Pokemon Colosseum

Break Away

By: BlackLadyCharon

Author's Notes: One of the Sequels to 'Sun and Shadow'. This takes place far in the future, well after the ending. Fair warning, this is not a 'and they lived happily ever after' one. It's a sad one, and it will probably get me hung. Not that I mind, I write what comes into my head. I'm working on a happier, light hearted one called 'Mist and Shade', but it's not ready yet. This is for Hiroshi Yakuza Ketchum, who inadvertently sparked my muses. Thank you very much for your wonderful stories.

Disclaimers: Kalliope the Mewthree: Authoress Mama doesn't own Pokemon, Nintendo does. All Authoress Mama owns is a few games, some manga, and a crazy mind.

(Grew up in a small town,
And when the rain would fall down,
I'd just stare out my window.
Dreaming of what could be,
And if I'd end up happy,
I would pray.)

"There he is."

"Mama was right, he DOES limp badly!"

"What are those things next to him? Ghost Pokemon?"

"They can't be, they don't look right. Maybe they're Pokemon ghosts?"

"Same difference." The old man paid no attention to the two gossiping trainers as he limped by within a hand's breadth of them. They stopped, chilled by the invisible and indescribable aura that surrounded him. He was ancient, his hair thin, cloud grey wisps rather then the wind spiked white strands they'd been in his youth, and his pale, yellow brown eyes seemed frustrated, as if he was waiting for something to happen that was long overdue. His walking stick was carved like an Arbok about to strike, and even with it, he lurched as he walked, like something out of an old horror movie. Pokestein, maybe, or Night of the Living Poke Zombie. His features were still sharp, the wrinkles seeming to add a veil of dignity to him. Like most of the Elders in Agate Village, he'd forsaken wearing the wild clothing of his youth for simpler clothing, a black shirt and loose black pants that still warned this was a trainer to be reckoned with. That, and what walked beside him, as if they were perfectly natural, scared the two airheaded kids silly.

(Trying hard to reach out,
But when I tried to speak out,
Felt like no-one could hear me.
Wanted to belong here,
But something felt so wrong here.
So I'd pray,
I could break away.)

They weren't Pokemon, they couldn't be Pokemon. There was nothing in any Pokedex registered about them. Still, they existed, they walked and moved, though no one had ever seen them breathe, eat, or sleep. The one on the left was vaguely Espeon shaped still, but it glowed a brilliant white, as if made from psychic energy itself, with it's tail tips and ear tips covered in a seething, dark violet pattern. The same pattern existed in splatters around its neck, like a collar. Or splashes of blood. Its eyes were its only physical feature. Glowing, pure blue orbs with no whites or pupils, it alone was enough to creep most people out. Combined with its sibling on the right, it terrified most trainers into refusing to even challenge the man. The other one was once again vaguely shaped like a familiar Pokemon, Umbreon this time. Yet, it was made of seething, swirling black energy, possibly the darkness of the soul, save for where Umbreon's markings would be. There, and along the neck like its sibling, it had energy patterns, these the bright white that its sibling was mainly composed of. The eyes, however, were energy as well, but curious energy. One, the right one, glowed blue, while the other was made of red energy. The Umbreon passed right by the two trainers, giving them a chill as the old man made his way up the path and out of sight.

(I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly,
I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky,
And I'll make a wish, take a chance,
Make a change, and break away.)

Once they were out of the young trainer's sights, the strange trio turned, making there way into a small cave. It was unique, not connected to the ones that housed Celebi's Relic. This one housed two things. A clear crystal wall was what most noticed first, or more precisely the image captured within it. A girl in her late teens, with blood seen through tears red hair, eyes the color of the ocean with the sun on it, and pale skin, dressed in a white tank top, denim skirt and jacket, and heavy brown knee boots. Her face was sad, as if she'd lost something vital to her. The other thing was a white tombstone, with a name and a verse on it, though no dates.

Anca Mahiru Matsumori

'Somehow, Someway, We've had to say Goodbye'

The old man sighed, lowering himself carefully next to the grave as the two … Ghosts? Pokemon? Illusions? … Frolicked about seemingly without care. He closed his eyes, leaned back against the stone, and sighed. He was getting beyond old. Everything creaked, ached, or wheezed. He'd kept up his morning pilgrimage to the grave against several doctor's orders. He was ancient, damn it, he'd do what he pleased. His mind wandered then, back to what had placed a 17 year old in her grave and him here.
(Out of the darkness and into the sun,
But I won't forget all the ones that I love.
I'll take a risk, take a chance,
Make a change, and break away.)

"It was all my fault, Anca-Chan. I should have reckoned that they'd wait. I should never have dropped my guard." His voice was still the same it had been when he was young, a low, calm whisper that brought to mind the absolute stillness just at sunrise. The Umbreon and Espeon stopped, suddenly shaking their heads.

It wasn't your fault, Seth. It had been two years since Cipher fell to you and Anca and Ho-Oh and Celebi. Two years, and they simply happened to see the perfect opportunity.+

Yes. You should not blame yourself. It was purely their fault they forced the Spider Bike into the path of that rock. You should count yourself lucky you walked away with nothing worse than us, and ruined leg, and a shattered mind link.+

Shadow, you are NOT helping matters.+

No, I'm being realistic, Sun.+

Seth shook his head at the arguing brothers. They were wrong, there were many things he could have done, though no time to do them in. The surprise attack from a group of Cipher Peons had sent them careening into the wall, breaking Anca's neck and slicing the throats of the two Eons. Only the strange, mystical link forged by a virus and the God Celebi had kept them there, bound to bodies that were no longer quite real. Anca had died almost instantly, her death ripping loose the bond of love, friendship and power forged over the two years they'd been together, one spent hunting and snagging Shadow Pokemon, and one spent just being together. He'd staggered out of the wreck and stood there, the pain of losing the bond with Anca and the wrenching pain of what had happened to the Eons that were as close to him as if they were his twins completely blocking the pain from a leg shattered in seven places. He'd lived, he'd recovered, and he'd retired. He never wanted to battle again, and he never wanted to be away from the town where Anca had been buried. Seth was through with the Gods, and what they'd demanded of him.

(Wanna feel the warm breeze,
Sleep under a palm tree,
Feel the rush of the ocean,
Get onboard a fast train,
Travel on a jetplane,
Faraway, and break away.)

"I'm tired, so tired. When will this all be over? When can I see her again, Celebi? When?"

(I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly,
I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky,
And I'll make a wish, take a chance,
Make a change, and break away.)

The two Eons sat, startled out of their eternal arguing by the sadness in Seth's voice. Sometimes they forgot that Seth was old. Time hadn't moved to them since he was 19, and they found it hard to reconcile the fact that he was now almost a hundred. Time hadn't stopped for their Brother/Master, if anything it had slowed, becoming a torture. Surely that time must be almost up?

(Out of the darkness and into the sun,
I won't forget all the ones that I love.
I've gotta take a risk, take a chance,
Make a change, and break away.)

After a while, Seth dropped into a light doze, while the Eons curled up next to him, waiting. Seth might not notice it, but they felt the small, soft stirrings that, from the time Celebi had forged them into what they were with him had always indicated 'Something In Motion.' Something important was going to happen soon, the same kind of something important that had marked their meeting with Anca for the first time.

(Buildings with a 100 floors,
Swinging around revolving doors,
Maybe I don't know where they'll take me.
But I gotta keep moving on moving on,
Fly away, break away.)

That something was marked by the sudden appearance of Celebi Herself. ((AN: I always think of Celebi as female, for some reason.)) She watched, and a dim, regretting look slid into her ancient eyes. Sun and Shadow watched Her, waiting for what must happen. It was time. All three were tired, pushed well beyond their own limits. Surely, now they could rest.

(I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly,
Though its not easy to tell you goodbye.
Gotta take a risk, take a chance,
Make a change, and break away.)

Celebi flitted close, looking at the exhausted ancient that had once been the laughing, wild youth who'd done what had to be done and cleansed the Taint from the Shadow Pokemon, undoing the damage done to her people. She sighed, looking at the Eons, then nodded. She whirled about in a wild display of sudden energy and power, reaching out to touch all three. Seth's eyes opened in a sudden spasm of shock and pain, then closed again. It was over.

(Out of the darkness and into the sun,
But I won't forget the place I come from.

I've gotta take a risk, take a chance,
Make a change, and break away.)

It was a heart attack, the doctor's all swore. Too much stress, too much strain, and too much stubbornness. They couldn't explain the disappearance of the two Pokemon that always followed him, but they could explain that. At least, they thought they could. They couldn't explain the change in the crystal wall, either. The girl laughed joyously now, while a mischievous looking Espeon and a solemn Umbreon lay at her feet. Long arms in a dark blue trenchcoat and a strange, almost armor like device wrapped around her shoulders, and the youth with wild white hair and almost feral yellow brown eyes laughed with her, smiling down at the two graves, the newer of which had a different name and verse.

Seth Kaemon Kurogawa

'Out of the darkness and into the sun,
I won't forget all the ones that I love.'

Later, a legend started that if you came to the cave just at sunrise, you might hear them laughing. It also claimed that if you did, you were destined for happiness.

But surely it was only a legend.

(Break away, break away)