#Pokemon Space World Crystal

[itsapokemonworld]

[zeravmeta]

We are two days before the Pokemon DLC and although i will not buy it i also do enjoy the Pokemon worldbuilding/lore so my big hot theory on Terapagos is that it and the Tera Phenomenon specifically manifests dreams and turns them into reality.

We already have all the implications from the Paradox Pokemon being born from the professors dreams of an ancient/future world, but also I want to look at a bunch of the promo materials/events surrounding it: Gen 5 has been weirdly hinted at a bunch of times throughout Scarlet/Violets lifespan so far, with things like Ingo in Legends Arceus (as well as a bunch of the ancestors + the portrait of ancient Alder), the focus on the Tao Trio in the DLC trailer showing off past Legendaries & the DLC itself having us actually go to Unova, the introduction of the Treasures Of Ruin as the rivals to the Forces Of Nature genies, and the hinting of a new Pokemon mainline game coming in early 2024 (dear god Nintendo just let Gamefreak rest) supposedly being a Legends Unova game, there's been a whole bunch of Gen 5 hints scattered throughout.

The main story behind the Tao Trio is that there was once an Original Dragon who shared its power with two brothers, but when the two brothers clashed between their truth and ideals, the dragon could not decide and split itself in two, becoming Zekrom and Reshiram and leaving behind Kyurem as the empty husk that was once their body.

I think Terapagos is another fraction of this equation, specifically the dream of the Original Dragon itself to have truth and ideals (the two brothers) reconcile and coexist once more, because while truth and ideals are fundamentally incompatible, dreams can make the impossible happen. It can make a paradox exist. This would also work thematically: Zekrom and Reshiram, of course, represent the Yin and Yang, the literal black and white of their namesakes. Kyurem, however, isn't representative of the balance between the two, but actually gray, the concept of Wuji, which represents both infinity and nothingness, the absence of yin and yang and equally the limitless infinite potential born from it, the way that Kyurem is constantly freezing itself because its genetics are incredibly volatile and constantly evolving, especially when it absorbs one of its fragments. I think Terapagos is representative of Taiji, the idea of balance between Yin and Yang.

Yin and Yang originate from Wuji (infinite nothingness) and become Taiji (supreme ultimateness). So, Kyurem is the "nothing" left behind by the Original Dragon, which, when combined with Zekrom and Kyurem (Yin and Yang), would then achieve their supreme/original form, representative of Terapagos (ultimateness).

These Chinese inspirations would line up actually, since the Forces Of Nature and the Treasures Of Ruin are also references to Chinese mythology, specifically The Four Symbols and The Four Perils.

Terapagos and Kyurem also share a very weird similarity: they're both vessels for a greater power with the implication that they themselves are not truly alive (Terapagos' baby form enhanced by Terastalization + the Area 0 note and Kyurem being a literal frozen corpse, an empty shell of great potential for Zekrom/Reshiram's power).

There's also another dimension to this (literally): the fucked up crystal monsters from space and how they relate to the Pokemon world

The Original Dragon which split into Zekrom, Reshiram and Kyurem was also originally from a meteorite which came from space, so I believe that Terapagos, being part of it, was also from space (esp given its depiction in the Scarlet/Violet book as being among space and the stars).

Now you may be wondering "hey dude why is Zygarde up there, it isn't from space, what gives?" well I have an answer for that and why it's related.

Zygarde is the Pokemon planet's own natural born giant crystal guardian monster.

The same way that Necromza was once the god of Ultra Megalopolis and shared its light before being drained, Zygarde is a similar entity born on the Pokemon planet made to protect it. They're all, after all, composed of interlocking crystal parts and are essentially incomplete beings reshaping themselves when in their baser forms, with Terapagos also being composed of interlocking hexagonal parts in a similar manner as Zygarde.

Alright, so we've established a whole bunch of world building lore, but what's the big deal about it? Well, let's talk about Eternatus, The Darkest Day, and Infinity Energy next.

The Darkest Day is an event where Eternatus came to Galar from a meteorite in order to steal all of its energy. However, Zacian and Zamazenta appeared to protect Galar and were able to defeat it, sealing it away before Rose awakened it to try and bring about another Darkest Day to resolve Galar's future energy crisis. However, a key point to this is that the reason WHY Eternatus was stealing energy is because it was trying to keep itself alive after having LOST all of its energy, with its Eternamax form being closer to what Eternatus' actual form should be compared to the skeleton dragon we see.

And the Wishing Stones and Power Spots, which are what allow Pokemon to Dynamax, are incredibly similar to both the Mega Evolution stones and the Z-Crystals, which in themselves are fragments of The Ultimate Weapon and Ultra Necrozma respectively: Fragments of incredible power which are the building blocks to a space-originating Pokemon's original form. When Ultra Necrozma had its original light stolen by the ancestors of the Ultra Recon Squad, it shattered, opening Ultra Wormholes which spread the Z-Crystals (fragments of its original body) across Alola and allowing people to tap into Z-Power. Similarly, the Mega Stones were made after The Ultimate Weapon was fired and spread the life energy (Xernas/Yveltal/Zygardes powers) across Kalos, which mutated the landscape and developed Mega Stones. And in ORAS, The Devon Corporation specifically calls out this phenomenon from Kalos as the origin of Infinity Energy, the literal life energy of Pokemon.

Another key aspect to this is that this extreme level of energy, as well as Eternatus' own Pokedex entry, make note that this can even warp space-time as a consequence, which is likely why Ultra Wormholes are so common in Alola despite being a miracle occurrence: The fragments of Necrozma's body are constantly exuding this energy, which makes space-time unstable. It's also likely the reason as to why the Hoopa portals and Mirage Islands appear in ORAS, with Devon's use of Infinity Energy being the cause for these distortions to appear.

Alright, so what does any and all of this have to do with Terapagos?

Well, I think Terapagos is one of these crystal energy repository Pokemon, specifically the infinite energy source for the Original Dragon that all of these space crystal Pokemon also utilize. As well, the splitting of the Original Dragon caused the Terastal Phenomenon to occur, spreading across Paldea in the distant past as Terapagos laid dormant in the deepest recesses of Area 0. We know that Paldea is directly connected to Kalos, and us going to Unova likely means that it's close by as well, especially when Zekrom/Reshiram on their own are described to have enough power to cover the entire globe.

The Terastal Phenomenon wasn't really able to make the professor's time machine work, because while the high amounts of energy can warp spacetime, the professor misunderstood how to use it: Rather, because the professor dreamed of a world of ancient/future Pokemon, the Terastal Phenomenon made the Paradox Pokemon by channeling the energy into the professor's machine. As well, the Terastal Phenomenon works by manifesting dreams with the use of Tera Crystals, which envelop the Pokemon/Person who uses it, so a Pokemon, which is composed of Infinity Energy and controls the typing/energy of its moves, can alter their type in this way with an appropriate amount of Tera Shards of a different type.

In our hypothetical Legends Unova game, I bet that we'll see the Original Dragon, which wields so much energy that when it splits, it'll create the Tera Phenomenon. Given that the Treasures Of Ruin are not originally from Paldea (they may have been brought there by Volo, but all we know is that it was a travelling merchant), and that Paldea itself was under the control of the Paldean Empire (which is why it has that name in the modern day), it's even possible that the kingdom that Team Plasma tried to establish may have been inspired by/are the remnants of this original Paldean Kingdom, with N being the new modern day king chosen by Ghetsis, who was actually part of this ancient lineage. It's very likely that Terapagos is not originally from Paldea.

Paldea, connected to Kalos and Unova, could have even been the battleground of the two brothers when the Original Dragon split, creating the Great Crater and leaving Terapagos there, the remnants of the dream of the Original Dragon for the two brothers to reconcile.

I think a very interesting little promotion for the lead up to Part 2 of the DLC is that players, via Mystery Gift, were randomly given a Darkrai, a Pokemon meant to embody nightmares. I think that this is a little teaser hint to Terapagos, and the Terastal Phenomenon as a whole, being able to control and manifest dreams.

And that dreams coming true aren't always a good thing. They may even spell disaster if the infinite energy they possess goes out of control and envelopes the world. If Zekrom can envelop the world in an ultimate truth and Reshiram can envelop it with an ultimate ideal, both of them scorching it to ashes, then perhaps Terapagos can envelop it in an eternal dream, an eternally frozen crystal, similar to how Kyurem can cover an entire region and potentially the planet in an eternal blizzard.

So basically. This is what's going down in the grand scheme of things

[obscure-pokemon-facts]

im submitting this fact bc ive never seen anyone bring it up anywhere: sneasels beta design managed to hold on for a really long time before it was eventually changed. in fact, it lasted for so long that its palette managed to stay into the final games before finally getting changed in crystal- this is why sneasel has a vastly different palette in gs compared to the rest of the series

Hi! Fact #296. showcases the pallet used for Gold and Silver's final release and the difference between those and Crystal's.

You're right, Sneasel's beta design was still in it even up to the 1999 Space World demo (around 3 months before GS's release).

Actually a fair few Gen II Pokémon in the 1999 demo use beta designs, look at Wobbufett and Larvitar's lmao

[starryknight-dragonarts]

Pokemon Headcanon

Necrozma in their Prime was equal to Arceus maybe even being Arceus's counterpart but did not engage in creation with Arceus remaining distant like the stars. Necrozma thought that Arceus was weak for distributing their power to other Legendaries. However later as the Pokemon world came into full fruition Necrozma grew curious and envious of Arceus's world. They wanted to ingratiate themself into Arceus's world to be worshiped like a god as well but they hadn'y contributed to the creation of the world and feared being treated as something Alien that doesn't belong, so they split up parts of their power to create Solgaleo and Lunala in the image of the Sun and Moon, something Necrozma believed that mortals would find familiar and accept as new legendaries while they report information about the word back to Necrozma. Necrozma would continue to experimented creating their own worlds and creatures, which would later become known as the Ultra Beasts, hence why they are like pokemon but not quite like Other pokemon themselves, they are just a little off because they didn't come from the same creator, though it is likely none of them were quite to Necrozma's complete satisfaction as it just kept creating worlds. The 7 original Ultra Beasts could represent the 7 Deadly Sins Nihilego is Envy: it desires a host to latch onto because on it's own it has no Ego of it's own. Buzzwole is Pride: it is constantly trying to pose and show off Pheromosa is Lust; it uses pheromones to manipulate people Kartana is Wrath, it is a cutting maniac that likes to destroy its surroundings Celesteela is Sloth, it lays dormant for long periods of time Xerkitree is Greed, it takes every ounce of electricity for itself and Guzzlord of course is Gluttony, it is literally a living Black Hole consuming all matter it can fit in it's mouth Eventually Human's found their way into Ultra Space, they were probably worshipers of Solgaleo and Lunala who they allowed into their home realm, but the Humans would eventually attack Necrozma and drain them of their power causing Necrozma to fragment, and shards of Necrozma would become the Z-Crystals, meaning the Z-crystals are Necrozma's equivalent to Arceus's Plates.

[chromaji]

thanks to My Friend Agi 🎉 we have an expansion in the world of SuMo gijinka story.

Because Z-Crystals are central to this story's conflict (they're turning people into totem pokemon), and space and extraterrestrial life is a focus of SuMo itself, the protagonist could be one of the more extraterrestrial pokemon. Not a UB specifically, but i'm liking the clefairy line as a potential one.

So something like... they came from space on a mission to gather the Z-Crystals after something went wrong. Or maybe they're not FROM space but at least have a connection to it, and can feel some connection to the crystals.

Maybe the Z-Crystals all formed one giant crystal, but SOMEONE shattered the big crystal. Unsure who that someone is yet. My first thought is necrozma but i need to actually put some time to research Necrozma/SuMo to make sure stuff makes sense. So anyway the story's a mix of tropical and extrate...

...

a mix of tropical and extraterrestrial...

...

CLOSE ENOUGH WELCOME BACK OMEN OF APSIDES ITS LIKE YOU NEVER LEFT💥🎉 maybe this is why gens 7 & 3 are ones i like a lot. maybe think i just like mixing space with the ocean. learning a lot about myself

[fenrisfawkes]

Another Pmd oc has hit the headspace!! This is Eighty, the former human!

Eighty - Sprigatito/Floragato. Formerly human, Eighty was transported to the Pokemon world after Terapagos called to him across space and time using Terastal energy in the face of danger. He remember

s very little of his old life. Not even his name. The maelstrom of energy created from Terapagos' Terastal power, Necrozma's Light, and Eternatus' Dynamax energy imbued Eighty with innate Dynamax and Tera powers as well as being a source of light for Z Crystals. He can selectively Dynamax or Terastallize parts of his body or his moves. As a Floragato he can selectively enlarge his yo-yos (he has two of them) to use in combat.

Ace and Zio found him in the Spirit Woodlands during the night the Phantom Star appeared in the sky. When Zio asked for his name and he didnt remember, Ace gave him the nickname Eighty because "he came to us from a star".

[lilliesofinspirationvalley]

Thoughts on Hollows and Ether Corruption

What We Know Canonically (So Far)

Almost anything can experience ether corruption when inside a hollow, whether a living being or inanimate object

Those with high ether aptitude can stay in Hollows for longer periods of time without worrying about being corrupted, while those with low aptitude have anti-ether equipment that can help protect them. Ether aptitude tests are common

Artificial intelligence (androids, bangboo, smart machines, etc) are vulnerable to corruption if they pass the Forbidden Fruit test— which we don’t have specifics on atm, but presumably marks when an AI has become fully sentient like a person. This corruption is likely referring to ethereal mutation rather than the crystals that form on inanimate objects. Or perhaps even both! Ouch.

People who have been in Hollows for “too long” are susceptible to cognitive corruption syndrome (CCS), which is essentially a dementia/alhzheimer’s-esque disease that causes memory regression

Inferences (and/or Assumptions)

Living beings (humans, thirens, sentient ai, etc) presumably have their corruption levels “reset”/scale back down after exiting a hollow. I’m taking it as a similar situation to blot in Twisted Wonderland, where accumulation naturally decreases with enough time outside the hollow, and can be sped up with proper health maintenance (eating, sleeping, etc).

Corruption only really becomes a concern based on if you can leave (hence why proxies and carrots are so important), and if you stay in the hollows for extended periods of time. I think the threshold for “too long” starts at about maybe 2-3 hours??? Most commissions, including story events, take nowhere near as long as that in real time, I’m sure. I think the longest we might’ve gotten was about 75-90 minutes with the Cunning Hares in the prologue.

That’s the case for those with high ether aptitudes though. Lower aptitudes will experience effects much faster. Red Fang Gang’s Miguel Silver had to have practically zero ether aptitude for his mutation to be so instant.

Coming into contact with ether as an element/material (crystals, Nicole and Zhu Yuan’s shots, etc) won’t immediately cause high corruption levels/mutation (it’s likely everything in the ZZZ verse has in-world increased durability, given players and enemies alike can take bullet shots, burns, freezing, electric shocks, etc without dire consequences). Ethereals are often the most affected by other ether attacks— like ghost or dragon type being super effective against itself from Pokemon

Ether-tipped blades and other melee weapons have got to be a thing (I already have some ocs with this in mind for their weapons), and I don’t think it’s inherently dangerous to get hit by/wield them. You just gotta keep them covered when not in use, and be mindful/intentional of where you hold them (as you already would be with blades of any kind). The material used for weaponry (melee and firearms alike) is probably diluted a significant amount compared to the original crystals?

When actually harvesting ether crystals and other material, it’s highly recommended (often required) to handle with as much caution and protection as possible. The main thing being proper containment and coverage like gloves and stuff.

If there are more gradual effects to Hollow exposure, it’s likely not well known at the time of ZZZ’s main story. CCS could potentially be such, but it’s probably more susceptible if someone stays in hollows for about/longer than 2-3 hours in a single period of time.

Rapidly entering/exiting a hollow back and forth doesn’t count as a “reset”

Inanimate objects, overall, have significantly higher resistance against corruption. Specific levels can vary depending on material rates of corrosion/erosion/decay, quality and handling of the item, how deep it’s located in the hollow, etc. Time-space warping could also be a potential factor, but it’s probably difficult to test logistics for that.

As a general rule of thumb, buildings and infrastructure are usually the most durable things within a hollow. If you stay inside a building within the hollow (such as the Ballet Towers in Ch 3), you can stay inside for much longer (the threshold increasing up to 5-6 or even 7-8 hours, hence why Victoria Housekeeping could do their maintenance checks in the Ballet Towers without endangering themselves). Of course, if ethereals are able to access the building, that will naturally cause interior and/or exterior corruption mainly if hit with ether itself)

Understandably, artificial intelligence has far more resistance to (physical) corruption than organic beings, given they often house mechanical bodies. Though mental capabilities are still vulnerable from potential damage to processing units and such. But that takes about the same threshold as organic beings (~ 2-3 hours outside, 5-8 hours inside).

Unknown (As of Now)

Corruption effects on vegetation (plants/fungus), along with non-sentient animals and/or robotics.

[the-cosmos-foundation]

In other news, we've been cataloguing the energy types we've come across over the course of our studies of our own world. Off the top of my head, here's a general summary:

Ambient Pokemon Energy. Source: Any Pokemon. Also known as Life Energy or Aura. As expected, Pokemon exhibit relatively normal energy for their typing, and it tends to spike in ways appropriately produced by their own bodies. Certain stones used for evolution also exhibit these energy signatures, and sub-categories for each type are clearly documented by known scientific communities as a matter of public knowledge. It is ultimately unremarkable due to its prevalence, though strong pockets can have strong effects. TMs are also made to be capable of storing and conveying specifically tuned "pockets" of this energy to convey moves to Pokemon capable of learning them.

Infinity Energy. Source: Xerneas and Yveltal. This is a much more volatile energy that seems to have been caused by a rather deeply entrenched weapon going off within Kalos millenia ago, though the reach of its effects had managed to become felt in both Hoenn and Alola. It is hyper-attuned "life energy" similar to what a Pokemon may normally exhibit, but violently and roughly used in a way that dispersed itself elsewhere, coalescing into evolution stones. It can cause rapid evolution-like changes known as "Mega Evolution" that the Pokemon's body cannot handle for long periods of time and, from cursory scanning studies into the matter, can cause severe pain and panic in the Pokemon. This leads to heightened aggression and a lack of trust of humans if done improperly.

Z-Power. Source: Ultra Space (Necrozma). Discovered in Alola and, rather notably, nowhere else, this energy is either very close or nigh identical to certain energy signatures the Aether Foundation published their findings on roughly three-to-four (three and a half?) years ago. It has a similar energy functionality as Infinity Energy but manifests in rather differing ways: it is more "all-encompassing". Mega Stones holding Infinity Energy only work with specific Pokemon, a similar but more restrictive manifestation of the evolution stones it's bound to. Z-Crystals, meanwhile, are crystallized forms of pure Z-Energy and, should you match the type properly, can be used of any Pokemon that can use it, bolstering both their power by making its "aura flare" and augmenting a move of theirs to have devastating effect. Some have attuned to specific Pokemon, yes, but the majority of these stones affect Pokemon typings instead.

All of the above energy seems to be the same energy under differing effects. They are all, in some fashion, "life energy", something that a Pokemon can either exhibit naturally or that have some source of another being exerting its power over the ambient energy of an area through previous actions taken against or with it. Which leads us to the next kind of energy and what sets it apart from the others.

Dynamax Energy. Source: Eternatus. Also dubbed "Galar Particles" due to their notable appearance in that region and again, rather notably, nowhere else, this is an energy source that does not seem to have the same effects as the above. While it does come from a specific Pokemon and can have a bolstering effect on other Pokemon in the Dynamax phenomenon, some of which even getting specific Gigantamax forms, this does not necessarily lump it in with the other types: it is not life energy or a type of that life energy. It is more accurate to call it terrestrial energy that came from an extra-terrestrial source and spread unnaturally. Pokemon have a clear capability to absorb energy around them, yes, which is how both evolution stones and TMs nowadays are made, but the ambience of this energy, rather than its coalescence, is what separates it keenly. On top of this, it is also something much easier to convert into general electrical power through proper conversion. Other energies here can be harnessed, but they do not function in a similar enough way to be properly wielded in such a way.

Dynamax energy is, as one may expect, clearly in a league of its own. There's just two issues.

It causes the Pokemon distress. Similar to Mega Evolution, if done improperly, the Pokemon will lose their sense of self and promptly go berserk in a way that necessitates a takedown.

It is beholden to one area. Galar Particles are named as such due to this being a very localized phenomenon that prevents other regions from either benefiting or suffering from its influence.

As such, one of our key goals in researching the multiverse is to seek out, study and gradually form an understanding of other types of energy that have come into contact with Pokemon or humans in ways that could help bolster us as a people.

Hope this little delve into the basics of our energy exploration have helped a little bit more understanding be shared!

-- Luna

[scraftyisthebest]

With the recent reveal of Gibeon owning a Shiny (White) Zygarde, many people have been trying to use this to insinuate that Horizons may take place in a separate continuity/timeline/universe from Ash's story.

However, I disagree, and I think that not only does Liko's show still take place in the same continuity as Ash's story, but that such sentiment is frankly something that goes without saying. If they truly wanted to create a new, separate continuity, why wouldn't they just use a new version of Ash to establish that? And in such a case, I believe they would be much more liberal about using legacy characters because such characters would be new versions of them, not the ones we know: the fact that they're largely avoiding acknowledging legacy characters for the most part implies they're still out there in the world Liko and Roy are travelling. It would also needlessly complicate things like potential meetings which have immense marketing value like an Ash and Liko meeting down the line. The world Anipoke has taken place in is so large and has gone through so much worldbuilding with still more potential for even more, that Ash and Liko can viably exist in the same world without crossing paths. There's no business or storytelling benefit to making Horizons a new continuity, as Liko and Roy are fundamentally different characters with a different space in the world from Ash to begin with, and it would be a total waste if they just dropped all the worldbuilding they had done over the past 26 years. Thus, it is most certainly in the same continuity as before.

---

Now on to my main point, I think there is a much simpler explanation to the existence of Gibeon's Shiny Zygarde that can justify why it exists even with the existence of Squishy and Z2, and in that same world. And one that I think may raise very interesting implications for this story and where we may be headed. Also one that mirrors the games, particularly SV and its deal with Terapagos and the Paradoxes.

I believe that Gibeon's Zygarde, alongside the Black Rayquaza and the rest of the Six Heroes who were believed to be Lucius's companions, are honorary Paradox Pokemon who were magically willed into existence by the power of Terapagos.

It is easy to miss, especially if you don't stop to think about it, but Terapagos's power, aside from being the harbinger of the Terastal phenomenon, is the power to create paradoxical things. It can "create" things using its power, things that originate from human imagination to those who believe certain things about them, but when you stop to think about those things, it makes no logical sense for them to exist in the way they are explained.

This is especially evident in the actual Paradox Pokemon from the games. Sada and Turo willed them into existence using their "time machine" and believe them to be Pokemon from the ancient past and distant future, or the one we "see" in the Crystal Pool being from alternate timelines. But as their names imply, their existence is a paradox: their whole deal is that they're not supposed to actually exist, and yet somehow, they got willed into reality and given life and physical existence. The dubiousness of their existence is enforced by their drawings in the Scarlet/Violet books, created 200 years prior to the game's events by Heath and his expedition team, contradicting the fact that Sada/Turo only created the time machine 10 years prior to the game's story. The dubiousness of how they came to be is also reinforced by their only other mention being in the Occult magazines, which are questionably trustworthy at best. We know that their existence started in Area Zero, a place filled with Terastal energy thanks to Terapagos, thus the latter is the creator of them.

The paradoxical nature of Terapagos's power is also reflected in the Crystal Pool event at the end of Indigo Disk, a place where you can seemingly talk to the dead, and Terapagos summons a Sada or Turo who was alive, supposedly before they created the time machine. And you give them Briar's book in exchange for the Scarlet/Violet book. But the more you think about this event, the less it actually makes sense, and the only conclusion you can make is that if it were our own Sada/Turo, the entire game's timeline would implode upon itself.

Now on to the anime, Gibeon is now known to have been a companion of Lucius. Lucius and his friends have the stories of their adventures chronicled in books and legends. This incidentally also parallels how the Paradox Pokemon are chronicled in Scarlet and Violet the games. But when you stop to look at everything, aside from Terapagos, the nature of the Six Heroes' existence is incredibly dubious at best, to the point where it's questionable if those six ever actually existed, or if they did, how they came to be. The same would likely apply to Gibeon's Shiny Zygarde. The Black Rayquaza is the biggest example: aside from being a Rayquaza, it is always shown glowing and crystallized, likely surrounded by Terastal energy. It may have even been created by and willed into reality by Terapagos itself, literally formed by Terastal energy. This is sort of hinted at very early on, when Liko's pendant, which was Terapagos, and Roy's special Poke Ball, which unleashed the Black Rayquaza, resonated with one another, and the Black Rayquaza didn't emerge until it resonated with Terapagos, which may imply that it wasn't actually in there and Terapagos used its power to will it into existence, alongside the other five heroes. The other Heroes seem to have abnormal traits as well, such as a giant Arboliva and two of the heroes being legendaries, and they only "awakened" once the Black Rayquaza did. This may imply they weren't real, and the only one of Lucius's Pokemon who wasn't willed into existence was Terapagos itself, who used its power to "create" companions for Lucius and its friends.

The same may apply to Gibeon's White Zygarde as well, who may have been willed into existence by Terapagos. This Zygarde, along with Rayquaza, are the biggest anomalies not just in their different coloration, but that they were literally owned by someone, which in the anime world should not be possible as major legendaries like them are largely above being owned by Trainers. Them being Paradoxes willed into reality by Terapagos would explain this.

This is most certainly an interesting turning point, and may raise a lot of questions to the true tale of Lucius and his friends, and what Rakua truly is. One thing is certain though: Terapagos and its special powers surrounding Terastal energy and the creation of paradoxical things seem to be playing a major role here.

[saph-y]

Which pieces of fiction would you say have been the biggest sources of inspiration for your original works?

Omg, while cleaning up my draft I found back this old ask I never finished :o So I decided to post it since I do miss asks AND it's such and interesting topic !

So that's obviously a super vast question and I could cite a huuuge number of pieces of fiction that had some kind of impact on me at some point, but if I try to stay specific to the things that really influenced me creatively the most at various levels on the long run :

Star Wars (duh), Tolkien books & The Lord of the Rings films, 80s/90s/early 20s adventure films (too many to list, including animation films), Jane Austen books, Bioware games (Mass Effect especially), scify/fantasy 90s/20s tv series, old disney with anthro characters, Borderlands games, early days World of Wacraft, Pokemon, One Piece mangas, Miyazaki films, From Software games and adjancent things, Dark Crystal, the existence of Musicals in general, everything that has pirates in it (space counts. Basically any variation of misfits on a ship.), Most recent-ish stuff I could also cite more specifically because I think they are relevant to what I write/draw these days : Mad Max Fury Road, Witch Hat Atelier, Beastars (manga), Black Sails, Sense 8, Dune films, Horizon Zero Dawn, Fallout, Bloodborne, Lupin the 3d...etc etc too much stuff

[restwellsoon]

get to know your moots

Thanks for the tag, bbygrl @andypantsx3 ♡

what's the origin of your blog title?

It's a play on get well soon.

OTP(s) + shipname

I'm not partial to any ship.

favorite color

Red.

favorite game

It's a tie between the .hack// series (especially Mutation and Outbreak) for the PS2 and the PokeMon games (Crystal, Ruby, and Ultra Sun in particular). I wanna play Love and Deep Space but I have no self control when it comes to otomes.

song stuck in your head

The Eve - EXO.

weirdest habit/trait?

Chewing/picking at my lips when I'm stressed.

hobbies:

Writing, weightlifting, crafting, cooking.

if you work, what's your profession?

Registered nurse.

if you could have any job you wish what would it be?

Princess ♡

something you're good at:

Assembling furniture.

something you're bad at:

Driving, haha.

something you love:

That feeling when you just shaved your legs and slide into a freshly made bed. That's heaven on earth right there.

something you could talk about for hours off the cuff:

The cultural impact of The Blair Witch Project.

something you hate:

Obligatory current state of America. Also having tinnitus.

something you collect:

Minerals. I've gotten more mindful with the specimens I collect though.

something you forget:

The list continues to grow as I get older... There are certain codes I use frequently for work that I constantly forget, write down, and then forget that I wrote them down.

what's your love language?

Acts of service ♡

favorite movie/show:

Edward Scissorhands / You're the Worst.

favorite food:

Lamb or soup.

favorite animal:

Skunks!

what were you like as a child?

Shy.

favorite subject at school?

German or psych.

least favorite subject?

Stats or chem.

what's your best character trait?

I'm pretty good at making people feel comfortable around me irl.

what's your worst character trait?

Most things and people don't bother me, but when they do, it's the end of the world to me.

if you could change any detail of your day right now what would it be?

All the laundry would be done and folded ugh.

if you could travel in time who would you like to meet?

Cleopatra VII.

recommend one of your favorite fanfics (spread the love!):

Lie in Lime by zero_paradise - PowerPuff Girls | Buttercup x Butch

Okay, this is so random but I remember I used to ship them SO HARD when I was younger, and one boring night, curiosity got the best of me... The fic hasn't been updated in years, but it's been living in my mind rent free since I first read it. I love the author's interpretation of the characters, and they add very specific real world details that are so fitting for Butch and Buttercup. The tension written is insaaaane.

&

Beneath the Silk by phyx_morgan - Ju Jutsu Kaisen | True Form!Sukuna x F!Reader.

I haven't read anything this engaging, both fanfic or otherwise, in a while. With an assassination plot under the guise of an arranged marriage, the author writes a dynamic story that has you fully invested in each character and detail, and each chapter makes you question everyone's motives and desires. There's so much mystery that's been skillfully written here, and I've found myself rereading it obsessively on AO3.

No pressure tags (I just wanna get to know ya): @pricetagofficial @boosyboo9206 @ghost-flakes @illeatyoursoulwithmustard @katsudonkitten @angelz-dust

[itsapokemonworld]

[statboosts]

So you know how in the last few pokemon games there's been a few "Nuclear Bomb" level legendary pokemon? specially the ones that have incredible destructive force while giving off magical radiation

-Z-Crystals are shards chipped off of Necrozma's body containing a specific kind of energy, and Necrozma eventually becomes a super powered boss fight in usum, having higher stats than Mega Rayquaza, and bumping all its stats with its concentrated Light Energy.

-Dynamax power is all leftover radiation from the previous Darkest Day where Eternatus manifested a full Eternamax body and enacted The Rumbling on Galar. You and Hop prevent this from getting that bad again by beating Eternatus in a raid battle, while its already distorting time and space around it so much you can see your own journey around you.

-Terapagos lives in an impact crater and when it acieves its Stellar form it constantly blasts out concentrated Terastal energy. So much so that everyone presents Tera Orbs never run out of charge ever again. It manages to overpower Kieran, break a master ball and again needs to be defeated in a raid battle before it hurts you and presumably wanders out into the wider world.

Makes me wonder about Victini. Victini is kept on Liberty Garden, and appears to be a representation of the statue of Liberty in the pokemon world, specifically its torch. It's listed specially in the pokedex as number 0, before the starters, almost like it's being concealed, and it also has a devastatingly strong fire move called V-Create and an ability that boosts accuracy. Makes me wonder if victini is supposed to similarly be some kind of stand-in for a nuclear bomb.

[onestepbackwards]

Imagine self-aware characters from the Pokémon Fan-game "Pokémon Uranium"-

Oops-

I have not played that, but is that the fan game were there are irradiated pokemon? That would be both an interesting and horrifying concept. If the NPCs in the self aware au see that, it suddenly becomes crystal clear their way of life is not as bad as it could be.

Especially since radiation is still very much a real thing, and could happen to any region if precautions aren't met. Though the likelihood of it happening in Hisui's time is fairly low. So long as something isn't sent through space and time.

So if characters from that fan game became self aware...

Just imagine how upsetting that would be.

Your world, one full of suffering, your country on the verge of possible destruction from radiation, was all made for some higher being's entertainment.

It would be like some sort of sick joke.

And if they think you are a god?

What kind of a god enjoys such a world? Enjoys such suffering?

And if they realize they are from a game, well... Some may not know whether to feel sick or not. To learn your world was doomed for plot. For something dark and new.

Quite sad, indeed.

[sirenspells]

A Gift From the Future

Based on a headcanon I thought of for the hero after they've been erased from existence. It got very out of hand

Summary: Celeste thought she was supposed to have disappeared, but she soon finds herself meeting with Dialga outside the bounds of time, with her missing memories and human form returned to her.

Word count: 7,825

………

…………?

Slowly, Celeste's consciousness faded back in, which was…pretty alarming, considering her last memory from before now. She's fairly sure people who've been erased from existence aren't supposed to be conscious, aren't supposed to be able to think, to feel, to be.

And yet here she was, eyes closed, floating aimlessly…somewhere. She didn't actually know where she was right now, and she really had no idea what kind of place she could have possibly ended up, for she was supposed to be not existing right now.

"Celeste."

Celeste's eyes flew open as she heard another voice from within wherever she had awoken, a voice that didn't sound like it came from a physical being, but rather, something that reverbrated through her mind and all around the space surrounding her.

With her eyes now open, Celeste could see where she was…and before her was a sight that she could hardly believe.

A vast space surrounded her, reminding her of the starry sky that hung above her head whenever she went to sleep at the guild. There was no sign of land, or any other living beings, just an endless void that stretched out for miles upon miles beyond her. Crystal-like objects floated around her, and when she turned to look at one of them, its shiny surface showed an unfamiliar place aging in real time, leaves on trees falling and growing over and over again in a loop, pokemon walking by and leaving quicker than her mind could comprehend. A rhythmic sound reverbrated throughout the space, sounding like something in between a metronome and a heartbeat.

"So you are awake. I am glad to see that I was able to retrieve you with no issues."

That booming voice Celeste had heard earlier spoke again, and this time, with her mind clearer, she was able to recognize where she had heard the voice before, for it was one of the last voices she had heard before she had faded away from existence—besides, of course, that of Snow…

…

Celeste looked around, trying to find the source of the voice, and once she turned around to look behind her, she found it.

It was Dialga, alright. Though, he looked…different, from the last time Celeste had seen him, when she and Snow had battled him at the top of Temporal Tower. His body had changed shape, its lower half now more ungulate-like, with a very distinctive cross wheel surrounding his abdomen. Seeing it brought to mind Arceus, the pokemon who was said to have created the world itself—at least, according to some book Celeste had found in a frozen and abandoned library.

…Wait.

Why does she remember that?

It hit Celeste like a Sucker Punch to the face then, as she frantically delved through her mind, realizing that all the empty space in her head, from before she had woken up on the beach…it was all whole again. She remembered everything; her life in the dark future, meeting Grovyle and Celebi, working together with them to try and figure out how to prevent the planet's paralysis. It was all there, and having the knowledge felt as natural as if she had never lost those memories in the first place.

And then suddenly, she was conscious of the fact that she felt a lot taller, and was no longer covered in fur, but clothes. She looked down at herself, holding up her trembling hands—not paws—covered in cuts and bruises, and with dirt still stuck under her nails.

She gingerly held up a hand to caress her face, feeling the scars that, she only now realized, had been absent on her Espurr body. There was the large one across her face, from when she had shielded a lone Treecko from the attack of a Gabite, when she had first met who would then become her best friend. The smaller one on her cheek was from when she had first experienced the Dimensional Scream; the vision of the past, of a colorful forest under a blue sky and a bright sun, had overwhelmed her so much that she'd collapsed, cutting her cheek against a sharp rock jutting out of the ground.

Admittedly…could be a little better of a scar origin story.

Celeste looked back up at Dialga—the weird, Arceus-looking Dialga—floating in front of her, who looked down at her in turn. If Celeste had thought he was tall before, somehow he was even taller now. He towered over her like the sky, and a chill ran down Celeste's spine just looking at him. She almost found herself unable to speak, but she was able to force the words out anyway.

"Dialga…where am I?" Celeste was hardly caught off guard by the fact that she was speaking in human tongue rather than Pokespeak.

"This place…is my home. It is a dimension that exists outside of time itself, and it is here that I am able to fully govern the state of time in the mortal realm."

"It exists outside of time, huh? I'm assuming that's how I'm…y'know…"

"That is correct."

"You look a little…different, from last I saw you."

"What you see before you is my true form, a form that I am only able to take in this place, for the confines of the mortal realm is unable to handle it. No mortal has ever seen me in this form, and never will they."

"Except for me, I guess?" Celeste said with an attempt at a playful smile.

The dimension around her seemed to shift. "Well…I would not call you mortal now."

"Oh…yeah…" Celeste supposed that "doesn't exist" counts as not being mortal. She found that she really didn't like thinking about that, the fact that she was technically dead—or perhaps worse than dead, depending on how you put it. It was strange; as she planned with Grovyle and Celebi on curing the planet's paralysis, they all went into it knowing fully well what would happen to them should they succeed. And it hadn't really bothered Celeste all that much, the fact of her own mortality. Perhaps that's just what growing up in a place like the dark future does to you—it hardens you, makes you detached and a little careless. Why would you possibly want to live when your only memories consist of fighting every day of your life, scrounging for food and shelter and wondering if you'll still be alive within the next 24 hours?

But after losing her memories and turning into a pokemon, it was different. She learned to appreciate all the little things while living in the past, free from the memories of her life in such a horrible world. She learned to love the feeling of the breeze blowing through her fur, the sun shining down on her, the warm sand under her paws and the rhythm of the waves crashing against the shore of the beach.

But, perhaps most surprisingly, she learned to love other pokemon in the past. The members of Wigglytuff's Guild, all of Treasure Town's shopkeepers, Azurill and Marill…and Snow. The first pokemon Celeste met upon waking up on the beach, the one that had seen Celeste through everything, someone she could always confide in, who gave her comfort through the most trying of times.

Celeste's trusted partner, her best friend…her reason to keep fighting.

That wasn't supposed to happen. Even if she and Grovyle had never talked about it directly, it was almost like an unspoken rule of their plan. You can't get attached to anyone in the past, not just because you're going to be seen as the villain for stealing the Time Gears, or, in Celeste's case, because you're a human in a world in which they have been largely relegated to the roles of folk tales.

It was because saving the future will mean your inevitable disappearance.

And yet Celeste had gotten attached anyway, because she no longer had the memories that told her not to. She disappeared knowing she was leaving behind so many pokemon who had grown to love her, including one who had told her she never could have gotten so far without her.

She started to selfishly wonder how they were all doing now. Did they still think about her? Had the news of her disappearance upset them? And Snow…oh, Snow, how was she doing now that Celeste was gone?

How long has it been now? Months? Years? Were any of them even still around? Or did that not matter in this place, where not a single second, and yet also millennia has gone by?

She really needs to stop thinking about it before she gives herself another existential crisis.

Luckily for her, Dialga speaking again was able to pull her out of her spiraling thoughts. "When my sanity had started to slip from the beginning collapse of Temporal Tower, I lost my ability to enter this place, and therefore, lost my ability to take on my true form. But you and your partner had also restored that upon saving Temporal Tower. Once again, I cannot thank you two enough for your efforts."

"O-of course," Celeste replied. That certainly put a whole new perspective on things. Not only had Dialga lost control of his ability to manipulate time, but he was also forced into a form that was not truly his own, one that didn't feel right, that was more limiting.

Celeste supposed she could relate to that feeling, in a way.

She wondered, then, if Dialga was able to be his true self within this dimension, then perhaps that was also why Celeste was able to remember everything here, and had returned to her original human form. She was about to ask Dialga that, but decided she instead wanted to get her answer to a much more pressing question.

"So you specifically brought me here, Dialga. For what reason did you bring me back?"

The dimension around them shifted again, a pressure seeming to lighten up. "Yes, I did. Though it is impossible to truly 'waste time' here, I do not wish to keep the two of you waiting much longer. Allow me to show you something."

Just before Celeste could ask what Dialga meant by "two of you," the space around them started to change, rippling like the surface of a lake upon touching it. Dialga's imposing form disappeared, but Celeste remained as she suddenly found herself in Treasure Town, right in front of Wigglytuff's Guild, a sight so very familiar and welcoming. The same sight she'd see upon returning from a mission with Snow, talking with her with an empty belly just begging for Chimecho to be finished with dinner.

Being here as a human felt strange, like she didn't belong. Well, Celeste supposed that was true. She could tell she wasn't truly here: she was unable to feel the dirt under her boots, or the cool air of dusk settling upon Treasure Town. It was probably similar to when Dialga had used telepathy to show her and Snow the state of the world after they'd saved Temporal Tower.

And just as Celeste thought that, someone emerged from the tent that covered the entrance to the guild, and her heart fluttered with excitement and relief upon seeing them.

"Snow…!" Celeste exclaimed, a genuine smile on her face for the first time since being brought here by Dialga.

Sure enough, there was Celeste's best friend, trudging down the path that led out of Wigglytuff's Guild and down into the rest of the town. Of course, Snow wasn't able to see or hear Celeste, evidently, and even though Celeste knew that would likely be the case…it still hurt, seeing her best friend walk right past her without so much as a glance her way.

Celeste's smile faded when she really took in Snow's appearance for the first time. Compared to how she looked in Celeste's most recent memory of her, right before Celeste had disappeared in front of her very eyes, Snow looked a little different. She looked tired, with noticeable bags under her eyes, and her eyelids drooped lower than they usually did. Her fur was unkempt, like she hadn't been taking proper care of it, and she was covered in small cuts and bruises. And…was Celeste imagining it, or did she look a little thinner as well?

Just as Snow was about to head down the stairs, she and Bidoof crossed paths, and she let the fellow apprentice know that she was going out for a walk. Just before they separated, Bidoof let Snow know that dinner would be ready soon, and Snow simply nodded before heading off. Celeste stayed back just a little longer to watch Bidoof look at Snow's disappearing figure with a worried look on his face, before Celeste made to follow after Snow.

As Celeste followed after Snow down to the beach, despite her worry over her friend's state, she couldn't help the amusement she felt over how much taller she was than her now. As an Espurr, she was already a little taller than Snow—Celeste had been told she was rather tall for her species, and that Snow was a little small for her's—but she had only had a couple inches over her. Now, Celeste could easily pick her up if she wanted to, and hold her in her arms—or maybe Snow could sit on her shoulder, like Grovyle would do when he was a Treecko.

Cute…

Snow made it to the beach, the setting sun casting a soft orange glow over the scene, and Celeste could see the Krabby blowing bubbles into the air, only adding to the ethereal beauty of the ocean at sunset. She wished so desperately that she could feel the sand under her feet again, and smell the salty air that the ocean's waves created as they surged back and forth in a calm rhythm.

At least Snow could feel it for her, her friend's golden eyes sparkling as she looked out over the sea and at the bubbles lazily floating about through the air, and it was here Celeste realized how dull Snow's eyes had looked before now. Her chest felt warm seeing that look in her friend's eyes again, that the sentimental and excitable pokemon she'd come to know wasn't completely gone.

Snow sighed wistfully as Celeste moved to stand at her side. "This view…" she murmured. "I haven't seen it for some time, but…it's as beautiful as I remember. I've been so busy lately, that I could never find the time to come down here. But I've missed this…fantastic sight…"

Celeste had to agree with her. It truly was a beautiful sight to see, one that she never imagined could exist while living in the dark future. None of the small glimpses of the un-frozen past through her Dimensional Screams could begin to compare to what it was like to truly live it, to know what the world looked like as the sun rose and set every day. Something Celeste had taken for granted after she had lost her memories, but now…

"Hmm…when was the last time I saw this view, anyway?" Snow pondered aloud, before seeming to jolt with the realization. "Oh…right…it was when I met…Celeste…" she said, her voice starting to break.

Snow looked over across the sand, closer to the entrance to the Beach Cave, her eyes going back to that dull look as she went silent. Celeste also couldn't help but look over, at the spot where she had first woken up after becoming a pokemon, when she'd washed up on the shore after falling from the Passage of Time.

She'd opened her eyes to the sound of someone's panicking voice, her fur damp and with sand uncomfortably stuck in it, and her eyes stinging from not just the salt water of the ocean, but from how…bright everything was. The golden sand, the pink-orange sky, why was it all so bright?

But most of her vision had been taken up by a pokemon, eyes wide with panic softening with relief as Celeste opened her eyes.

"You're awake!" the pokemon—who Celeste would soon come to know as Snow—exclaimed. "Oh, what a relief! You weren't moving, so I was so worried that you were…A-anyway, are you okay?"

Celeste returned to the present (or whatever could be considered the present in this state) as Snow started speaking again. "I remember…the view was like this too, when I found Celeste over here, on the beach…"

The fox pokemon started moving along across the beach, to where she had first found Celeste collapsed on the shore. She stopped and let out a soft chuckle. "I really thought she was dead for a second there…Her fur was wet, so I thought she may have drowned, or…" She looked out over the ocean. "I wonder how long she must have been in the ocean before she'd washed up here."

Celeste tried to think back on it, but even in this state, with all of her memories returned, the time in between her going through the Passage of Time with Grovyle and her waking up on the beach was a blur. There was…something, in the Passage of Time, when there shouldn't have been anything else besides her and Grovyle. Celeste remembers an attack—maybe shielding Grovyle from something—and then something shattering, and pain…a lot of pain. And then she remembers trying to hold on to someone, but being unable to keep her grip for long as her strength rapidly depleted.

And then there was falling, and then there was landing in the salty water of the ocean with a splash. It was honestly a miracle that Celeste ended up at shore at all. She didn't know how to swim—there really was no opportunity or need to when every body of water in the dark future was frozen. So maybe Snow assuming that she had drowned wasn't exactly off…

"This was where…everything began, huh?" Snow said softly, her eyes looking distant as she seemed to become lost within memories. Hearing those words, Celeste also couldn't help but begin to reminisce on everything she had gone through with Snow, all of the adventures they had, everything that led up to here.

When Snow had first asked Celeste to form an exploration team with her, after they'd retrieved her Relic Fragment from Zubat and Koffing. Celeste had agreed more so because she had nothing better to do. She had just woken up with no memories, and she would've been foolish to not accompany someone more familiar with the world than her, even if it meant joining an "exploration team," whatever that was. But Snow had seemed so happy when Celeste agreed, that any thought of joining her out of obligation seemed to melt away instantly.

When they were registering their team with Wigglytuff's Guild, and the guildmaster had asked them for their team name, something that both Snow and Celeste hadn't even considered until right then. Snow had asked Celeste for any ideas, and Celeste, feeling the pressure of the guildmaster and Chatot's stares, had pretty hastily come up with "Team Dawn." The reasoning had been a little generic, and a little cheesy—this team was like the dawn of their new friendship, of their new life at the guild. But Snow had looked so excited at the name, saying giddily how it fit the two of them perfectly. And now…Celeste had to agree. Team Dawn did fit them perfectly.

After the two of them had rescued Azurill from Drowzee, and they suddenly realized just how hungry they'd become after such a high-intensity mission. Snow had laughed so hard after both of their stomachs growled at the same time, the first time Celeste had ever seen such a joyful expression on her face, and now Celeste wished she could have laughed alongside her, fear of accidentally setting off her psychic powers again be damned.

When they were both about to jump behind the waterfall, with Celeste's vision being the only assurance they had that doing so wouldn't lead to their very awful deaths, being battered by the relentlessly falling water. Snow had put all of her faith in Celeste, despite the risk, and chose to believe her and her vision full heartedly.

When Snow opened up to Celeste about her dream of solving the mystery behind her Relic Fragment, how happy she'd be if that dream ever came true. Celeste had always loved to see Snow be so passionate about her personal treasure, about her dream of exploring and discovering new places, of all the various myths and legends that surrounded their world. Now being able to look back on her days studying those same myths while living in the dark future, perhaps it had been something that Celeste and Snow had always had in common…

When the two of them had faced up against Uxie's illusory Groudon, its loud roar shaking the very ground where they stood. Despite Snow's fear, despite how much her small body trembled, she still found it in her to try and be brave, to attempt to fight the gigantic Legendary that towered over them. Seeing that had also given Celeste the courage to fight too, for though she wouldn't have admitted it at the time in front of Snow, she had been just as terrified as her.

When they had managed to defeat the illusion of the Groudon, and Uxie had shown them Fogbound Lake. The geyser in the center of the lake had erupted, and with the glow of the Time Gear and the tails of the Volbeat and Illumise flying about, it created a truly magical scene. Celeste had stared at the fountain in awe, her heart racing from both the sight before her and the Time Gear, but at one point, she had instead directed her gaze to the pokemon standing beside her. Snow's eyes were utterly transfixed on the fountain, eyes wide and sparkling in a way Celeste had never seen until now, her smiling face illuminated by the lights in front of her. Celeste had returned from the expedition with not only the fond memory of seeing that beautiful lake, but from being able to see Snow the happiest she had ever been.

When Dusknoir had taken them to the future, and had attempted to execute them and Grovyle, commanding his Sableye minions to tear them to shreds with their claws. In all the fear and confusion that had surrounded them in that moment, being able to cooperate with Grovyle, even after all he had done, and being able to stop the Sableye from clawing them, had given Celeste one spot of hope in that dark future.

After Celeste and Snow had separated from Grovyle, running for what felt like hours from the Sableye determined to try and execute them…and after Celeste and Snow had had their very first real disagreement, and a rather nasty one that Celeste really didn't like thinking back on, even long after it had been resolved. All the confusion and fear of the situation had gotten to Celeste, and she'd snapped at Snow when her best friend kept insisting that Dusknoir couldn't possibly be a bad pokemon, even after what he had just tried to do, and had become angry when Snow had driven Grovyle off, when it would have been a better idea to go with him. And then Snow, for the first time, had gotten angry with Celeste, demanding an answer for how she could be so trusting of Grovyle, and so suspicious of Dusknoir, after everything they'd done while in the past.

And Celeste couldn't answer those questions, because she didn't know how. She couldn't explain why Dusknoir had made her so uncomfortable from the moment she saw him, or why seeing Grovyle for the first time had made her pulse race, or why she had such hesitation about fighting him that it would end up costing them their victory at Crystal Lake when she had let herself become distracted. It was like two parts of her mind were battling with each other, one that saw Grovyle as the thief he was, and another that couldn't help but think…was there something else to him, behind the outlaw that everyone else saw him as?

She couldn't convince Snow to trust Grovyle, because Celeste had no evidence that he was anything but a bad pokemon who would do the unspeakable crime of stealing Time Gears. So she answered: "I don't know…" And they had simply continued on, hardly a word exchanged between the two of them…

Until they had seen the lights of the stockade in the distance, and Celeste watched as Snow broke down crying as she wondered how everyone at the guild was doing, as the possibility that they would never be able to return home set in. And in that moment, Celeste no longer saw Snow as someone naive, and gullible, and too trusting of others for her own good, as she had in the wake of their argument. She saw her best friend, just as terrified as her, not knowing who or what to believe anymore, so utterly confused and overwhelmed by everything that had just happened.

And Celeste felt awful. Oh, she'd felt so awful. Even now, she still did. She still couldn't understand how she could have possibly seen Snow as anyone but the pokemon who had been by her side through everything, who understood her better than anyone else could, who probably would have tried to understand her had she just kept her stupid emotions in check.

So Celeste had talked, trying to give her best friend even a small glimmer of hope in their dire situation. She was able to convince her to go after Grovyle, not just to work together with him, but because he was their only hope of finding a way back home. The talk had seemed to lift Snow's spirits, at least a little bit, her determination returning now that they had a goal in mind, a spot of hope in the dark future they'd found themselves in.

And then, as they'd left…Snow had thanked Celeste. She thanked her for trying to comfort her and for giving her hope, despite how scared Celeste must have been herself. She…apologized, for almost giving up hope, even though it wasn't her who should have been apologizing, it was Celeste, for snapping at her while she was in such a vulnerable state of mind.

But Snow assured Celeste that she would be fine, and then they set off to find Grovyle.

…Celeste never got to apologize for what she'd said.

Celeste remembered when her and Snow had prepared to ride the Rainbow Stoneship up to Temporal Tower, just after Grovyle had disappeared with Dusknoir back to the future…and just after Celeste had found out that saving the future would mean her disappearance. Grovyle had told her that she had traveled to the past with that resolve, and now, she knew that was the truth, but at that moment, she wasn't a human from the future. She was a pokemon who had found a home in the past, an apprentice at Wigglytuff's Guild, the leader of Team Dawn…and Snow's best friend.

And she had just been told that in order to restore peace to the world, she had to disappear.

She had done exactly what she wasn't supposed to: she'd gotten attached.

That thought of disappearing had weighed on her mind all throughout her and Snow's climb up Temporal Tower, as they engaged in battle with Dialga, as they managed to put the Time Gears in their rightful places to stop the tower's collapse. And Celeste had no idea how to tell Snow, because how could she? She worried that doing so would crush her spirits, impede their plan to stop Temporal Tower's collapse, and…oh, who was she kidding? It was because she didn't want to see Snow so upset. That was why Celeste couldn't tell her, because she couldn't bear to see how her friend would react to such a revelation. Not until it couldn't be hidden any longer, as Celeste had started to disappear right before her best friend's eyes, leaving Celeste's last memory of Snow to be her tear-stained face, and for Snow's last memory of Celeste to be her strained smile right before she faded from existence.

Celeste focused back on Snow, still standing at the beach with a misty look in her eyes. "Celeste…" she murmured. "It's been months, but…I still remember it all, like it was only yesterday you and I joined the guild, that you were there sitting next to me when I ate dinner, that you…you were sleeping in that b-bed beside me…It's just…nothing's the same, without you here. All the other apprentices, and Guildmaster Wigglytuff, a-and even Chatot…" She laughed through her quickly forming tears. "I-I know you didn't like him all that much, Celeste, especially after that whole Perfect Apple thing, but…even he misses you, I can tell…We all do…"

Celeste's throat started to hurt, and she felt a sting in her eyes.

Snow's body started to tremble, and a few sniffles escaped her. "A-and all the shopkeepers…they keep expecting to see you there…Auntie Kangaskhan, and the Kecleon brothers…they all miss you too, Celeste…"

Celeste felt her body start to shake.

"And Celeste…I-I know that you…wanted me to stay strong, even without you. I know it was…y-your last wish…before you…disappeared, but…but I…"

Snow's trembling body collapsed onto the sand, as tears started freely streaming down her face.

"I…I just can't!" Snow cried, her voice choked up by sobs. "I-I need you, Celeste! You were the reason I could keep going, that I was able to join the guild, that I was able to come so far! You were my best friend—you were my first friend—and you were the greatest partner I could have ever asked for! I loved you…I loved you so much, I loved you more than anything else in the world!

"So why!?" she screamed into the sky. "Why did you have to go!? Why did you have to disappear!? Why could only one of us return from the Hidden Land!? Why, why, why!?"

Snow sobbed. Sobbed, and sobbed, and, against Celeste's control, tears started to stream down her face, before she too collapsed, her legs crumpling underneath her as she buried her face in her hands. She cried alongside her best friend, ugly sobs escaping her throat, loud and guttural.

When was the last time she had even let herself cry as a human? It was…when she'd found her mother's cloak, torn and laying on blood-stained grass, and Celeste had realized that all hope of her mother still being alive, after having not come back for her for several days, was completely lost. After that, it was like all of her tears had dried up. She had to remain tough after that, for the sake of the Treecko she had just started traveling with, and then, for the sake of the beautiful world she wanted to save.

But now, being able to see her best friend again, being able to see just how much her own absence had been felt by those she cared for, seeing Snow break down into tears because of her…it had reduced Celeste to a mess of tears and snot. She felt like a small child again, when the fact that she now had to brave the world of darkness without her mother had fully caught up to her, when she had felt so hopelessly scared, and alone…

Celeste felt the space around her shift again, feeling like a tidal wave had washed over her, and then she was suddenly reminded of how she was even seeing all of this in the first place. She finally lifted her face from her hands, wiping away stray tears and snot with her sleeve, and saw that Bidoof had arrived at the beach at some point. He and Snow were locked in a tight embrace, Snow burying her face into Bidoof's fluffy brown fur as she continued to cry.

"Dialga…why are you showing me this?" Celeste asked, her voice still heavy from crying.

"Your partner…Snow…When you disappeared from this world, I felt her sorrow, from when she left on the Rainbow Stoneship, and all throughout the months that followed." Though Celeste still couldn't see Dialga, she heard his voice reverberate throughout the space around her once more. "Though it has waxed and waned, it has never gone away…and its intensity is something I have not seen for many, many years. Even now…I can feel it, here in this space, outside of time…"

"Huh…" The thought of how impressive that was, that Snow's sorrow was so great that a Legendary was able to feel its intensity, was overshadowed by just how crushed Celeste felt that Snow had such intense feelings about her. Celeste's disappearance was what caused this; it had broken Snow in a way nothing else could, and Celeste was seeing the effects for herself…Tears started flowing from her eyes anew.

"Celeste…you and your partner had an irreplaceable bond. Even as my sanity started to slip, as I engaged with you two in battle, I could feel it. It was only because of that bond that you two were able to defeat me, and that you were able to stop Temporal Tower's collapse, and restore balance to the world. This world needs you both.

"And so…as thanks for saving me, and this world…I wish to bestow upon both of you…a gift. I shall grant Snow's wish to see you again…and restore your existence."

Celeste's breath hitched. "Y-you can do that?"

"Yes. Time is my domain, after all. I can reach into its infinite threads and pull you out from within its grasp. But…even that power has its limits. I am only able to restore you to how you were right as you disappeared from the world…"

"So…I'll forget everything again," Celeste finished for him. "My memories of being human will be erased again…"

"…Correct. You will also forget everything that took place here, in this state outside of time. You will forget our meeting, and the vision of the present that I showed to you."

"I see…" It was a little disappointing, Celeste had to admit. Despite how awful most of her memories of being human were, not all of them were bad.

She remembered all of the time she spent with Grovyle, from when she first met him while saving him from that Gabite, through traveling with him as they tried to figure out the locations of the Time Gears, to when they stepped through the Passage of Time together, determined to stop the planet's paralysis once and for all. As a pokemon, she only knew Grovyle as a hardened thief, but here, she remembered growing up alongside him, like they were siblings. He had been a comforting presence after Celeste had lost her mother, a beacon of hope in a world of darkness, and she was so incredibly grateful that she had met him.

She remembered meeting Celebi, how excited the Mythical had been to see Celeste, after years of thinking that all the remaining humans had been wiped out completely. Celeste had been initially a little put off by Celebi, she remembered; the books she'd read and her mother's stories had made the Mythical pokemon of time seem wise and mysterious, not anything like the pink pokemon flitting about, constantly asking Celeste this and that about humans, like some curious child. Those feelings had mellowed out over the years, and now, Celeste was grateful for getting to know Celebi, a source of positivity in the dark future that really couldn't be found anywhere else. If anyone was able to lift Celeste's spirits in that place, it was Celebi.

Celeste missed them both a lot…She wondered how they had fared once Grovyle had dragged Dusknoir back into that future, if they were able to find happiness and peace before the world in which they belonged was erased…

She would miss having these memories of them…but what's done is done. The version of herself that existed here was gone, had been gone for months now, and the only reason she was here now was specifically because she wasn't meant to exist anymore.

"Say, Dialga…" Celeste said. "If I'm not going to remember any of this when you bring me back into existence…then why bother with bringing me here anyway? Couldn't you have just brought me back without all this extra work?"

To Celeste's surprise, the dimension seemed to tense up, before that feeling was replaced with a rosy and warm presence, like Dialga was…embarrassed. "You are correct," he said. "I did not have to bring you here, into my home dimension, and show you all this. Why I did so…I suppose it was out of curiosity…"

"Curiosity?" Celeste asked with a tilt of her head, a mannerism she never possessed as a human, but only after becoming an Espurr.

"I was painfully aware of Snow's sorrow, over how much she missed her beloved partner. But…I was curious if you felt the same as her, if you shared those feelings of regret and sadness over how everything had to end. I wanted to know if this gift would be not just for Snow…but for you as well. And…I believe my assumption had been right…"

"Yeah…sure was…"

"Admittedly…being able to see you as your human self was not planned…but it was also something I had been curious about. I had learned of your past from Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf; a human, born and raised in the timeline where I had given in to my insanity, an accident while time traveling stripping you of your memories and your human form. It has been many years since I last saw a human; most mortal pokemon now believe they do not, or have not ever, existed at all."

"Well…" Celeste cracked a smile. "I hope I could meet your expectations."

A soft laugh reverbrated through the space, which seemed to become lighter. "Yes, I can say you did. And I hope you can forgive me, Celeste, for taking you on this detour before bringing you back."

Celeste couldn't help but laugh, hearing the Legendary pokemon of time, the same one who had engaged with her and Snow in battle, and whose primal roars in the dark future haunted her dreams as a child, apologize to her. "Forgive you? You've nothing to apologize for! I'm…grateful, that you brought me here, that you've allowed me one last chance to be human, to be able to see this world I had been willing to sacrifice myself to save…Thank you, for giving my human self peace and closure…for letting her see the fruit of her efforts…for letting her see her best friend…Even if I won't remember any of this, I'm happy to have experienced it anyway."

"That makes me very happy to hear. Now, Celeste…are you ready to return to the world of the present?"

Celeste nodded. "Yes. Please, Dialga…bring me back. Let me see everyone again."

"As you wish. And though you may forget this meeting…I certainly will not."

Celeste smiled. "That's all I could ask for."

And with that, that constant feeling of Dialga's dimension moving and ticking like time itself, started to fade…and with it, Celeste saw a very familiar golden light start to appear in her vision, the same one that had surrounded her as she'd started to disappear from time, back at Temporal Tower. But her body, rather than feeling heavy, felt light, so much lighter than it ever had as a human, like a constant weight on her shoulders had finally been lifted.

She looked back up at Snow and Bidoof, still in that embrace on the beach, and Celeste's heart swelled at the idea of seeing them again, of being able to feel the wind through her fur again, and smell the salty air of the beach, and eat Chimecho's amazing dinner, and cuddle up with Snow as night fell and everyone retreated to their rooms to sleep.

Tears welled up in Celeste's eyes, and just as the light surrounding her started to overtake her vision, she opened her mouth to speak with her human voice one final time.

"Snow…Bidoof…everyone…

"I'm coming home."

——————

After the light had become impossible to see through, there had been darkness, and with it, her senses, and then her thoughts, had faded completely, with the thought of Snow being the last thing on her mind before it, too, faded away.

And then…in what felt like no time at all, and yet a lot at the same time, she saw light. It was almost blinding, how suddenly it once again overtook her vision. And then, slowly, she started to hear the familiar sound of the waves crashing against the beach, and could feel the sand underneath her feet, and smell the sting of the salty air.

There was no mistaking it. Despite having just faded away at Temporal Tower…she was now at the beach. The same beach where she and Snow had first met, and where her life as an apprentice at Wigglytuff's Guild, and Snow's partner, had begun.

Celeste took a deep breath and blinked open her eyes, and as she looked upon the familiar sight of the beach before her, she almost thought she was dreaming, for she was supposed to not exist anymore. But…those who don't exist can't dream. So this had to be…

She heard a gasp, and then a voice, one so familiar to her, that she never thought she'd hear again. "C-Celeste? B…By golly, it's—Snow! Snow, look, it's…!"

She turned to look in the voice's direction, and, standing several feet away from her on the sand, were two pokemon. One of them—Bidoof—was looking at her with a huge smile on his face, practically jumping about in place in his excitement. And the other…Snow…stared at her with eyes wide in disbelief. She looked different from when Celeste last saw her, her fur slightly unkempt and covered in small cuts and bruises…but her eyes were still full of light as she rubbed at them, as if wanting to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

Snow took an unsteady step forward. "C…Celeste?" she said breathlessly.

Hearing her voice again, Celeste couldn't help it as tears started falling down her face, and she broke out into a smile. "Snow…Snow, I'm…" she choked out.

"Celeste…Celeste!!"

The two of them started running to each other, and when they met halfway, they both collapsed into a tight embrace, Snow breaking down into sobs as she buried her tear-stained face into Celeste's fur, while Celeste nuzzled her face in Snow's, comfortingly rubbing her with one paw. She soaked in the feeling of Snow's touch, of her best friend's voice as she cried in utter happiness, things that Celeste thought she would never get to experience again as she faded away at Temporal Tower.

She was home. Celeste could hardly believe it, but she was home.

Her and Snow laughed through their tears as they felt another fluffy body join their embrace, nearly toppling them over with how hard he had crashed into them. After another minute as all three of them exchanged tears, they finally separated to properly face each other.

"Celeste, I—I can't believe it! You're back, but…how?" Snow said. "I thought—you were supposed to have disappeared because…"

"Dialga…" Celeste replied. "This was his thanks for saving Temporal Tower; he was able to restore my existence, and allow me to live in this world again." How Celeste knew that, she wasn't entirely sure…but she wasn't going to question it. That wasn't important, in the grand scheme of things.

"Dialga, huh…" Snow sniffled and wiped at her eyes with a paw. "I-If we ever see him again, I have to thank him…"

"I-I don't know if I quite understand all that, but—as long as you're back, Celeste, then I'm sure it's a good thing, yup yup!" Bidoof said.

Celeste chuckled. "Yeah, you're right…" They were all interrupted as Celeste's stomach started grumbling, causing Snow and Bidoof to break out into laughter.

"Hehe…I bet you were hungry after all that climbing up Temporal Tower, weren't you, Celeste?" Snow said playfully.

Celeste shook her head amusingly. "Guess I was…" she mumbled.

"Well then, you came back at the perfect time, Celeste!" Bidoof said. "I'm sure Chimecho's just about done makin' dinner, and—" He jumped as he seemed to come to a sudden realization. "By golly, the guild!! We have to tell the guild that you're back now, Celeste! Oh, everyone's gonna be mighty surprised, I'm sure!"

"And happy too!" Snow said. "Everyone's missed you too, Celeste—even Chatot, I can tell…though he probably won't say so, hehe…"

"Heh…let's go back to the guild, then," Celeste said with a smile.

Celeste followed after Snow and Bidoof as they led her back to Wigglytuff's Guild, talking excitedly all the while about all the little things that happened within it that Celeste had missed while she was gone. She couldn't even begin to express how excited she was to return to life there, to see all the apprentices again, and the guildmaster…and Chatot, because despite her dislike of that bird pokemon, Celeste had to admit that she'd even missed his squabbling.

And of course, Celeste was looking forward to being with Snow again, to go on adventures with her again, and share in her excitement of exploring new places, and to cuddle up close to her once they had both retired to their room to sleep. She was also going to have to eventually talk to her about what she'd been doing while Celeste was gone, for she certainly didn't look nearly that roughed up before Celeste had disappeared…but perhaps that could wait for after the dust had settled.

Just before Celeste followed after Snow and Bidoof as they climbed the hill into the rest of the town, she paused to look out over the ocean, where she thought the general direction of the Hidden Land was…and sent Dialga a silent thank you for allowing her another chance to live.

[cinnabun-faerie]

Inbox WIP (2025)

Note: So I figured I could just make a list of all my asks that I need to do and check them off as I go. And I could keep track of them this way

FFXIV

Thancred's child travelled from the future to save him & the WoL

Scions react to Au Ra!WoL bonking their horns against them

Taking care of their chronically ill s/o (G'raha, Alphinaud, Estinien, Haurchefant)

Reacting to a friend who is from regular irl earth (Venat, Hythlodaeus, Emet-Selch)

Reaction to WoL being abducted (G'raha, Thancred, Urianger, Ishgardians)

Thoughts on Emet-Selch

Continuing the Protective sibling ask written previously

Scions react to WoL with a severe illness like a tumor

Healer!WoL shaken as she almost loses Y'shtola when she jumps into the pit in the Ronkan temple, confesses

Isekai'd!reader is brought onto the source using dynamis by Venat

Reaction to WoL complimenting them on getting better at their jobs (in trust)

Azem! reader x Hades : confession of mutual feelings

Ardbert x WoL : General relationship hc in modern AU

Jealous HCs for Scions, Erenville, Elpis group

Scions react to the revelation that the WoL is Azem & regains Azem's memories

Scions with a reader who always appears when the Scions say their name but never with anyone else

Scions react to WoL's art block is so bad that everything they make looks bad to them

Emet-Selch, G'raha Tia, Thancred, Aymeric, Urianger with a S/O who lives with chronic/autoimmune disorder

Scions & G'raha Tia reacting to the WoL kissing G'raha after he's revealed as the Crystal Exarch

You propose to them (Scions + Ryne HCs)

You propose to G'raha Tia

WoL who has a neutral expression but their face lights up when their eyes find Haurchefant

WoL who's flustered at the idea of meeting Haurchefant's family

WoL who's been quiet approaches Haurchefant to voice their concerns after he grants them exile

WoL seeing Haurchefant after the fight with Shiva

Scions reacting to the Au Ra!WoL making Aligator noises

Scions reaction to Dragoon!WoL who likes to enter conversations by falling from the sky/through the roof

Scions reacting to Isekai!WoL showing them pictures of their world via scrapbook

Bookish!WoL confesses to WoL

Scions react to WoL who turns into a dragon on the battlefield to protect them

Draconic!WoL x Estinien HCs

What kind of games/tabletop games would various ffxiv characters play

What pokemon would G'raha Tia, Aymeric, Thancred, Y'shtola have?

Scions react to Au Ra!WoL whos body is covered in patchwork patterns of scales

Emet-Selch taking care of a WoL who has PTSD nightmare/flashbasks

WoL woken up in the middle of the night by [Character] having a nightmare (Emet-Selch, Aymeric, Alisaie, G'raha Tia, Hythlodaeus, Estinien)

WoL wearing a piece of their clothing (Zenos, Thancred, G'raha Tia, Estinien, Y'shtola)

Cid reacts to WoL in allagan/magitek armor

Scions & Emet-Selch with a huggy WoL

Y'shtola x WoL x G'raha Tia

Elezen husbands with a partner who has bad self esteem issues and normally uses self deprecating humor

Elezens and the traits they love about their Viera!partner

WoL that loves slapping their bum and running away (Thancred, Emet-Selch, Elezen Husbands, Zenos)

Non-Scions (Haurchefant, Aymeric, Jullus, Emet-Selch, Cid, Gaius, Erenville) reaction to the WoL's near-death in Ultima Thule

Elezens with an affectionate Viera!partner

Aymeric meeting f!reader's parents

Scions reaction to finding the WoL teleported without clothes at the beginning the game (Isekai'd reaction?)(Thancred, Y'shtola, Paplymo, Yda, Estinien, Minfilia, Cid)

Scions & Aymeric interecting with a platonically touchy WoL

WoL hugging them when they're stressed (Thancred, Urianger, Emet-Selch, Zenos)

Reaction to seeing Reaper!WoL who uses Enshroud for the first time (Aymeric, Estinien, Haurchefant, G'raha TIa)

Various characters discovering the WoL has taken up being a Dark Knight

WoL who is spaced out and squeezed their bum because "it looked nice to squeeze and I was right" (Scions, Haurchefant & Emet-Selch)

Foruchenault x WoL x Ameliance having a relationship behind the twins' back

WoL being the older siblings to the twins & how their parents would react to them almost dying

Possessive!Themis

Your child calls them "Papa" (Estinien)

With a pregnant WoL (Estinien, Zenos, Emet-Selch, Hermes, Thancred, Artoirel, Aymeric, Jullus, Hythlodaeus)

Vrtra kiss headcanons

Scions reactions to a marriage proposal (that ends a date, on the battlefield, randomly while together/if they did it first)

Scions realizing too late that they've been struck by Zenos!WoL

WoL fights/yells at Lahabrea to get Thancred back / Thancred realizing how much the WoL loves him

"I hate that I don't hate you" Emet-Selch

Scions reaction to Dragoon!WoL losing themselves to the Dragoon within (like a broody chicken who sits on them and hisses when anyone not deemed "theirs" approaches)

How do the Scions Pine?

Falling asleep to their heartbeat (Aymeric, Urianger, Estinien)

How do the Fortemps react if they found out the WoL was brought up on the art of war

WoL asking Alisaie out/Alisaie asking out WoL

Scions with an affectionate WoL

Reaction to WoL who is badly injured to the point of unconsciousness (Thancred, Urianger, Aymeric)

Reaction to WoL sweeping them off their feet bridal style to move them out of the way from a lethal strike (Estinien, Emmanellain, Aymeric, Haurchefant, G'raha Tia)

Scions reacting to WoL kissing them and running away

Reaction to WoL losing control of their form and instantly attacks them (Y'shtola, Alphinaud, Zenos)

Scions + WoL playing Jenga

Elezens reaction to WoL being a Necromancer

Being called "Mom/dad" (Scions + Aymeric)

WoL's child calls them "brother/sister" (Alphinaud, Alisaie)

Scions react to WoL refuses to remove helmet at all costs

Scions reactions to WoL dating one of the Twelve

Reaction to s/o being a Vampire but are self conscious about it (Zenos, Alisaie, Alphinaud, G'raha Tia, Amyeric)

Reaction to s/o being a Werwolf but are self conscious about it (Zenos, Alisaie, Alphinaud, G'raha Tia, Amyeric)

Pining over a WoL in love with someone else (Aymeric, Haurchefant, Thancred, Y'shtola)

Varshahn (older) fluffy hcs

Reaction to coming home after a long day to their s/o making sweets (G'raha Tia, Alisaie, Alphinaud, Zenos)

Scions reaction to finding the WoL's Unending Codex with doodles hearts on their respective pages

Elpis reaction to Orca Whales becoming a craze like the sharks

Scions with a WoL who has Thalassaphobia

Reaction to WoL somehow managing to get Ryne to the Source (Thancred, Urianger)

Alisaie reaction to the WoL teleporting back to the ship at the end of Endwalker

Reaction to WoL introducing them to their adopted kids (Gaius, Urianger, G'raha Tia, Aymeric, Haurchefant, Thancred)

Reacting to the WoL flopping onto them and screaming into their chest after a long stressful day (G'raha, Urianger, Y'shtola, Aymeric, Thancred, Haurchefant)

Zenos Fluff

Genshin Impact

How they'd react to missing the traveler's birthday

JJK

Megumi helps reader sleep

For December (It's late but oh well)

Reaction to the WoL's completely decorated for Christmas

WoL who decided to giveaway gifts for children while wearing a santa suit (Thancred, Magnai)