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Return From Hisui - 001 Departure
🕑 Added 2023-02-19 21:13:32 +0000 UTCAuthor's note:
Here it is, something for you to enjoy! I'm still not sure about the first paragraph... It'll probably be revised before hitting RR but the gist of it is there. This was written mid-December and edited after feedback from my Beta.
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The Sinnoh Temple is still a ruin. That’s no surprise. Nobody here has the time to bother fixing it, not even the Galaxy Expedition Team. They have their hands full with Jubilife Village. A village I know to become a sprawling city in 200 years or so. Probably less. I know because I remember the old street sign from a School trip. A two-week vacation to prepare us for our first attempt at the circuit. I was almost eleven years old when I tried for the badges. It was also 180 years in the future.
I reach around my back to the innocuous pack resting in the small of my back. It sits snugly on the hardy blue cloth I am wearing, the logo of the Galaxy Expedition Team on my shoulder. My hand finds the old flute. There is something distinctly magical about it. The azure shell has grown into just the right shape to produce the most wonderful music. There is no sign of a tool on it. Only the red mouthpiece was added later on. Nostalgia wells up in my heart as I play the ancient melody. It rolls down the snowy mountainside reaching into the windswept valley. Maybe one of the villagers hears it even across this distance. Oreburgh’s first buildings are probably close enough.
I play the last note and slowly let the flute sink. My eyes open to a familiar staircase. I have been up here a lot. The first time, when Arceus called me after I pushed back Giratina. The second time when I had found every species of Pokémon currently living in Hisui. No. Sinnoh. We already decided to call this region Sinnoh. After that, I made sure to visit regularly.
I take my time climbing the steps. I always was more of a timid girl, preferring grass types and generally cuddly Pokémon. Until I was dragged back out of my comfy bedroom straight into this hell. That’s what I had called it back then. Seriously, you try living without running water and electricity. At least Arceus somehow made my phone never lose any charge. Took me a while to figure out how that one worked.
Even though my steps should bring me nowhere near the clouds, I slowly eclipse them. It does not matter how fast you climb this staircase. As long as you keep going, you will always climb with the same speed. The sky turns dark, the stars slowly fading. New ones pop up just to quickly give way for another set. Sometimes there are enough to form galaxies, othertimes large spots are completely empty. I feel time and space shift around me as I leave the mortal world and step into Arceus’ realm.
The creator. The one. The only. The most powerful. That’s what everyone taught me, back in the future. Now that I met them, I know they are just a person. Not that any of that other stuff is wrong, it’s just… beneath all of that… Arceus-stuff, they simply want to find happiness. Like everyone else. Which is why, when I asked to go back forwards in time to see my family, they didn’t tell me no. They told me why it was impossible.
I was too frail.
It sucked. It sucked bad enough I hadcursed. But of course, they were right. My soul was strained after the first journey through space-time. After only half a year of working to save the world, I was far from ready to try again. Mostly, because it had left a lingering effect: I had not aged a singly day since I came to Hisui.
But Arceus also told me how I could go back. They would reinforce the effect of my involuntary journey and give me something to reinforce my soul. To fix the damage the first time had done. Heh.
I snort. Even the judging stare of the creator can’t stop my mirth. I know they were always like that. It’s impossible to see their emotion in their face. They can’t move theirmouth like that, after all. The slight jitter in their left back-leg letsme read their amusement.
“Hey, buddy”, I say.
Arceus lowerestheir head, only by a fraction.
“I came to return this,” I wave the Azure Flute, “Don’t think I’ll need it.”
They shift and suddenly stand in front of me. The flute shimmers at the touch of Arceus’ knee and disappears from my hands. The creator isback to their original position moments later.
Only the tiny shift in the angle of their head warnsme. I fall into a stance, arms close to my body one hand extended. My legs bend at the knees to give me a more stable stance. Not a moment to early as an orb of light pulses above Arceus’ head. It’s yellow. Electric. I pull on the object fused to my soul. The Legend Plate reacts to my will and brings forth Ground Type Energy. I smile as yellow beams push into my body, small streaks of lightning running along my limbs. They can’t harm me.
When the light abates, panic rushes into me. A second much smaller orb has formed in front of Arceus’ mouth. I shoot to the side in a burst of lightning. The remaining Electric TE running over my limbs is just enough to channel into a quick Volt Switch. Only I have no Pokémon to switch with. This is a one-on-one battle.
The Electric TE from Judgement runs out, used up by my move. Before another Ice Beam can hit me, I push all the Ground TE into… well, the ground. It’s a bad idea to make moving around more difficult when I can’t hope to match myopponent in strength, so I channel it in a small location. Earth Power rips apart the ethereal runes making up the floor of this strange dimension. I grin as Arceus is hit, legs stumbling in the gaps. That grin quickly vanishes when They turn green and vines lash out from the ring around their chest.
I stumble back, pulling a new batch of energy from the Legend Plate. The decision is simple. Red blooms as heat rises around me. I push it forward in a cone, flames sprouting from my fingers to burn the vines. I’m on the move when a wave of water threatens to run me over. Rather than trying to burn more Fire TE into the Flamethrower, I channel it into a Burn Out.
As steam billows all over the pocket dimension and the remainders of Surf roll around my feet, I get ready to strike back. Normal TE flows through my arms and legs and I disappear into an Extreme Speed. Before Arceus can react, I punch into their side. A crash resounds as they are pushed back.
Their colour flicker to brown as they turn to face me. Their legs rise up into the beginnings of what I know to be a Close Combat. Not something I want to take to the face. But I was prepared for that. It’s not my first rodeo, after all. My Normal TE is already burned out and Flying TE rises to replace it. I Bounce out of the way of the Close Combat, only being clipped in my left foot. I wince as I go up high into the air. Or above the ground, at least. There isn’t really air here.
Arceus eyes me as I rise. Even with the slight delay in their movements, I can see the smirk in their stance. Oh no. That, is Rock TE. I try my best to cancel Bounce but of course, it doesn’t work. The TE was already invested. It now shoots me straight onto collision course with what can only be a Rock Throw. My injured foot blossoms in pain as I feel the energy invading my body and stealing my stamina.
I wince but I pull through. My good foot slams onto Arceus back. Before I can see if I did any damage, my heart turns to steel. Well, no, it’s my head that does the turning. But I still smirk at my joke as my Iron Head rams into their side, further upending their balance.
I know I have this when their body shifts to the dark blue of Ghost TE and they disappear. I run my remainingSteel TE into a quick shield as they take their time to appear. This will most likely be a Shadow Force. It’s far too slow for a Shadow Sneak. I’m disappointed when the strike to my back is far weaker then it should be. Phantom Force? Really? I already have the advantage!
When I turn around, my disappointment turns into fear. Why are you perfectly healthy? The remaining Psychic TE gives me the answer. They used Heal Pulse mid Phantom Force. No wonder Arceus didn’t have time to channel a full Shadow Force.
I take a few steps back as the fight pauses. There is an air of superiority around my opponents that I can only grin at.
“Think you won this? I’m still running the best defence. You only got one type left to hit me neutrally with.”
They incline their head.
“And yet, I win,” is what I can only read for a moment before a Dark Pulse impacts my back. Before I can catch my stumble, a second one rams my side, then a third pushes straight out of the ground and throws me through the air.
I scream in pain, the horrible aura of evil dominating my thoughts. When I land, I notice my Steel TE is nearly empty. When I come to, I see a burning blue meteor falling from the sky. With an eye-roll, I pull of another Iron Defence before dragging on the last dregs inside my. A pink glow envelops me and I feel like giggling as the Draco Meteor impacts me, doing nothing more than ruffling my hair and clothes.
I stand up to unleash my very own Dazzling Gleam only to see Arceus already changed to a dark purple. With extra effort, I push all the Fairy TE into my attack, overloading it. The energy coalesces into my attack, threatening to throw it off course. I clench my teeth and keep a tight leash on it.
The pink wave of love and attention rams into Arceus, barely staggering them. I haddone something. Just… not as much as I had hoped. They are at maybe half their power. Half of what they brought forth whenever we sparred. A grin spreads on my face.
The Sludge Bomb hitsme straight in the face and I splutter. Bug TE rises in one last effort from my Legend Plate but I don’t have enough stamina for a Bug Buzz. Instead, I send out a Silver Wind. Just barely, my attack lands before the second Sludge Bomb rains down on me. I feel the last of my stamina leave me and everything turns black. As I fall unconscious, one thought dominatesmy mind: I did it!
I come to a few minutes later, judging by the still dissolving sludge around me. Arceus is standing over me, concern in their posture. I smile broadly and give an exhausted wave. They return to their relaxed superiority and nod curtly.
I flinch when I feel their mind touch mine. Arceus is simply too large to communicate through telepathy. At least without giving me a headache. But it seems this was important enough.
“You have grown much, Zoe”, they say, “More than I ever foresaw.”
I rub the back of my head, smearing gunk into my platinum blonde hair.
“Thanks!,” I grin.
“I… believe you are ready.”
I giggle, which turns into a full-blown laugh. It takes me a minute to calm down in which Arceus watches me carefully. They aren’t really used to expressing emotions but who can fault them? They have nobody to express those emotions towards, most of the time.
“That’s… that’s great,” I finally manage between deep breaths, “20 years… And I still look like 15. Guess at least my parents won’t freak out.”
Arceus nods.
“So, how does this work?”
“There are several methods you may use. I… recommend talking to my subordinates. They will make the journey much smoother than I ever could.”
“Really?”, I ask, “Are you like… too strong, or something?”
I see a hint of embarrassment in the shift of their forelegs.
“I… am. Imagine trying to fit a thread into a needle’s ear but you have to use a hammer and tongs.”
“Oh. That makes a lot of sense, actually.”
Their head tilts towards me, still lying on the ground.
“You appear much less mature than in recent times, Zoe,” they say, “May I ask why?”
“Hmm? Oh, this?”, I wave my arms and legs through the poisonous gunk. Arceus’ energy makes it completely inert at the slightest exertion of their will but it’s still good for mud angels.
“I just thought… I no longer have to be all serious, right? I can finally be a kid again.”
“I see. Do what you enjoy.”
“Yep. I’ll do what I enjoy!”
I grinned as the last remains of the Sludge Bombs finally fizzle out of reality. As real as this place is, at least. I sit back up and reach for my back. The pack is still there, undamaged just like my clothes. I pull out a simple handmade Poké Ball and flip the lock. A copy of the being in front of me appears in a red and white beam of light. The two Arceus look at each other for a moment, then they are one.
“Thank you, Zoe,” the remainder says.
“Of course. Just as promised. You’ll need to find yourself a new buddy to show you around modern times.”
They nodded at my grin.
“I will, if I feel so inclined.”
“Right,” I stand up, “Guess I’ll be on my way, then?”
Arceus nods. I walk up and hug them around their front. The centaur-like body shifts to accommodate me and their head sinks down to press into my hair.
“Thanks for everything,” I say, “Even despite… you know.”
“I am grateful for you putting up with my selfishness. Thank you, Zoe. Savour the rest of your life, wherever it may take you.”
I smirk as I pull off them.
“You already know, don’t you?”
Of course, they give me nothing. Was there a parallel version of me that never managed to go back to the future? Or one that didn’t even try? I can’t help but think that I’d always try. At least to get back to my family.
“Farewell!”, I wave as they disconnect their mind. The sudden ease of my thoughts makes it obvious they would come with me if we never met again, so I smile as I leave the realm of the creator.
My steps carry me back to Spear Pillar. The shattered temple to Arceus still stand grand, even with its glory cut off. I cringe a little as I remember the events leading to it. Palkia making me catch them so we could fight off Dialga. Of course, the guardians of space and time would destroy and ancient piece of history even if they were just tiny parts of their full selves.
I reach the end of the white marble platform and look down the stairs. The two offenders stand there, their full selves of this world having spent nearly two decades by my side. Granted, that’s not much for immortal beings, but still.
Behind them, I can see an all too familiar man in a lab coat with a purple beanie covering his balding head. Next to him stands another of my close friends, an energetic woman in her mid-thirties wearing the standard garb of the Survey Corps. Her black hair is bound by a triangular piece of white cloth. She stand with the casual ease of a skilled fighter. Or Pokémon trainer, I guess. That’s what I should start calling them again. The term is only just starting to take hold in early Sinnoh.
The two are Professor Laventon, the old man that picked me up when I fell out of the sky, and Akari, the friend that helped me get started in the Survey Corps. Despite his increasing age, Laventon has found some incredible confidence, even starting to train his own personal Pokémon to travel across Hi – Sinnoh.
I call out a “Hello” as I walk down the stairs. Palkia and Dialga rumble an answer while Laventon gives a shivering nod. Akari smiles and waves.
“So, did it work this time?”, she asks.
I try to restrain my glee. It’s not too difficult. After all, I won’t see her ever again. This is a farewell as much as it is a return home.
“It did,” I say, “I’m strong enough.”
Her smile turns as sad as I feel. Tears well up in my eyes and I suppress a sniffle.
“Ah, come on,” Akari says. Her voice cracks as she hugs me.
For a few minutes we just stand there, crying until our tears run out. Still, smiles cover our faces as we separate.
“Stay strong, girl,” she says with a pat on my shoulder, “And don’t follow strangers tempting you with candy.”
My mouth stands agape. Normal TE rushes into my legs and before she can react I Extreme Speed behind her and slap the back of her head.
“Akari!”, I shout, “That’s myline! I was the one to teach it to you!”
She laughed, Laventon and the two Pokémon next to us joining in. I give her another hug, from behind this time, before turning to the Professor.
“Thank you for all your help, Professor Laventon,” I say, “I wouldn’t be where I am today without you.”
The man shakes his head.
“No, no. I have to thank you. Without your help we would have never finished the Hisui-Pokédex in my lifetime. And all the other things you’ve done for the region.”
I slap his shoulder.
“Ah, come on, old man. We all played our part. Are you going back to Galar, now?”
“Ah, yes. I am leaving as soon as I will be able to. It’s been a jolly good time here but I want to present my work to my peers.”
I give him a nod.
“Do that. I’ll see if I can find references to you in the future.”
He scratchesbelow his ear.
“That…is still a strange thing to hear, even with all the things I learned about you… and your friends.”
He looksup at Palkia and Dialga with those last words.
The two let out rumbling laughter.
I look at the incredibly powerful Pokémon. Their smiles are clear but subdued.
“You big goofs,” I grin. They tilt their heads. “I’ve got these for you.”
With those words I pull out their Poké Balls. A handmade UltraBall for Palkia and the one-and-only Origin Ball for Dialga. The two Pokémon pick up their respective balls and put them away… somewhere. I can’t see it clearly. It’s almost like they disappear into thin air.
A rumble from Spear Pillar distracts us. A familiar feeling of eldritch energy rushes over us. My smile widens as a wall of darkness rumbles down the stair only to stop a dozen metres in front of us. Two glowing red eyes appear in the shadows soon followed by a large, snake-like body. Giratina is floating half a step above the ground in their origin form. The golden mask extending on the sides of their face and forming a tiara above their eyes reflectsthe morning sun. Six black tendrilslazily keepthem afloat. I make out the amused glint in their eyes.
The last two-hundred times I had challenged Arceus for the right to return to the future, the gate behind Giratina had disappeared immediately. Today, that is not the case. Instead, they keep the back of their tail just barely inside it, preventing it from closing.
I am just about to ask what that was for when their mind connectsto mine. It was much smoother than with Arceus. Mostly because Giratina could only bring a small part of themselves to bear in this world. Though I like to think we were just really good friends. Which we were. I had never caught a flier since Giratina would always carry me wherever I wanted to go.
“You succeeded,” they say. The voice was gravelly like the bottom of a river bed. “It is time, then?”
I nod.
“Yup. Arceus said to ask you guys about the specifics.”
Giratina tilts their head.
“You are… childish?”
“Just preparing myself for the return to my parents.”
“Oh,” Akari makes, “That’s what that was about.”
I give her a wink.
“… very well,” Giratina says, “We will returnyou where you came from. But there are limits.”
“Like what?”
“You will need to leave behind most of your team. I recommend no more than two accompany you.”
“… oh.”
Akari shudders.
“And what are we going to do with those monsters?”
Apparently Giratina is talking to her and Laventon as well.
I shrug at her smirk.
“That’s… I know. I’ll take Lili and Lulu with me.”
“I never understood those names,” Laventon says, “Such a bright mind with such a… simplistic naming sense.”
I wave him off.
“Lili for Liligant and Lulu for Luxray. It’s perfect.”
Akari snorts.
“You named your Garchomp, Gary”
“And your Goodra, Goopy,” Laventon adds.
I roll my eyes.
“Next you’re gonna tell me Lisa is a bad name for a Frosslass?”
Akari barely stifled her giggle.
“No, but Ty for Typhlosion? Really? You didn’t even give him a nickname before that!”
They start laughing loudly at that. I pout.
“Hey, I called him Cyn, at first, and then Quil.”
That only makes them laugh louder.
Dialga catches my attention with a rumble. Their mind joins Giratina’s in the telepathic connection.
“You will also start to age again,” they say, “Though much slower than a normal human.”
“How slow?” I ask.
“Less then a third.”
I nod, then look to Palkia.
“You also got bad news? What? Is my spacial bag not going to work on the other side?”
The Pokémon shuffles their feet, showing nervousness despite all their strength.
“No. The bag will be fine. There’s…one more thing. But it’s not specific to me…”
I raise an eyebrow.
“Out with it.”
“You see… The Legend Plate. It will use up a lot of energy in the journey. You will have to be sparse with your moves until it has time to recharge.”
I open my mouth, then close it. That’s actually good to know.
“Thanks, Palkia.”
The guardian of space looks relieved.
“Then, release the ones you wish to leave behind,” Giratina says.
I lick my lips, hesitating for a moment. Then I start pulling out six well-used Poké Balls. One by one, my team appears in flashes of red and white.
The first is Liligant, or Lili. The Grass/Fighting Pokémon has a bulbous green torso, almost like a flower bud. From it extend two agile legs, slightly crossed and standing like a ballerina. They are white above the knees and orange below. Two teal leaves extend from the top of her torso as arms. Her white face is only decorated with two orange eyes like upside-down water drop. Green leaves roll of her scalp like short hair topped by an orange flower blooming with a sweet scent. She chirps and does a tiny bow as she spots me.
The next is Luxray, aka Lulu. She looks normal, just as you would expect. Black and blue fur covering her body with a star-tipped tail swishing lazily as she sits down. The only truly notable thing is her size. Instead of the usual 1.5 metres, reaching just below my chin, Lulu is over two and a half metres tall from paws to the tip of her mane. She growls a greeting and looks around sharply.
I hesitate before letting out the remaining four all at once. Two enormous dragons dominate the group, almost as tall as Palkia and Dialga. One is covered in blue scales with fins on his arms. His chest is red and a yellow pattern shaped like a star covers the tip of his hammerhead. The other is a giant steel snail attached to a purple blob of goop. A head extends from the body like a snake, two hair-like tendrils extending a little above his eyes. They both roar quietly as they notice my mood.
In front of them, Ty and Lisa are much smaller. And yet, they are no less powerful. All members of my team are rather equal in strength, only Lili having managed to have a positive record against everyone else. The deep blue of Typhlosion’s fur leaks ghostly tendrils similar to the ones in Frosslass’s skirt. Lisa rushes to me for a hug that put a thin layer of frost on my clothes. I pat her back in slow circles as Ty slowly walks up.
One by one I meet they eyes of my team. Gary has a resolute expression. He always wondered what it would be like to return to the wild and dominate a thunder of Dragons. Goopy just barely keeps himself from retreating into his shell. Slimy tears trickle down his cheeks. I extend another hand to pat Ty on the head. He purrs softly, pink flames leaking out of the spots around his neck.
Soon, I drag myself out of Lisa’s embrace.
“I’m sorry, guys,” I say “I won’t be able to take all of you with me.”
Gary nods, his eyes hard. I knew he would take it the best. Goopy actually wails. Akari steps up to him and starts patting his side which helps a little. I pat Lisa and Ty on the head one more time. They share a look before giving me a nod, then they retreat.
I look at Lili and Lulu. My first two companions. Their elation for being taken along wars with the grief of likely never seeing their friends again. But we talked about this a lot. I had almost expected to be unable to take along even one of them. The fact that I can take two is bittersweet.
I hear steps thundering behind me and turn around just to get a face full of slime. Goopy’s arms wrap around my back and his head slithers around my neck giving me a full-force slime hug. I sink my arms into his body with a squelch, returning the hug as strongly as I can. The Goodra wiggles at my contact. Eventually, we let go. The slime starts to dissipate but I still wipe at my face so I can see again.
Gary is next giving me nothing more than a pat on the head with one of his claws. I return it by jumping up to hug him, slathering the goop all over my friend. He roars in indignation and pries me off his neck. With a huff, he steps back.
Goopy has returned to Akari’s side. I walk over, giving her his Poké Ball.
“Get along, you two!” I grin. They nod, tears in their eyes. Gary and Lisa get their Poké Balls to keep for themselves. The Dragon gives it a look before gently breaking apart the two halves. Lisa lets it disappear underneath her skirt, vanishing into the Ghostly energy.
I turn to Laventon one last time and give him Ty’s ball.
“Take good care of him, Professor,” I say.
“O-of course, Zoe,” he grins “Just like you did.”
I smile, remembering my first day in Hisui where he told me the same thing. We shake hands one final time and I turn around.
I take a deep breath.
“I’m ready.”
Giratina nods.
“Return the two of them. They will have to stay in your satchel.”
I nod and recall Lili and Lulu. Palkia and Dialga step up to the wall of darkness, flanking the entrance. Giratina is already turning around, slowly moving back to their home. I follow them at a sedate pace, looking back one last time. Akari waves, her and Goopy’s tears making me start to cry again. Gary stands stock still with his arms crossed. Ty and Laventon wave as Lisa gives me a curt nod. I raise my hand one last time and turn around to step into the darkness.
