Recommended songs: "Dark Parts" by Perfume Genius and "Unpack Your Heart" by Phillip Phillips.
Fun fact: The title for this fanfic is also the album that "Unpack Your Heart" came from. Speaking of which, what do you think of the songs I suggested so far? Do you listen to them as you read each chapter? Are they appropriate? Let me know in the comments or PM's.
Thank you all so much. For reading, for commenting, for being patient with me as you eagerly await the next chapter. And here it is.
When I awoke, there was only silence... and excruciating pain. A deep growl comes from within me, as the lack of light causes me great hunger. I try to generate light to eat, only for said light to dissipate immediately.
"This... this cannot be!"
I try again, only to find the same result. I strike at the air repeatedly, only to see that my claws have turned black. The wind generated by my strikes blow right through my brain prism, which is something that should NEVER happen.
All of a sudden, I remember how this happened: a group of people from the Ultra Megalopolis broke into my domain while I slept. They proceeded to break a crystal off of me, so I retaliated by vaporizing them. Everything was in ruins as I collapse from the light pouring out of me like a flood.
I look around now, only to find none of those humans in sight. My crystal was also gone. However, a shape in the distance catches my eye. As I approach it, it also comes closer to me. We reach out and touch each other's claws as I study the figure. A mass of black crystals,
"No..."
rearranged from my golden form,
"NO..."
with a colorful brain prism in the middle just... like... mine...
"NO!"
So, it was not a dream! It is a living nightmare! My screams echo throughout the ruins of my domain, only to go unanswered.
I open a wormhole and enter it, returning to the Ultra Megalopolis. Opening the wormhole used to be so simple that I could do it with merely a thought, but now it takes a lot out of me. The humans on the other side, are they expecting to see the Blinding One again? Or those humans who dared enter my lair and hurt me? All I care about is having my light restored again!
Whatever little light I had left ebbs and flows throughout me, throwing me off balance. I strike the top of my head to try to alleviate these pounding aches and pains. The humans try to approach me with multiple tools and devices, but I can see the curiosity and greed in their eyes.
"Wh... What... is that? I've never seen anything like it before!" "That is not the Blinding One!" "So, why is it emerging from the same place as the Blinding One?" "I'm not sure, but do you think it can give us more light than the Blinding One?" "Let's find out!"
The Blinding One this, the Blinding One that, all they care about is how much light I can give them! Can they not see the pain I am in?
Just as my brain prism turns dark for what might be the last time, the boy places his hands on my shoulders. I look at him, my brain prism glowing in shock as he pulls me in for a hug. What is this? What is he doing? The whelp chuckles as he asks, "When was the last time someone gave you a big hug?"
I had not felt anything like that in… well, I could not remember ever having that feeling. But there was another feeling that was as warm and comforting as the light I once held. That feeling... there is a word for it, but it eludes me, as though it is something familiar yet long forgotten...
Whatever anger I felt towards the boy went away, as did the pain, if only for a moment. The snow and the cold falling down upon us seemed to disappear into nothingness as my claws awkwardly move to return the hug.
"You must have been pretty lonely in that tower. I'm sure that loneliness made your pain even worse. But you won't have to be in pain by yourself anymore, even here, on the coldest mountain in Alola." Somehow, his words reach out to me as he presses his face against my chest.
"My name is Sun. I'll stay by your side; I'll be your friend." Friend. This "Sun" is not like the others, for he does not see me as a light hungry monster. Instead, he sees me as a friend. Perhaps he is different than the other humans.
"Why… Why should I… trust you? You… the one who… broke me…" It takes a lot of effort to say those words, but I must know.
Before Sun can respond, I feel him shivering from the cold. I have a brief feeling of satisfaction, knowing that he might freeze alongside me. But then, Sun places his hand directly on my brain prism. Normally, he would get a face full of Prismatic Laser for doing so, but his next words stop me.
"Oh Necrozma, please hear what I have to say. When I saw you in that tower, I did not see the Blinding One. I only saw a Pokémon who was suffering and needed help." I lean in closer to Sun's face, almost touching his nose. Sun stays still, unintimidated.
"Are you only referring... to your precious Nebby?"
"No. I saw that your crystals were shaking in our battle, and how your light was leaking out of you." Sun said without hesitating.
"I... I only wanted the pain to stop."
"I know. But stealing all of the light and killing Solgaleo isn't the answer. If you stay the way you are, you'll end up in a place like this, alone and in pain."
"The light... the light belongs to me. It is a part of my being..."
"Hold on. But if you come with me, you can be out in the world again, enjoying life with a family who will be there for you." A… a family?
I was briefly confused, before Sun steps back, calling out Nebby and his other Pokémon. All of his Pokémon huddle up to me, almost out of instinct, shielding me from the cold. The rage and hunger I constantly feel fades into the background as Sun pulls out a small box. He opens it, revealing something I have not seen in quite a while.
My crystals. I did not think that I would ever see them fully intact again.
"Where... where did you..." Sun pulls out a crystal and puts it close to my face, where I take in the light it emits. As the light temporarily satiates my hunger, Sun continues speaking.
"I'll take the dark part of your heart into my heart..." He draws out another crystal.
"We will protect you..." And another.
"Until the end of time..." And another.
"Until you return to who you truly are..." After a short time, Sun empties the box and puts all of the crystals near my brain prism so I can absorb the light. As I do so, he runs his hands back and forth across my head, which I find reassuring.
How can they forgive me so easily after everything I put them through? I stole the light of their world! I possessed Nebby and consumed its light to the point where it almost perished! I crushed all but one of his Pokémon repeatedly! Despite all that I have done, I sense no hostility from any of them, only compassion.
Using my newly regained power, I return the crystals to the box where Sun pulled them from. The light felt comforting, enough for me to have a moment of clarity. But I need even more of my crystals if I am to return to my true self for good. No matter how I feel towards this human, he was strong enough to defeat me at my full power, yet kind enough to share his light in my moment of need. I must return the favor, so I gently nudge Sun and his Pokémon away from me.
At first Sun and his Pokémon all look at me, confused and sad. Do they think that I chose not to go with them? I collapse onto the ground, my body now on an even level with Sun as my affliction sets in once again. His gray eyes meet my own, and all I see in his eyes was genuine concern. For me.
"Necrozma..."
I do not know what will happen next as what seems like an eternity passes between us. But I know now what I want to happen.
"I will… go with you. Promise to help me find the lie, lie, light."
Sun smiles before holding his hand in mine. I sense his warmth as he pulls a green ball out of his pocket. All of his Pokémon cheer in approval as he says to me, "Necrozma, I promise that we'll help restore your light so you can be the Blinding One again. Now, this is a Friend Ball. Someone gave this to me with the hope that I would use it on a Pokémon who truly needed a friend. I think that he was referring to you this whole time. What do you say?"
.
.
.
.
.
Subconsciously, I nod and extend my other claw, not even realizing that I dropped my Z-crystal in the process.
A gentle tap of the ball onto my claw and then, silence. I do not even try to resist the ball's power, as for the first time in my life, I feel... I feel...
Hopeful.
Immediately, I am called out again, where I see Sun holding my Z-crystal. As he returns the Z-crystal to me, the man tapping away at his wrist walks up to us.
"So this is the mighty Necrozma that I have heard so much about! I'm surprised that the Ultra Recon Squad never let me interact with you at all. You seem to be quite... oh, what is the word I'm looking for... docile for a being that sent this world into complete darkness." He knows who they are?
"I'm sorry Necrozma, where are my manners? I am Colress, a Pokémon scientist. It is an honor to meet you. The Ultra Recon Squad commissioned me to develop a device that can control you and your powers."
Just hearing those words causes my rage to return. Is he here to try to use that on me because those suits asked him to? I lurch forward, raising my claw. I want nothing more than to strike him and those wretched suits down, but Sun gently lowers my claw so Colress can continue speaking.
"Yes, every time Phyco and Soliera examined you, they were collecting data for me to use. But when it came time to actually use that data, I saw that you were deeply injured. Not just physically, but psychologically and mentally as well. And so, I took their project and tailored it to help you out. I promise."
"Are you sure that you are not doing this so YOU can control me?"
"No, not at all! I think that Sun here is the perfect partner for you. After all, isn't that why you chose him in the first place?" I ponder his words for a moment as Colress pulls two strange devices out of his coat.
"Now, let's get down to business! These are my latest inventions: Colress Machines Nos. 1198 and 1199! Also known as the N-Solarizer and N-Lunarizer. I was supposed to give them to the Ultra Recon Squad once they were finished, but due to recent events, I concluded that it would be better if you kept them. Now young man, would you please call forth your Solgaleo?" Nebby appears beside us as Colress explains what his devices do.
"The N-Solarizer can fuse both Necrozma and Solgaleo together without hurting either one of them, while the N-Lunarizer does the same with a Lunala. Both devices can also draw out more power from Necrozma so his attacks will be even more intense!" Interesting...
Colress gives my trainer the two devices before continuing. "I believe that a trainer like you will be able to use both Alola's Legendary Pokémon and the fearsome power of Necrozma properly! I happen to know quite a bit about Pokémon fusion myself... but that is a different tale. Good luck to the both of you, and Necrozma?"
"Yes, human?"
"My name is Colress, remember? Anyway, I sincerely hope that we meet again soon under better circumstances!" Colress takes his leave as Sun looks at me and Nebby, the N-Solarizer in his hand.
"What do you think, Necrozma?"
"We should not trust that human. He seems suspicious."
"Maybe so, but maybe not. However, I think we should give him a chance if it can help ease your pain. Until we can restore you back to the Blinding One on your own power, Nebby and I want to help you however we can. That is, if you're okay with that." Nebby walks up to me, and I sense that it wants to help soothe my pain however it can. I nod, for we are in mutual agreement with each other. A bright light shines over the both of us, too quick and too blinding for me to absorb.
"This form… it feels different. It does not hurt nearly as much as it did before. In fact, it does not hurt at all." Nebby's light is satisfying, flowing freely instead of painfully surging through me like before. This feeling, where others are willing to share their light with me... it is quite a relief from what I have experienced for eons.
At the same time, I can hear Nebby's thoughts, and it can hear mine.
"I... apologize. I never should have done what I did to you."
"It is all right. I know that you were only trying to heal yourself. But you are in good hands with us now, for he is a good kid."
"Yes, I... I can tell that he has a good heart." Hmmm... I suppose that Colress and his device can be trusted after all.
Sun gently touches my head before speaking again. "Thank you, Necrozma. I know that it will take a while before you can trust humans again, but you can trust me."
"Do you mean that?"
"Of course! I don't know if I can fully heal you, but I promise to never hurt you again. And thank you, Nebby, for offering to help Necrozma."
I gently sigh and press my head into Sun's hand, for this can work. Sun responds with another hug and my crystals. A soft growl instinctively comes from within me... could that be Nebby? Or was that from me? Even if I am not in my true form yet, the combination of Solgaleo's light, the boy's affection and those crystals leave me feeling something I have not felt in a long time.
Complete. I do not want to leave this feeling ever again.
"Are you ready to get out of this place, Necrozma?" I nod before kneeling down in front of Sun, who promptly climbs upon my back. Sun returns his other Pokémon to their respective capsules so we can leave.
We continue up the mountain, and as we encounter other trainers along the way, Sun easily defeats them in battle with his other Pokémon. During and after the battles, I notice something strange about these humans and Pokémon. They are all working together, as equals, as a family. Whenever these strangers approach me, I lean forward to assert my distrust. Yet they do not harm me, instead they pet me. Could there actually be some humans who are not filled with greed or malice?
Finally, we reach the top of the mountain. A strange structure that I have never seen before lies ahead in the distance. Sun jumps off of my back and calls out his Pokémon, some of which look at me and Nebby with surprise for a moment. His Decidueye stands right in front of him as he speaks and puts his hands on Decidueye's shoulders.
"Well Decidueye, you have been with me ever since I came to Alola and you were a Rowlet. Along the way, we trained together, we triumphed together, and we struggled together." Sun turns to face all of us.
"Our family grew in so many ways, and now, here we are. We are about to face our biggest challenge yet. The Pokémon League!" All of us roar at the same time, ready to battle. Nebby and I want to help him be victorious! It is then that Sun walks up to me.
"Once we win The Pokémon League, we can start looking for your light, Necrozma. I know that you and Nebby are quite strong, but I'd like to ask you to observe our battles from the side. I want all of us to grow stronger together, and..."
He does not want me to use my power? Is he confident in his abilities enough to not need it? Or does he want to give himself a challenge? No matter what Sun thinks, the fact that he thinks he can do this without my power bothers me a bit. I leap forward, overriding Nebby's objections to pin Sun to the ground.
"You have said it yourself! We are powerful indeed, but we are also family. Let us battle to grow stronger ourselves!" Sun thinks about it for a moment.
"All right, you can battle alongside me as my secret weapon. But, I want to show that I can do this with the Pokémon that I started with. You can still watch from the sidelines and come out when I need you. Who knows? You might enjoy it!"
I look at Sun, and I can see the determination and resolve in his eyes. I nod and step back from Sun, for I can understand his decision and trust his skills. Sun looks at all of us and raises his fist in the air as we all leap at the same time in agreement.
"Let's do this!"
I cannot place my claw on it, but there is something at once both relaxing and infuriating about this boy. Although it will take time to get used to this new life, I do not dislike it.
"And so Necrozma, who was feared by everyone else, opened his heart to Sun and decided to go with him." Care to guess which Pokémon movie that line refers to? Yes, I am aware that most Legendary Pokémon are genderless, but for this, I refer to Necrozma as male.
What do you think is that feeling that Necrozma is trying to describe when Sun hugs him at the beginning of this chapter? I'd like to hear your thoughts.
To those who were concerned that I have not shown Necrozma's softer side, I hope that this chapter makes that clear as his crystal. My decision to wait until now to show it was based off a report by Mutitus on DeviantArt. "Though it may inherently be the most dangerous and powerful... it is still a being with a heart and will show its better side if one can find a way to at least end the torment it is otherwise constantly under." In the games, no one had shown Necrozma kindness and healed his pain (at least, for a moment) until the player finds him on Mount Lanakila.
I found fault with Necrozma's encounter on Mount Lanakila. If he's easy to catch because he's drained of power and genuinely wants to go with the player, why don't they just skip the battle altogether? Or if during the battle when the player throws the Poké Ball, we see a scene instead where the player extends his or her hand out and Necrozma reaches out in return? Sun used the Friend Ball to catch Necrozma here because that was how I caught him in the game. To me, that's what Necrozma needed the whole time: a friend, and he found one in Sun.
If Necrozma could fuse with Solgaleo/Lunala by itself in the game and the anime, then what was the point of the N-Solarizer/Lunarizer? I'd like to think that Colress genuinely changed for the better, and so his device serves to create a symbiotic relationship between Necrozma and Solgaleo while also making them easier to control.
Chapter 4 is titled "Illumination."
Keep leaving constructive suggestions, not destructive aggressions, for I do read them. Until then, thank you, next (chapter).