FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Author's Notes: So yes, I said that it would be a week or so before this chapter was posted. I apologize, because I lied. I didn't know we would sit down and get it done this quickly. I apologize if there are any misspellings or grammar errors. After almost twenty-four hours of looking at the same document, and going over it for three hours, I think we've managed to sort it all out. All things aside, it is my hope that you enjoy this chapter. I do not know what you expect from this chapter, but it is my sincere hope that you are not dissapointed. As much as I don't believe this story deserves the "Adult" tag, there are a few saucy comments in the story. I'm hoping to avoid moderator wrath, so if you think I should bump this up to a higher censorship / whatever it's called, please let me know and I will change it ASAP.

Pre-Reader's Notes: Cherished Little Ones, We received such lovely reviews last time. So a thank you is in order. So we present to you this chapter as our thanks. It's longer, and filled with, hopefully, more things that you couldn't have seen coming. And do make sure to pay attention, we've left a number of hints for you all over this chapter about things to come and things that have been. I find your guessing amusing, so please don't disappoint, although I sincerely doubt that you will. I would also like to note that, for the first time ever, I had a rather direct role in writing a large section of this chapter. While not mine word for word (OK, Fox, I'm bitter and being a whiny bitch. I'm entitled to that, I think) the general section was written to two songs, both performed and owned by Nickelback (We own nothing, nothing I say!), Someday and Far Away. I'd like to say it's obvious where the songs belong. Make sure you listen to them in that order too. Sad to sad, hopeful to hopeful. You'll get it, I hope. So, sit back and let us inundate you with some 'wtf' moments and a lot of speculation. Sincerely, Exskotadi

Disclaimer: Pokémon is copyright of Nintendo, Game Freak, etc. Individual characters are my own imaginening, and are not intended to be any part of main cannon / plotline. Individual characters like Aaron, Song, Zin, etc, are my own creations, so please ask before using. Thank you.

Chapter 14 - Fade to Black

Pain reared its ugly head as I saw Mist get launched through the air, her barriers not able to withstand Darkrai's electric attacks. I ran forward, my chest feeling like I just ate fire, barely making it time to be able to catch Mist. Her eyes were closed, and while I was morbidly thankful that she couldn't technically die, she was still in a lot of pain. Her ragged gasps for air made me hug her tightly against my chest. Soon, I felt the all too familiar sensation of her seeping inside of me. More pain entered my consciousness, the beginnings of a migraine starting to come more acute. I looked upward to see Spirit still dodging the lightning bolts that Darkrai launched through the air. Though the only time I've really seen her fight was against the Gallade elder, she showed caution with her attacks. This wasn't the same Pokémon from a day ago.

Using both the ground and air to avoid whatever yellow sparks Darkrai threw, she would either fly up or dive towards her target depending on where she was. Sprit was currently flying, maneuvering in the air with speed and grace that I haven't seen. I was suddenly very glad I wasn't riding her. She flew up, throwing off Darkrai's aim once more as she performed the summersault through the air. I shook my head, forcing the pain out, if just for a moment, to see that Darkrai was too preoccupied to notice me. I made to grab Xola's Pokéball when the sound of a Pokéball releasing rang next to me. Turning to face the sound, I saw Song standing next to me. Upon seeing exactly what was going on, she grabbed my hand and began to pull me away.

"Song!" I yelled, startled by her appearance. When she didn't respond, I struggled against her grasp. Managing to get my arm out of her grasp, we stared at each other for a moment, before she averted her gaze.

"Sorry," she whispered.

I sighed, shaking my head and feeling the onset of pain once again. Turning my attention back to Spirit, I still wanted to address Song.

"Look, we both know you want to help. That's great, but we aren't in a position for that. We both know that. This Darkrai is different than the last one."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

From Spirit's maw shot out a green beam of energy that Darkrai countered with another Ice Beam. Though both beams met in midair, Darkrai's attack didn't stop Spirit's in any way. Darkrai raised her arms up, another shield appearing around her to absorb the attack. Dust swirled around the impact point for a moment, before the cackle of laughter reached our ears. The dust settled after a moment to reveal a slightly frazzled Darkrai. The long gashes along her chest still glowed an angry green, but they weren't impeding her movements or actions.

"So!" she declared, looking over to me. "Oh, this is perfect! I get to continue my brother's work?!"

Arceus help us. Why do we get the crazy ones?

I grabbed Xola's Pokéball and released her from her confines. With a flash of light, the Milotic was already uncoiled and battle ready. Once seeing who her foe was, she released a beam of water that impacted Darkrai right in the chest. The Night Walker was pushed a good fifteen feet back, by my judge of distance, but did little else but laugh.

"And the last of the pets show up!" she exclaimed, giggling madly. If for a moment, was all she would do, before shaking her head. "And sadly, this show must end. A promise is a promise, and I promised Father I wouldn't play for too long."

I turned to Song. "And this is why you need to go back to your Pokéball," I said calmly. I belatedly noticed the look of shock and fear in her face, but I unfortunately had more pressing matters to think about. Like not getting Spirit, Xola, or Song injured.

Spirit landed next to Xola, her wings fluttering slightly as she landed. I would think that she would be slightly winded after all the things she was doing, but she seemed no worse than Song. My head was beginning to pound again, but I ignored it. My left hand strayed to my waist, gently touching Zin's, Akalia's and Mist's Pokéballs. Somewhere in my head I was hoping this wouldn't happen again. This just obviously showed my obvious lack of training, and that we were severely outpaced. My hand tightened into a fist, frowning. What kind of weakness does this thing have? There has to be something! She's been launching attacks, refusing to get within striking distance. Is she specialized in range attacks instead of melee? I grinned.

"We need to distract her," I stated. Xola and Spirit looked at me. "She's been only using beam attacks and that psychic shield. We can punish her if we can enter melee range. Akalia and Zin managed to lock her down before."

Spirit had a look of utter concentration on her face, but she nodded at my suggestion. Xola did as well, giving me a grin. "It's about time we fought something this strong."

"This is only the second time we've fought something other than ourselves," I pointed out.

"Semantics," she said, turning away from me to face Darkrai. "We believe in you."

With a nod from Xola, Spirit dashed forward, launching a Flamethrower in direction to her target. Darkrai laughed, raising a hand and a shield immediately surrounding her well before the attack reached. Flames jettisoned everywhere at the impact point. Xola quickly followed behind Spirit, slithering across the stone floor with graceful movements. Spirit dodged to the side as a beam of ice came through the firewall, narrowly missing both her and me. I looked over at Song, and saw that she was on the ground, but unhurt. Spirit stopped breathing, concentrating on dodging once again whatever Darkrai through.

But apparently she didn't see Xola sneak up on her. With quickness I've seen one too many times, she threw herself on top of Darkrai, her coils rapidly wrapping around her body. Rings of water appeared around both Pokémon, focusing more on Darkrai than my Milotic. Spirit flew down towards both entangled Pokémon, claws blazing green energy once again. Before anything could land, a wave of black energy blew Xola into Spirit. I covered my face from the buffet of energy as I slid back. Song held me as steady as she could, using me as a support. I frowned, but I tried not to worry about it.

Black wind blew around us. I don't know how else to describe it. The sun dimmed above, and even Spirit and Xola's bodies were being absorbed by the darkness that surrounded me. I turned around to see Song, but she wasn't there, either. Panic gripped me, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. A squirming feeling settled in my stomach after a moment, but I held it at bay. Spirit and Xola came into view, Spirit kneeling on the ground as Xola's head lay still. Song was in front of them, being lifted up by Darkrai's claws. Déjà vu came to me quickly, the previous time this happened repeating itself all over again in my mind.

Without any more thought, I ran towards Darkrai, managing to tackle the Pokémon. An exclamation of surprise and rage sounded above me, and I felt an impact on the back of my head. I dropped to the ground, my face meeting stone and pain shooting everywhere. My arms surprised me, pushing me up again as I ran for Darkrai once again. This time, she grabbed me instead and threw me on the ground. Her claws pressed against my neck, holding me in place. Her red eyes gleamed for a moment, before laughing loudly.

"And so our game ends," she said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Throwing yourself to the fray is rather commendable. I don't usually see this kind of zeal in humans. You're rather special, aren't you?"

I didn't respond verbally, but I tried to throw a punch to her. I was surprised it connected, but I was more surprised when Darkrai turned back to me, her eyes gleaming.

"Yes, I think I'll play with you instead," she said happily. "I'll show you everything."

I screamed as my mind was assaulted. Having your thoughts constantly read is one thing. Having your mind assaulted is another entirely. My thoughts were no longer my own, and it felt as if Darkrai was going over every single detail of my life. Flashes of memories long forgotten from childhood resurfaced momentarily only to get shuffled away in disinterest or disgust. The memories of my family were looked at curiously but were eventually disregarded as well. When memories of my Pokémon came up, they lingered for far too long. It felt like she was studying them.

With a tug from inside my skull, visions flooded me. Visions that were clearly not my own in any way, shape, or form. They were both at the same time, which was an odd feeling. From one, the sensation of heat and air surrounding me, while the other I was submerged in water. The feeling of both left me stunned, as I watched and felt both visions at the same time.

The one submerged in water changed, the vision growing blurry for a moment. Pain surrounded me again, echoes that I felt in odd parts of my body. A huge Pokémon towered over my vision with fiery orange scales, wings on its back, and a bellowing roar. The Pokémon raised a claw up to my vision as the echoed pain hit me across my eyes. That vision blurred together, disappearing from my sight and taking the pain with it. When it returned, there was a human standing in front of me. I also noticed that my right eye was closed.

Or blind.

This was Xola's memories. But why was I watching this? I tried to turn myself away from the vision, but nothing in my power allowed me to wave this away. The human spoke, the voice indistinct and the face unidentifiable, but I felt the immediate sadness that went through Xola as the man spoke. The human standing in front of me slowly began turning into me. The voice, stance, mannerisms began to meld into mine. The fear I felt doubled all of a sudden. I felt my body shake as I felt the visions hand press against my face. When I looked up again, I couldn't tell which face I was looking at. It went back to being a mesh of faces, transforming as I continued to look on. From mine, it went back to the first man, to a woman, to another one that looked similar to Nurse Joy smiling down at me.

All at once, they all spoke. The cacophony of voices making my ears ring and make my heart swell in both fear and hope.

"Don't worry, Xola," the voices said in unison. "Everything is going to be alright."

With that, the vision ended suddenly, stuffing my sight back into the darkness. Panic began to grip me until I looked down upon myself, to see the body of a Flygon, my arms holding an egg that was being placed gently on the ground next to two others. The need to scream suddenly hit me, that this was Spirit's vision. I wanted to close my eyes shut and block whatever my senses were assaulted with, but I wasn't allowed such reprieve. A sudden shuffling reached my ears, hope and happiness clearly felt before fear gripped me again. It wasn't my own fear, but it certainly didn't aid me in any way.

Though the surroundings were hazy, I could tell that we were in some kind of dessert or dry area. A woman stood on top of a rock formation nearby, flanked by two Ryhorn. Blurs of motion rocked me, pain once again flaring as Spirit's body slammed against something. My back began to ache, the echoes feeling all too real for me at the moment. The woman walked up to me, but unlike with Xola, the vision didn't blur. She had long blond hair, tied to a ponytail, with fair features. Blue eyes looked down at me in disdain as her full lips tightened in a grim smile. The sound of something smashing together brought my host to focus somewhere else. My vision turned to see the Ryhorn lifting a leg from the ground, a shattered egg under its foot leaving liquids that trailed on the ground and shards of eggshell mixing together. The other Ryhorn laughed loudly, before rearing up on its hind legs and smashing the second egg with its massive weight. My eyes didn't, or couldn't, look away from the sight. I felt despair as I've never felt it before. Despair that quickly fueled rage that was suddenly halted with a clicking sound and something cold pressing against the side of my face.

"One little peep out of you, little Flygon," the woman said nastily, "and you can join them, too."

I realized that she had a gun pointed at my face, and while it seemed Spirit understood enough, it didn't do anything to quell the fury inside of her. Her eggs had been destroyed remorselessly, and now this woman wanted to capture her? For the moment, she would succeed, but the vision blurred afterwards. As the vision returned to focus, I could feel the rage from before being the only thing that was in my mind. The body of the woman lay ravaged on the bed, and I could taste blood in my mouth. I could see my claws stained red, and the body of this poacher was slashed open. A hole was torn open were her throat and stomach were, blood seeping into the white sheets surrounding the body. The frightening thing about it, while I myself was scared and disgusted, I could only feel a grim satisfaction coming from Spirit. A sharp cry caught my attention, and my head turned to face the sound. A crib lay on the ground, the contents shuffling through the baby blankets that lay on top of it. A child, no older than a year old at the most, crawled out of the covers and began to cry. Sensations entwined, rage at the loss of Spirit's eggs, indifference at the situation, and the awareness that time was running out rather quickly.

My claws reached out for the babe, but the scene changed once more as my claws pierced through the child's body. The child grew rapidly, hair growing out of the bald head, the height changing rapidly to one that matched my own. The figure turned, and it was me that faced her. The vision of me smiled as it spoke at the Flygon, and I could feel the need to protect this human. I could feel the liquid drooling over my claws, and I felt horror from Spirit at what she had done. I wasn't able to hear what I said, but my body embraced the human quickly, snuggling against his hair. The sensation returned tenfold, as hands gently pushed me away.

"So, I take it you want to come along with me, too?"

==================//////////////////========================

I was knocked back inside my body, straining to stand. My fingers desperately tried to grip something, but failed as I felt stone under my hands. Raising my head upwards, Darkrai was struggling to stand as a new mark graced her face. Spirit's tail came underneath me, lifting me from the ground, but all she managed to do was roll me over. My chest felt like it's been caved in, and even breathing was becoming a problem. Song entered my vision, sitting me up as Xola leaned her head next to me.

Spirit's claws glowed with the same green energy that was on Darkrai's chest and face. Her tail whipped in agitation for a moment, before her feet propelled Spirit forward. Darkrai launched a blue beam, which Spirit didn't bother dodging. I couldn't see what could have happened, but she did move her claws. Could she have redirected it with her energy?

"Impossible!" Darkrai exclaimed, genuinely surprised as Spirit razed her claws through the Night Walker. Ribbons of black seemed to hang in the air momentarily before dispersing into nothing. Darkrai lunged to the left, and Spirit quickly followed as she flew into position to continue her unrelenting assault. Darkrai's claws began to glow with a familiar darkness, beginning to counter Spirit's claws. Both green and black energy glowed at each impact point, as both attacks seemed to cancel each other out. Darkrai was playing defensively though, finally thrown out of her position of power, and it was tipping in Spirit's favor. At one point, both claws were crossed, neither Pokémon relenting to the other. Spirit proceeded to release a stream of green fire straight at Darkrai's face. Without the hint of a warning, Darkrai couldn't activate her shield and took the full brunt of the attack. As Darkrai backed away, Spirit whipped her body around to bring her tail to the fray and slamming her opponent. Darkrai ended up sliding across stone, coming to a stop after slamming against a tree.

Spirit stood still, her wings gently humming as I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Though Darkrai seemed to struggle getting back to floating, she laughed loudly. With both hands extended twin beams of blue ice launched, and I didn't think that Spirit was in any condition to stop whatever she was doing.

"Cleopatra, Sandstorm."

A buffet of wind suddenly engulfed me, dust and pebbles assaulting me as the ground rumbled underneath. The roar of the wind seemed to be joined with another, more guttural roar. A hand pressed against my shoulder and I looked to see Jonathan standing next to me. He frowned as he helped me up, giving me a once over.

"You need to get out of here," he said flatly.

I shook my head. "Not without Spirit," I mumbled.

A huge Pokémon, easily twice my height and covered with green armor charged at Darkrai. Huge claws gleamed with a familiar dark coloration as they slashed through Darkrai's attempt to parry the attack. The storm around us subsided slightly, though I had no idea if it was Jonathan's Pokémon that did it, or Darkrai. This allowed me to see the gigantic spikes along the Pokémon's back and behind the shoulder blades.

"Cleo, what's wrong?" Jonathan asked calmly. His eyes widened as Cleopatra took hold of Darkrai and flung the Night Walker away from her. As Darkrai landed, she stood, shaking her head. For the first time, she didn't laugh and didn't come back with some witty retort. Her eyes widened for a moment, before turning around.

Spirit was glowing, literally, as sand whipped around her. The shield around her eyes glowed in tandem with whatever was shining around her. For a brief moment, Darkrai was stunned, but that was all that was seemed to be needed. Spirit's mouth opened, a beam of white light coming out and crashing against Darkrai. The air exploded against my body, almost knocking me back on the ground. Jonathan and Song held me up, as all three of us covered our eyes due to the miniature sun in front of us. From our viewpoint, Darkrai was completely encapsulated within the beam, though from how the beam dissipated behind the target it was clear that something was wrong. Darkrai's laugh was able to be heard, even through the wind whipping around us.

Spirit's wings began to glow brighter, the sand beginning to swirl around the beam she emitted from her maw. At first, the swirl was small but it quickly grew as more sand poured into it. Before long, a vortex the size of Cleopatra swirled lazily around the beam. Without any warning, it condensed into the Hyper Beam, and shot forward. I stood there, amazed as how the sand seemed to stain the white beam, but made bands of energy around it as well. The impact made Darkrai shudder down, and the shield around her began to crack. With the sound of glass shattering, Darkrai's barrier broke. She screamed as she was consumed by the attack, quickly being pushed through the tree line. I winced as my knees buckled under my weight, but Song grabbed hold of me before I could fall. Pulling me up to my feet again, Song and Xola flanked me to where Spirit stood.

She was still glowing, sand gently swirling around her. Her chest heaved as she breathed, and I could see that the red lenses over her eyes even glowed with whatever coursed through her. At first, she didn't respond to our presence, but Song slowly approached her and placed a hand on the Flygon's shoulder. Spirit turned to the offending Pokémon, glaring at her. Nobody moved or spoke, until Spirit turned to me. At first, she didn't react at all to my presence. The sand began to slow its path around her, finally falling against the ground. The glow disappeared slowly, the red shields over her eyes finally returning to normal. Spirit shook her head, before giving a loud cry and grabbing me against her chest. Her claws dug into my back, but her sobbing stopped me from pushing her away. Spirit loosened her grip on me slowly, but her claws were still on my shoulders. Her face was a jumble of emotions that I couldn't actively tell apart, but the smile on her face was enough to put me slightly at ease.

I patted her shoulder and neck gently, and she cooed softly. Her breathing slowed as she leaned down on me. She rested her head on my shoulder, but thankfully didn't put her weight on my body. I was highly doubtful that I could manage her on top of my own. Jonathan grabbed me by my hand, and Spirit let out a hiss that managed to startle him. He let me go instantly, but quickly nodded.

"Come on," he said. "We need to check if that Darkrai is still alive."

I felt my breath catch at my throat, but nodded and quickly motioned him to lead. Now looking at it, it wasn't really necessary. All we had to do was follow the trail of devastation that Spirit wrought.

It didn't take long to find Darkrai, struggling to stand even after everything she's gone through. Her left arm hung limply on her side, some black liquid dripping on the dirt. It felt odd to feel bad for someone that's wanted to hurt you, but then again, I've always felt that way. Probably why I was picked on when I was a kid.

"You better finish the job," she said acidly, slumping to the ground. "I'd kill you if our roles were reversed."

"That's great," I said tiredly. "Can you say anything else other than you wanting to kill us? Why do you want to do so in the first place?"

Darkrai sat there quietly, groaning as she attempted to stand up again. I stepped forward, only to be rewarded with a harsh glare from the Night Walker.

"Don't you DARE give me your sympathy, human!" she spat. She even used her injured arm to point at me. "You're no better than Sister!"

I winced at the harsh words, taking a step back. Song and Spirit held onto me tightly as I shook my head. Jonathan stepped forward, a frown clear on his face. His Pokémon from before was still beside him, arms crossed over its broad chest. Pulling out a jet black Pokéball, he flashed it forward.

"You know what this is?" he asked.

"No, and I don't want to kn-."

"I didn't ask if you didn't want to know. I asked if you knew what this was."

"What's it to you, human?" Darkrai spat. "If you're going to catch me, go ahead."

"This is a portable prison, for Pokémon that have been classified as too dangerous to be out in the wild," he explained. "This will trap you until I deem it fit for you to be released, and only to the proper authorities."

"You lie, human," she whispered.

"Oh? Do you really want to press your luck right now?" he asked, a grin playing across his face.

I frowned at the idea. Whatever he had in mind, I hoped that it wasn't torture or the like. As much as she would probably deserve it, things have a tendency to bounce right back at you. Darkrai was leaning against the rock, quietly shaking her head.

"Darkrai, why is it that you're looking for us?" I asked.

"Father wishes for us to send you to him. That is all you need to know," she stated flatly.

"Why?" I asked. Pain made my head swim, but I tried to press on.

"If you continue that way, you'll find out soon enough."

Before I could respond, my chest felt like something was crushing me. My breath escaped me instantly, and all I could think was to breath. Gasping for breath, all I could hear was Darkrai's laughter. As I fell to my hands and knees to the ground, Darkrai seemed to disappear, slowly melding into thin air. Jonathan entered my vision, blocking my view from Darkrai, but when I tried to warn him about her escaping, he shook his head.

When I tried to voice my concern, my vision blacked out.

==========================/////////////////////========================

My throat was dry as I groggily woke up. My hand clenched around soft fabric, and I idly wondered if I was home again. I opened my eyes, as I woke up slowly to different surroundings than I was used to. Claws gripped me suddenly, and my body tensed, my face whipping around to see who grabbed me. Spirit pulled back, surprised by my reaction, but I quickly smiled and reached out to her. She smiled back, grabbing hold of my hand gently and leaning down to me. Spirit sat down on the bed and I moved to the side to make room for her. She smiled down at me, cooing softly as she embraced and held me close to her chest. I wanted to ask her so many questions, about what I saw, what she felt and did. My thoughts of her weren't stained by that, though.

"Well, aren't we feeling like shit today?"

I almost jumped out of my skin as I heard Jonathan's voice above me. I gently pulled away from Spirit's grasp, but she refused to let me get away from her. She compromised in letting me sit up, though, but only if she could hold me against her. I wasn't in any condition to argue, especially as my chest felt like it would burst.

Jonathan was standing near the bed, a smile on his face as he shook his head. Nobody else was inside the room, but the door leading outside was ajar. I barely noticed the sparsely decorated room, my thoughts focusing on Jonathan and what he had to say. Before I could say anything, a yawn broke my thoughts, making Jonathan laugh and as he shook his head.

"How long was I out?" I asked, frowning. A thought hit me. "Joy! Is she okay?" I exclaimed, pain flaring in my chest again. I winced, bringing my hands to the point of the pain, idly noticing that my whole chest area was covered in bandages.

"Yeah, she's alright, though in better shape than you," he said, sighing. "We aren't moving for a few days. Both of you aren't in any shape to move."

I nodded in understanding. "What happened to her?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Got no clue," he said. "All the monks would say that if they didn't respond to her injuries, she could lay comatose for what would be a very short life. They said the same thing about you, too, when your Gardevoir and Flygon carried you in."

I blinked in surprise, before turning around to face Spirit. She was frowning at me, and I could almost feel the worry coming from her. I patted her claws gently, shaking my head as I smiled at her. She relaxed immediately, leaning her neck against on my shoulder gently.

"What about our Pokémon?" I asked. "I know that mine took their fair share of punishment, and I doubt Joy's fared better."

"They're being taken care of," he said simply. I looked at him suspiciously, and he shrugged. "The monks have it under control."

"Are they ok, too?" I asked, remembering how we saw the bodies on the ground when we went outside.

"Yeah, everyone's alright," he said. "No lasting damage, thankfully. Maybe some bruised egos, but nothing that time won't heal."

Silence fell around us as Spirit snuggled against me gently. Jonathan coughed, shaking his head at my concerned look. "Before you ask, your Gardevoir should be coming around soon," he said suddenly. "She stepped out for a moment."

I nodded. "Thanks. I was about to ask where she was."

As soon as I said that, Song stepped inside the room. In her hands she had a bowl, while draped over her shoulder was a white towel. Jonathan had turned to see who had stepped inside, and they both looked at each other. He gave a quick nod, and looked back at me. He gave me a smile and nodded again.

"I'll take my leave," he said, "leave you two to talk. I need to check up on Joy."

I nodded as he stepped out and closed the door behind him. Song came and sat on the edge of the bed, turning to face me as she placed the bowl on her lap. Silently dipping the towel inside the water, she proceeded to dab my forehead gently, inspecting my bandages, and generally trying to make me feel comfortable. However, the muteness of her stance and how tense her body felt when her fingers pressed against me said more was beneath her mask of passiveness. As she passed the towel across my neck, I gently grabbed her arms before she could go further. Her eyes widened in surprise, but then avoided my gaze.

"Song, what's wrong?" I asked gently.

"I failed you," she whispered.

I shook my head and sighed. "No, you didn't," I said. I stayed silent, trying to choose my words. "I didn't want to see you hurt."

"And what about the others?" she asked, heat entering her voice. "Are they expendable, but I am not?"

I shook my head. "Song, you know that isn't what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" she asked crossly.

I frowned, and shook my head. "That first Darkrai beat us single handedly," I said, trying to explain myself. "This second one, while we did fight back, you don't have anywhere near the power you had previously. I didn't want to see you go to a fight where you would be powerless."

She stiffened at my words, but accepted them with a smile. "And that is what I want to talk to you about," she said. "I want to train here."

I blinked. "What."

"You heard me," she said, pressing the towel across my forehead again. "I wish to stay here and train."

I frowned as I took hold of her hand again, moving the towel away from my face. She gave me the Look. The one that stated that would argue with me to the ends of the earth. Her mouth was pressed thin, and her eyes were narrowed as they gazed into my own.

"Why?" I asked.

"I can't defend you, like I promised," she stated. "Ever since my powers were taken, I haven't been able to do anything. I miss floating, I miss being able to be able to make you safe. I feel vulnerable, and as your guardian, I cannot accept that."

I stayed silent as her eyes watered, tears beginning to form. She gasped as she stifled crying, pressing on.

"Ever since Darkrai took my powers, I've been feeling that I haven't been holding my end. That is why I asked Mist to aid us in speaking. Not being able to speak with you was torture in the purest sense. But that didn't help us yesterday, now did it?

"I already asked, and Jonathan vouched for me. The monks have already accepted me, and they only wish for you to give me your blessings to join."

I sat there, dumbfounded. I was bombarded with a series of emotions, in which I didn't feel ready to sort out. Fear, anxiety, anger, and exhaustion were the most prevalent as I focused on the problem at hand. I sighed, shaking my head in defeat.

"Can I... can I think about this, Song?" I asked wearily. "This is a little too much right now."

She frowned at me, but complied as she gave me a nod. She stood up, pressing the bowl of water on my lap.

"Spirit, can you take care of him for me?" she asked softly.

The Flygon nodded, grabbing the towel and laying it on my neck. She cooed softly as I shivered. I watched Song stand and walk away without another word. The seconds ticked by, silence stretching along as Spirit quietly continued to dab at me with the wet towel.

"Spirit, do you mind if you allow me to continue?"

Spirit let out a surprised squeal as Mist began to appear from my back. I shivered as she slowly pushed out of my body. It felt like she was taking her time, considering how before she would be more than happy to shed my body. Spirit appeared around the bed, her body shaking but hissing softly. I was surprised at her reaction, but Mist wasn't impressed.

"Spirit, you have not slept ever since the monks put Master to bed," she stated flatly. "I insist that you rest."

I looked at Spirit, frowning. "Spirit, is this true?" I asked.

The Flygon looked taken aback, and for a moment I was afraid that she would react more violently. After taking a moment to look at her more closely, I could see the exhaustion on her face. Her scales looked worn, and there were cracks along her face and near the shields around her eyes. I wanted to frown at her, but smiled instead.

"Get some rest, please," I said. "Do you have a bed?"

As she shook her head, I reached for my pockets, feeling my Pokéballs still attached to my pants. I pulled her Pokéball out, expanding it and showing it to her with a curious glance. She sighed, nodding in defeat. I wanted to laugh, but smiled as I beckoned her to me. As she neared, I wrapped my arms around her neck, holding her close to me as tightly as I could.

"Rest now, alright?" I asked. "Mist will keep me company."

She nodded as we parted. I recalled her, her smile ever present as she glowed red and was absorbed into her Pokéball. As soon as she disappeared, Mist appeared in front of me. A frown graced her features as her hands were crossed as she floated in front of me.

"So, what are you going to do about this?" she asked.

I knew that she was referring to Song, but I didn't want to think about that right now. I was literally exhausted, and my idled brain didn't want to handle this at the moment. In truth, neither did I want to, either. While I didn't answer her, Mist didn't let me rest, either.

"Well?" she asked again, her tone growing icy.

"Mist, I don't think I'm ready to answer properly," I said, frowning. I covered my face with my hands, trying to wipe the sleep out of my eyes. "I... really don't know."

"Then I'll tell you what you will do, since you do not wish to think," she declared. "You will stop wallowing in self-pity, first of all. As much as you do not wish to admit it, you feel it, and I will not tolerate you destroying what frayed connection you still have to Song."

Before I could open my mouth to say something, she interrupted me, continuing. "Number two!" she declared loudly. "You know as well as I do that she does not wish to part from you. She is doing this out of a need to see you safe. She cannot do anything at the moment, and the monastery is giving her a chance to protect you."

I frowned. "How do you know this?" I asked.

"I have my ways," she said evasively. At my raised eyebrow, she sighed. "I accompanied Jonathan and Song when they spoke to the monks. I was there when they agreed."

It was my turn to sigh. Shaking my head, I looked at the Mismagius. "And now you're going to tell me how long we'll be staying here, too."

"Yes, I am. We will be staying for two more days; waiting for both of you human's injuries to heal."

I brought my hands to cover my face, feeling completely out of the loop. Mist giggled as she rested her arms around my neck. "You have been knocked unconscious for three days now. I think they are being generous enough in allowing us to stay this long. You will not complain," Mist said to me.

I looked up at the Mismagius as she stared daggers at me. I wanted to cringe and back away, but I knew she was telling the truth. As much as I didn't want to hear it, I needed this verbal scolding. I realized that much, at the very least. It didn't make the scolding any easier, though.

"Thirdly," Mist said, pressing onward, "you will apologize to Song. She deserved an answer when she asked you a fair question. Feigning ignorance or illness does not garner you any wellbeing from any of us now. You will apologize, and you will answer her question truthfully."

I frowned, but nodded. I felt wrung out, exhausted, and downright pitiful at the moment. But I knew that she spoke the truth. I had to apologize, and I needed to re-evaluate our goals. A simple apology wouldn't be enough, though. I closed my eyes, focusing my thoughts on breathing and thinking of a way to figure this out. Mist's embrace sheltered me from the outside world, as I lost myself in feeling her vague touch on my skin.

"I am deeply sorry, Master," she whispered. "I did not mean to be so angry."

I wanted to laugh. An honest laugh, too. Not something forced or whatnot. "No, Mist. I deserved it."

She giggled softly. "Do you have any ideas?" she asked.

I nodded. "Maybe," I said with a shrug. "I want to do something that she'll remember me, or us, by. Something to say that I'm sorry, and for her to cherish."

"Well, you could always..."

"NO!" I yelled, almost standing. The sudden movement made pain flare throughout my body like an explosion. I focused on my breathing, trying to bring myself under control.

"No, no. Not that. If she insists, that's another story. But we knew each other before this crazy adventure started. I need something special, that she'll remember me by, and how much I'll miss her."

I ran through what's happened to us in the recent past, failing to find something that made our bond as friends stronger. Other than that one instance, nothing came to mind that was a positive memory. I scowled, feeling utterly helpless. Have I been this horrible on purpose? No, I refuse to believe that I did this knowingly, but I can't deny that this is the result of my own negligence.

"Mist."

"Yes, Master?"

I wanted to say how much they all meant to me. How much of an idiot I've been and what I wanted to do to make sure that I didn't make the same idiotic mistakes all over again. Words failed me, though, as I looked at the Mismagius. Mist, however, could sense something, and she smiled.

"I understand, Master," she said with a genuine smile. "You do not need to say it. I believe in you."

Relief washed over me at hearing her words. I focused once again on Song, my thoughts going back before all this happened. A memory came into sharp focus, and a smile crawled across my face.

"Master, what are you thinking?" Mist asked, her ghostly hands caressing my cheek.

"A plan," I said. "But, I think I'm going to need some help. Are you in?"

She giggled, pressing her lips lightly against mine. "But of course! Must you ask?"

=================////////////////////////=========================

The sun was bright outside. It was hot. Like, summer hot. Even after flying and all the excitement of... whenever Darkrai attacked, my lungs haven't gotten used to the thin air around me. My lungs felt like they were on fire, and air felt like it was thick enough to drown in. I was walking in the general area of the massive river that passed next to the temple. The woods were thick, much thicker than Eterna Forest in any shape or form. Relatively pathless, footing was treacherous. My footsteps were calculated, making sure my footing was safe before I placed my weight on it. I found myself sliding and crawling as often as walking, but I continued onward. It didn't aid me when my chest burned and my limbs felt like needles were jabbed inside my bones.

I was resting against a massive tree, moss covering the trunk and thick vines hanging from the low branches. A curse wanted to work its way out of my mouth, but I bit it back.

"There has to be something around here," I said out loud to no one. "There just has to be."

I pushed myself off the tree, finding a flat path that led through the jungle. I cursed my luck. Figures I'd find something after the fact. I leaned against another tree, feeling pain flare through my chest once more. Wincing as my body leaned against the tree, I slid down to the ground.

"It looks like you could use some help."

I jumped, looking towards the source of the voice to see Joy walking towards me. She wasn't far away, and I struggled to stand. As pathetic as I was, she reached me before I could stand properly. Her neck and half her face were covered in bandages. She grabbed hold of me, lifting me up to my feet without much problems, so I imagined that she's recovered more than me. Her pink hair was down, looking much less vibrant than usual. While she wore clean clothing, her blue eyes looked like she's had a few restless nights. I doubt that she should be out here, but then again, I shouldn't be out here, either. She noticed how I was looking at her, and she grimaced.

"That bad, huh? I had a feeling, 'cause I feel like shit. And you know the saying. If you feel like shit, you'll look like shit."

She said it in the same tone of voice that I knew that was characteristic of her, but I knew she wasn't alright. Something happened to her, that much I knew. Her attempt at the joke just didn't have the same impact than it usually did. Concern washed over me, seeing her like this. We may not be best friends, but I wasn't heartless enough to think that this was alright.

"So, what's up? What'cha doing out here of all places?" she asked.

I brought myself back to reality, trying to see if she was honestly trying to ridicule me even now. I frowned as I answered. "I'm trying to find a place to... think."

"Riiight... to think," she said, almost smiling at me. "This wouldn't happen to be about a specific Gardevoir that's crying her heart out somewhere, would it?"

For the second time ever, she wasn't trying to mock me. From her tone of voice, it actually sounded like she wanted to help. Taking a risk, and mentally crossing my fingers, I nodded.

"I'm assuming that you're looking for a place to conduct a proper apology?" she asked.

I nodded at her. "Yes, I am," I said, wincing as pain shot through my torso again. Taking a few deep breaths, I continued once the pain subsided. "The monks have already accepted her, and I agreed. They're even going to try to teach her all that crazy martial art stuff. Can you believe it? Maybe even help her regain her old powers back."

"Hey hey, none of that now," Joy said with an easy smile. "You got a lady to impress and you're on the clock. How can I help?"

I was surprised by her offer of help. "I'm looking for someplace... romantic," I said, feeling my cheeks blush. Before she spoke the remark I expected from her, I continued. "The night that she evolved to Gardevoir, we spent that night singing and dancing. It's where she got her name from, after all. I realize that we haven't done any of that since we started, and I miss that connection and closeness we had before all this, and I believe that she does as well. I want to give her a happy memory before we leave."

I looked sideways at Joy, expecting ridicule or something more standard to her character, but it didn't come. She walked over and patted me on the shoulder. I turned to see her smiling at me. A feeling of embarrassment washed over me, after telling her what I was planning. Would she spoil it? I sincerely hope not.

"That's really cute, you know?" she asked, smiling. "I found a place a day ago. It's where I was going right now, actually. It's a nice clearing by the waterfall, secluded."

The impish grin that grew on her face told me what she thought I was going to do. Before I could say anything, she patted me hard across my back and started walking. Feeling breathless, I shook my head and sighed, deciding to follow her and hope for the best. She waited for me patiently a few steps away, and we continued walking together. Silence followed us like a shroud as the sun hung pregnant in the air. The heat was still ever present, the leaves and branches above didn't hide that fact from us.

"So, what has you out here, Joy?" I asked, trying to make conversation. I mentally grimaced. That question could've come out better.

Her body tensed for a moment, before relaxing slightly. "Oh, this and that," she said, waving her hand. "You're not the only one that needs to apologize."

Curiosity was going to get me killed one day. Before I could force myself to stay quiet, the words flew out of my mouth. "Your Pokémon?"

Again, she tensed, before letting out a sigh. "To them, too. I may have said some inappropriate things to Jonathan when I woke up." I was silent, and she continued. "OK, maybe I hit him a few times with a book I grabbed."

My eyes widened. "Maybe you were just surprised?" I offered.

She laughed, but I could tell that it was a fake laugh. She shook her head. "The words were rather harsh, even to me. Also throwing the book as he was leaving was rather low."

Throughout the conversation, she never faced me and our pace never faltered. I wanted to stop, at least for a moment, for us to recover. I wanted to apologize, too, for being such a nosy brat. Joy's head hung low, and I could almost feel the despair that hung around her like a cloak. Her voice made me deliberately think that she had just given up hope on a lot of things. She snapped her head up suddenly. "We're here!" she proclaimed loudly.

The path finally opened up to a clearing. I was startled by the sound of the waterfall. How could I not notice it before? White mist hung around us like a veil. Was there another waterfall nearby? Unlike the grove in Eterna, the river ran next to us, drowning out most of the sounds. The waterfall was still a ways away, but its roar still echoed as if it was next to us. Orchids bloomed as they hung from the trees and grew from the ground. The ground was covered by moss, the stone showing under our feet haphazardly. Joy walked ahead of me, spinning around in place slowly with her hands outstretched.

"I think this place will suit your needs," she said with a laugh.

I walked towards her, taking note of the fragrant flowers and soft ambience. I nodded. As simple as it seemed, it felt right. I looked down, making sure that the moss wasn't slippery. A gust of wind blew by, bringing with it fragrant air and petals of flowers. A few of them landed on my face as they flew by only to be blown away when I tried to take them off. The petals blew away, gently fluttering across the water and into parts unknown. I took a deep breath, and nodded to Joy. I was grinning like an idiot, and I didn't care. This will work.

"So, what are the odds that I can get you roped in on my plan?" I asked, turning to face her.

"What do you have in mind?" she asked, smiling at me.

"Actually..."

=================/////////////////////////==========================

Everything was ready, or as ready as I could get it. Relief washed over me, as I made my way back inside. Joy was getting something appropriate for me, while the other girls were keeping tabs on Song for me. Mist was currently residing inside my body once more, as she insisted that she tagged along. As much as I wanted this to be just between Song and me, I couldn't deny the fact that the Mismagius has done so much for us. I had relented, and she now was making sure I had every part of my body scrubbed clean.

"You missed a spot," she whispered, her voice echoing inside my thoughts.

I sighed, grabbing yet again the bar of soap as I gingerly scrubbed underneath my arms. For possibly the fifth time in a row. The bandages had come off last night, and the monks had pronounced me fit to fight, so to speak. My chest still felt tender, and it was still hard to breathe, but it could be so much worse I didn't care. I turned off the shower, grabbing a towel and starting to dry myself as quickly as possible. Tying the towel around my waist to preserve what modesty I had left, I walked out of the bathroom and into the room I was assigned. A simple red shirt and brown pants graced the bed. I snagged some socks from my backpack and slipped on my shoes. My fingers traced through my hair, attempting to tame it without a comb. I sighed as I felt my heart pound quickly, nervousness coming into the forefront of my mind again.

"It would do you good to hurry, Master," Mist whispered again.

"Why?" I asked aloud, tying my shoes.

"Song is waiting for you in the main hall."

My head snapped up, as I put my foot down and immediately tripped. Getting myself off the ground, I quickly tied my other shoe and made my way to Song. "Why didn't you say so before?" I whispered heatedly out loud. The halls were empty; the only sound heard were my footsteps against the floor. I kept myself quiet, trying to use what I was feeling to contain the nervousness that threatened to undo all my work. My heart pounded in my chest as I turned a corner to see Song standing against the afternoon sun. My breath caught in my throat as I stared at her back. Either she didn't hear me, or chose to ignore me for the moment. Her outline engraved itself into my mind, but as much as I wanted to stare at her beauty, I had things to do.

I forced my feet to move closer to her. Every step felt like miles. She turned towards me as I approached, her serene face looking at mine. I could only imagine that worry was clear to see in my face. Even through the calm face she showed, I couldn't help but feel that she was incredibly sad over something. Something more than just us separating ways.

"Hello, Master," she said. I flinched at her words. The words sounded forced, and I couldn't help but tack this up to more guilt to add to my list.

"Song, please, call me Aaron," I said pleadingly. Could I be more pathetic?

Her eyes widened for a moment, curiosity and confusion battling for supremacy on her facial expressions. "But you are my master. Unless you don't want me anymore?"

The question rang with hurt and grief. Shock made me silent. How could she think like this? After everything we've been through, she has to know that I would never purposefully abandon her. She has to!

"I see," she whispered softly. My shock deepened as she turned away from me. She shook her head and began to walk away from me. Mist caught my attention by making my chest burn, the icy trail going down my torso making me surge forward and grabbing hold of Song's arm.

"I must get back to my meditations," she said softly. "Please let me go, Mas- I mean, Aar-."

I interrupted her by pulling her to me, wrapping my arms around her. Tears threatened to come out of my eyes, my throat seizing in the effort to hold back my anguish sobs. I forced it all down as best I could, and began to speak.

"Please don't leave, Song. How could you think that?" I said, as I held her against me. Her hands pounded against my sensitive chest, feeling her tears soak into my chest and her sobs rock my core. This is NOT how things were supposed to go.

"Song, you'll always have a place with me. No matter where I am, you will ALWAYS be welcome. You're more than just a Pokémon, Song. You're my best friend and I... I'm so sorry. I'm starting to realize just how much I've messed up during this whole adventure, and I'm so sorry." My shoulders felt heavy, as if the world was leaning on my back. Tears were blurring my vision when Song spoke.

"Then... why?" she asked, her voice raw from her sobs. I could pick up on the desperation on her tone of voice that made me want to wince. What in Arceus's name have I done? Have I truly fallen so far that she would distrust me this much?

"Why what, Song?" I asked gently, bracing myself for the deluge that I was unleashing.

"Why did you ask me to call you Aaron instead of Master?" she asked, sniffling loudly with her face against my chest. Her voice rose as she continued. "Why have you distanced yourself from me? If it wasn't because of my disability, then what made you leave me? What have I done to deserve this?!"

Fear gripped me suddenly, my throat drying instantly when I opened it to speak. I swallowed, trying to say something. I shook my head, making courage out of nowhere to continue. Things haven't even gone right since we started this adventure. Nothing had. I realize now, that I had abandoned my best friend. We haven't spoken about anything since this all started. Not physically, but I had decidedly ignored my best friend at every opportunity. We didn't talk about the old times. We didn't even sing or dance like we used to. We didn't joke or spend any time together. The gaping chasm between us grew daily, and I did nothing to stop it. I grit my teeth, holding Song close to me as tightly as I could. It felt like my life depended on this moment. And, maybe spiritually, it did.

"Song, I've failed you. You're right, I've distanced myself from you. I thought I understood before this, but..." I hesitated, frowning in trying to find the right words to say. I prayed that the right words would come. "But I never realized exactly what I had done to you. To us. I'm trying to apologize, Song, because I miss what we had. The jokes, the talks, I miss all of that. I don't want you calling me master, as if I was above you, but my name as an equal, a friend. I'm going to miss you so much. Please Song, let me try to make this right." My voice broke at the end, a sob escaping my throat that I was no longer able to hold back. I just needed one more chance. Please, Jirachi, if I needed a miracle, this would be it.

Her sobs made my feelings of insecurity and failure double. Her tears continued to soak my shirt as her fingers took hold of the material. Song's body shook as I held her like a leaf in a storm, and my own emotions threatened to surge out of control. Slowly, her breathing began to steady, sobs began to quiet. I took strength in the hope that she listened to what I said. We stood there in silence, holding each other as the sun danced across the sky. Though I knew my time was limited, I couldn't tell how long we stood still, waiting on each other to begin speaking again.

"We've both done some terrible things to each other, haven't we?" she whispered softly.

"Wait what?" I asked, confusion ringing in my voice. "Song, you've never-."

"I have, and you know it," she said gently, cutting me off. She raised her head from my chest, her red eyes shedding tears and her hands pressing against my cheeks gently. "I should have never made that deal with Zin. I've kept things from you that I never should have. We paid the price for our ignorance. I'm sorry."

I risked a smile. "If I forgive you, can you forgive me, Song?" I asked softly.

Song finally lifted her head and stared at me in the eyes. Despite knowing that she could no longer read my mind, I felt like I was being read like a book. Finally she seemed to find what she was looking for as she gave me a watery smile and hugged me tighter.

As much as I didn't want to interrupt the moment, I knew my time was slowly running out. I spoke softly, timidly, afraid that anything could shatter this moment. "Song? I have something to show you. Will you come with me?"

Song let go of me and stepped back, looking at me expectantly. She smiled and nodded, and for the first time today I smiled. A genuine smile. I took hold of her hand, interlocking hers with mine as I urged her outside. "Come on, let's go! I think you'll like this."

====================//////////////////////////========================

I had misjudged the time to get to the clearing. It was already dark by the time we even began to get near it. In between the canopy, the full moon's light shone brightly, removing the need for artificial light. A soft glow came from ahead of us. I wondered for a moment what that could be, but I decided not to worry about it. It was probably something Joy did that was out of plan. I looked at Song instead, and stared in amazement once more. To my eyes, she glowed with the moonlight. I had always known she was beautiful, but tonight she was more so in my eyes. Her crimson eyes captivated me, shining with hope. She turned and smiled genuinely at me. No more tears, on either side. A flower was held in between our entwined hands, at her insistence. I could only relent, not wanting to disappoint her, but also to keep hold of her. It felt like at any time, I would wake up from this dream.

No one held a candle to her in my eyes. She was positively radiant, her white gown almost blinding. She giggled happily, and I felt a blush form on my face. She smiled at me, walking closer and leaning her head against mine. Silence accompanied us, but it wasn't unwelcomed. We didn't need words to express what we were feeling at this moment.

My heart pounded in my chest as we continued to walk. It wasn't fear or nervousness. Mist assured me that it wasn't her. She had promised me that she wouldn't interfere tonight, and that she was just here to 'observe'. The feeling, though unexplained, wasn't unwelcome. It didn't make me feel anxious or nervous. It was something I couldn't really explain.

As we neared our destination, I briefly entertained the thought of whether or not this was what it was like to be married to someone you loved. Maybe it was the wrong place for my thoughts to be going, but I couldn't help it. Was it possible, one day, far away? We shared everything, after all. Could we have what my parents have?

A smaller, more cynical part of me questioned the legality and morality of such a thing. I promptly ignored it. I've had sex with four of my Pokémon. I think I've passed that barrier a long time ago.

We continued to follow the path, Song stopping just outside of it and looking at me. She broke the silence with a smile. "So, you didn't just drag me through the jungle so you can have your way with me, did you?" she asked, giggling. "Because, just to let you know, I would have done without the trek to have some more time with you."

Coupled with what I was thinking a few moments before, I could feel another blush burn its way through my face. I didn't think I was going to be able to remove this one for a long time. She giggled again, playing with my hair for a moment before I shook my head gently.

"I think that I'd rather show you what I have in mind," I said, thankful that my voice didn't crack. I ushered her forward gently. "We're here."

She gave me a curious smile, but nodded at my insistence. We stepped inside the clearing, and Song gasped. I think I did, too, dumbstruck by what Joy managed to create in such a short amount of time.

Candle's hung from the low branches, their glow suffusing everything in a warm yellow. Moonlight reflected off the river brightly, and the waters seemed to be calm for tonight. The wind carried with it the sounds of Kricketunes, mixing with the sound of the waterfall. The sound was unexpected, but rather beautiful. Song parted from me, looking around with wonder in her eyes. The smell of flowers filled my nose as I took a deep breath of relief.

She hurried over to me, grasping my hand once more and pulling me with her. We stood in the middle of it all, Song beaming happily. "It's beautiful," she breathed.

I nodded numbly. "Joy showed it to me a day ago," I said, smiling. "I thought it would be the perfect place for us to spend our night together."

The Gardevoir gave me an unreadable look as her gaze passed over me once more, and then looked around the clearing. "So... if you didn't plan on having your way with me, why did you show me this?" she asked curiously.

I grinned, unable to hold back my excitement. This was gonna be good. "You remember the night you evolved?" I asked.

For a moment, she closed her eyes. Silence stretched for a moment, as she concentrated. I held her hands when her eyes opened once more. "Yes, I do!" she exclaimed suddenly. "You mean...?"

I answered silently, giving her a full grin and a nod. "YES!" she screamed excitedly, bouncing in place as she beamed happily.

"I figured that a repeat was in order," I said, smiling at her enthusiasm. "Singing and dancing, if you'd like, too."

"Really?" she whispered, a smile barely hidden away. "But what about the music?"

"Don't worry, I have that taken care of," I said, raising my hand and giving a signal to the air. I hoped, prayed, anything, that Joy saw it. Please, Joy, don't leave me hanging here. Anything, something. I can work with whistling, but I need SOMETHING...

Music began to play, surrounding us with a soft melody. I didn't know how Joy did it, but she did it. I tried to hide my surprise as I looked at Song. My Gardevoir, however, wasn't looking at me at the moment. Her eyes were wide as she looked around, trying to find the source of the music. Not being able to pinpoint it, she looked at me with a smile on her features. The beat quickly picked up, and she smiled.

I smiled back at her, holding her hand. "May I have this dance, my Lady?" I asked, stepping back and giving a bow.

Without another word, we danced. Time was no longer a worry for us, for all that mattered was within our arms reach. Our singing rang through the woods, probably disturbing someone's sleep, but we didn't care. Sometimes we would be silly, trying to outdo the other in pitch. Other times, we would try to sing the song perfectly from memory. The worst were when it was a song I wasn't familiar and she knew, for which I just tried to remember the chorus and followed along with her excited steps.

Hours must have passed before we stopped. I was breathing hard, but the exertion was worth it. I noticed that she was panting hard, as well. The laugh she gave and the smile on her face told me that this was worthwhile. I had forgotten how to dance some of the things we did, but I was sure that Mist had a hand in making me remember. Or perhaps I discredit myself. I really don't know, but I wasn't going to worry about it right now. A break in the music allowed us to catch our breath as we held each other close. She giggled, her body shaking in mirth as she brushed my hair with her hands.

"Are you having fun, Song?" I asked. I knew the answer, but I still wanted to hear her say it. It wasn't a want, actually. It was a need to know that she was enjoying herself.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, hugging me tightly. "Oh, Aaron, I've missed this so much! It's been far too long. We have to do this again."

I smiled, hugging her back. "I promise," I said, closing my eyes as I rested my head against her chest.

Another song started, and I wanted to smile. "The perfect song for the perfect Song," I whispered softly.

She slapped my chest lightly, giggling. "Now that was sappy."

I blushed. "Sorry," I said sheepishly.

I felt her hands hold me tightly. "I never said I didn't like it," she whispered.

I pulled myself back to look at her properly. "One last dance, my Lady?" I asked, smiling.

"I would be delighted," she said. I beamed as we began to dance once more. I placed both my hands at her waist, our bodies touching each other. Her hands wrapped around my neck lovingly, gently stroking my neck and back. Song's face rested against mine, her soft breathing filling my hearing. The song, Far Away, by some band called Dimefront or something, was playing. It was a hit a few years back, but I felt the lyrics were speaking directly about us. We didn't bother singing this time, focusing on just enjoying the time we had together. We spun in circles, holding onto each other like our lives depended on the other. Sadness threatened to overwhelm me once more, but I forced it down. Nothing else mattered right now. Just this.

As the song began to end, she lifted her head from my shoulder and looked at me happily. Tears threatened to come pouring out of her eyes, but she was beaming happily at me. She leaned down, and for a moment our foreheads brushed together. A spark of something passed between us, and my mind was bombarded by images. I gasped in surprise, and I heard Song do the same. They felt like dreams, but much more personal.

In a moment, I felt everything we've ever been through. I saw everything from Song's perspective. All of her fears, hopes, tears and joys. I saw when we danced the night she evolved to her current Gardevoir form. Emotions and sensations were attached with the visions. I felt my own hands curled around my own body, being face to face with myself. Feelings of love and safety washed over me, threatening me to bring me to tears. Visions of our time making love washed over me, the full gamut of sensations made me cry both in passion and emotion. I felt every thrust, but also every emotion that Song poured into that heated moment. More memories flooded me, many more than I thought were possible, but I cherished every single one. Our lips touched as the flood of emotions and sensations grew too much, wanting to give to each other even more than what we were already feeling.

We pulled away from each other slowly, and I was fearful that what I felt was just my own imagining. From the look of Song's face, however, it told me that it wasn't the case. Our lips pressed together again, her tongue forcing its way against mine. A fire within me demanded that I said something, anything, to put what I was feeling into words.

"Song, I love you," I said simply. "I love you so much." Tears streamed from my eyes, as she held my face between her hands. She was crying as well, tears coming down her eyes.

"And I love you too, Aaron," she whispered.

Despite knowing that we were parting, I couldn't have been happier. No matter what, this was our night. I had someone to come back to. I had to get to the bottom of this mystery. But I had to come back safe. I've never felt so safe before, not like right now. Darkrai could do nothing to sabotage me now. These feelings, emotions, and memories were my weapons, armor, and shield. They will forever keep the nightmares at bay.

And through it all, I knew one thing. This was our night, and nothing could take it away from us.