Natsume was totally alone, floating in and endless void of darkness. She curled her naked body into a fetal position, beginning to shiver from the cold. She closed her eyes, but it would not have mattered if they were open. The darkness was so consuming, she could not even see her knees bent up in front of her.
"Natsume..."
A low voice called to her, echoing in her mind. It was a telepathic voice. She covered her head with her arms in a feeble attempt to block it out. She wanted to be alone. This was her sanctuary, nobody could trespass here.
"Natsume...Don't be afraid. Would you block out an old friend?"
The dark haired girl felt a new presence beside her. She opened her eyes, but of course she could see nothing. "Is it...? Alakazam…?"
The psychic Pokémon confirmed her thought. "Yes, it is me." There was a long pause. "You are in danger." Natsume shuddered.
"I am putting myself out of it."
A wave of extreme frustration radiated from her friend, starling her greatly. Alakazam had never lost his temper before. "You are not helping yourself! Can't you see, you foolish girl? You are the source of all your own problems!" then, sensing he had perhaps been a bit harsh, he added, "And only you can solve them."
Natsume hugged herself, trying to stay warm. Her body felt cold and limp, she was dying. She felt hot tears sting her cheeks. It was an odd feeling that she had never experienced. "But…I have to destroy my feelings, Alakazam. Lock them away, forget them. They do nothing but cause pain... and anguish. Nobody can understand how I feel. And if I told anyone…"
"How would you know what 'anyone' would think? You do not allow them to see into you. You are an empty person to them. But there is one who can still see beyond your high defenses, Natsume."
Natsume bit her lips, tasting salt. "Leave me." Her mind began to cloud with the same darkness as that surrounding her.
"She won't hurt you, Natsume."
"Stop, I'll hear no more."
"Don't push her away. She will help you."
"Leave me alone!"
"She can fill you, complete you, you won't be an empty shell any longer."
"GET OUT OF HERE!" Natsume's voice rang in her own ears, and she realized that she had shouted out loud. Her Pokémon's presence had left.
Suddenly, a sharp bright light pierced the thick fog of darkness, shining boldly upon Natsume's body. It was driving her insane, blinding her, but warming her at the same time... And she needed that warmth so badly…She relaxed herself, and felt the soothing rays thaw out her cold bare skin.
She felt something warms and soft wrap around her from behind. "Erika..."
Erika didn't say anything, she only held Natsume in her delicate arms, and leaning her head on the other girl's shoulder. She soothed the pain of the coldness, it faded away with each caress. Natsume was suddenly aware that she was still crying. Erika cupped her face in her hands, and wiped the tears away. The longhaired girl let go, loosing herself in Erika's touch. "Erika…" Erika looked up, gazing deep into Natsume's eyes, but she had a very sad look on her face. Natsume put her own arms around the smaller girl and with one hand ran her fingers through her soft hair.
Erika lowered her head and nuzzled Natsume's neck, then whispered quietly in her ear:
"Trust me."
She pulled back slowly, taking Natsume's hand into hers.
"Please Erika...don't leave me...Don't leave me…"
"Natsume..."
A low voice called to her, echoing in her mind. It was a telepathic voice. She covered her head with her arms in a feeble attempt to block it out. She wanted to be alone. This was her sanctuary, nobody could trespass here.
"Natsume...Don't be afraid. Would you block out an old friend?"
The dark haired girl felt a new presence beside her. She opened her eyes, but of course she could see nothing. "Is it...? Alakazam…?"
The psychic Pokémon confirmed her thought. "Yes, it is me." There was a long pause. "You are in danger." Natsume shuddered.
"I am putting myself out of it."
A wave of extreme frustration radiated from her friend, starling her greatly. Alakazam had never lost his temper before. "You are not helping yourself! Can't you see, you foolish girl? You are the source of all your own problems!" then, sensing he had perhaps been a bit harsh, he added, "And only you can solve them."
Natsume hugged herself, trying to stay warm. Her body felt cold and limp, she was dying. She felt hot tears sting her cheeks. It was an odd feeling that she had never experienced. "But…I have to destroy my feelings, Alakazam. Lock them away, forget them. They do nothing but cause pain... and anguish. Nobody can understand how I feel. And if I told anyone…"
"How would you know what 'anyone' would think? You do not allow them to see into you. You are an empty person to them. But there is one who can still see beyond your high defenses, Natsume."
Natsume bit her lips, tasting salt. "Leave me." Her mind began to cloud with the same darkness as that surrounding her.
"She won't hurt you, Natsume."
"Stop, I'll hear no more."
"Don't push her away. She will help you."
"Leave me alone!"
"She can fill you, complete you, you won't be an empty shell any longer."
"GET OUT OF HERE!" Natsume's voice rang in her own ears, and she realized that she had shouted out loud. Her Pokémon's presence had left.
Suddenly, a sharp bright light pierced the thick fog of darkness, shining boldly upon Natsume's body. It was driving her insane, blinding her, but warming her at the same time... And she needed that warmth so badly…She relaxed herself, and felt the soothing rays thaw out her cold bare skin.
She felt something warms and soft wrap around her from behind. "Erika..."
Erika didn't say anything, she only held Natsume in her delicate arms, and leaning her head on the other girl's shoulder. She soothed the pain of the coldness, it faded away with each caress. Natsume was suddenly aware that she was still crying. Erika cupped her face in her hands, and wiped the tears away. The longhaired girl let go, loosing herself in Erika's touch. "Erika…" Erika looked up, gazing deep into Natsume's eyes, but she had a very sad look on her face. Natsume put her own arms around the smaller girl and with one hand ran her fingers through her soft hair.
Erika lowered her head and nuzzled Natsume's neck, then whispered quietly in her ear:
"Trust me."
She pulled back slowly, taking Natsume's hand into hers.
"Please Erika...don't leave me...Don't leave me…"