Curses, a pokémon fanfic

Author's Note: Hello, and thanks for reading!

The first time I watched Giratina and the Sky Warrior way back in 2008, my 10-year-old dirty shipper self thought that it would be super cute if the small, shy Shaymin had a crush on the big, scary Giratina. It's what got me into Legendary Pokemon shipping a few years later and has remained one of my favorite ships to date. So I'm starting out the new year with my longest fic yet, dedicated to the one ship to rule them all. The ending feels a bit rushed because I was working to get it done in time for the new year and I still ended up a few hours late, so I may go back and update it at some point.

You may be wondering if I have a new year's resolution. and I do: to write more! This fic has a particular scene that references things that are somewhat ambiguous. I crafted this in part to be something of a prelude to my first multi-chapter fic, which I plan on working on this year. So my faithful readers (if I have any) can look forward to that in the coming year!

So, as mentioned before, this is a one-sided FormeShipping (Shaymin x Giratina) fic, with mention (and I mean mention) of one-sided LunarEclipseShipping (Cresselia x Darkrai), one-sided LegendaryShipping (Ho-Oh x Lugia), ex-OrbShipping (Groudon x Kyogre), and ExNihiloShipping (Arceus x Kyurem).

I would like to warn readers that this story contains some gruesome descriptions, but no graphic detail. The horror genre is very light horror. If this is offensive to you, I would suggest not reading this story.

I do not own Pokemon or the characters used in this story.

Please enjoy!

"Curse Dialga for the passage of time…" grumbled the normally sweet Gratitude Pokemon as she skittered along a man-made route. The sun was setting in the distance, washing the dense treeline to the east in a pale orange glow, simultaneously darkening the rocky clefts to the west. She'd had a long day, and the last thing she wanted was to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere on a dark night without access to her Sky Forme… but it seemed that that's exactly what fate had in mind for her. She heaved a gruff sigh at this realization. How had she let this happen?

A few days ago, Arceus had given her young creation her first major assignment: rejuvenate the small human settlement near the east coast of Sinnoh. As a Legendary Pokemon and therefore an immortal being, her youth was relative, but it did not change the fact that she was among the newest of Arceus's additions to the Legendary Pokemon… the ones with more subjective purposes and embodiments. She had been created to ornament the world, a thank you to those who made it fruitful. All she'd done so far was run small errands as Arceus or the more "important" Legendary Pokemon needed them or tend to her Flower Paradise, so this was a major step in her Legendary status. While she was indescribably nervous about going out into the world of humans for the first time, the job had seemed easy enough. It was exactly what she was created to do. The problem was that her designated home was on the other side of the region, so she had to rely on her Sky Forme to get to the settlement, which meant it had to be done in the daytime. But Arceus was adamant that she not be seen by any humans, so her work needed to be done carefully and stealthily.

Turns out that using Seed Flare in the middle of a barren field, causing the field to suddenly erupt into flowers is not the most discreet way to go about making Sinnoh beautiful. So Arceus decided that the smartest way to go about this task was to fly to the area during the day, wait until nightfall to develop the flowers, including a Gracidea, and use it to fly back to the Flower Paradise the next day.

The trip there went swimmingly, though she was over-conscious of the fact that she couldn't fly too high, lest she reach freezing temperatures and lose her Sky Forme. And surprisingly enough, the flower bearing went with little altercations. Arceus had chosen the place well. It certainly was barren, and the humans that had settled there oh-so-kindly provided piles of all types of waste in the northern plain… the makings of a strong Seed Flare. There was no way the humans slept through the detonation or the blinding light she released, and yet, somehow, they didn't. But perhaps that made the humans' jubilant reaction the following morning even better. They spent the morning exclaiming their amazement and joy, praising and thanking Arceus for the gift.

Well, in truth, it stung a little that they gave Arceus all the credit. At least they had been gracious. The humans were almost cute, and it made her happy. And it provided a nice distraction for her to make her leave.

Her happiness, however, proved to be short-lived once she started making her way back home. She was blessed with fair weather in her first trip across the region. She was not so lucky the second time around. Shortly after taking off, she noticed - too late - a stormy gale was gathering in the southeast. Before she could even consider flying back to the field of flowers or finding a way around the storm, it reached its windy fingers towards her and carried her across the sky. Her lithe form was no match for the powerful winds as they pushed her through the freezing temperatures surrounding the peak of Mt. Coronet, mercilessly snatching her Sky Forme away from her, before dumping her in the pool of a waterfall somewhere on the west side of the region.

After climbing out of the water and drying off, silently cursing Arceus for this job and Tornadus for the wind and Articuno for the cold as she did so, she'd looked around to check her location relative to Mt. Coronet. From her flights across the region, she had a general knowledge of the geography of Sinnoh, and deduced that traveling east until she met the sea and then south until she met that sea would be the best option. She knew how to get home from there. She thought she remembered that humans had conveniently worn some paths along her intended route, so she wasn't too worried. She hadn't expected it to be difficult, just annoying.

Of course, that's what she thought before all this happened. And look where she was now. Her deduction had been correct, and she was on course, now heading down a heavily vegetated path south of a large village on the northeastern corner of the region. But… she had overestimated her Land Forme's abilities. The stubby legs Arceus had graced her with were clearly not meant for extensive travel. And it was so late in the day that the sun was setting. There was no way she'd be able to make her way around an unfamiliar place once it got dark. Though she didn't like the idea having to stop, she'd have to deal with it and find some sort of shelter...

She knew that Azelf lived somewhere nearby, and though Shaymin hardly knew the Pokemon, perhaps she'd be willing to share her home for the night. Of course, she knew that was a false hope. Azelf was perpetually grouchy and Shaymin herself was too shy to possibly request such a thing out of the blue. She could probably find a log or tree hollow in this heavily forested area and convince herself that it was comfortable enough to spare the social awkwardness.

"Curse me and my personality," she mumbled instinctively.

A quick search deeper in the forest yielded a small hollow set in the ground, with dried leaves making a carpet within. At this point, the sun had completely set, and anything that seemed to promise a safe place to sleep was appealing to her. She settled into the space, collapsing ungracefully against the crunchy leaves and grass, and let the sounds of the forest lull her to sleep. Her trip made her far more tired than she realized, and a few moments of relaxing calm were enough to bring her on the verge of sleep. She had just relaxed her body and began to drift off when suddenly, the environment changed.

The forest was awash in a new smell. It reeked of death, a stench so foul that it made Shaymin's sensitive nose go haywire. She started awake as an inexplicable sense of dread took hold of her heart. The stench of decay brought a new atmosphere in the eerily silent forest. Something ancient, dark… and at the same time sad hung heavy in the area.

And almost as soon as it came, the smell was gone, along with the strange, melancholy mood. The comforting noises returned and a pleasant feeling descended on the area. Still, it took some time for Shaymin to quell her racing heart. She had no idea what just happened, or why it made her feel so on edge. Maybe… some Pokemon had died in the forest and the shifting wind was carrying its scent with it.

She could only hope that's all it was.

"Ugh… curse Groudon for sunlight…" Shaymin groaned quietly as she pried open her eyes.

The rest of the night seemed to happen without a fuss, for she, annoyingly, awoke the next morning to filtered sunlight shining on her face. Beneath the glare, dark green undergrowth peeped beneath bright green leaves. She groggily yawned, stretched, and stepped out into the forest. A berry bush was nearby, and she happily made her way over to it. As she chewed the sweet Pecha berries, she took in the forest. Cheerful sounds of bird Pokemon and a gentle breeze lent to the refreshing morning atmosphere… but as she looked all around her surroundings, fear started seeping cooly into her stomach.

Everything looked the same. She looked around frantically. The dark undergrowth did not appear to grow lighter in any direction. The leaves did not give way to open space. In her sleepy stumble through the forest, she must've wandered farther away from the path than she thought. She gulped hard and felt her stomach flutter. Breakfast didn't seem so appetizing anymore.

Calm down, she chided herself as she felt panic settling in. You can't be right in the middle of these woods. There must be a break somewhere.

Trying to calm herself, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. And when she felt a little more tranquil, she opened her eyes again to do a thorough scan of the forest. There were spots where the leaves were cleared just enough to allow a spot to sit in uncensored sunlight, but nothing that indicated a break in the forest. So she shifted her attention to how the colors of the far off trees changed. And she was relieved to notice something discreet that she missed before. Far ahead of her, between the small spaces between the trees, she could see something a slightly lighter brown than the trunks of the trees… Something large that emerged between many of the trees in that direction, noticeable now that she looked carefully. She wasn't entirely sure what it was or if it was safe to approach, but with few other options, she figured she might as well start there.

Keeping her brief fright at bay for the time being, she left the comfort of food in favor of the strange brown mass in the distance. She trotted as quickly as her little legs could take her, trying to make sense of what was ahead of her. She was pleased to note that, once the denser trees were out of the way, she could clearly see that her destination provided a break in the forest. It appeared not to be something hiding beneath the forest, but something within the forest, and it looked as if it surpassed the treeline. Perhaps she could climb it and get her bearings!

Though she felt a surge of relief, it proved to be temporary, just as every other positive moment of her trip turned out be. The forest noises she had become so accustomed to were muted, as if she were hearing them from far away. It seemed that the closer she got to the brown landform - a structure of dirt, she could see now - the quieter the forest became. And she quickly noted that as the sound decreased, so did the temperature. She couldn't help but shiver visibly, and she faltered in her step. She could feel her fear returning full force. There was clearly something weird about this place, and she was sure it was something she did not want to get entangled in. Her thoughts returned to that dreadful moment from last night, and she couldn't help but feel that it was related to the strangeness of the forest now. Maybe she should turn around, maybe the uneasiness she was putting herself through was not worth what the dirt mound could offer. But before she could even consider trying to find an alternate way out, she found that she had reached the end of the forest, at the foot of her mysterious brown object. Her senses were assaulted.

Now that she was out from under the familiar scent of sweet-smelling pines, her nose was vulnerable to death's odor that had paid her a brief visit last night. The smell permeated the air around the mound, and her eyes told her why. Archaic dirt supported a large pile of bones, which supported a large pile of corpses that hadn't quite finished decaying. Her source of hope was a towering mound of death, tapering off way into the sky. Horrified, Shaymin picked out the remains of people and Pokemon alike. Her body, so used to the lovely sight and smell of colorful flowers, was so offended by what she had discovered that it felt the need to rid itself of its contents. Hardly digested berry spilled onto the ground beside her, but it hardly helped her knotted stomach.

"Sweet mother Arceus…" she muttered weakly, wiping her mouth, "Curse Yveltal for death."

Taking a few seconds to calm herself down, she closed her eyes and focused on breathing in and out. Blocking the outside as much as possible, she noted the same mood in the area as the one she felt last night. Ignoring the putrid, unadulterated decay that made up the landmass, she felt an undeniably sinister feeling about the strange place in the woods. And the other emotion she couldn't quite put her finger on - depressive, maybe. It was most curious and out of place in an otherwise normal, relaxing forest. And it made her all the more nervous.

She was not a curious Pokemon. She was much more likely to play it safe than take a risk in the face of danger. And she was adept in managing to convince herself that things that seemed engaging yet hazardous weren't actually of interest to her at all. And while she was filled with questions - namely, what the hell is this place - most of her said that she should just turn back and forget she even came here. She couldn't have really wondered that far away from the known path last night, right? All she had to do was turn around, find her shelter for the night, and -

But isn't that where you started? she, her confident, brave side, thought. You made it here. All you have to do is plug your nose, close your eyes, make your way up that mound, take a look around, and then head back off. It's that simple.

She sighed at herself. She new that if she were in her Sky Forme right now, she probably would've been up and down the landmass already.

In truth, she thought, if I were in my Sky Forme, I wouldn't be in this mess at all.

She squinted her eyes even tighter and shook her head. It was no use arguing with two very different aspects of her personality. She was losing daylight, and she really didn't want to spend another night away from home. She let out a breath and opened her eyes, wincing at the gruesome sight. Lingering here for a moment helped her become a little accustomed to the revolting smell, at least. It made the most sense to try to climb this monstrosity. If she just ignored that fact that she would be clamboring over actual dead bodies, she'd be able to stomach this. And get home, which is what she wanted more than anything.

Swallowing a lump in her throat and steeling herself up, she began a small trip around the base to find the best route up to the top. Whoever… whatever made this had to get the corpses to the top somehow. And to her luck (or perhaps her dismay), she found a steep, gravelly path that went straight to the top. Oh, what a joyous day. At least she could probably make her way up with her eyes closed.

Okay, she told herself and her beating heart, Calm down. Deep breath. Close your eyes and pretend you're frolicking through the Paradise. Everything's coming up roses.

And with that, the hedgehog made her first step up the embankment, which turned out to be much steeper than she realized at a first glance. And that meant she couldn't hold her breath all the way up due to the amount of exertion this would take, which meant that she had to smell the miasma of deterioration, which meant she would be up close to the freshest - if she could call them fresh - bodies at the top, which meant she couldn't seriously imagine herself anywhere but here, which meant she wouldn't be able to psychologically force her way up the entire tower of death, which meant that she'd probably slip back to the bottom, which meant she'd probably open her eyes and see that… she was at the top?

Shock nearly caused her to stumble down the slope, undoing the progress she'd made. Refusing to take a peep at her surroundings, fearing she was just imagining that she'd actually managed to do this, she patted the ground she had just laid her front paws on. Her small foot met solid, flattened ground rather than loose gravel. Her worrying must've distracted her enough to make it all the way up! With a small squeal of delight, followed by a deep sigh to catch her breath, she hopped up on all fours and dared to open her eyes.

Her heaving breath caught in her lungs when she realized that she wasn't alone.

The morbid landform she surmounted wasn't a mound at all… It was a crater. A wall of dirt and decay bound it on all sides, and a colossal hole yawned open beneath her. A fine mist had nestled perfectly in the hole, engulfing the end of an old boardwalk that led to nowhere. The otherworldly fog was sparse enough to reveal a shallow pool in the bowels of the crater. Shaymin took only a second to pay attention to these small details in her peripheral vision. She momentarily forgot where she was, everything that had caused her so much distress just seconds before was just a minor hassle. She was utterly transfixed on what was standing in the pool.

He, as she assumed it was, was… riveting. A large, six-legged dragon was he, bearing a soft gray body with wispy black wings, brandished golden adornments and striking red features accenting the sullen colors. His head was dipped low in the pool, and she watched in a wonderstruck stupor as he raised his lengthy neck, smart red eyes glowering through the mist from beneath his golden crown. He had an essence of the mood of the ghastly area: his eyes glowed menacingly at a first glance, and she bristled with apprehension as she studied that threatening look, but a lingering gaze hinted at a more pensive undertone. She took note of his quiet demeanor, slow yet deliberate movements. She was suddenly very attracted to this creature, and she found herself wondering what his voice sounded like…

Wait, what?

She blinked and slowly came back to reality, full of ugliness and stink. She was suddenly aware of how fast her heart was beating and how her stomach was doing flips within her - and she had a feeling they weren't related to her previous sickness or hike up the wall. And then she realized she had been staring. Blatantly gaping at the creature. Oh Arceus. Embarrassed at what she had done, with an underlying feeling that she really didn't want to be noticed by him, she took a small step down the sloped side of the wall she just traversed… though she stopped just enough to be able to peep over the ledge.

He seemed not to have noticed her, praise the Lady. He had turned around while she made a mad dash for a hiding spot, and was now lowering his neck toward a hole in the opposite dirt wall, a cave she completely brushed aside in favor of the dragon. She was disappointed and relieved at the same time to see him depart. She could've watched his dark, heavy movements all day… Which would've been one: utterly embarrassing, and two: unhelpful to her journey home. When she was certain he was gone, she climbed back on top of the wall and collapsed on the (thankfully) dirt ground and closed her eyes dreamily, her relief replaced with disappointment.

She was no stranger to love. Though she was a "young" legend, she seen enough in her lifetime to know that it was something that most of creation experienced, and not even gods could resist feeling certain ways about certain others. Mesprit talked it up as the most wonderful thing anyone could experience, and spent many a day trying to deduce which Legend liked which and what she could do to help. She knew that Darkrai felt it for Cresselia and Ho-Oh for Lugia. She knew that Kyogre and Groudon felt it for each other long ago. And she knew that it caused considerable heartache. She knew that Darkrai was rejected outright by Cresselia, that Lugia preferred those of his own gender (and that Ho-Oh seemed unaware of - or chose to ignore - this), and above all, that Kyogre and Groudon's love had died cataclysmically. She knew that even Lady Arceus herself had fallen victim to the sickness… and that it had somehow worked out for her. What to think of this tremendous, terrible feeling?

Perhaps the question was not of what she should think of what she's feeling right now, but of whether what she's feeling even is love. Did love at first sight really exist, as Mesprit claimed? The symptoms the Emotion Pokemon spoke of where there: racing heartbeat, stomach fluttering like a Butterfree, and the burning tinge of blush… But to become so consumed with someone she'd just met? No, not even met… seen? Someone she didn't even know the name of? That seemed ridiculous. This was probably some generic Pokemon abundant by the hundreds in the region… one that happened to be quite pleasing to the eye with intriguing mannerisms. She'd probably never see one of his kind again for another millenia.

She took a deep, wistful breath… and was rudely reminded of where she was. She opened her eyes and scrunched her snout in disgust. While still aware of how completely gruesome this place was, her extended time here made her feel it was more worthy of her internalized sass rather than her horror, which it had certainly seen enough of. With a sigh and a quick glance at the curious cave at the bottom of the lake, she turned around to see the great expanse of the region laid out before her. There was the path she had been on that lead to the port town, and the rocky ocean that would lead her to the island that her Paradise branched off of. Eyeing the landscape slowly, she deduced that with the utmost speed, she could probably make it home by nightfall!

Feeling satisfied that this horrifying climb had been worth it, the mysterious dragon pushed to the back of her mind for the time being, she scrambled back down the gravelly path, not even thinking to close her eyes this time around.

Had she taken one last look at the cave in which the object of her sudden affections had departed, she would've noticed a pair of red eyes glimmering softly in the gloom, keeping a watchful eye on the strange visitor of his earthly abode.

"Curse somebody for being a snitch…" Shaymin grumbled irritably as she flew parallel to the steps climbing their way into the sky.

The weeks after her little excursion in the woods passed by uneventfully. After dealing with Arceus's concern over how long it had taken her to report back on the success of the flower bearing and her safe return home, Shaymin was back doing the same minor errands and maintenance of the Flower Paradise. Having more time to relax and do as she pleased meant more time to stew over the place and the Pokemon she discovered in the woods, and that wasn't necessarily a good thing.

She didn't tell Arceus about what she saw that day. Though unsure of why, exactly, she felt compelled to keep it from the goddess, she figured that nothing good would come of it. If Arceus didn't already know about that morbid place, then Shaymin most definitely did not want to be the one to disclose that unsettling information. But if she already knew of its existence… she didn't really want Arceus to know that she'd stumbled upon it, either. The strange atmosphere of the area and the fact that she'd never heard of or seen it before seemed to indicate that it was a place that was supposed to stay hidden, as if she'd uncovered a dark, primal secret that she wasn't supposed to know about.

And though she tried her best to keep herself occupied, to keep the thoughts of the landform and the Pokemon that resided there buried away, her efforts were in vain. Every moment of quiet was soon taken over by questions about everything she saw that day. Why was it there? What awful being would make that? Why was that Pokemon there, of all places? She never thought of herself as a curious Pokemon, and yet she was surprisingly intrigued by her discovery, despite her earlier repulsion. It was a strange obsession.

Of course, she knew that it was mostly related to her infatuation with the Pokemon in the water. It was such a brief moment and such strong emotions came on so quickly that she didn't know what to do with them. She had managed to convince herself that he was nothing special, just another of his kind, and that she'd likely never see him again... But that didn't stop her mind from wandering to him at every chance it got, so she figured she'd entertain her thoughts until they petered off. So she spent her nights lying awake, trying to imagine what he must be like. Her first impression was that he was quiet, so she thought him to be refined, reflexive, and mysterious and just asking for someone to get to know him and his secrets. And then there was the spooky, foreboding vibe she got from him. He seemed slightly angry, yet more somber instead, adding to the mysteriosity. Perhaps he was looking for someone to fill some hole in his heart, to light up his life…

...So she spent a lot of time thinking about what could maybe possibly probably never happen. A Legendary Pokemon with some generic Pokemon? No… someone so plain and shy with someone she found so attractive in every way? She knew she was stuck with hopeless dreams. But deep down, she was growing tired of contemplating and guessing at what he could be. She wanted to know what he was: the name of his species, their characteristics, their habitat. Maybe it would help her get over her attraction if she learned that he wasn't all she was making him out to be… And while asking around about him, maybe she could find out about something the strange dirty gravesite, too.

She knew that most of her fellow Legendary Pokemon were older and wiser than her, having bared witness to things she could hardly dream of. Surely someone would know something she wanted to know. With her reluctance to approach Arceus about this, she knew she had to keep her investigation on the down-low. Opting to spread her inquiries out over a few days to keep from arousing suspicion, she began with the obvious choice: Uxie.

When Shaymin described the dragon to her, the Knowledge Pokemon sputtered incoherently about an ancient myth warning of violence and cautioned her to turn back before refusing to say anymore about it. Frustrated (and at the same time a little unsettled), she turned to the pixie's sister, Azelf, who, though prone to moodiness (which made Shaymin nervous), would surely know something about the environment she lived in. But when asked about an out-of-place landform and a certain species that lived there, she reacted offensively and told her to stay away from that place. Their responses were disconcerting, but understandable, she guessed, given the nature of what she was asking about. Though, seeing that the eldest Legends were going to give vague answers, she shifted her interrogations to some of the others.

Regigigas said that he didn't remember it being there when he put Sinnoh in place, but that his memory was rusty. She called on Rayquaza, but when he learned that her questioning was not worth his time, he just dropped the conversation. She asked Latias and Latios, who were young as she but had already traveled far more than she probably ever would, if either of them had seen the place she'd seen. They both seemed to know what she was talking about, but they never saw anyone there.

On the off days she didn't ask around about her strange experience, she had time to think over what she had learned. All in all, everyone gave incredibly ambiguous answers. It seemed that some were in the dark as well, while some wanted the information she sought to be kept secret. Maybe everyone was in the latter category except her. But she could piece together some things about the crater in the woods. It was definitely handmade, perhaps man-made, but it wasn't entirely built up early on. It must've taken some time… though she already assumed that, given the various states of decay in the corpses. But it seemed that it could be a finished structure, for the Eon twins never witnessed anyone there.

And then there were the unnerving warnings from the sisters. She had a feeling that their foreboding words were not about the place, creepy as it was. So what of the ghostly presence she saw there? Was his species violent, violent enough to keep away from? She supposed the menacing, dark look he had about him fit that description. Her search was certainly doing its job in deterring her from thinking so fondly of him. Yet she felt that there should be more to it than this. Why would a violent Pokemon seem so aloof and sad?

She would've started tailoring her search more towards his kind, if it weren't for Arceus' command to see her at once.

Evidently, she wasn't being discreet enough, or someone had told Arceus that she was asking questions she shouldn't be asking. Her internalized bitterness was quick to blame the latter. So here she was, making her way to the Hall of Origin's entrance. She knew Arceus was giving her a judgmental glare the whole way up, but she didn't have the confidence to meet that gaze, even with the personality change that came with her Sky Forme. She submissively kept her head down, flying increasingly shakily as she got closer to the impending rage.

To her shock, she was met with a much softer greeting.

"Shaymin," Arceus said simply, voice gentle, but with a sternness that was natural to the goddess.

Finally raising her head enough to meet her eyes, Shaymin replied with a shaky, "Y-yes, my Lady?"

The equine exhaled lightly. "Do not be afraid. I have not called you here to punish you, though I am sure you know of the misdeed I am speaking of." Shaymin blushed lightly. In all honestly, she didn't know whether the great misdeed was not telling her that she seen something she probably wasn't supposed to or that she tried to find out about it without Arceus knowing. What did Arceus know?

"I-if you don't mind me asking… what did… how did you find out?"

Arceus seemed somewhat off put by that question, though her composure did not falter. Her eyes scanned Shaymin judgingly, as if trying to figure out whether she was deserving of an answer or not. Finally, she said, "Two approached me regarding your… actions in the past few weeks. The first one seemed to imply that you had stumbled upon something to the east, something that few know about. I chose to ignore that Pokemon's inquiry related to you. I felt sure that you would approach me if you had any questions about something strange you might have seen - assuming you witnessed anything out of the ordinary in the first place. But when another informed me that you were asking questions about that very something, I knew the initial accusations were true."

Shaymin felt the entirety of her face burn with a blush, from her cheeks to the tips of her ears. This was torturous.

"I only wish you had come to me with your questions, rather than try to circumvent my information… Come," she continued after a pause, "Let us take a quick flight."

Arceus joined her in the air, and the two set off into the clouds, with Arceus leading and Shaymin obediently - and reluctantly - following. They flew in silence for several minutes, and Shaymin was getting increasingly uncomfortable. As if the overwhelming awkwardness and embarrassment of the situation wasn't enough, she had an underlying feeling that her companion had plans to berate her very soon as well. She just wanted to get it over with.

She noticed that Arceus would occasionally take deep breath, as if to speak with the following exhale, only to fail to do so. It really didn't help ease her worries. Was all of this really so terrible that Arceus herself was unsure of how to approach it? Maybe she'd never had to deal with a betrayal of trust before, even a small one such as this… Eventually, however, she broke the stony silence. "My sources seem to indicate that you have an interest in Giratina."

Giratina?

Wait.

Giratina?

That's who she saw in the pool? That's who she'd been imagining herself with? She nearly fell out of the sky in shock. Imagine having a crush on one of the founders of the known universe, one of the most powerful Pokemon in existence, and mistaking him for some unimportant Pokemon. Thinking he'd ever give her a second thought. She almost wished she could just suddenly forget how to fly.

She gulped hard, knowing her face was probably flushed as red as the petals protruding from her neck. "I… I wasn't aware that it was… Giratina…"

Arceus gave her a sidelong glance, one she wouldn't even dream of returning. Seeming satisfied with what she was looking for, she turned her head back to the horizon and said, "I see. That is what I suspected. Tell me what you know of him."

"Uh…" Shaymin muttered dumbly. She still wasn't quite over the shock of the identity of her little crush. Everything she knew of Giratina she learned through casual mention by other Legendaries. "I know that he was one of your first creations, made to control the amount of antimatter in the universe," she paused, trying to remember. "And I know that he lives in an entirely different dimension… keeping this world's physical balance, I think? Then why…" she trailed off, confused. If Giratina resided somewhere beyond this world, then what had he been doing in the pool?

Shaymin noticed that Arceus had gained a grave expression. "There is nothing more to your knowledge of him?" she asked tentatively. When she shook her head vigorously in response, Arceus sighed lightly and flew slower as they passed over a large cumulonimbus. "Let me tell you a story, dear. Given your supposed admiration for Giratina, I am sure that it is a tale you will not enjoy. But it is one you should know of. Forgive me for not disclosing this bit of history far sooner… it is not in my nature to speak of the past. Yet it is something that should be shared, and you have shown me the err of my choices."
Shaymin stared quizzically at her creator. Why was she acting so weird? What was so bad about seeing Giratina? And what harm could come from possibly having feelings for the beast? She supposed she'd know soon enough.

"In the beginning of this universe, I had complete dominion over all things. All forms of matter, time, space, and every dimension available to me, life and death… I held governance over every physical and spiritual aspect of this place. It was, as you can imagine, a heavy burden on the shoulders of a solitary creature. So I created assistants, if you will, creatures that could wield the same elements of the universe as me, and use them to control the fundamentals of the universe. I started with the basics: Dialga for time, Palkia for space, then Giratina for antimatter."

As Arceus explained these things, Shaymin found her eyes - and her mind - wandering. What did this have to do with that day? She had hoped to find out more about the dragon… er, Giratina... not have a history lesson. Didn't she already tell Arceus that she knew this stuff about him? She was much better off -

"Am I boring you, Shaymin?"

"Oh!" she uttered, completely embarrassed at being found out. "I, uh, no, my Lady, I was just…"

"Please," Arceus replied, giving her no chance to come up with some excuse (for which she was very grateful). "Call me Arceus." Shaymin must've looked utterly dumfounded, for Arceus chuckled lightly and gave her a wry look before explaining, "We are having a friendly discourse, are we not? There is no need to address me as your superior."

While Shaymin wouldn't have chosen that description, she nodded. All that mattered was that she didn't embarrass herself anymore. Satisfied, Arceus continued:

"I suppose I was being long winded - forgive me. I shall get to the point of this conversation." Her lighter mood became serious once again. "The Giratina you saw… That was not the true Giratina. Allow me to explain using you as an example. You are not the first of my creations to have more than one forme - that title belongs to him. The one you saw is the one he takes in the main universe, especially designed for a place where gravity reigns supreme. The other one is his true forme, the one I originally designed. It is built for the dimension you spoke of - the Distortion World - where the core elements of our world are insignificant. And, much like you, he undergoes a mild personality change with each forme change. I will explain why this is so significant after you have had some time to digest this."

She was very thankful for this, because her mind was awhirl. She didn't know whether to feel excited because she had something in common with him, something so unique to the both of them, curious about what he was truly like, something she had been yearning for for weeks, or heartbroken that she had spent so much time thinking of someone that wasn't what she thought. Of course, she thought to herself, Your silly fantasies were based entirely on what you hoped to be true, not what was actually true. Now you're finding out the truth. Isn't that what you hoped to find out? Of course her thoughts were right, but it didn't ease the confusion she had about what she felt.

"While I had a direct influence on the abilities and functioning of the original three," Arceus continued after a few minutes, "I had little involvement in their personal development. You probably have not had the opportunity to interact with them enough to know much of their temperament, but Dialga and Palkia are as expected: Dialga's punctuality is characteristic of the master of time, and Palkia's jovial outlook befitting the unpredictability of space. Giratina, however, was always a little different.

"From the start, he was quiet. Much like your shyness, Giratina's quietness was a staple no matter what forme he took. And that was of no concern to me, until I realized that it was to the point of reclusion. While Dialga and Palkia regularly came and went from their home dimensions as needed or desired, Giratina rarely left the Distortion World, and very often he would not leave as I requested. The few times he had no choice but to come into our world, he was solemn as always, but lacked the true reserve and mildness he had in his dimension. His moods were threatening, and he had an aggressive edge that made him prone to irate outbursts… and fights with Dialga and Palkia..." Arceus trailed off, shaking her head.

At this point, Shaymin was having a hard time relating what she saw to what Arceus was saying to her. She did recognize the threatening air about the dragon, and she believed that Arceus had no reason to lie: this must've been the way things were way back at the beginning of the universe. But that was not what she saw back then. She could vividly remember the depressive look in Giratina's eyes, the slow and lumbering movements… What she witnessed was a Pokemon who'd lived through more times of sadness than anger.

"It was so out of character for the naturally inhibited Giratina. I had no idea where such a rebellious streak had come from, but I could only assume it was related to the change of atmosphere in this world and the forme change that came with it. I suppose it is the the same with you," Arceus added with a hasty smile. "Thus, I complied with his obvious desire to remain in the Distortion World, despite the detriment it would have on his sociability. Perhaps he had been so reluctant to emerge because he knew what he could become. Thus, things remained calm for some years. I do not think he returned but for a couple of times after I allowed him free stay in his dimension. I would visit him to check up on his status and any new happenings in his dimension. He was docile and polite with me there, so I knew my decision was probably for the best. That is, until…" Arceus trailed off.

Shaymin cocked her head. Maybe what would come next would reveal the answers to the questions she still had. Why Giratina had appeared in this world a few short weeks ago, why he seemed so melancholy… But Arceus seemed hesitant to go further. She'd learned more than she hoped to about him at this point, so she didn't mind if they ended their talk here. If anything, she'd prefer to end their discourse soon, in hopes of preventing any more slip ups in front of Arceus. Yet, worried for the goddess's sake, she prodded.

"My lad- I mean, Arceus… Um… If this is hard to talk about, you don't have to go on…"

Arceus shook her head abruptly, breaking her silence. "No, Shaymin. I am alright. It is just… Never mind." Shaymin was met with a reassuring - and mischievous - smile. "Where has that spark of curiosity you had at the beginning of all this gone?"
Well, Shaymin thought, averting her eyes ashamedly, I guess I'm not complaining.

"It happened before I had created Xerneas, Yveltal, and Zygarde - and was the reason for their creation. It a few thousand years after I had created humans and the first Pokemon to dwell amongst them - not Legendary Pokemon, in essence. Neither was sure whether or not trust the other, with humans preying on Pokemon and vice versa. In time, some Pokemon found favor with humans and began to dwell with them, but most interactions between people and Pokemon was fraught with animosity. Most of these were in self defense on both sides: Pokemon wielded their elemental gifts and humans crafted weapons to fend off attacking beasts. But just as there are some Pokemon, such as Giratina, who attack out of sheer aggressiveness, so there are humans with the same instincts.

"There was one man in particular, who lived to the east, in the beginnings of the settlement you passed through. He had crafted a fine sword, and he used it against Pokemon. Such was the nature of humans and Pokemon at the time, so there was no harm done. But this particular man took his violence further. He initially killed for meat and skins, but he soon killed for pleasure. He did nothing with the bodies he did not need, he took life simply because he could. I was greatly disturbed, but he was but one blemish in the course of human history. I chose not to change fate. But someone else did, and I'm certain you can gather who that would be."

Shaymin felt sick listening to this tale. She had no idea people and Pokemon had such a gruesome past… But was that really just what life was? She wasn't sure she wanted to hear the rest of the story, but she went along with Arceus's conjecture. "Giratina…?"

"Correct," Arceus nodded, looking thoughtfully to the clouds hiding the sun in the distance. "To make the Distortion World's Giratina so enraged is not an easy feat. Yet it occurred for this individual. His purpose was to balance out matter and the time and space that affect it, not to balance the scale of life and death. Essentially, he entitled himself to what was once my role in the universe and took to our world. He confronted the man, who was searching for Pokemon, though not a one was nearby. Giratina told the man that he must take a toll for his misdeeds, a toll that Giratina had no right to take. The human was frightened by Giratina and gave up his sword, repenting what he had done. But that was not enough for Giratina. He smote the man where he stood, and raged across the region in a violent outrage. His kill count of innocent humans greatly outnumbered that of the human's, for it was a comparison of the actions of one man to those of a god. His anger was not quelled until I emerged from my dimension to put a stop to my own creation, but by then he had nearly wiped out the entirety of Sinnoh's human population, taking the lives of numerous Pokemon along with them."

For the second time that afternoon, Shaymin had to actively focus on flying to keep from fainting on the spot. Arceus. This was a truly horrific story, one she never thought she'd stumble upon when she first contemplated finding out about Giratina. No wonder Arceus disliked reliving this moment in time. Who knew that the muted aggression she got from the dragon was the spark for such a burning, raging flame? She was certain that she was done hearing about Giratina, but Arceus didn't seem to be done telling of him. For someone who was disinclined to speak of the past, she sure had a lot to say…

"As you can imagine, I was furious. You are likely aware of my contempt for humanity, but no amount of emotion should sway the scale of justice. I had chosen not to interrupt a fairly insignificant human, but Giratina was one of my own. I did not actively create the human, but Giratina was crafted from my own design… And knowing that something so precious to me could murder innocents so utterly horribly was devastating. I could not let him using his strength for evil so lightly. So I banished him."

Banished?

"He was doomed to the Distortion World indefinitely. I suppose I was ultimately giving him what he wanted, but I could see no other way to prevent him from doing this again. No longer could he come and go from his dimension at will. He has two points of entry into this world: Spear Pillar, and the pond you discovered. But he cannot go out into the world, you see. I have placed impenetrable borders around both locations, unique to him. He can come to Spear Pillar as I see fit, and he can receive sustenance he may want from the pond. Otherwise, he has dwelled alone in the DIstortion World for… well over a million years."

"A million years…" she whispered, and Arceus nodded curtly. Shaymin couldn't help but widen her eyes at that. Perhaps it was nothing for such an ancient Pokemon, but… a million years? All alone? His crime was heinous, there was no doubt about that. Her stomach still churned just thinking about it. But a life sentence for a creature designed to live until the end of time… Was that really just? Maybe he was the first, but it's not as if he was the only one to kill a large number of innocent people and Pokemon… Kyogre and Groudon had definitely succeeded in doing that twice within those million years, and wasn't there a catastrophic war in a distant region that had killed thousands of people and Pokemon as well? All Arceus had done for them is send Kyogre and Groudon into deep slumbers both times and curse that human in the war with immortality… but not an immortal life spent all alone! And what about…

"A-Arceus… Why were all those… those dead bodies around the pond? I actually thought… You know, that it was a crater of c-corpses with water collected in the bottom…"

"Ah," Arceus mused. "That was not my doing. There is a cave beneath the pond, and it was actually the entryway Giratina chose that day. I chose that location as a grim reminder of why he was banished. But the humans made it a decidedly cruel portal. The few remaining humans knew Giratina was the cause of the catastrophy. They did not bury their dead in the typical human manner. They gathered up the remains they could find and arranged them around Giratina's pond, for they felt that it was his home. They piled the dead high above the pond, a walled enclosure constructed of people and Pokemon alike. For a few years after that, the people who lived nearby took all of the dead to the location, until it was the structure you saw recently. Eventually, as humans once again repopulated the region, the place was forgotten, the event was lost in time, and Giratina was a name few recognized. The way the dimensions twist in that cemetery alters the passing of time… I am sure you noticed that some of the bodies were still in a state of decomposition."

Shaymin shuddered. Yes, she remembered that fact very well. But she was also perturbed by Arceus's tone of voice. It was distant, as if this was something for everyday conversation. Between "friends." She began to wonder if Arceus's harshness towards Giratina, though mostly understandable, was really based on judgment or some sort of tainted bias. And she had to admit, she was a little disturbed with herself for identifying with and making excuses for a murderer. She was conflicted about the feelings she had for the past weeks and what she was feeling now. Perhaps she was just as biased as Arceus was. But she couldn't let go of one little detail… One she knew Arceus might not like to hear.

Mustering up all her courage, it took all her willpower to keep from whispering, "Arceus… Giratina, he… When I saw him… He was sad. I think he's lonely. Has… Has he tried to make amends…?"

Once again, Arceus gave her that scrutinizing look. Though she could feel herself shaking and though her eyes wavered, she kept her confidence. Arceus raised a brow, then replied, "I see you are questioning my decisions. Perhaps you have been doing so this entire time. Yes, he has apologized numerous times, most of them shortly after his sentencing. Of course, I could not accept them early on, you must understand that. I have rejected his attempts since then, for I know what lies within him. He has been quiet in the most recent years. All I can say is that his sorrow is what he's supposed to get from the punishment. You cannot seriously tell me that you are trying to make light of his actions?"

Shaymin gave up her attempt as soon as Arceus began to speak. She was not someone fit for arguing. She shook her head slowly and muttered lowly, "No, ma'am…"

Arceus's eyes softened after a moment. "I'm not trying to intimidate you, dear." She looked down at the distant ground reflexively. "Though I will give him a token of credit: if you gathered that feeling from his Altered Forme, if you really saw an inkling of sadness in his eyes… Then he has come a long way. I can assure you that one day, I will relieve him of his banishment. I will know when that day comes."

Shaymin nodded. She didn't know whether she was satisfied with that or not. But all of her questions had been answered, she supposed… Though it was not the relief or euphoria she had expected. Now she was more confused than she was before. She'd need time to stew over this.

"Now," Arceus continued, interrupting Shaymin's thoughts. She raised her head up, a new air of seriousness replacing her more pensive one. "My reason for sharing this tale with you. I would advise you to stay away from Giratina. I do not expect you to ever meet his true forme… And you now know what can come of his personality in this world. His punishment is, in part, to have interaction with others severely limited, however… I will not forbid you from ever going there again, and I will not forbid you from ever interacting with him again. But I would very, very strongly advise you to refrain from his presence. And should you give in to your curiosity, tread lightly, dear child. And know this: should anything happen to you with him, my judgment will reign in spite of it, for you were warned."
"Yes, m-ma'am," she replied quickly. Her heart fluttered. Sick as it was, she was pleased to know that she could possibly see him again. Yet her muscles stiffened at the same time in response to Arceus's warning. It was definitely unnerving to hear the sharp edge to her tone. Still, she had one more thing to say: "A-A-Arceus… What if I, after seeing him… What if I started feeling for him the same way y-you feel about… Kyurem…?"

Arceus froze, and Shaymin could see her eyes widen slightly. "I highly doubt that. Love at first sight is… a very rare phenomenon," Arceus said sharply, startling Shaymin. She knew that Arceus herself had fallen prey to said phenomenon, and she was shocked that she would be so adamant against it… Especially since her feelings were returned. "I don't understand how you could possibly feel such emotions for a murderous beast, but my previous statement stands. I cannot forbid you from having anything to do with Giratina, for you have done no crime... despite withholding information."

Shaymin winced at that sudden reminder. She had clearly said the wrong thing by trying to relate to the equine.

"Now, then," Arceus continued monotonically, "We have arrived. Fare thee well, Shaymin."

Surprised, Shaymin looked around the sky before noticing that they were hovering high above the Flower Paradise. It was a pretty short trip from Mt. Coronet to the Paradise… How had they managed to fly so slowly?

Shaymin looked back up at Arceus, who was not looking at her. She bit her lip. This had not been the most pleasant discussion, and she knew she should probably just leave without saying something stupid again, but her mouth was quicker than her mind for once.

"Arceus?" N response. "So y-you're... not mad at me for not telling you that I saw Giratina?"

Very slowly, Arceus lowered her head to meet Shaymin's pleading gaze. She sighed and closed her eyes. "No, I am not. As you have learned his afternoon, there are far worse deeds that can be done." She opened her eyes again, and they were much warmer than they were before. "Do not be afraid to approach me with questions in the future. I have not spoken one-on-one with another Legend in a very long time. I will admit to being rusty in the area of amiability… But it was good to get to know you better."

Utterly surprised, Shaymin didn't know what to say. She sputtered out what sounded right. "Um… Thank you, ma'am. I… I'll be certain to do so."

With a light chuckle, Arceus tossed her head and reared. "I will be seeing you, Shaymin."

Shaymin smiled the best she could and nodded. She turned down to the comforting sight of the lush Gracideas. The perfect setting for thinking about all she needed to sort out.

"Shaymin."
Oh dear, she thought, That's how this conversation started.

She warily turned her head in Arceus's direction, taken aback to see that she hadn't moved. Her expression was perplexive and cautious.

"I cannot believe I am thinking such things, but… The care you have for him… I am not saying you should follow through with this however… You could be a good influence for him."

Shaymin gaped. Had she heard that right? Hadn't Arceus just told her she shouldn't approach Giratina again?

Arceus seemed to realize what she said, and shook her head. "I know not where that came from. Ignore me." She turned around. It was weird, but Shaymin thought she almost seemed embarrassed. She started heading in the direction they had come. "Goodbye," she called after herself.

This time, Shaymin was the one who didn't budge. She watched her creator take off into the evening sun until she passed over a cloud. So many thoughts were passing through her head and she couldn't make sense of any of them: revolting ones, angry ones, loving ones, sad ones…

She had a lot to think about. Again.

"Curse Mesprit for emotions..." Shaymin muttered as she flopped down in a bed of Gracideas.

It felt like a broken record. Here she was again, a week or two after a life-changing event, and she still felt no further than she was before it happened.

Well, her view of Giratina had changed, though she still had a hard time even believing it was him. He was no longer the "tall, dark, and mysterious" guy to fawn over as she drifted off at night, though those words still applied. Instead, he was the "actually quiet and well-mannered but also sometimes a violent murderer of innocents who happens to be attractive" guy to agonize over every waking hour of the day. She was repulsed by him, she was drawn to him; her heart turned cold for him, her heart broke for him; she wanted to forget he even existed, she wanted to think about him every moment of the day; she hoped she'd never see him again, she hoped she'd find the courage to visit him someday.

But all of this conflict was of no help at all. Despite spending all this time thinking and rethinking about the details of Giratina, she was no further in deciding where she stood in all of this. She was aware that she couldn't just let go of him, that she really did have strange feelings for him. And though she was frightened by the story Arceus shared with her, a voice deep within her told her that Arceus was bitter towards Giratina. Perhaps her story wasn't entirely truthful, woven out of a desire to keep Shaymin from getting too close to him. And the especially harsh punishment made her pity the dragon. The feelings she had before related to Giratina's loneliness always came back with these thoughts: that maybe she could be a special friend to him, to take away the sadness he'd held for so long…

Of course, the last thing Arceus said to her had stuck out in her mind more than anything else. Despite all the horrid things she said about Giratina, did Arceus secretly hope that Shaymin would actually try to befriend him? Was it something she intentionally let slip, so Shaymin would give Giratina the care he never got and the second chance Arceus herself couldn't give? Oh, how she relished the thought of being the vicious outsider's saving grace, but what made her any different than Arceus's other creations? Shaymin supposed she was sweet on the outside, but her shyness usually kept her from getting too close, even to those she wanted to. And her new knowledge of how angry Giratina could become didn't help her nerves, either...

But even if she decided that she wanted to give him a chance, what's to say he'd even notice her? Even though they were both Legendary Pokemon, there was a very clear difference between him and her. And though there were friendships between Legends of all sorts… She felt especially insignificant compared to him. The awesomely terrifying god of a world entirely unknown to her, whose purpose was to counteract the forces of this world and bring balance to the entire universe… think anything of a minor, timid goddess who was just created to make the land look nice? She couldn't think of a more unlikely pair. Forget her romantic feelings, she doubted he'd accept any offer of friendship in the first place.

She groaned into the night sky and pressed her hands against her eyelids. It was the same every night. Back and forth until she concluded that she wanted more than anything to make him happy, despite her fear of him and repulsion by what he could do. And it ended with a feeling of uselessness, that even if she wanted to offer herself to him, she'd never have to courage to do so. And she knew that she'd wake up the next morning with a new - if you could call it that - notion that something that could potentially kill her was not worth the emotional heartache.

She rolled onto her side and absentmindedly picked petals off of nearby flowers, nibbling them at will. If only I were stronger… she thought, tearing a petal in annoyance, I'd be able to handle myself better if anything went wrong. And maybe I'd have more confidence to go… Stupid useless powers, only make things pretty… Superficial…

She paused her plucking momentarily, as an idea formed in her head. Maybe she was not the most sociable, maybe not the best at making friends… But she was made to create beautiful landscapes, and she knew she could do that without fail. And she knew that Giratina's earthly home was not a beautiful place.

Feeling giddy, she couldn't help but smile as she plucked petals faster and faster, letting them fall where they wanted. It was something she could do over time, something that didn't require her to actually talk to Giratina or place herself in danger, and something she knew she could do without messing up. It would be disgusting work to fix up the place… But she now felt that being able to show him that someone, a secret admirer of sorts, cared for him... would make it all worth it.

She leaned back into her new bed of petals and smiled. For the first time in a while, she'd fall asleep contented.

Shaymin huffed in disappointment as she hovered over her destination. "Curse Kyogre for making it rain today of all days."

A light drizzle from the north sprinkled on the disgusted place she never thought she'd return to. She watched drops make small holes in the dirt of the gravesite, knowing it would soon turn to mud. This was not going to be fun. She considered going back to her nice, dry home, but, admittedly, she'd been so excited to start this little project on her way here that she knew she'd regret it if she turned back. At the very least, the scent of rain somewhat masked the stench of death. Sort of. And it appeared to be keeping Giratina away, which is what she (mostly) hoped for.

She flew around the disgusting place, eyeing the work to be done. She couldn't simply use a Seed Flare and be done with it like she had with the last place. That would have to come at the end, when she'd straightened up the land. She couldn't have flowers intermingled with bones sticking out of the ground! From what she could see, the material here was entirely organic. That would be good for the flowers that would soon take up residence in the ground, but it also meant that she'd have a nasty time cleaning up the place. Oh, joy.

First and foremost, she'd have to clean up the bodies. Push outlying bones deeper in the mess, add dirt and soil to cover up exposed bodies, maintain the tapered, crater-like shape… With her small body and limited physical strength, it was clear that this would take a very long time. She took a deep breath - through her mouth, she ensured. At any rate, she could probably make use of the malleability of the mud.

She flew down to the southeastern corner and approached the nearest bone. She looked at the stained yellow thing in disgust. Now that she was up close, she wasn't so sure she'd be able to do this. She was suddenly aware of how disrespectful this was to those who had died… And the idea of touching something long dead was naturally unappealing. With a curled lip, shifting eyes, and shaking arms, she placed her paws on it and pushed. It slid easily - too easily - and though it was now flush with the topmost edge of the wall, the mud had shifted the other bodily masses around it so that they didn't quite fit.

Proud of herself for taking that first revolting push and annoyed that this was going to take a lot more effort than she initially realized, she gulped down her nausea and busied herself with making the surrounding ground a relatively flat surface again. Remarkably, she grew more and more accustomed to the dirty work as she grew more and more particular about situating the ground evenly and attractively. She kept up this rhythm of pushing something into place and fixing the damage it caused for hours, until she realized that the light illuminating the clouds above was growing noticeably dimmer. And to her astonishment, she had covered a pretty decent amount of ground, much more than she had expected.

All smiles, she took off into the afternoon sun towards home. She fell asleep in her Sky Forme as soon as she reached her welcoming flowers, tired from a day of hard work and anticipating an early awakening the next morning.

Having received no tasks from Arceus for the day, Shaymin made her way back to Giratina's home, bright and early. It wasn't raining today, but she wasn't sure whether she was thankful for it or not. It made things a little less messy, but it was much harder to move the terrain around without the mud's thinner consistency. And it could mean that Giratina was more likely to show up without the bad weather.

She flew to where she left off yesterday, and pushed against the most outlying bone. The dirt around it was still soft enough that she could get it to sink into the muck, but it took a fra greater amount of effort than it had in the mud. The good thing was that it didn't displace the clumps of body parts around it as much, it just made a clumpy mess of the dirt and mottled flesh around it, which was much easier to fix up. She supposed it was an even trade-off.

She got to work in the same pattern she started yesterday: adjust the most noticeable bones into a more pleasing location on the landform, fix the hiccups made in the surrounding material, and move on to the next place that needed a touch up. Over time, she found that using one of her weaker moves on the bones that needed moving was a much easier way to move them, though she had to manually position it after moving it so that it was just right before tending to the surroundings. It all culminated into a day that seemed longer than the last.

As she wearily headed home that afternoon, she decided that rainy days were her favorites. She'd managed to get through about half of one of the outside faces of the walled pond, but most of it had been done yesterday. Despite the more disgusting conditions, she seemed to work better when the ground was easier to deal with than today's situation. And if she thought damp ground was bad, she could only imagine how bad dry ground would be. She supposed she'd find out soon enough.

It turned out that nothing wanted to move much at all. She growled in frustration at this new discovery, but she didn't let herself get completely down. She thought about alternatives while she flew that day, and she decided that iif she couldn't make it work out, then she'd start patching up what she'd already accomplished with a fresh layer of dirt and soil, making a truly flat and solid surface. The trick was actually finding some.

She started with what had collected at the foot of the structure over time. The humans that built this in the first place had done their part in sprinkling some dirt over their dead, but they had done a very poor job of it. Some managed to get packed in between corpses over time, but most of it had slid to the bottom of the heap in a gritty pile.

Collecting it was somewhat challenging as well. She gathered as much as she could in her small arms, which was just enough for her to work with, but it was such a small amount that she'd have to waste time going up and down the side of the wall just to get more. She dreaded to think of how much more time it would take to do this once she ran out of nearby dirt. She shook her head as she collected what seemed like the thousandth clump of dirt. She supposed she'd worry about that when it became a problem.

She worked until the sun threatened to slip away at any second. She had gotten through most of what she'd already done, covering the dreadful death with soft dirt, smoothing it out as she did so. It already looked better than it had when she started, and though she was tired and slightly annoyed at how long this was going to take, she was very happy that things were looking as she'd hoped. She kept telling herself that it would be worth it, to make his visits here more enjoyable.

That night, she did some calculations. If it took a little more than 3 days to finish ½ of a wall, it would take her about a month to do the entire outside of the place. Then she needed to add some more days to do the inside of the pond and the very top, but those should take a shorter amount of time. And, of course, she'd have to account for the unpredictable weather… Waiting for rainy days would not be very fun. Grumbling something about Rayquaza and Groudon and Kyogre, she drifted off to sleep.

And so the months passed as she planned. On rainy days, she straightened things up. On sunny days, she packed dirt in place. On the in-between days, she did whichever one needed more work, which was usually the former. In periods without rain, she took the cheap way out and covered up spots with dirt that hadn't been restructured. All that mattered was how it looked on the top, right? The dirt problem was surprisingly simple: once she used up the dirt around the area, she found quite a bit a short flight to the east, within the mountainous region she passed by months ago. She had the intuition to weave a sizable basket of flowers to carry the dirt across the longer distance, and everything was peachy. Just very, very tedious.

And, of course, there were days when Arceus had something planned for her to do, so she was not able to work at all. They were actually welcome breaks. Shaymin had no idea whether Arceus was aware of what she had been up to since their talk, but Arceus hadn't spoken to her about it since. In fact, she didn't treat Shaymin much differently than she had before… Though she thought that maybe Arceus smiled at her just a little more than she once had.

And, perhaps by a miracle or by nature, Giratina never made another appearance. Arceus really hadn't been kidding when she said that he hardly left his dimension. Her encounter with him many months ago truly was the rarest of coincidences. She had sort of expected that his years alone would make him more inclined to visit the worldly dimension, but it appeared that her guess wasn't true. She was always relieved to see that he wasn't there, but as time passed, she began to fear that she'd never have that chance sighting again. And even then, she wasn't sure whether she even wanted that.

In fact, things stayed pretty much the same as she spent more time on her personal project. The work was monotonous, and after a while, she began working without thinking, letting her mind wander, particularly to Giratina-related things. The smell was definitely receding as more and more decay was covered up, and it seemed to make the Pokemon of the surrounding forest curious about what changes were happening to the strange place in their forest. None dared to take a step into Giratina's home, however. She wondered if they were fearful of him, too.

The biggest excitement she had over the course of her work was finishing the outside of the walls and venturing into the inside. It was exciting not only because the bulk of the work was done or because the perpetual fog made working a little more difficult, but because being there made her more likely to be seen by Giratina, should he be lying in wait within the cave. Still, she rarely had the guts to actually look towards the cave while she worked, so she supposed she'd never really know. But if he had seen her, she never had any indication of it, for nothing ever happened as she worked her way closer and closer to the cave's wide opening.

The days she worked around it were horrible. The area was already a little chilly, but a definitively cold, ghostly wind constantly blew from the opening, and it was very uncomfortable for her. It didn't help that she, despite trying not to stare into it this whole time, secretly wanted to peep inside, to see what Giratina saw when he came to earth. It was strange to know that a cave snaked into the ground just below her and somehow supported the pool above it. Perhaps Giratina had made it himself and the strange way the dimensions behaved here altered the way gravity functioned... Of course, she never gave in to the desire to see his handiwork, and worked around it as quickly as possible.

Eventually, over three months after she started, the day came in which the last uncovered area was the small strip of level ground atop it all. Her work on the slopes beside it had leveled off the area, and all she had to do now was make a fresh layer of dirt. She couldn't help but grin from ear to ear as she laid the soil down on the rectangular border. She was so close to being done, and she was so pleased with herself for persevering through such a disgusting, difficult, tolling, hopefully worth it task. The steep slopes were flat and smooth as could be, and there was little visual indication that this was once a stinkhole of death.

I really hope he likes this… she thought as she patted the last of the soil down on the ground and looked at everything she'd done. She was surprised to feel butterflies squirming around in her stomach as she flew above the landform, taking a good look at the clean surfaces. It was the last time they'd look like this. Inhaling deeply, she began drawing in the pollution of the area: the contamination in the water, each and every pathogen in the soil, the remaining odor in the air… And with a slow exhale, converted the contaminants into light, taking the form of fragrant flowers and lush grass as it reached the soil all around. She watched as thick grasses sprung up for the nearby Pokemon, as flowers ate up the ground where the grass did not, as the pond cleared up from a murky green to a crystal blue. The atmosphere lifted and the lingering, putrid smell was replaced with the sweetness of flowers. It was a lovely sight, colorfully pristine flowers swaying calmly in the breeze. The fog settled nicely on the delicate petals.

With a small smile, she drifted to the little flowers she had just made and collapsed onto their soft bodies. She couldn't have been happier with what she had done. She just hoped that he would be happy with it, too. It would be such a surprise for him… A little love note to him from someone he'd probably never know. And she found that now, she didn't care whether he knew she existed anymore. All that mattered was that she'd done all this for him, and that maybe he'd cheer up just a little to know that someone out there thought of him. With another smile and a light blush, she rocketed off into the sky, cheering loudly and laughing excitedly.

This must be what love felt like. And though it had caused her copious heartache… She'd never felt better in her life.

Okay, that was then. This was now.

She found herself suddenly stricken with boredom in the days following her moment of euphoria. She realized that she really had dedicated her life to that project for a brief span of time and that she had nothing to do now that it was complete.

What she really wanted to do was see his reaction to her gift. Would his eyes light up and a smile appear on his snout? Would it encourage him to visit this world more often? Would he wonder who took the time to do all of this for him? Or maybe he would take one look and think nothing of it. The same old loner that he was before… She just wanted to know.

But that would take another chance meeting, something she was 100% sure wouldn't happen again. So she formulated a little idea: she wouldn't let her gift be entirely anonymous. She'd leave a little signature on her work, something indicative of herself: a Gracidea. She was certain that he didn't know who she was, so he could possibly never notice the unique flower amongst the others. But maybe it would be imprinted in his memory, and should he ever see her in the future, he could make the connection and tell her what he thought of her gift.

Or he could not. Given his apparent quiet nature, he may never speak to her whether he knew it was her or not. It's not like she was making any effort to speak to him, either. But it didn't hurt to try. Anyway, it was all she could come up with to satisfy her desire, other than visiting the pond every day for eternity, which she was definitely not doing.

So here she was now, flying back to the pond, probably for the last time in a very long time. A Gracidea was clasped between her teeth. Her heart beat quicker than normal, and she her stomach churned with nerves. She couldn't believe that she was actually doing this. She needed all the confidence her Sky Forme's personality had to offer to actually take off this morning, but now that she was on her way, she wondered where she'd find the confidence to actually leave the flower for him to find. She calmed herself by laughing about the irony of the situation. If the Gracidea had only been planted the first time she found the place, she probably wouldn't have gotten into any of this mess.

She passed over a mass of pine trees, and she took a deep breath when the crater came into view. The flowers and tall grass were a lovely sight for sore eyes, so used to seeing a more gruesome image in its place. Then, as she drew close enough to see into the walls, her heart stopped.

He was there.

She hovered stock still in the air, panic taking over. She nearly dropped the Gracidea as she resisted the urge to gasp. Her heart began beating full force and her stomach was alive with butterflies. How had this happened again? Her mind went back and forth as she debated what she wanted to do. She was already here, she had the Gracidea that would die if she didn't get it in the ground, but if she did that, she'd have to confront him, and that would be both frightening and embarrassing.

But as she went around in a circle in her mind, she soon became distracted by the Pokemon that had occupied her mind for so long. He was as handsome as she remembered, if not more. His movements were still lumbering as they were before, but took note of his slightly peppier gestures. Her heart was warmed… It seemed that he was happy with the flowers. She watched excitedly as his head lowered into the pond. It was just as it happened last time. But he didn't drink. To her amazement, he put his mouth low to the ground, close to some of the plants within the crater and softly dumped the water upon them.

He was watering the flowers. Oh, Arceus.

She could've swooned right then. He was so gentle in his movements, he was so caring towards the gift… It was the most attractive thing she'd ever seen. She knew she had nothing to fear. The violent Giratina was the one of a million years ago. The one before her now… was a changed beast.

Timidly, she drifted closer to the top of the embankment. It took everything she had to keep from shaking before him. He noticed her before she lighted on the ground, and he lifted his head, meeting her eyes. Finally looking into his crimson eyes after wanting to for so long, she was stricken with speechlessness. She noticed how tired they looked, a great contrast to a bright new glimmer in them that she missed the first time she looked at them. And, to her great pleasure and sheepishness, he was eyeing her curiously.

They gazed quietly at each other until she finally landed on solid ground, stumbling and finally dropping the flower as she did so. Utterly embarrassed, she dropped her gaze completely and fumbled with the flower, digging a small hole and burying the roots in the ground. She could feel his eyes on her, making her work even sloppier. When she finally secured the roots in place, she timidly straightened back up. Her bottom lip quivered as she struggled to meet his look, trying to decide if she could muster up the courage to speak or not. He silently scrutinized her a moment longer, then cleared his throat - a deep rumble, she noted. She was certain she was blushing madly.

"You are Shaymin," he said. It wasn't a question.

Words still managed to escape her. She nodded dumbly.

Wait.

How did he know that?

Her face must've given her surprise away, for he continued to speak. "I saw you that day."

I saw you that day.

She felt a sudden warmth wash over her body as realization dawned on her. Arceus told her that two had approached her about coming here back then, but she didn't say who. She'd assumed that it had been two of the Pokemon she asked… but it never occurred to her that Giratina himself could've been one of them. Maybe he had wondered about her as she had about him, and asked Arceus just who she was. Maybe he had thought about her all this time, too… Her feelings for him was growing strong and stronger by the minute.

Realizing this, she found the courage to speak, "Y-yes, and I… saw you, too."

Well, duh, she thought.

Blushing even more at her stupidity, she tried to fix. "I, um, I asked Arceus about you, and I…" she trailed off. Arceus, this was so embarrassing.

He bowed his head in understanding. "You did all this… for me," he mumbled shyly.

Oh, Arceus, he was also incredibly precious.

"Y-yes. I..."

Tell him you hoped it would make him happy. Tell him that you're no longer scared of him as others are. Tell him that you want to be his friend. Tell him how you…

"Thank you," he whispered deeply, the emotion thick in his voice, "Thank you, Shaymin."

And with that, the Gratitude Pokemon melted. There was no way this was the same creature Arceus spoke of. Humble and shy and gentle… She was certain that she was in love with this guy, and it quite literally took her breath away. And coherent thought along with it. She spewed out the first thing she thought of.

"Um, this flower is a Gracidea," she started feebly, gesturing towards the new resident of the pond, "And, um, i-it's also for you… It represents gratitude, and it… it can be something for you to remember m-me by…"

She tore her eyes away, not wanting to see how he reacted to her lameness and not wanting him to see how much she was blushing. She was flooded with relief when she heard him laugh quietly, a deep, wholesome sound that she expected few had ever heard.

"I am very grateful, Shaymin… But I do not believe I will be forgetting you."

Well, now her face felt like it was on fire. There was no way this was happening... She couldn't go on like this, stuttering embarrassingly while he responded so smoothly and ]in ways she could only dream of happening, making her more and more shy about being with him. All she wanted to do was watch him be him, watch the emotions in his eyes, hear him speak… She didn't come here prepared to talk to him or learn how gentle he actually was. It was all too much, and all too good to be true, and it was quite honestly wearing her out.

"I, um, know I won't forget you, either… G-Giratina. S-since I did this, and all…" she gulped. Arceus, she just needed to leave already before she made more of a fool of herself in front of him. "A-and it was really nice to meet you, so, um… bye."

Arceus. That was the worst departure in the history of departures.

She threw him a shy smile in some sort of apology, and shot away as fast as she could. She didn't even stay to hear his goodbye, something she'd regret for a very long time.

When she was far enough away to begin feeling comfortable again, she put her paws to her mouth and squealed to herself. She couldn't believe that he was so receptive to her, and she couldn't believe that she was so ridiculous in front of him. And above all, she couldn't believe something that had started out so hideous had turned into something so terribly wonderful.

She had taken the first step in becoming his friend, becoming someone to understand him when others couldn't, becoming something more than a crush…

She now knew what she felt about love. It was painful and confusing and taxing… But Mesprit was also right. It was the best thing she'd ever experienced.

With a bark of delight and loop in the air, she cried out to the clouds, "Curse Arceus for creating Giratina!"