#i need to make zygarde her own tag here too. h

[obliviscii-a]

Yveltal couldn’t ever remember it being this bad. Or perhaps it always was, and he was blind to it until humanity sprouted across the land. The first contact he’d had with a human had reduced them to nothing, the child only watching on in horror as they withered away. The confused, yet horrified look, would forever be burned into his memory.

He wanted to believe it wasn’t his fault. That something else, perhaps, caused such an unfortunate demise. However, when it came time to escort the soul, they would ask him how they died. He had no response. For deep down, he knew it was his fault. The boy just didn’t want to believe it to be so. He didn’t want to believe he brought such a terrible end to the beautiful life Xerneas worked so hard to create.

But it kept happening. Some wouldn’t wither away immediately; they’d turn to stone first, before the elements took hold and caused them to crumble. All he brought was death and destruction. He’d withdraw on himself, but people were too kind. A sympathetic hand on his shoulder, asking him what was wrong. Their final words, words of concern, concern towards him, before they’d perish.

People started catching wind of what was happening, and fast. Mysterious deaths, starting around the time he entered their town. Even those he didn’t come into contact with would slowly have their life sapped from them, dying as nothing more than an unrecognizable husk.

The woman who was so kind as to give him a place to sleep would succumb this way, declining fast and dying before he awoke the next morning. Yveltal couldn’t bring himself to escort her to the next life. He was a coward. The only way he could protect himself was by being a coward.

From there, he was left to sleep in the streets. He couldn’t bring himself to sleep in a dead woman’s home and bring her such disrespect after the kindness she’d shown him. Alleys were where he’d make his home next. There was a night where he was awoken by torchlight, a group of angry townspeople staring him down. Without a word, a blade struck clean across his chest. Dark red ichor spilled from the wound and stained the stone beneath his feet.

He’d move away as the second strike came, the blade still tearing through his skin and leaving a trail of fire, though this cut was far less deep than the one before. The pain wasn’t what brought him to tears, no. It was the realization they were trying to kill him. With his back against the wall, a purple ball of light crackled to life. A beam shot forth from it, sweeping across the people and turning them to stone. Oh god, oh god what was he doing? He was panicking now, hands pressing to his wounds as his whimpers grew to full on sobs.

Yveltal would flee the town entirely, leaving a trail of blood behind. As he ran, the very grass at his feet would wither and die. A tree he’d placed a hand upon for stabilization shed its leaves, twisted branches growing black in color before it’d collapse into dust. Was it always like this? Or did he only stop growing blind to it once humanity was involved and he got hurt because of it?

While he was miles upon miles from humans now, there were rare moments where he’d see passing travelers, causing him to go on the run again before their concern spelled their death... or before their anger caused him more pain. Yveltal soon holed himself up in a cave, keeping his knees hugged to his chest. There, that way, he wouldn’t touch anything. He wouldn’t kill anyone or anything ever again, and nobody would come to a cave like this. It was damp and dark, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care if he stayed here forever, just as long as people stopped dying because of him.

It was hard to get it out of his head. The expressions they had in their final moments. The way they’d ask him how they died, because it was so sudden. They’d ask him why he was crying, and he didn’t know how to answer any of it. Tears slipped past his eyes as he rest his forehead on his knees.

He would stay like that for a long, long while. Curled up in a ball, continuing to shed tears. The blood on his hands had long since dried, but he had no way to wash it off. At least he didn’t have to look at it in the darkness.

There was no way of him to tell how much time had passed. No light reached the inside of the cave, and day and night blended together. Yveltal had no need to eat or sleep anymore; he wouldn’t die from it. Yes, he really could stay like this forever. He’d rock back and forth slightly, nodding as if he were affirming the idea to himself. It did bring him some pain thinking about never seeing Xerneas again, but perhaps he’d understand. Yveltal didn’t want to find out if his other half could die from his powers. He doubted it, but that was what caused this whole thing. Doubt.

Footsteps echoing along the rocky walls caused him to look up in alarm, hands already beginning to shake as he kept them as close to himself as he could. “What are you doing?” The glowing scales on the girl’s face tipped him off before the voice did. Zygarde.

“... I’m staying here.” He’d reply plainly, resting his chin back on his knees as he looked away. Not much good it’d do in total darkness. “I keep killing people, and they hurt me because of it, so I left.” The memory still stung like a slap to the face. “Zygarde? Am I a demon? Am I that bad?” He’d ask, desperation to his voice. There was a long pause, before the other would answer.

“I do not think of you in that way. You are my friend. That is why I came here to look for you. Do you not want to leave this place?” Zygarde replied, with a question of her own. Now he was the one who took a moment to answer.

“I want to leave, but I’m scared. What if it keeps happening? What if people keep dying because of me? I can’t do it anymore. I can never answer them when they ask why. I- I know I can’t die, but it feels like I am.” She’d step forward, blindly reaching for his hand and grasping it after a couple of tries. Yveltal let out a frightened noise and yanked his hand away quite violently, as if the touch had burned him.

“Oh, my apologies. I should have been more sensitive to your situation, Yveltal. Please, forgive me.” His quiet whimpers soon stopped as he sat up a tad bit straighter, realizing she hadn’t instantaneously withered away or turned to stone. “Wait-” he’d sniffle, “you- you didn’t die?” Yveltal reached a hand out blindly to find hers, forgetting how it felt to actually be in physical contact with someone.

“No, of course not. Remember, Yveltal? My aura cancels out yours. Your powers do not work as long as I am near you. The same goes for Xerneas, too.” Zygarde squeezed his hand. “Come on, this is no place for you to spend your days.” Yveltal was pulled up to his feet, his other hand moving down to rub at his knees. He was very sore from sitting like that for so long.

“Can you stay?” He’d blurt out. “Near me? So I don’t- don’t kill more people, I- I don’t want to stay here anymore, but it was the only way, Zygarde. They were all dying. It’s like I’m some sort of plague. All I do is kill, and kill, and kill-”

There was an exhale from the other. “Yveltal, you are not a plague. I do not want to hear you call yourself that ever again. This is beyond your control; do not beat yourself up needlessly.” Zygarde replied, sternly, before continuing. “Yes, I will stay with you, for as long as I can.” His shoulders slumped just a bit, but... she did have her own responsibilities to take care of, and she likely wasn’t hiding from her own like a coward.

“Okay... that’s fine. Thank you.”

After they left the cave, Yveltal was able to feel the sun warm his face for the first time in months. He could see how the leaves on the trees changed from verdant shades to reds, yellows, and oranges. He could live. The grass beneath him didn’t wither, nor did the trees he’d touch thanks to Zygarde being near.

For the first time in years, he was happy. He could be himself, and not worry about hurting the things around him. Yveltal even fed a Murkrow by hand, and it didn’t wither away. He could go into towns again, and watch people bustling about and taking care of their business. He could pet Furfrou and Purrloin without descending into a fit of panic.

They had been staying at a local inn for a while now, paid for by Zygarde, of course. He left to the next realm every now and then to do his job, able to escort deceased spirits to the afterlife with a little less crying than before, and for different reason, of course.

Yveltal would flop back onto one of the two beds in their shared room, waiting for Zygarde to return. She’d mentioned having an errand to run, though she promised him she’d strengthen her power to reach him all the way at the inn. Part of him was beginning to feel guilt. A knot rest in the pit of his stomach with each passing day. She did have her own life to live, of course, and he felt as if he were taking that away from her just so he could live his own. He snapped out of his thoughts as the door clunked open, the boy sitting up quickly.

“Hello, I hope that did not take too long.” Zygarde let out a long breath, winded from expending so much power. Yveltal shook his head. “It didn’t. I’m just glad you’re back.” He’d reply, watching her set down a bag on her bed. Zygarde rifled through it for a moment, before pulling out a small box.

“Here. This is for you.” She’d hand it to him. With a gaze full of curiosity, he was quick to open it. Inside were... two rings? Both were made of silver, with a small ruby in the middle of each band. One looked bigger than the other one, by a tad, as well. “Yveltal, I... am so sorry, but there are some things I need to take care of. I do not want to rope you into my own duties. I want you to be able to explore this world freely, and to not worry for my wellbeing.” She’d explain.

“The rings are imbued with my own aura, and were specially crafted for you. I am certain that as long as you wear it, you will still be able to interact with people and other living things freely, even when I am not around. The larger ring is for... well, for when you get older, and the smaller one no longer fits. I am sure it would only be a headache to get a new one made. For that purpose, I had a pair be made.” Zygarde hefted her bag up onto her shoulders. “I also paid for this room for another week, so you may stay longer and explore more of this town... and if you do not want that, I am sure you can get my money back and go see other new places. For now, though, we must part. I will get in touch with you as soon as I can.”

Tears welled up in Yveltal’s eyes as he carefully picked up the smaller ring from the box, as if it were made of glass and not metal. He made an attempt to slip it on his ring finger, though it was a little too big. It was moved to his middle finger, where it fit snuggly. He’d spring up and throw his arms around his friend, descending into a fit of sobs. It was such a thoughtful gift, and it helped his own guilt ease away. She could live her life and tend to her duties, and he didn’t have to get in the way anymore and make her expend unnecessary energy. Zygarde even thought ahead for the future with the larger ring, allowing him to keep his independence even when he was much older.

She returned the hug with a couple of pats on Yveltal’s back. He’d soon step back and wipe his eyes on his sleeve, unable to keep his eyes off the ring now. “Thank you, Zygarde, thank you so much. You don’t know how much this means, I- it’s incredible, thank you.” Zygarde smiled in response. “No need to thank me. I figured there was a way I could help you without being by your side, and I am fortunate that much was true. As I said, I will get back in touch as soon as I am able to.” She’d head towards the door and push it open, pausing to look back at him as her grin grew a tad bit wider.

“I truly hope you enjoy being able to live your life, Yveltal. Cherish the moments you make, and use them to light the way when the darkness becomes too much. See you later.” The door closed behind her with a thud, and Yveltal was left alone for the first time in a while.

This time, however, he felt more than prepared to tackle whatever may be thrown at him.