Floaroma Meadow.
The name alone could inspire vivid daydreams of a lush meadow painted with an infinite number of flowers as far as the eye could see, colors dancing through the field like a picture ripped straight off an artist's canvas and pasted in the mind's eye.
The area was unimaginably serene and beautiful, but the images could not compare to the reality of physically being there. The scents of the flower arrangements were undeniably sweet and incredibly potent, and those that opted to visit the meadow were rewarded by the fantastic combinations that delighted their senses.
The people and Pokemon who lived in the small town claimed that the area was once barren, and devoid of the joy now captured within the beautiful meadow, with some going as far as suggesting that the legendary Shaymin itself had reversed the initial desolate conditions.
Since then, the town and meadow had been a fairly popular resort for those who wished to appreciate absolute beauty and tranquility. Some liked to stroll around the meadow, admiring the various flowers that coated the fields, and many brought small sprinkling cans, purchased in the local flower shop, to sprinkle some of the plants as a means of repaying the world for allowing them to witness such floral splendor.
And others, like Force and Iris, were content to simply bask in the sunlight and relax among the flower beds, savoring the sweetness and beauty that surrounded them. No matter how dark the rest of the world could be, or how hopeless a situation, nothing could put their minds and hearts at ease much like the Floaroma Meadow.
The two Pokemon sat in the center of the meadow, Iris leaning against her Riolu companion's shoulder, content to simply take in all the sights and smells the flower garden had to offer. Whenever they came here, their stress and concerns evaporated, like water in the sun. Sometimes, they could spend hours here, barely speaking a word, and appreciating their presence amid the beauty.
With the rest of their group out of the region for the time being, Force and Iris had chosen to spend a lot of their time here. It was one of their favorite relaxation locations, and they both felt an odd affinity for the place. It let them clear their heads and hearts of all that weighed upon them, and rekindled the clarity of mind they both needed to fully utilize their respective aura and psychic abilities.
"Hey...Force?" Iris spoke softly, barely breaking the serene silence that had hovered around them like a veil of mist. The Riolu blinked, turning his red eyes from the distant flowers across the meadow and refocusing on the lovely Kirlia sitting beside him.
"Yeah?" he asked, giving her a fond smile. Another reason they were taking advantage of the isolation from the rest of the group was that it gave them more of a chance to really talk to one another, or show simple signs of affection. They could still do these things when around the others, but Cecilia in particular had a knack for overstaying her welcome or making commentary. They were acutely aware of the fact that sometimes their endearments to one another sounded cheesy or sickeningly sweet, but the awkwardness was part of the charm, and one couldn't really maintain the charm and sincerity when there existed the possibility of ridicule from their peers.
As such, Force and Iris usually tried to downplay this aspect of their romantic relationship when around the others, except when it was more entertaining to blow it out of proportion.
"I was just thinking," Iris continued, her pink eyes gazing longingly around the meadow. "When the time comes that we can uh, settle down together...this is the kind of place I'd want us to live."
Force smiled, a faint crimson blush spreading across his muzzle in spite of himself. They had occasionally chatted about their future as a couple. It had started as simple wishful thinking initially, when they were getting close, but not exactly rushing to label one another as "The One", and sometimes it cropped up again now that they were more decided in whether they were a good fit together. There was just something adorably sweet about the subtle fact that neither of them seemed to doubt the future's possibility, and instead focused on the details of 'where' and 'when'.
"I agree," the Riolu said, giving his mate a light peck on the cheek, to her blushing delight. "Not here per say, but somewhere like this. Maybe even earn a favor with Shaymin or something to make another paradise like this. Wonder what I'd have to do to earn her blessing...save her life or something?" he mused thoughtfully.
"You think so?" Iris giggled.
"Well, if you saved a legendary Pokemon's life, you'd think they'd grant you some sort of wish, right? Well, that's what I'd pick, our own little flower paradise," Force said.
"Aww, you're sweet," Iris said, smiling at him. "Let's not jinx this, now," she added quickly. Force nodded, wondering privately whether she had picked up on a foreboding vibe in the air or from the other visitors. Iris wasn't really superstitious or anything, but there was a limit of how much she was willing to discuss at length before wanting to change the subject.
They continued to talk and exchange sweet words for a little longer, until a somewhat larger group of visitors arrived at the meadow. Either their presence made Iris nervous or she was satisfied with the time spent here, because she soon suggested returning to the Chateau. Even with the absence of the rest of the group, they still spent the evenings inside the abandoned mansion, mostly because it remained relatively undisturbed, making it enough of a safe haven to counteract its otherwise uninhabitable condition, and because if Kaito or the others found a means to return to Sinnoh, that would be their meeting place, and it was better to be accessible.
Also, because leaving Diablos almost literally unsupervised for an indefinite amount of time seemed like a really, really bad idea, in the wake of some of the recent conflicts. The Spiritomb was still insisting that his initial course of action involving Force was a necessary step to ensure that he was not abandoned in a helpless state.
The Chateau was as haunting to look upon from outside its walls as it always was. Surrounded by the thick Eterna Forest, the sky always seemed dark and ominous, and the odd creaking and lifeless exterior of the mansion was enough to send chills down their spines. Iris also had admitted to getting uncomfortable vibes from within the mansion, which ironically was a relief to Force that he wasn't just imagining things that didn't exist.
For that matter, no one really seemed completely at ease around the Chateau. Wild Pokemon seemed to give the place a wide berth, and the group themselves seemed to be the only ones brave enough to actually go inside, and even fewer were brave enough to stay inside for the duration of the night. However, Diablos notwithstanding, there had never been any signs of anything potentially threatening inside.
The door creaked eerily as Force led the way inside. The two of them had done their best to make the conditions a little more bearable, and the first two days they had alone had been spent cleaning as much of the living room and main entrance as possible. Their efforts definitely shone. The ancient wooden floorboards now shone, even in the poor lighting, and almost every surface had been polished.
True, it could not have been reasonably called 'a good time', but the company of one another had made it bearable, and having access to telekinesis was definitely a perk. The living room had been trickier to deal with, because the furniture was already in relatively good shape, thanks to the white coverings that had been over them for some time, but the whole place still stunk with a musty scent, and cracking open the windows had only been of some consolation.
And that was yet another reason why they kept revisiting the Floaroma Meadow.
Force carefully shut the front door behind them, absently conjuring a sphere of aura energy within his paw, casting a pale blue light over the recently dusted walls and floor. He was actually somewhat curious what Kaito's reaction might be when he returned here, but put it out of mind for now. The frequency of spider webs in the corners of the rooms had previously suggested that maybe some of the Bug-type Pokemon from the Eterna Forest had come inside in the past, so if that was true, it was possible that much of the work would be undone by the time the Togetic returned.
The house was still eerie, even with better conditions. The darkness of the rooms, and the hollowness of the large amount of space still resonated with a sense of unease, and with their footsteps no longer muffled by a layer of dust, the light tapping of their feet on the creaking wood added another dimension of foreboding to each movement.
Force would have liked nothing better than to ignore the staircase leading to the upper floor and instead go into the drawing room and spend the remainder of the day relaxing with Iris, but in the back of his mind, he knew that this was an overly selfish wish, and that putting off any other obligations would not make them any easier to swallow. Not to mention, he had spent the better part of the day at Floaroma Meadow, so he couldn't really make many excuses to put it off.
With that in mind, and a heart weighted with reluctance, he made for the staircase. Behind him, he could hear Iris taking a deep breath to steel her nerves, and she followed behind him, practically stepping on his heels in her eagerness to not be left behind in the dark and lonely house. The lack of protest and argument further reinforced the Riolu's decision - it meant that Iris knew just as well as he did that they needed to check in with Diablos, as undesirable as that prospect might be.
They hadn't even tried to make progress with dusting the rest of the house, so the stairs were still coated in a layer of dust, only disturbed by the treading and retreading of their footsteps whenever they, Cecilia, or Lin had gone to the attic in recent weeks. The musty scent of age and decay stung their nostrils more intensely up here than anywhere else, and the narrow hallway leading to the attic staircase often felt claustrophobic and more nerve-wracking than the attic itself.
The ladder even creaked underfoot as they ascended, all but holding their breaths until they had emerged within the dimly lit attic, as cluttered as the last time they had been here. Force paused to assist Iris' last steps, and gave her a gentle peck on the cheek, intended to be a reassurance that everything was all right, but at the same time, he wondered whether he was actually reassuring her, or just himself.
They hesitated once again, while still behind the shelter of the boxes that obscured their view of the Spiritomb's resting space. It was always this last obstacle that tested their courage and willpower the most. It was much easier of a hurdle to overcome when Kaito or Lin were already present, as they would take up the majority of the Spiritomb's attention. Furthermore, Lin and Cecilia were much more straightforward in addressing any concerns or questions they had for the Spiritomb, particularly when it came to criticizing Diablos' methods or actions, and Force could usually rely on Lin or Kaito to keep their cool, even when addressing an emotional topic.
"I know you're there," Diablos' voice spoke, piercing the silence. In spite of steeling himself for this conversation, Force flinched and shuddered, his nerve breaking apart. "No need to hover in the entranceway, come forward, Force...and I can only presume Iris is with you. Welcome back."
The Riolu scowled briefly, but complied, stepping out from behind the boxes, guiding Iris gently by the hand. Diablos was positioned in the same spot as always, near the back of the attic room, not far from the static-filled television set that somehow defied the rules of technology by remaining active even when unplugged. The Spiritomb even appeared the same as usual, a mass of swirling purple fog with yellow-green spheres rotating around its core. Green eyes and a jagged green mouth leered at them from the purple mass, and its pupils were distinct and eerily yellow, gleaming in the darkness.
"How do you always know when we're here?" Force asked sourly. This had not been the first time that Diablos had demonstrated an uncanny ability to detect the Riolu, coupled with the seemingly more difficult task of predicting whether Iris or any of the others were likewise present.
Diablos chuckled, and his eyes gleamed a little bit, meeting Force's red gaze.
"Have I never explained that? How...completely characteristic of me," the Spiritomb mused, the jagged mouth smirking, as if inviting them to share the joke. Force didn't smile, and the Spiritomb's expression sobered, although his tone remained as amused as ever. "I am, of course, able to pinpoint the whereabouts of my souls, fragmented or otherwise. No matter how far they wander away, they cannot hide from the call of my core. Observe..."
The Spiritomb's pupils contacted until they were nearly invisible, and the spheres spiraling around its mass began to move faster, until they were practically a single blur. At the same time, a peculiar force seemed to emanate from the Keystone, like a Zubat's sonar pulse, expanding outwards and passing over him and Iris.
Force staggered abruptly and his paw instinctively clutched at his chest, yet there was no pain, only a pounding sense of fear and unease flooding his body. In the next moment, the feeling was gone, and his eyes narrowed suspiciously at the Spiritomb.
Diablos' pupils enlargened once more, and his mouth curled into an even wider smirk. "Well, well...five fragments return my call."
"What was that?" Force demanded, his fist clenching. "Lin said you took it out of me!"
"I did," Diablos confirmed. "And as I was doing so, Lin shattered it again. All that remains within you is but a sliver...that is to say, the sliver that has bonded with the darkness in your heart. You needn't worry...such a tiny fragment gives me nothing over you, my ability to pinpoint you notwithstanding, of course."
"Get. It. Out," Force snarled.
"Impossible," Diablos chuckled. "It has been nourished by the darkness within you, making it more a part of you than a part of me. You have more command of it than I do."
"Then how do I command it to leave my body?" Force demanded, clenching and unclenching his fists, practically spitting his words.
Diablos laughed, a cold, humorless sound that sent chills running down Force's spine, and Iris clutched the Riolu's arm, using it to anchor herself in a standing position even as her legs shook.
"You really don't know anything, do you?" the Spiritomb murmured, smirking widely. His yellow eyes stared intently at Force, as if reading the answer already. Force fidgeted, unnerved by the intensity of the Spiritomb's gaze. "With the exception of Kaito, none of you know anything about my power...I suspected as much before now, but to have it spelled out for me like this is such a bittersweet victory."
"What are you even talking about?" Force demanded, finding his voice again.
Diablos chuckled, slowly regaining his more collected demeanor. "Forgive me, but what you suggest is impossible. One cannot simply evict their inner darkness. It's a piece of your very soul."
"I don't want something like that," Force insisted, but his resolve was wavering, unable to tell whether Diablos was making another attempt at deception. He wasn't using the same tone as he usually did when dancing around a subject or giving false reassurances, although with the Spiritomb, one could never truly tell whether there was a pattern to its tone and inflection.
"No one really does," Diablos mused. "That is why one struggles to keep their darkness dormant. But everyone has a darkness within. Good, evil, neutral, it's all the same...darkness sleeps in every heart, in every soul, in every mind."
"W-what do you mean?" Iris asked, her voice barely rising above a whisper, and she clutched onto Force's shoulder nervously as Diablos glanced her way.
"Firstly, for you to truly understand, I need you to abandon the very notion that darkness is evil," Diablos whispered, yet his words carried clearly. "Do not associate darkness with malice or wickedness, for it is not the same at all. People driven by their inner darkness are not evil. No one performs evil for the sake of evil...but because they believe they are righteous. That what they do is a necessity, whether palatable or not."
Iris nodded slowly, casting a glance at Force. To her surprise, Force seemed to be contemplating the Spiritomb's words with a thoughtful silence. Diablos paid the Riolu no attention, his focus entirely on Iris.
"Secondly, understand that everyone in the world seeks different things, and uses different methods. Morality is at the root of many conflicts that exists, so once again, I will emphasize that darkness is not evil. People who act on their inner darkness are not necessarily the reason for conflict. Heroes can use inner darkness as well as villains. The reality is not divided in such crude, black and white terms."
"O-okay?" Iris stammered, unnerved by the Spiritomb's gaze.
"Lovely. Now that we've established that...I will explain to you the very nature of inner darkness. It is the part of your self, of your true self, that you view as forbidden. The black stain upon an otherwise perfect painting, yet it is that very flaw that gives it the charm it has. Many are not aware of their own darkness, and those that are often mistake it for something despicable about themselves, something they are not proud of...something to fear and loathe. Something to lock away within the recesses of their heart, and never, ever succumb to it, no matter how tempting..."
Diablos paused, relishing the looks of curiosity and nervousness on his audience's faces.
"My power is to expose that darkness...to encourage its growth, to spread its influence...and then to take its power for sustenance. Have you not felt uneasy in my presence?" Diablos murmured, his yellow eyes glinting. "Fearful and unnerved, but unable to justify why? That is because my presence calls to your darkness. Your higher consciousness instinctively resists the call. It is the subconscious equivalent of a fight-or-flight response, but as you are not in physical danger, you don't recognize why your mind and body are responding to a threat you cannot perceive...and because I am a Spiritomb, you have come to label me as a malicious being, because that's the only logical justification for the reaction...am I wrong?"
Force scowled. "Sure. And it has nothing whatsoever to do with your ability to take over our bodies and kill people with them."
Diablos chuckled, unfazed by the challenging comment. "I have already addressed my reasons for those actions. Self-serving as my agenda had been, my only regret is botching the effort. And those who died were necessary losses to preserve your life. Regardless, you feared me before knowing of those actions."
"Doesn't change the fact that we have a good reason to be on-edge around you," Force countered stubbornly, crossing his arms defiantly.
"I'll concede that point," Diablos mused. "Mutual distrust did its number on our relationship, it seems. I did not trust you initially, and so took underhanded methods to ensure my survival at your expense. Because of my distrust, you no longer trust me, requiring me to further conceal my agenda to acquire your cooperation, and so you trust me even less. It's an endless cycle. Ironically, while Cecilia might have had a legitimate reason to distrust me, it is being amplified by her own darkness of heart."
"Really?" Iris wondered, wrinkling her face skeptically. "Cecilia's like...the most open, unrestrained person ever."
Diablos' jagged mouth smiled, in an odd expression of fond approval. "Sadly, your abilities to empathize with another is superficial. A person's darkness manifests differently per individual. The true conflict a person endures is the inability or refusal to accept this part of themselves when the situation requires it. A darkness often represents the power or ability one could possess if they could properly tap into it...unfortunately, few can do so without suffering the repercussions."
"Repercussions?" Force repeated, raising an eyebrow.
Diablos chuckled. "It would hardly be considered a forbidden aspect of oneself if it didn't carry risk. Power for a price, yes? Cecilia is a fascinating case...you call her open and unrestrained...but tell me, then...what is her true face? Is it the bubbly, chipper and flirtatious Quilava that loves puns and playful innuendo? Or...is it the emotionally volatile, clingy, and vulnerable Quilava that uses the former persona as a mask to hide how unhappy she truly is, and cannot bond with others to save her life, incapable of accepting rejection lest her entire facade crumble bene-"
"STOP IT!" Iris screeched, clutching her head and falling to her knees, shaking her head desperately. Force immediately knelt beside the Kirlia, holding her in his arms, fear and concern consuming his expression. Diablos blinked several times, obediently falling silent, but observing the effect his words had on the empath. "St-stop it..." Iris practically sobbed, burying her face in Force's chest.
"So...you did know that pain after all," Diablos murmured, almost too softly to be heard. Force glared at the Spiritomb in silence, his eyes narrowed to slits. "But I will remind you that inner darkness is not always destructive. Cecilia's pain makes her...immeasurably powerful as an ally. She will do whatever is necessary to protect those she cares about. A noble heart still wields a darkness."
"Are all of us so transparent to you?" Force growled, stroking Iris' back as soothingly as possible, despite the death glare he was fixing Diablos with.
"I wouldn't go that far," Diablos answered silkily. "A person's heart is exceedingly complex, filled with contradictions and variables. Knowing only darkness is no more the solution than knowing only light. Embracing one approach to the exclusion of all else will cause only ruin. If Kaito wishes to have all darkness purged, then he is utterly and irredeemably misguided."
Any further comment on the subject was interrupted by a noticeable rattling from the static-filled television set. Force flinched, regarding the box with a startled expression, and even Iris lifted her head to look over. Diablos chuckled, vaguely amused by their reactions.
"...what was that?" Iris asked, when the television remained still for several seconds.
"Ah, I do believe I neglected to mention our Rotom infestation," Diablos murmured. "Give it a few minutes and I'll introduce you. Until then, let's move on. I trust you had a specific reason for coming up here, for I dare say your social circle is not so narrow that you seek me out for companionship."
Force blinked. With the direction the conversation had taken since arriving, he had completely forgotten their main reason for checking in on Diablos. After returning to the Chateau from the Solaceon Ruins, and Kaito and Iris from their own unsuccessful venture, they had presented the acquired stone to Diablos for inspection. None of them had any luck identifying its origins or purpose, and if it was associated with the Spiritomb in some fashion, then he was the one most likely to uncover its mystery during the time that Kaito was away doing research or whatever.
On the other hand, he didn't particularly want to linger in Diablos' presence longer than strictly necessary. Iris was already agitated enough as it was, and Force doubted that mood was going to improve in the immediate presence of Diablos.
"Maybe we'll save that conversation for another time," Force said.
Diablos looked vaguely amused. "You'll save your reason for visiting for another visit? How quaint. No matter, I do look forward to meetings where someone other than Kaito or myself speaks. Perhaps next time, one of you will actually do so."
The Spiritomb chuckled in good humor, but the laugh still sounded malicious and eerie. Without waiting for a response, or even offering a parting word of his own, the purple flames extinguished themselves and the spheres of light remaining were drawn back within the Keystone's fissure, until nothing remained but silence.
"Do you ever get the sense we're digging ourselves deeper every time we come here?" Force sighed.
