Song- Soleil

Characters- Team Magma, player character

Interactions- platonic intra-magma relationships, plus Redorbshipping

Warnings- None

I feel like I channeled some of the lore of Kingdom Hearts into this one XD. It definitely fits with the theme though.

This song's one I see a lot of different 'angles' and ideas for, but eventually I was able to write something concrete for this idea.


Most of Maxie's life had been spent in an atmosphere of dull grey, surrounded as he was by people he couldn't care less about and who did nothing but annoy him.

That was, until he met them both, and a ray of light entered his world.

He'd never been a particular fan of children, but in his senior year of high school he'd been practically forced into tutoring middle schoolers as part of a city wide programme. They'd reassured him that his new pupils would be particularly bright; children in need of intellectual stimulation who could most use the mentoring of an older straight-A student to guide their lives.

When he'd actually met Courtney and Tabitha, it felt as though he had been staring into a mirror that reflected his own past.

They were wonderful, and smart. And they had seen suffering, enough to already start to dim the light that normally grew so strong in the hearts of children.

It was then that Maxie decided that he would bring hope back to them. He would struggle to make the world a better place, for the rest of his life if he had to. But he would bring light back into the smiles of those children, and he would improve the future prospects of all those who lived upon their world.

As the years passed, Maxie's resolve never wavered. Courtney and Tabitha, fortified by his support, seemed to overcome the darkness that had clung to them in youth, and this only served to spur Maxie onwards.

For the sake of those he cared about, and everyone else in the world, he would make the land in which they lived a better place.

He continued to work, building Team Magma and taking Courtney and Tabitha along with him. Finally, his goals started to be realised.

It was then that a single child appeared to stand in their way. The rest of the team's opinions of their adversary ranged from perplexed to outraged.

But when Maxie looked at them, he saw nought but a shining light, full of ambition. A light he was determined to protect.

This didn't deter him from his course at all. If anything, it spurred him on further. That child served to remind him of the world he was determined to improve.

Even if he had to face them in battle. Even if he had to break their will. It would all be worth it to save them all in the end.

Maxie didn't waver until right at the very end.

The first doubts had appeared just before he left with a select team for the Seafloor Cavern. Tabitha had appeared subdued. Even Courtney was a slight bit… Off. He knew that she too had taken an interest in that child. But it seemed entirely different to the protective wish he had held. She wanted to fight, and he was unsure as to whether this was a sign of respect, hatred, or something else entirely.

Regardless, the moods of both of his closest friends were unsettling.

He ended up allowing Courtney to stay behind, trusting her to keep him safe while letting her loose on her own path.

As he watched her fighting on the docks, he saw the glimmer of an evil sort of darkness take hold of her, and it was then that he realised.

He had already resigned himself to doing whatever was necessary to achieve his dream, for the good of humanity. He had resolved to break a child's spirit in order to save them. He had committed a great number of crimes, and inevitably taken darkness onto himself in the process.

Now, that very same darkness was gripping those around him as well. It was an inevitable part of keeping Courtney and Tabitha so close. But Maxie wouldn't have it.

From that moment on, for the sake of Tabitha and Courtney, as well as that child, Maxie would shoulder the entirety of that darkness himself. Whatever else he had to do, he would do it without hesitation, and without involving the hands of others.

Perhaps it was for the best that he had left Courtney behind.

When Tabitha attempted to stop him from his final goal, Maxie brusquely pushed him away. He had already gone too far to turn back, and he wasn't about to draw back from the edge regardless of the consequences. Realising their dreams was the only way to stop the darkness spreading within the rest of his team. In any case, he wasn't sure if Tabitha would truly pull away from darker ambitions if he did stop. He had to press onwards, if for no other reason than to show that he would be the one dirtying his hands and his heart.

That child attempted to stop him, and Maxie fought with them too. He would protect them. He had to.

When Groudon was unleashed the world fell entirely into darkness, despite the raging sunlight outside. At that very moment, the weight of everything he had done fell down on Maxie, breaking his spirit into pieces.

But he accepted it. He took all of the darkness, and he sank himself into it. If it would spare Tabitha and Courtney. If it would spare the world. He would accept it all.

When that child set off to confront the Legendary Pokémon, a flash of light cut through the darkness in Maxie's mind. He was immediately reminded of a time long ago, and of two children who had brought hope to his jaded world.

When a pillar of green rose into the sky, dispersing the bizarre weather, Maxie knew it was finally over. He fell backwards; ready to accept whatever consequences his actions warranted. The darkness that still swilled around within his darkening heart made him want to give up entirely.

But he was supported by arms that were now as strong and capable as his own, and he looked up to see that despite everything, Tabitha was still standing with him.

When the younger man smiled, the sun shone once more.