…

Okay... I think they're gone…

Hey guys riolulover97 here, Back with another chapter of Dual natures!…...okay, I think I lost them somewhere past the alleyway, and when I ran into wall mart. Gotta remember that.

…

Uh…

ON WITH THE CHAPTER!

The only difference between a hero and the villain is that the villain chooses to use that power in a way that is selfish and hurts other people.

- Chadwick Boseman

Eventually, we had made our way to a small group of Pokemon that consisted of a blitzle, a treecko, a makhuita, and a croagunk...

He was right. This IS the most diverse group of people I have ever seen.

chill buster – Deltarune (remix by nyxtheshield.)

"Well, well, well. It seems we have a new guy on our hands." the croagunk said, presumably to me.

"Alright! Now there's finally ten of us!" said the blitzle, seemingly pleased by the turn of events.

"Uh before we get ahead of ourselves, who ARE you guys?" I said, wanting some clearance on the group of strangers I had just been introduced to.

"Allow me." Eini said, indicating that she knew enough about this group to give a summary about them.

"Everyone, this is Eli. He's new to this entire place, so let's not harass him….more than necessary." they all got a chuckle out of that line...oh, this is going to be a long day.

She walked over to the blitzle first "Eli, this is Zoe. She's probably the most energetic of the group out of all of us, but only when she wants to be."

"Hi!" she said sticking her hoof out, I shook it naturally...don't tell my mom that by the way, she's a bit of a germaphobe. (in fact, don't tell her ANY of this okay?)

Eini then walked over to the treecko. "And this is Vasu. He's a nice guy, but he doesn't talk very much." he then grunted and nodded at me.

She kept walking to the next guy. "This is Jax. He's probably the strongest out of all of us, but also the slowest."

"What's up?" he asked as we shook hands. (at this rate, it was to be expected.)

She then walked to the final member of the circle. "And here we have Amar. He's a doer, and is the guy you go to when you need help with something."

"The pleasure's mine." he said, though he warned against me shaking his hand for...some reason.

I then took notice of a strange figure in the back...a...golett I think. "Who's that guy?" I asked pointing my stub at it.

Eini turned to look at them "Him? That's Seoc..he's a bit...reclusive. He helps us when we need it, but not without some kind of price."

The being of clay seemingly was looking off into the distance lost in thought, his arms crossed.

I then moved on to my next question about this group. "So what is it you guys do, if anything?" I asked.

Jax then answered me. "Well to put it one way, we're kind of like the mischief makers of the Pokemon center. We go around and find out secrets about the place that could benefit the Pokemon that are here, and then give that info to the highest bidder...we're kind of like detectives." he explained as thoroughly as he could.

"Only instead of saving lives, you just make them...easier? And at the expense of the people who own the facility no less?" I asked, wondering if I should even be associating myself with these people.

"Hey, we never said that our cause was entirely just. And it's not like we're out to ruin their lives or something, we're just taking what they're not giving." Amar tried to reason with me.. I still didn't really get it. "Now if you want somebody around here that's just a bunch of JERKS, look no further than Iman's gang."

"Oh yeah, they suck." Eini said in a blunt manner, clearly not a fan of this 'Iman'.

"Dare I ask why?" I said, curious as to why this was the case.

Eini sighed and gave me a rundown. "Well, basically they're this group of thugs that just make life harder for everybody, even themselves in some ways. To them, humans are gods, and Pokemon are slaves. So they do everything they can to make life better for the humans by rating out secrets Pokemon find about the place and get the higher-ups to fix whatever that was."

"...You know….that doesn't sound all that bad to be honest.." I said, a bit reluctantly given the situation.

"Yeah I know, and it's not like I have a grudge against humans or whatever, EXCEPT HE'S COMPLETELY BIASED!" Eini shouted before calming down slightly.

"He only does it because they always reward him with treats, or toys, or more lackey's! He SAYS that he thinks extra treatment for Pokemon is unfair, yet he never refuses it when HE'S the one getting pampered!" She then took a moment to sigh and said, "..I'm sorry it's just, I can't keep my cool when that guy is involved."

"No, I get it. He's doing this only for his own selfish gain, I'd start yelling myself if I knew him personally." I answered, now officially on her side with this debate. "But anyway, is there anyone else I should know?"

"Well..yeah there is..." Eini then started looking around the room. "...Hey...where are the other two?" she asked, implying that there was someone missing from the group.

"They're probably off in that place again, who knows when they'll leave." the treecko said, clearing up the issue. Eini then sighed.

"Really? Again? *sigh* I know she's bashful, but this is just ridiculous." she stated clearly not pleased with the new development. "...Eli, they're not here right now, but there's also a teddiursa and pansear in our group. We don't know why but-"

"GUYS!" a pansear shouted as he ran to the group. Presumably, the same one that Eini was talking about.

"Kunal? Why are you running?" Eini asked, unaware of why he was in such a rush.

Let the music finish if it hasn't already.

He was panting and clearly in distress. "Whoa man! Relax!" Zoe said, trying to get him to...well, relax. "Why are you freaking out?" she asked.

"They….*pant*...they got Julia!" he managed to say before resuming his panting.

"What!? WHO?!" Jax asked, wanting to know who exactly 'they' were.

"*pant*...im...ima..."

He didn't need to say the rest.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Eini screamed. "OKAY, I know this guy antagonizes us, but WE TOOK A VOW!"

"And you expected him to honor it?" Amar asked.

"AT LEAST MORE THAN-you know what? Doesn't matter, kunal where is she?" Eini asked.

"...The next...room over...*pant*" he breathed out before he fell to the ground, exhausted.

"Right, Jax the vent!" Eini said before he nodded and ripped the cover off the nearest one.

"Wait, WAIT! what's going on?!" I asked, everything happening too fast for me to make sense of it all.

Eini then turned to me. "There's no time for me too explain, your either coming with us or not!" she said as she ran into the air vent along with everyone else...leaving me alone…..in silence….with someone possibly in danger….

Wait.

HOLD ON, BACK UP-SOMEONE IN DANGER?!

I felt the same instinct to protect my sis...the one that got me in this mess...but I'd be lying if it didn't propel me into that vent at an alarming speed, and get me to where I was needed FAST.

(TIME SKIP: 240 SECONDS LATER)

Once I had finally made it out of those vent's, I saw I was in a different room. It was much more rocky, with hills and dirt. The group I was introduced to square off against a group I knew not….but before I could run to their side…

(A/N Now I love Pokemon, but I'm not exactly a veteran, so forgive me if any of the moves the Pokemon shown here use are not ones they can actually learn...or are even in the games for that matter.)

Team skull battle music - Pokemon sun/moon

"ARM THRUST!" Jax shouted as he threw his arm at what I think was a rattata. It then retaliated as it sunk its teeth into his arm….it drew blood…

Blood….

Blood…..they actually….just….

I could feel myself shrinking backwards... I took a step back. "blood..." I took another. "...they just drew blood..." I took another…..it was then I had a terrifying thought. "What if…..what if….." as I was thinking, a saw one of the rattata's eyes….all I saw was rage...pain...the veins...oh god the veins…. I knew then….yes….they were trying to do that...they were ABSOLUTELY trying to do that.

I ran. I ran harder than I could ever remember running. I jumped into a nearby bush... I was terrified. I could see through the leaves that they were still fighting…. I was so terrified that I wasn't about to ask why these leaves were so out of place. LET THAT SINK IN.

The treecko then grunted loudly and sent a storm of leaves at the rats. They screamed in pain at this before jumping back. "CHARGE BEAM!" Eini cried before the rats were sizzled with volts and then fell to the ground unconscious. She was then caught off guard by a team of sewaddle that shot the same storm of leaves at her. She flinched and then jumped back.

"FLAME CHARGE!" Zoe cried as she ran through all of the bugs at once. They were all knocked out. Next was a group of patrat that jumped on her and bit down hard. She screamed and started to try and shake them off. She was successful, but the patrat were already lunging at her to do it again.

"POISON JAB!" Amar shouted before he started thrusting his hands into the patrat, who all started to turn purple afterward...so that's why he warned me…

let the music play out if it hasn't already.

eventually there were no more goons left The six of them stood there, panting. "..*pant*..*pant*..you guys okay?" Eini asked her friends.

"..*pant*..never better." they all responded at the same time... I just stood there….

They….actually did it... I thought.

"..Phew..okay, let's find Julia and then get out of here before someone finds us." She said as she started to walk to the door out of the room...before a voice interrupted her.

"Don't get ahead of yourself now." it said. I turned and tried to locate it, but it was to no avail.

"! Where are you Iman! I know your voice!" Eini yelled at the voice wherever it may be.

"Well if you must know," it said as the vent on the top left shot forward into the wall and out of the vent jumped a growlithe...with a scar on his chest.

Chaos – fire emblem awakening

He then turned to the shinx and smiled an evil smile. "...Well. aren't the gods kind to offer me another chance to see you again..how long has it been, since we last met face to face?" the fire type asked. Eini said nothing, just stared back at him. "What? No tears? No hateful words? Don't tell me you've already forgiven me for all those months ago."

"For me to forgive you would mean I would be casting all my beliefs aside as if they were nothing...for me to be upset with you would be childish..." she then turned to the left, refusing to meet his gaze. "I'm just sad you can't see what you've done wrong." her voice was cold, precise. Very much different from the playful tone I heard in it before. He just laughed at this...and then said something I didn't see coming.

"You KNOW you can't convince me that humans are weaker than Pokemon… I can't be swayed from who I am babe."

It was that first word that set off a red light in my head. "Babe? Why would he..." before I could piece two and two together, the answer was flat out shoved into my face.

"Oh, get off your high ponyta." she said before she looked to the left again. "…. I don't know what I saw in you." she then looked him dead in the eyes. "Wait, yes I do. A dying boy, crying out for help...one I couldn't save..." as she said this last sentence, her head fell to the ground.

He then grunted. "I'll get off mine, once you get off yours. You KNEW what kind of person I was, and the lengths I was willing to go to in order to get my way." he then smiled again. "But you went along with it anyway….come now Eini, we all know there was a time when you were no different than me." Iman said as he looked at her.

"..." She didn't respond.

"Heh, not even gonna try to defend yourself? Typical." he said as he looked to the upper-left. "...you know,...it was things like THAT. Things just like this that made me frustrated with you...you NEVER did anything for yourself back then, and I always had to do everything….it got to a point..." as his voice trailed off, his paws were suddenly lit aflame with a burning fire. "...Where I wanted to BEAT the lesson into you."

End song

"...Well, now's your chance." she said as her paws suddenly crackled with electricity, the voltage dancing through her fur as a soft hum resonated with the charge….

They both stood each other down for 60 seconds..

"….Oh, but one small thing." he said as ninjask suddenly appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her friends while lifting them into the air.

"W-WHAT THE HECK!?" Zoe yelled as every one of them was immobilized in the ninjask's iron grip.

"This is between US, and US ALONE!" He shouted as he lunged at her.

Chaos (ablaze) – FE: awakening

"FIRE FANG!" he screamed as his mouth burst into flame, nearly biting Eini who jumped back before it hit her.

"CHARGE BEAM!" she yelled as a beam of volts hurled in his direction. He smiled and ran to the left dodging it while she tried to cut him off with the beam. Before she could, he jumped against the wall.

"FIRE CLAW!" he shouted as the flames on his paw took the form of five inch long nails while launched off the wall, slashing at Eini who was still trying to hit him with charge beam. She hissed at the burn, but it wasn't enough to stop her next move.

"THUNDER FANG!" she yelled as her teeth took the shape of bolts that pierced the fur of the growlithe. He jumped back and slammed her against a wall before she could get a grip on him.

As he jumped back a few feet, he said "...UGH, your VOICE is worse than your BITE. That barely did anything!" he said as he landed.

"I know." she said as an aura of sparks flew around her. "CHARGE!" she shouted as she absorbed the sparks. "CHARGE BEAM!" she screamed as she anticipated where he was going to dodge and met him halfway….that did a number on him.

"AHHH!" he screamed as he jumped up to escape the damage...probably what she was planning for him to do.

"THUNDER FANG!" she cried as she lept into the air to capitalize on this maneuver. Yet before the move could hit, he spun to the left and retaliated.

"FIRE FANG!" he shouted as his teeth met flesh. Eini screamed as she frantically ran around the room trying to shake him off.

"CHARGE!" she shouted as sparks flew into her again, paralyzing Iman. She then slammed him against the wall. "CHARGE BEAM!" she screamed as the volts flew forward into her target. He screamed again in pain. "THUNDER FANG!" she yelled, attempting to knock him out. He then lept to the side and kicked her with his hind legs..

She did a flip and then landed on the ground. A few feet away...they were both pretty torn up. Her fur was singed and charred black in a few spots, while he had marks carved into his skin with static whipping around his body.

"c'mon Eini! YOU GOT THIS!" Jax shouted, giving her words of encouragement.

"WIN THIS! FOR ALL OF US!" Zoe added, believing that this was doable.

"He's a cat drunk off his own power! SHOW HIM WHAT FOR!" Amar yelled, believing in Eini too.

The two of them stared down each other down for ten seconds

"...*Pant*...that's it...I've had enough of this." he said as his entire body suddenly burst into flame. "I WILL NOT FALL TO THE LIKES OF YOU! FLAAAARRRREE!" he screamed as the flames surrounded his body.

"...*pant*...figures you'd need...to get desperate.." she said as lightning started to crackle around her. "BUT I CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE THIS ONE! VOOOOLLLLLT!" she screamed as electricity exploded around her, creating an aura of destruction.

"BLIIIITZ!" he screamed as he charged forward, rage in his eyes.

"TACKLLLLLLE!" she screamed as she did the same, down to the exact berserk rage.

The two moves met with a sickening crack, as they struggled for dominance. Spears of lighting met tongues of flame as the two of their heads pushed against each other...sadly, Iman started to gain ground slowly. Step by step.

When he had her in the right position he swung his claw at her side, catching her off guard long enough to cancel her move and use his finisher. "FLAMETHROWER!" he cried as he shot a stream of flame at her, she screamed as she was pushed against the wall by the torrent of flame.

Let the music play out If it hasn't already

He took a moment to pant and catch his breath before he smiled and made his way to Eini. She was almost completely spent, her fur had streaks of black all over it...she tried to push herself back up…..but then….a single tear ran down her face.

Everyone in the room save for Iman was shocked about this. Seemingly even Eini herself. She touched her cheek as it slid down, the drop of water wetting her paw...she just looked on, unable to comprehend why she was crying before more started to run down her face.

"..There...You always would cry when you got hurt….remember when you always came to me when you needed to be patched up?" Iman said as he placed a paw against the wall. She just looked at her own, the tears still flowing.

"...What I wouldn't give to go back to those days…...when you were still yourself…..when you weren't THIS." she spoke as she let her paws lie on the floor, almost completely immobilized. Too weak to move any further than she already had. He then looked at her with that same smile on his face before…..

He kissed her….

It was only on her cheek, but it still counted...she looked at him with a look of disgust, mixed with confusion as to what he was doing. "...Well I will admit, I WAS more attractive back then…." he whispered as he then kissed her throat...she groaned, trying to raise her paws to swat him away. He then placed his paws on hers to keep her from doing this. "Oh, no, no, no. You owe me this." he said as he resumed the kiss.

Her friends looked on in disgust at this…. I looked on in fear...he kissed her throat…...that means he's trying to pleasure her….and that could mean….. "No.." I thought. "..Please, please, no."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you any more than I already have." he said. "...Well, no actually. I'm still going to hurt you." as he said this, he bit a small part of fur under her neck. But unlike before, he was very gentle while doing so. "But hey once it passes, it won't feel like pain at all. Heck, In a strange way you might even find it…..likable." he whispered this last part in a slow, quiet voice. Meant for her ears and hers alone….

When she realized what was about to happen, all she could do was whisper in horror. "...No..."

"..Ah, it seems you've caught on." he said in that same quiet voice as his kisses and nibbles ever so slowly started moving downward."

"No!" she said as she tried to move her body, but the burns, bites, and scratches hurt too much for her to even wiggle.

"Oh, don't be like that. Just consider this one of the few favors I will do for you given everything that's happened." he said as he eventually had made his way to a very, VERY sacred spot on her body.

"NO!" she screamed as she realized this may be why she was crying earlier, her body realized what her mind had not.

"...The only thing I'm curious about is….will I have a son? I suppose it doesn't really matter but if so, I hope he grows to be strong. And more than willing to listen to what his father tells him…. I ALSO hope he doesn't end up like you...a shinx….and is too kind for his own good." He said as he started to…..lie on top of her.

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NOOOOO!" she started screaming as she felt him rub her sides...this couldn't be happening….

"….it'll only last for a few minutes, okay?" He then felt an air of accomplishment around him…..he knew what was coming….he breathed in through his nose, wanting to smell that familiar scent he knew all those years ago…

He smelled something else….something different.

Once he caught the sent, he felt confused. He sniffed the air again just to be sure he wasn't imagining it, but it was there alright….it was coming….from the bush…...my bush…...he had my sent.

I realized he was looking straight at the bush I was hiding in. I backed up slowly, to avoid rustling any leaves. "...don't tell me….for the love of whatever god is out there please don't tell me..." I thought as I desperately tried to bury myself in the bush.

He looked at it for a few seconds before he rose from his…..'stance' and turned to walk to it. Before he did, however, he caused pillars of fire to rise from the ground, trapping Eini behind them. "This won't change anything." he said coldly before resuming his march.

No matter how much I tried to sink back into the bush, he just kept walking forward. Eventually, he walked straight into the bush…. I shut my eyes. "….please don't….please just don't." I kept thinking over and over again….before I felt hot air on my face.

"That's not going to protect you."

Gods, have the risen spread this far? - FE: awakening

I felt myself fly through the air for a few moments before I crashed against the ground, I cried in pain once I hit the floor.

"E-Eli?!" Eini said shocked that had come here before I slid across the floor, propelled forward by some sort of hard impact as I cried in pain. "ELI!" she shouted as I slammed against the other wall.

I rubbed the side that had taken the impact. "owww." I moaned as I then remembered the situation I was in and looked up, to see Iman looking straight at me.

"...So….i guess he's my...replacement then...isn't he?" the growlithe asked as he looked at her, expecting an answer.

"YOU LEAVE HIM OUT OF THIS!" she demanded, not wanting me to get involved in whatever this mess was….he just chuckled.

"Oh, I'm afraid that's not possible Missy...you see, this boy has heard...too much….he's SEEN to much." he said as he slowly advanced to me.

I was starting to fear for my life. I tried to crawl my way to the vent where I came from, but before I could make it a burst of flame cut me off. I then tried to crawl in the other direction, but then another burst of flame kept me from going there. "Oh, no you don't. You staying RIGHT THERE….where I want you."

I was panting really heavily as he started to close the distance between us..before he made it the whole way, I lept to the left in a last attempt to escape... I ran straight into the fire. I heard everyone gasp as I felt the flames burn my skin. "AAAGGHHH!" was the noise I made when I passed through...it hurt. Oh, gods, it hurt. More so than anything I had felt before.

By the time I had tried to stand, he was already on top of me. "...yes….now you understand.." he said as he rolled me on my side so he could look at my face...he stared at me for a while…"...fear….it's been a while since I saw that in a Pokemon..." he continued to stare at me…."...you know….watching you fear for you life like this is...oddly satisfying...even I am not sure why…..but..." as he said the rest, he trailed a nail around my body. ".. I like to think….that its because whenever I see Pokemon in fear….it tells me that I am so much stronger than them….they should fear me...all things considered….why, I could end their lives….just like….that." as he said 'that' he swiftly moved his claw across my chest. I winced as he did this….and then felt...something wet trickle down my side..as I looked at my chest I gasped….there was a red line where his claw had been...it was leaking blood.

"...However…." he said as he placed his paw on my neck. "...I might allow you to live...if you do me a small favor." as he said this, he raised my chin so that I was staring into his eyes. "….if you promise me that you will allow me to go on with my….'business'…..and swear you won't tell anyone, I'll let you scamper off into the place you came from...what do you say?" he said to me…

I thought to myself. "Is...is he saying..." I breathed in once I realized what I was being told.. I looked at Eini in horror...she looked back at me…...with dread.

"….Yes, that's right. Her." he then placed his claws on my throat. "So what will it be? Your life…..or her…...'sanity'….".

I was left with an impossible decision. I could either die here, at the hands of this madman. Or I could escape….at the cost of….. I looked at her..then at him…..her…..him….her…..him….."Eini" I thought…

Let the music play out If it hasn't already.

I….

started…..

crying….

Everyone looked at me confused….they didn't understand.

This group had only done nice things to me and I had only now begun to realize that. Sure, I may have had a bit of a bad first impression, but it was all in the name of friendship….they had only been nice to me this entire time…... I couldn't just let this happen to Eini….

But I'm practically being held at GUNPOINT here! if I say that out loud, THAT'S IT! CURTAINS! SHOW'S OVER FOLKS!…..and I can't just die here, my family is waiting for me to come home….so they can laugh with me again…..so hey can be with me again…...so they can know that I'm okay…..if I die now….then…

I was torn between two sides I couldn't choose between….and it seems Iman knew this.

"...So you ARE afraid of me….but you can't bring yourself to betray your friends...is that it?" he asked... I didn't have the ability to answer him. "..hmm….well if that's the case, allow me to..make it easier for you to choose." he said as he removed his paw from my throat...and raised it above his head.

"Don't worry, this will only hurt enough…..TO MAKE YOU WISH YOU WERE NEVER CONCEIVED!" he screamed as he swung his paw downward….but….before he could hit me…..

It was as if…..

Time itself…..

Stopped….

I looked around the room….nothing moved...the pillars of fire were still, like concrete...the ninjask's wings didn't move, yet they remained in the air all the same... I was so confused….

Iman wasn't pinning me down, so I crawled out from under him. I eventually regained the strength to stand on all of my legs as I looked around the room..." um…..hello?" I asked as I felt uneasy with how quiet everything was….and then…..it happened…..the best and worst thing to ever happen to me…

I discovered my birth parents.

It started with a faint noise I heard. "…..li….." It whispered.

I spun around the room trying to find the cause of this noise.. "Who said that?!" I asked.

"..ple….li….ter…..th….por…." was all it said back to me..

"What are you saying? I can't hear you!" I cried to the empty space around me…

Wait...empty space? I thought to myself. But I'm surrounded by-

WHERE DID EVERYTHING GO?!

I frantically looked everywhere at once. Where I once stood was gone, replaced with empty nothingness...

"..ple….li….ter…..th….por…." I heard the same whispering I did before, only now it seemed to be slightly louder.

"Who's saying that?" I said to the darkness...nothing.

Then a strange….portal...thing appeared. It was colored light blue and was swirling gently…..for some reason, I wasn't frightened by it.

"..ple….li….ter…..th….por…."

The noise seemed to be coming from it…

Now, I'm not one-hundred percent sure why I did this, as it wasn't really like me, but I decided to walk into the portal to see what would happen…

I ended up in a space similar to the one I was in before….the only real difference was that there was a single zoroark standing there...all alone.

"...You came…..you actually came….." she said as she turned around to look at me.. "I'm so...thankful."

We stared at each other for a while... "...Eli….what's wrong?" she asked me, seemingly confused

"How….do you know my name….who even are you?" I asked, unaware of who this stranger even was…

She seemed to be upset by me saying that. "...do you….really not remember who I am?" she asked me.

"...Should I? I asked in return, unaware if I had ever seen this stranger.

Some silenced passed between us...before she balled her paw into a fist. "….Of course…..of course, those rotten humans would have sealed your memory." she said, her frustration evident in her voice.

"...Sealed my memory? What are you saying?" I asked, unsure how to respond.

She looked at me, sadness in her eyes. "...I'm sorry I just….*sigh* could you...sit down...please?" she asked me…..she looked so upset…..so pleading….. I found I was on the ground before I could realize I was even sitting.

"..." a few moments of silence passed by….before she smiled. ".. I see….maybe it's not too late." she said as she keeled to the ground...and chanted a strange prayer.

"Oh, lunala, goddess of the moon. I ask of you my humble wish…..free this boy, Eli Ansgar from the lies he has been planted with...free the memories of my son!" as she finished the chant, light started spiraling up from the ground.

"Wait-YOUR SON!? WHAT DO-" before I could finish my sentence, I felt a flurry of information enter

my brain….memories...all of them.

In a silver garden with you – fire emblem echoes.

"Come on Eli, we're gonna miss it!" I was running after a silver coated Eevee...my sister. It was late at night, but there was going to be a meteor shower any second now.

"I'm coming Tia, just give me a minute!" I shouted back at her trying to close the distance between the two of us...we were supposed to meet up with our parents at the spot with the log any second now to watch it happen.

Eventually, we made it there. Mom and dad were already there, waiting for us. "well, it took the both of you long enough to get back here." mom said, in a slightly blunt manner.

"Aw c'mon mom, at least we're here now!" Tia said, her optimism never wavering.

"What took the two of you so long to get back here anyway?" mom asked us.

"Well, you had told us that we should play to pass the time…. I guess we got a bit caught up?" I said, not really offering the best excuse, but it was better than none.

She then sighed at us. "well I suppose what matters now is that your both back, and ready to join us." she said as we all sat down to enjoy the sight…

It was beautiful…the sky was lit up with falling stars, each one brighter than the last….when it was all over the last thing I remember thinking was; "I hope the four of us will always get to have moments like this together.

"...T….these are…."

We were running through the forest, each of us determined to out speed the other...eventually I caught up to her and tackled her into a bush.

"TAG!" I shouted before she could get away.

"DANG IT!….*sigh*...and I almost beat the record too." she said, annoyed that she didn't get to win that prized title I held fondly.

"Well maybe you'll get it one day, but that day Is not today!" I said triumphantly.

"Yeah, go ahead rub it in." she said, snarking at me…

I can't remember why, but we both started laughing then…

"..M-my..."

I saw a blurry silhouette place some strange piece of sorts on a board. "alright, now if I move this here..." I thought as I moved one of my pieces forward..knocking his aside.

"*sigh*...well, that's game and set for me..." the figure said, forfeiting the match to me.

I raised my stub in triumph. "YES! I beat you!" I said, having finally beaten dad at that game he's always playing, I had been studying it for years now and had finally devised a sure-fire strategy to succeed.

"That you did my boy, that you did.." he confirmed. "...though in a way...it feels satisfying. Like I've taught you well." he explained to me.

I smiled. "That you did dad, that you did."

..R-real.."

I was snuggled up to my mom as she read me a story. "And then, the brave knight finally realized the truth...he whispered to himself; '...Zoey….my love..'" She then closed the book and put it aside. "And that's the end of the story." she said as she tried to get up….but then she realized that I was asleep.

She just smiled at me. "...Oh Eli,...you sleepyhead.." she then kissed my forehead. "I had a feeling you would fall asleep….that was a long one."...she then recalled something from the book...something important.

"Eli...never forget that the most precious thing you have….is memories of us….just like we will never forget that the most precious thing we have….are memories of you..." she then wrapped me in her arms.. "..*sigh*...Hollis may not be very happy to find out about this….seeing as how I usually sleep with him….but he's just going to have to learn to share me with you." she said while booping my nose.

"Goodnight Eli." she said as she closed her eyes...after a few moments, she fell asleep...i smiled and opened mine….she had been having trouble sleeping recently, and I thought maybe if she slept with me she'd be able to sleep easier.

"…. I swear I won't forget..." I promised to her. "...goodnight mama."..

I was around ten or eleven when these memories took place….

Five years ago…

I opened my eyes...and saw the zoroark smiling at me. "...do you remember now….sweetheart?"

The feeling I had when I was hit with Iman's flamethrower? didn't even compare to what just stabbed my heart.

"...M….mom.." I whispered…

"..Mom!" I cried to her….she….opened her arms…..for me…

"MOM!" I yelled as I ran to her side...all those years….me playing with Tia...me beating dad at that game….mom reading story's to me…..it was all flooding back...she caught me in her embrace.

"...Welcome back to us Eli..." she whispered in my ear, finally having gotten back her son after all this time…

"...Mom….i can't believe it's you….." I whispered to her. "i...I'm so sorry about-" before I could finish my thought she put her paw to my mouth.

"Don't you apologize about anything sweetie….none of this was your fault….and even if it was, I'd have forgiven you already." she said as she stroked my side…..i….couldn't stop myself.

I buried my face into her chest. "mom...i….i..." I tried to say something, but I was too shaky from the tears to form a sentence.

"It's okay….just get it out of your system." she said as we stayed there, in each other's embrace.

After a few minutes, I looked at her face...she then wiped off the tears on my face...when she was done, I smiled. "...m-mom?" I asked her.

"Yes son?" she answered me back, with the gentle kindness that I knew her for.

"...I love you…. I love you so much." I said as I hugged her chest.

"I love you too Eli." she answered back, as she did the same with me.

"..But..." I asked her a question as I pulled away. "...Why are you here?...and...where even is here?"

She then let go of me and said. "...that will be explained in due time..come, I have things I need to talk to you about." another one of those portal things appeared. We went in it shortly afterward.

End song

We arrived in an area similar to the one before but different. Now, it was nothing but white. "...Okay, I don't know how much time we have left, so I need you to listen to me okay?" she asked me.

"Alright mom." I asked as I sat down.

"...So, to answer your question from earlier, I'm reaching out to your mind right now...what we're in right now is essentially your sub-conciseness." she explained...this...confused me..

"...How are you able to do that?" I asked her.

She smiled. "you may not remember, but your father was an espeon. He's the one allowing us to communicate right now."

I then asked another question. "..so if your not technically here then...where are you?" I asked, hoping to get the chance to reunite with them soon.

"If you want to know that, you should stick with that shinx you met from earlier..she might give you a clue." mom said, indicating that Eini was important in all of this somehow.

"But why can't you just tell me now?" I asked, wondering why I had to be kept away from them still.

"That's-" before she could finish, the entire place started shaking as if there was an earthquake.

"! What's going on!?" I said as I tried to regain my footing.

"Oh no, we've been found." she said as she quickly knelt down and looked into my eyes. "Eli, I need you to know something important before I leave."

"What?!" I said, distressed that I was about to lose my mother again. "what do you-"

"If at any point you feel as if all is lost and there's nowhere left for you to turn, don't think just trust your instincts and you'll be okay." she told me before the entire place started to fade away...including her.

"MOM!" I screamed as I saw her fade away before my eyes...there was a huge flash of light…..and then everything was gone….

The next thing I heard was a strange voice I had never heard before…. I feel like I shouldn't give narration to what happens next.

"WELL LOOK WHO WE HAVE HERE, IT'S THE BOY HIMSELF!"

"..who...who are you?"

"EH, THAT'S NOT REALLY IMPORTANT. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS, DO YOU WANT TO SURVIVE?"

"...Huh?"

"LOOK, KID, IM GOING TO MAKE THIS AS SIMPLE AS I CAN SO LISTEN UP."

"IF YOU GO BACK TO WHERE YOU LEFT OFF, MISTER PYRO PSYCHO OVER HERE IS GONNA ROAST YOU ALIVE….WITHOUT SOME HELP THAT IS.."

"….What is it you want?"

"..STRAIGHT TO THE POINT EH?"

"IF YOU LET ME INSIDE YOUR BODY FOR A WHILE, I CAN HELP YOU GET OUT OF THIS MESS...AND MANY MORE AFTER IT."

"….."

"YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY OPTIONS KID, ITS EITHER ME OR HIM."

"…..Fine, on one condition."

"You can't hurt anyone I say you can't hurt in anyway shape or form...deal?"

"OF COURSE, I WOULDN'T DREAM OF SUCH A HEINOUS ACT ANYWAY."

"NOW LET ME JUST..."

"!"

"…..."

"ALL RIGHT, THAT SHOULD DO IT!"

"NOW TO HAVE SOME FUN….."

"CHAOS, CHAOS!"

….

It all came back to me in an instant.

"FIRE CLAW!" he shouted as he swung downwards…..

It all came back to me...

"Mom…"

"My family….."

"I can't die here."

I rolled to the left and then lept into the air.

…

"But I'm not about to sell my friends out either…."

"I will defeat this monster….."

" I WILL…."

"For my family….and everyone else I knew…..i love you all too much to let myself die here!"

The growlithe then realized that I was no longer under him. "...how did.." I then felt an aura of power seep around me….and thus, the final truth dawned…. I wasn't just any zorua.

"I am Eli Ansgar! The prince of illusion!"

"AND ITS TIME I LIVE UP TO THAT TITLE!

"LORD OF CHAOS, IF THOU HEARS ME, BLESS ME WITH THE STRENGTH I HAVE FORGOTTEN!"

"..."

"AS YOU WISH, MY DEAR HOST."

And so began my first battle in five years.

The world revolving around a legend - Deltarune (remix by nyxtheshield.) (or as I like to call it, the awakening of the prince)

I wasted no time. "DARK PULSE!" I shouted at the growlithe as a burst of darkness flew out of me. He was caught off guard and took the full hit. He screamed in pain, but I wasn't going to just let him just get back up. "PUNISHMENT!" I cried as multiple energy beams flew from my stub at him.

"FLAMETHROWER!" he screamed as a burst of flame met my beams… "….of all the choices you could have made…." he said in a low, menacing tone. "THAT WAS THE WORST ONE!" he shouted, his eyes now bathed in fire.

"Yeah, about that. DOUBLE TEAM!" I cried as multiple replicas of myself faded into existence. They then scattered, with me jumping into the chaos to prevent him from hitting me...after a while of this, all of them, including me said the same thing. "You want to say that again?"

"FIRE FANG!" he screamed as he tried to bite a me that wasn't me. It faded, and I retaliated.

"AERIAL ACE!" I shouted as a white blade formed at the tip of my stub that I was somehow able to grab. Using it, I cut into the punk's skin like butter. He screamed again and then tried to jump back...not like I didn't see that coming through. "PUNISHMENT!" I shouted as the beams struck him when he landed.

At this rate, I wanted to provoke him. "For all that tough guy talk earlier, you aren't really a man of your word are you?" when he got up….oh, when he got up, I wished I could have a sketch of his face it was so good...

"….It'll be a bit difficult to hide a dead body in this place..." he spoke. "BUT IT WILL BE DAMN WELL WORTH IT! FIRE FANG!" he cried as he pounced on another clone and bit it, making it fade.

Yup, he was a clone too. And the best was yet to come.

"Another one!?" he cried in confusion, unable to tell which I was real.

"Yeah, and I've got more where those came from too!" I said as I walked to him with more of myself….and then….the real show began...

One by one, my clones took the form of Eini and her friends. I loved the way they all looked when they saw clones of themselves, they were just priceless. "is this what it feels like to be a zorua?...it feels...good." I thought to myself.

"Hey, Eini!" I said, looking at the girl trapped by flames. She looked at me and as she did, I copied her body and made It my own….she was soon looking at a reflection of herself. She had the best reaction out of all of them.

"W-HU-I-GU-WAH!?" she exclaimed, her brain unable to comprehend what was happening anymore.

"This one's for you okay!" I said winking at her...man, even my VOICE was just like hers. I then stared down the baddie. "..so, any last words?" I asked.

"FLA-" before he could ready an attack, the clones were already waiting for my command to open fire.

"I'M WAAATIIIING!" I said as I gathered electricity and readied it….he was done for...and he knew it. All it took was one good look at his situation.

"…..I hope you wither in the distortion world for this you freak of nature," he said, a bitter tone in his voice.

"Yeah, about what I expected from someone like you," I said as we all used our attacks on him at once. Fire, poison, fighting, grass, and electricity hit him all at once….he screamed in agony as he fell to the floor. "Oh, and the real me was the one on the far left. Just so ya know." I said as I let out one more dark pulse….when came off the wall, he was delirious.

End song

", Uh..papa?….why are you...a..cracker?…." he mutter before he passed out.

I felt myself turn back into a zorua, and my clones fade away. "...and he thought I was afraid of him...idiot," I said, playing off my previous behavior as a ruse. I looked up at the ninjask. "WELL?! ARE YOU GOING TO LET THEM DOWN OUR AM I GONNA MAKE YOU?!" after that, they drooped them instantly and ran off into the vent he came from.

The flames surrounding Eini flickered out, and she was free. "Phew," I said as I turned to her. "So where were we before this whole-" before I could finish my sentence….i suddenly felt..really dizzy…..the same kind of dizzy I felt when I turned back into a zorua…...it wasn't long before I passed out.

And that's gonna wrap up chapter three my friends! I'm sorry the last bit felt rushed, but I've been writing this for an entire day and almost the entire night.

This is riolulover97. SLEEP. NOW. *SLAM*

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

(A/N okay so, I've written this last part because I forgot to do it earlier so bear with me.

First of all, I want to congratulate snowlucario for being the first person to post a review on this site! thanks for the words of encouragement man! the two of us have actually been talking a lot through PM's recently and he's a pretty nice guy! if you like what you've seen here and want to do me a favor, check out his fic, adventure of a lifetime! he's been working on it for a while, and I feel like someone like him deserves more great people in his life! I'd like to go into greater detail, but I'm literally going to pass out if I don't go to sleep soon, so just go check him out! you'll like what you see I promise.