Chapter 14- Isle of Memory
Alex burned Ghost power in his spoon while scanning for an escape. Nothing in his vision had shown guards on the island! Caleb moved into a fighting stance, looking to Alex whether to fight or flee.
"State your business, trespassers!" Sigilyph growled again.
"I'm here for my lost memories!" Alex cried. "Uxie sent me a vision a month ago when I prayed at their shrine!"
Sigilyph's wings dimmed slightly. "Uxie themself called you? How unusual. But I can tell you, Uxie did not take your memories. No Abra or Kadabra has visited in years, much less one with your markings."
"No, I…" Alex paused. "You're Psychic, right? You can see the vision Uxie sent me!"
"While I manipulate Psychic energy and remember all that I have ever seen, I cannot view the thoughts of others." Sigilyph's eye glowed. "Yet your aura glows with uncommon certainty." Sigilyph turned to Caleb. "The Kadabra has spoken his purpose. What is your goal on this sacred island?"
Caleb lowered his fists slightly. "I'm Kadabra's partner. He woke up a month ago in the desert without any memories, and I've been helping him learn to be a Pokémon. I've been helping him ever since, and we came here together. I'm helping him as his friend."
"That's a very familiar story, isn't it?" a new voice approached. An Alakazam levitated down the beach towards them.
"Sigilyph, thank you for the mental alarm. I was afraid we'd have to scare off that Gyarados with something stronger than some disorientation. The last one we tried that on rampaged even worse until we knocked it out!" he chuckled.
Sigilyph nodded by bouncing up and down in the air. "It seems like the message to stay away has circulated well. The rumors keep the merely curious from disturbing the Memory-bearer."
Alex let the energy dissipate from his spoon. "We can still see them, can't we?" Alex said. "Uxie called me here, and I came as soon as I could."
"All who commune with Uxie must be tested first. They dislike being disturbed on behalf of those that do not understand the power and meanings of memory, or those looking for easy answers to lost items." Alakazam said.
"A test? Does that mean you'll read our minds?" Alex asked.
"Nothing so personally invasive. The test is similar to exploring a Mystery Dungeon, though without the chaos of an untamed one." Alakazam explained.
"But why do we have to do that? Uxie already called me here! They didn't say anything about a test!" Alex pleaded.
Sigilyph stared at Alex. "One should be prepared to sacrifice to meet one of the fundamental essences of spirit. They are tested to be certain the seeker is truly committed to their ideals. Does not your local mayor or guild leader screen their petitioners? If a mortal rightly safeguards their time, why not a god?"
Alex clenched his fist; in fear or frustration, he wasn't sure. They were so close, and he was being stopped right at the end. Then he took a breath.
"Fine, we'll do it. How long will the test take?"
Alakazam answered. "A few hours, most likely. No more than a day. But we will need time to prepare. If you wish, you may rest now, and begin tomorrow morning. Would you like to eat with us?" Alakazam asked.
After the hours spent on the ocean and this new confrontation, Alex's stomach was cramped too tightly to even think about food. But Caleb raised his hand and volunteered.
"Excellent. Regretfully, we don't have much in the way of accommodations here, unless you mean to stay as a disciple of Uxie. But up the beach there are flatter areas that will be more comfortable to camp." Alakazam said. He paused for a moment. "Yes, there will be a meal ready in a few hours. Sigilyph will fetch you when it is time." Without saying goodbye, Alakazam and Sigilyph turned and floated away over a faintly worn path.
Caleb spoke first. "I wasn't sure what Gallows meant by a cult living here. Did your vision show anyone on the island other than Uxie?"
"No, it didn't. All I saw was a cave, I think about half a kilometer from here. I thought we might run into ferals, or a Mystery Dungeon, but I didn't know there were other social Pokemon here." Alex shivered a little, too used to the heat of the Rainbow Mesa.
"I hope Gallows keeps his word. I don't want to be stuck here." Caleb said, voicing thoughts for both of them.
Alex and Caleb walked up the beach, finding a soft pit of sand to pitch the tent in. Alex tied on his scarf, not quite trusting the Pokemon here not to suddenly start their "test". As the sun set, Alex sensed Sigilyph approaching and tapped Caleb.
"Again, I welcome you to the Isle of Memory. If you follow me, we have a meal prepared." Alex and Claeb decided to leave their bags and follow him. Alex recognized the small cave in the middle of the island as the entrance to Uxie's domain, but they were led to its side, where a lean-to was set up to keep out the wind and ocean spray.
Inside, a dozen other Pokemon sat on the ground, eating. As they entered, stares and murmurs followed Alex until Alakazam greeted them.
"It's been a long time since we've had someone visit. Let me introduce you." He turned back to the group. "These are Kadabra Alex and Machop Caleb. Uxie called Alex here, and he has agreed to take the Trial of Memory."
"Come inside. There's Yamask Aeris, Metang Alan, Lickitung Telia..." he listed off a dozen names that quickly blended together.
"Um, we don't have to remember all those names, do we?" Caleb asked. He cringed at the irony.
"There's no reason why one should be expected to remember so much information at once. They don't require that where you come from, do they?" Alakazam looked intently at them, like there was a hidden meaning he was hinting at. "Here, we normally use species. But since you offered your personal names, it felt right to offer ours in return. Why don't you sit down between Alan and Merci?"
Immediately after sitting down, a Tranquil that Alex guessed was Merci started talking to him. On his other side, Caleb was talking to Yamask. They asked questions about where they had been, what stories they had, notable events, and what brought them here.
"You don't know the leader of Glass Beach? It's the closest settlement to here. Can't you just go there if you want to know?" Alex asked.
"Oh, I wouldn't know how to be around that many Pokemon after all these years. And no boats come here anymore. We've done our job protecting this island a little too well, perhaps. Curious sightseers are more trouble than they're worth."
"So why did you stay here in the first place then?"
"Well, I thought you already knew! Are you not here to join as a disciple to the Guardian of Memory?"
"No, I..." Alex felt slightly foolish. "I just want to know what my memories are. I woke up a month ago in the desert with amnesia. If I had my memories, I'd know what I'm supposed to do here."
"Oh dear!" Tranquil said. "In that case, I see why you want Uxie's help. But are you sure you want to remember your experiences? With scars like yours, perhaps the truth would be more painful than ignorance."
The conversation was quickly turning to places Alex didn't want to discuss with a stranger. He changed the subject. "Why do you stay on the island all the time? Glass Beach isn't that far away, if you wanted to go."
Tranqui looked confused for a moment, but her eyes sparkled as she became immersed in her story. "I've been here for a very long time. I flew here as a young Pidove. I learned that the Isle of Memory is the world's largest library, and libraries are one of this world's greatest treasures! Knowledge, memory, experiences, all passed on forever! Once I knew that, I had to come see. And I've been here ever since."
"You've lived most of your life in a library? What kinds of books does it have?"
"Any kind! Histories, biographies, scientific experiments. All modern society is based on and building off other's work and experiences. Otherwise every single Pokemon would have to learn by trial and error such basic facts we take for granted, like what berries are toxic and which are healing. And if there were no memory at all, even individuals wouldn't be able to learn from one day to the next. I'm here because I honor Uxie's gift to the world, and what they represent. A little gossip from a day trip into town is very minor when compared to the idea that without the gift of memory, I wouldn't even remember what happened five minutes ago. Memory takes us from an eternal 'now' into the past, and helps us prepare for the future."
"But that means you've never left the island since you got here?" Alex asked. "Just reading books?"
"No, I haven't left. Perhaps that's why I haven't fully evolved, even though I am old. There's no need for battle experience here. I've spent the last fifty years in Uxie's domain. But I don't regret it. How many Pokémon get to live near their god, with them so close? It is… a holy thing, I think is the right word."
"Wait, you haven't ever left the island since you got here? Aren't you bored?" Caleb interjected.
"Bored? There are more texts here than I could hope to finish! I'm never out of things to learn. I once spent an entire year studying the conditions where healing berries grow, and I didn't even finish half of the writings we have! Did you know that every plant that produces Sitrus Berries are cuttings grown from one specimen? Superb restorative power, but they are weak to a particular blight, which is why they're so rare. They must be grown separately from everything, or else risk contamination of an entire vineyard of Sitrus."
"That's interesting, I guess," Caleb said uncertainly. "I'd get bored reading all day. It doesn't feel like I'm doing anything, just sitting and reading. I'd rather go out and see it for myself!"
"I think I like it, actually," Alex said. "But I don't think that's why I'm here. I was told I have to save the world, and I don't think I can do that if I stay here."
"Goodness! I hope we aren't in danger here. But Uxie hasn't said anything, like when they warned us of Dark Matter turning Pokemon into stone. I do hope you find the answers you need here, and know what to do with them," Tranquill said.
They finished their meal, trying unsuccessfully to get hints or information about the test. "It will be explained in the morning," they said. After they ate and talked until the stars appeared, Sigilyph led Alex and Caleb back to their tent.
Alex and Caleb went to the cave just after sunrise, carrying their dungeon exploration gear and wearing their bands. The Pokémon here called it a temple, but it looked like nothing more than a hole in the low hill that dominated the island. Alakazam was waiting at the entrance.
"Welcome to the Temple of Memory. Uxie resides at the bottom of this Mystery Dungeon, shaped into a library and formed to teach specific lessons about the nature of knowledge. You may bring any tools you see fit, and the resources of the dungeon are free. You may proceed when ready," he said, as if reciting from memory.
They couldn't see anything inside the cave, though it faintly shimmered with the distortion characteristic of a Dungeon. Taking a deep breath, Alex led the way inside.
"Um, there's not any feral Pokémon, are there?" Caleb asked as they looked around. As the Pokemon here said, the dungeon was a huge library, bookshelves carved directly into stone and laden with texts of every kind. The oppressive atmosphere that Alex associated with dungeons was significantly lighter than the Sandstone Maze, but still perceptible if he focused. His psychic senses were scrambled, making it impossible to find their way through the corridors that way.
"I don't know. We're definitely inside a Mystery Dungeon, though." Alex checked the Special Band wrapped around one arm and felt the boost it gave. He started walking down the hall as it twisted and turned, but for some reason, there were no branches to get lost down, only an occasional room branching off with no exit.
"I don't think these books are repeating," Caleb said. "Remember the Sandstone Maze? You could figure out which way to go by looking for repeated patterns. But I don't think this place works the same way."
Alex had barely looked at the books, he was so focused on finding the stairs and getting closer to Uxie. But he stopped and saw scrolls, tablets, and books stacked together in a variety of languages, and only rarely the one they had learned at the Academy. But he thought he recognized Unown, and was that clay tablet carved in runes? What kind of message was written in script that bent the universe? How was it stable? Zweilous said runes put in unfitting materials caused to to degrade, or sometimes, shatter into explosions of elemental energy.
As Alex continued down the single path as it turned left and right, he confirmed that not a single shelf or book was repeated, as far as he could tell. Sometimes the path turned in ways it should have intersected with itself, but without a single intersection. Eventually they found a spiral staircase in the last room at the end of the hall. They hadn't seen anyone else inside.
"That was weirdly easy. I don't get it." Caleb said as they descended to the second floor.
"Yeah. They talked about a trial. I thought we'd have to battle them or take a test like we did at the Academy." Alex said. They came to their first crossroads. Halls stretched off to the left, right, and straight ahead.
Barely stopping to consider, Alex turned into the left corridor, looking for the next stairway. He had barely taken two steps before the Metang from last night sliced across his chest with its claws.
Alex groaned as he slid on the floor. Caleb immediately jumped over him and punched Metang on the side of its eye. It wobbled, then charged at him with psychic energy surrounding it. Alex focused a ball of Hidden Power and aimed as well as he could on the ground, but the attack grazed Caleb's fingers. The Metang fell to the floor. Seconds later, it woke up, fully healed. Metang nodded to them, then disappeared through a small hole in the ceiling.
"Ow, that hurt," Alex said, examining his wounds. The bleeding was quickly slowing due to the Dungeon's time distortion. "I should be fine in a minute, though," he added as Caleb reached for the Oran pouch. Alex got his breathing under control as the cuts scabbed over.
"Weird. They didn't keep attacking us, even after they were healed." Alex said. "I guess Metang just wanted to test us, not kick us out of the dungeon." Alex went down the hall, turned the corner and found a dead end.
"Was he guarding the wrong way? That doesn't make any sense!" Alex said. "I don't get why there wasn't anyone on the first floor. If they just wanted to test our power, they could have lined up there."
"I have no idea either. I've never met a god. Maybe this is Uxie's idea of a joke?"
Alex looked at the end of the hall again, but there were no stairs, no hole to crawl through, just a plain dead end.
They went back to the crossroads, chose the next direction… and Tranquil flapped out a hail of Air Slashes, cutting Alex's thin skin. He caught her with Confusion, and threw her into the floor, holding back as much as he could. Then just like the Metang, her wounds healed, and she left through a gap that Alex could swear wasn't there before, and it couldn't possibly have fit her.
They went down the path and immediately ran into another dead end.
Alex pushed ahead into the final path, bracing for another fight... and nobody attacked them. He looked all around himself for a moment.
'I am so confused," Alex said. Then he shrugged and moved forwards down the winding hallway, which soon came to another crossroads.
"Alex, wait a minute." Caleb said. He was staring at one of the bookshelves. "I'm pretty sure I saw this book on the last floor. It's a really bright red, and it's written in the symbols we learned, so it stuck out to me. 'History of the Grass Continent.'"
Alex looked at it impatiently. "That's interesting, I guess, but what do you mean?"
"Well, it was right on a corner on the floor above us. I think that these floors might be connected to each other, like a puzzle or something."
"They did say this was a test. I think Alakazam said it was like a Mystery Dungeon, but this isn't like one we've seen or heard of. An entire floor repeating doesn't sound possible from what we've learned about. They're supposed to be smaller pieces, a dozen meters across at most."
"Yeah, but what if that's because this is where Uxie lives? Could it change an entire Mystery Dungeon?" Caleb pulled the book off the shelf and thumbed through it. It was perfectly legible, filled with dates and names. Nothing seemed to change in the dungeon, like when Larion had damaged the walls of the Sandstone Maze and changed its pattern.
"The second turn we did went to the right, wasn't it?" Alex asked.
"I'm pretty sure. It was next to this book, at least. That's how I noticed it."
Alex stepped to the right, bracing for an attack, but nothing happened. He let out the breath he was holding. Alex realized what the Trial of Memory was supposed to be.
"It's literally a memory test!" Alex said exasperatedly. "That's not a trial, it's just wasting time!"
"Well, we don't have to fight anyone else from now on, as long as we find the right path," Caleb said, trying to calm Alex.
"There were about ten turns that we had to make before, and I don't remember any of them. I was looking out for other Pokémon, not our direction. I wonder if we could go back up, or start over?" Alex mused. He went back to the entrance of the floor, and astoundingly, the spiral staircase was still there, leading back to the previous floor. They walked the floor, counting each turn.
"Right, left, left, left, right... Was it right or left after that?" Alex mumbled to himself. Memorizing this was harder than he expected. One of the side rooms they passed had a writing desk, with stacks of paper, quills, and bottles of ink.
""Um, is it okay if I take this?" he asked. Nobody stopped him, so Alex wrote out the steps on a scrap of paper and folded it into the Special Band on his arm for easy access.
The second floor passed much faster, and they avoided all but one of the dead ends. A crossroads opened up, and Alex took the turn he had written down. But after a quick battle with a Lickitung, Alex and Caleb realized they should have headed straight; the hallway was too short. Soon, they found the stairway to the next floor.
Trial of Memory B3F
The same stone walls surrounded them as the floor above. But the first crossroads they came to had only two directions, neither of which were the correct one as they had written. Alex guessed, after trading attacks with Yamask, that this floor was mirrored from the floor above. Further floors offered more variations; backwards, longer or shorter halls, even illusioned fake walls that they had to walk though. Finally, one staircase led into an open cavern, water dripping onto the floor in curiously shaped puddles. A small fairy floated in the center of the room, illuminated by shining crystal, copying an old, crumbling tablet one tablet onto another.
The gems on Uxie's tail flashed, and the tablets teleported away before Uxie turned to face Alex and Caleb. Alex squinted before he saw their eyes were closed. Chimecho had been very insistent that Uxie could wipe out memories by looking into its eyes.
"Welcome, and congratulations for completing the Trial of Memory. Kadabra Alex, you may ask me any question, and I shall answer to the best of my knowledge. Machop Caleb, as partner and fellow victor, you may ask the same."
There was an unmistakable aura of power and weight coming from the Uxie. It was half the size of even Caleb, but no one could stand in its presence and deny that a force of nature was in the room, one that carried all of civilization on itself. Alex dropped to one knee, Caleb beside him.
"Uxie, you called me here almost a month ago. I came as soon as I could, and I don't have a question, but a request. Can you restore my memories?"
Uxie floated in front of Alex, who lowered his head.
"Look into my eyes, and I will examine your mind and soul. Be not worried, I shall not take your memories. You are a guest, not an intruder."
Alex looked into Uxie's eyes, which were deep green with flecks of gold swirling in them.
A moment passed before Uxie's voice echoed in his thoughts. "I see. The Musharna was clumsy, but spoke truly. You have no memories at all before your Dream and waking up near the Rainbow Mesa. I see a few murky impressions of a dark room in your mind, but nothing substantial. I apologize. I cannot restore what doesn't exist. I will allow you to ask another question, if you wish."
Alex cried out loud. "But you called me here! You knew why I was praying to you, didn't you? Why did you send me that vision if you weren't going to help me?"
Uxie continued the conversation out loud. "I gave you directions because you asked. Your persistent prayer and worship called out to me as much as I called you. I offered to fulfill your desires, if I could grant them."
"Then what was the point? I still don't know who I am, or what kind of disaster the world is facing. I thought you could reveal that."
"Disaster? Nothing unusual is anticipated for the near future, and certainly nothing is threatening the world that requires human assistance. Despite how the history sounds, all the dangers were known well in advance to the gods, and we prepared accordingly. It was no coincidence that Sky Tower happened to be directly under the meteor, for example."
"So you're saying there's no reason why I'm here? That the voice in my Dream was lying to me?"
"There are many forces that some see as threatening the world. Most never come to pass. At worst, it's a regional upheaval that affects a limited number of Pokémon, and is soon forgotten by the wider world. There is nothing that I know of that can damage the planet within your lifetime. The old threats are dealt with, their sanctuaries purged, and all the gods watch over their respective domains. We will not repeat the mistakes of the past. And I cannot think of a single way for another being to perceive a threat the gods know not of.
"As for your life's purpose? That's Mesprit's domain, and not even they produce meaning in an empty soul. I offer knowledge and resources to solve problems. Memories by themselves won't give you a goal, only skills to accomplish them. Why would you want some predetermined fate handed to you? No mortal ever has such a thing dictated to them."
"But I still need my memories. Was I a monster before coming here? Is that why I can't remember, and my scars are to warn others to stay away?" Alex was on the verge of tears.
Uxie sighed. "I have already told you that there are no memories I can restore. You are not covered in scars, or any warning I have ever heard of. Those few wicked humans who have been turned into Pokémon were never marked as a warning. Nor do you act anything like a monster who hurts others."
"But then why am I covered in them? And I have so much power that I can barely control it. I evolved after a month of being here! Nothing evolves that fast, even Weedle!"
Uxie tilted their head as if examining Alex, while its eyes remained closed, then turned away. "I have already answered more questions than I promised. This is your final answer. It appears that the being which crafted your body was crude in its methods and grew your body too quickly. Those marks are simply stretch marks, as many Pokémon get from rapid growth. As for your unusual power and rapid evolution, it seems your patron sought to grant you strength early. I suspect the next time you battle without holding back, you may reach your final evolution. Now be satisfied with your answers, and trouble me no more."
Alex slumped to the ground. "So I exhausted myself working two jobs, crammed all night with Caleb to graduate as soon as possible, traveled halfway across the continent and the ocean, and I've learned functionally nothing from the Guardian of Knowledge. Was all our preparation and travel a waste of time and Poké? We aren't even getting paid for this." Alex said to himself.
"Meaning and purpose comes from within, not from memory or knowledge. You are no different than any other mortal. Perhaps you should consider what you seek to accomplish, rather than have another dictate it to you. Many mortals dream of the chance to start again with a blank slate," Uxie said.
Uxie floated back to the pair. "With your questions answered, I do believe it is Machop Caleb's turn to ask a question."
Caleb sputtered in shock. "M-me? No, I'm just here to support Alex. He needs me to help him."
Uxie frowned. "You're not much better at being your own Pokémon than he is. Come, ask me a question. You did just as much work to come here, and I can see how much you have sacrificed to his cause. You deserve a boon to equal his half-dozen questions."
Caleb fiddled with his hands and combed them through the frills on his head. "Sorry, I wasn't prepared to ask you anything. The only question that I can think of is: how many humans are living on the Five Continents right now? I've never gotten a consistent answer of how often humans are brought here."
"There are currently six living former humans scattered upon the planet inhabited only by Pokémon. Two have been saviors of this world, and three have been brought out of pity or reward for their previous life. And the last fell into a hole between spaces, and came here accidentally."
"Wow. I didn't think it was that many! I thought it was only one or two at a time." Caleb said.
"There are several forces that can transport a soul between worlds, each with their own motivations. That often leads to overlapping times in summoning humans."
Alex continued to mumble to himself as he sat on the floor. "No point in coming here. Didn't learn anything useful. I don't have a single answer to tell anyone when they ask who I am. Why?"
Uxie sighed, disappointment dripping from their voice. "Fine. Do you really want a quest?" A small orb grew between their tails, before they threw it at Alex's feet. He numbly grabbed it, barely seeing the yellow energy swirling around the center. "Take this to my siblings, Azelf and Mesprit. If you gain their favor, they will undo the seal on this orb, and it will give you an item helpful on your journey. Maybe you'll learn something along the way. But I'm tired of your sniveling, Kadabra. Go make your own story and stop relying on others to lead you. And Machop Caleb, take care of yourself. Partners are equally important as the heroes. You aren't more or less of a person if you're best friends with a human. Now leave." Uxie waved a hand, and the hero and his partner were ejected from the Dungeon back to its entrance.
Alex heard the sound of applause. He clearly looked up to see all the Pokémon living on the Isle of Memory cheering and making noise in their own way. Metang pounded a nearby Bronzer, Tranquil beat her wings, and Alakazam tapped his spoons together.
"Congratulations! You figured out the trick! And you didn't try to memorize the floor like the last participant! Memory is prone to error and loss, which is why we write things down!" Alakazam said. He wrapped a friendly arm around Alex and pulled him to his feet. "Come! You haven't lost a thing to the little dungeon, and gained an audience with a Guardian of Spirit! Very few can claim such an honor! Now have a meal, and recover from the Dungeon. Even though it's tamed, no Mystery Dungeon is a pleasant experience."
"Weren't you guarding it, though? How does that even work? Mystery Dungeons can't contain intelligent Pokémon without trapping or throwing them out." Caleb said.
"Very true, for wild Dungeons. But where one of the gods dwells, they can make a space to suit themselves. For Uxie, they created a great library of knowledge and history, perfectly preserved in time and space. They then shaped it to form a trial as they saw fit. Memory is the ability to find patterns and envision the future. A profound concept, expressed in a simple maze, with direct consequences for failure. But rest assured, none of us would seriously injure you. It was simply a teaching method."
"I was afraid of really injuring one of you," Alex said. "I can't control how powerful my attacks are very well."
"Oh! If you are concerned about your power being dangerous, I may be able to tailor your spoon to make your psychic powers less overpowering. May I see yours for a moment?"
Alex nodded and passed it to the older Alakazam. He blinked as it left Alex's hand, and all the disciples of Uxie turned their heads towards Alex.
"I see what you mean. Perhaps you should hold on to one of mine for a while then so we aren't distracted by your psychic pulses. I should have this before you go back to your tent. But don't let me distract you all night! Have some food and talk to others!" Alakazam swapped one of his spoons with Alex's and teleported away.
A few minutes later, Alex picked at the feast set out for them. Tranquill fluttered next to him.
"I didn't hit you that hard, did I? Uxie normally heals visitors before they leave, in any case."
"No, I'm fine. But I didn't badly injure you, did I?" Alex asked. "I can't control my strength very well."
"No problem at all! It certainly hurt, but I haven't had a battle in decades! Even so, you are more powerful than any Kadabra I've heard of. Without Uxie's protection, you easily have the power to beat me in battle!"
"But I don't deserve my power. I didn't earn it through training. Uxie said–"
"No, you don't have to tell me!" Tranquil interrupted. "That knowledge is your gift, given privately. Not all knowledge has to be shared."
Alex swirled a piece of fish around his plate. He gathered courage in case he offended Tranquil. "Uxie didn't answer my question. They didn't restore my memories like they could have."
"Are you certain about that? Uxie never lies; it's antithetical to their being. Though very rarely, they may conceal details or refuse answering questions where the truth may cause harm. But that is not done lightly."
"But they refused to tell me why I'm here!" Alex's voice cracked. "I don't know why I was put here, or why I have barely controllable power, or why I'm covered in marks! I don't know what I'm supposed to do!"
Tranquil hopped back a step, shocked. She shook her head for a moment. "I see that you had a lot of hopes placed on this trip. Those are questions every Pokemon has. But I think we must all find our own purpose and place in the world. If our purpose in life was dictated to us by one of the gods, would we be our own selves, or simply puppets for another to impose their own will on?"
"What do you mean? I was sent here for a purpose, wasn't I? I mean, humans don't come into this world by accident. I had the Dream and everything."
"Perhaps. But there have been dozens or hundreds of humans in this world, and less than ten were given a mission to save it. And even then, they had to choose for themselves if they were to run into danger and injury. Nothing compelled them to fight avatars of gods. They set their own goals, and most of the time accomplished them. I can think of several moments in the stories of Riolu Rose and Vulpix Luka where things could have gone much smoother if a god coordinated everyone to save Temporal Tower," Tranquil chirped. "And I was certainly never forced to spend my life here. I came here because I wanted to learn, and I soon chose to be useful as I stayed."
Tranquil patted Alex's head. "I hope that made sense. Really, questions about goals and purpose are better suited for Mesprit, not Uxie. I only know these things from the records I've read. I don't have much experience being a counselor."
Alex ate slowly, thinking about all he had heard that day. Alakazam came back and dropped Alex's spoon on his lap. "I've added a few runes that should help sharpen or dampen your powers as you need. You should practice with them before you get into battle again, of course. But it is a good mental focus, high quality wood without twists or knots. And you can make your own adjustments if you need."
Alex picked up his improved spoon, but in the fading light, he couldn't make out the new carvings etched into it. But it felt better in his hand, without the slight vibration it used to have as it siphoned Alex's power. Alex and Caleb said their goodbyes and walked back to their tent as the last of sunlight faded.
"Are you okay?" Caleb asked as they crawled into the tent. The stars shone above them, but fog was creeping off the ocean.
"I don't know." Alex said. He'd been so shocked by the party he hadn't had time to process his feelings yet. "I thought I was going to learn who I was here, but I think I have more questions than before. I was MADE to have too much power? Why? Not even Uxie knew of any disasters. I feel lost. I'm a child in the body of an adult, and I think I could win most battles by myself if I didn't hold back." He combed his mustache, unsuccessfully trying to straighten it. "Caleb, why do you stay with me? I know you're not treated fairly, either. Sometimes you get hard work thrown on you, but then someone else comes by to take it away and not make you do anything because of your association with a human."
"Why do I stick around?" Alex heard Caleb roll over. "I'd be a terrible partner if I left, for one thing. You need mental and emotional support, at least for now. Without me, you'd probably have starved in the desert. But together, we just walked halfway across the Sand Continent and crossed the ocean!"
Alex fiddled with his spoon. "I know you feel like you have to stick with me. It's how all the stories go, at least. But what about that Servine you met? That human wasn't with anyone, was she? What made her different?"
"She never told me what happened. I don't think she really needed a partner, at that point. Maybe she used to have one until she was independent. Plus, she was evolved, she wasn't a kid that needed supervision anymore."
"What does that make me? Do you think I need a babysitter? I'm just a duty you need to do?" Alex said.
"Not like that! I mean, um, you still need help. And Monferno keeps picking on you!"
"So I'm defenseless, and only you can help me?" Alex sighed and hugged his tail. "I am useless."
"No! You've been thrown into a tough situation that nobody could handle but you! And you saved my life from that Parasect a few days ago. You're getting better every day!"
"Be honest, Caleb. If I wasn't here, what would you want to be doing right now? Would you be hunting gods who don't want to be bothered to get no answers that you were looking for?"
Caleb stopped for a moment. "I think... If I hadn't run into you on my way to the Academy, I'd be running rescue missions every day. I don't really care for my apprenticeship at the workshop. It's kind of interesting to learn how to build and fix stuff, but it's just the same routine every day. I don't feel like I'm helping people that much. I know I am, a plow feeds more Pokémon than I could save, but it doesn't feel like much. When I found Cubchoo, that reminded me what inspired me to go to the Academy in the first place! A feeling of adventure, a new experience each time I go out, and helping others weaker than me. It's why that Servine rescued me from my first Mystery Dungeon! I was looking for an adventure, and got in over my head!"
"Oh," Alex said. "I... don't like battling or pain. I want stability instead of excitement and danger. I only came out here because I thought it would help me understand who I used to be and why I'm here, if I got answers. That didn't turn out like I wanted." Alex rolled Uxie's orb on the ground. It was smaller than the Wonder Orbs he helped craft, and there were no runes or markings on it at all. The cloudy, swirling yellow energy inside offered no glimpse or hint at what it concealed.
"What do we do now? We both want different things, and I don't know if I believe that this orb will really help. Uxie just wanted me gone."
"You could keep making those orbs and stuff at the Drake's Emporium. You seem to like that, especially when you get a good score on something. I can keep training and focus on rescues. That way we both do what we want, right?" Caleb asked.
"Maybe," Alex said. "But if I want to meet Azelf and Mesprit, I'll have to fight. And I don't want anyone else to get hurt. I actually knocked out Sergeant Graveller the other day at mandatory training, you know? What if I actually kill someone because I overestimate my opponent?"
"Pokémon are tougher than that. There's a big difference between knocking someone out and seriously injuring them. It takes real intent to do something an Oran can't fix in most fights. And you don't have that in you. If you were a bad person as a human, there would be a lot more Pokémon in the infirmary."
"That's not very encouraging, Caleb." Alex rolled over. Maybe if he could get some sleep, this would make sense in the morning. It didn't come easily.
"Caleb, promise me something. Don't hurt yourself or give up on your dreams because of me. I'm not worth it. Tell me if you want to do something, and... I'll try to make it happen for you. But you need something to live for beyond following me around."
"I'll think about it. But first, we need to get back to the Academy. We can figure out our next steps from there. Good night, Alex."
"Good night," Alex said, before falling into an uneasy sleep.
Caleb didn't fall asleep any easier than Alex. It wasn't the constant psychic pressure coming from his partner giving him a headache. He could barely notice it now, with Alex having a better focus spoon. Before, Caleb constantly felt the power his partner emitted, with his spoon lowering the intensity from standing next to a bonfire to being in the same room as a burning hearth. But partners endured things for their humans, right? Supposedly, the Bittercold had frozen the breath of any non-human that got close. But Joshua had followed Emi right into battle. Why should he be any different?
Caleb imagined working at the workshop for his career. It suited his species; Machop and its evolutions were strong, with good dexterity to work with many kinds of tools. But did he really want to just build and repair what his boss told him to? Sure, it felt good when a project was completed, but it didn't compare to the relief and happiness on the Cubchoo's face when he was rescued. Maybe he could find someone else to do missions with a few times a week. Caleb had worked well with Murkrow.
But where would that leave Alex? He was the one hurting here. Alex was virtually ostracized in the Rainbow Mesa. He didn't do much other than work at the Drake's Emporium and occasionally go to the Shrine Hall. Alex didn't have other friends or hobbies, not that Caleb could say much different with their working hours.
Maybe they needed to do something together, tackling low risk missions on the board, or even the temporary jobs listed. That would mean Caleb would get the variety he wanted, and Alex could feel safe while still training. For all his explosive psychic power, Alex lagged behind in endurance. After he had evolved, Alex no longer needed to trance most of the day, but he still needed breaks.
What they really needed was a goal to work towards. But Caleb couldn't think of one that wouldn't bore him without scaring Alex. They put a lot of work into meeting Uxie, but it hadn't measured up to their expectations. Would Alex want to try to find Azelf or Mesprit, afraid that they would do the same? Caleb wanted to go out and run, or practice his katas to relax. But there wasn't any light to do that. And what if Alex woke up and found him missing? That wouldn't make either of them feel better. Caleb tossed and turned, dozing off a little at a time until the sun rose.