A/N: Well here it is, the conclusion of Arc 1. Don't forget, I have a pronunciation guide on my profile page. Hopefully nothing too tongue jarring will be present in my story, but it's there for your convenience. I hope you enjoy reading the conclusion to Fractured Unity. Arc two of Gift of the Protector is titled Pristine Embrace and can be found via search or on my profile. I'll continue to add new chapters, so please give me your feedback. Now, without further adieu, I give you Answering the Call: Revelations.
Answering the Call: Revelations
The wind from the southern ocean was beginning to pick up. The palm leaves rustled as the breeze changed in its intensity.
Mister Feyera followed Lorelei Carese, a member of Kanto's Elite Four, who was somehow able to commune with his thoughts. She projected her own form of telepathy. Edge found this to be amazing. For once he did not feel so alone.
I don't understand. How are you able to do this? Are you the other person with psyonics that Doctor Fuji was talking about? Besides Sabrina of Saffron? Feyera questioned. He gulped down, realizing that his obvious attraction to Miss Lorelei was being rapidly realized. Here she was, the one kissing him in his dreams. He never thought fantasies such as these actually came true.
He couldn't quite make out her face because she was quickly running ahead of him. Her long flowing indigo dress was billowing behind her in the shore breeze. Edge wondered how she was able to run so quickly in it.
"No." she responded softly.
But then how?
"I promised you I would explain to you everything, right now we need to go to Chrono Island."
Where is that? Edge asked.
She let out a deep sigh as she slowed down on the docks, "You still don't remember?"
Of course I don't, if I did I wouldn't be asking you! Edge was losing his patience. Enough with the act! What's really going on?
"Alright, here this is the…um thing." Her slender finger pointed towards a formidable yacht, easily worth more than his university's tuition.
"The…'THING'? Are you trying to be funny? Seriously?"Edge was confused by his guide's apparent uncertainty. This is yours?
"No not exactly, but she'll understand. There isn't much time though!" Lorelei telepathically communed as Edge helped her to untie the docking tethers. She then ran under the cover of the vessel's internal cabin. Edge followed her into the room. Standing over the massive ARMOS control system, she rubbed her hands together softly.
Feyera raised an eyebrow. "Do you even have the keys to this 'thing'?"
Yet she patiently looked down at the instrument panel unaware of his question, deep in concentration. Perhaps she was trying to use psyonics to hack it or something. Feyera had no idea the extent of her powers. If she was able to inject specific dreams into his mind from across a country, anything was possible.
"Oh right!" she said pleased. Her hand reached to her dress' side and retrieved a silver key from a small waistline pocket. Inserting it into the side of the instrument panel and gently turning it, the board illuminated shades of orange and yellow lights. She then ran two of her fingers along the throttle key, sliding the knob and jerking the large ship forward unexpectedly. "Sorry."
Feyera shook his head. There was being eccentric and then there was this. It was almost like he didn't want to even ask. Taking his attention away from the bumbling Elite Four Member, he looked at the stormy Southern Sea above the dash panel, Are you sure we should be going that way? Looks like a storm's brewing. How about you just talk to me here? I'm listening. To be honest, he wasn't looking forward to seeing how she operated "her" boat past the harbor.
She glared at him, her reflective glasses showed no emotion whatsoever. "Guess you mean business. Okay. We will go to Chrono Island then," he said softly; the drive for answers stronger than ever. Soon the pair were heading south straight towards the storm at a blistering speed. Edge felt uneasy as the waves slapped against the side of the boat rocking it ceaselessly. He stared across the horizon where a distant island was coming into view. The young trainer wasn't sure what to think of Kanto's Elite Four member taking him all the way out here.
But who was he to argue? Feyera wanted answers. He had been promised them in the dream and now he stood upon that very threshold. Where would he find himself next? Hopefully Lorelei knew how desperately he needed to remember. He thought about Reilken Mercurius. Should he tell her about it? What about Fredrick? Rallsen? How much did she even know? He was pretty sure that she knew about Haunter and definitely sure that she knew about his newly acquired Soul Badge.
Lorelei was staring blankly at the horizon, completely motionless despite the tremendous lurching of the yacht she had "borrowed." Could it be possible that she was the person from his dreams? It seemed all too likely that she was. But if that was the case then was it true that she had kissed him?
Feyera nervously blushed, but Lorelei seemed to not notice. Her unwavering gaze remained fixed on the southern horizon.
"Are you going to tell me anything now?" Edge asked without resorting to telepathic communication. No response.
He walked next to her, but her face was devoid of any type of recognition. Edge waved his arm in front of her gaze, but she continued to stare into the distant ocean, her slender arms not losing their grip on the steering wheel as she navigated forward. Hey! he said telepathically.
"I'm sorry; I am doing my best to get you back now." He was surprised by her delayed answer, it was almost as if she had been busy doing something else to the point where she was losing touch with reality.
What do you mean? Edge asked, concern filling his mind.
"I need to show you, it is far more complex than you may realize. There is no way we can do this alone, Feyera." Her telepathic voice was weakening. "I never realized it would be this difficult to maintain control for so long. And to think…AHH!" Lorelei's arms temporarily left the wheel as the boat swayed hard to port from the wind and waves.
"Be careful!" Edge shouted, his own arms held onto the wheel. She didn't seem to hear him, or if she did, her breathing was too irregular to talk back. She gasped before holding the steering wheel of the boat once more.
"Please bear with me until you arrive on the island." Lorelei requested. "I'll be okay. We'll be okay. Try and stay relaxed, that will help me. Deal?"
Sighing slightly, Edge looked out the yacht's windows at the pouring rain. Okay. Deal. Just please be careful, do you even know how to drive one of these?
He thought he heard her laugh mentally but her face remained completely static. The pair continued as the boat picked up even more speed.
Whoa! What's the hurry all of a sudden? Edge asked as he reached out to clutch one of the handles above the control suite.
Still, she remained very inert. Feyera turned his gaze from her to the large island they were rapidly approaching. The loud hum of the engines and crashing of the waves broke up the silence.
They were now well within the island's wide bay. The shallow waters were still lapping ferociously against the hull as rain and wind buffeted the large vessel. He didn't see a harbor though. Where was she planning on docking? "Umm…Lorelei?" Edge asked, his voice raising in pitch at the end of the sentence. She remained completely stationary. The boat continued at its brisk pace.
"Lorelei! We're going to crash!" he said frantically.
Despite Edge's warnings, the Elite Four Member's expression did not change at all. The yacht was maintaining speed and heading right towards Chrono Island's coastline.
Edge yelled telepathically, LORELEI!
"What is it?" she asked, slightly irritated. And then her eyes widened revealing heavily dilated pupils through the once reflective glasses.
Before she could do anything, the boat slammed into the jetty beneath it and the entire vessel was launched into the air. Feyera instinctively held onto her as the boat ran aground. The tossing of the cabin's interior decorations made Edge feel as if he was in a violently shaking box. Eventually the boat stopped moving as friction from the sand slowed its progress. The raw power of the motors stalled to a stop as ARMOS sensed the boat was no longer in the water.
"Mister Feyera?" Lorelei asked still holding onto him tightly.
Lorelei? Are you alright?
"What are you doing! Get out of my head! Where are we?" She was shaking from the recent impact and was clearly traumatized. His psyonic telepathy frightened her.
"Huh, what are you talking about?" Feyera asked, "You told me to come with you!"
"What happened to my boat! Why are we in this storm?" She released him and inched backwards. Her facial expression was now fully animated with worry and a hint of fear. Did she forget everything?
"I…I don't know honestly. You asked me to come with you and then you said we were heading to Chrono Island and time was running out or something," Edge recited what she had told him prior to heading out on the boat.
"Chrono Island? That island is east of my home on Floe Island."
"Yeah, well we're here now; that's where you had ARMOS take us. You seemed really keen about bringing me here a few minutes ago."
"I don't understand what happened, I don't remember. I haven't seen you for so long. It's all a blurry haze."
"What? You don't remember anything?" Feyera felt like he was quoting her previous telepathic frustration.
"I…Did I hit my head or something? Here, let me call for help," Lorelei picked up a small radio and frantically adjusted the frequency in attempt to tune into a rescue station. Unfortunately, the coastal storm was causing a great deal of radio interference. "I can't remember anything," she muttered, gingerly rubbing her head.
Edge shook his head, and his auburn bangs flopped in front of his emerald eyes. How did he wind up in this situation? And just when things were starting to look promising.
There was still nothing but static as both Pokemon trainers waited in the cabin of Lorelei's now grounded yacht. She had sat down across from him.
Breaking the white noise, Edge asked her, "What was the last thing you remember, Lorelei?"
She sighed, "I just don't understand, Feyera. I was in my house on Floe Island. It was the first time that I visited home in two years. But I had to leave for some reason. Let's see…what was it…oh, right. I had to investigate Chrono Island because of an anonymous tip involving criminal activities, but I don't remember what happened after I got there."
"Criminal activities…great." Had the Rockets made their way here too? "Do you think they hurt you?"
"No, I'm fine. Just kinda scared," she said, "I'm not usually like this."
Feyera responded to her worry with an anxious nod. "Wait, you said that there was a reason why I needed to come to Chrono Island so that we would meet here!" Edge said putting the pieces together.
"I don't understand Feyera, you're right here," Lorelei looked very skeptical, and she adjusted her clothing slightly as she sat up. "What do you mean?"
"Never mind. Don't worry about it. I have to go now. Stay here and wait for help to arrive," Edge said to Lorelei as she stared at him from across the cabin's confides.
"Wait, Chris…What happened to you?" she asked.
He looked at his reflection in the cabin's window as the rain continued to pour down. His irises, a rich green, were imprisoned by a ring of light. Their ebony pupils darted around at his opaque reflection. The shard on his chest was no longer pulsating in pain as much as it used to. His thin frame glided towards the door, opening it with a psyonic kick. She sat up in fright as it made a loud "thump!".
The wind and rain stung his face. Once outside, he turned around to face Miss Carese before leaving. "I'm going to find out."
He closed the door and ran out into the downpour. Something was calling him. There was no going back.
Walking from the yacht, Edge found himself on the sandy beach, trying to find a way to get to his objective. An unseen power drew him inland. The clouds above him were starting to pass over and the rain was not coming down as hard as before. Feyera journeyed past the beach and into the forest. An assortment of jungle vegetation was growing here. The broad-leafed plants blocked some of the now dissipating rain as the storm began to clear. Pushing apart the local fauna, Feyera found himself in a capacious meadow.
The grass was tall and thick, and the surrounding forest was completely quiet. He looked around the perimeter of the clearing, and saw nothing. It was all so very odd. He had memories of being here before. Multiple times as well. They weren't the same memories. Yet Edge couldn't connect any of them.
The rain stopped as he softly stepped into the vast field. The clouds above began to separate. Their splitting open gave the landscape a new and untold beauty. Flowers dotted the undergrowth. Their petals were brilliant amaranth. He gasped at the change of events.
Looking at the center of the open field, he saw a figure in the tall weeds.
Edge, looking out into the wet field cried out, "Just who are you? What did you do to Lorelei? What did you do to me?"
"Chris."
Hearing his name spoken in her unforgettable voice seemed promising. "I have no idea what is happening to me! Can you not understand the frustration? I am a broken man, and my fears are becoming reality faster than ever. I cannot survive this ordeal…" Edge paused. His breathing quickened. Feeling his chest the shard imbedded in his sternum radiated with tremendous warmth.
Edge decided to use his psyonics instead of vocal words. Please, I've waited so long for this. I have been tormented by my past. A past that is as unrecognizable as it is illusive.
Silence.
"Do you know who you are?" the mysterious voice questioned.
Frustrated beyond belief Edge responded, How can I know? I have no idea what I even am! My name is Chris. Chris Feyera. I've been a reasonable person my entire life. I was a Pokemon researcher. I was nearly killed by the Rockets when they robbed the Pokemon Sanctum two years back. When I came to, I had this! He angrily pointed at his chest, directing attention to the strange material jutting out from his clothes, its glossy shine as dazzling as ever in the fresh sunlight.
The questions were drowning his mind. Somehow, there was a force outside of him projecting doubt onto his cognition. It was truly strange; he was being fed his own self-doubts by the figure in the field. He dared not approach.
Was he really unsure of who he was as he destroyed those innocent lives? Oh how he wished he could just wake up from the terrible set of events that had taken place. If only he could just find himself in Pewter's hospital again, finding out that it was all just a dream and Onix had never killed Lawrence. And then his wicked unwanted powers. Those powers everyone seemed so keen on exploiting. His mind began to focus on the Rockets, and those who used others for the sake of profit or passion.
Even though Edge had fought the Rockets in recent skirmishes, it did not change the past. What if he was one of them? All he needed was hard evidence proving his involvement through both his awakening memory and his interaction with Agent Timothy Rallsen back at Celadon's Luxaira Casino.
The more he thought about it, the more obsessed he became. What if he had gone to the Pokemon Sanctum after all: not to visit, not to pay off a loan at the nearby bank, but to steal from the Sanctum itself. Was his innocence guaranteed? Was anything in this solemn hour guaranteed? He felt depressed. His mind felt overworked.
"Chris, you have to understand that you are not like them!" the voice seemed somehow closer but Feyera had not moved from the outskirts of the meadow and the tranquil field was still ominously empty and devoid of activity other than the figure in its center. Her features were obscured by the refracting mist rising following the storm.
Then, you know me. Because now, not even knowing half the atrocities I may have committed I feel guilt. Pain. Remorse. Why though? The details escape me. But I feel…you know me. Edge wanted to express the connection he had, but mere words, even telepathic ones, could not do the sensation justice.
"Yes," was the reply. "I know. I go through it too. You aren't alone."
Why will you not reveal yourself to me then? Why now? What has changed? he asked, as his body shook from anxiety. Don't you see me on my hands and knees, begging and bleeding?
There was a long pause before she continued, "Because you were not ready to hear what I had to say prior to this very moment. If I had told you at an earlier time, then you would have rejected me all together. I know it. It was a strange predicament. I needed you to help me, yet I just did not know how to tell you these things without losing you."
Why? You have been a prominent member of my dreams. I feel as though you are a part of who I am to be honest, Edge responded.
"You are more correct than you realize." Another deep pause. "Chris, I do not know how to explain this to you. You are more delicate than I anticipated you being."
Delicate? Far from it! Physically, yes he was weak. But mentally he had been so strong. He had confronted his deepest darkest fears in the Pokemon Tower, recollected the terrifying Progenitor Procedure, and even faced death when his psyonic powers took command of him.
What? I don't understand. Please, I cannot beat the Rockets. I know this to be true. Why are things this… Edge pointed to the shard on his chest, …way?
There was a deep sigh, followed by absolute silence.
"Well?" Edge demanded. He questioned vocally and mentally without even realizing it.
"You believe what you see, however you already received what you were given. *Sigh* You are not who you think you are, veh Feyera," the voice responded more somber than usual.
That phrase goes without saying. Of course, I'm not. Obviously. Tell me something I don't know! I have…unnatural…powers. Capable of rending apart the fabric of space, Edge smiled, his ego slightly inflating despite all of the uncertainty present.
"You are similar to me…you know about how we communicate…that is just the common path we share. What is the expression you use? 'But that is only the tip of the iceberg,' I think that's it. What I'm getting at is we share much more than mere telepathy," she responded.
Still unsure Edge responded, Yes, I know, you have made your presence to me noticeable. His smile was full of uneasiness. She had kissed him in the dream. That certainly did happen.
"This may sound silly—all things considered—, but do you…forgive me?" she asked him earnestly.
Baffled, Edge answered, Whatever do you mean? What did you do to me? You were in my dreams, but that is no crime. Then he stopped suddenly in a fit of doubt. How do I even know if you are real? Can I be hallucinating here and now? I've waited so long for this moment and here you are. It's all too real though.
"You've seen our power with your own eyes. You know it goes beyond the dreams. However, you are not led astray by the prospect of your gift. That is unusual for you species," she went on but Edge interjected.
Excuse me? My species? Feyera posed at a loss. What are you talking about?
"No. Forgive me. Not your species. I was wrong to say that. You are not one of them—not anymore. You have something differentiating yourself," she seemed to be slightly satisfied as she spoke.
Puzzled, Edge decided to inquire more about who he was addressing exactly, Tell me about you. This whole entire time I have been more concerned with myself than anything else.
There was stillness followed by an unprecedented surge of energy. Edge felt invigorated as the field's only partially colored landscape soon become drenched in all different types of embellished colors. The majesty of the Jacaranda's brilliant lavenders to the gentlest of Delphinium vanillas spun and graced the plant life. The beautiful Caladium petals were set against the luscious spring buds in perfect harmony. The succulent beauty of the meadow's actualization was nearly incomprehensible. In utter rapture, Feyera could hardly stand the immense sensory influx of color.
He stood, his trembling eyes fixated on the source of this gorgeous spectacle in the center of the field. He had no words to describe the amazing manifestation. Huh? I…it's incredible…
His thoughts were in a frenzy now. The field became so flooded with color that Edge had idea if he would even able to name all the fabulous shades and hues present in the new environment in a hundred lifetimes. As more colors continued to be spewed forth, their delectable shades were a true treat for the trainer's eyes. They mixed and blended, swirling in ecstatic pleasure.
There were evermore colors being generated by the figure. The flowers around her burst into bloom. As soon as Feyera thought he had comprehended the new wave of colors, another would cascade originating from their spectacular source.
The wind seemed to pick up only briefly. The young trainer found himself being pulled from the ground he stood upon into the air itself. He felt lifted in his thoughts to a plateau of unseen energy, and there he remained, floating in the sublime stillness and beneath him, all color radiated in faint hues of ever-shifting primordial splendor.
Her figure appeared before him. She was completely motionless. Edge's eyes darted about, while his face remained motionless.
"This is what it is to see emotion. Fully and unadulterated. You've been here before. It took me such a long time to accept that you would be gone, but it took me even longer to accept that you would be back. I made a sacrifice to protect you for as long as I could, I had to do without you," her slender arms gestured towards him. He instinctively grasped one of them with the hand not wearing the Reilken Mercurius. Her soft fingers brushed against his own, as they grappled with each other impulsively.
You're not a person are you? Edge quizzically responded, only realizing the absurdity of this question after it had been mentally blurted out. Of course she wasn't a person. She might have looked like a person from afar; for she wore a white gown, clean of all imperfection. However, up close it was clear that although humanoid, she had milky green hair, large eyes, a narrow frame, and a ruby shard protruding out from in-between her modestly curved chest.
At this she smiled, "Well…neither are you…"
Stumped, Feyera waited for the silence to break again. What are you? I don't remember, but it is all so familiar to me. Edge was still putting the pieces together.
"It's not just me…but you see…" Her hand clutched his tighter. Edge allowed her to pull his hand next to her pale cream-colored face, close the lofty spiked sides of it. Continuing, she finished her explanation, "I'm Gardevoir. Sana, when we were together, you called me…but my full name is Sanaria thas…"
"I knew it! You were a Pokemon!"he shouted at the Gardevoir. I… This never happened, you got it all wrong. I don't have any history with you! I never met you before. I don't have any interest in hearing that you were a Pokemon. I thought you were…
"You believed I was really Lorelei or some other human girl?" Sana gently smiled at his repelled expression.
Well of course I did! You deceived me. Your little charade in my dreams mimicked them flawlessly.
"That was more you than me, Feyera," she laughed as the colors around them seemed to reverberate.
How do you know so much about who I am? I'm just some backwater researcher who got tied up with the wrong people. No one special. At least not until I started being with Pokemon.
"You weren't always Chris Feyera."
"What?" Befuddled, he responded, My name is Chris! Chris Feyera! Edge defiantly pulled his hand back towards his body, bringing hers with it.
She didn't seem to be taken aback by his swift recoil; reluctantly, she released. "I knew you would say something like that. You really are struggling with the splicing, not only physically but mentally. I wish I could help you but I cannot…not in my current state. I tried to before. And…I failed," Sana concluded. "That's why you're here after all. But it was meant to be. There had to be a reason."
Edge contemplated upon her hope before responding, You have been completely opaque towards me. How could you expect me to just go along with you! How do I know that you are not an evil demon? Feyera felt his blood pressure rising, the thought that she was some evil fiend terrified him. His mind had taken him to Cartesian Doubt.
She chuckled softly and blushed. It was easy to see the rosy hue overtake her face. Especially under her tender scarlet eyes. "I can feel your resistance; however it is crucial that you help me," said the graceful Gardevoir.
Why? Why do I need to do anything for you?
"You're struggling because of me. A part of me. Inside of you. A piece you've forgotten because of me," The stiletto-thin figure pointed at Edge's chest while exhaling softly.
This was from the Rockets, Edge took her small hand as it pointed at the glossy crimson shrapnel slightly bulging from the center of his chest.
Touching the site with her outstretched slender arm, her three digits ran across its edges playfully. Expecting sensitivity, Feyera tensed up. And yet oddly it didn't hurt. She looked at him before shaking her rounded head. "You're more deluded than I imagined. That or just a master of denial. But you are willing to accept the fact that I have a personal connection to you. That tells me there is something elemental present. I feel you are not able to resist curiosity. Perhaps together…"
Why no. I never…I'm Chris. That is who I am. That is who I've always been…Right? Realizing his vulnerability, Edge decided to remain silent; his hand remained locked in hers.
"I have you here now physically," she took her loose arm and pointed to her heart. "But you've been here the entire time."
Stunned, yet intrigued, Edge continued to listen.
Sighing her head bobbed slightly and her hair bounced with her. "We have a history. Our lives were intertwined. The connection we had…humans have a word. Perhaps love? That's the emotion the sensation derives from. In any event, it was excruciating to be apart from each other."
Feyera now wore an anxious expression, I don't…I didn't love a Pokemon. That's wrong.
She shook her head, somewhat upset by his interruption. "There was always the fear of death, but never the reality. Ahh…yet that is why we love, we know that we can lose each other. Love is knowing that anytime you can lose that which is most sacred to you, and still submitting to the ephemeral wholeness it brings. It is an act of purest courage. Such an outstanding concept."
Love's important. Edge didn't feel comfortable being educated by the Gardevoir's explanation on love. It made him wary and nervous, for having some type of Pokemon relationship was not only forbidden, it was illegal. I guess. I mean I love my Pokemon because they're my companions. We're friends, you know.
"I know, veh Feyera. But I'm talking about that type of love for one other being; think of it as true love. Love you don't share with anyone except one special person. Until that fateful day, we denied death, because our love was so passionately strong. Yet death has a way of catching up with those whose hubris rules over them. And on that day, two years ago, we knew that we were going to die. However it was not the first time we faced death."
Edge nodded, trying to keep up with the story, but the thought of him being involved in some past taboo frightened him.
"When the men took you away…I thought for sure that I would never see you again. You saved me from losing faith in the past, and that is how I was able to wait for you. I did not lose hope. And then you returned. However, you were not alone. You had a pursuer bent on destroying you…us. I knew that I could not live without you. My final wish was to be with you no matter what. I wanted to live together with you for the rest of our lives. And somehow that happened. It did not happened the way I expected it to, but it did. I am sure of it as I gaze upon you right now."
I…I…don't… Edge stammered. It wasn't possible.
"Of course you don't… You're not fully on either side. Just because you relate to a certain perspective does not eliminate the possibility that you have ties to the other side of the disc," Sana went on.
So you are saying what exactly? Why do I have these psyonic powers over nature, why are they destroying me? Edge asked. He didn't want to acknowledge a past relationship possibly resulting in all of this.
"You are my protector," said Sana. "When we lived together, you fought valiantly to preserve our love. Against all odds. Even now, there is a reason for you being here, it is latent commitment to preserving what we had."
I'm sorry but I cannot recall…You're not you know… Edge was fighting back the urge to escape from this maddening proposition. His eyes stung from tears, but he could not acknowledge that they were his. You aren't a human.
"I had to pretend to be human so that you would find your way here. If I had revealed myself sooner…all would be for naught. That is why I used your friend Lorelei. Like I said before, I imitated her in your dreams as well. How else could I get to you? I knew that you had a romantic interest in her based on what you felt in Pallet, but…" Sana was about to continue before Edge cut her off.
Wait what did you do to her? asked Edge, the real Lorelei still on his mind.
"I briefly took command of her mind so that you would come here. I promise, I meant no harm; I assure you she's safe. I commandeered her consciousness when she arrived here not too long ago. It was incredibly difficult guiding a human yacht through a storm from miles away. Especially with all those…devices; no wonder you need two extra digits on your hands. I wasn't sure if I would succeed since it takes a great deal of emotional synchronization to guide a body that distance; to do it, usually you need to have intense similar higher-level emotions. But I had the thought of you finally being at my side, and I knew that I could do it," she beamed.
Yeah, except you crashed her vessel into the shallow rock bed. And now the real Lorelei has no idea what even happened, Edge had grown concerned and he wasn't sure if Sana was all too pleased.
"Well maybe I was just a bit jealous. Remember what I said about similar higher level emotions? One of those is desire. Besides, I knew you would be fine and I had to give that girl a reason to think she had amnesia." Sana chuckled.
Alright you need to cut it out and come clean. Edge growled, his patience running thin. You say you will provide ease to me and yet I have no clue where you are going with this. Fine, you're Sana the Gardevoir. You…loved me?
"And you loved me," she happily added on.
Yeah…um…Great. I just need answers. Desperately. You don't understand what this is like. I'm trapped. I don't know who I even am anymore, Feyera said.
"I promise you, let me explain everything, and your mind will be put at ease…it is just that I don't know exactly how to explain this to you. Every possible scenario I predict involves you either not accepting it or protesting. You see, I can predict your behavior but not fully. I get glimpses of possible outcomes but never the truth. It always remains obscure, especially with you. Sometimes I feel like something is wrong with me. I…I'm broken. If you could possibly just be open to my story…" Sana was looking tragically upset.
But the trainer was tired of her antics. Fine. Amuse me. Give it to me straight. It's not like I have anything better to do. All I ever do is wait for answers, Sana! They are not even the ones I want to hear!
Shrugging slightly, he took his gaze off her momentarily and looked to the vanilla colored clouds floating above in a pale sky. Sensing the harshness of his words, he returned to Gardevoir's sorrowful scarlet eyes and looked at her quizzically.
That was heartless. I apologize. It's just…how do you expect me to believe you? Feyera asked, feeling this information was a lot to take in at once. Too much.
She shook her head, "Where I was going with this was simple. If you don't remember me then you don't remember us."
Us? We? You keep on saying things like that but I have no idea what is the deal with that is. I was trying to figure out where I know you from but I just keep drawing blanks. I'm a person after all. Edge paused. At least, I think that I am.
"Oh…okay…just let me talk. Two years back, you don't remember what happened, but you know something did," Gardevoir asked.
Yes, obviously. Look at me. I was maimed, said the trainer while staring down at his chest, looking at the arch of crescent red. His eyes wandered up into hers again, searching for comfort.
Edge stared at her, his eyes swirling with fear and uncertainty. Looking into her eyes, he saw his own irises rapidly shifting between colors, unable to decide between coating themselves in a crimson aura or exposing emerald green. All the while, these multicolor irises were bound by a fantastic golden halo of light separating them from the white of his eyes. Their pluralistic nature had him confused. His head seemed lighter than usual.
"Okay, this may come across as outrageous. You've been conditioned to believe that a certain series of events took place. Perhaps for purposes I'll never fully understand, but the fact remains that you, Chris, were never a victim of any Rocket attack. You were not an innocent bystander during the Pokemon Sanctum robbery," the Gardevoir stated.
How do you even know for sure? Edge responded skeptically. He knew she was right. He just was not willing to accept so easily.
She closed her eyes and focused on his mind. Breaking the brief action, she said confidently, "When Electrode use Self-Destruct, they destroy their entire bodies. There would be no shrapnel to penetrate into your chest. That story you were told…it was a lie. It was told to protect you."
Edge wasn't sure what to believe anymore. He was perspiring slightly. His heart rate quickened.
"This," she pointed to the crimson arch on his chest, "Is a part of Gardevoir anatomy." She then pointed to her own similar protrusion between her small breasts. "Our species." Indeed, it was the same size and shape; even the reflective qualities were a carbon copy.
"You were involved in two different series of events two years ago. I'll try and recount the events to the best of my ability. It was a cold evening ripe with malice. On that fateful day, you were with me after escaping your captors here." Edge eagerly listened, his head slightly nodding; acknowledge her words. "I was in the wild, with you of course. Your Gardevoir name was Sephiteos."
Wait what? Feyera exclaimed. Gardevoir name? Now the story was getting too wild.
"Yes, just let me finish. We were trying to escape this very island. You see, we had lived here for a while after leaving our homeland, but this island retreat was no longer safe for us to inhabit. Back in the land of our origin, you were a prominent member of our civilization; but you chose me over all of the wealth and riches you had at your disposal. That is when I fell in love with you. We traveled far away from that place, and together we created our own lifestyle. Still, such things are not meant to last it seems. You were captured by the men on this island. They did unspeakable things to you in the facility. But you managed to find a way to escape…though I do not believe it worked out in your favor," Sana tightened her lips as if she had just tasted something sour. "We almost made it off the island; we reached a cliff, beyond the edge of this forest, and then realized that we were being followed. There was a young man you see, someone who had pursued both of us, but primarily you…"
Edge gulped as she continued her tale, "…he wanted to capture you, Seph. You were one of his experiments, you see. There was no question about that. The organization he was working for had already gotten hold of you once, but you had managed to escape…but not without scars," The Gardevoir stared into his halo-rimmed eyes.
"That's…not possible…I'm not…" But he could not say anything more on the topic. Was his whole life just a lie? It can't be that I was…
After what seemed like a few minutes Sana blinked and kept going, "The man had other motives however. You see, Gardevoir are able to discern the thoughts of others when they are paired with emotions. But you already knew that. This young man in particular had a deep abiding hatred. Being unaccepted and cast out from those close to him corrupted him terribly, to the point of joining a criminal syndicate at a young age for a human."
And you were able to figure out his entire history just by reading his emotions? The power seemed eerily similar to Edge's own abilities.
"Yes, and in doing so, I was able to also see the awful guilt awoken in him after tormenting Sephiteos. Seph, you…wouldn't forgive him. I don't know why you couldn't. Had you, and maybe all of this wouldn't have happened. Everything could have been averted through forgiveness. I tried to stop you," said the Gardevoir.
Forgiveness? asked Edge.
"Yes and the man would not take his leave until absolution took place, even when faced with death. I know he was wrong, but you shouldn't have used your powers against him. The problem arose when the man did something unexpected. He did not retreat. Grasping his weapon, I anticipated it to be one of those firearms which humans had developed recently." Sana said.
What? RAIL guns?
"Seph, you, tried to kill him. It couldn't have been more wrong though. Perseverance turned into rage, and rage turned into desperation. He had the means for dealing with Psychic Pokemon and our attacks." said the young Gardevoir.
Really? That sounds horrible. Edge considered the thought of losing this gift he had become so accustomed to—these psyonics.He took them for granted, possibly because they differentiated him from the rest of the human race.
"The rocket's extreme anxiety was so solidified that he chose to charge at Seph, raising the silvery device straight at you, before rushing forward at blinding speed. I fired off a Confusion attack, fighting the urge to passively handle the situation, however it proved useless. What he held seemed to draw forth all energy into it, including Seph's Psychic lash. As the man closed the distance, the object in his hand began to become more and more malleable, losing physical properties and gaining spiritual ones. I still can't quite describe it. It was as if all that I felt was closed off from me. For a Gardevoir, loss of feeling is synonymous with death. Suddenly I felt vulnerable, even though I was at your side," spoke the graceful Gardevoir. The look of pain on her face made it apparent that Sana was reliving the experience through reciting the story.
"Gasping for energy, I felt myself fall to the earth as the man approached in weakness. His heart filled with determination, aflame with anger. He could not force you to forgive him. Risking everything, by the time I realized what he was doing it was already too late. I wanted to escape, yet Seph, you chose to stay. There was no chance of victory; our Psychic powers had been dampened. Consumed even. All in a moment, I considered the possibility that the rocket was indeed hunting us in particular to satisfy some unknown promise or debt he owed. When you denied him, he yelled in pain as he thrust the rapidly morphing silvery weapon through your heart. Unabsolved of guilt…he…ran you through." "*sniff…*" She began to weep.
That's…Edge couldn't find the words, her sadness was covering him like a heavy overcoat.
"…I could not stop screaming. I couldn't watch. All these foreign feelings rushed into me as I felt him helplessly flail his entire human frame into yours. Running the silvery material through your body, he violently yelled something I could not understand. After impaling you, the impact was enough to send you and him off the cliff into the abyss below," she said now with tears in her bright cherry eyes.
But I don't…
"I tried to use all of my power to manipulate gravity, even for a moment just to save you from certain doom, but it was not effective. I could not believe how helpless I was, how lost I would be without you. I could not bear the thought. My emotions relentlessly bled out into the world outside of me," her voice trailed off, as if she was reliving the experience. Edge could tell by her partially closed eyes, fresh with tears.
He stood near her and tried to be there for support. He too had experienced such "spilling-outs" yet referred to them unaffectionately as meltdowns.
She continued, more unsteadily than before, "I saw you both fall. I felt you die; I ran to the bottom of the cliff as quickly as I could. I could not find you. Rather, I only found one body. It was not my consort's. It was the rocket, the man who had killed you. His face was terribly contorted by some unknown power bringing him great agony."
Did Sephiteos die? Edge had to know.
"In a fit of fury I yearned for vengeance and was ready to end the life of the miserable human who had took the only thing I ever cared about: my Seph. What had he done to you? You were seemingly erased from existence. But the human's Psychic barrier was gone now. Forming a powerful Shadow Ball, I aimed at the still breathing Rocket's heart. Watching, I drew the energy ripe with vengeance up to his core. I knew his injuries were fatal, but I wanted to be the one to kill him," she clutched her radiating red core tightly.
Edge was uncertain. He had everything to do with this situation. All of it culminated in this revelation.
"Nevertheless, I stopped. I sensed a familiar feeling. You were back. Even though I could not find your body, you were still right in front of me, Seph. Gardevoir can sense their closest companion's spirits. It is a permanent bonding of spirit made present by our anatomy. If the sensation wasn't enough evidence for me I saw the core of my mate on the body of the man who tried to kill him. Then I realized what I had done. It was all my wish. When I saw you plummet towards your imminent death, I only had one thing on my mind, preserving you. I knew that my powers were incapable of rescuing you, but what about my love for you? Would that keep you alive? Surely, it had, but not how I anticipated it. You were preserved but at a terrible price," Sana trailed off in reflection.
Edge thought about Reilken Mercurius. What Fredrick had told him about. Convergence. A melding of sorts. Sana, I'm not sure if that is correct. There was something about that ancient artifact which may have done what you claimed to have been responsible for.
Sana was in adamant opposition to this notion however, "Are you that emotionless? Can you really say those things? Don't you see how much sense it makes!" Her head shook back and forth. "Forgive my anger, it has been far too long since these events took place and I have grown bitter. The problem is that you are neither one nor the other. Not human and not Pokemon. Not Rocket and not Gardevoir."
Edge thought about this before issuing his next question, What are you trying to say, that I am a cross between a human and a Pokemon? I was both of these and now I am one? It doesn't make any sense. I can only remember being Chris Feyera.
"Perhaps you are both. The details escape me. The final outcome is beyond any of my knowledge. This I know: your soul was grafted into the human trying to harm us. Your suffering was tremendous, but at least consider what I have gone through. It's cruel really; to look into the eyes of the enemy and see my beloved trapped within…" Looking down at the rock beneath their legs, Sana averted Edge's gaze.
Feyera sucked in air. Then he released the pent up energy. It was all too crazy. I have no recollection of any of those events, Sana. As for Seph, I don't remember him. In fact, my memory is blanked I have my memories as Chris Feyera up until a point. Until recently, that point was when I was still a scholar and researcher. What happened to my memories as a Rocket?
"I knew you would say that. It is my fault that your memories are in shambles," Sana said.
Edge gave her a disapproving look, Like I said, I don't think it was actually you who did this.
"No, I'm not talking about what happened to your body. I'm talking about what happened afterwards. I wiped your mind. When I came to you, you were completely panicked. The pain was horrific I could feel it overflowing from your encapsulated body. It wasn't just the damage from falling. I can only imagine the torture of being splintered to a foreign body. Chris, my powers go beyond sight and extend to the richest forms of empathy. Knowing what I had done, I could not forgive myself for leading you on a path filled with such pain. I didn't know what to do. I had to give you some comfort."
So you cleared my memory? he asked Sana.
"Yes, but you see, your human form was much less resistant to my mind, and I overzealously cleared many of your recent memories at the time. I'm not even sure if all of them were yours. You do have human memories don't you?" Sana was nervous at what his answer might be.
Yes, almost all of them, except for when I was eighteen. A lot of it is a blur, but I remember my schooling, my research, and my background. Now you are telling me that it is all a lie! Because half of my existence is locked away in the annexes of your spouse—this Gardevoir Sephiteos you speak of? Edge asked.
"Don't look at it as a lie, rather see it as just a half-truth; an incomplete facet of your aggregate existence," Sana said as she gripped his hand with her own.
Edge still was not satisfied by this reply, How can I have the soul of a Pokemon, a Gardevoir no less? It just doesn't make any sense.
"You are a witness to the powers of your former self. The psychometry, the psyonics, the brief power over gravity. Those are all triggered by emotions and form the basic skill-set we rely on as Gardevoir. By exhibiting these, you've proven that you are at the very least more than mere human. Now consider your history." She simpered, "If I may ask: when did things begin to change for you?"
Edge searched his brain for an answer. Well I suppose when I was more exposed to other Pokemon it manifested itself. During my first Gym Battle, I nearly destroyed the entire building by tapping into psyonics for the very first time. It even forced me to change my name from Chris to Edge. I now see the significance of what my powers have truly done to me. In their manifestation, I lost being Chris.
"Yes," Sana replied, "It is impossible for me to look upon you and not still sense my partner. It permeates your being. However, there is a different part that has been added. The humanity. It still boggles my mind. Tell me what side can you relate to more?"
Edge wasn't sure what to say exactly. I don't know, Sana. Sometimes I feel like Chris Feyera, and other times—the times I use my psyonic powers I feel like something else. It has also changed me physically. I don't understand but it has. I was even able to communicate with them briefly. Emotions did seem to amplify the connections I made with those around me. My Pokemon for instance. I was able to completely empathize with them to the point of a linking of consciousness.
She looked astonished. "You connected with their hearts?"
Their hearts? I…suppose. It felt more like their minds to me. Especially during the Gym Battles.
"How did the battles make you feel?" she asked wide eyed.
Feyera thought back to how he had felt when linking his own mind to those of his Pokemon. It felt really good. When we won, I felt ecstatic. It was as if I needed to win.
"You share the experiences with your Pokemon, being partially one. You must be wary though. For by linking minds, you siphon their ability to improve."
What? Siphoning sounded dangerous to the trainer. He thought the psyonic link was a beneficial thing. It let him do so much. Telepathic communication was great, but being able to assume direct command over their bodies allowed for flawless and fluid control. It was enough to help him win battles he had no business in winning without training.
"Unless it is a melding to your mate, you're taking away some of their ambition and consequently they'll develop slower…I thought you would have realized this by now, Chris." Sana dryly said, taking one of her legs and mildly placing it in front of the other to inch slightly closer to him. "Nothing happens without consequence."
I…He thought about how small Desperado was for a Gyarados. He thought about Brucie's weakened immune system prevented him from warding off Koga's Toxic. Then he remembered just how often he had taken control over their bodies in battle. Swamped in remorse, he looked at Sana's eyes, tracing around her facial features. You mean I can't communicate with my Pokemon without consequences? He thought about how sad he would be if this were the case. They were his friends, he loved talking to them. They were like his family. I want to be able to still converse with them.
"I never said that you wouldn't be able to talk with them silly." Sana's beaming smile was impossible to miss. "That is my one of my favorite aspects of Gardevoir abilities. Because we are Psychic types, we pick up on similar emotions that allow for us to communicate to all Pokemon."
Feyera laughed. His grin matching hers began to wane however. There is one problem…the young man started off.
Sana suddenly looked extremely concerned, her careful discernment scanning his worried expression. Her heavy lidded eyes filled with sympathy. Their blossoming cores glistened and reflected dazzling light like prisms.
Edge Feyera gently rubbed his hair, as he did all too often when anxious, It's destroying me. He said as he reflected upon all of the experiences he had undergone throughout his journey. The memories boiled to the forefront of his mind, blurring his vision. However, they were not only memories; they were here present in his current existence. The more he thought about everything, the more he seemed to lose touch with himself. He felt a tear in his eyes as the world became misty.
And then something unexpected happened.
Sana embraced him. She held him tightly in her arms. A surreal experience took him past all prior phenomenon. Chris Feyera could do nothing but clasp Sana's hand tightly as their chest shards graced against one another generating heavenly comfort.
All of his fear, all of his worry, and all of his pain faded away for an eternal moment. The most important part of him was here in his arms.
Fin.