Null Realm ~ Blacklight Eternity

[Ambyssin]

"...What am I...?"

"You are... like me." Bahamut studied the sapling intently. "Something that wasn't originally meant to exist, but does now."

There was something that obnoxious, peppy mutt had said to him in private. Bahamut had scoffed at it originally, but perhaps the mutt was onto something.

"Someone like us told me something not long ago." His tail twitched. If there was an alternate way, Bahamut would've gone for it. "The circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It's what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are."

His gray body rippled. Perhaps if Bahamut had organs, he might've thrown up from the sanguine statements.

"There are people who've harmed in the past, then reinvented themselves." Bahamut glanced at Diyem. "It's not a quick process, mind you, but certainly a smoother one if you pursue it of your own accord, rather than being forced into it."

He lay back down. "I'm not going to tell you to do anything. I believe you've had too much control taken from you. You need to make your own decisions. A lesson many here have learned themselves..."

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales frowned when he heard the theory of that creature being a young Eternatus. The notion of such young creature being twisted by powers beyond comprehension and corrupted to such degree made his own heart sink, and sympathy clawed at his heartstrings.

“Hm. In order to figure out what or who thou art, I wager we should assess a few matters.” He paused, wondering if that creature could understand his articulate lingo. He shifted to simpler words. “Well, what is it that you remember about yourself? Your last memory.” He motioned toward the surroundings. “Do you recognize this world, at least?”

 

[Negrek]

"Well, this is a new world and all," Nate said. "I think you can be whatever you want. Like the dragon-guy said, it's up to you. You want to be somebody who hurts people this time around?"

 

[Flyg0n]

Koa watched, his heart rending. This being.... It reminded him of Xernatus.

He kept quiet, and lay down, trying to stay relaxed. He needed this poor creature to understand it wasnt in any danger.

As he did, he pondered the question. Who am I?

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr kept her eyes on nothing in particular, drifting from the grass to the clouds to the tree, saying nothing.

Man... why did it always have to be like this. All that pain and misery and suffering and behind all of it, there was always just... someone hurting. Just once, Starr wanted things to be simple.

But things never had been simple, had they. Even for her.

 

[Namohysip]

"We think we know some of the things that happened t'ya, fer you to get here and become like this. D'you remember at all? Would y'like us to tell you?"

“Well, what is it that you remember about yourself? Your last memory.” He motioned toward the surroundings. “Do you recognize this world, at least?”

"...No," he replied. "I... don't want..."

"Then you don't need to," Diyem replied. There was no use in laying down reality to this creature, not now, in his own headspace where he should feel safe, if anywhere. But the memories, ultimately, will return, such is the nature of souls. It was inescapable.

They didn't have time to give it a whole history lesson on itself anyway; when Diyem glanced skyward, he was certain that they had used up half their time.

"I'm not going to tell you to do anything. I believe you've had too much control taken from you. You need to make your own decisions. A lesson many here have learned themselves..."

"I think you can be whatever you want. Like the dragon-guy said, it's up to you. You want to be somebody who hurts people this time around?

"My choice..." The wispy thing appeared to be lost just then. Perhaps, without that corruption driving him forward, he no longer had much of a will to call its own. Perhaps that aspect had withered, too.

"It's okay," Owen said. "You don't need to make any decisions right now about all that..."

He ignored Owen at first, but then seemed to recognize him. He shrank slightly. "I hurt you..."

"You aren't anymore," Owen replied, nodding.

Then, its attention drifted to Ionys, standing back there. The recognition alone made the clouds darken, but Ionys only held up a hand. "You aren't anymore, like he said." That was all he could will himself to say.

Then, to Diyem. "...You... aren't that."

Diyem seemed to understand what he meant. "My form? ...Yes. It's the form of... someone I met a long time ago. Someone who defeated me with their will, even after my victory over their world. I suppose... it was a lasting impression."

"Are you thinking about that?" Owen asked delicately.

"...I don't know what I am..." He looked at the tree. "I... don't know if I should... be anything."

He drifted toward the tree. It seemed to be withering further, and with it, that flickering haze that remained of its presence. Innately, the team knew that if that tree died, there would be no waking this creature for a long, long time. And it seemed to respond entirely to its will, which had already faded.

Tread lightly. Do not raise your voice.

 

[IFBench]

Saltriv looked at the creature with concerned eyes. It had gone through so much.

And yet...for once, they couldn't find the words to say. Nothing seemed like it'd truly match up to what has happened to the creature.

Instead, they simply released an Aromatherapy, in an attempt to hopefully soothe the young Eternatus.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa had a good idea what kinda shit was going through Starr's mind right now. Sure, they'd never seen much beyond power-lust outta Giovanni, but most of their enemies in this long, long mission had turned out to be... Confused. Alone. In need of help. Not the kind of evil bastard you could just punch into the ground and feel good about it after.

You want to be somebody who hurts people this time around?

Yeah. She had a pretty good idea.

"You can be someone who ain't in pain and don't cause pain," murmured Brisa. "Just 'cause yer life has been filled with that, don't mean there ain't a life worth livin' ahead of ya. It can be alright. Y'just gotta be brave. Will you give that a chance?"

She wasn't . . . altogether clear on who she was talking to. But the soul would hear, of course. And she meant it.

 

[Negrek]

Oh, fucking--Rocky really should have been the one to come along for this.

"There's lots of reasons to stick around," he said wearily. "If you're worried about what you might have done before, well, going away ain't gonna fix it. You gotta be something if you want to be able to make a difference and all that shit. The others here probably got lots to say about what makes life worth living. Or that zoroark there, he knows what it's like to be in your situation."

 

[Namohysip]

Ionys gave Nate a 'don't throw this at me!' glance before composing himself, staring down the creature. He nodded. "...Yeah. It's fine." He looked off. "That's just how things go sometimes..."

He stared at Ionys for a little longer. "What do I do...?"

 

[Ambyssin]

"... I feel the same way you do, to be honest," Bahamut said, completely straight-faced. "Or, at least, I did for a sizeable portion of my time here. Like I wasn't deserving of any affection. Or attention. That I was better off adrift on my own, waiting for something that might finally turn the light off, so to speak."

He crossed his wings over his chest. "Don't be like me. Life has lots of wonderful treasures to offer. And if you hide away, then you'll miss everything. And all you'll get out of it is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"So, go with them." Bahamut pointed to the rest of the team. "Cibus overflows with warmth. With love. See what it's like. And see what bridges it builds.

"Don't repeat my mistakes. You saw into my mind, so you know..."

 

[Namohysip]

Owen and Cal both looked at Bahamut with surprise. What... happened? Well, no. A lot had happened. And perhaps realizing what he had become, what he learned about himself, allowed him to look at his own past from a distanced view. Could that have been it? Or was it... time?

Speaking of time, there was little of it remaining. They had moments to spare, perhaps only enough to say one last thing.

But, at the very least, the tree was brightening. Barely.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa wet her lips, as aware of the rapidly-dwindling time they had and the weight of this encounter as she'd be of a naked flame against her paw.

"You've mostly known sufferin' and pain so far," she said. "But there're good things in life, things worth endurin' that struggle so as you can experience 'em. I hope you'll trust in that. Back in the world, we can try'n show you. ...Help you find out what those things're like."

Brisa had wanted to die rather than endure more suffering, before. And she'd experienced such joys, such loves, that the idea seemed improbable in retrospect. She glanced around at her companions in this space . . . some of whom she'd surely die for. Her Radiance opened her heart to others, if wielded right. She could literally let the soul feel how she felt. That life was worth living. That there could be love after pain.

 

[Cresselia92]

"There is more to life than suffering and misery, indeed. Perhaps you didn't get the chance to experience much of that yet, but... well, it is never too late. There is always an opportunity. You only need to... take it."

Golly, it felt so weird trying to impersonate Petram's speech! Though, while talking with a youngster, it was ideal to talk like a youngster. No?

...This is stupid.

At least I am not confounding the lad further than they already are. There is no harm in using some modern lingo, once in a while.

Hmph. As thou say.

"I'm confident that folks out there will appreciate your presence and be more than willing to give you a chance, once they get to know each other." He started wagging his tails. "As such, aim for that future. There is always a spark of light in the middle of the darkness. Follow it, and someday you'll find your happiness."

 

[Negrek]

Fortunately Nate knew his teammates could easily pick up the slack on why life was worth living and all that shit. He watched the eternatus'--or whatever's--tree glow a little brighter. Yeah. Hope and all that jazz. "They got the right idea," he said. "Life's hard, and sometimes it sucks, but if you bow out you can't do nothing to make it better no more. Good luck, I guess. Whatever happens."

"And don't trust no fucking zygarde," he couldn't help but add.

 

[IFBench]

"Life...can be difficult. But it can also be wonderful," Saltriv said, giving a warm smile. "You have so many wonderful memories to look forward to, if you hold on."

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave glanced at Ionys again. "Look, Cibus is a world of sunshine and rainbows and friendship. They'll give anyone a second chance over there. Already got several people who've been through being the villain of the day."

 

[Flyg0n]

Finally, Koa spoke. It felt weird, being the quiet one. Perhaps it was just from his mind being weary from the battle, or perhaps he felt as if he were more thoughtful here. "You get to make your own truth," he said, speaking softly, yet with confidence. "You don't have to live by a half truth anymore, you can choose your own. You've made something... beautiful here. And I think that world... Cibus. Will give you a chance to keep doing that."

A pensive smile crept across his face. "You can live by the real truth. Suffering hurts, but you can choose hope now too. Choose friends, choose love, choose to become.... You. That's all you have to do."

 

[Namohysip]

Ionys sighed. Building off of what Bahamut said, he took a few gentle steps forward, slow and deliberate, before kneeling down. He held out a hand. "I've been killed, but I'm getting a chance to turn things around anyway," he said. "Isn't gonna be the same. I guess it's only fair that you get another chance, too."

They were fading; it seemed like their connection was tenuous at best. But somehow, their presence was enough to strengthen that tree. Maybe it would last.

Finally, he seemed to nod, and... his form changed. He landed on the ground on four legs and a fluffy tail, along with little wings appearing on his back--four wings. His head seemed to have prismatic eyes instead of the normal ones... Some strange hybrid of a Zorua and Bahamut.

"...Yep," Ionys mumbled, hiding whatever emotion he may have been feeling. "That's one for the shrink."

And finally, time was up. They were pulled away, reawakening, exhausted and tired, in that bright Null Realm. Most of the spirits had left, but Pop was watching over them, quiet.

Diyem rose higher, still just an orb. He looked at the prismatic flame and bobbed, and then reached toward the flame. To his surprise, he met no resistance. The flame siphoned into his core and he concentrated, wiggling a little. "Calm down," he murmured. "It's only me..."

Another few jolts... and then his core locked into place.

"What was that?" Owen asked Diyem, looking drained now that his tree had been dispelled.

"I am housing his spirit for now," Diyem said, "similar to Mewtwo. He is in a very vulnerable state... We can discuss what to do with him later." To this, he addressed Zygarde directly, who was taking down a few notes.

"I see." Pop nodded. "If that is the case... I can sense how exhausted you all are. Come. It is time to return to Cibus."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa closed her eyes, got to her feet, and let out a breath that felt as if it were her first breath in a lifetime not taken as part of a fight.

"Yeah. How 'bout we all get outta here."

Back home. If only for a little while.