A/N 1: So, this idea has been somewhat lying around my head after reading a few reviews to my other Yveltal/Xerneas centric piece and having a few discussions with some other writers, both here on FFN and elsewhere. Finally got around to putting it into words.

Thanks go to The Dragon Lover, Rayshia and Chaos Githzerai.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Pokemon franchise in any shape or form.

Title: Perspectives

Prompt: "Oh, it's you." , I Just Don't Care Anymore

Word Count: 1436

Warnings (Non-Con/Dub-Con etc): Controversial themes discussed, swearing, slight violence

Summary: "You're not exactly blameless yourself, Yveltal!"

"Xerneas."

The Legendary of Life turned at the mention of her name, muscles involuntarily tensing as she recognized the dark, avian visage of her counterpart. "Oh, it's you. What is it?"

"We need to talk. In private."

Xerneas frowned. "Everyone in the Hall's a Legendary," she replied, somewhat sidestepping his request. "So just say whatever's on your mind out loud."

The Legendary of Destruction cocked his head to the side as he considered her words. After a few moments of mental deliberation, he shrugged slightly and straightened. "So be it."

A single spiked wing, large in comparison to its owner's counterpart, struck the female hard across her cheek in a blow that was more akin to a punch than a slap. The claws on the wingtip raked Xerneas' face, leaving a trio of crimson scratch marks that stood out against her blue skin. Time itself seemed to slow to a crawl after that; all other conversations and activities died down as the attention of the Hall shifted to the two Kalosian Legendaries - or rather, the tension between them. Shock quickly transformed into fury; emotions quickly reaching boiling point and rushing forth in a torrent of words.

"…what was that for, you retarded prick?!"

Another slap; the entire Hall winced as the sound echoed off the walls.

"That was for calling me a 'retarded prick'," Yveltal replied, his voice as cold as a cruel winter and cutting just as deep. "The first was for being one yourself."

Xerneas snarled, antlers flaring to life as her face contorted in anger. "And pray tell, oh mighty Yveltal," she hissed mockingly, "exactly what hideous sin have I committed this time to invoke your wrath?"

"Are you honestly that ignorant? Blissfully unaware of your acts of stupidity, Xerneas?"

"Do not waste time on petty insults, Yveltal."

The light blue eyes of Xerneas' counterpart narrowed as he tucked his wings closer to his body, looming over the smaller Legendary like a dark angel. Their gazes locked; in the face of death and destruction, life stood defiant - ready to face whatever he threw at her.

"Your recent… actions have not gone unnoticed, Xerneas." Yveltal began, causing her to snort. She knew exactly what her counterpart was referring to - her decisions to directly intervene in the conflicts and activities of certain groups of humans came as somewhat of a surprise, considering her usually-pacifistic nature. Whilst some of the other Legendaries (the Unovan Sacred Swordsmen immediately coming to mind) were more open to using violence and direct conflict to deal with 'worldly troubles', the Legendary of Life often took a much more moderate approach; she ended conflicts with words rather than weapons, and often directed her Pokemon followers to fight in her place instead.

"So I decided to change my tactics," Xerneas cut in before her counterpart could continue. Was he actually trying to tell her how to go about her duties now? "You have a problem with that?"

The Legendary of Destruction's eyes were now twin slits of blue, his expression as dark and menacing as the legends that portrayed him. "I was watching your recent battles - I saw the way you fought."

"What are you now, a stalker? Don't you have -"

"You left all of them unharmed," the avian continued, ignoring the interruption. "No - you deliberately refrained from killing any of those humans, or their Pokemon. You merely disabled the humans' weapons; if they continued to resist, you'd knock them unconscious."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing."

A muscle near Yveltal's right eye twitched. "Did you just notice?"

"What is there to notice?" The Legendary of Life snarled, irritation now seeping into her voice. A small part of her had briefly entertained the notion that she might've done something wrong, but those thoughts were quickly being replaced by other nastier ones. Slapping her in front of everyone, lecturing her on a non-existent problem - who the hell did Yveltal think he was, anyway? "My methods being different from yours? If you'd use that small brain of yours a little bit more now, maybe you'd realize that killing everyone that opposes you isn't the answer to conflicts! Or wait, maybe you don't -"

"Would you stop being so small-minded?!"

Despite her earlier resolve, Xerneas involuntarily reeled back as her counterpart shoved his face within inches of hers, his cold and calculating expression replaced by one of sheer frustration and rage. For a moment, he appeared to be glowing, radiating a sinister dark aura that seemed to absorb the surrounding light; she blinked once and the scene returned to normal, with a scowling Yveltal continuing his tirade.

"Did you ever stop to think about the Pokemon on your side? Did you even notice that your actions expose them to unnecessary risk? No, you didn't - you've always been a spoilt and selfish brat, Xerneas; always thinking for yourself, even deliberately restraining yourself in battles! What do you think battles are, a place for you to preach life philosophy to everyone?! War isn't a place for selfish assholes like you; always making decisions to please yourself! You're so caught up in your own ideals and philosophies you never notice the prices others pay for your stubbornness and insistence on sticking with them to the end!"

"Selfish? You're calling me selfish?!" The words flowed before she could logically process them; emotion replacing reason as the decision-maker for the blue deer. "Have you stopped to think that maybe, not everyone wants to be out there on that battlefield?! Children and younglings taken from families, by circumstances or by force, raised to be nothing more than gears of war; adolescents and youths made to heed the call of duty by human law, to fight for causes they don't even know, much less believe in! Who's the one being selfish when you take their lives, but do nothing about the sources of conflict?!"

"Sound familiar to you, Xerneas?" Yveltal retorted. "Just realizing how much of a bitch life can be at times to people?"

"Shut up!" Xerneas roared; it took every inch of self-restraint in her to keep the fight solely verbal. "Don't make me out to be the villain here! You're not exactly blameless yourself, Yveltal!"

The avian flinched; she continued, pressing the attack. "Did you think that I would not look at your records? I know what you did, Yveltal - or rather, what you chose not to do. The Eastern Kalos Air Base shooting, remember? Seventy-six lives lost and many more ruined, permanently crippled or traumatized - all because you chose to ignore the situation and not intervene!"

"You only noticed the tragedy, didn't you?" The mask had slipped back into place; cold and emotionless, resolute. "The signs went unnoticed - plunging morale, loss of faith, abuse of power, perceived unfairness, desperation. The humans could've mitigated the damage; prevented the tragedy, even, but no. Those in power chose to close their eyes and continue down the path of blissful ignorance."

"And what about the innocent humans then?! Those simply caught in the crossfire?!"

"Innocent humans?" Yveltal let out a single humorless bark of laughter. "Quite the oxymoron, wouldn't you say, Xerneas?"

"The innocent Pokemon then, Yveltal?" Xerneas snapped back; a small burst of triumph filled her when he flinched again. Thought I wouldn't see that? "Why should they have to pay the price for the humans' mistakes, then? Maybe you should start caring more about the humans as well, Yveltal; all their lives are interlinked, if you haven't noticed!"

"Then why do you let your Pokemon followers pay the price for your mistakes, Xerneas?" The male sneered. "You start the interventions, but they do more of the fighting than you ever do. How many of them lost their lives because you chose not to kill; chose to prolong the conflict, bottle the hate and rage? Their blood is on your hands, Xerneas - you killed them!"

"Don't be ridiculous! Lives are lost in any conflict!"

"So then why are you hesitating?! Why do you let the humans live at the cost of your followers?!"

"Not all of humanity is as twisted and evil as you make it out to be!"

Yveltal snorted. "Humanity learns more from experience than from knowledge. Tragedy, pain and loss. I have shown humanity what lies on the path of destruction, yet over and over they choose to walk down it. If humanity does not learn - no, refuses to learn from its mistakes, who am I to judge?"

"They can change!"

The Legendary of Destruction shot his counterpart a baleful glare. "Can they?"

A/N 2: I'm considering expanding on this further and making it into a full chaptered fic, do let me know your thoughts/comments.