SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SERIOUSLY, THIS IS A HUGE SPOILER FOR THE ENDING OF SUPER MYSTERY DUNGEON!
MAJOR PLOT TWIST REVEALED HERE!
THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING!
I'm Sorry, I Must Be Going
Pride. Pure, fond pride was what Carracosta had felt, and still felt even now. This pride the glowed in his heart was for the Tepig he had adopted so long ago, alone and wrapped in those blue scarves. This pride he felt was for Tammy, all for Tammy. For himself, Carracosta nearly felt . . . shame.
The words he had told Tammy yesterday, the day Tammy and Matthais returned from saving the world, still echoed fresh in his mind.
"You know... When I think on it now... In all the years we've shared, I don't believe I've once told you how proud I am of you. We may not share blood, but that's no excuse for me to not be a better parent... Forgive me. You did good, Tammy. And I thank you for it."
Carracosta had meant every single word, from the bottom of his heart. It wasn't that Carracosta felt sorry for himself, but he did feel that he could have tried a bit harder to be the parent he now realized that Tammy deserved. Sure, Tammy had been. . . difficult. . . running around causing mischief. . .but it was never malicious, and all the result of Tammy's energetic personality and adventurous personality.
As Carracosta kept himself busy preparing lunch for Tammy and Matthais, he thought on how Tammy must have always been destined for something bigger than Serene Village. Carracosta would never take back any of the stern lectures he had given his adopted son, he was only looking out for him, trying to guide him and keep him out of trouble. However, Carracosta did regret not expression his pride and confidence he had in that young Tepig.
But now, Carracosta had a smile in his heart and on his face as the bright and wonderful future shone before him. His son was a hero, and a successful member of the Expedition Society. Tammy had achieved his destiny, and with Matthais by his side, only good things could follow.
Carracosta turned to the front door and fantasied for a bit. He could just see Matthais and Tammy coming in, maybe a year or two later, boasting about mystery dungeons they've cleared, foes they've faced, and treasures they've tracked down and claimed for the Expedition Society.
"Matthais. . ." Carracosta said nostalgically, "Aren't you the best thing that happened to my Tammy."
On that note, Carracosta turned back to stir the simmering pot. Then, a few minutes later, he heard foot steps approaching. Carracosta felt he knew who it was. It had to be Tammy and Matthais coming back from the hill with the tree. Tammy had rushed out to the tree earlier that morning for some reason, and Matthais had run off to join him up there a while later. Carracosta turned to greet them, but what he saw completely took him by surprise.
Not only was Tammy not there, but the lone Mudkip had a look of utter sadness, loss, and grief stamped across his face. Although there was not a sign of a tear upon his face.
"Matthais?" Carracosta asked in surprise and concern, "What- What's the matter?"
The devastated Mudkip looked up at Carracosta, a hint of fear in his eyes, and took a deep breath to gather himself. Then, Matthais walked further into the house and took a moment to close his eyes, as if to hold back the tears that threatened to come bursting forth.
"What happened!?" Carracosta said louder, panic leaking into his voice, "Where's Tammy?"
Matthais winced, as if Carracosta's voice had been a Vine Whip, then he opened his eyes and said, "S-s-sir? I. . ." Matthais swallowed the lump in his throat, then continued, "When we got back here, Tammy and I, I began to think that. . . since Dark Matter is gone, since the world is saved, I would have to go back to the human world."
Carracosta thought on this, and found himself agreeing with Matthais' logic. His job was done in this world. And yet. . .
"I didn't want to leave this world," Matthais continued, "This world is more amazing than anything I could think of. The adventures, the different places, all the friends I've made. . . especially Tammy. . ." Matthais' voice cracked as he choked a little. He sniffed and shook it off as he continued slowly, "I . . . I didn't want to have to say goodbye to Tammy. My best friend. . ." Matthais paused for a moment, then continued, "I told Tammy about all this-"
"And he ran off, didn't he?" Carracosta said sympathetically.
Matthais opened his mouth to say something, but Carracosta cut him off.
"Of course he did," Carracosta said as he walked past the Mudkip and stared out the open door, "You two, aren't you an inseparable pair. And yet, after everything you've done, you'll be separated."
Carracosta sighed, and he turned back to Matthais and said, "I can't imagine what Tammy must be going through right now, wherever he is. Heck, I'm no too happy myself. I don't think anybody will be. We've all become so fond of you Matthais, we really have."
Carracosta then walked towards the worried Mudkip and gently placed his right flipper on the right side of his head, and he said to him, "But maybe, if you two can take down Dark Matter and save the world, maybe you can figure out a way to get you to stay. In fact. . ." Carracosta smiled, ". . . knowing how Tammy is, I'll bet that right now, he's drying his tears and deciding to do whatever it takes to find a way for you to stay." Carracosta nodded confidently and said, "So chin up, Matthais. Things will work out in the end. You'll see."
Throughout Carracosta's speech, Matthais did not smile once. In fact, his frown seemed to get longer, and his eyes more downcast with every second. Once Carracosta was done, Matthais shook off Carracosta's flipper, and said, "I already told Tammy that we had to find a way for me to stay. . ."
Carracosta nodded, "Yes. . . So what did he say?"
Matthais looked down and quickly said, "You know the story about Dark Matter? The one we told you? About how Mew and I fought it in the past, how I lost my memories, and how Tammy and I beat it for good this time?"
Carracosta nodded silently, his mind unable to figure out where this was going.
"Well. . .there's a part of that story we kinda got wrong," Matthais said gravely. He looked up at Carracosta, forcing himself to maintain eye contact with the older Pokemon, and continued, "The reason Mew and I couldn't get rid of Dark Matter the first time, was because Mew and I refused to accept it in the past. Tammy accepted it when he fought Dark Matter in this time. Mew denied having any darkness in his heart, and he struck down Dark Matter with all of his hatred. . . and that only caused Dark Matter to come back even stronger in this time."
Carracosta was following the story so far, but he still could not fathom why this caused Matthais to become so depressed. And where was Tammy?
"Mew only realized this after the fact. . ." Matthais went on, "After all of Dark Matter's hatred fell back down on the planet. So, Mew and I figured out a plan to prevent us from making the same mistake a second time. We sent our spirits into the future. . . and Mew erased both my memories and his own memories."
Carracosta's eyes widened, "Is that so?"
Matthais nodded ,"Yeah. My spirit became. . . well. . . me. And Mew's spirit. . . became. . . became. . ." Unable to look Carracosta in the eye, Matthais looked away and said in scarcely a whisper, "Tammy. . ."
Carracosta heard Matthais, but his mind wouldn't accept it right off the back. He assumed he must have misheard Matthais. "What did Mew become?" Carracosta asked, raising his voice with disbelief.
"Tammy!" Matthais blurted out as he turned to Carracosta, "Tammy was Mew! He was Mew's spirit. . . reborn. . ."
Carracosta stood in stunned silence, his head spinning from the revelation. "How do you-?"
"Xerneas was here this morning," Matthais said softly.
"WHAT!?" Carracosta exclaimed in shock.
"That's why Tammy went to the hill," Matthais explained, "Xerneas came to restore Mew's memories."
Carracosta walked toward the table and rested his flippers on it, for fear that he might collapse. It was all too much. Tammy? The young Tepig who lived with him? The child he had fed and lectured and raised? That Pokemon had once been Mew in a past life? It was all too much to take in.
"Did he. . . change?" Carracosta asked lamely, hardly sure what he was even trying to ask.
"No," Matthais answered, much to Carracosta's surprise, "He may be Mew, but he's still Tammy. He got his memories of being Mew back, but. . ." Matthais finally gave a small smile, which surprised Carracosta even more, "He was still the Tammy we all know and love. That'll never chance. Only with his memories of being Mew, he was able to understand exactly how we were able to defeat Dark Matter for good, and how everything we've seen and experienced on our adventure fit together. But in spite of all that, there's no way that optimistic and determined Tepig will ever change." Staring off into space, Matthais gave a light chuckle and said, "He doesn't have to."
Carracosta gave a smile to match Matthais', but when the Mudkip finally turned back to look at him, Matthais' smile disappeared.
"I. . ." he began, but then turned away again and said, "He told me not to cry. . ."
Worry took hold of Carracosta yet again. Getting slightly impatient to boot, he demanded, "Matthais, what is the problem here? I demand you tell me right now. I can't stand this!"
Sniffling sadly, Matthais looked back up at Carracosta. Breathing heavily, the Mudkip explained in a shaky voice, "Mew erased our m-mem-memories b-because w-we knew what w-would happen after we beat Dark Matter. When Mew denied Dark Matter and struck it down the first time, he connected his own negative emotions to it. S-so when Dark Matter dis-disappears. . . he . . . he. . . he goes too!"
Matthais stared up nervously at the larger Pokemon. Carracosta stared down at him blankly, as if he didn't understand. Then he said, in a low, serious tone, "What happened to Tammy?"
Matthais gulped hard, then said quickly, before he could loose his nerve, "He disappeared."
Carracosta's mind went blank as he tried to comprehend what he was being told. "Tammy is. . . gone?" he thought to himself, ". . . . . NO!"
Carracosta both thought and shouted that last thought, and it caused the small Mudkip to jump with fright. Carracosta took a two steps closer to Matthais so that he was standing right over him, and he said, "It's not true. You're-."
"Why would I lie about something like this?!" Matthais shouted back, surprising Carracosta once again, "I love this world, and I refuse to leave it! But my biggest reason for wanting to stay here was Tammy! He's my best friend, and I never wanted to say goodbye to him! But in the end. . . I never had a choice. . ." Matthais hung his head low and said, "Xerneas kept Tammy from disappearing long enough for us to say goodbye to each other. . ."
Carracosta looked up at the open door, staring at with a faraway look in his eyes. Once again he could see Matthais and Tammy coming in, maybe a year or two later, boasting about mystery dungeons they've cleared, foes they've faced, and treasures they've tracked down and claimed for the Expedition Society. He could hear the sound of Tammy laughing.
His son's laughter.
Carracosta came back to reality when he realized how heavy his breathing has become.
"I'm so sorry," Matthais choked out.
Carracosta promptly turned and walked briskly into the room where Tammy and Matthais had slept the previous night. He walked over to Tammy's bed and looked down at it as his a strange aching feeling began to circulate through his chest. Then he heard the sound of the front door closing rather quickly.
"Good," Carracosta sobbed out, and he let himself fall to floor. He laid his chin atop Tammy's bed, and he let the painful grief flow out of him. He didn't shout or bawl loudly, he merely lay there and wept quietly.
The tears of a father who had lost his son.