[[ Melody ]]
Melody clung to Hon as if her life depended on it. She was still in panic mode, even after the locusts' attempt to suffocate her had been foiled. Her breathing was ragged, coming in short, choppy gasps as she clutched at the cloth on the Houndour's back. It's been a good while since I've come that close to death, she said to herself. Not even dropping from the roof of the mansion was that frightening. I owe my life to Hon... But back in the lounge... and the fireplace... I could not...
"I'm sorry I couldn't help you Hon," she blurted out, squeezing her eyes shut.
"Don't be, you did your best. It's all OK now," he replied, soothing her frazzled nerves.
A humming noise made them both look up. The locusts had backed off, but their retreat was only temporary. They regrouped into a towering wall of sand-colored incests and started forward. Melody felt the energy radiating from everyone as they prepared to combat the monsters yet again. However, just before the enemy horde reached the group of gijinkas, they froze in midair and plummeted to the ground, lifeless. Several Pokemon snapped their heads over to the mysterious cloaked figure, who had been standing nearby the entire time.
A heavy silence enveloped the area. Something unpleasant hung in the air. Melody frowned and grasped Hon's hand tighter, a feeling of dread taking root inside of her. Suddenly, Estelle's voice rang out. "Oh no... Everyone! Ple-" She was forcibly cut off by some unseen means.
"YOU'LL BE THE FIRST TO GO, MISS BIG MOUTH!" the dark figure roared. With a flick of his hand, he summoned a shadow hand that snatched her away. Other shady limbs emerged from the floor and grabbed at several others. The group was thrown into a state of panic. Shouts of surprise and cries for help sliced through the air as more people were spirited away. Melody felt herself being yanked forwards by Hon, who looked like he was attempting to keep himself level-headed in the chaotic situation. "Come on!" he told her, pulling her along. "If we keep moving and refuse to stop and rest, maybe-"
"Ah!" Melody yelped as she felt an ice-cold hand grab her ankle. It jerked her back with such force, her firm grasp on Hon's hand slipped. She felt the chilly sensation creep up her legs and past her torso, and she realized she was rapidly sinking through the floor. Hon, appearing quite panicked, reached for her as he repeated her name over and over again. She gave him a defeated smile, knowing full well he would be unable to retrieve her. "I guess it's my turn now," she told him. A moment later, the blackness had swallowed her face.
~
A warm breeze roused Melody from her unconsciousness. A light scent, reminiscent of the smells of springtime, wafted through the air. She opened her eyelids, only to close them again when bright sunlight streamed into her eyes. After blinking several more times to allow her eyes to adjust to the light, she opened them fully and sat up. After a moment's observation, she comprehended she was seated on a picnic blanket in a small clearing in the forest she had once called home.
"So nice of you to join us," a familiar voice greeted warmly.
Melody whipped her head to the side in the direction the speaker had made his statement. She nearly reeled from shock as her Wartortle father met her gaze and gave her a welcoming smile. His fluffy white tail wagged slightly, an indicator he was excited. Beside him sat her mother, a graceful-looking Marshtomp. "Hello, Melody dear," she said softly, leaning forward to tuck a strand of her daughter's hair to the side.
Melody flinched at the action, pulling away. She shook her head violently. "Stop it," she stated. "You're just another illusion."
But if this is an illusion, I don't want to wake up from it...
"Oh, my," Millicent commented, settling back in her former position. She turned to her husband. "I wonder what she's experienced in order for her to assume such a thing." She sighed and looked back at Melody.
"Daughter," the male Wartortle stated, "Please, at least set your suspicions aside long enough to enjoy a picnic with us. Your brother should be coming back with the food any time now."
Melody felt a pang of guilt in her chest. She adverted her gaze to the white-and-blue checkered tablecloth spread out over the grass. She fumbled with a section of the fabric, not wanting to gaze her parents straight in the face. She thought over choosing an answer for a while. "Okay," she finally whispered.
No later than her response, a loud "Hey!" echoed through the trees. Sven the Swampert marched out of the greenery, balancing a stack of sandwiches on a tray in one arm and a cluster of juice boxes in the other. The same lopsided, overconfident grin he nearly perpetually wore graced his visage as he plopped down on the picnic cloth. "Sorry I was late," he announced, setting the eatables to the side, "Some Barboach kid stole some of the sandwiches right off the platter while I was carrying it down the street. Little shit." He let out a bark of laughter as he passed out the refreshments.
The chatter continued as her father and his wife exchanged thoughts with their eldest child. Melody smiled to herself as she bit into her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. My family is just like I remembered. We all had our quirks, but we functioned so well together. Being here now is so nostalgic, she thought.
Crack.
All talk ceased abruptly. The lighthearted atmosphere evaporated and was replaced by a feeling that could put even the calmest Pokemon on edge. All four gijinkas had their heads turned in the direction where the noise had originated from. The Marshtomp shot her husband a concerned look, an unspoken question glimmering in her bright orange eyes. "I think it's the Bounty Hunters," he whispered in reply. "But I don't think they've seen us just ye-"
His assumption was left unfinished as a gunshot rang through the air and a bullet grazed his wife's shoulder. She let out a sharp cry of pain, clutching at the bleeding laceration. "Mother!" Melody exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "Here, I know Aqua Ring!" At the same moment, though, the previously hidden Bounty Hunters rushed out into the clearing, brandishing their firearms and firing off rounds.
"Brine!" Melody's Wartortle father roared, sending several Hunters flying. However, two others opened fire on him from behind. The bullets tore through his flesh, mortally wounding him. He had died before he made contact with the ground. Within another few seconds, the Hunters had finished off his wife as well.
"Son of a bitch!" Sven snarled, flying into action. "Come on, Melody! You take those seven over there!"
Melody, who had been previously frozen with horror, suddenly snapped into motion. "O-okay. Mud S-Shot!" she said shakily, blasting her identified targets back through the trees. She turned to watch Sven slam the remainder of the Bounty Hunters into the grassy earth with a particularly nasty Hydro Cannon. She was almost positive they were dead when he finished with them.
Sven stayed in place for a moment, his breathing evening out as the anger flashing in his eyes slowly faded away. He then faced his Mudkip sister. "I... I'm sorry you saw that." He sighed. "Why... why don't you check Mom's and Dad's pulse, just to... make sure...?"
Melody gave an obedient nod and scampered over to her parent's lifeless bodies. As she bent over her mother to place her fingers to the woman's wrist, she heard a tiny click. Her head snapped up and she stared into the bushes. She was just able to make out a Bounty Hunter aiming a firearm at her brother. Her heart skipped a beat. She opened her mouth to scream. Her cry of "Watch out!" and the bang of a cap getting propelled through the air were simultaneous. Sven had no time to react as he was shot right through the heart. A dark red stain spread across his shirt as he dropped to his knees. Melody tore through the grass to him, screaming his name repetitively. He turned his head and gazed at her panicking form. "I'm sorry," he muttered.
Melody could no longer hold back her tears. The salty liquid poured from her eyes as she shrieked to the sky. "Why?!" she shrilled. "Stop it! Stop it! I want to wake up! This is a lie, lie, LIE!!!"
"Stop? Why would I do that?" a voice echoed through the trees. "The fun is far from over. Now, be quiet. Look what your screaming is doing."
There was a thud behind Melody. She spun around and, to her terror, lay Hon, his body bloody and covered with heavy wounds. Several feet away was Andreas' corpse, much in the same condition. Suddenly, carcasses started appearing everywhere. Every one of them was someone Melody had known. The members of Pokemon Gijinka Revolution... friends from childhood... familiars from her stay at the Bounty Hunter base... their corpses littered the grassy area around her.
She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to block out the pain, but it proved to be no use. She could smell the blood and stench of death with every breath she inhaled. Something sloshed as she shuffled her feet. She reopened her eyes, but wished she hadn't, for she discovered that she was now the lone live being in a shallow sea of blood. She shouted out and tried to shake off the crimson liquid from her shoes, but only succeeded in slipping and landing right into the pool of vital fluids with a nauseating splash. She finally gave up and curled into the fetal position, sobbing hysterically. This whole ordeal is false. Everyone is alive and well. The blood's not really here. It's just a mirage, she tried telling herself. However, a nagging voice in the back of her head shut out her attempts to calm herself. This may be no more than a figment of your imagination, it said, but you cannot deny how real this feels.
~*~*~
[[ Luis ]]
Shadowy hands were snatching at everyone, pulling them off to a destination unknown. Luis's ruby eyes narrowed as Lee used a move to try and beat back the monsters, but only succeeding in getting himself captured. The Lucario figured it would only be an amount of time before he, too, became a victim. No physical or mental stamina could overcome the situation. No later than when he told himself this, he felt a jet-black hand sieze him from around the waist and suck him into the void.
~
"Luis..."
The voice sounded muffled, like it was trying to talk while underwater. He stirred barely.
"Luis, dear. You need to wake up."
It was less muted now, and seemed somewhat familiar. He groaned, straining his groggy mind to recognize the speaker.
"You're a hard sleeper, aren't you? Come now, wake up. It's Chlora."
Luis's eyes snapped open the moment after the talker identified herself. "Chlora?" he inquired, sitting up abruptly. He twisted his head to the right. She was crouched by his side, staring pointedly at him with rich cerulean eyes. She smiled and pressed her cool palm to his forehead. "Welcome to the world," she joked lightly. "It's been ages. Come on, take a walk with me."
Luis stood, and his partner copied him. He inhaled deeply, soaking in his surroundings. They were on a grassy hill dotted with small shrubs. The aroma of the ocean drifted on the wind as seagulls soared overhead. "What is this place?" the male questioned, stretching.
"We'll be strolling past a sea cliff," the Celebi gijinka returned. "But I don't plan on getting too close to the precipice. Let's go." She seized his hand and pulled him along behind her.
"Remember when I found you sprawled out in my forest? That was how we met, wasn't it?" she asked, looking back at him.
Luis felt the corners of his mouth quirk into a tiny grin. "Yes. How could I ever forget that?"
[[ begin flashback ]]
All was silent except for the heavy breathing piercing the humid air. Luis lay on the mossy ground, panting. He had run so far, his legs had simply given out beneath him, and he had no energy left to push himself back up. He let out a hiss as he stared up at the emerald treetops looming hundreds of feet above him. Their blood is still covering me, he thought. It feels like it is soaking into my skin. I doubt I will ever be able to rid myself of it... How disgusting.
"Hello, intruder," a quiet, bell-like voice stated. "What brings you to my forest?"
Luis jolted, snapping his head in the direction of the speaker. A girl sat on her knees at his side, staring at him intensely. Her short, light green hair and two short, blue-tipped antennae waved in the slight breeze. Two tiny, fairy-like wings sprouted from her back, beating feebly. She seemed to be no more than an innocuous, forest-dwelling gijinka. However, Luis quickly realized her Aura was overwhelmingly intense. She absolutely could not be any normal Pokemon.
"You are... a Legendary, are you not?" he questioned.
The girl smiled in response. "Is my Aura really that strong, Lucario?" she laughed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I am a Celebi." Her pale blue eyes examined his prone form. "You're saturated in blood... but it isn't yours. What happened to you?"
"I-I had to kill them in order to make it out alive," Luis blurted out.
"Kill who?"
"The Bounty Hunters," he replied. "They were going to inject an experimental drug into me. Th-they were going to make me their guinea pig. I tried to escape without causing harm, but they... they were willing to sacrifice themselves to prevent my freedom."
The Celebi stared off into space for a good while, deep in thought. Finally, she stirred and placed a hand on his knee. "If their intent was indeed malicious," she said, "then your actions are dismissible. You will be able to find forgiveness for your offenses... eventually."
"You think...?"
"I am a Legendary," she replied. "My experiences through the ages have made me wise. When I am able to say I'm sure of something, it's rather likely it will happen." She gave his kneecap a squeeze. "I am Chlora."
The Lucario gave her a canine smile. "Luis," he greeted, nodding politely.
[[ end flashback ]]
It had felt like an eternity since Luis had last conversed with Chlora like that. The last time he had seen her was several months prior. Back then, she had invited him to live in her forest, but he had declined, stating that he needed to discover the things that lay ahead of him in life. Then, he had told her goodbye, leaving her to smile sadly and watch his form retreat until he was indistinguishable from the woods surrounding him.
Chlora halted suddenly, causing Luis to snap back to reality. "Is there something wrong?" he asked, tilting his head bemusedly.
She paused. "There is something I must tell you," she said slowly, releasing her grip on his hand.
He felt his stomach twist uncomfortably. "What... what do you want to say?"
The Celebi turned to him. There was an unnatural coldness in her eyes. "I am severing my ties with you," she announced flatly, her voice devoid of emotion.
"What?"
"Did you really think I would develop any attachment to you, Luis? What makes you any different from the gijinkas living in my forest?" she sneered.
The Lucario shook his head, taking a step back. "That is not what the Chlora I know would say. She is not like-"
"Then you are either blind or telling yourself a fantastic, blatant lie," the girl cut in. "It's not just me. There are plenty of other people you know who share my mentality." She gave him a mocking smile. "If you think back while considering my words, you will finally comprehend how correct I am."
"She's right," a voice agreed. Luis's head jerked over to a nearby tree. His former human Trainer emerged from behind said tree. She wore a pleasant expression as she waltzed over to take a stance beside Chlora. "You know why I let you go, right?" she continued. "You were cruel, inconsiderate, and selfish. I refused to put up with such a sorry excuse for a living creature. Just look at you now... how pitiful."
Within moments, other recognizable people he held dear to him materialized in front of him, restating Chlora's argument over and over again. Luis couldn't take it anymore. "Begone!" he howled, launching a Dragon Pulse at the familiar faces. Their attack caused their forms to disintegrate on contact, but their statements still resonated through the air, gradually fading away. "You're on your own now, Luis," Chlora's voice echoed, before it, too, ebbed into numbing muteness.
The Lucario sat down and pulled his knees up to his forehead as the Celebi's words sank in. I am truly alone now, he thought. Out of the corner of his vision, he noticed blackness slowly surround him, creeping ever closer at a steady pace. But... I know those people do not think that way about me. Their statements contradicted their personalities. However, I cannot deny that the insults stung.
The darkness enclosed him fully now. The edges of it were wriggling and writhing as it struggled to reach Luis's body. Just like worms. Revolting, he told himself. He did not even bother to smack the twisting tendrils as they began wrapping themselves around his ankles. He shut his eyes and pulled his knees closer to his forehead. I am alone. I am alone. I am alone... He kept his face straight, but internally, he was falling apart, crying like a desperate, terrified child.
The tendrils of inky darkness slithered ever higher up his body.
I am alone.
Continue?
Luis and Melody.
-----
Do you know. How. Long. That took. To. WRITE.
*Dies*
