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Koa strolled through the peace and quiet of the park, Echo perched on his head. A cool wind blew, stirring the trees, scattering flecks of early dawn light across the earth. At this hour, there was no one around, which was just how he liked it. It gave him a chance to spend some quality time with Echo after what had happened.
A few minutes of silence slipped by as he walked, his thoughts wandering with his steps. He could almost pretend he was a trainer again, wandering through some forest in Sinnoh, Echo on his head, his team at his side...
Except he wasn't. He was here, on an alien planet, far from home, far from his team, and his cousin. Fighting gods and creatures he'd never dreamed of, with unstable powers and struggling to cope with things he'd thought weren't even a problem to begin with. Some part of him still felt as if he were in shock after everything. His ear twitched and his thoughts paused. He almost expected to hear that voice inside his head, that same dark one he always heard. Instead he sensed.... nothing.
Or perhaps it was silence, he wasn't sure.
He stopped walking, his thoughts drifting further away. Echo said nothing, but he could sense the question on his starter's mind.
"Echo... I'm sorry."
Koa, you don't have to apologize to me.
"I know. But I should, because you deserve one. I'm sorry that I didn't appreciate
you better. I spent so much time tearing myself apart for not being perfect I completely took for granted how you felt. You always believed in me, from day one, and I.. I treated that belief like-like it meant nothing."
Echo shifted on his head, then hopped off to perch beside him. He stared off into the trees for several moments before speaking. "It did hurt, sometimes. But... I know how it feels to be scared. The other Echo felt it, and I feel it too."
"Scared?"
"Always feeling like everyone just... tolerates you. That one day they'll get tired of you, tired of your mistakes, tired of
something about you." His voice grew quieter. "Because you're... you're not good enough. But you try your best anyway because maybe if you do... maybe they won't leave. Maybe you can't be hurt." Echo wrapped his wings around himself.
A strange dampness gathered in Koa's eyes but he barely felt it. A pit yawned inside him as he listened to Echo's words. Words he knew had nothing to do with any kind of telepathic link.
"But that's not true. Thinking we can be perfect just hurts more." A flicker of a grin crossed the Crobat's face. "I might as well try to swim to the bottom of the ocean, or you fly. We'd always fall short."
Koa managed a nod, and a small smile. It still hurt a little, still felt weird to think about. He'd been trying for so long without realizing it, to get something he'd never reach. His gaze drifted to the ground.
"That's why you transformed back there." Echo turned to look at him suddenly, his yellow gaze burning brightly.
He drew back slightly and cocked his head. "What are you talking about?"
"I know you think about why it took you so long to be able to be able to evolve like the others. But I think... I think it's because you finally accepted it. The same way I broke free because you accepted me, you were willing to let me attack you because you didn't want to hurt me... You accepted you didn't have to be perfect."
It's not enough. You'll never be perfect.
I know.
Cracks suddenly rippled across ethereal red chains that had bound his body, chains he hadn't even seen until just now.
And thats ok.
Koa blinked, and tipped his head to the side. Then he laughed. He laughed like he felt he hadn't in a long time, tears slipping from his eyes. After a moment, Echo joined in too, his squeaking chuckles filling the forest. Finally, some time later, he managed to stop, though a a few more chuckles still slipped out. He lay on the ground, leaning against Echo, one of the Crobat's wings draped around him.
"I'm such an idiot," he said, grinning. It was
obvious but he gotten so caught up he'd missed the simple truth. He could imagine what Blake or Kitto would say to him. Of course Echo would be the one to point it out.
Echo nuzzled him, smiling. "I know."
A few moments of pleasant silence fell. Koa closed his eyes and smiled, enjoying the presence of his best friend. These were the best moments, he realized. Not the endless pushing himself, not obsessing over every mistake... This was what he loved best.
I love you.
I love you too.
Yes, Koa decided.
Perfection is overrated anyway.
'...'
Echo's voice chimed in again.
Honey is way better.
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