Terrible to Behold - Part 1


I wonder how much things would have changed if I hadn't been influenced from the beginning.

A useless thought, I know. Nothing escapes nothingness, ironically, and even a Spirit as hardened and powerful as mine had small cracks through which the darkness of that nothingness –cast even larger by my own brightness– could slip through, infecting me.

Would I have done different? I'm not sure. Even without its influence, I cannot think of a course of events that wouldn't have culminated in me standing at the center of everything, both halves of Reality resting on my hands, unknowingly about to bring an end to the world.

In the end, my arrogance would have driven me to such a result regardless. I was strong. Unbelievably so. As such, I could not understand the feelings of those who hadn't been as fortunate as me, nor fathom why such circumstances would have, ironically, made them stronger in the end.


The first thing Inyssa realized as she came back to herself was that her hands were tied behind her back. She gasped, but no sound came out. Someone had gagged her with a piece of cloth.

"Easy there," someone said behind her. "We don't want to hurt you. Stay put."

A pair of hands grabbed onto the rope tied around her wrists and the back of her coat, lifting her up to her feet. The sudden movement almost made her pass out. Around her, the world was but a blurry and confusing cacophony of colors, too confusing to make anything of them.

She tried to move, to free herself from whoever was holding her. There was a deaf thump on the back of her head and she almost went down, the world swimming around her.

"We told you to stay still!" yelled another voice, a girl's voice. Inyssa recognized her instantly. "Resist and you'll regret it, got that!?"

"Calm down, will you? She just got hit with a Thunder Wave, she's probably just confused."

"I don't give a shit how she feels!"

"Still. Boss doesn't want us to harm her, remember?"

"…Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Sorry."

Inyssa shut her eyes strongly, trying to focus her eyesight.

C-come on…

After several seconds of slow breathing, finally her sight began to focus, the world taking shape around her. Her head still swam. It felt as though most of her brain had dissolved into hot gas. Slowly, weakly, she raised her chin and looked around, eyes going wide at what she saw.

Six or seven people stood before her. Some with their arms folded, some looking around with a bored look on their faces and all clearly shivering from the cold. All of them wore Team Galactic uniforms. And worse yet, they were by far the oldest-looking grunts she'd seen yet; the one closest to her –scratching his nose absentmindedly, one of his arms in a cast– had to be at least forty judging by all the scars and wrinkles on his face, not to mention the fact that he looked to be about six feet tall and probably thrice as heavy as her. The rest didn't look much friendlier. The girl with the ponytail at her right distractedly moved a folding knife between her fingers, gaze lost someplace else.

Feeling a sudden knot form in her stomach, she turned her head to look at the side, toward Barry. He'd been bound and gagged as well. Their eyes met and immediately a cold, sharp fear flooded from him toward her, perfectly reflected in his eyes. She felt her lower lip quiver.

I-it was a trap. Realization came to her with a shiver. I was such an idiot! if I hadn't been feeling so lightheaded… If I'd just thought things through…

She was tugged to the side by the shoulder, along with Barry, and both of them were handed to a big bald guy with a long, grey-ish beard. That's when the two who'd been holding them before came into view. It took Inyssa a few moments to recognize them, which was expected since she'd been delirious with pain and half-dead the last time she'd seen them.

A choked gasp left her mouth. The girl turned to look at her, the cold fury in her eyes enough to paralyze a Skarmory. It was Pyxis. Orion stood next to her, glancing between the two nervously.

"So you do remember us, huh?" Pyxis snarled. "That's a surprise. I thought such a thing would be beneath a trainer of your caliber, Inyssa."

Never, not even from Cecilia or Mars or even Pyxis herself before, had Inyssa heard her name being spoken with such contempt behind it. It left her momentarily speechless. It was so clear and unabashed that it felt as though she'd been slapped open-palmed across her face just by the sound of it.

S-she was angry at me before but... what is this?

It seemed her lack of response –more due to shock than anything else– didn't sit well with Pyxis. Her eyes narrowed, teeth gnashing slightly. For a second it looked like she was about to take a step forward and punch Inyssa in the face, but she must have controlled herself at the last moment.

"Not gonna struggle or look worried at all, eh? What, are you too good for that? Do you think you'll escape this as easily as you did last time!?" Her voice got louder with every word she spoke, eyes going wide with anger. "Like hell you will! We took your Pokemon and we immobilized you, how about that!? You'll come with us whether you want to or not, and this time you won't get away with any of your fucking tricks! Got that!?"

Orion placed a palm on her shoulder. "Fucking… chill, Pyx. There's no need to rub it in." He glared at Inyssa, and though it wasn't as strong, she could also sense spite in his expression. "She'll get her punishment regardless."

"…Right." Pyxis took a step back, breathing in deep. "She won't get away. Not this time."

What the hell's with her? Inyssa thought. No, it doesn't matter. If I can just use that trick Uxie taught me to teleport my Pokeballs back into my hands then I'll be able to open them, even if my wrists are tied.

She closed her eyes and let the world around her fade. Her consciousness rose from her body, weightless, and materialized into the mindscape once more, freeing her from the cold and pain and lightheadedness she'd been feeling before. It was a wonderful feeling. She would have enjoyed it, even, were it not for what she saw as soon as she opened her eyes.

The endless, mist-flooded room wasn't there. Thick, black smoke surrounded her from every angle, spreading infinitely in all directions and leaving her less than a foot around her to move. Inyssa froze, unsure of what to do.

Uxie? Uxie! Are you there?

No reply. Out of options and feeling the panic building up within her, Inyssa raised her weightless hand and tried to touch the smoke surrounding her. A thundering pain came crashing down on her as soon as her fingers grazed the edge, so intense that she was torn apart completely, every speck of her breaking apart into formless mist.

Inyssa opened her eyes, finding herself back in the forest. She must have let out a scream, judging by the way everyone had turned to look at her.

"That's not going to work."

Slowly, every inch of her shivering violently, Inyssa lifted her chin to look at Pyxis. A smug and satisfied smile spread across her face.

"The boss warned us you might try something like that," she said, savoring every word. "What, you thought it'd slip his mind that you can do stupid psychic tricks like that now? He always covers all his bases, dumbass."

And, before Inyssa had time to wonder what she meant by that, Orion perched his arm in front of his body and whistled. She heard the soft sound of flapping wings behind her. A black shape came down from one of the surrounding trees, grabbing onto the man's arm with its talons and tilting its neck back and forth, looking down at her with those blood-red eyes that she remembered too well from Celestic.

"The boss was kind enough to lend him to us," said Orion, a smidge of sarcasm in his voice. He didn't look too happy to have a huge Honchkrow perched on his arm. "He's using a low-power Dark Pulse at all times, so all psychic energy is completely suppressed as long as he's around."

"Get it now?" Pyxis lifted her chin slightly, so they'd both be on the same eye-level. "There's no escape this time, Inyssa. You're going to pay for what you did to Auriga."

Inyssa opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out. Auriga? The name sounded familiar, but she couldn't for the life of her remember whom she'd heard it from.

The girl playing with the folding knife spoke. "Yeah, 'bout that. Are you done monologuing, brat? Can we wrap this up and get back to base?"

"We can hope. Freezing my zhopa here," added the bald man holding Barry and Inyssa with a thick accent.

"I…" Pyxis' cheeks turned a deep crimson. "I'm your commanding officer for this mission!" she snarled, balling her fists. "Do not call me brat!"

Orion patted her on the shoulder. "Chill. She didn't mean it like that. And sorry, but we can't go yet." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "We have wait for Asta to come back. I already sent her the message though, so it shouldn't take long."

"Spica, you come with me to the big tent." Pyxis addressed the man holding them, a scowl on her face. "You and I will monitor Inyssa while the rest wait on the other side of camp." She turned to look at Orion. "Though we could all wait in the same place if we just get rid of him."

Inyssa felt a rush of fear as she saw her pointing at Barry, and immediately she tried to stand up and free herself, but the bald guy holding her squeezed the back of her neck so tightly that she almost passed out from the pain.

"We're not killers like her, Pyx. Cool off." Orion gave her a reprimanding look. "The boss told us to keep these two separated, but he didn't say anything about getting rid of him. We'll take him with us to the other tent, then let him go once it's time to leave."

"Tsk. Fine."

Inyssa stopped struggling, eyes going wide.

Wait… they don't know that Barry has Mesprit with him? She turned to look at him. Judging by his expression, he seemed to have realized that as well. Then Shadi… she didn't…

"Oh, and we'll take her with us too."

Pyxis lazily tilted her head to the side, pointing at someone Inyssa had forgotten was there until now. The pale, frail-looking girl was still on her knees. Still shaking. Her eyes were hidden by the sheets of white hair falling upon her face.

"Worried about her?" asked Pyxis, seeing the look on Inyssa's face. "Don't be. Cold won't affect her, but this guy will." She smiled at Honchkrow. "So she'll behave, won't she?"

The girl stopped shaking. Slowly, she looked up at the young girl and simply stared with such fear in her eyes that Inyssa felt as though a pair of hands had wrung out her heart. She nodded, then slowly got up to her feet, eyes glued to the ground.

"Good. Let's split; we'll leave as soon as Asta comes back." She smiled at Inyssa, though it looked more like a wild Pokemon baring its fangs. "I'm not letting this go wrong like it did last time."


The tent Inyssa was dragged off to –along with Pyxis, Spica and the mysterious white-haired girl– had to be the worst fucking lodging she'd ever dealt with, being tied and gagged notwithstanding. It was barely bigger than a living room. There was no fire or any other source of heat and the only light came from a portable LED lantern that tilted the inside of the tent with a sickly red glow.

It was probably pretty damn cold too, but Inyssa couldn't feel it. Her skin was so hot she wouldn't have been surprised if steam had started coming off her pores. She felt like she was sweating her weight away. That certainly would have explained the light feeling all throughout her body, as though a stiff breeze could blow her away into a million pieces like the seeds of a dandelion.

Eyes barely open, she looked up to find a blurry Pyxis glaring daggers at her, while Spica stood next to the door, arms crossed.

I have to… need to… escape… Barry needs me…

The cogs of her brain felt flooded with some sticky, stuffy substance. It was incredibly hard to stay conscious, much less formulate some kind of plan so they could escape.

Finally, after a couple minutes of not being able to think of anything, she resorted to the only thing she could do. Pyxis frowned as she started to groan and tried to talk past the piece of cloth lodged into her mouth.

"Didn't I tell you to stay quiet?" she asked, tone frigid. "Do you want to make your case? You think it'll change anything?" Her voice trailed off as she said that, brow furrowing. "…You know what? Why not. I'm actually curious as to what kind of bullshit you'll try to spin in order for me to let you go, so here."

Inyssa breathed in relief as the cloth was taken off, her jaw feeling quite sore. Though of course Pyxis didn't seem very worried for her comfort, judging by the brusque way she accidentally hit her on the back of the head a couple of times while untying the cloth.

"There you go." She threw the cloth across the tent, dusting off her hands. "Go ahead. I can't wait to hear how you're going to justify yourself."

Inyssa looked up, the mere effort of speaking leaving her short of breath. Her voice came out strained.

"Who… who's Auriga?"

There was a blur of movement and Inyssa's vision went white. The sound of the slap clung in the air, echoing off the thin walls of the tent, and only a couple seconds after did her cheek stung. Only then did she realize what had happened, eyes wide and face tilted the other way, almost completely covered by strands of her hair. She could taste a bit of blood in her gums.

"Oi, lass." She heard Spica take a step forward, tone stern. "You know what the boss said about-"

"You just wanted to insult me, huh!?" Pyxis hollered, seemingly unaware of the man behind her. "I don't care if it's against me but don't fucking dare say her name with that filthy mouth of yours! I'll…!"

Through blurry vision she saw Pyxis raise her hand once more, but Spica caught hold of her wrist just before she brought it down on her. She glared at the man. However, before she could protest, Inyssa spoke again.

"I'm sorry."

Both grunts turned to look at her, equal looks of surprise on their faces. Pyxis opened her mouth, but only a stutter came out the first time, and when she finally forced a single word out Inyssa was surprised at how much contempt and disgust was packed behind it.

"What?"

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "A-Auriga… you said I did something to her. Right?" Her voice strained further with every word she spoke, leaving her panting after only a short sentence. "I… it probably happened… when Uxie bonded with me. After I saw into its eyes. I don't… remember anything after that, but I must have escaped somehow. Until now I… hadn't thought much of it, but after what you said…" She straightened her back and locked eyes with her. "What happened? What… did I do?"

A multitude of emotions flashed through Pyxis' face, and for a moment it looked as though she'd lost the ability to speak. Behind her, Spica let go of her wrist. His gaze moved from the girl to Inyssa and then back to her, looking confused. He probably hadn't been told of Uxie.

"You… don't remember." Pyxis finally said. Her voice trembled with anger. "How stupid do you think I am? Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"No. I d-don't imagine you would," said Inyssa. "But it's the truth. Please, I need to know. If I…"

What am I saying? a part of her asked, incredulous. What am I apologizing to these people for?

"This woman, Auriga, you make it sound like… like I…"

They kidnapped me! They attacked a bunch of innocent people! No one would blame me for defending myself!

"You're… making it sound like I killed her."

Pyxis' eyes widened, but she didn't say anything else. Despite that, Inyssa knew. It was written all over her face; in her pursed lips, in the way her nostrils flared with barely-contained anger and most of all in the deep, crushing sadness behind her eyes and the way they had started to water the moment Inyssa had said that. Pyxis realized this and turned away from her, quickly wiping her eyelids with the fabric of her sleeve.

Inyssa, meanwhile, sat frozen. Part of her was happy that her mind was in such a delirious state due to her fever, as bearing the full weight of such a realization might have been too much at any other time.

Not that it wasn't now, of course.

I… killed someone? She looked down, the tightness of the ropes tying her wrists together suddenly intensifying. How could I have…?

"I know what you're doing."

She was shaken off her stupor as Pyxis glared down at her once more, all semblance of sadness or weakness now gone from her face. Inyssa couldn't help but squint. She was terrible to look at. Knowing what she knew now, holding her gaze against Pyxis' was like trying to stare at the sun.

"You're trying to convince me. Like you did all those people." She shook her head. "I heard what you said after your fight with Byron. 'Someone this region can be proud of' my ass. That Selena woman had your number. She said it best: people don't change so easily." She set her jaw, looking to the side as she wiped her face with her sleeve once more. "I won't fall for it. Not this time."

Inyssa's lips parted. "T-this time?"

"All you trainers are the same," Pyxis ignored her. "You lie, cheat and take advantage of people who can't defend themselves, all the while claiming that you're the defenders of the people. It doesn't matter if you knew what you were doing or not."

Inyssa squinted, stammering a bit before she could get the words out.. "I… don't get it. Why do you hate trainers that much?

"…Really?" A small, ironic smile formed on her lips. "How conceited can you get? If you've been a trainer for so long… hell, if you've met the Champion so many times and you still don't know the answer to that then you're beyond help. It's 'cause of people like you that the system is rotten to the core." She turned toward the door of the tent. "Ugh, why am I even talking to you about this? Screw it. I need some air."

As she took a step toward the exit Inyssa sat up suddenly, the length of the scars on her back flaring painfully.

"W-wait…"

"Keep an eye on these two," she told Spica. "I'll give Asta a call. See what the hell's taking her so long."

"Wait! I…!" Inyssa shuffled forward a bit, a sharp pain shooting up her back. "Please, I just want to talk. If you…"

Pyxis was out the tent before she could finish her sentence. A gust of frigid wind entered before the cloth flapped closed once again, muffling the sounds of the gale outside. Inyssa simply sat there, not knowing what to do or say. She felt like she'd been slapped on the face with a hand made of pure ice.

"Stay put and behave like you were told, lass," Spica told her, scratching his beard absentmindedly. "That girl's angry at you, sure, but she won't hurt you unless you provoke her. Same for the boss. Been told that he'll let you go after he gets what he wants from you, so just endure it a little more, yes?"

Inyssa grit her teeth, every muscle in her arms and back feeling as tense as iron bars, the pain flaring through her scars bringing just enough lucidity with it that she was finally able to think somewhat straight. Of course. This man didn't know what was at stake, what Cyrus wanted to take from her. She doubted the leader of Team Galactic would be stupid enough to reveal that to anyone but his commanders and those who'd been present during her first capture, reason why he'd looked surprised when she had mentioned Uxie. To him and most of the other grunts, she was just a spoiled brat causing trouble for them.

Pyxis and Orion know the truth, she thought, but they hate me too much to care about what happens to me or Uxie.

It was the same as back then, when Mars had captured her and taken her to the outskirts of Veilstone. She'd almost been shot for what she'd said to Pyxis. And when Orion had stopped herfrom doing it and then objected when Mars tried to do the same, it had been only due to his reluctance to be part of something so horrible, not because he garnered any kind of sympathy for her.

Back then, had she tried to be more understanding, had she even considered to ask those two why they hated her so much, why had they gone as far as to join Team Galactic, would it have changed anything? It hadn't now. Though to be fair, she hadn't tried all that hard, nor did she have much time to be making friends, considering the situation.

It's 'cause of people like you that the system is rotten to the core.

Hadn't Metchi said something similar, the last time they'd met? Cyrus targeted young people who were unhappy with the system and gave them food, shelter, friends and a sense of purpose. Was it any surprise that he'd managed to gather such a staggering number of recruits? Maybe if the man's true plans weren't so twisted, if his methods hadn't been so violent, some form of dialogue or understanding could have existed between them and the Association, and by extension the rest of Sinnoh.

No, Inyssa thought, frowning. Even before they started committing acts of terrorism, there was no chance of something like that happening. I… we dismissed them outright. We didn't even try to ask what their goals were before we labeled them as criminals and started hunting them down.

She bit her lip, still tasting a bit of blood on her inner cheek from when Pyxis had slapped her. Hindsight really was a bitch. Then again, even knowing all this, Inyssa doubted past her would have cared. If she had, if Cynthia, the Association and the rest of Sinnoh had…

Pull yourself together! Inyssa shook her heard hard enough to make herself dizzy. This wasn't the time to have a revelation. It didn't matter how sad these kids' situations were because she and Barry were still being kidnapped. They needed to find a way out of this.

Barry has the advantage of the other grunts not knowing that he has Mesprit, she thought. But is that enough? What if Honchkrow's Dark Pulse still reaches to where he is? What if he tries something and he gets hurt? I have to try something here too!

She frantically looked around, but there was nothing she could realistically use to free herself from the rope tying her wrists together. All that was inside the tent were the LED lamp, Spica and the pale and white-haired girl still laying face-down next to her, weakly sobbing. None of that was useful to her, and in Spica's case he was pretty fucking detrimental, what with him staring at her like a hawk just in case she tried anything.

A wave of dizziness washed over her and she wobbled back and forth, vision going blurry, before finally regaining her balance. Shit, the pain from her scars was starting to fade. As annoying as it had been, it was the only thing keeping her consciousness from drifting back into that horrible haziness born from her exhaustion and high fever. If she went back to that, it was over. She would barely be able to keep herself conscious, much less come up with a way to escape.

Letting out a sigh, she closed her eyes and summoned forth Uxie's power. In the mindscape she wouldn't see or hear what happened outside, but at least she'd be able to think more clearly.

Her consciousness rose free from her body, and once again she was met with that thick and endless wall of black smoke surrounding her. However…

If she'd been able to furrow her brow, she would have done so. The smoke wasn't as close as it had been before; now there was enough space to fit a few people between her and it. Was it because Honchkrow was farther away? It wasn't nearly enough to give her anything to work with, but still she found it s-

Someone sobbed behind her. Inyssa froze, then turned as fast as her incorporeality allowed her to, half-expecting to come face to face with that shadowy creature once more, unconsciously shrinking herself in preparation.

It was nowhere to be seen. Instead, all she saw was the white-haired girl. Still laying down on the floor, still sobbing. Still fully visible, unlike everything else.

W-what… what are you doing here?

Her shoulders stiffened, and though the sounds of her sobbing stopped she did not turn to look at Inyssa. There was an air of fear around her. As though by wrapping herself in it she could have willed herself and the whole world away. Inyssa couldn't help but find it strangely familiar.

Are you okay? Here, let me…

But before she could try to figure out how to help up someone while being incorporeal, the girl jumped like a startled Glameow grabbed by the tail, almost crashing against the wall of smoke with how fast she scrambled to get away from her.

"G-get away! Don't touch me!"

She stopped with her back to the smoke, a mess of white hair falling over her face. The rhythm of her breathing was erratic and her eyes were firmly set on Inyssa, their pale blue surrounded by sclera that were a bright yellow, giving them a rather alien look. They were hard to look at, so much so that Inyssa found herself staring at the floor in front of the girl's feet instead, thinking of what to say.

H-hey, don't be afraid. I know I must look weird right now but…

"Shut up! Don't talk to me!"

Even without a body, Inyssa felt herself raise an eyebrow.

I want to help you.

"H-h-help? A-are you serious?" The girl placed a closed fist in front of her chest, voice shaking badly. "Y-you're the one they were looking for. If it weren't for you they w-wouldn't have captured me o-or used me to attract you and your friend. It's… all your fault."

The glowing wisps that formed Inyssa's consciousness lashed a few inches around her, white mist starting to pool and spin at her feet.

My fault? Is it my fault that I was kidnapped?

A yelp left the girl's mouth. She shrunk into herself until the tips of her shoulders were almost touching her ears.

"That's not… I didn't mean to…" She looked down, lower lip shaking. "I'm sorry. P-please… just leave me alone. Please."

The mists settled, flowing naturally as they'd done a few seconds ago. However, Inyssa said nothing. What was this girl's deal? Not only did she somehow materialize herself inside the mindscape while retaining her appearance but her body didn't seem at all affected by the terrible cold outside, not to mention her bizarre appearance. There was something… wrong about her. Around her body, the mists parted and flowed outwardly, as though avoiding her.

Wait… avoiding her?

A thought came to her. She remembered what Uxie had said back then about her mind being her domain, and all within being hers to command, within reason. If that was true…

Inyssa raised her shapeless hand, and at once the mists curled around the girl. At first nothing happened, but the moment the first wisp touched her body her whole form shifted and blurred like a static image in a malfunctioning television. And, for only a second, another shape took its place. A small white creature, most of its body seemingly made of opaque ice. Arm-like ribbons grew from her white mask and the soft blue patterns on her skin, along with the red sash tied around her waist, almost made it look as though the creature wore a kimono.

The girl's form returned, and she gasped, swiping at the air with her hand and pushing the mists away.

Inyssa stared in disbelief. For a few moments, neither of them spoke.

You're… a Pok-

"No!" The scream made the whole place shake, mists clearing away by its force. "I'm not… I'm… a person. I'm me! I'm not… I'm not…"

As she said that her voice broke more and more until her words were undistinguishable from her sobs from before. She held her face in her palms, shoulders shaking violently. Even though Inyssa was without her body, she could have sworn that she felt a chill up her spine at the sight of her.

What happened to you?

The girl's hands clawed at her tufts of hair, hiding most of her face from view. The one eye she had visible was firmly set on Inyssa, glaring.

"W-why should I tell you? I see the way you're l-looking at me."

What do you mean? I'm incorporeal.

"You know what I mean!" she swiped at the air with one hand. "I c-can feel it… you're looking at me l-like I'm a monster."

The white of your eyes is fucking yellow and we found you in the middle of a blizzard dressed with summer clothes. What did you expect?

"Up yours!"

I don't have the time to be very compassionate right now, Inyssa protested, almost rolling her eyes. Besides, you're hardly the weirdest person I've come across. Hell, just look at me. My eyes shine like gold and I'm talking to you with a body made of… mind mist, or whatever the hell this is. I won't judge you, I just want to know what your deal is.

The girl opened her mouth to reply, but said nothing. The panic and fear in her face had been momentarily replaced with irritation, and she looked as though she was considering what Inyssa had said.

The more I know, the easier this will be. I have to find a way to save my friend and myself, and if you help me out you'll be more than welcome to come along.

She shook her head. "T-there's no way… you can't escape. Neither of us can."

I'll take that with a grain of salt since you seem to be the pessimist type, said Inyssa. At least tell me who you are. What's the harm in that?

It took some time, but finally the girl shook her head in what might have been a nod.

"It's… not a pretty story."

I'm not asking it to be. I just want the truth.

"…"

When she spoke, her voice sounded nothing like before. Cold and controlled, though somewhat slow, like she was having trouble recalling it properly.

"I… ran from home. If I'd waited a few more weeks I might've gotten my trainer license but… I couldn't. I had to get out as soon as possible." Her eyes narrowed. "I was trying to make my way to Eterna… I think. Might have been another city. I imagine it was Eterna though, since it's the closest one to Snowpoint. Couldn't bring much with me since I left in a hurry but… I managed to get enough, I think. For Holst and me, at least."

Holst?

A shadow fell over the girl's expression, eyes staring blankly for a moment.

"My partner. He was a Piloswine." A bitter smile formed on her lips. "I say partner, but he was really a pet. Never got my license, see. Still, he was strong. I thought, together, we might've been able to get to Eterna before the really bad blizzards started." The smile disappeared. "Turns out it was the wild Pokemon we should've worried about."

Why did you go through the forest? she asked. And… sorry if it's a sensitive topic, but why did you need to leave so badly?

"They… I wasn't really… welcome in home anymore. But they still wanted me there. Makes no sense, right?" She shrugged absentmindedly, hugging herself with one arm. "I couldn't take it. And I knew that they'd contact the Rangers of the W.P.R.P as soon as I escaped and tell them to keep an eye out for us, so I couldn't go through the usual path. Should've realized what a stupid idea it was before even attempting it." She shook her head. "We were ambushed by a group of Sneasel a third of the way through. Not very strong, but they were fast and we didn't see them coming. There's nothing Holst could have done."

Inyssa said nothing. The dots had started to connect in her mind, forming a picture that almost made her wish she hadn't asked for this story.

"I was really relieved when I woke up. Relieved… and confused. I could've sworn one of the Sneasel had gotten a hit on me before I passed out, but I couldn't see any wound or scratch on me. I… also didn't notice the cold anymore. That should've tipped me off," she said bitterly. "Holst was resting not too far away from where I woke up. Wounded, but still alive. I… I rushed over to him and didn't even notice how fast I moved nor that I didn't feel my feet hitting the ground and… when I tried t-to touch him, my hand…"

It passed right through him, didn't it?

She nodded, though it could have simply been a spastic shake of the head. Her fingers curled into fists over the fabric of her kimono.

"My body w-was under him. He'd protected it from the Sneasel a-and refused to leave its side." Inyssa heard another sob behind the curtain of hair covering her face, and a second after the girl wiped her eyelids with the back of her hand. "Even so, he had no problem recognizing me in my… new form. Before I even learned how to look like this." She looked down at her hand, eyes dull and wet with tears. "In life… I would've given everything to change the way I looked. And… I guess I did. Should've probably phrased my wish better, eh?"

The girl made a gesture with her shoulders that seemed to say 'Oh well, what can you do', and slumped back, sighing. The swirling mist forming Inyssa didn't move or change. She felt like her non-existent tongue was tied into a knot. What could she possibly say to a story like that? What kind of reassurance or kind words could she provide to such succinct proof that death had such a fucked up sense of irony?

She'd heard stories of ghost Pokemon that had once been human. With some species-specific exceptions, they were supposed to be incredibly rare, born only of very specific circumstances involving certain emotions being felt in certain places as the person passed away. Personally, Inyssa had never given the notion much credit. The idea that a person's spirit could remain trapped in this world even after death… it seemed too morbid to be true, too cruel. And yet…

I know it might sound like condescension, but I'm sorry.

A low chuckle left her lips. She shook her head, grabbing onto her hair with one hand.

"It's okay. You sound like you actually care." She closed her eyes tightly. "I… talking about it helped, I think. I'm feeling a bit calmer."

I'm glad. There was a pause. What could she say, other than ask more questions? After that, you were captured by Team Galactic?

"Yeah. We were about to head back to Snowpoint with Holst when they found us," she said. "He tried to protect me but they shot him twice on the side. Guess they didn't need a Pokemon like him." For the first time the yellow of her eyes flashed with anger, and Inyssa swore she felt something like cold taking over the mists. "A… whatever I am, is probably a lot more useful, I'm guessing."

That scream was yours. They used you as a distraction to lure us in.

The girl sneered. "I wasn't acting. That feathery asshole used some weird dark move to make me scream like that."

Fucking hell…

"It's not a big deal," she shrugged. "I'm already dead. What's some mild torture compared to that?"

And, just like that, all the sympathy Inyssa had garnered for Pyxis and the other Galactic grunts evaporated almost completely. Mist curled violently around her weightless body. Its white pulsed with a powerful light, wisps of anger spiraling out of her like crackles of lighting, disappearing as soon as they made contact with the walls of smoke surrounding them.

However, this wasn't just a Team Galactic thing. She'd seen it countless times. People… even those most would consider good people, sometimes failed to care at all for the lives and wellbeing of Pokemon. To them, humans always came first. That selfishness, that belief that each species, hell, each person, should care for themselves first and foremost, had always made Inyssa sick to her stomach. Still. It's not like she could do much, considering most of the world thought like that.

"Hey…"

Inyssa looked down, finding a pair of soft blue eyes fixed on her. The girl pursed her lips, hesitant, before speaking again.

"You want me to help you, right?"

The question caught her off guard. I… well-

"It's fine. You're not selfish; you listened to my story and wanted to help me from the beginning. But… I can tell that you're impatient." She formed a sad smile. "You're desperate to save your friend, but you can't do that without using me."

I'm sorry.

"I said it's fine," she frowned. "I don't really know how to use… well, any attack or do any weird Pokemon stuff, but I'll try my best to distract that Honchkrow for as long as I can." Her eyes narrowed. "I heard what that Pyxis girl said. You're some kinda weird psychic, right? How much time do you need?"

Heh. Yeah, something like that, said Inyssa, a smile in her voice. I shouldn't need too long. Enough to free myself and find my Pokeballs.

Though, of course, even that might not be enough, Inyssa thought. She remembered that strange beeping sound they'd heard before being zapped, and the way their Pokemon had been forced to go back into their Pokeball. Did Team Galactic really possess that kind of technology? If so, finding Barry and teleporting out might be the best option.

No, she'd think about that when it came up. Right now…

Don't push yourself too hard, she pleaded. We're taking you with us when we escape, got it?

She raised an inquisitive eyebrow and laughed. "Yeah because I have such a life ahead of me, right?"

She probably hadn't intended her comment to sound so bitter, judging by the way her expression froze right after saying it. Biting her lip, she looked down, avoiding her gaze. Inyssa recognized the look on her face without a problem.

This Holst… you said he was shot twice? Inyssa asked. Two puncture wounds on the right side of his body, one close to his front leg and the other beside his ribs?

Her eyes went wide and she looked up so fast her neck clicked. "How do you know that?"

We found him near the entrance to the forest, said Inyssa, trying to imbue a smile into her voice. My friend closed his wounds and put him inside a Pokeball. He'll be fine as long as we get to a Pokemon Center soon.

For a moment it looked as though the girl had difficulty speaking. "H-he's… alive?"

Also… Inyssa added, lifting an invisible finger. My mom's dating Fantina, the ghost expert and Gym leader of Hearthome City.

The girl blinked twice, looking baffled."Er… good for you?"

As such, Inyssa continued, I'm sure she's seen cases like yours a hundred times before. If you want, I could ask her to take a look at you and… see if there's anything to be done, you know? Or at least find a way to live the way you are, as comfortably as possible.

The girl said nothing, her expression unreadable. She looked out of words.

There's always a little bit of hope left. Inyssa extended her weightless hand toward her. As long as you have someone waiting for you to get up and keep going… I think you should always do it. Even if that someone is yourself.

She looked down, face momentarily hidden by the shadow of her hair, and smiled. Then, without hesitation, she reached over to take Inyssa's hand.

It passed right through.

Ah…

"Yeah, uh…"

Incorporeal. Forgot for a second.

Her cheeks bloated as she tried to contain a laugh. "Uh… no problem. Here, I can..."

Placing her hand against the ground, she pushed herself up with such fluid movements that it looked as though her whole body were made of water, the white of her hair floating weightlessly behind her like a puffy cloud. Until she stood up to her full height, Inyssa hadn't realized just how tall she was. Tall and…

The girl flashed her a genuine smile. Inyssa felt relieved that her mindscape form couldn't blush.

"Thanks. For what you said. It helped," she said, expression turning softer. "It was really cheesy, though."

Yeah. It's an annoying habit I picked up from my dumbass of a boyfriend.

She raised an eyebrow. "The blonde guy that was with you? The one we have to save?" Pursing her lips, she nodded. "He's cute."

And taken, Inyssa reminded her.

"A shame."

You could say that… er… Of course. How could she have forgotten. I'm really sorry. What's… your name?

The question seemed to surprise her. She blinked a few times, a pensive look on her face.

"You know… I always loved the name Vi," she said. "But I was never brave enough to take it in life."

Short but sharp, and it packs a bit of a punch. I think it suits you, she said. That's what second chances are for, right? Doing the stuff you were too afraid to do before.

"Second chance… right." She nodded to herself, the first hint of determination flashing behind her eyes. "Vi it is, then."

Inyssa. It's a pleasure.

Vi's arm twitched, as though she'd been about to shake her hand, only to realize how fruitless that would have been a moment after. A pale blush appeared on her cheeks.

"Alright Inyssa… ready to do something really stupid?"

Always.


Pyxis' irritated mutters were swallowed by the roar of the blizzard, still deafening even here, surrounded by so many enormous trees. The wind cut into the blanket of snow covering the ground beneath her feet, carving unrecognizable patterns into the forest and unearthing small chunks of white, sending them up into the air with enough strength to make them fly for a few seconds.

Her shoulders shook almost as much as the branches above. In order to stop her teeth from clattering she'd pursed her lips strongly, their skin dry and flaking off the more time she spent outside.

The Sinnohan winter truly was a bitch. Still, better than being inside that tent with her.

"Asta, come on…" She frowned at her Poketch as though it were responsible for her current situation. "It's been almost half an hour. Where the hell are you?"

She'd known the woman to be eccentrically stoic even for a member of Team Galactic, but at the very least she would've thought that such a shitty personality would have also come with a sense of responsibility and punctuality. What was the point otherwise? And to think she'd started to respect her…

The boss does so much for us, she thought bitterly. The least she could do is work hard for him and his cause.

Regardless, Asta's tardiness wasn't such a big deal in the big scheme of things. Inyssa was tied up, her powers blocked. This time there would be no possible escape for her. This time, she would receive the punishment she so badly deserved.

Pyxis' fingers curled into fists, her expression nothing like a smile.

Please. I just want to talk…

The girl's voice boomed in her head. She felt blood rise to her cheeks.

A bit too late for that, she thought. Having the chance to explain herself taken from her… that was the very reason Pyxis hadn't been able to become a trainer all those months ago. And now Inyssa, someone with the same look as the spoiled brat who'd taken her dream from her, would go through the same thing Pyxis had, losing everything in the process. The irony was almost enough to make her smile. Almost.

Her eyes narrowed into slits, the roar of the wind deafening her to everything around her.

She should have been happy. Finally, after so many long weeks of waiting, she would get revenge on the one responsible for Auriga's death. The very poster child of modern trainers. It was the best opportunity she would ever get to take from the world what it had taken from her. Why, then…?

Pyxis clutched at her chest, mist leaving her lips as she sighed. Why then, did her shoulders felt as though they weighed twice as usual?

It almost felt like…

Spica's scream tore through the air, jolting her back to reality. Heart in her throat, she turned on the ball of her feet and squinted as a flash of blue almost blinded her. Through her blurry vision she noticed Honchkrow flying up from the now broken tent, a few of his frozen feathers falling to the ground with the weight of stones. A white, shining figure flew after him, wisps of frozen wind spiraling around its body.

"What the…?"

Another figure approached from the tent's entrance, strands of black hair flying behind her like shapeless tendrils of smoke and ash. Her face was pale like the snow under her feet and her eyes gleamed a strong gold, crackles of what sounded like electricity flashing behind them. A ring of rope rested on her right hand.

Pyxis' mouth gaped. "You…"

Inyssa's lips quirked up in what could have been either a smile or simply a tick of her face. Unlike the golden strength behind her eyes, the rest of her body looked as though it could collapse any second.

"Hey," she said, voice devoid of energy. "I'm really sorry about this, but I'm gonna have to tie you up for a bit. Gotta save my boyfriend and my new ghost friend."

And with that, she began running toward her.