There is sand pressed to Ninetales' cheek when she wakes up. Wildly, she staggers to her feet and looks around. This is Huntail Bay, she knows that. She's been here before. Ocean waves wash calmingly on the beach, and a team of Pokémon are trudging on the sand towards the water, all wearing hard hats. A Pawniard grumbles that he hates this job. A Ninetales is sleeping in the water, the retreating waves pooling around her damp body.
"Another suicide, huh?" A Pikachu says to the Ninetales, prodding her gently.
"Not exactly," A Marshtomp yawns, "Just a freak accident."
"Too bad," Pikachu shrugs. An Arcanine is watching from a distance, hanging by the edges of the beach. He looks like stone. Ninetales' heart leaps in her chest. She races towards her mate on the beach, running surprisingly fast even for her.
"Arcanine!" she shrieks.
Arcanine stares straight ahead dully. He looks at the Ninetales in the waves without emotion.
"Arcanine," Ninetales breathes in his ear, curling her body into his.
Arcanine's eyes remain fixed on the sleeping Ninetales. Ninetales looks down. There is sand on her paws. Not on them, Ninetales realizes, Under them.
She screams and looks at a transparent tail, a see-though paw. Looking ahead, she spot the Ninetales, being hauled out of the water, ruby eyes dark. That's me.
A Chansey nurse waddles over and puts a fancy device over Ninetales' heart. It is circular and glints in the sunlight, but Ninetales' is predicting what'll happen. She sprints over to the body–her body–to hear a long whine.
BEEEEEEEEEEP.
There is no heartbeat.
Ninetales stares down at her feet, looking at the beach through them.
"Wow," she says, and her voice sounds flat to her ears. Mechanic. Dead.
"No!" Arcanine screams, "No, no, no! Ninetales!" his voice cracks and he starts sobbing. He rushes forward to Ninetales' body and presses his nose to her fur.
"Sir…" the Chansey is trying to comfort Arcanine.
"Good luck," Ninetales grumbles helpfully to the Chansey. It's not like Chansey can hear her. Arcanine is the most stubborn Pokémon there is.
His next words are so quiet that Ninetales can hardly hear them, like a whisper of wind in her ear or the tinkle of sand falling.
"Please," he says, and then sniffs, "You're not dead. Come on, Ninetales, wake up. Wake up. This is my fault. Come on, Ninetales, let's wake up."
Something inside of her snaps and she begins screaming, at the sky and at Arcanine and the beach and the water and everything that ever went wrong.
"Yeah, Arcanine!" Ninetales howls, "It is your fault! It's your fault! You put too much weight on the cliff! Arcanine, you were the one who made me fall! You had picked a stupid flower somewhere in the woods, right? It probably weakened the rock! Flowers! Stupid flowers! Arcanine, you pansy!"
Arcanine doesn't say anything but burrows his nose deeper into Ninetales' fluffy fur. As if she can listen, he whispers, "I'm sorry. I love you. You shouldn't have gone this way."
He stalks off, and Ninetales runs to catch up with him. Finding her step beside him, she walks next to her mate. A little twinge of guilt takes her by surprise and she starts talking to him.
"No, Arcanine, I'm sorry," she starts, even though he can't hear her, "Sorry I said those things, I mean. About you. It's not your fault. It's mine. I was being really stupid," Ninetales coughs, "And… um… y'know, I was selfish. I am selfish. I didn't think about you or the kids or anyone. And now I'm…" she coughs again, like the word is a poffin stuck in her throat, "Dead. Yeah, sorry. I'm dead. It's not your fault. Don't worry. I'll be okay from here on out. Don't be sad about me. I'll be fine. We'll meet again, someday, Arcanine. Things have a way of working out. Take care of Vulpix and Growlithe. Make sure…" she pauses, collecting her thoughts, "Make sure they don't get drafted. Tell Vulpix that it's not cool to be a front-line fighter. Uh… thanks. I really love you."
As Arcanine strides ahead without a clear purpose, Ninetales breaks off and watches him grow smaller. As soon as she can't see him through the dense woods, Ninetales starts crying.
"PLEASE!" she wails, "I didn't want this! I said I wanted to die but I don't!"
Ninetales curls up in a ball and cries. The team carrying her body steps through her, the Chansey nurse waddling behind them. Her own eyes stare back at her. Dead. Cold. It only makes her cry harder.
"What am I supposed to do," she moans to herself. She isn't expecting an answer.
With a flash of white light, a tall, white Pokémon appears in front of her. Gold circles adorn his body, and around his head is a simple gold circlet. He radiates majesty, and Ninetales looks up, tear-streaked.
"You weren't supposed to die," he says comfortingly, in a ridiculously feminine voice that would have been funny in any other situation, "We goofed."
Suddenly Ninetales is mad again, up on her feet and staring down the god of all gods, "Yeah, you goofed up good. You control things, right, Arceus? Tell me, why am I sad? Why do I want to die? Why did you make me want to die? I don't have to be dead right now, Arceus."
She huffs and sits down, and Arceus shuffles his gold-laden feet, almost in embarrassment, and says, "Well, the sadness isn't entirely my fault. Sometimes Mespirit gets in a mood and does that, and sometimes Darkrai plays a part in-"
"But you admit that you goofed. You made a mistake."
"Well, yeah…"
"Why are you here?! Arceus, you're making me feel worse! I just left my kids and husband because of a stupid mess-up! It's your stupid faul-"
"Please shut up!" Arceus yells, then regains his composure, "I'm sorry. Please shut up. I'm here because I came to compensate."
"Oh, joy, I get a berry," Ninetales hisses bitterly.
"I was coming to give you a second chance, but I guess you're going to be sarcastic and annoying to me!" Arceus begins to stalk away. Ninetales processes for a few seconds and then dashes to catch up.
"Sorry, Arceus. I'm in shock," Ninetales begins. Arceus rolls his eyes.
"I want this second chance. Please, let me live with my family. Oh my god, I don't want to spend eternity on this weird beach like that ghost in Lavender Town. I want to see my kids!" Her voice cracks in desperation.
Arceus starts to glow white. Ninetales takes a swipe at him, but it goes through his body.
"Please, Arceus!" she pleads, wailing, "Please! My husband! He's going to blame himself! What if he dies too? Arceus, don't be a jerk!"
He disappears in a flamboyant flash and Ninetales feels tears again. She cries at the sky, cursing at Arceus and Giratina and Mespirit and Darkrai, and everyone who may have had a fault with her dying.
She falls asleep on the beach, and when the tide comes in it washes away the tears stuck to her face.