I really should have split this chapter into two separate ones, but for the life of me I just couldn't force myself to do it.
I felt a need to make this chapter extra long and try to make it feel a bit special because it was the original end chapter before I realized how long things would get.
Oh well, can't change any of that now. This'll have a couple of perspectives hence the very long length of the chapter. So with all that said onto the story.
My heart beat relentlessly with the force of crashing thunder. Arceus I better not screw this up again. There were no more escape routes or chances to back down. My feet were to the fire and it was make or break time. Just don't stumble like yesterday and he won't spend the next eternity repulsed by my existence.
No, no it's cool! Take it slowly. You can tell him, you just gotta work your way up to it. With a smack to both of my cheeks I forced my nerves to back down. I can put those fears to the side for the time being. I had something else I could focus on.
Specifically a question that had been eating at the back of my mind. I really preferred to avoid speaking to her if I could, but in this instance… she really would be the only one who could give me an answer.
That snow white Quilin with an intricate golden wheel wrapped around her pot belly. She was drinking some kind of coffee and wouldn't acknowledge my presence until she was finished. No sign of that wicked dragon either. Maybe he was busy finding some mortal soul to torment. She had constructed her own shack to call her sanctuary/avoid the rest of us at all costs. It managed to be too gaudy with it's intricate designs woven into the walls and far too bland with the sheer white all over the room. She only kept a bed twice her size in this room and absolutely nothing else of interest or value.
She turned to me and spoke in that fake pleasant tone I simply couldn't stand. "Greetings Azelf, what brings you here?" I wish she wouldn't bother trying to hide the disdain she had for some of us. Eh not really a problem I cared about, I've always been her least favorite in our trio and I doubt that was ever gonna change.
"Yeah, I gotta question. How come Uxie's gotta keep his eyes shut?"
She closed her eyes and spoke with that 'wise' voice that was even more infuriating than her regal persona.
"There is knowledge out there forbidden to all but the most sacred of witnesses. His eyes ensure such secrets stay buried and-" I waved at her to stop her blathering before it turned into an hour long speech, "Not that, I mean WHY do they gotta stay shut at all times? You changed how Mesprit's powers worked, so why does he gotta be stuck like that?" Her expression didn't change, but I could tell what she was thinking. 'Why does this little sprite gotta be so disrespectful!?' She huffed in annoyance for having her ramble cut off, but otherwise remained outwardly refined. "He's never once voiced an issue with such a limitation."
"A-and?"
"That truly is the major extent of it. If he expressed a sincere desire for a change I could limit the potency of his ability for him. We would need to discuss the finer details, but I am open to listen to him." That…no… there had to be another reason his powers remained active at all times. Right? Something like the eyes only working if they were at full power. Or some kind of insurance to keep him from abusing the absurd power. I mean eye contact erasing everything needed that kind of insurance. It couldn't be as simple as him never asking… it wasn't that easy with Mesprit…
It was the first instance where Uxie and I were in total agreement. Mesprit was miserable and it was something neither of us could accept. Really the only thing that surprised me was that confronting Arceus was Uxie's idea. He even went as far as to request we put our 'squabbling' aside for Mesprit's sake. We were both fully prepared to argue and debate for hours on the merits of making these changes… but looking back on it. It felt like Arceus had been contemplating on mitigating her powers and our agreement on the matter gave her all the proof she ever needed…
"If that will be all. Please move along Azelf. I have other members I must speak with."
I left at that point. Didn't have a reason to keep speaking with her now that I got everything I needed.
I had to speak with him about that… I've felt his desire to see the world around him. That want to look without a shred of fear for the damage he could cause. His hopes to one day look me in the eyes… It was something that I could feel had always lingered in the back of his mind. He simply lacked the will to see such a desire fulfilled. He was content with artistic depictions and vivid descriptions of what everyone looked like. It was a seed that simply never sprouted. No matter how deeply it remained buried his curiosity was always buried by the fear the consequences would bring. Right up until the day Palkia lost his memories.
(Centuries Ago at the apex of Spear Pillar)
What the hell was going on? This wasn't my cave? This wasn't any cave at all. I wasn't really sure where I was on account of an obnoxious pink dinosaur's ugly mug clogging up my vision. Backing away as quickly as I could I hear the sadistic laughter of the large blue, metallic sauropod. The freezing weather and abundance of aging marble gave me all the pieces to guess where I had been dragged to. Mt. Coronet. Right before the stairs to enter the Hall of Origins to be precise. At the base of the stairs sat a dumpster's worth of trash. All random objects carelessly tossed around. Half of which were either broken or half formed…OH ARCEUS I BETTER NOT BE MISSING ANY PART OF ME! Hastily checking every square inch of my body that I possibly could. I had the quick reassurance that nothing had gone missing. I spun to face both of the dragons and screamed loudly enough for both of these two buffoons to hear me.
"Guys what the hell is going on!? I was in the middle of something!"
Palkia had hunched over with both hands on his knees. He was desperately trying to catch his breath. Dialga meanwhile had keeled over laughing her ass off. I couldn't tell if she was laughing at me, Palkia, or the both of us. Dialga was totally indiscriminate with her sadism. My eye began to twitch and my tails whipped at the ground. "One of you two better answer me!"Dialga pulled herself together enough to give me an answer. "He's been trying to teleport to the top of the stairs for hours now." Seriously? How was he this bad with his powers?!
"I'm almost there! I just need to get a real lock on it and I'll skip all the physical steps!" Screw it, this was worth watching. Palkia failing was like watching Rayquaza attempting to cook. A task doomed for failure that would always be hysterical to witness. I floated next to Dialga so we could have a nice long chat about the numerous failures Palkia was going to continue experiencing throughout the day.
Every time he was about to warp something in he screamed to the heavens and threw his arms to the sides. I instinctively grabbed both of my tails. The last thing I needed was to spend a decade trying to find where this dinosaur's powers misplaced them. Dialga was far less concerned with losing something. She must have been used to it by now. I can't imagine being desensitized to literally losing my head. He hunched over and a bisected water cooler hit the ground. Better that thing than me. "You'd rewind us if that was me right?" She snickered and her response was… not reassuring. "I'd consider it." Dialga was pure evil and that was a fact that would never change. She'd probably only revive me out of fear of what Arceus would do. Non-pulsed by the horrific nature of her answer she wanted to make a game out of Palkia's… 'practice'.
"Who do you think he'll warp in next?" Easy, with how spectacularly that pink imbecile's powers backfire there was only ever going to be one of two individuals he'd warp in.
"Mesprit or-" As if on cue my obnoxious helmet-headed counterpart poofed right in front of the buffoon. "Him…" In all his condescending 'glory' my yellow-headed counterpart and source of instantaneous frustration. He even had everything still attached so if all else fails and he gets too condescending with me I could tie his tails in a knot and leave him to sort that problem out.
"Heya Helmet-Head. Nice of you to drop by." He didn't respond, he must have been ignoring me again. Figures, if Mesprit were here he'd have begrudgingly given a wave, or a nod, or maybe even a 'Greetings' if he was feeling extra stuck up. Hell I'd argue she really is the only being he'd even acknowledge as a friend After he was forced to name somebody at gunpoint.
"Who's Helmet-Head? Am I Helmet-Head? Also what's a helmet?"
I couldn't help but snicker. Jokes at Helmet-Head's expense were the best part of seeing him. Dialga shook her head and spoke to her imbecile of a partner. "Very funny Palkia."
In response his head quickly darted back to Uxie, "Is that one talking to me or... what was I asking about?"
"That was only funny the first time. Now quit messing around." I held up my paw for her to stop. "Nah trust me, this'll be golden. Hey big guy, does the tiny guy in front of you have his eyes open?" I made sure to play along by pointing right at my eyes.
"Uh… gimme a moment… What was the question again?" Dialga shook her head, not finding the entertainment value in Helmet-Head's misfortune. "OK that's enough of that. Come on Palkia you're not making any progress today."
"Palkia?... Who's Palkia?"
This… wasn't a bit… Palkia wasn't smart enough to play this kind of game.
"UXIE CLOSE YOUR DAMN EYES!" Dialga screamed, good luck with that. You could spend all day yelling at him and he would still tune you out. Even Mesprit couldn't break that barrier when he well and truly wanted nothing to do with anyone.
"Hey little guy, is she talking to you or…what were we talking about?" Oh my Arceus, how many times was Palkia going to do this?! I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from laughing. I turned to Dialga to get some ideas for how to continue this bit, but she wasn't there anymore.
*CRACK*
The ground beneath us splintered from the force Dialga slammed Uxie into the ancient marble floor with. She pressed her front leg on top of him and roared at him. "EYES! CLOSED! NOW!"
This wasn't funny anymore. Uxie's life was in danger.
My strength was often underestimated from how small I was. Nobody expected my frame to move mountains. I grabbed Dialga by the tail and with a hefty swing. Tossed her into one of the many pillars pointlessly aligning the ancient floor. She was so big that the impact tore the pillar apart. Creating an explosion of dust and toppling the rest of the pillar on top of her.
"DON'T YOU DARE HURT HIM!"
Amidst the smoke Dialga's carmine eyes gleamed as the diamonds adorning her body glew brighter with each passing second. Good she was focused entirely on me now.
"STAY OUT OF THIS!"
In a fair fight… Dialga would destroy me. Even if I sapped all of her will she could rewind herself to a point where she was never affected. Still so long as I placed myself between her and Uxie then I could call what I was doing a success. Our fight ended before it had a chance to get started. An irresistible force struck the both of us and we were both incapable of moving.
Arceus loomed over the both of us. Her eyes flared red with barely restrained fury. "The entire world is struggling to hold itself together. Explain."
"THE IMBECILE WIPED PALKIA'S MEMORIES!" Of course she was leaving out that it happened because of her and Palkia being irresponsible. She surveyed the chaotic mess scattered on the tiles of Spear Pillar. Arceus slowly approached Uxie. Even with the gravity surrounding me magnified to the point where bones would turn to dust I had the strength to resist. Before she even had the chance to berate him, I was between the two. Not even the albino llama was gonna stop me. Her eyes flickered in surprise for a brief moment. Then just as quickly fell on my still silent counterpart.
"Uxie close your eyes before someone else sees." They were still open?! Seriously, what the hell was going on with him!
"Good, now I will need your help to restore Palkia's memories. Please escort Palkia to the Hall of Origins and I will be with you shortly after." He flew past me to the overgrown spaced out buffoon who inevitably began the onslaught of questions. "Oh, so you're Uxie… who's the big one with that…thing on her? A-and that one who looks like you? Oh and the big one that got thrown like a…like a– like she got thrown?" He didn't answer any of them, not that the motor mouth would stop long enough to give him the chance. He motioned for Palkia to follow and thankfully the enormous imbecile followed up the skyward stairway. I wanted to go with him, but I was already at my limit staying airborne with this magnified gravity.. Arceus was waiting for the two of them to be out of range to dispel the force pinning the both of us to the ground. Without the restraints holding her down Dialga kept her glare fixated entirely on me. I didn't care about the grudge she would inevitably hold.
Without Uxie in danger or the magnified gravity I could breathe a sigh of relief, even if Arceus tore me apart I made sure Dialga couldn't hurt him any further. The Qilin maintained her soul piercing gaze. I could feel how badly she wanted to tear one of us apart. Right now she was determining which of us was at fault for the turn of events. Her eyes settled on me and I braced myself for the worst.
"Azelf…clean this up. Dialga, I will be having a word with you." Dodged the bullet there… didn't make what I had to do next all too appealing. Trash was scattered all over the place and I was left with the vague instructions of getting rid of it all. I could just blast all of it… That'll probably leave me with enough time to check up on Uxie before I call it a day. If I wasn't too worn out from all this busy work.
Still it was better than the alternative Arceus had planned for Dialga…and likely Palkia too once he got his memories back… Serves em right for literally dragging the both of us into this mess.
Ugh…that utterly sucked. I finally managed to destroy all the garbage that the pink buffoon dropped. When I started it was bright and sunny now the sun had set entirely… Arceus I was exhausted… Maybe I could just crash at the hall for the night. So long as Arceus didn't find me till morning it wouldn't be a problem for me until that sun rose. Flying up these stairs was tedious and tiring. Not to mention boring. Why Arceus felt the need to have these was a question I always asked but never wanted the answer to. Finally the entrance was in sight, I swear it felt like I was flying for over an hour just to get here.
Unfortunately Arceus was sitting right behind those enormous doors. She was even grinning at me with that smug superiority only Giratina could ever hope to challenge.
"Good, you have finished. Thank you for reporting directly to me." Smug… arrogant… full of herself… "Before you go, Uxie wishes to speak with you. He is waiting at his designated room. Dismissed!" Well at least this could be used as an excuse to stay the night. If she got frustrated I could think of an excuse for tomorrow. Entering the hall I made my way to the guest rooms. If Uxie had a lecture for me then it could wait til morning. I was more than capable of falling asleep on whatever bed was in that room. He was at least considerate enough to leave the door to his room open. I made sure to close that as I entered. The last thing either of us wanted were rumors spreading about the two of us. Me protecting him was already going to cause so many to spread like wildfire.
He was…not a pretty sight. He was sitting on his bed facing away from the entrance. He didn't even have a book in hand. My hand reached out to do…something… I wasn't quite sure what. Not like my presence was gonna reassure him any. Putting my hand back down I greeted him.
"So how's Barney holding up?" He didn't turn to face me. No surprises there. At least he was willing to answer me, as brief as his response was.
"Bad…" His voice lacked the casual dismissal it always held when speaking to me. He had clasped his paws in front of him and was using all his might to hide how badly his body was shaking. I plopped on the bed next to him. I didn't have the energy to heckle him over what happened. My eyes drifted shut and that pull to sleep grew stronger by the second. I would have too if he didn't speak more.
"I…restored what I could but the damage is extensive and I will be staying here until his memories have been sufficiently restored. Would you be willing to relay this information to Mesprit?" My eyes opened and when they shifted to look at him I could see that he was now 'looking' at me. "Yeah…" He nodded and turned away from me. I finally got a good look at his face and the results were far uglier than I thought they would be. It was something I had never seen from him before. He looked so frightened and confused. The sight of it was unsettling. He was always an impenetrable safe when it came to his emotions. He never permitted himself anything more than a calculated smile or a dry chuckle. Hell he could be so stoic it was hard to tell what he was feeling a good chunk of the time.
"…H-had you not been present. I- am… T-t-thank you…" He was only barely maintaining his composure. His voice shook nearly as badly as his body did. Why did I feel the need to hug him at this moment? Forgo everything between the two of us for just one night. We could go right back to normal the next day, pretend nothing even happened. No… he wouldn't find any comfort in that. Maybe if it was Mesprit she could pull something like this off. The simple truth of the matter was that we hated each other. My actions tonight were an outlier.
"Yeah…No problem dude…"
I turned away from him. This was starting to get to me. I briefly debated on if I should just trek back to my cave. He wasn't in any danger anymore and he could more than keep himself safe. My body refused to sit up. I was too tired to leave anyways, screw whatever rumors this would spread. I don't have the strength for anything else right now.
"You still awake?" He didn't say anything. I wasn't entirely certain if he was on the bed anymore. I doubted it, he'd never share a blanket with anyone so a bed was entirely out of the question. He better not be sleeping on the floor… wherever he was I could still sense him. His will was thoroughly shaken. As though a lifelong commitment had just been shattered. Not exactly rocket science to figure out what that broken commitment was. Was this really the first time he's ever wiped someone's mind?
It gave way to a far more desperate need. He didn't want to be alone for once in his life. Some kinda force was compelling me to oblige. I needed to make sure without a shadow of a doubt nothing was gonna barge through those doors and hurt him. Dialga could always come looking for revenge. Yeah…I had a responsibility to fulfill. A particularly treacherous voice in the back of my mind kept teasing me that it was because beneath all the vitriol I really did like him. As if…this was nothing more than my duty to keep one of my counterparts safe. It was stupid to think it could ever be anything else.
(Present Time)
Yeah… that's why I was stupid… How the hell did we ever go back to the same old head clashing rivalry after THAT? He wasn't even there when I woke up… he left to take care of Palkia. He gave me nothing more than a curt nod on my way out too. I thought he just wanted to pretend the whole ordeal never even happened. To try and brush that event into the same pile of countless embarrassing debacles this council was constantly subjected to.
Yet no matter how many times our world was threatened with utter annihilation and how much it shook up the dynamic of the council the three of us were the same as ever. I used to think that made us by far the most stable. No matter what the world threw at us we could take it and come out no worse for wear.
I guess things did change eventually. How many times have we been through this loop in general? Would it even be possible for things to reset with us again? Especially after he told me straight to my face that he loved me? Arceus I hope not… I'm so tired of this perpetual stagnation. It's high time we well and truly change for good!
While I was unable to see what Mesprit had me trying on… My sixth sense was telling me it was unbearably gaudy. At least it was not as breezy as that last one she had given me. A feeling that remained astonishingly consistent no matter what she brought out.
Fortunately I had a book to preoccupy myself while Mesprit was making preparations for my next torment.
'For his lack of patience betrayed his path to victory. Had he not lost sight of his discipline he would have understood the purpose of the trial. For the Wobbuffet would only strike back at the foe foolish enough to strike at it. Wiping the sweat from his brow the stubborn samurai-'
"How do you do that? Y'know reading with your eyes closed?" Mesprit had returned and asked the question I received more than any other and she received the same answer everyone who ever asked me has been given.
"VERY carefully." Anyone could interpret that however they desired and Mesprit was no different.
"...Squinting, gotcha. So how do you feel about this one?" This was a question she repeatedly asked in spite of knowing I was incapable of providing significant feedback.
"I am unaware of what I am wearing looks like. Why do you insist on repeatedly asking this?" There was a silence that indicated she shrugged and the tone of her voice implied that was indeed the course of action she had taken.
"I gotta make sure all three of us look stunning for tonight. That includes getting an outside opinion, duh." I cleared my throat in an effort to hide the instinctual laugh. That was going to be an uphill battle with Azelf at best. "You laugh now, but I can be especially persuasive."
"Blackmail?"
"Blackmail~"
A concerningly common weapon amongst our members and yet another reason I struggle to trust anyone with any of my secrets. Rather than risk one of my secrets possibly getting out I kept quiet unless prompted to speak.
I cannot say that this was my definition of a fun day. 'Oh you're complaining now? You volunteered for all this.' No doubt Mesprit would say something along those lines. It was indeed entirely my decision and it was proving a worthwhile diversion. Mesprit was insistent on calling what Azelf requested a date… I could not discern how serious either of my counterparts would be about such a matter. In these rare cases I wish I could be more perceptive of the emotions other people possess.
I would also be willing to admit that it was an acceptable alteration to my schedule. It had been too long since I had spent any meaningful time with Mesprit outside of her matchmaker antics. In an unusual manner such a feeling was a welcome one. The tone in Mesprit's voice was suggesting she was also enjoying her time.
Was this what Mesprit referred to as nostalgia? This was indeed bringing to mind fond memories. Enough to make me smile without even noticing. Well the circumstances back then were less than desirable but… it gave me a different perspective on my counterparts.
(Centuries ago within the Hall of Origins)
If I were to summarize this day into a single word it would be tedious… Palkia's memories had been thoroughly shattered by the sheer number of times he kept looking me in the eyes. Meaning I need perfect precision at restoring him or I'd be at risk of permanently breaking him…
Compounding matters were Palkia's… difficulties, he would not stop asking the most inane of questions… Questions he should have been directing to Dialga. She's the one who wanted to spend all her time around him to begin with. Fortunately and unfortunately she had vanished since yesterday. I felt a compulsion to inquire to Arceus where she had assigned her. That would remain a hard pass knowing the response I would receive. 'FIX HIM YOU MORONIC ROBOT!'
It would appear Lady Arceus heard my train of thought. As she had appeared before me.
"Greeting Lady Arceus. Palkia's memories are still gone, but he is making steady progress."
"Hmm…Acceptable. Continue the good work." Her voice carried an irritability typically directed at Azelf. It was… unsettling having such a tone directed towards me.
With an exchange of bows Arceus departed and I was left in a limbo awaiting Palkia to awaken. I suppose if there was a single positive to be gleaned from any of this I could keep my eyes open in this room. The most discerning part of this room was Palkia. The enormous pink and white dragon. I had a visual reference of the real him and it was… underwhelming. Of course part of this response was no doubt the misfortune of knowing what the space entity's personality entailed.
This was going to be my life for at the bare minimum an entire month. These halls would be a temporary tomb…
Arceus would permit me to roam them so long as I did not leave. Nor was I permitted to open my eyes unless I was in the designated room for Palkia's recovery. I would prefer to keep them shut and not be reminded of what has transpired every day, but I have no say in the matter. I would work up until Palkia fell asleep either from boredom or exhaustion. Then I would leave him to rest. These ancient halls were not too difficult to navigate. If a touch monotonous. All recounts I had been given did little to paint the hall as an exciting exploration. I had very little choice but to find a form of excitement.
Perhaps I could find a book stored somewhere in these halls. Arceus must have something stored somewhere in this ancient corridor. I needed something to provide a sense of security. A Mankey's paw curled as something did indeed arrive to offer protection.
Azelf true to her word delivered my message to my pink headed counterpart. The blubbering mess attempting to crush my ribs in the present time was sufficient proof. I simply was not prepared for Azelf to deliver the news so immediately. I had anticipated for her to forget then bring it up offhandedly to Mesprit when the gossip chain reached her. Not even a full twenty four hours had passed since Palkia ripped me from my sanctuary at Fogbound Lake.
"Mesprit…let go…" She didn't give me a coherent response. Merely a wall of incomprehensible blubbering and a waterfall of tears now soaking my chest. I was well aware of how much stronger Azelf was compared to me, but where in the world was Mesprit getting this kind of strength? She had never in the centuries of her existence shown even a quarter of the power Azelf displays. Some form of adrenaline brought on by an outside source? Previous interactions would suggest distaste for my actions. The most egregious in her eyes would result in her slapping me. Her current mood suggested a different motivator. Only twenty four percent of her disapproval had the side effect of her crying. Every instance of such a reaction had the side effect of her slapping me.
These encounters were especially unpleasant. Bizarrely the slap was never what hurt the most. It was an unusual dull pain in my chest. It was something I was curious about, but emotions are not my domain. It would also certainly result in more tiresome taunting from Azelf, 'Oh you're feeling something? I wasn't aware you could even pull off such a feat Helmet-Head.' It has grown rather irksome to have such a response when I displayed any emotion at all. As though my domain of knowledge forbids me from ever experiencing any kind of emotions.
Speaking of Azelf, she had joined us. Undoubtedly to deride me for this current debacle. In spite of that her presence was… reassuring… Something must be wrong with me. How could Azelf be a source of relief?!
"Mesprit if you keep squeezing him like that you're gonna crush him." Her tone was strange. It lacked any vitriol or condemnation. She almost sounded playful. Well it was directed at Mesprit so that was an easy explanation. Her teasing was sufficient enough of a distraction. As Mesprit released me from her grip.
This was still another outcome I failed to anticipate… Was this even the same Azelf? Her behavior from yesterday was certainly unexpected, but it had an acceptable basis. If one of my counterparts' lives were in danger I would forgo rationale to protect them. Mesprit's current behavior would suggest a similar reaction from her as well.
So these circumstances were entirely different. My life was in no danger and Azelf was not disgusted or enraged by my presence. More confusingly this was making me feel…happy? This was eating away at me, I needed an answer.
"Am I speaking with the same Azelf?" Perhaps it would 'kill the mood' as Mesprit claimed I have done countless times in the past, but this was too distressing for me to not pursue an answer.
"Dude, did spending the day with Palkia fry your brain?" There it was, this was indeed the same Azelf. Also present was the unmistakable aura of Mesprit's fury directed entirely at me. She was one poorly worded sentence away from slapping me. I needed to pick my next words especially carefully.
"Apologies…today has been an exhausting endeavor. Is there something I can do for the both of you?"
I flinched at Mesprit's response, "We were worried about you, you insensitive prick!" I had chosen poorly and she was going to slap me no matter what I said.
"She was worried, I'm here to make sure Dialga doesn't attack you again." "SHE DID WHAT?!" It would appear that Azelf did not convey the full story. Mesprit's quiet rage had exploded into an unstoppable frenzy and while it was not personally directed at me. Her attention was and I was certain to be the outlet for her anger now. "If Azelf had not been present it is doubtful I would be alive at this moment." It is possible I would have survived such an attack, but no matter how my mind attempted to rationalize my explanation it refused. I could not force myself to state the logistics of my survival regarding the matter.
My words had set off a switch in Mesprit. One that confirmed my earlier suspicions. For all the times she has been furious with Azelf or myself. Not once has she ever swore to tear off parts of our bodies and impale them in our vital organs. It was a truly unnerving display. I had attempted to halt her movement by grabbing her tails. Except that same strength she was crushing me with from before was now dragging me along for the beatdown Dialga would receive. Azelf's aura shifted and now she was in front of us both. Specifically directing her attention on Mesprit. "Don't kill Dialga. Arceus would kill you."
"She'd live!" Her response was not reassuring. "Well regardless I'm sticking around until you finish up with Palkia." Doubtful, she'd grow annoyed with me and bail at the end of the day. Mesprit however was far more hopeful about this than I was. "Yeah, if Dialga tries anything the two of us can take care of her!"
"I have no means to prevent either of you from staying or leaving. You may both come and go as you see fit."
There was a sudden dull whack to the back of my head. Based on the impact behind it Mesprit has smacked me there with one of her tails. I was correct about getting hit by her after all, at least this one didn't hurt all that much in either capacity.
"Just say thank you!"
It was an odd sensation to spend more than a single day with my counterparts. Such interactions would typically leave me exhausted. Yet their presence this week has left me feeling revitalized.
This felt different, it was welcoming. Pleasant even. With Mesprit I could understand it to a degree. Of the two she was the one I had an easier time speaking with. To the point where she might even accept the definition of 'friend' for the both of us. Azelf was entirely unexpected. The two of us had never gotten along. To the point where there were an abundance of morbid bets placed on how long it would be until she had ended my existence.
Thanks to Dialga word caught on fast that the two of them were staying with me for the duration of my work. No one believed I would survive past a week. How reassuring…
Nearly three months into Palkia's recovery, that early lead had diminished to a crawl. Palkia was learning at an agonizingly slow rate. While he was capable of keeping space from falling apart around us… he was still utterly clueless about virtually everything. On top of asking an endless barrage of questions. The majority of which revolved around Dialga. It would appear even in his amnesiatic state he maintained a special interest in her.
To my surprise neither of my counterparts had abandoned me yet. It… was nice… I looked forward to the time I could spend with the two in those moments of free time I had been afforded.
Mesprit was even kind enough to keep a steady supply of books brought in. The majority of which were cheesy romance novels, but I was positively desperate for anything to read regardless of the quality.
Our difference in story preferences had led to a number of heated debates between myself and Mesprit. "The character's are flat, the romance feels stiff, and the two leads only wind up together because the plot demands it! This book is atrocious!"
"You're only saying that because you don't understand the nuances of subtle character growth!" Mesprit's aura had the same energy it always did when she was about to smack me over the head with a particularly heavy dictionary. It was an aura that in this moment resonated within myself. I do not fully understand her domain, but I am more than capable of recognizing bad writing.
"I kind of enjoyed it." Azelf reading the book in general caught me by surprise, and fueled Mesprit's ego. "See! Azzy agrees with me!"
"Yeah, both of those buffoons wound up dead by the end of it. Couldn't have asked for a better ending!"
That got Mesprit to shut up. I sorely wish I could have seen Mesprit's face when Azelf uttered that beautiful phrase.
"While it is reassuring to see the three of you getting along for once. I am afraid Uxie is required at this moment." Lady Arceus, which means Palkia is awake. A shame, I was hoping to continue this debate.
"Oh heya Arcy, wanna chime in?"
Azelf's flippant casualness with Lady Arceus still astonished me. As was the apparent joy Mesprit was taking out of it. I could hear her snickering at one of two things. Azelf's behavior or how Lady Arceus was reacting to such a comment. I would be lying if I said I was not curious about Lady Arceus' possible response. Regardless it is best not to keep Lady Arceus waiting.
"We will have to continue this debate later."
"Sooooo, When are you two gonna start holding hands?~"
Had my eyes been opened then Mesprit would be allowed to see them rolling. Possibly in unison with Azelf.
It was nothing more than Mesprit teasing the both of us. I was beginning to question the notion… It was a fantasy that could never enter reality. Yet I still felt a truly bizarre emotion. I was uncomfortable asking Mesprit about the matter. In part because of the relentless taunting I would no doubt receive and because I… don't feel comfortable sharing my emotions with her. As ridiculous as such a notion sounds. Mesprit did not have a great track record with keeping secrets.
There was a zero percent chance I could even bring the matter up to Azelf either. Her colorful use of language for voicing her disgust about me had begun to hurt far more than it had any reason to.
Not helping the frequency of the matter was how pervasive of a topic it had become among the general council. An abundance of rumors have begun to spread about my relationship with my counterparts.
Mesprit was always eager to share her favorite from each month. "But you guys aside, the current rumor floating around is that it's not you and him or me and you. It's all three of us."
The notion was absurd. Nevermind that Azelf would sooner, 'die and be reborn a Feebas so sad and pathetic that swimming would be a trial.' Yet I found that future more believable than Mesprit dating in general. She never gave me the reading of someone who ever had an interest in the matter. Azelf spoke up while I was distracted by my thoughts on the matter. Drawing my attention back to my counterparts, "Mesprit, do you honestly think either of us would date you?"
"Pfft no. I'd never get in the way of what's happening between you two." She was relentless with that insistence. The joke had been growing rather tiresome. It felt as though she had been getting a kick out of playing with my emotions. Not to mention if all those mushy romance books were as accurate to the truth as Mesprit says they were then Azelf would have shown an ounce of interest in me by now.
"I'm just curious if you guys think I will ever find someone."
"No."
Both of them were deathly silent. I had incorrectly assumed they were awaiting an explanation. In truth they were processing my answer as it was apparently an insensitive one. I learned of this when Mesprit slapped me and ran off crying. Azelf did not leave but her voice was riddled with astonishment, "Brutal dude." She sounded genuinely taken aback by my choice of words. For the first time she may have been in the right to judge me so thoroughly.
I had attempted to follow Mesprit out and explain why I answered in such a manner. She put a hand on my shoulder and kept me in place. "Don't dig a deeper grave dude. Just give her some time to cool off." If Azelf was the one offering survival advice then it was one of two scenarios. Her attempting to earn a cheap laugh at someone's expense. This was the second matter where it is advantageous to follow that advice to the letter. Agh… this slap stung…
Nearly a full year had gone by and my counterparts were showing signs of impatience. I could not blame either of them. Being trapped in these halls for over a year was an abysmal experience. Mesprit was trying to be nice about the matter. Kindly asking if there was any possible way I could finish with Palkia sometime soon. Azelf… did not hesitate to voice how badly she wished 'the big pink buffoon would get back to his old incompetent self.'
Neither of them were present right now, Mesprit had gone to retrieve another means of distraction. She was running out of ideas and was currently going through her collection of movies and soap operas. It was appreciated, but it was harder for me to engage in the topic. There was only so much the three of us could do while I was stuck here. Fortunately Palkia was on the verge of a full recovery. The vast majority of his mind had been restored and now it was only a matter of ensuring everything in there was properly aligned.
It was approximately 6 in the morning and Palkia had yet to awaken. The last time I had attempted to wake him early. I wound up spending over three hours as his personal teddy bear. It was not an experience I was eager to live through more than once.
Azelf was certainly not awake this early or in any mood to be. So it left me with little option but to aimlessly wander the halls. Thankfully they were abandoned roughly ninety percent of the time. Typically the only reason one was here aside from the mandatory meetings was from Arceus summoning or dragging the individual in question away from their current activity.
In this case I had the misfortune of being knocked over by one of the larger members of our council. The sparks surging through my body and the loud squawk informed me of the individual's identity. Zapdos, one of the more common recipients of Arceus' one on one meetings.
No doubt she was here to be scolded by Arceus for causing yet another crisis.
"Watch where you're going jackass!" She was as pleasant as ever.
"Greetings Zapdos." A normal individual would be smart enough to know better than to cause a scene at the Hall of Origins. To simply leave matters for outside Arceus' home if it truly was an argument that needed to be settled. Zapdos was not a smart person. She only ever thinks in terms of what she can get away with and who she can get away with bullying the most.
"Oh lookie here the smart ass who can't even remember to keep his eyes shut." I could feel her snickering face right in front of me. This was not the start to my day that I needed… Even with this less than desirable start her taunts were not going to get a rise out of me. I had an incredible tolerance to such goading in no small part because of Azelf. So the best way to beat Zapdos at this game would be to not play into any of it. Zapdos however is a stubborn one and was not willing to let me go about my day.
"Hmm? Where exactly are your girlfriends? Did they get tired of you and leave?" Perhaps her taunting was more effective than I first estimated it would be. I could feel my grip tightening on my book.
"We are not dating."
"Yeah, you absolutely crushed poor Mesprit's heart a few months ago. Little wonder they both dumped you."
She began an entire tirade about how much of a failure I was and how great Moltres was. As expected she did not care about how that made Mesprit feel. She just wanted an excuse to talk about herself. Arceus this was infuriating to deal with…
She was so absorbed in her own rambling that there was a good chance I could float away and she would fail to notice.
No such luck, she caught me by the tail and I had to resist the urge to hyper beam her into the wall. I despised when anyone made contact with me.
"Oh what have we here? How'd you get your hands on one of these? Have you been sneaking out when Arceus isn't looking?" She released my tails and yanked the book out of my hands. She tauntingly read the title aloud. Was there even a purpose to such an action? There were only two of us present. Maybe she wanted Arceus to hear. Try in vain to spread a rumor that I had been sneaking out?
"I would like for you to give that back now."
I heard a growl of frustration. A few more and she would lose interest and find someone else to bully. "As if! You reading a romance novel must mean it's absolute solid gold material!" She cleared her throat and began reading aloud again. This was growing tiresome. Would she just give it a rest already and receive her punishment?
"If you wish to read the book for yourself I inquire that you find a copy of your own. Now please return my book to me."
"ARGH! Shut up you pretentious imbecile!" There was a loud bang followed by crackling fire and the smell of burning. She-she set the book on fire. Why? What purpose did it serve beyond cruelty? I- I was- oh Arceus… I can't think straight. Why was this happening? My body was shaking again. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"
"See? Now THAT'S how you get something funny out of that dullard!" She was speaking with someone? Who in the world was getting a kick out of seeing Zapdos' sadism? I could sense their aura now. They were deliberately trying to hide it from me. Why? I cannot fathom a reason to do so. If they were here to witness Zapdos then they have no objections to her actions.
Focusing my efforts I tore through their attempts at shielding their aura and-
No, that cannot be correct.
"Azelf?"
Unmistakably, my counterpart. Plain as day had been here the entire time.
"Azelf, please tell me you just walked in."
I waited and waited for a response. Only silence. An admission of guilt…
I did not feel any desire to see Azelf after that day. I only wished for this entire tortuous ordeal to end.
Palkia had finally returned to his former self and as such my life was no longer bound to the Hall. Nor was I in any danger from Dialga. I could finally leave these Halls and never think about these events again.
Mesprit had insisted all three of us step outside together. 'Feel the heat of the sun and wind weave around us.' I did not understand. We were heading our separate ways immediately after.
"You two take care. I've gotta grab all my books." She darted away… she was planning something. What? I could not determine, but I was not going to be present for the fallout. I turned to leave. I did not wish to speak with Azelf. She however deemed a goodbye as a mandatory inclusion.
She put her hand on my shoulder. Both to keep my attention and to prevent me from leaving.
"Hey dude, where ya heading?
"Home." I was so tired of everything that has transpired. All I wanted was to go back to my cave and never leave the company of my books ever again.
"Come on dude, don't be like that. Now that you ain't trapped in there anymore I got ALL these places I gotta take ya."
Now Azelf was playing some kind of sick game. Pretending that the entire encounter with Zapdos never happened. I did not wish to have any part of this and would not humor it either.
"Azelf… please stop pretending you care about me."
I had expected her to attack me in some manner. Or unleash another volley of insults. She did none of those things. She did not respond at all. Why did that hurt so much? It was far worse than any kind of pain I felt prior.
I believe I understood the truth behind it all too well. I had made the mistake of believing either of my counterparts ever saw me as a friend. It was foolish of me to allow my emotions to lead me astray. I was their counterpart and that was all I could ever amount to.
"Farewell Azelf." With my farwell given I departed for my library. It had no doubt fallen into a state of disrepair without my presence. I took to the cool Sinnoh skies. Only the occasional particle of water splashing against my face. A cloudy day then.
'Stop pretending you care about me.'
Were my words too harsh? No, they couldn't have been. Azelf had every opportunity to put a stop to Zapdos and chose not to. Maybe Zapdos had some kind of blackmail on her? She was deplorable enough to perform such a tactic. ARGH! Why am I grasping at so many straws!? I know the answer and even if there was another factor to this matter I cannot change what I have said.
This pain in my chest had grown unbearable. I couldn't stand to be around my counterparts anymore. Just thinking about them only amplified this agony. With any luck I would not see any sign of them for at least another century.
It wouldn't be until Latios passed away that we would spend any meaningful time together. A month of quiet mourning and then we silently returned to our normal lives.
Following that was the meeting Arceus dragged all of us into. Everyone else seemed to solve their problems then. Except for my counterparts and myself. I had believed that was the last I would see of them until the next crisis… I was horrifically correct.
Those humans locked us away in that lab in their attempts to reshape reality.
The three of us seemed to finally be making genuine progress after we survived. Only for us to inevitably isolate ourselves from each other yet again.
Was…this a cycle? Stuck going in circles for centuries? On the cusp of forming something meaningful only to reject it at the last moment? I was at risk of Mesprit smacking me for asking what could be deemed a ridiculous question in her eyes, but she did say I could always ask for her help if I ever needed it. It was worth the risk… I wanted her thoughts on the matter and… maybe I can explain the matter at hand depending on her response.
"Mesprit… Do you really think things can change between us for the better?"
"Well duh. It already has. You and Azelf can actually stand to be in a room together. Up until one of you gets too lovestruck that is~"
"That is… not what I was referring to… I worded this incorrectly. Do you think the three of us are going to drift apart again?"
She paused all of her actions then. A number of the materials she had been psychically carrying clattered to the floor. My question had the unintended effect of catching her off guard. When she spoke her voice carried a tired weight to it.
"I wanna say the reassuring thing. Y'know that we've changed from who we were all those centuries ago but… I can't… I really do think we'll be stuck in this loop of being friends then drifting apart and maybe a century later it repeats. Right up until the end of the universe or us…"
In a way her honesty was reassuring. However it did not offer any comfort knowing Mesprit thought that we were doomed for failure… Things had to be different this time. Not just between myself and Azelf, but for the three of us in general. If I could just find the correct way to word this…
"So…my turn… remember when you said I'd never find anyone all those centuries ago?" How could I possibly forget speaking so rudely? I had not even indicated I had anything else to say on the matter. "Yes… I apologize for how impudent I was."
I could feel her hand wave past my face in a dismissive wave.
"It's cool dude. I haven't exactly done a good job disproving that blunt answer." Her response managed to elicit a small chuckle from the both of us. I suppose for as rude as I was there was truth to my statement.
"Well I've been feeling Jirachi's emotions towards me lately and while I'm the expert on the matter. I want an outside opinion."
I do not believe she would like my answer, but it would be infinitely worse for me to lie to Mesprit. Perhaps I could help her glean something by asking those questions she always insists on.
"I cannot promise reassuring answers. Do you still wish for my opinion?"
"Yeah dude. You'll give me a straight answer." She wasn't wrong, but I wasn't going to be quite as heartless as last time.
"Very well. I will try to answer honestly and courteously. Why don't you "
"She's become my best friend over these past few years. As of late I've…felt how she's been feeling different."
A solid foundation. Where should I take it from here?
"From what you are saying Jirachi has been changing. Have your thoughts on her changed any?"
"I mean… maybe. We became friends after that incident with the humans and the lab. Hanging out with her has been pretty cool. We share a passion for fashion. She loves to gossip with me. So it makes sense that things started changing after a while." That answer took me a bit to bounce back from. Her response was… not what I was expecting. Her reasons for attraction felt artificial. As though she had a checklist attempting to manufacture reasons to pursue a relationship. In theory they made sense. Yet it felt off… in a way that was difficult for me to pinpoint. Perhaps it was because I was not the expert on emotions, but in this instance I had something of a reference point. If Azelf was in fact asking me on a date. Then it was cause for me to feel excited. Perhaps that can be my final clue.
"One last question if she were to ask you on a date right now. Would you be excited to go on it?"
"Huh… I really don't know… I think I would."
I was ready to deliver my verdict. As non-professional as it would be. Mesprit's answers had yielded a truly unexpected outcome.
"My thoughts on the matter remain the same. You do not strike me as the type to find a romantic partner. Please understand that I do not believe it is a matter of you being incapable. I think the best way I can put this would be, if you wanted such a relationship you would have tried pursuing it at least once before. I apologize if my answer upsets you."
I had braced my body for the possible slap I would receive. Arceus I hope I have delivered my explanation correctly. The reassuring hand on my shoulder relieved the building tension in my body.
"Thanks dude, that… actually helped a lot… Why don't we take a break for a bit. I gotta put your theory to the test."
"Do you wish for me to go with you?"
I could feel the hand on my shoulder leaving and quickly waving in front of my face.
"Nah dude. I can handle this."
She rushed off not long after. Leaving me alone in a dress and my book. I can just read for my break… once my nerves calm down enough to hold the book steady.
I hope I didn't make things worse for her.
This was without question the longest chapter possibly in the whole story and was originally only going to have Azelf's POV, but the more I thought about it the more I realized how much I also wanted Uxie's POV from the past too.
Also of note is that the 'Stop pretending you care' line was originally something Azelf was going to say to Uxie in the present day, but I scrapped it and ultimately found a use for it in the past by flipping around who says it and who receives it.
With all that said please leave a review and have a good day.
