A Saturn drabble I wrote! It's a bit rambly but I've spent way too much time on it to want to edit further. Sad boy refuses to let go and move on from Cyrus' disappearance. Saturn views Cyrus as a father figure, which is why he refuses to let him go. Defied orders to not look for him because he is desparate for answers. He's 19 now, was 17 during Spear Pillar.

Denial.

You could call it that.

His throat tight, the young Commander picked up the headset from the central command console, a few of his Grunts briefly looking over to him as he cleared his throat, giving a sigh before he held the earpiece up. After a few seconds of silence, a finger came down onto a switch on the console, held there for a few seconds before he began speaking into the microphone. "This is Galactic Commander Saturn, calling to Master Cyrus. Distortion World from Veilstone City. Routine check. This is attempt number six-nine-seven-four at establishing contact. Repeat, attempt 6974. Requesting response."

Silence. Greeted by nothing but static. It was what he expected, yet it never got any more disappointing whenever it was heard. He bit at his lip, hoping, praying for any sort of response, anything except for static – and he got one. A distant, distorted cry audible over the static, causing the Commander to shudder. He had never been sure what exactly the cry was, perhaps Giratina's? It picked up on the radio waves on occasion, a sound all too familiar, yet it never got any less unsettling.

"Nothing heard. Out." His voice faltered for the last words of the transmission as Saturn's gaze fell to the floor, pulling the earpiece away from his ear and setting it down on its stand, swallowing back a bit of bile that had come up as his mind lingered on that twisted cry. A click as he flicked off the switch on the control panel, Saturn clenched and unclenched a fist a few times, a heavy exhale coming past his lips.

Twelve pings a day, every single day, for months - years. It got exhausting within the first few months, yet he persisted, ever hopeful despite how draining it was, despite how much of a strain it was on his mind. The dejected Commander walked past his underlings, collapsing into the chair in front of his own control panel in the corner of the room, slumped over the console in front of him.

He rested his chin on his hands, elbows resting on the console's surface while his fingers curled against his cheeks, shutting his eyes and giving out a small breath, focusing on the darkness overtaking his vision. It was calm, quiet, Saturn allowing his mind to wander, daydream, mind conjuring up a vivid image of himself and his Master, hearing himself ask the questions that had been burning in his mind for years. Why didn't you tell me your plans? Why was I kept out of it? Were you going to take us with you? Were you planning to abandon us? Why did you leave me? Why?

He took a shaky breath to calm himself, feeling himself relax as the image in his mind quickly faded, only for it to be replaced with a pair of crimson orbs. Staring. Soulless. Unblinking. Ripping his eyes open and gasping for breath, his fingers gripped at his hair, feeling his heart now racing in his chest, in his throat, eyes wide and staring forwards at the console in front of him.

Croaking, quiet, finally snapped the young Commander out of his state, feeling something brushing against his legs, his heart racing in his chest as his eyes darted down to look at his Toxicroak next to him. A small ribbit came from her as she climbed clumsily up onto her trainer's lap, a clear expression of concern over her face. A soft exhale, and he brought a hand up to her cheek, gently thumbing over her dry skin to try and ground himself, leaning back in his seat and bringing his legs up onto the console to give Toxi more room.

It had been years since he had watched in horror as Master Cyrus was swallowed up by that - that shadowy monster. He should have just accepted it. Moved on. Tried to pick up the pieces of his life. But he wouldn't accept it. He refused to accept it. His Master was still out there and he knew it — and he knew that he wouldn't just let his Master leave him without explanation, that he wouldn't just let him — abandon him.

Arceus, he wasn't even there yet it felt like all he could see any time he closed his eyes was that beast, that creature that took his Master away, that being that locked away the answers he wanted — the answers he needed.