For CottonMouth25.
Home doesn't have much light.
What little is created by the Denjumoku when they feed and flickers always come from the Utsuriodo when they gather in groups. But it's how Kamitsurugi likes it best- it cloaks their body, keeps others unaware of them until they decide to fly or attack (though to be fair, their body's colors made them stand out as well.)
This helps best when the Masshibūn tries to battle Kamitsurugi or the Ferōche tries to lull them in- even with their size advantage, Kamitsurugi cannot resist the lure of their pheromones forever. But it can also be a hindrance when trying to keep away the Akujikingu when they thrive without light, and lack thereof never stopped the Tekkaguya if Kamitsurugi accidentally got in their way.
The Cosmog never bother Kamitsurugi and Kamitsurugi never bother the Cosmog- because they know what would happen if they invoke the wrath of the Solgaleo and Lunala.
Though they are the smallest and almost certainly at the bottom of the power hierarchy, Kamitsurugi are still strong and thriving.
The Utsuriodo's poison can't harm them and the Denjumoku barely ever notice them- the Masshibūn and Ferōche both see them as beneath their notice, too busy admiring themselves. Kamitsurugi can't fill Akujikingu belly nor can they keep Tekkaguya's attention long enough for them to care. The Cosmog stay with their own and the Solgaleo and Lunala are apathetic at best.
Home isn't always peaceful- but it's still Home. It's what Kamitsurugi always known and always felt safe in.
That's why when the light-filled hole appeared by the Utsuriodo and Cosmog, they felt fear- this isn't right, the light and the hole leading far, far away from Home. Both disappear into the light-filled hole and Kamitsurugi hopes that they never see such a sight or feel such emotions again.
More light-filled holes begin to appear and more and more of the others are falling through them. Kamitsurugi tries to outrun them, tries to stay away and find somewhere safe- but when one opens up right beneath their feet, they are dragged out of Home and flung into a dark gray space, high above blue, green, brown and other colors below.
The light hurts their eyes, the pressure whirling Kamitsurugi all around makes them feel ill and when they land in a stream of clear blue liquid, they are a nervous wreck. Where has Home gone? Why did they fall through the hole into this bizarre, unnatural place?
The creatures Kamitsurugi runs into are either fleshy and fall down after just a single slash, or resemble those they've lived beside more yet seem more out of place than the fleshier creatures. Kamitsurugi slash apart both, trying to find the hole- and Home- again.
But the light- that comes from a bright circle high above that makes their eyes sting and water- makes that all but impossible. The light exposes them and Kamitsurugi is forced to constantly duck into the shadows, where they're safe from the eyes of so many, many, MANY creatures.
When the light starts to disappear, Kamitsurugi feels a little better- the air becomes cooler and fewer creatures are present. In the sky are several more lights above- many of them are small and flickering, while the largest is a circle of pale blue just hung there like the circle of light from before.
Kamitsurugi decides they like this time better than when the light was in the air. They can move around more freely, the air resembles Home a little more- but that also makes them more upset. Why must Kamitsurugi only experience Home- just a little- when they could still be there right now?
It's because of the holes- whatever they did, they took Kamitsurugi away from Home and dumped them in this bizarre space. With that in their mind, they resolve that should they find the one responsible, Kamitsurugi will cut them to pieces.
Kamitsurugi gets used to the rotating lights- resting when the light comes up, continuing on when they disappear. they search everywhere they can for either the holes to get Home, or the one responsible. They would also soon learn that none of the creatures here actually speak.
Well, they speak but all Kamitsurugi can hear is gibberish- they even call certain things different names. Now isn't that silly and unnecessary?
The strange creatures are even worse- it's a nightmare trying to understand them (and the yellow ones with electricity only say a single word over and over and over AND OVER AND OVER-)
From what they've managed to see, the fleshier creatures- humans- are in control of the space while the strange creatures- Pokemon- do what the humans direct them to do. That makes no sense whatsoever and Kamitsurugi can only assume they've injected them with poison like the Utsudiodo- how else would such weaklings make them bow before them?
They also found the humans sometimes beat down the Pokemon and make them battle for them- by using other Pokemon and throwing strange spheres at them that somehow take them inside.
When a human tried that on Kamitsurugi, they quickly sliced them apart along with the Pokemon- they will never serve these things.
Kamitsurugi continues to roam but becomes more disheartened and frustrated- they can find no holes to return Home to, nor can they find the one who made them. The light grates on them and makes them feel vulnerable, they despise dealing with the creatures-humans and Pokemon alike- and the sheer alienation they experience has disheartened them more and more each passing day.
Eventually, they stumble upon an area of sand and wind that becomes their haven within this strange space- it's not Home, never will be, but it suffices until Kamitsurugi can find a way to return. It has few of either humans or Pokemon from before around and the flits of sand feel rather soothing against their body.
But then everything changes when Kamitsurugi comes across a human within the desert- one with black and dark brown fur and blue-green eyes- riding one of the Pokemon- a brown four-legged creature with long snout.
HOME
They can't explain it but they don're care- this human feels like Home, as though it were right in front of them. Kamitsurugi rushes the human- but of course, it's one who uses Pokemon, specifically a green creature with wings that looks similar to the Masshibūn if they didn't have so much muscle mass.
They try to slash it apart but the green creature easily sidesteps their attacks before making the ground shake roughly beneath them- this is the most damage Kamitsurugi's taken since coming to this space and they nearly fold in on themselves from the pressure of the attack.
They try to regain their balance only for a bright blue ball to suddenly fall right in front of them- before they can react in time, they are sucked inside. They fight and shake the inside but they begin to feel fuzzy and tired the more they try- soon, everything disappears with a soft click.
When Kamitsurugi comes to, they are on a plot of green and brown with several things of vegetation growing up and up- ironic that they would see something similar to Home after being captured by the human and it's Pokemon minions.
But the light is up and the sand isn't there to shield them- not even the vegetation allows much protection from the rays or from the Pokemon already there. But when a human- with yellow fur and green eyes- comes over and has the same feeling of Home surrounding it, they are able to calm down somewhat.
The human calls itself "Mohn"- and the only reason they remember is because it feels like Home and feeling Home, just a little, is better than nothing. It gestures to the island, still in gibberish, before Kamitsurugi notices that there are four Ferōche, two Utsuriodo and Denjumoku and even a Tekkaguya.
It was strange- for all the time spent looking, they never truly thought they would run into the others from Home. But seeing them there, along with the human that felt like Home, made them feel just a little better.
Talking with the others reveal several things to Kamitsurugi- for one, all of them have been "rescued" by the human they ran into before. They call it- or rather, her, "Izarra" and actually seem quite fond of her.
For reasons other than her feeling like Home, it seems.
The Izarra is undoubtedly using similar poison as Utsudiodo whenever she interacts with them and the others- that's the only reason why they would actually be humoring such a weak creature.
The Ferōche still preen but don't step on Kamitsurugi, Utsuriodo are content to float about and not poison others, Denjumoku actually get along well with the vegetation- even Tekkugaya doesn't destroy everything within the island. Kamitsurugi can only guess what she gave them, so they observe when she visits the Pokemon.
The Izarra pets them, gives them strange heart-shaped vegetation and talks in a high-pitched wail whenever they do something right- sometimes even when they fail miserably. Then the Izarra tries to give THEM the same treatment- Kamitsurugi humors her because her poison can't effect them.
The vegetation tastes bland, her appendages feel strange and they still can't understand anything the Izarra says to them. But Kamitsurugi can tolerate it because the Izarra and the Mohn are the closest to Home they've been in so long they'll take what they can get at this point.
More rotations-days and nights- pass. They become accustomed to the islands, even to the Pokemon there. The Mohn is a constant on the islands, coming to check on them and Kamitsurugi welcomes him to them- being able to have some Home is better than none and when the Izarra is there, it becomes even better.
Sometimes two humans- one with purple fur and black armor who feels like Home too and the other with black fur and brown armor- come along with to examine Kamitsurugi and the others. These two display more common sense than any of the humans they've come across and often talk with the Izarra during this.
The two of them- the purple furred called "Anabel" and the brown armor called "Looker"- examine each of them from a distance while taking notes. They often talk with the Izarra and the Mohn a ways away, though Kamitsurugi still doesn't understand a word they're saying.
They also notice a constant six with the Izarra whenever she comes to them- they recognize the green one, whom the Izarra calls both "Ohdran" and "Flygon" and soon learn of the others since they are the ones who most constantly guard the Izarra.
The Primarina/Yahto seems to be trying the hardest to communicate- though to be fair, he has the nicest sounding voice, even if it's all gibberish. The Salazzle/Mashinog seems fascinated by them but also enjoys trying to antagonize them- does she not realize Kamitsurugi could slash her to pieces if they were so inclined?
Kamitsurugi just makes the conclusion that every creature here is off their rocker- that's the only solution that makes sense.
The Sandslash/Sinnika and the Flygon/Ohdran seem the most wary of them all and Kamitsurugi is still disdainful of the latter since he was the one who got attacked them. The Vikavolt/Som stays the closest by the Izarra while the Tsareena/Fuchsia looks at them all threateningly which makes them snicker- what could she do to them?
Eventually, they are joined by two Masshibūn and a Akujikingu- all three tried to destroy the island when they were brought in and much to Kamitsurugi's surprise, the Izarra was able to subdue both thanks to a strange device on her wrist allowing her team to use powerful attacks to knock them both out after a harsh battle.
Perhaps there's reason to the humans domination after all.
Kamitsurugi watches Izarra as closely as they can after that- how she talks with her team, how she tries to communicate with the others- she calls them "Ultra Beasts" for whatever reason- how she and Mohn try to calm down the rowdier Pokemon.
They shook their head in wonder at Izarra- did this human have no sense of self-preservation to try to talk to, even play, with the Pokemon they were certain would bite her head off if they were so inclined?
Even worse were the times she tried to approach the Masshibūn and Akujikingu in a show of peace. Her team had to force them back several times- Kamitsurugi wondered how they were so strong even without the power Izarra gave them- to keep her from getting killed.
And she kept. Going. Back. Every time she got knocked down or nearly killed, she just picked herself up like it was nothing- once she even got hit in the head by an angry Pinsir, but she just went on trying to calm it down. It was maddening to watch!
Humans and Pokemon are already off their rocker, but Izarra is a special kind of crazy, Kamitsurugi decides.
Finally after many months- Kamitsurugi actually learned the term after a long enough time had passed- Izarra, Anabel and Looker comes to the island one last time and motions Kamitsurugi and the others over. She shows them the spheres she captured them in and looks at them for permission.
Going inside the sphere is a bit like sleeping and dreaming- Kamitsurugi is aware of his surroundings but is suspended in a dream-like state while being carried about. They aren't quite sure how much time has passed before the Izarra lets them out and they stare in shock.
The hole- the damned hole from before- and the feeling of HOME, just beyond it. Izarra smiles broadly and her eyes start to water before she bows/gestures them to the hole- the Masshibūn and Akujikingu jump through first, the Ferōche and Otsuriodo following at more sedate paces. Denjumoku seems more hesitant to leave before Tekkugaya's tailwind drags them through.
Kamitsurugi should have followed immediately but for whatever reason, they look back at Izarra before heading through.
When they come to the other side, the familiar darkness and cool air settles around them and Kamitsurugi almost jumped for joy at the feeling of Home all around them, back where they belonged.
Kamitsurugi didn't see the holes come about again after they went through the one to get back Home.
They didn't mind one bit, nor did they miss the bizarre world they had fallen into. But there were just a few moments when Kamitsurugi wondered how Izarra, Mohn and the Pokemon were doing.