Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter.The day was still young when Kira felt a paw on her shoulder. She groaned, slowly opening her eyes and looking up into the bright green of Aaron, a Midday Lycanroc who she still found rather confusing. Around her, the world was shrouded in darkness, but she could tell that it was still morning out. Maybe they were just in one of the tents she had seen yesterday. She was still drowsy, so she couldn't exactly tell if that was true or not.
"Come on," Aaron whispered, licking behind her ears to get her up. "I have someplace to be and I kind of need you to come along with me, Kira. It's rather important, so it's best to get up right now so we can have breakfast."
Kira didn't want to admit it, but now she really wanted to get up and away from him. His odd affection was something that kind of creeped her out, and she could tell that even Ragnarök and Leaf could feel the same thing. Now that she thought about it, neither had spoken since she had seen those visions yesterday. She couldn't be sure if they were real or just her brain trying to make things up, but that wasn't important. What was important was getting up and getting wherever Aaron needed to be.
After a few minutes, Kira found herself outside, snacking on berries that Aaron had likely gathered earlier. On the other hand, Aaron was biting into what Kira could only call a large animal. She couldn't tell if it was Pokémon or something from the human world, but she didn't bother to question him. She was fine with her berries, and she was more than sure that the canine was more than happy with his meat-filled meal.
"So, where is it that we're going?" Kira asked, her eyes on the ground as she tried to avoid looking at him. She was both scared and amazed by him, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else. He may have seemed normal, but there was something about all that normality that confused her.
"We're going to that lake I told you about yesterday," Aaron responded, pulling away from his meal, which was practically nothing by that point. "I just have a few people I need to meet with, and I think they might have a bit of interest in you as well. After all, you're rather popular in this area, Kira. After that tournament and your defeat of Kiminari, everyone has been trying to learn more about you!"
Kira nodded lightly, still confused by him. She knew that people wanted to know more about her, but no one had ever approached her or asked to come close to her. It wasn't like she didn't want to meet people, but it was just an odd thing to tell her that people wanted to finally meet her after this long. Even then, the only thing more powerful than confusion or the tiny bits of remaining fear was the curiosity to know who wanted to see her.
She quickly shook her head of the thought, then placing the remaining berries on the ground. By the time she had looked up at Aaron, whatever he had been eating was entirely gone, almost as though it had never existed in the first place. Kira wanted to ask what had happened to it, but Aaron was already up and starting to walk towards the forest where the odd mist began to thicken into a dark fog. Kira quickly stood and bolted after him, using her high mobility to catch up quickly.
As she followed him into the forest, a feeling of familiarity crept up on her. She held a hand to her heart and focused ahead, forcing whatever was trying to reach her away. Kira wasn't sure if it was another memory or just Leaf or Ragnarök trying to reach her, but she really didn't want to find out. She was happy with what she knew and felt, so why did that even have to change? With the revival of those memories, Kira felt pressured to do something. She felt like something was missing as well. Even with that on her mind, Kira felt more confused than ever before. No matter how much she wanted to remember, it didn't feel like it was worth it to remember anymore. This was a new life she had to live, even if the old one wasn't that great. From here, she had to save her world, not worry about the past that she had left behind.
"Kira?" Aaron's voice snapped her from her thoughts quickly. Aaron chuckled as he noticed a confused and dazed look in her eyes. "You might want to focus on what's ahead of you instead of what's in your head," he told her, his tail hitting the side of her head. "You might run into a tree if you keep zoning out like that. I don't need you to get a broken nose, kid."
"R-right, sir," Kira responded, shaking her head of whatever remained of her thoughts. Memories were great and all, but not when you were trying to save a world and walk through a foggy forest. "How long do we have until we reach the lake, Aaron? Not too far, I hope."
"Actually, it's only about twenty or thirty meters from here," Aaron responded, laughing as his tail began to wag lightly. "Or twenty-two to thirty-three yards if you don't know how what a meter is." Aaron simply shrugged before chuckling lightly. "I wonder how Houndour will react to knowing I found you. That guy was always so ticked when I found something he had lost."
"I'm not lost!" Kira snapped, puffing her cheeks in annoyance. "I just left him and happened to end up here on accident!" She completely left out the part about her time in Esperanza Village for the night before. "Besides, if he had wanted me to stay, he would have asked. Instead, he just walked away, ordering me to be back there today. Of course, I'm not going to go back. He's such a rude little pup anyways."
Kira simply heard as Aaron chuckled in response. She felt slightly insulted by the chuckle, but didn't speak out against him as they continued through the still-thickening fog. It wasn't long before the feeling of her life being torn and forced into her body began to reach her once more. It wasn't until Kira saw her vision darkening that she actually started to get scared.
There was a moment where everything went dark, right before it came back once more. Kira found herself lying in front of a lake; a Snivy similar to how she looked laid right next to her. Kira felt confusion as she sat up, rubbing her head as she looked around. The fog that had filled forest was still there, but it was practically nonexistent right here around the lake.
"So this is what the memories of you have been like from since you woke up," Leaf whispered in her ear, the green-eyed Snivy appearing from the fog. "I must admit that I hadn't been expecting it, but it feels like this is what happened to my memories as well. I could barely recall anything in the thick haze that was this fog."
"I... don't think this is a memory," Kira whispered as she looked around a bit more. "This place is familiar, but I know I've never been here before. This sense of familiarity isn't my own, but someone else's. I'm not sure of who's, but it is from someone in me."
"Actually, it can't be," Ragnarök said as he too formed. "We're the only two inside you, Kira. Unless someone managed to sneak in when we were finding you as our capsule, I don't see how anyone would be in here." He was silent before he shook his head. "I just wish I could remember what happened in the past! This thick fog is tearing everything away!"
Kira understood how he felt. Every second they remained there, the weaker that she felt. She sighed and stood, stepping closer to the lake with a bold look in her eyes. She could feel confusion radiating from Leaf and Ragnarök as she stepped into the lake, but it was all blocked out as the confusion was torn away by pain. Every step into the water was like stepping on a bed of nails, only they went deeper and broke every bone they touched as she moved further.
Kira could hear cries coming from Leaf and Ragnarök, but she knew they couldn't stop her as she continued further into the water, right until the water was at her waist. From there, she couldn't move any further, nor did she want to. Her body looked down into the water, which was swimming with what appeared to be memories from her past. The ripples from her body unconsciously moving kept her from seeing anything properly, but she could just about make up scenes from the last memories she recalled.
"These... these are my memories," she whispered, the pain tearing through her as she tried to keep them together. No matter how hard she tried, they continued to ripple and slip away. "This lake... This lake has a connection to my human past, doesn't it? Why can't I remember anything?! Why won't you let me remember?!" Tears began to stream down Kira's face and into the water. Kira stayed there for what felt like hours before she felt something gripping her shoulder. She turned, coming face-to-face with her Snivy self.
"You don't have to worry about the past, Kira," she told herself, a faint smile on her lips. "What's important is the present and the future. We only look at the past so not to repeat the same mistakes we had done before, but this is a new world for you, Kira. Don't try and recall the humanity you once had. Recall this world's past, not your own. You'll recall everything when you need to. Now, let us wake from this simple dream. The future is soon, Kira. And so is your final decision."
Kira looked at herself before shaking her head. "But... what about what I do recall. What about Ari? What about Leaf and Ragnarök. I can't forget those memories. I just want to continue this, but I can't help but feel it's all worthless. I feel... no matter what route I choose, someone's going to lose everything."
"You say it like it's important," the Snivy chuckled, moving away from her. "Kira, you think everything in this world is done by our fate, when it's really done by our choices in the moment. You can pretend that you want to save everyone, but know that this is what will get everyone in the worlds we're in killed. Kira, you'll have to make a decision. The fate of your world and this one are upon your shoulders. You can't keep them on you forever, Kira. Soon, your decision will come. Save your world and return like nothing had ever happened on that island, or let it burn and stay here without your past."
She wasn't exactly sure how to respond to what she had told herself, but Kira knew she couldn't ponder on it for very long. As she was about to speak back, she fell limp, falling back into the chilling and painful water. She watched the surface before she finally closed her eyes, faintly smiling as she returned to the waking world.
Kira slowly opened her eyes as she woke up, the sun baring down upon her in an unfamiliar part of the forest. She kept staring up until she heard footsteps. Slowly, she managed to turn her head and catch a glance at Houndour and Aaron, as well as a male Pidgeot and female Unfezant behind them. There was also another figure hiding behind them, but Kira's vision was too blurry to make out the Pokémon.
"So this is the one you wanted to meet us about?" the Pidgeot mumbled, his voice old yet powerful. "I can see why you wouldn't want to care for such a thing, especially after what their race has caused us. But why call us because she had found the black opal? Until Duke is found dead, she will be no heir of ours."
"That's the thing about what I came here to tell you," Sage's voice growled from behind him. The Midnight Lycanroc snarled as he moved closer. "You said she is no heir of yours, right? Well, if my guess is right, that necklace is a sign of royalty and the rightful heir to the throne. No matter who wears it, she's meant to be if she found it, isn't she? Now, if we're past that damn subject, let's get on to more important matters. One of which is finding a way to stop our worlds from dying!"
"You say it as though there is another factor in play here, sir," Unfezant told him, her voice calm and sweet. "We all know of the prophecy Xatu had sent to the former king and queen, but he said nothing of there being multiple factors. Even if there were, what could we do about it? The prophecy wasn't ours to receive. The archives told us that, Mister Sage."
"But you know of the dangers more than anyone," Aaron told them, turning away from Kira as she became fully aware of her surroundings. "You have the scripts for the future thanks to Arceus, don't you? Why don't you share with us what your heir will need to know if she is to save the world from destruction. Her own world is dying, but I don't want to die without purpose either. Every time I looked death in face, I was brought back to life because my time wasn't up. I want to finally die, but I won't until the loop has finally been erased. It still remains, and it will until one of two things happens: her own world ends, or you give up on being selfish bastards wanting to kill Ari and help send her back."
"You think we aren't tired of hunting for that bird?" Pidgeot mumbled. "When we learned of what had happened, we had given up any hope and just wanted to rule with peace and hope. But without a goal, what's the point of being a leader? Besides, we're not sticking around to see the fate of this Snivy. Now, what's the real reason you gathered us here, Aaron? Or are you just going to run away with your tail between your legs again?"
Aaron was silent before he chuckled and simply shrugged them off. "Well, might as well get to the real point of gathering you here together." Aaron quickly glanced around before closing his eyes. "I need your help to get rid of the Dark One. I know that's what we've been trying to do so for years now, but I believe Kira may be able to lure him out of hiding. And with that, I also have a theory about how we are to get rid of the Infected. We already know that taking down the leader will eliminate the virus in whoever they infected, so what if we took out where it came from? Then maybe everything would return to normal!"
"I agree, but there's a small problem with your plan," Houndour said. "We have no idea where this Infection began, and we still have no idea who's leading it. We thought it was Necrozma, but how would he be able to control them as he tore through worlds and fed off of their light? If he was gone for even a second, wouldn't it all just come crashing down? And besides, who's powerful enough to control hundreds of Pokémon without revealing themselves?"
"And that's where my guess comes in," Aaron said with a light chuckle. "You remember that story of the Pokémon who nearly destroyed the world because of the darkness within the hearts of Pokémon?" He waited for any sign of acknowledgment, but Sage was the only one who nodded. "Well, I have a reason to suspect that he's doing something similar, but he's using Fear instead of the darkness. That's why that red aura appears around each of the Pokémon. That red aura is a Fear he placed within them, which is why even I often mixed it up for overflowing Flame. The auras are too similar to tell apart, and even Duke could tell you that. That was, if he was here as I had asked you, Sage."
"So you're blaming the guy who heard from Duke about your message?" Sage growled, stepping closer. "You can't blame me for what I heard! I was still having my beauty rest when you called! Duke answered, not me! I had no idea that he was supposed to come, Aaron, so don't you fucking point any of your claws at me and say I messed up! It's your fault!"
"Boys! Stop this!" Kira shouted as she pushed herself to her feet, the others glancing at her as she finally stood, looking half dead by that point. "We get it that you're both screw-ups and that you both positively hater each other, but can we please stop and try to think about this rationally? What are we even doing here? And why are we even talking about these useless topics?"
Aaron sighed lightly and looked at the ground, likely ashamed of himself. Sage, on the other hand, looked like his pride had been hurt by the short burst of words coming from her. Even then, neither really seemed to care about what she had said. They just seemed to be annoyed while having their own reaction to it as well.
"She has a point, but why don't we just get rid of what she needs to know first?" Houndour said, stepping closer with a light chuckle. "So we know that she has to find three champions and take them down to unlock the way to Necrozma, which might be where Kyofu or whoever it is controlling the Infected might be waiting since we all know they both want to destroy the world. And then we know that Kira will have to get rid of one world to go wherever she wants, but how will that decide anything? And then we also know that Necrozma is growing stronger the more light he absorbs, meaning we have a limited amount of time until he becomes invincible! What the hell are we supposed to do then?! We're already knee-deep in muddy water and we can only go down from here! Give me something that can actually bring us up from here!"
"We... We actually know where these three guardians could be hiding," Pidgeot said, turning and looking at them. "Our library holds records from even the beginning of time, and so we could find something there. The only problem is that the section where it could be is sealed off to anyone without the blood of royalty. Not only that, but the books and any information relating to them can't be removed by anyone, not even us. I'm sorry, but only Duke could help you with this. We're too old for this now."
"I... What if I went in instead?" Kira mumbled lightly, stepping forward with fake pride. "I may not be royal, b-but I can be an heir to the throne! If that isn't royalty enough, then the rules you follow are a bit too strict to the Pokémon of this world! What if a generation can't have a child and must adopt, or, like Duke, they leave because they can't handle the pressure? I might be your only key to figuring out how to stop all of this! And we can't worry about the world-ending decision just yet! For all we know, it could be a hoax used to deter me from the truth! We can save both worlds from this destruction! I can go home, a-and you can continue your lives here, right? Right, Sage?"
Sage was silent before he shrugged, starting to walk away from them. "Don't get me caught up in a bunch of shit I wouldn't care about," he growled, flexing his claws. "You can save the world, but I have things I want to do before I eventually die from a heart attack during a battle in that tournament I love so much. Now, don't call me, and don't ever try to find me. If you do, I will personally tear you limb from limb until you're nothing more than the remains of a chew toy." Sage glared at them once more before he left, his claws glistening before disappearing into the thick fog.
Aaron sighed as his brother left, then glaring at Kira. "You don't understand the danger you would be putting yourself into, Kira. You should leave this fight to the adults. Even if it is your fate, you will never be able to stand on par with beasts like Necrozma or Kyofu. They're too powerful in their final forms."
"And do I look like I care about any of that?" she responded, clenching her fist before raising a hand to her heart. "I have billions of lives on my hands, no matter which path I choose to walk. Either I leave what I had love to die, or I look at this and pretend it was all normal. Aaron, what do you think someone like me would choose? Their friends and people who constantly lied to her? Or the people who raised and protected her when she had nowhere to run? Aaron, give me one good reason to back down now. I know I what I want, but do you?"
Aaron to admit that he had been caught off guard by her response, but it was Houndour who spoke back, saying, "So you want to return home and leave those who made you stronger, huh? What about those limit-breakers that you were able to access? What about this power you hold in your hands?! If you go back to the human world, you will never have this power again! Your training will be for nothing!"
"Actually, from the very beginning, it mattered as much as the oxygen we breathe," Kira said, sighing lightly. "Those limit-breakers... are the spirits of my friends before they died right in front of me. Leaf and Ragnarök were the only people who stood up for me until I realized who I was meant to be! I was meant to be hurt because I was meant to understand! I don't like fighting, Houndour! And you should have seen that when I went in. I did it so you wouldn't have to! But then you went and betrayed me, leaving me to be attacked and then almost attacking me yourself! So you have no say in this, you pathetic dog!"
Houndour flinched back at her sudden outburst. He sighed before he turned and padded away, leaving Kira with Aaron and the current rulers of this land. They looked a bit scared of her, but her words seemed to have affected them a little, even if not much. Kira wasn't even sure what she had just shouted at them about, but she knew that it was enough to get them to be silent for a couple of minutes.
"If anyone has anything else to say, I recommend you say it before we finally stop this and start moving on with what we were meant to do," Kira whispered, standing with a dark glint in her eyes. They all remained silent, to which she then chuckled at, the glint fading and her eyes returning to normal. "Now, can we please go to that library of yours? I don't want to miss out on anything before we have to fight for our lives."
Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Chapter 9: Forgotten Memories P2. I hope you have enjoyed this fun peak into what could be the future. Also, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading.