Author's note: Here's a very late edited chapter 4. Some not so great things happened in my life (coincidentally starting on that Friday the 13th in September, isn't that something...), which is why this is late. I do have some of chapter 5 written. Hopefully I can get that out faster now that things have settled down.
After eating and some more stretching, Iris is eager to take a shower. Unfortunately, she's standing in her own way, albeit unintentionally. Thankfully, Kyurem is willing to help. After a few easy lessons of coating her empty dinnerware in varying levels of ice, Kyurem decides to give a lecture.
-There are a few factors that affect the ice you generate. The first being that your body currently cannot handle all of my power. This will change. The longer you house me, the more your body will grow accustomed to my presence.-
[How long will that take for me?]
-It has been different for every human. I am afraid I cannot say.-
[We have two weeks, at least.]
-Yes. Two weeks of near constant training. It is usually enough to at least contain the more obvious signs of my inhabitation. Exercising my powers will also acclimate your body to me. One advantage you have is the amount of physical activity you do. It is easy to redirect the ice into cooling your body.-
Iris stands proudly. [If that's all there is to it, then this won't be so bad! I'm no stranger to working up a sweat.]
-Manipulating the ice is merely a way of 'symptom management', so to speak. It does not address the core issue of controlling your ice generation.-
[Oh? So what do I have to do then?]
Iris eyes the room around her. The frost used to cool the water and coat her dishes has already been replaced. The untouched areas are easy to see too, about a half-inch now. Geez.
-That would be getting to know each other.-
[Um. That's it?]
Kyurem sighs. It has to explain this every time. It doesn't always go well.
-It may sound simple, but it is a deceptively difficult task. In order for your body to truly house me, you need to accept the entirety of my being. Of course I have to do the same to you as well. This means knowing and accepting even the darkest parts of ourselves.-
[That makes sense, uh, kind of.]
Well, the embarrassing parts had to come sooner or later. Iris inhales. Now that this is actually about to happen, she feels uncertain again. She has to be brave. Kyurem has seen it all, right? There's probably been other people who've been depressed as a kid, right? Had inappropriate crushes? Even minor mortifications such as mistaking coffee for hot chocolate are bubbling to the surface of her mind. She squeezes her eyes shut.
[Alright. Delve in!]
-We do have two weeks. Are you sure you want to start with this? We can go back to working on ice manipulation.-
Kyurem sounds oddly reluctant. But why? It was the one that brought it up!
[I just want to get this over with. Putting something off usually ends up making it a bigger deal than it needs to be. Also, I want to take a shower.]
-...Very well. As I enter your mindspace, I will pull you into mine. Keep in mind that we will not be able to get through everything in a single session.-
[I understand. Bad stuff first?]
-If you insist.-
Then the room around them fades away.
Iris opens her eyes. Torches and banners adorn the walls, which seem to be made of bricks that are the color of golden sand. Sliding a hand along it, she can't feel a thing. Iris tries walking. She's definitely walking on something, but it's not the floor of wherever this is. Being in a memory is weird.
A monochrome throne sits in the middle of the room, atop a pedestal of stairs. The lengthy carpet beneath it stretches out past an absurdly tall arch, which seems to be the main entryway. Letting her gaze wander to the ceiling, Iris sees that it reaches even greater heights. Who needs a room this big?
Her thoughts are interrupted by the rumbling of impossibly loud stomps. Even more impressive is the shouting that comes with it. Two men enter the room. They're practically mirror images of each other in appearance and anger. Their fists are clenched with elbows bent back, ready to strike. She recognizes them by their outfits, opposite colors of the same ancient garb. Their image matches those of the Twin Heroes of Unova, who have been immortalized in various ruins and ancient portraits. Then it enters, a dragon she has never seen before.
It's a perfect balance of black and white, held in place by serene gray outlines. White tufts of fur accent sleek black scales. Wings and arms are spread, wide and regal. This must be, has to be, the Original Dragon of Unova. All Iris can do is stare in awe. Unfortunately, the men don't seem to care.
"I can't believe you risked all those resources on an outcome that wasn't even guaranteed! Merely a dozen plants grew! So many hoped, only to starve! And now I have to clean up after your mess. Again. The people are losing faith in us, and it's all your fault!"
Each word shoots out, lined with a venom and acid that only comes from years of pent up resentment.
"It may not have been the success I was hoping for, but it showed us something important! The soil can be changed to be more arable. If we stuck to your stubbornness about the desert being a lost cause for agriculture, we would have overworked our remaining fields! The erosion of the earth would have killed us all!"
The other man's words are equally barbed, sharpened by a self-righteous superiority.
"Success?! You promised a bountiful harvest that would last us through this drought!"
"I gave them hope!"
"You gave them lies!"
Suddenly, they turn towards the Original Dragon. Both brothers angrily reach under their cloaks, pulling out identical wedge-shaped necklaces. Each is a plain beige, adorned with a pointed, yellow crystal at the top. Somehow, they look familiar. Where has she seen this shape? Being hidden under their clothing, they were never shown in their depictions, but a spark of recognition still flares at the back of her mind.
"Which of us is right?"
The Dragon opens its mouth to speak. There's merit in both their points, and if they would just stop fighting and actually listen to each other, perhaps they could reach an understanding. Just like before, when they first came to it for aid. Tensions have risen considerably since then, but it wants to believe that things can still be fixed. But before any words can come out-!
"My brother can't keep misleading the people with his naive ideals! Commit to my keystone! Commit to the truth! What we need is honesty, transparency, to face and accept reality!"
"Don't listen to him! The truth is ever changing! We can make it change! We can make everything better, even if it means a little risk! Come to me!"
That's when it realizes. They are too far gone. All they care about now is their own perspective. There is no understanding, no harmony. It is all black or white, no room for shades of gray or any other colors. It wants to help, but there is no helping now. It can already feel them, the pull of the keystones. Their conviction is pulling, splitting, splintering!
Pain in feeling. Pain in sound, a sorrowful cry. Iris buckles, arms wrapping around herself feebly. She can feel all of it. So this is how it happened. The Original Dragon was forced to split. The legends made it seem like it was its own decision. How unfair. Iris runs toward the two, tries to push them away. But her hands simply pass through.
The overt pain stops, but a throbbing one lingers. In front of her now is Kyurem, but its eyes are dull and its ice appendages absent. All that stands there is an empty, gray husk. The brothers shout. Fire and electricity scorch the air.
"Huh?"
Iris whips her head around. The once regal room is in ruins. Rubble and tattered fabric litter the floor. Even the grand ceiling has cracked, letting the moonlight shine through. The brothers are gone. The only one left in the room is Kyurem. It simply stands, abandoned. The slightest flicker of yellow shines in its eyes.
-EmPTy...I feel EMpty.-
Its voice is all jagged and rusty.
-But iF i AM eMPty, whY do I stILL FEel?-
Creaking, like a mechanical doll, it turns its head in a staggered manner. Its arms and legs twitch. It remembers people. They cheered for it, praised it. The image of a pair of twins is particularly strong. Friends. They had been its friends. But where are they now? A flash of pain ripples through its body. A fight. They fought and tore it apart. Fire and lightning clashed. Then they left.
-NO onE is heRE anyMOre. No ONe cAme baCK. Did tHEY nOt CAre?-
It takes a few pitiful, wobbling steps. With a bent back, it's difficult to walk. Why can't it stand up tall like it used to? It tries to lift its wings, but they're gone.
-GONe. I aM goNE. ThEY aRe GoNE. i AM lefT.-
Lifting its neck, it looks to the scant slivers of the night sky. Tears fall from its eyes.
-pLEAse COmE bACK!-
Time suddenly shoots forward. Iris watches as seasons and decades pass. The brothers don't come back. No one comes back. Gradually, the tears stop. Not because the sadness is gone, but because they freeze. It understands now. Nobody wants some weak, incomplete shell. Fine, fine.
-I dO nOT waNt any Of you EITHER!-
It roars. The ice spreads, forming sharp, sickling icicles trailing behind it as it finally leaves the ruins. A dark part of it hopes it will run into someone.
Blood splatters onto the ice. Iris hears the sickening crunch of bone. She screams, scrambling back as an arm falls to the ground. There are bodies impaled upon icicles. Faces frosted over in wide-eyed horror. Against her better judgement, she looks up. Kyurem is there, blood, fresh and dried, speckled on its teeth.
Iris wants to ask why, but she doesn't need to. Once again, she feels it. The rage for its abandonment and rejection. It's their fault! They took what they needed and left! Not just the brothers! Everyone! I helped you! Cared about you all! And yet….! No one even bothered to look for me!
Crying, Iris shakes her head. The emotions are too strong here. They're blending into her own. She doesn't want to lose herself!
"Kyurem! That's enough!"
Iris opens her eyes. Her lashes are sticky with the salt of tears. Touching a hand to her face, she finds her cheeks are streaked with it too. She walks to the bed and sits, holding her head.
[Kyurem. You killed...You murdered….!]
Bile rises in her throat. She wants to throw up. The hatred lingers in the back of her mind, a horrible whispering rage. She wants to see something bleed.
-...Yes. I do not expect you to forgive me. It is not necessary for the process of accepting me. What I showed you were a few of my worst memories. Not just in terms of how I felt, but what I did.-
Despite hearing it, processing it, Iris gives no response. Just what is this feeling? She's not in the memory anymore. It isn't hers. She doesn't want it. It can't get what it craves.
A distraction would be nice. Maybe then it would go away.
So she mumbles the first non-bloodthirsty thought that comes to mind.
[I can't believe that no one came…]
She feels Kyurem sigh.
-Later I learned that everybody thought I had been split into Reshiram and Zekrom. No one but the twin heroes knew that there was a husk left behind.-
It's working, fading. Good. Just keep asking questions.
[Wait. Then how did the Village of Dragons know about you?]
-On their deathbed, the twins felt guilty about fracturing the Original Dragon and told their descendants to seek out the husk. At least, that is what I have been told by the people of your village.-
[I see...That makes sense.]
Her breathing is normal now, and her mind stays quiet. There's a stinging pain in her palms. She looks down silently at the crescent moons caused by clenched fists. Luckily, there isn't any blood. Suddenly exhausted, Iris lets herself fall onto the bed.
It is then that Kyurem finally notices her discomfort.
-Are you alright?-
Her mouth twitches into a frown.
[Of course I'm not alright! I was almost….not me anymore! I was you! Even after I left the memory…]
Iris hugs herself tightly, squeezing her eyes shut. Ripples of regret pulse through her. Once again, she notes, they are not hers. Its eternal regret for the bloodshed. Its regret for exposing her to such a terrible memory. Maybe if it had waited a little while longer—
[Is this what it's going to be like from now on?]
-I am sorry Iris. Sharing emotions is indeed part of the burden of being my vessel. Though mine are not typically so...overpowering, if that comforts you.-
It doesn't. 'Typically' leaves quite a bit of leeway. Logically, Iris knows that there is no history to support her line of thought, but after that experience, she wonders. Could Kyurem take over her body if it wanted? If its feelings were strong enough?
-...-
-Would you like to stop? That option is still open to you; however, determining a suitable replacement may take some time.-
Slowly, she breathes in and out. She needs to think about this decision rationally.
Ever since being selected, Iris has been preparing for this day. She had known conceptually that great honor comes with equally great responsibilities and burdens. Heck, she's seen that everyday with Drayden as Opelucid's mayor and as a gym leader herself. And while this has been much more than she had expected, Kyurem has been patient and accommodating every step of the way. Guilt and pity suddenly set in.
She had been the one to insist on going through the worst sides of each other first. Kyurem had obliged, probably fully aware that the experience may make her fear and hate it. At some point, it must have had to face the same awful gamble with every vessel.
[I want to see this through. Honestly, I should have thought a bit more about what hosting you truly meant. I was too focused on the superficial aspects like the powers and mainly just what a great honor it would be.]
Ugh. It isn't fun to admit it, but this past hour has been about showing one's worst.
[I feel kind of bad for you. You have to do this every time with someone new. Don't you ever wish that you could just be the Original Dragon again? Then you wouldn't have to deal with all this vessel stuff.]
-Iris. Please know that I do actually enjoy living in peace with you humans. Even if it means having to bare my past again and again. Such is the penance I must pay. As for becoming the Original Dragon again, I am afraid that it is not currently possible. Vessels have tried in the past. They traveled to the locations of Reshiram and Zekrom and some even managed to awaken both. But it is not enough to just be within their vicinity. I believe what is needed is the twin's keystones. The problem is that their whereabouts are unknown.-
[As long as that's what you really want.]
Something still nags at her.
[By 'keystones' you meant those strange necklaces, right? I swear I've seen them before. I'll need to wrack my memory a bit, but we could actually find them! It would at least give you the option if you ever change your mind.]
-Hmmm...I am curious as to what has become of them.-
[Then, how about we take a break now? I think I've had my fill of all this heavy getting-to-know-each-other stuff for the evening. The possibility of finding lost relics would be a fun distraction.]
It takes a few seconds for Kyurem to respond.
-Yes. Let us recuperate. Please let me know when you would like to resume your training.-
With that, she feels Kyurem's presence dull. It must feel bad for the emotions it shared earlier. The thought kind of makes Iris wish she could give it a hug. Maybe she can, in some weird mental way. But for now she focuses.
When had she seen those keystones? It had been way back. Back when she and Drayden had moved into the new house...
