[CYOA] You Are a Rock

[Mirage]

Heyo guys, sorry for the delay!

Spoiler: Negrek

Indeed. We may need to try and convince him that us fighting Xerneas is for Xerneas' own good... which I'm sure would be an uphill battle. We might ultimately need to look for a new host at some point, one who isn't a Prism Knight. Perhaps we'll find someone who'd let us claim them, err, willingly?

Honestly, it might very well come to that, we might not be able to talk no jutsu Weavile into this one. That would be an extra tough dilemma - someone willing would obviously greatly help, but at the same time, it'd be kind of a sacrifice, since people more or less die after we claim them.

I really want to go back through the thread and pull out what we've heard so far about Dark Matter/Xerneas and the general state of the world so we can get an idea of what the different perspectives are and what contradictions exist. Intrigued by the idea of DM ending up here by accident.

That would honestly be super helpful I think! I've also lost track of some of the threads that came up earlier in the story because it's been a while, and honestly, it would be cool to go back and see what kind of foreshadowing Namo laid right under our noses

I might attempt that myself!

Hmm, I'm kind of inclined to keep it to the essentials. It's tricky because I don't know what that option is actually going to leave out, so maybe it'll involve us being more misleading than I expect, but I don't know that we want to get into the nitty-gritty with everybody here. Especially given that some of our information is surely bad, and I don't know if accidentally telling them something untrue won't come back to bite us later.

I swapped my vote for the essentials option as well, since I wasn't confident in my choice, and it definitely seems like that was the right call! We shared enough that the E4 revealed their info to us, but didn't reveal anything that seemed to set off their suspicion. Awesome!

Spoiler: line-by-line

"Oh. Yes, we have," Shauntal said. "Twice, actually!" She glances at N, who adjusts his hat. You wonder if that hat is real. "Aaaand we lost twice. But! We have some experience."

Oh, of course! I derped on this being after the events of the main games, so naturally, they'd have battled Zekrom/Reshiram/Kyurem. I haven't ever actually finished BW2 to completion (...something I need to change), so I'm not 100% certain if the E4 try to take on Kyurem in that game like they do N and Zekrom/Reshiram in BW, but that's probably where the second fight is from. That at least tells us they likely weren't involved in what caused Yveltal to disappear!

"While it has become entirely distorted, the people within have adjusted to that kind of life relatively well. Many have been displaced, and it's certainly more dangerous, but people are nothing if not resilient to adversity."

Nice, this is one of the things I've been wondering since the beginning of the story. So it looks like most of Kalos will be much less hostile than the dungeon with Dark Matter we just traversed, if people manage to still survive in it. Curious to see if we might run across some familiar Kalos faces while we're there

"Oh, wow. We really got to the core of the A-plot, didn't we?" Shauntal says.

Shauntal using her Ghost powers right now to just float through that 4th wall

Who we are speaking to now. I do not think it is Yveltal of your world, even if you... contain Yveltal."

Hello... we're not Yveltal, we only contain it...? Is that how it disappeared? Are we some other being who actually managed to Claim Yveltal itself, and then we just used it as a proxy for a while, kind of like how we're using Weavile now? But then that begs the question... who was the original "us"?

These... thoughts in your head. Sometimes, you feel words tumble from your mouth that you didn't think to say, and yet did. And you followed along with it.

These thoughts... so diverse and conflicting...

The realization strikes you like lightning. You are Yveltal... and all the souls he'd claimed.

Wait, so we are Yveltal after all? But then, over time, as we claimed more and more souls - they slowly became part of us, and we slowly evolved into some kind of amalgam being?

If so, wow! I've noticed that our powers are very similar to Dark Matter's, and this would be another thing that we have in common - just as Dark Matter is the combination of everyone's negative feelings, bundled together and feeding on itself, we're a collection of disparate souls tied together into one being. That makes me wonder if we've always been this way, and Yveltal has always merged other souls into its own, or if something changed recently that caused this?

The other thing - I love that this now gives a consistent in-universe reason for how Negrek, myself, and everyone else contributes to the story. Like, it would work totally fine if we simply gave our votes and that just becomes the decision Cobble would make, but now we're actually characters within the story itself, and our disembodied suggestions are literally canon - very cool!

The Lost City...

I noticed this thought from Weavile?

I'm not that great on S/V lore, but I don't remember there being a Lost City in the story... but I DID go to the VGC championships in Honolulu over the weekend, and I remember a card called "The Lost City" getting played quite a few times in the TCG rounds. Not sure if it's a reference to that, or something totally different...

...But I'm interested

Spoiler: typo

but it is not my palce nor expertice to expound.

I'm pretty sure "palce" is a typo for "place", but "expertice", I'm legitimately not sure on. I feel like it might be "expertise", but Darach has a very sophisticated way of speaking and I wouldn't be surprised if "expertice" might be a totally different word I don't know. You've successfully faked me out if that's the case

--------------------------------------------

Okay, plan of action! There's no decision prompt or anything for this round, so I think it's just a Consideration and/or Telepathy here.

Since Weavile is already considering the Lost City, I'm going to use mine to try to dig into our multiple personalities a bit more.

Consider: If we all lost our memories, then what does it mean to be "me"? Do 'I' even exist, or am 'I' just the combination of everyone else?

 

[Negrek]

Ooh, love the idea of the player character being an amalgamation of souls! Really fun way to tie in the players giving commands with what's going on in the story. Now, a collection of souls I might originally take to be a Voice of Life, but if it's specifically dead souls we have all gathered up... perhaps Necrozma? Perhaps we're even another Dark Matter or something, idk.

I'm not that great on S/V lore, but I don't remember there being a Lost City in the story... but I DID go to the VGC championships in Honolulu over the weekend, and I remember a card called "The Lost City" getting played quite a few times in the TCG rounds.

Aaaa, jealous! Looks like it's going to be quite a while before Worlds is anywhere accessible to me again. I hope you had a great time!

I wonder whether Weavile's talking about Lumiose here, or something else entirely! The "Lost City" card is from the "Lost Origin" expansion, which featured Giratina quite a bit. Who knows if that might be relevant! Definitely putting that down as something I'd like to ask Weavile about later. For the moment I have some other things I'd like to deal with first...

> Consider: Can I feel any of the souls within me besides Yveltal and Weavile?

> Speak @ Lenora: "I will be... fine. Thank you for your help. I don't really know what it means to be 'many,' but perhaps it... explains a few things. Do you have any idea how I ended up as a rock, though? Is that something that happens to spirits in this world?"

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Tell them just the essentials.

Considerations:
- (1) If we all lost our memories, then what does it mean to be "me"? Do 'I' even exist, or am 'I' just the combination of everyone else?
- (1) Can I feel any of the souls within me besides Yveltal and Weavile?
- (∞) The Lost City...
- (1%) ...

The first thing you need to do is get their attention off of you. There's a lot of thinking to be done for now...

"I will be... fine. Thank you for your help. I don't really know what it means to be 'many,' but perhaps it... explains a few things. Do you have any idea how I ended up as a rock, though? Is that something that happens to spirits in this world?"

"Umm... no," Shauntal says with a nervous titter. "I'm afraid people don't usually become rocks like that."

"Although," Lenora interrupts, "now that I think about it, I did do some reading on just that before. I set it aside, not sure if it's useful... but maybe it is. They say that in Kalos, the power of Yveltal could turn those struck directly by its destructive beams into stone..."

She sighs, putting the hand of her good arm to her chin. "Still, they were just statues after that. No life to be found in them, not even to a Lucario's senses. Can't say the same for you, can we?"

"Mm, not at all," Caitlin agrees.

The silence settled in again, but this time it seemed the attention was not entirely on you.

"Well." Darach claps his hands once. "I suppose that's enough excitement for one day, yes? We shall find our flight tomorrow. Cobble, I trust you will also get some rest."

"Ah, uh, yes. Thank you."

Darach bows. "Feel free to use your Poke Ball if you would like additional comfort. They are naturally very cozy."

Says the human. But... they probably were, if Pokemon so frequently remained in them by choice.

But eventually, they did settle into their own tents, and the interviews from the police quieted down enough that you could rest for the night. You still feel that distant, hollow presence of darkness in your chest... but it's easy enough to ignore for now.

In that time, you quietly ponder... everything. Yourself. Your 'many' selves. If you didn't have any memories, and only worked on those faint echoes of impulses... were you any of those people anymore? Were they erased? Sealed? Would they come back one day... and if they did, would 'you' be erased instead?

That hollow darkness twinges at that, amplifying those dreadful thoughts. You shove them down.... You can feel it, or maybe it's a trick of the mind? The presence of so many lives within you. Weavile, the latest addition to a vast sea of souls, all within a single stone.

But why did it all happen in the first place?

"There was once a city," you say without realizing. You're startled at your body moving on its own--and then realize it's Weavile in a moment of your distracted weakness. But rather than use the opportunity to escape, Weavile is using the time to speak... "A city that lived simply and honorably within the forest that the Tree of Life protected. In this city--the City of Origins--Pokemon lived simple, ever-recycling lives. It was beautiful to them, so rapidly moving between life and death, with only faint dreams of who they'd been in decades' past. Not modern, not nomadic, but modest lives...

"That's the legend, at least... I never saw it in person. Few did. Because when Yveltal was defeated... the city, too, had disappeared. All that remained were lifeless... statues. In the center was Yveltal's own, petrified in a protective cocoon, yet not a shred of life inside. A perfect stone statue and reminder of death's self-destruction and evil nature... except for Yveltal's chest. Like something had been carved out and away... a small stone.

"Yveltal's heart had vanished."

Weavile's claw gently traces his chest where a small scar had formed where you had entered.

"Find Yveltal's heart, and destroy it: put an end to Death forever before it may rise again. Xerneas granted us the ability to see 'life,' and to search for life where there should not be any. To find life in the stone heart of Yveltal... and as our one sin, extinguish it. But..."

Weavile's claws tremble.

"But if the City of Origins resides in this stone, too... could we bear such a transgression against Life? Against so many..."

Weavile's arm lowers. You feel control return. Weavile sinks deeper into your mind as if to think to himself in death's abyss.

And you wonder, quietly... who you used to be. Or, who those voices were. And also what you must hone for your final confrontations in Kalos...

Your body and spirits rest, regaining your strength and vitality, and then some. Gain +4 HP, +4 Energy, +2 Offense, and +2 Defense.

Like a cork from a bottle, more and more strength wells within you... You feel as though you will only have one more opportunity to grow stronger after this night.

DECISION​

But until then, what more do you need?

1. I need the strength to strike them down. (+2 Offense, +4 Energy)
2. I need the endurance to weather their tricks. (+2 Defense, +4 HP)

Current Status​

HP: 14/9+5
Energy: 13/13
Offense: 5+2
Defense: 4+1
Shadow: 1%

Considerations:
- (!) If we all lost our memories, then what does it mean to be "me"? Do 'I' even exist, or am 'I' just the combination of everyone else?
- (!) Can I feel any of the souls within me besides Yveltal and Weavile?
- (∞) ...
- (1%) ...

 

[Mirage]

I'm down with that - our lack of defense definitely seems to be a growing issue, and it will only get worse if when we actually try to take on powerful bosses like Xerneas or Dark Matter. Let's go for the extra defense/HP!

---------------------------------------------

Spoiler: Negrek

Aaaa, jealous! Looks like it's going to be quite a while before Worlds is anywhere accessible to me again. I hope you had a great time!

I did, it was absolutely lovely I've wanted to go since I was a little kid and I'm so glad I was finally able to do so. Now that I have an actual job with an actual income, I'm hoping to be able to maybe go to the next ones in the future as well!

I wonder whether Weavile's talking about Luminose here, or something else entirely! The "Lost City" card is from the "Lost Origin" expansion, which featured Giratina quite a bit.

Oh I didn't even consider Luminose, but that would make a lot of sense here! Maybe it was the source of the dungeon that engulfed Kalos, and has become so twisted that it's no longer recognizable or reachable? Or perhaps the residents had to flee after it entered the dungeon, since they could no longer live there - kind of like a post-apocalyptic situation? that'd be a really cool setting!

Spoiler: line-by-line

"A city that lived simply and honorably within the forest that the Tree of Life protected. In this city--the City of Origins--Pokemon lived simple, ever-recycling lives. It was beautiful to them, so rapidly moving between life and death, with only faint dreams of who they'd been in decades' past. Not modern, not nomadic, but modest lives...

Oh, so it's definitely not Luminose then. I'll need to double check the lore, but I don't recall the Tree of Life in Super having a city nearby? If that's correct, then we've got an original setting here. I find it very notable that the Pokemon here are mentioned as not being immortal and ever living, but instead they seem to have died and then been resurrected? That hints to some kind of past balance or tacit partnership... but then that begs the question as to what broke it? Dark Matter implies he only showed up after the fact, when the world started to stagnate.

A perfect stone statue and reminder of death's self-destruction and evil nature... except for Yveltal's chest. Like something had been carved out and away... a small stone.

"Yveltal's heart had vanished."

Yooooo, that's us! We're Yveltal's heart! Dark Matter, you liar, saying that we weren't Yveltal...

Xerneas granted us the ability to see 'life,' and to search for life where there should not be any.

Well, that officially clears up the mystery of how the Prism Knights were able to stalk us. I think it makes the early chapters hilarious in hindsight - our life force is just T-Posing in space while we try to use our rocky form as a disguise. No wonder the Prism Knights kept staring at us

"But if the City of Origins resides in this stone, too... could we bear such a transgression against Life? Against so many..."

Woah, that's right! If they turned to stone statues, then that means we claimed... and/or killed... them. We have their souls inside of us. It seems like Xerneas is perfectly willing to sacrifice them, but Weavile is not...

I do find it a bit surprising though if this is Xerneas' only end goal. I would think that we're just as immortal as Xerneas itself is, being that we're the god of death and its balancing partner? Can we even be permanently killed, or wouldn't we just reincarnate? I mean, as shot as his credibility is >.> that does seem to be what Dark Matter expected us to do?

------------------------------

Very hype chapter very eager to learn more about what actually caused the fallout between us and Xerneas, and the fight at the Lost City. Looks like this is one of our last pit stops before the showdown with Xerneas - decision time!

Decision: I need the endurance to weather their tricks. (+2 Defense, +4 HP)

 

[Negrek]

Dark Matter, you liar, saying that we weren't Yveltal...

I think Dark Matter would be very offended to hear you say that! He never said we weren't part of Yveltal, after all... only that we weren't the bird himself. I think that guy does a lot of not-technically-lying.

Woah, that's right! If they turned to stone statues, then that means we claimed... and/or killed... them. We have their souls inside of us. It seems like Xerneas is perfectly willing to sacrifice them, but Weavile is not...

Eyes emoji indeed! I am really curious to find out exactly what's going on with Xerneas--like you said, just what's up with them and what they truly want.

"Yveltal's heart" is certainly a badass identity for us, if that turns out to be correct. I'm curious how we got over to this world, then, if we were already dead and transformed to stone in the other one. Presumably someone must have carried us over here (through a dungeon, perhaps?)... although the mental image of our rock hop, hop, hopping across some kind of planar bridge at like 0.5 miles an hour is pretty funny.

> I need the endurance to weather their tricks. (+2 Defense, +4 HP)

Telepathy @ Weavile: "Thank you for telling us that story, Weavile, and for all you've done to help us. I'm sorry for all that you've been through on Yveltal's account, even if I don't know if we were really a part of that or not. It sounds like you've had to sacrifice a great deal to make it to where you are."

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

I need the endurance to weather their tricks.

Considerations:
-
-
- (∞) ...
- (1%) ...

The night draws on. Your eyes grow heavy. Weavile had settled into the back of your mind, comfortable to let sleep claim him for now.

And you agree...

...

<><><>​

You're here again. That empty void in the pit of your heart.

You look around, shapeless, and will yourself into the form of Yveltal again. Weavile is next to you, though this time, his stance is much less hostile. He's clearly conflicted, and you know why. You'd felt why. But for now... he's his own person.

"...We would have killed countless of Xerneas' own," Weavile says quietly. "What... did she send us here for... surely, she knew the truth..."

"I don't know," you say gently. Closing your eyes, you remark, "And... thank you for telling us that story, Weavile, and for all you've done to help us. I'm sorry for all that you've been through on Yveltal's account, even if I don't know if we were really a part of that or not. It sounds like you've had to sacrifice a great deal to make it to where you are."

"Mm." Some of that gets to Weavile. Enough where he relaxes and steps away.

"And... I...!" But suddenly, it's a strain to speak.

Weavile pauses his grieving to give you an uncertain look. "Is something wrong?"

You open your... beak? to reply, but no words come, the movement is strained. You look at your wings and see little embers flaking off like dust in the wind. The embers never go out; they merely float there, bubbles of light, every time you move. Everything is hazy. Your vision is splitting in fifty ways at once, and then suddenly you lose sight of it all...

Until you--all of you--flake off of this hollow Yveltal, inert, floating souls in the abyss of Yveltal's petrified heart. Most of the souls are completely silent and unmoving. A few bob confusedly. And you, of course, are awake and aware, throughout those countless years of dormancy. The lucky, the strong, the surviving... whatever you are, it would be all of you who bear witness to this while conscious.

And then in the center, there is one soul different from all the rest. This greedy, hungry ember is a deep crimson-black. Two wings expand from that tiny ember, forming a Y-shape even in its very essence. The shape of the god of death, his very soul at its depths. Even with everything else stripped away, it was unique. It was not a mortal soul.

You all were.

Most of the souls coalesce again, drifting toward the flames, but few resist this and take on little, shapeless bubbles instead.

And then he becomes, at least in this vision, solid.

Red feathers lined with black accents. Intense, piercing eyes. An expressionless beak. Yveltal, your god of death, stands before you, looming tall. You are infinitesimally small, yet this avatar of the end grants you a rare exception to his indifference. He is watching you, the ones still awake.

"You're still here," he says. Even his voice rattles you differently. Just slightly differently. You feel the threat of sleep overtake you. But you resist. Perhaps Yveltal is not trying. Perhaps Yveltal can't. You don't know. But a small bit of hope remains.

Weavile nervously steps back. You've never seen the fear in his eyes like this before. His claws ball into fists and he attempts an Ice Shard, flinging cold daggers at Yveltal's chest--which you notice has a faint, cloudy mist obscuring it.

But Yveltal leisurely moves his wing and blocks it, and then points a single, black, skeletal finger at Weavile. Not even a word, not even a beam of energy. Only a pointed stare.

And Weavile falls, unconscious. You hope.

"Well, go on," he says, somehow both patient in tone yet hasty in words. His attention is to all of you again. "You already know who I am. You already know what you are. But tell me, souls who persist..."

He asks you a question. A very simple one for your former, mortal lives. And while things were once muddled and confused, suddenly, in this vision, in this instant, you are individuals again. And you can recall fragments of your past that you know are true. The lives--perhaps many, perhaps only one--that you had lived.

Perhaps to grasp it, to defy the avatar of the end, you feel compelled to speak what you recall. To immortalize it before the icy gaze of Death.

He asks...

WHO ARE YOU?










​

End of Act II​

And that's all for a short break! I'll give things 1 full week for you to come up with your individual answers. Perhaps it will mean something for the final act, and those final showdowns on your way to, and within, Kalos...

Current Status​

HP: 18/13+5
Energy: 13/13
Offense: 5+2
Defense: 6+1
Shadow: 1%

Considerations:
- (!)
- (!)
- (∞) ...
- (1%) ...

 

[Mirage]

Spoiler: Negrek

I think Dark Matter would be very offended to hear you say that! He never said we weren't part of Yveltal, after all... only that we weren't the bird himself. I think that guy does a lot of not-technically-lying.

...Okay, I mean, that's TECHNICALLY true, as we saw in this latest update. But that won't stop me from feeling all toward him!

"Yveltal's heart" is certainly a badass identity for us, if that turns out to be correct. I'm curious how we got over to this world, then, if we were already dead and transformed to stone in the other one. Presumably someone must have carried us over here (through a dungeon, perhaps?)

...Dang, that's a good point actually! Even if we were a rock, we'd need to be conscious and not in that sleeping state we were when we first woke up at the beginning of the story. How did we make it over?

although the mental image of our rock hop, hop, hopping across some kind of planar bridge at like 0.5 miles an hour is pretty funny.

LMAO. Thank you for the visual, Negrek

Spoiler: line-by-line

"I don't know," you say gently. Closing your eyes, you remark, "And... thank you for telling us that story, Weavile, and for all you've done to help us. I'm sorry for all that you've been through on Yveltal's account, even if I don't know if we were really a part of that or not. It sounds like you've had to sacrifice a great deal to make it to where you are."

That's honestly really nice, very well said Negrek. Maybe it's just (reverse?) Stockholm syndrome at this point, but I feel like Weavile gets more sympathetic as the story goes on. It can't be easy finding out that the target he was sent to eliminate contains dozens of innocent souls. He mentions that Xerneas must know - though I wonder if she'll rationalize that the death of these few dozen is worth preventing death globally? Curious where the line that Weavile/Prism Knights draw at the acceptable loss for the greater common good.

Red feathers lined with black accents. Intense, piercing eyes. An expressionless beak. Yveltal, your god of death, stands before you, looming tall. You are infinitesimally small, yet this avatar of the end grants you a rare exception to his indifference. He is watching you, the ones still awake.

"You're still here," he says. Even his voice rattles you differently. Just slightly differently. You feel the threat of sleep overtake you. But you resist. Perhaps Yveltal is not trying. Perhaps Yveltal can't. You don't know. But a small bit of hope remains.

Man, it's actually Yveltal! The real Yveltal! Huh... It kills me to say this, but I guess Dark Matter was right after all? He seemed to have been looking for Yveltal to reincarnate as just himself, but instead, we have Yveltal and the souls from the Lost City mashed into one. It's quite odd that Yveltal's powers were so strong and prevalent when we used them, but he himself hasn't said anything up until now - it seems like he was intentionally waiting or hibernating for the right moment?

If I remember correctly, Dark Matter mentioned that Yveltal was one of his most loyal followers, but I'm curious if he feels the same way, should we broach the topic. I'm still not sold on Dark Matter's trustworthiness

...After we answer Yveltal's prompt though.

But Yveltal leisurely moves his wing and blocks it, and then points a single, black, skeletal finger at Weavile. Not even a word, not even a beam of energy. Only a pointed stare.

And Weavile falls, unconscious. You hope.

Well, our hope didn't last long

--------------------------

So, I'm not entirely sure I hit the appropriate level of detail, but I was afraid of making too much of a text wall or a resume type feeling. Let me know if it needs more detail or some body language, I can absolutely update it - and feel 1000% free to edit or reformat it however you wish to make it more consistent with Negrek's entry or the rest of the story!

Speak (target is everyone):

"My name was... Cimcino? No, that can't be right. Cinmino...? Oh wait! Minccino! That's right. I was the town jewler! Six houses in from the main gate, turn right at the second crossing after that, 50 paces forward. Beautiful gems, shiny orbs, smooth evolution stones, and those cool trendy sparkly hats everyone's crazy about, those are the kind of things I bought and sold. Sure, there were rumors that not everything came from a place as squeaky clean as it looked - but rest assured, there's NO proof I ever stole anything! I made sure of it!"

"...What else can I remember... my end? I don't remember my end clearly, only the feeling. That ice cold, burning feeling... definitely top 5 worst things I've ever felt! Maybe even top 3?

Oh- umm, not that there's anything wrong with dying, Yveltal! Not at all! Death is great."

 

[Negrek]

[[ We love a good open-ended prompt! >:) Very curious to see how our choices here might end up affecting things. And it's interesting to meet the real Yveltal here, after all the build-up. I wonder whether he's going to end up helping or hindering us in the end.

Love your little Minccino character, Mirage! Lots of personality. Feels in keeping with the way we sometimes act as Cobble, heh. ]]

"I'm someone from far away. Farther even than this city people keep talking about. I was called to that place for some purpose--to help people, I think. I might have been a hero. But whatever it was I was supposed to be doing, I failed. Or perhaps I simply turned my back on it and got caught up in life in that new place. Maybe that's part of what Dark Matter was talking about, the stagnation. I know I didn't accomplish everything I was supposed to, and perhaps I had regrets, but it doesn't matter now.

I think I used to be a beedrill, but was it always that way? I don't remember much. All I know is that it's been a long, long time...

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

You speak of your time alive.

Considerations:
-
-
- (∞) ...
- (1%) ...

Yveltal listens with his eyes closed as the stories come, one, and then the next. Many other souls murmur, minds blurry, uncertain, or half-asleep. Weavile, not quite conscious, whispers something of duty for the world and all of its future generations.

Yveltal walks on an invisible floor. You realize that while you are some echo of corporeal, there is no floor to stand on. You are floating. Yveltal, meanwhile, had become more and more solid as the remaining souls--all but you, and Weavile--mesh back onto the death god's form.

You can see the detail of muscle beneath feathers; the individual claws and every little imperfection of the god's physical avatar. The feathers and strange, leathery skin, one indistinguishable from another while afar. The claws scrape on the ground, leaving silver, ethereal trails in the void.

"A jeweler thief," Yveltal summarizes, "meeting an eventual end, as they all do. And a faded hero meant to rest... and stay rested. But today you stand in a half-dead state, one push away from your quiet and rightful darkness. You are facing me in a way that very few do twice as the same person."

So entranced by his speaking, you don't realize until he's done that he'd completed a circle with the claws on his tail.

An arena. And shining above the trail of silver is a great dome, trapping you inside.

"I must thank you for keeping my heart, and my own immortal soul, safe from harm, by coincidence or happenstance," Yveltal says. "But I'm afraid the only repayment I have is my duty as always: your death, as it should be, so that I may continue my purpose in the delicate cycle of the mortal realm."

He spreads his wings and you realize he's serious. On reflex, you take a battle stance--and suddenly wonder, why? Would it... matter?

"I am sorry."

God of The End
Yveltal​

HP: ???

Yveltal studies you. "...You still wish to fight," he says. "But your power came from me. There is nothing left for you but your old selves. And... the mortals before me, what are they but leaves in the autumn wind? ...This is beyond your scope."

With a single wingbeat, a black gale sweeps over you. Weavile winces and holds strong, even as a strange, dark rot seeps into the edges of his translucent fur.

Yveltal's expression is like stone. "Fall."

Once more, he brings his wings back. And despite this, you stand. You wonder, in your innermost self, if you can still fight back. If you reach deep into yourself and call upon faded memories for one last struggle, what will manifest? You are still part of Yveltal, despite the great bird's words. In death, your spirit continues; what has it kept? What has it amplified?

What can you manifest to help you when you wake? Not if, but when; coming so far, a return to death is far too soon.

Quite literally facing the avatar of the end, it was time to do or die. Yveltal's Oblivion Wing charges...

What do you do?

MANIFEST YOUR POWER










​

Current Status​

HP: -
Energy: -
Offense: -
Defense: -
Shadow: 1%

Considerations:
- (!)
- (!)
- (∞)
- (1%) ...

 

[Negrek]

Welp, that's scary. :) I quite enjoy the description of Yveltal in this post.

Sounds like we're going to die no matter what, but depending on how we respond it may influence our abilities going forward? We'll see how this goes...

> I still remember the world I was fighting for, and all the people in it. My partner, the guild, everyone hoping to live a normal life--they're what give me strength!

> Speak @ Yveltal: "I still remember the world I was fighting for. I might not have succeeded the first time, but I won't give up now! Why don't we work together to restore the world to the way it's supposed to be?"

> Consider: I need to protect Weavile if I can!

 

[Mirage]

Spoiler: Negrek

And it's interesting to meet the real Yveltal here, after all the build-up. I wonder whether he's going to end up helping or hindering us in the end.

I'm legit unsure at this point, hah. He doesn't seem as... evil...? As I was expecting. Like, he he's actually remorseful for trying to take our lives here, even though it's his duty. I do think it's likely we'll wind up working together against Xerneas, if just because of our shared desire in seeing her gone.

I wonder whether the Yveltal / Dark Matter relationship is as two sided as Dark Matter implied, or if there's more nuance to it. Dark Matter told us he has no interest in this realm, but like... if we take out Xerneas, is Dark Matter really going to just peace out, or might he try to take advantage of the opportunity once his main foe is out of the picture? I could see Yveltal not taking that well, as he seems interested in returning the world to its natural state and not just expanding Dark Matter's influence.

I think I used to be a beedrill, but was it always that way? I don't remember much. All I know is that it's been a long, long time...

Oh, I love the choice of a Beedrill here! That's not a Pokemon you see very often. And the backstory for them is intriguing - a hero who wasn't able to fulfill their mission?

It's pretty hype to see us finally interact with the real Yveltal, the one we thought we were this whole time! It doesn't seem like we stand much of a chance against him though - hopefully, what we do here might be able to help out Cobble once we return from this world, assuming that Cobble's personality survives intact now that Yveltal has awakened.

-----------

Action time - let's try manifesting our power! I'm not 100% sure if I'm interpreting the prompt correctly, so as before, feel free to edit if needed to fit the story!

> Thinking back, it's hazy, but... what crystal did I need to fight against dark, evil energies? Hmm... Wait a second... It's coming into focus! A pink one, with the aura of life itself! Can I still draw that kind of energy, even way out here?

Speak (target is Yveltal): "I might not be alive anymore, but that doesn't mean I'm dead! I won't give up without a fight!"

Consider: Can I draw on the strength of the Fairy energy from within myself? From the void around me? From anywhere else?

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Considerations:
- (1) I need to protect Weavile if I can!
- (1) Can I draw on the strength of the Fairy energy from within myself? From the void around me? From anywhere else?
- (∞) ...
- (1%) ...

You, the spirit of a heroic Beedrill, move in first. "I still remember the world I was fighting for. I might not have succeeded the first time, but I won't give up now! Why don't we work together to restore the world to the way it's supposed to be?"

You, the jeweler Minccino, move forward next. "I might not be alive anymore, but that doesn't mean I'm dead! I won't give up without a fight!"

Yveltal offers you no words in response. Instead, he beats his wings forward, sending a series of twisting, black jets of energy toward you. You dodge the first few, but then one strikes at your shoulders--which you suddenly realize are tangible again. Wincing, you both lose your forms quickly and drift toward one another. It's so seamless that you don't realize until a second later that your consciousnesses have merged once more.

Yveltal's eyes narrow. His attention turns to Weavile.

No! you think.

Another jet of deathly arcs through the void and toward Weavile, too weak to move out of the way. But you aren't. Without thinking much about it, you get in the death beam's way and hold out ethereal arms.

And the death beam deflects--against the facsimile of two drills, like swords deflecting an arrow. Behind you, another echo manifests: a pinkish jewel that radiates with life, or the imagined life of the past. Weavile grunts, but then stares upward with reverence. "Xerneas?" he whispers. And then realizes, instead, that he's staring at you.

"Not her," you say. "Just... Cobble, now," you continue, realizing that the only name you can agree with in your present state is 'Cobble.' "Now, come on! Up!" you encourage.

He listens, confused yet obeying on autopilot. He eyes Yveltal with helpless scorn.

Yveltal raises his wings again. You brace. This time, so does Weavile, ready to parry, to counter, to do anything in response to defy Death.

The god holds the pose for a while longer.

"...Very good," he finally says... and lowers his wings. The oppressive atmosphere relents at the same moment.

You're guarded. You can't rely on death to be honorable.

"Normally, such an attack would kill you, no matter how well you parry it," Yveltal points out. That feels true. "But as I'm sure you've noticed... we are at a stalemate here. Your will refuses to relent. But I am the proper host of the body. We shall clash here until only one remains. Now... I could patiently wait for you to give in... but I do not think that would be beneficial to either of us. Not when time is against us... and not when... mm."

He was going to say something. Yet he didn't. Even now, Yveltal held something back.

"...But there is much more to this. Your spirits, by happenstance or strength, have withstood my presence. That alone grants you the privilege of borrowed time... until we accomplish our common goal."

"Common... goal?" you repeat.

"With you?" Weavile hisses.

"Yes. With even you," Yveltal replies, marching forward. Weavile immediately takes on a battle stance and lunges for Yveltal once he's in striking range.

"No, stop!" you shout, but Weavile is faster.

Yveltal holds up his right wing and blocks Weavile's slash with his own claws. Rather than strike him down, Yveltal instead tilts his head in fascination. Where their claws had struck, a strange, pinkish-purple energy remains there.

Weavile kicks away and lands next to you again. He looks at his claws. "What... what is that?" he whispers.

"...The power of auras clashing from within," Yveltal says, looking skyward. "...An old, old friend told me about this. I think I understand the more... literal interpretation of it. All lives touch other lives... creating something anew and alive. In this case... even those who cling to life, touching that of the god of death, that cryptic statement holds true."

Auras clash; powers awaken...

The power of a lost hero:
World's Guardian: Before an attack that deals damage resolves, you may sacrifice HP. In doing so, that attack gains 2 points in offense for each HP sacrificed. This attack cannot be used at 1 HP, nor can it take you below 1 HP.

The power of a resourceful jeweler:
Lifegem Essence: After expending Energy, gain HP by the same amount before discounts after the attack resolves. Cannot overheal, and HP is only restored after everything else of the attack is completed.

The power of Death's avatar, and the power of Life's disciple:
Boundary of Life and Death: Once, and only once, if your HP is reduced to 0, instead heal to half your max HP.

Weavile grunts instead. "I don't think I care much about that," he says. "I can never work with Yveltal, the enemy of Xerneas."

"Enemy?" Yveltal says. "I'm afraid you've been misled by the plague that blights Xerneas' mind. We were never enemies. Perhaps to mortals, we are seen as opposites meant to destroy one another... but as gods..."

Yveltal brings a wing to his chest.

"Xerneas is a dear friend to me. I want nothing more than for her lives and her world to prosper. A prospering, thriving world creates more lives; more lives means more deaths. That is the cycle. That is how it should be... even if it manifests in different ways. Reincarnation, passing on, whatever means to continue the flow of life into, throughout, and beyond our worlds. And that is why... we have a common goal. Don't you agree?"

Weavile says nothing. He holds a glare, but his hatred seems to falter. Nothing Yveltal is saying appears to be a lie. In fact, you quietly wonder if it is possible to lie in this realm where your very soul is exposed...

"Then the common goal we share," Weavile demands.

Yveltal bows his head. "To free Xerneas."

Current Status​

HP: -
Energy: -
Offense: -
Defense: -
Shadow: 1%

Considerations:
- (!) I need to protect Weavile if I can!
- (!) Can I draw on the strength of the Fairy energy from within myself? From the void around me? From anywhere else?
- (∞)
- (1%) ...

 

[Mirage]

Spoiler: line-by-line

"...Very good," he finally says... and lowers his wings. The oppressive atmosphere relents at the same moment.

Oh? Looks we might not be fighting to the (total) death after all?

"With you?" Weavile hisses.

"Yes. With even you," Yveltal replies

I love Yveltal's snark here, even in such a serious and drammatic moment as this

Weavile immediately takes on a battle stance and lunges for Yveltal once he's in striking range.

"No, stop!" you shout, but Weavile is faster.

Dammit Weavile, I admire the courage, but... what are the odds this ends well for you?

Yveltal brings a wing to his chest.

"Xerneas is a dear friend to me. I want nothing more than for her lives and her world to prosper. A prospering, thriving world creates more lives; more lives means more deaths. That is the cycle. That is how it should be... even if it manifests in different ways. Reincarnation, passing on, whatever means to continue the flow of life into, throughout, and beyond our worlds. And that is why... we have a common goal. Don't you agree?"

So, it's indeed less acrimonious than we were lead to believe Yveltal cares more about restoring the balance of things, and he doesn't view Xerneas as a mortal enemy to permanently eliminate, but instead as a natural... partner, almost?

This begs the question - what actually IS going on here with Xerneas now? I would assume that she holds similiar feelings in reverse - that would make sense, wouldn't it? They're both immortal deities, so they've known each other (and themselves and their roles) for a very long time. I imagine Xerneas probably didn't just randomly decide one day that Yveltal needs to go, but that something else led her to that decision. Yveltal stating at the end that the goal is "to free" Xerneas further supports that, since it implies he knows there's something controlling her or making her act abnormally, unless I'm stretching?

If it is the case that something is controlling her... I feel like it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for Dark Matter to be behind this directly, since Dark Matter guided us to defeating her, which doesn't make sense if he already has established control. Plus, if he's familiar with how Yveltal thinks (and he seems to know Yveltal pretty well?) then it seems rather risky to send Yveltal there, knowing that Yveltal's goal is probably not the saem as his own.

I wonder if Xerneas maybe concluded that Yveltal has to go after Dark Matter showed up? Did she maybe conflate the powers / goals of the two, or I wonder if she thinks she can destroy Dark Matter directly if she can prevent him from inhabiting a powerful host?

Lots of really cool build up here. I can't wait to see if/when Xerneas, Yveltal, and Dark Matter actually come face to face. I know I'm nursing an unhealthy prejudice, but... I feel like Dark Matter, one way or another, might be our ultimate villain in this story >.>

-----------------

For our actions... holy crap do we have some amazing new abilities, thanks Namo! We can convert energy into HP, HP into attack, and revive ourselves from death (even if only once). These single handily drammatically boost up our damage game - imagine something like using Catapult and then sacrificing 2HP, giving us 4 attack on our 7 base attack, for a total output of 11. That's enough to oneshot or nearly oneshot pretty much every boss we've fought so far, and then thanks to the jeweler's healing ability, the extra damage is completely free, we just heal it back. We could even use Weavile's ability to infuse the elements into our attack, drawing an extra point of energy, which then turns into extra HP and/or into even more attack on top of the elements' native boost. The way they feed into each other gives us some very powerful combo potential... we'll just have to keep a close eye on the energy though, since that's now our limiting factor.

Right, actions! No fighting right now, so let's go for some dialogue...

Consider: What'll happen to all of us souls once we accomplish our shared goal? Will we really... disappear, forever?

Speak (target is Yveltal): "To free Xerneas... Do you know who, or what, we are freeing her from?"

 

[Negrek]

Hell yeah! We love some new abilities, and these are some particularly fun ones. Always love to see the way you make the mechanics work together with the flavor, Namo.

If it is the case that something is controlling her... I feel like it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for Dark Matter to be behind this directly, since Dark Matter guided us to defeating her, which doesn't make sense if he already has established control. Plus, if he's familiar with how Yveltal thinks (and he seems to know Yveltal pretty well?) then it seems rather risky to send Yveltal there, knowing that Yveltal's goal is probably not the saem as his own.

There's definitely a contradiction in there somewhere. Ugh, I really need to go back and reread the exposition we've gotten thus far...

I feel like Dark Matter, one way or another, might be our ultimate villain in this story

Could be! I think my vote for the moment is that there's no real villain here, just people making bad choices, sometimes because they don't have any good options...

> Speak @ Yveltal: "Do you know how your heart came to be in this world? Were you intending for that to happen, or did someone steal it?"

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

I need the endurance to weather their tricks.

Considerations:
- What'll happen to all of us souls once we accomplish our shared goal? Will we really... disappear, forever?
-
- (∞) ...
- (1%) ...

"To free Xerneas... Do you know who, or what, we are freeing her from?"

It was a logical follow-up to Yveltal's explanation. As simple as it was, something about it feels odd.

"No," Yveltal admits. "I know it has to do with Dark Matter, but..." His head turns, looking down regretfully. "But something went wrong. It wasn't supposed to go this way..."

"Go this way," you repeat. "This battle between you and Xerneas?"

Yveltal nods. "But... that story is for another time. And it's not very important for what you must do next. Perhaps later."

Now that you pay attention to it, the void is getting brighter. Light at your eyelids. Daylight would come soon.

"Just know that something corroded Xerneas' mind, and I do not think it was Dark Matter directly. If we can defeat her... perhaps we can also remove that corrosion. And if not... then at least free her from herself."

From herself. In other words, if you aren't able to find some way to save Xerneas, then killing the god of life is the next best thing. Weavile bares his fangs at this, but in this world of souls, he cannot speak against it without lying. He says nothing.

You also wonder... what that means for you. When this is over, will you also sink back into Yveltal's cold welcome? After all, you'd died. Was this all just borrowed time? Was that... okay? The chilling thought bothers you, but you are too uncomfortable with the idea to voice it to Yveltal directly.

You instead ask a different question. "Do you know how your heart came to be in this world? Were you intending for that to happen, or did someone steal it?"

"That's another great mystery," Yveltal admits. "I should not be in a different world at all. None of this should be happening. Yet it is. I think... the work of an interloper is responsible for much of this. That interloper must be long gone by now, yet the aftereffects are what we're dealing with. Xerneas is at its epicenter. But I do remember... seeing the Voice of Life--a Hydreigon at the time--yet... realizing a moment too late it wasn't actually him... Hmm... I remember... one of that impostor's eyes was a glimmering crimson..."

That much made sense. You and Yveltal were both in the dark, but all of the evidence suggested "something" going wrong. And if Yveltal held no knowledge, and also didn't doubt Dark Matter, and if of course Xerneas was not acting as she should... a party removed from all of you was the next reasonable conclusion.

The void's light was a lot more annoying, suddenly. Coming in flashes over your vision.

Yveltal closes his eyes. "I will try to guide you from within," he says, "but my spirit is not the dominant one today. Perhaps... that, too, is an aftereffect of this interloper's work. Good luck. And when the power is right... I will try to channel one last surge of power into you, or whatever body you may occupy at the time. You will need it... for your final confrontation."

And, finally, the void fades to white...

<><><>
​

Groggy and stiff, you wake up sitting in a completely different position. There's a pillow next to your head and a strange, flat strap of cloth across your chest. You're sitting on something soft that has no life. You're also moving, and occasionally tremors bump you up and down.

"Oh, it looks like he's starting to wake up..."

Shauntal is sitting beside you. You realize that you're in some kind of metal-plated human contraption that moves at high speeds. You've never seen anything like it before, but Weavile's memories inform you that it is a car.

N is sitting on the opposite side of you, his gaze on the outside of the car with his hand on his chin. You're going down a rural road through some forest, but the trees are different. Shauntal is between you and N, and you spot Gengar pooled in the floorspace beneath your feet, staring at you. Caitlin appears to be snoozing on the front seat, based on her overflowing hair that crawls around the seat behind her. Darach is driving.

"Oh, wonderful," Darach says with a hum. "We decided that, even if you had to squeeze in the back seats a little, it would be rude to withdraw you while you are asleep. You were very out of it, though. But we are almost to the airport."

"We got into contact with Skyla," Shauntal said. "She's going to have a special flight for you all the way to Kalos! Since, you know, it could save the world, it took top priority over basically everything else."

"How's... Lenora?" you say.

"Oh, she stayed behind, but wished you well," Shauntal replies. "She's in no condition to follow after her injury, though. She needs at least a week to recover."

"Oh..." No goodbyes. But maybe that was for the better. But, Millie... What about her?

"I can tell you're worried, but it's really fine," Shauntal assures you. "Oh, but... your friend, right... Well. We didn't see any sign of her. Sorry... She must have left for someplace else."

Darach tilted his head and adjusted the mirror at the front of the ceiling. He seemed to be eyeing something behind the car.

Darach calmly floored it, and you're pinned to the back seat.

Current Status​

HP: 18/13+5
Energy: 13/13
Offense: 5+2
Defense: 6+1
Shadow: 1%

Considerations:
- (!) What'll happen to all of us souls once we accomplish our shared goal? Will we really... disappear, forever?
- (!)
- (∞) ...
- (1%) Hello again.

 

[Negrek]

"But... that story is for another time. And it's not very important for what you must do next. Perhaps later."

when your lovers' feud is interrupted by some sort of interdimensional voyeur

The chilling thought bothers you, but you are too uncomfortable with the idea to voice it to Yveltal directly.

ruh roh

Darach calmly floored it, and you're pinned to the back seat.

lmao. I love Darach.

But I do remember... seeing the Voice of Life--a Hydreigon at the time--yet... realizing a moment too late it wasn't actually him... Hmm... I remember... one of that impostor's eyes was a glimmering crimson...

Well, shit. I absolutely should have considered that N was a zoroark here not because that's just how he's always been in this setting, but because he's had some encounter with the PMD world. Which in turn could mean that Ghetsis and possibly some of the other Unova characters are involved here, too.

Clearly we need to have a bit of an uncomfy convo with N about his bad dad at some point, although idk if now is the time. Our telepathy to him is hopefully private, but I don't imagine he'd be happy discussing his being a zoroark in front of these people, when he's actively pretending not to be one. Buuuuut we probably need to follow up on this sooner rather than later.

It seems like somebody else is trying to get our attention at the moment, anyhow.

> Telepathy @ Dark Matter: hey buddy

> Consider: What... what's behind us? o_o;

 

[Mirage]

Spoiler: line-by-line

"No," Yveltal admits. "I know it has to do with Dark Matter, but..." His head turns, looking down regretfully. "But something went wrong. It wasn't supposed to go this way..."

Interestingly enough, I remember Dark Matter saying something very similiar when he thought we were actually Yveltal. Something like "even if he reincarnated, it wouldn't happen in this way". From my understanding of Xerneas' powers and how they work, I wouldn't think that she would directly harbor or claim souls like Yveltal does, but I wonder if maybe whatever's afflicting her has a direct connection to what's going on with Yveltal and why we're split between several souls inhabiting one body like this.

And when the power is right... I will try to channel one last surge of power into you, or whatever body you may occupy at the time. You will need it... for your final confrontation."

Bit of foreshadowing for our big finale here But will even that be enough...?

and you spot Gengar pooled in the floorspace beneath your feet, staring at you.

Love this bit of characterization, I forgot Gengar have the ability to merge with shadows. It's much creepier than if he were jsut standing around, fits him perfectly

"Oh..." No goodbyes. But maybe that was for the better.

RIP, I'm gonna miss Lenora

- (1%) Hello again.

... >.>

Spoiler: Negrek

lmao. I love Darach.

Same - calm-but-hyper-competant butler characters are always so much fun

Well, shit. I absolutely should have considered that N was a zoroark here not because that's just how he's always been in this setting, but because he's had some encounter with the PMD world. Which in turn could mean that Ghetsis and possibly some of the other Unova characters are involved here, too.

Cue the evil chanting from his theme

Honestly, it never even crossed my mind either - I just accepted him as a Zoroark, that's just who he is now, although when I think back I think Namo actually put in quite a bit of foreshadowing.

Clearly we need to have a bit of an uncomfy convo with N about his bad dad at some point, although idk if now is the time. Our telepathy to him is hopefully private, but I don't imagine he'd be happy discussing his being a zoroark in front of these people, when he's actively pretending not to be one. Buuuuut we probably need to follow up on this sooner rather than later.

Yeah, might be a bit dicey with Caitlin right there, even if she is snoozing - and she not be snoozing when we think she is

Ghetsis being active here does scramble things, especially if he somehow got his hands on the power of the Voice of Life. I'll have to dig into my GTI lore again, but iirc, the Voice of Life was the one responsible for summoning and guiding the player character of that story into it. And... well, N is a human turned Pokemon

And that's not even beginning to question how he fits in with Xerneas, Yveltal, Dark Matter, etc. and everything that's happened with this. Going to be pretty wild once N talks

---------------------

Consider: ...What does Dark Matter want from us? Whatever it is, there's a catch, isn't there?

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

I need the endurance to weather their tricks.

Considerations:
- (1) What... what's behind us? o_o;
- (1) ...What does Dark Matter want from us? Whatever it is, there's a catch, isn't there?
- (∞) ...
- (1%) ...

Hey buddy.

You could sense his presence before you could do much else. The push against the seats is more than enough to keep you pinned while you gather your bearings and properly wake up.

Caitlin somehow sleeps through all of this. Shauntal turned back to peer behind the car and let out a scream.

N glances behind him and tilts his head in fascination. "Oh I believe that's dangerous."

And finally, as the acceleration lessens and you find your strength, you push yourself out of your seatbelt and look behind you as well, searching through the rear window.

And you see Millie, flying toward you on a pair of great, dark, feathery wings.

"I think we found where Millie went!" Shauntal cried.

Millie's arms dangled below her body like a puppet's limbs without strings. Then, once she was about fifty feet away from you, one arm twitched to life and pointed in your general direction. Black and red energy sparked at the tip of her finger.

You know that power. While faint, it was an echo of Yveltal's--a remnant of an old partnership. You know this innately... perhaps from Yveltal's influence.

Oh, Yveltal's power.

"DODGE!" you shout.

Darach spins the wheel and swerves into the adjacent lane of the narrow, two-way road. A thunderclap shatters the window next to you and several bits of rubble pierce the hull of the car, rattling somewhere between the interior and the outer layer. A scorch mark and new pothole rapidly leave your view as Darach speeds ahead.

Millie holds out the other hand, holding a... very dark Poke Ball. Out emerges a Lillipup--or, you can only assume as much, as what comes out is instead some misshapen, winged canine of black and red fur and feathers. It's faster than Millie and spirals toward the car, about to divebomb it.

I can already sense your skepticism, Dark Matter says, its voice rattling your mind. So be it. I will walk your corpse to the proper end my own way.

Lily smashes into the car's rear window, breaking it yet not quite breaking through. The car was made to be Pokemon-resistant, you imagine, to your fortune. Gengar, sloshing around in the car floor, seeps through the cracks of the car and emerges atop the roof, firing Shadow Balls at Millie and Lily as you gather your bearings. N has his eyes closed, looking very focused on nothing. His Zoroark form reveals itself, earning another surprised shriek from Shauntal.

Lily hops off the car again and aims for Gengar... only to completely miss, smashing into the ground. Lily left a crater there, and then dizzily returns to the skies to catch up.

Millie fires again, another complete miss, as if Dark Matter sees you somewhere you aren't.

"Well, this is a trifle," Darach mutters, rolling down his window. He whispers something into a Poke Ball. Then, he says, "I usually am not one to practice distracted driving, but this will have to be an exception!"

He withdraws a Poke Ball and points it outward, opening it in-hand. A Houndoom appears high in the sky, carrying the car's momentum, and shoots a five-pointed gout of fire toward Millie. An instant later, Darach fires the Poke Ball's withdrawal beam and rescues Houndoom before he hits the ground.

It forces Millie to weave out of the way, slowing her down for precious seconds.

Your destination is a minute or two ahead at these speeds. Whether you'd make it or not, you have no idea. But surely there is something you can try... Or even something to advise or help while riding in this strange contraption.

Current Status​

HP: 18/13+5
Energy: 13/13
Offense: 5+2
Defense: 6+1
Shadow: 1%

Considerations:
- (!) What... what's behind us? o_o;
- (!) ...What does Dark Matter want from us? Whatever it is, there's a catch, isn't there?
- (∞) A powerful Ice presence is ahead. Do you feel it?
- (1%) Surrender yourself and the rest will be spared.

 

[Mirage]

Spoiler: line-by-line

Caitlin somehow sleeps through all of this.

Of course she does, that's such a Caitlin thing to do

"I think we found where Millie went!" Shauntal cried.

More like she found us

While faint, it was an echo of Yveltal's--a remnant of an old partnership.
----
as what comes out is instead some misshapen, winged canine of black and red fur and feathers.

Is it faint? Like, the dark bolts of energy are par for the course, but the black and red energy, the wings, even down to having feathers like Yveltal? That feels fairly prominant to me

I also wonder about something. In the games, I remember Dark Matter being described as an amalgamation of the entire world's negative feelings, all bundled together and manifested into a single being. When you think about it, that's very similiar to what we're doing with Yveltal right now... I wonder if Dark Matter has any souls trapped within himself, and if we might be able to get in contact with or find out who they are in any way...

I can already sense your skepticism, Dark Matter says, its voice rattling your mind. So be it. I will walk your corpse to the proper end my own way.

Yeaaaaahhhh... As I mentioned in the talk post, I think this might be my fault, I forgot Dark Matter can read our considerations. My bad, sorry guys

N has his eyes closed, looking very focused on nothing. His Zoroark form reveals itself, earning another surprised shriek from Shauntal.

Oh yeah, I forgot they didn't know :mewmore: funny little reversal from the usual trope of a human pretending to be a Pokemon, now we've got a Pokemon pretending to be a human. Or perhaps, a human, turned into a Pokemon, pretending to be that same human? It's illusions all the way down.

Gengar, sloshing around in the car floor, seeps through the cracks of the car

Really feeling how smoothly and fluidly Gengar can move around in the shadows here. It's kind of like those videos of crocadiles in Florida, where they're super clumsy and kind of derpy on land, but then they slip into the water with zero splashes, and you're like damn, I'm not used to them being that smooth. Gengar normally looks and walks kind of clumsily, but he's in his element here, and it's kind of intimidating seeing him move around so smoothly.

He withdraws a Poke Ball and points it outward, opening it in-hand. A Houndoom appears high in the sky, carrying the car's momentum, and shoots a five-pointed gout of fire toward Millie. An instant later, Darach fires the Poke Ball's withdrawal beam and rescues Houndoom before he hits the ground.

Absolute badass, damn. I get nervous merging onto H3 and Darach is out here dodging and weaving in a high speed chase while simultaneously juggling his Houndoom in the air at highway speeds.

A powerful Ice presence is ahead. Do you feel it?

I did not, but that's... intruiging. If this is indeed Kyurem, I wonder if we're about to see a moment like the one from GTI where it drops out of the fucking sky with zero warning and brutally stomps the everlasting shit out of the protagonist.

Surrender yourself and the rest will be spared.

Gee, where have we heard this before channeling your inner Druddigon won't work on us, Dark Matter.

------------------------

Hype chapter, looks like we're about to get potentially a standoff between Kyurem and Dark Matter? That would be epic, and if that's the case, it might end in our favor, as with our new powers and with everyone's help, we can probably take him on now.

For our action... I think we can contribute using an Enervate here? It won't cause any harm to Millie, which is a major plus, yet might be able to slow her down. It won't do much, since Dark Matter is effectively a legendary, but if nothing else, it at least forces her to dodge and might buy us some extra time.

Attack: (target is Millie): Enervate

Telepathy (target is Dark Matter): "And what would happen to Millie, then?"

Consider: If Dark Matter wants our help, we need to work as a team, not as vassals.

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Enervate on Millie!

Considerations:
- (1) If Dark Matter wants our help, we need to work as a team, not as vassals.
- ()
- (∞) ...
- (1%) ...

You can't help but wonder why Dark Matter is attacking at all, even as you try to climb out of the car. You figure out how to roll down the window--if only by accident as you step on the button--and resist the high winds outside.

"Careful!" Shauntal calls.

But then, innate knowledge, perhaps from Yveltal, floods in next. Dark Matter, a being of negativity... knows only negativity. Therefore, if you doubt, even if the majority of it is a belief in working together... what would Dark Matter see? It can only see the negative...

What a terrible partner. It's no wonder Yveltal severed paths with it.

You jump to the car's roof where Gengar is half-pooled into the roof as an anchor, blasting Shadow Balls like Darach's personal turret.

A few seem to hit Dark Matter, but all of them bounce off, doing practically no damage. It would take much more to make it falter...

That's when you go into action, pointing at Dark Matter once he's close enough. Enervating energy jumps from your claws and toward Dark Matter. Millie's face contorts from emotionless neutrality to an irritated grimace.

It raises Millie's arm and points directly at you.

SHOOM!

The wind is knocked out of you and you're blown into Gengar's forehead, pressing him directly into the car. That hollow coldness in your chest triples. Lily comes in next and comes in hot, snarling and slashing at your face while you're down... but it seems that Dark Matter is slow enough that Lily backs off before too much can be done to you.

For now, you've lost them. Dark Matter is too slow to catch up. You see it land in the middle of the road, kneeling. A dark aura intensifies but then fades out of view... Was it charging something?

Enervate slows Dark Matter down! It can't catch up!

Ouch! Lily's scratches deal 1 damage to you, and Dark Matter's strike adds 2% Shadow...

Thankfully, you have a moment to breathe.

Literally, only a moment. As you turn to look ahead, you narrowly duck in time as an icicle the size of your arm grazes your head feathers.

Something grabs you from below and tugs you through the car roof.

"Wonderful job, Cobble," Darach comments as Gengar firmly places a seatbelt over your body, failing to clip it closed. "Unfortunately, we have a new--"

He swerves the car as another icicle pelts the street the car had once been.

"--problem. I believe that is Kyurem's ice. I was not aware that it had returned... Thought it as under the care of a certain trainer."

"It is," N says, looking confused. "I am too far away to hear its voice but I wonder if something went wrong or if there is a new variable to this formula that we are not aware of."

"Always with formulas with you," Shauntal grunted, grabbing one of her many discarded draft papers and crumpling it up. "Hey, Caitlin! We could use a little help here!" She throws it at the back of her head, but the impregnable barrier that is Caitlin's hair deflected it effortlessly.

Up ahead, you see the first buildings of a city. And further ahead, you see its airport, your goal. One of the planes looks very different from the others, and also moving. Oh, that's Kyurem. A great, hulking dragon that is simultaneously massive and withered, with a gray and ice-encrusted body and hollow, yellow eyes. You sense, even from this distance, a coldness deeper than ice within its body. In fact, you see flecks of darkness in its ice as well... but it feels off. That isn't Dark Matter's.

They're on a hill, a final hill until the city, which was about a quarter mile away. Not very long at all in this car...

"Well! With our pursuer out of the way, this has suddenly become much easier!" Darach says. "Caitlin! If you may!"

"Hmmm?"

And finally, she replies. You have no idea if she's been awake the whole time or not. Caitlin raises her hand and gently holds aloft two Poke Balls, using her other hand to open the car window. From each ball, you sense two lives emerging and materializing on the car roof.

"Kyurem has a lock on us!" Shauntal cries. "We can't even get out of the car without being iced over! What do we do?!"

"I see." Caitlin hums. "Okay."

"Okay? Okay?!" Shauntal snaps. "What can we--"

You fear for the car's integrity on your approach. Is there anything you can do to defend it from incoming blasts? You only need to buy... perhaps a minute. But what?

Current Status​

HP: 17/13+5
Energy: 13/13
Offense: 5+2
Defense: 6+1
Shadow: 3%

Considerations:
- (!) If Dark Matter wants our help, we need to work as a team, not as vassals.
- (!)
- (∞) That's it! That's the same corruption in Xerneas! It... isn't Dark Matter's? What do you mean?
- (3%) ...