"Mesprit?"
Cresselia's call echoed at the cave's entrance. Droplets dripped from the dark ceiling and mist exhaled from her mouth. Cresselia shivered.
Maybe she stayed with one of her sisters.
Disheartened, Cresselia floated away from Verity Lake. Fog settled above the gentle waves. At least when she found Mesprit again she'd have some good news. Hopefully.
Not far from Mesprit's home lay fields of flowers. Dew clung to their colorful petals. Sweet roses blended into marigolds. Irises stood among blades of fresh grass. Not a trace of yellow. Cresselia picked up a light orange marigold but shook her head. It had to be perfect not simply good enough.
"You're looking for a flower aren't you?" a familiar voice ecstatically proclaimed.
Cresselia turned. Dark bags had formed underneath Mesprit's eyes.
"Oh, Mesprit…" Cresselia sighed, "Are you alright?"
Mesprit merely smiled, placing her paws on either side of her own face.
"Don't worry your pretty head about me! Everything is sunshine and rainbows!" Mesprit twirled, "I've been waiting centuries for this moment!"
"You seem more excited for the two of us to be paired than I am, Mesprit."
"That's because she wants to be right!"
Azelf appeared with Uxie at her side. Azelf smirked and crossed her arms. Mesprit whipped around to face her willful sister.
"Are you two going to help us?" Mesprit taunted, "Or will you stand in the way of true love."
They searched and searched until the sun hung low in the sky. In the dying sunlight she found it. The tall wildflower's bright yellow petals peaked out from behind its round dark center like the sun when eclipsed by the moon. Cresselia cradled the flower in her paws. It was perfect.
Cresselia's stomach twisted. Being paired was serious matter. One soul was bound to another. As long as the universe existed nothing could break a pairing. Not even death. She held the flower close to her chest and sighed.
"It's okay to be scared, Cress. I imagine he is too." Mesprit touched Cresselia's paw, "Please with what time is left, be with the one you love."
She's right. Winter is approaching soon. I can't allow this opportunity to pass
Cresselia hugged her friend.
"Thank you. For everything."
Trails of nightmares lead her to him. He stood in the middle of a small town's garden. Cresselia landed in front of him. The flower in full view.
She dared not meet his eyes already knowing he could sense the fear pouring out of her mind. But she did notice the way he was carrying himself. His claws protectively held his side. She approached. The flower she had so carefully sought held aloft by her psychic powers. Her paws sifted through his fur until she found the injury. Tender skin, red and destined to bruise. With a pink glow his injuries faded.
"Darling-" Cresselia began.
Darkrai looked at the flower. All words fled from Cresselia's tongue. Embarrassment crawled through her skin as she stared at him, her mouth agape. She was paralyzed. Her whole body went numb and when Darkrai touched her paw.
"Follow me."
Darkrai turned and floated away. Cresselia followed. She cursed herself. Once again she'd wasted an opportunity to speak her mind. Perhaps she'd never get this right. Her gaze stayed on Darkrai's back. His wispy hair and shoulders streamed behind him. Soon they came to a clearing. Ivy stretched up stone arches. Closed flowers that only shared their color with the sunlight framed a bubbling fountain. Human design mixed with nature. In the absence of trees, the moon shown in full, its delicate light dancing onto Darkrai.
He's so-
"Beautiful isn't it?" He turned to face her flashing his blue eyes.
Cresselia clutched her flower closely to her chest and swallowed. Darkrai tugged on something hidden behind his collar. He held out his hand. Cresselia gasped. In his claws was a single delicate but pretty pale blue flower.
"Are you sure you want to be paired...with me?"
Cresselia paused, puzzled by the hesitation in Darkrai's voice.
"You're really content with that burden?"
Burden? Is that how you see yourself?
A life without Darkrai was too dreadful for Cresselia to conceive. Her mouth refused to speak. Her mind refused to clear. Panic overtook her. What pair would remain silent after hearing their other half call themselves a burden?
It is I who isn't enough.
She was back on his island all those years ago. Her feeble confession lost in the wind. If only she'd been honest with him sooner. When he had needed her. Then the pain they had gone through-
"Cress. It's not your responsibility to fix me."
Cresselia met Darkrai's gaze. Worry was etched on his features. Was that it? Was that the only reason she wanted to be by his side? Duty. Responsibility. Is that why she loved him? The yellow flower began to shine.
No.
Their closeness had been spearheaded by her desire to help him. But she'd healed many before him and she would heal many after. That feeling. The strange way her heart had fluttered or her stomach turned only around him. The feeling she had mistaken for fear. Even now it curled up her tongue and made it impossible for her to speak.
I want to be by his side for however long our world has left. If he shares the desire I have then that will be enough.
The flower melted into a yellow orb.It was warm to the touch and soothing like mist from a spring. Darkrai's flower had done the same. His orb glowing the same pale blue as his flower had once been. Darkrai looked at her for reassurance. Neither of them knew what would happen next. What the future would hold for them was a mystery. But there was one thing they both knew for sure. They would face it together.
A brilliant white flash shattered the forest as the orbs collided. Cresselia was blinded. Blinking she reached around in the darkness for her pair. She found his hand and grasped onto it.
He squeezed her paws in response. Cresselia grimaced. Her chest tightened. She blinked. The remnants of the flash cleared from her eyes. Upon meeting her gaze Darkrai turned away, letting her paws go and covering his face. The pair bond between them was style. Though his aura was dark and unreadable to psychics Cresselia could now sense him. Nothing between them could be hidden. She pressed closer to him, resting her head beside his. With her eyes closed she found her voice.
"I love you."
Her confession was met with more tears. Darkrai's claws left his face. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly.
"I love you, too." He whispered.
The scar on his arm brushed against her. The scar she'd given him. Her own tears fell as his forehead touched hers.
"I love you, Cresselia."