Espeon- Day of Rebirth

My head... eugh... it was throbbing and nothing I could do could shake it, help me get back to sleep. Opening my eyes again, I found myself in my old den, in the hollow of a tree, lined with old autumn leaves. It was dusk, weak streams of light spilling between the trees outside. It felt like normal, but I remembered the memories before I had changed back. Oh God, the pain. Aiden. I had growled at him. Had he left Quiyelle yet? Had he left me?

Stretching my limbs, I listened out for the sounds of the forest. Scramblings of the rattata, songs of the spearow and the soft beatings of the beautifly's wings. I had missed this but I was listening out for the alien sounds. The ones that went against the rhythm. I leapt out of my nest and smelt the air. It was strange how I had managed to fit back into this form so quickly. I had only been away from it for a few weeks but... I had lost the feelings. The instincts. Even now I felt changed, filled with these emotions I had never thought of before. I had presumed they would be gone as I changed back.

'Willow?'

Caught in my thoughts, Lyle had managed to walk over to me, only a few steps away. I guess I wasn't in tune as I thought... I turned, not afraid, holding back the reaction to fight him. He seemed afraid of me; I guess Aiden had told him of me. Belle was standing by his side, the same curious stare fixed on her face.

'I guess you knew.'

Lyle wouldn't be able to understand, the mix of twitches and short 'Espeon's I called out wouldn't make sense to him, but Belle could understand and she soon replied.

'I felt a connection to you, but I didn't know what you were. This makes sense now.'

I smiled at her, smug. I knew her thoughts now; she was no longer the scary being that seemed to know all. Lyle on the other hand was freaking out.

'Willow, what are you saying? I don't know.... I don't know you...'

He seemed close to tears, crouching down to look me straight in the eye. I was shocked, taking a few steps back. What did he want? I turned to walk away, seemingly bored with his presence, but he grabbed my tail. I looked at him, staring at him with a look that could kill, prompting him to let go.

'I'm sorry. But Willow? Please, change back. I...I...Goddamnit, I like you...'

That explained things. My gaze softened, a mix of pity and surprise staring at him gently. But what could I say? I couldn't change back now... could I? I was sure Tor wouldn't change me if I wanted to. Only on his terms. And Lyle... he was young, he could change. Already, he seemed to regret telling me. I shook my head, the only way I could to send the message across. Humans were so primitive...

'I'm sorry Lyle; this is who I am...'

'You're breaking his heart.'

I looked up to see Belle staring at me, her look cold, matching everything else about her. I could understand her reaction, I was hurting her trainer, she would stop it in any way she could. Lyle watched me, a few tears falling down his cheeks.

'Okay... if you refuse to change... then... then'

He scrabbled in his bag, desperately looking for something amongst the berries and potions. Pulling out a poke ball, he held it close to my face, now I was growing scared with the thing I feared most being pushed into my face.

'Then I'll just catch you. You can't leave then. And then you can change back and... and...'

Switching my focus from the poke ball to Lyle, I saw that his heart was breaking. I couldn't do this to him. I pushed down the poke ball with my paw so that it was on the ground then walked away, pausing momentarily to look back, I couldn't say anything to him, this was the only way I could help. He was collapsed on the ground, a tearful heap, Belle pushing her face up close to his.

'I'm sorry Lyle.'

I cared for him, but not enough to stay with him forever. It wouldn't be fair.

--

Hours later, I was still searching for Aiden, if Lyle was still here, he would be too. But there was no trace of him, him or Flint. I sat down, staring up at the ever darkening sky and felt lost. I was home but there was so much tugging at me. Aiden, Lyle, Flint, what could I do to break free?

Fire surged into the sky, lighting it like a firework. Tor? Or some other commotion. Either way, I found myself sprinting towards the flames, not feeling fear, only the desperate urge to find out what was going on. A clearing, made probably by the flames, showed me Aiden lunging at Tor, helplessly flailing at him around the charred hedges.

'Where is she? What did you do?!'

Tor effortlessly skipped and leapt out of the way of the attacks. He seemed to be enjoying this.

'She's fine, in a better shape than before if you asked me.'

'Why couldn't you just let her be? Let me take her home!'

Aiden succeeded at grabbing on of Tor's tails, and he yanked it hard. A primal growl ripped from Tor and he turned to face Aiden, preparing himself to attack. Aiden, too late, realised the damage he had caused. Had he meant this to happen? To die?

I, only just finding my senses, ran out towards the two. Tor would not kill Aiden. I stood in front of him, facing the fire fox. Tor seemed surprised for a moment, then he squinted his eyes and fired a fire blast. Protect, a little ability I had picked up in the human world. The fire uselessly flew around us; still I wasn't sure how long I could keep this up. Aiden would just have to not annoy him.

'Would you die for this creature?'

Tor stepped towards me, challenging me.

'He is cursed now, it's a tradition.'

He smiled, smug as he sized up Aiden. Aiden, in the meantime, still a little dazed, found his feet again. Tapping his anger, instead of shouting at Tor like I had expected, he sent out his own flamethrower. Tor, a little shocked, avoided it, but was singed slightly due to his delayed reaction.

'You've finally learnt that ability Aiden, it had taken you long enough. Shame that you can't enjoy it now.'

Tor launched a psychic wave of energy towards Aiden, but I reflected with my own. I bit my lip as I felt the sudden strength in his power, straining to keep on top of it. Annoyed with my protest, his wave became more powerful, piercing, but somehow I found the energy to match it, and soon to overpower it, even if it did tire me to my innermost core. Knocking Tor back, he slowly found his feet and frowned at me, surprise in his eyes glinting in my own.

'You've grown too, I see. Fine, come with me.'

He walked away, expecting us to follow. I went to follow, but Aiden rested a hand on my back, stopping me immediately.

'Thank you Wil...Espeon. I may be cursed but if I can just see her again...'

His gaze followed after Tor, leaving me to look how I actually felt. Crushed. Oh why did he have to be in love with her? I would gladly change for him. I would change back and be happy. It's just sad that I met him under tragic circumstances.

---

I had never been this far deep before. This forest had surpassed all my expectations in the past but here, it was a whole new spot. The trees, instead of lining the pathways with their density, were everywhere, like this spot was never meant to be uncovered. Tor flowed easily through the trees though, yet even with my senses, I often lost my way. Aiden was far back from us, his determination drove him to fight through the branches but I waited at frequent intervals, another few gashes added at each stop.

'When did this all get so screwed up?'

Aiden sighed softly to himself, but I heard him, and it hurt. But, to be honest, ever since Aiden changed from vulpix to human, that was when it was screwed up. I was just an... added ingredient in this mess.

I heard a chuckle, and realised only then that Tor was listening to my thoughts. There was no privacy here. I thought of the most obscene things I could ever think of and stopped for Aiden again. I might as well wait for someone who can respect my privacy... or just doesn't have supernatural powers.

'Huh... I expected her to be here.'

That was something I didn't expect to hear. Nor did Aiden, by the way he reacted. We couldn't see Tor just yet, but his voice was close and that was all Aiden worked on as he tore his way through the foliage to reach the fox.

'What- do- you- mean?!'

Aiden cried between grunts, and I followed keenly behind. Behind the final hedge, Tor was sitting, waiting for us. He smiled; none of this was his loss.

'Um, well, I kept her here. I guess she left already.'

I was lost for words. For one, Tor was surprised. And two, a body can leave?! Like I said, there are some things about here that just cease to amaze. Still, this one was just out of nowhere.

'I guess that's me.'

The ghost girl. I could recognise her eerie voice anywhere, but she hadn't been close recently. Another fortune to tell? The ghost floated, undecided in its image before switching to a translucent umbreon. My opposite.

'Ah, she came back.'

Tor turned around to look at the ghost, could he see her? Aiden looked too, but was confused. Wow, this truly is messed up. A ghost, a pokemorph, a Pokémon who's in love with a pokemorph and a sadistic fox. When do we ever have the time to be normal?

'So, this is what Hannah became. Of course, I realise you may be a tad confused but believe me when I say, I am too. I meant this soul to go to the afterlife, heaven or whatever you humans believe, but she stayed.'

'And you decided to follow me?'

'You, Tor, a number of people.'

Why not Aiden? Why did it have to be me?

'And you were trying to convince me to stay human?'

'Well, I didn't want Aiden to be alone.'

A self sacrificing ghost. They were so made for each other. Aiden decided to step forward, reaching out to the ghost Umbreon.

'Are you my Hannah? Are you... here?'

It turned; its red eyes full of sorrow. It changed to Hannah, a full scale of the girl I had known only briefly, this was the true her, the bubbly personality of the ghost before had left. She was human. Facing Aiden, I could tell she wanted to reach out, but they were in two different worlds now. Forever lost.

'Aiden... I've failed you. She changed back.'

'Hannah, you couldn't fail me. I miss you, what is going to happen to you?'

Oh God, this was going to get to me. If I hadn't had a history with them, with one in particular, I would feel all mushy. Like when you see a newborn Eevee. Cute, but after a while annoying. Tor was behind me, blocking my path, he was the king of moment killers.

'She will go. She may not have succeeded her goal but it is finished. Though I can kill you if you want.'

That was a joke, a joke right? I looked up at Tor, eyes wide in surprise and horror. He would do that? Just suddenly? And yet Aiden seemed to consider it, his eyes fixed on Hannah's.

'All this time, I would've given anything for that. Anything to see her again, to be with her. But...'

His hand reached out but when it touched hers, it disappeared like smoke and his was left sinking. Hannah pulled back her hand, knowing the truth of their situation. She was dead.

'I... I... don't want to die. I miss you, I loved you. And I will always remember you, but... I'm so sorry.'

Death and eternal love or life and the chance of another kind of love? I wished I could comfort him but I was stuck in my body, merely able to sit with him, give him my presence.

Hannah nodded, no tears falling from her crystal eyes. This was no Romeo and Juliet. This was just... life. Sometimes the ending isn't so happy. She looked to Tor and he seemed to understand, shutting his eyes, she began to fade, her eyes slowly closing for the last time.

'I loved you too Aiden. And Espeon.'

I looked up, already trying to my hardest to not get noticed by her.

'It was an accident. Don't feel guilty.'

She smiled at me, a grin that was too strong to be faked. I tried to smile back but the feelings of sorrow held it back. She was gone. Forever? Maybe. But she had left a lasting imprint on me. Cheesy but true.

And suddenly, we were just in an opening, staring at nothing. The feelings were left but we had to move.

'And that's it.'

Tor disturbed the peace, summing this situation up like a cheap film. Though that was just it, this wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.

--

I have about 1-2 chapters left of material. Then this story will be over, or the first part of it anyway. I may go back in time and see how Espeon and Aiden were before this whole thing but that would be well after my exams. Anyway, sorry for the rambling at the end. I had no music on and so was running on empty, like now...

Thank You

MoonLynx