Chapter 19
"You look well, lil' sister."
"Oh Saphia… I… I think I…" She felt the tears running down her cheeks now as she realized she wouldn't see her mate again. She had thought she'd lost him, then she had found him only to find he was possessed, then he had killed her, and now…
Her older sister hugged her. "It's alright. It'll be all right… death isn't... it's not the end…"
"Oh Saphia… I loved him," she said softly. "He… told me he loved me too… and I was so happy… and now… we've both died… but he's alive right now…"
Saphia smiled at her. "Who's this he? He sounds very nice."
"Tsunami."
Saphia's eyes grew large. "Tsunami?! What?! He's the one you're in love with?! My lord Arceus, I met him! He talked so kindly about you!"
"Wha-?! You met him?"
The two of them took a short time to calm down. "Oh my god, I did meet him!"
Lily gulped. "Wh-what did he say?"
"He told me about how beautiful you were… and how sweet you were… and how you two met."
"He did all that?" she asked, feeling her face redden.
"Yes. When he was talking about some cute Espeon who was the sole reason he kept going on, I thought about you. But then I realized, 'My little sister… that little Eevee… I wonder how she is doing.' Well… I guess you certainly have matured. You've become a lady mom and dad would be proud of."
Lily sighed. "So I'm dead…"
"About that… can we talk?"
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"He's not eating at all…"
Zephyr sighed. "Why are you concerned? He almost killed us all… well, except that bird who was too scared." She punched him hard on the side. "Ow, what was that for?"
"He just lost his mate, who had lost him! Imagine feeling that!"
Azura angrily stood up and walked to next to the Vaporeon. He had become dead silent ever since they had left the fortress, which had promptly flown away.
They had taken the time to bring all their injured friends off the fortress, and most of them were awake now. Pallene had mustered enough energy to start a fire, but nobody was talking much.
"Ts-Tsunami?" she asked timidly, half expecting him to pull out that fearful water sword.
But he ignored her, turning around more to avoid her.
She sat down next to him awkwardly. She gave him a hug. "It'll be alright."
He turned around, surprised. "Get… off?"
She smiled. "My mom said that a hug is the best medicine."
He seemed surprised at first, before trying to push her off. "Get off of me!" he said, though not really upset.
She felt herself being pulled off. "Eh?"
It wasn't Tsunami. It was Zephyr. "Get off of him!"
She turned around to see the Jolteon's face full of… jealousy? But she knew she had to comfort the Vaporeon, and maybe Zephyr could help.
"C'mon, let's visit her," said Azura gently.
The Vaporeon nodded glumly. "Alright," he whispered, before grudgingly pulling himself to his feet.
He walked a little bit ahead, while Zephyr poked her in the side. "What do you think you were doing?"
"Trying to make him feel better. He just lost his mate… a hug often works." She shrugged, before saying, "You sound jealous…"
"Grr… one night, I'll sink my teeth into that blue neck of yours and have a feast."
"Try your best."
The three of them arrived at the deceased Espeon's body. Tsunami gently buried his face in her side. "Oh Lily…" he whispered. The other two eons were silent. He needed time to mourn over the loss of his friend.
Azura felt hollow herself, but refused to show it. Ever since she was young, she had always tried to make people happy, and never cry. But watching how pathetic the previously horrifying Vaporeon looked was enough to draw a few tears.
Azura really liked Lily's friendliness. Sure, she wasn't outgoing and always seemed to carry sadness, but that was likely only due to the fact that her mate had died. But now… She felt a pair of arms wrap around her stomach. "It's okay," said Zephyr.
"Hey… let go of me! I wasn't crying!" He didn't respond, but didn't let go either. She sighed, and decided to let his touch calm her.
Tsunami looked up at the two of them, eyes pink from the tears. "She was so wonderful…" he said softly. "I hope she can forgive me for the crime I commited."
Azura nodded. "Tsunami… she really did love you." She then gently added, "I didn't know her for that long… but she showed it in everything she did."
"I wish I had a relationship that strong," added Zephyr.
Azura sighed. "What do you want to do? Should we bury her?"
He shook his head. "No. I would like to bring her back…"
"Why?" asked Zephyr. "I mean… she passed away… right?"
Azura shushed him. "Shh. Let him mourn."
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"So? Did you kiss?"
"N-not exactly. I threw a berry at him, then tried licking it up, and-"
Saphia smiled. "Such a tease, you."
"I thought that would be romantic…"
"Well… maybe licking berry juice is pushing the envelope… but at least he didn't run away."
"Yeah. I guess." Her mind still was trying to work out exactly what she had felt. Was it love? When she said it in her mind, when she told Saphia… she was still scared. But she trusted the Vaporeon, and he had given her no reason otherwise. Although he did kill me…
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah. It's just hard to comprehend the fact that I'm… well, dead."
Saphia blinked. "About that…"
"What?"
"There is someone who wants to… speak to you…"
"Who is it?"
Saphia looked around. "He should be here momentarily…"
"Who?"
Saphia sat down on the grass. "You'll see."
Lily sat down next to her older sister. "You're being rather cryptic."
She smirked. "Alright then, it's somebody who owes you a lot."
"Same as always, Saphia…"
"Lily…" A deep, yet gentle sounding voice rang from behind her. She turned around, and screamed before stopping herself.
"G-Giratina!"
He nodded. "That's my name."
"Wh-what are you here for? Saphia, wh-"
Her sister was walking away, and smiled. "Lily, you've got this. Tell Tsunami I said hi." Then the Sylveon continued on her way."
She gulped at the thought of being left alone with the death god of their world.
"Don't worry… I'm not one you should fear. Your issue is my brother."
She sighed. "Saphia said you could help me. What is it?"
"Well… I realize I was unable to protect your Vaporeon friend from his curse."
"A curse? Who?"
"Palkia. He was captured, and I couldn't interfere. He kept shouting your name until the curse consumed him."
Lily was silent for awhile. She could picture him doing that, calling out to her… "He was ordered to kill me… and he succeeded." Her mouth felt dry. "This is all your fault," she said quietly.
The legendary didn't argue, just bowed his head in shame. "I know. Which is why I've thought of a way to repay both of you."
She looked at him curiously. "What do you have in mind?"
"I overheard that Palkia was going to try and get a very powerful weapon."
"What do you mean?"
"Me and my brothers all control the three domains. We all wield different weapons that aid us… mine is the soul scepter, but… I'm unable to retrieve it. We all vowed to seal ours away from ourselves, but it seems Palkia wants to go against that. That I why I need your help."
"For what?"
"I'll bring you back to the land of the living. You must stop him, as if you fail, the balance of the world will be destroyed. The trinity will be broken."
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"My question is how are we going to make up to the ruins? They are floating in the sky, and how we're going to get up there is honestly beyond me," explained Siarnaq.
"Well… I have no idea… I mean… we could try and… like, Aero, you have any friends that can-" began Azura before she was interrupted.
"Don't ask for the impossible, Azura. We are talking about many Pokemon here…"
Tsunami stood there silently, and Azura wondered what he was thinking. "We need a way to get up…"
"Well well, Vaporeon… I believe I could help." They turned around to see a massive pirate ship floating above them. "I bet you never guessed my baby can fly!" said the Flareon with a smile. "Captain Lira and her crew can offer you a ride!"
"Hang on… aren't you the one who tried mating Tsunami?" began Pallene.
"I was stupid. But I overheard you guys mention floating ruins. It seems our goals are similar."
"I don't see much choice here," said Siarnaq.
Tsunami nodded. "I need to get up there… I must save her…" he said determinedly.
"Wait, what happened?" asked Azura. She turned to Thrymr. "Do you know?"
"I don't. Siarnaq, who is she?"
"She's a captain. She captured us before we met up with you guys, and tried to trick Tsunami into mating with her. Of course he didn't, but it looks like she wants to help us now."
"Okay." Azura decided she didn't want to ask. "Anyways, so we've got a way to get up now?"
"Yes. I think Tsunami plans to try use the soul scepter to bring Lily back."
"Will that even work?" Zephyr seemed skeptical.
"I don't know. I really don't know."
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Lily. Lily, can you hear me?
"Yes…" Lily stood up. "I can hear you Giratina."
Good, good. I've sent you up to the ruins. Can you see?
"Yes. I'm… wait, is this space?"
No. You're at the edge of space. The ruins have a special shield that keeps air and heat in. That said, it's a long fall down, so stay away from the edges!
She shivered. "That's a scary thought…"
You don't want to die again. Especially since… Palkia is close…
"Obviously. I don't think dying is ever good."
Alright. Go.
"Of course." She pulled out her scepter, and began to head to where Giratina had told her to go.
But of course things couldn't be that easy for her.
"Where are you going?"
She turned around, and gasped. "You!"
"Hahaha! Good to see you, my apprentice!"
"Vail! But how?!"
"You know what? I don't want you anymore. Well, actually, I do! I just want you dead! You and that stupid Vaporeon!"
"But he didn't-"
"Shut up! I'll kill you now!" He lunged at her, ignoring his staff. She narrowly rolled out of the way.
"Stay back Vail! You would have killed Tsunami!"
"And? You played with my feelings! You can't love him!"
"I never ever showed anything of the sort!" She ducked under him and watched him flinch from some imaginary Zubats. "You're crazy!"
He glared at her. He chanted something under his breath, and then, out of his staff shot a barrage of dark ropes. Lily gasped as one of them caught her left leg as she tried to run. "Not this time," he said, pulling out a knife. "You'll pay for what your so-called lover did to me."
More and more ropes began to entangle her. "Never! I will not… lose… again!" Closing her eyes, she let out as much of her psychic energy, hoping it could somehow dispel the dark ropes. The light was strong enough to melt through the ropes, and the blinded Mightyena stepped back.
"Err… you're stronger than before…"
She knew she had to know how he came back though. "How?"
"Palkia. He already has what you're looking for, little apprentice. You'll never win now."
She paused. No… Giratina!
I know… my power… it's fading fast… go… hurry…
"Enough!" She launched a flurry of energy blasts at the Mightyena, who tried dodging, but was clearly weak. "You will not hurt me again!" she hissed before knocking him hard with her staff. The moment her staff touched him, he disintegrated. "No more."
"Hehe… not bad sister."
She turned around. "Saphia! How are you here?"
"Giratina felt his power fade. The last thing he did was send me up here to help you. We must get that scepter back…"
"I know… but the two of us? This will be difficult…"
"We must believe, Lily. I guarantee you, Tsunami and his friends are on his way up. We must hold out until the can help us, and distract Palkia from using his new powers!"
The ground shook, and a green flash lit up the dark sky. "You're right Saphia." Tsunami… I'll see you…
Well well… the writers block is truly a curse. Blech. This was difficult to write, and is not my best chapter, but having written this, I should be able to get the words to come out easier now. Bear with me Thanks! NESpirit
