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A MILLION MILES AWAY

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[attr="class","eris109"]They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And yet, one might argue that the world seen through only one eye may be skewed.[break][break]

Some way, somehow, even when faced with the threat of a scorching beam that could probably eviscerate them, there is awe that blossoms deep down within. The way its brilliant colours clash against the iridescent barrier that the trio create, dyeing the trees and falling leaves in its breathtaking hues.[break][break]

So this is the heart you fought for.[break][break]

A poisoned heart that draws upon the powers of that which it sought to destroy. That has and will continue to destroy everything that it was created to protect.[break][break]

As the Lake Trio attempt to disperse the energy, the world withers around them and reality begins to bend. Anxiety takes root in the fragile, strengthened by a mental state fractured by the war. Madness seeps into the cracks, a chill that flays the skin and dares to compete against the heat of a growing wildfire.[break][break]

Watching as the pixies pours every ounce of their strength into maintaining this barrier, she knows that they don't have the ability to withstand the entire attack. Not when the edges begin to chip and thin cracks begin to form.[break][break]

With Reiner there to pick her right up, she stumbles and forces herself back onto her feet, one hand caught deep within her pockets. And when she draws it back out, her fingers are wrapped around a tera orb, shaking as if it weighs a tonne in her hands.[break][break]

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She really hopes that she's wrong. That these thoughts are nothing but a twisted creation of the sickening ache in her chest.[break][break]

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Her gaze flits to those around her. Cass, who seemed shaken by everything going on thus far but tried her best to help them fight. Hideo, who would spare no thoughts to abandoning those in need, who protects his pokemon with his very life. Where does she lie upon this battlefield? A coward. A victim. A traitor. A survivor.[break][break]

Mesprit screeches, another surge of energy pulsing through the burning thicket as they attempt to strengthen the barrier.[break][break]

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In the many sparks that flare past her, she can see the end. A world where Navy dies attempting to slay a colossal dragon, a world where Isaac Merlo no longer shines as her guiding light. A world where ruin is all that's left of this region, a world where the skeleton carves its mark upon Hoenn and what lays beyond.[break][break]

A world where Hideo's parents would grief over ever letting their son leave the safety of their home. A world where Thea Naito and her cousin will be robbed of a precious and irreplaceable friend.[break][break]

But what then of him? If she's right, what will become of him?[break][break]

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All at once, she makes a choice. The Tera orb flies with purpose, with wishes and curses that have been all tangled up in an unforgiving knot. At its very core burns a heart that knows nothing but hurt; One that the sprite of emotions will not ignore.[break][break]

It begins with their broken gem: A crack. Faultlines that propagate as stress heightens. Like kintsugi, those cracks begin to shine, filled with a crystalline glow that grows ever brighter. Tera energy swirls around Mesprit like a winter storm, the warmth that once mixed with the thought of howard slayte gone cold with despair.[break][break]

With one final burst of Mystical Power, all falls silent.[break][break]

All before the Dynamax Cannon is fired right back.

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A MILLION MILES AWAY

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[attr="class","eris109"]The apology is meant well and yet, means so little coming from the wrong person. At the very least, Freya says what has never been said to her before. That should count for something, no?[break][break]

"Miss Freya -"[break][break]

Trust kills.[break][break]

"I- if Isaac is home next time, you can always drop by for tea."[break][break]

This isn't trust. Not quite yet. Her hand still remains on the door, ready to close it at any time.[break][break]

"Take care on your way back."

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A MILLION MILES AWAY

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[attr="class","eris109"]"I'm old enough to challenge the gym circuit!" How quick she is to put that point across, a frown tugging at the corners of her lips. "And Navy ain't irresponsible. He's just..."[break][break]

Still as a corpse. Being loaded into a helicopter -[break][break]

Her heart yearns to scream, but everything in her head seems dulled when she notices the way Mesprit's gaze settles upon her.[break][break]

"He got hurt protecting the town. So I gotta help clean up, until he gets well enough to come back and help."[break][break]

Blink. The pixie is missing before the old man can perceive their presence, a trail of honey bbq dust left in their wake. Reiner, on the other hand, seems very invested in the way that the Maushold are trying to rob a Tinkaton in broad daylight.[break][break]

"Besides, aren't you a little old for this job? What if your back starts hurting when you pick a piece of rock up?"[break][break]

Another blink whilst the man is still focused on her and Mesprit is back, reaching into the bag once more with those bbq-dusted hands.

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A MILLION MILES AWAY

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[attr="class","eris109"]In the wake of Regice, Dewford resembles a slice of Galar: Cold, sleepy. Perhaps, even a little blanketed in frost that just doesn't seem to melt.[break][break]

Amidst the rubble, shattered glass and icy bricks, there are those who attempt to shake the ice from their weary bones. Chipping away at what is broken, looking at what can be rebuilt. At some point, there's even warm stew that's handed out to everyone, of which she doesn't partake in even though she's been helping sort through the endless debris in her own way.[break][break]

Read: She's been attempting to lift pieces of rubble, failing to do so, looking to Reiner for help and getting him to help carry them instead.[break][break]

Ah, but as her eyes flick to last few bowls of stew being given out, she notices just how strange it is that he grabs two bowls... And then hands them off to his pokemon. Is there not enough? Oh, where is he going? Is he just not going to eat?[break][break]

Curiosity beckons her, a curious little critter that dares a little closer in his tracks. And she watches as he goes back to his truck and pulls out... a bag of chips? Is that honey bbq? What does that even taste like? Would Mesprit enjoy such a flavour -[break][break]

Blink. She can see a pixie hovering beside the old man. Blink. Said pixie is slowly reaching into that bag of chips.[break][break]

She has to approach. Rapidly. Before things get out of hand.[break][break]

"HEY! UH," Her voice is raised just that few octaves as she shoots Mesprit that warning side-eye, then looks back to the man. "H- hi! Mister!"[break][break]

They know very well of their agreement, not to be spotted by anyone. And yet the pixie smiles at her, one hand still stuck within that bag of chips. Oh Arceus, she has to stall for time.[break][break]

"Uhm- Nice weather we're having, huh??"

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A MILLION MILES AWAY

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[attr="class","eris109"]Hesitance. Even if he doesn't give any outward cues, Mesprit dares to let her have a taste of what Hideo is feeling.[break][break]

It'll be okay. She wants to tell him just that, but the way Cass takes a few steps towards them makes her instinctively flinch away. And the moment is lost, her gaze dipping towards the ground right as Reiner pulls up beside her.[break][break]

Into the forest, where the leaves have withered and the branches groan. Golden flames hungrily lick at their roots, claw at their bark and race through the curling undergrowth. As they dare to get ever closer, the crackles of the flame cackle at them, a beastly heat and excitable sparks raking their skin.[break][break]

Lost in the waltz of the embers, Mesprit nearly misses the discussion that goes on between Azelf and Uxie. Their worry instead is directed towards the smoke that gradually seeks to blot out the sun, their chirps prompting Eris to call upon a few helpers: Small, dependable Woopers that treasure this place just as much as this pixie does.[break][break]

Though typically ditzy and carefree chatterboxes, Nessie and Einar are immediately stunned into silence when greeted by the sight of their forest in flames. With Mesprit quickly flitting to their side, they are prompted into action, their usual smiles turned taut as they begin to water down as much of the fires as possible.[break][break]

Truth be told, Eris is certain that no matter how much of the fire those two put out, the flames have reached a point where it cannot simply be contained. And yet, she too must hold onto faith in this very moment, if only because doubting for even a fraction of a second brings unnecessary thoughts to mind -[break][break]

She blinks. Something is wrong. Mesprit has gone silent, their gaze snapped towards something through the tangle of trees and vines -[break][break]

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"!"[break][break]

There's barely any time as she reaches for Cass' hand and yanks her back. All at once, a great gust of wind shoves and topples her over, a roaring beam of red and purple crashing against a shimmering pink barrier like a relentless tidal wave. Countless red sparks flutter from Mesprit's body as they attempt to hold the shield in place. And yet, their power alone can only do so much against this attack, a cry of panic escaping them as the beam begins to curl around the barrier, the uncontrollable energy flicking outwards in residual flares and igniting the foliage around them.

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A MILLION MILES AWAY

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[attr="class","eris109"]Reiner's rage doesn't subside even after the Rockets disappear, his claws digging deep into the ground as he glares at Mesprit. Sprite of emotions or not, they do not understand what stokes this fire in his chest. And it can stay that way, the Luxray only breaking his gaze to check on Eris.[break][break]

Seeing Cass' face twist with her words, with how quickly she turns away; Eris has barely had time to get to know her. This shouldn't hurt that much, being treated this way by someone bordering the definition of a mere acquaintance. She expects this of many people. She'd known that she could never escape from her past.[break][break]

But knowing doesn't make it hurt any less.[break][break]

There's no will in her to resist as Hideo pulls her into a hug. Even still, he believes. Even now, he remains.[break][break]

Even though they should be moving.[break][break]

_{Why can't you just be strong?}

[break]

If she numbed every fiber of her being, would it be far easier for her to get through this? If she silenced her heart, the weakest parts of her, would she be far more helpful and capable?[break][break]

She opens her mouth but all at once, she realises that she can't quite speak. As if her voice had been frozen by Cass' reaction, as if her words have all coagulated in the back of her throat. And as she pulls away from Hideo, she's grateful that he can't see how she hastily wipes away her tears. All she can do is grasp and squeeze his hand, tugging him softly in the direction of the forest.[break][break]

Her home.

[break]

[attr="class","eris99"]

A MILLION MILES AWAY

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[attr="class","eris109"]One by one, the Rockets grunts are rounded up, tied with loose cables and rope and whatever else that can be scavenged from these parts. With Hideo radioing in the transfer of personnel, all things should be settled... Though she's uncertain if whatever the pixies have seemingly inflicted upon the Genesect will last. At the very least, she can keep her back to the group, quietly spending her time looking over a ruffled Reiner.[break][break]

"Get them! Get rid of them!!"[break][break]

Defiance is all that their enemies have left, their teams wiped and their greatest weapon reduced to broken tools. Or at least, that is how it seems as the Genesect quietly beep and look towards their partners.[break][break]

"Goddamn useless pieces of junk!"[break][break]

The shrieks get ever shriller, one even going far as as to kick a piece of rock right at them. But before it can hit their metal shell, a hand sticks out and just about catches it, a grimace drawn over Eris' face when she quickly lets go and begins to shake the pain out.[break][break]

"Eris?"[break][break]

A wrong choice. Made far worse when she flinches at her very name being spoken.[break][break]

"That's Reiner... and you're Eris" That flicker of recognition in that man's face is a deadly sentence. "Didn't the Mad Dog take you?"[break][break]

The Mad Dog, dorian westcliff. All at once, she can feel the gazes of the rangers clinging to her very figure. Confused, doubting, angered. Those fingers that begin to move towards their pokeball, the wariness that suddenly crashes down upon them.[break][break]

"I don't know what you're talking about." A flighty step back, her hands clenching and tucking close to her chest.[break][break]

"What are you doing with them?" Familiarity is suddenly tainted with suspicion, twisting their tone into a blade that threatens to shred her existence.[break][break]

"I-"[break][break]

"Did you run?"[break][break]

Her gaze sweeps from the poisonous gazes of those grunts to the ever-watching eyes of those whom they just rescued. Their whispers carried upon the wind, even as Hideo's Alakazam quickly herds and whisks them away without another second to waste.[break][break]

"N- no!"[break][break]

Tied up with knots they can't undo on their own, there is no way that those grunts are getting anywhere near her.[break][break]

"Then help -"[break][break]

"No!"[break][break]

Another step back as if the additional distance will do her any good. And she quite nearly jumps when her heel bumps against mere debris.[break][break]

"Eris, we're fami-"[break][break]

"NO!"[break][break]

"ERIS!"[break][break]

She wishes she could close her eyes. Cover her ears. Do anything to get away from here, but that voice simply commands too much weight that paralyses her to the very bone.[break][break]

USELESS WRETCH!"[break][break]

There is nothing that can stop the Luxray that lunges for the grunt, claws dug deep into his shoulders as Reiner shoves him right to the ground.[break][break]

"REINER, NO!"[break][break]

And he is just moments from sinking his teeth into them when Mesprit interferes, a psychic force pushing him away from the Rocket as they chitter at the snarling feline.[break][break]

"AFTER ALL WE DID FOR YOU IN KANTO!"[break][break]

[break]

"UNGRATEFUL LITTLE -"[break][break]

Silence claims the street in flashes of purple, a timely teleport stealing their final howls. And yet, she can still hear those voices ringing in her head, her eyes darting between Hideo and Cass as her vision begins to blur.[break][break]

Hideo would never turn on -[break][break]

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[attr="class","eris99"]

A MILLION MILES AWAY

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[attr="class","eris109"]Kalos... Kalos. What does she know of Kalos? The endless snow in Snowbelle City, the towering windmills that colour the Dendemille landscape, an ancient tree that watches over the sleepy city of Laverre. Every little fragment of this region that she knows are figments of the imagination that have been breathed to life by her father. And she remembers how fondly he would speak of his hometown, the way he would watch the trains pull into the Couriway station, bringing people that came from all walks of life. Oh, and the way he would explain how each train was run and serviced as he poured crepe batter into a sizzling pan.[break][break]

Spread the batter out thin, let it sit till it sets and then flip it with a spatula. That faint scent that wafts through the air is sweet and comforting, a faint smile tugging at the ends of her lips as she waits for the edges to crisp just that tiny bit. And while she's busy cooking those to the very best of her abilities, Nessie watches over a few stewing pots of compote - Berries, stone fruits, and one even contains a mix of tomatoes and various spices.[break][break]

mmj9_lAO (+52)

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