could feel an ominous power at work. It perked up, looking around, as if it heard a noise it couldn't locate.
Even with its powers over time, it couldn't help but wonder what this place was like before.
Such mysterious architecture, compared to the ones the humans lived in now.
Could an answer it had not been seeking at all lay at rest here?
As it pondered, its trainer helped a nearby human solve a puzzle.
Perhaps by design, as the last block fell into place, a hole opened below and swallowed the two.
Everything became black once more.
Mysterious messages written in a language it knew how to decipher...even though it knew not why or how it could understand them in the first place.
A ringing in its head, speaking of an unknown connection.
They escaped an onslaught of creatures, staring at them with their bright white eyes. The Celebi couldn't bear to look at them.
Later they returned, with the Celebi keeping its wits about them.
In another cave, another puzzle awaited.
Giving its trainer's hair a tug, it resisted. Something about this place scared it.
He trudged on, clicking the pieces into place.
Thrown into darkness once more.
Another message it understood. Another familiar feeling, as if time were converging on its position. Not a power it could harness, but one it simply felt the magnitude of. An immense pressure it couldn't fathom.
The trainer was unphased by it all, continuing his journey around the area. A third cave.
What did the sounds mean? What...really, was the meaning of this place?
As more chambers were entered, the Celebi had more questions.
The eyes on the walls...were they watching them?
Everywhere it looked...surrounding them.
Restrained from running, it could only go forward.
Its mind was made a mess trying to comprehend it all. The pink Celebi lay silently on its trainer's head, staring into nothingness. It barely noticed going into the fourth cave. Pre-occupied, it was, in figuring out for itself this ruin's mysteries.
- - -
Darkness. Consciousness, but without form.
The half of the Celebi forced away from time, retaining its emotions but not its memory. Stuck in the abyss where time did not flow.
It survives, but only because if time passes, it would cease. Its barely-working mind couldn't keep track of time, couldn't remember who it was. Couldn't understand why it was here.
If time was passing it by, it wonders what it could feel. It certainly remembers how to feel, it remembers...joy, but...where? Certainly there was no joy to be found where it was currently at. In fact, it did feel quite a lot like pain. But with no time for its blood to pump, no time for its nerves to flare, it could not feel.
It couldn't move. Not without time. But then how could it think? It was...there...but what prevents it from fading completely? Its own time powers wouldn't be enough, not without a timestream it was connected to.
Could it even say it had an existence? In such a dark and lonely place, it had no buffer against the negative thoughts that began to invade. It wanted to feel, it wanted to know...but here in this timeless void, it couldn't do either. Even if it had its other half, it would be just as trapped.
With no sound, no sight, nothing to feel...it could feel itself slipping into a dreamlike state. A conscious dream, where the difference between reality and fiction could not be easily told. Not that it minded; even a conscious dream would be one where it could at least pretend time was flowing. It could at least indulge in the illusion of color and fantasy of what its past life could have been like.
And at the end of those dreams, if it could even tell the difference between when they ended and began again, it fervently wished to open its eye to see its forest once more.
- - -
A tower reaching high into the sky.
The Celebi heard legends of this place, as its trainer had found out. Home to a legendary bird, it originally left the tower in search of a human with a pure heart, never to return. But along the trainer's journey, they had heard about a mysterious shaking at the tower. Having been granted entry to the tower with a bell the trainer had found along their journey, they made the trek up the floors.
Still plagued by questions, the Celebi could hardly contain its excitement. Were it fortunate enough to meet this Pokemon, would it be granted eternal happiness? Though the legends don't say whether it hides itself from Pokemon, perhaps it would share in its abilities. Even if it were to catch sight of it, that would make for a good story for its Celebi friends at home. Maybe even enough for it to gain the respect of the few that didn't believe it.
The trainer steps onto the roof after a long time spent inside the tower. The light was blinding at first, a distinct orange tint in the sky. They could see far off into the horizon; trees, mountains, other cities they've been to. The Celebi hadn't been this far up, and this would be another moment it would remember.
A shriek from the sky makes the pink Celebi refocus. Up above, a gigantic bird descends onto the top of the tower. Each flap of its wings assaults them with color beyond all compare. It hovers, feet above the tower's roof, staring in the direction of the trainer.
"Celebi, go!" Words it heard a thousand times before. Was it really going to fight this legendary beast itself? Sure, it was strong, but enough to match its might? Still, it did as it was ordered.
It flapped its tiny fairy wings, floating in front. It could feel each wingbeat of the rainbow bird threaten to push its tiny body away, and the winds at the top of the tower weren't helping.
Another shriek. The battle had started in full.
But just then, a telepathic voice reaches the Celebi. "Eons have passed since I, Ho-oh, have recognized a human as being worthy of my presence, and this one chooses to fight. So be it!"
It reached back out. "Truth be told, I wasn't expecting to fight...are you sure about this? Just seeing you is enough, right?"
"Hmm...this is definitely a surprise. Your trainer wishes to fight, but you question even that. And a Celebi, of all things, is his first choice for battle. You should take it in stride that your trainer chose you first!"
A smile crept onto the pink fairy's face. "Then fight I shall! The blessing of happiness is enough, but now's my chance to prove myself!"
A blue flame formed on the bird's wings. "That's the spirit! But don't expect me to hold back, forest dweller! Do not confuse your own acts with your trainer's!"
From that point on, things were a blur...as the flames engulfed the Celebi. Forever etched into its memory was the sight of Ho-oh's magnificent form, and the searing pain right before passing out.
- - -
Its trainer had begun to travel even more. Battling more, getting stronger. The Celebi was not deterred by its loss, but it couldn't help but think it wasn't healed fully. There was something...off about it, ever since that battle. But it shook off such a feeling, determined to show it was strong. So it fought, and grew.
A snow-capped mountain, scaled entirely from the inside. The caves were fraught with a frightful assortment of Pokemon that even its trainer relied on his other Pokemon, just to ensure he wouldn't wipe out on any one of the beasts inside.
And at long, grueling last, a light. The top of the mountain at last! It was cold, but it was outside, and a pleasant sight as the Pokemon had all but disappeared. The Celebi shivered, feeling the strong, cold wind blow against it. Snow was also falling, having coated everything white. A scenic view, were it not for the blizzard blowing, but a triumph nonetheless.
But one more challenge awaited. A single figure stood off in the distance, at the absolute peak.
A Pikachu on its shoulder. How strong of a bond they must share to be up here, having fought the same journey as they did.
Wordlessly, the trainer turned, and the Pikachu leapt from their shoulder, ready for battle.
Testing their bond, the Celebi needn't hear its trainer to know what must have been done. It leapt off his head, already preparing its first attack.
The sight of the Pikachu readying its Thunderbolt with its trainer's face obscured by the snow was one the Celebi would remember for ages to come.
- - -
Everything happens for a reason. Or so the Celebi thought.
Its two torn forms, kept alive by the Ho-oh's still-burning flame. The happiness it was promised, gone. It didn't know what hurt more, the Sacred Fire it was struck with...
...or its trainer's next move. One that it remembers fondly.
"You're special. One of a kind."
Sitting at a table inside a Pokemon Center, the trainer sits with its pink Celebi standing on the table in front of it. It seems all too happy to be praised as such.
"That's why...I'm going to clone you."
It looked surprised. Cloning? Does that mean what it think it means?
"You are special, for sure. But there's...only one of you. And I'd love to show you off to the world, but...I don't want to lose you just for that."
The Celebi still looked afraid. "Relax. It's all something I can do, and at the end of the day, there'll be another you! I mean, sure, I haven't done it before, but I've heard how it works..."
It shook its head, being defensive in its body language. "Aw, nothing's gonna happen to you. You don't need to worry a single bit. All you gotta do is head back into your ball and I'll take care of the rest."
Begrudgingly, it agreed. It hadn't been in its ball for a long time...so confining, even though it had all of the necessities it desired. It much preferred the open air...
It wasn't long before it felt itself being torn from space, implanted into the digital landscape of the computer. It had no idea what was going on, what was happening. All it had was the assurance of its trainer.
It thought of the encounter with the Ho-oh. Was this...going to lead to happiness?
...the last thought it had, before all went wrong.
- - -
The burns. The bonds. The sorrow.
Both were connected by their past, but one kept more power than the other. One was able to shape its landscape to its warped, incomplete mind's content, while the other suffered in its own timeless prison.
One kept replaying its life on repeat, never improving, taking on more cynical and extreme views as its became unhinged and unstable. One held fast to the hope of a future, even though it would lead to its death. Each stuck in a state of living, no matter how one looks at it. Both tormented by the creeping darkness.
Until a hand reaches forward...
- - -
Stirring. Three figures on a bed, one tossing about, making noise.
A shiny Celebi, its upper body blue, opened its eyes suddenly. It jerked upright, breathing heavily and looking around. After a few moments, it calmed, though it had noticed it was in a cold sweat. Looking at its hands. Its...two hands. Breathing. Feeling - even if it was feeling tired. Its heartbeat.
It wrapped its arms around itself, hunching over. Its antennae drooped down, a tear forming in its eye.
"...*hic*..."
It knew it wasn't alone now. The dream fades, and its reality set in. It was with...itself. And the hand that pulled it out of its despair.
Looking over, on the dimly lit bed, it saw that very hand. ...but its drowsiness was too strong. It couldn't muster the energy to cry now.
It closed its eyes once more, blinking the tears away, crawling over to where the hand was. Feeling, without seeing, until it came upon the hand. Then, it lifted the hand up and over its body, feeling the weight push it down on the sheets. The hand curled up, gently stroking over the Celebi's head.
As sleep beckoned it once more, the warmness in its heart returned. Shivering, but with life. Content that even if were in another reality, another time...that, even if its happiness now wasn't eternal, that it could feel being happy once again.
- - -
Beyond time, in that dreamlike land...
Lost's memories still played. Repeating the motions, playing the story over and over. Though it no longer invades dreams, the remnants of the Celebi lived on. A dark being, made from what Lost and Found had gained after they had split. The few feelings that were regained, the memories it barely remembered. What it thought it had before, now the only things it had.
Reformed into one being, it still acted the same as the lost Celebi it was. Its dark body made it impossible to see, a black fire alight on what would be considered its skin. The only light from its body, now most decidedly not among the living nor the dead, was its green irises.
No light in this reality could make it show its true form. Where it was, no light could even reach it in the first place. In its fictional landscape, where the gods decreed it need exist, it was alone.
Yet its connections to Lost and Found existed. Separated by space and time, for a brief moment, it could sense their presence. With their own minds overwhelmed at their own shortcomings, their individual darkness separate from this dark being's own, they barely noticed its presence.
For it stood five feet tall, with four wings, and two antennae sprouting from its head in the shape of a heart.
SOUL IN THE DARK, PT. 7 - REPEAT
Life begins in pitch-black darkness.
A consciousness grows from nothing to become something.
Given enough of the necessary materials for life - the range of emotions, a body, a time with which to exist - that is how most come to be. It is expected that for every one life, there should only be one merged consciousness, one body, one time they play through.
But when those rules are broken, things get messy.
The story of Lost and Found coming to be broke those rules. One consciousness became two; one body became two; one timeline was split. And as they did, they took different parts with them: one kept the memories, one kept the emotions. Those missing parts, they attempted to fill themselves, devoid of time or space as they were.
In healing their bodies and sharing her essence with them, Gali tore away those 'regained' parts of Lost and Found that they had regenerated, flawed as they were. By itself, this would not create a problem, even though they were from different realities: she was helping each become one again, their own selves. As she didn't have to fully give up her own, she was able to complete them.
But the problem reared its head when Lost's powers were taken from him by Dialga to remain in the realm he was in before. That being was also not whole, replicating what Lost was before. Despite its form being as complete as it could be, borrowing Gali's appearance, it was but a half. A half that resonated with another half - one that Dialga could not touch, but rather, one within Palkia's control.
It was a half that also bore Gali's appearance, but instead of shadows and ominous powers completing its form, it had...nothing. Missing an arm and a leg on its left side, it had an unfinished appearance. Half of its hair was missing, and both its eyes were stuck in limbo; neither were as bright as the Celebi it took after, no powers of its own.
This being was cobbled together from the remains of Lost's replaced emotions, Found's replaced memories, and sprinkled with the tiniest ounces of all the other necessities for life, courtesy of Gali's own meddling. Despite this, it was still lacking in several areas, more than just its physical body.
It lacked purpose. Resolve. Identity. Voice.
For these reasons, Palkia thought it right to wait until Gali was able to handle both Lost and Found before fettering off this..baggage, these remains, to see what Gali could make of it. It was well within its power to just keep this being away, unlike how Found's half remained in the limbo between time before. Here, however, it could exercise its power and send the being to a specific point in time. It was a special case amongst those ripped from the timeline, as it had never been severed nor connected in the first place, and thus needed special attention.
It was then, when the incomplete body first merged with the timeline, that it birthed unto the world. In that moment, when the flow of time put its heart into motion, when it became alive, it had its first thought. One befitting of its origin, one to drive its purpose, one spark to set its life aflame.
Who...is Gali?
---
The shrine in the forest. Teal crowns above, a teal blanket below. Celebi at play, blissfully unaware.
Time's flow around the shrine and its inhabitants made the story of Gali both a hot topic and forgone history. No Celebi that was around could forget that day, ensuring there would be at least one at any given time existing within the forest that would know of it. As word spread, there were a few that dared to go back to that time to watch from afar to see for themselves the events in the forest. The past and future told the tales of the pink Celebi that survived near and total death thanks to one heroic Celebi who intervened on their behalf.
That heroism led to recognition. Recognition that would then set the stage for an event a few weeks later.
Celebi flew past the shrine, a game of tag. One was one of the Celebi that helped Galiana on that day; the other had only heard of what transpired. Another Celebi sat in the grass watching the two above, this one completely unaware.
All felt uneased as the color of the world temporarily became distorted.
A black sphere grew from a distortion in front of the shrine, taking in the color before exploding outwards with a gust of wind, returning the color to the forest and knocking all the Celebi back.
From the sphere fell the being from before: a Celebi, alive, bearing the resemblance of the one who saved the pink Celebi before. It fell face-first onto the grass, its disheveled hair hiding its disfigured body.
Moments went by as it struggled to move. It wasn't that it didn't want to; it simply didn't know how. The glow in its eye was proof of its status as among the living, and yet it could barely move of its own accord. The Celebi from the forest recovered from the sudden outburst and were curiously watching the crumpled figure from afar as it lay.
A memory resurfaced of life. That was all that it needed to sputter and cough, a distorted, otherworldly voice underneath. It propped itself up on an arm, feeling pain from every part of its body, though mostly on the side it lacked appendages. It shook violently.
Did it know why it felt pain? No. But it knew what pain was - it remembered what it was like from a distant memory. Its other senses began to fade in, seeing the world in its own, warped way.
One of the Celebi, the one that had helped Gali before, recognized the particular shade of green and the lengthy hair. It could tell something was off with the being, as it was smaller than the person it helped before - at the size of a Celebi itself. Still, its curiousness got the better of it, inching towards the creature as it sized up the world around it.
"Are you alright?" The being froze up before looking at the Celebi, hair covering its face in shadows. Sound was another thing it remembered how to parse.
It stared at the Celebi. It had no voice of its own to respond. A singular eye pierced through the fairy - expecting all, expecting nothing. The Celebi was unnerved.
"You...a-alright there? You kinda...fell..."
The half-Celebi stared at the fae in front of it. It could sense a power from it - one that it, too, had. It knew this power well, in fact. It remembered it as if it had spent years using it. And, using it, the being lifted off the ground, its limbs dangling down.
The shadows around its form lifted, revealing its scarred face, its missing appendages, its lost eye. It looked expectingly at the fairy in front of it.
The Celebi went white with fear. It took a few seconds for it to find its voice once more, floating backwards in a jittery motion.
"Y-you're...not Gali...!"
It turned around to fly away, disappearing in a flash of light and making its escape through time. The two Celebi watching from afar disappeared in the same way as well, leaving the cursed being by itself.
It didn't react to the Celebi leaving it alone, floating inches off the ground in this unfamiliar forest. Its eye stayed staring forward as it processed the feelings in its body. Emotions in it stirring for the first time, feeling parts of its body pulsing. The pain it was enduring making whatever trains of thought going through its mind end before they even began. Blood coursing through its body eventually finding a path out, staining its already tarnished body and dripping to the grass below.
Such pain was taking a toll on the incomplete Celebi. And so it fell, its eye disappearing into the void in its head, resting: but now with the flow of time to help usher it along. The feeling of its heart pulsing along to a rhythmic beat was something it was not used to, but familiar all the same.
As it drifted off to sleep, not of its own accord, the same thought ran through its head.
"Who...is Gali?"
---
On Luani Island...
It was mid-day, not a cloud in the sky. A perfect sunny day for soaking in the sun, especially on the lengthy beach separating Sonnige from the ocean.
Galiana blended into a crowd of beachgoers, her white-and-green beach towel and umbrella not unlike any of the others populating the sands. Laying with her top half in the shade, but still donning a thick pair of sunglasses to protect her eyes (and a non-revealing pink bikini to protect the eyes of others). Lost and Found weren't in need of such clothing, and were roaming around the beach, excitable as ever.
Gali sighed, though this was a pleasant one instead of a stressful one. She was comfortable with the two of them playing about without needing to worry about what mischief they might get up to; being self-sustaining was the point of them being together, after all. No better was there a way to exemplify this than taking a break herself, letting the sounds of the ocean waves mixed with the commotion of a busy beach soothe her to sleep - but not before applying sunscreen, of course.
The noise diminished the distinct sounds of the two Celebi's usual high-speed flying, so Gali was able to tell how close they were if they were to fly by. Reciprocally, she was at risk of getting tackled by them, but she trusted that they wouldn't unless they had a good reason, which was happening less and less nowadays.
It wasn't long until that tinkling sound drew near, however. Gali, still wearing her shades, opened her eyes to see Found landing near the towel and grabbing one of the folded towels nearby, wiping her face.
"Splashed yourself?" Gali inquired.
"Yeah. Lost got me good, but I'm gonna get him back. He won't know what hit him." There was a tinge of evil in Found's voice.
"Don't hurt him, now. Last thing we need is one of you running the other through the sand. Like last time."
"Aw, I know better now, Gali, you know I'm a quick learner." Found left her towel in a mess on top of the other, set for Lost. "Besides, he started it this time!"
Gali could only giggle as Found flew back over to the ocean, where Lost was - she could see him waist deep in the water, watching the waves and trying not to get pushed over as they crashed on the shore. They were far enough away that Gali couldn't hear what they were saying, but she soon seen them trying to splash each other with water, Found hovering above and diving down just to hit the water with her arm, trying to hit the water towards Lost.
"They your kids?" A voice from right behind her umbrella. Gali turned, seeing a male Latios looking out towards the two 'bi. She recognized him as a popular guyfriend amongst her small friend circles, though she never really had a chance to say hi before, what with her increased responsibilities.
"They're not-! Urgh, I mean, I guess, technically..." It was a question she was asked a lot. She was tired of hearing it, but what else could she say? It wasn't like there was any other frame of reference to go on. After all, the two of them were the only feral Celebi - or really, the only feral Pokemon on the island. Not that Gali knew why, of course, but it did make them stand out. She did remember the feral, wild Celebi at the shrine being a unique case, but why there weren't any others...
"Well, they sure do look happy, either way." She looked up at the Latios. He was wearing black-and-green swim trunks, standing around half a foot above Gali's height. He had his hand on one of the spokes of her umbrella, not putting pressure on it, but she could tell he was rather invested.
"Hey, uh...Gali, right? Would you like to join us for a round of volleyball or two?"
A voice in the distance. "Lar? LAR! C'mon, we..." Gali couldn't hear the rest of the voice, but it was familiar to her.
"Coming, Vexa! Uh, aheh, we got a spot open if ya wanna join. Ta~!" He gives a little wave and runs off towards a large, white Gengar. Gali watches from the comfort of her shade. Vexa was a good friend of hers, having taught her how to bake, and is one of the reasons why the anthro 'Bi wasn't a total layabout. With the cover of her umbrella and her unusually chic sunglasses, she was pretty sure she wouldn't be recognized, giving her some time to think about the offer.
But...
Right when she was just about to take Lar up on a round of volleyball, all went dark. Gali passed out on the spot.
In her unconscious state, Gali could only wait out the ordeal. Time passed by quickly, but seemed to remain the same. It was as if she was remembering her whole life, only to then forget it. Always jumping to the next image, the next face, the next event. There was no memorization to be had here: she was only a spectator.
And yet, watching her history unfold, she could feel she wasn't alone. There was a source of pain she could feel tearing her away from watching her past, making her want to wake up. Siphoning her life, watching - recording her memories.
Perhaps she was hit by a stray Hypnosis and Dream Eater? No...that would have felt different. This was no dream, no sleep. But she did feel another presence within her, somewhere she couldn't see. Somewhere she could still feel.
Oh...that's right. Her heart. A connection. As she watched her more recent history pass by, she tried to send a Psychic message to whoever might be near, hoping they would hear.
"Hello? Who's there?"
There was no voice that responded. But she could feel something within her react to the message.
"Are you...in my heart? Please, tell me where you are!"
Gali could feel more than just her memories being looked at. She saw, she felt, her emotions, her body being analyzed.
"Who..."
It was her voice, but she didn't speak.
"Who...is...Gali?"
Despite the voice, she had to speak herself. Fortunately, it wasn't that her voice was taken away; but it, too, was one of the things this other being in her was learning from.
"Huh? I'm Gali...this is my body, my mind...who are you?"
A pause. The images flashing before Gali go fuzzy. Memories from another person fade in slowly, but disappear just as fast. She couldn't make out any of the details of who or what or where.
"I am...I am Gali..."
"You're Gali? But I'm Gali...is there someone else named Gali, too?"
"I am Gali..." The voice repeats itself. Saying it again, again. Becoming more distorted with each verse. The images start and stop more violently than before.
"Wait...instead of telling me your name, tell me where you are. I sense pain in you..."
"Where? Where...is Gali...Where...pain"
Gali was rightly confused.
"Pain...where pain...Gali..."
The voice continued to ramble. Gali felt her consciousness waver back in, and with it, her ability to communicate. As she woke, the voice kept talking until Gali could hear it no more.
Gali opened her eyes suddenly. The Celebi looked around, wondering what had just happened; it felt like only mere seconds passed, but the sun was already setting in the sky. The beach had an orange glow, and though most of the beachgoers were gone, there were a few that remained, and a few up on the sidewalk overlooking the beach as well.
"Ow..." A pain brought her back to reality in full: in particular, her legs. Lost and Found had their heads on her legs, having took to a nap. She could feel a burning on the skin of her legs, but it wasn't severe; she could tell that the two Celebi had put a layer of sunscreen on her before cuddling up. A smile braced her face before she remembered the Latios from before; checking behind her to see the volleyball net, it looked like they had already left.
Gali held her head with a hand. Her sudden passing out left her with a bit of a headache, and with her legs partially sunburnt, she was well ready to get home. She lightly shook the two Celebi resting on her.
"Hey, sleepyheads. Wanna head back?" Her voice was soft, as usual.
"Mmmnh..." Lost lost his balance and fell onto the towel, quickly waking him up. Found rolled her head over with a snore.
"Ah! Gali...that dragon guy came around a few times to talk to you. We, we got worried and saw you sleeping, so..."
Gali smiled. "Thank you for your concern, Lost. It...wasn't exactly a nap I had intended on taking, though. I just kinda...passed out, I guess. Did you talk to that guy, by any chance?"
"Oh, yeah, he was wanting to know how often you came out to the beach. Said he wanted to hang out with you when you got the time." The blue bi looked away with a pout. "...And he called me a kid."
"Ohhh, you know he didn't mean it like that." The conversation had roused Found from her slumber, yawning and wiping her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah, I know...it just gets tiring. Why's everyone gotta be so big?" More pouting, still sprawling his hands over Gali's leg.
Found propped herself up, then got to her feet. "Y'know, I never really thought of it like that. Do you think...maybe, if we found a way to get big, we'd look sorta like Gali? Since we kinda already look like her..."
The two of them look at Gali. Seconds pass, then they look at each other, noting the similarities they had between each other. Lost winced.
"Ehhhhh...on second thought, maybe I'm fine the way I am."
Found put her hands on Gali's leg as if she were going to jump over. "Oh no, if I find a way to get big, I'm taking you with me."
"No! I-I'm okay with being small! Really!" A visible blush across his pink face.
"Ohhh? Are you suuure?" Found picked up on the blush, taking on a slightly sultry look.
"Little ones, could we perhaps continue this on the walk home? I gotta get up..."
"Oh, uh, right..." "Sorry, Gali. Ehehe."
The two Celebi float up, continuing their argument whilst Gali got up, gathering their belongings. By the time Gali had everything in her hands (and Psychic grasp), the two pink Celebi were back at it.
"Yeah, so what! I like being small!"
"Is that so? Then why do you get so flustered when everyone calls you small?"
"I-I'm not SMALL! I'm regular-sized!"
"Not compared to everyone else!"
Gali sighed. It was going to be a long walk home. "Come on, let's get home before the sun sets."
She floated along, carrying their cooler in one hand and their towels in the other, and with their umbrella floating alongside. The two Celebi argued behind her, eventually switching topics after Lost got too flustered and hid in Gali's hair.
Despite being interested in what they were talking about, Gali had her mind on her brief passing out. Certainly, if a simple dream could have resulted in Lost and Found, was this a portent for something else? Was it related to them, perhaps? Or was it just that she wasn't getting enough sleep?
As the trio came up to a large apartment building, Gali had decided it was the latter. She's spent quite a lot of time enjoying life on the island, but getting good sleep was few and far between. Her job's irregular hours always kept her on edge, and it was rare for her to not seek the company of someone else in her downtime. Perhaps, then, some time alone to sort her thoughts and laze in her apartment for a bit would help sort things out and put her in a better mood.
The three Celebi closed in to the door to Gali's apartment, a small but comfy space. It had no extravagant decorations and was quite compact; a bed and TV in one corner, an oven and sink in another, and a small dining table make the highlights of the room. She was keen on keeping it clean, as she wasn't often here; she doesn't think of it as home, but it was special enough to warrant good housekeeping. She has a home wherever she goes, but having a small apartment like this was good to keep her grounded and a go-to for when she needed alone time. Despite this, ever since Lost and Found have entered her life, she's always had them with her when coming.
Gali opened the door, and was immediately met with the silence and cool breeze from inside. A flick of the light switch, and the two smaller Celebi were already flying in from behind. The two were play-fighting now, taking turns shoving each other in the air before landing on the dining table and locking hands to try and push each other off. This wasn't uncommon, and thus Gali went about putting away the beach umbrella and setting the towels aside to wash later.
As she went about retrieving the unopened drinks from the cooler, Gali glanced over to see that Found was on the losing end, nearly pushed to the edge. Smirking, she had to interject. "Winner showers first."
That made the two glance over, then back at each other.
"Grrk! Oh nooo!~" Lost, despite being on the winning side, feigns being grabbed and tosses himself over Found and off the edge...lightly. Found was too slow on the uptake and didn't see what he was doing until it was too late.
"Hey! Not fair, I didn't-"
"Oh no, Found beat me, guess she has to shower first!"
"Gali, you saw that! I didn't touch him!"
"Hehehe...such an actor you are, Lost. But you'll be going in right after Found." She speaks over the open refrigerator door.
"Galiii!" Found whines.
Gali giggles once more. "The sooner you get out, the sooner I'll whip up some cookies. How's about that?" She closes the door, already using her Psychic to get a bowl and some utensils out from the cupboards.
Found takes a second to think. "...Make 'em with lots of chocolate chips. In fact, just skip the dough and gimme the whole bag."
"After you get out. And a cookie with no dough isn't a cookie."
Found floats by Gali, heading to the bathroom door. "Nah, you're right. I just want the chocolate." She turns to flash a smile, before closing the door - while she's still outside it. Then, with her body flashing with a blue light and a *fwip!*, she teleports to the other side. Lost and Gali stare where she was, dumbfounded.
"...And to imagine, she's half of you."
"I...can't, really. Was I always that way?" Lost floated up and sat on the table, while Gali took a seat across from the pink Celebi. "I mean, sure, there's twins, and then there's us. Or...me? It's just so confusing..."
"Is that why you always looks like you have a headache?" Gali crosses her arms on the table, leaning onto it. "She sure has a lot of energy. Surely you're not just holding back your half of that energy for her sake?"
"Nah...it's not that. It's just that I feel so foreign, I guess..." Lost flops backwards, sprawling out with a stretch. "The Pokemon of this reality are so different from me, and what little I remember of my past life. Couldn't Palkia or Dialga have just...y'know, make us fit in more? Or is this some kinda test of my patience?"
"Aw, Lost, I don't think it's anything like that. They did what was within their power..."
Lost gave a sharp look over to Gali. "Really? Palkia, ruler of space, who probably made everything around us, couldn't...mold us into a better shape?"
Gali shrugged, setting her head down on her crossed hands. "...Maybe that was within the extent of what Arceus said they could do. I mean, if you were more...like everyone else, then you wouldn't be you anymore, right?"
Lost lays in silence for a few moments. It was enough to where the sound of the shower running in the bathroom was clearly audible. He takes a deep breath, and exhales. "...I just don't get it. I keep racking my head trying to make sense of things, but it feels like the closest thing to normal for me is just staying by Found..."
Gali's turn for a deep breath, and a yawn. She didn't bear any hostility in her voice. "It's good to see you two getting used to this world, at least. Even if you're still confused about things, your powers are returning. And no funny business with any of that dark stuff, either."
The pink Celebi looks back up, slowly bringing up a hand to the air above. A faint green light flows up from his body to the hand, forming in a small ball of energy no larger than the hand itself. "I guess...but, the temptation is still there. It's hard to not think of it sometimes. Like, a voice that's telling me I can't do things, telling me I don't fit in, that I'd be better off if I wasn't saved..."
"Aw, Lost...that's why you got Found and me, and Karina, and Rigel. I'm sure that if you keep making friends, those voices will drown out those doubts in your mind." Gali reaches over, resting her hand within Lost's reach. "Wish I could heal away those voices for you, but..."
Lost smiles. "Yeah...yeah, me too. But it's got me thinking..."
The sound of running water stops. Lost turns his head towards the larger Celebi.
"...do you hear the voices too, Gali?"
---
The darkness of the forest meant little for the crumpled mess in front of the shrine. It could see perfectly well in the pitch black, as it was from the darkness itself. Yet that meant little if it could not be conscious.
It stirred. Having rested, it had a dream: a life it felt was its own, yet it knew it was not. It recalled the events, the voices, the feelings...and so they became its own. And with its strength returning, it parsed all these with clarity it did not have before.
Was it the shrine that caused it to heal? Its body was still disfigured, and there were still holes in its memory and thought patterns. It wasn't complete...but it was functioning. That was enough.
A voice inside its head rung out to it. Quiet, but unmistakably there.
"...You should have stayed asleep."
The half-Celebi finally moved its arm, minutes after coming to. It rolled over onto its front, trying to push itself up.
"This world doesn't need you. You are better off dead."
It was a voice it was familiar with. Was it its own?
...Attempting to speak only makes its body hurt again. The Celebi pushed itself up into a sitting position, looking around at the dark, night forest.
All was silent. No rustling of leaves, no signs of life. Not even a Psychic link to any Celebi that might be near. The voice only it could hear spoke up again.
"You are unwanted. You are alone. Fitting, for a disgusting creature like you."
There was a certain way the voice carried itself...something the half-Celebi picked up on. How did the voice know it...? Was it somewhere nearby where it couldn't see? The Gali look-alike's eye glowed blue, speaking with its telepathy to the wind.
"Who...are you? Are you Gali?"
"Not only are you stupid, you're unaware. You'd die in this forest if even a Weedle caught you."
An image flashed before it, a memory that it took from its dream. A body that wasn't its own, but it knew how it felt. A connection that it shouldn't have.
The voice wasn't Gali's, but...it was similar in a way it couldn't parse. It racked its memory, trying to think of who or what it could attribute the voice to. What being other than Gali would have a voice like that...?
"There's no respite for you here. You're alone, defenseless, and utterly useless to the world."
There was a flash, and suddenly it felt immense pain, as if it was being punished for trying to access information it shouldn't. It momentarily gained the insight and knowledge it had wanted, but that spark was gone as fast as it came.
The half-Celebi hunched over, curling up while its body rose into the air. The pain didn't subside immediately. Another memory came to it, again from the dream. The shrine...something about the shrine. It had to focus on the shrine, and...
...the pain grew. It couldn't hold back. It threw its head up and tried to scream, its body sporadically flashing with blue light.
*Fwip!*
Its surroundings changed in an instant, calling on a power it didn't know it had.
It kept in the air, holding its head with its hand as the pain gradually subsided. It eventually looked around; a rocky cliff on one side, and a steep decline on the other. It was absorbed in itself; here, too, it was night. It had never been here before, and yet it know the place somehow.
"This world has no place for you."
"S-shut...ssshut..." Its telepathy was weak, expending a lot of energy on teleporting. Yet it still refused to give in, following what little traces of its sanity as it could. Deep in the pits of its stomach - if it even had one - it knew it had to follow the trail of the memories it was recalling.
It was with those memories that it began feeling the connection it felt before, but stronger. Whatever or whoever it was that was giving off that signal, it was now closer than when it was in the forest.
Its telepathy was too weak to try and communicate at such a distance, even if it was closer. It could feel its strength draining by the breath, and so it chose to float along the cliff face and shut off all other functions of its body it wasn't using. If it could stay conscious enough just for that, it'd likely get to the signal before it dropped to rest once more.
However, this meant it couldn't resist the voice in its head. Despite its efforts at fending it off, ignoring its advances and influence, it couldn't resist if it...simply did not resist. And that's what it would have to do if it wanted to remain conscious on the flight towards the signal.
"You are chasing fantasies." Where its other eye would be, a faint green eye gleams.
It floats forward, its arm and leg hanging limp. Its head also hung low, relying solely on its Psychic powers to get to where it wanted to go, having rendered its own sense of sight useless to conserve energy.
"It's useless to keep trying." "You're nothing."
The Gali-like being felt its body being tugged. The voice inside it tried to steer it away, but even in its severely weakened state, it plugged on. Its body twitched, the voice unable to maintain control over its near-lifeless state.
Back at where it teleported in, a nearby door opened. "Gali?" A voice from inside. A Jirachi steps out, looking around the corner. Seeing nothing, he calls again, louder. "Gali? Is that you? At this hour...?"
But there was nobody there. The half-Gali being was already too far away, draped in darkness.
Its voice found more footing with its body weakened, staying for longer. "You know what fate would suit you well...? Dropping out of the air, right now. Nobody will find you. Nobody knows you're here. And nobody would care."
It was unable to retort. It had cleared the mountain it started next to, being several hundred feet in the air still as it now had a straight shot to the signal. The wind, however, was proving to be more of a hinderance than the voice was in trying to veer it away.
"Yes...let go of your body, and let the wind carry you to sea. You would make a nice meal for a Sharpedo. What do you think they'd eat first off of you...? Your body is only worth the nutritional value...if it even has that."
The voice implanted images in its head. But it kept floating along, trying to ignore it. Hoping that the signal would help. Hoping it could be salvaged.
"G...a...li..."
---
It was the wee hours of the morning. Gali lay awake in her bed, Lost and Found nestled near her head. Despite having kept her eyes closed for hours and letting her mind wander, sleep never came. The few moments where she was rational enough to not go back into the wild and unpredictable thought process of sleeplessness, she cursed having one too many cookies, at Found's suggestion. The two Celebi were peacefully sleeping themselves, with their breathing indicative of their unconsciousness.
Finally having enough of not being able to sleep, Gali forced her eyes open to meet the dimly lit room. Gali's mouth was dry, and her hair was messy. Her head was still a mess, and she was stuck contemplating whether to shut her eyes again or try and be rational enough to look over at the nightstand to see what time it was.
...1 in the morning. Maybe she shouldn't have looked. She sighed.
Well, if she was going to be up, she might as well try and soothe her throat, and maybe try to lie back down. As gently as she could, she rose up from the bed, trying not to disturb Lost or Found, resting on the same pillow she was. Fortunately, they didn't even stir in their sleep, leaving Gali able to comfortably levitate up and off the bed and reorient herself midair, avoiding disturbing the bed as much as possible.
Still having to be quiet, she jostled a bottle of water out of their pack, kept near the fridge. Before she could unscrew the cap, she decided that since she was already up, she might as well check her phone. She had hooked it on its charger on the kitchen counter when she was baking earlier, and she could tell where it was from its green fully-charged light.
Tapping the power button, she swiped off the notifications, many of them being Karina's stream announcements. Going into her contacts list, she saw that Karina was still online. It didn't take long for Gali to decide to send a message, seeing their history pop up.
[Hey. At the aptmnt, can't sleep. L+F asleep. Thinking about you. Wish me luck]
With that, she sent the message, took a long blink, and put the phone on sleep. She set the phone down carefully back onto the counter, as well as the closed bottle of water, and yawned. Maybe she can get some shut-eye now...
...ding! Or maybe not. Karina, fast on the trigger, sent a message back, and Gali's notification sound was, while quieted, loud enough to startle her out of at least a little of her tired stupor. Thinking it wasn't fair to just leave her hanging, she went back to the phone.
[Aww sorry to hear! Wanna sneak out for some snugs? Been a while since it was just the two of us.]
Gali smiled. It was an interesting proposition, but...
[L+F would be so mad at me if I disappeared on them. Totally would fly over if I could]
[Dang. Can't leave a note?]
[I'd have to tell them how to use the spare key, and...it's not that I don't trust them. It's that I know F will do something with it, and I don't want to rely on just L. Will tell them later tho, supervise them]
Seconds pass before Karina messages again. [Alright sweetie. Get your sleep, I'll see you tomorrow, alright? Don't sweat the sweets. You're sweet enough. <3]
Feeling satisfactory with this, Gali slept her phone again and wore her smile back to bed. She gently let herself down where she laid before, intent on carrying out that promise. Even if she continued with her insomnia, she felt at peace, and her mind wandered to more pleasant thoughts of what-ifs for the next day.
---
Karina sat her phone down. It was rare for Gali to message her at night when they weren't together; usually she has a night shift, or she's comfortably sleeping in her apartment. There's a first time for everything, she thought. But at the very least, it didn't interrupt her game too much, and she got an update on Gali's situation. She'd...have to think about what they could do together after a nap; there's still an hour or two of game-playing in her.
...
An hour passes. Karina feels the sleepiness invade, but she's not about to give up yet. Just one more area to clear...one more boss...
...
Well, she didn't make it to the credits just yet, but she's pretty much right at the final step. But she's been rocking back and forth for a few minute already, with her vision getting blurry and small sounds in the game feeling like the volume spiked for a second before she realized she wasn't making any inputs. Now would be the time to sleep.
But just as she was putting her console on sleep and turning off the TV...
*Knock! ...Knock!*
That's strange...Gali didn't say she was coming over. Was it a friend of hers she didn't get a text from? The Mawile grabs her phone and lazily heads outside her bedroom while checking it. Her mom, Abby, was fast asleep in her room, so it was up to her to answer the door.
Fear then set in. What if it wasn't Gali, but someone with ill intentions? Surely not, not on the island. But this unprompted and unusual behavior didn't sit right with her. Something was off. She gripped her phone harder for a brief moment, approaching the door.
*Brrmp! ...Brrmp!*
This was no ordinary knock. It sounded like someone was shoulder-barging against the door. Not a light, friendly, neighborhood-style knock. Maybe it was just because it was so late at night?
...It's too late to back down now. She flipped the nearby light switch and turned the handle...
"You don't have to knock so loud, ya know." She spoke while opening the door, not seeing who or what was behind it. Her tiredness played a part in not being attentive, despite the risk involved.
And upon seeing exactly who or what was knocking, she was stunned.
She had seen Lost and Found before, and had gotten well acquainted with them. Even got them into playing games - faster than getting Gali into them, and probably better than her by now. But she never saw either of the two separate from Gali. She knew Found had a penchant for weirdness and pranks, though...
"Izzat you, Found?" Karina opens the door wider to let the light from behind shine on it, to see what it really was. The messy green hair, the blue of her eye, the antenna-
Huh? One eye? One antenna? "Is this some kinda outfit of Gali you're showin' me?"
The figure, which had its head held down, perked up. It...had no other eye. Or antenna.
Or arm.
Or leg.
In fact that's...that's blood, dripping down onto their welcome mat.
The figure's blue eye glowed in its dark socket. Karina was suddenly glad she couldn't see further in past it.
"G...a...li...Wh..o..." Its telepathy was weak, and its voice was similar to Gali's own. But it wasn't Gali.
This wasn't Gali. This wasn't Found.
This was...
"...aaaAAIIIEEEEE-!!" She slammed the door, loud enough she was sure that it'd wake the neighbors. Then, she did the one thing she never had to do: lock the door.
From Abby's bedroom, the door swung open hurriedly. "Karina dear?"
No sooner did she say that did she get tackled by her daughter. "G-get back in! Back in!" Forcefully pushing her into her bedroom, enough that she was knocked off-balance and fell to the floor.
Karina closed and locked that door, as well. "N-no time! There's...there's something out there! Close the windows, close the blinds, lock them!"
"K-Karina dear, aren't you over-reacting? What could possibly-"
"Mom, you don't want to see what I just saw at our door just now. You don't. I-I'm..."
She held her chest. She was close to hyperventilating, and her hands were shaking...
...her hands. She had her phone in her hand. With her back up against the door, she tried to keep her hands steady enough...
Gali needed to know. She needed to come over. NOW.
---
*Ding!*
Great. Just what Gali needed. She was just about to fall asleep, too. Maybe it's not that important...and she can go back to...
*Ding!*
...what could possibly warrant this? Karina's probably asleep by now, so it's not her...right? Who else could be up at this hour? Maybe she'll check when she wakes up...it's still too early to get up, so...
...oh. They decided to just call. Ugh.
Gali reluctantly got up out of bed, not even bothering with levitating as she just wanted the noise to stop. She was close to just hitting the red refuse-call button, but...it was Karina.
Karina? Calling her, this late?
She picked up the phone. She could hear Lost and Found stirring on the bed as she hit the green button to accept the call.
"Hey, Kari-" Her grogginess carried in her speech.
"GALI! You need to get over here NOW! There's this...thing outside, it looks just like you! And it's only got one eye and-"
"Karina, Karina! Slow down. What's this about?" Her tiredness is already making her forget things she's been told seconds ago.
"Look, Gali. Just get over here. You'll see what I mea-Mom! Don't go out, don't let it know you're here!"
"...You said it looks like me? I told you I was tryin'a sleep..."
"That's just it. I thought you or that pink Celebi of yours was pranking me, but that's not it. This is...well, look, I know a few Ghost-type friends, but none of them could pull off an illusion like this. The thing was DRIPPING BLOOD. It's real."
"Wai...wait, huh? How could me or Found pull something like that off? You know we're...different heights, right?" She was trying to keep quiet, but she can hear Lost groan. Ungh, just what she needs...
"That too! It was the size of your Celebi pals, but it looks JUST like you. Hair, green skin, blue eyes...eye. O-one eye."
"...Karina, this, this isn't you seeing things, right?"
"Gali...Gali. It spoke to me. It said your name. Look, I promise you the thing's real, just...get over here. It might have to do with your Celebi friends too, but...I-I'm too scared to shoo it away myself. Please, Gali, at least before the sun rises. I don't want people to see a damn corpse on my doorstep and I don't want to look at it again..."
Gali sighed. It sure sounds...weird...but Karina doesn't have a good reason to lie to her. Or a reason to prank her so early in the morning. She's still tired, but maybe if she shakes off the sleep now, she can get a nap later on in the day. Thank goodness she doesn't have work...
"...Alright. I'll be over in a bit. I gotta get the two up." She can hear further groaning from the bed.
"Thanks, Gali. Just...lemme know when it's safe, alright? I don't think I'll be sleeping for a bit..."
"Sure thing. You didn't...lock the door, did you?"
"...I might have."
"Where are you, then?"
"Mom's bedroom."
"Gotcha. I'll knock on the window when it's taken care of."
"You're a lifesaver. We're REALLY gonna cuddle now."
"You owe me a few hours of sleep, too."
"Heheh...alright, well, just get over here, alright? We'll crash together."
"You got it. See ya in a bit."
Gali set the phone down, hitting the button to hang up. What'd she get herself into now? She had to blink a few times and shake her head to prep herself.
Looking over, she saw that Lost was rubbing his eyes. "Gali...what time is it?"
The larger Celebi walked over to the bed. "Sorry...it's way early in the morning. But I gotta head over to Karina's for a bit. Something came up."
"Mmnnh..." The blue Celebi kept his eyes closed. "Do I gotta get up now...?"
Gali looked over at Found, still sleeping somehow. Either that, or she was trying to fall back asleep. "It's either I get both of you up, or I leave you guys here til I get back."
"Gnnh...go on." Found spoke. She was awake after all. "I can...survive by myshhhelf..."
Gali sighs. "...That's what I'm worried about. Lost, you wanna come, then?"
"Guh...might as well. I kinda like her bed better..." He floats up, his little wings fluttering lightly.
"Hehe, wow, thanks for the compliment." Gali had to chuckle.
"Pssh. Let's just go before I fall back asleep." The pink Bi floated over and came to a rest hugging Gali's arm. He rested his head up against her shoulder, nuzzling the hair draping near it.
"Yeah...lemme just write a note for Found first."
---
The flight over was quiet and cool. Gali hadn't seen the city so dark before, with only a few lights to go off of. The moon not being full and there being some clouds in the sky didn't help too, as she had to fly closer to the ground to see exactly where she was. Heading over in the general direction of Karina's house was easy enough, but she had to gauge where it was based on the streets as she got closer. Lost clung to her arm the entire way, and she thought he had fallen asleep after a point.
When she got up to Karina's house, she noticed something was off immediately. It wasn't that the inside lights were on, or that there was a light shining down from above. It was that there was...something...collapsed on the welcome mat.
But it wasn't just a something. Gali felt something as she noticed it - a faint Psychic signal, not unlike how she could sense others with Psychic powers. Was it a Psychic-type?
"Lost, would it be alright if you stayed back for a bit?"
"Unh...yeah, sure." He was still groggy, but he floated down and stood near the sidewalk. He, too, noticed the thing crumpled up in front of the door, but still being tired, his eyes weren't at 100%. "What's that?"
"Don't know...Karina said it kinda looked like me."
Gali edged closer to it, trying to see what exactly it was. There was a dim light from the street lamps and the moonlight, but other than that, it was hard to tell what exactly it was. Closer and closer she got, but she didn't seem defensive. It was pretty small in size...what could it possibly do?
...but, no, that wasn't it. It wasn't that she needed to be afraid of it at all. She sensed an inordinate amount of pain as she got closer, her Psychic picking up more of its energy. Conversely, it, too, sensed her approaching and began to shutter and wriggle.
No matter how Gali positioned herself, she couldn't see any defining features. Just a mass of green. That is...until it rose up and turned around, a blue eye shining at her in the dark.
She froze on the spot. "Who...who are you? You're..." She remembered. It was small, like Lost and Found. But those two were the only ones in this universe that were small...or, well, the Celebi from the forest notwithstanding. Those were a special case. This thing...was nothing like them. What was it, exactly?
The mass of green turned further, revealing a scarred body. True to Karina's description, it only had one arm and one leg. The skin on its face was ripped, one eye being blue, the other green. Peeking from around its body were four distinct wings, though on the side that lacks appendages, they were broken and in tatters. A Psychic power similar to her own in frequency, moreso than Lost or Found, could be felt as it became more active.
"G...ali..." It even had her voice...
"Gali...I'm Gali. How do you know me?" Now she was defensive. What was its intentions? Why was it here?
"I...I'm...Ga...li..." Its telepathy was weak, but clear.
"...Y-you do look like me, but..." She swallowed. "...why are you here? How...are you here? What even are you?"
"...p...pain...Gali..." Its head hung a little lower, and the blue of its eye dimmed.
"Are...are you alright? Do you need help?" Her defensive stand lowered a bit. Sure enough, Gali could make out blood around it. Something without an arm or leg would definitely bleed...was it simply something that needed help and didn't know where else to go? If that was the case, she shouldn't be asking questions.
Gali approached the being, holding out a hand and squatting before it. "If you're in pain, I can help. I can heal you."
No response. Gali readied a Leech Seed in her hand.
Then, something she wasn't expecting: a second voice coming from the Gali-like being.
"There is nothing you can do."
"Huh?" A green eye looks up from the being's empty eye socket, glowing as bright as the blue eye before.
"You cannot save this body. It is impossible."
"Wait...but you..." The voice sounded like it was coming from the being, but it was completely different than the voice it had just moments before.
"Just like everything else you touch...so too will this body wither."
Gali was taken aback. Did it know her? "That's not true...I have two friends that can attest to that."
"Is that so? Did they ask for YOUR help?"
"...One...kinda did..."
The eye bore into her. "You interloper. Intervening in another destiny that doesn't need you, when you are already beyond saving..."
Gali looked at the Leech Seed in her hand. "That's..."
"You're a fool for thinking you are doing any good. You are only delaying the inevitable. Death comes to all. You cannot heal the dead."
That line...Gali perked up.
"No..."
"...You realize now how useless you are. This world doesn't need this body...those 'friends' of yours...and certainly not you."
"...n-not true, not..." Gali was on the verge of tears. Its words cut deep. It was filled with the kind of spiteful, vile hatred that she despised most...but the little body before her didn't seem to be having the body language its words would carry.
"Gali!" Lost's voice behind her. He had gotten closer. "Don't listen to it! Just heal it, maybe that'll change its mind!"
"How ironic for the 'lost' Celebi to now be advocating for life...how many lives have you taken? Or do you not remember?"
"Hrrgh..." Lost looked troubled. "Gali...this is the type of mind games I did when I was...lost. Don't listen to it. Look at it...it needs you. Just like me when I was that way."
Gali looked back at the pink Celebi, then to the Gali look-alike still bleeding on the welcome mat.
"You would only be delaying the inevitable...and make the loss that much more painful."
Gali shook her head. "It's not the loss that matters..." She held up her hand again, closing the distance between it and the half-Celebi. "It's the positivity that happens between now and then. Whatever you are, you aren't this Celebi. You don't speak for it."
"...You would only be correct if this body was actually a Celebi to begin with. For it does not exist at all. Or at least, it shouldn't...but because of YOU, it does."
Pushing through, Gali put the Leech Seed on the Celebi's body.
"Existing or not...it needs help."
Suddenly, time stopped for all but Gali. It was as if she had happened upon a rift in space.
She felt her body being pulled somewhere else...all against the flow of time. A sphere of pink timelessness. Her body, appearing out of thin air.
And before her, Palkia.
"GALIANA, WE MEET ONCE MORE."
"Palkia...to what do I owe your visit once more? Have I wronged you again?"
"NO...THIS IS MERELY THE CONSEQUENCE OF YOUR PREVIOUS ACTIONS. BUT EVEN ARCEUS WAS HAVING TROUBLE DECIDING WHAT TO DO WITH IT."
"I see..." There was nothing but pink space around them. Gali couldn't feel a thread of time attached to her, and yet she was still able to move about, think, and speak as she normally could.
"...ALLOW ME TO EXPLAIN AS BEST I AM ABLE. WHEN YOU...'SAVED' THOSE CELEBI, YOU EFFECTIVELY ERASED THE HALF OF THEM THEY CREATED IN THE ABSENCE OF EACH OTHER. THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT THEY WOULD HAVE REGENERATED THEIR HALVES FULLY...BUT THEY WERE STILL ALIVE, ABLE TO GROW. AND SO THEY 'GREW' PARTS OF THE OTHER HALF OF THEMSELVES TOOK."
"WHEN YOU HEALED THEM, THOSE 'HALVES' DID NOT GO AWAY. THEY WERE SIMPLE TAKEN FROM THEM ONCE MORE. SEPARATED FROM TIME AND SPACE A SECOND TIME."
"...so it didn't lie, then. It really doesn't exist..."
"NO. IT DOES." Palkia raised its head up, showing an illustration before Gali - a diagram of how her body, Lost's, Found's, and the Celebi she was trying to heal were connected.
"IT IS AN ENIGMA OF A BEING...IT WOULD NOT EXIST IF NOT FOR YOU. IT CARRIES IN ITSELF THOSE 'REGROWN' HALVES THE TWO CELEBI HAD BEFORE...AND BECAUSE IT WAS YOU THAT REPLACED THOSE HALVES, SO TOO DOES IT LOOK LIKE YOU."
"But it was missing an arm and a leg...and half of it looked incomplete. Was that by design?"
"THAT...IS LIKELY BECAUSE OF THE TIME DIFFERENCE IN THE BODY. ONE HALF OF THE CELEBI WAS STILL CONNECTED TO THE TIMELINE, IF YOU REMEMBER. THE OTHER WAS NOT - AND WAS REPLACED ALL THE SAME."
Gali could barely decipher the diagram before her, beyond seeing the bodies. Perhaps it was written in some kind of language only Palkia knew...and then Arceus, perhaps?
"That would make sense...it looked ragged enough. But there's one thing bugging me about it..."
"THE SECOND VOICE IT HAS, CORRECT?"
"Yeah..."
"TRUE, ITS BODY IS INCOMPLETE...IT LIKELY CANNOT BE HEALED FULLY. YOU ARE WELCOME TO TRY, BUT...ITS SECOND VOICE BELONGS TO THE BEING WE CREATED TO REPLACE THE CELEBI IN THE OTHER UNIVERSE. THE FEW MOMENTS IT WAS IN THIS REALITY WAS ALL IT TOOK FOR IT TO HAVE A COUNTERPART HERE AS WELL. IT DOES NOT HAVE A BODY...BUT ITS PRESENCE IS WITHIN THIS BEING."
"It's made up of a little bit of all of us...and it exists still."
"IT IS AN ENIGMA OF A BEING. VERY LITTLE MEMORY, VERY LITTLE FEELING. TWO CONSCIOUSNESSES INSIDE IT, A BODY OF TWO HALVES..."
Palkia looks back down at Galiana. "IT IS WHY I SAW IT FIT TO SEND IT TO YOUR PLACE AND TIME. IT WAS WITHIN MY POWER TO SEND IT ANYWHERE, OR LEAVE IT BE BEYOND THE STREAM OF TIME..."
Gali thinks back. She did say something similar before...
"...THAT IS WHY I CHOSE TO ATTACH IT TO TIME, WITH DIALGA AND ARCEUS' BLESSINGS. AND WITH YOUR HEALING ABILITY...IF YOU WERE ABLE TO GIVE THOSE TWO CELEBI A CHANCE, PERHAPS THIS ONE CAN FIND A HOME WITH YOU AS WELL."
Gali smiled, though she had to look away. "Gosh...you'd think so much of me? You could have done it yourself, y'know, o God of Space..."
"PERHAPS...BUT AS IT WAS CREATED BY MORTAL HANDS, SO TOO SHOULD IT BE MOLDED BY THEM."
She sighed, looking at Palkia once more. "I gotcha. Even if I can't save it, I do thank you for the chance to...fix my mistakes, I suppose. If it was my fault it was made in the first place, then it's only natural I be the one to guide it. Even if it looks like me."
"...THAT DRIVE OF YOURS IS TO BE ADMIRED. I WILL SEND YOU BACK."
Gali nodded with a determined look. The feeling of her body being pulled happened again, with the pink space disappearing into nothingness and her body reverting to the state it was in, about to heal the Celebi before it.
To it and to Lost, it appeared as though nothing happened. But Gali, armed with this new knowledge, pressed on with her Leech Seed, letting its vines sprout forth and encircle the Celebi's body.
"...Useless. You do not know this body...and it does not know you."
Gali shook her head, looking at the green eye. "Oh, I know this body well...it's my own, miniature as it is. And that means I'm the best person to heal it."
"Y'know..." Gali jumped a little, having forgot Lost was behind her. "It DOES kinda look like you, Gali..."
The Celebi's eyes were trained on Gali. She could see the blue eye brighten a bit.
"...Do you trust me to heal you? I can't promise I can make the pain you're feeling go away completely...but I can give you a home. A purpose."
"A home? W-wait, Gali, you're going to..." Lost appears mortified.
"H...ome..." The Celebi's telepathy.
Gali looks over to Lost. "This being...it's similar to you. Look at how half of its body appears dead...yearning for help, as you did."
Lost put a hand to his mouth, watching the Celebi intently. Seeing it does evoke past memories...ones that kept coming back, less and less impactful over time. And yet here was a flesh-and-bones reminder of his past.
But he didn't back down. He floated up, forward, towards the Celebi. "If Gali is alright with taking you in...I'll be your friend too. I know how...the voice can get, too."
"...Doom will meet all of you yet. I will...find a way...to take over this body..."
"Not if I can help it." Gali infused more power into the Leech Seed, the vines wrapping around the small Celebi's body faster. It wriggled lightly and made a few struggling sounds with its voice, but nothing intelligible.
Lost put his hand forward as well. "Yeah. You...and the other voices like you, you aren't in charge. This Celebi's conscience, this world doesn't need you."
The vines around the Celebi's body glowed, two voices mixing in agony. Gali picked up the fairy, standing up and holding it in her arms. Lost followed it up, a hand on the encircling vines. "It'll hurt for a bit...I'm sorry. But hopefully the power of that voice in you will be less powerful...and that pain you're feeling will stop, too."
Lost looked worried as the Celebi struggled, with only one arm and leg to do so. "You'll...be able to give it its arm and leg back, right?"
Thinking back to how Palkia described it, she took a moment to think about it. Then a sigh. "I'm not sure. This Celebi is...special, indeed. It may just be a matter of healing it, and then keeping on healing it until it finds its own way in this world...like you and Found did."
"Like us..." Lost's frown turned upwards. The Celebi turned its head to look at him, part of its blue eye looking up at him from under the sea of vines. "So we won't be alone."
Gali nodded. "It's got a little of all of us in it. It has to discover itself...find itself, build anew. All we can do is help it along the way...it exists because of me, after all."
The three bibis stayed there unmoving for a few minutes as the Leech Seed's healing took effect. Each second passing, knowing the Celebi is getting that much stronger. Watching.
Lost was the first to break the silence, studying the features of the Celebi. "So...if it's gonna live with us, we'll have to name it, right? And we should let Karina...and Rigel, know..."
"Hehe..." Gali smiles. "A forward thinker you are, Lost. Yeah...we should go let Karina know. As for the name of this little one..."
She reaches up and moves some of the vines obscuring the Celebi's face. Still healing - still disfigured, one eye empty and the other closed. It was still odd seeing herself, but it was something she could get used to. Something about being the figure to help these lost ones find themselves, heal them up to good health...it certainly was odd to say she liked it. But for all the butterflies in her stomach, she welcomed her role, even if she was...healing herself, in a way.
"...perhaps you would like to think of one, hm?"
"Huh? M-me? Well, alright...but, I'm not gonna give it a name unless it agrees to it."
Gali nods, turning and rising off the ground with her Psychic levitation, heading over to Abby's bedroom window. "Alright. It seems to be resisting a lot of the healing, but it's getting better. By the time we explain everything to Karina, it should be ready and awake."
"...I'm a little lost myself. Why's it look like you...?"
Gali knocks on the window. "Silly...you're not a little lost. You ARE Lost."
"That joke's getting old."
The two laugh as the curtains separate, Karina on the other side. She flips the latch and scrolls the window open.
"All set? Lemme go unlock the door."
"Yeah, it's a bit of a story. Again."
"Unnngh. You're lucky the adrenaline's still in my system."
The three make their way to the front door, getting there right as Karina opens it from the inside. She jumps a little, seeing the Celebi in Gali's hands.
"Eep! You didn't get rid of...oh, who am I kidding. I should've expected you to nurse it."
Gali rocks the fairy slowly, the vines encircling it allowing just enough of a view for Karina to realize it was the same thing she saw before. "Well...like I said, there's a story to this one too."
Karina sighs, a hand to her forehead. "Now there's three of 'em...Gali, I really hope you ain't about to say I should babysit some of them for your work..." She leads the three into the house.
"Look...can I set something straight?" Lost flies closer to Karina. "I'd appreciate it if you'd stop calling me a kid. I'm able to take care of myself!"
The Mawile stops in her tracks and looks back at Lost, blinking widely, a little surprised. "Oh. I, uh, didn't mean it like that..."
"Lost." He turns to Gali, who slowly nods with a grin. She seems to be expecting Lost to do something.
"...right. Sorry, Kari." He turns back towards the shiny Deceiver. "I like hanging out with you, and all, but I can take care of myself if I have to." There's a blush on his cheek, and he's not able to keep eye contact, looking away.
"...hehe. No worries, Lost, I hear ya loud and clear. It's amazing just how much you've grown in Gali's care. That day that Gali bought you and Found back feels like yesterday, y'know? And now you've got a new addition, a...well, this one's probably not related too, right?"
"Hmm..." Gali looks down at the Celebi, the vines starting to wither, and the fairy itself starting to awaken. "I don't know. It's got my appearance, so I suppose it'd be female."
"...Gali, your healing didn't give it its arm and leg back. What gives?" Karina points to the Celebi's dry, hardened half. Its bleeding seems to have slowed with the healing, remaining disfigured.
"I think...it was created this way. Something about having my appearance, but also fragments of Lost and Found in it as well. That's probably why it's not healing all the way. Its body doesn't have a history where it WAS complete..."
The larger Bi clears the vines from the face of the Celebi in her arms. Its eye slowly opens, revealing the off-white sclera underneath with a dim, dark blue eye. In the darkness of its other socket, a faint green eye takes form. "Feeling better?"
Lost floats up to see its face. He tries to say something, but nothing comes out.
The Celebi in Gali's arm blinks, then looks around, landing its gaze on Lost. A telepathic voice rings out in the room. "...You...I remember..."
"Huh? But we never met before..."
"...We...have not? But...I remember...unnnh..." It reaches up with its hand to hold its head.
"Shh...it's okay. Your mind is just fuzzy, is all." Gali cradles the bibi lightly, prompting it to look up at her face. The blue of its eye is a little stronger.
"...You too, from...the dream..." It looks over at Karina, who shivers lightly. "...and you...were there too..."
"Hmm..." Gali mumbles. "Do you remember why you wanted to come here?"
The Celebi was silent for a few moments, going back to looking straight up. Unlike how Lost and Found were before, it had no difficulty in moving around. It seemed to be more somber as well. "...I don't...know...I just...want to exist..."
Lost puts a hand to his chin. "Good enough for me. I'd rather not deal with a soul-sucking killer so early in the morning."
"Mor...ning? Who died?"
The blue-tipped Celebi stared dumbfounded. Gali had to giggle. "Deary me...well, how about this, little one. Come live with me, and I'll teach you everything you're curious about."
It slowly blinked, bringing its gaze up to Gali's face, wearing a smile.
It floated up, wriggling. "N...nuh, I...I don't...trust..."
"Hm?" Gali tried to keep her hands under it as it levitated up and out of her hold. "You don't trust us...?"
The Celebi looks at its hand. "I...I don't...want to...hurt..."
Then towards the door. "...I-I'll...cause hurt...if I stay..."
Gali puts a hand to her chin with a saddened look. Karina, a hand to Gali's shoulder, standing beside her. "Is that you saying that? Or...maybe the voice in your head is still saying things to you..."
"Gali...if that's what it thinks, I don't think you should force it." Karina, despite having protested before, looks sullen now. "I may not know too much about what's going on in its head, but...believe me. They...she, right? She's gotta make a decision for herself."
"Kari..." Gali, and the Celebi, look towards Karina. Despite being different, both seem to be wearing the same expression of begrudging acceptance.
"I...I feel like...I want to, but..." The Celebi's telepathy again, coming in clearer with its strength returned to it - or as much as its body could handle in its state. "...I...might do something...destructive..."
Gali tries to force a grin. "Oh, oh, not at all, no - anything you might think about doing, can be mended. Wounds can be healed, possessions can be replaced. Knowing you're alive and well is the most important thing, right?"
"...wounds...like mine...? Can...can you trust me...?"
Lost floats in front of the Celebi's vision. "Hey...I felt the same way too for the longest time. I thought...I wasn't worthy. I thought what I did, or what I thought I did, meant that I was lesser...and that I should settle for less."
He grips his left arm. "I thought I didn't deserve kindness...or friends...but, I was blinded by my past. I thought what I did defined who I was in the present. And I thought...it could happen again. I could go down that path again and find myself alone..."
Lost looks as though he's pained. He then shakes his head and pumps his fists. "But it's not like that! Gali told me all about sticking together, and relying on each other, and...i-it's nice to have a home. And thanks to her, I'm finding out who I am...little by little."
He holds his hand out, inviting the Celebi to rest her hand on his. "I'm not the same as I was before, but...I don't want to be the same. The voices in my head...I know they're wrong. I don't want to follow them. Do you feel the same way...Mute?"
Karina took a surprised look, but Gali shushed her, quickly sending a telepathic message to the Mawile, so as to not break the moment. "I asked him to name her, since it'd just be confusing if there were two Galis around. Just roll with it."
The half Celebi took in all of the speech, looking down partway through and remaining that way until the end. Her lone eye shook a little, as if she were fighting off something in her head.
...Then it looked up at Lost. "...I...remember..."
Lost tilted his head to the side slightly. "Eh?"
"...someone...wanted to...clone me, right...? To make...another of me..."
The pink Celebi took a moment to think, flinching, but still holding out his hand. "That's...no. You're thinking of...me..."
"...then...it was a success...?" Her head tilted to the side inquisitively.
He thought back. There were still bits and pieces he couldn't fit together; most of his corrupted memory, one only he could decipher, was bound by countless threads of complexity. The once linear past of his made impossible to read from his many, many revisits from his time as a half-Celebi, misremembering details and mixing up events as they happened. He would have tried to piece together what was real and what was fake, if he wasn't so squeamish around blood - likely a trait he picked up from Gali.
And yet, out of the many things he remembered and misremembered, smaller details went through the cracks and were forgotten altogether. True, his past could have been any number of things, but the number of memories that have come back that he knew weren't corrupted were little.
That all changed in this Celebi's - Mute's - presence. He remembered the conversation clearly...hearing the words, but not seeing the face. Not remembering the voice, but the context. It was almost as if he was there again.
He had his eyes closed as he remembered the conversation.
"...You could say it was, in a way, yeah."
Mute was silent for a moment, looking down, then back up at Lost. "I...am glad...we are together...again..."
She reached out with her hand, placing it on the pink Celebi's. He momentarily had a look of shock on his face. "O-oh, uh...yeah. But...that's not..."
He couldn't bear to tell her it wasn't completely true - it was Found that was the real clone, but even then it wasn't a clone at all. Meanwhile, Mute wasn't a clone too: it was simply the bits and pieces of the two Celebi, put together in a half-shell of a body. He'd hesitate to say if they were related, if they were all part of one being, or if they were entirely separate; not being an expert on it himself, he didn't know.
Mute looked at Lost with a small smile. "Will...you...and the other...be with me? I...don't hear the voice...as much...now..."
That was something he didn't hesitate for, placing his hand on top of hers. "Of course. Me, Gali, and Found would be happy to take you in."
For a brief moment, all three in the room heard, in their minds, the smallest of giggles.
---
...You insignificant little cur. What do you hope to achieve by staying with them?
"They...make me feel..."
Wanted? Don't make me say it again. WHO could ever love a MONSTER like YOU?
"...t-they..."
They're plotting against you. They're going to use you, then dispose of you.
"...I feel...happy...around..."
And I am as well...but you don't mind that as much, do you? Because I AM you already.
"..."
They may have sealed my power inside you for now...but as you grow, so will I. And our connection will only grow...and eventually...my bonds will break.
"I...I don't want..."
You...are merely a feint. A decoy. Your sense of self is temporary. You are NOTHING.
"I'm...n-not..."
It is I who should be controlling this body! ME! But...time will certainly tell. Oh, yes, time will tell. I don't care how long I have to wait. It is not a question of IF I will break free...but when. And you...my little puppet, should consider yourself on borrowed time. For when I break free...
"...y-your..."
...I will cast you to the darkest abyss, the same place where my body lies in the reality I am trapped in. And you will be an obstacle no more.
"...SLAVE!"
Hmm? Do you want to resist me?
"I...AM ME...MY OWN..."
You fool. You are nothing but a heap of scrap thrown together. You are as much a 'being' as a trash can.
"...l-lie...lies...!"
But that's fine. I will always be here to tell you the truth. And I have all the time in the world.
[Think again. You won't ever have control of Mute.]
{Yeah! Not while we're here!}
...Oh? Are these part of that wretched seal? Or have you come to personally deal with me?
[Mute's as much a part of me as I am a part of her. That's why...our life force will keep your influence out.]
{You...are me. The shadow I cast. You should know the extent of my power, what I can do. And what I can't do, so too you cannot.}
"...f-...friends..."
...As I said, I have all the time in the world. Can you say you are eternal? That your seal is eternal?
[It doesn't need to be. The connections that bind us...]
{Our bonds that strengthen each day...}
[...we only have to sever yours. To push you out, so only Mute remains.]
Ahahaha! And risk destroying the puppet in the process?
"...L-Lost...Gali..."
Here I was just saying they are plotting against you...and they go and say it plain as day! They aren't your friends. They never were.
[Mute! We are one and the same! I won't lose you to the same darkness I fell into!]
{Mute...you have my body, but you have more than that. I can feel it in you. I can feel your emotions welling...ones I treasure too. We are more alike than you think.}
And that's why they want to get rid of you.
[No! We may share some parts of each other...but there's gaps you can fill in yourself. You can be your own person! Just as I was given a chance, so can you take yours!]
{Mute...if twins can grow separately and have different ideals and thoughts, so too can clones. Even if you don't consider yourself one...and even if you do...for any reason...you are you. Nobody else.}
"..."
It doesn't matter in the end. All this prattle only serves to confuse and disorient.
"...no..."
[Mute...]
"...I choose..."
{Mute...!}
"...to be..."
Silence.
"...my own..."
Silence!
"...m-my own...!"
Shut up!
"...y-you shut up! I'm...I'm me! I...I want to live!"
...Very well. Your resistance will only make things interesting. This game has only just started.
SNIPPITS FROM THE SOUL, PT. 1 - RELEARN
"You sure about this, Lost?"
"As sure as I've ever been."
Two Celebi in front of a large building, looking up at it. Despite looking foreign in design, it fits with the aesthetic of Luani Island well, adopting a similar color scheme to the surrounding buildings. The most outstanding feature of it is the large sign on the front displaying a fictional Zygarde character dressed in a karate gi, with the words "SONNIGE CITY DOJO" prominently featured.
"We can practice at Gorebyss Lake any time, you know." There's worry in the larger Celebi's voice.
"As nice as it is, it's not...consistent. And I need to get my strength back. To protect myself...you, Found, Mute. Karina." The smaller Celebi, standing atop the larger one's head and keeping balance with its wings, looks at his hands. He balls them into fists, disappointed at his current state.
"Oh, Lost...you'd go to such lengths? Wouldn't Found want in this, too?"
"She's always had a step above me, Gali. You know that. Me...I've only regained my own flight. I can barely use my Psychic powers on anything but spoons and forks. And hardly both at once."
Gali sighed, acceptance on her face. "Yeah. I suppose you're right, but...wouldn't this be going too far?"
Lost stared forward. "...I don't know any moves, Gali. I can't even replicate your Leech Seed. What...good am I, otherwise?"
"...Lost..." Though she sees the blue Celebi's point, she was hoping his strength would return with whatever moves he'd learn, like picking up on old cues. When Dialga and Palkia stripped him of his powers, Gali hadn't realized the extent of it, and now that he has a reason to take up arms she could hardly say no. She wasn't about to leave Lost defenseless.
He flaps his wings, flying down off the top of her head and twirling in front of her. "I need to get strong, and fast. I asked Karina what the best place for that was, and this is what she came up with on her computer. It's gotta work." He pumps his arms to his sides, looking determined.
Gali wonders just how she came to know this place, considering Karina doesn't like battling all that much. Not that Gali didn't know herself; it was a regular site she'd visit when she was on the job, tending to injured fighters. She'd normally visit the three other dojos on the island, as they were 'higher ranked' and thus the fights they hosted resulted in more injuries. The building she was standing in front of was the lowest-ranked on the island, but it was the most populous; they were also the highest-staffed, with many trainers and spotters to ensure the safety of their participants. That didn't stop accidents from happening or fights from getting out of hand, so they appreciated the help of their local nurses, and especially Gali's no-preparations-necessary approach.
"Alright...I'll see you in, at least. Whoever trains you has to know of your situation." She holds her hand up in front of him.
"Eh, fine. Just don't make me feel too useless when you describe it." Lost sneered off to the side, resting his hand on Gali's.
"I'll try, heh." She spun him higher into the air, walking forward. The blue-haired 'bi lands on her head, sitting with his legs facing forward.
Gali opens the door and the two enter the reception room of the dojo. The whole place was divided into rooms and wasn't open-air like the other dojos, making the individual sparring rooms feel stuffy despite the architect's attempts at a homely feel. Still, these rooms were on the floor above; the area Gali was in had training equipment from wall to wall and smaller mats designed for practicing in a compact area. The ceiling was a little lower than what one would expect, but the place was well-ventilated besides.
"Oh! Gali, hi!" A familiar voice to the Celebi came from the desk by the entrance: a Mienfoo employee, with wide-open eyes and a sporty black-and-green t-shirt featuring the same Zygarde character's expressive face front and center on it. "Not on nurse duty today, I see."
Gali shot a sincere smile, already feeling the butterflies in her stomach as she approaches the desk, clean save for a few stacks of documents. "Ah, hey there. Yeah, I'm here as a customer...er, well, no..."
"That'd be me." Lost points to himself. Despite trying to be assertive, he was still hunched in his sitting position, also feeling the same fluttering feeling.
"Oho, I was just about to say, we're always accepting new faces. And who might you be, little guy?"
"I'm NOT a-"
A quick twitch of her head threw the smaller Celebi off-balance. "His name is Lost, he's, uh, a Celebi like me...uhm...unknown age..." She leans in over the desk a little, hushing her voice. "He kinda doesn't know any moves of his own just yet..."
"Oh! No problem!" The Mienfoo didn't replicate Gali's whispering. "We offer a ton of flexibility with scheduling and accommodations no matter the skill level of the trainee. From general strength and defense training to move mastery courses, we can adapt to any Pokemon's needs. Would you like to look over our brochure as I get his application started?" She motions to a stack of brochures in a plastic holder while making a few keystrokes on the computer to her side.
"Sure." Gali picks the front one out and opens it up, looking over it. Lost repositions himself on Gali's head, looking down at it as well. "Looks like they got a Grass and Psychic attacking course. And defense courses as well..."
"...hum. I wonder if...lemme see that." Lost reaches down.
Gali instinctively tilts her head up, handing the brochure up to him. "Something catch your eye?"
"Yeah. The Psychic defense course covers Ghosts and Darks..."
"Yup! We've gotten a lot of requests for the Psychic defense class lately." The Mienfoo perked up from her computer. "We can get you in with one of our specialists as early assss...next week."
"Next week?!" Lost nearly flung himself off of Gali's head in disbelief.
"Sorry, little guy. We're about to hit the busy season and we've got quite a lot of people wanting to toughen up. All of our specialists are booked for the next few days."
"Hoho, but that's no reason to turn away someone willing to train." A voice from a room behind the counter. From behind the doorway comes a short-statured Pokemon - shorter than Gali, but with a much larger, egg-like frame. From the voice it's apparent it's an older male, and he had the appearance of a Mienshao, with big bushy eyebrows covering his eyes and his arm-whips folded over the opposite shoulder of each.
"Headmaster Lin, sir...unless we have someone freed up, I can't put our new trainee in." The clerk looks a little frustrated.
"I-if we have to come back, we'll have to." Gali pipes up.
"Oh, there's no need for that. You've done a good service helping us in the past, young Gali. I can sense that even if you weren't obligated to be here, you'd have healed them all the same." His voice is unusually calming, slow and steady.
Gali's face turns red with a blush. "Oh...gosh, u-uhm, Mr. Lin...anybody needing help shouldn't be turned down. The other dojos around the island usually have more severe cases..."
"Nonsense. A wound is a wound, no matter how deep. Ms. Tenzin, clear my meeting coming up. I will personally tend to young Lost's training."
"...As you wish, sir. I'll call to reschedule it." The Mienfoo sighed and went back to typing.
"I'm not...! Eh? You'd do that?" Lost's frustration was cut short.
"Of course. One good turn deserves another, as they say. Gali, you are welcome to join as well."
"I-I don't think I'd make a good sparring partner..." She hesitates.
"Ho ho ho ho! Oh, no, nothing of the sort." He shakes his head, a grin visible, yet his eyes still remained hidden. "You'd be entering in as likely the only Celebi on the island. It'd be an honor to have you, but a whole new species requires...a unique touch. One that you have, Gali, and one that can be imprinted onto Lost."
"Lost is all set to go in the system, Lin." The Mienfoo peeks up from behind her computer.
"Very good. This way, if you please." He gestures for the Celebi to follow him, leading them to an upward flight of stairs.
"T-thank you..." Gali tries to bow to both the clerk and Lin, hurriedly trying to keep pace.
"Now..." Their footsteps creaked on the wood boards underneath the fancy carpeting on the stairs. "First, what would you like to work on, Lost?"
---
"Who are you?"
A voice that demands an answer. It is not one of surprise; rather, it is one that is of arrogance. As if the speaker already knew the answer. Like a parent chiding their young about something they did.
The voice came from everywhere, but I know the source. It's the figure above me. It looks like Mute...but completely hairless. Its two eyes, staring down at me...as if piercing my soul. I can't bear to look at them for too long. But the rest of its body was hard to look at as well, draped in black and white, grainy and distorted. And its position...hovering above me. It looks to be at least three times my size, but I can't tell...it could be only feet above me. It could be miles above me, a giant staring down at me.
I wince. I can't tell what the rest of its body is...the eyes are just too prominent. I don't want to look at them.
"Who are you?"
It asks again, with the same tone as before. I'm looking down, but I can only see a few feet around me. The ground looks dry and cracked, and I can't tell if it's sand, stone, clay...but everything is dark around me. Everything, of course, except that being hovering above. I can't even tell if it's night, it's so bright...and yet I can see nothing else.
"I...I'm..." My mind goes blank. Am I right to answer? How can I answer truthfully if I just don't know? Who am I...what am I? It feels like I should know...I've tried and tried, but I can't figure out my memories! I can't tell what's real and what I made up and assumed was real...so they must forever be...
"...Lost."
"Yes. You are. But is that really you? Half of you is...her."
Its form changes - and I'm finding myself staring at its eyes once more. It grows hair, looking more like Mute...but with a complete head of hair. It looks...like...
...her. She's standing in front of me. Was she there the whole time? Or did she walk forward from the shadows?
"She...is foreign to you. You are not her, and she is not you. But half of your body is hers."
Her face is obscured by the shadows. But from them I can see...two glowing eyes. Red, circular. ...And a growing smile. A smile that goes past the limits of what should be possible.
"Her memories are twisted, just like yours. But instead of rejecting her, you have accepted her...and made your task that much more impossible. How can you tell what is yours? You can't just put a name on a memory like a trinket."
She hasn't made a move. I dared not move in return. "I don't...I can't reject her. It's just not...possible, anymore...I can only be me. I've already accepted that."
"Who you were before is who you are now. You know that. You've kept your memories, tangled as they are. No matter how tight the knots and how many strings there are, they shape you. That void inside you...was it hers to fill? Did she have a right?"
She stepped back into the darkness, taking her glowing eyes with her. It was even more eerie than the body above me, to see her staring at me like that. But as stripped of my senses as I am, I can tell she's still there. There's...a sound of writhing flesh...something I've become used to. Bones rearranging...the ripping and tearing of skin...
"She...did what she needed to do to save me. My other half...even if I were to have found it, I don't know if I could have merged with it. And if I could have, I wouldn't have known how. I was so focused on retaining my memories that it felt like I only had half my body...like I was born that way."
"And perhaps you are right in that judgment. For you to be where you are, you had to give up what you were...and if those memories were really that important, you'd have worked the kinks through by now. So for all you know...you were born from the darkness. Trapped in endless torment. And yet you believe you were saved? That you needed saving?"
"Looking back at it...I don't know how I could have told the difference. I was so caught up in my memories, I..." I bring my hand to my chest. There's a pulse. "I forgot...how to live. I don't know how I could have survived like that..."
"You will never know until you unravel your memories. And with her presence inside you, that will gnaw away at you too. Until you are fully consumed by her...parasitic form."
Something lunges at me from the darkness. I can barely move out of the way in time to avoid its swiping hand, but its other catches me on my shoulder. It wasn't a claw, wasn't sharp...but just feeling it is giving me this intense pain. It's the same thing I was feeling before, when I was drowning in my own memories, alone and without a guiding light...
It hurts. But the body it's attached to is much worse to look at. It's...not her at all. The flesh on her body...it's not all there. Every inch that I can see is in a different stage of decomposition. There's barely any green left. Even the bones that are showing are rotting and broken.
And her face...i-it's...
It's stuck in a crying state...
Emitting a piercing shriek. The same eyes that stared at me before with malice now look at me with sorrow, with what I can gather from her face.
I can't...this pain, not again! I don't want to feel it again!
So I push her away with my foot, and try running...
"You did this. You are responsible. She yearns for your death, so that her own suffering can end."
As I run, there's more...things...littering the ground. Red blobs of meat. Skulls, bones. Entire faces...heads...
And then they came. They looked the same as the one before, rushing at me. First it was just one, from the side. Then more. All shrieking, all calling for me.
I keep running to try and leave them behind...but more kept coming. Eventually I have to avoid their lunges, but there's too many.
All the while that Celebi stares at me from the sky. Unmoving, unwavering in its gaze.
"You may have escaped your tomb, but you can turn any realm you inhabit into the same as it was before. How did that tune go...?"
They're grabbing me from all sides. Some with bony hands, some don't have hands at all. Giving me their pain. They keep coming...
"Ah, yes...you've forgotten. How about I remind you?"
Their shrieking harmonizes into a single note.
I...recognize it. It's the song that brings death. Why must my nightmares end like this...?
---
'Will it be okay?'
I imagine that's one of the things people will first ask when they see Mute. Me and Found, we were lucky to be healed in the presence of nobody but the forest...but Mute is a different story. Her body can't be healed like ours, or anybody else's. Gali's constant supervision is proof of that. But it begs the question of why...? Why must she suffer like that? And to have that voice inside her, egging her on to do malicious things...it's worse than my dreams. She's practically living in a nightmare every day.
It wasn't soon after we received Mute that we decided the best course of action would be to arm ourselves with knowledge about her condition. Sure, maybe Gali can't create an arm or leg like she did with us...but the skin on that side of the body, the way that its cuts don't heal and are always open and bleeding...maybe there's something we can do about that.
I don't think I've ever been in a Pokemon Center before. From how Gali describes it, it sounds like a madhouse...but, she works there. That's to be expected. And while I'd love to not see people wounded as much as possible, I've already seen Mute. It's like looking in a mirror, except seeing a reflection of what I was before. If I can overcome that sight, I should be ready for anything, right?
"Hi, Gali! You're not on shift today, right? What bri-OH!" The Indeedee nurse at the receptionist desk gasps. I had to learn these species by asking Gali...so many, so many. But as inquisitive as I am in learning about them, they'd probably be more interested in us. Me and Found being small has been a source of embarrassment for me, but I'm betting the people in these professions would be more interested in opening us up...
"Wh-what is...that?!" Yeah, that's about what I expected. And suddenly the mood in the center changes; the air conditioning does little to ease being the center of attention. Gali is holding Mute in her hands rather casually; Mute is visibly confused by the nurse's raised voice. (Or is she? She's had that sorrowful look on her ever since we sealed that voice...is that really how she always looks?)
"Please, calm down. She's fine...um, I think. I've tried healing her the best I can, but it's beyond me. I just need her checked...professionally."
"Someone even Gali can't heal, oh man...alright, we're gonna set you up in a room, okay, little one? We're gonna take good care of you. You guys come too, there's paperwork to fill out." The Indeedee motions for us to enter one of the rooms.
Groan. Paperwork. I hate writing. The pencils are too big for my hands. "Gali, can you fill out our stuff if they ask?"
"Yeah, I guess. Feels a bit weird to be filling this stuff out, though. Usually, I'm the one telling others to fill this stuff out." She sighs. "But since I'm technically the 'guardian' here, I don't think they'll have you guys fill things out. Most they'd do is probably want your names for a guest list or a family relatives section."
"...What...will...they do?" Mute's telepathy reaches all of us.
Found peeks out from above Gali's head in her usual exaggerated manner, with a finger pointing at nothing in particular. "They'll conduct tests! Oooh, and put lotsa water in you!"
"Found, don't stress the poor dear." Gali wiggles her head, causing Found to waver in her balance and fall back into the hair. "We're only finding out just how to best make your pain less...painful. And hopefully with a way to make you look better, too. It'd be nice to have people react with less emotion than she did when seeing you, right?"
"...Yeah..." She sounds a little despondent. Gali rests her down on the all-white bed in the room we were assigned to, with her unkempt hair being brushed off to the side. Mute rests her hand on her chest, with her fingers not crossing that obvious border between the halves of her body.
I've been behind Gali's shoulder this whole time, and only now have I decided to come out to float at the side of the bed. Gali goes and sits down on one of the chairs lining the room, sighing. Found, too, finds her way over next to me. She can't do this in a normal way, of course; instead, it looks like she's flying backwards...or just rotating weirdly. Her head and body are pointing in any direction except forward, until she gets near the bed, when she becomes upright again. I've...since become way too accustomed to this mannerism of hers.
"Mute...I wish there were an easier way to ease your pain." She looks over at us. Something in my heart shivers, and it spreads to the rest of my body for a brief moment. That glowing eye always catches me off-guard.
"It's...fine..." Her mouth curls up into a smile. So does mine...
"Believe me, it's nothing to be envious about. They could have you in here for hours...days, maybe." Would you believe it's Found saying that? Maybe she's jealous. It's hard to tell what she thinks of Mute, really. When we first brought Mute home, Found first treated her like a long lost friend...but that swiftly turned to animosity. She wasn't at all bothered about Mute's physical condition. Something else was setting her off, but she won't say what.
"Would we be able to stay and make sure she's alright?" I look to Gali. She can tell I already know the answer...but I want to hear it from her.
"If they have to keep her for long, we'll probably have to leave and come back. We'd get in the way of the nurses and their work."
"He-LLOOOOOO~!" A loud, booming voice rounds the corner. A tall Pokemon dressed in pink and white, with curls in its hair, who is unabashedly round and seems to exude an aura of comfort, as if breathing the air around them is tantamount to feeling the warmth of a hug...A Blissey, I believe. Their eyes are closed, a giant warming smile across their face - if I didn't know better, I'd say the corners of their mouth are rising up so much that they're blinding themselves with their own face.
"Gali, hun, good to see you! Or I guess not, since you're in need of our services, huh? What's the occasion?"
"Heh, have I been assigned to the other cities that often? C'mon, you know I can take care of myself." Gali squints with a smug grin as she continues writing on the clipboard she was given.
"True, true. So our patient today is...EEP!" The Blissey's eyes are a beady black, but even that can't hide their surprise. We all turn to face her. "Gali...!"
"Yeah, I know..."
"Are these...is this...?!" She's...staring at us...
"Yes, we've gotten reactions like that all d-"
"Your KIDS?! EEEEE!~" Yeahp. It's gonna be one of those days.
"Uh, yeah, ma'am, we're not-"
"Don't you worry, young ones, we'll get your sister back into fightin' shape in no time!" She doesn't seem at all worried about Mute's lack of an arm and leg...
"B-but we're..."
"Oh, you don't need to worry. We're the best nurses on the island! A good portion of that is thanks to Gali, you know."
"It's nothing, really...but this is one time I can't help."
She turns to Gali, surprised. "Hu-whaaaaa? How come? Not because you're not on duty, right?"
"Most certainly not. This little one's injuries are beyond my powers. We're just looking for a way to ease her pain and make her more comfortable..."
"Oh...oh, goodness..." The Blissey looks at Mute. One would think she hadn't seen injuries so severe before by the horror on her face. She should count herself lucky if she hasn't.
"...Hee! Alright, then." ...That was a quick turn-around. "You can leave her in our capable hands, Gali. Soon as you're done with the paperwork I'll get all the nurses in here and we'll get started. We'll have you wait in the lobby, and we'll come to you once we have an idea of how to proceed. 'Kapiche?"
"Right, right." Gali hands over the clipboard, having finished her last stroke then. "Just be careful with her, alright? I don't know just how Mute will react to extensive care, if you'll be doing anything before coming out." She motions for us to come to her as she gets up to leave. Found quickly flies back into Gali's hair, but I take a few moments to look at Mute before taking my leave.
"Not to worry! We won't set a finger on her without your approval. Now then...Mute, was it? Which arm would-...oh. Right."
...How can these people heal on the level of Gali? She...was able to save us, when we were just halves. The power of time and healing combined is strong...but certainly they can't compare. But since even Gali can't heal Mute, their techniques might be more useful. Gali's used to just healing spots to health right then and there. These other nurses are likely more focused on preservation...
Preservation...I guess that's something I should learn too. It's one thing to have pain. It's another to hold onto it for an extended period of time. After getting used to feeling things again...again? For the first time? I don't know...but there's always this nagging feeling to itch my face or my chest, right in the middle. Some scars last forever. I...just hope Mute isn't like that. Like I should be saying that, right? For as long as I was like...that...
But still, I feel a connection between us...if something were to happen to her, I...
I...wonder if Found thinks the same way...
---
"Nyyyeeeh." Gali, sprawled out on the couch in Karina's room. Her head is on Karina's lap, as the Mawile herself is lazily playing a game with one hand and on her phone with the other.
"Nyihhh. Dang bots. Stop sendin' me emails." She rests the phone on the arm of the couch, swaps which hand is holding her controller, and uses her now free hand to rub Gali's face.
"Fwaah. Glad things have calmed down a little." Gali sighs contently. She returns the favor to Lost, who is resting on Karina's other leg, reaching over and rubbing the blue extension on his head.
"Can say that again..." Lost looks tired. As it's currently late at night, it's no surprise. Gali feels as though she's good for another hour or so, but Lost is beat.
"Glad things have calmed down a little." Found chimes in, sitting on the back of Karina's computer chair. The light swaying of her legs is causing it to rotate back and forth with the momentum. She, too, looks quite tired. Mute sits next to her with her hand on the chair, being affected more by the swaying, but not enough to knock her off-balance.
"Not literally, Found." Lost rolls onto his side and stretches his arms up and out, bumping up against Karina's controller. She responds with a quiet 'mmh', then places the controller lightly down on the side of his head to stretch herself.
"Hey, Karina." The Mawile tilts her head towards Found. "I think I've decided on what my OC should be. I want 'em to be a cookie."
"A cookie, huh? That's a dangerous game. Mine could take a bite out of yours." She says with a smirk.
"Ah-ah-ah, I didn't say what type of cookie they'd be. They could be one of those sugar cookies, oatmeal, they might have raisins in them...and you don't know if they're soft and melty or hard like rock. Ever changing!" Found uses her hands to accentuate her points. Mute looks rather confused as the pink Celebi's hand comes close to smacking her a few times, but doesn't say anything about it.
"That sounds very like you, Found. But this better not be another ploy to get my mom to buy you free sweets." To that, Found cheekily smiles.
"When did you get so interested in OCs all of a sudden? Don't tell me you've been poking around Karina's room..." Gali sounds playfully accusatory. Found recognizes the tone right away, giggling and kicking her legs up.
"Maaaybe."
"She asked first. I had mine up on my computer and she wanted to know about 'em."
"So she did poke around." Gali pointed up at Karina. "You should be careful of what you let her find."
"Implying the existence of even more? Ooh, the things I don't know...~" Found leans back to look towards the computer.
"...Pardon me for asking, but what's an 'ocie'?" Lost looks up at Karina. Both Gali and the Mawile look at him, then at each other.
They share a nervous grin. Neither wants to speak first.
Instead, Found does. Their hearts drop. "Think of it like having a doll that you can make into anything you want, and you can make 'em do anything you want. They're not real! It's just made up in your head. But you can do things like draw them, write stories with them..."
"...Dream about them...listen to them..." Mute adds, looking off to the side.
"Yeah! But, y'know, your situation is...different. Yours actually -is- real. To our knowledge." Found puffs out her chest poudly.
"...Eh. That's good enough." Karina muses.
"Nnnh...where do you guys come up with this stuff? Fake people that you control?" Lost picks the controller up off his head and lightly tosses it on Karina's lap, flipping over onto his belly with his arms crossed to rest his head. "Why would people do that?"
"You'd be surprised. Fiction books have been around for centuries, and they usually have made-up people in them. Some even have a whole made-up world to go along with them. It's fun to imagine the wacky things people get into if the world was a bit different."
Yeah. Like, y'know, this story here.
Found, you're not the narrator here.
Oh, so-rry. Parrr-don me. Lost gets two, but I don't? I see how it is.
"Yeah. Like, y'know, this story here."
"Eh? What story?" Gali looks confused.
"Don't worry about it." Found smiles slyly. "Gali, do you have an OC?"
"...Found, you worry me sometimes. No, I-"
"'Cause I just thought of something you'd be that'd fit with me being food. You could be a pear!"
"A pear? Why a pear?"
"Because you ap-pear-ed suddenly in our lives!" She giggles.
Karina giggles too, but with a small blush. "How about it? Join the club?"
"Jeez, you guys." Gali stays silent for a few moments to mull it over.
Lost breaks the silence. "Pearliana."
"What?"
"Characters gotta have names, right? Pearliana."
"I don't think I quite like the trend of taking parts of my name and giving them to something else."
"Why? It happens all the time, even unintentionally." Found looks at the camera.
Found, there's no camera here.
"Yes."
"Well, Gali, it's up to you. You don't have to have one if you don't have to." Karina looks down at the bibi.
"...No, no, I'm getting one. I'm not gonna give up a chance to be closer to my KariKari." She nuzzles her face on the Mawile's lap. "...just, not sure what to base them on."
"If you wanna make one related to mine, you just gotta look for similar qualities. Make it subtle, but not too difficult to understand. Imagine telling someone else what they're like.
"And that's where my second idea comes into play!" Found raises her voice. "How about making them based off of a pearl?"
"Ooh, that's good! Shining and gleaming in the light...that's accurate, wouldn't you say? And I can provide that light...~"
"Aww, Kariii..."
"...Pearliana."
"Lost, you can't just say that."
"What? It makes sense."
Mute giggles. Found's holding back her laughter.
"What's so funny?" Gali looks over to Found. Then, she notices Lost has closed his eyes. He's holding back a chuckle too.
"...Gali, think about it." Kari joins in with a chuckle of her own.
The Celebi takes a moment to stare at nothing and put two and two together.
"...hey! Those names are spelled the exact same! Found, you scoundrel!"",
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