Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light

by Ambyssin

Stop me if you've heard this one before. You wake up somewhere you don't recognize, only to find you've been turned into a Pokémon! Before you know it, you're off on a globe-trotting adventure. Dream come true, right? Well, for one human, that dream quickly turns into a waking nightmare. Can he fend off an otherworldly force threatening to rip the fabric of reality apart?

90. Bonus: Christmas Special 2018

Here we are. The last official update for 2018: the Christmas special! Yes, there won't be one next week, because this is twice the length of a traditional chapter. I might've gotten a bit carried away making it. Consider it a holiday gift as a thank you for all of the support this year. Even though the last chapter had the worst reception in nine months, we've still managed to hit 75k views. And that's mindboggling! So, as a special treat, I put a lot of work into this one. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you're reading it in 2018 or in 2019 and beyond.

There's also a special holiday-themed poll to go with this special. But you better hurry, because it'll close when 2019 starts. Enjoy!

EDIT: I have, perhaps foolishly, decided to open an ask blog for the fic after all. You can find the "link" on my profile page.

---

Bonus: Link from the Past

Nicky stood in the center of the gymnasium's hardwood floor. He crouched low to the ground, eyes darting between several different-colored foam balls sitting on the opposite side of a dark-blue line.

"C'mon Dwayne! Hit him already!" a girl with a blonde ponytail called from a line of students on the side of the court with the balls. Nicky's gaze quickly shifted to Dwayne, who stood a few inches behind the dark-blue line, a ball in each large hand. Dwayne threw the ball in his right hand. Nicky backpedaled, then feinted going after the ball that missed. Dwayne launched the second ball. Nicky cut back to his left.

Both boys scrambled for loose dodgeballs. All the while, Shane stood a few feet behind Dwayne, clutching a yellow ball and looking between Nicky and the two lines of students who had gotten knocked out. One boy with brown hair and athletic goggles locked eyes with Shane.

"What do you think you're doing? Quit standing around and hit him!" he shouted, gesturing at Nicky. Shane looked down at the ball, then back up at Nicky and Dwayne. They each hurled a dodgeball, only for them to ricochet. Nicky ran back to fetch his ball. The students on Shane's team called for him to peg Nicky.

Nicky scooped his ball up before Dwayne. He sprinted toward the center of the court and chucked the ball with all his might. Dwayne ducked, but he didn't bend over far enough. The ball grazed his black hair and hit his back. On the sidelines, the coach blew his whistle and gestured toward the line of students. Shane's team collectively groaned, while Nicky's teammates cheered and high-fived one another.

"Alright, Eisenberg. Finish the job," one boy shouted. Shane looked at Nicky, a frown on his face. Without moving from his spot on the floor, Shane threw his ball. It hit the ground a foot in front of him and bounced up. Shane clumsily ran for it, arms outstretched.

Nicky glanced the disappointed looks on Shane's teammates' faces and sighed. Shane hated losing. Nicky knew that. Even in gym class, he got visibly distressed if he thought the team he was on had "worse players" than his opponents. Still, Nicky let Shane win enough during their games. Gym class was his time to shine. Shane had to go down.

He stepped forward with his left leg and hurled a red ball into Shane's shoulder. It struck home and bounced upward. To Nicky's utter shock, however, the ball remained suspended in midair. It pulsated, growing in size and turning white. Rainbow veins stretched across the ball. A fissure ran down the middle and split open with an unsettling squelch, revealing a red eye sitting in black ooze. The eye looked down at Nicky.

A loud screech rang out and everything faded away.

---

"Light? Light, you still with us?"

Nicky shut his eyes and shook his head. He glanced at his golden, crystal legs and flailed about in midair. His levitation faltered. Choppy ocean water rushed up to meet him. Nicky thrust his four wings to the side and fired a pink blast at the water. A circular wave radiated in all directions as Nicky floated back up, looking around in embarrassment.

"You sure you're up for this? You look pretty out of it."

Zekrom floated opposite him, head cocked to the side. Lightning crackled around her tail, distorting the air around her. "Look, if you're tired, we can always do this another time," Zekrom said, crossing her arms.

"I'm fine. Just zoned out for a second, that's all," Nicky said, golden tail swiveling back and forth as he tried to get his bearings straight. Why was he in the middle of nowhere, again? He looked around and spotted Latios lounging on a small, rocky plateau alongside his sister and her mate, Zapdos. The latter faced away from the dragons, preening his sparking feathers with a disinterested look on his face.

Nicky's memory finally kicked in. He had come here to learn dragon-type attacks. The realization made him wonder why his mind had drifted toward a dodgeball game from his past life. What did that have to do with learning how to breath out a giant blue energy beam? Colors swirled around in his eyes.

"Okay, can you tell me what we discussed?" Zekrom said, hovering closer to Nicky.

A pink tinge overtook Nicky. "Uh…" His voice trailed off.

"For pity's sake," Zekrom said, facepalming. "Were you even listening?"

"Sorry. I didn't catch anything you told me," Nicky said, head tendrils receding as he winced. He was such a fool. Zekrom had volunteered to help him and here he was spacing out like the slackers who always sat in the back of class.

'Damn it, brain. Stop thinking like we're still in school.'

"It's okay," Zekrom said. "You always seem to have a lot on your mind. I'm willing to overlook it." She turned to give Latios a dirty look. "It's better than ignoring me because you're too busy staring at my ass."

"Oh, please. We both know you love it when I do that," Latios said, lazily scratching his belly with his claws.

"Um, could we get back on subject?" Nicky said, barely able to stop his tail from lashing against the water. "You were talking about how to draw out dragon energy, right?" In the back of his mind, he figured there had to be a better name than that. But he had already started this lesson off on a bad enough note, so he kept that thought to himself.

Zekrom nodded. "The trick to pulling off a dragon-type attack is to tap into your raw, ferocious nature!" she declared. "In ancient times, us dragons were the fiercest hunters around. Predators and prey of all shapes and sizes feared us."

"Ferocious? What about Altaria?" Nicky said. "And isn't there a dragon that's just a pile of slime? Hardly strikes me as ferocious."

"Thank you!" Latias shouted, floating up into the air. "See, Zapdos? I'm not the only one who thinks Goodras are stupid."

Zekrom loudly cleared her throat. "Which one of us is teaching again?" she growled. Nicky shrank back, blue filling up his eyes. "If you don't want to hear my explanation… then I'll employ an alternative teaching method."

Nicky frowned. "And that is?"

"I'm gonna blast you with a full-powered attack barrage until we draw out your latent dragon-type abilities," Zekrom said, revving up her tail turbine. Before Nicky could protest, Zekrom charged him down, shrouded in lightning. She struck his chest, shooting him backwards. Zekrom kept the charge up, knocking him into the ocean with a large splash.

True to her word, Zekrom unleashed a flurry of frantic attacks. Blue beams split the ocean apart. Every time Nicky tried to keep his distance, Zekrom closed the gap with a lightning-fast Bolt Strike. It wasn't long before Nicky's chest hurt from the repeated blows. He floated there, trying to conjure up his psychic powers. However, the scene in front of him kept shifting. One second, he was staring at Zekrom. The next, he was in his old high school gym, a flurry of dodgeballs flying around him.

Lightning struck him between the eyes. Nicky threw his upper wings over his face, hissing. Something stirred deep inside of him. A spark of anger flared up in his gut and spread throughout his body. A white-hot glow surrounded him. Nicky arced his head up, releasing a fiery-orange meteor. Its explosion was so brilliant, Zekrom had to turn away.

A molten rock barrage pummeled Zekrom from above, knocking her lower and lower until she vanished behind a wall of water geysers. Nicky hunched over in midair, struggling to catch his breath. He failed to notice Latias and Latios flying toward him until a tingle enveloped his body. His fatigue and pain faded.

"You healed me?" Nicky said, blinking slowly at the twins.

"Of course. This was just practice, after all," Latias said.

"Yeah. Sorry about Zek. She tends to go a bit overboard when it comes to battles… even friendly ones," Latios said. "I still remember the first time we sparred. It was so intense that even after I used Recover, I couldn't fly straight for a week." He laughed nervously.

Latias raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Was that your first time sparring or your first time mating? Because I seem to recall—"

Latios zipped over to his sister and threw a paw over her mouth. "Aha ha ha! Boy, sis, you sure do have an active imagination! What's Zapdos been teaching you, huh?" he said. Latias responded by biting her brother's paw. "Eyowch!" he shouted, yanking the paw back and wringing it out. "C'mon, sis, it was just a joke. Lighten up."

"Can you guys please cut it out?" Nicky said, tail whipping back and forth and head tendrils shriveling.

"Sorry, Light. Forgot you're not a fan of those kinds of jokes," Latias said, tapping her claws together nervously.

Zekrom burst out of the water. She hovered erratically toward Nicky, clutching her chest with her right arm.

"Oh, shit," Nicky whispered, blue and green expanding in his eyes. "Zek, I didn't— I wasn't trying to hurt you or anything." He cringed at the sight of Zekrom's swollen right eye.

"Are you kidding me? That… was… awesome!" Zekrom shouted. She sped forward and wrapped a squawking Nicky up in a hug. "You went right past Dragon Pulse and fired off a Draco Meteor! And it whupped my ass!"

"P… please… let go," Nicky squeaked, flailing his wings and tail about.

"Heh, my bad. Got a bit carried away," Zekrom said, pushing Nicky away. She pretended to wipe a tear from her swollen eye. "I'm just so proud of you. I knew you had to be strong if you could bring sunlight and moonlight back to the world, but actually seeing that power in action was something else."

"Only you could be psyched to get blasted in the face by a Draco Meteor," Latios sighed, shaking his head.

"S… so, I did good?" Nicky said, eyes and body glowing yellow.

"Better than good. You were awesome! Fantastic! Kickass!" Zekrom shouted, punching the air. "And other compliments I'm too lazy to come up with on the spot."

"Heh… thanks. Though, I could've done without that ferocious onslaught," Nicky said, tail wagging.

"Hey, it was effective, wasn't it?" Zekrom said, smirking. Nicky couldn't argue with her, even though it didn't sit right with him. He figured it had something to do with how Pokémon thought and functioned. His human mind was still adjusting to his current body.

"Should we do some more practice, then?" Nicky wondered. There was a flicker of light in the corner of his vision. He glanced down at his anklet and frowned. "Uh… on second thought, I think I should probably head home," he said.

"Aww, but we were having so much fun," Zekrom said, pouting. "Besides, Xerneas said she wanted to see you when you were done. Don't tell me you're going to stand up your squeeze."

"We're not— she's my friend," Nicky said. Red expanded in his eyes, the tips of his head tendrils and his tail. "But… yeah, I guess if she wants to see me, I can make a little time." The red coloration flared when his friends exchanged smirks and chuckled at one another. "Knock it off, guys!" he growled. Nicky floated back from the other dragons, shaking his head. "S-Sorry, I shouldn't have shouted. It's just—"

"We know, Light," Latios said. "You don't like friendly teasing." He shot Zekrom a disapproving look. "Zek didn't mean to make you upset. Right?" Zekrom nodded. "Okay, see? Everything's good," Latios said. "You want us to take you to the Tree of Life?"

"No, I can get there myself," Nicky said, his eyes and body returning to their normal colors. "I'll see you guys around." He waved his upper-right wing at his friends and then flew away. Nicky climbed up higher into the sky as he followed the ocean along, using his psychic sense to pick out the Tree of Life's peculiar energy signature.

After a few minutes, Nicky descended. His multicolored eyes flashed, releasing psychic energy that dispelled the distorted clouds in the air sealing off the Tree of Life. Nicky's heart skipped a beat upon seeing Xerneas bent over, nibbling on a pamtre berry. She looked up. Her antlers sparkled under the light from Nicky's body.

"Hey, Light! I see you got my request," she greeted, standing up and trotting away from the tree's base. She caught up to Nicky as he came to a stop, hovering a few inches off the ground save for his tail. "How have you been?" she asked.

"I've been alright, I suppose. Not much has changed since we've last spoken," Nicky said, hovering closer to her. That wasn't true, of course. There were the continued flashbacks to his human life, which now had the added element of the strange white orb. But he didn't want to trouble her with those issues. He was certain that once he had fully adjusted to life as a Pokémon, these problems would go away.

"Were you out with Zekrom and her friends? You smell like brine," Xerneas said, nostrils twitching. "Err… not to say that there's a problem with that or anything," she quickly added, laughing nervously.

"Yeah, I was training with them. I've gotten a good grip on my psychic powers, but after you and the Lati twins mentioned sensing a lot of dragon energy in my spirit, I wanted to try and learn how to use dragon-type attacks," Nicky said.

"And how was it?" Xerneas asked, beckoning Nicky to follow her toward the Tree of Life.

"Painful," Nicky said bluntly, hovering behind her while dragging his tail through the dirt. "Zekrom punched me. A lot. With Bolt Strike."

"Oof. I've heard she gets pretty into it," Xerneas mused. "Perhaps we can find someone else for you to work with? I think you'd get along well with Zygarde…"

"Well, her 'technique' worked. I learned Draco Meteor. She was really enthusiastic about it, so I think I did a good job," Nicky said. He glanced at his anklet. To his relief, it had stopped flashing. He worried that it had reacted to his Draco Meteor. Was this going to create a problem for him with Golem? At the very least, Golem hadn't activated the anklet's booby trap. For the moment, he was safe.

"Congratulations," Xerneas said, turning to give Nicky a smile while her tiny tail swished back and forth. Nicky diverted his gaze toward the forest on his right. "You know, you're quite a lucky guy, Light. Most dragons need months to learn Draco Meteor," she continued.

"Really? Uh, well, I guess it was beginner's luck?" Nicky said, shrugging his lower wings.

"Nonsense," Xerneas said, sitting down at the base of the tree. It was awkward for her, given her long, sword-like legs, but she managed as best she could. "You're clearly powerful, even by our standards. You shouldn't sell yourself short like that." She pointed her snout at the ground beside her.

Nicky looked down hesitantly. While his heart fluttered from Xerneas' compliment, thoughts of how he got his power lingered in the back of his mind. He didn't work for it. Golem had thrust this power onto him. And he was supposed to use it to kill Xerneas, along with the other friends he was making. Despite the time he'd spent with them, he was still afraid of revealing that secret.

"Is something wrong, Light?" Xerneas asked, a worried look on her face. "Is this too close for you? I can always make some more space." She awkwardly shimmied to her right, exposing more ground between the Tree of Life's large roots.

"I'm okay," Nicky said. He slowly turned around and floated down beside Xerneas, using the tree to prop himself up. Nicky draped his upper-left wing over a root and lay his lower-left wing across his armored chest.

"Lost in thought again? You got rather nervous all of a sudden," Xerneas said.

"Urk. Y-You can read me like an open book, huh?" Nicky said, adding in a chuckle for good measure.

"Well, you certainly look tense," Xerneas said. "Three wings folded up… your tail curled into a circle." She traced a hoof through the soil. "I was going to ask you something, but maybe I'm better off waiting for another time."

Nicky's head tendrils rippled. Colors swirled in his eyes. He cursed himself out. This was Xerneas, his closest friend. Even if he wasn't sure how she'd react to hearing about his biggest secrets, he didn't want to push her away.

"N-No, don't be ridiculous. Ask away! I'm fine. If anything… it must still be nerves from the training. Using Draco Meteor left me kind of light-headed. I guess it hasn't worn off yet," Nicky said, trying to sit up straight as best he could.

"Alright. As long as you're okay with it," Xerneas said, turning to make eye contact. "So, I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but next week's the Winter Solstice."

"Oh?" Nicky's eyes turned turquoise. That term was familiar. After all, the human world had a winter solstice, but it wasn't a big deal. Did it mean something different for Pokémon? "I'm not entirely familiar with it. Is it special?" he asked.

"It's the beginning of winter. We just have a fancier name for it than we do for the start of autumn," Xerneas said, giggling at the incredulous look on Nicky's face. "Okay, yeah, there's more to it than that. It's a holiday of sorts, I guess."

"You guess?" Nicky said, raising a brow.

"It was a day where we celebrated Lunala and the moonlight she brought to the world," Xerneas said, looking down at her hooves. "We would have a very short day, but an extended night. Many held festivities centered around the moon and the stars. But, well… Lunala's gone."

Colors spiraled in Nicky's eyes. There were more similarities than just the name. His mind briefly drifted to memories of him bouncing up and down excitedly in a school bus seat, awaiting the start of his winter vacation as the sun began setting early in the afternoon. He shook his head, mentally scolding himself for not staying focused on the present.

"What's going to happen this year, then? Are you holding some sort of memorial?" Nicky wondered.

Xerneas shook her head. "I can't speak for the mortals, but thanks to you restoring light to the world, we're planning to hold a party. Dialga's hosting it at Temporal Tower. Which is surprising. Usually he doesn't want company." She smiled at Nicky. "But you somehow got him in a festive spirit… without even hanging out with him."

"I… um… well…" Nicky tapped his lower-wing digits together. "Tell him it was no problem. And I, uh, hope the party goes well… and stuff."

"Well, you should tell him yourself, silly," Xerneas said, reaching out to bump Nicky's leg with her hoof. Nicky yanked his leg back as if she'd poured scalding water on it.

"W-What's that supposed to mean?" he said.

"I asked you here so I could invite you to join me at the party," Xerneas said, her X-shaped pupils dilating as she scooched closer to Nicky.

Nicky pressed himself up against the tree root on his left. She wanted him to join her? The way she phrased, it sounded more like she meant a date.

His vision blurred. The ground gave way to a gray-walled classroom. Nicky's human hands nervously clutched his tan desk.

"S-so, what do you say, Rebecca?"

He looked up, only for a faceless blur to stare back at him. "I think a movie sounds great! It'll be so much fun!"

Nicky jolted stiff. His gaze fell on Xerneas, who wore a frown on her face. "I'm sorry, Light. I came on too strong, didn't I?" she whispered, sliding her left hoof away from him. "Y… you'll have to forgive me. I'm… um…" She tilted her head back and laughed nervously. "I've never really… been as close with anyone as I've gotten with you these past couple of months. I know the mortals and lesser gods can have intimate relationships and what not, but I have no idea how they work and oh god I'm totally rambling right now, aren't I? I must sound like a complete idiot."

As Xerneas lay down on her belly, blue and orange coalesced in Nicky's eyes. Her behaviors surprised him. This wasn't like Rebecca. Nicky sensed desire, worry, and nervousness twisting around in Xerneas' mind. All feelings that were running around in his head, too. He did like spending time with Xerneas. She brought fleeing moments of happiness to his confusing new life. But Nicky was keeping secrets from her. Would she even like him if he came clean?

"You're fine. I just…" His voice trailed off and he gulped. At the very least, he owed it to her to say why these kinds of gestures made him so squeamish. "I was in a relationship… once. I thought it was great, but my girlfriend didn't really love me. She was using me for her own gain." Blue and purple spread through his eyes.

Xerneas stiffened. "Light, I'm so sorry. I knew something was troubling you, but I didn't think—" She backed away. "I really was being too pushy. Did I… have I upset you at all when we've been together?"

Her reaction set a pang of guilt through Nicky's gut. His words had flustered her and she wanted to make sure they were on good terms. Nicky fidgeted with his wings. "You've done nothing wrong," he said. "I'm the problem. I—" He tucked his head in. "Even thinking about relationships dredges up memories I wish I could get rid of."

Silence followed. Nicky stared at his chest and coiled-up tail. Xerneas looked down at the soil. "Light… I really do like you," she whispered. "Still, I'd never want to force you to do anything. If… if you'd prefer, we don't have to go to that party. We could spend the Winter Solstice together."

Nicky's tail coiled even tighter at the suggestion. "I'm not sure," he said.

Xerneas winced. "That's my fault. I assumed you wanted to spend the holiday together, but perhaps you'd prefer being on your own," she said. "I must look so stupid. I'm… well, living by myself for such a long time probably doesn't help."

"Yeah," Nicky whispered, his vision blurring. Afterimages of a Shane sitting on the hardwood floor of his bedroom superimposed themselves against Xerneas' outline.

You'll hang out with me, won't you? I don't want to be stuck by myself all of Christmas break. I promise… we'll do something you enjoy!

Nicky dug his wings into the soil, clenching his jaw as he tried to force the images from his mind. It took a few seconds for his vision to clear up. When it did, Xerneas was shaking her head slowly. Nicky avoided her gaze. The parallels were there. Xerneas was trying to guilt trip him like Shane used to. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to believe that. Something in the way she spoke and carried herself felt different, but Nicky couldn't put his claw on it.

Admittedly, he was slightly weirded out that this magical deer with rainbow antlers and swords for legs pined for him. However, he quickly chalked that up to the ongoing disconnect between his human mind and his alien body. Though he wanted to be in a relationship with a human girl, that wouldn't make a lot of sense for him. He wasn't human anymore and he wouldn't be human ever again. Still, Nicky was worried that was a fact he might not be able to look past.

For a brief moment, Nicky again envisioned Shane sitting in Xerneas' place. Then, he disappeared. Something clicked in Nicky's head. He had a hunch. One that he hoped would be correct. "Why did you want me to come to the party with you, anyway?" Nicky asked, head tendrils quivering.

Xerneas tensed up. "Well, I…" Her nostrils twitched. "I didn't want you to spend your first Winter Solstice here alone."

"Are you sure?" Nicky said, red and orange expanding in his eyes. "This isn't about, oh I don't know, parading me in front of the other gods to get them jealous of you or something?"

"What? I— no, Light, I would never do something like that," Xerneas said, pupils dilating. Her gems dimmed. She looked away, wincing. "Okay, look, that answer was a half-truth at best. The thing is, I… I really wanted you there with me. To, um, support me… and stuff," she whispered.

The red and orange in Nicky's eyes receded. "You want my support?" he said.

"It's stupid. I'm stupid. Last time I went to a Winter Solstice party, I was—" She sucked in a breath. "Some of the immortal gods… they thought it would be fun to pull pranks at my expense." Xerneas lowered her head shamefully. "They put me to sleep, smeared pastries on my fur, bound my legs together, and… and…" She squeezed her eyes shut.

A ragged breath escaped Nicky. He threw a wing up to cover his mouth. His head pounded. Static raced across his vision. The scene in front of him flickered back and forth between Xerneas and a group of his peers gathered together, looking at their phones and laughing.

Oh my god, look at how pasty he is!

Yuck, you can see a tan line. It's hideous!

Must be from those speedos he wears all the time!

The colors in Nicky's eyes swirled about like violent storms. A silhouette of a white orb lingered in the corners of his vision, staring at him with piercing red eyes.

"Why?" Nicky whispered. "How could they do something like that? They're gods, not children!" His head tendrils flared brightly.

"I'm not sure," Xerneas squeaked. "It was… I think it came down to strength. I was never a match for any of the other immortals. I'm sure they always resented that, out of everyone, I'm the god Arceus tied to the Tree of Life. He never even said why… only that the Tree of Life is vital to the planet's stability." She shuddered. "It must've been their way of telling me they don't think I belong with them."

Nicky's jaw slackened. He still couldn't come to terms with this new information. Did Golem somehow know about this? Was this why he wanted Nicky to destroy the gods? Because they were more focused on figurative dick-measuring than actually keeping the world safe? But the lesser gods he'd befriended didn't seem anything like what Xerneas was describing. So, why did Golem want them alldestroyed? Maybe he was blowing things out of proportion and Nicky could talk things out with his creator?

"That was all three years ago," Xerneas whimpered, snapping Nicky out of his stupor. "After that, I stopped leaving the Tree of Life, even for short excursions. I only ever spoke to Lunala, because I refused to show my face to the other immortals. Unsurprisingly, I didn't get invited to the next Winter Solstice party. Then we lost Lunala and Solgaleo…" She brushed her cheek against her shoulder. "Apparently, the loss of our light opened the other immortals' eyes. They extended me an invitation this year. Problem is, I don't want to accept it.

Nicky sat up straighter. That was it. He was sure Xerneas was different, now. She wasn't interested in boosting her social stature like Rebecca… or using him to avoid her problems like Shane. Xerneas wanted companionship. She felt alone, just as he did in his final months as a human.

"I know it seems like I do well around the lesser gods, but the truth is I don't interact with them much, either. When it comes to their personal lives, I'm clueless. One day, I'll be talking to two of them. Then, the next thing I know, they're telling me about this fun new mating technique they tried the previous night," Xerneas continued, staring at the ground. "And can you believe that? Like, I commune with the spirits in the Tree of Life plenty and the impression I always got was that it's in poor taste to talk so casually about those kinds of details. So, I never pried into it, but I guess all that's done is make me look like—"

"Breathe, Xern," Nicky said, holding up his upper-right wing. "You're getting yourself all worked up."

"X-Xern?" Xerneas said, blinking slowly. "I don't understand. That's… you're playing around with my name. L-Like what Zekrom and Latios do with each other sometimes."

"Yeah. That, uh, kind of slipped out?" Nicky said, voice cracking. His coloration had settled down. He and Xerneas stared at each other in silence. "Look… you shouldn't have had to go through that," Nicky said. "From what I've seen, you're great. Warm, friendly, empathetic… exactly what you look for in a friend. The fact that those other gods can't recognize that? Well, it shows how stupid they are, if you ask me."

"L-Light, that's… um, very blunt," Xerneas said, antler-gems flickering.

"It's the truth," Nicky said, folding up his wings. Silence followed again, as Nicky tried to figure out the best way to proceed. Finally, he said, "I like you, too." He laughed nervously. "Like I said, I'm nervous… about being in any sort of relationship. See, I had learned that it's best to approach these things gradually. And I did that with the one relationship I was in… only it ended disastrously."

"I'm worried of what would happen if I rushed things with you. But I also know that going too slowly may not end well, either," Nicky said. "To be honest, I'm just… confused. All I know is I don't want to lose you. You're the best thing that's happened to me in this world."

"I'm touched. For what it's worth, I don't want to lose you, either," Xerneas whispered. "This is the happiest I've been since before that blasted party. I'd hate to ruin that with a reckless decision."

"Maybe… we could test the waters a bit?" Nicky said, green expanding in his eyes. Xerneas looked at him curiously. "I'm a psychic, right? Latios told me there's this thing psychics can do… to connect with another Pokémon."

"You want to form a mental link with me?" Xerneas gasped.

Nicky nodded. "Yeah. I'm not one-hundred percent sure what it entails, though. Does that mean, like, we can always read each other's minds?"

"No. In our case, it'd mean that we could communicate through our thoughts. Even with a great distance separating us," Xerneas said.

"I see," Nicky whispered. He glanced at his anklet. Sure, Golem had stopped cramming him inside a barrier when he was in the lab, but would the mental link trigger Golem's monitor? If it did, all of this would be for nothing. "Then, I'd like to go ahead and try," he said, willing to accept the risk if it meant getting more time with Xerneas.

"You're sure?"

"Absolutely," Nicky said.

Xerneas got to her feet, her head drawing even with Nicky's. "Okay. Um, to get it to work, we kind of have to bring our heads close together," she said. "I know the antlers make that awkward. So, um, maybe just stay seated for a bit?"

"Okay. What's the plan?" Nicky asked. Xerneas responded by leaning in and pressing the tip of her snout to his forehead. Nicky's eyes became bright red, as did his face and wings.

"Now, draw on your psychic power. Instead of using it to attack, gently push it toward my head," Xerneas whispered. Nicky shuddered as her warm breath brushed his crystalline brow. Cautiously, he did as Xerneas instructed. He pushed a cursory amount of psychic energy toward Xerneas' aura. The instant it contacted her, a tingle spread across the back of his neck.

Can you hear me?

Xerneas' thoughts echoed through Nicky's mind, making his head tendrils stiffened. "Y-Yes! I can," he said.

No, no, try it with your thoughts, Xerneas said, resisting the urge to giggle.

"Oh, right," Nicky said. Uh, testing, testing… one, two. Can you hear me?

Loud and clear, Xerneas said, smiling.

"Great. Um, do you think you could take your snout off my head, though?" Nicky said.

"Whoops! S-Sorry," Xerneas said, pulling her head back while laughing nervously. "So, uh, I guess I've kept you long enough, huh? You should head back home."

"Yeah," Nicky said, his mood dampening. Leaving meant facing Golem.

"Hey." Xerneas nudged his lower-right wing with her snout. "We can talk later, if you'd like."

Yellow spread in Nicky's eyes. "I'd like that a lot," he said.

---

~Glyphic Falls, Hidden Laboratory~

"This is beyond inexcusable!" Golem huffed, pacing back and forth in the central room. Nicky sat on the rocky floor, legs, tail, and wings curled up against his chest. "I reward you with more freedom and you go and break your curfew! And what was with that spike in your energy I detected, hmm? Unless you killed a god, you've got some serious explaining to do. So, start talking!"

"I, um… I lost track of time," Nicky said. "Because I was with some of the lesser gods."

"You were fighting them?" Golem said, brow raised.

"Err… not exactly," Nicky whispered.

Golem walked over to his slanted, metal desk and tapped it with his claws. "Light… I made you to kill those gods," he seethed.

"And I'm working on it. Seriously! That's why I lost track of time. See, my psychic powers are getting good, sure, but plenty of the gods have ways to counter that. I need to diversify my skillset if I have any hope of succeeding," Nicky said. He had rehearsed this lie on the flight back, but things had gotten heated much quicker than he had hoped. "Well, that's what I was doing today. See, I've been befriending some lesser gods and one immortal, Xerneas. Today, I convinced them to teach me new attacks."

"That spike you read? That was from a Draco Meteor. It's all a ruse. I'm tricking the gods into helping me grow stronger, while learning how they battle," Nicky explained. "This way, it'll be all that much easier to pick them off one by one. Because they'll have gotten used to me, so their guards will be lowered." He glanced at Golem, trying to keep his nerves intact. Otherwise, he'd ruin his ploy.

"So, you really learned Draco Meteor in just a single day?" Golem said.

"Yeah. And I've made a mental link with Xerneas. Now, I can get her to feed me information about the other, more-reclusive gods," Nicky said. He hated using Xerneas like that, but it was necessary to prop up his lie.

"Hrmmm…" Golem stroked his beard. "Well then, it seems I did not give you enough credit. That is quite the ingenious plan you've formulated," he said, dipping a claw in ink and scribbling on some parchment. "Yes. Thinking about it… having you attack the gods with sheer brute force would likely earn you enemies. And, as your brilliant creator, I would earn enemies by association. But this is far more strategic!" He nodded approvingly. "So, this is the tactical power of a human mind, eh? Ho ho ho! It's something to behold."

"Right. So, if this monitor of yours picks up any funny readings, it's either my training… or my attempts to play Xerneas for a fool," Nicky said, trying to add a hint of menace to his voice.

"Understood. Very good, Light. I do so love it when you exceed my expectations like this," Golem said, wiping the ink off his digits. "Well, I'm heading off for the night. Try to keep your tail under control while you're sleeping."

"Uh… I'll try," Nicky said, watching Golem exit the laboratory. A heavy thud echoed through the room. Nicky sensed Golem's aura growing further away. He sighed in relief and slumped down on the floor. It wasn't exactly eloquent, but he had gotten Golem off his back. Still, now that he'd created this lie, he'd either have to find a way to keep it going or come clean about his true nature to his friends. Neither sounded pleasant. Especially now that he had his mental link with Xerneas.

These thoughts continued to roll around in Nicky's head. He considered reaching out to Xerneas, but decided against it. Nicky hadn't left the Tree of Life that long ago and he didn't want to look desperate. Instead, he tried to push the intrusive thoughts out of his head. Fatigue soon settled in. Though, as Nicky's eyes closed, something white flickered in the corners of his vision.

---

Nicky lay in his bed. His human bed, complete with its sports-themed blanket and the gray tube-pillow he used when his neck was sore. He stared up at his ceiling. How long had he been lying like this? Reluctantly, he rolled over and checked his digital clock.

6:00 PM on a Monday. Had he been napping?

No, that wasn't it. He hadn't gotten out of bed. Why should he? He was suspended. Grounded, too. He'd barely gotten out of bed since last week.

Knocks at the door drew his attention.

"Nicky? Are you out of bed, dear?"

He didn't answer his mom. Nicky wasn't sure what she wanted, but he lacked the motivation to talk with her.

"It's time to come down and light the candles," his mom said. "Come on. I know you haven't eaten anything today. Your father and I are worried."

His door handle jiggled.

"Nicky, you know how your father feels about you locking your door."

Nicky hiked his covers up over his head. Then, louder knocks sounded.

"Son, you're going to light the candles with us," his dad said. "I won't have you skipping the first night of Hanukkah because you're in a mood."

"Aren't I supposed to be grounded?" Nicky scoffed. Hushed whispers followed. He assumed his parents were talking about him.

"I think God would be willing to overlook it," his mom said. "Please, can you at least unlock your door for us?"

"No. Go away," Nicky shouted.

"Either you open this door or I'm busting it down and taking your TV for the rest of your suspension," his dad threatened.

"Fine. Whatever," Nicky said. He had already lost his game consoles, phone, and computer. This would just give him more of an excuse to stay in bed until he was finally free. He pulled his head out from the covers, wondering what his parents would do. Eventually, he heard sighs, followed by footsteps heading down the stairs.

Nicky lay his head back down on his pillow, trying to will himself to sleep. It did no good. He was tired, yes, but not the kind of tired where he could fall sleep on command. At the very least, getting his parents to leave brought a smile to his face. Maybe with some luck, he wouldn't have to see them until his suspension was up. It'd serve them right.

He was the victim, here. Why wouldn't anyone believe him? Even Shane twisted the issue around, making it abundantly clear how awful it was that Nicky had bailed on something they had planned to do for months.

SuCh aN uNPleAsAnT mEMorY… wHy Do YoU lEt It TRoUbLE yOU So?

The distorted, unfamiliar voice made Nicky sit back up. As soon as he did, his room melted away, leaving his bed floating in the midst of outer space. When the last of the walls finished dissolving, his door morphed into a large, white sphere. Tiny veins coursed through the ball's slime, occasionally pulsating with rainbow light.

"Wh-what the hell's going on here?" Nicky growled. He threw his covers off, only to gasp at the bulky, yellow crystals encasing his legs and the golden tail dangling between them. Nicky tried to grab his temples, but found his arms replaced by membranous wings. After staring at his limbs for a few seconds, he finally connected the dots. "I'm dreaming, aren't I?" he said.

YeS. A FrUiTlEsS wAStE oF yOUr TImE.

The white orb hovered closer to Nicky, rippling like a plate of gelatin. Two small, hollow, red circles appeared in the middle of the sphere. Nicky guessed they were this creature's eyes. "I've seen you before," he said. "The flashbacks I was having earlier today… you were in them. But you had nothing to do with my old life." He sat up in his bed. "Who are you? For that matter, what are you?"

MaTtER… MaTteR… mAtTEr…

Nicky frowned. "Uh, yeah, that's exactly what I said."

The orb's eyes constricted. A thin red line appeared. Nicky tilted his head. Was the orb… smiling?

"Let me ask again. Who are you?" Nicky said, trying not to let his fear show through.

I'M yOu, Of CoUrSE, the sphere replied, its smile fading and its eyes swirling around randomly. I'm WHaT yOu'RE cAPablE Of. YoUR pOWerS… tHe EnERgY yOu WIeLD… iT is MInE. WE aRe OnE AnD THe SaME… nOW AnD FOReVER.

"Yeah, right. Look, maybe dreaming works differently in this world, but I had plenty of trippy nightmares in my old life. Whatever this is… I'll wake up and forget about it," Nicky said, staring the orb down.

YoU rEaLlY thInK i'M JUsT a BAd DrEAM? the orb said, its unsettling smile returning. NO. We'RE aLReaDy wElL-AcQUaiNtED. The sphere contorted itself into a heart. It stretched its eyes into a jagged line that made the heart appear broken. tHoSe TiMEs yOU sNaPpED At ThE gODs… YoUr SQuEAmIsH rEAcTIOns to AnY PHySIcAL cONtaCT… THaT's JUsT mE REmINdInG YoU ThAT I'M hErE.

Nicky stiffened. He wanted to grab his covers, but his wings were useless in that regard. "I don't believe you," he said. "Worst-case scenario, you're some ridiculous side effect of… whatever the hell Golem did to make me. I'll just tell him about you and it'll be like you never existed."

YoU wISh It cOUlD bE THaT sIMpLe, the heart hissed, its outer membrane quivering as its red eyes reappeared. BuT tHE FAcT iS… We ARE inSEPaRaBLe. I DWeLL iN YoUr COrE, JUsT LIkE I dO wITh ThIS wRETcHEd PlAnEt. YOUr cREaTOR KnOwS ThIS.

"Okay, fine. What's the point of all these theatrics, then? Did Golem put you in my head to make sure I kill all the gods? Because I don't intend to do that," Nicky said, slapping his bedsheets with his wings. "I like some of them. Maybe there are a couple of total jackasses. But if that's the case, I'll use my powers to make them change their ways."

WaHT a FOol yOU aRe. I dOn'T cARe aBOuT yOUR CReaToR… Or tHe HAtRED iN HiS hEArT. I'M hERe tO SHoW YoU HoW mIsTaKeN yOu ArE, the heart said as one of its eyes shrank and revolved around the other.

"I'm not mistaken. I'm happy. I've finally found someone who cares about me. Even if she's a magical talking deer with antlers that'd make any Christmas tree blush," Nicky said.

SuCh a FOoL. YoUr PReCIoUS rELaTIoNShIP wiLL OnLY bRiNG yOu hEArtBrEak. JUsT lIKE iN YoUR hUMaN lIFE, the heart said, its top splitting apart and squirting out red fluid that splattered on Nicky's bedsheets. BuT I cAn fIX tHAt. I cAN hELp YOU. AlL yOU nEEd to DO is LeT gO.

The heart's eyes disappeared. It split itself in half, hovering over Nicky as red liquid dripped onto his bed. TaKe THeSe WOrTHleSS, pAInFUl mEmORiES… AnD GiVe THeM to Me. ToGeTHer, wE'Ll tUrN thEm iNtO DUsT, the heart said. Distorted reflections of Nicky's human face appeared on each half of the heart. ThEn, we'Ll reTUrN aLl WoRlDs tO ThEiR oRIgInaL sTaTes… by wIpInG OuT eVErYThINg.

"And if I refuse?" Nicky said, sitting up defiantly in his bed.

The heart fused itself back together, turning pitch-black. A fissure ran through its center and opening, revealing red fluid with a purple, reptilian eye floating inside.

YoU dON't HaVe a ChOIcE, it said, eye pulsating. We'RE inSePaRaBLe, rEMeMbER? YoU ARe pARt oF ThE vOID. We WIlL cOnSUme. AnD wE WiLL dEsTRoY.

Before Nicky could say anything, the heart's eye flashed. Black shadows surrounded Nicky and swallowed him up.

---

Nicky's head shot up, only to smack against a light fixture made out of crystals. A clang echoed through the room, jolting the last of Nicky's drowsiness out of his system. He flopped back on the ground, groaning and rubbing his forehead with his upper wings.

'Well, that was one hell of a twisted dream,' he thought, looking around the dark room. Nicky had no idea what time it was, but guessed it had to be the middle of the night, since none of Golem's assistants were around. He sat up again, being careful to avoid the crystals in the ceiling. Nicky rested against a wall and sighed.

Should he tell Golem about this dream? The contents disturbed him. His wings even quivered a bit. Still, he worried Golem's response would be to strip him of his powers. If that happened, he'd lose his mental link. Worse, he might not ever get to see Xerneas again.

His eyes turned bright yellow. That was it. He could bring it up with Xerneas. Surely, she would have some idea of how to fix this. Nicky was about to try his mental link out when a small voice told him to stop. He braced himself as he sat up higher. Was it really appropriate to have his first use of the mental link be about something so serious? After thinking it over, Nicky concluded this was something he should handle in-person.

However, that didn't mean he had to spend the rest of the night alone with his runaway thoughts. Xerneas wanted to talk with him. Why not make some small talk to clear his mind? He thought it was a good idea. A safe idea.

Nicky concentrated, shades of pink pushing the other colors to the periphery of his eyes. He thought about Xerneas, conjuring a silhouette of her in his mind's eye. At first, nothing happened. But then a bright-pink flame smoldered inside the silhouette.

Light, is that you?

Xerneas' voice sent a tingle down Nicky's neck. He slumped down, his crystalline lips curving into a smile.

Yeah, it's me, Nicky said. Slowly, he shut his eyes. Xerneas' outline became clearer in his mind. I, uh, just wanted to hear your voice… in a manner of speaking.

Is everything okay? Xerneas asked. The tingle in Nicky's neck intensified. Red pulses rippled across his wings and tail.

Just having a little trouble sleeping, that's all. Bad dreams… you know how it goes, Nicky said, sighing.

I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it? Xerneas said.

Nicky's tail twitched. He swore under his breath. The whole point of this was to forget the bad dreams. Now he couldn't beat around the issue. I do, actually, but not like this, he said, figuring honesty was the best policy. It's, um, a bit of a sensitive issue. I think we'd be better off talking about it in-person.

Oh, I see. Well, if that's what you wish, I'll respect your boundaries, Xerneas said as the tingling in Nicky's neck spread down his back toward the base of his tail.

When can I see you? Nicky wondered, sliding down further until he was lying on his side. Xerneas didn't respond. Xern, you still there?

Yeah, I just had to think for a bit. See, I've got some work to do over the next few days. It's for the upkeep of the Tree of Life, Xerneas said, her flame dimming in Nicky's mind.

Want some help? Nicky offered.

Sorry, Light. As much as I'd love your company, I'm afraid I have to turn you down, Xerneas said. This is… sensitive business. I'm not supposed to let anyone get near the Tree of Life while I'm tending to it. If Arceus found out about it… Her voice trailed off.

It's okay. I understand, Nicky said, his glow dimming.

If I have some spare time, we could always talk like this. Would that be alright? Xerneas said.

Yeah. It's no problem. But when will you be done with, uh, whatever it is you're doing? Nicky asked.

I should be good to go for the Winter Solstice. We can get together then, Xerneas said.

Could we talk about that? Y'know, come up with an idea of what we want to do? I know you brought up that party, but I'm not so sure I'm interested in it, Nicky said, brushing his tail across the floor.

Sure. To be honest, after our meeting this afternoon, I was leaning toward not going. As much as I'd like to think maybe the other immortals are turning over new leaves, I'm not so sure that's true, Xerneas said.

Screw them. We don't need some fancy-schmancy party. I mean… what kind of party can a bunch of giant-ass dragons throw, anyway? Sounds like it'd be a total snore-fest, Nicky scoffed.

It is usually a lot of standing around and talking… or yelling at Giratina to stop being weird, Xerneas said.

Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, how would you have even gone to this party, anyway? What about protecting the Tree of Life? Nicky said.

Oh, that. The lesser gods weren't invited, so Zekrom, Zapdos, and the Lati twins agreed to watch it for me, Xerneas said. In any case, did you have any ideas about what we could do instead?

Well, there was one thing that came to mind. Have you ever been to Celestial Island? Nicky asked. The flame in his mind intensified, as did the tingle in his tail. Yet, Xerneas didn't respond. Nicky raised his head up, indigo and violet swirling in his eyes. Um, was it really that bad of an idea?

Nuh-no. Of course not. I… I've been there… once or twice. To, y'know, visit Lunala, Xerneas said.

Nicky smacked his face with an upper wing. How could he be so idiotic to forget about that, especially after talking about it several hours earlier? Xern, I'm so sorry. I'm a total moron. I didn't—

It's okay, Light. I'm just… surprised to hear you've developed an attachment to that place, that's all, Xerneas said.

Ah. Well, that's where I met Latios and Zekrom on the first day of autumn. Y'know, the day I first showed up at the Tree of Life,Nicky said, tapping his upper wing-claws together. I thought… uh… guess I was feeling sentimental or something. Thought maybe we could go there and just stargaze together. I'd offer to bring food but, uh, I don't really know how to cook anything.

He waited for Xerneas' response, rapping his tail against the floor. Sure, it kicked up a lot of dust, but he didn't care. He really wanted Xerneas to agree to his idea. Even if it was corny. Nicky held his breath, focusing on the pink flames in his mind.

I can handle food, provided you don't mind berries. Or flying me up to the island, for that matter, Xerneas said.

Of course I don't! Nicky said, perhaps a bit quicker and more forcefully than he intended.

Okay. I suppose we can finalize timing later, Xerneas said. I'm looking forward to it.

Me too, Nicky said as Xerneas' silhouette disappeared from his mind's eye. He rolled over onto his side and swatted a stray piece of paper with his tail, sighing loudly.

It was going to be a long week.

---

~Celestial Island~

After deciding it would be a bad idea to carry Xerneas on his back, Nicky levitated her next to him as he flew through the sky. Day turned to night as he passed over the Horizon Continent. The island came into view so far up in the sky that they both lost sight of the land below them. As Nicky approached Celestial Island, however, he encountered a problem.

It wasn't vacant.

"Xern, I think someone's already here," Nicky said, orange and yellow spreading throughout his eyes. "I'm sensing life energy with… an array of colors. But it has this sun-like intensity to it. Kind of feels like I sat down in front of a raging fire."

"Hmm. If I had to guess, that's Ho-Oh," Xerneas said.

"Is Ho-Oh one of the gods you've had problems with in the past?" Nicky asked, head tendrils flaring.

"No, she's okay. A bit soft-spoken, if anything. We don't exactly talk much," Xerneas said. "I don't see why we can't exchange pleasantries. If she's doing something important, we could always go somewhere else."

Nicky prayed Ho-Oh wasn't doing anything important. He glided down toward the island and gently lowered Xerneas onto a patch of grass next to a field of sunflowers. Xerneas walked through the grass, with Nicky floating beside her. Together, they made their way to the center of the island, where the statues of Solgaleo and Lunala stood on either side of the lagoon. It was in front of Solgaleo's statue that they both found Ho-Oh. She stared up into the statue's eyes.

"Greetings, Ho-Oh. Happy Winter Solstice," Xerneas said. Ho-Oh's response was to jump back from the statue, squawking and fluttering her wings in surprise. She turned to look at Xerneas.

"X-Xerneas? You're… away from the Tree of Life. And very high up," Ho-Oh said, blinking her red, puffy eyes slowly. She threw her wing up over her face and turned away. "Should you be up here?"

"The Tree is fine. I have friends looking after it," Xerneas said. She stepped to the side so Ho-Oh could get a better view of Nicky. "As for how I got here. Well, you remember the Guiding Light, yes?"

Ho-Oh nodded. "How lovely to see you again," she said, extending her wings to the side and bowing. "Happy Winter Solstice."

"Same to you," Nicky said, unsure if he was supposed to bow back. "Sorry to intrude like this. Xern and I were hoping to spend some time looking up at the stars."

"Oh. That's no problem. No problem at all. I was just… resting my wings up here," Ho-Oh said, glancing at Solgaleo's statue. "But I think I'm all good now, so I'll be on my way." She awkwardly waddled away from the statue.

Nicky frowned. Something was wrong. He didn't want to breech Ho-Oh's privacy and read her mind, but there was a lout of doubt clouding up her aura. Should he say something? He glanced at Xerneas. Hey, Xern, I don't think Ho-Oh's okay, he said telepathically.

Xerneas traced a hoof through the ground. You're right. Do you want to ask her what's wrong?

A part of him didn't. This was supposed to be a private moment he could share with Xerneas. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to let Ho-Oh fly off. "H-Hey, Ho-Oh. Is everything alright?" Nicky said, floating toward her. "You seem… distressed. And I— well, I don't mean to pry. Especially since we don't really know each other. But if there's anything Xern and I can help with, let us know."

Ho-Oh turned to face Nicky. Moonlight glinted off her tearful eyes. "I appreciate that. But I assure you, I'm okay. Truthfully, I was just here to do some thinking," she said. "My mind is… clearer now, so I think I'll take my leave." She was about to take off, when she paused. "Oh, will I be seeing you two at Dialga's party?"

Xerneas and Nicky exchanged a glance, then shook their heads in unison. "I'm afraid not, Ho-Oh. But don't let that stop you from having fun, okay?" Xerneas said, offering Ho-Oh a warm smile.

"Thank you. I'm not sure how much fun a party hosted by Dialga can be, but I'll certainly try," Ho-Oh said. She waved a wing at the two of them and took off into the night sky. They watched her fly away, rainbow light trailing off her tailfeathers.

"Well, that was… intriguing," Nicky said. He floated toward the lagoon and lay down in the grass. Nicky let his legs drape into the water. If they weren't made of crystal, he imagined the cold water would've sent a shock through his system. Instead, he stretched his upper wings out and gazed up into the starry sky.

The grass beside Nicky crinkled as Xerneas sat down next to him. "It's really something, isn't it?" she said, looking up at the stars. "To be honest, I don't know why there are so many stars. I've always wondered what sort of purpose they serve. I'm sure Arceus or Palkia know the answer, but I never bothered asking them. I was always too afraid they'd scoff at me for asking such a silly question."

"I don't think it's silly," Nicky said, thinking of the purpose stars served in the human world. If he brought that up, he supposed he could segue into talking about his dreams and his former life as a human. But a voice in the back of his mind stopped him. It was too soon to go into something so sensitive. He had to find another avenue.

"Hey, mind if I ask you something?" he said, tilting his head to his left. Nicky froze when he realized that doing so greeted him with a view of Xerneas' waist. He immediately looked back up at the sky, red rushing through his eyes, wings, and tail.

"Of course," Xerneas said, having not noticed Nicky's slip-up.

"What was Lunala like?" Nicky said, folding his lower wings over his chest. The grass beside him ruffled. He gulped. "S-Sorry, if that's too personal, you don't have to answer."

"No, it's quite alright. I suppose it would be fitting to talk about her, given what day it is," Xerneas said, sighing. Her gaze drifted toward Lunala's statue. "Lunala was…" She paused, nostrils twitching. "Well, to be honest, we weren't exactly close. I'm not even sure I can call her a friend, though she let me confide in her from time to time."

Xerneas traced a hoof through the soil. "Lunala never said much when we were together. Maybe it's because she was concentrating on her work?"

"Right. That's been something I've been wondering about for a while," Nicky said. "Not to interrupt with something tangential or anything… but how exactly did Solgaleo and Lunala factor into bringing light to the world? It's difficult to wrap my head around something like that." He scratched his crystalline cheek with a wing for good measure.

"I don't actually know the full story. Neither of them seemed keen on telling me. I've heard whispers from immortals that were created before me that, in the early days, the skies were filled with storms brought on by strange, otherworldly energy," Xerneas said. "Solgaleo and Lunala brought forth the sun and the moon to dispel the storms, but they constantly needed to use their powers to ensure light would reach our world and keep the dark storms at bay."

"But then they sacrificed themselves to save Ho-Oh," Nicky said. He sat up as best he could. "I wonder if that's why we saw Ho-Oh. The Winter Solstices of the past celebrated Lunala, but she's gone now." Blue and green swirled in his eyes to make turquoise. "Was Ho-Oh here to mourn… or because she felt guilty?"

Xerneas looked at Nicky, uncertain if he wanted her to answer. She ultimately held her tongue, letting her gaze drift back up toward the sky until she was ready to restart her original train of thought. "Anyway, even if Lunala didn't say much when we were together, I enjoyed her company. It was nice to have someone, y'know, alive I could vent to." Laughing awkwardly, she shook her head. "That probably sounds awful coming from the god who's supposed to guard the spirit realm from malicious forces. It's not that I don't appreciate having the spirits around or anything, but…" Her voice trailed off.

"No, I get it. Being with someone… it's a lot better than being alone," Nicky said.

"I shouldn't be complaining. After all, I have the spirits. Some of the other gods are far more reclusive than I am. I have no idea how they manage," Xerneas said, staring at her reflection in the pond.

The turquoise glow strengthened in Nicky's eyes. "It's so strange. When I think of gods… heroic legends are what come to mind. Y'know, these huge, grandiose tales showcasing feats of strength and unfathomable power," he said. "Yet, for what I've seen — and heard from talking with you — it kind of feels like Arceus didn't put any thought into creating you guys."

He winced the moment he saw Xerneas' pupils dilate. "Sorry! I'm sorry! That was so, so stupid of me to say. I wasn't… um…" He tucked his head down against his chest. "I wasn't trying to say you're, like, a mistake or that you don't deserve to be here or something. Just that I don't understand why Arceus gave you a desire to be around other people if he was just going to force you to isolate yourself from the world."

Nicky silently cursed himself out. This line of thinking was actually making Golem's vision of a god-free world sound good to him. He shook his head, sighing. "You know what? Forget I brought that up. It was a stupid, runaway thought," he said, flicking an upper wing dismissively.

"No, it's a good point. I've… never really thought about it, to be honest. I guess it goes to show how much I've taken my life for granted," Xerneas said, laughing bitterly as she slid down onto her belly.

"I'm sorry. I ruined the atmosphere, didn't I?" Nicky said, head tendrils shrinking. "That's what I get for trying to think of a good way to bring up those nightmares I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh… right. I forget about that. Have these past few nights been any better for you?" Xerneas asked. Nicky glanced at her, wondering if he had irked her by selfishly steering the conversation in the direction he wanted it to go. To his surprise, her aura radiated genuine concern.

"Not really. Keep seeing the same thing over and over again," Nicky said, eyes losing their glow.

"I see. That's not good," Xerneas said. "Well, now that we're actually together, do you want to talk about it?"

"I do. But, um, in order to explain it… I have to tell you something." Nicky took a deep breath. "It's—" He paused, unsure of how to phrase things. "This is a big secret and I need to know that I can trust you not to tell anyone. Because it's going to sound hard to believe, but I assure you it's the truth."

Xerneas stiffened. "That's, erm, quite a lot to put out there, Light," she said, blinking slowly. "But what kind of friend would I be if I turned you down? I'll keep your secret."

Nicky shuddered, ripples running down his spine. This was it. He was finally going to fess up. "Xerneas, the truth is… I'm human." He paused to see her reaction, but her expression didn't change. "That past relationship I mentioned to you? The way things ended left me so depressed, that I had decided life wasn't worth living."

This time, Xerneas tensed up. "Light, you… you tried to kill yourself?" she squeaked.

"I didn't just try. I'm pretty sure I succeeded… which is why I'm here. See, in the world I'm from, when you die… that's it. There's no afterlife or spirit realm. One second you're alive — living, breathing, thinking — and then the next second that all stops," Nicky said, hunching over and draping his wings over his legs. "That should've happened to me, but it didn't."

"Instead, as I was dying, an otherworldly force pulled me into this world. Only, I didn't initially look like this. I was a Growlithe," Nicky said as Xerneas went slack-jawed. "I know, I know, it sounds ridiculous. But this is where things get… difficult. A group of Pokémon had brought me here so that they could use my spirit to create a powerful beast." He took another deep breath. "One that would carry out their will… to kill all the gods."

Xerneas hastily sat back up, her gaze falling between her forelegs. "Mortals want to kill us?" she whispered.

"The guy who leads the group, Golem, told me they're all tired of your repeated failures to keep them safe from harm. They believe the world would be a better place if there weren't Pokémon like you around," Nicky said, blue nearly filling both his eyes. "When I first woke up as a Growlithe, he went on about how his 'genius' had brought me here to turn me into a great hero. I was… really confused. Naturally, I didn't trust the guy. Hell, in my world, Pokémon aren't even real."

He glanced at Xerneas, expecting her to respond to that last statement. Instead, she gazed at Solgaleo's and Lunala's statues with a faraway look in her eyes. Nicky's tendrils shrank into his head as he continued, "Golem didn't end up giving me a choice in the matter. I got put to sleep and, when I next woke up, this is what I looked like." He kicked up his right leg. His reflection rippled in the pond.

"I never really had the time to process what had gone on. It was so disorienting, I guess I stopped thinking about myself and my situation," Nicky said, looking up at the sky. "Apparently, Golem used alchemy to forge this body using something called emera ores. That's what his assistants told me, anyway."

"Alchemy? You… you're made of ley lines?" Xerneas gasped. Her forelegs trembled. Nicky briefly wondered if he should stop. Was this too much for Xerneas to take? He quickly quelled those thoughts, thinking it would do more harm than good if he left his confession unfinished.

"To be honest, I don't even remember much about the days that followed my transformation. There was a thick fog over my mind. Perhaps it was part of Golem's ritual," Nicky said. "He said Porygon2 recorded everything that I did, which was nothing but learning about how to channel my energy." He rubbed his head with an upper wing. "Guess that explains why I already had my psychic powers down pat when I first met you."

"You really can't remember any of that?"

"I can't. The first thing I remember is Golem telling me what had happened to the sun and moon. When he did, a voice in the back of my head said I could restore them easily. I drew on my new powers and, well, instinct took over from there. Instincts I didn't even know I had, to be honest," Nicky said, laughing nervously. "I was on autopilot when I brought the sun and moon back."

"Autopilot? What do you mean?" Xerneas said, tilting her head.

"Oh, sorry, that's a human expression. It means I was acting without even thinking. I couldn't even tell you what I did to bring back the sun and moon. That's how much my newfound instincts had control," Nicky said, yellow and green expanding in his eyes. His lighthearted tone faded, however, as he bowed his head and blue pushed away the yellow and green. "I'll bet this all sounds ridiculous. In my head, explaining this seemed a lot easier."

"You mean there's more?" Xerneas said, shifting about uneasily. She wanted the full story, but was struggling to wrap her head around all these revelations.

"Yeah, there is. Y'know how you guys call me the Guiding Light? That's what Golem's assistants dubbed me after I brought light back into the world," Nicky said. "At first, I was overjoyed. People were cheering for me… celebrating a good deed I had done. It was something… something I had desperately wanted in my human life, but never really got."

He hunched over again, his lower wings dipping into the pond. "But after that, Golem began to treat me differently. I think he realized that his crazy ritual hadn't gotten exactly the way he wanted it to… because he constantly kept me behind this strange barrier in his hideout. Then he stuck this thing on my leg." Nicky lifted his leg up to show off the anklet. "He can use it to keep tabs on my energy levels. And, if he thinks I'm doing anything to cross him, he can trigger a booby trap that'll reverse his ritual and turn me back into a Growlithe."

"That was also when the problems started for me… on, y'know, a personal level," Nicky continued, drawing a confused look from Xerneas. "You know how, when we first met, you said that I seemed troubled by something?" Xerneas nodded. "Well, I was troubled. I'd been struggling with constant flashbacks to unpleasant memories from my human life. Anything that I came across in this world that reminded me even a little bit of my past life would trigger a memory."

"Since then, they've kept coming. They've spilled over into my dreams, too. It's upsetting, yeah, but the part that really alarms is what started the day we set up our mental link," Nicky said, taking a shuddering breath. "There was this white sphere that showed up in the flashbacks I had during my training with Zekrom. It wasn't from my human life. All it did was float there… like it was staring right through me."

"Then, that night, it showed up in my dreams. And it talked to me. It went on and on about how it's part of me… the source of my power, or something. Right before the nightmare ended, it told me that… that…" Nicky shut his eyes and shook his head. Xerneas leaned in, only for Nicky to lean away from her. "It said I'm part of the void. And, like, the way it sounded…" He shuddered.

"I don't know what to make of it, but it was so damn unsettling I couldn't keep it to myself. I thought about bringing it up with Golem, but I have an awful, sinking feeling that his stupid alchemy put that thing in my head! Like, it was supposed to be the thing that let him fully control me, but it didn't work so now it's stuck in my mind, inserting itself into everything I do or think!" He smacked his forehead with his upper wings. "I don't want to lose my mind and turn into some kind of monster, Xern! I… I can't… I may get angry sometimes, but I would never want to hurt anyone! I want to help people." He looked down and, in a softer voice, whispered, "I've only ever wanted to help."

Silence followed. Nicky glanced Xerneas out of the corner of his eye. She sat on the edge of the pond, looking at her reflection with an unreadable expression on her face. Nicky cringed. He figured he overdid it and now Xerneas was in shock. Was there anything he could say to ease the tension? Nicky clenched his jaw tightly. He had to think of something.

"I'm sure that's a lot for you to take in, but I want you to know that I really appreciate you listening to all of it. I'm so glad I was able to get it off my chest. Feels like a real weight's been lifted off me," Nicky said. He looked at Xerneas, waiting for her response.

Her eyelids fluttered close and she collapsed on her side.

"Xern!" Nicky shouted, colors randomly darting about in his eyes as gravity took hold and Xerneas slipped into the pond. Bubbles followed the ripples of her splash. Nicky call on his ESP. He hoisted Xerneas out of the water and plopped her down on the grass. Her antlers kept her from completely rolling onto her right side. They dug into the ground and propped her head up at an awkward angle.

Nicky shot up from his seat. "C'mon, Xern, wake up!" he said, draping his upper wings over her torso. Her soggy fur was ice-cold on his wing membranes. Nicky yanked them back with a hiss. He then opted to nudge her with his crystalline beak. "Don't do this to me, Xern. Please. You're okay… you're okay!" he hiccupped, blue and purple swirling in his eyes.

Xerneas coughed, startling Nicky. He looked up in time to see her spit up a mouthful of water. Thinking quickly, he bumped Xerneas' back with her beak. Xerneas coughed up more water until her breathing finally slowed down. Nicky slowly pulled his face away, noting the quivering in her chest. Xerneas met his gaze and her eyes widened.

"L-Light! What are you doing? A-And why am I soaking wet?" she squeaked.

Nicky looked down. After a second, it finally clicked how unsightly he looked. "Gah! Sorry, sorry, sorry!" he said, floated off Xerneas and shooting up into the sky. Nicky halted his descent as soon as he realized how badly he had overcompensated, then drifted back down to the ground. "You, um, kinda fainted— sorry, definitely fainted. And fell in the pond. I fished you out but you weren't responding so I lay down on top of you because I was trying to wake you up and—"

He caught himself in the middle of his ramble and shook his head. "The point is… it's my fault that all happened. I clearly overwhelmed you with everything I said. Is there any way I can make it up to you?" he whispered, folding his lower wings against his sides.

Xerneas slowly got to her feet, then bent over to shake herself dry. Stray water droplets hit Nicky, only to evaporate instantly. "Hang on… let me gather my thoughts," Xerneas said, the gems in her antlers flickering. Nicky shrank bank, a worried look on his face. "That voice in your dreams… it told you that you're part of the void?"

Nicky nodded.

"Oh no," Xerneas whispered, shutting her eyes and shaking her head. "Oh no, no, no. This is bad, bad, ba— ack!"

In pacing around nervously, Xerneas slipped on a patch of wet grass and tumbled back into the pond. Nicky's head tendrils rippled in alarm, only to settle when Xerneas immediately poked her head up and spat out wet blades of grass.

"Are you okay?" Nicky asked, swooping toward her.

"I'm fine," she said, kicking away from the edge to put distance between herself and Nicky. "I—" She floated in the middle of the pond, avoiding Nicky's gaze.

"Did I do something wrong?" Nicky said. "Wait… do you know what the sphere was talking about? Do you know what it meant by 'the void?'" He inched closer to Xerneas, who responded by swimming further away from him. Nicky's wings and tails drooped. "Xern…"

"I'm sorry, Light. I need a moment to think," Xerneas said, nearly going underwater. She paddled away from him. The other side of the pond had an embankment that allowed her stand. Her pointed hooves sank into the silt, however. Xerneas' heart skipped a beat as she almost fell back into the deeper water. She took a breath to steady her nerves.

"The void… I've heard that term before. And not as some word getting casually tossed around. No, the context was always… unsettling," she said, still avoiding Nicky's gaze. "You mentioned alchemy in your tale… well, us gods are more than capable of using alchemy, too. In fact, we need it to do our jobs. The work I was doing on the Tree of Life? I was going inside of it to purify it of ley lines threatening to tear it apart."

"Ley lines? You mentioned that when I was speaking, didn't you?" Nicky said, the blue in his eyes slowly receding.

"Correct. Ley lines are a chaotic form of energy that stems from the planet's core. Left unchecked, they'll rip the very foundations of our world apart and destroy the planet," Xerneas said, her expression darkening. "But gods— well, immortal gods can reign them in. Our powers allow us to use spells to control ley lines."

"In order to do that, we have to confine them to specific areas. The places we trap ley lines in turn into bizarre labyrinths whose layouts constantly shift. I believe the mortals actually have a name for it, but it's escaping me," Xerneas continued. "So, when you told me that you were made through alchemy, my heart practically jumped into my throat. Because that means the same chaotic energy in the planet's core is inside of you."

Nicky drifted backward, red and orange pooling in his eyes and spreading across his body. "I… wait, what?" His wings trembled. "Hang on a second. Arceus created this world, right? Why would he make a world that's in constant danger of collapsing on itself? That's…" Blue energy raced between his tendrils. "I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but that's so incredibly stupid!"

"I didn't understand it, either. But I was always too afraid to bring it up. I figured other gods would get upset and, I don't know, attack me or something," Xerneas said, wincing. "Eventually, I worked up the courage to ask Zygarde about it."

"He said he couldn't give me a straight answer. All he could go off of is what he had heard from other immortals," Xerneas continued, watching water drip down her forelegs. "Namely, that at the time Arceus came into existence, he was attacked by an unknown assailant. Apparently, despite his immense power, he couldn't sense anything about this creature. No spirit. No emotions. It was as if it was completely empty, like…"

"… a void," Nicky whispered, turning away from Xerneas with a shocked expression on his face. He threw an upper wing over his beak.

"Yes. Arceus called his attacker 'the void.' And, try as he might, he couldn't fend it off. In the chaos of battle, the oldest immortals were birthed and, together with Arceus, they managed to beat back the void," Xerneas said. "Or so they had thought."

"Because of ley lines?" Nicky asked. Xerneas answered him with a nod. "Did the void spawn ley lines, then?"

"Again, I'm not sure. This is what I got from Zygarde," Xerneas said. "He told me Arceus certainly thinks ley lines are related to the void."

"What do you think?" Nicky asked, brushing his legs together nervously.

Xerneas gulped. "I think he's right… because of events that happened before you arrived in our world, judging by your story." She tried to take a step back, but the silt kept her forelegs rooted in place. "See, we were besieged by an otherworldly monstrosity: Dark Matter, a creature born from the negativity in the world. It nearly succeeded in destroying the Tree of Life, but Mew managed to stop it by working with a human."

"A human? Like me?" Nicky gasped. "Err, I mean, like what I used to be?"

"I can't say. I never got to meet Mew's partner for myself. What I can tell you is that, during Dark Matter's attack, many Pokémon were turned to stone," Xerneas said.

"What? They just… died?!"

"N-No! Luckily, we were able to restore them after Dark Matter's defeat. Their spirits had ended up inside the planet's core," Xerneas squeaked. "However, they reported that the core is this strange, twisted landscape. They described the air as being suffocating and full of overwhelming dread." She shuddered. "And then there's what they called it: the Voidlands."

Nicky began to put two and two together and the results unsettled him. "So… so you think that… my power… it comes from the planet's core? From the Voidlands?" he said, eyes and body dimming. "Then… but then, that sphere in my dreams… it must be real."

"I'm sorry, Light. It makes too much sense. Especially if the group that created you is made up of Pokémon who Dark Matter turned to stone," Xerneas whispered, squeezing her eyes shut.

"No…" Nicky dropped to the ground and buried his face in the dirt. "What should I do? What can I do? I… I…" He turned to look at Xerneas, eyes and head turning dark blue. "Xern, you've got to believe me. I don't want to hurt anyone or… or kill any gods or anything like that! All I want is to be happy." Without thinking, he rolled to his left, flopping into the pond with a tiny splash.

Xerneas squeaked, but couldn't shuffle back in surprise. Bright light and steam filtered up in front of her. Nicky popped his head out and glided toward her through the water. "You make me happy, Xern. I admit, I had some doubts. Mainly because I used to be human and the idea of, y'know, liking a Pokémon didn't sit right with me," he said, body fizzling as water evaporated off it.

"But that doesn't matter, because I'm not a human now… and I don't think I'll ever be one again. All I want is a friend I can relate to. Someone who genuinely values what I have to say. And that's you, Xern. It's been you since you pulled me aside on the first day of autumn," Nicky continued. He extended an upper wing toward her. "I know I probably messed things up between us big time… but I'm willing to prove how important you are to me. Please, I…" Streaks of purple streamed through his blue eyes. "I think I'm falling for you."

"Light, I… don't know what to say," Xerneas whispered, tail twitching. Her heart pounded. Despite Nicky's nervousness about relationships, Xerneas held out hope that Nicky would come around. Well, she had gotten what she wanted. However, after learning of his origins, Xerneas was at a complete loss. If everything Nicky had said was true, she needed to keep him as far away as possible. He was made of ley lines, so that made him a threat to the world, right? But if that was the case, why would he tell her all of this?

Xerneas quickly reached a conclusion: Nicky was asking for her help. Yes, that had to be it. Nicky wasn't just looking for a friend, but someone who could help him keep the void's corruptive influence at bay.

The two of them stared at one another in silence. Xerneas watched different colors grow and shrink in Nicky's eyes. She sighed. "I must confess, the things you told me have left me a bit… uneasy," she said. Nicky sank down in the water. "However, I believe you. In fact… it sounds like we're even more alike than I could've possibly realized."

Nicky floated up so he and Xerneas were at eye level. She stepped toward him, struggling to keep from sinking. "We've both been alone… and felt like there's no one we can turn to. But it doesn't have to be like that anymore. You can fill the gaping emptiness in my heart and I, in turn, can help you fend off those dark influences Golem put into your head. What do you say?" Shakily, she raised a foreleg in Nicky's direction.

It struck Nicky how absurdly cheesy this all was. Here they were, dripping wet in the middle of a pond. Xerneas even sounded like she had leaped right out one of the lame romantic comedies he had to sit through with Rebecca.

'Rebecca…'

The amusement of the situation vanished. Xerneas disappeared. A blurry silhouette of a human girl replaced her. Only, a familiar black heart sat where the girl's face should've been.

SuCh a FOoL. YoUr PReCIoUS rELaTIoNShIP wiLL OnLY bRiNG yOu hEArtBrEak. JUsT lIKE iN YoUR hUMaN lIFE.

Nicky squeezed his eyes shut. No, that wasn't true. Xerneas wasn't like Rebecca. She wasn't like Shane, either. Xerneas was the companion Nicky had always wanted. It may have taken him a while to realize that, but there was no denying it now.

He floated past the silhouette. It dissolved all around him. Nicky pushed Xerneas' foreleg back with an upper wing. Mindful of her large anglers, Nicky closed the remaining distance and wrapped his wings around her torso and forelegs.

"L-Light? What are you do— mmf!"

Nicky leaned in and pressed his beak against the tip of her snout. It didn't quite have the same thrill he remembered from his human days, but his head tendrils still throbbed like thin, beating hearts. Xerneas, on the other hand, couldn't keep it together. A childish giggle escaped her snout, then her hind legs gave out. Before she could slip under water, Nicky snagged her with her ESP, keeping the kiss intact as he carried her up and out of the pond.

Slowly, he set Xerneas down. She pulled away and turned to the side, trying to catch her breath, but unable to as she descended into a fit of laughing.

"Something funny?" Nicky said, tilting his head to the right.

"I… sorry, I…" Xerneas' laughter swallowed up her anter. When she was finally able to calm down, she had to blink tears out of her eyes. "I've never, um, kissed anyone before. I certainly didn't expect it to be so… so…" The gems in her antlers all turned red in unison. "I don't know if it's because of all that light energy in your body, but wow… what a rush."

Now it was Nicky's turn to glow bright-red. "Oh. Aha ha… my pleasure, I guess? So, um, I guess this means we're a couple now… or something. Anything specific you want to do? The night's still young, after all."

"Well, there is one thing I can think of," Xerneas said, fighting to hold back another giggle fit. "It is the Winter Solstice and the mortals like exchanging gifts. Since it's a bit too late to look for anything special… how about another kiss?"

Nicky couldn't help but laugh. This was an entirely new side of Xerneas and he wondered if she was lying to him. But her reaction, coupled with her aura, felt so genuine he quickly dismissed that notion. With a warm yellow glow overtaking his eyes and body, he said, "Sure."

Tail wagging, Xerneas reared up, pressing her forelegs on Nicky's shoulders. His energy made her limbs tingle. Nicky was so surprised his levitation faltered. They fell to the ground. Nicky barely formed a psychic bubble over his chest spikes in time to keep Xerneas from getting hurt. When they landed, Xerneas licked Nicky's beak, then resumed their kiss from before.

"Happy Winter Solstice, Light," she whispered.

"Happy Winter Solstice, Xern."

---

~Celestial Island~

"Gnaarrrgh!"

Necrozma braced his arms and wings against the cold gray grass. He tucked his head into his chin, third eye flickering erratically.

"… you. Lun… ala," Necrozma hissed, clawing at his forehead with a trembling hand. "I know… it's you. You're… showing me these…"

His eyes dimmed, then turned light blue.

Yes, I did.

A soft, female voice echoed in Necrozma's head. He smacked his prism armor, turning his eyes red once more.

"Heehee. It's… heeheeheehee… it's worthless," Necrozma rasped. "She means… nothing to me. None of that… means anything. Those memories… will be ashes… soon enough."

That's not true. I know how much you cared about her. She meant the world to you and you meant the world to her.

"It was nothing but a lie!" Necrozma snarled, launching spittle from his mouth. He curled his wings around his torso to stop his spasming. "But I don't care. She'll burn. Everyone will burn. The void… heeheeheehee… all that matters is the void. You can't stop me. I'll get my core back. Then your spirit... I'll finally consume it."

No. There's still good inside of you. Why else would you hold onto these memories so tightly? Wake up, Light! I know you don't really want to do this! You have to help me! Help me fight off the void! You're a good person at heart. I know it! I've seen it!

Necrozma spread his wings out and arched his back, screeching loudly.

"ThE GuIDinG LiGHt DIed CEnTUrIeS agO!" he shouted, third eye and chest sigil flashing erratically. "I AM nECrOZMa! AnD I wIlL REtURN tHIS wORlD… nO, aLl oF REaLItY tO THe vOId!"

You're nothing but a monster, Necrozma! If I can't free Light from your warped, backwards mind… then I won't stop until I've purged you from my body!

A lavender ripple ran across Necrozma's body. His eyes and chest sigil flashed blue. He threw his hands up against his face, letting loose a bloodcurdling scream.

"NO… NoOoO! sTOp… SToP It! I MuSt COnSUme! I MusT…"

"Gyaaas!"

Necrozma's head shot up in the direction of Lugia's familiar, distorted screech. Lugia caught sight of him and dove toward the island, kicking up dead grass and leaves with powerful flaps of his shadowy wings.

"FiNaLlY! Do yOU HAvE… sOUlS… fOR Me?" Necrozma wheezed.

Lugia uncurled his toes, dropping two purple spheres to the ground. His red eyes flickered with green flames and the purple ectoplasm dispersed, revealing Cobalion and Terrakion, each covered in scrapes and gashes. Cobalion was missing a horn, while Terrakion had both of his torn off.

"Heeheeheehee… tHeY'RE PErFeCt," Necrozma said, weakly hovering into the air.

"Y… you," Cobalion wheezed, shakily lifting his head to look at Necrozma. "Why? Why must you do this… to us?"

In response, Necrozma hunched over, wheezing and sputtering. His third eye flickered green and he coughed up a cloud of smoke. Cobalion's eyes widened as the smoke took on Virizon's shape.

"ThE wORlD's FuLL oF ChEAtERs, THiEVeS, aND LIaRs. ThERe'S NOtHInG To bElIeVe iN ANyMorE," the apparition said, its voice perfectly mimicking Virizion's.

"You monster!" Terrakion snarled. He tried to stagger to his feet, but Lugia forced him down, cawing angrily.

"MaKInG FrIEnDs wIlL jUsT lEAd tO HEarTaChE aNd DiSaPpOiNTmEnt. ThAt'S wHY i'Ve lEt eVErYtHInG Go… AnD eMBraCeD The VoID," the apparition said, completely monotone. Necrozma then dispelled the smoke and blasted both his visitors with red and black beams. He sucked the life out of Cobalion and Terrakion, leaving behind cold, empty husks. They crystallized while Necrozma gulped down his newly-obtained light.

He straightened himself up, flexing his claws.

"Good. She's gone," Necrozma said, rubbing his armored forehead. His third eye wriggled inside. "Stupid overgrown Zubat… trying to dispose of me with such simple-minded platitudes." He floated forward and swatted Cobalion and Terrakion with his arm. An energy crescent blasted their bodies off the island. They careened into the black vortex swirling underneath it.

"Okay. Now that that's taken care of… I say it's time we located Latias," Necrozma said, licking his lips eagerly. "Don't you?"

He turned to Lugia, who spread his wings and belted out a defiant roar.

---

For reference, Necrozma's apparition is paraphrasing some of Virizion's dialogue from Gates to Infinity.

Hopefully you found this enjoyable, despite its length. Some folks have noticed a shift in Necrozma's sanity as of late. If I did my job right, then this shed some light on what might be happening to him. For those curious about the "body language" Nicky uses with his shifting eye colors and head tendrils, I actually commissioned a very talented artist, Toonirl, to make some PMD-style icons that do a great job showing this off. You can view them on her tumblr page: toonirl dot tumblr dot com post / 181008390616 / commission-for-ambyssin-commission-info. Remove all the spaces and replace each "dot" with a period, since FFN hates links for some reason. There are also ones for Shane as a Vulpix on there, but you'll have to look around. Now for some replies

SuperOmegaGuest: perhaps this special answered some of your questions about Necrozma and Nicky? Alternatively, ask some of the other reviewers, because some of them are definitely on the right track.

Anon Omega: well, you seem to be the only one interested, but the blog is up and running now. Check my profile page for the "link"

Once again, I'd like to thank everyone who's supported this fic over the past year. From those who are reading silently or following the fic to those leaving comments publicly, in PMs, or on Discord. You guys rock! Here's to a great 2019 where, if things go according to plan, we'll see this story through to its end.

Next time: no New Year hangovers for this fic, because we're partying hard at Sunset Shoals!