Chapter 23

Magearna's Lost Days

Today has been rather momentous to say the least. I learned my mother was having another baby, Jessie and James had a run-in with Team Flare, and Bonnie and Squishy discovered a new power. All the while, Clemont and Misty were enjoying a fishing tournament. I heard they made a new friend in a Connoisseur from the Unova region, though they regrettably never caught a name from him.

In my opinion, if there was a prize for today's events, I think Ash and Serena were the winners. Whilst on their day out, they inadvertently discovered an abandoned castle, and from within, a strange mechanical figure. With Clemont's assistance, they were able to make a new form for her in a project affectionately named QT, and she swiftly formed a bond with her rescuers, calling them "Daddy" and "Mommy." Cute, is it not?

Though she gave us all a shock as she began to remember who she was… Magearna, a man-made Pokémon from a land forgotten.

"You're… a Pokémon?" Ash asked.

QT, or rather Magearna, nodded. "Nikola of the Azoth Kingdom created me with the ability to emulate complex emotions… I did not mean to lie to you. I only recently remembered who I was…"

"Magearna…" Clemont muttered. "I'm so sorry. If I had known, I-!" Then he realized something. "Wait a minute. Wait a minute! Whoa, back up! Did you say Nikola? Of the Azoth Kingdom?! No, that-that's impossible, because... I mean, that would make you… you know, five maybe six… hundred years old!"

Magearna sat down on the couch. "I don't know how you measure time… but my story begins in the distant past..."

*Magearna's POV*

A long time ago, in a land far, far away, there was the Azoth Kingdom. The Azoth Kingdom was a prosperous land, and at the time, home to the most advanced technology in the world by far. Before most nations had yet to discover steam locomotion, Azoth had electricity, modern medicine, even the ability to fly. Nikola di Piero was the most famous inventor from this kingdom. He drew more plans for inventions than anyone else in recorded history, from the alarm clock to the helicopter. He used the magical creatures in the land as inspiration for his many inventions.

Nikola was a famous and prosperous inventor, but he was lonely. His wife passed away long ago, and he had no children. So he decided to build one for himself. He tried for years on end, forging the pieces that made my original body: my arms, my legs, my head. But he knew I needed something special to truly be alive… a heart… It is said that Nikola forged my true self, the Soul-Heart, from gold he had received from his inventions, and he gave it life by collecting life energy from other magical creatures. This was so his new child would think and feel.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" He once told me as we looked out into the kingdom. "Everything you see out there is my legacy, and you are the greatest of everything I've ever invented. You may be small, but make no mistake, my dear, your future is as big as the sky and as bright as the sun."

He had once promised to give me a voice, but it was a promise he could not keep. You see, Nikola was late into his life when he started to make me. He passed away before I was complete. So I was left by myself, incomplete, and all alone. Thus, I began to ask myself so many questions. What was to become of me? What was my purpose? What was I to do now?

One day, as I was looking to find answers, I was met by a group of strangers. I was scared by their presence.

"What is that thing?" one of them asked.

"I don't know," said another, "but let's grab it and get outta here, before the palace guards find us."

And just like that, I was a slave. The people who captured me were pirates, who captured people and magical creatures from other regions to sell us off what was called the black market. When they found me, they thought they could sell me for a profit.

After sailing across the sea, they were attacked by a royal fleet. The pirates who did not drown were taken away as prisoners, and everyone else was freed.

But I did not know where I was. I did not know how to get back to Azoth. I was scared… until I was found by the current king of Kalos. He gently laid a hand on my cheek. "Now, what's a unique creature like you doing with savages like these?" I wanted to explain, but I could not speak. I was never given a means of communication. "You look scared. Perhaps, you could live with me and my family. I know my daughter would love to meet someone like you."

He was the first person I knew who spoke kindly to me. I did not want to turn away such compassion. I adhered to his invitation, not that I had much choice. As we returned to the palace, I heard the distant sound of a child crying.

I soon met the source - the young princess spoken of before. She was no bigger in height than a Munchlax. She was sobbing from a recent fall, and her mother was trying to console her. "Shhh… It's okay… Shhh…"

Seeing her so miserable, how it tortured me inside. I was not sure how I could help… at least not at first. But more of Nikola's words began to ring in my ear.

"Music can be very powerful… it can turn sorrow into joy and turn strangers into friends…"

I decided to heed his advice and played a small song from within my body… a song I had known since Azoth. The young girl's sobbing faded, and her frown slowly grew to a smile.

Since then, I have lived with the royal family of Kalos. The king's daughter, who was my first real friend, then gave me my name… Magearna. They did not call me a machine, like I imagined they would. Instead, they called me by a word I did not understand at first… they called me a Pokémon.

Much time had passed, and one day, the queen gave birth to two children… twin brothers, named Damos and Lydos. They were each other's best friends. They did everything together. I had never seen two more in love within the family.

This was most evident one day, when I found Lydos sobbing under his sheets. Though I tried to soothe him with my song, I was unsuccessful. So I retrieved his brother for help.

"Lydos? Lydos, what's wrong?" Damos asked his twin.

He finally peered from sheets to answer. "N-n-no one likes me… everybody hates me!"

Damos and I were confused. "What're you talking about?"

"I hear them saying things behind my back… Bad things… Every time I try to talk to them, they just go away…"

Damos crawled onto the bed and pulled the sheets away. "Well, it's their loss! I like you, and I won't ever leave you!"

"Promise?" Lydos asked. "Promise you'll never change to leave me?"

Damos smiled and held up his arms. "Brothers by chance…"

I could tell Lydos was starting to feel better. "…friends by choice." And he wrapped his own arms around his twin. "I love you, Damos."

"I love you, too, Lydos." Then he remembered something. "You know what…" he then reached into his pocket and pulled out a Poké Ball. "I was saving this for our birthday, but I think now's as good a time as any."

His brother accepted the Ball and opened it up. A little feline Pokémon with a short fiery mane popped out from within. "Leo!" It roared.

Lydos smiled joyfully. "A Litleo!" He then hugged it and Damos at the same time. "Thank you, Damos! You're my favorite brother!"

Damos smirked. "I'm your only brother…"

"Exactly!"

If I could have moved my mouth, I would have been smiling.

As time passed, and they grew older, Damos soon met Diantha, and before they knew it, they were in love. After some time, Damos and Diantha decided to marry. But on that day, Lydos vanished.

The kingdom searched for weeks on end… months even. Damos wanted Lydos beside him on the altar to share in his happiness. But Lydos was never found. Miserable, exhausted, his spirit broken, Damos gave up.

Soon came his wedding. People and Pokémon gathered from all around to share in their happiness, but Damos was not fully happy. His brother, and best friend, was nowhere with him.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife..." the priest said. "You may kiss the bride..." But just then…

The doors burst open. A man walked through them and straight up to the altar. I looked with joy, and so did Damos.

It was Lydos.

His brother stepped down and ran to him in happiness. "You're alive! After all these long months, you're finally home! Brother!"

"Silence!" He slammed his arm into his brother's chest. Damos was sent flying into the altar, destroying it.

"Damos!" Diantha came to comfort him.

"Lydos! Stop! What're you doing?!" The queen pleaded.

"Your son, Lydos, is no more," he answered. "Though I can assure you with utmost authority that he owes his new lease on life to me! I am the destroyer of worlds, and the bringer of chaos, and the lord of the darkness! And the war for this world begins here and now!"

Several gasps filled the room. "The prophecy is being fulfilled!" I heard someone say.

"Guards!" The captain of the guard shouted. "Seize that monster, and execute him!"

As he was speaking, a couple of guards sent out their Pokémon: a Salamence and a Houndoom, and they Mega Evolved them before the lost brother. "Salamence, use Crunch!" The large Pokémon came over him and tried to close its mouth over his head. But he was deceptively strong. He threw Salamence over his own head and slammed it into the wall.

"Houndoom! Flamethrower!" The smaller one breathed a pillar of fire onto him. After being in there for so long, we assumed that the brother was defeated.

We were wrong.

He motioned his hand around him, and the fire was out like that. Then using his own power, he summoned two large Shadow Balls, which he threw at each Pokémon. That was all it took to defeat them.

Just then more guards appeared, each one with their own Pokémon. They all were fully evolved Pokémon, and they all looked strong. And each of them was holding a Mega Stone in some manner. Instead of feeling threatened, he grinned confidently. I could tell he saw this to an advantage.

He held his arms up above his head. A form of dark lightning surged from his fingertips, coursing into the other Pokémon's Mega Stones. They all fell back and yowled in pain.

"My legion," the man called out. "Arise, and purge this world with your dark power!"

As he was speaking, darkness seemed to cloak all the Pokémon for a few seconds, and they emerged. They had all transformed, larger, stronger, darker, and more menacing.

"Multiple Mega Evolutions… without strong bonds…?" Damos muttered.

"It defies all science…" another stated.

"WE'RE DOOMED!" And when that man shouted that, everyone began to leave the room in a panic.

"Magearna!" Damos shouted. "Come on! We need to get out of here now!"

But this time, I did not obey. Instead, I stayed to ensure his safe escape.

Damos tried to come back and rescue me, but several guards held him back and dragged him out by force. "MAGEARNA! NO!"

The evil Pokémon started coming for me. Fortunately, I was able to defend myself. Nikola gave me a special defense mechanism, dubbed the Fleur Cannon. I was able to blast many of them away. But not all of them. A corrupted Gengar grabbed my arms and tore them off. And just like that, I was defenseless. The others began to tear me apart. I was helpless.

Their master called out and the others stopped. I could do nothing as they left to lay waste to the land. "The past shall consume the future, the darkness shall consume the light, AND CHAOS SHALL REIGN SUPREME!"

And soon, it was just an empty room, my broken body, and I myself. I waited so long for someone to come and find me, but nobody did. As time passed, so did my memories, I forgot what I was waiting for… I forgot where I was… I even forgot my own name…

Then one day, I felt something… Somewhere far in the west, there were two people who seemed different from the others. I felt something strong between them… There was joy, and peace… but it was more than that.

*Brianna's POV*

As she was speaking, Ash thought of where we came here from. "Coumarine City…"

"I tried all I could to call out to them, hoping to get as close to them as I could…" Magearna concluded.

"So, that was you we sensed?" Ash asked.

Magearna nodded. "Yes… Jan… Aila… I've wanted to meet you two for the longest time. It's strange, right? I shouldn't want these things. They call me a magical creature, they call me a Pokémon, but I feel like a simple machine."

Serena took her hands to her chest. "Magearna… Maybe what you're feeling are real human emotions? After all, Nikola made you with Pokémon life energy."

Magearna was silent for a couple seconds. "I don't know. I'm so confused. I don't know what's happened to me…" Then she remembered something. "Wait! Where's Damos?! Is he safe? Is he okay?"

"Hi, um..." I began as I stepped up to her. "Actually, I'm Damos' daughter. He kinda sacrificed himself for me... well, I have his Keystone, but that's all that's left of him." And I showed her my necklace.

"Oh..." she began. "So… does this mean you're my master now?"

"Well, that depends," I replied with a smile as I lightly petted her head. "The way I see it, you're not just a simple machine. You have feelings and desires, like a real living creature. You're smart enough to think and choose on your own terms." I stepped back toward my mother, who stood adjacent to Ash and Serena. "So tell me… and there's no wrong answer here… what do you want?"

A small smile grew on her face. "What I want… I want…" She held her arms up to Ash and Serena. "I want to stay with you forever! Daddy! Mommy!" And she began to cry like the form she was made after.

The two in question were truly moved by Magearna's words. They quickly rushed over to her and embraced the Artificial Pokémon as loving parents.

"You will," Serena muttered, a few tears of joy forming in her eyes. "We'll be together forever, Magearna."

Ash held his two girls close. "Forget what happened before, Magearna. From now on, you're our child."

Magearna held her 'parents' close, silently weeping with joy. "Daddy… Mommy…"

I could tell Magearna was happy. It was like she was glowing with joy. Wait… she really was glowing! A certain shape appeared on the ground below us, with myself at the center. From Magearna, a form of energy appeared which turned into a silver crystal.

"A Pure Heart!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"There's no doubt about it now, Magearna," I told her. "You really are a living being."

The one in question stood up. "Thank you so much, Brianna… please… take it." And she gently pushed the Pure Heart toward me.

As I accepted it into my person, Clemont suddenly had an idea. "Since your new form is from my Quantum Technocompanion, I think we should call it Magearna QT!"

She smiled cutely. "I like that! Magearna QT!"

Another Pure Heart has appeared through Magearna, the Mechanical Pokémon of Azoth, now the adopted child of the Stone-Eyed Maiden and her valiant Knight. And, of my friend, I shall say this - of all the souls I have encountered on our adventures, hers is, in my opinion, the most… human. Just how she grows and changes within is still a mystery, but a brand new life has begun for her, as the journey continues…

LATER THAT SAME DAY…

Before returning to the road, we decided to hold a special party to celebrate Magearna's "re-birthday." Nothing too large or elaborate - just us happy few enjoying the company of the newest member of our own little family.

As Magearna blew out the candles on the cake we ordered, Clemont served her the first piece, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

"She can eat?" Misty asked in surprise.

"Well, yes," the inventor explained, "though in her case, it's more of a luxury than a necessity."

As she enjoyed the cake, Dexter was taking pictures of her enjoying it. "Data on Magearna QT now up to date!"

The mechanical one then looked to Ash and Serena. "Daddy! Mommy! What's next?!"

"Let me think…" Serena replied.

Jessie smiled smugly. "Careful you two. You might spoil her." Everyone laughed as Magearna made her little pouty face.

I then gently rubbed the top of her head. "Well, after what Uncle Lydos did to her, I think she deserves to be spoiled some."

This seemed to catch her attention. "What Uncle Lydos did?"

"You know… the wedding?"

"That… wasn't Lydos."

"What do you mean?" Mom asked.

"I was made from the life force of other Pokemon, remember?" she explained. "I can see the life force of others flowing from them."

"Like their aura?" Ash asked.

Magearna nodded and then continued. "What I saw in Lydos was not his own. It was dark, menacing, and powerful. It forced its way into the other Pokemon as well, controlling them and forcing them to Mega Evolve…"

"It possessed them?" I asked. "I've never heard of something possessing another. Except… Wait…" I gasped. I could almost see and hear the memory in my head…

'YoU caNNot DEfeaT me, CHild oF ArcEUs! I haVe tRANSCEndED physICal bEIng! By mY WIll aLOne, alL uPOn THis wORLD sHall FAll iNto chAOS!'

Now for once, I was at a loss of words for a moment. "It-it can't be… I finished him myself."

"It can be, and it is," Magearna replied. "I'm sorry, Brianna…"

There was a lone silence…

…

…

…

…until at last, I said what everyone else was thinking…

"Giratina… alive…?"

STAY TUNED…