Training had been going on for the last few days. With Fusion Mode now their main objective to master, the Fusions will stop at nothing to unlock that hidden power buried deep inside them. However, the process will be mentally taxing from what everyone agreed upon. As it turns out, no one likes being reminded of regrets in their past. Some of them were having trouble even wondering what it was they had to reflect on or how accepting it works. Do they have to say or…truly accept it?
Regardless, it wasn't something they wanted picking at their brains all night. With physical training and Fusion Mode training underway, they still had a lot to learn in order to get a full grasp on their abilities.
However, it became clear to some this won't be the easiest task in the world.
It was the middle of the night in Gappei Village and everyone was fast asleep in their beds. No activity other than the calm winds drifting by gently. Within the hut of Quinn, Ren, and Artemis, though, things weren't particularly peaceful.
Quinn slept with his covers wrapped around him, attempting to be as sound as possible. However, Quinn wasn't known for being a heavy sleeper. He can wake up rather easily should anything particular disturb him, like a nightmare, constant bothering, or any particular sound that would alert him.
Like, for instance, someone walking around on the bottom level.
The nightmare lizard opened his eyes and turned his body around tiredly, checking to see what was happening. He found a small lantern sitting on the kitchen counter, along with someone messing around in the fridge. Unless someone broke into their hut, it was either Ren or Artemis.
Quinn threw his sheets off and levitated off the bed. He floated past the other two rooms and crossed his arms. Ren was fast asleep with his new book resting on his face. He's been reading that thing all week. Quinn checked Artemis' room, then found an unusual sight.
She wasn't in bed.
The deceptive Fusion made it clear that she hated to be woken up early or in the middle of the night, so seeing her out of bed this late raised some questions that the Charmeleon-Darkrai wanted answered. He floated down to the floor, careful not to make a sound.
As he guessed, the Sylveon Fusion was in the kitchen. She was pouring herself a glass of milk before placing it in the microwave. She put the milk back after turning on the microwave. She looked down and rubbed her tired eyes with an exhausted sigh.
She looked forward at the microwave, then smiled drowsily. "Sorry that I woke you, Spooks."
Quinn shook his head, then walked up to her. "Do you know what time it is?"
She shrugged. "Two o'clock? I've been awake at that time before."
"Yeah, when you were still awake and not in bed at eleven." Quinn pinched between his eyes and sighed. "Why are you up so late? You never get up once you fall asleep."
Artemis chuckled lightly. "First time for everything, right?"
Quinn crossed his arms. "Artemis, you're not pulling that on me. I know you. You lie through your teeth just to act tough." He narrowed his eyes caringly. "We're alone, you know. Don't need to put an act up in front of me."
"…" Artemis sighed, then turned to the microwave once her milk finished warming up. She pulled it out, then sat in a chair, with the Charmeleon Fusion joining her. She took a sip of her milk and set it down, tracing her digit around the edge. "Sssooo…remember before this whole deal with Roteman started and when we were talking about your nightmares?" She chuckled dryly. "Yeah, uh…guess I'm not immune to the same treatment."
Quinn leaned forward. "You've been waking up in the middle of the night, huh? Why? What were the nightmares?"
She scratched her head, clearly showing she needed to go back to bed. "Honestly, I can't remember. I thought nightmares would be easier to remember, but…I guess I can't recall what's throwing me out of sleep." She shook her head. "I didn't want to worry you…though, hearing myself out loud, I sound like a massive hypocrite." She laughed restlessly and rubbed her eyes. "…maybe I'm being stupid."
"Artemis, you've been pretty tired over the last few days. When did this start?"
She sighed. "I…guess I woke up in the middle of the night before that lecture with Cade. Nothing too bad…but then I found it harder to get any rest after training started."
"Is that so?" Quinn rubbed his chin and thought it over. "Hmm…curious…"
She sipped her milk and leaned back in her chair. "Maybe all that self-reflection crap is getting to my head. Making my…psyche all loopy and…reflective…" She crossed her forelegs. "I don't know, you're the smart one, not me."
Quinn tapped his chin. "Well, I'm not sure if there's much we can do right now. Perhaps we can figure it out in the morning."
Artemis groaned and rested her chin on the table. "Assuming I don't wake up an hour later."
He rubbed her back. "Maybe I can soothe you to sleep. You know I've dealt with nightmares, too. I know some ways…to…" He blinked, then looked at his hand, then at his mane. His eyes widened with sudden realization. "Wait…or maybe I can tackle the problem directly?"
"You're going to beat the nightmare out of me?" Artemis questioned. She straightened up and gave him a look. "Spooks, while I'm not one to turn down a fight-"
"No, no, no, no, not literally," he quickly stated, waving his hands. "I mean, let me enter your dreams and see what's bugging you so much."
Artemis blinked, then pointed at him. "You're suggesting…that you go inside my head?" He nodded, which led her to blush in embarrassment. "Um…I-I-I don't know, Spooks. I love you and all, but I don't think we're that far into our relationship," she joked nervously. She blushed brighter as he placed his hand on her paw.
He smiled at her. "You can trust me, Artemis. I'm just going to poke around inside and see what's bugging you. I'll try and convince your dreams that whatever's troubling you isn't worth getting worked up about."
She narrowed her eyes. "You're willing to stay up just to help me sleep?"
He chuckled. "Of course. I'd do anything to make you happy."
She blinked, then smiled caringly. "Oh Quinn…" She leaned forward, wrapped her forelegs around him, and kissed him, to which he returned the affection. They kissed for a few seconds before separating. She nuzzled his head. "You're sweet…"
"I try to be," he stated as he rubbed her back.
The Sylveon Fusion patted the back of his head, then whispered with a smirk, "But if you see anything in my brain that'll lead to teasing, you're getting the full onslaught of my type advantages." Quinn laughed awkwardly, not taking the threat seriously.
Once they were up in Artemis' room, the Sylveon Fusion finished off the last of her warm milk, set the glass on her nightstand, then relaxed her head in Quinn's lap. He made sure to make the bed comfortable before they performed the deed.
Artemis twiddled her digits together. "Sssooo, how does this work exactly?"
"It's pretty simple. I'm going to use Dark Void to put you to sleep, then I'll use a low level Dream Eater to place myself in your subconscious. Once inside, I'll refresh your previous dream and work my way through the shifting images."
Artemis scratched her head, a bit confused by his plan, but she shrugged. She trusted him, even if she was a bit uncomfortable with him going around in her thoughts. "Just…don't go snooping too deep."
Quinn patted her head. "You have my word." He inhaled calmly, then looked into her eyes. "If you're ready, we can begin."
She nodded. "Yeah, sure…"
He leaned down and gave her one more kiss before whispering, "Sweet dreams." He channeled dark energy through his hands, then sent a wave of it across Artemis. Her eyes widened for a moment, then they glazed over before closing as she drifted off to sleep. She snoozed soundly in the Charmeleon Fusion's lap.
He took a minute to admire her sleeping form, finding it rather cute. He shook his head lightly, then narrowed his eyes. "Okay Quinn, let's see what's bothering Artemis so much. Dream Eater." His eyes flashed red as a shadow of energy casted from his body and wrapped around Artemis. His eyes rolled back as he fell back unconscious.
Quinn opened his eyes, then found himself in the middle of a dark void. A pitch-black darkness that seemed to stretch on for miles. He looked around meticulously for anything out of place, but it was nothing more than sheer emptiness.
"Okay, I guess I'm in." Quinn raised his claw, then twirled it around, forming a ring of dark energy. "I want to see Artemis' last known dream. I want to know what's connecting her nightmares to her psyche."
He concentrated for a moment to find the right dream frequency, before stumbling upon something that felt nightmarish. Once he found his target, he stomped his foot down hard, rumbling the surrounding blackness before it shattered apart like glass. The darkness crumbled and vanished into dark wisps as it broke apart.
Once the blackness was gone, Quinn's eyes were bombarded with a bright white light. Soon after, he was hit with a cold breeze that slammed against his back. He gripped himself and shivered from the cold as he looked around. Once his eyes adjusted, he made out the snow-covered town he was stuck in. A blanket of white covering the buildings and roads. A powerful wind wash over the town, bringing about its icy bitterness.
Quinn narrowed his eyes. "Her dream starts here? Where is here?" He looked around. "And more importantly, where's Artemis and her nightmare?" He held his arm over his eyes. "Ugh, it's going to take me forever to find my way through this mess of a dreamscape."
Before he started wandering aimlessly, the winds spun around him and completely blinded him of the town. He covered his eyes as he stumbled around in the swirling snow. Once it dropped, he opened his eyes and looked around. The scene now shifted to a neighborhood covered in snow. It dropped him off in front of a small house.
Quinn narrowed his eyes curiously, then walked up to the house. He breathed on the window, then wiped it to get a clearer view of the inside. He peeked around and discovered it was a living room. Not too many possessions, just a simple couch, rug, and an outdated TV. There weren't even family picture hanging from the walls.
"Odd…" he mumbled.
"Hehehehe! You can't catch me, Daddy!"
Quinn's eyes immediately darted to the squeaking voice coming into the living room. His eyes widened upon seeing it was an Eevee-Scrafty, one completely identical to Artemis when she was still an Eevee, only she was much younger.
"Artemis…" he said aloud. He looked around. "This is her home?" He blinked. "Wait, daddy?"
Just as he questioned that, a Luxray came into the living room with a tired grin. He wore a pair of glasses. He chuckled lightly. "Slow down, sweetheart. Dad's not quite that energetic today."
Artemis kneeled down, wagged her tail, then ran under her father's legs before leaping at his tail and biting down on it. Though, her teeth didn't do anything to hurt the Luxray, rather it felt like a light nibble. "Grr! I got you!"
Luxray wagged his tail until Artemis was thrown off into the air and caught in his forelegs. He smirked at the giggling Fusion. "Now I got you," he stated, tickling under her chin, making her laugh.
Quinn smiled lightly. "Aww…now that's really sweet." He then blinked, then scratched his head. "Wait, how is this connected to her nightmares, though?"
Before he could ponder it critically, the lights to the house cut out unexpectedly, leading Artemis to squeak nervously. Luxray rubbed her head, then glared up at the ceiling. "Dammit, the power went out again."
"OH, what a surprise!" Quinn turned to the living room entrance as a new figure entered the scene. A Vaporeon who looked absolutely enraged. "Power always goes out at the worst possible times! I was trying to heat up my leftovers!"
Luxray set Artemis down and turned to the Vaporeon. "Irma, calm down."
"Calm down?! CALM DOWN?! Silas, take a look around, will you! WE'RE DIRT POOR! We can barely keep this house running because you're stingy on paying the electric bill! You have a ton of money saved up in your account! Why the hell are we sitting in the dark?!"
"Irma, I've told you, we need that money to afford the new house. I understand this is all frustrating, but it'll all be worth it once we move out of town."
Irma scoffed. "We'd be better off living in a motel! Why couldn't you find a better job than what you've got now?!"
"I'm an intern, dear. I'm working as hard as I can to get the promotion. I was fortunate enough to convince my boss to make me a paid intern, but it requires me to be away a lot."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, of course! That excuses you for sticking me on a flimsy budget and leaving me to take care of that accident over there!" Artemis' ears drooped as she shied away from the aggressive Vaporeon.
Quinn's claws clenched the windowsill tightly as he glared at the Vaporeon. "Accident?"
Silas shook his head. "Dear, I know we weren't expecting Artemis to be a Fusion, but…that's no reason for such harsh language. She's our daughter and we have to raise her properly."
Irma glared the other way. "We would have more money to use if she wasn't around. Certainly save me the trouble of having to eat those tiresome leftovers in the fridge."
Silas groaned and rubbed his face. "Why do you have to be so greedy?"
Irma glared. "Don't act like you have a say in this argument. We're standing in a house without electricity! I say we'd just hook you up to a battery and power the house that way!"
"Okay, first off, I do have a say in this argument. I'm budgeting the money as fairly as possible. Secondly, there is no way I can supply a constant stream of power that would keep this house running! Do you know much that would exhaust me?!"
Irma glared. "And I'm not exhausted sleeping in a house without proper heating? You're too cheap! You leave for days, maybe even months, just to get that promotion at the science labs, yet I'm stuck here trying to manage the electricity around here AND making sure this one doesn't get in my way!"
"She's a child, Irma. She just wants affection from her mother."
Irma rolled her eyes. "Give it a few years and the real world will give her a slap to the face."
"I'm doing the best I can on such a short salary!"
Irma glared. "We could be living better if you put more money into keeping this house powered and stocked with food for more than a week!"
"You're the one complaining about this town for the blizzards! Don't you want to leave?!"
"I want a life of luxury, not this! I've never had to deal with this sort of life!" Irma snarled. "If you don't swallow your damn pride and use that money to give us better living conditions NOW, I'll have to do something about it!"
"Now listen here, I…!"
With that, the two shouted at each other loudly, arguing left and right on the issue of money. As they argued, Artemis crawled under the couch and hid herself with her forelegs over her head, shivering and waiting for the fighting to stop. Quinn stared at the small Fusion in pity, then glanced over at the arguing Pokémon.
He stepped away from the window and held his hips, sighing. "Artemis never mentioned much about her parents…though, she did mention her mother was cruel and…her father was…no longer with her…"
His eyes widened as a strong breeze blasted against his back and obscured the scene in front of him. He turned around and found himself in a new location. He was now inside the house, specifically near the front door. He jumped back when he saw he was in the middle of Silas and Irma, with the former looking utterly shocked by something the Vaporeon said.
"What do you mean you're leaving?!"
Irma sneered. "You heard me." She glared down at the meek Fusion, who looked at her front paws awkwardly. "Frankly, I was getting sick and tired of taking care of her! However, what I'm really getting annoyed with is YOU!" she yelled, making Silas flinch.
"W-What do you mean?"
"Oh, don't give me that! Every day, it's the same excuse! We can't afford anything because you want to save up for our future! Well, guess what, buster?! I'm done living like this! I'd be better off living homeless! At least then, I wouldn't have to worry about budgeting money!"
Silas was absolutely baffled by her. "Y-Y-You can't be serious! You'd rather live out in the cold than in the comforts of our house?! How does that make sense?!"
"Oh please, I can find someplace better to live! I refuse to stay in a barely functioning house raising this thing for no reason other than for standards!"
Silas gripped his head and shouted out in frustration. "You…You…You can't just do that! I'm doing all I can to raise money! If you just stay patient with me for a little longer-"
"A little longer?! How much longer?! Another year of freezing our butts off?!" She glared. "I didn't marry you just to work for my survival! Look at us! We're poor because you are so darn cheap! I want is something more! I will not stand living out here with no benefit whatsoever!"
Silas glared back at her, angrily. "Irma, I'm doing everything I can! I'm doing this for you and Artemis!"
"You have a funny way of showing it…" She glared at the meek Fusion. "We'd be better off living on the streets and living like thieves. Dishonest work, sure, but at least we'd have a better chance of living out here when the answer is right in front of us!"
Silas clenched his teeth. "You complain about this town, now you're complaining about money troubles! I thought you would be able to put up with some budget restraints!"
"You're a scientist, not an accountant! Bland microwavable meals, faulty power, all this FREAKIN' snow, and so much more I should be mad about! Frankly, you've been making my life worse ever since we moved here, all because we needed somewhere cheap to live so we can get a better home!"
Quinn stepped next to Silas and observed the pain in his eyes. The Luxray looked like he was struggling to not cry. The Charmeleon Fusion noticed Artemis walking away from her mother and looking up at her dad. He rubbed his eyes, then asked, "Y-Yes, sweetheart?"
Her eyes watered, then she hugged her foreleg. "I don't like it when you're sad, Daddy…" She closed her eyes. "Please don't be sad…"
Silas resisted the need to breakdown into tears for the sake of his daughter's wishes. He scooped her up in his paws and looked at her. "Artemis…I'm sorry you've had to live like this. I promise you, I'll find some way to make everything better. It'll be hard, and you may have to tough some things out. But I know you can handle it."
Artemis quivered, then clenched her eyes shut and gave a sharp nod. "I-I'll be strong, Daddy!"
Silas hugged the little Fusion. "That's my girl…"
Quinn smiled lightly at the bonding between the two, then turned his attention to Irma. Now, it'd make sense that Artemis wouldn't be able to remember every exact detail from her memories. She had a rough idea of what her house looked like since she lived in it for so long. It'd also make sense that she wouldn't remember her mother's expression during this moment since she wasn't looking at her.
What didn't make sense was the shadowed over face the Vaporeon gave, followed by a flash of blood red from her eye. Quinn's blood went cold as he back away from the Vaporeon. Something about this didn't feel like a memory.
"When I ask for something…" Irma said slowly, though it felt like it was being directly aimed at Quinn, much to his horror. "I'm not making suggestions…" She stepped forward. "I'm giving…" She flashed a demonic stare at the nightmare Fusion. "AN ORDER!"
Quinn screamed and tripped over backwards, following on the hardwood floor. However, when his back touched the floor, the entire house and dream Pokémon exploded into snow, transporting the Charmeleon into complete whiteness. He sprung to his feet in alert and looked around frantically for the insane Vaporeon.
"What…What was that?" he asked himself as he held his racing heart. Dreams don't usually notice him unless he willed it. He definitely didn't will a dream Vaporeon to turned into a demonic creature and scream at him. The only plausible explanation would be... "I'm getting closer to her nightmare," he mumbled.
Moments after the brief scare, Quinn trudged through the blanket of snow, mulling over the new information he has on Artemis' past. Frankly, he wasn't happy with what he saw so far.
He looked down worriedly. "I never realized…Artemis had to go through a dysfunctional family like this…" He trudged through the snow, trying to find his way through Artemis' memories. "Controlling and manipulative mother and a father who…" He shook his head. "Is it really true, though?"
A piece of paper fluttered through the wind, catching his attention. He snatched it before he it could fly away. He unfolded it, then gasped. Before he could read it, the letter flooded out a water. A quick whiff of it indicated a salty smell.
"Are these…tears?" he questioned. That didn't spell good news for this letter then. He glanced over the letter. "Mrs. Copas, we regret to inform you that your husband, Silas Copas, was…" Quinn didn't continue. He didn't want to.
Artemis said she didn't like talking about her past, especially when it came to her father. She didn't mention much about it, but…the letter said Silas died in an accidental car crash. She told him this in passing, but never stayed on the topic for too long. Just seeing the letter that was ingrained into her subconscious with such fine detail…she must have read this over hundreds of times to memorize it so meticulously.
Quinn clutched the paper tightly. Silas seemed like the one thing in Artemis' life that made her happy. To see something as simple as a car crash strip that away from her, it must have broken her little heart at such a young age.
The letter disappeared into the wind as the scene, once again, changed, sending him in the middle of the street, in front of a small shop between two larger buildings. The front looked barely shoveled out of snow, which continued to pile on in front of the shop.
Quinn narrowed his eyes. "If Artemis has been living like this, then how is she and her mother surviving out here for so long?"
Suddenly, he felt someone walked through him like a ghost. He jumped back in surprise, then gasped as he saw Artemis walking towards the shop. She was dressed in a green winter coat and a black beanie, keeping her warm and concealing her Fusion appearance. The jacket, however, looked a little big on her. Regardless, she stepped through the deep snow before pushing the door to the shop open.
Quinn narrowed his eyes suspiciously, then followed Artemis inside. The shop was pretty standard. Shelves of food and racks holding items such as hats, keychains, and stuff that would make good souvenirs. Though, from his experience in this dream memory, this wasn't the best vacationing spot.
He stepped behind Artemis and observed her interaction with the store clerk, a Tropius. The dinosaur looked down at her and smiled. "Ah, hello, little one. How may I help you?"
Artemis dragged her paw around the floor shyly. "Um, well…my mommy sent me to pick up some berries and…"
The clerk chuckled. "Say no more, sweetheart. What kind?"
Artemis reached into her jacket and pulled out a list. "Um…she says she wants Chilan and Kebia…"
He nodded. "Very well. You wait here while I get those for you." He turned around and went to the back.
Quinn scratched his cheek curiously. "Hmm…she's just making her do errands? Well, I suppose that isn't so bad." However, he noticed Artemis looking all around her, as if making sure no one else could see her, before sneaking around the counter. The Charmeleon Fusion found this suspicious and jumped over the counter to take a look. "Artemis, what are you-?"
He stopped midsentence when he saw the bottles of alcohol lined up behind the shelf, clearly placed there to keep out of sight of children. Artemis traced her digit across the bottles before snagging some vodka and stuffing it inside her coat. She quickly checked over her shoulder before running back into place and waiting for the Tropius to return.
Quinn narrowed his eyes. "…oh."
He saw the Tropius returned, so he jumped off the counter and watched as he handed off the bag to Artemis. "That'll be twenty dollars."
Artemis fished out a twenty from her coat pocket and handed it over. "Thank you."
"You're quite welcome. Have a great day and stay warm."
Artemis waved with an innocent smile. "You too!" She pushed the door open with her back, then trudged through the bitter cold with the extra weight adding difficulty into the difficult task.
Quinn followed behind the Eevee Fusion, glaring ahead. "Guess she wasn't kidding about the whole stealing thing." Quinn held his face and groaned. "I can't believe this…no wonder Artemis has a thieving problem. It's basically her whole life."
He followed the dream Eevee for a few seconds longer before the scene accelerated forward in time and landed him straight in front of an abandoned apartment complex. Windows were boarded up and the exterior was weathered down from the wind and snow.
Quinn was appalled by this sight. "You've got to be kidding me…this is where they're living?!" He watched Artemis pushed the door open and closed it behind her. Quinn narrowed his eyes. "I've got to see this for myself." He melted into shadow and slipped under the door.
Once he appeared out of the shadows, he got a good look of the abandoned building. From the looks of it, the building suffered heavy damage due to a fire, based on the scorch marks surrounding the walls. No one must have torn down the building yet. Supplies such as TVs and battery-operated heaters were on the first floor.
He glared ahead and found Artemis' mother laying on a mattress. From the looks of it, the years have not been kind to her. She looked even more irritable than before. Bottles of liquor surrounded her space. She has not been taking care of herself, succumbing to her slothful behavior.
She sneered at Artemis as she walked over. "You're late…"
Artemis rolled her eyes and dropped the bag of berries. "Forgive me for not owning snowshoes. Do you know how deep that snow is?"
"I don't need any of your sass, brat." She sat up and rubbed her eye before asking, "Did you get my vodka?"
Artemis pulled it out of her jacket. "Swiped it from the front counter as usual."
Irma took it and popped the cork off before taking a sip of the drink. She sighed in content, then collapsed back into her bed. "Oh, that's good stuff…"
Artemis raised a brow. "Don't you think you should quit drinking so much?" She glared off to the side and muttered through her teeth, "Not that I would care…"
"I don't need advice from some child! Now get lost!" Artemis rolled her eyes again, then began to walk away to her side of the floor. Irma pulled the bag over and peeked through, asking, "You got everything on the list, right? Including my Razz berries?"
From the mention of Razz berries, Artemis ceased walking and froze with alarm in her eyes. Quinn understood what this look implied, as he also saw Irma's face twist in annoyance as she searched through the contents of the bag. "Oh no…" Quinn muttered.
Irma stood up, then marched over to Artemis with a glare that was clearly holding back a lot of rage. "Artemis…" She spun the Fusion around, who was offering her a nervous grin. "Where are my Razz berries?"
The Fusion laughed sheepishly as she tapped her digits together. "Ooohhh, right…those. Um, so…I'm not sure if this is worth pointing out, but…I don't have the best handwriting in the world and…" She shrunk back as Irma gazed down on her with a cold glare. "I may have…forgot to write it down?"
She squeaked as Irma grabbed her by the scruff and pulled her close to meet her furious glare. "I asked you to get my Razz berries. WHY DIDN'T YOU GET THEM?!"
"I just forgot! It's not like I could have got them! I only had enough for the others!"
"You could have just gotten the Razz berries instead! Or, you know, STOLEN THEM!" she roared, blowing Artemis' fur back.
Artemis gulped and shivered in terror. "I-I-I'm sorry! I'll go back and steal some! I promise!" Quinn narrowed his eyes in concern. He's never seen Artemis this scared before. He could see the hate burning in her mother's eyes as she glared at her own daughter.
"You're not getting off that easily!" She reeled her foreleg back and threw Artemis through the boarded up window, smashing through and landing face first in the snow. Irma stuck her head out and shouted, "And don't come back until you've learned your lesson!" She stomped back to her mattress and sat down, huffing in irritation.
Quinn glared at the cruel mother, trying to control the burning rage in his chest, before turning away. "Let it go, Quinn. You have a mission to complete." He leaped out the window, landed in the snow, then walked towards Artemis.
The small Fusion wept into her forelegs, absolutely fed up with her mother's selfish attitude. It broke Quinn's heart to see her so vulnerable. Artemis was always the one who acted tough in front of everyone, but…to see that this was what she used to be, it was almost jarring. A simple child who didn't know what she was doing wrong.
Quinn walked up to her side, then plopped his rear in the snow. He gazed at the weeping Fusion, then stroked her head. He knew it wouldn't do anything. This is just a memory, but it didn't feel right not doing something.
"Oh Artemis…" Quinn mumbled. "You didn't deserve to be treated like this. I'm so sorry…"
He continued to listen to her heartbreaking cries. He wanted to hug her and make her feel better. But, before he could give the thought any consideration, something jumped down into view, spooking Quinn.
He, plus Artemis, looked forward and saw it was a Sneasel-Dusknoir. He had a dreary, gray scarf wrapped around his neck, which Quinn assumed was a part of him. His feathers were yellow and his blue fur was rather pale, like that of a ghost. He had two yellow bands on each arm and his eyes were a brighter shade of red. They looked like they were glowing, in fact.
He crouched down and held his knees, smirking at the weeping Fusion. "Hey kid? What'cha doing out here?"
Artemis sniffled, taking a moment to look at him, before burying her head back into her forelegs. "Go away…I want to be left alone…"
The older Fusion, who looked to be three years older than her, nudged her sides with a cheeky grin. "Aww, come on! I'm a fun guy! You can't stay gloomy forever!"
"Watch me…"
"I would, but that'd be creepy," he joked. "But seriously, I saw what happened." He rolled his eyes. "Your, uh…mother seems like quite the temperamental nutcase."
Artemis' crying softened, lighting up her tense position. "…she is. She always has been…" Artemis glared at the snow. "…I hate her…"
"Ouch…harsh," the older Fusion mumbled with a smirk. He shrugged. "Eh, some folks just can't look past the prejudice. Let me guess, your dad's even worse?"
"…" Artemis looked away, her expression saddening greatly. "My dad was amazing…was amazing…"
The Fusion understood the subtle implication, then flinched in realization. "Ooohhh…I am so sorry, I didn't mean to sound insensitive…"
"It's fine…"
The Sneasel Fusion tilted his head. "Anyway, are you going to lay in the snow all day? This is how non-Ice-Types die, you know. Frostbite's a bitter death from what I've been told."
"My mom won't let me back inside until I've 'learned my lesson,'" she grumbled. "Basically meaning, don't come back until sunset."
The Sneasel Fusion crossed his arms. "Yeah, um…that's not happening. I can't really let a little girl die in the snow. I'd take you to an ice rock and work around that problem, but that's a journey I'm not willing to take." He clapped his claws together. "So, instead, how about we go for the fun option?"
"Fun option?" Artemis mumbled, looking up at him with a questioning gaze. "What does that-?" She stopped and blinked as he presented a spray can to the younger Fusion.
He smirked impishly. "It'll be fun~!" he insisted.
Artemis sat up with skeptical eyes. "You're suggesting we…vandalize the city?"
He shrugged. "Is anyone really going to try and stop us? This town's corrupt and broken down. It's practically uninhabitable for anyone who isn't an Ice-Type." He snickered. "Besides, we aren't hurting anyone…physically speaking. We're just going to give those prejudice Pokémon a little something to show we aren't filthy rats."
"I'm not sure…"
"At the very least, this is to help you blow off steam." He shook the spray can with a large grin. "Come on, I know you're tempted to let out your bad side. There's nothing wrong with being bad. If you ask me, it's cathartic."
Artemis narrowed her eyes on the spray can, then glanced over her shoulder with an angry glare. She looked back at the Fusion, then smirked and she placed her paw on the spray can. "When do we start?"
"After introductions." He held his hand out. "Name's Asher."
She shook his hand. "Artemis. I'm Artemis."
Quinn wasn't sure how he felt about this new friendship in front of him. Artemis' entire life was starting to look like she was molded by every bad influence that came into her life. Though, to be fair to Asher, at least the nightmare flame didn't want to incinerate him like he wanted to do to his girlfriend's odious mother.
Quinn flinched as he was subjected to another scene change via the snowstorm. He opened his eyes a bit as he found himself in front of an alleyway, with light, powdering snow decorating the grounds. The Charmeleon Fusion looked around, then his eyes widened in surprise.
"Artemis…just why?!"
The street he was standing on was covered in graffiti, ranging from insulting language to (admittedly well painted) paintings of threating symbols such as skulls, spiked bats to the skull, a skull being used as a bowling ball…wow, a lot of these paintings involved skulls.
One that stood out was a box shape emblem with words popping out in bold text, saying 'Mischief Duo.' The text itself was green with the popped-out sides being purple.
Quinn face-palmed and groaned. "I am…so glad I convinced her not to spray paint the city…" He shook his head, then made his way into the alleyway.
He came into a small section of the alleyway that was set up to look like a home. A dusty rug, a cooler, a couch, a TV, a makeshift sink which was really just a bucket, and much more. Sitting on the couch were Artemis and Asher, who were watching TV. Judging from how it was connected to a long cable, not to mention this was an alleyway, someone was being cheated out of power.
Artemis giggled in delight. "I can't believe you actually stole their cable! How haven't you been caught yet?"
Asher was sitting upside down on the couch, snickering. "I did a little rewiring. They'd have to dig through the walls to find that cable."
Artemis giggled once more, then looked down at her paws with a bright smile. "Asher…this past week has been…well, amazing! I've never felt more alive!" She flew back into the couch and laughed. "I feel so free!"
Asher spun himself around and hooked his arm around her. "That's the beauty of living on the streets, kid. No one can stop you. You're your own Fusion." He then narrowed his eyes. "Still, why do you keep going back to your mother if you don't like her?"
Artemis frowned. "I don't think I have the confidence to just leave…"
"Why not? You could stay here with me. I've got all the essentials to live off the land…well, live off other people's fortune." He frowned. "Seriously, your mother isn't worth your time. Just come stay with me."
Artemis sighed. "I…don't know. If she knew I was still in the city, she'd come after me. She sees me as her possession for her fortune…I've tried talking back at her, but I never had the courage to."
Asher narrowed his eyes and held his claws up. A thin sheet of ice froze over them, with a thick cloud of mist surrounding them. "You want me to pass the message off to her?"
Artemis shook her head. "No…" He lowered his claws and looked at her. She sighed and rubbed her foreleg. "I'll…figure something out. Maybe when I have the confidence, I'll try and leave…"
Asher narrowed his eyes worriedly, but sighed and looked back at the TV. "If that's what you want, I'll support you…"
Quinn narrowed his eye suspiciously, beginning to see a connection to Artemis' nightmare. Her past is heavily involved from the looks of it. He just needed to keep moving deeper to find the truth. He crossed his arms and said, "Take me further into the future. When does this all start to unravel?"
The snowy winds wrapped around him and blinded him in the white abyss. Once the cold air had passed, Quinn found himself on the rooftops, which were decorated in powdery snow. He looked over his shoulder and found Asher and Artemis, with the former covering the younger Fusion's eyes. Artemis looked older than before, around ten years old.
Artemis giggled, confused about the secrecy. "Come on, Asher! Why did you bring me up here?"
Asher grinned. "A little special something for a special birthday girl." He removed his hands, allowing Artemis to look down and gasp at the item sitting in front of her paws: a small, chocolate frosted cake with ten lit candles. Asher snickered. "Happy Birthday! To you from me, your first ever chocolate cake!"
Artemis' eyes lit up in delight. "For me? Oh Asher!" She lunged at him and wrapped her forelegs around his neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you SSSOOO much!"
Asher laughed and patted her head. "Anything for my best friend! You deserved it!" He pulled her off and turned her towards the cake. "Don't bother with the common decency crap! Blow out the candles and dive into that cake!"
She rubbed her paws together. "Way ahead of you!" She inhaled deeply and extinguished the candles with one breath, then threw her head into the cake and much loudly on the chocolatey treat, much to the amusement of Asher and Quinn.
Quinn scratched his head with a light chuckle. "Heh…wow." He looked up at the sky. "So, this is her birthday. The fourteenth of March." He smiled to himself. "Guess she did have some fond memories to call back to."
A little while after Artemis finished her cake, she and Asher walked along the sidewalk with Quinn following close behind. Artemis tried to lick frosting she had stained on her cheeks. Her jittery eyes and wagging tail showed she absolutely enjoyed her cake, along with a small dose of sugar rush.
Asher snickered at her bouncy behavior. "Maybe I should have gotten you an even smaller cake."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Too late now!"
Asher laughed. "Whatever." He looked on ahead with his arms folded behind his head. "Hey Artemis? Do you know about that old birthday tradition where, if you blow out your candles, you get a wish?"
She ceased trying to lick the chocolate stains on her cheeks and looked at him curiously. "I'm not familiar with the tradition."
Asher sighed. "Should have figured if that was your first cake." He smiled. "Well, if I remember correctly, it's a tradition centered around the wish maker, Jirachi. Basically, if you blow out your candle on your birthday, you're entitled to a wish."
Artemis' eyes sparkled. "Really?!"
"Normally the tradition is done as you blow out the candles…" He smirked. "But hey, I'm sure good ol' Jirachi will make an exception for you."
Artemis jumped around the Sneasel Fusion. "Yes, yes, yes!" She raised her paw up high. "Then my wish is for an infinite supply of-!"
"Doesn't work if you say it out loud," Asher warned with a teasing grin. "Plus, it's not to be taken literally. Jirachi won't come down and go out of her way to make your wish come true." He smirked. "Also, you're seriously going to waste your wish on food?"
Artemis pouted with a bright blush. "Shut up!" Asher laughed out loud heartily, which got Artemis to soon join in.
Quinn rolled his eyes and chuckled along with them. His eyes widened as the snow picked up and changed the scene once more. However, this scene change was a little different as the world seemed to rumble. Quinn stumbled around and caught himself. He narrowed his eyes cautiously and held his fists up defensively.
"I don't like the looks of this…" he told himself.
The snow dispersed and transported him back into the crummy apartment complex. He looked around cautiously before setting his eyes on Irma and Artemis, with the mother scolding her daughter for the umpteenth time.
"Where have you been?! I sent you to get vodka hours ago!" she shouted at the Fusion.
Artemis seemed rather unfazed and glanced off to the side uncaringly. "I got lost…"
"That's a load of crap!" She jabbed Artemis' chest. "I don't ask for much around here! All I wanted is for you to steal some supplies so we can live a leisurely life out here!"
Artemis narrowed her eyes and pushed her paw away. "No…you want to live a leisurely life. You're using me to get that leisure, even if it means acting like criminals."
Irma sneered. "Oh please, you act like you don't like it!"
"I don't like acting like your servant," Artemis spat, trying to hold back a strain of rage in her throat.
Irma growled. "Listen brat, I'm your mother! You do as I say or…" She stopped talking and took a closer look at her daughter's face. "Wait…what's that on your cheeks?"
Artemis covered her cheeks, though halfheartedly. "It's nothing…"
Irma pushed her foreleg around and wiped her digit across her cheek. Irma inspected the brown, sticky substance, smelled it, then glared at the Fusion. "Why…is there chocolate on your face?"
Artemis rolled her eyes, then said, "Because I had a chocolate cake earlier," she admitted shamelessly.
Irma stamped her paw down and growled angrily. "Why did you have cake without letting me know?!"
Artemis clenched her teeth and looked away for a moment, before facing the Vaporeon with anger burning in her eyes. "Because it's my birthday, you ungrateful bitch!"
Quinn's eyes widened, completely taken back by her sudden outburst. Living on the streets and spending time around Asher clearly helped boost her confidence. The once meek and shy Fusion was slowly molding herself into the Artemis he knew from today.
Artemis stomped her paw forward and growled. "You heard me! It's my birthday, not like you'd remember! I went out and had some fun! I ignored your stupid list! I'm through running errands for you! All you do is whine and moan about how you want a life of leisure! Well, guess what? You're not the only one! I've been through enough shit in my life because of you! The constant aggression, the tedious nagging, and that stubborn pride of yours! All of it! I'm done acting like some tool to you! Either you change that rotten attitude of yours or I'm leaving!"
Irma glared. "Don't talk back to me like that, young lady…"
"NO! You have no power over me! You never did and never will!"
Quinn smirked. "Way to go, Artemis!" He gasped again as the world shook, knocking him onto his knees. He looked around vigilantly. "Where is that coming from?!"
He looked back at Artemis, who was glaring up at her mother. Irma glared back at the Fusion, then lowered her eyes as she let out a low, off-putting chuckle. Artemis' eyes widened, then she took a gingerly step back. Irma shook her head, still chuckling. "You simple, confused brat…" She looked directly at the Fusion. Her eyes blood red like blood. "Do you really think you can escape me?"
Quinn narrowed his eyes. "Wha-?" He gasped again as the world shook harder. "What the hell is this?!" His eyes widened as fire spread across the complex, wrapping around the walls, ceiling, and floor, trapping them all in a raging dome of heat.
Quinn's shock furthered as Irma increased in size. Her scales turned red and her face morphed into a more demonic shape that terrified the dream Artemis. She glared down at the tiny Fusion with a snaggletooth grin. "No matter where you go or where you hide, I will always find you! You can't…ESCAPE ME!"
"NO!" Artemis screamed as she dropped down and covered her head. "Y-Y-You don't control me!"
"I've made you into who you are! I've brought you into this world and I can easily take you out of it!" She slammed her tail down, rumbling the complex. "My word is law! You will not disobey me!"
Quinn stared at the demonic Vaporeon as realization hit him hard. "Her nightmare is tied to her memories…she's scared of her mother!" He glared and ran towards Artemis. "Hang on Artemis! I'm coming!"
Irma directed her attention to Quinn. "LEAVE!" She fired a powerful Hydro Pump that blasted Quinn across the complex and smashed him through the wall.
He gripped to the broken sides and looked down. Much to his alarm, they were no longer in the blizzardy town. The apartment complex was trapped in a spiraling, scarlet tornado that threw them around. Quinn gripped on for dear life as the tornado nearly through him into the unknown that lied beyond it.
He used Shadow Claw and hoisted himself back inside. He covered his face as the flames grew larger, blocking his path to Artemis. He growled and fired a Dark Pulse through the flames, but they reformed in an instant. He growled in annoyance, then channeled Dark Pulse throughout his body before releasing a wide range pulse that blasted the flames out of his way. He raced towards Artemis.
He narrowed his eyes as he found the young Artemis cowering in fear. However, sitting right behind her was present day Artemis, who faced away from the monstrous representation of her mother with her eyes and ears covered.
Irma roared at the Fusion. "You can't hide from me forever!"
Artemis clenched her teeth. "Go AWAY! I never want to see you again!"
"You can't run away! I will find you! I will bring you back even if I have to kill you!"
Artemis snarled through her teeth. "I'm…not…scared! I don't care!"
The younger Artemis cried loudly into her forelegs. "I WANT DADDY BACK!"
"He's never coming back!" Irma roared as she raised her paw. "You belong to ME!"
She swung her paw at them, but a massive Shadow Claw sprung from the floor and blocked her attack. She glared forward as Quinn flew up to eye level, crossing her arms.
"You're not laying a paw on her," he threatened darkly.
The demonic Vaporeon roared in his face and fired Hydro Pump again. Quinn clapped his hands and fired off Will-O-Wisp. The two attacks collided and burst into a thick steam. Irma waved her paws around to smack Quinn out of the air. He flew around her and fired Dark Pulse in the back of her neck.
"Artemis!" he shouted as he dodged another attack. "This isn't real! You have no reason to fear your mother!" He fired Flamethrower in the monster's eyes. She recoiled in pain as her eyes smoked.
Artemis didn't seem to listen as she shook her head frantically. "She won't go away! SHE WON'T LEAVE!"
Quinn flew all around the demonic Vaporeon, firing off rapid fire Dark Pulses. "Why are you scared of her?! You have nothing to fear!"
"Because I don't want to face my past!" she screamed. She slammed her paws down and tried to keep herself from tearing up. "I don't…want to remember the abuse. I don't…want to reflect on what was. I just can't…it's too much." She collapsed to the ground and buried her head in her forelegs. "It's too hard…to forget the worst years of my life…they haunt me…everything about my mother…everything I can remember…it all becomes twisted and heartless. It's a nightmare I never want to relive!"
Quinn narrowed his eyes sympathetically, then glared furiously at the monster Vaporeon. She attempted to grab him so she could eat him, but Quinn's eyes flashed red and fired his shadow off for a Dream Eater. Since this was all a dream, his Dream Eater slashed through the monster like a hot knife. She recoiled and screeched in pain. Quinn slammed his palms against her stomach and blasted her far back with Dark Pulse.
Quinn landed in front of Artemis, then picked her up so he could look at her. "Artemis…I know you don't want to remember your past. I get it…whenever you look back, you don't see a parental figure. You see a monster that's made you feel miserable." He narrowed his eyes. "You only had this dream once before our lesson, but you didn't let it bother you. But now, because we need to focus on who we are and who we once were…"
Artemis sniffled, then looked down. "…it's all I can think about…" She clenched her eyes shut tightly. "I don't like feeling like this…I feel so weak thinking about it…I feel powerless…"
Quinn held her chin and looked into her eyes. "You're not powerless. You're stronger than that. The Artemis I know is tough, mischievous, outgoing, and doesn't let anyone see her when she's vulnerable. No one…except me." He smiled. "You know I'd never judge you. If there's ever a point or time where you need to cry, you know I'll be here to help you."
Artemis' lip quivered, a tear sliding down her cheek. "Quinn…"
"The village and I care for you, Artemis. Nothing will change that. Your mother has no power over you anymore. That was years ago. Now…Now you're stronger than you were once before. No one controls you, Artemis. We've all had our fair share of troubles to go through. Wash's madness, Shane's abandonment, Emily's grudge, Tamara's regret…all of us have something in our lives we wish to forget. You're just overthinking this. Your mother isn't coming to get you, and she never will take you. The past isn't the present. You're not a little kid anymore."
Artemis narrowed her eyes sadly, breathing lightly. "How…can you be so sure?"
He smiled lovingly. "Because I care about you too much to lose you." He wrapped his arms around her. "Artemis…I love you…"
Artemis stared forward in surprise, as tears dripped down her cheek and landed on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, then wrapped her forelegs around him. "Quinn…I love you, too…"
The demonic Vaporeon picked herself up and roared at the two. She pawed at the ground and charged towards them at full speed, but they ignored it as they embraced each other.
"I won't let anything bad happen to you…" Quinn whispered.
Artemis let his words sink in before smiling lovingly. "I know you will…you've done so much for me already…"
Quinn glanced at her. "What do you…?" However, he saw the demonic Vaporeon leap into the air and fired down a powerful Hydro Pump. Quinn gasped and covered Artemis, bracing for impact. His face tightened as he waited for the inevitable attack.
But it never came.
His eyes slowly opened, then realized he was no longer holding Artemis. He rolled back and saw he was back outside of the complex. The blazing heat now replaced with wintery cold. The sudden whiplash in scene transition through him for a loop.
He stood up shakily and looked around with a cautious gaze. "What…happened?"
He flinched and spun around as the ten-year-old Artemis was thrown through the window and crashed into the snow. He looked back at the window and glared as Irma sneered at the Fusion. "Now get me my vodka, birthday brat." She marched back into the complex, shouting over her shoulder, "And never talk back to me again!"
Quinn clenched his fist furiously, wishing he could have gone a few more rounds with the demonic Vaporeon. He set his attention back onto Artemis, who rested her chin in her forelegs with a somber look.
She sighed, then glanced forward as someone walked up to her. She didn't have to look to know it was Asher. She buried her face into her forelegs. "Asher…what do I do?"
Asher looked down at her with a solemn look. He sighed, then crossed his arms. "You want an honest answer?" She nodded. "…run away."
She blinked, then looked up at him in bafflement. "What?"
Asher crouched down and rested his arms on his knees. "I saw everything that happened. You've really grown out of that meek behavior of yours." He narrowed his eyes. "Your mother doesn't hold power over you. The way I see it, she has no right to call herself your mother." He grabbed her sides and picked her up onto her feet. "You shouldn't have to stay here. You should go out and see the world as yourself."
Artemis narrowed her eyes. "But…I'll never see you again. Why can't I stay with you?"
"You wouldn't last long in the cold like me. Besides…" He held her face with a smile. "You don't need me anymore. I did a pretty good job teaching you how to fend for yourself. Don't let society stop you from being you. We've reached the point in your journey…where it's time for you to find the path that best suits you." He laughed quietly. "All I've wanted was to help you realize you're free. And now…I say you're ready."
Artemis' lip quivered as she began to tear up. "Asher…" She clenched her eyes shut, then threw her forelegs around him. "Thank you…"
Asher hugged her back warmly. "You're welcome…" He sighed, then pushed her away. "Now go. Run far away from here. Don't even look back. Where? I don't know." He smiled. "Just promise me you'll be better than your mother. Be better than all the scum who've treated us like dirt."
Artemis stepped back, rubbing her eyes, before nodding with a bright, confident smile. "R-Right!" She spun on her heels and raced across the snow. "I'll never forget you, Asher! Goodbye! I'll miss you!" Artemis ran as fast as she could, with a new sense of freedom rushing through her blood.
Quinn smiled at the fleeing Fusion as the world dispersed into snow. He managed to calm the stressful Fusion. Maybe now she'll be able to sleep well tonight. It saddened him how much of her life she had to through or leave behind. It made him wonder if she missed Asher. Missed him so much that she wanted to return to him.
Quinn shook his head. "Maybe so…" He raised his claws, preparing to snap them. "Time to wake u-"
"What do you want, lame-o?"
Quinn's eyes widened, suddenly realizing he was in Grandis City. He stumbled back in shock. "Wha…What's going on? Why is she still…?" He blinked, then glanced sideways.
There were two Fusions bickering with each other. One of them was Artemis, a year older than before, who was bouncing an Oran berry in her paw. The Fusion confronting her was…himself.
Dream Quinn crossed his arms and raised his brow at her. "I saw you stealing from that fruit stand. What do you think you're doing?"
Artemis hummed exaggeratedly, tapping her chin. "Hmm…well, I think I'm stealing myself some lunch!" She smirked. "It's surprisingly easier than just paying for food. Go figure." She attempted to bite down on the berry, but Quinn's counterpart swiped the berry from her paw, causing her to bite down hard on her own teeth. She froze up in pain. "Ow…"
Dream Quinn tossed the berry back into the stall, then pointed accusingly at her. "You shouldn't be roaming around in public. This city has a big problem with Fusions out in the open."
Artemis raised her brow smugly. "And you're the exception?"
Dream Quinn rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I…needed to get out for a bit, that's all." He glanced to the side and grumbled, "Going to it when I head back, though…"
Artemis laughed arrogantly, holding her paw up against her chest. "Listen, buster, I've been at this for over a year. I haven't got caught then, so I don't plan on getting caught today." She flicked her tail in his face, then made her way around him.
He narrowed his eyes for a moment, then looked over his shoulder. "Where are you going?"
She shrugged. "Wherever my legs take me. Got a problem with that?"
He shook his head. "No, but…you don't have anywhere to live?"
She stopped and turned around with a smirk. "I'm a kid. You think I can afford some fancy house." She shrugged once more. "I'll just find some old box to sleep in or something. No big deal."
"Well, if you're not picky about place of residence, then mind if I make a suggestion?" She glared at him confusingly, then her eyes widened as he extended a friendly hand out. He smirked back at her. "You want to live in Gappei Village instead?"
Quinn stared in awe at the interaction between himself and Artemis. He stepped back. "This was when I first met her…" A loud boom sounded behind him, causing him to yelp and clutch his head in alert.
"Wow, this is amazing!"
Quinn's eyes widened, then he turned around. The scene behind him completely changed into a forest. The forest that surrounded Gappei Village. Fireworks were firing in the sky near the village. Laying in a tree above him was his dream self and Artemis.
Dream Quinn smiled at Artemis. "Told you we would get a good view of the fireworks from here."
Artemis chuckled. "I never doubted you for a second." She smirked and jabbed his side. "You've been holding out on me."
"Hey, I just know this is a good spot to see the fireworks. This isn't where I normally take time for myself."
Artemis snickered mischievously. "And where would that be?"
He tapped her nose jokingly. "You won't get a peep out of me."
Artemis rolled her eyes and laughed. "I can work around that."
Quinn narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to the tree. The fireworks being fired indicated the Gappei Village Festival was going on. Question is, which one? Something about this felt familiar to the Fusion, but he couldn't immediately place it.
As they lay together in silence, Dream Quinn tapped his claws together as a small blush crept up across his face. He smiled lightly. "I'm…really glad you said yes to joining me up here. I really enjoy your company."
Artemis glanced at him in surprise, then turned her face away as a blush appeared on her cheeks. She tried her best not to squeal with glee. "Why…Why wouldn't I? I love your company, too." Her face glowed brighter. "I…love being around you."
Quinn narrowed his eyes curiously. Something about this was definitely familiar. It was slowly coming back to him. "Wait…isn't this from two years ago?" he questioned.
Dream Quinn looked around nervously, then asked, "Artemis, I've been meaning to ask, but…are you…happy that we met?"
Artemis smirked at him. "Hmm…oddly stupid question, but yes."
"No, what I mean is…why did you decided to stay?" he asked. "Honestly, when we met, you sounded like you were better off as a criminal. What changed that?"
Artemis narrowed her eyes, then looked up at the sky as the fireworks exploded across the night sky. She smiled as another blush formed. "Well…this cute guy I know came up to me and asked me to come to the village. I was reluctant since I've never had other friends to interact with. That cute guy, though, convinced me to give the world another chance through a community I can trust and feel open with." She smirked at him. "Can you guess who I'm talking about?"
It didn't take long for Dream Quinn to realize who she meant. He sat up and looked at her with a bright blush. "W-W-Wait, really?"
Artemis sat up, then pressed her paws against his chest. She lifted herself up until she was staring him in the eyes. Her eyes narrowed as she smiled bashfully with a bright red blush. "Duh. Why wouldn't I? I had someone in my life who helped me stand up for myself. Now…I have someone in my life who helped me pick up the pieces of my life." She leaned closer. "You're an amazing guy, Spooks. I…don't know what I could have done without your kindness."
He narrowed his eyes. "Artemis…"
They stared at each other for a moment, wrapped their arms/forelegs around each other and leaned closer to each other's faces before closing their eyes and sharing their first kiss.
Dream Quinn rubbed the back of Artemis' head while she wagged her tail in pure bliss. Neither of them realized, but Artemis began to glow in a bright blue light that completely surrounded her. They were too caught up kissing that neither noticed Artemis growing in size and changing form. The light dispersed, transforming her into a Sylveon-Scrafty.
Quinn's jaw dropped slowly in awe. "This…was the same day we started dating…"
He flinched as a light breeze passed by him. However, this particular breeze made peculiar sounds as it passed by his face. The sounds sounded like…whispers.
"You've done so much for me."
"You've helped me step out from the darkness and into a new side of reality."
"You've helped me grow into the Fusion I am today."
"I don't know how else I can thank you."
"I love you, Quinn."
Leaves swirled around Quinn like a cyclone. Each leaf projected a memory of Artemis'. All her memories with Asher, her time in the village…and spending time with Quinn. Each one showed her being happy, goofing off, or just having a fun time with her favorite nightmare flame, before and after they got together.
Quinn picked two leaves out of the cyclone and looked at them. One was of the birthday memory between her and Asher. The other was of Quinn and Artemis sitting under a tree together, dozing off with hand and paw together.
Quinn blinked at the memories, then smiled warmly. "Artemis…" He released the leaves and let them flutter off back into the wind. Quinn spread his arms out and exhaled softly as he dissolved with the dream world around him.
The Charmeleon-Darkrai lightly shook his head, then opened his eyes softly. He peeked around the room. It was still dark outside. However, when he checked the clock, it read five o'clock. He was in Artemis' dreams longer than he thought.
Speaking of Artemis, Quinn looked down at the sleeping Fusion. He smiled gently as he saw the content, peaceful expression on her face as she lay her head on his chest. She had a soft, warm smile present on her lips.
Quinn stroked behind her ear and rubbed her head. "I see now. You never wanted to face your past…because it left scars on you as a child. Even though you're older, they still haunt you." He chuckled quietly. "I know the feeling…you wanted to deny something that bad could happen to you."
A tear dripped down his face. "I…never knew you felt that strongly about me. I know I helped you, but…I didn't know you held me in such high respects." He shook his head. "Asher helped bring you the courage you needed. I…gave you the life you always wanted. One where you could be happy with yourself. That's why you fell in love with me, isn't it?"
She didn't respond, still sleeping soundly. However, after subconscious hearing his words, she purred against his chest and wrapped her feelers around him affectionately.
Quinn smiled lovingly, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams, Artemis." Quinn glanced at the clock again and narrowed his eyes. "We'll have to wake up soon…" He looked back at the peacefully sleeping Fusion, then shook his head. He reached over and turned off her alarm. "If Peregrine gets mad at us for being late, I'll take the risk."
He pulled the blankets over himself and Artemis, then wrapped his arms around the Sylveon Fusion. He gave her a gentle nuzzle, then closed his eyes with a warm smile on his face.
They both deserved sleep.