Null Village

[unrepentantAuthor]

Worried about her?

"Y'wouldn't be the first. She's been ignorin' how much her exhaustion is worryin' folks fer weeks."

...Was that true?

"Is there anything that will literally catch fire in the next two hours if you're not there?"

...Yeah. Yeah, it was, wasn't it?

It sounded like Vix was really struggling, though.

"You, uh . . . said somethin' about bein' too tired fer blind rage?" she tried.

 

[Fusion]

Vix let out a yawn and nodded. "When I first got down here, I was just... pissed. I couldn't tell what I wasn't mad at, honestly. I was mad at being weak, at feeling ignored, at the fact that I died when I was trying my best..." she crossed her arms and looked away, shutting her eyes. "When Owen went Berserk however long ago, I got mad that I couldn't hit him, and then you showed up and just... fixed him. You and Dave."

"If I hadn't stopped her, she'd have tried to blast you all to second hell if a fit of jealous rage," her Shadow added, sighing. "Which is ironic to me, seein' how she turned into this in the first place."

"Yeah... still working up to whatever happened to me," Vix winced, rubbing her arm. Just thinking of whatever might have done her in sent shivers through her body, and her flame dimmed slightly.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa frowned. There was a burst of anger—Vix was mad at her for helping Owen? Really?—but she ddn't have the energy or the desire to sustain it, and it died immediately. Vix was angry . . . because she'd been unable to contribute. Now that, Brisa could understand.

"It's okay that y'couldn't beat Owen. You still matter," she said, simply. "I'm glad you're with us."

She was so tired. But she could at least manage to tell Vix that.

Sombra cocked her head and flicked an ear. "Turned into 'this', y'say? Y'mean how Vix is a lampent?"

 

[Fusion]

There was some emotional shift, but Vix couldn't tell what it was. All she was really good at feeling was sadness and its offshoots. She decided to let it go, and gave Brisa a mouthless smile. "...Thanks, Brisa."

Sombra cocked her head and flicked an ear. "Turned into 'this', y'say? Y'mean how Vix is a lampent?"

"It's... complicated. She ain't what she seems, I can say that much at least," her Shadow said, rubbing the back of its head. "Ya know how Owen's... "Owen," right? Vix is goin' through the same kinda shit."

"I remember being on an island for a lot of my life, and I had a team or... a family? It's still hard to tell," Vix sighed. "Right now, all I remember is me and my team or family being in this supersized city, the same one that has a bunch of powerful Pokmon and humans... I think I told you about it a bit before, actually."

At the mention of the city, her Shadow's body started to distort and waver. "Yeah... it's called Azure. Azure City."

"I don't know what it is about that city but... there's something there that I'm scared to remember..." Vix muttered.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Could be it's where you died," said Sombra, flatly.

Brisa winced at the bluntness. "Uh, if'n you're from a world with humans, an' y'weren't always a litwick afore yer life as you've told it t'me, is there a chance you were human, once?"

 

[Fusion]

"Oh no, I was a Pokemon still. I remember having a tail, and... punching things really hard. When I say humans, I mean, humans turned into Pokemon, like Dave or Starr. I haven't actually seen a human human before, in my life or my past one," Vix explained. "At least so far."

"And..." her Shadow wavered again, thanks to Sombra's comment. "It's... more complicated than just bein' dead."

Vix froze up for a moment, that chill coming back to her. "Th-That's what I was afraid of... which explains why I made myself forget it..." She could tell what her Shadow was alluding to, something worse than being killed. "I-I'd have preferred if my big secret was that I was just some human, h-honestly."

"But... I can't keep running from whatever I was afraid of, if I do, the Shadows are just gonna pull more shit out of me. I'd be a danger to everyone, so I have to remember and... move on."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Sombra nodded sagely. "Could be a traumatic death, then. A murder, a suicide, somethin' of that nature."

"Gods, Sombra. Go easy, will ya?"

"I say what I mean to say," answered the Shadow, blank golden eyes narrowing. "Vix does want to remember, an' we don't have the energy to tread gently through this. Hell, you're supposed t'be restin', not speakin' up on hard issues."

Brisa sighed, and rolled onto her back. "Pardon my Shadow, Vix. She just wants me to stop workin' so damn hard."

 

[Fusion]

"Goin' at it with the gentle care of a stick of dynamite could set her off too, smartass," Vix's Shadow rolled its eyes. "Otherwise I'd have told her already and gotten this shit over with." It then sighed and lowered its gaze. "But hey, at least you got a point in the needin' rest department. Coulda used that advice myself way back when..."

Sombra nodded sagely. "Could be a traumatic death, then. A murder, a suicide, somethin' of that nature."

"I... You..." Vix's fatigue felt like it doubled out of nowhere, to the point that she was having trouble holding herself together. The felling of tired lungs burned her chest, her arms fell limp to her sides, and her flame flickered out for a split second. Vix clenched her eyes shut and took deep breaths.

In... out...

In... out...

Her Shadow knelt down by her side, a panicked look in its eyes. Vix gave a weak wave, then exhaled. "You're Shadow's fine, actually. And if anything, I think she's right. About both of us. You deserve some rest, and I need to get over this."

"Vix, don't try some funny shit," her Shadow warned with a worried tone. "Don't you fuckin' think you can do anythin' right now, you're already fallin' apart."

"I'll... be fine," Vix said, nodding. "I'll be fine. But... I might take a few more minutes to rest up."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Every soul that answered Diyem's call is wounded," said Sombra, her voice seeming to ache. "Brisa by the need to be better'n a person can be while still bein' a person, and you by whatever's in yer repressed memories."

You deserve some rest.

Brisa turned to look at Vix, and studied her more carefully. The lampent looked as tired as Brisa felt, now that she was letting herself feel the fatigue.

I need to get over this.

"Vix," she murmured. "Come rest by me. We could both use some peace an' quiet, and maybe catchin' some t'gether would be nice."

She shifted on her bedding, leaving a lampent-sized space by her flank.

 

[Fusion]

That was... unexpected, to say the least. For a second, Vix weighed her options. Staying on the cold floor, or not doing that. The right choice was obvious, seeing how Vix was already floating over to Brisa's side before she even finished thinking about it.

"It would be... nice," Vix tittered, weakly. Her Shadow stayed where it was, resting its back to a wall and keeping its gaze on the lamp.

The bed wasn't anything to write home about, even the straw beds she distantly remembered were a bit nicer to rest on, but Vix didn't seem to mind. She fell gently beside Brisa and let out a sigh, shutting her eyes for a moment. "Thanks, again. And, I know I didn't do anything to you before but... I'm sorry I got mad at you over nothing."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa gave an abrupt snort of a laugh.

"It's alright, partner. I ain't holdin' anythin' against you. Wouldn't be fair."

She laid her head down again and let Vix get comfortable. She was still so tired, but right now, that felt okay. Not a failing. Just a sign she should rest some more.

"I'll wake you if anythin' happens," whispered Sombra, blinking slowly.

"Uhuh..."

Brisa drifted off, a little warmer for having Vix there. A little more at peace, too.

Perhaps they'd make it home before long and in one piece, after all.

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