Nanaba POV:
How long?
How long has it been? A day? A week? A month? Or a year or two…I didn't know anymore.
We've just been walking here, Aqua and I, in this dark place. But really I don't it was a mystery to where I was, I had read about this in my classes. About this other dimension, that was opposite to ours. Well if you could really call this opposite, because it wasn't just that, everything was different, in more ways than just an opposite. This place, was the distortion world.
I found it hard to believe at first, but my theories had been confirmed when things started adding up from my studies.
When we fell, it was like we both passed out. We seemed to wake up at the exact same time, and when we did we were laying down near a fountain in one of the distorted towns. We thought we were just transported back to the town, and it was just late. But that idea had been shot down as quick as it got thought up, because when we looked up we saw floating towns! Buildings hanging at a ninety degree angle! It was mind-blowing, I thought I was dreaming at first! But I still felt the pain from my wounds, this was no dream. Thankfully Aqua had helped me recover before we passed out, so there really wasn't anything to worry about.
But we did need to find food. Thankfully the shops were the same as the ones in town, and the ones that sold food somehow still had power to refrigerate. The water from the fountain was ice-cold, and was also fresh. I was so confused at that point, but I didn't really care. I was just glad we were okay. I was able to get a charcoal grill from the store and start cooking some magikarp for Aqua, it was one of her favorites.
I had the same for me, but was more interested on where we were at that time, the sun was nonexistent, just a ball of light that just illuminated the ground we walked, but not the sky itself. The sky was a dark purple, no clouds, it was quite horrible. I don't mean that it was ugly-looking or something of the sort, I just wasn't used to it.
We stayed there until we ran out of food. As I said I couldn't tell how long we stayed, time just didn't work like that. We had traveled for a bit and we came to one of these sideways houses. Aqua walked up to one of the floorings trying to walk on it. I found it funny because I knew she wouldn't be able to do it, gravity doesn't work that way. But to my surprise she started walking up it! She was defying gravity!
She called to me in her caring voice and I walked up, put one foot on the flooring, then the other! To my immediate surprise I had walked on what essentially was a wall! It was awesome!
We traveled down the new distorted town, and this one had a clock-tower. But to my surprise the clock would move forward a peg, then go back. It was like something was keeping time from moving, but what?
"GRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Some creature let out an ear-splitting scream! From over the buildings this giant Pokémon came flying over them.
It had these golden wings, had this weird shaped, grey colored body. It's face had what appeared to be a golden mask, and it's eyes were red. This confirmed it, this was the distortion world, and here was it's leader, Giratina.
It came flying down to us and I backed away quickly, with Aqua standing right behind me. I blocked the creatures path, and it came down, it's giant red eyes staring into mine. I stood there motionless, this thing was a legendary, it could kill me with the turn of it's head. I had started to visibly shake from fear, Aqua had as well. I waited for the creature to do something, but the way it looked at me was like it was examining me, trying to figure out what I was. I didn't dare move, I just let it do what it wanted, because I knew this thing had the upper hand in any situation.
To my surprise it blinked, gave a quick breath, and flew away, as if this never happened.
When it left I gasped for air, and fell to the ground. I was finally able to get my sanity back. It was official, we were definitely in the distortion world. I couldn't believe I got that close to a legendary, it was crazy! I never thought I would ever get that close to one.
I looked down at Aqua who had laid down beside me, she seemed more shaken up than I did. She seemed to be in a state of panic, maybe she could see or sense more than I could, because she looked more frightened than I had ever seen her.
I stroked the top of her head with my hand to calm her down, "There, there, it's okay! It didn't attack us, so we're safe, we're safe okay?"
She seemed to perk up a bit more when I said that. After we both calmed down we started moving again.
Ever since then we just kept moving. When we needed to eat we ate. When we needed to sleep we slept. It was weird though, we just kept walking, seeing if there was any way we could get back, which we really hadn't found at that point. There were also clothing shops, which yours truly use to get out of this dirty combat uniform. But it wasn't just towns we found.
We found lush forests, with fruits and springs. The springs were good for both of us, either to clean up, get water, or just swim. It was very relaxing to say the least. But still one thing stayed the same, no matter where we went, whether it be the forests or the towns, it was just us, there was no one else. It was quite lonely. No one but us, Aqua was good company, but I wasn't really able to have a normal conversation.
That was however long ago. As I said I really had no idea how long we'd been here. We just kept on moving, never staying in one area for too long. It was nice, but again lonely. We were even able to find a mall at one point. It was actually enjoyable, because it was one of those malls with the projector games that you can jump on. Anytime we saw something new to do we would do it. But….I had this feeling, my time was almost up.
Then….after a while, for who knows how long…..we made it here. This town…..it looked identical to my town, and Aqua knew it. I was quiet the entire time we were here. She knew why, she recognized it just as much as me. But then…..I found my house. I walked inside and found everything the same as I remembered, with just a few differences….it seems like they got rid of that old rocking chair my dad wouldn't let go….
"Stupid old man…" I laughed.
"Va?" Aqua seemed to ask.
I gave her a smile, "It looks like mom finally got dad to let go of this stupid chair…..remember when you would always try to force him to let you sit with him, but he would always complain and push you off…..then once he got fed up with you he would give up and just let you sit….then start petting you, as if he enjoyed the company!'
Aqua just looked down with a sad smile.
I then took my time to walk into the kitchen. I looked in the cabinets and I found my mom's pans. They were the same custom brand she would always use.
"This place even has the same damn pots…..I would say I was being pranked right now….waiting for someone to jump out and say that this wasn't real….but I know better," I walked out of there and saw that Aqua had jumped up in the chair and started to relax….old habits die-hard.
I walked upstairs to see what was up here. I saw my parents room, just like it was before….and my room.
I…. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. They had gifts in here, and a welcome home sign hanging from the roof. They were waiting for me to come home….they had planned for me….
I had tears streaming down my face for the first time I got here. I was at my limit.
I screamed at the top of my lungs, "MARTIN! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU! I'M GOING TO TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB!"
Aqua came running up to the room, "VA!? Vapor?! Va?!"
I turned to look at her, wiping the tears from my eyes, "I'm sorry Aqua….I'm just…..I'm just mad."
She cocked her head at me, like she was asking, "Why?"
"Listen Aqua….Martin set us up," I said.
Aqua's eyes widened like dinner plates, "VAPOREON!?"
"It's true…..before you got grabbed a picture showed up on my computer, it was our prize, for coming up with a plan. It was a picture of him working with that red-haired woman that was at the front desk. He set us up…..I know it….but," I let my head droop, "What good is it if it's just us that know….What about the others, we weren't there….Keiran, Mike, Braig, Lyran, Jae…who knows what I did leaving them behind, they could be dead….we don't even know."
I started to walk downstairs and outside. Aqua had followed me, but I just kept walking. I walked all the way to the edge of town where there was a cliff.
I looked down, helluva fall.
I sat down, and let my legs hang over the edge.
"Va?" Aqua said.
I turned to look at her, she looked really worried, like she thought I would do something I would regret.
"Don't worry girl, I'm just enjoying the view," I said.
She seemed to understand and walked over to me. She laid now next to me and laid her head on my leg.
I stroked the top of her head to comfort her.
I looked up, "You know….It's funny…I feel so alone here, even though you're here it's just really lonely…How long do you think we've been here?" I asked.
She looked up at me but then immediately looked down and shook her head.
"Same here girl…..Wanna know something, this place…..It's lonely….but….I've never felt this….at peace," I explained.
Aqua looked up at me.
I kept on, "Think about it, we've been to so many places! From beautiful towns, to calming forests…we even made it home…in a sense….we've been here for so long, I'm starting to get used to it, the peace…..the quiet…..the solitude…."
All of the sudden I heard that creature scream again, and flew up to where we were sitting. It stared me down, and I stared back at it. It's done this multiple times now, just watching us. It gave it's breath and just flew off again.
"Then there's that thing, were intruding on it's home….I always heard it was aggressive, but it hasn't done anything to us….Maybe it knows were not a threat, or it knows were just doing our best to leave…..but the thing is….I don't think it's possible," I said sadly.
Aqua just looked down, and for the first time wept.
"I know girl….I know…..But we can't change that. I know it's not what you want to hear from me, but it's the absolute truth…..were not leaving, *cough!* *cough!* were not…." I said covering my mouth on the last part.
I looked down in my hand from when I coughed. There was some black ooze that came out.
Aqua looked at me concerned, "Va?!"
I just pet her, "It's okay….It's okay…"
I just let myself breath…..maybe this, is why it wont attack us….because maybe…..maybe a human isn't fit to live in the distortion world.
"Aqua…we were close…..so, so close…..yet we couldn't keep our promise to them," I took hold of Aqua and hugged her.
"I love you girl…..you know that right?" I said with tears in my eyes.
She spoke, tears going down her muzzle, "Va! Va, vapor!"
"No need to cry…..There's no need…." I said to her.
I looked up at whatever this ball of light was in the sky, "Listen Aqua…..This place…..Isn't that bad. We've both had a pretty good time together here….so let's just think about it like this…..If this! Is that last thing I get to see….Just you, along with this place…" I said gesturing to the world we were in now.
I had made myself smile for her, with tears on my face, "Then…..I think….I think I'm okay with that, argh!"
I looked at the top of my hand and my skin had turned black, like the night sky.
"Va?" Aqua asked concerned.
"Aqua….who knows how long I have left….so…let's just enjoy every moment we have left…..okay?" I asked.
She just nodded.
I looked down at her, "Hey girl….remember when you would always make me carry you as an eevee?"
She nodded.
"Let me do that again," I then stood up and picked her up.
"Ooff! A lot heavier now!" I said.
She stayed quiet.
I started walking through the town. I was walking very slowly. Aqua was heavy yes but…..that wasn't just it. I was getting weaker. I had hidden it from Aqua but….these black mark were up and down my legs….I wasn't going to worry her.
I kept walking but my legs were starting to give out. I wasn't able to make it back to our house. I fell.
She jumped on to her paws quickly.
"VA!? VA!?" She yelled.
I hacked up more of the black stuff. With the last of my strength I pushed myself up to the wall of my house. With Aqua yelling at me.
My pants leg came up a bit and Aqua took notice of what I had hidden.
I looked at her, she took the time to pull it up and see it.
She quickly started to use aqua ring on it to try to heal it. But of course….it didn't work.
"I just….didn't want you worried," I said.
She didn't give up, she kept on and on and on, trying to heal it, but nothing worked.
"I'm sorry girl….this isn't one you can't heal," I gave a laugh, "Guess they need to add this to the books, huh?"
She just looked down sadly and came up to me. She started to nuzzle my neck, trying to hug me best she could.
I hugged back, "It's okay…. We've been here for so long, it's happened to me, but I don't think it'll happen to you, you're gonna be okay!"
She didn't cry this time, I think she was just trying to enjoy the time she had left with me.
"Well…I guess it's fitting girl…..I didn't know how long I had….but I'm glad we made it here, we made it home…..before I had to go," I said.
I laid myself in a more comfortable position on the wall. But it wasn't very comfortable because it's made of brick. Aqua quickly got up and ran inside the house. When she came back she had a pillow that she held in her jaws.
I smiled, "Thanks Aqua," I laid it behind my head and laid back, just looking up at the sky.
She then laid in my lap and curled up with me. She seemed relaxed but was still shaking.
I gave a yawn, "C'mon girl, it's been stressful, let's get some sleep, okay?"
She started shaking her head at me, as if thinking sleeping would cause it more.
"Listen girl, I'm tired….I can hardly keep my head up….I'm sorry… but I need some rest….. If I don't wake up….. then….. let's let this be goodbye," I said.
"Vaporeon," She said giving her form of a hug.
"Goodbye, I love you girl….I'll miss you," I said.
"Va! Vaporeon, va, vapor!" She said.
I let me eyes start to drift off. It was so peaceful….so quiet….I just couldn't resist anymore. It was hard, thinking that I was just leaving everything behind….but it's been so long, that all of my friends have probably all moved on….can't really say that for my parents however.
I really wish I could've seen them one last time, Martin probably gave them some cheesy phone call about how I died heroically. That bastard…..I'll make sure to haunt him for this. My parents deserved to see their daughter get buried….no they didn't, they probably wanted me to outlive them….but at least they deserved to see me when I died….they can't even get that.
I couldn't control it anymore….I just couldn't…..I guess this was it….I may wake….or I'll be dead…but at least I know Aqua is capable, she will do just fine without me….she never needed me…she might even be smart enough to find a way out….who's to say? Because I knew it wasn't me.
My eyes finally closed, letting the darkness surround me. I embraced it….and let myself….finally go to rest.
