After school, Audino Agatha walked straight home to her room and dropped her backpack on the floor. She went through everything in her room for what to bring. Her backpack made sense, even without her having anything to bring. She could use it to carry the rubber coverings of her feet if she needed to take them off to use her boosters.
The glasses and cloak were pointless. They'd see her scars eventually, and the glasses were fake. She didn't have anything of real value to bring.
Agatha didn't know what to expect to find, but she couldn't be more ready. She went downstairs and paced around aimlessly, reading books and wasting time until ten minutes before the time to head out.
Not long after Agatha came down, Mightyena Claire came through the front door. Agatha paused and stared at her, waiting for her to say something.
"Hi, Agatha," Claire greeted.
"Oh, hi," Agatha said. "Is everyone ready?"
"Just Alondra and Imani are here today," Claire said. "But we'll be safe. Alondra says we're just trying to figure out our way around today."
"Okay. Ready whenever you are."
"Right."
Claire gathered a few things into a small bag over her shoulder. Afterwards, Agatha followed her outside.
Rain from overnight and throughout her day at school dripped down the length of grass and fallen leaves. Agatha couldn't feel it, but she could see water being flung off of her prosthetic feet as she walked. Just past a few trees, Meowstic Alondra and Luxray Imani waited by the four metal pillars. The pillars and metal plate on the ground became shiny from the rain.
Imani glanced over Agatha's scars, but she controlled her face. Agatha paid her the same glance as she kept walking closer to the device.
"I've been meaning to ask how this device works," Imani said.
"There's a mirror under the panel we put power through," Agatha said. "I don't think even my parents knew how it worked. It's guess work with an old relic."
"And what's the computer thing for?"
Agatha wasn't sure what she meant until she remembered the screen and some buttons on the side of one of the pillars. She walked over to the panel and started to tap away on the screen.
"Keeps track of the energy signature if you wear a bracelet. It so you can return to where you left off. The idea was that those bracelets would let you come back and then keep going whenever you used them, but they burned up."
"Well, we'll see if there's an alternative," Alondra said.
"I hope so."
When Agatha finished, the device hummed to life. The metal panel on the ground glowed with random lights that slowly ordered walked and looked over the forming scenery.
It looked like a painting of a jungle. There were green vines going from tree to tree, and the soil was a dark brown from being wet.
"I'll go first," Luxray Imani said.
"Yes," Claire said, "for now, Agatha, let's have Imani go first."
From how that sounded, Imani had the best chance of survival if anything blew up. She could accept that.
"Kay," Agatha shrugged.
Agatha stepped back while Imani stepped forward. She looked around the golden rim and stared down into the scenery.
"Alright," Imani said, "going."
Imani took a bound down and through the gold ring. After listening closely to the silence, her voice rang out.
"Good!"
Agatha went next. She hopped in to boost her confidence.
Gravity changing directions threw her off. She landed on her back and brushed off soil while she stood up. A heavy rush of hot air weighed on her shoulders.
Reacting to Mightyena Claire's stammering yell, Agatha spun around and caught her. She fumbled to set her down on her legs.
"Thanks, Agatha," Claire said, "strange, uh, fall."
When Agatha glanced up, Meowstic Alondra had already landed on the ground. She was looking around in a circle around them.
"No, uhm, problem..." Agatha said. "Alondra?"
They all glanced and met her gaze. She seemed more energetic all of a sudden.
"I feel something," Alondra said. "Something, uhm, good you could say. May I lead the way?"
"Nowhere else to go," Agatha said.
The leaves were longer, and the plants dense enough to bother Agatha as she walked. She never experienced jungle heat before. Breathing became a chore.
Alondra took the lead. She pushed plants and vines aside, making a path of dark, pulled up soil. Oddly enough, there weren't any bugs reacting to her psychic trailblazing. The whole jungle seemed still. Wind didn't blow the edges of the leaves, and only the sound of their footsteps filled Agatha's sensitive ears.
She seemed to second guess herself sometimes, but Alondra always ended up walking in the same direction. Along the way, Luxray Imani marked trees with her claws so they could find the way back. Her confidence in them skyrocketed seeing them in action.
A few minutes later, Alondra pushed a bush to the side. Sunlight erupted from behind it. The jungle trees thinned out in an instant.
The leaves on the trees arced down, praising a tree three times their size at least. The clearing was made of tree roots that overtook anything else trying to grow in the dirt. Agatha looked up to the sun, questioning why it cast a rainbow glare.
The tree's leaves were the real source of the light. There were vibrant reds, greens, yellows, and purples, and soft blues. Gold vines hung down from in the leaves, spreading their soft shadow on the light tree bark.
Meowstic Alondra ran up to the tree trunk without a word. She stopped with her paw outstretched, shaking in front of the rigid trunk. Agatha, Claire, and Imani followed behind her. She kept staring at it until Agatha cleared her throat. She looked back at them as if she just remembered they were there.
"Oh, sorry," Alondra said. "Uhm, I know this place. From my dreams."
"What is it?" Agatha asked.
"This world is made up of bent up reality. There are these kind of havens, like the where you saw in your dream, that are more stable locations."
"Why is this stable, and why is reality bent up? And uhm... Do you mind going over everything we don't know?"
Alondra smiled. "I'll explain. Let's find somewhere to sit."
Meowstic Alondra glanced around, then settled on a large, low tree root. Agatha followed her to it and sat in a row alongside the others.
The tree root felt warm, almost hot. Agatha trained enough to feel the energy pulsing through it like a river. Neon leaves made it obvious enough it wasn't a normal tree, but she didn't expect it to feel like some sort of body.
Alondra sat on the edge next to Agatha.
"Did your parents explain the Old World to you?" Alondra asked.
"Uhh… No?" Agatha said.
"The Old World is where Legendary species used to live when they had bodies. They would be accessed around different areas of the world. Reality itself bent around them because of their powers, so they can create places called mystery dungeons."
"Mystery dungeons," Agatha repeated. "Those... things from old stories?"
"Yes," Alondra said. "I'm surprised your parents didn't tell you about this in depth. It was their destination…"
"I, well. Am too."
A short silence went down the line. Agatha didn't want them to get hung up on something she wasn't.
"So, this is one of those places where a Legendary species used to live?" Agatha asked.
"The one I am a Scion to," Alondra said. "Xerneas. A very safe place considering we entered at random."
"What is it like being a Scion?" Imani asked. "I mean, you say you have powers, and you obviously know special things."
"Well," Alondra sighed, "for a few years now, I've just been worried about what I should be doing. The only real answer I got was to just be patient. And to keep doing this whole... life thing the best that I can. I guess it's not really different than being anyone else."
"You're doing fine, Alondra," Claire said.
"Thanks... If you don't mind me having a moment."
Meowstic Alondra pushed herself off the roots and went to the tree's trunk. She leaned on it with her forehead touching to bark and her eyes closed.
After a minute, Agatha sat up and checked around. She reached down and touched the grass. It left a shadow of warmth on top of her arm. The blades of grass ebbed with a green glow that traced up and down their spines.
Mightyena Claire and Luxray Imani stayed on the tree root. They looked relaxed despite the eerie silence from the lack of animals or insects.
After a few more minutes, Alondra returned and looked to them. Claire and Imani stood up while Agatha walked over.
"I have something to give you," Alondra said to Agatha.
"Me?" Agatha asked. "From here?"
"Yes."
Alondra handed Agatha a small, gold ring. She blinked a few times, gazing at it and then back to Alondra.
"I, well," Alondra stuttered, "it wanted you to have this. Using this, we would be able to return here and back home on your command. Xerneas is capable of traversing bends in reality, and has decided to help us with this."
"Well, why don't you use this?" she asked.
"Xerneas told me to give it to you."
Agatha glanced up at the leaves of the tree. She felt like the colors responded to her eyes.
"Those colors suit you," Claire said.
Agatha turned to Mightyena Claire. She kept staring from on top of the tree root.
"Bright," Claire said.
"When have I ever been bright around you?" Agatha asked.
"You've been as bright as possible," she explained. "Always being positive is a lie, but fighting and beating negativity can be true."
"Which is why Xerneas wants you to lead us," Alondra said.
"Me? But you're basically Xerneas' chosen one, aren't you?" Agatha said.
"But it's your special battle."
Alondra's gaze turned away, up to the sky.
"The Glass Reshiram, and Palkia, both have Havens like this one, where they used to live. We can search them for clues to find out what happened to make them aggressive. We can search the Old World for more Havens to piece it together."
An opportunity.
"Palkia and Reshiram have Havens too?" she asked.
"Yes. And I'll help you find them, if you want to."
"O-of course. I… I have to."
"I understand."
"You know," Imani said, "you're just like that White Star... Hunting a Legendary species that appeared out of nowhere."
"We could call you 'Neon Star' if you want," Claire said.
"Uh, what's up with those nicknames anyways?" Agatha asked.
"Stars are symbols for explorers. But let's not get distracted."
Claire turned to Alondra and brought Agatha's attention to her. Leftovers of sweat dripped down her forehead, and it didn't seem like it was from the heat. Her chest rose and fell more than usual.
"It takes a lot out of me..." Alondra said in a quiet voice. "You know, I never really explained the tree, but I wouldn't mind a nap."
"Then how do I make it so we can go back from here?" Agatha asked.
"It's just simple thought. Just pass energy through the ring."
Agatha did as she said while she spoke. The ring floated into the air and grew. The scenery above it transformed into the partially gray sky out back home.
As the others walked over, Agatha secretly worried about Claire being able to jump up and out. Her worries vanished when she went first in a smooth leap up.
Agatha went next. The extra weight from her prosthetic feet pushed her down, but she made it almost perfectly. She caught herself with her right arm on the dirt, brushing it off as Imani and Alondra followed.
When Agatha looked down behind herself, the ring shrank in front of her eyes and fell on top of the device's panel with a clink. She walked over and bent down, picking it up while flipping it around in her fingers.
With the ring, they might not need the device anymore. The time and effort her parents put in were at her fingertips now.
Agatha turned back around to ask questions about the ring. Alondra had started to snap. She was falling asleep on her feet, leaning on Mightyena Claire's side trying to stay awake long enough to get another sentence out. She didn't.
They brought Alondra inside and laid her down on the couch. Agatha went up to her room while Claire and Imani relaxed.
Audino Agatha lied on her back on top of her mattress, rolling the ring through her fingers. After a while, she thought of a way to keep it safely with her. She unrolled the strands of her ears, and fit the gold ring through. When she let go, the ends of the strands of her ears curled back up again.
Agatha shook her head a little to make sure it would stay. With the small weight, she worried she might forget it. The weight felt like nothing, almost to the point where she could forget she had it.
With no homework, she drew the tree on unlined paper. She only made an outline in pencil since she didn't have any colored pencils, but she thought about the colors the whole time. Despite being the brightest thing she had seen, the tree relaxed her.
Agatha wondered if it would be safe to take naps there. She got tired.
