I awoke with a start, my heart pumping and my mind tormented by a bad headache. Immediately noticing I was not in the cave, I shivered as buckets of heavy snow fluttered down from the black sky above and a frigid wind whipped through the area. The almost whiteout conditions mixed with the darkness made it almost impossible to see. Just then, I heard stomping behind me and a terrible electric laugh. My eyes widened and a terrible sense of fear set over me once I realized where I was.
I tried to run in the opposite direction of the noise, but it was hard to break into a sprint in the deep snow. Surprisingly though, I felt like my injuries weren't as bad here; perhaps you couldn't feel physical pain in a dream? Nonetheless, I kept stumbling over myself while trekking through the cold snow and attempted to bear the freezing wind lashing out at my face.
As I tried to get away as fast as I could, the noise of footsteps suddenly reverberated all around me. I tried to focus on it the best I could, but it was hard to tell where the noise was coming from due to the terrible visibility and wind. My mind in panic mode, I decided to just keep trucking forward, sincerely hoping I didn't run into Necrozma.
Just then, the snow let up for just a quick moment and I pinpointed the stomping from behind me. It then got louder and quicker, like it was catching up to me. I pushed myself to move even faster now, the terror egging me on. Another terrible electric laugh came from just behind me, piercing my ears.
"Leave me alone!" I cried, scared to death. The noise played with my head, and I couldn't stop hearing the horrific chortle. I closed my eyes and plugged my ears with my fingers hoping that would quiet it down, but there was no chance. Necrozma was in my head.
Suddenly, I felt something grab around my waist tightly before beginning to pull me upwards. I opened my eyes and removed my fingers from my ears to see I was clenched tightly inside a black, crystalline fist. I gulped nervously and turned my head to see Necrozma's terrifying visage boring into me.
"So, we meet again, human. I am quite surprised you lasted this long. It seems my army was not successful in capturing you the first time, but that will change… Very soon, in fact."
I couldn't look away from Necrozma's fear-inducing gaze. Being backed into a corner like this, I suddenly felt my muscles tense. Knowing what was coming, I closed my eyes and let the sense of determination flare into a blaze inside my chest. Unable to control the sudden outburst, it spoke for me.
"There's no way you're going to catch me, Necrozma! No Ultra Beast, human, or Pokémon will ever capture me! I've got a mission to fulfill, and nobody will stop me!" Necrozma suddenly gripped its hand tighter, squeezing me hard. It was suddenly difficult to breathe, and some jagged points jabbed into my sides.
"That was not the answer I desired. I believe I told you the first time to give yourself up and your demise would be less painful, but I guess you were not listening. Seeing as your ignorance has angered me, I believe I must rescind my original offer… Once I capture you and your worthless Pokémon, no one will remember you... I will erase you from existence."
Even though I was gasping for air, the determination opened my mouth once more.
"I… will save… the Pokémon… World! I… don't care what… you do about… it!" He squeezed even tighter, and I felt like I was about to be crushed. Necrozma then pulled me closer to its face and its colorful, blunt eyes.
"I see that you cannot be easily led astray once you choose something. But perhaps I could change your mind with this…?" Just then, the snow lightened in front of us and a teal misty picture appeared in the darkness. My eyes widened and my heartbeat fired even faster than before. On the screen, inside a cage made of black minerals, was my uncle, my aunt, and my father. They all looked grief filled and eager to get out of the cage.
"Y-you!" Is all I could get out. Necrozma laughed again and turned me back to him.
"It is you, or them. You would not like to see your family hurt, yes?"
I couldn't think straight. My mind was racing, and my breathing was heavy due to Necrozma's grip. I felt piercing anger and the sense of determination flow through me as hot as magma, but there was nothing I could do about them. What was I supposed to do in this situation? Just give myself up and forget about saving the Pokémon World? But this was my family he was talking about. I definitely didn't want Necrozma to hurt any of them…
"So, what is it going to be, human? Time is running out…"
I searched through my head for answers but came up short. As I was about to open my mouth to plead for mercy when a voice pierced through the snow and wind.
"Unhand him at once!" The feminine cry was soothing and surprisingly familiar. Necrozma turned towards the sound and yelled out,
"An intruder? Who goes there?" A figure emerged from the harsh storm, but I couldn't make out who it was right away. They were tall and seemed to have a large crown atop their head. It held its arms behind its back as it moved closer towards us.
"Slowking…!" I muttered, finally realizing who it was. Was I ever happy to see her.
"I will not tell you again… Release the human." Slowking threatened, stopping a couple feet in front of us. Necrozma began to laugh again at her remark.
"Well, well, I was wondering when I would finally be able to meet the illustrious Slowking. I have heard so much about you and this PGC… Have you come to give yourself up, too?"
"Put the human down at once. Do not make me have to use force, Darkrai."
Darkrai? But this is Necrozma, I wondered. Is Slowking really mistaking them for another Pokémon? And how does Slowking even know Darkrai? Necrozma paused for a moment and then let out a single chortle. I then felt the grip around me loosen.
"...Very well. It does me no good keeping this facade up anymore, now that the human knows the truth." Necrozma opened its hand and I tumbled to the ground, falling on a soft but cold blanket of snow. I pushed myself up to see a dark light ball beginning to envelop Necrozma. Hurrying to try and get out of the way, the dark light ball erupted before I had a chance to fully stand up. Expecting it to be some kind of attack, I opened my eyes to find that I was actually unscathed. Just then, I felt Slowking lift me up behind me from under my arms and put me on my feet.
"Easy, human. Stay behind me." Her voice was comforting in a place like this. I nodded to her and then turned back to face the source of the dark energy ball.
Just before us, a shadowy figure floated above the snow. The outline of whatever it was seemed ghost-like, was about a foot smaller than me, and its body wove in the wind. It had a faint red aura circling it and almost looked like a scarecrow but all black, except from its white head and red neck.
"...I am Darkrai, second commander of Necrozma's Dark Army." Darkrai's actual voice was much deeper and echo-y, sounding as if it were coming from speakers high above.
"But… Why hide?" I asked, suddenly.
"...Lord Necrozma desired for me to keep my identity hidden for as long as I could. They wanted you to remain frightened and paranoid from dream to dream… And it would have worked if your friend here did not intervene."
"Quiet, you wretch! Tell Necrozma that the human will go to the Pokémon World." Slowking abruptly chimed in. Darkrai laughed again.
"...I am not in the same dimension as Lord Necrozma. He is still in the Pokémon World making sure the prisoners are accounted for and to command the army. I have no way to contact him here…"
"No matter. We will be on our way. And do not try to stand in my way again, miscreant."
"...Have you forgotten, oh great Slowking? This is the human's dream; I can bend reality at the seams. If you even try to attack me, it will harm the human. And you do not want to hurt him, yes…?"
"Your pitiful nightmares will not harm the human, or I! In your time away from the Pokémon World, I have hypothesized a way to leave early."
"...Oh? You think you can escape from me? You will choke on those words, Slowking…" Suddenly, Darkrai disappeared into thin air and the snow began to intensify. Thunder clapped over us, rumbling through the area.
"How… How do we get out of here?" I yelped as loud as possible.
"Just a moment. We need to wait for the perfect moment to strike." Slowking cried back. Suddenly, I noticed Darkrai's figure in the sky in between lightning flashes.
"Up there!" I called. Darkrai began to laugh, louder than before. I covered my ears and scrunched up my face, trying to cancel the sound out.
Only a few seconds more, Slowking's voice suddenly called out, clear as day. I was confused as to how I'd heard her so clearly but paid more attention to Darkrai high in the sky.
"...You cannot escape!" Darkrai's voice called out. The clouds erupted and lightning began to hit the ground in a line, striking just yards away. The line of electricity headed towards us, quickly approaching. My hair stood up on end and I felt the heat from the beams.
I'm truly sorry to have to do this to you human… Please do not think of me the wrong way. Before I could say anything in reaction, I suddenly felt something pinch my right arm. It was a particularly painful pinch too, like slamming your finger in a door… But a sharp one at that.
"Ow!" I replied, wincing from the pain. Realizing that it was Slowking that had probably done that, I felt my heart drop as I expected to still be stuck in the dream. But as soon as I opened my eyes, I found myself laying down on the floor of the cave, the daylight streaming in through the mouth. It was still raining, and some puddles had formed right outside the entrance. And although a particularly cool fall breeze was blowing through the cave right at that moment, it was much warmer than the frigid cold of the nightmare.
"Again… I apologize for that." I heard Slowking say from beside me. Immediately turning to her, I caught her bending down over my right arm with her nail outstretched towards it; there was a scratch on my arm with a little bit of blood oozing out. She immediately wrapped one of her makeshift thatch bandages with her other free hand over the wound and tied it behind my arm. As she stood up, I thought I saw a purple glow in her eyes, but it quickly disappeared, and they returned back to normal.
"W-what? How did you–"
"No time to explain. We must leave this place, immediately." Slowking rushed over to the cave's entrance and quickly swung her satchel over her arm before getting down to disassemble the fire pit. Riolu and Dusty were just coming to and looked confused at her hastiness.
"Woah, what's the rush all about, Slowking? And again, what did you do to–"
"There is simply no time for questions, human. Darkrai has let the Ultra Beasts know our position."
"Darkrai? Wait, so Necrozma wasn't the one giving me those nightmares? Can you tell me–"
"What did I just say, human? The Ultra Beasts are coming now!" I opened my mouth to protest, but I didn't want to see Slowking any more frantic than she was currently.
"R-right, sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"No, not currently. Converse with Riolu and Garbodor and fill them in on what is happening. I will pack up the remainder of my supplies and make it look like no one has stepped foot here." I nodded and hobbled over to Riolu and Dusty, who were just standing up.
"Okay guys, it's time to head out. Here's everything I know so far on what's going on…"
Once I was done with telling them about my dream, we all took a moment to prepare ourselves for the trip ahead. While I slipped back into my boots and winter jacket, I observed Riolu and Dusty stretching in the corner. They both looked at least a little revitalized from the rest and ready to travel, but I could only wish I felt the same way. I was still tired, physically strained, and could hardly walk by myself.
Just then, I heard a splash from behind me, and turned to see Slowking dousing the firepit with a hot Scald attack. The ash washed away and the rocks and burnt sticks filed out into natural looking positions.
"We are leaving now. Are Riolu and Garbodor ready to travel?"
"Yes, they are fully aware of what's happening and we're all ready to get going."
"Very well. Garbodor, could you clean up on the way out?" Slowking glared at Dusty, who looked surprised to be put on the spot so suddenly, but he immediately nodded and got to shoving the garbage into his mouth. Riolu and I were slightly grossed out, but I feel like having a friend made out of trash comes in handy every so often.
Once the place was surprisingly clean, Slowking spoke again.
"Alright, stay behind me; we are heading directly into enemy controlled areas. I will tell you my plan as we go on. For now, just follow me and stay quiet." We nodded and did just that, heading back into the wet, dreary weather.
Toughing out the rain, we stayed quiet and cautious of our surroundings. Occasionally, Slowking would stop and look around, listening through the pattering drops and searching for any signs of attackers. She also simultaneously foraged for sticks, plants, and other supplies at the same time, as if being hunted was just another normal occurrence for her.
At one point, something flew over our heads and Slowking told us to lay down and find cover. I was petrified, worrying that Ultra Beasts were nearby. However, it proved to be a false alarm, as it was just a bird Pokémon flying by.
We climbed over foothills, through small plains and fields, and trekked through miles of forest. Occasionally, we'd also come across a road or highway, to which we hurried across as fast as possible to not be seen. I didn't know where we were headed, but I just assumed Slowking knew where she was going. For most of the time, Riolu and Dusty would take turns helping me walk, or when I needed a break, carrying me. I felt bad that I was holding everyone back, but there was really nothing I could do about it but wait for my injuries to heal.
Trying to admire all the nature along the way to keep my mind off the bad stuff, I found it hard to do so with my worsening condition and the paranoia of being found. Part of me wished to still be stuck in Darkrai's nightmare so that I wouldn't be in pain anymore. So, I found myself much of the time thinking about the dream from the night before. The horrifying scene played over and over in my thoughts like a broken record. I desperately wanted to say something to Slowking about the dream; I kept seeing my family members locked in the cage, and Necrozma's piercing gaze, as well as hearing Darkrai's threatening words… But I knew I would put myself and my partners at risk if I even muttered a word.
Hours seemed to pass, and I was somehow even more exhausted, despite even being helped by my Pokémon. Our pace slowed to a crawl as every step hurt. And to top it off, the rain did not stop either. All of us were soaked to the bone, and no one seemed happy. I was lucky to have my warm down jacket with a hood to keep me dry, but my pants and boots were soaking wet. And don't get me started on the boredom; it was excruciating not being able to rest, eat, or even do anything else but walk. I also found out that my PokéNav was suspiciously missing, which was disappointing because I didn't have any music to listen to, had no way to contact other people, and there was no map to read from. Could this day get any worse, I constantly asked myself.
Finally, as it began to become darker and darker, Slowking announced quietly that she was looking for somewhere safe and dry to stay for the night. I was relieved to hear this awful day was finally coming to a close, but we first needed to find a place to do so. In the final stretch of our travels, I couldn't take the pain of walking anymore and collapsed in Dusty's arms, causing him to almost drop me. So, for the last thirty minutes or so, Dusty solely carried me at his waist.
It was almost pitch black when we came upon a small cave in the side of a small, rocky valley. The cave only led in a couple yards and looked like other Pokémon had stayed there recently. In the back, piles of leaves surrounded the walls, most likely blown there by the autumn wind. The cave was dry but cold, and the overhanging roof fed the rainwater into a stream of water which naturally flowed down through the valley.
Wasting no time, Slowking immediately rushed to get a fire going, as Riolu and Dusty took the leaves to begin setting up our places for the night. They placed me next to the firepit to dry off as soon as they got working, leaving me to rest. Riolu and Dusty quickly made a cot for everyone, putting Slowking's makeshift bed nearest to the entrance. In the meantime, Slowking casually started a fire using her Psychic powers; she used her mind to furiously rub two sticks together until a flame started. Considering how fast she made the fire; I could tell she'd done it many times before.
As soon as the fire was roaring, Slowking began to boil some rainwater and stream water she'd collected in the kettle throughout the day, to filter out the impurities. Then after Riolu and Dusty had finished setting up, we all gathered around the fire, watching Slowking prod the wood with a poking stick, waiting patiently for the water to boil and then cool. During this time, I couldn't bear waiting to ask Slowking questions, but I resisted my urge. I didn't want to make her angry, so I waited for the right time.
Around dinner, Slowking spoke to all of us about her plans.
"Our journey today may have been a long one, but I know it was successful. I am confident those Ultra Beasts and Darkrai are still searching the area behind us. For now, we can rest. Tomorrow we will head out again, bearing toward the Pennsylvania border."
"How close are we to Kinzua State Park?" I asked.
"Unfortunately, the portal is still quite far away. We traveled a large distance today without any stops, but there is plenty of road ahead. I would say we are just past the township of Friendship, and around forty miles from our turn-off to the border. After that, it is still quite a bit away." I groaned knowing how much walking was in front of us. "Keep your head up, human. The roads ahead will not be easy, and I expect us to go at the same pace as we went today."
"I don't know how much more I can take of that, Slowking… I'm exhausted right now."
"You'll have to deal, human. I see no other way of making it to the portal without repercussions." There was a pause as Slowking crunched on an Oran Berry. No one was talking, so now was finally the time to ask.
"...Slowking, I've been dying all day to ask you this… Can you please tell me about the dream from last night?" Slowking finished chewing and took a sip of water from the pot before setting it back on the stone floor.
"Very well. You patiently waited all day, so I expect you deserve some more answers." Immediately, my questions exploded out of my mouth.
"Is my family in any danger? Will Darkrai do anything to them? Will-"
"Enough, human. There will be no talk about your family here. An illusion is what you saw; a simple trick by Darkrai to make you fearful."
"But… How do you know?"
"Darkrai has only popped up in a couple places in my recent lifetime, always forcing innocent Pokémon and humans into his nightmares. But because he is a master manipulator, he only needs to threaten people to make them believe he has all the power in the world. And besides, if Darkrai is not in the same dimension as Necrozma, how would he ever know if your parents were locked up? He said it himself– he has no communication with his king in this world. Darkrai simply read your mind and used it against you in your dream." I felt somewhat relieved, but I was still a little scared. Deep down, I knew that my family was in danger... And if I didn't do anything, something bad was going to happen to them.
"You look perplexed, human. Is there anything else you would like to know?" Slowking ended my train of thought and I quickly thought of more questions.
"How do you exactly know Darkrai?"
"Well, it is fabled that Darkrai is a being made out of the pure darkness and malice from our world; and if you know anything about darkness, it is that it wishes to spread indefinitely... Until every bit of light is gone. So, many, many years ago, he attempted to cover our world in darkness. But being the coward that he is, he hid on the sidelines of the battlefield and employed his allies. Once he realized that the end could only be accomplished by him, he attempted to take the fate of our world directly into his hands… However, he was unsuccessful." Slowking hesitated for a second and quickly bit into another berry. Once she was finished, she continued.
"With help from Cresselia, Palkia, and a human-Pokémon partnership, Darkrai was banished to some far-off part of space. Although the world was saved for the moment, they knew he would be back; you cannot just get rid of darkness, it is part of life. But I believe that without Necrozma, he would still be lost, somewhere far out in our vast universe. My gut tells me that the Prismatic King found where he had been lost for so long and recruited him to his army… However, his methods in battle have certainly been well documented by our scribes in the many years of his absence, especially considering he was quite a nuisance back in his time. I myself was quite particular about reading up on his past life in my free time…" Slowking then stopped and looked out into the night.
"Yet, from what I have read, he is certainly not someone to underestimate. Darkrai has an exceptional ability to get into minds and play with the beholder until they are at wit's end. He also has the power to keep the victim lost in their deepest, darkest nightmares for weeks at a time… And knowing how many humans he has kidnapped from the PGC in times of need… Certainly keeps me alert." A gust of wind suddenly swirled in from outside, blowing the flames towards Slowking. "...But although it is certainly ironic that I am finally fighting against him, I have come prepared."
"How did you know he was the one behind my dreams?" I asked.
"Simple: the signs are relatively easy to spot. A beholder of his nightmares has the normal frightened mannerisms someone sleeping would have while they are experiencing a bad dream; tensed muscles, groaning or quiet yelling, et cetera. But the absolute give away is that when you try to wake the beholder, they are unable to be roused. However, I have found that I can place myself inside dreams using a little bit of psychic 'magic' that I picked up from teaching at the PGC. Truthfully and very luckily however, last night was the first time I could actually attempt to enter someone under the influence of his nightmares."
"You mean… I was that first person? Then how did you know how to wake me up and get out?"
"Well, I first made sure that Darkrai would think I would either try and attack him or run away with you in hand. You see, the weakness of every dream is in the beholder. From past experiences of placing myself into other's dreams, I knew Darkrai would never try to physically hurt the dream inhabitant, or else that would ruin his strength and the integrity of the dream. So, as soon as he let his guard down and disappeared, I attacked you… In real life."
"So that was why you pinched me…" I was shocked Slowking would put so much at risk like that.
"It was a longshot, but that seemed to be the common denominator between his nightmares and the dreams I have been in. He may hide himself away from taking attacks, but the inhabitant is not." I paused and looked out into the rainy darkness, trying to fully process everything Slowking had just told me.
"...At one point in the dream, I heard your voice almost as clear as now. How did you do that?"
"I have the ability to use Telepathy. Listen." There was a pause for a moment as she held her left hand up to her head and placed it on her temple.
Test, Test. Can you hear me?
"I can, Slowking." I mimicked her hand movement and placed my fingers in the same spot on my head.
You do not have to talk back to me to respond or place your hand on your temple like I do. I can simply read your thoughts, so if you think something, I will hear it.
Um… Okay. Test, test?
"I can hear you loud and clear, human." Slowking responded aloud. That was definitely a good feature to have, just in case. Dusty and Riolu looked confused, not being able to hear all of our conversation and presumably still unsure what dream we were talking about before. I smiled, thinking about how secretive it was. "Any more questions, human?"
"No, that's about it… But seriously, thank you for getting me out of that nightmare, Slowking. I can't believe how confident you've been about this whole thing, though. I'm frankly still scarred from the first nightmare..." Slowking chuckled.
"I do not fear Darkrai; he is quite simply a coward hiding behind his spectral powers… As soon as you realize his nightmares are not real, you have no trouble grasping reality. All I had to do was to make sure to stay vigilant and understand that Darkrai can only affect dreams from a close proximity." I shivered, thinking briefly about the night back home when I first had his nightmare. Knowing that Darkrai had to be nearby was even more frightening, especially knowing what he was capable of now.
"Well, happy I could help you, human. Now, eat your food and I will replace your bandages before you head off to bed tonight. You need all the energy possible to get through the next stretch." I nodded, biting into a ripe Sitrus Berry.
I woke up during the night with a dry throat. Sitting up and looking around, I could see my surroundings dimly since my eyes had long since adjusted to the darkness. Riolu and Dusty were sound asleep beside me, their chests moving up and down in unison.
The last embers of the fire were dying out, and the cave was cold. The wind had picked up and it was whipping around the cave, making a soft whistling sound as it blew. It was still raining, and I could hear the familiar sound of rain pitter-pattering on the valley floor. Slowking was resting soundly, facing out towards the valley. I was still tired and didn't feel like waking everyone up to get some water, so I laid back down and closed my eyes once again.
Human… Can you hear me? It was Slowking, speaking to me through Telepathy. Surprised, I thought back to her.
Yes, I can. Are you still awake?
I have been awake for a while. I cannot sleep.
Oh? For what reason?
I am worried about you… Your condition is worse than I first thought. You failed to walk for parts of today… There is no time to rest on the road ahead.
Don't worry about me, Slowking. I've got you, as well as my Pokémon partners. We're an unstoppable team!
Your confidence really is a spectacle to me.
…What do you mean?
When I intervened in your dream last night, I overheard what you said to Darkrai. I have only met a select few people and Pokémon who have had enough guts to stand up to someone like him. And on top of that, you constantly battle your injuries day in and day out... So tell me, where do you believe your drive comes from?
I'm… not really sure. Usually, I'm not too bold; something just shot through me then, that's all… Actually, recently, I've noticed that I've been more determined in situations like that, but I don't know why.
Hmm... Perhaps that is because you truly understand that you cannot fail… Or it could also be because you do not want to let your partners down? I paused to think about more reasons my new sense of confidence could've formed. Do you miss your previous life at all?
My... Previous life?
Yes. The one that you were so swiftly pulled from by Uxie's request and the Prismatic Army's invasion.
...I used to. At first, traveling across the state with the risk of being captured all the time petrified me, especially since I was so worried about everyone back home... But after seeing what you guys and Uxie would do for me in the worst of situations, I started to realize that I felt safe and was actually happy doing what I was doing. Sure, life was better back only a couple days ago, and the tough times will continue to happen now... But living in the moment certainly has its benefits, I guess. Does that make sense to you?
...Very much so. You are very mature for your age, human. I strongly believe the scouts were correct in their choice of choosing you as a candidate to save the Pokémon World. I was flattered by her words, but on the topic of previous lives, I suddenly began to wonder about her past, and was unsure if it was wrong to ask her about it.
It seems you are curious about my past. Do not be ashamed, I will tell you everything that happened to me during my childhood. I did not respond, as I was slightly embarrassed and felt strange that Slowking could always tell what I was thinking about. I will start from the beginning… As far back as I can remember.
Years and years ago, I hatched from an egg as a normal Slowpoke would. When I first opened my eyes, I was alone in a nest next to a pond with a gushing waterfall, which came from high above. When I looked around, nothing stirred, except for the water. I remember… Fog shrouded the entire area, making it almost impossible to see. I was scared and lonely… The only thing that kept me company was the stream of water.
I wandered around the area for what seemed to be forever looking for my kin, but no matter where I roamed, I would always somehow end up right back at the nest. There was something homely about the waterfall and the pond… I wanted to jump in and feel as safe as I would be leaping into a loved one's arms… But it did not seem that was possible.
Taking one last look around, I still could not find a way out. Suddenly coming upon a large statue, I stopped in my tracks. I had been here many times already but could not take it anymore. My exhaustion took hold, and I lost all hope. Laying down before it, I did not want to move… What point was there? But then…
From high above, a single Pokémon emerged from the fog with a brilliant glow, and I opened my tear-filled eyes to look out at my guardian angel. The Pokémon stopped a few feet before me before reaching out its hand to me. I was unsure to take it at first, but I knew I had nothing to lose.
Once I did just that, we took off into the sky. We glided through the air, passing up and out of the fog. I remember the evening sunlight blinding me for a second as we reached the outside… But when I opened my eyes again, I saw a scene that still plays out in my head from time to time.
In front of us was a giant bowl of land high up in the sky, filled nearly to the brim with water. As waterfalls cascaded down all its sides, the glow of thousands of Volbeat and Illumise caught my eyes as they danced around natural geysers from within the lake. And as we touched down onto its shoreline, I realized that there was a whole world out there beyond the fog I was born into. Her voice then went quiet, so I assumed she was taking a second to recollect.
I will never forget that day… My sorrow and pain, the secret lake… but most of all, my savior. The strange landscape she'd described seemed somehow familiar, but I couldn't quite pinpoint where I'd seen it before. I pushed it aside for the time being to ask a more relevant question.
Who was the Pokémon that took your hand?
...It was none other than Uxie.
Uxie!? She… saved you?
Yes. If it was not for her, I would not be here now.
Do you know why Uxie rescued you?
...You know, she never told me the answer to that. I always assumed that she did it out of the kindness of their heart, but as I grow older and look back on the moment with a different mindset… There has to be another reason.
…Maybe she saw something special in you?
That is very probable, however, I have never really thought about my past with Uxie, so all this is a new topic to me... But after Uxie tested me and learned I had the potential to aid her in assisting humans, I was sent to the Portal Guidance Coalition in the Penta's. There was a pause as both of us thought about more reasons as to why Uxie would save Slowking.
Look, human. The point of all this is that I just want to reassure you… We all have our heroes. No matter who you are, there is always someone you look up to, whether you realize it or not. Even if the reason is something much smaller and mundane than saving a life, anyone can be a hero… And I want you to remember that even though you may not know it, you are nonetheless someone's hero too.
I didn't respond right away once she was finished to let the words echo around my head for a moment. As a smile formed on my face, I struggled to find a way to respond to her.
…Thank you, Slowking. This means a lot.
My pleasure… And now that I have that off my chest, I think I am ready to go to sleep. Rest well.
Same. Goodnight. I rolled over and began thinking about Slowking's story some more. I could piece all the pieces of the tale together, but two things still had me confused. Why did Uxie take Slowking in under her wing? And why had Slowking's parents abandoned her?
I knew one thing was for sure, however; even though she claimed to never have a family, I could tell that Uxie and everyone at the PGC filled in that spot for her. And as far as I was concerned, she was already part of my family too. Before I drifted off again, I thought one last thing meant for Slowking.
Slowking, I don't know if you can hear me, but I want to say one last thing. What you are doing for us is not an easy task. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you are doing for your world, and for my partners and I. We appreciate you! I then quickly fell back to sleep, the smile on my face never leaving.