#Aurora Nightgale

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

The Chasm

So this is the rewritten roleplay that arcs around the Adventures in Space and Time because of course I did this part too I guess

also, needless dramatics bc roleplay shenanigans, why not

~

 They stopped briefly at the top of the path leading down into the Chasm. Arlette stared down at it, her expression cold and distant.

 “Come on,” Aurora whispered. “Best get it over with, right?”

 “What was that?” Zlata asked, drawing nearer.

 Arlette shrugged and started on the path. “Nothing important.”

 Zlata frowned, stroking Hohenheim’s head. “This place is where Kyurem is supposed to live, isn’t it? The ice dragon?”

 “Yep.” Aurora nodded, shoving her hands in her pockets. “Matt dared us to come out here once, when we were staying in Humilau. It’s actually fairly pretty in summer.” She glanced down at the valley before them. “Maybe not so much now.”

 The majority of the trees were evergreens, tall pines that didn’t quite reach the top of the cliffs. The group descended the path, Corvus soaring overhead.

 “I see. It seems like it would be pretty, but now–” Zlata shivered, holding one hand against Hohenheim. “It might still be beautiful, just in a different way. Cold, though.” She glanced back at Nyx, who was talking quietly with Warren at the back of the group. “If something is wrong, you should tell us.”

 “Kyurem seems like he would be dangerous,” Ryun said. “Hopefully we won’t see him.”

 “The legends say he used to terrorise the region,” Arlette said. “Lacunosa has weird laws in place because of him.”

 “It’s the cold, isn’t it?” Aurora dropped back to walk by Nyx. “Been fine everywhere else, but these trees are practically crystallising.” She stamped on the ground. “Not quite frozen.”

 “Yet.”

 “Yeah…” Nyx puffed out a steaming breath. “I… it’s cold…”

 Warren yanked his foot away from the ground as ice spread across it, freezing everything and working up the trees. “What’s going on?”

 Corvus cawed, wheeling above the group as mist engulfs the area.

 “We need to leave.” Nyx grabbed Aurora’s arm. “This isn’t good…”

 “What… what is going on?” Zlata stepped away from the ice.

 Hohenheim stepped forward, breathing fire to melt the ice in front of them.

 “We’d better go. Hohenheim can keep the ice away, but not for long. Arlette, Ryun, can you release your fire types and help him?”

 Ryun released Dante, and the houndour ran to Hohenheim’s side to help.

 Arlette started to laugh, hysterical. “We weren’t serious! It was just a joke!”

 Aurora cursed and flared faint wings, raising her hands to rip open a portal. “This’ll be qui–”

 She fell back onto the ground as a huge white shape thumped onto the ground before them, fire barely visible through the mist. On the path behind them a black shape lands, effectively cutting off their escape route.

 Nyx shrieked and turned away, but a fierce and chilly wind blasts in her face, forcing her back towards the group.

 “Do not attempt to run.” A huge grey head swung into view, glaring at Dante from burning yellow eyes. “Stop… or we shall make you stop.”

 Nyx backed into Warren, and he wrapped his arms around her. “There’s… no way out.”

 Dante yelped and ran back to Ryun, who hugged her and stared up. Hohenheim stepped towards the head, flaring his feathers, challenging them.

 The one in front of them rumbled, spewing a gout of flames. “You might not have, little fledgling, but it is not you we have come for.”

 Arlette helped Aurora up, staring at the dragon. “So who have you come for?”

 Aurora raised her hands again, meaning to open a portal. The dragon snapped flames that flickered inches from her hands, and Aurora jerked back into her sister, looking up.

 “You, little thieves.”

 “We have done nothing to you,” Nyx said, her voice wavering. “Please… just let us go.”

 The grey one in front of her took a step forward, revealing the misshapen form of Kyurem. Cryogonal spiral above them, keeping ice walls in place.

 “You, the three dragon blessed,” the legendary snarled. “Or so you seem… you believe you are worthy of such gifts?”

 “They never asked for their gifts,” Zlata said, dragging Hohenheim away from Reshiram. “They just received them. It is not up to them whether they have them or not.”

 “Well,” Arlette said slowly, “No one’s ever had a problem with them before.”

 “There are few enough others that can contest your worth.” Reshiram hissed, looming over them. “And I will not have your truth sully anything.”

 “That’s… that’s the thing about truth.” Arlette frowned. “It just is. Not much can change it.”

 “How about an ideal, then, where you have nothing that you shouldn’t have?”

 Aurora turned to look up at Zekrom. “Nothing’ll change for an ideal. We were born with these, and I think we’re supposed to keep them.

 “You may have been born with it, but that does not make you worthy!” Kyurem roared, shaking the trees around the group. “Changing One, you keep silence… you are wise.”

 Nyx turned away from Kyurem, clenching her fists. “Please… just let us go, we have no choice in our gifts–”

 “Silence!” Kyurem screeched. “You will be tested, to see… if you are worthy.” He looked down, considering the group – considering the twins and Nyx. “And if you pass, you shall be rewarded…”

 “No… no tests.” Nyx shuddered.

 “Humans like trinkets and treasure,” Kyurem grumbled, looking at the other dragons. “More so than dragons themselves… you’ll be happy for your rewards, should you receive them…”

 “With all due respect, who are you to decide whether they are worthy of their gifts or not?” Zlata looked up. “And what about us?” She pointed to herself, Warren, and Ryun. “Are we supposed to just stand by while you test our friends?”

 “You are not suited to their tests, little one,” Reshiram said, snaking his head closer to Zlata. “I would advise standing out of them, unless you care to get damaged.”

 “Indeed.” Kyurem looked down at Zlata. “These are tests by dragons for dragons, and your interference would only make it worse.”

 “Stop that,” Arlette snapped. “Just stop it.”

 “Oh?” Reshiram turned to look at her. “You dare defy us?”

 “Of course I do.”

 “You will not get out of here easily.”

 “So what are these tests?”

 “Arl–”

 Arlette cut off her sister, holding up a hand.

 “Let the time dragon be tested first,” Kyurem said.

 “Very well.” Reshiram looked down at Arlette. “Your task is to prove you can truly control time. Go back and make a mark for us to know.”

 “What are you talking about… a mark?” Nyx shivered.

 “I don’t care what the mark is, so long as we know it is yours.”

 “And why should I?”

 “Because we require proof!” Zekrom roared. “No human should be graced with the power of the legendaries as you have been.”

 “The dragons that gave us these powers… I think their authority runs above yours.”

 “Test her! I wish to see if they are worthy at all of having dragon in their blood.”

 “Nothing will change,” Arlette said. “You can’t make us do anything.”

 “It’s not in our blood!” Nyx shouted at Kyurem. “It’s not who we are, you–”

 “Ah, she speaks!” Kyurem whipped his head back to Nyx, eyes glowing. “We have both your sisters.”

 Ice froze Nyx to the ground, and the cryogonal surrounded her, chaining her in place. Her knees buckled, sending her to the floor. Zekrom reached out and cuffed Aurora towards himself, tumbling her over to between his legs.

 Arlette moved, staff in her hands cracking out to attack Zekrom. “Let them go!”

 Warren was stopped by ice before he could even attempt to help Nyx. Hohenheim wriggled free of Zlata and attacked the ice around Nyx.

 Zlata yelled and tugged him back by the tail. “Do it,” she said to Arlette. “There’s no other way out of this. I believe in you.”

 Ryun reached for his sword, a faint golden glow around him.

 “We can’t fight them.” Zlata shook her head.

 “But they’re our friends… we can’t leave them in danger.”

 “We have no choice.”

 Arlette growled and dropped her staff and bag to the ground, sorting through it. She stood up, a pokéball and a bottle of green liquid in her hands. “Look after my stuff.” She took Xenos from her shoulder, passing him to Soise.

 The ralts whistled, but didn’t protest.

 “You shouldn’t have to do this.” Aurora glared up at the dragon that’s holding her down with one foot.

 “Got to,” Arlette replied.

 “If you are in great danger, I will come for you.” A feather fluttered free from Reshiram’s wing. “I will not let you die there.”

 Arlette caught the feather and shuddered as blue scale armour rippled into place across, melding with white feathers along her arms. “I’m fine,” she said, examining an arm. “I’m fine.” She raised her hands, now gloved in silver with a fine ruff of feathers around the wrists, above her head. “Any particular time I should go?”

 “Wherever you can manage.”

 “I’ll come with you.” Aurora struggled under Zekrom’s foot. “You can’t go on your own.”

 Arlette stiffened her shoulders. “I have to.”

 “Please.”

 Arlette brought her hands down in front of her, opening a rip. “I’ll come back. Before you know it.”

 “Good! The games have begun.” Kyurem cackled, placing a foot beside Nyx, ignoring her attempts to distort. “Are you ready to play?”

 She nodded, teeth chattering. The ice melted away and the chains loosened, as Zekrom let Aurora free.

 “A… Arl… Arl…” Nyx reached out to her.

 Arlette stepped through the rip and was gone, and the rip closed behind her before Aurora could get to it.

 “Game? This is a game to you?” Zlata stared up at the ice dragon, shaking her head.

 Hohenheim pressed himself against Nyx, fluffing himself up.

 “Of sorts. There are prizes, and no lasting danger,” Zekrom said.

 “I’ll give you lasting damage, you overgrown splitskin,” Aurora snarled, grabbing Arlette’s staff.

 Soise tugged her back as a rip opened in front of her, allowing two pokémon and then a humanoid figure to fall through. They hit the ground with a thud and it closes in a flicker.

 “Arl?” Arlette gripped the staff, staring at the figure.

 It wasn’t Arlette as she had left them. This one was in blue and white scaled armour, white feathered wings protruding from her back, a helmet covering her face and a bloodied spear grasped in her hands.

 “’Rora?” The figure dropped the spear, pushing herself to her feet.

 Aurora lunged forward, staff hitting the ground, to help her sister as she stumbled, the armour and wings disappearing to reveal a different set of scaled armour – blue washed red – on top of a worn shirt and brown skirt. The two pokémon – a typhlosion and a scaled stunfisk, with a black band around the base of its tail – keep to Arlette’s sides, growling softly at the people and dragons.

 “Arlette, you’re back!” Nyx curled herself around Hohenheim. “Where did you go?”

 Zlata stepped forward cautiously. “What happened to you? Where did the armour come from?”

 “Ah, you have returned so soon?” Reshiram looked around. “I see no difference.”

 “I see nothing either… I hope your trip wasn’t all a waste.”

 “How about you just wait?” Aurora snapped, pulling the helmet from her sister’s head. “You ok?”

 Arlette stared at her sister, stroking her face, her hair. “It’s you. It’s really you.”

 Aurora blinked and hugged her sister. “Course it is. Who else would it be?”

 Soise turned the helmet over in her paws. “More like when did you go?”

 “It’s ok, you’re back.” Nyx walked over, Hohenheim rushing at her side. “None of us are going anywhere.”

 Arlette nodded and shuddered a sigh, pushing herself free of her sister. “Abela. Break it.”

 The stunfisk shivered, and the ground started to tremble as the chasm wall shook in its foundations, resettling. Something cracked within it, and green fire licked out and up the stone face, making distinct words – ‘No more, fuckers’.

 Aurora laughed. “Nice.”

 Kyurem grumbled. “Well, that is the first task clear.” The dragon looked to Zekrom, then Aurora. “Challenge her next then, see if she shares her sister’s strength.”

 “Hang on! You can’t push us around,” Nyx said to Kyurem as the legendary moved towards Aurora.

 “I think you’ll find we can.” Ice formed around her feet. “Now, I’ll ask you to be silent. You’ll need your energy…”

 Hohenheim tugged on Arlette’s sleeve, trying to get her to sit down. She growled, shaking the bird free and picking up her spear – blood crusting on its blade – to stand between her sisters and the dragons.

 “What’s my task?” Aurora put a hand on her shoulder, holding her back.

 “Don’t let them take us apart,” Arlette snarled.

 “I won’t. They can’t.”

 “There is a meteor heading for the planet.” Zekrom looked skywards, as if she could see it. “If it is not stopped, it will crash into Nimbasa and kill thousands.”

 “And you… want me to stop it?”

 “If you can.”

 Kyurem’s eyes glittered as the legendary let out a tremendous roar. The dragon was laughing. “Wonderful! This is quite a hefty task for her… you think she can succeed?”

 “A… a meteor?” Nyx shivered, looking up. “You can’t be serious.”

 “You doubt us?” Kyurem glared at her. “I think we have proven to you we are quite serious.”

 “Maybe you should not involve the lives of innocent people in your games so easily.” Zlata frowned. “How is she supposed to reach it without suffocating, or being exposed to radiation?”

 “Space dragon,” Aurora said. “I’m betting she won’t be too happy if I cop it ‘cause of them.”

 “Would you rather we ignored it and left them to die? I do not control the meteors.” Zekrom reached out a claw to push Aurora forward. “Time is ticking, little one. Go now, and quickly.”

 “I’ll be back.” She glanced at her sister. “As quick as I can.”

 Arlette nodded, jaw stiff. “I’ll be counting.”

 Aurora looked up, closed her eyes, and raised her hands to open a rip. “Let’s go catch a comet,” she murmured, stepping through as pink marbled black armour swirled into place across her body.

 “She won’t be long Arlette, you’ll see.” Nyx stepped towards Arlette.

 “I can’t feel her,” Arlette said quietly. “I thought, when I returned… it’s been too long.”

 The typhlosion grunted and shoved his head under her elbow.

 “You are both strong,” Nyx sighed. “She’ll be fine.”

 “You should relax,” Zlata said quietly, approaching them.

 “Not until she’s safe.” Arlette refastened her hand on the spear, looking between the dragons. “Not until everyone’s safe.”

 “How long was it?” Soise pushed her to sit.

 “Weeks. And I – I don’t know. I lost count.” Arlette frowned and changed tack.

  “Your challenge is complete, you’ve done what you could.” Zlata frowned, but didn’t press. “You’ve been through a lot.”

 Arlette nodded, shifting her hands on the spear haft, flicking glances between the three dragons.

 “You really think this was their choice?” Zlata looked up at Kyurem. “If something greater than you made a decision, you should not question it. Chances are there is a good reason.”

 “You will be silent, you have no reason to speak. This is a matter for dragons.” Kyurem’s eyes glowed as ice started to form around Zlata’s legs.

 Hohenheim hissed at the ice dragon, melting the ice around Zlata’s legs.

 “I do, because you are playing around with the lives of my friends. Your ice does not scare me.”

 Kyurem growled, glaring at Zlata as ice formed on her skin, pressing deeper. “I said… be silent.”

 Zlata winced, huddling closer to Hohenheim. Hohenheim melted the ice, hissing at the dragon. Kyurem roared in return, sending a bitter chill whipping around Hohenheim. The Ho-oh screeched in return, steam rising in the air around him.

 A rayquaza-esque dragon – mostly black scaled, with patterns of pink – ripped through the sky with a screeched. It threw a rock – the meteorite – to land with a thump at Zekrom’s feet and hovered before the dragon, glaring at her.

 “I have done my task,” Aurora snarled. “Splitskin.”

 “’Rora?” Arlette pushed herself to her feet, spear ready in her hands.

 “I’m here,” Aurora replied, shedding scales and size and residual crystal wings to crouch before her. “I came back.”

 “Again, success... perhaps these tasks are too easy for them.” Kyurem examines Aurora.

 “Perhaps we underestimated the humans,” Zekrom agrees, examining the meteorite.

 “It is your turn.” Reshiram turned to Kyurem. “Test the last one.”

 “I… I don’t want to be tested,” Nyx said. “If you want me to distort for you, it’s not going to happen.”

 Kyurem chuckled, an odd sound, and looked down at her. “Not even for the one you love?”

 Nyx whipped around. “What have you done with him?”

 The ice dragon stepped to the side, revealing Warren. He was flanked by clefairy with their eyes glowing, asleep.

 Nyx took a step forward, but chains of ice held her back. “Let him go! Warren!”

 “Patience,” Kyurem grumbled. “Now, you must use your skills–”

 “No! I won’t!”

 “Use your skills, distort into any form you please… and save your love.” Kyurem slammed a foot into the ground and unleashed pink-purple energy that looped around Warren.

 Ryun’s eyes widened and he rushed forward, his form glowing with gold.

 “Stop!” Zlata grabbed him. “You can’t do anything. This is Nyx’s challenge, and the dragons will stop you.”

 He glanced between her and Warren, and relaxed. The golden glow disappeared. “You’re right. But… I want to help him. He’s my friend.”

 “I know.” Zlata blinked and shook her head.

 Kyurem smiled as the energy whirled around Warren, becoming darker, taking a shape. A much bigger shape than Warren’s usual dream form. Wings open up, stretching into the sky, and a deep rumbling growl comes from it.

 “It is so lucky that he is dark blessed, it makes this that much easier.” Kyurem laughed.

 “Warren…” Nyx stumbled, falling as the chains released her.

  “His mind is tainted with dragon energy. If you can remove it, then he might just return to normal.”

 The dragon – the hydreigon – twisted to look at Nyx. His sleeping form, his blessing, had mixed with the dragon energy that Kyurem had poured into him. The hydreigon was much bigger than a usual hydreigon, and it started towards Nyx.

 “Warren!” Nyx shrieked, running towards him.

 The hydreigon shrieked in reply and spun, slamming its tail into Nyx and sending her flying.

 “How dare you!” Ryun drew his sword and his eyes flashed blue for a moment, heading towards Kyurem.

 As Zlata stopped him, trying to reason with him, Soise leapt past with an awful roar.

 “Don’t you dare hurt her!” She slammed into the hydreigon, claws digging into its skin.

 Aurora flinched, black and pink armour swirling in an automatic defence. Arlette gritted her teeth and spun the spear in her hands.

 “Arl–” Aurora stood with her, grabbing the staff.

 “This isn’t right.”

 Zlata hurried to help Nyx stand.

 “I can’t hurt him… I can’t hurt Warren, even if he’s… that.”

 The hydreigon squealed and reached up a snapping, jaw-like hand to grab Soise and throw her to the ground. It wrenched free of the chains and flapped its wings, staring towards Nyx.

 “You better start running,” Kyurem crooned. “Or are you going to stay and fight?”

 As the hydreigon’s mouth began to glow, Nyx changed into a wolf and ran.

 Hohenheim ran to help Soise, who accepted the help and dusted herself off.

 “What do you think you prove by doing this?” Arlette asked Kyurem. “Do you not think it would be easier to take it up with the three that marked us than playing with us like this?” She levelled her spear at him, looking more like an ancient warrior, a soldier, than herself. “Do you not think there’ll be worse consequences for doing what you have?”

 “They will not interfere,” Reshiram said. “You are ours just as much as theirs.”

 Arlette snarled and rolled her shoulders as the white wings appeared, lifting her up to glare down at Reshiram. “We are no one’s.”

 “Proving that you are worthy of your dragon gifts,” Kyurem growled, watching the hydreigon thrash in the air. “I must say, she is having less luck than either of you… Giratina did not choose wisely at all.”

 Arlette turned to see the hydreigon dive into the trees.

 “Arlette, Aurora, I’m not sure what you can do to them.” Zlata stood an arm’s length from Aurora, but ready to help. “You can fight, but who knows how it will affect Nyx? Let’s just have faith in her… and Warren.”

 “You should be thankful he did not, otherwise you would be having far worse problems,” Aurora said, gripping the staff tightly.

 “If he had chosen me, for instance…” Arlette smiled cruelly.

 “It is a shame to see dragon power gifted so poorly,” Kyurem grumbled, looking up. “He is returning… with her. I believe she has passed.”

 The hydreigon came back, Nyx on its back. As it landed behind the group, it allowed her to step down.

 Nyx reached out a hand and placed it against the hydreigon’s head. “He could’ve killed me… what would you have done if he had killed me?”

 Kyurem’s head tilted. “You would have failed.”

 “You would’ve made him kill me!” Nyx shouted. “Do you even know what that would do to him?”

 “Silence! You may have proved your worth, but you cannot speak to me like that!” Ice began to creep around Nyx’s feet again. “I am still more than–”

 A blast of dragon energy slammed into Kyurem’s chest, blowing the legendary backwards. The hydreigon closed its mouth, light still glowing through its teeth.

 Ryun approached the hydreigon warily. “Warren… you’re back with us?”

 The hydreigon didn’t seem to notice Ryun, growling threateningly at the other dragons instead.

 Nyx shook her head. “It’s not Warren, not yet.”

 “Just to change him back, now.”

 “If you can manage it, of course.”

 “I’ll turn him back because I care about him. Not for your stupid games, or to win your prizes.”

 Kyurem snarled, stepping forward. “They were a test! And you have not yet passed. Turn him back!”

 Nyx stumbled back and the hydreigon shrieked, targeting each of the legendaries with a blast from one of its mouths.

 “Maybe I should let him make his point before turning him back,” Nyx snarled, black scales flickering up her arms.

 The hydreigon launched into the air, blasting Kyurem with another pulse, making the ice dragon roar in agony.

 “These are legends.” Zlata turned to Nyx, horrified. “We should not anger them too much. And once this is over, we can all leave.” She looked back up at the dragons, and she started to frown. “… Don’t get too carried away.”

 Arlette dropped the spear to the ground as she spread out the wings, letting them get bigger. “Mind if we join in?”

 “You will not! The game must be completed!” Reshiram snarled.

 Fire swirled towards the ground and Aurora roared, changing to her long, snake-like dragon form in seconds to shield the group from the fire. “Don’t you dare,” she hissed. “After we’ve already put up with this.”

 Arlette laughed as the dragons were hit again, her armour shimmering into white and blue and thickening out her whole body. “Not so fun when you’re involved, is it?” She thumped onto all fours and flicked a tail out, fully dragon.

 “Warren, be careful!”

 Kyurem lunged a claw towards the hydreigon, but Nyx was there – a giant snake, shadow wings stretching from her arms – to slam him into the trees.

 Arlette slammed her bulk into Zekrom, stopping the legendary from flying after Zlata and Ryun as they made their escape. “You have no need of them.”

 Aurora dived at Reshiram, slamming into his throat to stop the fire, and coiling her length around him. “Cease your foolishness.”

 Reshiram screeched and pushed free, taking to the air. “It is you that is being foolish, attacking us here!”

 The hydreigon whined and pushed Nyx aside as an icicle spear whistled passed them. He shrieked and dived down for another attack.

 Nyx breathed a jet of glistening black ice at Kyurem and circled to join Arlette and Aurora. “I think we should stop,” she snarled.

 “He is still dragon!” Kyurem roared. “But I think I could consider your task complete.”

 “Oh really? How nice of you.”

 “He cannot remain like that, though.” Around Kyurem, ice spears were created and launched.

 They smacked into the hydreigon with a dull thud and he sank like a stone, crashing into the trees with the spears imbedded in its back.

 “Warren!” Nyx screeched, flying at Kyurem with talons outstretched. “What did he ever do to you?” She coiled herself around him, coating him in black ice.

 “Nyx!” Aurora called, whipping away from Reshiram. “Tend to Warren. We will deal with these upstarts.”

 Arlette threw her head back in a roar. “Now you will know.” She lifted Zekrom into the sky. “Now you will know what you slept through.”

 “We know,” Zekrom hissed, twisting in her grasp. “We saw the first war. We saw enough.”

 “Then why did you not wake to stop the second?” Fire ignited, simmering in Arlette’s throat, making her teeth glow.

 “Because we were not called. Because we were tired of fighting.”

 Arlette slammed Zekrom into the ground and landed heavily in front of Reshiram, pulling her head back to stare him in the eye. “And what is your excuse? You knew I was there.”

 “It was not our war.”

 Aurora lifted away from the white dragon, keeping a careful eye on the others from the sky.

 “And you didn’t think to interfere? Your kind are so very good at that.”

 Kyurem roared and blasted both Arlette and Aurora with a dragon pulse. “Stop this now! The time of war has passed, you should not be so concerned with it.”

 “It hasn’t passed far enough!” Arlette roared, slamming into the ground on one wing.

 Aurora whipped out of the way and crashed into Zekrom as the black dragon got up. At once she fell, mottled black scales turning lighter and silver. She flared out crystalline wings as she lost most of her length and size, becoming bipedal once more.

 “Return our power,” Zekrom snarled, a foot slamming Aurora into the ground.

 Arlette glanced to her sister and bowed her head, glaring at Reshiram. “Take it and be done,” she snarled, lashing her tail.

 Kyurem sent a blast into the sky and it returned with a barrage of glowing meteors that slammed into Arlette and Aurora. “Your sister has given up the fight. You should do the same.”

 Nyx soared across to them, roaring. “Please! Let’s stop before this gets out of control!”

 Aurora shrieked as the meteors hit, shattering her wings. She rolled, hiding beneath Zekrom’s bulk.

 Arlette shook her head and roared, struggling to her feet and lunging at Kyurem, keeping her wings tight to her side. Fire burnt between her teeth as she snapped for the ice dragon’s throat.

 Reshiram caught her tail in his teeth, pulling her back and slamming her into the ground. Her wings disappeared, as did most of her size and white colouring, leaving her a still a quadruped but only blue and silver.

 “It was out of control when it started,” she spat out, getting to her feet and shaking the scales from her body. She stumbled and Harpy caught her, snarling quietly at the dragons.

 “You can keep your rewards,” Aurora said, crawling across to her sister’s side. “We don’t want ‘em.”

 “Well now it is over. You will be calm,” Kyurem snarled down at them. “You are wiser than I thought.” The dragon watched as Nyx glided to land.

 She placed her coils between the twins and the dragons. “We’re going to leave, now,” she snarled. “Keep out of our heads from now on.”

 “Fine.” Kyurem lifted a foot up, revealing a plant. “Your reward.”

 “I don’t care.” Nyx shook her head.

 Zlata rushed over to Arlette and Aurora, kneeling on the churned up ground to check them. “Can you stand? We can carry you if you’re exhausted or injured.” She glared up at the dragons. “Was it worth it? Your little game? I have a feeling that nobody here wants your rewards.”

 Aurora pushed herself to her feet, wavering slightly. “I should be fine for it.”

 Arlette leant on Harpy and gestured for her spear. Soise passed it to her along with her staff, which she passed to Aurora. The zoroark shouldered her bag as Abela crept to her side.

 Zekrom dropped the meteorite in front of Aurora with a thud. “This is yours. Take it.”

 “Of course it’s mine. I caught it.”

 Nyx started to slough her form, shrinking back into her human form. Kyurem continued to talk to her, but she wasn’t buying it as Warren appeared and ran to her.

 “Abela, Harpy.” Arlette gestured for her pokémon to follow as she turned away. “Come on.”

 “Wait, Guardian.”

 “What?” she snapped, turning back to Reshiram. “We told you, we don’t want–” she cut off, seeing the small necklace Reshiram had dropped to the ground.

  “Do not judge by appearances. All ideas come from somewhere.”

 Arlette snorted and beckoned for Harpy to pick up the necklace.

 “At least you’re getting something out of it,” Zlata said, shaking her head. “But let’s go.”

 They left, and Nyx caught up with them moments later in her wolf form, Warren at her side. She rubbed her head against Aurora, and they ignored the sound of the dragons laughing behind them.

 “Let’s go.”

 Warren nodded, raising a hand to signal for Corvus. The honchkrow landed beside him as Zlata released Yangtze.

 Zlata hoisted Hohenheim onto the dragonite’s back before climbing on herself. “Arlette, Aurora, Ryun? You need a lift away from here?”

 Ryun climbed up behind Zlata, sitting as far from her on the dragon’s back as he can manage.

 “He can carry one more, two at a pinch, if Corvus can’t carry three people.”

 “I don’t think I can manage flying,” Arlette says. “Probably just fall off.” She continued to walk, jaw set.

 Aurora glanced at the armour she was still wearing. “That stuff’ll be weighing you down as well.”

 “I can get changed in Lacunosa. Abela?”

 The stunfisk moved to Arlette’s side, crackling.

 “Stay close.”

 “There’s a shorter route up this way,” Soise said, slipping in front of them. “But you should probably fly with them.”

 Warren climbed up onto Corvus, who was keeping a wary eye on the dragons as they vanished.

 Nyx shook out her fur, growing in size until she was big enough to ride. She padded closer to Arlette and nudged her gently. “Get on, I’ll take you out of here… I want to leave fast, anyway.”

 Corvus screeched and took off, whirling about above them.

 Aurora glanced up at her, frowned, and scrambled onto Yangtze’s back between Zlata and Ryun.

 Arlette smiled and swung her leg over Nyx’s back. “This can feel weird later. Maybe.”

 Soise placed Arlette’s helmet back on her head and picked up the stunfisk. “I’ll carry Abela.” She examined the pokémon’s pebbled scales, claws catching on the black band around its tail.

 “She’s kinda old. Ish.” Arlette shook her head, burying her free hand in Nyx’s fur to hold on. “Harpy, good to run?”

 The typhlosion nodded, waiting for them to move.

 “Hold on then,” Zlata murmured, and Yangtze took off.

 Aurora lurched and gripped her sister’s staff, watching the ground fall away beneath them.

 The flight was a short one, just to the ridge at the top of the Chasm. They slid from Yangtze’s back to wait for the others, and were greeted by the side of Arlette raising her spear up, balanced on Nyx’s back and looking as if they’d run off the pages of a novel about beast riders.

 Aurora slid from Yangtze’s back and balanced herself with Arlette’s staff, glancing at the meteorite in her other hand.

 “Is everything alright?” Zlata asked, slipping down beside her. “You can sit down if you like, though we won’t be here long.” She looked at the meteorite as well. “It doesn’t look like much… you wouldn’t think it was going to eliminate Nimbasa.”

 “Just a bit tired.” Aurora shook her head, turning the meteor over. “Maybe it’d’ve hit something big. I don’t know.”

 “At least you stopped it, and completed those challenges. Even if the dragons forced you, you did some good.”

 “I think you got the best gift, Aurora… I’m not even sure what my flower does, or if it does anything at all,” Nyx said, stopping beside them.

 Arlette planted the butt of her spear on the ground and slid from Nyx’s back, turning to wait for Soise and Harpy.

 “No idea what to do with it, though.”

 “Could sell it, could extract whatever minerals it has in it, use it for jewellery, anything. A meteorite is quite valuable.” Zlata leant over to look at the plant as Arlette held it carefully for Nyx as she shifted back into her human form. “What do you think that does?”

 Nyx lifted off the top of the pot and touched one of the petals. The whole plant glowed pink, seeming to give off energy.

 “It’s the energy that they used on Warren.”

 “It is? Then… maybe it can transform something, or somebody like it did him?” Ryun joined the group, reaching out to touch the plant. “I shouldn’t, I’m sorry.”

 “Not until we know what it does.”

 “Maybe… maybe you can try it out on me?” Ryun suggests.

 “And if it does something bad?” Zlata turned to look at him. “You could get hurt, or turned into something like Warren did. What will we do then?”

 Arlette pulled off her helmet and passed it to Aurora as Soise placed Abela down on the ground before her. She pulled an ultra ball from her bag and rolled it towards the stunfisk, capturing her easily.

 “Don’t, I don’t want you to get hurt.” Warren stepped in front of Ryun, stopping him getting closer.

 Nyx shook her head. “Warren, I’m not sure if it’ll harm him. Whatever they did to you was directed at you, this just seems to be… natural.”

 Warren nodded slowly and stepped out of the way.

 Ryun touched the flower and flinched as the pink energy sank into his hand.

 “What is it doing?” Warren asked, narrowing his eyes.

 “I don’t know.” Nyx frowned.

 The energy morphed into the small shape of a dewott, swimming in front of Ryun.

 “A dewott?”

 “What does a dewott have to do with me?” Ryun took his hand from the flower and reached out to the pink dewott.

 “Maybe… do you know your avatar?” Zlata watched it.

 “No, I never found out.” His eyes widened. “You think that is my avatar?”

 “What else could it be?” Zlata smiled. “I doubt it’s just a random pokémon.”

 “Maybe someone else should try.” Aurora smirked and nudged Nyx to offer the pot to Zlata.

 “If you’re a dewott, it explains why Sammy likes you so much.” Zlata gently touched the plant.

 “It suits you.” Nyx smiled at the dewott.

 The plant glowed again, and more pink energy flowed out of it to Zlata, and then into the air as a gardevior. As the gardevoir appeared, the dewott spiralled to join it. The gardevoir raised its arms and they started to move together, almost as if they were dancing.

 Nyx covered her mouth with a hand and pulled the pot back out of reach. “That’s… pretty. But… perhaps I should take it back, I don’t want it to wither…”

 Ryun looked away from the avatars, flushing slightly. “Yes… maybe.”

 Zlata looked away from them as well, smiling at Nyx. “It’s an interesting gift. Might be useful – and certainly an easier way to find out your avatar than the ceremony in Johto.”

 “So mine is currently the worst gift.” Arlette snorted. “Knew it.”

 Aurora laughed quietly. “Shall we find somewhere to rest up? Change of clothes?” She glanced at her sister.

 “Where’s the nearest place?” Warren asked.

 “Lacunosa?” Nyx asked, putting the lid back on the pot. “It’s close, and they all think Kyurem’s a douche.”

 The avatars joined into one pink orb and flushed back into the plant, leaving the flowers white once more.

 “That would be a good place to start.” Zlata nodded and looked back around. “We can think it through once we’ve all had a rest. Especially you three.”

 “Sounds like a plan.”

 “Let’s go, then.” Arlette took her helmet back from Harpy and strode off.

[ace-malarky]

OC Group; Leritheyar Pirate’s Dancer

A novella about pirates and dancers and sort of politics on the high seas

Jay Nightgale, Bran, Elfionn, Morgan Nightgale, Aisling Nightgale, Aurora Nightgale, Arlette Nightgale, Calia Ansel, Myrtle Ansel, Erris, Zircon, Wayra Sanders, Ryder Ansel, Esther Nightgale, Siarl Nightgale, Sayr Ansel, Arthur, Rhiannon Ansel

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

Overprotective Siblings, Part2

probably everyone needs therapy actually but like. yeah

They know they fucked up, but Arlette doesn't really... feel bad about it, she just feels bad about not feeling bad lmao

[1]

~

 They walked along the edge of a crowd, tight-lipped and pale faced as they concentrated on not collapsing. They didn’t speak, just walk and look around for the water ride they had been beside.

 Eventually they find their stuff, Sargeras still guarding it with a ring of water.

 “Thanks, girl.” Arlette stepped over and sat down against the railing, scratching the vaporeon’s head.

 Aurora pulled the mat towards them and picked up the coins, slipping them into a side pocket on her bag.

 “Nice disappearing act you pulled.” Mark was leaning on the railing nearby, grinning. “Get lost on the way back?”

 “Something like that.” Arlette stretched out her hand, examining the cut across the palm.

 Aurora offered her own hand to her sister, revealing a similar cut. “They’ll be fine.”

 Arlette nodded and packed away their stuff, returning all but Xen to their balls.

 “How ‘bout the rest of you?” Mark asked, stepping closer. “You don’t seem so good.”

 “Just tired. Had a… slight altercation.”

 “Come on then.” Mark took their non-injured hands, tugging them after him. “This way.”

 “What?” They exchanged glances as they stumbled after him.

 “Well… you look like you’re annoyed, but too tired to be annoyed. So let’s go do some fun stuff, then you can just be tired. Sound like a plan?” Mark stopped long enough to drop their hands and release an emboar, which picked up the twins’ bags without being asked.

 “Thanks, Mark. It’s – it’s been a hard day.”

 “Hard week.”

 “Long story.”

 Mark held up a hand. “Don’t want to hear it. If you want to talk about it, I’ll pay for a therapist. But you don’t have the money to afford me.” He grinned, winking at Arlette. “My therapy’s better than that, anyway.”

 The twins laughed, smiles not forced but faded. “Ah, but you’re amazing, Mark.”

 “I know, I know.” He pushed his hands into his pockets, sauntering on. “People tell me all the time.”

 “And yet, I still find myself wanting to slap you.”

 “Not still sore over last time, are you?”

 “Hmm…”

 “Dodgems, then?” Mark grinned.

 “Maybe a fast ride first.” Arlette shook her head. “I want to leave some things behind.”

 “Then Sky’s Flight should do the trick.” Mark turned at the next corner and led them towards a huge queue waiting in front of the entrance to a ride, done up in red and green colours with Rayquaza’s mark over the door.

 Aurora nodded, grinning. “Oh yes.”

 They made their way up the VIP queue, Mark casually ducking under the rope at the front.

 “Don’t mind us cutting in, do you?” He grinned at the people in the queue as they passed. “Room enough for all of us, I’m sure.”

 “Right this way, young master.”

 They left their bags in security with Xenos, Mischief and Zillre, and waited to be let onto the ride.

 The three of them get the front row seats, and once everyone’s securely in place, the ride started off – slowly as it left the building, and climbing higher all the while. Arlette shifted and closed her eyes, feeling the faint breeze. Mark glanced at her, and reached for their hands.

 They gripped each other’s hands as the ride reached its first high point and dived for the ground, moving fast. Arlette whooped, laughing maniacally as they swerve above the walkways filled with people, around the rides and through the length of the park.

 Aurora started to laugh as well, blinking as the wind tore water from her eyes. Mark shook his head and grinned, keeping his noise inside.

 When the ride stopped, the three of them were distinctly windswept and breathless. Arlette was still laughing, but it’s far quieter now. Mark shook his head as they unbuckled, leading the way to pick up their bags.

 “Dodgems?” Aurora asked brightly.

 “Well, you’re looking far better.” Mark smiled, examining his hands. “You sure you don’t want those cuts checked out?”

 “They’re no that bad.” Arlette snorted, shaking her head.

 “Yeah, but–” Mark showed them his hands, the lines of blood on them. “They’re still bleeding.”

 “You shouldn’t grip so tight.” Aurora grinned, leading them towards the dodgems. “Broke the scabs.”

 “Still scared of them?”

 “I could’ve sworn it was you that was holding tighter.” Mark laughed. “I can barely feel my hands. Zillre, with us.”

 The emboar lumbered after them, helping to part the crowds. Mischief jumped down from his perch on Zillre’s shoulder, landing on Aurora’s head.

 “Hm.” The twins exchanged a glance. “Maybe it was just so you wouldn’t feel bad about being scared.”

 “Sure, sure.” Mark shook his head. “Whatever you say.”

 The twins smirked and skipped into the queue for the dodgems. “Damn straight.”

 “We waiting for this one?” Mark raised an eyebrow.

 “Only if you don’t feel like flaunting your authority.”

 “Well then…” Mark cracked his knuckles. “Don’t mind me – influential brat, coming through!” Slipping out of the barriers, he led them along the side of the queues to the front, where they still have to wait until there are some carts free.

 It doesn’t take too long, and soon enough the three of them have left their bags with Zillre and are strapped into the carts.

 As Arlette pulled away, she murmured soothingly to Xenos – only to be interrupted by someone thumping into her from the side. Aurora reversed and drove away, cackling. Arlette narrowed her eyes and grinned, pressing her foot down as she turned to shoot after her sister.

 Mark followed them, but was hit off course by another driver. He spun, regained control, and shot after his own attacker.

 Arlette slammed into Aurora’s tail and thudded to a halt, laughing. Aurora glanced back, smirked, and drove away.

 As Arlette started to move again, Mark clipped her back and curved around to catch Aurora as well. He laughed, waving to the two of them as he shot away again. The twins exchanged a glance and nodded. Mischief coiled his tail around Aurora’s head as he balanced on top, pointing the way.

 They turned, driving after Mark and neatly avoiding everyone else in the rink as they sped up.

 Mark raced ahead of them as they closed in, trying to keep out of their way. They work together to force him into a corner with no escape.

 One of the other drivers clipped Aurora’s back and she spun, crashing into Arlette who sped up and kept control just long enough to slam Mark into the side of the rink. Cackling like a maniac – Xenos whistled, clinging tight to her loosening hair – she reversed and let him speed away.

 Behind them, Aurora snarled and turned to chase after the person who’d hit her, closing in on them easily.

 Mark waved to catch Arlette’s eye, driving up to her side, and gestured after her sister. Arlette grinned and nodded, and they split apart to circle around Aurora’s sides.

 Aurora whooped as she crashed into the other cart and turned again, heading for a big knot. Mischief shifted on her head, looking up to see streamers fluttering in the air. He uncoiled his tail to tap Aurora on the shoulder, pointing upwards.

 Aurora looked up and saw them and sighed, slowing down and avoiding the knot as she curved towards the docking bay.

 Arlette, racing towards her, saw her slow down and frowned.

 Aurora pointed towards the sky, and Arlette saw the ribbons. She nodded and waved to Mark, completing a circuit of the track before heading to the side.

 “What’s up?” Mark asked, stepping out of the way of people going to the carts.

 “Our group’s caught up,” Arlette explained.

 “Ah…”

 “You can stick around if you want.” Aurora shrugged.

 “Hm.” Mark tilted his head. “I’ll get Zillre and the bags.”

 “We’ll be outside.” Arlette smiled. “Thanks.”

 Mark nodded and turned away, easily spotting the emboar.

 The twins wandered through the crowds towards the exit, and spotting the dark skinned girl crouching before the young boy.

 “Do it anyway.” He took a coin, examining it.

 “Well…” Soise laughed, showing her sharp teeth in a grin.

 “We don’t have a permit to perform right here, Erris,” Arlette said, stepping up behind her.

 “I see you’re back with us.” Soise twisted to look up at them.

 “Who’re they?” The boy looked up, frowning.

 “Oh, just my assistants. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.” Soise shrugged, turning back to him. “Doesn’t matter which is which, since they’re the same person.”

 The twins snorted. “So what did you want us back for?”

 “Why don’t we go and find out?” Soise bounced to her feet, brushing herself off.

 “You were going to show me more magic!”

 “Next time.” Soise pulled a business card from the air and passed it to the boy. “Keep an eye out for us, alright?”

 As they left the pavilion, the twins instantly spotted the group, though it seemed to have grown a little.

 “They’re all here?” Aurora flicked a glance to Soise.

 “Of course they are.” Soise walked on down the steps. “But they’re not too angry with you.”

 “Why would they be angry?” Mark caught up with them, passing their bags.

 “This was part of what you didn’t want to know,” Arlette replied, swinging her bag onto her back and taking her sister’s hand.

 “Ah. Never mind then.” Mark shook his head, continuing to walk with them.

 “Phoe has some admirers.” Soise smirked, watching the group.

 Nyx was in her wolf form again, and surrounded by children. The twins smiled slightly, pausing at the bottom of the stairs to watch. She looked up and barked, wagging her tail.

 The children left, called away by parents, leaving Nyx to run up to the twins and bounce around them like a puppy. Zlata waved from where she was and Arlette waved back, although it was far more of a twitching hand at waist height than a proper wave.

 Aurora clutched harder at Arlette’s hand and offered her other to Nyx, letting her come closer.

 “Who’s this?”

 “Phoenyx,” Soise said. “She’s my daughter’s mightyena.”

 “Your… daughter?” Mark glanced at her, eyeing her up.

 “Or sister. It’s flexible.” Soise shrugged. “Probably sister in this form, huh… otherwise it’s a bit creepy.”

 “Oh… you’re the zoroark.” Mark nodded slowly. “Right.”

 Zlata joined them now, glancing at Mark. “Hello. Where have you been? And who’s your friend?”

 “This is Mark,” Arlette said, glancing at him.

 “Influential brat.” Mark grinned. “Do… should I be making a good impression?”

 “You’re one of our friends, I doubt it.” Arlette snorted.

 “Excellent.” He glanced Zlata over. “They seemed pretty down, so I kidnapped them for a few rides.”

 “Nice to meet you, Mark.” Zlata gave him a shallow bow. “Thank you for making them feel better.”

 Nyx sat down in front of them, whining and jerking her head towards the trees. Aurora nodded and squeezed Arlette’s hand.

 “Ah… Mark?”

 “You need to talk things over?” He shrugged. “I’ll leave you to it.”

 Nyx padded into the trees and the twins followed.

 “Are you alright? You just… disappeared like that, it was worrying.” Zlata followed them over.

 Arlette closed her eyes for a moment and stiffened her jaw, but opened her eyes again. “We’re fine.” She lifted up her left hand, showing them the back of it as she waggled her fingers, forcing her voice to stay light. “And I didn’t break any fingers this time.”

 Nyx glanced back and changed back to human, wincing and clutching at her shoulder as she did so. “Are you ok?” She looked at the twins. “Soise found blood on your sashes. And what did you say to Merwin, exactly?”

 “You need to find a less self-destructive method of dealing with your anger. Even if you didn’t break your fingers, you’re still hurting yourself.” Zlata turned to Nyx and then stopped, looking back towards the twins.

 “We fumbled our knives before Lairisse ‘ported us away.” Aurora examined her right palm. “They’ve stopped bleeding, though.”

 “He’s doesn’t like listening to us, so we resorted to… baser methods. Just wanted to get our point across.” Arlette studied the ground at her feet.

 “He’s left. He won’t be travelling with us anymore,” Nyx sighed, throwing up her hands. “You didn’t have to do that, ok? You shouldn’t have to defend my honour.” She rubbed her shoulder. “But… I suppose he did deserve to be punished for what he did.”

 “Is that all?” Zlata frowned. “It looked like quite a bit more to me… it seemed really traumatic for him. I’m not completely sure if the punishment fit the crime.”

 “We got carried away,” Arlette snapped. “It happens, alright?”

 “Arl…”

 “You don’t have to snap. It’s done, Merwin is gone. There’s nothing more that can really be said,” Zlata sighed. “I am sorry that we didn’t tell you about Merwin, but even I wasn’t really supposed to know. It would have been easier if we had, but it was not because we didn’t trust you.”

 Arlette looked away, pressing the palm of her hand.

 “Yes, but people have annoyed you before.” Nyx shook her head. “Just don’t feel you have to protect me, ok, I don’t want to be responsible for you getting hurt.” She looked over at their hands. “Have you healed them already? Are they still sore?”

 “This… this was different. Harder to laugh off.” Arlette folded her arms, sliding down the trunk of a tree behind her.

 Aurora held her hand out for Nyx to examine, the cut red and sharp across the palm. “Haven’t done anything about them yet, but they don’t hurt that much.”

 Nyx took Aurora’s hand, sitting them down on the grass as she took a balm out of her back. “Why? It shouldn’t bother you what he did to me.” She shook her head, and gently started to apply it to Aurora’s hand. “If I were more gutsy, I might’ve been a bit more punchy.”

 “I don’t think it’s a bad thing that you didn’t punch him, Nyx,” Zlata said.

 “It’s what sisters do, isn’t it?” Aurora said, watching Nyx work.

 Arlette rubbed at her hand, picking at the scab.

 Nyx blinked, putting the balm back into her bag. “You… think I’m your sister?” She shook her head. “But I’m not really…”

 Zlata looked between them, smiling widely. “You’ve known each other for a while, haven’t you? Of course they would think of you as their sister.”

 “Well…” Aurora shrugged and glanced at her hand. “Maybe not genetically, but…” She motioned as if to break the scab on it. “Blood sisters?” She smirked.

 “You’re as good as,” Arlette said, not looking up. “Even if we have got really crap ways of showing it.”

 Nyx sat back, taking it in. “I’d be a terrible sister,” she murmured, glancing at Aurora’s hand. “I can’t believe you think of me like a sister…”

 “Don’t be silly, Nyx, you’d be a fine sister. It’s not assessed and everyone does it in their own way. You look out for each other and help each other, that’s really all siblings have to do.” Zlata shrugged.

 “Don’t worry about trying to live up to anything, alright?” Aurora smiled, pulling her hand back.

 “We’ve set pretty low standards,” Arlette said, nudging a pine cone with her foot.

 “It’s… it’s still really nice of you.” Nyx smiled, moving forward to hug Aurora. “I always wanted a sibling, but all I had was Rem, well… and all the crows, Nameless, and a wolf pack.”

 Aurora grinned, hugging Nyx as Rem appeared on her shoulder.

 “You have not one, but two now, Nyx,” Zlata said, stepping back to give them room.

 “Yeah… buy one get one free week on siblings.” Aurora grinned, sitting back.

 “Not for you. Well, unless you count Rem, though she’s not exactly the best sister.” Nyx smiled at Rem. “Cute, though.”

 Rem started to groom her ears.

 “She does have an off switch though, there is that.”

 Rem squeaked, giving Nyx’s ear a nip.

 “An off switch?” Zlata looked at Rem. “You’ve never told us about this before, Nyx.”

 “Oh, she has a special scratchy spot, if you hit it she’ll fall asleep just like that, and it’s hard to wake her.”

 Rem squeaked, sitting up on Nyx’s shoulder.

 “No you won’t.”

 “Why have you never told us about this special spot before?”

 “Not that we’ve ever cared to know, have we?” Aurora shrugged.

 “It’s useful to know, but I hardly think you’ll get that close, she doesn’t usually like other people stroking her.” Nyx took Rem into her hands, stroking her gently.

 Rem hissed, taking hold of her tail and glaring around at them.

 “Alright Rem, we won’t touch it. As long as you don’t threaten Hohenheim with Cole, understand?”

 Nyx laughed, scratching Rem’s ears. “No threats, understand?”

 “That is my job.” Zlata gave Rem a glare.

 “Rem, hush!” Nyx hissed. “Zlata, don’t rise to it, she likes to argue.”

 Aurora glanced over at Arlette, who was still slumped against the tree rubbing at her hand. She shifted over while Nyx and Zlata continued to talk with Rem.

 “Are you ok?” she asked in an undertone.

 Arlette flicked a glance at her and nodded. “Yeah.”

 “So…”

 “Why am I sitting back here?” Arlette snorted, looking away. “Because I need more time.”

 “You have plenty of time.” Aurora forced a smile and punched her sister lightly on the right shoulder.

 “Do you know where we were sending him?”

 “Yeah… Hoenn.”

 “Do you know when?”

 “That’s… that’s your area.”

 “So it is. Don’t worry about it.”

 “I think I–”

 “Hey… coming for lunch?” Nyx looked over. “Are you ok?”

 “Sure.” Arlette nodded, pushing herself to her feet. “We were paying, right?”

 “Only if you made enough money,” Zlata said.

 “Which we did. Easily.” Aurora offered her hands to her sister, who helped pull her up.

 “Lunch would be nice after all that.” Zlata passed Rem back to Nyx as the rattata woke up in her hands.

 “In the park or somewhere else?”

 “The darumaka lunch boxes are nice. And cheap.” Aurora smiled.

 “Lead the way,” Zlata said.

 “Told the others?”

 “They’re coming.” Zlata nodded. “I hope they’re big enough.”

 “They’re a proper size for lunch.” Aurora shrugged.

 “We can always buy him more than one.” Nyx smiled.

 “Really makes you think, doesn’t it?” Aurora asked softly.

 It was late and the room was dark – everyone else was already sleeping. But Arlette was still sat up on her bed, leaning against the wall with her arms around her knees.

 “What?” She looked towards her sister, eyes glinting in the dim light that filtered through the curtain.

 “Well – Phoe is the NightChild. She’s supposed to be the evil one, the one to bring Giratina back. But…”

 “Still thinking about earlier?”

 Aurora nodded.

 “He’s not dead, or even hurt.”

 “Not physically.”

 “Did you see the way Jade was looking at him? There’ll be nothing permanent.”

 “I guess. But still…”

 Arlette laughed quietly. “We’d have been better for that, huh?”

 Aurora shifted onto her back. “It really says something when the Guardians are worse than the NightChild, doesn’t it?”

 “Well… it’s Unova. We are the Demon Twins, are we not?”

 “I guess…” Aurora nodded against her pillow, staring towards her sister.

 Arlette rested back against the wall. “It’ll be fine. Now go to sleep.”

 Aurora turned over and watched the shifting curtains for a while before eventually settling down to sleep.

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

Overprotective Siblings, Part1

Another rewritten part of the roleplay! Warren had... I can't remember why he'd dipped out, exactly, but he's an overprotective boyfriend and asked Zlata and Ryun to keep an eye on Nyx while Merwin (her old friend and prince of Hoenn) was travelling with them, which was. justified. apparently? Man kissed her, she wolfed out, he panicked and drew a sword on her.

Which was the first the twins knew, because no one bothered to tell them (which is a running theme with this group actually). And they are extremely overprotective and maybe slightly unhinged. I never claimed they were all good, alright

[2]

~

 The twins eyed up the queue waiting to get into the park. It was big – curling round the block and back into the car park – and moving slowly.

 “And that’s what happens when you don’t book the tickets.” Aurora grinned, leading the way past it to the gates.

 “This is one of the perks about travelling with the twins.” Nyx smiled at Merwin. “Are you ok?” She moved a little closer to him, frowning a little.

 “I’m fine,” he said, looking around at the rides and all the tourists. “It’s just a bit loud here, that’s all.”

 Nyx smiled at him gently. “Tell me if it gets a bit too much, ok? It’s no wonder, you’ve probably not had much experience with things like this.” She looked around. “It’s a little much for me as well!”

 “We can all go somewhere a bit quieter once we’re through,” Zlata said. “They should have places like a café, at least.”

 “Get back in the queue,” Dominic glared down at them frowning.

 “I’d love to, but sadly, we have tickets reserved. For the NightGales?” Aurora tilted her head. “C’mon Dom, you remember us?”

 “They do, Dom, it’s alright.” Jade stepped out of the door to his side, placing a hand on his arm. “I expected you earlier, though.”

 “Travelling by foot this time.” Aurora shrugged. “Nimbasa’s a busy city to get through.”

 Jade smiled. “Well, right this way.” She beckoned them into the building.

 “Is she another friend of yours? You should introduce us,” Zlata said as Hohenheim ran after Jade, shivering a little.

 “They really should, shouldn’t they?”

 “But we’re terribly bad mannered.” Aurora grinned. “Guys, Jade. Jade, guys.”

 “Nyx, Zlata, Ryun, Hohen, and Merwin,” Arlette said, pointing them out.

 “Pleasure to meet you.” Jade inclined her head, not actually paying attention as she picked up a folder from the desk. “Here are your tickets.” She passed out wristbands. “They will get you onto any of the rides ahead of the main queues.”

 “It is a pleasure to meet you too. Thank you for this.”

 Ryun bowed as well and glanced at Nyx and Merwin before stepping to Zlata’s side, murmuring something to her. Aurora watched them, frowning.

 “Where’s Mark?” Arlette slipped one onto her wrist.

 “Watching the battles, I expect.”

 Nyx smiled, nodding to Jade. “Thank you for getting us these tickets.”

 Merwin glanced at Jade and nodded as well. “It is very kind of you, thank you.”

 “Well, properly speaking it was Mark that got them, but… it’s quite alright.”

 “Oh, do they let pokémon onto the rides? Hohenheim wants to know,” Zlata gestured to the Ho-oh.

 Jade cast an amused glance at Hohen. “They are let on most rides, but on some the seating arrangements simply aren’t suited for them. There are signs to let you know in most cases, and in others the attendants will be happy to inform you.” She opened the door to the park.

 “Thank you. I think he’ll be fine then.”

 The twins grinned and nodded to Jade. “And if we want to perform a little?”

 “Keep it small, on the walkways as long as people can get past. You can keep any money you make.”

 “Sweet.” Aurora nodded. “Thanks.”

 “Enjoy your time.” Jade gestured for them to enter the park, holding the door for them.

 The twins led the way out into the space beyond the gates.

 Nyx fixed her wristband on and turned to the twins. “Me and Merwin were going to check out the ferris wheel shall we meet up somewhere in a little while?”

 “That sounds like a good idea to me.” Merwin nodded, fixing his own wristband on. “We don’t have to hang around all day as a group.”

 Aurora blinked at Merwin’s quick agreement, but shrugged. “Works for us.”

 “Need to rake some cash out of the hapless tourists, after all.”

 “It’s nice to be in a group, though,” Zlata said. “We travel as a group, we might as well stick together.” She stepped nearer to Nyx and Merwin. “I can’t think of any other ride I’d like to go on, anyway.”

 “Sure, I’m guessing you aren’t one for rollercoasters either?”

 “Well… we’ll meet up for lunch or something?” Arlette rubbed her head. “Or see when Elesa’s next battle starts, they’re always good to watch.”

 “We’ll be sure to catch your show from the ferris wheel,” Nyx said, laughing. “I wouldn’t want to miss that!”

 Merwin shot Zlata a glare, moving even closer to Nyx to whisper something to her.

 “Sure, we can then. We’ll find you or you can find us, whichever.”

 “And if you get tonnes of money, you’re paying for lunch!”

 “Deal, then.” The twins grinned, waving back at the rest of the group as they disappeared into the crowd.

 “Nothing too fancy, I’m guessing?” Aurora asked, looking for a good place to set up.

 “Wouldn’t want to upstage the actual attractions, after all. Might get thrown out for that.” Arlette pulled her bag round to look through it.

 “Or offered a job.” Aurora grinned. “That’d be interesting.”

 “Could be, yeah… wonder how much they pay.”

 They slipped through the crowds to the edge of a ride that everyone was giving a wide berth to.

 “Here work?” Arlette asked.

 Aurora frowned at the water ride. “We’ll get soaked.”

 “Got that covered.” Arlette set her bag down and released Sargeras, Flicker and Shyran. “Keep the water off, will you?”

 The three water types nodded and took up their places along the railings. Aurora shrugged and pulled a tightly rolled mat from her bag, unrolling it with a snap and laying it on the ground before them.

 The crowd slowed down, giving them more space as they set up.

 Arlette pulled off her jacket and hung it on a spike, bringing out a few sashes to tie around her waist.

 “Ready?” Aurora asked, copying her sister.

 Water splashed up behind them as a log came careening round the bend, and flew up into the air as the water types deflected it, catching the sun and sending rainbows sparkling.

 “Pretty much.” Arlette set out the three boxes of juggling balls they have, unlatched, and placed knives behind them.

 Aurora palmed several chunks of green ice and jumped back as Arlette flicked three balls – one from each box – into the air with a ripple of chiming bells. With the splashing water being redirected into flurries and spouts around and above them, the twins pass the balls back and forth. The crowd slows to a halt, watching. Arlette flicked the switch on one of the balls to make it glow a soft blue. The bells on their sashes are soft, almost lost in the sounds of the theme park.

 A few people in the crowd flicked coins onto the mat, and Aurora nudged Mischief. The aipom bounced down from her shoulder and grabbed balls from the boxes with his tail, throwing them into the air for the twins to catch.

 As they pass them back and forth, they get faster and faster, more colours appearing and leaving faint glowing trails in the air. Mischief giggled and tossed a knife into the mix. Some of the crowd caught the glint of metal as it reflected the water, the lights, and gasped. Aurora laughed and snatched the knife, sending it spinning back towards her sister.

 When the second knife span into the air, Arlette caught it and took a step to the left, sending it back into play as the balls flew around it and water glittered like diamonds. Aurora mimicked her step and they start to circle carefully, still letting everything fly.

 Sargeras watched, sitting up, and with the next splash that happened she took the water and spun it, wielding it in spirals above and around them.

 A soft wind picked up, chiming their bells louder. Arlette shook her head in a quick gesture to get hair out of her eyes. Xenos whistled as the crowd hissed, one of the canvas balls flying past her. She snapped out a hand and caught it, grinning, and crushed it quickly before sending it back into play. The crowd gasped again as it burst into green flames and they still pass it back and forth, apparently not harmed by the fire.

 Then they stumbled, and Mischief leapt to catch a ball with his tail before it slammed into the ground. Xenos whistled, pressing his hands into Arlette’s neck, but she shook her head. They caught the knives – one each – and slammed them into the ground, handles quivering a little with the force, before fixing their juggling, no longer circling.

 They caught each other’s eyes and Aurora raised an eyebrow. Arlette glanced towards the mat – seeing the slowly growing scattering of coins – and shook her head, executing a quick spin with the movement before reaching to throw the balls back.

 Mischief looked up, caught Aurora’s nod, and tossed the knife beside Arlette up to his trainer. She caught it and sent it back to her sister, now that they were back in command of the balls. Xenos whistled and beckoned for the other one, and Mischief obliged, scampering across to tug it from the ground and toss it into the air.

 The twins laughed with delight, grinning as knives flashed and water sparkled.

 {NightGales!} Lairisse shrieked through the park, ripping through everyone’s mind. {NightGales, heed the call!}

 They looked up as the latias appeared in a burst of light above them, frowning.

 “Keep guard,” Arlette snapped, catching the knives from the air. “Lairisse, on your mark!” She nodded to her sister, tossing a knife back.

 They jumped together, into the centre of their arc as the balls fall around them. Arlette raised a hand, throwing green ice to the ground. As it cracked, fire flared up around them, eclipsing them from view. Sargeras spun water forward, around their circle and the mat as the fire died down, the twins no longer in sight.

 They hit the ground with a thud in the forest, interrupting Soise in the middle of a sentence.

 “What happened?” Arlette took in the scene, nearly dropping the knife in her hand.

 Soise and Nyx were alone in the clearing, Soise pressing a paw to Nyx’s arm.

 “Bandages, in my bag, it’ll need some oran as well.” Nyx sniffed. “How can I not worry? Everything’s ruined!”

 Aurora hissed, untying one of her plainer sashes and passing it to Soise.

 “Merwin kissed me, and I wolfed in panic, Kat cut me…”

 Lairisse pulled the bandages and oran berries from Nyx’s bag, bringing them over as Nyx and Ryun entered the clearing. Soise looked up, pressing the sash to Nyx’s arm.

 “Thank goodness you’re all here!” Zlata slid from Xerxes’ back, running over to Nyx. “It is not your fault. You clearly did not look willing. It was his fault for assuming things, so don’t blame yourself.”

 The twins traded a glance, and Arlette lifted Rem away from her shoulder. “It’s not your fault, Phoe.”

 “No, Merwin was well out of bounds with that,” Soise muttered, shifting her paws to let Lairisse work.

 The twins stripped down to sleek and shimmering coal black outfits, fully identical now that there was nothing to tell them apart.

 “What are you planning?” Soise glanced up at them.

 “We’re just – we’re just going to have a word with the prince.”

 “Wait here.” Aurora reached out for her sister’s hand.

 “This shouldn’t take too long.” Arlette grinned darkly and took Aurora’s hand, and the two of them disappeared.

 They appeared behind Merwin as he shoved Hohenheim off himself and got back to his feet.

 “Hey Merwin!” they called, blending their voices perfectly into one. “We’ve been looking for you.”

 The kangaskhan snarled and focused on Arlette, Merwin watching Aurora.

 “I don’t have time for this. Where is Nyx?” He put a hand on his sword. “Is she alright?”

 Hohenheim looked up at the twins, eyes glittering viciously as he stepped to the side.

 “Oh, he doesn’t have the time,” Aurora said, meeting her sister’s eyes as they let go of each other’s hands. “Well how about that?”

 “We don’t know where Nyx is,” Arlette replied. “But we’re glad you brought her up…”

 Merwin yanked his hand from his sword, wincing and glaring at Hohenheim. “Don’t get involved in this.” He stood up straight, taking out two more pokéballs. “I have no time for your games. If she is hurt, I have to see to her.”

 Hohenheim hissed at Merwin, but turned to run and take off.

 “Why would she be hurt?”

 “You haven’t done anything rash, have you?”

 Merwin released Minos to stand at his other side. “Let me go and see her!”

 The twins flung their knives, pinning him to the ground with them. Merwin gasped, George roaring as he moved to fend off both twins.

 “She is the least of your worries,” Arlette hissed, dropping her smile. “If you are that worried, perhaps you should have thought.”

 They started to circle him, paying no attention to the pokémon that watched them.

 “Perhaps you shouldn’t have pressed her.”

 “Perhaps you should have acted like a decent person, and not like everyone shares your feelings.”

 “The world is not your due, little prince,” they said together.

 Merwin unpinned his legs, throwing the knives to the side. “I tried to be decent, but you all saw to it that she was watched over. I hardly think she’ll appreciate you all spying on her like you have been!”

 “There was nothing decent in kissing her against her will,” the twins snarled. “Don’t throw accusations when you aren’t blameless yourself.” They started to circle the other way.

 Hohenheim – in a tree above them – screeched down at Merwin and his pokémon, spreading his wings and flaring his tail. Merwin’s pokémon glanced up at him but kept focused on the twins.

 “Maybe I am not, but I wasn’t able to be decent with you creeping over her shoulder constantly.” Merwin narrowed his eyes. “Stop circling me! I will not fight you, or be tricked by you, understand?”

 Hohenheim swooped down from his perch and dived for Minos, hitting his head with his wings and pecking at his eyes.

 “How about you put away the pokémon, then, if you do not wish to fight?” The twins stopped, narrowing their eyes. “We aren’t here to trick you. We just wanted to talk.”

 Minos groaned and swung his head, trying to shrug off Hohenheim. He opened his mouth and managed to catch the bird’s foot, then twisted around to slam Hohenheim into the tree. Hohenheim screamed and breathed fire into Minos’ eyes, twisting his foot free.

 “They are not out to fight, they are out to defend.”

 Eerie cackling filled the air as Ferkay made his presence known, rising up above Arlette.

 “Stop with these games, and then I shall consider recovering my pokémon.” Merwin glanced up at the looming face.

 “Oh?” The twins smirked. “Which games?”

 “The ones where you kiss Nyx without her permission?” Arlette blinked forward to pick up their knives.

 “The ones where you attack our sister because it’s not going well for you?”

 “Or the ones where you are treated like a normal person, where you’re nothing but another boy who doesn’t understand he can’t have the girl just because her boyfriend isn’t here?” Arlette stepped back, flicking to where she had been.

 “I know of your tricks, I’ve seen them before!” Merwin shouted, sidling closer to George.

 Arlette tossed a knife to Aurora and she caught it. He watched the knives carefully, and seemed relieved when all they did was put them away, pushing them through the backs of their tops.

 “Is this anything like you thought it would be?”

 “Is this what you imagined, when you left your palace?”

 They laughed, the sound eerie and childlike. Ferkay laughed with them as they twisted their feet on the grass, and green fire flared up in a circle around Merwin.

 “Tell us, do!”

 Merwin gasped as the fire circled him. “Stop this! Talk to me properly, and stop resorting to childish pranks like this!” He glanced down at the fire, panic beginning to show on his face. “I’ve seen one of my oldest friends transform into a ferocious beast, I’m sure I can handle this!” He pulled out more pokéballs. “I may not have any such powers, but I have a well-trained team.”

 Minos turned to challenge the twins now that Hohenheim was out of reach.

 The twins cackled, skipping through the fire. “Are you really challenging us?”

 “So brave, using your pokémon as shields!”

 “Are we really that much of a threat?”

 They stopped and bowed to him.

 “How about you set us an example for talking normally?”

 “I’m sure you have so much more experience than we do, your highness.”

 “My team will defend me, it is how they have been trained. If you are planning to attack me, that is.” Merwin watched the fire carefully. “I wish to see Nyx, to apologise for hurting her.” He moved over to Minos, climbing onto the taurus’ back. “So I will leave you to carry on your games in peace.”

 The twins rolled their eyes.

 “You still don’t quite get it, do you?” Arlette clicked her fingers and the fire disappeared. “Talking implies longer’n that, and you listening to us as well.”

 “If we were playing, people would be laughing. We don’t play when people have been hurt.”

 “It’s nice that you want to apologise and all that, though. But… what exactly are you apologising for? She wasn’t too clear when we were talking.”

 “Mildly incoherent with the shock and all that.”

 “Probably not quite believing someone she figured as her friend would do that.”

 Minos snorted, stamping a hoof on the ground.

 Merwin scowled, directing him forward. “For being too forward, it was obviously quite a shock to her. If she’s been hurt, then I shall go apologise to her,” he said, glaring at the twins. “I do not listen to children who try and intimidate using fancy games. I will explain to her how I fell, and then we can talk properly, without all of you listening in.”

 “Oh! He still thinks we’re playing. How cute!” Arlette laughed.

 “Shall we show him how we really play?” Aurora skipped over, pink and silver armour shimmering into place on top of her black clothes.

 “Oh, please let’s.” Arlette took her sister’s hand as blue and silver armour plated in across her body.

 Merwin’s face paled as he sees the armour. He took a breath and shook his head. “Stop, there is no need for this,” he said, a tremor evident in his voice. “Nyx could be hurt, and instead of helping her you are here, terrorising me!”

 “Oh, she is hurt. Isn’t that what you intended, when you drew a sword and a honedge on her?”

 They flicked their heads, looking up at him as they moved in front of him. The armour continued to crawl across their bodies, leaving only their eyes free to glare at him through slits in helmets.

 “But don’t worry. She’s being looked after by people far better than the three of us.”

 “I never meant to hurt her, Kat was only defending me… I didn’t realise what Nyx was, that it was her I was attacking.” He watched the armour carefully, suppressing a shiver. “That’s no illusion, is it? You are… like her?”

 “Oh, well… I’m sure it’s all so much better now that’s cleared up.” Arlette narrowed her glowing eyes.

 “We’re worse, in a way.”

 “We’re the good guys.”

 They raised their joint hands up.

 “And just look what we’ll do for our sister!”

 A rip opened in the air under their hands and they stepped apart, pulling it wider.

 “Now how about we fix your mistake, hm?”

 Merwin glanced at the portal, nudging Minos to step back. “You think I would happily walk into that? How stupid do you think I am?” He turned Minos away. “I’ll find Nyx myself, so if you’ll excuse me.”

 “Not all that stupid.”

 “You know not to trust us, at least.”

 The portal was wide enough to see through now, wide enough to walk through. The dull orange flicker of fire was glowing out of it, along with screams of both pokémon and human.

 “What is that?”

 “Well… I don’t suppose it’s quite a way through to Nyx,” Arlette said, glancing at the portal.

 “Funny that. You’d almost think we didn’t want to see our sister again.”

 “Not until she comes looking for you of her own choice.”

 “But until then–”

 “We’ll have our fun.”

 “No, I’m not going in there. Better I lose myself trying to find her than step into–” His eyes widened as he slipped down from Minos’ back. “What is… how are you doing this?”

 A figure is visible through the portal, a dark silhouette against the scorched sky. He looked up as a salamence landed nearby, roaring at him. He climbed onto its back as he yelled a command.

 “No! Don’t go!” Merwin shook his head and ran forward, stepping into the portal.

 Yangtze swooped from the sky and grabbed Merwin by the jacket, pulling him out of the portal.

 “What were you planning to do with him?” Zlata asked, turning to the twins as she climbed from the dragonite’s back. “How would this help Nyx?”

 The twins stood as sentinels to either side of the portal. “We gave him more choice than he gave her,” they hissed, turning their glowing eyes – Arlette’s blue, Aurora’s pink – on Zlata. “He chose what to see there, not us. If he is foolish enough to run towards the past, then let him.”

 The kangaskhan lifted Merwin from the ground. His eyes were red and he was panting, sweat slicking his hair. He bowed his head, trying to calm himself down.

 Zlata met the twins’ gazes without flinching. “Nevertheless, two wrongs do not make a right. He could have been hurt, badly, inside that portal. What would you have done then? Would you be the ones explaining that to Queen Ilene?” She turned away, to Merwin. “Are you alright? What did you see?”

 “You think we would become murderers so easily?” The twins laughed, the portal collapsing between them. “You think we could not rewrite that history, if it did not suit us?” They shared a glance, stepping together to hold hands again, using that to strengthen themselves. “But then, trust always did lack where we are concerned.”

 Merwin backed away, not meeting Zlata’s eyes. “Stay away from me.” He glared at the twins, shivering. “I’m sorry, ok, I’m sorry for what I did and said… but just please tell me Nyx is ok.”

 “It isn’t you I don’t trust, it’s the dragons. You tend to go crazy when you call on their powers, as you are doing now. The armour and the glowing in your eyes make it clear.” Zlata nodded. “History is not there for you to rewrite, and there are worse things you can do to a person than murder. Look at him and tell me you’ve not gotten your revenge.” She turned to Merwin. “Nyx is fine. But, with all due respect, she does not want to see you. You’ve already caused her enough distress.”

 “I don’t think it is just the dragons.” The twins eye Zlata, cutting off Merwin before he could say anything else. “Because not a single word about this was said to us before today. You don’t think we could have helped? You don’t think just something to explain would have gone amiss?” They narrowed their eyes, gripping their hands. “This isn’t just about our sister. This isn’t just about today.”

 Lairisse reappeared in a flash of light, Jade with her. She gasped, and the sigilyph beside her moved quickly to nullify the threat. The twins were slammed back into trees, their grasp on each other ripped apart. Before they could collapse to the ground, they were frozen to the trees they’d slammed into.

 “Just what,” Jade said, voice dangerous but steady, “Is going on here?”

 Merwin glanced towards her gratefully, using George to shield himself from the twins. “Nothing. I provoked them, it isn’t their fault.” He took a breath, calming himself down.

 Zlata bowed to Jade. “I apologise. It is a long story, and what Merwin said is part of it. We did not intend to cause you any trouble.”

 “You have a very strange definition of ‘nothing’.” Jade pursed her lips. “But I don’t much care for the details.” She gripped the pokéball in her hand tightly. “But I think you had better break up this little gathering and either leave my property, or not disturb it in such a way.”

 Merwin bowed his head to Jade. “Alright, it wasn’t nothing,” he sighed. “But we won’t be causing any more trouble, I promise. I’m sorry to have caused it in the first place.”

 “I offer you my deepest apologies.” Zlata bowed deeply to Jade. “We will be going shortly, if that is what you wish. Please have your sigilyph put Aurora and Arlette onto my dragonite.” She glanced towards Merwin. “Will you be coming with us? I understand if you don’t want to. A lot of people wouldn’t, not after seeing all that.”

 “I wish for peace in my park, right now,” Jade said. “Whether you stay or go is no concern of mine, so long as you do it quietly.” She gestured to her sigilyph. “Halvor.”

 The ice around the twins melted and fell with them. Halvor caught them in a psychic grip and set them on their feet before pulling them towards Yangtze.

 Arlette opened her eyes and dug her heels in, stopping her movement. “Fuck that,” she rasped out, catching her sister. “You are not carting us around like baggage, not now.” She flicked her head, the armour falling away into messy hair, eyes still glimmering blue as she glared at Zlata.

 “In any case,” Aurora shook herself out, pulling against the sigilyph as well. “We need to pick up our things.”

 {You will not!} Lairisse cried out, stopping them in their tracks as they walked away. {You will come with us, now}

 The twins glanced back at her. “Try again.” They took another step and disappeared.

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

The Godfather

In which the Gang meet Giratina and the twins don't feel like they're trusted at all.

Yet another part of the roleplay that I brushed up a li'l, bc while it's going I don't always feel like I can do 'em justice, or. you know. edit in the moment I guess.

~

 The clouds were thick and dark with the promise of rain when they walked into Veilstone once more. Bebe was dragging her feet, hanging back as they continued towards the Voake household.

 Warren rested a hand on her shoulder, making her speed up. “Cheer up.”

 “But I want to keep travelling with you.” Bebe sighed, reaching up to scratch Fetch, who was sitting on her shoulder. “I don’t want to go home.”

 “I know, but you can train Fetch and Fog. When they get stronger, you could maybe travel by yourself, huh?”

 Bebe shrugged, looking down at the ground below her feet.

 “It has been fun though, the travelling we’ve done together, right?” Zlata smiled at Bebe.

 “We’ll swing by every so often, see how you’re doing, if y’want?” Arlette offered.

 “Maybe drag you off again.” Aurora shrugged. “Anywhere you like.”

 Bebe nodded, scratching Hohenheim as the bird nibbled at her fingers. “That would be good. I did have fun, I’m glad I came with you.”

 “Don’t worry,” Warren said, stepping up the path to their door. “Mum can’t keep you here forever, you’ll be able to travel.”

 “I hope so.” Bebe smiled.

 “You think your mother will be okay with Nyx? She seemed really disdainful of her last time,” Ryun asked, looking at Nyx. “I’m not sure if she needs that right now.”

 “Just tell ‘er you hang out with pirates, that’ll take some of the heat off Nyx.” Aurora snorted, grinning.

 Warren nodded, glancing to Nyx. “Maybe it’d be best if you waited for us.”

 Nyx nodded. “Alright. It was nice hanging out with you Bebe.”

 Bebe rushed over to hug Nyx. “You as well! I’ll miss you…”

 “I’ll stick out here,” Arlette said. “Keep Nyx company and all.”

 “That would be nice.” Nyx smiled. “We can talk about girl things, and Warren’s exboyfriend.”

 Warren rolled his eyes. “Right, you got everything you need?”

 Bebe nodded, running to hug Nyx and Arlette one last time.

 “Mind if I come with you?” Ryun followed Warren.

 Aurora followed them towards the house.

 “Hey.” Arlette called her sister’s attention and threw her a small pouch.

 “Thanks.” Aurora caught it.

 “Not for you, idiot.”

 Aurora smirked and followed them into the house.

 “Mum?” Bebe ran in. “I’m back.”

 Rowena stepped out of the kitchen and gathered Bebe up in a hug. “Bebe, honey! I missed y – what is that on your shoulder?”

 “Fetch.” Bebe smiled. “Warren got him for me.”

 “Warren should have asked me first.” Rowena shook her head at Warren, before glancing to Aurora. “Are you a friend of Warren’s as well?”

 Ryun stepped out of the way, moving to Warren’s side of the hall.

 Aurora nodded. “Pretty much. Aurora, please t’meet you.” She tossed the pouch from hand to hand.

 “What’s in the pouch?” Warren asked.

 “Gift for Bebe.”

 “You got me a present?” Bebe smiled.

 “Hopefully it’s not another pokémon,” Rowena sighed. “I hope that thing is clean, Bebe…”

 Ryun looked up. “He is clean. Cleans himself every day.”

 “Sort of.” Aurora shrugged, holding out the pouch. “Just a small thing to remember us by.”

 “Wow!” Bebe rushed over, taking the pouch and lifting out a small ice made figurine of a fennekin. “Thank you so much!” She hugged Aurora. “It’s so pretty!”

 “It is, beautifully made too.” Ryun glanced at the sculpture. “Where did you get that?”

 “Get?” Aurora laughed, hugging Bebe back. “We made it. Took a while, though… ice sculpting really isn’t one of our skills.”

 “It’s very pretty, I didn’t know you could sculpt ice like this,” Bebe said, stepping back.

 “Even so, it does look good,” Ryun remarked. “I’m just surprised you could get ice this time of year to sculpt with.”

 “Nevermeltice,” Aurora explained. “We always have some.” She pointed to the sculpture’s ears. “If you heat them slightly, they’ll glow. It’s better in the dark, it’s pretty faint.”

 Bebe smiled. “Thank you so much Aurora, I love it.” She lifted it up to show Fetch, who licked it curiously and shivered at the cold.

 “Are you staying in Veilstone?” Rowena asked.

 “No, I think we’re heading north next.” Warren shrugged, stooping to hug Bebe. “I’ll come back on the return, if you like.”

 “That’d be nice.” Bebe smiled.

 “Where did you learn?”

 “Our grandfather, he owns one of the sculptor shops in Snowpoint. We should head up there sometime.”

 Warren started to motion them towards the door. “We’re going far, I don’t know when we’ll return.” He looked towards his mother. “I’ll drop in on the way back.”

 “See that you do.” She nodded, taking Bebe by the shoulder.

 Bebe waved to Warren as Aurora opened the door, looking a little sad.

 Warren smiled and bent down to her level, handing her a pokéball. “Write to me, ok? Zuzu can find me wherever I am.” He looked around to Aurora and Ryun. “We good to go?”

 Ryun nodded. “I think we are. If you’re ready, we can leave now.”

 Aurora pulled open the door and stepped out, waving back to Bebe.

 “Don’t worry, when I come back you’ll easily be able to beat me in a battle.”

 “I hope!” Bebe laughed. “Bye!”

 Warren closed the door and they rejoined the others.

 “You’re not getting rid of us that easily,” Arlette was saying. “We’ll manage through it.”

 “Manage through what now?” Aurora frowned.

 “What’s going on?” Warren asked.

 “Rem, she’s gone… and she’s – I think she’s at Turnback,” Nyx said. “We need to go and rescue her.”

 Warren nodded. “Alright. How do we get there, though? I mean, I’ve read about it. Some people say it doesn’t exist, others say it changes its location. It’ll be a pain to find.”

 “Not for me,” Nyx said, hitching her bag up. “I’ve sent Corvus, she’ll be above us any second, we just have to follow her.”

 “So we need to get there fast.” Warren released Sammy and climbed onto her back, leaning down to offer Nyx a hand. “Don’t worry, we’ll find her.”

 Zlata released Niagara, who lifted Hohenheim up before letting Zlata on.

 Ryun frowned as he took in the information, and then stepped nearer Zlata. “Could I get a lift?”

 “If you’re sure you want to come.”

 Ryun nodded and climbed up onto Niagara’s back. She shifted about and growled, getting used to the weight on her back.

 Aurora held out a hand for Crawn to land on, and transferred him onto her shoulder as she hitched her bag better across her back. “Lead the way, then.”

 “Are you two planning on running?” Soise raised an eyebrow.

 Arlette shrugged. “We don’t exactly have a pokémon between us that can carry us.”

 Nyx fumbled in her pockets and released Xinch. “You can take Xinch if you like, he’s probably the fastest.”

 The big galvantula clicked and scurried over to the twins’ sides.

 “He’s fast though, you need to hang on around tight corners.” Nyx looked up as Corvus landed on a low wall near them. “Lead on, Corvus.”

 The honchkrow took off again. Sammy followed, Niagara not far behind. The twins stepped carefully onto Xinch’s back and hold onto each other as Xinch races after the two water types. Soise bounded after them, sending illusions racing ahead of the group to get people out of their way.

 Corvus led them south out of the city, towards a thick patch of fog.

 “Stick together!” Nyx called. “We can’t let him split us up.”

 “Sammy, careful!”

 The samurott almost slammed into a tree, and they ran slower after that. Nyx leapt from Sammy’s back and became her black mightyena form, leading the way.

 “It’s going to be fine,” Ryun said. “If we stay together, we’ll look out for each other.”

 Aurora rested her head on Arlette’s back. “Stay strong.”

 “I will,” Arlette murmured, jaw stiffening.

 “Keep your heads,” Soise said, padding along beside them. “It’ll be fine.”

 Nyx led them on a winding path through the fog until it cleared, leaving them standing on soft, emerald coloured grass beside a sparkling lake. “This… is Turnback?” She padded forward, looking around.

 It was beautiful. Perfect as a view. It seemed a clearing in the woods, trees hanging back from the water to provide a calm, open space. But it was quiet. Far too silent – there were no pokémon around.

 “I thought it was a cave.” Aurora frowned, stepping from Xinch’s back and looking around.

 “Where is Rem?” Zlata pulled Hohen back onto Niagara. “I want to get away from this place. It feels dead.”

 “Turnback is the entrance to the distortion realm, we aren’t going there unless we have to.” Nyx padded towards the water, stretching down to sniff the water. “Rem?” She stretched and became human again, looking back to the twins. “If the dragons start to get to you, then we should leave, alright?” I don’t want you to get hurt because of me.” She looked back into the water, staring at something.

 “If that happens, we’ll stay with you. You can’t be left here alone.” Zlata nudged Niagara closer to Nyx.

 Arlette grunted and followed her sister from the galvantula’s back. “Soise – don’t go too far.”

 Soise turned back to them. “How long’ve we got?”

 “All the time in the world,” Arlette said, smirking. “And yet–”

 “None of it,” Aurora completed. “We know.”

 “Rem?” Nyx looked around again. Then she kicked a stone into the water, disturbing whatever she’d seen there. “How stupid do you think I am?” she hissed.

 “Nyx?” Warren stepped towards her.

 Nyx turned away from the water. “Rem.”

 “It could be a trap,” Warren said, returning Sammy.

 “No.” Nyx lifted up her bag again. “It’s definitely a trap. But… it’s Rem.” She hitched it up on her shoulder and moved along the lakeside, just edging into the mist.

 “We can’t let her run off.” Ryun gritted his teeth.

 “I know. Nothing good ever comes of it, especially not here.” Zlata climbed off Niagara.

 Ryun looked back at her, frowning.

 “I’d rather not have her running blindly in fog. Who knows what sort of things are around here?”

 “Alright.” He unsheathed his sword. “What’s the plan?”

 “Same as it was. We follow her.” Zlata moved into the mist after Nyx.

 “Get Rem and get out.” Warren nodded.

 Hohenheim coated himself in bright red fire, acting as a beacon.

 “Well… at least we know we’re walking into a trap.” Arlette followed after them. “No need to waste time on being surprised.”

 Aurora laughed and followed along, Soise at her side. Xenos whistled, pressing his hands into Arlette’s neck. She smiled at him and continued walking.

 “It would be better if it wasn’t a trap in the first place,” Zlata murmured.

 “There.” Ryun pointed with his sword.

 “Oh no.” Zlata ran forward to join Nyx. “You got her, Nyx. Let’s go, now!”

 The rest of the group clear the fog and stand arrayed out behind Nyx.

 “He’s looking better than I expected,” Arlette remarked, folding her arms.

 “A human form tends to help.” Aurora smiled thinly.

 Soise glanced at them, frowning.

 “I’m sure I’d say it’s nice to see you, but… yeah, we only lie when it’s important.”

 Nyx was holding Rem, mumbling to her.

 “I have a certain fondness for rats.” The man looked up, staring particularly at Arlette and Aurora. He moved towards them, smiling. “I’m sure my siblings will be annoying you, seeing as I’m outside my prison.”

 “Giratina,” Nyx hissed, still trying to soothe Rem. “How can… how are you here?”

 “Thin dimensional walls, or something.” He shrugged. “I can wander about the lakeside. It’s pretty, isn’t it?” He tilted his head, still watching the twins. “What a pleasure it is to meet the guardians.”

 “Nyx, Arlette, Aurora, we should leave now. We have what we came for, we should not talk to him,” Zlata hissed.

 Hohenheim’s flames grew brighter, turning golden as he rushed forward and tugged at Nyx’s clothes, trying to pull her away.

 “It normally is a pleasure to meet us, we’re told.” The twins smirked and bowed.

 “But – ah, as nice as I’m sure it’s been for you, meeting us and all, we should probably be going… you know, before your siblings twig you’re up and about.” Aurora gestured away. “Nyx, mind coming and showing us the way out?”

 Giratina laughed. “Shame, I do like to annoy them as best I can… it’s hard when you are trapped in a different dimension.”

 “We’d appreciate it if you didn’t do that via us, all the same.”

 “Yes, we should go.” Nyx crossed her arms around Rem and turned her back on Giratina, only to find he had moved to stand in front of her.

 “Nyx, I was hoping we’d have the chance to talk.”

 “No, no talking. I came for Rem, so we should be going.” She turned again, but he was in front of her, this time in a wolf form bigger than hers, with gold markings under the eyes.

 “All I want to do is talk.” He padded towards her, voice smooth and hypnotic. “I just want to talk.”

 Nyx growled, in her own wolf form. “What do you want to talk about?” she snarled.

 “I need your help.”

 “Don’t listen to him! Whatever he wants help with, it is nothing good.” Zlata’s voice shook. “You have Rem now, she needs your help as well. Don’t let Giratina talk you into something you’ll regret.”

 “Oh, we know, you always need her help, you want your freedom.” Aurora placed a hand on Nyx’s back, hiding the fact that her fist was clenched and trembling.

 Giratina rolled his eyes and stepped in front of Nyx, whining submissively, with his ears down and tail between his legs. “I do want to escape, but wouldn’t you? I’ve been trapped in that place for so… so long.”

 “You want to escape, and cause chaos and pain and misery, that’s your thing. Why would I help you?”

 Giratina lifted his head. “Why do you think it would be bad if I escaped?” He sidled round, scales forming in his fur so he became more snake like. “Are you forgetting that my siblings are free? They have caused pain and misery themselves…”

 Zlata glanced at the twins and stepped nearer Nyx, although not getting too close. “Soise, is there anything you can do to help the twins, to stop or delay the dragons? Nyx, don’t listen to him. He’s using you, garnering your sympathy, playing to your niceness. Have you forgotten what happened the last time somebody did that?”

 “Yes, they’ve caused pain.” Arlette nodded, closing her eyes. “We’ve seen that. But – they’re also integral to the world. We need them around more than we need someone with your power and no duty.”

 Soise shrugged, frowning. “They’re not there yet.”

 “We’re doing fine on our own,” Arlette said, eyes flickering brighter blue for a moment.

 “You are right. I intend to slaughter them if I get the chance.” Giratina smiled, looking down. “But you may have a place in my world, you bear their power. If space and time are… as integral as you say, then how about you govern them in their place?”

 “But you want chaos,” Nyx said, before Aurora can retort.

 “Yes. I don’t want to destroy space and time, I just want to… change them.” Giratina leapt away, taking the form of a black furred rattata. He moved away into the mist, and Nyx followed.

“How long can you keep fighting them?” Zlata started to move after Nyx. “Soise, if the dragons take control, can you delay them for a while, stop them getting to Nyx? I’ll leave Hohenheim to help you, tell him what to do.”

 Ryun grabbed her by the shoulder. “If you’re going to do that, let me come with you. In case he attacks you, at least I can buy you time to get away,” he said, voice shaking.

 “Yes. Thank you.” Zlata nodded.

 “We can manage fine,” Arlette said, as Zlata and Ryun walked away. “A little more faith, please.”

 “Where are you going?” Soise grabbed at her wrist.

 Arlette glanced back, frowning. “To do my duty. What d’you think?”

 Aurora stepped around them, tossing a juggling ball lightly between her hands. “Yeah, we can get them and get out, rather than them having to come back here to collect us first. Quicker, no?”

 “Only if you’re sure you can keep in control.”

 “Do you think we would suggest this if we couldn’t?” Arlette hissed, slapping Soise’s arm away.

 Hohenheim’s head whipped around and his flames disappear. He jumped into the air, launching himself towards Arlette and knocking her to the ground.

 Arlette cursed as she rolled across the ground. Xenos squealed, catapulted from her shoulder.

 Aurora flexed crystalline wings and stepped towards Hohenheim, a growl rumbling in her throat. Soise intervened, slamming her face first into the ground.

 “Get – off,” Arlette snarled, yanking at Hohenheim’s wing to pull him from her back. “We have to help.”  Crawn pecked as Soise’s face and she pushed him away, shoving him into Aurora’s bag.

 “Just – stay here. It’s better if you–”

 “No it’s not.” Arlette rolled sharply and knocked Hohenheim from her back, getting to her feet. “Trust us.”

 Hohenheim recovered and snapped at her, wings glowing with fire.

 She glared at him. “We have a duty here, Hohen.”

 He screeched and flared fire at her, surrounding her with it.

 “What is he saying, Soise?” Arlette asked from inside the fire, closing her eyes to concentrate.

 “If Giratina gets Nyx, if that’s the best option, we’ll let you go. Otherwise you could lose control and kill–” Soise was cut off, knocked backwards as something in Aurora’s bag exploded with light.

 “Do you really trust us so little?” Arlette snapped, walking through the fire, shielding her face with metal coated hands.

 Hohenheim screamed at her, but she ignored him to offer her sister a hand up. As Soise scrambled to her feet to help Hohenheim stop them, a gaunt and gangling bird ripped free of Aurora’s bag and flew at Soise’s face.

 Soise cried out and stumbled backwards. Hohenheim attacked the bird, leaving the twins free to run into the mist towards the lake.

 Arlette glanced to Aurora, who had wings shimmering behind her. She took Aurora’s hand and closed her eyes, grunting as the wings disappear.

 “You shouldn’t–”

 “I have.” Arlette flexed her hands, forcing away the armour. “They need to learn.”

 Hohenheim appeared in the thinning mist before them, spreading his wings wide and hissing at them. He shook his head, glaring.

 “Hohenheim. Don’t.” Arlette glanced at him as they split to walk around him.

 “We just want to talk. Do our duty. And you are not helping.”

 Hohenheim followed after them as they arrived by the others.

 “We haven’t missed much, have we?” Arlette waved.

 Nyx turned to see them. “No, nothing. We should probably go.”

 Zlata turned as well, eyeing them up. “Not much. Just some talking.” She nodded. “That would be best. I’m glad you’re seeing sense, Nyx. We should really go before Giratina and his silver tongue get to you even more than it already has.” She turned towards Giratina. “The world is fine without you. There’s no reason for Nyx to listen to you.”

 “Yeah, you’re right about that.” Aurora nodded. “People really don’t need your intervention to be happy.”

 “Ah… we should probably have gone.” Arlette frowned. “And should go, and are going, and yes – which way’s the way out now?” She shook her head, silver and blue marks playing across her face.

 “We need to go and rescue Soise from my manic bird, by the way.” Aurora shook her head. “Not exactly fond of what’s happened to him here, but I suppose we can live with it.”

 Nyx stroked Rem and looked back up to Giratina. “We’re leaving. Don’t try and stop us.”

 He raised his eyebrows. “I’m not going to try and stop you, Nyx. I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to. I just hope I have opened your eyes a little, to my side of things.”

 Nyx scratched Rem around the ears, looking down.

 “Go, but be sure to return, Nyx, it has been wonderful talking to you.” He smiled. “Maybe… come alone next time.”

 “We’re going.” She turned her back on him. “Corvus?”

 Zlata turned away. “We should have done a long time ago.”

 The honchkrow swooped down from the sky and wheeled, showing them the way out. Giratina sighed, smiling as he looked up. Then he took a step to the side, vanishing instantly. The air rippled around the group, and they saw him in the lake in his true form, staring at them.

 “What’s this about a manic bird?” Nyx asked.

 “Oh, Crawn evolved… whatever this place is, it’s done something to him, I think.” Aurora frowned. “He’s weird.”

 Arlette shuddered, armour flaking into scales and slowly fading back into skin. “SkyLord take the bugger.”

 “Which one?”

 “Both of them. All of them.” Arlette shrugged. “Bunch’f ice cursed cowards.”

 Aurora snorted.

 “You weren’t really going to accept his offer, were you?”

 Nyx shook her head, moving into Warren’s arms. “Of course not.”

 Warren released Sammy and helped her up onto the pokémon’s back.

 “Well that’s good.” Zlata turned to the twins next. “He would need a dusk stone, right? Did you have one, by any chance?” She released Niagara and Hohenheim climbed up onto her back.

 Ryun climbed up as well, and Zlata got on last.

 “Thank you, by the way.”

 “I didn’t do much.” Ryun shrugged. “I didn’t do anything, actually.”

 “Still, I appreciate you coming with me.”

 “Yeah, course I did.” Aurora rolled her eyes. “You’ll see.”

 “Do you want to call him off yet?” Soise burst out of the fog, overtaking them.

 “Crawn!” Aurora yelled, running towards him as the honchkrow spiralled after Soise, screeching. “Crawn, calm down!”

 He twisted and landed in front of her, twitching his head. For a honchkrow, he’s a disappointment; all scrawny and dull feathers, almost serpentine in the way he moves. He’s at least as tall as Corvus, but it doesn’t look as though he could carry anyone but the lightest child.

 “What the hell happened?” Aurora whispered, reaching a hand out to him.

“Maybe it was because he was so close to the distortion world when he evolved? It’s the only explanation I can think of.” Zlata watched Crawn.

 “And here’s Xenos,” Soise said, circling back to Arlette’s side and pulling the ralts out of her mane.

 Arlette took the pokémon and placed him on top of her bag.

 Corvus screeched and dived down to land in front of Crawn, smacking him with a wing.

 “Is it safe yet?” Warren asked, making Sammy stop.

 Nyx turned around, looking. “I think so. At least, there’s not as much distortion in the air.”

 “We should probably keep moving until we get out of this mist,” Zlata said. “Just to be completely sure. Even if Giratina did let us go, I don’t trust him, not after all that.”

 Crawn tumbled backwards and hissed at Corvus.

 Aurora slipped between them, blocking any attacks. “Stop that.” She touched Crawn gently, and when he doesn’t attack her, rubs a hand over his head and tilted it, checking him over. “Soise, did you get my stuff as well?”

 “You had stuff?”

 Corvus drew herself up and clucked at Crawn, evidently displeased with him.

 “A whole bag, Soise.”

 Crawn replied in kind, skulking behind Aurora.

 “Is there anything there you needed, Aurora, that can’t be replaced? Only it is best if we get away from here as soon as possible, keep moving until we’re back on the road to Veilstone. I don’t trust Giratina not to change his mind.”

 Aurora frowned, checking her pockets. “Well… most of it – clothes and juggling balls and the like – I can borrow from Arlette, but – oh shit.”

 “What?”

 “My team. And the box of spices from Ecruteak.”

 “I could send Corvus back, or we could all go back together.” Nyx looked back into the mist.

 “We should just leave–”

 “Did you not hear?” Arlette snapped. “Her team. We can’t leave them.”

 “We can’t go back, though,” Zlata said, urging Niagara. “It’s too risky.”

 “If Nyx and I went, we wouldn’t take any time at all.” Arlette looked back. “He wouldn’t even have to know.”

 “Nah, you’ve already been possessed once today, I don’t think any more is needed.”

 “Soise. I – was – not – possessed.” Arlette glare at her. “I am strong enough, even if no one seems thinks so.”

 “I think it’d be a bit too risky,” Nyx sighed. “Besides, Giratina’s probably snatched them back into the distortion realm by now… I’m sorry, Aurora.”

 Warren moved an arm around Nyx as she tightened her hold on Rem.

 “It’s not worth the risk having either of you run in, no matter how quick you are.”

 A large rattata hopped awkwardly out of the mist, dragging something behind it. The tattered remains of Aurora’s bag, with most of the things still inside it. Hohenheim hopped from Niagara’s back and picked up the bag by one of the straps, helping the rattata with the weight.

 “Right. Got it.” Arlette turned away, folding her arms. “Shall we get going quickly then, before we get properly possessed and kill you all?”

 “Arlette, stop. Just forget about it. We are leaving now, and look – we have your bag, Aurora.”

 Zlata climbed off Niagara and approached Arlette. “It isn’t that. There is a difference between not thinking you’re strong enough and not wanting you to take unnecessary risks. Today has already been eventful enough without having you struggle against Dialga again.” She smiled gently. “Let’s just leave. I doubt anybody wants to stay here longer than they have to.”

 “So why the fuck did your guard dogs not let us help earlier? I came here to help Nyx, not get flattened by one sand scratching legendary.”

 “Because we wanted to play it safe,” Soise replied, grabbing her arms. “I’m here to protect the three of you, even if that means from each other.”

 Aurora crouched down to thank the rattata and carefully pick up her bag. “Wow, Crawn, you really did a number on this thing.”

 “Arlette, it’s over. It’s behind us, alright? There’s no point in getting angry over it.” Nyx stood up, letting Rem sit on her shoulder. “We’re leaving, we can forget about this.

 The new rattata hopped onto Aurora’s outstretched hand, sniffing at her.

 “Rem says his name is Raphael.”

 “Believe me, it was for the best that both of you were not there to see what Giratina was telling Nyx. There was not much you could have done, anyway. Keeping you away was the right thing to do, it was safer for all of you,” Zlata said, watching Arlette.

 Hohenheim’s crest drooped and he lowered his head, giving a mournful little croon.

 “And he apologises for knocking you down, but there was no other way he could think of in the heat of the moment to keep you away.”

 Arlette stared around the group and shook her head, closing her eyes. “Fine. Because evidently you all know what’s best for us.”

 Aurora smiled at Raphael, standing up with the remains of her bag clutched under her arm. “Thanks, Raphael.”

“If that’s how you feel, Arlette.” Zlata got back up onto Niagara’s back. “It’s been a rough day. As soon as we get out, let’s put this all behind us, forget this ever happened. It’s probably for the best. And maybe when we get to Veilstone, we should get you a new bag, Aurora?”

 Crawn scrambled to his feet and darted back towards Aurora, away from Corvus.

“That might be an idea.” Aurora nodded, shifting her stuff so she could carry it better.

 “Shall we get moving, then?” Soise looked around. “Only this fog is making my fur heavy.”

 Corvus clucked, moving closer to Crawn as they walked on, tilting her head to examine him.

 As the group moved on – with Arlette tailing near the back – the fog lifted away, leaving them on the country tracks outside of Veilstone. Despite the grey clouds in the air, it was beautiful. There was life around them, in the trees, on the ground and in the sky, and that made all the difference.

 “And… back.” Nyx smiled, lifting up her arms.

 Hohenheim spread his wings out, and the clouds parted to soak them in sunlight.

 “It’s weird.” Warren looked back the way they had come. “You’d never think there was a place like that under the mist.”

 “Weird dimensions.” Nyx shrugged and looked down, seeing Raphael still following them. “You staying with us?”

 “Think you can handle two rats?” Warren asked, looking down.

 “I think so.” Nyx smiled. “Arlette, are you alright?”

 “Don’t,” Zlata said, glancing back to Arlette before turning to Nyx. “Give her a little time, hopefully she’ll recover.”

 Arlette flicked a glance at Nyx. “Yeah, ‘m fine. Always am.”

 “Are people ok with a shopping trip?” Aurora asked. “I can always catch you up after, it won’t take me too long.”

 “Nah, we’ll come in. Or I will, anyway.” Soise shrugged. “I can help you carry some of that stuff as well, if you want.”

 “I could go for a trip to Veilstone,” Warren said. “I need to get a better coat if we are heading northwards, it’ll be freezing up there.”

 “Sure, it would be good to get some supplies.” Nyx nodded, sliding from Sammy’s back and slowing down to walk by Arlette.

 “It would be nice to do something normal after that, and we do need some supplies if we’re going to continue travelling.” Zlata turned to Warren. “Even with spring upon us? In that case, I might need to get a jacket too.”

 “It’s May. Should be warm enough, but I suppose, you lowlanders…” Aurora grinned. “’Specially if we head up Sowpoint way.”

 “So shopping trip in Veilstone. Nice way to round off meeting the distortion lord, I suppose.”

 “That makes sense. It would be good to have warmer clothes then.” Zlata smiled. “Do you have any better suggestions?”

 “Well… yeah, can’t think of anything better to do after that.” Aurora shrugged, grinning. “Nice way to balance it out.”

 “Not that I can think of.” Warren smirked. “Nothing better than a girly shopping trip to lift our spirits.”

 “We’re just going for necessary things, Warren, that’s not a particularly girly shopping trip.” Zlata grinned. “You probably know Veilstone best out of all of us. Is there anywhere we can go to get what we need?”

 Crawn stretched out his wings and broke into a shambling run, lifting into the sky.

 “I’m sure we could make it girly, if you wanted it to be.” Aurora grinned. “I do need new clothes, after all.”

 Corvus took off after Crawn, spiralling in the air.

 “I just need a coat, not sure how girly I can get with just that.” Warren smirked. “But… if you really want to, we can go for shoes and bags and whatever it is girls like… there’s a good shopping centre, full of clothes shops, and a great art place as well.”

 “Well, not unless you want to, Warren. I’d rather we just get what we need.” Zlata smiled wryly. “Though if you want to go on a girly shopping trip, you could take Ryun with you again, I suppose.”

 “What?” Ryun looked up.

 “Just wondering if you’d like to go on a girly shopping trip with Warren, like you did in Saffron,” Zlata explained, grinning.

 “It wasn’t that girly, we just went to a clothes shop and a jewellery shop… alright, yes, perhaps it was. And I don’t need anything, but if you want company, Warren, I could come.”

 “Yeah… it’s just a new bag and some clothes for me.” Aurora laughed. “I’m not going to drag you round all the latest sales and fashion stuff.”

 “So we are all set then,” Warren said. “It’ll be fun, and since Nyx is rich after her birthday, she can buy everything for us.”

 “Hell no,” Nyx called, looking up from her conversation with Arlette.

 “It’s alright, I can buy my own things. So, will you show us where this place is, Warren?” Zlata smiled.

 Aurora glanced around and dropped back to walk with her sisters. “What’s eatin’ you?”

 “Just – thinking.” Arlette shrugged. “Nothing important.”

 “Hm.”

 “D’you want to put things in my bag?” Arlette pulled it off her shoulders, flipping it open.

 “Might be an idea.” Aurora nodded, still frowning as she carefully placed her items into it.

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

Not the Only Guardian

In which the cowriter2 went "wait I have Plans" and cowriter1 went "and I have a gun" and I went "oh god this means I have to curtail my girls slightly" just to make character beats work.

And then they both assumed the worst of my girls' control (Nyx's attitude change amuses me every time) and I very bravely did not make it as flippant as I could have.

But also! some context! Look at that whole explanation!

~

 Arlette woke slowly, arching her back to stretch.

 Aurora, dislodged by Arlette’s movements, murmured and shook her head, burrowing further under the duvet.

 “Time to wake up,” Arlette said softly, sitting up and poking her sister.

 “Five minutes,” Aurora whined.

 Arlette smiled and slipped from the bed, finding one of their bags to pull clothes from.

 She was in the act of removing her top when Zlata burst into the room, wild eyed and still in her nightclothes.

 “Hohenheim is gone!” Zlata cried out, barely stopping long enough to notice their state of disarray before running to wake Nyx and Warren.

 Aurora sat bolt upright and stared at her sister. “What?”

 Arlette shrugged and threw the clothes she’d pulled out at her sister. “Get dressed. Xenos?”

 The ralts looked up from the pile of pokémon on the other bed. “Find Soise.”

 “Askir, go with him.” Aurora’s voice was muffled under her top.

 Xenos climbed onto the espeon’s back and the two of them disappeared, leaving the twins hurrying to get dressed.

 As they left their room, tugging their jackets on, they saw Zlata running away down the hall as she pulled on a jacket over her nightdress.

 Arlette frowned. “Zlata?”

 “She’s going ahead,” Nyx said, tying her hair back. “What’s happened?”

 “I… I don’t think we should have let the Guardian go, not by herself,” Ryun murmured.

 “We’re going to find out.” Arlette frowned.

 “And who says we’re letting her go by herself?” Aurora glanced around the group. “Everyone ready?”

 Warren nodded as the twins’ pokémon followed them out of their room, Crawn landing on Aurora’s shoulder.

 “Let’s go, then.” Arlette set off.

 “Dante, can you follow her scent?” Ryun asked his houndour as she yapped, running down the corridor before them.

 Soise was waiting for them outside the centre. “Just saw Zlata head off in a bit of a state,” she said, wincing as she straightened up.

 “Hohenheim’s disappeared and Zlata’s gone after him.”

 “And told us not to follow,” Aurora chipped in.

 “So you’re following.” Soise fell in beside Nyx, trying not to limp.

 “What do you take us for?”

 “Still hurting?” Nyx asked quietly, holding out a handful of berries. “You should maybe illusion something smaller, so you can ride on someone’s shoulder.”

 “Illusions don’t work like that,” Soise replied, taking the berries. “I’ll be fine.”

 “Did no one see Hohen leave?” Warren asked, looking around. “I mean… he’s a noticeable pokémon to be wandering around by himself.”

 Ryun nodded. “I think that this perhaps was planned. Whoever did this was waiting for them.”

“Must have been a fantastically on the spot plan.” Arlette frowned, following Ryun and Dante through the streets.

 “Yeah that’s a good point.” Aurora resettled her coat. “I mean, it’s not like we knew we were coming here.”

 “Well Warren said it.” Nyx shrugged. “Hohen is noticeable.”

 Dante stopped before an ordinary looking house with the curtains drawn and barked once, looking up at Ryun and wagging her tail.

 Ryun knocked on the door. “Do... you think we should just go in?”

 “Wait and see if they answer, first,” Nyx replied.

 Warren stepped up beside Ryun, placing a hand on the door. “Hohen and Zlata are in there, we can’t let anything bad happen to them.”

 “I mean if it’s unlocked, we can totally just go in.” Aurora grinned.

 “Oh really?” Nyx laughed. “Try just knocking again, louder.”

 Ryun hesitated. “I don’t know...” He glanced down at Dante. “No, Dante led us here and I believe in her. They can’t be anywhere else.” He looked up and knocked at the door again, rapping louder.

 “I can always unlock it.” Arlette opened her jacket, slipping her hand into an inside pocket. “If you think it’s necessary, of course. Our friend could be in danger.”

 Nyx nodded, stepping aside to let Arlette past. “Yeah, she’s our friend. If she’s not answering, something might’ve gone horribly wrong.”

 “Open it up,” Warren said, agreeing. “It’s Hohen as well, he could be hurt.”

 Arlette stepped past them, opening her case of lockpicks.

 “Uh-” Aurora clapped a hand on her shoulder.

 The door opened and Zlata stood there, still haphazardly dressed in a nightgown under a long coat but with a tight circlet about her head. “Oh, hello.” She blinked at the group. “It’s nice of you to follow me. But I’m afraid I can’t keep on going with you. I have my duty to fulfil. I’m sorry.” She bowed.

 “Let us pass,” the man beside her said. “And get off my property.”

 “We’re not... on your property?” Arlette frowned. “Unless you own the street, but I mean really-”

 “What duty?” Aurora asked, folding her arms.

 “What are you talking about?” Nyx asked, squinting at the circlet. “What is that you’re wearing?” Rem, on her shoulder, hissed at the man, her fur spiking up.

 Hohenheim pecked at something below his left wing and pushed through the group.

 “Hohen?” Warren offered his hand.

 Hohenheim snapped at Warren’s hand and turned away, as if he wasn’t worth the time.

 Zlata studied the group. “If I am to live up to what is expected of me, I must become more than the Guardian. I have to be a queen. I’m still not sure whether it is the right thing to do, but... but it is the only way.”

 Ryun had stepped back, behind the rest of the group, and was staring at Zlata as if he didn’t recognise her.

 “Ecruteak doesn’t have a wide enough reach, and I want to help. I want to do what’s right, I need this power.”

 “My name is Heris Valerian, former Kanto minister,” he said, introducing himself and placing a hand on Zlata’s shoulder, guiding her forward. “I’m escorting the Guardian to Goldenrod, where she will unite the regions again.”

 Aurora snorted. “History says that ain’t a good plan, buddy.”

 Warren rubbed his hand. “He’s done something to Hohen. What have you done to him?”

 “Zlata, you aren’t making any sense.” Nyx shook her head.

 Heris’ free hand drifted down and under his jacket. “Move aside.”

 “No, we aren’t going to move. This isn’t right.” Nyx shook her head again.

 “It’s hard for you to understand, but please trust me,” Zlata begged. “But I know It's the right thing to do. I am the Guardian chosen by Ho-oh! Who else but me is there to do this?”

 “Yeah, and the Ho-oh is a child. People can be wrong.” Arlette frowned. “What do either of you know about ruling?”

 “She was chosen by the little Ho-oh,” Heris said, dripping with sincerity. “She is a better person than most of us, and the one who should lead Kanto and Johto.” He pushed Zlata forward, through the group. “If you would please leave us, there won’t be any need for bloodshed.”

 “No one needs to do anything,” Nyx said, stepping back, her hand in her bag. “Zlata... please stop this, you aren’t thinking straight.”

 “Hohen can’t be either.” Warren glanced at the legendary again. “He wouldn’t agree to something like this.”

 “I may have been told things, but my decision was my own.” Zlata turned to face the group again. “Nobody told me what to decide. I know my duty, and my duty is to my people. Travelling with you – I'm neglecting that.”

 Hohenheim hisses at Warren, moving to Zlata’s side and displaying his wings to make himself look bigger.

 “What do you know of what he wants? He’s the one who told me to come here. He accepted it as freely as I did.”

 Ryun shifted behind Warren, and Zlata turned her gaze on him.

 “I can finally be what you seem to think I am.

 He shook his head. “No. I may not be... well, anything, but this isn’t right. What you’re doing isn’t right, Guardian.”

 Zlata twisted her face into a snarl. “What do you know about it? You, who keeps forcing me to act like I am perfect, to keep up with your pretence so I don’t disappoint, you who keeps worshipping me as though I am a god!” Her voice was rising to a scream. “Now that I finally decide I’m going to be that god, why are you stopping me?!”

 Hohenheim, beside her, hissed at Ryun.

 “No... you’re not...” Ryun shrank back, staring at her.

 “I am. Now, if you want a god, leave.”

 Ryun stepped forward and, in one fluid movement, grabbed the sword from Zlata’s side and held it in front of him. “No, Guardian.”

 Zlata glared at him.

 “I can’t believe that.” Warren was watching Hohenheim. “He has changed.”

 “He’s fine, Warren. Now please, let it go.” Zlata didn’t look away from Ryun.

 “Stop this,” Nyx said, a warning in her voice as she narrowed her eyes at Heris. “This is your doing, and it isn’t right. You’ll just make things worse.”

 He laughed. “What do you know about it? Kanto has already tried to tear itself apart. The Sevii islands tried to separate from us before. If the Guardian becomes ruler, it will solve things. The people will support her.” He stepped around them, to stand at Ryun’s side. “This has been entertaining indeed, but we’re out of time.” He pulled a gun from under his jacket and rests it against Ryun’s temple. “Give back the sword. We have been waiting for a saviour for a long time.”

 Nyx pulled a gun from her bag and fired in one smooth motion.

 The deafening bang ripped through the air and made everyone flinch. It was followed by screaming as Heris dropped his gun, clutching at his bloodied hand.

 “Don’t you dare,” Nyx growled, moving the gun to point at his head.

 Zlata released her pokémon. “You got that gun from Giovanni, didn’t you? He must meet justice, him and all the other dangerous people.”

 Hohenheim advanced on Ryun, hissing.

 Soise darted forward, stumbling as she twisted in front of Hohenheim, between him and Ryun. “Don’t you dare. This is wrong.” She bares her teeth, resting part of her weight on one forepaw.

 Warren released his own pokémon and reached into Nyx’s bag to release Cole.

 “Use stealth rock,” Nyx told the larvitar, not taking her eyes from Heris.

 Hohenheim burst with fire that flickers black at the edges, like smoke, as the rocks landed about him.

 Dante snarled at him, fangs sparking with electricity, and Rekka leapt from Ryun’s jacket to land on Dante’s head.

 The rest of Zlata’s pokémon move to attack, most of them going for Ryun. Warren’s pokémon get in the way, bowling them back, forcing them away.

 “Last chance,” Zlata said, glaring at Ryun. “Let me go.” She took a step forward.

 Ryun shook his head and didn’t lower the sword, even as it pressed against Zlata’s neck.

 “Nyx.” Warren grabbed the gun from her hands. “Help us.”

 “I’m sorry!” She pulled pokéballs from her bag and released her team.

 Arlette stalked across to Heris, grabbing him by the coat. “So. What have you done to our friend?” Her tone is pleasant, her eyes cold.

 Behind her, Nyx directed her pokémon to neutralise Zlata’s, pulling them away and using Xinch to bind them all up safely.

 Zlata bit her lip as she turned to watch her pokémon being taken down, and stepped away from it all.

 “Please, don’t.” Ryun stepped with her, sword still at her neck. “Don’t.”

 “Please forgive me,” Zlata whispered.

 Niagara barrelled into Dante and Rekka, tumbling them away from blocking Hohenheim, who blasted Ryun’s leg with a ball of fire.

 Ryun fell to the ground, dropping the sword. He bit his tongue, screwing up his face as he fought not to scream.

 Zlata picked up the sword and ran down the street.

 Aurora launched herself past her sister and ran after Zlata, catching her in three leaping bounds and bringing her crashing to the ground. “Sorry buddy,” she hissed, grappling for the sword as she sat on Zlata’s back. “You’ll thank us later.”

 “I have to act! I can’t let this-”

 “You aren’t the only Guardian!” Aurora threw the sword out of reach. “What do you think Siren would do? What do you think we’ll do?”

 Behind them, Mentat fell as Melody and Vamp attacked in tandem. Niagara crashed to the ground, Lux with her. Yangtze was tied up, Sargeras standing on top of him.

 Hohenheim was alone. He began glowing with the start of the sacred fire, raising his wings.

 Then he screeched, toppling onto his right side, his left wing limp above him.

 Below Aurora, Zlata relaxed and pressed her forehead into the path, closing her eyes. “Get to Hohenheim. Something has corrupted him.”

 “You got that?” Aurora twisted to call back.

 “What,” Arlette hissed, knocking Heris’ legs out from under him, “Did you do?”

 “He would not cooperate. I came to him during the night and told him the plan. But he refused. He was like a child terrified of being a man.” Heris shrugged, held up by his coat lapels in Arlette’s hands. “So I changed his nature to make him more of the god that he is.”

 Hohenheim screeched at Nyx as she stepped closer, struggling back to his feet and trying to keep him away.

 Dante and Rekka pulled back from attacking him and formed a perimeter with Askir instead, blocking Hohenheim’s escape.

 Ryun pushed himself to his feet and limped to where Niagara lay. “We need your help.”

 “They have their own time to grow up in,” Arlette hissed, her eyes sparking silver. “And it is not yours. You make a monster of a god.”

 Niagara pinned Hohenheim down and spread his left wing out, ignoring his shrieks.

 Warren hurried to Ryun’s side, helping support his weight.

 “Here.” Ryun passed Nyx his gloves. “They’re fireproof.”

 Nyx nodded and pulled them on, then her flying goggles. “He’s hurt you, Hohen. Don’t worry, I’m going to help you.”

 “If I let you up,” Aurora said, tilting her head as she studied Zlata, “What will you do?”

 “There’s something under his feathers,” Nyx said, searching about. “Dammit.” She pulled the glove off with her teeth and flexed her arm, covering it with thick black scales and thinning out her fingers into needle like claws. “There!” She pulled a shard of black glass free.

 “I did what I believed was right for my region,” Heris replied, turning his head to watch Nyx and Hohenheim.

 Hohenheim shrieked, letting loose a plume of fire into the sky.

 Zlata let out a yell as well, writhing beneath Aurora.

 Hohenheim fell limp and Niagara laid him back down on the pavement.

 Ryun sighed and made his halting way towards where Zlata was still pinned down by Aurora. “I’m sorry,” he said, kneeling down.

 “You did what was right. You stood up to me.” Zlata forced a trembling smile.

 “No. I’m sorry for putting all my faith in you.”

 Zlata flinched back.

 Aurora got off her and stepped away.

 “One person does not have the right for the whole region in their hands,” Arlette said, voice cold.

 Aurora flicked her gaze to her sister and gestured for their pokémon, making her careful way across the torn up street.

 Nyx looked up as she passed, dabbing ointment into the cut underneath his wing. “Do what you like with him. Look what he did to Hohen.”

 Aurora nodded and relaxed into an easy stroll, hands in her pockets.

 “Who are you to deny it? Why are a bunch of bureaucrats and morons better than a single exalted person?” Heris trembled with rage. “I used to be one of them! I know better than any of you what they do, and it sickens me! No matter what, she would have been better than them.”

 Arlette laughed, the sound cold and void of any emotion. “Who are we? Well.” She turned her head to meet Aurora’s eyes. “Should he be told?”

 Aurora grinned. “Shall we leave him trembling in fear? Broken and cowering and unable to speak a word of what has happened?”

 “If we do what we want, as he wished, I fear we would sink even lower than he has managed.” Arlette’s smile turned cruel and vicious. “But we would enjoy it, wouldn’t we?”

 “Oh, indubitably, my dearest sister.”

 Nyx turned behind them, looking up at their backs. “Don’t give in to them,” she pleaded. “They’re not needed here, not now...”

 Heris laughed and spread his arms. “While I had always hoped I would burn or drown, I will take what you have. Whatever punishments you can create, Lords of Time and Space, I’ll accept them. If you want to kill me, do it. I will consider it divine justice.”

 “Don’t give him the satisfaction!” Zlata yelled, kneeling beside Hohenheim. “Stop it!”

 “Do you consider we two gods?” Aurora tilted her head against Arlette’s, smirking. “There is no Divine Justice in this place.”

 “Guys-” Soise limped towards them. “What-”

 “Do you not think, Korresan Erris-hayn, that he should be punished for what he did? That he should have... this driven into his flesh?” Arlette raised her hand and the shard of glass appeared in it, twisting between her fingers. “Have his judgement corrupted and twisted to someone else’s view?”

 “His is not mine to judge,” Soise replied quietly. “I have no power over him.”

 The twins shared a glance.

 Arlette dropped him, and Heris landed on his knees in the dust, dirtying his white suit further.

 “We aren’t Lords, Heris,” Aurora whispered, crouching to his level, dancing the glass between her fingers. “We’re pirates.” She crushed the shard in her hand and let the dust fly away on the wind.

 “You are nothing more than dust to us, Heris.” Arlette watched him slump, defeated. “Dust and nothing more.”

 Behind them, Nyx was struggling with her distortion, fur washing over her in waves.

 “Nyx, don’t,” Warren said, voice calm. “Zlata’s pokémon need help.”

 That helped her push it back, and she turned to her bag, pulling out supplies.

 Zlata joined the twins instead, gazing down at Heris.

 He didn’t so much as raise his head as she threw the circlet at his feet. She lifted the sword, too, but didn’t throw it down. Instead, she turned towards Ryun. “Here. You seem to know how to use it. Something good has to come out of this.”

 “I swear I will work on my formality.” He took it, tying the belt about his waist.

 “This mean he’s part of the crew?” Aurora turned away from Heris, catching Askir as the espeon leapt up at her.

 “I would be happy if you let me stay,” Ryun replied.

 Aurora shrugged, watching Nyx and Warren as they talked, tones low and apart from the group. Warren was holding Nyx’s gun out to her. “Fine by us. ‘Cept we might owe you explanations now, right?”

 “And some food,” Arlette said, watching Heris as he scrambled back towards his house. “Don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m starving.”

 Nyx pulled the case for her gun from her bag, put it in, and handed the whole thing to Corvus. The honchkrow launched herself skywards with it, flying away from the city.

 Ryun nodded. “The... Zlata said you were Guardians as well?”

 Aurora gave him a small smile. “Time, Space, Distortion.” She gestured at Arlette, herself, then Nyx. “You know the Creation Trio, right?”

 Arlette waited for the others to follow on as she started walking back towards the centre of the town. “That’s the short of it. Our mother’s got tangled up in it all.”

 “Wait, so I don’t need to get the flipchart out this time?” Soise shook out her mane and grinned.

 “I mean it doesn’t look like he’s listening just now, so...” Aurora murmured, glancing back over her shoulder.

 Zlata and Ryun were taking up the rear of the group with Hohenheim, talking quietly.

 Hohenheim looked up and whistled something that Zlata translated, and Ryun smiled at them both.

 Arlette snickered. “They’re adorable.”

 “You mean them or Nyx and Warren?”

 Nyx and Warren were trailing as well, although on the opposite side of the street, with Warren’s arm about Nyx’s shoulder and half bent towards her so he could hear what she was saying.

 “Skies, either of them. Hey! Y’all good with pancakes for breakfast?” Aurora cupped her hands about her mouth. “Place just around the corner.”

 “If you’ll let me pay,” Zlata said. “It’s the least I can do, after the trouble I caused you.”

 “P’shaw.” Aurora flapped her hand at her. “P’shaw, I say! But also yes please and thank you.”

 Zlata laughed. “Excellent.”

 “Ok so.” Arlette pulled a blank page of paper from her bag and a pen, clearing the plates from in front of her. “Aurora and I, we’re Palkia’s and Dialga’s Guardians, sworn to protect the world from the rising threat of Giratina, yadda-yadda-yadda.” She writes their names and their legendaries down, a line between them.

 “Our mother is Jay NightGale, Arceus’ gift to the world or whatever. She’s Captain Guardian,” Aurora said, her mouth full, as Arlette pencilled her in. “She was marked when she was... about our age? Chosen from a young age or whatever.”

 “Shit went south when her friend – who was the original Palkia blessed – was killed. Which is where Phoe comes in. Phoe?”

 “I’m the NightChild!” Nyx waved, her cheeks stained with berry juice. “The prophesised destroyer of worlds, through whom Giratina will rise again.”

 “Terrifying,” Warren said, passing her a napkin.

 Arlette laughed, letting Aurora take the pencil to do childish line drawings of shaky faces beside the names. “So Palkia, in her infinite wisdom, decided to give mam her marking as well, since she already had Dialga’s. Mam being Arceus’ Chosen meant she could handle that. Sort of.”

 “There were some wild times.” Aurora had her tongue out, focusing as she drew grumpy faces beside the legendaries. “Not least of all – Phoe's birthday!”

 “There was an eclipse. That’s when I was born,” Nyx said, taking the narrative. “So they fought over me, because Dialga and Palkia wanted me dead and Giratina didn’t.”

 “Obviously, they didn’t succeed. In case you were wondering.” Arlette glanced up at Ryun. “With us so far?”

 Ryun hesitated, but nodded. “I see.”

 “So mam made the deal to have us, to protect the world.” Aurora nodded. “We got a dragon each, already said.”

 “And now we’re the best of friends ‘cause Phoe over there sucks at being evil.”

 Nyx shrugged, laughing. “I’ve tried.”

 “Sure.” Aurora grinned. “You’ve still got jam on your nose.”

 “This is all... so big.” Ryun breathed out. “Too big for me.”

 “You’re not alone,” Warren said. “I’m nothing like these guys.”

 “You’re weirder for hanging out with us,” Aurora replied. “No plausible excuse.”

 “Nyx hangs out with you,” he corrected. “Plus I need to train my pokémon.”

 “Rude.” Aurora finished the final touches to her drawings – a monocle on Giratina, a moustache on Dialga, and a top hat on Palkia – and pushed it across to Ryun. “How you feeling about all that?”

 ”Ho-oh is one thing... the Creation Trio is another,” he said slowly, studying the sheet of paper.

 Hohenheim let out a quietly affronted caw at that.

 “Do you still want to stay?” Zlata asked, looking across at Ryun.

 He gripped the hilt of his sword as he glanced at Warren, then Zlata, then Nyx and the twins. As Dante licked his hand, he stroked her. “I’m staying. My goal hasn’t changed. I may not have any powers or anything that makes me special, but I still want to stay, if you would have me.”

 “Awww, Warren’s no longer the only boy.” Aurora smirked at him. “Does this mean we gotta find another way to single him out?”

 Nyx laughed. “Aurora-”

 “Hey, can I have more pancakes?” Aurora glanced around for the waiter. “Ooh or maybe waffles.”

 “Welcome to the crew, Ryun.” Arlette grinned at him. “You’ll get used to the weirdness eventually. Probably.”

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

Mewtwo's Marked

in which we meet Ax, who is the protag of my yellow nuzlocke. This is part of the roleplay rewrites!! which is possibly why some of the writing is. awkward. on grounds of three people writing it and my only doing marginal editing lmao.

~

 Arlette blinked awake, lifting her head from her sister’s side. Aurora shifted, curling around Harpy with a murmur. Arlette frowned, hearing sounds that were at odds with their surroundings. She turned and caught sight of Soise in the forest, stalking past with her nose in the air.

 “Soise?”

 “There’s something strange out here,” she replied distractedly. “Nothing big, I think.”

 “Alright.” Arlette prodded her sister. “Come on, wake up y’lazy sod.”

 “Bugger off, ‘let.” Aurora yawned and sat up, stretching.

 Arlette looked around and spotted the rest of the group emerging from their tents. “Hey guys.”

 Nyx was on her knees beside Mia, trying to wake the trainer up.

 Aurora smirked. “How’s everyone?”

 “Good morning.” Zlata waved to them. “I’m fine, just–” She covered a yawn, “Still a little drowsy.”

 Hohenheim chirped, looking up from the remnants of the food from the night before.

 “He’s not though, clearly.” Zlata smiled at him.

 Aurora scrambled to her feet and reached across for some food. “What’s the plan now, once she’s revived?” She nodded to Mia.

 “I’m not sure,” Zlata said. “I suppose we could go back to Vermilion and orientate ourselves from there.” She poured herself some tea.

 “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m heading north. Gonna have a quick explore before I take on the gyms,” Mia said, somehow still sounding chipper despite everything, drinking the tea Nyx handed her. “Thanks.”

 “You could come with us, if you want?” Nyx smiled, turning to help Warren pack away their tent.

 “Nah, I think I’ll be alright. It’s been fun, anyway.”

 “Whatever works.” Arlette shrugged. “I’d rather not go inland for a while yet, though.”

 “Doesn’t bother me.” Aurora grinned, pouring herself a cup of tea.

 “It was good to meet you then, Mia. I wish you best of luck on your journey.” Zlata started to pack up her tent.

 “Thank you for your help as well. I’m not sure what we would have done if you had not showed up,” Ryun added, bowing his head before going to help Zlata.

 “It was no problem.  As if I wouldn’t have helped Warren! He’s such a softie!” She wrapped her arms around him tightly.

 He patted her awkwardly on the shoulder, looking more relieved when she let him go. “Thanks for waking me up.”

 Nyx handed her a small satchel. “Here, in case your pokémon get sick and all. You’ll be able to heal them right up.”

 “You are like the mum of the group, aren’t you!” Mia hugged her and leapt onto Slick, giving the group one last shower of sparks before taking off into the trees.

 Warren stooped to let Purella scamper up onto his shoulder as they finished putting away their tent.

 “Where else is there we can go from here, anyway?” Aurora asked, holding her cup carefully in one hand as she closed her bag and lifted it onto her back.

 “Down to Fuchsia or Lavender, both by coastal paths. Or to Celadon?” Soise shook herself, padding out of the bushes.

 “Or I believe we can hire a boat out to Cinnabar and Seafoam.”

 “Isn’t Cinnabar a volcano?” Nyx asked, feeding Rem a cube of dried berry.

 “Fuchsia and Lavender are apparently good towns. I never really liked the sound of Saffron, my father always made it sound so busy,” Zlata said. “Yes, it is. Should not be a problem for you, though, since you’re Lavaridge-born.”

 “Well…” Nyx tilted her head. “Is it a lot like Lavaridge?”

 “More touristy, but just as fertile with the berries and all.”

 “Berries?”

 Rem squeaked from Nyx’s shoulder, shaking her head.

 Nyx laughed, shrugging. “Lavender seems good then. Lead on!” she said to Arlette and Aurora. “You know the region best.”

 Arlette grinned. “Right… yes. From our many visits to Kanto.” She returned Harpy to his pokéball and swung her bag onto her back.

 “Rarely is better than never.” Nyx smiled.

 The group left the clearing and found the path beside the sea heading east. Soise turned her head, glancing back into the forest, and almost crashed into someone walking along the path.

 “Hey!” The woman stepped back hurriedly out of her way. “Watch where you’re–” she snapped, before her eyes lit on the twins. “Oh. Might’ve known.”

 “Ax.” Arlette smiled. “Long time no see. How’re you doing?”

 “You haven’t seen Kyirin anywhere, have you?”

 “Your… the gengar, right?” Aurora frowned. “Not recently.”

 “Right.” Ax glanced around distractedly. “More people you’ve corrupted?”

 “Sort of.” Aurora shrugged. “Nyx, Warren, Ryun, Zlata, Hohenheim. Guys, this is Ax.”

 “Ax, nice to meet you.” Nyx nodded.

 Warren kept his distance, but lifted a hand to wave at her.

 “Glad to meet you.” Zlata bowed to Ax before turning to the twins with a smirk. “You say you’ve rarely set foot here, and yet you seem to bump into people you know.”

 “Yeah… that happens. Travellers and all.”

 Ryun lowered his head in acknowledgement as he greeted Ax cautiously. Hohenheim approached her and gave a welcoming chirp as he examined her.

 “What’s up with Kyirin this time?”

 “She… ah, something about darkness and the GhostLord.” Ax frowned. “I didn’t quite understand it myself.”

 “That will’ve been who was wandering around this morning.” Soise glanced back at the forest. “She was in the forest.”

 “Who’s Kyirin?” Warren frowned, glancing at Nyx.

 “My gengar.” Ax crouched as a pikachu with a shorn tail ran out of the forest towards her, letting it up onto her shoulder. “She wanders off rather a lot.”

 “The rest of your team off looking for her?”

 “Yeah.”

 Kera snorted and cleaned one of her ears.

 Ax glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. “Yes, but… she did help us, Kera.”

 Nyx frowned. “Can you speak to that pokémon?”

 Warren looked around warily and released Vamp, who narrowed her eyes and pricked up her ears. Dante’s nose twitched as she looked around, and though Ryun stroked her, she didn’t relax.

 “It will be alright. It’s daylight,” he said to Warren.

 “Yes.” Ax nodded. “And – well, I don’t think you’ll be in any danger from Kyirin. She’ll just be curious… why was she wandering around your group?”

 “Complicated.” Aurora shrugged. “If I’m guessing right, anyway.”

 “Ah… this is your trio member?” Ax glanced at Warren.

 “Nyx, not Warren.” Arlette smiled.

 Nyx frowned, moving to stand by Warren.

 “It’s fine,” Arlette murmured. “She’s like us. Sort of.”

 “What do you mean, if I may pry?” Zlata asked carefully.

 “They know?” Ax flicked a glance at the twins.

 Arlette nodded.

 “Legendary blessed,” Ax said. “Sort of.”

 “Sort of?”

 “I don’t have a mark like yours, for a start.”

 “Is it Darkrai or Cresselia?” Warren asked. “They don’t come with marks, they aren’t as fancy as all the rest of them.”

 Nyx swatted him around the shoulders. “Not exactly, you didn’t see your form, I think you are the fanciest.”

 “That’s true, not all legendary blessings leave marks. It can’t be so bad, can it?”

 Ax shrugged. “It’s neither of them. Or even a proper legendary, really.”

 Kera nibbled at her ear as Ax frowned.

 “Mewtwo. He’s my legendary.”

 “Mewtwo? How… how does that work?” Nyx asked. “How is he your legendary?”

 “He may not be a proper legendary, but he is still powerful so it counts. It’s very unusual though. By all accounts, Mewtwo hates humans,” Zlata remarked. “What happened, if I may ask?”

 “He needed someone to break him out of his prison. I just happened to be the one he chose. It’s not a true blessing, I don’t have anything like you guys do. I can just understand any pokémon I catch.”

 “Oh… I think I understand.” Nyx nodded, beginning to frown. “What prison?”

 “Maybe too many questions,” Warren mumbled. “What could keep Mewtwo prisoner? He’s supposed to be really powerful.”

 “Cerulean cave. It was… I don’t know. There were things keeping him in place.”

 “Understanding your pokémon must help, though. I can understand a couple of my team as well.” Nyx gestured to Rem. “Like Rem, but she’s quite mouthy.”

 Ax glanced at Rem and her face fell marginally. “Nice – nice rattata.”

 Kera nudged at her neck, purring.

 “Shut it or you’re walking.”

 Rem squeaked happily and scrambled down to the ground, rushing towards Ax. Ax shuddered and automatically stepped away from Rem. Kera chewed on her ear, whispering something. Rem squeaked angrily, arching her back as she started to growl at Ax.

 “Rem!” Nyx hissed.

 Hohenheim clicked his beak, watching Rem and Ax. Kera jumped down to face Rem, fur rippling as her shorn tail twitched behind her.

 “Kera, don’t bother. It doesn’t matter.”

 Kera looked back up at her, whining.

 Rem snapped, fur frosting with ice as she faced down Kera. Hohenheim hissed and got between the two pokémon, blocking their view of each other. Kera hissed back at Rem, puffing up her fur even though there’s no sign of electricity.

 “Kera. Leave off.”

 Kera snapped something back at Ax, who sighed.

 “You can’t fight for me, we’ve been through that!”

 Rem shrieked and charged Kera, grabbing on and sinking her teeth into the pikachu’s paw.

 “Rem, stop!” Nyx shrieked.

 Ryun grabbed Rem in his gloved hands, pulling her away from Kera and giving her back to Nyx. Kera snarled and chattered furiously at Rem, not seeming to care about the blood beeding on her paw.

 “Kera, hush.” Ax crouched down, picking up the pikachu. “I should go, I guess… supposed to be meeting my brother.”

 Rem struggled, firing an ice beam at Ryun. Ryun leapt back as Dante ran forward with a mouthful of embers and growls as she snarled up at Rem.

 “Rem!” Nyx twisted her away. “Ryun, I’m sorry. Rem, calm down now!”

 “Dante, calm,” Ryun said to her. “It’s fine. I was asking for it anyway.”

 “You’re not hurt?” Zlata glanced at Ryun.

 “No, I’m alright. Really.”

 “Alright.” Zlata nodded, watching him for a moment longer before she turned back to Ax. “Your brother?” she prompted.

 “Yeah. He doesn’t leave home much, but I’m working on that,” Ax answered absently, wiping the blood from her pikachu’s paw and checking the bite.

 “Maybe you could convince him, travelling can be very interesting.” Warren nodded.

 “I agree. It’s better than staying at home, at least.” Ryun nodded.

 Zlata smiled. “My older brother is like that, but my younger brother is the complete opposite. He left home as soon as he could.”

 “I’d love to get him to come travelling with me, just for the company.”

 “Yeah… much better travelling with people.” Arlette nodded, glancing at Aurora. “Even if it is just your twin.”

 Aurora stuck her tongue out at her sister, easily dodging the hand reached out to cuff her.

 Ax smiled, stroking Kera. “Should be able to get him this time.”

 “You have bribery?”

 “Of the best kind.”

 “Like what?”

 “Some pokémon. I mean, technically they’re mine, but he can look after them for me, even if he doesn’t battle.”

 “What kind of pokémon?” Nyx asked.

 “Eevee and a cubone.” Ax looked up as a charizard roared from above them. “And… I think they have her.”

 Keyare landed beside Ax, growling something as he gestured into the woods. A blastoise waddled out, holding something firmly in its jaws – the gengar. As it saw the group, it wriggled free and darted into Nyx’s shadow, grinning up at her.

 “Kyirin,” Ax snapped. “Get back.”

 Nyx stepped away from the ghost, Warren taking her shoulders as Vamp slipped in front of them. Keyare snarled at the ghost, and Ax shook her head, returning it to its ball.

 “Sorry. She’s… kinda terrible.”

 Keyare grunted, the rest of Ax’s team appearing from the woods. She returned them to their balls, shoving them into her bag.

 “I should be going, then. Sorry for the bother.”

 “You could walk with us until the path splits,” Aurora suggests.

 “And have those two fighting the whole way?” Ax gestured between Kera and Rem.

 “She won’t be any trouble at all. She will sit on my shoulder and be quiet all the way, else I am going to put her into my bag for the rest of the trip.”

 Rem froze and slumped in Nyx’s hands.

 Nyx placed her roughly back on her shoulder. “She won’t be any trouble.”

 “Might as well.” Warren shrugged. “Our group seems to be getting more popular anyway.”

 “If you’re going in a similar direction to us, you might as well. Especially if you would like company,” Zlata said.

 “Well… Fuchsia is in the other direction, but Keyare’s pretty fast.” Ax stroked Kera. “The company would be nice.”

 “As long as you are prepared for legendary attacks,” Nyx murmured, passing a chunk of berry to Rem to keep the rattata quiet.

 Hohenheim leapt in front of Ax with spread wings, pretending to hiss at her.

 “I’m sorry, Ax. He’s still very young,” Zlata said, bowing to her.

 Ax grinned. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” She smiled at Hohenheim, extending her hand. “I’ve never really seen a legendary this young before.”

 “So… shall we move on, then?”

 “If that’s ok.”

 “You might see some more on your time with us.” Nyx looked up to the sky. “How many have we met now?”

 Hohenheim rested his head against Ax’s hand, crooning as she began to scratch his head.

 “Lugia, Cresselia, and Darkrai,” Zlata said. “But there could be more.”

 “You’ve met Lugia?” Ryun looked at Zlata.

 “Yes, a while back. It was fun.”

 “I shouldn’t have been surprised.” He smiled.

 “Yeah… but they’re drawn to you guys.”

 “Apparently.” Arlette shrugged. “We’re just legendary magnets or something.”

 “Maybe legendary blessings draw them.” Nyx smiled.

 “Perhaps. Though I cannot imagine why that would be.”

 They started to walk along the path away from Vermilion as a group, Keyare bringing up the rear.

 “How come you’ve been travelling then?” Warren asked.

 “I work on the ferries now, and before that I started travelling because of Kera and my brother. Just got leave for a break.”

 “Must be quite tiring working on the ferries, they always seem so busy when I travel on them,” Warren said.

 “You just hate people.” Nyx smiled. “But… yes, it’ll be nice having another person to travel with, another sort of legendary blessed.”

 “It sounds like your brother is quite important to you,” Ryun said, sounding sad.

 “I didn’t really know him until we met again in Fuchsia,” Ax replied. “It makes you want to hang onto someone.”

 “You didn’t know your brother until that late? How come?” Nyx asked.

 “It’s lucky you met him.” Ryun smiled, though it looked melancholy. “Even if you did not grow up together, you have each other now.”

 Zlata put her hand on his shoulder, giving him some comfort.

 “Dad skipped out on mum when we were young, took my brother with him.”

 “That sucks.”

 Nyx swatted Warren on the shoulder. “It must have been quite a shock for you. But, a good shock. It seems like you care for him, despite how long it’s taken.”

 “And he’s your brother. He’s still important.”

 “Yeah… kinda makes up for the rest of the trouble.”

 “You don’t get quiet travels either?” Nyx asked.

 “Did you travel with these two as well?” Warren gestured to the twins.

 “Hey!”

 “We don’t bring all the trouble!”

 “You should be proud of your trouble magnetism.” Nyx laughed. “Most people probably have boring travels… defeated this gym leader, saw a pidgey.” She grinned. “Us – yeah, discovered another of us is blessed and preened a baby Ho-oh.”

 “No biggie.” Arlette smirked.

 “Boring can be good as well, though. Must be nice to actually have a quiet moment once in a while.”

 “Nothing much is happening now though. At least, nothing too out of the ordinary,” Zlata said to Warren. “We should enjoy it while it lasts… until something inevitably out of the ordinary will happen to us.”

 “Quiet travels are overrated anyway.” Aurora shrugged. “What the hell do people do without all the legendary banter?”

 “Talk about the weather?” Warren suggested. “I wonder what the next big event will be then.”

 “Lavender seems like it could be eventful,” Zlata replied.

 “Ah… yeah, that’ll be interesting.” Ax nodded. “It was when I went through, anyway.”

 “How many times?”

 “Eh… well, two times things have happened. I go more often than that.” She looked to the side, frowning.

 Kera nuzzled at her neck, purring.

 “May I ask what things happened?” Ryun asked, turning to Ax. “Unless they were very bad.”

 “There was possession by malevolent ghost.”

 “How come?”

 “Courtesy – or because of – Mewtwo.”

 “Really? His blessing doesn’t seem all that good. Not that mine is that helpful.”

 “It has its uses.” Warren smirked. “Ow!”

 Nyx punched him in the arm. “One more chance, that’s all you’re getting!”

 “I’m sorry.” Ryun winced, shaking his head.

 “Please keep it to yourself.” Zlata glared at Warren.

 Warren bowed his head, still smirking.

 “T’be honest, none of our blessings are all that helpful,” Arlette said, shrugging. “Pain in the ass is what they are, most of the time.”

 “Just slightly. Still… can’t change the wind you sail with.”

 “We can adjust our sails, though.”

 “True enough.” Ax shook her head. “Doesn’t make the crossing any less rough.”

 “How long ago was it this happened?”

 “About… four… five years ago?” Ax frowned. “I forget.”

 “Four years would match up with when we met you on Cinnabar.”

 “Well… it’s long past now.” Nyx smiled.

 “You have to keep living with it.” Ryun nodded. “It’s not changeable now.”

 Kera snorted, rolling her eyes.

 Ax laughed. “Kera agrees with you, by the way. About leaving it in the past.”

 “And well she should.” Arlette grinned, reaching up to stroke Kera. “We’re the sensible ones in this case.”

 “Do… do you know anything about Mewtwo?” Nyx asked. “Besides the blessing he gave you.”

 “Why?” Ax glanced at her. “But… not really. He kept – keeps – himself to himself.” She lifted the pikachu from her shoulder and passed her across to Arlette.”

 “Is he still after revenge?” Nyx asked carefully.

 “Who said he was after revenge?”

 Arlette frowned, glancing between the two of them. To the side, Zlata shuddered and shook her head.

 “Well, if he’d been locked away in that cave and all…”

 “It would make sense.” Ax nodded. “Not as far as I know. I think we got it.”

 “Who was he after?”

 “Who d’you think?” Arlette asked.

 “Well… yes, but – it wasn’t too bad, was it?”

 “Considering it was when he was mind linked with me rather than free, no.” Ax frowned at Nyx. “He was just fired.”

 “Giovanni?”

 “Yeah. Though the official stuff just says he’s retired, of course. Why d’you care?”

 “No reason,” Arlette said quickly, making a sharp hand gesture for Nyx to stop asking. “Curiosity and all that.”

 “You’re mind linked with Mewtwo?” Zlata asked, looking up. “How, exactly?”

 “Oh, he laughs and occasionally helps out with information and getting places. I think it’s the reason I can understand my team, as well. In return, I help calm him down.”

 “That’s good, such an anger wouldn’t help anyone. Especially not a pokémon as powerful as him.” Nyx looked up. “How did you get him fired?”

 “Mewtwo recognised him and we got him caught up in the whole Team Rocket thing, even though they’ve been out of it for ages.” Ax shrugged.

 “It’s… surprising he wasn’t punished more,” Nyx said.

 Arlette shook her head, wincing.

 “Well… it was resign and go quietly, and keep his gym leader reputation intact, or get a shit storm. The region wasn’t too keen on him not going quietly, considering how it would reflect on them.”

 “That would make sense.” Aurora nodded, flicking a glance towards Zlata and Ryun.

 “Why the interest, anyway?”

 “It really doesn’t matter.”

 “Probably best to keep the full version for now.” Nyx shrugged. “Giovanni–”

 “Nyx. It doesn’t matter. Let it go,” Arlette interrupted her.

 “Why? It’s not anything to be ashamed of.”

 “Count the facts. Mewtwo. Not the biggest fan of Giovanni. Ax has a link to said disgruntled legendary.”

 “It’s not a link I can close, either. Anything I hear, he hears, pretty much.”

 Nyx considered them and nodded. “Fine, then.” She walked ahead, with Warren.

 Ax sighed. “Sorry.”

 “Don’t worry about it,” Aurora murmured. “It’s still a bit of a sore point around here.” She glanced pointedly at Zlata.

 “Right.” Ax turned away, pulling herself up onto Keyare’s back.

 “You… don’t have to leave,” Arlette said.

 “No… it’s probably best. I’ve my brother to meet and drag out, anyway.”

 “Good luck with your brother, then.” Ryun bowed his head. “And with your journey.”

 “Thanks.” Ax nodded. “Kera.”

 The pikachu jumped across from Arlette’s arms and the charizard caught her, handing her to Ax.

 “Some other time.”

 “Sure.” Ax nodded as Keyare spread his wings. “See you.” She took off.

 The twins waved after her until she was only a speck in the sky, and turned to walk after the rest of the group.

 “Can we go over the ‘when to stop talking’ guidelines now?”

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

I Have the Power of God and Anime on My Side

so this spins off the roleplay in a way I would have loved to go but sadly that was Not the Plan.

Rather than resetting the whole world and making the apocalypse not happen by way of time travel Stuff, the twins did This instead

(and ok, I did it for the title alone but also it was just Fun. There's more of these coming (once I finish writing them))

~

 Aurora stands where she’s always stood; between her people and the danger. Between the world and its destruction. Beside her sister. She’s powerless, half blind, tired. Her leg aches where it’s cupped by the prosthetic, the long walk and fight wearing on it.

 Pink’s gone, running after Pim into the cave. Zlata and Ryun are standing before Nyx, who’s sitting up, staring at Zlata.

 “How,” Giratina growls, rearing back. There’s a hint of panic in his voice, but he masters it. “It doesn’t matter, I have the power of time and space now… you cannot match me.”

 Nyx’s attention snaps to Ryun. “You – it can’t be left to grow–”

“Enough!” Giratina roars. “I have waited long enough for this day, and you will not stop this.” He rears, wings spreading like the night against the white bleakness behind him.

 Nyx springs forward, between the twins. The two remaining hounds join her, yapping in concert.

 A wall of distortion rises, to stop Giratina. It’s elegant and gleaming with black crystals, but barely holds before it starts to crack under the pressure he exerts.

 Her legs buckle. Nyx reaches a hand towards her hounds and the distortion rises from them like ash to strengthen her barrier.

 Ryun gasps as the distortion fades from him, the scales peeling clear of his skin.

 “You’re healed?” Zlata exclaims.

 “I suppose so,” Ryun says, faint, as if he can’t quite believe it.

 “What now?” Zlata asks the twins.

 Aurora looks down at the sickles in her hands; they’re worn and old and blunt, the blades chipped. There’s blood running down her arm from the torn sleeve, where one of Nyx’s hounds bit her.

 The crystal shatters, and everyone is thrown backwards from the blast.

 Giratina recovers first, a harsh red glow beginning to emanate from his chest. “You cannot win this,” he hisses.

 Nyx looks to her mightyena. “Go, now! It’s safer there!” She points them towards the shattered doorway that Pim and Pink had disappeared through.

They leave, running into the darkness.

 Nyx creates another wall of crystal and turns to the group. “In there,” she says, her voice soft and trembling. “She’s in there… maybe she can help. I can seal the door once we’re all inside.”

 Arlette struggles back to her feet, her arms useless hunks of metal. She shakes her head, narrowing her eyes at Aurora, tipping her head towards Giratina.

 “No – you go,” Aurora says, turning on her heel. There’s something still there, a faint thread where there had been a flood of power.

 “What can you do?” Zlata asks. “If there’s someone down there–”

 “Zlata,” Aurora cuts her off, “Trust us. Follow Nyx down there.” She meets her sister’s eyes and nods. “This is what we trained for, right?”

 Nyx trembles as her wall of crystal shakes under Giratina’s attack. “I can’t hold him forever!”

 “Then go,” Aurora says, and holds up her hand. “We’ve got this.”

 Arlette nods when Zlata and Ryun look to her.

 Hohenheim herds them into the cave, coating himself in flames.

 “Now, where were we?” Aurora turns back to the cracking barrier. “The power of time and space on your side?” She lets out a harsh bark of laughter and then can’t stop.

 There’s the thinnest of wires, barely a thread, that connects her to something. Not her sister; that connection is as steady as it had been before all of this, worry and trust and the flicker of confidence burning through it.

 Giratina roars and the crystal breaks around them.

 Aurora throws up her hands to shield her face, letting her sickles clash in front of her. "The power of - ok, ok." Her hands are trembling, though she tries to hide it, and the sickle is just a worn and stained sickle in her grasp, the edge of it dulled. "Time and Space? Buddy, we're still standing right here." And she yanks back on the thread that still connected her to Palkia's gem where it’s been consumed by Giratina.

 Silvery-pink light suffuses her as she is lifted off her feet. A pink gem erupts from the suit across her chest, and her armour spreads from it, plating back in across her arms and down to her fingers, setting gems in the backs of her hands and turning her sickles back into hoops.

 She lets go of them and they fly in arcs around her as Aurora tilts her head back, closing her eyes.

 The boot is next, with a heel and a thick cuff that gathers in the loose leg of her trousers, and then the pink-washed skirt flares out from her waist. Her prosthetic shifts as well, becoming the same silvery-pink, though the pink doesn't stay static, continuing to wash through it in waves.

 Wings erupt from her back, all stained glass and bigger than they'd ever been before; they're shaped like moth wings now, but twice as colourful. Every pane shows a different place where a portal had been.

 Aurora brings her gloved hands up to her face as the metal plating on her head shifts to pattern like scales across both her cheekbones, underlining her eyes. A small screen appears in front of her blue eye, seemingly unattached to anything.

 Silver and pink thread through the many strands of her elaborate plait, curling up into pearls every time they cross over each other.

 For a final touch, a scarf unfurls about her neck and tumbles down her back between her wings, attaching to a hood that covers her hair and rests on the crown of her head, dipping to a slight point between her eyes.

 The light of it fades as Aurora still hangs there. Her hoops anchor at her hips.

 She winks at Giratina, still posed with her hands before her face. "And I have the power of god and anime on my side."

 Before he can react, she punches him.

 Giratina stumbles back from her, recovering as he stares at her with something like shock. The red chain that had connected him to Palkia is fading, pulsing weakly in the bright and empty nothingness.

 "Step up, Time," Aurora calls, landing lightly on the ground again. Her wings loosen and fold about her as a cloak, the world still shifting through it.

 Arlette's transformation is quicker and less flashy. Silver and blue flood her, plating armour in its wake. Her arms fill out until they aren't just metal bones but full gauntlets, and she flexes her fingers when she regains control.

 The gem forms on her back and then becomes her shield. The chain in her hand finishes creating the blade at the end of it, long and wickedly sharp.

 Her facemask disappears, revealing the metal lines that have threaded through her cheeks and jaw, matching the hard blue of her eyes. Half a helmet encases her head, fitting itself to the high collar of her armour, overshadowing her eyes with a dipped brim but leaving off covering her face.

 Arlette steps into place beside Aurora and starts to spin the chain into faster circles until it’s a screaming blur in the air beside her.

 "You were saying?" Aurora asks.

 The fight is brutal but fast. Giratina has been thrown off by the surge and disappearance of his sibling’s powers, and the twins are faster than ever.

 Arlette wields her chain like a whip, like a fishing line, catching through his wings and about his horns, dragging him out of the air when he tries to take off.

 Aurora bounces through mini portals, just out of reach of his lunges, shredding through his grave-shroud wings. She’s content to play with him, tire him out, wear him down to nothing.

 It’s Arlette, eventually, who traps Giratina on the ground. Her chain is wrapped about him, pinning his wings in place, and the blade is pointed at his throat. She stands on his chest, leaning down.

 “It was always going to end this way,” she says, her voice echoing into the emptiness at the end of the world.

“Kill me, then,” Giratina hisses, his voice broken and sibilant and curling around them. “Make her like you. She will rise again and the world will fall.”

 “No,” cries a quiet voice from behind them.

 Aurora looks around to see Nyx in the entrance to the cave, arms wrapped around her chest.

 “If - if you – I don’t want that,” Nyx says, staring at the tableau. “I never wanted... this.”

 “Time,” Aurora says.

 Arlette nods. She steps back from Giratina’s chest and flicks her chain up. He’s released like a spun top, and before he can right himself, Aurora kicks him backwards into the portal he’d opened to arrive here.

 “We’ll come and visit,” she says, and stitches it shut.

 Aurora lands next to Arlette with a thud. They stand on the plateau at the end of the world and reach out to each other.

 Nyx watches – Zlata and Hohenheim too, Ryun just over her shoulder – as Aurora’s wings spread wide, her scarf flipping out and waving in a breeze that they create. They're both vibrating, glowing like suns.

 The sheer white blankness about them tears to pieces as they both glow, vibrating so fast they almost disappear. Aurora’s wings are spread, the regions playing through them.

 Hohenheim cries out, rushing to the edge of the platform.

 Sinnoh unfurls before him, stretching far below the clouds to the horizon.

“You’ve… everything is back? You’ve fixed it?” Zlata asks.

 “We couldn’t roll back the clock,” Arlette says. “We’ve just recreated what we knew. But now everything can heal.”

 “Which begs the question,” Aurora says, a portal pulsing between her pink-tipped fingers. "Where would you like to go?"

 “Before that, there’s - I’m sorry, she’s still trapped,” Nyx says. “I brought her here and kept her, but she sealed herself in and I could never – he could never break through.”

 The twins share a glance.

 “Show us,” Arlette says.

 Aurora folds her hands over the nascent portal between her fingers.

 Nyx leads them down into the caves. There’s a thick carpet of clear dust that leads them through the tunnel, tamped down by footprints.

 It opens into a cavern with an enormous crystal in the centre of it.

 Pink is already there, crouched by Pim’s broken body at the edge of the cavern.

 “Fuck, Pim!” Aurora strides the length of the room and drops down beside him, reaching a hand gingerly to his head. “Will you be able to do anything for him, if we get out of this?”

 “Maybe if we got him back to Alola.”

 “Well, we can do that,” Aurora says. “Easy. Just – give us a minute, alright?” She gets back to her feet.

 Nyx sinks to the ground in front of the crystal. She lifts a hand to place against its surface and her eyes gleam red.

The crystal is marred with scratches that rake across almost every inch of it, but they don't make it hard to see into the depths.

 There’s a figure trapped inside, like a bug in amber. It is mostly sprawled back, propped up on one elbow, and legs splayed as if they were trying to get back on their feet. Their head is tilted up and they seemed to be smirking, their eyes open.

 “This is your prisoner?” Zlata asks, her voice cold. “Who are they?”

 “Arceus’s Chosen,” Nyx replies, her voice soft. “Jay. My godmother. Their mother.” She dips her head to Arlette and Aurora. “He wanted to kill her so bad, but he couldn’t, so I hid her down here.”

 “Well,” Arlette says, following Nyx to the crystal.

 “Soise and Brith did believe she was still around somewhere,” Aurora joins them.

 Arlette presses her hand against the crystal, and the metal of her hand spreads out into the cracks, trying to break a chunk of it off.

 Aurora taps her fingers against it.

 There’s a series of bell-like chimes that emanate from the crystal, and it shatters with a blast of golden light.

 Hohenheim squeaks, covering himself and Zlata with his wings. Zlata reaches for Ryun’s hand, tugging him back in beside her.

 Nyx gasps and falls to her knees as the body hits the ground in a rain of crystal shards. “Jay?”

The person hits the ground in a pile of crystal shards. She doesn't look like much. She's probably taller than the twins standing, and wirier, muscles shifting under the thin white lines of tattoos that waver down her arms and darken through a smoky grey to black before disappearing under a ragged pair of fingerless gloves. The lines become blue feathers over her shoulders, like pauldrons stitched into her skin. The crescent scar on her face is faded out with age, barely noticeable. Her hair is a deep, shifting blue, tied back in a messy ponytail. Her eyes are - strange. They're mostly brown, but cracks of emerald green spread from the pupils across the irises in jagged splinters.

 “Nyx,” they say, their voice rough as they twist onto their front and look up to see her. “Skies, Nyx, I’m so sorry.”

 “You’re sorry… this is all my fault,” Nyx chokes out, beginning to cry. “I just wanted her back.” She hugs herself, curling smaller.

 “I know.” Jay reaches out to touch Nyx’s shoulder. “I know.”

 The twins watch, holding their armour up still, their faces in shadow.

 Jay looks up, noticing them anyway.

 “Hey.” Aurora waves. “I’m–”

 “Aurora,” Jay says, getting to her feet. She pulls Nyx up with her. “You – you pulled it off.”

 “More or less.” Arlette shrugs. She searches through the bag at her side and throws Jay a bundle of fabric. “This is yours.”

 Jay shakes it out to reveal a dark blue trench coat, the sleeves an almost imperceptible shade darker, devoid of the embroidered lines that pattern the rest of the coat. “Why… do you have this?”

“You left it behind,” Arlette says.

 Jay glances between them. “I left a lot behind.”

 “Yeah.” Aurora shifts on her feet.

 “Thanks.” Jay pulls on the coat, the movement awkward as she seems unwilling to let go of Nyx.

“There’s no one else trapped down here?” Aurora asks Nyx.

 She shakes her head.

 “Alright.” Aurora turns to Pink. “You can save Pim if we get you to Alola?”

 She nods, returning Pim to his pokéball. “Yeah.

 “Galar might have the tech for it as well, they weren’t hit so badly. I know some people who would be delighted to help.” Aurora grins under her hood.

 Pink smiles and shakes her head. "Alola, please, boss."

 “Alright.” Aurora twists her hand over and a portal appears.

 She draws it bigger to reveal clinical white walls and bright lights.

 “Just call, if you want either of us,” Arlette says. “Anywhere, anytime.”

 “Thanks.” Pink takes a breath and hesitates, looking around at the group. “I… yeah. We should meet up again sometime.”

Zlata shakes her head. “I look forward to welcoming you back to Ecruteak. May it be on better terms.”

 Pink tilts her head, amused. “Sure,” she says. “Could be good.” She nods to Nyx and Arlette in farewell and walks through the portal.

Aurora closes her hand and the portal swirls to black in her wake. “Zlata? Where do you want to go?”

"I have to go to Kalos," Zlata says. "I made a deal."

"Let us parley with that one," Arlette replies. "Where do you want to go?"

“He won’t be satisfied with you, he’ll come after us.”

“As he would have if you’d stayed dead,” Arlette says gently. “Trust us; we will satisfy him.”

“Like I said to Ryun,” Aurora says, “There is always another way. Now. Where do you want to go?”

Zlata hesitates and looks to Hohenheim, then Ryun. “Can you promise that he won’t hurt Johto?”

“I can,” Arlette says. Her eyes gleam silver as she speaks. “You and yours will be safe from him.”

Hohenheim nudges at Zlata’s side and chirps. They exchange some kind of conversation.

Ryun nods when Zlata looks at him. “Let them do this for you.”

“You’ve already died for us, Zlata. That’s a pretty big favour to repay.” Aurora smiles carelessly. “Now. Where do you want to go?”

"Johto," Zlata says, without hesitation, finally. "Ecruteak."

 Aurora flicks the portal out from between her hands and it expands before her until it’s tall and wide enough for the three of them to walk through. Ecruteak’s red leaves blow through on a distant wind, flurrying about Zlata’s feet.

 Zlata still hesitates. “What about after?”

 “After?”

 “When you’ve - where will you go?”

 Aurora grins. “We’ll see you all around, don’t worry.”

With Hohenheim and Ryun at her sides, she walks through.

 The portal swirls to black in their wake.

Aurora picks it up as it shrinks, bouncing it lightly in her hand. "I'm sending you to Lavaridge," she says to Nyx. "Alex is there."

"Alex..." Jay murmurs.

"My dad?" Nyx asks.

"He's not quite as you remember," Aurora says. "But I think you can help."

Nyx nods.

"If you want to go anywhere after that, just call. I'll hear."

Jay smiles.

Aurora lets the portal expand again, and this time ash speckles the ground on top of the crystal shards and red leaves.

“Thank you,” Nyx says to both of them. “I know – that can’t have been easy.”

“It’s what we were meant to do.” Aurora shrugs.

“I don't believe in fate,” Jay says. “But I’m sorry I couldn’t save you from it.”

“The past cannot be changed,” Arlette replies, before Aurora can. “You must look to the future now.”

Nyx takes a deep breath and nods, and lets go of Jay’s hand. “Thank you,” she says again.

Jay looks down at her empty hand. “Do you want to do this alone?”

“I–” Nyx looks up to meet her eyes. “I’ve already taken you from your own family for so long, I can’t…”

Jay reaches out a hand to sweep Nyx’s hair back from her face, rubbing her thumb over Nyx’s forehead.

 “You’re her family too,” Arlette says. “And we…”

 “You need her more,” Aurora says. “I mean, obviously it’s your choice, but–”

 Jay laughs. “Nyx. Would you like me to come with you?” She doesn’t take her hand from Nyx’s face.

 Nyx reaches up to take Jay’s hand. “Please,” she whispers.

 “Alright.” Jay nods. She studies the twins. “Will you come to Lavaridge, when you’re done in Kalos?”

 Aurora hesitates and exchanges a glance with Arlette. “Sure,” she says. “We’ll come.”

 “Good,” Jay says, and offers them a soft smile. “We should… talk.”

 Aurora gestures them to the portal.

 “Alright,” Jay says. “Ready?” She wipes a tear from Nyx’s face and squeezes her hand.

 Nyx takes a deep breath and nods. “Thank you,” she says to the twins. “For saving me, for…” she glances over them both, still standing there in their armour.

 She lets the rest of her sentence fade into the cavern around them.

 “You deserved to be free,” Arlette says. “Now go home.”

 Nyx and Jay walk through the portal together, and it fades in their wake.

The twins exchange a glance.

"So," Arlette says.

"So," Aurora agrees, as she squashes the portal between her hands.

 Together, they walk out of the cavern and back onto the plateau. It’s recovered from their fight. The pillars of the old temple stand again, weather beaten and time ravaged.

 Aurora pushes down her hood and shakes her plait free of her scarf, letting it hang down her back, to one side of her wings.

“Kalos.”

Aurora holds out a hand. “Let’s see what we can do.”

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

I Think I'm Done

Hi!! I have some more writing!

It's sad tho :( Aurora did Not have a good time in Alola. She almost got back on an even keel and then local Fuck Boy McEmo turned round and kicked her when she was down and I took one look at that part of the roleplay and went "welp, she's leaving town"

but not before some soft conversations!

~

 Aurora’s sitting on her bed, knee hugged to her chest and prosthetic on the floor, when someone knocks on the door.

 Kicks is more like it, which tells her who it is. She doesn’t answer right away.

 “Can I come in?” Time's voice is soft, like she’s remembered that Aurora’s hearing is fine-tuned.

 “Sure.”

 She sidles in awkwardly, pushing the door shut with her foot and leaning against the wall.

 “Arms not working yet?” Aurora studies them. They’re hunks of metal, barely defined. Nowhere near the craftmanship that went into her leg. Time must rely a lot on her metal skill. More than she relies on her water skill.

 Why did the legendaries give them that, too? Surely time and space would have been enough, but... here they are.

 “Not quite.” She flexes stubby fingers, and the movement is stiff.

 Aurora shuffles along the bed towards the pillows. “Have a seat.”

 Torchlight chirrs at her as she disturbs his rest.

 “I know.” She strokes his back.

 “That’s new.”

 “Skyla gifted me him. Well. It might have been Iris? Both of them.”

 Time sits down and shuffles to make herself comfortable.

 Sitting against the same wall like this it becomes hard to look at her, so Aurora doesn’t.

 “Do you want to talk about it?”

 Aurora wrinkles her nose and shrugs.

 Time nods.

 Aurora strokes down Torchlight’s back. There’s no one else near enough to listen. She thinks. She can’t hear anyone. That doesn’t mean he’s not hiding in the walls as a fucking ghost-

 She shakes her head, violently rocking a shiver all the way down her spine. Feels more than sees Time’s enquiring glance.

 “I hated that I was afraid of him. I hated how terrified and alone he made me feel, reliving that...” she trails off. “And he looks like that. He’s weak and he couldn’t walk without help, and he’s barely been any help. And when he has busted out the – the help, I haven’t...

 “Really hoped he’d stay in Unova, but he seems intent on getting back to her. So – fine. Whatever. The rest was fine with him. I was the outlier, so I just. Coped. And he didn’t do anything because he can barely do anything, and I’d thought-” She scoffs. “Well. I was wrong, anyway. Clearly.”

 “What... had he done? Before?”

 “He worked for the NightChild.” Aurora rests her head back against the wall. “After Sinnoh, before Johto, more often than not, he... he made me relive Coronet.”

 Time lets out her breath too softly for a gasp. “Darkrai blessed?”

 Aurora nods briefly. “And apparently I haven’t been quick enough to forgive him for his liking.”

 “You don’t have to forgive him.”

 Aurora snorts. “I should have shot him where we found him.”

 “Why didn’t you?”

 “Ricochet got in the way. And then everyone else appealed to my good side.” Aurora let out a dark chuckle. “Bold of them to assume I have one.”

 “You always were the stronger of us for that,” Time says. “I’m not sure I could have got this far.” She looks down at her mostly inert left hand. “I probably would have killed him that first night.”

 “I couldn’t risk losing the rest of them. Not right after-” Aurora glances at the rose on the table. Would it ever not hurt to think of them?

 “Do you want to tell me about them?”

 “Not tonight,” says Aurora, and is dimly surprised to realise she means it. She’d meant to say not ever, but a different truth had slipped out instead.

 “Alright.”

 “I think I hate him,” Aurora says. She wishes she had beer. “More than the NightChild.”

 “She’s business. The job we were born for.” Time slowly closes her fingers, and the beaten metal smooths out, becoming more articulate. “He’s personal.”

 Aurora let slip a weak smile.

 Time lets one answer.

 Aurora looks past the rose to the window. “I don’t know if I can continue. I almost didn’t when we passed Mistralton and we were so close to home I could taste it. But now...”

 “I can close the portals. Where would you go?”

 Aurora shrugs. “Maybe home. Maybe Ilex. Maybe Castelia.” She snorts. “We both know I can’t.”

 “You’ve done so much. I don’t think anyone could fault you-”

 “Oh, we both know someone could.” Aurora’s grin was forced and feral.

 “Does his opinion really even matter?”

 “Oh, not in the slightest. I just... don’t want to give him the satisfaction of thinking he’s been proven right.”

 “Spite is the great motivator.”

 Aurora laughs and presses the palms of her hands into her eyes. “Can you leave now? Please?”

 Time got to her feet. “Of course.”

 “Thanks for – this. For having my back. Even after... how I’ve been treating you.”

 Time looks back at Aurora. “Thanks for saving my life. Again.”

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

What's In A Name

In which Arlette is still very pissed off and may take it out on the first person that tries her

~

 Arlette shifted her bag onto her back as they entered the square, spotting the shopping centre. “There you go.”

 “You say that like you’re not coming in.” Aurora frowned, glancing at her.

 “Don’t feel like it.” Arlette shrugged. “I’ll wait outside, if that’s alright?”

 “Hm.” Soise stared at her, frowning.

 “I’m not going to blow anything up, Soise. Or reduce anything to rubble. I just – don’t feel like going shopping, ok?”

 “Raph, Rem, shut up!” Nyx frowned, lifting a hand in an attempt to silence the rats who were squeaking by her ear. “Arlette, are you sure? There’s supposed to be a really good plushie shop inside.”

 Warren shrugged. “It can get a little bit crowded. We’ll not hang around, if you’re staying outside. We’ll get what we want and leave.”

 “If you’re sure, Alrette, then we won’t take our time. Will you be alright on your own?” Zlata asked.

 “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Arlette nodded, folding her arms. “Don’t cut your time short ‘cause of me, really.” She forced a smile. “If you can take too long, I can always speed up my section of it.”

 “Well… alright then. But have some company.” Nyx smiled, flipping open a pokéball to release Xinch. You and Aurora seem to have a way with him, anyway.”

 Xinch scuttled over to Arlette, prodding her legs gently with his mandibles.

 “We still shouldn’t keep you waiting,” Zlata said, glancing at Xinch. “Take care, Arlette.”

 Arlette watched them leave and turned away, sidling a way through the crowd to find somewhere to sit. Xenos whistled at her, leaning into her neck.

 “I don’t know, Xen.” She found a stone fountain and released Shyran and Sargeras to play in the water. “Just… legacy, that’s all.” She swung her bag down to rest at her feet, sitting down on the wide ledge when the dedication plaque rose to give her a backrest.

 Xinch clambered up beside her to sit down, settling to wash his fur. Xenos slipped down Arlette’s arm to sit on the plaque, watching the water types.

 “I think… we’ve been going about things the wrong way, Xen.”

 He whistles up at her, tilting his head.

 “I don’t know. I need to sort out a few things.” She rubs her face, closing her eyes.

 “What sort of things?”

 Arlette cracked open an eye to glance over the teenager standing before them. “Title things.”

 “Can’t have too many titles, you’re young.” He sat down, dipping a hand in the water. “Unless you were born into them.”

 “Well…” Arlette shrugged. “It’s more of a name.”

 Shyran bobbed up out of the fountain to squirt water at him.

 He spluttered, shaking droplets from his face. “What name?”

 “NightGale.” Arlette stroked Xinch.

 “Woah – dude, you’re the NightGale?” He leapt to his feet, grinning.

 “No, that’s my–”

 “Can we have a battle? I’ve always wanted to battle the NightGale.”

 “I told you, I’m not–”

 “You’re younger than I expected, I thought you’d beaten six leagues? Must’ve moved–”

 “I am not the NightGale!” Arlette yelled, glaring at him. “She’s my ma.”

 He quietened down, but only momentarily. “Still… you must be some battler, hey? What with being a NightGale and all.”

 Arlette sighed, rolling her eyes. “I’m not really a battler.”

 “Oh, come on! You have pokémon!” He gestured at Xenos, Shyran, and Xinch, missing out Sargeras, who was watching from the other side of the fountain.

 Xinch crackled at the stranger, snapping his mandibles.

 “Doesn’t mean I battle.” She placed a hand on the galvantula’s back.

 “But you’re a NightGale! Come on, you have to be a good battler.” He grinned, leaping away and holding out a pokéball. “Just two rounds… you’ll win anyway, NightGales always do.”

 Arlette gritted her teeth.  Xenos whistled at her, dropping down and teleporting to land on the ground in front of her. She watches him, frowning.

 “That’s the spirit!”

 “Two rounds, and then you’ll bugger off?”

 “Oh – sure, sure.” He grinned, releasing a snover. “Powder snow.”

 Snow swirled around the pokémon as he backed away, giving them more room.

 Arlette didn’t stand up, but watched carefully. “Double team.”

 Xenos nodded and tilted his head, seeming to shimmer and appear in a ring around the snover.

 “Icy wind.”

 The snow sharpened, screaming as it swirled around the snover, and caught every image of Xenos there was.

 “Lucky Chant.” Arlette watched, not taking her eyes off Xenos.

 As Xenos whistled, the snover stepped forward and tried to stop him, slamming a fist into his chest. Xenos was thrown backwards, crashing into the fountain’s foundation.

 “Are you going to fight at all?”

 “You think it would work any better?”

 Xenos pushed himself upright and whistled, glowing slightly. Then he ran back out, slamming himself into the snover’s side.

 “Wood hammer!”

 Xenos is slammed back once more. Arlette picked at a loose thread in the seam of her trousers. As Xenos landed, he caught himself before he could tumble, glowing still.

 “Heal pulse.”

 Xenos whistled and nodded.

 “Are you going to attack at all?”

 Arlette sighed and pulled a pouch from her bag. “Magical leaf.” Opening it, she scattered wooden leaves onto the ground.

 Xenos caught them and spun them forward, attacking the snover.

 “Really?” Her challenger laughed. “Come on, that’s not even effective! Wood hammer!”

 Xenos stumbled back as the snover loomed over him, a fist raised.

 “Double–”

 Arlette’s voice was lost in the rush of water that came hurtling over the rim behind Sargeras as the vaporeon slammed into the snover, snarling furiously. The snover slammed its fist into Sargeras instead, sending her crashing into the flagstone pavement. Xenos held out his palms, a weak psychic blast coming off them.

 “I thought you’d be trying harder than this, NightGale.”

 “I am not – the – NightGale!” Arlette yelled, jumping to her feet and disturbing Xinch. “Now shut the hell up, you damn water skunk!”

 Sargeras got to her feet shakily, blood staining her side. Xenos moved forward and spun, slamming himself once more into the snover’s side – beginning to glow again, but a different glow from previously.

 The snover grunted and slapped him away. Xenos shrieked and hit the fountain, collapsing at its bottom – and stopped glowing.

 Arlette dropped to her knees, picking him up. “Dammit, Xen… sorry.”

 “You’re making this easy, aren’t you?” He returned his snover, sending out a chingling. “C’mon, last round.”

 “Or maybe, you know, it’s because I’m no a battler?” Arlette didn’t turn to face him, but her voice was shaking.

 Sargeras limped forward as if to face the chingling, but Arlette held her back.

 “Na-uh, your vaporeon stepped in in the last round, it’s your other pokémon.”

 “I didn’t order her in,” Arlette replied, standing up and cradling Xenos. “So I’ll no agree t’that. Shy, you’re up.”

 The horse swam up in the fountain, moving to the edge.

 “Smoke screen.”

 Shy squeaked and ink plumed around him, hiding him from view. The chingling bobbed over to the fountain, peering to try and see him.

 “Confusion.”

 Shyran squealed in pain as the chingling rested on the parapet, glowing.

 “Water gun.” Arlette watched, ignoring the trainer behind her.

 “Oh, your pokémon do know attacking moves! I was beginning to wonder.”

 Water burst out of the cloud of ink, smacking the chingling square in the face. It shook itself off, producing a clear chime.

 “Astonish!”

 Shyran dived under the water as the chingling moved, avoiding the attack. He looked up at it, watching.

 “Bring it back up,” the teenager muttered.

 The chingling bounced across the stone, ringing its bell. Shyran rose up, brought by the sound.

 “Uproar.”

 The chingling’s noise trebled in volume, causing Arlette to wince and grit her teeth. Shyran squealed and retaliated with a beam of multi coloured ice, which only stopped when the chingling slammed into him from behind, cracking him into the lip of the fountain.

 Arlette stepped forward, dipping a hand into the water for Shyran. Shyran squealed and leapt over her head for the chingling, water surging around him to smack it into the ground.

 “Confusion!”

 The two pokémon tumble to the ground and Arlette stepped back so that she didn’t get caught up.

 Shyran blasted the water into the chingling’s face, but it just shook it off and gripped him in a psychic hold, pushing him away into the fountain. Shyran squealed, furiously trying to break free.

 “Let’s just finish this.” The trainer had his arms folded, tapping his foot.

 His chingling bobbed and slammed Shyran into the ground, where he lay limp. Arlette moved to pick him up, and Sargeras leapt over her back and grabbed the chingling, growling furiously.

 “Hey! Hey, this was a two on two – call your vaporeon off!”

 “Sargeras.”

 Sargeras whined around the chingling, looking up at Arlette.

 “Drop it.”

 Sargeras dropped the chingling, kicking it back to its trainer.

 “Is that seriously the best you can do?” He returned it, folding his arms again. “’Cause, you know, being a NightGale and all–”

 “Get this into your thick, mud filled head, you stupid pounder,” Arlette snapped, cutting across him. “Yes, I’m a NightGale. But I am not my mother. I am not a battler – and we are not all the same!”

 Sargeras snarled beside her, pacing with Arlette as she stepped forward, raising clenched fists.

 He took a step back. “Hey, I didn’t–”

 “Yes you fucking did, don’t even try that shit on me. If you want to have your head kicked in by the NightGale, she’s over by Unova. Better get your ass moving.”

 “Ha.” He snorted, shaking his head. “You’re not a NightGale at all, are you? They wouldn’t let themselves be beaten so easily.”

 “Get the fuck out of here before I show you what a NightGale can do!” Arlette roared, stepping forward again. “Just – get out of my sight, you misbegotten, ham fisted, shit headed–”

 He didn’t stick around to hear anymore, turning and running from sight. Arlette watched him go and then glared at the crowd that’s stopped, staring at her. Cursing, she returned her pokémon to their balls and hurried off in search of the pokémon centre.

 Xinch stretched out his legs and scurried after her, keeping up easily. He crackled at her as they entered the centre.

 “Hey Xinch,” she said quietly, glancing down at him. “Sorry ‘bout that.” She stalked over to the main desk. “These three need healed up.” She placed Xenos’, Shyran’s, and Sargeras’ pokéballs on the desk.

 “Right away.” The nurse nodded and took them. “I’ll call you over when they’re ready to be picked up.” He smiled at her.

 Arlette nodded and stalked away to a couch to sit down, tucking her legs up under her body. Xinch tilted his head and scuttled over to sit next to her, taking up the rest of the couch.

 A woman came into the pokécentre and spotted Arlette, walking over. “I saw the battle with that boy. He was rude to you,” she said, speaking softly.

 Arlette glanced up. “I think I was slightly ruder to him.” She placed a hand on Xinch’s back, stroking him.

 “Those were very colourful curse words you shouted at him. I’d say you swear like a sailor, but that might not be the best thing right now.” She glanced at Xinch. “Mind if I sit down?”

 Arlette shrugged. “Sure. Xinch, budge a bit?” She shifted nearer the end of the couch, perching herself on the arm and leaning on the wall to give them more room – keeping Xinch between them.

 Xinch crackled, shifting along after Arlette to give the woman some space.

 The woman smiled and sat down. “He shouldn’t have called you out to battle like that, or pressured you into it. Don’t feel bad for losing.”

 “I don’t feel bad about losing.” Arlette glanced over at the desk. “I’m not a trainer.”

 “Then why are you bothered?” The woman coughed. “Sorry, this is none of my business, but I am naturally curious. And you seem like you need somebody to talk to.”

 “Because – he wasn’t battling me because I’m a trainer.” Arlette rubbed at her right arm. “He was battling me because I’m a NightGale.”

 Xinch gurgled and nuzzled into Arlette.

 “Ah…” The woman smiled. “He was seeking fame and glory, but got the wrong NightGale?”

 Arlette scratched Xinch’s head. “Basically.”

 “You don’t have to be her, though. Children don’t always turn out like their parents, and that’s a good thing. It makes it interesting.”

 Arlette scowled. “I know.”

 Xinch crackled and delicately started to prod Arlette with his legs.

 “You could always change your name, if that is what you’re uncomfortable with. Plenty of people have given up names and titles to live undercover.” The woman shrugged. “Or you could change what the name means. That has been done too. Whatever you want to do, there is precedent for it.”

 “Excuse me.” The nurse leant over the side of the chair opposite Arlette. “Your three pokémon… about your ralts, though.”

 “What?” Arlette took the pokéballs, looking up. “What’s wrong with Xenos?”

 “Nothing, but… was he evolving?”

 “I think he was starting to. But he was… interrupted.”

 The nurse nodded. “It shouldn’t affect him too much, but he might be shaky for a while.”

 Arlette nodded. “Thank you.” She put the pokéballs into her bag, keeping Xenos’ to the side.

 As the nurse stepped away, the woman stood up. “You have some choices. You’re not the first to deal with this, and you will not be the last. I’m afraid I have to leave you – I need to be moving on, or else I’ll be late. But I postulate you won’t be staying here long either, am I correct?”

 Arlette frowned. “Probably not. Just waiting for the rest of my group.”

 “Then we might see each other again, if you and your group stop by Celestic. I’m heading up there now to study the ruins.” She gave Arlette a single wave. “My name is Diana, by the way. Diana Pallada. And yours? Aside from NightGale, of course.”

 “Arlette.” She flicked a glance up.

 Xinch gurgled at Diana, before returning to Arlette and continuing to clean her, beginning to spin out webbing.

 “It has been an interesting chat.” Diana gave Arlette a curt nod and left the pokécentre.

 Arlette released Xenos and curled up around her bag. Xenos whistled and shook his head, climbing onto her shoulder. Xinch crackled and started to bind her properly in webbing.

 “Haud on a tick.” Arlette pulled out a pokéball, releasing her furret. “Diana, go help the others find us again… once they’ve finished up, ‘kay?”

 Diana uncurled and nodded, darting away.

 Xinch teased out the threads, making the cocoon fluffy around Arlette.

 “You do know we’ll have to move soon, right?”

 Xinch shrugged and continued to wrap Arlette up in silk.

 “You’re carrying me, then.”

 Xinch crackled and finished off the cocoon before lifting Arlette onto his back. Xenos helped open the door and they were out into the square and heading for the shopping centre. There were dragons circling above the building, and Xinch sped up through the crowd before stopping beside Aurora, prodding her leg.

 “Hey, Arlette.” Aurora looked down. “Xinch taking care of you, then?”

 “Well, of course. He generally does.”

 Xinch squealed and dropped, letting Arlette roll from his back.

 “Are you able to move?”

 “Nope. Kinda comfortable here, though.”

 “Have fun trying to keep up with us.”

 Diana scampered over, investigating Arlette’s bound form. Xinch crackled happily, moving over to Nyx.

 “Arlette, you do know that’s what he does to his food before he eats it?”

 Zlata turned, still talking to Joanna, and saw Arlette. “Do you want some help?”

 “Well, he hasn’t eaten me yet.” Arlette looked up at Zlata. “Depends, are we moving on now?”

 “I think we’re moving soon…? At let, I believe Joanna and Alex were going, anyway. Before dragons appeared.”

 “Xinch wouldn’t hurt you, I suppose.” Nyx smirked, scratching Xinch. “I hope you haven’t been too bored waiting for us, we got caught up in pointless plushie buying.”

 “Pointless?” Joanna gasped.

 “Yours was pointless… but very cute.” Nyx smiled. “I think we were going north?”

 Warren nodded. “Towards Celestic.”

 “Oh, that place is beautiful!” Joanna nodded.

 “First, should we show Arlette what we got?”

 “I got things done. What did you get?” Arlette looked up at them.

 “Might want to get out of your cocoon.” Aurora grinned, pulling two item balls from her new bag.

 “Fine, fine…”

 Diana set about chewing at the threads, and Xinch hurried back over to help take them apart.

 Arlette wriggled and eventually managed to get out of the cocoon. “So, you were saying?”

 Aurora tossed her the item balls. “Figured you’d want a bit of cheering up.”

 “You’ll like them Arlette, Aurora picked them out specially for you.”

 “There was a lot of debate about which plushie to get. There were some good ones.”

 “Which one first, Xenos?” Arlette glanced at the two balls in her hands, tilting her head.

 Xenos whistled, shrugging. Arlette laughed and chucked them both into the air, shoving the one she caught with her left hand into her pocket.

 The other one contained a banette plushie, and she stroked a hand over its softness. “That’s going to make me feel so safe now.”

 “Just don’t throw it away and you’ll be fine.” Soise grinned.

“Oh, you decided on the banette then?” Nyx asked, looking closer. “Nice, very creepy indeed.”

 Warren nodded. “Suits you very well.”

 “It’s only a plushie, the real thing is the one you should watch out for. But it does suit you well, I agree.”

 “Yeah, she’s such a creep, right?” Aurora laughed.

 Hohenheim approached and took a lugia plushie from his back, apparently comparing it.

 “They are said to inhabit abandoned plushies, though.” Arlette balanced the banette on her free shoulder. “Or be born from them… or something.”

 “And the other one.” Aurora spun the other pokéball in her hand.

 Arlette caught it as Aurora flicked it into the air towards her. “If you stop stealing my stuff, maybe.” She released a long milotic plush and swept it off the ground.

 “And the milotic.” Nyx smiled, stroking it. “Very nice, but this isn’t anything like Arlette… it’s so pretty and sweet looking.”

 “And they both pale in comparison to the Reshi.” Joanna laughed.

 Arlette batted Nyx in the head with the milotic. “Thanks. I can clean up.”

 “Just not that prettily.” Soise smirked.

 “Alright, I believe you! No need to plush hammer me!” Nyx laughed, pushing the milotic away. “Plushies always help…”

 “That’s good. You seemed really down before,” Zlata said.

 “Yes.” Arlette returned the milotic, tucking it into her bag.

 “So… we’ll be going?” Aurora asked.

 “Yes, sorry for keeping you,” Alex said.

 “It was nice seeing you both.” Nyx smiled, hugging her parents before letting them get up on Flare. “I’ll come back to Lavaridge soon, I promise. With Warren?”

 “Of course. You can even have a house to yourselves, you’d probably like that.”

 Nyx blushed and bowed her head, and Warren linked his arm through hers.

 “We’ll put it next on the list of regions to visit, then.” Aurora nodded. “Be good to see more of Hoenn.”

 Flare took off, followed by Whitetip, and they leave dazzling streaks of fire in the sky behind them as they turn south. Hohenheim answered with a blue streak of fire.

 Zlata waved after them before turning to Arlette. “Do you have dark blue thread? I bought a coat I need to adjust.”

 “Should do.” Arlette returns the banette and shoves it into her bag, pulling out a box. “D’you want it just now or when we stop for the night?”

 “When we stop would be better, I can fix it up then. I’m just asking now in case I have to go back to the shopping centre and get some, but if you allow me to use yours, that would be better.”

 “Right y’are.” Arlette nodded, putting the box back into her bag and swinging it onto her shoulders. “I’d say remind me when we stop, but I’ll probably remember fine.”

 “So, we were heading north before plushies came up?” Nyx asked, leaning into Warren.

 “I believe we were.” Zlata nodded. “Up to Alamos, to the towers and the garden?”

 “Sounds like a plan!” Aurora spun, pointing to the north. “To Alamos!”

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

The Gateway to Understanding

Me? really liking to write blown out fancy power-flexing fights? never.

 lmao this is an expansion on a piece in one of the roleplays bc I didn’t feel it got justice done to it there.

~

Aurora smirked as the portal shifted and swallowed Morgan, dancing lightly across the walls to stand in front of it.

Phoe roared and every member of staff that was still standing involuntarily backed away. Then she turned to look at Aurora, and her eyes were gleaming dull red and there was saliva dripping along the length of her jaw. “Hera,” she snarled out, and as she padded towards Aurora and the portal, the floor cracked and writhed beneath her paws.

The walls, too, were changing. Falling apart. Wires hung free and sparked like fireworks in the dim room.

“She’s safe.” Aurora tilted her head and reached back to place a hand against the portal, steadying it against the influx of distortion energy that ran rampant through the room. “Are we good to go?” From the corner of her eye, she saw the woman in charge give a curt gesture for her staff to back off and retreat from the room.

Wise lady.

Phoe panted, tail flicking as she shook her head. A wire dropped in front of her, showering her head with sparks. “You’ve taken her somewhere.” She bit at her paw, ears flat against her skull.

Aurora watched warily, holding her hoops in one hand, the other still pressed against the star shimmering portal behind her.

Phoe lunged, and in one smooth movement sent them both through the portal.

Aurora tumbled across a white desert, with the sunlight harsh above them. She slammed a hand into the ground and used the momentum to flip back up onto her feet, skidding a bit further back. “C’mon, Phoe.” She stayed in the crouch, one hand up and holding the hoops behind her back. “We aren’t going to the ship until you chill out.” She looks around at their surroundings, grinning. “Maybe this isn’t the place for cooling down, huh.”

The portal closed behind Phoe, and they were alone.

Phoe swung her head up and about to fix Aurora with a startlingly red eye, sniffing her. The wolf’s fur turned white against the glare of the sun. “I finally get to see what she can do.” Her jaws opened in an approximation of a smirk. “Grief seems to be a pretty good way in… I’ll keep that in mind.” Distortion billowed about her, sinking tendrils into the sand as she crouched in preparation for a leap. “How strong are you without your sister, I wonder?”

“I don’t know, Phoe, how strong am I without you?” Aurora transferred a hoop back to each hand, shifting to the side and balancing more on one foot.

<Not as strong as if you let me face my sibling fully>

“You were always kinder about our strengths, right?” Aurora shook her head, ignoring the voice of the legendary. She didn’t need battle strength to get through this. Not of the kind Palkia would try for.

The wolf whimpered, and her fur flickered black in spots, in streaks, in stripes, before it was fully white again. “I wouldn’t try that, she’s too far gone.” The wolf prowled towards Aurora, hackles raised. “Come on, sister, why not show yourself?” She snapped forward, aiming for Aurora’s near hand.

“I’m sorry, she’s unable to answer the phone right now.” Aurora threw herself to the side, out of the way, and landed in a spray of sand that warped and melded to black glass and clamped about her arm. “Please leave a message after the tone.” She smashed it with one of her hoops and shot back onto her feet, keeping moving.

The wolf recovered and reared, lunging again.

This time, Aurora threw herself backwards into a flip and struck out with her foot into the wolf’s chin.

The wolf yelped and twisted her head quicker than Aurora had expected, and caught Aurora’s foot in her mouth. Then she slammed Aurora into the sand, teeth tight around and almost cracking the armoured boot.

Aurora felt something in her foot, in her ankle, grind and she cried out as she hit sand with a solid whump, and it raised into tendrils of darkened glass, stark against the white sand and the white wolf that reared over her.

“Come out, come out, sister-dearest.” The wolf sand the words, mocking a child’s tune.

Aurora threw out a hoop; it spun about and grew in the air above them, then dropped down to swallow them through into a clearing in a dark, mossy forest.

The wolf slammed her forepaws against Aurora’s shoulders and snarled. “You are weak! Nothing without her!”

“You’re right,” Aurora gasped out. “Without my sisters, I’m not much. But I’m still something.”

A nincada squealed and burrowed out from the earth under Aurora’s shoulder, and ran from the two of them. Aurora’s shoulder sank into the loosened earth, throwing the wolf off balance.

The wolf twitched as she stepped back onto a firmer footing, pricking up ears at the howls of mightyena that echo through the forest.

Aurora wriggled free while the wolf is distracted and stood unsteadily, clearly favouring her right foot as she hopped back to lean against a tree. “You made it a little hard to click my heels together and all, but… no place like home, right?” She raised her free hand to catch the hoop as it spun back to her.

The wolf turned about, and inky black fur flooded across the stark white as her tail started, softly, to wag. Then she flattened her ears and turned about to fix Aurora with a blood red eye. “You think I will be thwarted so easily?” The colour of her fur was a kaleidoscope of black and white, marbled and changing in great sweeping waves.

Aurora shrugged. “Worth a shot, Phoe. Isn’t it time to come home?”

The wolf lunged for her.

Aurora jumped off her good foot and caught at a branch above her, and the wolf just missed her, disappearing into the undergrowth below. She pulled herself up to sit on it, eyes on the ground. She couldn’t hold out, and–

She shook her head and shifted to balance on her feet, the pain a throbbing hindrance as she winced and pulled that foot free from the branch.

The wolf came from behind and knocked her from her perch, and the tree shifted and distorted and forced a branch about her ankle to halt her fall.

Aurora slammed back against the tree and dropped her hoops to the ground, where they turned soft moss to dimly gleaming stars. She blinked and focused, and the wolf was before her, head level with hers.

“Tell me, sister, why shouldn’t I end this now?” Its fur was fully white again, almost gleaming ghostly in the night.

Aurora swayed and the branch, pulled from its natural state, creaked with her weight. It wasn’t going to hold.

“Bad form?” Aurora wrinkled her nose at the wolf’s meaty breath. “Phoe, you don’t wanna–” She stretched her arms down, trying to reach her hoops – or the ground – or–

The wolf lashed out a paw. The branch snapped. Aurora fell.

She spluttered out sea water as she surfaced in darkness and silvered waves, the stars soft above her. No land. The water cooled her throbbing ankle, and the jacket of her armour flexed and split behind her, hardening into crystalline wings to help her float.

The wolf snarled, nearby, and Aurora turned to see it standing on glassy waves, hackles raised and claws extending out more like tendrils that sought to gather her close.

Aurora pushed back against the waves, bobbing out of reach.

Here. The voice was a whisper, a feeling, a person she knew and a person she was but wasn’t quite and then there was energy that flooded her senses and dulled the pain in her foot.

Be careful, mother-sister.

Aurora rocketed skywards in a flurried blast of water and spread her wings. For a moment, it looked as if she might have the upper hand – or at least the height needed to stay out of reach, because that was all she could do for now, until Phoe came back to her.

Then the wolf leapt, the glassy waves fell away into the sea without a splash, and she slashed a paw through Aurora’s wings.

She felt them break like glass, distantly, a sharp pain that echoed in her head. She fell and the wolf caught her jacket in its jaws and she was pinned beneath it and they splashed through water to land in a skidding spray of sand as her hoops clattered to rest beside her.

Aurora saw stars. Stars in formations she recognised.

Then she saw slavering jaws, and salt spiked, ghost white fur.

The wolf was above her, a paw on either side. “Your running ends here.”

“Don’t suppose you want some jam, sandy-witch?” Aurora grinned, hands scrabbling for sand.

The wolf shook her head. “You will not.”

“I clean forgot it, you know? But you’re the witch, and – I have the sand!” She threw a double handful up into the wolf’s eyes.

The wolf pulled back, pawing at her face.

Aurora pulled herself out from under the wolf and back up against the rocks.

“That was – Aurora?” The wolf’s voice broke and changed.

Aurora breathed a sigh of relief. “The one and only.”

The wolf blinked away the sand and looked up at Aurora with eyes slowly turning back through to emerald green. “Where… where are we?”

“Sinnoh. Sand bay.” She grinned, even as she kept her armour up, watching the wolf.

“This is – oh! Your foot!” She rushed forward, and the wolf is a human and Nyx again, crouching as if she could examine Aurora’s ankle through the armour. “I’m sorry! I couldn’t stop it!”

“Kicks are always a li’l tricky to pull off. And you’re fast, dude.” Aurora shrugged. “But you – you’re good, right? Because I don’t think I can go another round.” Even with the energy Arlette and Ash had passed her – she needed to find out how they’d done that – she was bone tired and needed to sleep. But not yet.

“Yes, I – Hera! Is she – can we go to them?” Phoe stood up

“Sure.” Aurora held out her hands to be helped up, reaching for her hoops on the way.

“I thought they would have avoided trouble.”

“Please, this lot?” Aurora laughed, spinning a hoop in her hand.

Phoe sighed. “I suppose I knew this would happen at some point when they all travelled together.”

“I’m kinda surprised it took this long.” Aurora let go of the hoop and it held, spinning, in the air before them, widening until it was big enough for them. “There you go.”

Phoe disappeared through the portal first.

Aurora glanced around the bay once more, and dimly saw the smoothed over carving on one of the near rocks that proclaimed it as ‘Sand bay, property of the Sand Witch and her loyal defender’. She grinned, and limped through the portal into Nyx’s cabin.

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

Facetime

Ok, so some context here; Warren (budgieslams character) has a noivern who also very much likes Aurora (’cause she’s well cooler (can you tell I’m biased)) and I think budgieslams headcanoned that noivern/noibat can mimic sounds? We’ve got that zoroark can as well tbh, but the noi’s can’t do it as much.

 Anyway, Bao here got knocked up by Warren’s crobat and fled to the twins’ ship bc it’s a safe place, and Aurora might be a little bit petty. I might also not like Warren very much.

~

Aurora leant on the railing as they sailed into the harbour, watching the island. She idly spun her phone in her hand, beginning to grin.

"Don't you have someone to call?" Arlette asked, holding the wheel steady.

"You're right, I do." Aurora straightened up, slipping her phone into her pocket. "I'd better go and do that now that we have signal. Now that we're not in the middle of the gods-forsaken nowhere piece-of-shit sea we call home."

Arlette laughed.

"Don't be too mean to them," Keone said, as Aurora passed zir on the stairs.

"I would never. He wanted contacted ASAP, didn't he? We've only just come back in reach of land and a steady signal." Aurora smirked.

Keone shook zir head, sighing. "I'll get in contact with the venue."

"Arthur, can you sign us in?" Arlette called. "I need to make sure everything's in the right place.

"Aye aye, cap'n." He saluted, grinning.

"Thanks babe!" She flipped a rope over the wheel to keep it in place. "Alright, hearties, let's reef those sails and get everything looking shiny!" she yelled, stepping up to the edge of the bridge. "Not one of you rat bastards gets to leave here before it's done!"

Aurora ducked down into the passage to the hold, taking her phone out to tap it against her hand. It was midday for them - her phone had adjusted itself not long after sailing into Alolan waters - which made it... midnight in Hoenn?

"What'cha doing?" Esther was leaning in the door of her room, wrapping strips of cotton about her hands. She was dressed in loose clothes and sandals, a strip of leather holding back her hair.

"Got to make a call." Aurora grinned, waggling her phone. "Have you got some lessons?"

"Ye." Esther grinned. "On the deck alright?"

"We've only just docked, you might have to help out first."

Esther groaned, tipping her head back dramatically.

Aurora laughed at her. "Many hands-"

"Tangle a rope," Esther retorted, grinning. "Fine."

"It'll be a warm up," Aurora said, stepping out of her way.

"We've docked?" Morgan poked his head out of his room. "Sweet." He ducked back in, and then he was behind them and heading up the corridor to the deck, Scruff under his arm.

"Remember your ID!" she yelled after him, but didn't chase it up. He probably did have it in his pocket as a matter of course. Probably.

Aisling's door was closed, but she'd have heard them dock.

The hold was dark, a token dim light at the door. The canvas over the slats on the deck let in a small amount of light, so it wasn't pitch dark, but - well, they'd be glad when they could cart Bao and the Baolings back to Warren. Which would, admittedly, be at the end of another sailing trip, by which point they'd probably be flying and bonded with the sea or some dumbass shit like that.

Siarl was sitting on the edge of the crate Bao had taken, one of the Baolings in his arms. He didn't look up as Aurora entered, but he slipped the rat-child back into the crate.

"Hey, Silly Sal." Aurora smiled, ruffling his hair as she joined him. "How are the rat monsters today?"

Siarl giggled and let her, pulling back only at the end to let her look in. "They're awful quick."

"They're straight up awful. Rat monsters." Aurora glanced into the crate, her tone fondly joking.

"Rat?"

"Monster! Monster monster monster!"

Two of them were awake, certainly, and at the edge of the crate watching Siarl.

Bao was awake, cleaning off dinner. The other two were at her side, possibly sleeping. Bao looked up at Aurora and tilted her head. "Roar?"

"That's me." Aurora extended her hand to Bao. "Now it's time to tell Warren, don't you think?"

If noivern could look guilty, Bao was doing an admirable job.

"Yeah, serves you right." Aurora turned to sit against the crate, so that they were all out of sight.

Siarl giggled and sat beside her, and Aurora scooped him to her side, under her free arm as she pulled up the messenger chat with Warren and finally read all the messages he'd left her there.

"Damn." She whistled. "Woops, that's a few. And see, he tells me to contact him as soon as possible about it." She pointed that message out to Siarl. "I suppose we'd better, right?" Grinning, she hit the call button.

Warren answered after a few rings. "Aurora?" He didn't look too out of it, despite it being gone midnight. His face all but filled the screen, and Aurora could barely see that he was standing outside in the garden of their house.

"Yo." She threw up a peace sign with her free hand, grinning. "Just got all your messages."

Siarl giggled at her side.

"Yeah - Bao, have you seen her? She disappeared off, and Zuzu is still here so I didn't think she'd go far, but it's been months and no one's seen a noivern anywhere in Hoenn, and you're the only other person she really follows around, so-"

"Damn," Aurora interrupted. "Ok, so-"

"Damn!" one of the baolings cheeped behind her, in the box.

"So she's with us, but you know, with bad cell reception and we had a tour to get to in Alola... we couldn't turn back, you know? By the time we found her, we were far too far from land."

"Ok." He sighed, relaxing. The phone in his hand wavered, dropping a bit. "But she's safe."

"Sure!" Aurora said, a little too brightly.

Siarl laughed again, stuffing his hands into his mouth.

"Yeah, just... just one little complication."

"What? Is she hurt, did something attack her?"

"Fuck no, Warren." Aurora got to her feet and switched on the torch on the back of her phone. "Hang on."

She flipped to the other camera and held it over the box, so he could see Bao and her rat children.

"What?" Warren squinted at the screen, trying to understand just what he was seeing.

"Fuck!"

"Shit."

"Damn?"

"Bastard!"

They cheeped, one after the other, as the light disturbed them.

"These are the baolings," Aurora said.

Bao nosed up at the phone, eyes closed against the light of it, but hearing Warren's voice.

"She was pregnant?"

"I take it you don't know who the father is." Aurora turned to sit on the edge of the crate and turned the camera back to the front facing one.

"No, I mean I don't – think so...?" Warren ran a hand through his hair.

"Bao, you whore." Aurora laughed, stroking her head.

"Whore," repeated one of the baolings.

"Have you just been teaching them to swear?"

"It was a trying time when I found them. She ruined our second set of sails." Aurora shrugged. "We'll get them back to you as soon as we can, alright?"

"Alright... thanks, Aurora," Warren sighed, leaning back against the wall of the house.

"Sorry I couldn't call sooner."

"Yeah, yeah... the sea's a bitch."

"The sea's a powerful bitch, don't let her hear you say that." Aurora laughed.

"Bitch!"

"That's right." Aurora stroked the baoling as it tried to climb up the side of the crate to her. "A powerful bitch."

Bao rested her head on Aurora's shoulder, staring at the screen. "Warren?"

"Yeah, that's him." Aurora pressed a kiss to her head. "D'you remember him? You belong to him, you know, not us."

"Warren? Is everything alright?"

"Oh! Hey, Phoe!" Aurora called, hearing Nyx. "How's it going?"

"It's late, Aurora." Nyx shuffled into view, pulling Warren's arm down so she didn't have to crane. "Where are you?"

"Alola. We've got a tour here."

"Tour," Bao agreed.

"Is that – you found her?" Nyx squinted at the screen.

"She found us," Aurora corrected. "The dumbass apparently has a built in homing device for our ship."

"Dumbass." Bao butted her head against Aurora's, purring.

"She's had babies," Warren murmured.

"What? Really? Can I see them?" Nyx grabbed the phone, leaning over it.

Aurora laughed and turned to pick up the nearest baoling, flipping the camera again. "Here."

It squeaked and twisted in her lap, looking up at the phone and then at Bao. "What?"

"Awww, it's adorable," Nyx crooned.

"Well, they're all yours, once we get back," Aurora said. "All four of them."

"Awww." Siarl pouted beside her. "Can't we keep one?" He took the baoling from Aurora's lap, holding it gently to his chest.

"That's still a while, buddy." Aurora tapped his nose. "We've got... five nights on Ula'ula, three on Melemele, and a couple days on Akala. And then the sail back, right?"

"They haven't fledged yet, right?"

"No, heck. They've not long opened their eyes and quit drooling over everything." Aurora wrinkled her nose. "You'll... probably not miss any milestones?" She shrugged, flipping the cameras back over. "Anyway. Panic over. I found your dumbass bat. With interest."

Nyx laughed, passing the phone back to Warren.

"Ok." Warren was staring at Bao.

Bao whined and tapped her nose to the screen, as if she could get back to him that way.

"I don't suppose you could transfer them?" Nyx asked.

"I don't have Bao's pokeball." Aurora shook her head. "And I'd rather not ball anything that small, y'know?"

"It's ok. We'll register them when they get back to us."

Aurora nodded, trying not to smirk. "Alright - hey, Bao, pull up." She nudged the noivern out of the way.

Bao pulled back, so she was looking over Aurora's shoulder.

"You haven't been teaching her your commands, have you?" Warren narrowed his eyes.

"Now why would I do that?" Aurora affected innocence, holding a hand over her heart. "I would never."

"Hm."

Aurora laughed. "See you around, guys." She hung up on them.

"You have." Siarl prodded her side.

"I know." Aurora lifted Siarl onto her lap. "But they don't need to know that, do they?" She blew in his ear and he giggled, wriggling away. "Hey, careful there." She took the baoling and placed it back in the crate. "Come on. We've got an island to explore." She stood, still holding Siarl.

"Can I have one of the Baolings?" Siarl asked, looking back over Aurora's shoulder.

"You will have to ask Warren," she replied, carefully opening the hold door and stepping out, so neither of them bumped their heads. "So we'll see."

Siarl nodded and rested his head on her shoulder. "Ok."

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

A Meeting

In which the twins are dramatic af in setting up their own birthday celebrations.

 A vanishingly large amoung of their friends also have legendary blessings of their own, but by and large it’s kept underwraps? Like the larger population may not necessarily know kinda thing.

 I mean I don’t know if those documents are really legally binding, but what the hey.

[2] [3] [4]

~

Aurora sat in one of the plush seats at the head of the table, facing away from the window so that she was in shadow. Trying not to smile too much, she rested her elbows on the arm rests and steepled her fingers in front of her face. “If only we had a cat…”

“Askir,” Arlette murmured, leaning against the side of the window and looking out through the slats. “Or you may borrow Diana, if you wish.”

“Of course.” Aurora dived under the table to root through her bag, releasing Askir. “Thanks.”

The espeon jumped up onto Aurora’s lap and curled there, twitching her tail ever so slightly.

“Now – facing the window or not?”

Arlette snorted. “Either works. D’you think you could stop the chair from spinning in time?”

“Let’s try!” Aurora spun her chair to face the window and halted it, then turned it slowly to face the other way. “Ooh, sorted.”

“Excellent.”

The room was dim, the sunlight blinkered.

Soise hurried in, placed a leather folio in front of the twins’ chairs, and proceeded to lay out A4 pieces of paper face down in front of the other twenty-two chairs, along with matching pens.

“They’re coming,” Arlette said, looking down.

“I’ll get ready, then,” Soise replied, and spun herself the illusion of a harried looking white man in a suit and glasses, clutching at a clipboard.

Arlette nodded approvingly, and reached out to straighten Soise’s tie. Her hands, of course, go straight through the illusion.

Soise laughed and hurried away down the length of the table to the door. “Won’t be long!”

The twins watched the door swing shut behind her.

Aurora giggled and tapped at the table, bringing up the map of Hoenn they’d loaded earlier. Using her fingers, she zoomed in and adjusted, centring on the forest around Lavaridge, to the west of the volcano.

“Places,” Arlette murmured, turning back to the window.

“I can hear them.” Aurora minimised that window – behind it were files detailing all the people about to enter the room – and tapped the table to return it to its ‘dormant’ state – a highly polished wood finish – and turned her chair to the window again.

A timid tapping came at the door.

“Come in,” Arlette called, tilting her head ever so slightly.

Aurora shifted in her seat, stroking Askir with one hand and resting her chin on the other.

“Your g-guests,” Soise stuttered, sounding like a male Kanto native.

“Thank you, Sebastian.” Arlette flicked a hand at her. “You may leave.”

“T–take your seats,” Soise said to the people filing in, holding the door open for them.

Nyx squinted in the darkness of the room. “Is that–”

“Take a seat, please,” Arlette snapped, altering her voice slightly. “Your questions will be answered in due course.”

Once they were all seated, Soise left the room, closing the door behind her.

Aurora glanced up at Arlette, and waited for the noise to die down. “We have been waiting for you,” she said, swivelling her chair as she spoke to face them, “My friends.”

Saundra giggled, hiding her mouth behind her hands.

“We have an understanding or two to come to.” Aurora glanced around the group of their friends. “That has to do with an upcoming… event.”

“Oh! I know!” Alestair stuck his hand in the air. “It’s your birthday, right?”

Issin snorted.

Arlette permitted herself a small smile.

“It might be.” Aurora nodded. “Before you, on the table, there is a piece of paper. Don’t turn it over just yet.”

Zlata frowned, her hand on the piece of paper. “This is awfully elaborate.”

“You have been chosen,” Aurora continued, “Because you all know what we are.”

Everyone frowned and glanced between each other at that.

“What gifts we have.”

Askir interrupted then, with a singing warrawarrawarra as she stretched out.

Arlette turned her head, and her eye flashed blue as she glanced across the table. “The piece of paper is a contract.”

“We have a game to play.” Aurora smiled, stroking the espeon. “But we have to have an agreement, first.”

Warren sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Oh, hush up,” Arlette muttered, mostly to herself.

Aurora smirked. “Some of us here have powers beyond the realms of mere human intellect.”

Saundra and Blair, Ax and Sly, Nyx and Zlata and Warren – they all straightened, ever so slightly. Nyx shot the twins a startled glance.

“If the others are agreed, we will be allowed to use these powers in our… game.”

“What sort of powers?” Tal asked. “I mean, I know yours, but… others?”

“And can we have some light in here?” Selene asked. “So we can see everyone.”

Aurora leant across the table and tapped it lightly.

The screen lit up, and everyone pulled the pieces of paper and pens away to the edges so they could see.

Everyone’s pictures moved slowly around the edges of the table.

“We’ll let them introduce themselves, if you all agree.”

“Agree to what?” Lawrence’s accent made him stand out, but as the others looked at him, he merely flicked his hair and stared at the twins.

“To join in the game, come what may.” Arlette moved, letting the blinds click shut where she’d been holding them open. “To run through the forest and protect the town… or hunt it.” She slipped gracefully into her seat and pulled the map up into the centre of the table.

Nyx gasped sharply, recognising Lavaridge in an instant.

“If you agree, some of you will be defending this town from attack. You will have one pokémon each, and all the ingenuity your team can muster.”

“The others,” Aurora continued, beginning to smirk, “Will be trying to capture it.”

“Or the flag held in its base, at least.”

“It’s just capture the flag,” Áaron said, sitting back. “On a… bigger scale.”

“You never were ones to do things by half,” Zlata murmured.

“Everything else is sorted,” Arlette said. “We simply need your agreement.”

The lights flickered on dimly, and then slowly got bright enough to see by.

“How will we be divided?” Blair looked up from the sheet of paper in his hand.

“Once we know who will be playing, we’ll let you know.”

“So we don’t get to choose?” Mary asked.

“Nope.” Aurora grinned. “Where’d be the fun in that?”

Ceana was the first to sign, with a flourish. Alestair followed suit, then slowly the others until only Zlata hadn’t.

“Is there a problem, Zlata?” Arlette raised an eyebrow.

Ryun glanced at her, concern creasing his brow.

“Why all this secrecy?” She tapped the paper. “Why this formality?”

“So we can hold you to your word. Those of us that are blessed are trusting the rest of you with a great secret. I’d rather that wasn’t broken.”

“They are the twins,” Issin said dryly. “I hope you weren’t expecting a simple invitation to a quiet meal, were you?”

Zlata smiled and read over the paper once more. There wasn’t much to it. Finally, she signed.

The gem on Askir’s head glowed, and all the papers were pulled towards the twins.

Arlette caught them and leafed through them all, sorting them before placing them in the folio before them. “Excellent.”

“We thank you for your cooperation.” Aurora stood up, leaving the table with the maps and everyone’s files circling on it. “You have a month.”

“Lists will be sent out to you,” Arlette said, standing up as well. “And it will be up to you to organise meetings for your team.”

“This isn’t the game you played as children, not anymore.”

Everyone looked around, as if sizing up opponents.

“Anything is allowed, short of serious injury and death.”

“We read the sheets,” Selene said.

“Just making sure.” Arlette grinned, and released the blinds.

Bright sunlight flooded in. Everyone flinched away from it, covering their eyes.

When they blinked and could see again, the twins were gone.

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

Photo Bomb

And sometimes, you just need to add in small goofs bc your friends do draw the squad meme pics for your birthday

 I don’t know if the picture is online anywhere, but basically Scotchsirin drew this for m’borf one year and I said “yes hm how did they convice the others to do this”

~

Arlette weaves her way around the people in the checkpoint, cutting against the flow. Most of them are going into the forest, waiting for tourguides and groups or possibly the shuttle bus.

The others aren't far behind her – she sees Aurora subconsciously mirroring her movements, not far off. If they'd needed to wait in a queue, there were plenty of them about to join, but she wasn't for waiting right now. Maybe they would get a bus across, but-

The doors slide open from barely closed and Arlette takes in a breath of freshly salted air. The rain has moved inland over the forest, which had been muggy and muddy and dripping as they walked.

Here there are puddles, reflecting the afternoon sun as it shines from over Virbank way. Not that she can see Virbank. Maybe Aurora could, but she hasn't her sister's eyes.

Arlette drops her bag and shucks her coat over it as she steps up to the railing and lets it support her weight as she leans forward and swings her feet up behind her.

Below is a rolling cliff, all the way down to the sea.

"What would happen if I pushed your feet up and over?" Aurora steps up beside her, grinning.

"Depending on how good my grip is, I'd either just rotate and hit my head into the fence here, or slip and tumble all the way down and into the sea, at which point I'd be too dazed and disorientated to do anything but drown."

Aurora lays a hand on Arlette's ankle, stepping up close. "Then Perish," she whispers, grinning.

Zlata's hand comes down on top of Aurora's, stopping any movement. "Please don't." She pushes down, so that Arlette is brought back to standing.

"Yeah that might be a little bit of a downer." Arlette straightens her top, brushing at the merest hints of damp. She hadn't been leaning on her stomach, just her hands, so it isn't much.

"I dunno. It would make for a memorable ending," Warren says, the breeze lifting his hair almost out of his eyes.

Arlette gasps in mock outrage, a hand to her chest. "Warren! I thought we'd bonded, how could you?"

Warren shrugs and grins.

"It would make telling them apart far easier, too."

"Betrayed by our own sister! Phoe, how could-"

Soise laughs at them, an animalistic barking noise far out of character with the human face she wore.

"Zlata's clearly my only real friend." Arlette drapes an arm around her shoulders. "And Ryun, though he hasn't said anything either way."

Ryun shifts. "It... would be bad for one of you to die now...? Especially after we've come so far."

The twins throw each other a glance. "Good enough for me!" They chorus as Aurora drags Ryun into a sort of heavy handed, entirely one sided half hug.

He stumbles and puts up with it until she sets him free, at which point he backs up to beside Warren.

Arlette grins and releases Zlata, turning again to look out at the bridge through to Castelia. "Weird to see the end now."

"It's been a long trip." Nyx nods.

"Worth it." Aurora glances along the group. "I mean-"

"A bit hit and miss in places?"

"You know what y'all are really missing though?"

Arlette looks back over her shoulder at Soise, who has illusioned herself an obnoxiously tourist-like get up, complete with token snapback from Nimbasa's fairpark. "Cheap tacky tat? That's your department."

"We can get souvenirs when we get back to Castelia," says Zlata.

"Cute but no." Soise tosses the illusion of a camera.

"Shit, yeah!" Arlette pulls out her phone and throws it over to Soise.

"What, no-" Warren starts to object.

Soise catches the phone and flicks open the camera. "Oh, you mean you've had someone else take your group shots?"

"Come on Warren, take one for the team." Aurora grins. "You want to cherish these memories in a physical format too, right?"

Nyx laughs and puts her bag down beside Soise, stepping back in beside Zlata and Warren.

Warren sighs and slides his bag over as well before slipping his arm around Nyx's shoulders as the rest put their bags down beside Soise and array about them.

She takes a couple of snaps and then sighs thatrically, flicking through them. "Can I have a bit more life?"

"Life?" Zlata asks. "What... do you mean?"

Soise shrugs. "Stupid poses. Class goofs."

"Ok but who here went to a public school?" Arlette snorts and rests a hand on her hip, half turning to Ryun, raising her other hand as if demonstrating something.

Ryun looks a little startled, but assumes a pose of intense concentration, half nodding his head.

"Warren, you might have to kneel to be in them," Soise calls over, smirking "I think I've been cutting off your head... or weird angles, whatever."

Warren sighs and got down on his knees, resting his elbow on one.

"I mean I was joking, but sure," Soise mutters to Hohen, delighted.

Nyx, standing just off and behind Warren, cups her chin in her hands and sways, half closing her eyes as she smiles. On her shoulder, Rem sighs and folds her paws, snout in the air.

Zlata puts her hands together as if praying.

Aurora glances along the group and sighs. "Guess it's up to me then." She takes a step forward and half crouches, folding her hands into rocker symbols.

Warren sighs and puffs out a breath at his fringe, rolling his eyes.

"Hohen, photobomb," Soise mutters.

Hohen shoots forward and twists, wings and beak open as he jumps into shot.

Soise takes the picture, seconds before Hohen stumbles back into Warren and fetches him on his ass against the railing.

"Ow."

"Tell me you got that."

Soise grins and tosses Arlete's phone back to her.

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

No Space For This Family

okies it’s time for angst

 I can’t remember where I was when I was writing this, except clearly in a less-than-stellar place lmao.

 If the apocalypse AU is where I explore Aurora without her sister, this one is where I explore Arlette without her sister.

 It uhhhh doesn’t go nearly as well lmao

~

The storm came upon them suddenly, out of a clear blue sky.

Waves crashed against their sides and the mast – only recently repaired – creaked in the wind as the sails snapped taut.

Aurora yelled out orders, not quite panicking yet. They could manage this.

Then the lightning flashed, setting the mast and sails alight, even in the rain. Aisling screamed and Aurora threw caution to the wind, leaping the railing to the main deck.

The hold was filling with water – a hole in it somewhere? – and they were beginning to sink.

She was slammed into the wall behind her, breath knocked away. But there was the door – she grappled for the handle and pulled it open, and the door slammed into the wood beside her.

No one was in the main cabin – of course, they’d been below decks – and so she turned, catching ropes and slipping on the wet deck.

“Aisling! Gavin? Siarl!” Her voice was lost in the wind and she dived into the hold, armour coating her body as she looked for her family.

Something stirred in her head, and she instinctively grasped for the warmth and peace of her sister. No. Family. Aisling. Gavin. Siarl.

The door was open, water flooding up the passageway. There was Siarl, crying in his room. She gathered him up and slammed back out into the corridor, hopelessly trying to soothe him.

“Aisling! Gavin!”

No answer. But she had heard Aisling before.

And there! Again, a scream.

Aurora slammed into the wall, gripping her son tightly as he clung to her soaked shirt, sobbing.

Water swirled around them, battering them up the passage.

Onto the deck. Aurora caught hold of a rope before they went overboard and passed it to Siarl.

“Hold onto this, ok? I’ll be back.”

He gripped it tight and looked up at her, eyes wide.

“Trust me.” She forced a smile.

He nodded, and she looked around. Where were they?

“Mum!” Above her.

“Aisling!” Aurora looked up.

Aisling was tangled in ropes, near the fire. Growls ripped through Aurora and she leapt for the rigging, armour shimmering into place as rain lashed around them.

The mast snapped and Aisling shrieked, clinging onto it as it was ripped away into the wind.

“Aisling!” Aurora leapt, flaring crystal wings as she reached out for her daughter.

What was left of the sail landed on top of her, restricting her movements, and pulled her into the sea. She struggled free, holding her breath as she went under.

Surfacing – where was the ship? No sign of it – there! Aurora flicked her wings and pulled herself from the water as she spotted the ship, tipped over onto its side. She struck out for it and then halted, hearing Aisling’s scream.

Siarl – Aisling – Gavin – she flicked her head back and forth desperately.

There was a splash by the ship.

“I’ve got him!” a distant call. Gavin. With Siarl.

With that, Aurora turned and shot for her daughter, pulling her from the tangled rigging before it could pull her under.

But then the ship was gone and lightning flashed, and as much as they clung to each other Aisling slipped and fell and Aurora dived after her, into the water that used to be a second home for her, a second skin. Now it only impeded her movement, slowed her down just enough that she could watch her daughter disappear before her.

Aurora snarled, releasing air, and swam determinedly down. She wouldn’t be beaten like this.

And yet – she had no more air and there was nothing but water pressing around her, no sound no sight no anything and she was choking, struggling onwards because she couldn’t be alone, not now not ever she was never alone –

There was that warmth, that welcoming feeling and of course she would always welcome there. She fled to her haven, leaving behind her body and her ship and her family. She couldn’t be alone. Not even in death.

[alloftimeandspacetosee]

To Fix a Coat

 In which the coat is a metaphor

 This came on the heels of... some drama in the roleplay. Warren’s distorted arm going wild and having to be cut off and put down or smth. I wasn’t paying much attention bc I’d been told not to have my girls interfere, so. I didn’t. Much.

~

It’s late and Arlette stands on the deck of this boat and watches the horizon. So late that the sun is almost rising. The ashes are long gone, and she stands with her ruined coat in her hands.

She should let it go. She should throw it into the ocean, because a coat with ribbons for sleeves isn’t up to much.

She’s only glad that her jumpsuit still has sleeves, so she doesn’t have to bare her arms just yet.

Somewhere above her, Nazgul flies, a dark silhouette against a darker sky.

The door clicks open and closed behind her, and someone hesitates.

“We’re alone,” Arlette says, because she knows who it is. She doesn’t make the effort to roll her sleeves down now, to hide her metal arms.

“Well, everyone’s sleeping,” Aurora replies, and stops just shy of standing next to Arlette. “Who’s in the sky?”

“Nazgul.”

“I should have guessed when I didn’t see him around Mistralton.”

Arlette hesitates and glances sideways.

“I didn’t go home. I just... saw Bells. And Skyla, in Opelucid.”

Arlette nods and gazes forward again. Out of the corner of her eye, she watches Aurora flick studying glances at her arms. She shifts and shakes out her coat instead, and tries to let go of it.

It’s just a coat, but it’s also... not.

Aurora catches her breath. “I thought it was lost. When I got back home-” She looks away.

“I... took it before we left,” Arlette admits. “For good luck. It was in my bag, I was going to pull it on for a dramatic finale, you know?”

Aurora sounds like she chokes on laughter.

Arlette smiles, shyly, and the movement pulls at the metal of her jaw.

“I can – there might be material. To fix it. It probably won’t match, but...” Aurora steps back. “I’ll - get that.”

#

Aurora doesn’t wait for an answer before she leaves the deck. Fuck. She’ll get the material and then she’ll just...

She doesn’t know. This is so much – she was wrong.

She was wrong, and she doesn’t know how to feel about that, because it means... it means something.

Aurora is silent as she walks down the corridor between the cabins, muffling the sound of her existence almost like an afterthought. She’d make an excellent thief, in another life. Different to the one where she lives in the forest with Rin and neither of them are blessed and nothing bad happens to them. Different to the one where she performs with her sister and they still have a family. Different to this one, where she’s lost them all and still has to play the hero.  

Yes, she could be a thief.

There’s no need to put on any lights as she searches through the boxes of supplies and makes her best assumptions about which material would match that coat best.

Fuck, that coat. Skies how it brought back the memories. Why hadn’t she recognised it when she’d first met Time?

Because she’d been too caught up on the face that Time wore, the face that couldn’t be hers.

“Black is such a hard colour to match," she mutters. It wasn’t just one shade, it was... there were too many ideas of black. With the embroidery as well, this was going to be tricky.

Would it be alright to not be a perfect match?

Aurora grabs the blackest materials she can find, then the thread and needle kit, and heads back up onto the deck.

Time is still just standing there. Coat in her hands.

Nazgul has descended but not landed; he’s skimming the waves ahead of the boat as they head onwards.

“Here.” Aurora holds out the material and thread. “That should match. Mostly.”

“Thanks.” And though Time tries to avoid it when she takes it, her metal fingers brush against Aurora’s flesh. Time pulls back, and then frowns when Aurora doesn’t flinch.

“I thought I left you there,” Aurora says. “I thought – they must be like Warren’s. Distortion, waiting to ensnare us. To trick us, to trap us. To kill us before we can get any closer.”

Time glances down at her hands, briefly. “I don’t know what they were, originally. When I finally woke up, they were there.”

“How did you... I dropped you.” Aurora looks away. “I couldn’t - didn’t bring you home.”

“You’d lost a leg,” Time says. “And a chunk of your head was broken. We’re here now.”

#

Arlette stands there, and the sun is beginning to rise. She looks beyond Aurora and sees the edge of light.

She returns Nazgul to his ball and they are alone again.

“Thanks,” she says, lifting the material in her hand. It looks like an exact match to her eyes, except for the embroidery. It would still be the same coat, wouldn’t it, with new material?

There was a story something like that, a question. Theseus’ ship.

She hoped it could be the same jacket. Oh, it would still be a coat even if it weren’t, but...

Well.

“You - you can do the fixing?” Aurora asks, stepping back. “I don’t think there’s a sewing machine.”

Arlette nods. “I can fix it.”  

Aurora nods, takes another step back, then leaves as silently as she arrived.

Arlette folds the materials into the coat’s pockets and pulls down her sleeves before she follows to the door below decks. She gives Aurora enough time to get where she’s going, to disappear, and then she steps in.

Dawn is breaking, and Arlette returns to her room to pretend like she hasn’t been awake to see it.