"It's the only hint we've gotten since Littleroot." Frustrating as it was, he was glad to finally get something, vague and confusing as it may be. He'd just have to mine this for as much as he could, until they found some more information.

His hand held hers as he dove into the water. Uxie rushed ahead of him, its tail wrapped around his free wrist to help guide him as he put his all into getting as far deep as possible.

There was a bit of comfort, being able to hold her hand while they did this. His other attempts, he was (relatively) on his own. Even if the outcome was likely to be the same, he pushed forward, going as deep as he could.

He pushed forward, emboldened as Uxie informed him that Azelf was in sight, still motionless and resting as it was before. Each attempt seemed to get him just a little bit closer, even if he didn't know how much further he had to go.

But just like every other time, the strength of his lungs did not match his strength of will…

Drown

Eris Halla

There was that grim reality that Hideo was starting to get used to drowning that it didn't affect him that much. He knew it wasn't a real drowning - and to be fair, he didn't know what a real one felt like - but even he knew, deep down, that repeated simulated deaths would not be good for him in the long run.

But every attempt got him closer to Azelf.

He'd bear with it.

The light patting of a small pixie brought Hideo back to the realm of consciousness, and he was quickly availed of where they were now: it wasn't the ship he'd been used to visiting with Alexei Ivanov . It seemed to be an island, though not the same one they'd been to moments ago. And before them was a Xatu.

"Think we should talk to it?" Hideo asked Eris. It was the only creature around here - other than themselves and their pixies.

But regardless of the answer he got from Eris, he'd get one from the Xatu: he could recognize the telltale signs of psychic power touching his mind, though there was nothing he could do to stop it beyond asking Uxie for help.

He was pretty sure Uxie already knew what was coming - and had simply refused to stop it.

Receive a Vision of the Past +100 points

Eris Halla

The sights would not be well-defined; a gray fog bore the shapes of everything present, but they lacked distinct detail. It would be the best Eris would get for visuals.

But the scents, the sounds, all were as crisp as could be.

The memory began with a young child, sitting atop a couch. It was a comfortable room, the crackling of a fireplace not far off, and the warmth it radiated a gentle one. He held a book in hand, his fingers pressing against the pages. The tiny bumps on the pages would be the easiest details to notice, the child reading off the braille aloud.

"To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy, like a hundred thousand other little boys. I have no need for you, and you have no need for me."

The creature upon his lap stirred, the Rockruff making itself comfortable as it listened. The scent of a freshly-cleaned rock-type would be easy to notice.

"To you, I am nothing more than like a hundred thousand other Pokemon. But if you catch me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. And to you, I shall be unique in all the world."

Footsteps could be heard walking in from behind, and the shape of a person came into view. They were a child as well, though they were clearly a few years older than the one sitting atop the couch. "You've only had him for a day," the voice mocked, "maybe you should slow it down a sec?"

"I can read what I want to him, Karou," the boy answered, the groan in his voice clear. "You're just jealous I learned to read younger than you did."

"Uh-huh. Sure." The finger-flick to the back of the couch-sitting child could be heard, the child flinching. "Mom wanted me to tell you lunch is ready, so finish that up real quick."

The other boy ran off before the child could retaliate, leaving him to grumble. "Stupid Karou," he grumbled, before going back to his book. "Alright, Rocky, lemme just skip to the good part."

He flipped to the next page, his finger landing halfway through it.

"And now, here is my secret, a very simple secret: it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important. Men have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose."

And with that, the child laid the book down. "That means I'm responsible for you, Rocky. You're the most unique Rockruff to me, and I'm the most unique Hideo to you."

He lifted the Rockruff off his lap, holding it in his arms. The Rockruff made itself comfortable as the boy walked off, to go and get a taste of whatever it was his mom had prepared.

It would be there that the memory faded away, the two returning to the simulated reality they were within.

Hideo was silent, merely standing there as he exhaled. It'd been a pleasant memory, but he wasn't smiling; there was a small frown on his face.

Eris Halla

Just as Hideo was re-processing his memory of a comfortable home life, he's thrust into a new memory - one he's quick to recognize as not his own, judging by the voices.

The first sensation that hits him is the scent: antiseptic. It was easy to guess they were in some kind of medical facility, though it wasn't until he heard the shifting sheets that he could put together that she was in some kind of hospital - or something resembling one.

A Rocket hospital.

Hideo remained silent, unsure if speaking up would cause some kind of disruption - and in respect to Eris being quiet for his.

While he could easily recognize Eris's voice, he couldn't recognize the guy's voice. But judging by her words, this guy was connected to Lugia - perhaps Lugia's avatar? She didn't say his name, so he couldn't be certain.

But this was certainly a promise Eris made, to serve as a pillar of support for him. Not unlike what Hideo tried to be for her.

Uxie told him when the memory ended, when they were back to (the simulated) reality.

He could've tried to argue with Eris a little - to remind her that Rocket was responsible for her life falling apart in the first place. That any protection they offered was at the cost of innocent people's lives.

He held his tongue. Now wasn't the time for that.

Perhaps comforting her would get his mind off his own memory - of the life he couldn't go back to.

"I guess…it kinda hurts, going back to that kind of stuff," he said, reaching out towards her. "You...you don't need to be sorry for what happened to you."

Eris Halla