This is my first fanfiction, but feel free to trash me in the reviews if you have a problem with the story. I'm all for bettering my writing so if there's a way I can improve, do tell. Although if understanding is you're complaint, you may want to just stop now. Same goes if you're put off by gore. Just a fair warning. Enjoy!

The air was fresh, too fresh. Uncommonly fresh. From what I can gather this is somewhere foreign to where I am originally from.

But who am I? I awoke one morning under a sprawling oak without much of a clue on the matter. The ashes by my feet, the scars on my arms; I couldn't say. My mind was a white palette, scraped bare from any knowledge of my surroundings.

I decided to see instead of think, and pressed forward into the foreign woods and made my way to what seemed like a trail. It very obviously had been forged by feet.

Further down the path, I approached a sign. A picket in the shape of an arrow pointing at a rustic wooden village in the distance. Etched into it were three words.

"Soil we own"

Perhaps their dialect was a bit different but it certainly didn't match up to common english. I had never been the most critical of grammar so I ignored it. Instead I took the chance to ask for help.

The first villager I saw came to see me from his fields, teeming with fresh fertile life. The farmer who I could identify as a Grovyle seemed to be quite past his prime; well into his later years. Yet for such an old fellow, his work ethic seemed unphased.

"Arceus almighty!" He called out before even arriving. It puzzled me seeing such a strange reaction to meeting a total stranger.

"A traveler! Sir how may we help you?"

A traveler… so I wasn't a local here. I needed more information.

"Hello, I'm flattered by your greeting but what I need help with is letting me know who I am."

"Who you are?" The Grovyle's face turned confused, as to be expected.

"Yes I'm sorry if it sounds weird, but I just woke up in that forest over there and I cannot remember my identity."

"That is strange. But surely yóu͞ u͘n̨d̵er̕sta̸̸n͜d ͠҉͞t̨͠h̕͡a̧t̷͠ y̢͜͠o̶͟ų͘͜͞ ̶̨͠a͏̧̕͜r̷̷̴̡͡e̵͏̧̕ ̸҉ͧL͋҉҉҉҉̷̸̸̵̸̢ͧx̸҉҉҉̢x̸҉̶̢a҉̷̸̵̸҉҉̶?"

I stared blankly back. I clearly heard him utter out who I was. But before I could comprehend it, the name slipped my mind.

"Uhm excuse my lack of understanding but can you repeat that?"

I̵̶̶͢ ̵̛͏̵̢ş̷̷a͢͏̶͏i̧͡҉d҉͞͏̵,̴̛̀͢ ̶̶͟͠y̶o̴̴͜ų̡҉͘'̛͏̧r̵̨̀͞͝ę̛̕͝͝"̸҉ͧL͋҉҉҉҉̷̸̸̵̸̢ͧx̸҉҉҉̢x̸҉̶̢a҉̷̸̵̸҉҉̶ ҉"

I couldn't understand him. Whatever it was about me, I couldn't comprehend what he was saying. His voice was perfectly clear and I could hear each syllable roll off his tongue. Yet the meaning wasn't coming together. My head started pounding.

"Excuse me for a moment sir."

I ran back from where I came panting heavily. I felt queasy to the stomach, convinced I was going to vomit. The words rang over in my head, the forest seemed to spin around me. Before my body did it for me, I collapsed on the matted down grass below. I coughed and threw up whatever I had left in my stomach and rolled onto my back. A groan escaped my lungs, and I hung my hand over my head. In and out I breathed, looking at the sky.

His words, they were other-worldly. For sure nothing I had ever heard before. This all didn't seem real. But maybe it did. Maybe I wasn't thinking straight. I just took off running and acted like a fool. I am obviously uneasy in the head, and my stomach. Maybe I just ate something bad and hit my head. It seemed lackadaisical to brush off what I just heard from a stomach ache, yet I couldn't believe it otherwise. I did still want to know who I was. Just maybe not from that same guy.

So I returned. The farmer was… back out in his field?

He ran towards me.

"Arceus almighty! A traveler! Sir how may we help you?"

Was that the same greeting?

"You don't remember me?" I asked nervously, unsettled by the exact same greeting.

"I don't. You don't seem familiar to me."

A cold sweat dripped down my back. So much for me losing my mind. This Grovyle had completely forgotten an encounter that happened only minutes ago.

"I-I'm sorry but I was just here moments ago."

"I beg your pardon, I've never seen you in my life."

"So you don't remember us talking a minute ago about my name?"

"I'm afraid not."

I groaned. This was too weird for my taste. Something strange was going on and I wanted to get to the bottom of it.

"You seem lost. If you indeed are still struggling to find your memories, may I suggest you try the southbound mountains?"

"The southbound mountains?" I echoed back.

"Yes, they are located just past the forest you entered from. It is where the towns people go when they are dealing with trouble. Perhaps you'll find answers there."

I nodded in acknowledgement.

"I'll be careful, and thank you."

His smile calmed my nerves. That went way better than the last time. Southbound mountains? What could possibly be there to help me find my memories? I looked to the distance to view the range. It seemed like a normal rocky outcropping, nothing extraordinary about it. But I didn't have any other leads to go off of, so I began the trek.

After roughly an hour, I approached the entrance of a cave. I turned back for one last time and looked at the town way off in the distance… but wait a second. How did I get here? Did I fly? I must've since walking would've taken forever. I tried to conceptualize who I was but I just couldn't think of how to prove I could fly. Did I have arms? Did I have wings? For some reason I couldn't answer either of those questions.

My head started beating again, following the thumping of my heart. My temples screamed out to stop the pain. I covered my ears from a loud ringing. I feared something evil may be catching up to me so instead I took off into the cave. Like a flash, everything was dropped.

My mind became clear, and I remembered who I was. The hollow chamber felt like a reprise from the oddities of the outside. Surrounding me were walls so shiny they looked like they were plastered with mirrors. I looked into one observing who I was and remembering. It was so obvious, how come I hadn't seen it before?

I sighed with relief. There was nothing to worry about, and I had solved my mystery. I turned away, but something caught my eye. My reflection.

It didn't move.

I swung back around to view myself, or himself. He sat idly in the mirror. I took a step closer and so did he. Was I just imagining things?

I performed a few menial movements, which my reflection copied to a t. Nothing strange here.

I sighed. I just regained all my memories. I couldn't lose myself now… instead of sighing with me, he grinned.

"So you think you've solved the puzzle?"

I jumped back, startled. The reflection had spoken to me!

"W-who are you!" I screamed back. Once again I was in a mental panic. It wasn't every day I talked to my own reflection."

He approached his side of the glassy wall and rested a hand on it. His grin turned into a look of disappointment, almost as if he begged to be on my side of the wall. His fingers walked across as far as his arm would reach.

I was still panting, but more in rhythm than before.

"P-please… can you explain what's going on?"

He stopped. His gaze looking back at mine. I sensed anger… disgust in his eyes. Without warning he slammed his head into the wall, sending shatter ripples all across the four walls of the cave. A dull cackle echoed from his lips as his eyes shone a bright red to match the blood that trailed down his face.

"YOU DID THIS!"

I freaked and bolted back out the cave and down the mountain. Whether or not my head was pounding I wasn't concerned with any longer. I just needed to escape. Find somewhere away from that place. I should've heeded the warning I felt outside. An evil lurked in that cave.

I cleared a small bush, and slid under a fallen tree. I had to make it back to town before whatever that was caught up with me.

Finally I reached the town again. I scanned the fields but was disappointed when I didn't see any sign of Grovyle. Neither could I see anyone else. I vented a loud gasp of frustration.

It seemed empty. Lifeless. Almost as if there hadn't been anyone here in years. It was eerie. I was at least hoping for Grovyle to come speak to me again so I could learn anything else about the cave.

...about why I saw myself in the mirror. About who I was.

I clutched my head once more. I couldn't remember. Who was the reflection I saw? I knew it was me, but I don't know who I am…

An idea struck me. Whatever this world was operating on, it certainly had to do with my confusion. Perhaps that was the way out of this hell.

I remembered back to my first and second visits to the town. They were treated with an identical response. Maybe I got unlucky this third time entering from a different angle, and just needed to reset whatever time loop this town was in. Quirky and perhaps ludicrous, but I was accepting this world's strange factor and taking it for what it was.

So I did. I went running for the forest. Once I had reached the oak tree, my original starting point, I walked back towards the town… before I saw myself in the mirror again.

"The reflection? How'd he get here?" I whispered to myself in fear. I was physically shaking.

Without warning the alternate called out extremely loud.

"Hello, I'm flattered at the invitation but what I need help with is letting me know who I am."

"Help? B-but you're me!" I exclaimed with shock.

"Yes I'm sorry if it sounds weird, but I just woke up in that forest over there and I cannot remember my identity."

"But I just said that you're me!"

"Uhm excuse my lack of understanding but can you repeat that?"

"I said... " Wait a second.

This was the same conversation I had in the first place… but my role was reversed? I didn't answer right away and looked into my alternate's eyes. His expression was plain and unnerving… or perhaps it was unnerving just because of that face. None of his original wounds persisted beyond the cave either, making the situation even more creepy.

I noticed something else. I moved my arm, and he didn't. While it was true I wasn't looking at a mirror this time, in the cave he at least attempted to mimic my movements. This time he met me with a static position.

"You need to go to the mountains." I spoke, trying to think of something to say. "That's where I saw you last. That's where you belong."

The alternate's eyes stayed level, then squinted a little.

"Excuse me for a moment sir."

And this was the part where I hoped he would run away as I had done. But evidently I hadn't escaped that easily. My alternate stood there, motionless, continuing to gaze at my own eyes.

I felt evil surround me, his presence drew nearer. I knew I needed to escape like last time in the cave, so again I ran. Like cattle to the slaughter I ran straight to the alternate. But I was so sure I was facing the other direction.

"Let's try this again." His emotionless expression twisted into an evil smile. "Except this time, I'll let you think instead of see".

He raised his arms and slashed his claws down the front of my face. The lacerations made me scream in agony and I collapsed to the floor, clutching my eyes. All sight faded from me and I was left staring into an empty void of darkness. I felt the ground catch my fall as I deafened my own ears.

I must've writhed on the ground for only a few seconds before another entity touched me, not allowing me to succumb to the pain.

"Hey! Stranger, are you okay?"

I held my face in my hands. Through choked cries I whimpered the word help. I couldn't take it, I wanted it to end. Was that the Grovyle? It sure sounded like him.

"Here I'll help you up!"

It was the Grovyle alright, had he not seen what just happened?

"H-h-help… th-there's a clone that looks exactly l-like me… he did this to my eyes."

"What's wrong with your eyes?" The Grovyle replied. The seriousness in his voice made me want to cry.

"MY EYES! They've been slashed out! Can't you see!"

"Oh no, now you're delusional too." He spoke in a saddened tone. "I told you to go to the southbound mountains. You'll find you're new hope there."

I started choking on my pained gasps. That advice… was familiar.

The Grovyle persisted.

"Come on now! You can't help yourself if you sit and mope around all day. Let's go to the cave and all be safe."

I felt him push me a few feet (in whatever direction I couldn't say any longer), before I heard him walk the other way. I sat back down and cried for a few more minutes before I mustered up any strength I had left.

I got to my feet again and felt stable ground. My eyes indeed had no function left and I was on my own. As much as it pained me to do, I decided to take my alternate's advice and think but not see. It wasn't like I had a choice any longer.

No way was I going to the cave. That's where I saw my alternate in the first place. Another reason was that Grovyle left without me. I couldn't make it if I tried.

Otherwise though, I didn't know where to start. I wanted to stay strong and persevere through the tough times but that was becoming increasingly more difficult.

"D-daddy?"

Huh? What had I just heard?

"Daddy, you didn't need to."

My mouth fell open. This was all too familiar! Who was this! I knew her but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Daddy! Don't do this!" The voice cried.

"Hello! Hey where are you? I can't see, you have to lead me with your voice!"

Of course it stopped. Nothing would come easy in this world, but something was too familiar for that voice to fade from my mind. Was it my child? What didn't I need to do? Was that the reason for the hell I was being put through?

I took a few steps forward.

"Please say something again! I'm so sorry if I hurt you but you have to help me. I'm in trouble… I'm in pain... "

I felt something graze my leg as I walked by. It was the pointed sign again.

"Soil we own…" I repeated from memory. "What about the soil we own?"

"This soil's all we have."

It was Grovyle again!

I didn't even get a chance to acknowledge him as he grabbed my wrist and yanked me to the ground. I knocked my head pretty hard on landing and was dazed. My body went numb, and I couldn't fight back the grass type from pulling me along the weeds.

My head throbbed again… I was getting used to it. But as soon as we started to get closer to town, I smelled smoke. And not long after I heard the crackle of flames.

"W-what is burning?"

I felt him stop.

"Our town."

I was silent. I couldn't help but realize it was a bad thing he was dragging me towards it, but soon I was off the grassy path. My paralyzed body felt dead plants crumble as I was dragged through the crop fields.

"The flames decimated our fields. We can't grow without good soil." He ended on a sad tone. What did he mean? Why did he drag me here? What is the point of all of this?

"Daddy why…"

I heard her voice, at the same time as the sound of metal being lifted up off the ground.

"We must do what we can. There is not enough for us all."

The Grovyle raised his scythe and brought it down heavily on my right arm. For a second I swear I saw the blood through my non existent eyes. Yet it all remained black. The pain stung at my body, as if tiny blades sawed away at all of my nerves. My fingers were on fire, but as I went to aid them, I swung and missed, hitting my severed arm lying on the ground. Grovyle picked it up from underneath me.

Panicking, I felt all over my arm, feeling nothing but the stub left. Blood fell from my lacerated eyes acting in place of my ruptured tear ducts. I wished to black out or die.

"Daddy… you did this."

"No… NO I DIDN'T! I COULDN'T!"

I flipped over, grinding my head into the soil. The soil was fine! We didn't need to do this.

The Grovyle began whistling. I heard a thump land in the ground, and the entity began filling in the hole. Once again, he grabbed me, this time by the other arm.

"N-no please… I-I beg of you. Don't" I pleaded.

"You can't see, but still you neglect to think."

The same slashing pain fell upon my left arm and I was kicked onto my back in agony. Grovyle's cackle echoed around me just as it had back in the cave. The headache… the pain… the smell of smoke. Too much pain.

"Daddy…"

I cried again, losing control as another thud echoed in the dirt.

"P-p-please…" I quietly spoke out. The sound of the scythe being raised once again was all that answered me.

I stopped crying, and composed myself. My daughter's voice called to me one last time.

"Daddy, I know the truth… and now you do too."

"It's my fault." I softly spoke.

My alternate stopped, scythe raised above my battered body.

"All the soil in our town was not worth their lives. Our hellish misfortune of believing we could shelter in the cave was a deceit only satan could conjure… and a fool to surmise. Our downfall came long before the cave. It came within ourselves."

His grin returned, as he raised the scythe even higher.

"Now one with the soil we own, Grovyle."