[CYOA] You Are a Rock

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Approved: Millie, N, Darach.
Not enough: Caitlin, Shauntal

Considerations:
- ()
- ()
- (∞) Xerneas...
- (5%) ...

Yes, You think you have a good idea on who should be coming for this, and who should stay behind. They still had things they could do in Unova to try to keep things stable here, after all. Bringing all of them would be risky, right? Not to mention you are still not sure how dangerous it will be for everyone. Bringing all of them means you won't be able to guard those in trouble.

"...All right, Millie," you relent. "But you must stay near me. Understand?"

"Yes. I know it's dangerous..." She beamed. "Okay. I'll do what I can!"

"I think we'll also need N to help us," you add. "But there's no way he wasn't coming with us... Hmm..."

And, briefly, you head over to Darach and the others and explain a strategy. While Darach seems nervous at first of not being there for Caitlin, she recognizes the need for a Unova representative of sorts, and that Caitlin and Shauntal would be needed as Elites in Unova to get things stable here again. In the end, you manage to land Darach coming with you, and once N returns with supplies, the four of you are ready to go with this Skyla gym leader to Kalos.

<><><>​

This is it. Unova is behind you, now, and Kalos is ahead. Unfortunately, with Dark Matter ahead with Kyurem, you feel that you may have missed out on a major surge of power. In its place, you have allies to pick up the slack.

There is no more getting stronger. No more accumulating of allies and help. What you have now is the most you'll get, and you can only hope it will be enough for your confrontation with Xerneas in Kalos.

You're in a cabin with your allies, Skyla just within earshot as she flies the plane forward. The constant hum of the engine, insulated by the plane's chambers, rumbles your head and your stone heart. Darach is staring out the window into the open ocean, looking thoughtful. N is closing his eyes, perhaps trying to get some sleep.

It is going to be a long flight. But you know, from Weavile's thoughts, that once you arrive in Kalos, there will be no breaks. The whole region will likely be hostile, at least from Xerneas' presence and her forces. If there is any time to strategize in a quiet, controlled environment, it is now.

You also know, from Weavile, that while Xerneas' life force is great, she is still vulnerable to Yveltal's powers, and by extension yours. She will be stronger than anything you have faced, but her influence is vast enough that perhaps even striking her forces will weaken her as a whole... though attacking her main body is best.

Unfortunately, you do not know the full extent of Kalos' influence. Weavile had never been deep inside and was part of the Unovan investigation divisions tracking... well, you.

It isn't a lot of information to go by, but it's the best you have. What are your broad plans?

Current Status

On your ride, you recover fully. It is your final chance to rest...
Your battle against Kyurem and Dark Matter grant you a slight boost in power, and that is the final extent of your growth. +2 HP, +2 Energy, +1 Offense, +1 Defense​

HP: 20/15+5
Energy: 15/15
Offense: 6+2
Defense: 7+1
Shadow: 5%

Considerations:
- (!)
- (!)
- (∞) In the end, you must face Xerneas directly. She is in the center of the region. We could fly there directly, but... I'm not sure what the others should do.
- (5%) ...

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Considerations:
- (1) Let's head to Laverre City, and from there, to the PokeBall factory. Maybe we can find something there to assist us against Xerneas?
- (1) What attacks does Weavile actually... know? Do we have an opportunity to swap our moveset out before we get to Kalos?
- (∞) In the end, you must face Xerneas directly. She is in the center of the region. We could fly there directly, but... I'm not sure what the others should do.
- (5%) ...

There's a lot to think about and the flight, while long, feels like such a fleeting moment. Agonizingly long in anticipation, yet too short to get anything done. It's all speculation and planning. They could relax, or try to, but...

Preparation helps. You quietly converse with Weavile on your best moves to channel in this body, considering Xerneas' nature. It occurs to you that the Dark nature of your body could lead to... complications against a Fairy. Nothing to do there; Kyurem would've been at a similar disadvantage.

A few moves cross your mind from Weavile. Poison Jab stands out; you're quick to tune yourself into using that move faster. You feel things in a cosmic sense click and shift within your body, like shifting your weight in an old stance. You figure Ice Shard is always useful. It's fast, even if it's weak. Icicle Crash, you sense Weavile is unwilling to part with it. And Swords Dance... Setting up in an environment like this feels dangerous, but perhaps it could pay off.

Along with your other arsenal, perhaps this could be useful...

As for items, you glance at N and ask what he'd managed to acquire already. It wasn't much in such a rush--and you quietly wonder how N acquired these things, since it smells vaguely like trash... But you see two Hyper Potions, nice and full. You see a little yellow rhombus--a Revive, which is quite valuable. And you also see a strange potion that N explains is an X Speed, a curious powder that gives a Pokemon a short burst of "eXtra speed."

Very... miscellaneous. But better than nothing. You sense from Weavile that safely finding items while in Kalos will be difficult; Xerneas has eyes everywhere... whatever that means. Weavile seems unsure himself, only that it was a "feeling" he had while in Kalos.

"Given that Kalos is one giant mystery dungeon we'll need to travel through... Do you have any suggestions on supplies we may want to stock up on, if we get an opportunity?" you ask N.

"If we get the chance then something that can heal us or distract Xerneas would be best," N says.

"Hmm, distract..."

"Hmm, Smoke Bombs come to mind," says Darach, hands gently in his lap with his eyes closed. "I suppose if we found some way to capture Xerneas... Hmm."

"If Xerneas is in the center of Kalos, in Lumiose, we might not want to go there directly. If we landed at the Kalos pokéball factory, do you think we might find anything there or nearby that could help us when we encounter Xerneas? Maybe an especially powerful pokéball?"

"There's the Master Ball," Darach said. "However, those are extraordinarily precious items, highly regulated, and difficult to manufacture. The nature of the materials are very specific. We don't have the technology to mass-produce them yet. Really, I fear the day we do... But if any place would have one, it'd be there."

You nod thoughtfully.

"I'll inform our pilot," Darach said.

<><><>
​

Day bleeds into night. You're feeling a little tired, yet the anxiety keeps you up. Along with that, you sense it's not really nighttime in your internal clock just yet. The flight must be making the sun set faster than usual. Much of that time was spent in a power nap. Or... maybe a longer one. You can't tell now that you're awake and seeing the sunrise the next time you open your eyes.

"Hey, you're awake!"

"Huh?" You sit up. The strange human with bird-like attire is next to you. Something about that feels strange. You stare at her for a while longer...

"...Aren't you supposed to be flying the plane?" you ask.

"Oh, I took a break for now and had a nap. But I guess we happened to wake up at the same time!"

This does not answer your question. You lean to the side to look down the aisle, not recalling a copilot...

A Swanna is in the pilot's seat. Flying the plane. Okay.

"I heard about the plan. We'll be making a landing right by the Pokeball factory. I just have to get in range of their towers to coordinate a landing. That should be very soon!"

You nod. That sounds well and good. If you could just get some assistance from the Kalos elites, fighting Xerneas would be all the easier.

Your head jerks to the corner of the plane cabin and strongly downward. Dark Matter. You sense him. Finally, you're caught up. He's too far away to communicate, but you sense his presence all the same. The reverse may also be true.

Eventually, Skyla and Swanna swap places, the latter withdrawing into a Poke Ball to rest. N, who had been quietly asleep and leaning against the wall of the cabin, is awake again. Darach is admiring the sunrise through the plane window.

"Hello, this is Unova Air 093," Skyla says into a communication device of some kind. "We have a 405 situation here, uh, top priority. Can we get clearance for special landing in the nearest landing area for Laverre City?"

You wait with held breath.

And there's no reply.

"Hello, this is Unova Air 093," Skyla says again.

Something's wrong. You feel it in your cobblestone heart.

"Permission granted."

"...Where's the landing site? Can you send the path?"

Something pings your mind. Weavile. He recognizes that voice. Images flash in your mind of a kind Floatzel in a different division of the Knights. A nervous guy who wasn't sure about the whole hollow mind thing, but eventually, as they all did, settled into it. Forever.

"Coordinates are sent. You may land at any time. The runway is clear."

"Great, thanks!" Skyla says, looking back. "Guess they were a little surprised, but we've got coordinates to land!"

Current Status​

HP: 20/15+5
Energy: 15/15
Offense: 6+2
Defense: 7+1
Shadow: 5%

Considerations:
- (!) Let's head to Laverre City, and from there, to the PokeBall factory. Maybe we can find something there to assist us against Xerneas?
- (!) What attacks does Weavile actually... know? Do we have an opportunity to swap our moveset out before we get to Kalos?
- (∞) We weren't to meddle with human affairs like this... why is...?
- (5%) ...

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Considerations:
- (1) I'll keep an eye out for any sign of deception once we get off the plane. I'd better be ready to move fast if this is an ambush!
- (1) We need to protect the plane from damage as best we can!
- (∞) We weren't to meddle with human affairs like this... why is...?
- (5%) ...

Something about this makes you nervous. Quietly, you ask Weavile, Do you know who Floatzel used to work with? Any thoughts on who might be down there with them, or did they usually work alone?

You're answered with uncertainty. Weavile has no idea. Different divisions, and separated by a lot of time in those divisions. For all you know, Floatzel was reassigned since then, too.

You're left with your instincts and anything that seems suspicious as you make your way down. You quietly warn the others, "Something isn't right. Once we land... be on guard, okay?"

This earns a few knowing nods from the others. Perhaps they had suspicions as well, though you sharing the same thing confirms it to them. Everyone's more on guard.

The plane rocks as you land, wheels and wings slowing the plane to a total stop. Briefly, you all sit there, waiting for something else to happen, yet nothing does. Not for now, at least.

The plane door opens and a stairway helps you down onto the strange concrete field that planes land on. Around, you can see fields of grass and buildings poking out from seemingly perpetually autumn forests. The coast is not far west of your spot.

Yet something felt wrong the moment you had stepped on Kalos ground. It rattles you to your core.

"Something's wrong here - be careful Skyla! We might be attacked!"

"Huh?" Skyla asks. "Seems totally empty to me..."

"Don't underestimate Cobble's instincts," Darach says, standing neutrally as he studies the landscape.

"Well, we didn't really get instructions on what to do from here. Kinda weird that there's no sky traffic or air traffic control to help us land. There was just nothing at all," Skyla remarks. "Weird, huh?"

You and Darach exchange a knowing look. You look for N, who hands you your supplies for the time being. Millie emerges from the plane last, her eyes focused on a seemingly empty part of the field. You follow her gaze and feel it gravitating to the same spot. Something is there, but not. A spirit? No, it's... underground, beneath the slabs of artificial stone that make up the airport's driveways.

N's claws tap your shoulder. He points at the plane's back wheel.

There's a sapling growing around it, breaking through the road to do so.

Your cautious mindset pays off. Without thinking, without hesitating, you fire a shard of ice at the little sapling and crush your grip in the air when it touches the root. The ice pops, emitting a corrosive, life-draining energy that rots the root instantly.

...So far, that is all you see of the plane's strike.

"What was that?" Skyla asks.

Swanna is in the sky, looking for a sign of anyone to retrieve them or escort their plane, but there's nobody. There's nobody.

"This is spooky," Millie says. "Why does it feel so... empty?"

"Hmm." Darach summons Houndoom.

The hound sniffs the air. Sniffs a while longer... Then, Houndoom barks something at Darach.

"I thought as much," Darach said. "Everyone. Houndoom's sense for flesh and blood--that is, potential prey--is incredibly strong. And despite this, he cannot sense anything whatsoever. All the trees, all the life around us, and yet... there seems to be not a single Pokemon within a mile radius."

"Excuse me?" Skyla asks. "Then who called us on the radio? That was definitely coming from the airport!"

Your eyes trail to the airport. You can't see quite that far from here, but... are those vines crawling over the building? They'd been there for a while.

"Your caution makes me suspect," Darach said, "that if we leave the plane here, we will not be returning to it."

You agree. That sapling alone is clear.

"I still need to refuel," Skyla hums. "There's only enough in the tank for maybe crossing half the region at most..."

"We came here for Poke Balls, right?" Millie asks. "Maybe we can get those and... um..."

"Kyurem may be able to fly us," N proposes. "Is he coming?"

You nod. You sense Dark Matter coming closer at a high speed, probably finally catching up after realizing where you landed.

"Whatever we do," Millie says, "can we do it quickly?"

"Hm? What's wrong?" Skyla asks. "I know it's important, but we just landed. We can rest, can't we?"

Millie looks concerned, which only confirms your intuition. Millie must, somehow, have acquired a sense for whatever strange force you're also sensing in the very ground beneath your feet. And that presence is getting stronger. Millie's eyes trail to the horizon again, looking directly at where Lumiose City is.

"Cobble?" Millie asks. "It's... there. Isn't it?"

You aren't sure. But this time, Millie seems more confident than you. You choose to believe her: your goal is at, or near, Lumiose City.

Soon, everyone will be regrouped. You can't help but feel like something is wrong... but you need a brief moment to consider what action to take next.

DECISION

Where do you go now? You only have time for one.

1. Head into the city and find some Poke Balls.
2. Head into the airport to investigate what's wrong.
3. Get back on the plane and fly somewhere else.
4. Stand your ground until Dark Matter arrives​

Current Status​

HP: 20/15+5
Energy: 15/15
Offense: 6+2
Defense: 7+1
Shadow: 5%

Considerations:
- (!) I'll keep an eye out for any sign of deception once we get off the plane. I'd better be ready to move fast if this is an ambush!
- (!) We need to protect the plane from damage as best we can!
- (∞) It... wasn't like this before...
- (5%) ...

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Decision: Head into the city and find some Poke Balls.

Considerations:
- (1) What's in that spot Millie was staring at? Can we dig up the ground a little?
- (1) What did this place look like before, and how has it changed?
- (∞) It... wasn't like this before...
- (5%) ...

Things are getting strange. Creepy, even. And apparently you are the amalgamation of dead spirits and the literal god of death... and this is creepy!

"Millie," you say. "What were you staring at? Should we check underground?"

"No... I think it's... the roots," Millie replies. "I guess I had a feeling they were there."

"Mm." Well, you already know what the roots are like...

Standing around doesn't appeal to you. Instead, you turn to your pilot. "If I can ask a favor, Skyla... While we go search for a master ball or some other such item, could you take the plane to the Pokemon League and see if you're able to find any of Kalos' Elite Four? Even if they're unable to return with you, if you can find out whether they've discovered anything about combating Xerneas or the dungeon here, that could potentially give us the edge we need!"

"We're splitting up, are we?" Skyla asks, looking unsure.

"Hmm. Perhaps I should accompany if this is a matter of the Kalos Elite Four," Darach suggests. "Millie?"

"Oh, um... I think I'll stay with Cobble. I'm not really... you know, I don't know a whole lot about Elite Four politics."

Darach nods, though he gives you a warding look that you should guard Millie carefully. She's the most vulnerable. You nod in kind.

"I will also remain with Cobble," N says. It's clear that he wants to go directly to the problem. You have a suspicion that his relation with Elite Four members is not the best. Perhaps he wants to avoid any repeats?

Still...

"Is there any way for us to communicate with you once you've left, or with the Elite Four if you find them? Do you have an Xtransceiver?" you ask Skyla.

"Way ahead of you!" Skyla winks. "Millie and I already exchanged contact information. If anything comes up, I'll let her know!"

Good enough.

You take some time to zap a few more roots and help Darach and Skyla back onto the plane. You hop out of the way with N once the plane starts moving, watching cautiously as it takes off. No flight traffic... Skyla must feel strange, you realize. You recall from Weavile's knowledge that these spaces are usually bustling. For it to be completely empty...

You sigh. "Let's check out the shops and factories."

<><><>​

So far, so good. In that while you don't find any people, you also don't find any hostiles. You and N navigate to the factory with Millie, going down empty streets and abandoned buildings left completely untouched for potentially days or weeks. What's particularly surreal is that there is no sign of panic, of tasks undone, of anything left in disarray. Everything is placed where it should be. It's like a display of what a town would be, without the people. A model presentation of a place to live, yet nobody lives there.

"I don't want to spend more time here than we have to," Millie comments nervously.

N's ear flicks but he says nothing.

"Oh."

But soon, you find what you're looking for. A factory... completely and utterly overgrown with vines, to the point where even the entrance is completely blocked. You could use some of your power to undo this--you sense this would be trivial--but the fact that it's sealed at all means you will certainly get Xerneas' attention if you break it open.

"...Maybe we can scavenge from some of the shops?" Millie asks with a nervous titter.

"I will do that," N says. "You can figure out what to do here."

He walks down the road. You're confident he'll know to flee if something comes up. This leaves you and Millie to figure out what to do about the factory. Millie glances to the right--she senses something again. Meanwhile, you glance left. You sense Dark Matter approaching.

Lots to consider... At least Skyla successfully took off.

Current Status​

HP: 20/15+5
Energy: 15/15
Offense: 6+2
Defense: 7+1
Shadow: 5%

Considerations:
- (!) What's in that spot Millie was staring at? Can we dig up the ground a little?
- (!) What did this place look like before, and how has it changed?
- (∞) Was it all a lie?
- (5%) You should hurry. It seems Xerneas is making her move. There is nobody here for you now.

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Catapult (target is the roof, launching both ourselves and Millie)
Astral project into factory

Considerations:
- (1) Let's Catapult us and Millie onto the roof, and then we'll search for a way into the factory from there.
- (1) I need to keep Millie safe!
- (∞) Was it all a lie?
- (5%) You should hurry. It seems Xerneas is making her move. There is nobody here for you now.

Your first instinct is to hop to the roof and find an entrance there. Perhaps, as part of a flying god of death, the idea of taking an aerial approach comes naturally. Still, a second of consideration reminds you that Millie is still human... probably. You admit, her life aura feels slightly different, even if you're positive it's still her.

You decide to scout things out first. It had been a while, but perhaps you can project yourself into the wall... You focus. Harder. You lose your balance and Millie catches you, asking if you're alright, but part of you is already phasing through the wall. If there was ever protection against ghosts or other spirits trying to pass through, the general decay disabled it.

The inside is completely empty, save for the rampant overgrowth. That, in itself, poses a problem. It seems that the vast majority of the machines are ruined. In fact, compared to other parts of the city, the internals of the Pokeball Factory in particular are particularly ruined. You deduce with ease that Xerneas does not want Pokeballs operational in the region. You also suspect, with similar reasoning, that everything in the stores would also be in a similar state. Xerneas feared Pokeballs.

But you also notice that Xerneas' ruination of the factor was not thorough. You see a protected safe in the back that appears to be unopened. Still, you aren't sure how to get in yourself unless you use brute force or some other measure...

You return to Millie and open your eyes.

"Ah! you're awake!" Millie says. "What happened?"

"Sorry. Threw my spirit through the wall," you reply.

"What? All of them?"

"...Yes?" You admit you aren't sure. For the time being, you're more of an amalgam of spirits anyway... You wonder if Spiritomb would be more appropriate. "Listen, there's a safe. I think the last Pokeballs in the region are there. By the way, do you have spares?"

"Oh... no. I'm not really a trainer or anything, so..."

Right, true enough. Apparently reminded of this, Millie summons her wraith-like Lily and tells her to keep an eye out for anything strange. Lily seems on-edge, more than anyone else. She certainly senses the terrible aura of this place acutely.

Now was the matter of getting inside. "Hey Millie, you're not scared of heights, right?"

"Um? No?"

You grab Millie's hand.

"What do you--"

You haul her over your back despite the size difference and tap into your chest's core. Suddenly, you feel what might have been a heart attack, assuming you still have one, and then you're heaved skyward and onto the rooftop. You lose your footing and land through a weaker part of the roof just as fast. Lily, who had swiftly grabbed at one of your tail fathers, howls in panic at the same time as Millie.

You want to keep her safe, so you position to break her fall. You land on the ground of the factory floor after about a second of freefall, crushed under the human's weight. Thankfully, you have handled worse and get to your feet with ease.

"Are you okay?" she asks.

"Yes. Let's try to open that safe," you say.

"...A safe isn't that easy to open, Cobble," Millie says, frowning. "Oh! But it might have a code! Maybe Skyla knows. She's the authority here, right? I'll make a call..." She gets out her Xtransceiver.

While she does that, you approach the safe thoughtfully.

"...Skyla! good, we've got a connection still!"

"Barely. What's wrong?"

"We need the passcode to the factory safe! For Pokeballs!"

"What?" There's a crackle. "...Oh, I get it. Okay. Don't give this away, now! But it's . . ."

Skyla lists off some numbers. You realize, suddenly, that you have no idea how human safes work. Awkwardly, you turn around when you hear Lily growling at the plants, sighing. You're about to ask Millie to input the passcode...

And you see one of the vines approaching her ankle.

Without thinking, you snipe it with a shard of ice as if throwing a dagger. It withers and Millie jumps in surprise.

And suddenly, the entire factory erupts with activity.

Huge vines the size of cars erupt from the ground and shred machinery to the left. Conveyer belts fold like cardboard to a mangle of roots. The concrete of the floor gives way like dried mud to crawling, slithering thorns and brambles.

I F O U N D Y O U

In your mind's eye, you see the wide, maddened expression of the god of life. reddish black strings trace along her face and into her eyes. Something about her is twisting upward as if part of her torso is gone.

But as quickly as it arrives, it leaves. You're back in the factory as the vision fades. Millie had gotten out of harm's way, now behind you. But... you're surrounded. And now, Xerneas--this root system is an extension of her, part of her body--has closed in, rapidly covering all exits.

Roots of Kalos
HP: ???

The factory doors open. You see... in the light flooding in, shapes. Humanoid. Pokemon. You can't tell at a glance from so far away.

But you do notice that, even as they advance, their feet never leave the ground.

Current Status​

HP: 20/15+5
Energy: 13/15
Offense: 6+2
Defense: 7+1
Shadow: 5%

Considerations:
- (!) Let's Catapult us and Millie onto the roof, and then we'll search for a way into the factory from there.
- (!) I need to keep Millie safe!
- (∞) I... can't possibly face her...
- (5%) I'm not close enough! What are you DOING?

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Enervate!
Poison Jab!

Considerations:
- (1) I need to distract Xerneas so that she doesn't attack Millie... but if she does anyway, protecting Millie is my #1 goal!
- (1) Is there any higher ground we might be able to get to? A catwalk, space on top of some big cabinets, something? Or a weakened area where we might be able to make a new exit?
- (∞) I... can't possibly face her...
- (5%) I'm not close enough! What are you DOING?

"Just focus on entering the passcode! I'll keep you safe!" you call.

"Easier said that done!" Millie cries, sprinting for the safe as Lily hops out of Millie's purse. She fires several volleys of Shadow attacks, which seem to keep the roots away briefly, but they're nothing compared to your attacks--negligible against whatever Xerneas had become.

And that's all the time you have before the roots slam onto you. Swiftly, you jump out of the way, finding a few openings, thankful for your much more nimble form. You suspect that with Kyurem's body, you would have had to pivot to enduring blows directly rather than dodging them...

You find some high ground temporarily, but the roots collapse it just as fast. You think you see an exit, but the shuffling of roots and their shadows imply that exiting is just another trap. You're completely walled in. You have to endure, at least until Millie opens the safe. Hopefully something good is inside. Otherwise... it would be time for another escape plan, perhaps even brute force once Dark Matter arrives.

You point at one of the thickest roots near you, which had been the source of several more as it rampages through machinery like a toddler through a crumbling sand castle.

You Enervate the roots... It has little effect on the whole body, but at least some of the attacks are easier to dodge!

You entirely avoid a pummeling!

At least that part is slowed. "Hey!" you roar. "Forget the human! It's me you want, isn't it? Yveltal?!"

Poison coats your claws. You radiate your deathly aura. Certainly... you must get Xerneas' attention, even if it means taking a few stray blows. The slowed root is no longer your concern; instead, you jab into another seemingly endless plant. All the while, the shambling creatures at the entrance drag themselves closer.

"We're not fighting Xerneas," you plead to Weavile within, "we're fighting the corruption that's controlling her! You saw that vision, didn't you? We have to get rid of whatever those creepy strings are that are growing into her!"

The poison reaches its apex. Weavile is cooperating. Perhaps he's convinced, at least when it's just the roots.

Poison Jabbing the roots deals substantial damage... Seems to be Grass-Fairy after all! You deal a staggering 4+2 damage! Bonus damage for maximum effectiveness!

But its energy supply seems endless...

It seems using Weavile's attacks at full power only requires 1 Energy, though Enervation cancels that out for now!

Your attack easily carves through a main root. More importantly, when you do, everything shudders as you channel deathly energy through the roots. That crimson-black wave of energy trails all the way out of your sight, perhaps to the main body somewhere far away. Many of the shambling creatures stagger, but they are crawled over by more that did not.

And now that they're closer, you can see in detail what they are.

People. Pokemon. It did not discriminate. Their eyes are expressionless, roots crawling under their skin and through their bodies. Their feet are mangled into roots ingrained in the soil, their elements, if they had any, discarded in favor of the energy of Life. Human skin had turned a sickly greenish-pink. Fur had become moss; feathers, leaves. It could have been beautiful, had it not mangled their bodies in the process. Are they already too far gone? Is there a way to reverse this, or...?

Xerneas had gone too far. No matter what their fate was, this had to be stopped before it spread to more than just Kalos.

Your resolve and horror momentarily distracts you. A shadow obscures the sunlight. When you look up, the roots have already slammed you into the earth, leaving Weavile-shaped imprints in the concrete that go deeper and deeper until you hit soil.

Ouch! The roots pummel you into the ground with basic strikes. Your decent defenses ward off the worst of it... but you still sustain 2 damage!

You've had worse. Your body is a lot sturdier now. Yveltal's raw strength surges through you.

"Got it!" Millie shouts. You hear a heavy metallic shudder. The safe is open! "Hey," Millie calls, "what's a ball with a big M on it mean?!"

...Is it getting colder?

Roots of Kalos
HP: ???-6
Base Def: 5
Base Atk: 10

Current Status​

HP: 18/15+5
Energy: 13/15
Offense: 6+2
Defense: 7+1
Shadow: 5%

Considerations:
- (!) I need to distract Xerneas so that she doesn't attack Millie... but if she does anyway, protecting Millie is my #1 goal!
- (!) Is there any higher ground we might be able to get to? A catwalk, space on top of some big cabinets, something? Or a weakened area where we might be able to make a new exit?
- (∞) ...I must... see her in person. If we can draw her main body... Are the roots connected to it? If so, then a Ball would...
- (5%) Disgusting things. I'm blowing up the entrance. Move. (He sounds annoyed.)

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

An evasive Swords Dance and then Poison Jab on any incoming vines that'd endanger Millie or Lily!

Considerations:
- (1) I need to continue to draw Xerneas' attacks and shield Millie and Lily!
- (1) Let's do our best to dodge Dark Matter's attack and avoid his corrupting aura if we can. We don't want to take more shadow corruption if we can help it!
- (∞) ...I must... see her in person. If we can draw her main body... Are the roots connected to it? If so, then a Ball would...
- (5%) Disgusting things. I'm blowing up the entrance. Move. (He sounds annoyed.)

"It means we've got what we need!" you shout. "Now let's move away from the entrance - I have a feeling those plant enemies are about to chill out!"

"Are about to what?!"

Thankfully, the safe is far from the entrance. The vines concentrate around Millie, perhaps recognizing the danger she now poses, but you're just as quick. Conjuring Swords Dance first, you sharpen your senses and tune your muscles. Little echoes of sharp blades dance around your form, radiating a faint darkness as you grasp at one and use its ethereal, brief presence to parry a whipping vine.

One still nicks you on the face, but you shrug it off easily. That sort of damage is trivial to you now.

Millie scrambles out of the way of a few more attacks, but Lily suffers a grazing blow from a bramble, hissing a distorted little growl.

"Ah, Lily!" Millie cries. "Wh-what do I do with this thing? I've never captured a Pokemon before!"

You grunt and think to Weavile, "Do you know how we might be able to draw Xerneas' main body here? Or, could we enter the roots, or follow their tunnels, to reach her?"

Weavile does not answer mentally. Instead, your attention is suddenly drawn to the many vines--particularly, the very thickest ones, especially the one near the back. And it dawns on you... that all of this is her body.

Which means...!

"M-Millie!" you shout. "You need to throw it at that vine! That one, the big one!"

You point to the northern wall, where a spiraling green plant the width of a house turns more and more of the wall into nothing but rubble.

"Wh-what?! O-okay! I'll try! Just need a good--"

A vine crashes down on her. You leap in the way and counter with a Poison Jab, smashing your claws straight through the first few vines. Another 'death' pulse ripples into the vine, shriveling it and going far, far away, likely to Xerneas herself.

A direct hit! Though, further blows batter you away, and at first, you think something will strike Millie next...

Your Poison Jab deals 8 damage to the Roots of Kalos! You're counter-pummeled for 2 damage!

Roots of Kalos
HP: ???-14
Base Def: 5
Base Atk: 10

"Millie!" you shout.

Hello.

CRASH!

The entrance finally bursts apart. Frost creeps through the edges for a split-second, and then those patches of frost erupt into entire glaciers of ice that send several planted creatures flying, still attached to the ground by seemingly infinite vines below. Kyurem's body topples over several, burying them, and then stomps toward you.

You knowingly keep your distance, but the corrupting effect returns anyway... though, only slightly.

Dark Matter's back... You gain 1% Shadow!

"K-keep away, not too close," you say. "You know why."

The Kyurem's unmoving face begets little expression. Instead, Dark Matter turns to Millie. "What are you--"

Just as the Master Ball strikes the main vine with Dark Matter's distraction.

"Oh."

The capsule pops open, the beam shooting at the vine. At impossible speeds, that red energy crawls into the vine and over to the ones that were just about to strike you. And outside, you see a whole sea of red that stops just shy of the rooted individuals, who are suddenly writhing and falling inert on the ground.

The actual earth shakes from a great disturbance in the ground. You hear buildings in nearby areas collapse as their organic, load-bearing structures vanish into energy. The Master Ball, with all of its might, is pulling in more and more of Xerneas into it.

But it only has so much capacity. It's struggling. But... something is changing. You feel a familiar tug in your chest. Xerneas is near. She had always been near, watching you. Perhaps that is why the vines were so much more responsive and had been getting faster and faster. Because Xerneas had been traveling to you.

And then...

The Master Ball shut and rolled from the rubble and onto the ground.

The Pokeball Factory is suddenly riddled with holes where the vines used to be. The possessed creatures, still plants, lay still. You sense faint embers of life within each one, but they are unconscious.

You take a breath. You feel relief in Weavile's soul.

Millie pats her clothes. "Not bad for a first shot, huh? Sure, literally had to miss the side of a barn, but..." She marches to the Master Ball.

"Don't."

Millie stops. "Huh?"

Current Status​

HP: 16/15+5
Energy: 11/15
Offense: 6+2
Defense: 7+1
Shadow: 6%
Swords Dance active!

Considerations:
- (!) I need to continue to draw Xerneas' attacks and shield Millie and Lily!
- (!) Let's do our best to dodge Dark Matter's attack and avoid his corrupting aura if we can. We don't want to take more shadow corruption if we can help it!
- (∞) Is it... finally over?
- (6%) No.

The Master Ball cracks.

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Poison Jab + Catapult! World's Guardian! Sacrifice 4 HP for 8 extra offense!

An evasive Swords Dance and then Poison Jab on any incoming vines that'd endanger Millie or Lily!

Considerations:
- (1) Let's see if our attack can break Xerneas free from her curse with a powerful attack!
- (1) Use X Speed
- (∞) Is it... finally over?
- (6%) No.

"Thanks for your help Millie! You've done all you can - Dark Matter and I will take it from here. See if you can find N!"

Millie nods, spotting the crack. She'd taken a few nervous steps back at first, but now she's full-sprinting away to get some cover and find wherever N had gone. You wonder if she could still help... but for this initial blast, maybe it would be best for her to keep away.

You then face Dark Matter. "It looks like we'll be seeing Xerneas again soon. Let's combine our efforts to strike when she reappears!"

"Whatever." Dark Matter crouches, charging up an icy blast. "I'm just bringing things back to normal."
You shuffle through your bad and get a quick feel for what you have. Oh, a little capsule... You pop it open and a strange mist seeps into your body. You feel limber and quick. It will last a while... That'll be useful for getting around, at least.

Then, just as the Master Ball bursts apart, you rush forward with a Catapult. You're getting good at this! You bring your hand back, readying a Poison Jab as Xerneas' body--still white and reforming--gets bigger, and bigger, and bigger. Her shadow looms over you and you don't know what to hit, but you do so anyway.

White energy splashes over you, but the hit connects strongly. Some of that white energy turns into a strange, off-purple crimson that lays inert on the ground. Corrupted... blood? More of it shifts into odd, reddish plant matter mixed with flecks of green like it used to be, but it reminds you more of blood vessels.

A cheap shot while Xerneas emerges! You deal a staggering 18 damage!

Fighting alongside Dark Matter... You regularly gain 1% Shadow.

"Y v e l t a l ?"

Her voice strikes you with pain and familiarity at once. You recognize her voice as Xerneas, yet it's scratchy as if spoken through an ancient tree trunk's throat, constricted further by parasitic vines.

The building around you twists and distorts. Soon, the walls vanish. The whole factory disappears. Buildings flash in your vision with no rhyme nor reason. The ground beneath you transforms instead into a stone platform in the sky that suddenly topples over.

And in that instant, you're free-falling. You shout in surprise on reflex as a sudden pain crawls across your shoulders. Someone within you is awakening... Blood spatters from Weavile's shoulders to accommodate a new set of limbs. The pain is extreme but brief. And suddenly, with powerful wingbeats, you're in the air of a distorting world. Ahead, you can see a grand, triangular tower that wasn't there before. You see patches of ocean mixing with fields of trees and half-mountains. All of Kalos is here and not here.

The region is a Dungeon... and Xerneas is in the center with you.

You have gained the power of flight!

And as you look down, you see with intense sorrow in your heart, even with your memories still hazy, a horrid sight of corrupted wood fused with flesh, of a Tree long since corroded and its avatar as a single being. Roots flail about, indistinguishable from the vines and the leaves, and rather than seeking soil, they flail toward you, wanting your flesh instead. At its base... is Xerneas. Or, what's left of her, as the roots crawl over her body and through her skin.

Dark Matter is still charging his attack while taking several steps back to gain some distance. He's clearly nervous, despite all his indifferent bluster before. You almost sense... horror in the way he walks.

Xerneas stares at you with maddened eyes and asks,

"Won't you join me in ȅ̷͇ t̴̜̋ ë̴͇́ ȑ̶͙ n̴̛̠ i̶̫̒ t̶̳̄ y̴̰̿ ?"
(Art by @Inkedust )​

Fallen God of Life, Xerneas
HP: 68/100
Def: 5
Atk: ??​

Current Status​

HP: 12/15+5
Energy: 8/15
Offense: 6+2
Defense: 7+1
Shadow: 7%
Swords Dance fades...
X Speed active! You're very mobile!

Considerations:
- (!) Let's see if our attack can break Xerneas free from her curse with a powerful attack!
- (!) Use X Speed
- (∞) I understand now. We must free her... even if that means death.
- (7%) I need an opening.

Xerneas is preparing a barrage of attacks with her body's vines and roots!

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

Enervate Xerneas! Ice Shard on Xerneas' eyes!

Considerations:
- (1) I'll do my best to dodge Xerneas' attacks--might as well put this speed to good use!
- (1) Let's force Xerneas on the defensive and go for a weak spot!
- (∞) I understand now. We must free her... even if that means death.
- (7%) I need an opening.

You wonder if there's therapy for amalgamations hitching a ride on a god.

Your first act is to get Xerneas' attention. Dark Matter, while strong, is a much larger target--and you suspect Xerneas will do a lot of damage to that body compared to you, who can probably dodge the worst of it. Plus, as much as you didn't want to admit it, Weavile's body was disposable. Dark Matter was more vulnerable.

"I'll distract her! You go ahead and make your attack. You don't need to be scared--if we work together, I know we'll be able to win!"

"Shut up!" Dark Matter growled, wincing near the end of your statements.

But your talking was enough to get Xerneas' attention, and your next shout sealed it:

"Hey Xerneas! Look over here!"

You siphon energy from Xerneas' body, aiming at her roots for now, not wanting to experiment with that strange, misshapen cloud of roots and stars above her. But thankfully, plants are easy to draw energy from--you're charged, and quickly follow it up with an Ice Shard directly to her face.

Your Enervation slows Xerneas down a little!
Ice Shard hits! Enervate reduces its cost to 0! You deal 4 damage!

The Ice Shard cuts past her face, revealing more of those red roots beneath her flesh. She has no blood. And you suspect her face, her head, that doesn't matter to a god. There's a core somewhere else... You seek out a weak spot. But you can't find one immediately. Instead, all you see is a great storm of roots and vines encircled around an eye of a storm.

You aren't much for things that protect life, but you know that ribs are a barrier and a cage that protect the most important organs. And while the shape is different, the pattern is the same: Xerneas' true core must be within those vines...

"The vines above her!" you shout at Dark Matter. "Strike there!"

"Fine." And while Xerneas is reeling up to barrage you with vines from all sides, Dark Matter fires a similar barrage of black ice pillars into the vines. It didn't seem to do a lot of damage against such an armored, tough exterior... but it chips away at the armor, exposing softer plants on the inside. There is still more to break through. But your attacks are not wide enough to deal that sort of damage: you need to rely on Dark Matter to hit a core like that...

The residual mist corrodes you. More Shadows seep into your system...

Xerneas' barrage grazes you a few times, dealing much less damage than usual! You only take 1 damage!
Dark Matter's Shadow Glaciate deals 5 damage to Xerneas, and also strips away at the layers of her Eternal Storm! The material beneath appears to be softer...
The attack's proximity adds 2% Shadow to you...

"W h y d o y o u r e s i s t ?" Xerneas bemoaned, her mouth stretching wide to reveal vines the size of her hooves writhing outside. Several more emerge from the wounds on her face from your prior attack. She arches her back and neck, making several cracking noises, as a blackish aura pulses outward. It seeps into your body, your fur, even deeper to your spirit. Those channels for the techniques you just used... Why can't you reach them?

Xerneas pulses out a horrid aura... Enervation and Ice Shard are disabled!

Dark Matter looks like he suffered something as well. He's charging a different attack now, fixated on the shredded armor he'd left behind.

Fallen God of Life, Xerneas
HP: 59/100
Def: 5
Atk: 10​

Current Status​

HP: 11/15+5
Energy: 8/15
Offense: 6+2
Defense: 7+1
Shadow: 9%
X Speed will fade soon...
Sealed: Enervation, Ice Shard

Considerations:
- (!) I'll do my best to dodge Xerneas' attacks--might as well put this speed to good use!
- (!) Let's force Xerneas on the defensive and go for a weak spot!
- (∞) That sealing effect came from her body... but her core is above her and might restore its armor... Which do we strike?
- (9%) I feel someone on my back.

Xerneas is slowed... she is charging Geomancy...

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

World's Guardian! Sacrifice down to 1HP! Catapult + Poison Jab @ Xerneas' Core!
Use a Hyper Potion afterward!

Considerations:
- (1) I'm going to be pretty weak after I attack. It's very important to heal as soon as I can!
- (1) I'll use a Hyper Potion after I'm done with my attack
- (∞) That sealing effect came from her body... but her core is above her and might restore its armor... Which do we strike?
- (9%) I feel someone on my back.

"Quick! We need to stop that Geomancy at all costs!" you roar over the increasing buzz that seemed to be coming from all of the vines around you. Geomancy... That was going to be a problem quickly.

"Trying that," growls Dark Matter. He takes aim at the core as well, blasting it with a beam of concentrated, black energy from his icy wings--Shadow Blast, you recognize this much. It seems to deal more damage than before, even if the blast itself is weaker... Yes. The core is defenseless!

And what better way to disrupt a Geomancy than to strike the heart? You ready noxious power in your claws and tuck in your wings. With power in your heart, you catapult yourself toward the core before Xerneas can close it all...

Dark Matter's Shadow Blast deals 7 damage to Xerneas' Core! You gain 1% Shadow in exposure...

World's Guardian sacrifices 20 HP for 20 extra damage on the Poison Jab Catapult! You smash straight through the core, dealing a catastrophic 32 damage! The Core has no significant defense!

The shrill cry Xerneas lets out is enough to deafen you as you spread your wings, spiraling to the ground. That was a mistake. Vines slash and slam against the earth as you struggle to take your Hyper Portion, hoping for a burst of energy--but then, a shadow looms over you.

You see the vines again. But it was a distraction. You feel a horrible pierce in your chest and look down in horror.

Xerneas' Geomancy completes! Xerneas gains a massive boost in speed, power, and defense!
Xerneas stabs you for 10 damage!

A root, wooden and rotting, impales you through your chest and out your back. Its roots crawl through your body and around your stone heart while erupting from various parts of Weavile's body, breaking bones from the inside and spiraling around your joints.

And then, the Geomancy completes as your vision goes dark. Dark Matter is blasted with some kind of Moonblast tinged with crimson energy, forcing him backward.

But then it all fades... and in that void, you see Yveltal staring at you, ethereal wings tucked by her side, translucent, blood-orange body looming over your tiny collective.

Not yet, she says, her voice faintly strained. I will not allow my dear friend to suffer any longer.

And the world erupts with light.

Boundary of Life and Death activates! You revive at 10 HP!
You take your Hyper Potion and heal for 4 HP!
Lifegem Essence activates and heals you for 3 HP!

You stagger to your feet and stare at your hands. The roots inside your body are rotted away into ash, and then nothing. Your bones are aching but repaired. Weavile's body lost its fur, and now seems to have the strange, fleshy texture of Yveltal's deathly form, along with its pattern. The feather-tail you once had is now a proper tail of Yveltal, to go with the wings on your back. You're more Yveltal than Weavile, now... but it's still you. All of you.

Weavile's voice is still there, quietly and mournfully encouraging you forward as the Hyper Potion, whose fluids had shattered in your hands and onto your body, does its work.

You spot Dark Matter struggling to his feet and remember hearing of something on his back. You call, "Hello? Who are you?"

And receive a swift reply, Hello I will make an opening please be careful this may be our final chance.

You are confident in who it is.

The armor around Xerneas restores itself... the core is no longer exposed. But you know where it is. You feel where it is. And even with its harder shell, you know where to strike... If you can break through.

Xerneas' counterattack is surely enough to wipe all of you out. She's too strong to let survive. But can you do enough to take her out?

There is only one chance to find out.

Fallen God of Life, Xerneas
HP: 20/100
Def: 5 + 5 (Geomancy)
Atk: 10 + 5 (Geomancy)

Xerneas' horrid aura seals your attacks again! But it seems like others will start to free up soon... not that it matters anymore.​

Current Status​

HP: 17/15+5
Energy: 5/15
Offense: 6+2
Defense: 7+1
Shadow: 10%
Sealed: Enervation, Ice Shard, Catapult, Poison Jab
Enervation and Ice Shard will unseal soon...

Considerations:
- (!) I'm going to be pretty weak after I attack. It's very important to heal as soon as I can!
- (!) I'll use a Hyper Potion after I'm done with my attack
- (∞) It's over.
- (10%) It's over...

Xerneas is about to do an all-out attack!

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

World's Guardian! Icicle Crash!

Considerations:
- (1) I'll wait for N's opening... and aim for the core again!
- (1) I need to be extremely careful after unleashing my attack! I've got no more safety nets!
- (∞) It's over.
- (10%) It's over...

"It's not over! Don't accept defeat yet--everybody, wait for an opening, and then let's strike together!"

It's all you shout, even against Dark Matter's groans of defeat. Ice coalesces above you as you raise your arms. Your wings spread wide, keeping you stationary in the air, waiting for that perfect opening. Xerneas slithers on the ground, staring at you with wide, starving eyes.

She shrieks at you wordlessly. A Moonblast careens straight under you, its radiance stinging your feet, but nothing more. A total miss.

"That's the best I can do," N says.

But it's all you need. The Icicle Crash fully formed, a great crimson dagger fit for a god. It pivots in the air and you swing your whole body forward. The icicle careens forward as Xerneas staggers from the momentum of her own strike.

And then...

World's Guardian boosts the offensive power by 32! Icicle Crash gains a boost! It pierces through the armor and then deals an effective 24 damage!

The core shatters!

All that's left of the core is a gaping hole. The power of death overpowers the corrupted life, rotting away the roots in its immediate vicinity. Xerneas' cry trails off rapidly, her lifeblood suddenly cut off. She collapses, dragging her body a few feet forward... and then stops moving.

You huff and land on the ground and kneel, weak. Dark Matter lumbers a few steps closer before doing the same. But your senses tell you all you need to know: Xerneas was no more. The immortal god met its end by the bringer of all ends.

A chill runs down your spine.

Dark Matter blasts you with corrosive power!
Your Shadow doubles to 20%!

You shudder in a breath, the oppressive darkness suddenly squeezing at your mind. It's a lot harder to ignore his influence now. You stagger to your feet...

"Is it over?" Millie calls, hiding behind a bush. She quickly runs over to approach, but you're too busy trying to keep yourself together to shout at her to get away. "Oh, Cobble!" she shouts, laughing, as she tackles you from behind.

The effect of Dark Matter's blast is halved, down to 15%...

That is... better. You flash a glare at Dark Matter while Millie isn't paying attention, but that, it appeared, was also the last of his strength, having taken many blows from Xerneas during that onslaught.

Curiously, you can't sense N anywhere. You know he survived. But then he left. Strange fellow.

"Is it over?" Millie asks you. "Also, um... nice makeover?"

"Makeover?" you finally speak. Your voice feels normal. It's lighter. Dark Matter... He was obviously trying to control you to make sure things would go as he wanted. He couldn't 'trust' you, after all. Still... you don't appreciate that. But you also doubt Dark Matter can try that stunt again for now.

It's... really over. As the Dungeon distortions in the air fade, as you quietly breathe out and relax, you feel within yourself the spirit of Yveltal. The god is... satisfied.

And your eyes feel... heavy.

Current Status​

HP: 1/15+5
Energy: 4/15
Offense: 6+2
Defense: 7+1
Shadow: 15%
You're getting tired...

Considerations:
- (!) I'll wait for N's opening... and aim for the core again!
- (!) I need to be extremely careful after unleashing my attack! I've got no more safety nets!
- (∞) ...
- (15%) Well. This is awkward.

 

[Namohysip]

RESULTS​

World's Guardian! Icicle Crash!

Considerations:
- (1) What's going to happen to everyone? Will everything be okay?
- (-)
- (∞) ...
- (15%) Well. This is awkward.

That heaviness doesn't go away. It occurs to you that this is... different compared to the other times. It's slower and it feels like it's plunging you deeper; you're staring at everything like you're already a hundred miles away.

Distantly, you see a plane making an improvised landing, though it's successful and very close by. Perhaps the Dungeons had made them suddenly appear there. Millie shouts toward them in greeting; you see Skyla waving you down. Behind her are the others, as well as five figures you don't recognize. The one taking the lead is in a striking, white dress.

"Yveltal... now that we've defeated Xerneas... what's going to happen to us?" You manage to get the question out. But just as soon as you reach out to her, an icy dagger feels like it's breaking free from inside your chest. You wince--

And a jet of red energy shoots out, coalescing into a great, deathly flame. Millie turns around in surprise; her little Void pup barks angrily. But the flame appears regardless... not entirely solid, but energized and present. It descends upon Xerneas' corpse, siphoning out a prismatic flame from the hollow roots. Gently, Yveltal caresses this stream of energy, and you see the faded outline of Xerneas form from it. Tears run down her cheeks.

"There you are," Yveltal whispers.

"...I feel... as though I'd been in such a long... long nightmare," Xerneas replies. Her voice, so distant, is like wind over long, lush grass.

"Rest for now," Yveltal replies.

"Whoa... You're..." Millie cleared her throat. "I'm--sorry if I'm interrupting here, I..."

Yveltal chuckles with a small trill while you stagger to your feet. You can't hold your weight. You use a dead root to prop yourself up.

"You know, I think... I remember Cobble referring to you as male. But you sound..."

"The gods are neither, but we take on different roles depending on... our state of mind. Male, for destruction and conquest. Female, for care and recovery. In some ways, you could say the gods can be... traditional."

"I think I understand," Millie says. "Which means right now, you're..."

Yveltal nodded. "It's time to heal. To bring about death... for renewal. Xerneas, so twisted by corruption, thought what she was doing was care... but now, perhaps it is genuine."

Xerneas looks away mournfully. Then, her whole body fades into a single ember resting in Yveltal's chest. It disappears within.

Yveltal looks at you. Before she even speaks, you already know the answer.

And despite your lethargy, pride swells within you.

"It's time to go. I'm afraid you have run out of energy to persist as you have for much longer...

"This world will recover. Humans tend to be that way. The Knights across the land will withdraw, their mission complete, and Dungeons will fade. Just as well, I am sure the spell cast upon them will also disappear... And if it does not, with their leader gone, they will be trivial to pick away. And...

"Xerneas and I, and even you, Dark Matter..." Yveltal gently pressed a claw to the Kyurem's body, pulling out a small, black flame. It, too, vanished into Yveltal. "It is time to rewind the clock. We shall have our showdown for our world's fate... as it was meant to be. As well as we can return to our world's normalcy.

"But it's all thanks to you... 'Cobble.' Even as your spirits scatter to rest or return... I am sure that name will have meaning to those awake for your accomplishments."

You faintly smile... but glance hesitantly at Millie.

"She will be fine," Yveltal said. "But... many of you have already died. You shall likely return to death... or perhaps, request a revival... and help with the world's recovery. For your deeds, I will gladly facilitate either.

"Or... should you want it..." Yveltal offered a merciful smile. "Perhaps other arrangements can be made."

There is little time to think. But at least it's a moment to choose, simple as it can be. You glance at Millie, who struggles to understand, but then realizes and nods at you. She seems fine with either decision.

As the many spirits siphon into Yveltal, you feel your power drain. The most 'awake' spirits still have a moment to speak up...

DECISION​

Where do you want to go? You may answer independently.

1. It's time to return home.
2. My new home is here.

Current Status​

Considerations:
- (!) What's going to happen to everyone? Will everything be okay?
- (!)
- (∞) I... shall go back. I must help my home rebuild... to atone.
- (15%) ...

 

[Namohysip]

"I think I know," you say, "what you mean, Yveltal. And... if such an arrangement is possible..." You hold your hand to your heart. When you look down, you realize that little motes of light are already leaving it. And somehow, you feel less 'yourself.' Less... plural.

It's already happening. And when you look up to face Yveltal again, you open your mouth to speak, but suddenly there is nothing to speak with. You are floating, pure and independent of all others' thoughts. Save for a vision or a dream, you all had never been yourselves until that moment, only a collective of everyone's subconscious wills, and the wills of particularly strong, or perhaps merely lucky, souls that had endured that great darkness before.

Now, you float freely in the air, all of you. A constellation of golden motes of light siphon into Yveltal, who gently holds many of you within her feathers, not unlike a bee carrying pollen. And you suspect many of you will be returning to a tree to bear fruit.

But not all of you. Yveltal is looking at those few in particular with a little smile in her eyes.

"For saving me, and for saving two worlds, in many ways... I'd be happy to offer you the courtesy of choosing which world to belong to. It may take time for both worlds to rebuild, and for you to awaken again... but compared to your slumber before, it will be no time at all."

Yveltal brings one wing forward, grasping your lights. Gently, you feel a coldness like a new pillow. Yveltal gently pushes you into the phantasmal antlers of Xerneas' spirit, where your light resides within those beautiful, glimmering antlers. The cold pillow becomes a warm blanket.

Your minds are barely hanging on, just enough to see Millie staggering forward with worry in her eyes. Lily, meanwhile, barks a distorted bark. She seems to be... her new normal, and happily loyal to Millie, though you absently wonder if they'll get any odd looks. Oh well. Many odd things have happened in this world already.

Millie is asking something. It's all blurry, but you have a feeling she's worried about seeing you again. Yveltal says, gently, that the great many slumbering spirits will return, as will their subconscious influences that made "Cobble" who she knew today. But Yveltal also tells her that the ones she'd "known the most" chose to remain... and that she should wait a while in Kalos to see them again.

The lady in the striking white dress steps forward at that and says an assurance to Millie. Assuaging some human concern you don't quite care about.

"I suppose it's time, then," Yveltal said. You see Weavile--even if he's just a mote of light, you know it's him--peeking out from Yveltal's left wing. He's looking at you fondly, but radiates a gentle farewell.

One of you speaks out, finding, narrowly, the strength to do so. "Goodbye, Millie! Goodbye, Bersom! Thank you for everything. And even you, Dark Matter. We couldn't have done this without all of you."

Weavile's mote of light recoils in surprise. Then, he relaxes, finding something humorous. Of course, it was only natural that, after a time, names would shuffle around your collective knowledge.

"This is farewell, spirits who chose the human realm. Know that this will be a strange and new world, and I hope you're ready for some culture shock. But you probably knew that already. I'm sure your new lives will be met with strange, novel challenges... but also, hopefully, peace. Xerneas, will you?"

"I will."

As the world around you closes into a tiny tunnel of light, you see a dark mote nestled within Yveltal's chest. It stares at you both. You sense a glimmer of begrudging respect. But that is all he will ever allow you.

As the last of your senses fade, and Xerneas plants your spirits in the ground for rebirth, you know everything will be alright in the end. Two worlds are in ruin, but no longer collapsing. From the ash, they shall both rise again to march toward a new, brighter future. But, perhaps, most important to you...

Your time as a rock is over.

End​