PreWriting This story is going to be chronological, so might as well talk about Teresa as a kid.

Chapter Synopsis: Zygarde's Chosen was reborn, but humans don't grow up quickly. So Zygarde settled itself into watching their Chosen grow up, protecting and comforting.

Major Characters: Teresa (OC), Zygarde

How's everyone enjoying Ultra SoLuna? I got Ultra Sun (I played Moon) to spice things up. Also because I'm writing an Ultra Sun/Moon crossover called Worlds Apart and wanted to truly experience that world. Anyway, this story will probably stick to one world. Going to the different worlds is Worlds Apart. Later chapters might hint at it, but for now I'm planning on keeping them separate.

Anyway, I spend way too much time Mantine Surfing. Who needs to Charizard Glide? Seriously?

In the meantime, please enjoy! Read and Review! Honest criticism is appreciated!

~Inspired Gracidea of the Valley

19 Years 47 Days Ago

Something came alive in the network that Zygarde used to observe and watch the world. A long lost link had been reconnected. A crystal that had been dark had become illuminated once again.

'Returned.' One cell picked up the signal and passed the word on.

'Returned.' It spread, instantaneously.

'Returned.'

'Alive again.'

'So soon.'

'Reborn. Renewed.'

'Bond not broken.'

'A threat approaching.'

'Find the white.'

'We must seek.'

'We must prepare.'

'Our Chosen.'

'The one who joined us.'

'The one who desires to protect the earth.'

'Alive again.'

In the region of Hoenn, an Zygarde core with an orange gem suspended in it's body turned to the west, where the sun was setting.

'Close. Close to here.'

In the northern part of Sinnoh, near the temple, the Zygarde core with a purple gem focused, then responded, 'barely here. Not on this land.' On the far shores of Almia, the core with a red gem responded in similar fashion.

In the center of Unova's White Forest, the blue-gem core stared to the south, feeling what the orange-core had felt, but not as strongly.

'Near the place where the birds find rest, but not there.'

'The nine islands.'

'Not impossible.'

'Unlikely, though.'

'The island masters do not openly accept humans into their domain.'

'Orange.'

'Possible. Humans on numerous islands there.'

'Numerous settlements.'

'Not all understand the land.'

'Only one is needed.'

'Where the moon holds sway.'

'Our Chosen first came from there.'

'The moon. The sun. The one who is neither, and the one who steals their light.'

'Near the devourer, our chosen should not be.'

'Make our way to there.'

'Too soon since the demons-'

'-parasites-'

'-invaders-'

'-destroyers-'

'-came to the world. Healing must continue.'

'One of the four should go.'

'Our chosen is young. Human newborns are weaker than mon newborns.'

'And if the devourer is awake-!'

'He is not. Dormant, still.'

'And will remain.'

'There are other dangers.'

'The Tapus-'

'Do not understand. They stand by humans, but do not understand Chosens.'

'"Liability".'

'"Get in the way".'

'"Weak".'

'The birds, then. Zapdos promised to guide our Chosen, like before.'

'They will not be able to remain for long. They attract attention.'

'We can hide. We can watch. We can protect.'

'Then we shall go.'

'Those who are not healing, travel to those islands.'

'Spread about.'

'Be there to protect the one who protects the earth.'

'I shall go.' The orange-core move out of the trunk where it had been resting. 'The lands here are stable enough, and our Chosen is close to here.'

'We all go with one. One represents us.'

18 Years 347 Days Ago

Close. So close. Zygarde moved out from the line of trees, eyes sweeping the settlement on Poni Island. Of all the islands in this region, the feeling, the pull, was strongest here. Their Chosen was here.

This town was small, so it would be an easy task to locate their Chosen. Simply follow the pull. Each of the cores could feel the others, knowing their exact location, should they ever need to come together to protect the earth.

Zygarde followed the pull into the town's center, careful to stay hidden and out of sight. While it may be in a town, the pokémon in cities could be as territorial as, if not more than, pokémon that lived separate from humans.

This town was in touch with nature, the core was pleased to observe. Instead of concrete and metal buildings commonly found on the mainland, the houses and buildings here were hardened, waterproofed clay, reinforced from the inside. The asphalt roads were few, with dirt paths and roads being the favored means of connecting buildings. Trees and bushes lined the roads and many houses had gardens in them.

'A good place for our chosen. The land here is good, and the town in line with the earth.' the orange core told the others, and a feeling of satisfaction rippled through their network. The feeling was so strong...and a group of humans was nearby, so Zygarde dove into a bush to observe them.

The group was mostly women, with the dark skin so common on the islands, and children around them. There were a laughing male and female child who ran around the legs of an exasperated female, but both lacked the white eyes that the fifth core passed onto their chosen, so Zygarde dismissed them. There was a young female holding a little male no older than a year and an old female with greying hair. The little boy had his eyes closed, but something about him...the core was certain it would be able to recognize their Chosen on sight.

There was one more. It was an older female, far too old to be their Chosen, but Zygarde's eyes kept returning to her.

A mess of brown peeked over the woman's shoulder, and white eyes connected with black. The core's orange gem flashed, recognizing the exact shade of white that the fifth core had possessed. Them. The head tilted, pupils shrinking into hexagons, and the child's whole head appeared. Dark skin and a full head of dark hair, one arm reached over the female's shoulder, small, chubby hand reaching towards where the core was hidden.

Our Chosen.

The older female adjusted her grip on the child, bouncing her, and the child's gaze swung between the female Zygarde assumed was her mother and where the core was hiding. While the older female spoke with the other mothers, the girl's gaze returned to the bush where Zygarde was peeking out.

She appeared to be in good health, Zygarde was relieved to observe. Bright eyes, an awareness of the world around her, and curiosity. Zygarde didn't know as much about human children as some of the other legendaries, such as Mew, Cresselia, or Latias, but that wouldn't matter, the core decided. This child was their chosen, the same soul as Fiti, the one who had chosen to guard the earth alongside them.

The girl's mother moved away, and the girl continued to stare over her shoulder, trying to keep the bush and Zygarde in sight, but Zygarde had moved away. It wouldn't hurt to leave her alone for a bit longer. The orange-gem core had to speak with the others to inform them of the condition of their chosen.

It would probably be wise to meet with the Tapu (was in Lele or Fini? Zygarde couldn't recall) to inform her of their presence on the island for a long span of time. Although she might not notice if it didn't. That fish was in the ocean as much as Kyogre...

16 Years 299 Days Ago

Ala Town is a peaceful place. Encompassing the area that is better known as the Ancient Poni Path to the locals, it has the same relaxed air as Seafolk Village, but with a strong sense of tradition. The people who live here remember their roots. With the Altar of the Moone just a day's journey away, the people here keep their pride, diligence, and honesty about them. Their Kahuna was an example of this. Kahuna Honi was well-chosen, Zygarde had decided. Strong and powerful, but well-liked by his people. A good protector. As far as humans went, he was a good protector for their Chosen if Zygarde's options were limited. Not that the core had any intention of allowing a human to protect their chosen if it was around.

The cells the orange-core had called from various regions were spread out across the islands, watching the ecosystem closely. No toxins or foreign contaminants would be allowed near their Chosen. The islands themselves were in good health, with the small exception of Ula'Ula Island's tip. The cores had never had a reason to worry about these islands; the regions known as Kanto, Unova, and Kalos needed more attention. Orre was...an interesting case, but that would be entering a disagreement the cores could not settle.

Zygarde was dozing in one of the trees overlooking the place where human children liked to be, with different structures they climbed all over like mankey. Or they were laughing and chasing each other like dog pokémon.

Their Chosen was too young to be climbing all over the structures like the older children, but she was active in her own way, grabbing handfuls of dirt and throwing them into the air, or building small structures. The girl's mother watched with exasperation from where she was sitting, but had long since given up trying to impede her games. From the human's perspective, it was just playing in the dirt, but Zygarde knew it was her trying to reach out for what she was missing, to connect with the earth, to be energized by the natural energy that the protectors of the planet embraced.

This place was a safe one, despite being on the edge of town, so Zygarde had no issues with dozing off in the warm sunlight. The energy in Alola was perfect and the sun was so warm that the core didn't notice the girl change her games, wandering around the area to examine different plants with her cubby hands, gathering them in front of her mother. First the plants nearby, then the ones off to the side a little bit, then the other side of the playground. Moving farther and farther away to the point when Zygarde finally broke out of the dozing state, the girl's bright pink shirt was nowhere to be found.

The core's mental processes halted as it shook the last strands of rest from it's body, desperately searching the playground for the small girl. She was nowhere to be found.

Panic swelled in the core, and it tried to rationalize where the girl had gone. No one was panicking, so she couldn't have been taken. Not that that calmed the core.

It bounced off the tree and landed on the ground, bounding into the forest, out of sight of the humans.

'Come.' The orange core called out, and the cells spread across the region responded, streaking towards where it was waiting. Within moments, Zygarde had reformed it's body so that it was no longer a single core, but a hound, greens and blacks making up it's body.

Now in it's 10% Form, Zygarde took a deep breath, senses stronger than before, and tested the wind. Like it had suspected, the girl had wandered into the forest.

The hound's paws pounded against the earth as it moved through the trees, partially following the scent trail the girl left, partially following the pull that had led the orange-core to her location two years ago. The scent trail remained unchanged, but the mental pull was growing stronger. Stronger and stronger, until the hound finally found her.

The girl was standing stock-still in-between two trees, a raticate sniffing her dress, clicking her claws together. Through the bond the girl had with the others, Zygarde could sense her fear and anguish.

Zygarde growled, and both the girl and the raticate turned. While the raticate hesitated from the appearance of this newcomer, wondering if it was better to leave the human for it to take and make a break for it, the fear in the girl's eyes vanished, replaced with wonder.

'Back away from our Chosen.'

'Chosen?' The raticate paused, and the word sunk in. 'Shit. Chosen. You're-' Her ears flattened against her skull, her tail wrapped around her body, and she sunk to the ground. 'I didn't know, okay?! I just smelled food! Don't hurt me!' Zygarde growled, pacing forward.

'Leave.' The ratiate squeaked, diving into the bushes.

Zygarde reached the girl and began sniffing all over for injuries. There was a small cut on her knee, probably from wandering off. Nothing too dangerous. The hound's tongue rolled out, washing over the wound, and watched with satisfaction as it closed over, healed.

"Big doggie!" the girl cried, hands reaching for it's snout, eyes gleeful.

Gently Zygarde grasped the small human's shirt in it's jaws, lifting her off the ground. The girl giggled, curling in her arms and legs to swing back and forth in glee. Zygarde let out something between a growl and a huff, giving her a little shake, and she giggled before settling down, hands reaching up to explore it's face. Zygarde didn't mind, until one of her fingers slipped up into the hound's nose. It yelped, the grip of her shirt loosening enough that her feet skimmed the ground. The girl let out a little yelp of her own.

'Enough.' Zygarde gave a scolding growl. Nothing too harsh, just to admonish her.

"Sowwy." She mumbled, keeping her hands in front of her, although she continued to sneak glanced over her shoulder at the hound that was carrying her through the forest, back to where she had come from.

Zygarde set the girl down near the playground, giving her a once-over. Satisfied that she was no longer in danger and uninjured, it fixed her with a stern look.

'No more wandering into the forest.' A pout crossed her lips.

"Awww."

'No. It's dangerous, especially for you.' Zygarde's tongue rolled out to lick her cheek. 'One day, but not now. It's time for you to go back.' It nudged her out of the treeline, back into where the other children were playing. The girl glanced backwards at Zygarde, hesitated, then slowly walked towards where her mother was scanning the playground in a panic similar to the one Zygarde had been having earlier. Zygarde, in the meantime, edged along the playground, keeping to the bushes and undergrowth before concealing itself behind a particularly large bush near where the girl was.

"Teresa! Where have you been?" The girl's mother scooped her into her arms, checking her for injuries. "You gave me a heart attack!"

"Flowers!" The girl showed the plants she had been collecting. "Hine! A big doggie!" She pointed to where Zygarde was sure it was hidden completely. Can she sense the presence of the other cores already?

"A dog?" Her mother peered into the forest. "There's no dog, Teresa."

"There is! There is! There! See?" But the girl's mother simply shook her head, leading her away. The little girl kept glancing over her shoulder, white eyes certain of what she saw.

It wasn't until she was out of sight that Zygarde returned into the forest to allow the cells to spread back across the region.

14 Years 322 Days Ago

It was a beautiful day in the Alola region. All around the region, eleven year olds were working on their island challenges, battling totems, challenging kahunas, training their pokémon, and having a good summer. On Ula'Ula Island, a white-haired boy with an affinity for bug-types and a dark-skinned boy with sunglasses were training on Route 17. While the white-haired boy was struggling, the boy with sunglasses was completing his training with ease.

In another part of the region, the organism that served as one of five cores for the being known as Zygarde was hiding in a bush, watching as their chosen played in the dirt, building small structures for her dolls. She laughed, moving her dolls from place to place.

"But I don't want to go to school." She wiggled one doll. "Okay, you don't have to." She moved the other one, then set both down next to a dirt structure and picked up a lillipup doll. "Roar! I'm going to get you both!" She shook the doll so it's arms flopped like a frillish'stentacles. "No, no! Don't!" She rolled both dolls away from the one she held. "We need to run away! I can with my ability!" In one hand, she grabbed both dolls by their arms and 'ran away'. "Roar! Roar! I'll use my Tackle on you!" The lillipup doll collided with her other two dolls. "But I used my Protect! We're safe!" She laughed, continuing her game.

Zygarde watched her games with half-interest. Already she was getting the basics of battling down, with simple attacks and reposts. She also knew her numbers, days of the week, letters, simple addition and subtraction, and was practicing writing her name. While the cores had no idea how she stood in comparison to others of her age, it was certain she was average or above average.

And observant. Several times she had almost spotted the core, even when it was certain it was sufficiently out of sight. Part of it had to do with being connected as legendary and chosen, but her observation skills went beyond that. She could tell when something wasn't right, or if someone was sick before the symptoms became obvious.

"Come on out." The core blinked, knocked out of it's thoughts.

"I know you're here." The girl called out, dolls discarded to the side and hands full of dirt, her white eyes fixed on one particular bush. The one the core was hiding in, although she didn't know that. "You can come out." The core blinked, uncertain. Was she bluffing or did she really- "If you won't come out, I'll come in." She dusted her hands and began shuffling over to the bush, shoulders set in determination.

The core had a moment of panic, briefly wondering if bolting would be the best option, but the girl already could sense the presence of the others, it appeared, and would be putting off the inevitable.

Before the girl could enter the bush, it rustled, and the core appeared, staring up at the girl. She halted, taking in the strange creature that had appeared before her. For the strangest reason, she could have sworn she'd seen this creature before. But in a good way, like a happy memory just out of reach. A smile burst to life across her face. It wasn't dangerous. She could tell that.

"I knew you were there! And for a long time!" She held out her hands, unafraid. "I'm Teresa! Who're you?"

'Zygarde.'

"Zy-gaurt?" She wrinkled her nose. "Too long. Zy!"

'Zy?'

"Yep!" Teresa offered both her hands, and the core hesitantly hopped into them. Her hands were so small. Smaller than Bonnie's had been many years ago, if the red-core's memory served right. "Why were you hiding? I knew you were there." That was a good question, one that the core had no real answer for. It had initially hidden because there was no point in making the girl's parents nervous by having a strange pokémon being about, and hunters were an issue, even in a region as peaceful as this. Phasing out of sight was like second nature to the cells, and those traits rubbed off on the cores, even though they wouldn't admit it.

'You're not scared?'

"Of you?" She frowned. "No. Why?"

'Some people are scared, so hiding keeps them from being scared.'

"Well I'm not scared of you. You're cool!"

'Thank you.'

"What's that thing in your tummy, Zy?"

'My gem?' It flashed. 'It allows me to watch the ecosystem.'

"Echo-system?" Her nose wrinkled in response. "That's a big word."

'It's an important word.'

"Mmmm...if you say so." She hummed. "Do you want to play with me?" The core blinked. It had already been discovered, so there was no reason not to. It would give it something to do aside from communicating with the cells.

'Why not?' Her eyes and smile were as bright as a Flash. It was a good feeling.

11 Years 217 Days Ago

Teresa was curled up in a ball when Zygarde found her in the forest. It bounced up to her, nudging her elbow. The girl only sniffled, burying her head in her arms. Not good.

'What's wrong?'

"The other kids at school make fun of me." She sniffed, running a hand across her face. "They call me weird."

'Why?'

"It's nothing."

'It's never nothing.' They were both silent. Zygarde had limited options here. Human emotions were something the earthbound legendary had little experience with, and as a result, had little idea how to console the human girl. When the cores had made the decision to watch over their Chosen, events like this hadn't even been considered.

Instead, Zygarde moved closer, burying into her shirt like it had seen the village lillipup doing when the human children were sad.

Teresa scooped Zygarde up, squeezing the core tightly. Having seen this before in humans that needed comfort, Zygarde allowed it, nuzzling her face as best it could.

They remained like this for a while. Finally, Teresa pulled away, holding the orange-gem core in her hands, unable to look at it.

"My eyes." Her voice was strained, but Zygarde heard it clearly.

'Your eyes?' Zygarde tilted it's head. 'Teresa, look at me.' Slowly, she raised her head, and the core examined her eyes. They were the same as always: white irises with pupils in a shade of green so dark that they appeared black. There wasn't anything wrong as far as the core could perceive; no redness or puffiness, no signs of injury or illness. 'There's nothing wrong with your eyes.' Teresa laughed, but it didn't seem like a happy laugh.

"They're weird. No one else has white eyes." Ah. A matter of appearance.

'There are many different types of eye colors just like there are types of leaves.'

"But no one has white eyes like me." She sniffed, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "No one on the whole island."

'The world is a large place. There are some humans with white hair, and some humans with white hair and skin. There is much beyond this island.' Teresa was silent, and Zygarde paused. 'There's something more, isn't there?' When she shook her head, the core sighed. 'Do not lie. It is a bad habit.' Teresa placed the core on the forest floor and remained silent. Her stubbornness was a trait that would help her in the future, Zygarde was sure, but at the moment it was more annoying than anything. The core could feel the emotions rolling around inside her: guilt, frustration, sadness, anger. However, being connected to each other made addressing those issues no easier. So instead, the core remained silent, not pushing her. The pikipek in the trees around them chirped their songs, and several petilil observed from behind trees, but made no move to approach them. The wind coming off the ocean brushed against the leaves, and the sun's descent was the only way to know the passage of time in the ancient woods.

'The sun is going down soon.' Zygarde finally said, noticing how Teresa flinched at it's words. 'Your mother is probably worried about where you are.' Teresa nodded, preparing to rise, but Zygarde hopped onto her knees, stopping her from getting up. 'Teresa, what is it?'

"Why can I hear you?"

'What do you mean?'

"Why can I hear your voice? Why can I hear the voices of pokémon? Other people think you can't talk like us."

'You think-'

"The other kids can't hear the voices of pokémon like me. They think I'm making it up so the adults are nice to me." She shook her head from side to side. "They call me 'Whisper!' Just because I talk to pokémon and they respond!"

'I understand-'

"No you don't!" She pushed herself up, throwing off the core. "None of the kids will play with me! The girls think I'm like the boys because I like the dirt and the boys think I have cooties! Cooties! Is it because I can hear you and they can't?! I don't want to be special if it means they're mean to me!" Her pupils had shrunk into hexagons.

'Teresa, listen.' There was no response. 'Teresa, look at me.' Finally, her white eyes met the core's orange-tinted black ones.

'There are many different types of individuals in this world. Some live out their lives content to be on the background. Some are given gifts, like psychics, aurans, and mediums. Others simply look different, while others do different things. Arceus created each individual with a purpose. Some are to aid, some are to create, some are to wander, and some are to protect. Each has a purpose.'

"Then what about me? What's my purpose?" She was young, too young to be understand the choice she had made in her previous lifetime.

'To protect. To preserve. To guide. You are many things, Teresa. Do not forget that, and do not let anyone else tell you are anything else.'

Postwrite: Ugh, gender-neutral 'it' and 'they' are annoying to write...it makes me feel like I'm either talking about an inanimate object or a group of individuals. We need more generalized pronouns, please.