Fire burned about me, hotter than I had ever been before. Yet it was in me, of me. I realized it was my fire. It was my Power! Celebi was retreating from me. Cowering before me as I walked forward. My rational mind argued that I should have been still on the ground but my instincts, every sense I had, told me to attack. I chose to ignore the logic.


“You! What are you?” She was stepping away from me. Step after step I stalked her. Wounded limbs suddenly feeling more alive and powerful. Whatever this Power was, I never wanted it to leave. It made me want to move, right towards my prey. I laughed at her question, of course, cause the answer was so simple. It was the first time she bothered to ask me what I was. Rather than insult me directly. Smoke billowed around my eyes as I did. I had no clue where it came from.


“I’m me, Celebi! Don’t you remember? I’m that worm, that piece of filth, that ‘Thing’.” I stepped and stepped. Frigid glass pressed into my feet. “That’s what you’ve always called me, right?”


“No, shut up! You’re not Ron, you look nothing like him!”


“Oooh nooo!” I sarcastically responded. “Whatever shall you do? Well, I have a suggestion.” I stopped walking. Power moved about me like a wildfire, consuming anything and everything in its path. It was willful, it was untamed, it was amazing. And I wanted to use it. “You can go to hell.”


I leapt, faster and further than I ever had before. I would never have been able to clear the gap between us before. This amazing feeling in my muscles. The lack of weight on my back. The absence of pain. It was like I was a new Pokemon! A stronger one!


My claws just missed her as she ducked and I finally got a good look at my leg. I was used to ashen gray and white steel, but that’s not what whipped just shy of taking her head off. The leg was black and heat vapors rippled off the surface of the metal armor. Veiny pulses of red burned across the surface of my skin. Fiery channels streaming out to even my regrown claws. I saw it but I had no time to consider the changes, not when I needed to follow through on my promises. I clawed down at her. Fire streamed from cracks and fissures along my skin. My paw collided with her barrier. Just short of contact once again. Through the flames I saw my prize, my prey. I saw her trepidation and panic. She looked scared, I would never let her feel safe again.


The nonphysical wall shattered as I smashed through it. The briefest moments were enough for her to wiggle out of the way. She ran, taking flight to try and gain distance from me. How dare she!? She wasn’t allowed to run, she would suffer my fury! I growled, more smoke stemmed from my clenched jaw. I knew I shouldn’t have been able to catch her, no Lairon would have been able to catch her. All logic pointed to my anatomy being ill equipped to give chase. But Power boiled within me.


It wanted to rage and burn and stir. It wanted to move. I let it take over cause we both wanted the same thing. It must have made me faster. I noticed from the first step that something was different. I burst forward, the glass felt like it was yielding beneath my claws. As if I was bending it underfoot to make a better surface to run against. I was making ground even as she fled. I got to watch as she turned around and saw me at her heels. Time and time again.


“Stay away from me!!” She turned and shot a wave of Psychic Power my way. I braced for the shock, knowing that I would be able to shrug off the blow with my Steel typing. It passed harmlessly over me, no more effective than a pleasant breeze at turning back a roiling storm. It didn’t even hurt. The euphoria at knowing she wouldn’t hurt me, she couldn’t hurt me, again was nothing short of emancipating. That demon had overstayed my hand for too long, and through whatever happened to me, I was granted the perfect means to seize my vengeance.


“Beg more! I want to hear you scream!!” I shouted back as she spun away. Celebi tried to run, tried. I wasn’t going to let her get away! Power forced itself to my crouching feet. My fire propelled me forward through space between us. I landed upon her back. We crashed back into the glass. She shouted in pain. I couldn’t contain a grin at that. Her legs and arms squirmed. The useless, weak extremities failing to shift my heft upon her. She twisted her head and locked eyes with me. Celebi’s breaths were ragged and panicked and mine were just as elevated in anticipation.


“How’s it feel? How is it to be completely powerless?” She redoubled her struggles but to no avail. “You are not getting away from me.” I pressed her deeper into the floor, her breaths became shallower and shorter. Her stench wafted up. I smelled her fear and desperation. It dwelled within me. The way her flesh curved beneath my paw only exacerbated the pulse of Power, she screamed as the heat of my paw seared her back. Harsh music that spurned my sadistic joy on even more. “Does it hurt? Does it sting? How does it feel, Celebi? How does it feel to be under my foot for once?”


“You bastard!” She shouted back at my taunts. I chuckled, slow and sure.


“Oh, yeah. I’m a bastard. I’m the bastard that you’ve pissed off. That you abused for a year. That you tormented despite every plea for leniency. Every night you haunted my dreams. Every day you stole my joy. Every moment, I’ve been plagued by you! Call me whatever you like, Celebi? I am still going to destroy you!!” A different feeling of Power made itself known. Unlike my fire, it felt vast, empty, void of anything. A pit beyond everything else I’ve felt. It was dark. And it expanded out from me. The words came to my tongue, the move I shouldn’t have been able to use.


“Dark Pulse!” Black void burst from every pore from my skin. The expanding aura sapped the color from the world. Inky tendrils spread about the glass. The world went silent, even as she screamed in delicious agony. Color collapsed back. My victim below had her features cinched tight in pain, but to her credit, she didn’t scream. It just made the experience better for me.


“How did that feel? Let me know in excruciatingly painful detail.”


“Shut up! No matter what you do, no matter what you look like, no matter what powers you’ve gained! You’ll still be a worm, a pathetic nobody. You are nothing, Ron. And you never will be!”


My Fire flashed across my eyes. I swiped across her back, explosive force shot her across the way. I watched as she skid across the floor. Behind her, the portal that would have taken me home continued to quake but it held none of my attention. I stepped into the black shadow that streamed from her as she stood up. She looked so small. So fragile. But still she stood. Somewhere in my brain I commended her for her strength, but it was quickly squashed away.


My hatred consumed me, fire sweeping across my skin. I was done playing around. I wanted to end this farce.


“You don’t deserve my mercy, but I’m going to give you a courtesy you never offered me. I’m going to end this quickly. In just one more blow.”


She began laughing as she squared up to me. Still just as completely frustrating. Still the most infuriating demon I’ve ever met.


“As if someone like you could end me. You can’t kill me. Nobody or not, no one can end me. And do you want to know why?”


“I could not care less, I still don’t want to hear anything else from you.”


“It’s because I’m the Queen. I rule this and any world! Everything exists because I allow it to. So it doesn’t matter, you don’t matter, no one matters. I’m the only one that matters. Only Me! End me?! I am Celebi! You, Ron, and your entire guild of scum could ever come close to matching the power in my hands!” Green arms flailed in anger. I had nothing left in me to care about what she says. I was going to uphold my vow of vengeance.


‘Wait, vengeance?’ Is that what I vowed? That didn’t sound right. But I didn’t let it stop me. I charged forward, Power again bursting through my form. She didn’t even shy away from me. And soon it wouldn’t matter. I’d be victorious, and she’d be dead.


I pounced, again sailing through the air towards my target. Fire extended and jetted from my claws, seeking the final blow as much as I was. The world halted, momentum ceased in midair, my attack stymied. I floated, unmoving and static. Just feet away from her. She panted and clutched her chest. Celebi coughed. She fell to her knee. And I was so close to ending this conflict once more, if only I could move.


She stumbled towards me. Still as vehemently sure of her superiority. Waves of her laughter met my ears. Clanging like wind chimes.


“Three times. I've been forced to use this Three Damn Times! Damned Ron and his Blasted Guild!! They can all die! If they don’t recognize me as superior, as their Queen! They don't deserve to live in my world!” I watched her move through frozen time. Closer and closer. She looked frantic, frazzled. Clutching at her chest. Fighting to breathe.


“Oh, I'm going to make you regret challenging me, Ron. I'm going to shred you into so many pieces that no one will recognize you. When you scream, I hope you'll beg for mercy. Just like all those other times. That's the only thing you're good for. That's the fate of weak things like you.”


She was right upon me, still taunting me. All the while I was frozen. She moved to within inches of me and her stench returned. The vile scent of Rafflesia. She caressed my cheek. If I could have moved I would have taken her head off. How dare she touch me!?


“Just a weakling.”


“Just shut up!!” My voice screamed, forcing my will through the chains holding me still. She recoiled. Shocked that I had suddenly become mobile, I imagined.


I vibrated with desire to move. Trying to claw my way out of the mud.


“No! No! No way! That's not possible! You can't be moving!! What is this?” I ignored her. My only thoughts were on getting close enough to finish her off!


‘Victory will be mine!’ The mud like world conceded to my will and I felt myself inch forward. Moment by moment.


“I don't believe it! I won't! I won't! Just what the hell are you!!” She demanded of me.


“I told you already, Celebi. I'm the one who's going to win!” The answer seemed so simple. And I refused any other outcome. The final binds on me shattered, and with it the entire realm.


Time Betwixt Time fractured with sounds of deafening cracks. The glass like floor shattering out from where I landed. The world rumbled but I still moved forward. The land breaking apart as I neared her.


She looked terrible. She looked scared. She looked hurt. And it made me happy.


“Any last words, Fungus?” I asked, all the while walking up towards her. The cracks continued to spread across the floor. Sharp shards dug into my hooves, but I didn't care. I didn't care about anything anymore. Just my revenge.


‘No.’ My steps flattered. There it was again, the nagging feeling that told me something was wrong. The sense that I wasn't doing this for vengeance, but I couldn't remember what else there was. I didn't want to think about it, but I had to. It's what I do.


‘Cause I'm not like Axe.’ His name felt off in my mind. But that only revolted me more. I had almost forgotten, swept up in the power and rage. All the negativity within me was finally being let loose into the one that caused it.


My eyes went wide. My guild! My friends and family! How could I have forgotten?! I wasn't fighting for myself. I wasn't trying to kill her, I just wanted to stop her from hurting everyone that was dear to me. Everyone I wanted to save!


‘I wanted to rescue them!’


Just like that! As quickly as my fire started within me, it went out. All the motivation to stand left me. I collapsed back to the ground. The cracks continued to propagate. My pains returned in all their agonizing glory, wounds and scars buried under my unexpected surge resurfacing to bite across my surface. I was back to immobile. My eyes were the only sense still available, all others fled from the sensory overload. The divide between us grew. She tried to stand but for once looked just as hurt as I was. Her wings were drooping and littered with holes. Her body bore burns and scrapes and bruises. Her fingers were touched with blood from every attack she unleashed today. But she still tried to stand.


‘I have to stand too. I’m not going to lose to her! I’m going to stop her here!!’ I shouted in my mind. One last ditch effort. My limbs were numb, my muscles were shredded and torn, my bones and joints were creaking. But I moved to stand. I felt vibrations through the floor. An entire realm unraveling before us as we stood to continue our war.


We stood together, across an unnavigable divide we stared daggers at each other. Honing our feelings and frustrations into one last presentation. One last look at the villain we were fighting against. Beyond her was the portal and it fizzled into nothing, my last connection back home severed. I didn’t care at the moment. There was only one thing on my mind.


“We’re not done, Celebi! Far from it!”


“Shout all you want, Ron! You’ll never beat me. You’ll never stop me! I’m going to kill them! And then you!”


“And I refuse to let you. Try all you want, Fungus! I’ll stop you. You’ll never harm them again!”


“A weakling like you could never stop me! It doesn’t matter what that transformation was! It doesn’t matter what you want!”


“I will get stronger and stronger! I am not going to let you anywhere near them!”


“It doesn’t matter what you want, you’ll always be weaker than me! I’m the strongest in the world, I’m stronger than anyone. You’re nothing. NOTHING!”


“I’LL NEVER LOSE TO YOU!”


“YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO WIN!”


I was panting, each breath renewing sharp stabs across my chest. The gap between us widened every second. Our war interrupted by the rapidly shifting terrain. But our words spanned it. The last weapons we had to shell at each other. And the last look we had to burn into our very souls. I hated leaving it unresolved but I had stopped her for now. That wasn’t enough to calm the bitter frustrations that played havoc on my heart for the past year. I could only find solace in the fact that, for now, my guild was safe.


The glass beneath me disintegrated and I was falling. I didn’t dare turn away from her. I wanted to burn her into my eyelids. My only proof that I had fought. I fought my demon, and almost won!


……


The world went black, just as it had when I was brought to that realm. But I didn’t feel so helpless this time. I only felt the stress leave me. I felt so tired, so hurt. But I didn’t mind it. I was used to pain by now. That was just my default state. And for once, I felt… free. Like I welcomed the pain, I did bring it upon myself this time.


I started laughing, I had no idea where I was. No idea what I was going to do next. No idea where I was going. Nothing. And I was okay with that. For a year, for one whole blasted year, I was battered about by the wind and wills of other Pokemon. I was subjected to their whims and wiles. But now, I felt free. I laughed. Just like I did after getting back from the Mantle.


And then I started crying. Tears started and wouldn’t stop and I couldn’t even wipe them away. I wanted to be out of this darkness, this loneliness, this solitude. I wasn’t strong enough for this. I needed anyone, someone, Axe. I needed Axe.


I felt so cold. So alone. Wherever I was going, I just wanted to be there now. Apparently my wish was answered as the rushing sensation of air and the feeling of falling. My sense of gravity and weightlessness apparently still functional. Stars bloomed into view in my eyes, the sky and moon looked so beautiful. After a world of only two colors, the light and dark was soothing. I didn’t even care that I was falling. If this was my last view, well then that’s that.


‘No. I refuse!’


I spun myself around in mid air, my body submitting to my will. My calls to action. The ground below was coming up fast and I didn’t know if I was going to survive an impact. But, legends above, I was going to try! Nothing would stop me from seeing Axe again. Surely not the damn ground! I had no clue how I was going to survive this. Rushing air howled about my ears. But I couldn’t run from this. Not when I was so close, so close!


If I could harden myself just before impact, I could sustain the tremendous force. Maybe. Hopefully. Possibly. I didn’t really like my chances but I needed to try, I’ve come too far to lose to dirt and rock.


‘I want to live! I am going to survive this!’ Fire again burst through me again. Reacting to my determination. I didn’t fight it. I just had no idea how to use it. ‘Think! Think! Think!’


Fire, propulsion, jets, lift, thrust, rockets! All these things, latent memories of a different world. It was not the time to ponder what I was before all this. I just knew that I had a chance and I needed to take it. I pushed the fire down my limbs, or I tried. It was… wild, unresponsive, constantly shifting away from my control. And I needed it right now!


‘Frack! Frack! Frack! Listen to me!! Or I’m going to die!’


I shouted, hyperextending every joint in all four legs. Bracing the pain, but the fire responded accordingly. Blazing streams shot forth. My body endured the shift in momentum. G forces battering my overtaxed body. I just need to keep it up for a few seconds longer. Every moment I could keep the stream going was an additional percentage towards my survival. And I was going to live!


I still hit hard. The world spun and a new wave of nausea spiked down my body. I bounced. Once, twice, thrice, before skidding to a stop. I was over wondering how I was still conscious at this point. If I was still being granted miracles, then I wasn’t going to question them. I was again on my back, the scent of dirt and soil in my nose. My Fire had been extinguished. I was on solid ground. And through it all, I was alive.


What joy there was in being alive! I focused on my breath. In, out, in, and out. Over and over until my headache softened. It didn’t dissipate completely, but I tried. Anything to alleviate the suffering of just being alive. In and out, again and again. Nothing would get me to move again. There wasn’t anything left to fight right now, but I didn’t want to pass out. There was something I wanted more. ‘Axe.’


My eye cracked open, just a slit. The other was buried in the ground. ‘Axe… I’m back. Where are you? Axe!’


I couldn’t even see any landmarks to figure out where I am, the upside down perspective definitely wasn’t helping either. I closed my eye again. It wasn’t going well for me. But, honestly, has anything ever gone well for me? Ever since I first got to this world, I’ve been on my back. Metaphorically and literally. ‘But Axe had been there, at the beginning. He’d always been there.’


“Axe…” I weakly called out, I’m sure the voice didn’t go far. But I wanted to speak out, try anything to get back to him. Not like my pride was on the line or anything. That had long since left me.


“Ron… Is.. Is that you?” A voice called out from the dark. My one eye shot open!


“Axe.. Are you there!?”


“No, it’s me, Lux. Legends Above, what’s happened to you?!” The voice called again. It wasn’t Axe, but it felt so damned good to hear. After spending who knows how long with that blasted Fungus, hearing only insults and vows of violence, hearing someone speak to me with such concern, such kindness, it beat back the latent fears that hovered just below the surface of my mind.


“Lux! Lux!” I reached for her, just in the direction I heard her, for anything. A touch came upon my hand. The first in hours that wasn’t trying to hurt me. It saved me more than I could say. “Thank you, I need you. I need…” I panted. “I need to get back to the guild. I need to see him again. Please.” I felt delirious. But I wasn’t alone anymore. And that meant more than anything in the world. Well, almost anything. Finding Axe was my number one objective now.


“Are you kidding me? You shouldn’t even be conscious right now! You’re covered with wounds. Your scales are completely cracked and even melted. Your sternum looks like it's broken again, or still, maybe, I don’t know! And if that wasn’t enough, you just fell from the sky! I couldn’t even begin to move you on my own, much less get you to the guild. I need to go get help!” I felt her leave. I clenched hard to her arm, with whatever strength I could still muster.


“Please!” I begged. “Don’t leave me. I can walk. I just need to get on my feet. Just don’t leave me, Lux. Please! I can’t. I can’t be alone again!” She was silent for a moment. But she didn’t move again. Her other hand rested on my chest, lightly though, to avoid inflaming my injuries.


“You really shouldn’t move, and I really shouldn’t move you. There’s no telling what internal injuries you have! You look like you’ve been to hell and back. Again, I just watched you plummet from the sky! I thought you were Celebi, coming back for another fight.” At her name, at the slight wavering of fear in her voice, I burned. It wasn’t like before. I was too tired to summon that much Power, but I felt it ominously drifting about my limbs. A brief amount of pain receded from my limbs.


I pulled on her arm, using it as an anchor to spin me over. Lux cried out in distress as I did, clearly worried I would become even more injured. But I didn’t care for that. I was on my feet, I was moving.


“Wait, Ron! You need to stop! Ron, please!”


“I can’t! I need to find him, I need to find Axe now!” I called back. I recognized the town, it looked just the same as always. As I remembered, I trudged off towards the guild hall. My Lampent friend chasing after me and begging me to stop.


I didn’t hear her, the voice just didn’t register in my head. Step after step was painful but it mattered less than seeing Axe again. It kept me going despite it all. I hadn’t just waged the most grueling battle of my life, challenged my demon, walked away from my ticket back to human life just to keel over without seeing the one Pokemon that I needed to see again.


I think, well, I think I broke down the door. I definitely wasn’t thinking straight. I wasn’t focusing on anything. Shapes blurred into the background. Shadows were swirling around me and I tried to push them off. I had no idea who they were. I had no idea who I was either. I had no idea of anything. Just that I needed to see Axe again. Something grabbed my head, pulling my attention to its nebulous blackness. Slowly shapes emerged from the gloom, I recognized the hands. The tendrils of plants, the stems and leaves, the constricting feeling of ivy and root. The matriarch of our guild, Ms. Olivia had me locked in her grasp.


It was calming, to be held, and maybe even, it’s what I needed. All remaining tension drained from me. I felt the sweet lure of sleep lay over me. Try as I might, I couldn’t stop it. There was an odd taste on my tongue. 


‘Oh, a Sleep Seed. Right.’


And then I was no more.