Chapter 19

Happy Bubble Fun Time Deluxe

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."

-Mahatma Gandhi

My recovery was remarkably slow, even for a legendary. Physical wounds were gone within a few days, of course. The wounds my soul and mind carried, however, lasted a very long time. I was not "myself" again for several months. Even today, years later, I'm, as mentioned, very claustrophobic, and there are still nights in which I awaken from a terror and lie staring at the stars until dawn. Sometimes my struggles awaken Latias, and she does her best to help me.

Latias. If it weren't for her, I don't know what I would have done. She tended to me while I recovered. She offered me a shoulder to cry on whenever I awoke from a night terror.

And I did, by the way, cry dragonly tears.

She nursed me back to health. Her patrols were the only times she was not available, and even then she checked on me constantly. If she wasn't there watching me, Bianca was.

I was unable to speak to Bianca telepathically beyond a few brief sentences for a few weeks. Because of that, I essentially became a regular pokémon to her. The language barrier between us became near impenetrable.

It was only a few days before I was up and about again. I was not able to levitate for a while, but I was able to drag myself around the garden. And swim. I did a lot of swimming.

As soon as I was able to move around again without risk of aggravating my remaining physical wounds, I was dragging myself to the water to swim. Latias joined me whenever she could.

Swimming was how I killed most of my time while I mended. I wanted desperately to get out and patrol, or fly, or take on my human guise again. If you ever see a dragon type acting all fidgety, it's probably because they haven't gone flying for almost forty minutes.

Needless to say, recovery was almost as tough as being a captive.

Anyway, my slow recovery aside, I should probably tell you all about Sue's ultimate fate.

First of all, she was taken to court, tried, and, with the help of Bianca, the crazy Meowth man, the first responding officer, and the broken ball, she was accused of kidnapping, conspiracy, theft, extortion, destruction of property, treason, assault and battery, attempted murder, and I think they threw in a littering fine, too. Really, the only thing she wasn't convicted of was shooting the sheriff and not the deputy.

Because Altomare does not use capital punishment, there was initial movement to actually send her to the mainland (much of Kanto still uses it) so she could potentially receive it. Ultimately, my testimony protected her.

Bianca kept Latias up to speed with the trial, and Latias did the same for me. As soon as I found out that a loophole to the death penalty was being sought, I voiced my opposition. I told Latias to tell Bianca that I did not want Sue to die (being still unable to use much of my power). Bianca ensured I was certain (I was), and she returned to the court.

So it was that through her, I practically begged the jurors to reconsider. She did not have to prove that she had a connection with us. All she had to do was bring to light what kind of people they'd be if they sent her to her death after so long without seeking such a penalty.

It took several weeks (the trial's first deliberation ended with a hung jury), but the verdict came in:

For the charges of attempted murder, assault and battery, treason, destruction of property, and extortion, Sue was found not guilty by reason of insanity. She was found guilty of her remaining charges, including the kidnapping of yours truly. Instead of life in prison, she received life with possibility of parole in a mental hospital. She would become eligible for parole after 25 years were served and sufficient progress had been made in her normality restoration.

However, her sentence would be incomplete, and her parole would be a moot point.

You kids know and love Mew. When you were young and she visited the Garden, you loved to play with her. I remember when she showed you her transformation ability for the first time. She turned you guys into anything you wanted and you'd all play together. It was adorable. She loves you guys.

By the time I saw Mew again, I'd been working on regaining my levitation. Latias had come to a rest a few feet away from me, and she held her paws out to me like I was two years old and learning to walk.

"Come on, Sly. You can do it!" she cooed. It took great concentration. I had to block out all the cute remarks I wanted to make in retaliation, and focus myself.

After great diffiulty, I found myself in the air. Latias gave a silent cheer, and I began floating towards her.

"That's it... just like that. You can do it!"

Though I was silent at that point, I was and still am eternally grateful to Latias for bearing with me while I recovered. With great effort, I made the ten feet between us five; the five two and a half, the two and a half one and a quarter, and finally...

"Yay! He lives!" she cried. I smiled at her and hugged her close. She was happy to do the same.

"Thank you, Latias," I whispered. Though I didn't see it, I felt her smile.

"Well done, Sly," said Mew.

My eyes widened and I looked over my shoulder. Mew floated where I'd been resting several moments prior. She waved a paw at us.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I'm wonderful, how are you?" I said. Latias gave me a look.

"Sly," she warned. "Mew, so wonderful to see you again! How have you been?"

"I've been well. Worried about you guys. Also been playing with a new kind of bubble I made. They smell like raspberries!"

Latias and I blinked. Mew looked a little dejected.

"Right, neither of you care for raspberries. So, you wouldn't say yes to the new game I made up? Happy Bubble Fun Time Deluxe?"

Latias blinked again.

"No offense, but I would rather learn to play the harp," I said. Latias elbowed me gently. Mew quickly closed the distance between us and got up in my personal space.

"Oh, come on, Sly. It came right out last time like I said it would."

"Mew, it was like bubble gum. I was pink for a week."

She stared silently at me.

"I'm pink all the time," she muttered.

"Phrasing," I said. She gently swatted at my nose and floated back to where she originally was.

"So, what brings you to these parts, Mew?" asked Latias. Before she could respond, I followed up.

"Yeah, where have you been?"

Mew blinked, and flipped while in the air.

"Watching you guys deal with everything going on here."

"And you didn't deem it necessary to help when I was near death?" I pressed.

"You were doing a fine job of things, and I was curious to see how you two would handle this kind of situation."

I blinked. She conjured up a small blue bubble (she has a thing for bubbles, as you surely know) and began bouncing it on her tail while she spoke.

"I can't bail you out all the time, Sly Stevens."

"I nearly died. I thought you'd make an exception."

"Now, now, if you died, you know what your fate would have been. If you succumbed to forever sleep, that would've been your own fault."

She began juggling three blue bubbles with her tail.

"You know, I sent that girl to you guys in the first place."

If my jaw could've hit the floor, it would have. Latias seemed to have already suspected as much, because she was silent.

I wanted to do something. I wanted to strike at her. I wanted to yell. I wanted to leave and think. My mind was racing and my heart was pounding. I'd been convinced that Arceus sent her here, or someone else did.

The first thing I vocalized was, "Why?"

"Because I wanted to see how you would handle someone with a fragile psyche. You two had surprised me in recent times. I was wondering if you were due for a step up, and so I sent you someone that needed tender loving care."

I was silent as she continued.

"I didn't anticipate her snapping to the extent where she wanted to kidnap and torture you, though, Sly. Such is the burden of our rules, you know. I was about to go and free you until I saw Bianca and Latias take it upon themselves to help. They didn't once ask for my help, or for that nice Ash boy."

She smiled, as if she didn't mean to totally humiliate me.

"Now that I think about it, you didn't either."

I shook my head and looked at Latias. She eyed me, as if warning me to watch my tone with Mew. I didn't need that warning.

"So, you just watched?" I asked quietly.

"Well, watched and planned. In a perfect world, you two would have sensed that girl's problems and gone to her to help in any way you could immediately. Instead, she hid herself using the funny grass and that plan went the way of Kabutops."

She sent one of the blue bubbles floating towards me. It gently popped on my snout.

"I'm sorry you were hurt, Sly. It was a test gone wrong. I suffered too, though. Do you know how many tricks I had planned on Arceus that needed to be rescheduled?"

I was silent.

"You're right, actually. Not that many. It was Lugia's turn."

"What did you do that required your attention?" I asked. Mew eyed me, and told her tale.

There was something about the way she eyed me that told me she wasn't too thrilled with having to do what she ended up doing. Sure enough, she set me aside a few days later and calmly explained to me how upset Arceus was with her for her intervention.

Remember how I said Sue's sentencing and possibility of parole were both moot?

That night, when Mew visited us, she had made one stop first. It was to Altomare's Mental Hospital.

She didn't go through security, of course. She just teleported into Sue's room to check on her personally.

The girl was not crying when Mew arrived, but she looked to have been moments before. Much of Sue's time since her defeat, it seemed, was spent crying and mourning. She had an anti-suicide blanket, a meager supper she had to eat with her hands, and even the gown she was wearing could not be torn.

When Mew described her condition, Latias and I cringed. I again felt badly for the girl.

When she finally noticed Mew floating just above her, she was silent. Mew gestured to her unfinished pudding (Sue had apparently hardly touched any food for several days).

"How is the pudding, little one?" asked Mew. Sue seemed to perk up, surprised at the coherant statement. Still, she said nothing, even when Mew took a small glob on her paw and licked it clean.

"Yum! It is good. Why do you not eat?"

"I failed," she muttered. Mew tilted her head. Sue looked at her.

"I failed my mission. I failed to teach my lesson. I failed to help this land."

"You did not fail. You were misguided," said Mew.

"Why couldn't you just send me to my paradise? Why did you send me to this Godsforsaken land?" she shrieked.

Mew seemed to wilt a little, but she quickly bounced back. "Because it was not yet your time."

Sue was silent, but she glared daggers at Mew. The great God flew a circle around the troubled girl, and returned to her spot.

"How old were you?" asked Mew.

Sue mumbled her answer softly. Mew didn't need to be told twice. She likely already knew, but she says it sometimes helps for people to say their ages when they encountered death. She was 19 when she died. Just like me.

"In your home, you were raised to think that dragons were evil creatures."

Sue nodded gently.

"In this place, dragons are honored and revered."

Finally, she found her voice again. "And the Gods sent me here because they hate me."

Mew shook her head. "Nothing of the sort. You were sent here because we love you."

The girl looked up at her, but said nothing, so Mew continued.

"The tragedy is, you were raided because they were forced to do so. You were an unintended casualty. I'm sure your killer would apologize to you if he could. However, I know that it would not change what already happened."

Sue remained silent and Mew continued further.

"You were meant to be received by the legendaries and embraced, reassurred, and assisted as you learned to adapt to this new land. Unfortunately, no plan survives battle. The idea was for you to learn that not all dragons are truly evil creatures."

"Only Latias is an exception. Latios is a cursed, lazy beast."

Mew shook her head. "Not true."

"Is so."

Mew closed more distance between them. "Do you know why you are here and were not put to death?"

"Because there's no honor in a helpless death? Is that why I'm here in the first place?"

"No, because Latios defended your well being. If it weren't for he and Latias, you might be on Death Row."

Sue again fell silent.

"Not that you would have made it to death."

She looked up at Mew, who was manipulating a piece of rice from Sue's food tray psychically.

"Your soul cries out for healing and is pining for its pain to ebb away. Sadly, this attempt of ours was unsuccessful, and look where you are."

Sue's eyes began to fill with tears again.

"However, I have a solution. You must learn to be happy and live your life, and so I will tell you this: the memories of your past and struggles will not be destroyed. They would be set aside. You would regain them when you are free of this plain once and for all. You will have them in Valhalla, and you will rejoice with your families if you so desire."

"Families?" asked Sue.

Mew smiled. "I know a female that cries out for a child. You, dear, are orphaned in your own way, as was the Latios you came to know. I think, however, you may do better if you receive another chance."

Sue's body began to glow, and she started floating off the cell floor.

"You will be born again, my little Kangaskhan. And though you will not be with your birth mother, the Hydreigon I know will make a wonderful parent nonetheless."

And with those words, Sue vanished from her cell without a trace, and to her, at least, all the memories that troubled her so were finally set aside. Mew had simultaneously transformed her into a Kangaskhan, regressed her age so she may start again as a baby, given her new life, and left her with an adoptive mother that would love her.

I never met Sue Denim again, but Mew tells me she is as happy as could be, and is being raised by a dragoness to love all, no matter their race or type. In other words, that Hydreigon succeeded where I had failed.

Sue's soul was healed, and her troubles were finally at rest.

I said before that Mew was not too thrilled with having to intervene at all, and I'll be the first to tell you that my captivity and restoration were among my greatest failures to date.

Mew, being among the strongest creatures to exist, is forbidden from exerting too much of her power. Each reality is a little different, yes, but the constant factor stands: Okamis do not use their power extensively unless the world is in danger of prematurely ending. Even if I had been killed, not much would have changed.

Divine interventions such as Sue's eliminate the wonder of existence. If they were in the paper all the time, all Gods may as well live among the mortals. They are, instead, always hidden.

In this case, there was a lot of work for Mew. She had to cover all the bases so it didn't seem like Sue simply vanished.

Unfortunately, I can't really tell you what she did to cover the bases. We can't talk about those particular secrets of hers. I don't want to be a Nidoqueen again. Or a Latias.

Great, now I'm going to have nightmares.

What I can reasonably tell you is thus:

She left little to the imagination, but was quite successful. The media reported Sue's escape, and the police went on high alert, but it slowly dropped when search teams found her gown floating out at sea with the remains of a small raft she may have stolen.

Yeah, Mew went escape attempt, and she did a good job. Sue was declared legally dead.

A small wooden stake with the name she'd given to everybody was erected in a lonely little graveyard across from the guardian statues. Bianca, Latias, and I replaced it with a stone one.

Keep in mind that I am unfamiliar with her exact date of birth. Her tombstone reads as follows:

Sue Denim

c. 1996-2015

Herein lies she,

The unstable maven.

May your spirit now rest,

And be granted safe haven.

I was proud of it. Not bad for a not really dead girl. It didn't beat the one I got the little puppy, Tucker, though.

Herein lies Tucker.

He shouldn't have messed with Sailor's supper.

Mew wished me a swift recovery and then left us to our devices. Latias nudged me gently, and I turned to look at her.

She didn't say anything, at first. Instead, she pulled me into an embrace that I returned, and spoke softly to me.

"I'm happy to have you back, Sly," she whispered again. I smiled over her shoulder.

"It's good to be back," I said. She gently squeezed me, and then we released each other.

"What am I going to do about you?" she asked. "Must I tie a bell to your neck?"

"How about an RFID tracker?"

She giggled, and pulled me forward for a kiss.

It started innocently enough. It was just a quick peck on the lips for us both. So was the second one. And the third one. After that, however, it became something less innocent. Something Latios might have killed me for doing if he didn't trust me. Here's what I mean by that...

...On second thought, never mind. You kids aren't quite old enough to know what we did. At least, I sincerely hope you aren't. No offense, but I don't want to be the one that has to explain how all that works.

Honest. It's not the way she's looking at me right now. It's not that.

Okay, it's a little of that.

I'll skip the part that happened just before we went to sleep, but I will say this: Our oldest was born at the end of that year, and all because of what happened that night.

Al la fin to the max.

3,339 words.

Please go to my profile and vote for your favorite character or characters in this story. You may choose up to two. I would greatly appreciate it. I love hearing your opinions.

I'm quite numb right now admittedly. It doesn't feel like I'm done writing this thing yet, but that's all she wrote.

No pun intended.

I'm admittedly satisfied with Sue's ultimate fate, and I feel okay with how this chapter turned out. I hope you guys did, too.

I'm intent on writing a Skyrim retelling next, after a recess, but I am not quite done with this one yet, either. I still have the trivia chapter coming up. If you want to know why I did what in this story, stick around for "The Stuff You May Have Missed." Please keep in mind, however, that it requires me to thoroughly re-read the entire story.