Story Notes:
This story is set on EARTH. our earth, you and me earth. you get the idea.Pokemon copyrighted to nintendo, blah blah blahdy blah blah
Chapter 10
The creature spoke, in a voice raspy and horse, but double toned, like Melody's. He was a psychic.
"Welcome you two, we have many a thing to discuss"
Michael and Melody looked curiously at him. The fact that he talked was of no surprise to them, but more the fact that he was so welcoming, given the introduction these creatures had surely had upon entry to this world. The seemed to sense their confusion and smiled, if that expression he wore was a smile, and pushed a small plate of berries towards them as if preparing to tell a long story like that of a mother to their child.
"I must admit, I am surprised to find a human who is not shocked by our presence, but from what it looks like, you have been weaned of such fears" He said, motioning to Melody "I know that, since one of the scouts agreed to transport you back to our camp, you are either very important or seeking asylum, and if it is the latter, I must ask why" His voice was old but the question was posed with a inflection of authority.
Michael spoke first, trying not to let his eye contact with the creature waver.
"We don't need shelter and I can't think of why we would be important to you, but your...scout, took us by surprise" the image of the large lizard still fresh in his mind, odd for something of that size to be considered a scout. "It might have mistaken me for an enemy when it saw I was with Melody"
"Melody....a fine name if I have ever heard one" the creature mused "I take it that you are the reason our scout did not slaughter him, Melody" He rolled the name as he said it, still pondering it in the corner of his mind
"Y-yes" Melody stammered slightly as she was abruptly addressed "I told him that we weren't enemies...and that we couldn't cause him any trouble if he left us alone"
"Then why are you here?" the creature asked, either he was feigning ignorance or he had not been told of this by the scout
"He said that he needed to take us back to your nest, he wouldn't leave us alone, otherwise" Melody replied, wondering if the Charizard had ulterior motives in bringing them here
"Did he now?" A flash of anger crossed the creatures face, barely visible to either of them "I will discuss that with him later, but for now, I must ensure that this haven remains safe". The creature glanced out the door of the small hutch, the camp was restless with these two here and something needed to be done about it.
"You must remain here until it is deemed safe for you to leave, and for us to let you leave" he said sharply. Michael spoke up
"I'm sorry, but we can't stay here, we have to keep moving, we have friends who don't know where we are right now" he said "our friends are probably looking for us, and if they give up, thinking we're dead, they'll leave. We'd have a hard time finding them again"
"Be that as it may, I cannot allow you to endanger my tribe. You will remain here and you will not leave until permission is given" The creatures voice echoed in Michael's head louder than before
"So we're like hostages to you?" Michael said, voice matching the raising of the creature's. This place endangered their entire plan for salvation, their future for themselves they desperately looked for.
"Only until we have determined whether or not you can be trusted, do you not see logic in my decision?" He asked. It was true, it was the smartest thing to do, and the fact that he was leader of an entire people made it even more important. But the risk of losing their only chance at a normal life was something Michael saw as being worth more than the protection of this tribe.
"Please, we haven't tried to hurt any of you and you outnumber us, we wouldn't be able to hurt you" Melody tried to reason with him. The air was ripe with tension, the plate of food in front of them sat almost untouched since the exchange began, and with the way it was headed, looked to stay that way.
"There is no doubt that is true, but if I were to release you, you may devolve secrets to others who may have unacceptable motivations" The creature said, tone growing impatient, remaining stubborn in his position. "If even one member of my tribe was harmed by you or your friends, the guilt would rest heavy in my heart that I let it happen"
"We don't know where we are! And we have no reason to tell anyone of us being here, we have to leave and get back to our friends" Michael said, standing as if to leave "If you let us go, then we will guarantee not to tell anyone of this place, you can even let some of your people accompany us back"
"You may not leave without permission" The creature said, piercing eyes glaring at Michael harshly
"We must and we will" Michael said ultimately, knowing how the odds were stacked against him "We won't tell anyone we were here, that is something you will have to trust us with.
"That is not a pledge we can believe in, particularly when It comes from a human, those who have shown nothing but violence towards us, who is of no importance to us!" The psychic's eyes glowed with a brief flash, sending Michael stumbling back with a cry, clutching his eyes. The psychic approached Michael as he stumbled stupidly to the ground
"Don't touch him!"
The psychic turned to the voice, but was thrown away as an invisible barrier ploughed into him, the force of it sending small blast of wind through the hut. He struck the ground and rolled into the wall, making the hut creak slightly with his impact. He looked over to see Melody, faint blue outline tracing around her body, with nothing but power and anger in her eyes. Michael had never felt this level of fury from her before, it washed hotly over his mind, the link urging him to the same state. Michael suppressed the anger attempting to seize his mind and looked through his blurred vision, motioning for Melody to stop. He still pleading to the psychic
"Please, we must go back, we have friends who are back there, t-they're our only hope of getting back, if they find a way to o-" Michael stopped himself, realising what he had partly revealed. The creature's brow arched an inch upon hearing this. He got up and steadied himself, regaining a calmer composure.
"What exactly is this hope?" he asked "and is it you plan to go back to?"
Melody spoke as she helped Michael to a sitting position; the flash had left his eyes unfocused as his balance slightly off. "It would help if we explained everything to you, please sit back down, it was a shock to me when I was first told of the truth about this world". The psychic slowly sat down again, eyes sharply focused on the pair who showed so much gall to him.
"Very well, what is this truth that you speak of?" He asked, accusation in his voice, but patience in his posture. Melody and Michael slowly recounted the tale of their journey so far. Even to them, hearing the tale told back sounded ludicrous, something that one would in the science fiction section of a seedy bookstore. They told of how this world was not Hoenn, or Sinnoh or Jhoto. They told how they had met and began to run from the inescapable coming apocalypse. The psychic listened intently, only asking questions to clarify a detail or something he thought he had misheard, but never refuting the tale or asking how it could all occur. It took nearly an hour, but finally Melody finished their story, the psychic not having moved since the start. Slowly, he lifted a hand to his mane, running it through the course, dark hair in contemplation.
"That..." he said, pausing while trying to find the right words "Is the most absurd story I have heard in all my years". Michael looked up with weariness
"It's all true, and if don't believe-"
"I never accused you of lying" The psychic said, slyly smiling "It is an absurd tale, but if it is true, then it would explain a great deal of what we have been through in our short time here". He continued to mull over these facts, muttering to himself, or maybe those were just stray thoughts from his telepathic speech? He looked at them once again.
"Do you have any proof of this, as such?" he asked, expecting another long story by the looks of it.
"We don't, but one of our friends is extremely learned in these matters, if we could take you to him, you would have your proof" Michael said, his eyes were nearly functioning again, a small amount of blur around the edges of his vision and slight dizziness persistent. The psychic thought for a moment, still stroking his mane and muttering stray thoughts. Finally, he looked back at them and said
"You will stay here tonight, I will consult with the others about this matter" he glanced out of the hut, scanning the forest "In the morning, we will give you our answer, and if it is yes, then we shall go to see these friends of yours, if it is no....then we shall see". His eyes glazed over in thought as he looked down, seemingly gone from this world, as if he were looking a thousand miles into the future.
The Xatu stepped back into the hut, motioning for them to follow him. Michael had guessed he had been listening in, to which he was unsure, was a good thing or a bad thing. Michael and Melody following the green little bird through the camp, still drawing looks from the Pokémon around them, to a destination unknown. In their own world, it would not have been an uncommon sight, but it was now one they seemed to shy away from, guarded themselves almost. The Xatu led them to a small open walled shelter in which was a bed of moss and a small plate of assorted fruits, all of which, seemed odd to Michael. Shapes and colours which he had never seen in a fruit. Maybe they has been brought through the portals too, the strange berry fruits of the Pokémon world. The Xatu communicated a short sentence with Melody and then left. Melody relayed the message, that they could explore the area, but not leave. Michael sat down on the mossy bed, putting his forehead in his hands. This was one situation he had not planned on, being in the camp of wild Pokémon who all were most likely hostile to them, with no way to contact the only allies he had in this whole journey.
"Well....what now?" Michael asked absently, honestly not knowing what to do. What now? It always came back to that. Plans went awry or something happened that impeded their goal, and then he would ask, what now? It was exhausting to know that it could always come back to that, forcing them to change their path. But for Melody, he thought it was all worth it, and he hoped he was right in the end. Melody sat motionless beside him, not knowing what to say either. She could talk to the other Pokémon, but what to say to them? Would they accept their relationship and maybe have a chance at eliminating their hostilities, or would they fear them even more for being with someone who was out to kill them, in their minds. In the end, she only said one thing
"Wait..."
"Is that it?" Michael asked "Is that how much control we have?" Michael was not one to try change history with his actions, but to do nothing in a time which required action was not something he could easily accept.
"We can't leave and we can't make him let us leave..." Melody said "And all this time we've been trying to keep doing something, maybe this time all we can do is nothing" She laughed slightly, an odd action for such a time
"What is it?" Michael asked
"Because we've never had time to spend together since we began running from everything, maybe this time together is a blessing for us" She said, sighing softly as she relaxed herself, leaning her head on Michaels shoulder "I would be happy to just sit here with you for a while, like we did before we left"
Michael contemplated her words, he still wanted to do something, but the peace he felt from her, just the utter harmony she gave him...he decided that this was for the best. Michael pulled Melody close to him, making her "eep" and giggle lightly. She held onto his arms as he stroked her soft green hair, just enjoying the moment they had together in the lush forest. As they sat in silence, they listened to all the sounds around them. The wind blowing a gentle tune alongside the river, whispering quietly, as the birds occasionally sang a song to the sky, thanking it for the open space in which to fly. Michael leaned his head down and planted a small kiss on Melody's head; she turned her head and drew him into a longer, loving kiss. When Michael looked back on it, he realised that was the first time they had ever really done it. All the times before, it had been a small and simple kiss, one of protection and care. But this was one of love; unfettered love that they knew was true as they let their emotions break through their mind's barriers. For long minutes, it seemed as if they were in a place of their own, cut off from both of their worlds, just existing in a pool of their adoration. When it all ended, Michael could only utter one sentence as he held her
"I love you, you know that, Melody?"
"With all your heart" Melody replied
In the hours that came as they sat together, various Pokémon approached, mostly staying a short distance away from them. They looked on at the two, but not one said or did anything. They held a certain curiosity in their eyes, one with which a child would have when he found a new bug in the garden or when he was watching another child from afar. Michael and Melody looked back, waiting for them to make the first move, and them waiting for them. The same situation he and Melody were once in of both wanting to say something but waiting for the other to start first. The silence was only broken when a small Pokémon stepped ahead of the crowd. The small Pokémon was a Torchic, red feathers on its wings and a small rounded head, three tufts of small feathers sprouting from it. It cheeped lightly then ran towards them, stopping in front of the two and turning its head slightly. It cheeped happily, running around them, trying to observe every detail with its youthful curiosity.
Melody reached over to the small plate of berries and took one, plump and purple, and held it out to the hyperactive little phoenix. It looked at the berry for a second before taking a peck, twittering gladly as it continued to eat. Other Pokémon looking on stepped forward as well, seeming braver now that one had shown the two were of no threat. One of the Pokémon spoke up, a Zangoose, although to Melody only, as Michael could not understand its speech. Melody relayed parts of the conversation to Michael, explaining that the Pokémon were curious as to who they were and why they were here.
"We were brought here why one of your scouts" Melody said, speaking to both Michael and the crowd telepathically "We're unsure why he did it, we were not causing him any distress when he passed overhead"
The Zangoose asked another question, motioning to Michael with a claw, its brown eyes regarding him with a slight mistrust.
"He isn't my trainer" She said "It would take a long time to explain who he is fully, how we met and why we are both travelling"
The Zangoose asked another short question
"He isn't my owner either" She said, enjoying the guessing game while the Zangoose looked on confused. Michael guessed that the only relations wild Pokémon knew of Pokémon to humans were that of a Trainer or an owner, which wasn't surprising, considering they didn't know they were not in their own world anymore or that this world did not even possess Pokémon. They must be confused now that humans are hunting them for reasons they don't know of.
Other Pokémon took a guess at who Michael was, some were rather amusing.
"No, he isn't an enemy or a slave or a collector" She said, herself amused at the idea of a human as a servant to a Pokémon, something which she had never heard of happening, making her wonder if it ever occurred.
A Lucario with a look of what Michael guessed was annoyance, asked one last sharp question. Melody was silent for a second. She looked at Michael for a moment, as if she was going to ask something, but turned back and answered.
"He is my mate" She answered simply, no hesitation in her voice. She received looks ranging from bewilderment to shock to uncertainty from the crowd around them. Michael felt slightly alienated being referred to as a 'mate', a term seeming very foreign to him. It gave him comfort, though, that the term showed she felt so strongly of him despite him being of a different species.
A stuttered question came from another of the group of Lucarios in the crowd. Melody looked rather embarrassed when she heard it, a contrasting blush creeping across her pale skinned face.
"n-no, not...yet" She answered, her voice faltering somewhat. It took Michael a second to figure out what the question was, making the heat rise to his face. There was prolonged silence after that, both parties caught off guard by the answer and the following question. The little Torchic had walked to the pile of berries and was now happily devouring the fruits, blissfully ignorant of the topics brought up. A small cat like creature in the front of the crowd which Michael hadn't noticed before, spoke up. Its eyes were a deep red with no cornea but a large black iris, its fur black as night, being illuminated slightly by the glowing rings of gold around its upper legs and ears. It spoke with a genuine tone of curiosity in its voice as it asked its question. Melody spoke to Michael privately.
"She's asking why I love you" she said "and why you love me back" she smiled. Michael softly grinned as he gave Melody his message to translate, trying to explain his reasons to the best of his poetic abilities. Melody began to recount their tale from the beginning.
"I was lost when we first met; I didn't know where I was or what had happened. Michael found me and took me in. He helped me even though he didn't know who I was or why I had appeared. I was alone, isolated from my home and everyone I knew, but he remained by my side. He could have just left me after I had healed, but he didn't. He cared for me, and because of that, I cared for him. We grew closer and eventually fell in love, regardless of us both knowing we weren't of the same species. I loved Michael because he cared for me and showed he wouldn't abandon me even if I could never get home. And when he accepted that I loved him and loved me back, I knew he was the one that I could never leave" She said, transmitting images and emotions through her mind towards the crowd, allowing them to see as she had seen. She relayed Michael's side of the message next."When I found Melody, I couldn't help but feel for her. She was a small flower lost in a storm of confusion and conflict. She knew nothing of the world outside her own and had no one there to guide her through it all. She reminded me of myself. And by helping her, she helped me. A man in a land of darkness, lost from the world he called his own. Someone who never understood his own world and the people in it, or why they acted as they did. But she was there. I could talk to her, share with her, all because she knew nothing of my world, all because she offered a clean slate. She understood and she accepted me for who I am, not asking me to change and not needing me to. I owe my life to her, the one woman, and the one person who brought me happiness in a long, long time."
The crowd of Pokémon stood, transfixed by their story. The Umbreon who had asked the question sat in silent contemplation before curving her lips slightly, smiling as she looked at the two. Speaking as Melody translated.
"That's a beautiful story" She said "I never thought something like that could happen in reality. It sounds like a legend my pack use to tell"
"What legend was that?" Michael asked, Melody relaying the message back and forth as the Umbreon answered.
"Generations ago before even my great-great-grandfather was born, Humans and Pokémon were all equals. It wasn't uncommon for them to live in the same area or share the same food. Because they were equal, Human and Pokémon couples were an ordinary sight. According to the legend, some even had children, which evolved into some of the Pokémon we have today, because Pokémon were different back then compared to now" She explained, the crowd around them was listening intently to the story which must have been passed down for generations. "We don't know which ones because it was so long ago. But after a while, humans and Pokémon began to split up. Humans built large settlements and agreed with the Pokémon that they could have the forests, if they allowed the humans land for themselves. As time passed, humans and Pokémon became even more distant until the idea of a human and Pokémon being together as a mated coupled was thought of as wrong. They had forgotten their own heritage, and viewed Pokémon as less than themselves"
"How common is it today, if it even happens at all?" Melody asked, thoughts of her own world niggling in the back of her mind
"I don't know, I'd never seen it before, and my pack travelled a lot so I always thought it was only a legend" the Umbreon replied, scratching her ears lazily. "I did hear of one man, I think his name was wolf, or-"
The Umbreon was cut off as the crowd was violently shoved aside; drawing cries of protest from the various Pokémon throw out of the way. A Blaziken stepped through, its eyes an icy blue, fixated on the two with an unwavering glare. Michael recognised it as the same Blaziken that he had seen on their way to the leader's hut. It's eyed moved to the Torchic in front of the two, still eating away at the berries, then back to them, its sneer growing. Michael didn't think it was even possible for a beaked creature to twist its mouth, but it almost seemed that way. The creature cautiously, albeit threateningly, approached the two, stopping a few feet in front of them. Michael didn't return the glare and neither did Melody, which the Blaziken thought slightly strange, to not get a response from his obvious aggression. It looked at the Torchic and spoke a quick command. The Torchic protested, peeping quickly, but the Blaziken silenced it with another stern command. The Torchic turned to Michael and Melody, giving a quick tweet before it ran back to the Blaziken, who picked it up and irately marched away. After the event, the crowd of Pokémon quickly dispersed, the atmosphere of the meeting having become tainted by the event that had just occurred. Michael asked Melody
"What was all that about?" he couldn't fathom what the Blaziken had said or why it had been so concerned.
"He seemed worried about the Torchic, which is most likely his child" she said "He just told the Torchic to stop and get away from us"
"Why did he do that? We obviously weren't a threat to anyone else" Michael said. If the other Pokémon had been convinced of their harmlessness, then why wasn't he?
"He...was very distraught, even if he didn't show too much of it" Melody said, remembering the cold eyes that she had looked into, seeing a deep rooted detestation for them "Maybe he was just worried for his child's safety". Or maybe it was something deeper, they both thought, not needing to share the idea.
Michael looked up at the sky. It was late morning when they had left the farmhouse, now the sky had shifted from its morning blue into a stream of orange and purple across the clouds. Will and Tom would be looking for them by now, at least he hoped they would, it would buy them some time while the leader made up his mind on what to do with them. As there was nothing better to do, they both lay down to rest themselves, bunching out in each other's arms and letting the pleasure of sleep embrace them. Michael found sleep to be a welcome escape from all that was going on, and Melody found it calming to know that they would never be harmed or have to run away in their dreams, a world of their own creation.
During their slumber, their minds mingled. Never fully connecting, but snippets of dreams and thoughts escaping from one into the other, making for a world of transformation and change. One minute Michael was back at home, painting a large piece of stretched canvas with the smell of oil paint and turpentine wafting through the air, and the next he was standing across a river from a small group of Gardevoirs, Gallades, Kirlias and Raltses, watching as they went about daily tribal life with the smell of fresh forest pine all around him. Melody would watch Michael as he made his way down the old gravel road and down the path to the river, and then be back with her tribe in the deep reaches of the Hoenn forest, untouched by man. The confusing scenes offered glimpses into each other's lives before the calamity that brought them together, the majority of which were forgotten, whisked away in the tidal wave of thoughts that leaked from their minds in a blissful oblivion.
They were awoken by a rustling sound from the forest beyond them. Melody looked up to see the sky had changed to a deep oceanic blue, stars still glittering in the darkness only cut through by the light of the crescent moon. A fraction of orange light emanated from the edge of it all, heralding the coming of dawn. Michael roused himself as well, hearing the rustling as it came closer to them. As the rustling reached them, a figure stepped from the forest and into the moonlit area of their small arrangement. The moonlight illuminated the leader Pokémon, the aged Alakazam, and darkened the various figures behind him. He spoke wearily, like a man who had argued for far too long.
"After counselling with the other leaders, we have come to a decision" He said, pausing long enough for Michael to ask a question
"Who are the other leaders? We thought you were the leader of this group" His voice dragged by his drowsiness. The Pokémon motioned to the figures behind him, and they stepped out into the light to join him. Beside him stood ten other Alakazams, along with one Kadabra. Michael was curious that he had never seen them around the area before.
"After assaulting the problem from every angle, we have decided that we will release you on one condition" He said, holding up a single, clawed digit to illustrate. The Kadabra spoke up this time, this voice sounding significantly younger than the main leader's
"If what you have said is true, about seeking a return to our own world, then you must offer us use of it if you find it" He motioned to the rest of the assemblage "In order for you to do this, we also offer help. But you shall be watched by our scouts and guards for any sign of betrayal to this agreement" He held a hand out to them, offering a choice "What say you, of this?"
Michael thought they had actually struck a good deal. More help for will to figure out all that they needed. Maybe this getting captured by a group of wild Pokémon would be a good thing in the long run and he had no intent of breaking the oath he would give. Michael and Melody agreed to this, bringing a smile to the main leaders face and a look of defeat to a few others in the group. One of the other Alakazams spoke up now, his voice bearing the same age and wisdom as the other, but with a different tone.
"Before we depart to this place you spoke of, we must ask you, Melody was it? Why did you link yourself to this human when you first arrived in this world?" The others listened intently for an answer. Michael didn't understand, he thought the link was for communication, and it was obvious then, why she would do so. Melody blushed slightly at the question, leading Michael to openly ask
"What do you mean? She couldn't speak to me until she linked our minds" The question earning a knowing look from the Pokémon. The younger one went on to explain.
"The linking of one's mind to another is considered a very intimate act in Psychic Pokémon culture, often only used when offering one's self as a mate to another. The proposal is answered by the other either accepting or rejecting the connection. It is unsurprising that you did not know this, having never contacted a Pokémon before." He said, gladly flaunting his knowledge. "However, considering the fact that she had only just met you, it seems puzzling to do something so rash"
Melody looked to Michael worriedly before explaining to them.
"When I first arrived, I didn't know I wasn't in Hoenn anymore. I thought Michael was a trainer and I had somehow been knocked out in the forest. I tried to escape but I was injured. I realized that Michael didn't intend to harm me, and resisting capture was useless in the state I was in" She explained, her voice edged by a negative emotion Michael couldn't place "I thought that if I linked my mind to his, I might have a chance of having a better life with him as a trainer than other Pokémon who I have seen captured"
The group of leaders looked at one another, exchanging glances and nods, as if they knew what the others were thinking. The one who had asked the question spoke again
"Although the move was rash and would have broken very serious tradition in your culture and given the circumstances, it may have been nessicary, but what were you planning to do if you were released?" He asked, the younger one moving in again to elaborate the question to Michael
"The breaking of a mental link is an extremely terrible process for both parties. Those who have lost their mates have often committed an act so horrifying to the other, their minds cannot tolerate one another anymore, and the link will break. It has been described as a feeling of having one's self torn in two and forever losing that half that was lost. In your case, it would have been required if Melody was to leave you, or you would both not be able to shut off each other's minds and would be inevitably drawn back again." He said "This is the reason that it is a sacred tradition and not one to be taken lightly"
Michael was at a loss for words. A whole rush of new questions rushed into his mind. Did she mean it as a proposal? Was it just for convenience? Was this the reason she loved him? He looked over to Melody who was also trying to form an explanation, before she ended with a final statement
"I...I don't know" she said, her voice carrying sadness, seeming lost in the air
The group regarded this answer, repeating their actions from before of glances and nods. The main leader motioned for them to go, and they did, walking back into the dark forest. He turned back to Melody and Michael
"We will be leaving at daybreak; we will accompany you back to your friends via flight. Please rest until then" he said
And with that, he turned and left, leaving them both to fall into an uncomfortable sleep filled with doubt and regret.Chapter End Notes:There was a shoutout to another AGNPH writer in there, points to those who can find it
"Welcome you two, we have many a thing to discuss"
Michael and Melody looked curiously at him. The fact that he talked was of no surprise to them, but more the fact that he was so welcoming, given the introduction these creatures had surely had upon entry to this world. The seemed to sense their confusion and smiled, if that expression he wore was a smile, and pushed a small plate of berries towards them as if preparing to tell a long story like that of a mother to their child.
"I must admit, I am surprised to find a human who is not shocked by our presence, but from what it looks like, you have been weaned of such fears" He said, motioning to Melody "I know that, since one of the scouts agreed to transport you back to our camp, you are either very important or seeking asylum, and if it is the latter, I must ask why" His voice was old but the question was posed with a inflection of authority.
Michael spoke first, trying not to let his eye contact with the creature waver.
"We don't need shelter and I can't think of why we would be important to you, but your...scout, took us by surprise" the image of the large lizard still fresh in his mind, odd for something of that size to be considered a scout. "It might have mistaken me for an enemy when it saw I was with Melody"
"Melody....a fine name if I have ever heard one" the creature mused "I take it that you are the reason our scout did not slaughter him, Melody" He rolled the name as he said it, still pondering it in the corner of his mind
"Y-yes" Melody stammered slightly as she was abruptly addressed "I told him that we weren't enemies...and that we couldn't cause him any trouble if he left us alone"
"Then why are you here?" the creature asked, either he was feigning ignorance or he had not been told of this by the scout
"He said that he needed to take us back to your nest, he wouldn't leave us alone, otherwise" Melody replied, wondering if the Charizard had ulterior motives in bringing them here
"Did he now?" A flash of anger crossed the creatures face, barely visible to either of them "I will discuss that with him later, but for now, I must ensure that this haven remains safe". The creature glanced out the door of the small hutch, the camp was restless with these two here and something needed to be done about it.
"You must remain here until it is deemed safe for you to leave, and for us to let you leave" he said sharply. Michael spoke up
"I'm sorry, but we can't stay here, we have to keep moving, we have friends who don't know where we are right now" he said "our friends are probably looking for us, and if they give up, thinking we're dead, they'll leave. We'd have a hard time finding them again"
"Be that as it may, I cannot allow you to endanger my tribe. You will remain here and you will not leave until permission is given" The creatures voice echoed in Michael's head louder than before
"So we're like hostages to you?" Michael said, voice matching the raising of the creature's. This place endangered their entire plan for salvation, their future for themselves they desperately looked for.
"Only until we have determined whether or not you can be trusted, do you not see logic in my decision?" He asked. It was true, it was the smartest thing to do, and the fact that he was leader of an entire people made it even more important. But the risk of losing their only chance at a normal life was something Michael saw as being worth more than the protection of this tribe.
"Please, we haven't tried to hurt any of you and you outnumber us, we wouldn't be able to hurt you" Melody tried to reason with him. The air was ripe with tension, the plate of food in front of them sat almost untouched since the exchange began, and with the way it was headed, looked to stay that way.
"There is no doubt that is true, but if I were to release you, you may devolve secrets to others who may have unacceptable motivations" The creature said, tone growing impatient, remaining stubborn in his position. "If even one member of my tribe was harmed by you or your friends, the guilt would rest heavy in my heart that I let it happen"
"We don't know where we are! And we have no reason to tell anyone of us being here, we have to leave and get back to our friends" Michael said, standing as if to leave "If you let us go, then we will guarantee not to tell anyone of this place, you can even let some of your people accompany us back"
"You may not leave without permission" The creature said, piercing eyes glaring at Michael harshly
"We must and we will" Michael said ultimately, knowing how the odds were stacked against him "We won't tell anyone we were here, that is something you will have to trust us with.
"That is not a pledge we can believe in, particularly when It comes from a human, those who have shown nothing but violence towards us, who is of no importance to us!" The psychic's eyes glowed with a brief flash, sending Michael stumbling back with a cry, clutching his eyes. The psychic approached Michael as he stumbled stupidly to the ground
"Don't touch him!"
The psychic turned to the voice, but was thrown away as an invisible barrier ploughed into him, the force of it sending small blast of wind through the hut. He struck the ground and rolled into the wall, making the hut creak slightly with his impact. He looked over to see Melody, faint blue outline tracing around her body, with nothing but power and anger in her eyes. Michael had never felt this level of fury from her before, it washed hotly over his mind, the link urging him to the same state. Michael suppressed the anger attempting to seize his mind and looked through his blurred vision, motioning for Melody to stop. He still pleading to the psychic
"Please, we must go back, we have friends who are back there, t-they're our only hope of getting back, if they find a way to o-" Michael stopped himself, realising what he had partly revealed. The creature's brow arched an inch upon hearing this. He got up and steadied himself, regaining a calmer composure.
"What exactly is this hope?" he asked "and is it you plan to go back to?"
Melody spoke as she helped Michael to a sitting position; the flash had left his eyes unfocused as his balance slightly off. "It would help if we explained everything to you, please sit back down, it was a shock to me when I was first told of the truth about this world". The psychic slowly sat down again, eyes sharply focused on the pair who showed so much gall to him.
"Very well, what is this truth that you speak of?" He asked, accusation in his voice, but patience in his posture. Melody and Michael slowly recounted the tale of their journey so far. Even to them, hearing the tale told back sounded ludicrous, something that one would in the science fiction section of a seedy bookstore. They told of how this world was not Hoenn, or Sinnoh or Jhoto. They told how they had met and began to run from the inescapable coming apocalypse. The psychic listened intently, only asking questions to clarify a detail or something he thought he had misheard, but never refuting the tale or asking how it could all occur. It took nearly an hour, but finally Melody finished their story, the psychic not having moved since the start. Slowly, he lifted a hand to his mane, running it through the course, dark hair in contemplation.
"That..." he said, pausing while trying to find the right words "Is the most absurd story I have heard in all my years". Michael looked up with weariness
"It's all true, and if don't believe-"
"I never accused you of lying" The psychic said, slyly smiling "It is an absurd tale, but if it is true, then it would explain a great deal of what we have been through in our short time here". He continued to mull over these facts, muttering to himself, or maybe those were just stray thoughts from his telepathic speech? He looked at them once again.
"Do you have any proof of this, as such?" he asked, expecting another long story by the looks of it.
"We don't, but one of our friends is extremely learned in these matters, if we could take you to him, you would have your proof" Michael said, his eyes were nearly functioning again, a small amount of blur around the edges of his vision and slight dizziness persistent. The psychic thought for a moment, still stroking his mane and muttering stray thoughts. Finally, he looked back at them and said
"You will stay here tonight, I will consult with the others about this matter" he glanced out of the hut, scanning the forest "In the morning, we will give you our answer, and if it is yes, then we shall go to see these friends of yours, if it is no....then we shall see". His eyes glazed over in thought as he looked down, seemingly gone from this world, as if he were looking a thousand miles into the future.
The Xatu stepped back into the hut, motioning for them to follow him. Michael had guessed he had been listening in, to which he was unsure, was a good thing or a bad thing. Michael and Melody following the green little bird through the camp, still drawing looks from the Pokémon around them, to a destination unknown. In their own world, it would not have been an uncommon sight, but it was now one they seemed to shy away from, guarded themselves almost. The Xatu led them to a small open walled shelter in which was a bed of moss and a small plate of assorted fruits, all of which, seemed odd to Michael. Shapes and colours which he had never seen in a fruit. Maybe they has been brought through the portals too, the strange berry fruits of the Pokémon world. The Xatu communicated a short sentence with Melody and then left. Melody relayed the message, that they could explore the area, but not leave. Michael sat down on the mossy bed, putting his forehead in his hands. This was one situation he had not planned on, being in the camp of wild Pokémon who all were most likely hostile to them, with no way to contact the only allies he had in this whole journey.
"Well....what now?" Michael asked absently, honestly not knowing what to do. What now? It always came back to that. Plans went awry or something happened that impeded their goal, and then he would ask, what now? It was exhausting to know that it could always come back to that, forcing them to change their path. But for Melody, he thought it was all worth it, and he hoped he was right in the end. Melody sat motionless beside him, not knowing what to say either. She could talk to the other Pokémon, but what to say to them? Would they accept their relationship and maybe have a chance at eliminating their hostilities, or would they fear them even more for being with someone who was out to kill them, in their minds. In the end, she only said one thing
"Wait..."
"Is that it?" Michael asked "Is that how much control we have?" Michael was not one to try change history with his actions, but to do nothing in a time which required action was not something he could easily accept.
"We can't leave and we can't make him let us leave..." Melody said "And all this time we've been trying to keep doing something, maybe this time all we can do is nothing" She laughed slightly, an odd action for such a time
"What is it?" Michael asked
"Because we've never had time to spend together since we began running from everything, maybe this time together is a blessing for us" She said, sighing softly as she relaxed herself, leaning her head on Michaels shoulder "I would be happy to just sit here with you for a while, like we did before we left"
Michael contemplated her words, he still wanted to do something, but the peace he felt from her, just the utter harmony she gave him...he decided that this was for the best. Michael pulled Melody close to him, making her "eep" and giggle lightly. She held onto his arms as he stroked her soft green hair, just enjoying the moment they had together in the lush forest. As they sat in silence, they listened to all the sounds around them. The wind blowing a gentle tune alongside the river, whispering quietly, as the birds occasionally sang a song to the sky, thanking it for the open space in which to fly. Michael leaned his head down and planted a small kiss on Melody's head; she turned her head and drew him into a longer, loving kiss. When Michael looked back on it, he realised that was the first time they had ever really done it. All the times before, it had been a small and simple kiss, one of protection and care. But this was one of love; unfettered love that they knew was true as they let their emotions break through their mind's barriers. For long minutes, it seemed as if they were in a place of their own, cut off from both of their worlds, just existing in a pool of their adoration. When it all ended, Michael could only utter one sentence as he held her
"I love you, you know that, Melody?"
"With all your heart" Melody replied
In the hours that came as they sat together, various Pokémon approached, mostly staying a short distance away from them. They looked on at the two, but not one said or did anything. They held a certain curiosity in their eyes, one with which a child would have when he found a new bug in the garden or when he was watching another child from afar. Michael and Melody looked back, waiting for them to make the first move, and them waiting for them. The same situation he and Melody were once in of both wanting to say something but waiting for the other to start first. The silence was only broken when a small Pokémon stepped ahead of the crowd. The small Pokémon was a Torchic, red feathers on its wings and a small rounded head, three tufts of small feathers sprouting from it. It cheeped lightly then ran towards them, stopping in front of the two and turning its head slightly. It cheeped happily, running around them, trying to observe every detail with its youthful curiosity.
Melody reached over to the small plate of berries and took one, plump and purple, and held it out to the hyperactive little phoenix. It looked at the berry for a second before taking a peck, twittering gladly as it continued to eat. Other Pokémon looking on stepped forward as well, seeming braver now that one had shown the two were of no threat. One of the Pokémon spoke up, a Zangoose, although to Melody only, as Michael could not understand its speech. Melody relayed parts of the conversation to Michael, explaining that the Pokémon were curious as to who they were and why they were here.
"We were brought here why one of your scouts" Melody said, speaking to both Michael and the crowd telepathically "We're unsure why he did it, we were not causing him any distress when he passed overhead"
The Zangoose asked another question, motioning to Michael with a claw, its brown eyes regarding him with a slight mistrust.
"He isn't my trainer" She said "It would take a long time to explain who he is fully, how we met and why we are both travelling"
The Zangoose asked another short question
"He isn't my owner either" She said, enjoying the guessing game while the Zangoose looked on confused. Michael guessed that the only relations wild Pokémon knew of Pokémon to humans were that of a Trainer or an owner, which wasn't surprising, considering they didn't know they were not in their own world anymore or that this world did not even possess Pokémon. They must be confused now that humans are hunting them for reasons they don't know of.
Other Pokémon took a guess at who Michael was, some were rather amusing.
"No, he isn't an enemy or a slave or a collector" She said, herself amused at the idea of a human as a servant to a Pokémon, something which she had never heard of happening, making her wonder if it ever occurred.
A Lucario with a look of what Michael guessed was annoyance, asked one last sharp question. Melody was silent for a second. She looked at Michael for a moment, as if she was going to ask something, but turned back and answered.
"He is my mate" She answered simply, no hesitation in her voice. She received looks ranging from bewilderment to shock to uncertainty from the crowd around them. Michael felt slightly alienated being referred to as a 'mate', a term seeming very foreign to him. It gave him comfort, though, that the term showed she felt so strongly of him despite him being of a different species.
A stuttered question came from another of the group of Lucarios in the crowd. Melody looked rather embarrassed when she heard it, a contrasting blush creeping across her pale skinned face.
"n-no, not...yet" She answered, her voice faltering somewhat. It took Michael a second to figure out what the question was, making the heat rise to his face. There was prolonged silence after that, both parties caught off guard by the answer and the following question. The little Torchic had walked to the pile of berries and was now happily devouring the fruits, blissfully ignorant of the topics brought up. A small cat like creature in the front of the crowd which Michael hadn't noticed before, spoke up. Its eyes were a deep red with no cornea but a large black iris, its fur black as night, being illuminated slightly by the glowing rings of gold around its upper legs and ears. It spoke with a genuine tone of curiosity in its voice as it asked its question. Melody spoke to Michael privately.
"She's asking why I love you" she said "and why you love me back" she smiled. Michael softly grinned as he gave Melody his message to translate, trying to explain his reasons to the best of his poetic abilities. Melody began to recount their tale from the beginning.
"I was lost when we first met; I didn't know where I was or what had happened. Michael found me and took me in. He helped me even though he didn't know who I was or why I had appeared. I was alone, isolated from my home and everyone I knew, but he remained by my side. He could have just left me after I had healed, but he didn't. He cared for me, and because of that, I cared for him. We grew closer and eventually fell in love, regardless of us both knowing we weren't of the same species. I loved Michael because he cared for me and showed he wouldn't abandon me even if I could never get home. And when he accepted that I loved him and loved me back, I knew he was the one that I could never leave" She said, transmitting images and emotions through her mind towards the crowd, allowing them to see as she had seen. She relayed Michael's side of the message next."When I found Melody, I couldn't help but feel for her. She was a small flower lost in a storm of confusion and conflict. She knew nothing of the world outside her own and had no one there to guide her through it all. She reminded me of myself. And by helping her, she helped me. A man in a land of darkness, lost from the world he called his own. Someone who never understood his own world and the people in it, or why they acted as they did. But she was there. I could talk to her, share with her, all because she knew nothing of my world, all because she offered a clean slate. She understood and she accepted me for who I am, not asking me to change and not needing me to. I owe my life to her, the one woman, and the one person who brought me happiness in a long, long time."
The crowd of Pokémon stood, transfixed by their story. The Umbreon who had asked the question sat in silent contemplation before curving her lips slightly, smiling as she looked at the two. Speaking as Melody translated.
"That's a beautiful story" She said "I never thought something like that could happen in reality. It sounds like a legend my pack use to tell"
"What legend was that?" Michael asked, Melody relaying the message back and forth as the Umbreon answered.
"Generations ago before even my great-great-grandfather was born, Humans and Pokémon were all equals. It wasn't uncommon for them to live in the same area or share the same food. Because they were equal, Human and Pokémon couples were an ordinary sight. According to the legend, some even had children, which evolved into some of the Pokémon we have today, because Pokémon were different back then compared to now" She explained, the crowd around them was listening intently to the story which must have been passed down for generations. "We don't know which ones because it was so long ago. But after a while, humans and Pokémon began to split up. Humans built large settlements and agreed with the Pokémon that they could have the forests, if they allowed the humans land for themselves. As time passed, humans and Pokémon became even more distant until the idea of a human and Pokémon being together as a mated coupled was thought of as wrong. They had forgotten their own heritage, and viewed Pokémon as less than themselves"
"How common is it today, if it even happens at all?" Melody asked, thoughts of her own world niggling in the back of her mind
"I don't know, I'd never seen it before, and my pack travelled a lot so I always thought it was only a legend" the Umbreon replied, scratching her ears lazily. "I did hear of one man, I think his name was wolf, or-"
The Umbreon was cut off as the crowd was violently shoved aside; drawing cries of protest from the various Pokémon throw out of the way. A Blaziken stepped through, its eyes an icy blue, fixated on the two with an unwavering glare. Michael recognised it as the same Blaziken that he had seen on their way to the leader's hut. It's eyed moved to the Torchic in front of the two, still eating away at the berries, then back to them, its sneer growing. Michael didn't think it was even possible for a beaked creature to twist its mouth, but it almost seemed that way. The creature cautiously, albeit threateningly, approached the two, stopping a few feet in front of them. Michael didn't return the glare and neither did Melody, which the Blaziken thought slightly strange, to not get a response from his obvious aggression. It looked at the Torchic and spoke a quick command. The Torchic protested, peeping quickly, but the Blaziken silenced it with another stern command. The Torchic turned to Michael and Melody, giving a quick tweet before it ran back to the Blaziken, who picked it up and irately marched away. After the event, the crowd of Pokémon quickly dispersed, the atmosphere of the meeting having become tainted by the event that had just occurred. Michael asked Melody
"What was all that about?" he couldn't fathom what the Blaziken had said or why it had been so concerned.
"He seemed worried about the Torchic, which is most likely his child" she said "He just told the Torchic to stop and get away from us"
"Why did he do that? We obviously weren't a threat to anyone else" Michael said. If the other Pokémon had been convinced of their harmlessness, then why wasn't he?
"He...was very distraught, even if he didn't show too much of it" Melody said, remembering the cold eyes that she had looked into, seeing a deep rooted detestation for them "Maybe he was just worried for his child's safety". Or maybe it was something deeper, they both thought, not needing to share the idea.
Michael looked up at the sky. It was late morning when they had left the farmhouse, now the sky had shifted from its morning blue into a stream of orange and purple across the clouds. Will and Tom would be looking for them by now, at least he hoped they would, it would buy them some time while the leader made up his mind on what to do with them. As there was nothing better to do, they both lay down to rest themselves, bunching out in each other's arms and letting the pleasure of sleep embrace them. Michael found sleep to be a welcome escape from all that was going on, and Melody found it calming to know that they would never be harmed or have to run away in their dreams, a world of their own creation.
During their slumber, their minds mingled. Never fully connecting, but snippets of dreams and thoughts escaping from one into the other, making for a world of transformation and change. One minute Michael was back at home, painting a large piece of stretched canvas with the smell of oil paint and turpentine wafting through the air, and the next he was standing across a river from a small group of Gardevoirs, Gallades, Kirlias and Raltses, watching as they went about daily tribal life with the smell of fresh forest pine all around him. Melody would watch Michael as he made his way down the old gravel road and down the path to the river, and then be back with her tribe in the deep reaches of the Hoenn forest, untouched by man. The confusing scenes offered glimpses into each other's lives before the calamity that brought them together, the majority of which were forgotten, whisked away in the tidal wave of thoughts that leaked from their minds in a blissful oblivion.
They were awoken by a rustling sound from the forest beyond them. Melody looked up to see the sky had changed to a deep oceanic blue, stars still glittering in the darkness only cut through by the light of the crescent moon. A fraction of orange light emanated from the edge of it all, heralding the coming of dawn. Michael roused himself as well, hearing the rustling as it came closer to them. As the rustling reached them, a figure stepped from the forest and into the moonlit area of their small arrangement. The moonlight illuminated the leader Pokémon, the aged Alakazam, and darkened the various figures behind him. He spoke wearily, like a man who had argued for far too long.
"After counselling with the other leaders, we have come to a decision" He said, pausing long enough for Michael to ask a question
"Who are the other leaders? We thought you were the leader of this group" His voice dragged by his drowsiness. The Pokémon motioned to the figures behind him, and they stepped out into the light to join him. Beside him stood ten other Alakazams, along with one Kadabra. Michael was curious that he had never seen them around the area before.
"After assaulting the problem from every angle, we have decided that we will release you on one condition" He said, holding up a single, clawed digit to illustrate. The Kadabra spoke up this time, this voice sounding significantly younger than the main leader's
"If what you have said is true, about seeking a return to our own world, then you must offer us use of it if you find it" He motioned to the rest of the assemblage "In order for you to do this, we also offer help. But you shall be watched by our scouts and guards for any sign of betrayal to this agreement" He held a hand out to them, offering a choice "What say you, of this?"
Michael thought they had actually struck a good deal. More help for will to figure out all that they needed. Maybe this getting captured by a group of wild Pokémon would be a good thing in the long run and he had no intent of breaking the oath he would give. Michael and Melody agreed to this, bringing a smile to the main leaders face and a look of defeat to a few others in the group. One of the other Alakazams spoke up now, his voice bearing the same age and wisdom as the other, but with a different tone.
"Before we depart to this place you spoke of, we must ask you, Melody was it? Why did you link yourself to this human when you first arrived in this world?" The others listened intently for an answer. Michael didn't understand, he thought the link was for communication, and it was obvious then, why she would do so. Melody blushed slightly at the question, leading Michael to openly ask
"What do you mean? She couldn't speak to me until she linked our minds" The question earning a knowing look from the Pokémon. The younger one went on to explain.
"The linking of one's mind to another is considered a very intimate act in Psychic Pokémon culture, often only used when offering one's self as a mate to another. The proposal is answered by the other either accepting or rejecting the connection. It is unsurprising that you did not know this, having never contacted a Pokémon before." He said, gladly flaunting his knowledge. "However, considering the fact that she had only just met you, it seems puzzling to do something so rash"
Melody looked to Michael worriedly before explaining to them.
"When I first arrived, I didn't know I wasn't in Hoenn anymore. I thought Michael was a trainer and I had somehow been knocked out in the forest. I tried to escape but I was injured. I realized that Michael didn't intend to harm me, and resisting capture was useless in the state I was in" She explained, her voice edged by a negative emotion Michael couldn't place "I thought that if I linked my mind to his, I might have a chance of having a better life with him as a trainer than other Pokémon who I have seen captured"
The group of leaders looked at one another, exchanging glances and nods, as if they knew what the others were thinking. The one who had asked the question spoke again
"Although the move was rash and would have broken very serious tradition in your culture and given the circumstances, it may have been nessicary, but what were you planning to do if you were released?" He asked, the younger one moving in again to elaborate the question to Michael
"The breaking of a mental link is an extremely terrible process for both parties. Those who have lost their mates have often committed an act so horrifying to the other, their minds cannot tolerate one another anymore, and the link will break. It has been described as a feeling of having one's self torn in two and forever losing that half that was lost. In your case, it would have been required if Melody was to leave you, or you would both not be able to shut off each other's minds and would be inevitably drawn back again." He said "This is the reason that it is a sacred tradition and not one to be taken lightly"
Michael was at a loss for words. A whole rush of new questions rushed into his mind. Did she mean it as a proposal? Was it just for convenience? Was this the reason she loved him? He looked over to Melody who was also trying to form an explanation, before she ended with a final statement
"I...I don't know" she said, her voice carrying sadness, seeming lost in the air
The group regarded this answer, repeating their actions from before of glances and nods. The main leader motioned for them to go, and they did, walking back into the dark forest. He turned back to Melody and Michael
"We will be leaving at daybreak; we will accompany you back to your friends via flight. Please rest until then" he said
And with that, he turned and left, leaving them both to fall into an uncomfortable sleep filled with doubt and regret.Chapter End Notes:There was a shoutout to another AGNPH writer in there, points to those who can find it