Hello everyone! As promised, I have brought a new chapter to you all, and much sooner than last time! Also, we are approaching the finale of this epic tail...I mean, tale. Thank you for your patience, and please enjoy.
"" = human speech / Pokéspeech when no human is present
"italics" = telepathy / speech within the ancestral memory
italics = thoughts / within the ancestral memory
"underline" = Pokéspeech when humans are present
Despite my invisibility, Eve manages to find me; thankfully, I finish crying by then. As the sun peeks over the horizon, we sneak out of the enclosure and into the woods surrounding the building. At the treeline, I hesitate; I still can't leave Nana alone. Eve told me she passed on the recording, but whether she chose to listen to-
Suddenly, a brief howl echoes from the building, and is quickly cut off. "That was Nana!" I cry, stepping forward. However, Eve holds me back.
"It's…too late," she says solemnly. "Even if we go back in, there's too many people in there; we're sure to get caught. Just trust she heard your message…"
I sigh in defeat; she has a good point. "All right. I pause, thinking. "So…what do we do now?"
"That's…up to you," she replies, also pausing. "I admit I want to return to Kevin and explain what happened, but…I also promised you I would help you until you reach your goal. Your other goal, I mean; the ninetales in the mountains."
I nod to show I heard, but don't reply. I am also conflicted; the whole reason I sought out the ninetales was to get help freeing Nana, but that's not possible now. I feel tears prick in the corners of my eyes again, but I fight the urge; I've cried enough tonight. Taking a deep breath, I finally say, "Can we take a rest? I know it's morning, but…after all that's happened, I…"
"I understand," she replies, nodding as well. "Take your time."
I lay down and close my eyes, as if to sleep. I feel Eve lay down beside me, but I don't mind right now. Instead, I relax as I delve back into my ancestral memory.
Once more, I stand in the starry void; I've been coming here a lot recently. Around me dances the millions of memories of my ancestors, some of them calling out in quiet voices, tempting me. However, I reign myself in this time; I'm here for a reason. Wordlessly, I transmit the name of my Nana into the void, seeking anything related to her. The voices quiet, and then one star blinks and brightens. As my vision goes white, I brace for the transition into the memory.
As my vision clears, I sense that I'm walking…no, the ninetales I'm viewing is walking, and carrying something. I can't see what it is, as it's slightly below my vision; I'm seeing everything through my ancestor's eyes. The surroundings look very familiar; in fact it looks just like the forest I grew up in.
As if to confirm my theory, a large shadow steps from the trees in front of 'me', resolving into the shape of Nana. 'I' stop and set the object down at 'my' feet as Nana speaks.
"Mystia…it's been a while." She pauses, then continues. "Is that yours?"
"No," I hear 'myself' reply; the voice of my ancestor seems a little familiar… "I found him alone in the woods but have no time to take care of him myself. Can you do it, Firedancer?"
"I'm no fool, my friend," Nana scoffs. "No self-respecting mother would leave a newborn alone for even a second, let alone abandon it. What's the catch?"
'I' chuckle. "I knew I couldn't fool you. You see, he's-"
A sudden burst of static fogs my vision, like my ancestor is trying to hide something. When it clears, Nana stands in a defensive position, as if shocked by something.
"You know I want nothing to do with trainers!" she growls. "Why bring him to me?"
"Like I said, I don't have the time to raise him myself. Besides, I feel he will benefit from your opinion on humans, as misguided as it is."
"Misguided? He broke his promise!"
'I' sigh but don't refute her. Instead, 'I' nudge the thing at 'my' feet with 'my' paw. "So will you do it or not?"
She pauses for a moment, then sighs. "I guess so. I do owe you for getting the cops away from me. Should I mention you to him? He's still asleep."
"Not by name," 'I' reply. "If he becomes curious about where he came from, make something up; it's absolutely vital he does not know-"
Another burst of static; I'm getting a little annoyed at whoever is blocking me. When it clears, I can see 'myself' walking back into the woods. However, 'I' do look back once, and what I see shocks me out of the memory – a young vulpix kit that is quite familiar. It's me!
I wake from my meditation with a cry, startling Eve and apparently Kevin as well; he must have arrived while I was 'resting'.
"What's wrong?" Eve asks, her ribbon wrapping around her partner's leg to serve as translation. "You were tossing and turning in your sleep."
"Um…I had a dream," I say telepathically, for Kevin's sake. "In my dream, I saw one of my ancestor's memories, and it was…when Nana 'found' me. Turns the ninetales I'm looking for gave me to Nana shortly after I was born."
"Wait, what?" Kevin exclaims. "How can you tell?"
"Because…I saw through her own eyes."
"Through her eyes?" he asks.
"I think Sol explained it to me," Eve chimes in. She looks at me in question, and I reluctantly nod. "You see, ninetales have the ability to observe the memories of other all ninetales, both past and present. I believe it's called…ancestral memory?"
"Yes," I reply. "I discovered shortly after I evolved that I had gained access to this well of information. This is how I deduced the truth about Nana's reasoning."
"So…all ninetales can do this? Why haven't we heard about this before?" he muses.
"I believe most of us choose to keep it a secret," I insist. "I made Eve promise not to tell others without my permission, so I ask you do the same. We ninetales hid our ability for a reason; I will not betray that intent."
"Um…okay, I promise," Kevin states. "But what do we do now?"'
"What indeed…" a voice responds, startling everyone. From behind a tree steps a Xatu, one that looks familiar to me. After a moment, I gasp.
"It's you!" I gasp, lapsing into normal speech. "You're the Pokémon I saw shortly after I evolved; you told me about Nana's friend!"
"Indeed," he replies, nodding. "I said before that your fate was interesting, but in truth I was sent. She became aware of you as soon as you evolved, so she wishes to see how you are. However, she did not tell me why you were important; I managed to glean why from her later."
"Then, can you tell me?" I ask, trying not to sound desperate. "I know it has something to do with humans, as Nana was initially against raising me for that reason, but…I can't remember anything else…"
"It is not my place to tell, I'm afraid," he replies. "However, I can guide you to where she is; that is why I was sent today. Your friends may come as well if you wish."
I pause, somewhat conflicted. Given what Eve had done for me, I was no longer as distrustful as I was before. However, despite all the good Kevin has done for me, I can't shake my own reservations about humans. And I know Eve won't go anywhere without her partner. I look over at the two of them, only to see them locked in mental conversation yet again. Having such a tight bond like that…almost makes me feel jealous…
"Eve?" I speak up, catching her attention. "If you want to stay with Kevin, that's fine. You've done enough for me as it is; you deserve to return to your partner. But I'm going with the Xatu; I have to know the truth about my past."
"And I suppose Kevin can't some with us?" she asks skeptically. "You would think after berating your guardian about her own apprehension, you'd be more open yourself…"
"It's not entirely for that reason," I hedge. "I also worry how she will react; something must have offended her if I ended up in this state."
"You mean, a curse?" Kevin chimes in, catching me off guard. I forgot he could understand me through Eve. "I think I'll be fine as long as I don't offend her…"
"What curse?" I ask, confused. Something about the idea put me on edge, but I don't know why. "Ninetales and vulpixes cannot be cursed by other ninetales."
"After I got Joshua back to town, while you and Eve were en route here, I did a little research," he replies. "Remember that illusion you showed us when we first met? I found a listing of a missing person that matches the description of your illusion. Apparently, an elite trainer by the name of Henry Johnson disappeared, and no sign was ever found of him, save for one of his Pokémon; a salamence, I think."
"A…salamence…" I stutter, suddenly worried. "How long ago did he disappear?"
"According to the records, about…ten years ago. His Pokémon turned up six years ago, when another trainer turned in their Pokéball."
A feeling of foreboding began creeping up my spine. There's no way it's that coincidental… I think. Could it be true?
"If we are careful, we should be fine, right?" Eve interrupts my thoughts. "By the way, is that what you did to Joshua and his manectric?"
"Sort of," I reply. "The manectric didn't receive a full curse, only something to debilitate him momentarily. Joshua, however, received a full curse, as he stepped on my tail."
"And how long do those kinds of curses last?" Eve asks with concern.
Knowing the answer, I grimace. "The one I cast on the manectric probably went away as soon as he was recalled, since it acts like normal status conditions. The one on Joshua, however…Full curses are meant to last a lifetime. And I mean one of my lifetimes, not that of normal creatures…"
"And can they be broken?" Kevin asks the obvious question, and the one I dread answering. Especially if his theory is correct…
"While we ninetales can cast curses on others…we cannot lift them on our own." I reply hesitantly. "The power required usually needs assistance from those more powerful than us. Like…legendaries."
The silence after I stop is deafening. We all muse on this information, worried expressions on our faces or muzzles. Finally, the xatu gives a telepathic cough, breaking our reverie. "If you wish to meet with her, we must depart soon; time is not on your side," he says.
I admit, I am no longer as excited to see her as I was before. But I have no other plans or direction, so I have to. I turn to the others and say in my most neutral tone, "Shall we?" I'm not even phased by having Kevin along, as they both nod back. The xatu spreads its wings wide, and with a displaced pop, all four of us disappear.
And there you have it. The seeds of doubt have been sown, and the only way to dispel them is to meet with Mystia herself. I will note, the xatu is NOT taking them directly to Mystia; the next chapter will cover their journey. After that is the destined encounter, followed by a final epilogue. So, only two chapters left!
I also have plans for a bonus chapter or two, based on requests from readers, so who knows?
Take care, everyone! Stay safe amid this crisis, and may your Embers never fade!
