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@heropartnerweek - Day 6: Farewell | Return

Poppy refused to lose them again.

She didn’t care what anyone said. She didn’t care if Dedenne said she was projecting and being unfair to Mew. She didn’t care that Mawille said her attachment was unhealthy. And she sure as hell didn’t care that some dirtbag said Mew had to die for the sake of the world.

She was NOT losing Tuft again.

It didn’t matter that Mew wasn’t Tuft. They were the closest thing she had. They were the last, dying ember of a beautiful bonfire, the one thing that kept Poppy warm at night. The final link she had to Tuft, aside from her harmony scarf. Maybe it wasn’t fair to them, but Poppy couldn’t help it! Mew reminded her so much of Tuft that it hurt. She chose to suffer that pain every day if it meant she could feel just a bit of Tuft’s warmth.

And now, someone wanted to take that away from her.

Poppy smashed her fist into a Salamance’s maw, sending it flinching back, ignoring the memories of that horrid mission they took on so long ago, and ran past it. She wasn’t in the mood to brawl with every random feral she came across. She didn’t have time. Every single one that got in her way took a fist or tail to the face, then Poppy sprinted past them, running as fast as she could through the winding floors of the Purifying Cave.

She barely took in her surroundings, the sound of static and pumping blood mixing to fill her ears with a horrid screech and squelch that drowned out everything else. The walls blurred around her as she ran, ignoring everything and everymon she passed by, her eyes only scanning for the stairs leading further down. The stones and gravel beneath her feet felt like nothing, her feet and hands numb as she ran on all fours, desperately hoping for just a bit of extra speed.

She had to go faster. She had to. Tuft Mew was in danger! They could be dying right then for all she knew! Or having her soul ‘purified’ or whatever the hell that meant. It didn’t matter! They were in danger and she had to save them. She couldn’t lose them again. She couldn’t grieve them a second time!

It went on and on.

Run.

Fight.

Search.

Descend.

Run.

Fight.

Search.

Fight.

Descend.

Run.

Search.

Fight.

Descend.

Run.

RUN!

RUN!!!!

RUN FASTER DAMMIT!

The stairs lead down and down and down and down until-

Bright light flooded her vision. She reached the cave’s pit, a large open room, the aqua blue walls and floor and water contrasting harshly with the unconscious form floating in the centre of the room.

“TUFT!” Poppy screamed.

Mew floated lazily in the air, a sphere of pink psychic energy holding them aloft and sealing them tight. Their head lolled to the side, eyes closed, chest slowly moving up and down from their shaky breathing. They were hurt, they were hurt they were hurt they-

They were alive. She wasn’t too late.

Poppy ran toward them, but a zap down her spine warned her of danger, her battle instincts kicking in. She skid to a stop and rolled right, leaping out of the way of a Shadow Ball that exploded against the ground where she was.

‘That was too easy to dodge,’ she noted. ‘A warning shot.’

“Hol’ it!” a voice yelled. A familiar voice. “Don’t touch that there Mew!”

‘YOU!’

Poppy’s head snapped to the side to see Nuzleaf coming out from his hiding space behind a boulder, flanked on both sides by those god damned Beheeyem. The group moved in front of Tuft Mew, standing between them and Poppy.

Her breathing grew heavy as rage coursed through every fibre of her being, Poppy glared at Nuzleaf as hard as she could, feeling her entire body tense. Nuzleaf shrank under her gaze. Good. He deserved to fear her. If he was the one who attacked her, who sent that letter, who was trying t- to…

…he deserved what he had coming to him.

“Get out of my way,” she seethed. Nuzleaf and the Beheeyem stared back, making her lungs burn even more. “MOVE!”

“…‘fraid I can’t well do that,” Nuzleaf said, shaking his head. “I’m mighty sorry, kid. I know I caused you no end of trouble, but-”

“TROUBLE?” Poppy yelled. “TROUBLE? AFTER EVERYTHING YOU’VE DONE, YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST COME HERE AND SAY ‘Sorry for the trouble’ WHILE TRYING TO TAKE THEM AWAY FROM ME!” Violet light filled her eyes, draconic fire flooding her throat, begging to be released. “SAVE IT! JUST GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY!”

“I don’t want this either!” Nuzleaf yelled back. “But we gotta wipe out that Dark Matter once and fer all!”

“We can’t take it!” one of the Beheeyem cried, holding its head in its hands, tears in its eyes. “We can’t be taken by that thing again! We can’t!”

“I’m sorry, but we can’t risk it. We can’t go through that kinda pain again!”

The fire in her throat burned hotter, screaming pain filling her lungs. Pain? They didn’t know anything about pain. After all the hurt they caused, they didn’t get to complain about pain. Not when it was their fault. Not when they were trying to hurt her again!

‘It wasn’t their fault. They were victims too. They didn’t want this’

“I… said… MOVE!” Poppy demanded. “Get out of my way before I make you!”

“Child, please!” Nuzleaf begged. “You gotta understand! We can’t let Dark Matter return! This is for the greater good! The world needs us!”

“WELL WHAT ABOUT ME?” Poppy screamed, tears flying from her eyes as she whipped around. “WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU? WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE WORLD TOOK TUFT AWAY FROM ME? WHEN I WAS ALONE? THE WORLD? TO HELL WITH THE WORLD! WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED MY DAD!”

Every word she said opened up an old wound, picking at the scabbed over cuts and gashes, making each and every one raw and bloody. Her scales looked red and broken behind her tear-blurred gaze.

Nuzleaf’s eyes were wide as he stared at Poppy, the leaf on his head wilting. “I-” he croaked. “I didn’t- I thought you- why would-”

“SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP! JUST MOVE! GET OUT OF MY WAY BEFORE-”

A speck of light floated from Mew’s chest.

Poppy’s burning blood suddenly went cold as she watched Tuft Mew’s form begin to shine, bright light glowing underneath their skin, motes of light shedding off of them and dancing into the air.

They were dying.

“NO!” Poppy screamed, running forward recklessly. She had to go! She had to get to them. Nuzleaf dashed in front of her, grabbing her by the chest and shoulder, holding her back. She thrashed in his hold, her mind filled with screaming static as she desperately tried to get him off her. “LET ME GO! PLEASE, LET ME GO LET ME GO! I HAVE TO-”

“I’m sorry, but it gotta be this way!” Nuzleaf yelled pleadingly into her ear. “It’s gotta end! You just gon have to accept this!”

Accept this? Like hell she would! She wouldn’t, couldn’t! Not now, not ever! She let Tuft go once, she wasn’t going to do it again! She fought harder against his grip, the screaming in her mind growing louder and louder as Mew’s form started to glow brighter-

-Tuft’s form started to glow brighter, lifting them off the ground and into the air, a sad smile on their face-

-the teal light taking over more and more of them form, blotting them out-

-Tuft floated up and up, out of Poppy’s reach. She screamed for them to come back, but they just went higher and higher up, the smile never leaving their face-

“Please Poppy! You just gotta let this go! I promise it’s gon be okay! It-”

“-It’s okay. I’ll be fine. I always am!”

“-you don’t want this, an’ I know I don’t deserve it, but you gotta do me this one favour and-”

“-don’t you cry! Not one tear! Not for me! I promise, it’ll-”

“-be okay! But you just gotta let-”

“NO!”

Poppy grabbed Nuzleaf by the throat and JAMMED her knee into his gut, forcing a painful wheeze from his lips. He crumpled underneath her, Poppy running towards Tuft Mew the second she was free. The Beheeyem moved to intercept, psychic energy gripping at Poppy’s limbs, but the second she felt it she released a Draconic Breath from her maw, flooding the cavern and forcing the Beheeyem back, breaking their concentration.

She stopped in front of Mew, grabbing the sphere that held them in place and bashing her fists against it, slamming down as hard as she could. Mew’s form glowed brighter and brighter, and with every mote of light that left their body, Poppy fought harder to break through.

“I WON’T!” she screamed. “I WON’T LET YOU TAKE THEM FROM ME AGAIN! I DON’T CARE IF THE WORLD BURNS! I DON’T CARE IF DARK MATTER COMES BACK! IF IT DOES, I’LL JUST BEAT IT AGAIN!”

A warmth fluttered in Poppy’s chest.

“I WON’T LET YOU TAKE TUFT AWAY FROM ME AGAIN!”

Rainbow light danced across her harmony scarf.

“I WON’T EVER LET THEM GO!”

The sphere shattered in her grip as her harmony scarf ignited, the fabric burning away in a rainbow of fire, the explosion sending Poppy hurtling back into Nuzleaf’s waiting arms, the force nearly sending the both of them to the floor. She ripped her eyes open, gaze immediately snapping back to Mew to see the motes of light dancing around them stop… hold for a moment…

..before shooting back into them, rebuilding their body, putting it back together.

And as life returned to them, the rainbow shine of the burning harmony scarf was mirrored in Mew’s chest, a new light filling the air. A single, golden mote escaped from their heart, slowly drifting through the air towards Poppy’s burning scarf. And as they touched, the rainbow flames turned gold in an instant, exploding in light. Poppy’s eyes were forced shut, their vision swimming as they tried to open them again, desperately looking around the blurred and spinning room, trying to find Mew, to see they were okay, to see them alive. But when the room finally came into focus, she didn’t just see Mew. She saw…

…Tuft. The real Tuft. Not Mew, the pokemon that was forced to fill the void in her heart, but honest to god Tuft, the stupid, stupid, selfish, annoying, infuriating, beautiful Fenniken. They were just as Poppy remembered them, their fur unkempt and fluffy and filled with a random assortment of twigs and leaves, their stupidly big ears flopping around and covering half their face, a smile on their face despite their closed eyes.

They were back.

“Wha-” Poppy muttered, the words dying on her tongue. Her mouth felt dry, ragged breaths clawing at her throat, trying to escape. She didn’t dare blink, couldn’t close her eyes for a second, because if she did she’d realize this was a dream, that it was fake, that Tuft was still gone. She needed this moment to last just a little longer, needed Tuft to still be there, needed-

“So that’s Tuft.”

A pink paw lightly traced Tuft’s face, running through their fur. Mew was awake, floating gently next to Tuft, eyes taking in their form (as everyone should always do). They had a strangely peaceful look on their face, one that… didn’t remind Poppy of Tuft. Everything about the way Mew was holding themself was wrong. It wasn’t Tuft. It was so different to before.

“I was wondering who it was,” Mew continued. “I felt them, you know? I could feel that bit of their soul in mine. It was so strong, so overpowering.” Mew laughed lightly, shaking their head, a silly grin on their face. “They can be very… persistent, you know?”

Poppy couldn’t help but laugh along in disbelief. “Yeah. Yeah, I know.” Her laughs turned to choked coughs and cries. “H-how…”

“Well, it seems that your plan worked, Xatu.”

Despite a part of her screaming not to look away, Poppy managed to tear her eyes away just enough that she could see the approaching figures out of the corner of her eye, unable to understand what she was seeing.

“Ampharos?” she muttered. “A-and… Mawile, and Xatu? What are…”

Ampharos sighed, looking down at Poppy guiltily. “I’m very sorry for the pain,” he said gently. “I’m afraid that all of this was a bit of a setup to bring you here.”

“What?”

Xatu stepped forward, holding a wing out with practised grace, his eyes glowing with psychic power. “I saw it,” he boomed, his commanding voice filling the room. “I saw Tuft, sealed within Mew, waiting to be freed. I saw Mew’s collapse, and I knew it had nothing to do with Dark Matter. I saw it all.”

Poppy looked between them in confusion. “Then why…”

“Because to break the barrier,” Mawile explained, “we needed you. We needed your true feelings to shine. Your connection to Tuft was the only thing powerful enough to break through to them.” She gestured to the room around them, looking in circles. “We knew that here, on this sacred ground, the seal holding Tuft back could be released.”

“But your feelings needed to be true,” Ampharos continued. “We needed them to be real. We needed you to show everything.” He paused, looking away and anxiously rubbing the back of his neck. “And, well… you, uh… you’re-”

“You would never dare show your feelings without us forcing your hand,” Mawile said simply and without any guilt, shrugging her shoulders. Ampharos shrank down a bit more, chuckling humourlessly.

“Yes, that.”

Poppy could barely understand what she was hearing. All of this… was just a trick to get her to say how she felt? Because if she screamed it loud enough, Tuft would come back? Was that really all it took? Could she have done this from the start? Could she have brought them home months ago if she had just been true?

“Of course, we couldn’t do this on our own,” Ampharos said, snapping Poppy out of her spiralling thoughts. “Which is why it’s so lucky that Nuzleaf and his companions came along.”

Poppy’s head snapped up to Nuzleaf who was still holding her, surprised to see a gentle, loving smile on his face. For the first time in what felt like centuries, he looked like the man she knew. The one she thought she knew.

…maybe it was the real him. Maybe she did know him after all.

“Was a mighty fine coincidence,” Nuzleaf said. “We been lookin’ fer a way to make up for all the trouble we done caused. And whad’ya know, it just so happened that yer friends here needed someone to play the part of a villain.” He chuckled to himself. “Fortunately, I had some mighty fine practice.”

…he helped them? He… helped save Tuft… for her…

“Though… I could’a done without the walloping I got for it…”

Mew giggled into their palm, spinning in the air. “Yeah, sorry about that!” they chirped, not sounding sorry at all. “But hey, you shouldn’t have tricked me into coming here if you didn’t wanna get booped!” Mew looked back down at Tuft and smiled. “But you know, I’m glad I came here. I think it was worth it.”

Everything started blurring around Poppy. She couldn’t believe this. This couldn’t be real. It wasn’t happening. They couldn’t take the heartbreak they’d feel when the dream ended. Everyone helping them, Nuzle- Dad coming back to her, Tuft…

It was too good to be true. She needed someone to pinch her. She needed someone to tell her this was real. She needed-

“Poppy?”

Poppy’s eyes immediately snapped over to Tuft, finding them staring back at her. She scrambled to get to them, Nuzleaf letting her go in an instant, dropping her to the ground as she crawled over to them, grabbing their head and placing it in her lap. She put a hand on their cheek, relishing in the light, familiar warmth coming from it, helping Tuft to look her in the eye.

“Tuft,” she breathed. “Y- you- your-”

“Hey, you.” Tuft smiled weakly for a moment, before their expression dropped, guilt in their eyes. “Poppy, I-” they started before letting out a yelp as Poppy dragged them into a hug, squeezing them as tight as she could.

“Shut up,” she demanded, her voice wavering from the tears in her eyes. “You… you are never allowed to leave me again. You’re mine, got it? You don’t get to leave me.”

Tuft tensed for one, eternal, agonizing moment, before quickly letting go, falling into Poppy’s embrace in a way that felt so right, like they were finally where they belonged. “Okay,” they whispered, their breath hot on Poppy’s neck, sending lightning down her spine. She held them as close as she could, relishing in the feeling of their fur against her scales.

For the first time in months, everything was right in the world.

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Tuft (rightfully) assumed that all of this was Poppy’s way of confessing her feelings and figured they were dating. Poppy (being the emotionally constipated idiot that she is) didn’t realize it came out like that. The two figured it out eventually.

#writing #heropartnerweek #pmd super #treecko #fennekin #heropartnerweek2024 #day 6 #return

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