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Empty Hourglass	By : Stormborn Apostle Category: Pokemon > General Views: 4259 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Pokemon and I make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Empty Hourglass
- 1
Tuck me in beneath the blue,

Beneath the pain, beneath the rain...

Goodnight kiss for a child in time;

Swaying blade, my lullaby...

On the shore, we sat and hoped

Under the same pale moon

Whose guiding light chose you,

Chose you all...

---"The Poet and the Pendulum", Nightwish

*****

A deep rumble of thunder brought Psymakio out of her troubled sleep.

She jolted awoke from her nightmares, sweating in spite of the cool morning air, her fear compounding when she did not immediately recognize her surroundings. This was not a particularly unusual way to start the morning; their pack had constantly been on the move for months now, unable to stay anywhere for significant lengths of time without risking death. After a brief moment of frightful confusion, her psychic abilities kicked in and filled her mind with blessed awareness, and she slumped down in relief.

They were on one of the countless tiny islands of the southern seas. She did not know precisely which one; there were literally thousands of them, nearly all uninhabited and a great many uncharted. The undersea volcanism in this part of the world meant that new islands were appearing and disappearing all the time, and some were raised up and re-sunken without a human ever laying eyes on them. The rough seas and constant storms made this part of the world a dangerous place, but it was certainly a good place to hide, and her battle-hardened pack was more than capable of surviving here.

Psymakio spread out her progging senses, trying to locate her friends. It was not difficult; her powers had grown enormously since the Fallarbor incident, and she was able to prog most of the small island despite still being half-asleep. Given the sparse cover of the island and what little they could carry, their shelter was relatively meager---a few tents and waterproof tarps strung between the trees---but it was adequate to protect them from the worst of the weather. She sensed Arcanine and Graveler nearby, hiding from the rain that was beginning to tap maddeningly on the tent-tops. Manectric was on the beach, likely watching the rising waves and roiling thunderclouds. Crawdaunt and Cacnea were outside as well, not far from her tent, bathing their bodies in the cool rain.

And as for her mate...

The sleeping bag next to her was empty, but a small breakfast had been set out on top of it, mostly smoked meat and a few of the island fruits that they'd determined were edible. A stunningly-colored flower was laid beside it, and Psymakio couldn't help but smile. Even here, of all places, Slash still found ways to bring joy to her life. She closed her eyes and reflected on the previous night's lovemaking, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. While living amongst the islands for the past two months had not been easy, the isolation certainly had its benefits.

Her smile turned somber as she picked up the flower and slipped it behind her ear. Tears briefly threatened to spill, but she restrained them with great difficulty. She had promised herself that she would not make this day any harder than it would have to be, and though she knew she wouldn't be able to refrain from falling apart later, she didn't want to fail her promise before breakfast. There was still time. Precious little time, but...

She ate quickly, not wanting to waste any more of it. The rain continued to pick up, eventually becoming a constant sheeting downpour. She sensed Manectric returning to the shelter, but Slash remained where he was, somewhere at the center of the island. Mildly curious at to what he was doing outside in this weather, Psymakio finished eating and got up to go join him. She stepped outside of the tent and shivered at the sudden rush of cool air and rain, conjuring a psychic barrier over her head to protect herself from the worst of it. The tropics were typically warm year-round, but the frequent sky-spanning storms and sea breeze could still bring a chill.

[Did you bring in the boat?] Psymakio asked as she walked past Crawdaunt and Cacnea. [It looks like it's only going to get worse.]

[Brought it in and tied it to a tree,] Crawdaunt confirmed. [Don't worry, it's way above the high tide line, and there's no sign that the waves ever get that far inland, even during the worst storms.] He paused for a moment, exchanging a worried glance with Cacnea. [Are you...alright, Psymakio?]

She nodded, though she wondered if that was true. Well, she was certain that it was a lie, but it would have to do for now. [We don't grieve until it's over, understand? Breaking down before then will only make it more difficult for him, and that's the last thing I want.]

[Same here,] Crawdaunt said, though she could see the pain in his eyes, too. Despite his tough exterior, he was just as distraught as everybody else. Considering how close he and Slash were, it wasn't surprising. They had been very close ever since Crawdaunt evolved---'dark brothers', they called each other---sharing in the difficulties of coming to terms with their powers. They had both bled and shed blood for each other. Most importantly, Slash had refused to accept the world's judgment of Crawdaunt as an abomination, and Crawdaunt had returned the favor by protecting Slash from the world's wrath. Psymakio smiled sadly at the thought of what they'd been through together; that sort of camaraderie was something even she couldn't give her mate.

Cacnea couldn't even meet Psymakio's eyes. Psymakio laid a hand on his shoulder, careful to avoid his poison-tipped needles as she did so. [I know it's hard,] she whispered. [I lost my parents, too...I know what it feels like. But remember what I said...as hard as it is for us, it's even harder for him. He needs our strength now more than ever, so we must be strong for him. There will be time to mourn. Now is not that time.]

The small Pokemon nodded bitterly, trying his best to hide his tears. [When exactly will it...happen...?]

[Not until tonight. So let's make this day as enjoyable as possible for him, alright?]

[Yes, mom.] His body trembled as soon as she removed her hand. Seeing that he would soon lose his composure and sensing that he did not want her to see him cry, she nodded to Crawdaunt and briskly walked off. Her sensitive ears heard it when Cacnea finally lost control, but there was no reason for him to know that. The little boy was so prideful.

Like his father.

Tears again rose up, and this time she couldn't stop them from briefly overtaking her, but she quickly regained her self-control as she drew nearer to Slash's presence. Not wanting to worry him, she briefly let the psychic umbrella flicker, dousing her in a splash of rain that hid the lingering traces of her tears. It wouldn't fool him---he could read her emotions as easily as she could read his, even from across the island---but at least this way he wouldn't have to see that she'd been crying. Knowing that she was crying would upset him, but actually seeing the tears on her face would upset him far more.

She quickly walked through the island's interior, navigating the maze of tropical trees and hanging vines with ease. She did not wish to teleport unless it was an emergency. While it would get her to Slash more quickly, the burst of psychic energy would also attract Sharpedo to the island, and then fishing and swimming would be out of the question for at least a day or two. The island itself did not appear to have any permanent Pokemon inhabitants; seabirds occasionally made roost, but they had yet to find any nests in the treetops, and the one Pelipper stupid enough to try to make a meal out of Cacnea had gotten a mouthful of needles for its efforts. While the lack of wildlife made finding food more difficult, it was certainly comforting to know that there were no predators lurking about, especially when her mate was alone and away from her protection.

And, Psymakio thought to herself as she weaved between tall clusters of vegetation and finally caught sight of her mate, there were far worse places to spend one's last days.

Slash stood in the middle of the small clearing, stripped to the waist despite the chilly ocean breeze. He closed his eyes and raised his head towards the sky, spreading his arms wide as if to embrace the storm. Rain cascaded down his body, trailing over taut muscle and warped scars, and for a long moment Psymakio could only watch silently, awed by his beauty and humbled by the terrible reminders of all that he'd suffered, both for his quest and for her. She had seen him undressed many times, of course, but never before had she seen him like this, throwing himself on the mercy of the wind, laying himself bare to the world. Most humans went their entire lives without communing with nature in such a manner...but Slash, of course, was not like most humans. That was why she loved him.

"Good morning," he called, not needing to open his eyes to know that his mate was near. He was utterly soaked, but he didn't look in the least bit miserable. "Nice day, don't you think?"

[Master,] she said in a chiding voice. [Come on now, get out of the rain before you catch a cold or get struck by lightning.]

"Considering that this is my last day alive, I don't think I need to worry about such things." He opened his eyes and smiled at the sight of his mate standing in the midst of the rain. She was so beautiful that it almost hurt to look at her, especially with the knowledge that he was swiftly running out of time to do so. "It's actually a pretty common topic among humans...what you'd do if it was your last day alive. Usually involves doing things you'd never get away with otherwise. I never really considered it, myself. And once I actually was in this situation, I just wanted to go as far in our quest as I could before...time ran out. We've come so far, but...I just wish I could have done more with the time I had."

Psymakio walked to his side and took his hand, her fingers tracing the corruption lines that now ran from fingertip to elbow. That was another thing he wouldn't have to worry about, and despite her heartbreak, that was one thing Psymakio was glad about. The thought of her mate as some rampaging mutant monster was too terrible to contemplate. The thought of him rising from the dead as a blood-thirsty, shambling corpse...that was even worse.

[What were you doing out here anyway, master? It's been raining for a while now...]

Slash pointed to his backpack nestled under some bushes, along with the (thankfully waterproof) Pokenav on top of it. "I was writing a few letters to...some people I won't get a chance to talk to again. You know...goodbyes. I just wanted some quiet and privacy while I wrote them. Come on, I'll show you."

The pair walked over to the other side of the clearing and sat together, leaning against each other under Psymakio's psychic umbrella. Slash didn't bother putting his rain-soaked shirt back on, preferring to enjoy the warmth of his mate on his bare skin. He picked up the Pokenav and laid it across their laps, pulling up the documents he'd been working on.

"This one is for my parents. It...took me quite a while to figure out just what to say to them. I almost didn't want to write them at all, considering how they reacted when they...found out about us...but...they're my parents, you know? I think they at least deserve an explanation for everything I've done."

[It's alright, I understand.] Psymakio kissed Slash on the cheek and snuggled against him more fully. [What did you end up telling them?]

"Everything. I considered leaving certain parts out...things that could put them in danger...but they're not stupid. They won't blabber about anything that would attract Aqua or Rocket's attention. I explained everything that's happened along our quest...including our falling in love, which they didn't want to hear about before but I'll be damned if I let that go, and I won't apologize for loving you. Not even a false apology to comfort them when they're going to lose their only child. Never"

Psymakio hung her head. [I'm sorry about...what happened, master. I didn't mean to...cause so much trouble between you and your family.]

He cupped her chin and made her look him in the eye. "I've told you that you have nothing to apologize for. They would have found out sooner or later anyway, and it's not your fault that they're too closed-minded to accept what we have." He gently kissed her and looked back down at the Pokenav. "This time they won't be able to cover their ears and walk away when I try to explain it. I told them everything, from our first meeting to our last days. Maybe, once they've read it, they'll understand just how much you mean to me. If not...well, I don't really care. Anybody that would ask me to choose between my love for you and loyalty to them...is not somebody I could care for."

[For a letter to two people you don't care for, you sure wrote a lot,] Psymakio noted as she scrolled through the lengthy letter. Slash just made a murmuring sound of dismissal, but she knew that even now, cast out from his own family, he couldn't throw away all of his feelings for them. Her cheeks colored as her eyes fell upon a particular paragraph. [You're...telling them about our mating?!]

"Not the specifics of...no!" Slash said hastily, scrolling down further for her to see. "Just about our connection...the strength of our bond and how we linked our lifespans. Maybe that will make them realize just how close me and you are, and that it's not just a matter of sex."

Another crash of thunder echoed through the sky, and the pair huddled together closer under the closely-nestled trees. It wasn't particularly safe there, but the island didn't really have any better cover from the storm; no caves, no rock formations, nothing. It would have to do.

"That...reminds me...are you sure that when I...go...that you won't go, too? Completely sure?"

Psymakio nodded, trying to stifle the rush of pain that came from being reminded of just what was going to happen that night. She managed to keep the specifics out of her mind even when discussing his farewell letters, but avoiding it completely was impossible. It wasn't healthy, in any case; denying it until the last moment certainly would not make dealing with it any easier, and would likely only make it harder when she woke up next to her only love's corpse. She had to be strong enough to at least confront the fact that it would happen. [I'm almost completely sure. It will be hard...very hard...but our mating bond recognizes Cacnea as our child, and my own willpower and need to continue our quest should be enough to stop me from...from...]

"Falling in after me."

She nodded, hoping that the tears wouldn't come again so soon. [The mating bond usually doesn't cause both to die if there are children to be cared for, or an extremely pressing need to survive. I can't be completely sure because it's never happened to me before, but...I don't think you need to worry.]

"Good. I want you to send this message to them as soon as you guys get back within range of the communication network. If they eventually send a response, and they probably will, then it's up to you whether you want to read it or say something to them yourself. You're good enough at reading now that you can do that if you wish." Slash smiled at her. "I almost wish you hadn't picked up reading so quickly. It was fun teaching you."

[It was fun being...taught by you,] Psymakio agreed with a faint blush, thinking back to those days, days when everything had been so easy for them. Staying in Watson's house, protected from the harsh and unforgiving world...cuddling up, much as they were now, with a book between them...they had felt so safe back then, shielded from harm by their friend and protected from loneliness by each other's touch. At first Slash would be the one reading the stories, speaking the words aloud while she traced the words with her finger and got used to them. Then she would try, and though she was a fast learner, it still took a while to be able to bumble through even the most basic storybooks for children. That was okay with her, though...it just meant more time with her mate, and no matter how badly she messed up, he never grew bored or impatient with her.

Those memories triggered another, memories of Slash telling stories to her when she was a very young Ralts. Her eyes misted up just thinking about it. It seemed like an eternity ago, but she remembered it very well, back when they'd just started out together, back when it had only been the three of them---herself, Slash, and the often-Pokeballed Growlithe. Her very earliest memories of Slash were hazy...him capturing her on the side of the road, sparing her a miserable death...but the memories of the first time she was let out of her Pokeball were quite clear. Petalburg Woods, a frightfully dark and maze-like forest crawling with strange and unfamiliar Pokemon, was a place unlike anything she'd ever seen in her life. This was long before she had broken out of her shell of shyness and timidity, and she was so afraid that she actually tried to teleport away; thankfully her young teleports had not gone far, and Slash had caught up with her before she went so far that she couldn't find her way back.

Slash, sitting next to her now, could sense the direction of her memories quite well through their bond. "I remember that. I was scared too, you know, but not of the forest. I was scared that my first captured Pokemon was going to run away and get herself lost and hurt again..."

[I know...it was sensing your panic that actually made me calm down a bit. I...didn't want my new master to feel such painful emotions on my account.]

"And then I brought you back to our little camp, where we huddled around the light of the Pokenav. You were still shaking, and I decided that putting you back in your Pokeball in such a state would be a bad idea. I tucked you into a bundle of blankets and told you a story to try to get you to calm down."

[And it worked,] Psymakio said with a small smile. [As frightened as I was of that dark place, your voice quickly made all those fears melt away. Even through our tiny little bond, I could pick up how much you cared about me. Laying there next to you while you told me stories to keep my mind off of the darkness...it's strange how quickly I felt love for you. One moment I was dying on the roadside, so hurt and heartbroken that I'd resigned myself to death when the strange boy came and found me...then the next I was cuddled up in his lap, falling in love with his every word.] The two hugged each other tightly as the rain continued to fall around them, though the storm was all but unnoticed by either of them now. [I hadn't felt like that since my father disappeared, but...I never really thought of you as a father, even though you treated me like one. Even back then, I was...much more in love with you, even if I was too young to understand that at the time.]

"I wish I could say that I romantically loved you at first sight, too, but it'd be kind of creepy if I had felt that way towards you as a Ralts, huh?"

Psymakio giggled and nuzzled Slash's neck. [Maybe so, but I wouldn't have minded. I'm thankful that you took such good care of me, though, no matter how long it took for you to share my feelings. Back then I needed love of any kind, and you gave it to me. Thank you, master.]

"It wasn't one-sided, silly. I don't know what would have happened if I never met you, but I doubt it would have been good. You've touched my life more than I can even begin to understand. If you hadn't been there to soften my heart, then I'd...very likely be a much worse person than I am today. Never forget that the only difference between myself and Kiako is that I have somebody to pull me out of the darkness. If I didn't..."

[There's no point in thinking about such things. What's done is done. Whether it's fate that we met, or chance, or a little of both...it doesn't matter. All that matters is that we found each other...and fell in love with each other...and now, even after all that we've been through, we still have each other. That is the only thing you should be thinking about, not how bad you might have been otherwise.]

"You're right." Slash smiled solemnly and looked up at the churning sea of storms overhead. "I wonder if I could handle it if our positions were reversed. I mean, I know you will hurt terribly, but...I also know that you're strong enough to survive it. You're not that meek little child I found all those months ago, not anymore. Now you'll fight through the heartbreak, even use your loss as a weapon of great vengeance, and you'll keep going until your last breath. But if it was me losing you tonight...I don't think I'd be half as strong as you. Or perhaps I'm...just more selfish."

Psymakio tilted her head. [Selfish? What do you mean?]

"The only reason I'm on this quest...the only reason I've fought so hard to get this far...is to make a world that you can live in happily. Safely. That's all I want. I don't particularly care about anybody in this world other than you, our pack, and our handful of friends. The universe? The infinity of other universes? I can't even begin to COMPREHEND all those lives, let alone find it within myself to fight on their behalf. I'm not...quite so kindhearted. But you, Psymakio...you don't just fight for those you care about, but everybody. You believe in this quest and our goals far more fervently than I do. I think that...if I were losing you...I wouldn't be able to go any farther. Losing you would destroy my primary motivation for trying to save all of reality. Without you, saving existence just...wouldn't be worth it. What I mean to say is that...you're a far better person than I."

[I wouldn't say that at all. On the contrary, the fact that I can't say the same to you probably means that I...don't love you as much as you love me,] she whispered sadly. [Doesn't it? If I can just...get over your loss and keep pushing forward, doesn't that mean that my feelings for you pale in comparison to how you feel for me? Doesn't it almost make me...unfaithful? Not with another person, but with a life without you? If the stakes were any less, I would join you tonight out of sheer despair...but...I can't. Whether I die decades later or get killed by Rockets days from now, I'll still be separated from you and be able to function. Doesn't that mean that I don't really love you, not unconditionally?]

Slash stared at her, unable to speak. The only thing worse than what she was saying was that she actually seemed to believe it. He watched in wordless misery as her earlier vow to hold back her sorrow came undone.

[I...I can't allow it. I refuse to fail you now, when you need me most. Just say the word, master, and I'll join you tonight. The others will be distraught, and they may hate me for doing it, but...they can't understand what it's like to have a mating bond...how deeply it connects and how painful it is when it's broken...you say that I'm a better person than you, but I'd gladly let the universe burn, myself included, if I could just stop this from happening!]

Slash pulled her into a tight embrace, the Pokenav falling from their laps and onto the wet sand. She didn't cry, but in a way it would have been better if she did; the build-up of distress within her mind was so strong that it hurt both of them through their bond.

"Idiot," Slash said in her ear, not unkindly. "Lots of people lose their loved ones. It happens every day. Most of them don't kill themselves to join them, but that doesn't mean they didn't love them! It's not...an all or nothing matter! The thought of you living without me, struggling through heartbreak as you continue on our quest, going up against even stronger enemies but with even less strength and support...it hurts me terribly. But the thought of you just...ending your life to join me in death...that's a hundred times worse. I want you to live, Psymakio. Not just for our quest, but so you can have chances to be happy! It doesn't mean you don't love me as much as I love you, it just means that you're not as selfish as I am."

He drew back enough for their eyes to meet, and he saw the tears threatening to spill. He hoped they would; the pain was so great that she felt like she was dying herself.

"You caring about this world is a good thing, Psymakio. Don't demean it. Don't throw that good part of yourself away over some misguided attempt at loving me. It's my fault we're in this mess...my stupid mistake...and I'm the only one who deserves to pay for it. When I'm...when I'm gone...take comfort in the fact that I want you to live. I want you to save everybody, to love this world and protect it, because it's something I can't ever really do." Slash laughed humorlessly. "Everyone keeps calling us the royalty because we're the echoes of Quiero and Miyako, but...I'm no prince. Not by a long shot. If either of us is royalty, it's you. You'd make a far better queen than I would a king."

[It's just that...I feel that I've failed you. As a mate and as your guardian. A Gardevoir has two sacred duties in life...to cherish and protect their human companion, and to cherish and protect their mate. Our double bond brings us all the more closer together, but it also makes my inability to keep you safe all the more terrible. You may have made a stupid mistake when you sacrificed your life for mine, but it was my stupid mistake that put you in that situation in the first place. If I hadn't---]

"Don't," Slash interrupted, pulling her back against his chest. "You didn't want me to think about what kind of person I would have been if I hadn't met you, and I don't want you to think about all the what-if's that MIGHT have made things different. There's no point in blaming yourself...what's done is done, remember? Besides, considering how incredibly outmatched we are by our enemies, it's plausible that I would have been killed no matter what happened, fate or no. At least this way we had time to keep going on our quest, and time to get prepared to say our goodbyes. That's more than we would have gotten if the Cacturne had just ripped our throats out, right?"

He felt tears on his chest, and he rested his chin on top of her head, soothing stroking her back. "You did a very good job at your sacred duties, Psymakio. You cherished me, both as a lover and as a companion. And you protected me with every ounce of your strength. My deathblow came when you were unconscious. There has never been a single instance where I was hurt when you could have done something to stop it. You even tried to stop it when there was no hope of being successful...I'll never forget you fighting Kiako's Aggron, drawing on power and fury that even you didn't know you possessed, just to keep me safe. You've risked your life so many times for me that I've lost count. You have been the best companion, mate, and friend that I've ever had...and the best that's even possible to have. Psymakio, you've made my life worth living. Thank you...and I love you. So please...don't cry anymore. Let's make these last hours happy ones, alright? Please?"

[And I was telling everyone else to save their tears for later,] she murmured, a trace of humor in her voice. [A few minutes later and I'm a complete wreck.]

"It's alright. And hey, I'd be a little worried if my mate took all of this TOO well in stride."

Psymakio pulled back a moment later, wiping her eyes and blushing a pale green. Despite her sadness, being held and embraced by her shirtless mate still had an effect on her. Slash noticed, but he didn't want to pursue that just yet, not when she was still distraught. As fun as it would be to spend the last hours of his life repeatedly making love to her, their relationship was not purely sexual; he wanted to leave her with more than just a bit of soreness the next day. Besides, there were still a few final arrangements that needed to be discussed.

"You alright now?"

[As well as I can be, given the circumstances.] She sniffed and Slash handed her a tissue from his mostly-dry backpack. [Thank you. I'm surprised that you're handling this so much better than me. I mean, it's you who's...going to...]

"Going to die. You can say it, I'm not afraid." He frowned and shook his head. "Alright, I'm a little afraid, but I'm had about five months to prepare myself for this. I think I'm as ready for it as I can possibly be. Other than leaving you and the others, especially in the midst of so much danger, I have no regrets." He picked the Pokenav off the ground, wiping as much sand off of it as he could before laying it back in their laps. "Flannery told me something once...that a warrior doesn't have to die happy, but they must die satisfied...they have to know that they did everything in their power in the process of coming to that end. Considering how much we've been through these past few months...I'm satisfied. Could we have done more, if we pushed ourselves even further? Perhaps, but I wouldn't have gotten to spend any time with you, Gardie, and that would be just as much a failure as abandoning our quest entirely. Even more so, in fact."

He looked her in the eye, his eyes full of cold courage.

"I'm as ready as I can be."

Psymakio nodded, taking his hand into her lap and squeezing it softly. She could feel his heart more clearly now than ever before in their lives, with the exception of during lovemaking, and she sensed no false bravado or hidden fear within him at those words. Compared to many of the other humans she'd seen in their final moments---many of whom died screaming, frantic deaths, or lost all hope and curled up in weeping balls---Slash was absolutely prepared for what was to come.

[How much time do we have?]

Slash tapped a button on the Pokenav. "It's only 8:10. Judging from how much sand is in the hourglass, it should run out between eleven and midnight tonight, so about fifteen hours. I'd...like to be asleep when it happens, if possible," he said, blushing faintly at showing his mate even the smallest trace of fear.

[I can understand that. If you can't fall asleep on your own, a touch of Hypnosis will help. I might have to use it on myself...I can't imagine being able to sleep knowing what will happen.]

"Yeah...besides, I don't want you to be awake when it happens."

There was a moment of awkward, somber silence that was only broken by a great blast of thunder. The two huddled together a bit more closely, both aware that they should head back to the shelters but wanting to enjoy the privacy while they could.

"Anyway," Slash said, "there are a few other letters I'd like you to send as soon as possible. I wrote one to Watson...he already knows what's happening, of course, but I wanted to thank him for all the help he's given us. We owe him our lives several times over, you know, as well as a great deal of our strength."

[Yes, we do.] Psymakio thought back to her battle with Watson and Rotom, the first time she truly pushed herself as a Gardevoir. Even though she lost the duel, that fight had toughened her up significantly; the only reason she had been able to match blows with Kiako's Aggron was because Rotom had taught her how to deal with an overwhelmingly superior opponent. [It's been a long time since we last saw him. I wonder if we could beat his team now.]

Slash shrugged. "I'd like to think so, but he's a very skilled trainer, and he hasn't been slouching with his own training, either. It doesn't matter, anyway...considering all that's happened, it's probably not safe for you to go back to Mauville. But if things ever get truly dire...go find him. I'm sure he'll provide whatever help he can."

[I'm sure he will.] Psymakio looked over the letter, which was almost as lengthy as the one to Slash's parents despite not including a recounting of their journey. [You certainly wrote a lot...you care for him a great deal.]

"What can I say? He's like family to me...to all of us, really." Slash sighed and looked down at his lap. "Actually, considering that he accepted our relationship when my parents didn't, I guess he's more a part of my family than my actual family. I still don't understand why he's been so kind to us, either. All we did to earn his trust was hold off Team Magma until he arrived, but that doesn't seem like it'd be enough for him to be so...understanding."

[Perhaps it's to make amends,] she replied. [You know how terribly guilty he feels over what he did when he was in Team Magma.]

"Becoming the town's leader and taking such good care of it for so many years more than made up for that. I don't think that's the real reason."

[Then maybe it's because we remind him of what he once had,] Psymakio said quietly. [Something he lost and never stopped blaming himself over, even if it wasn't his fault.]

Slash opened his mouth to reply, then closed it, considering. He had seen pictures of Watson's wife, a slender woman with short golden hair...he supposed, to someone who had married such a woman and cared so deeply for her, that Psymakio might vaguely resemble her. "You're suggesting that he's reminded of his wife by you, and that I...he thinks of me as..."

[As the son he never had. We're the family that he lost so many years ago. I can't read his emotions as well as yours, but...I can read enough to know that when he looks at us, he thinks of them. He thinks of his wife whenever he sees how much I love you...and when he sees you, he wonders what his son would have been like if he'd survived. That's why he's been so caring towards us.]

"That's stupid," Slash promptly replied, leaning out from under the psychic umbrella to adjust a strap on his backpack. It didn't work any better for him than it did for Psymakio; the rain may have hid the tears from sight, but it did nothing to hide emotion from somebody with a direct telepathic link to his heart. Psymakio smiled at her mate's stubborn attempt at being manly at laid her head on his shoulder.

[Are there any other letters?]

"Yeah. One for Flannery and Blaziken...I doubt you'll ever have a chance to give it to them, since they'll be at Rayquaza's roost for the rest of their lives, but should the opportunity ever arise...I want them to know how thankful I am for their help. If it weren't for them, we all would have died in Fallarbor, and Chimney would have taken out all of northwest Hoenn...might have even destroyed Mauville and Watson, if it was bad enough. The entire country owes them a great deal, especially considering that saving them cost Torkoal his life and Blaziken his arm...but if they won't thank them, I will." Slash leaned his head against Psymakio's as he took her hand and kissed it. "It was also nice to know that we weren't alone. I mean, Watson didn't judge us, but other than Flannery, we've never met anyone else...like us. You know, I wonder how many couples like us are out there."

[Probably a lot more than you'd think. It might be illegal and considered immoral, but considering how close a trainer gets with their Pokemon, it wouldn't surprise me if more than a few fire-forged friendships blossomed into romance.]

"Those are people I WOULD be glad to fight for. Persecuted people, those who have to hide something they wish they could shout from the rooftops. Oh, Psymakio, if we were back in civilization right now, and it wouldn't put you in danger, then I'd spend my last day on this planet making love to you right in the middle of a major city's square. THAT would show them, huh?"

[Master!] Psymakio squealed, blushing brightly and playfully smacking him on the arm. [You...you naughty boy! I can't believe you'd even think of something like that!]

Slash laughed and gripped his arm as though she'd broken it. "I wasn't serious! Not really! I'd love to show the whole world how much I love you, but fucking you in public isn't quite how I'd like to do it. Besides, they don't deserve to see you like that. Naked, squeaking Gardie is a sight that is mine and mine alone."

[Pervert,] she whispered, sneaking an arm across his chest. The feeling of her very warm, very female body pressed against his bare arm made him doubly wish that this wasn't his last day alive. [Is that the last of your letters?]

"The last you'll have to deliver," Slash answered, turning to face her. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against his chest, slipping his fingers under her dress at the shoulders and trying to tug it off. Psymakio giggled at his increasingly-desperate fumbling and gave him a hand, allowing the dress to fall to her waist. She swept the island with another prog, not wanting to be caught in such a state, but thankfully the other Pokemon were still at the shelter on the edge of the island. "I wrote one for each of you guys...not to be read until tomorrow...except for you. I wrote two for you."

[Lucky me,] Psymakio whispered, linking her hands behind his neck and pressing her small breasts against him. She could feel his worried tension vanish at the contact, although it was replaced with a different kind of tension...a kind that she would be more than happy to deal with, as well. [Why do I get two of them?]

"One is the same kind as what the others will be getting...telling you just how much you mean to me...how much I love you and how much I've cherished our time together." Slash tilted her head and kissed her shoulder, slowly moving his lips towards her neck. His voice was that husky, playful, adventurous tone that had charmed her on so many lonely nights, and her own fears over this dreadful day disappeared as quickly as Slash's had. "The other is a little more...well...spicy."

[You wr-wrote me a dirty letter?] she gasped in mock surprise. [I can't believe you would do something so...untoward...] She trailed off as he reached her neck and laid quick little kisses all around her, from cheeks to under her chin, not moving to her lips until he'd covered her entire face with them. [J-just why did you do that, master?]

Slash grinned mischievously as he felt his mate's body heat up at the simple, playful contact. Though they'd made love almost every night that they'd been island-hopping, they had never grown tired of it. Flannery had told them, long ago, that newly mated Pokemon were instinctively driven to couple repeatedly until pregnancy resulted, and that human-Pokemon couples, not being able to achieve this, often burned hot for a very long time. Slash didn't know if six months was normal or not for such couples, but he didn't care; all that mattered was that both he and Psymakio had been insatiable ever since their first mating, and damned if he was going to complain.

"Well, first of all, I wanted you to end up reading it to yourself, not knowing what it was, and end up blushing and stammering in front of everybody. I do so like to fluster you."

[I'm aware of that,] Psymakio said, angling her head to allow Slash access to any part of her that he wanted. Something told her that the kisses would not stay above the neck for much longer. [And the other reason?]

"I imagine that when I'm gone, it's going to be...lonely...for you, if you understand my meaning. I wanted to leave you with something to...give you a little comfort at night."

[Y-you wrote naughty stuff for me to...to...]

Slash's grin widened. "Say it. Go on, nobody's around to overhear."

Psymakio's cheeks were almost as green as her hair now. [For me to...pleasure myself to? Just what sort of things did you write?!]

"Oh, this and that. And the other thing. It's even longer than the letters I wrote to Watson and my parents. I didn't want you getting bored." He kissed her on the lips, catching the flustered Gardevoir by surprise and nearly pushing her onto the ground with the forcefulness of it, but he knew from experience that rolling around in the sand was not conductive to lovemaking, no matter how many cheesy romance novels claimed otherwise. "Actually, I have a bit of a confession to make...I've sorta been writing about one sexy letter a day ever since we got back from Fallarbor...other than while I was in the hospital, I mean. It's been pretty hard keeping it a secret from you..."

[E-every night!? But it's been nearly six months since Fallarbor! Okay, five if you take away the time in the hospital, but that would mean you've written...]

"About 130. I didn't write one EVERY night, and sometimes we were so busy ACTUALLY doing things that I didn't really care about writing it, so..."

Psymakio clapped her hands on her cheeks and stared at him with an adorable mix of shock, admiration, and naughtiness. [You wrote me OVER ONE HUNDRED erotic messages? I'm...I'm surprised that your Pokenav has room for so many files!]

"Oh, it has plenty of room...text doesn't really take up that much memory. I probably could have made you some videos, too, if I had a camera attachment for it."

[B-but why so many?!]

Slash shrugged, but his goofy grin was all the evidence Psymakio needed; he had known EXACTLY what he was doing. "I suppose that I didn't want you to get bored, and just one message would get boring after a while, no matter how sexy it is. So I figured I'd make a bunch, that way it'd take you a while to get tired of all of them."

[And just what do you think I'm going to do with so many of them?]

"Pace yourself, I'd guess. Also, the Pokenav has a vibrate function, so---"

[So this is what you meant about humans fantasizing about their last days alive, huh? Waiting until you've got your mate half-undressed and then springing the news on her...the news that you've written her more than a hundred saucy letters for her to pleasure herself to, followed by a suggestion that she become intimate with a...a portable computer. You have more courage than I thought, master.]

"Your pretend anger would be a lot more believable if I couldn't sense how curious you are about it through our bond."

Psymakio stuck her tongue out at him, but she was unable to keep a shy smile off her face. [Okay, I must admit that I'm a...little curious. About the letters, I mean, not...not...oh, I'll never look at it the same way again.]

"I bet not. Previously it was merely a phone/computer combo. Now it's a potential lover."

Blushing a pretty shade of emerald, she pulled back from his embrace and smiled haughtily at the sudden distress he felt at the lack of contact. [Do...do you want THESE against you or not, you dirty boy?]

Slash quickly nodded, too shell-shocked to be impressed at her boldness. "Yes, ma'am. Please forgive me for teasing you, I'll be good."'

Psymakio rolled her eyes and slipped into his arms once again, sighing happily at the feeling of being skin-to-skin with her mate, even if it was in the middle of a thunderstorm on a deserted island. [What's so...interesting about me and the Pokenav, anyway? So it vibrates, what about it?]

"An entire human industry has sprung up around vibration," Slash answered solemnly. "Not so much in Hoenn, but in the less...religiously fanatical countries. Vibration is a girl's best friend."

She glanced up at his eyes curiously, wondering if he was being serious, but managed to refrain from continuing his silly game. [Well, you're still a naughty boy, but I can't say that I'm not a little...eager to read them. I just wish I didn't have to lose you to find out how good a writer you are.]

The two lay together for a long moment, simply enjoying each other's warmth in the cool sea breeze. When Slash spoke again, his voice was quiet and almost...fearful. "Psymakio...do you think you'll ever...take another mate after I'm gone?"

Her eyes widened at that, and she actually had to struggle to resist the urge to slap him. She felt like she'd been doused in ice water.

[Do you really think I'd...that I'd...betray you like that?] she asked, her voice pained and bitter. [You know how much I love you, master! I'd never...no!]

"Easy, easy. I didn't mean to upset you. Humans get remarried all the time, you know. That doesn't mean they didn't love their first spouses. A person can fall in love more than once in a lifetime, you know."

Psymakio relaxed the slightest bit as she realized that Slash hadn't meant to offend her or question her love for him. [I'm sorry. It's just that...it's not that way for most Pokemon. I don't mean to disparage humans who remarry, but with us...once a mate, always a mate. Normally when one mate dies, the other follows, so it rarely even comes up...but even on the occasion of the other mate surviving due to having children to watch after or something, they never take another mate, even if it might be advantageous to their survival to do so. A widowed Pokemon might form a pack with others of their own kind, but it's always with extended family members or Pokemon of the same gender, nothing romantic.]

"I didn't think about that," Slash mused. "Sorry if I offended you."

[No, it's me who should be sorry. I keep forgetting that for all you don't know about Pokemon, there are things I don't know about humans. It's just...hard to believe that two people who truly love each other could ever find somebody else if they're separated by death. I'm not saying it's impossible, just that...I could never understand it.]

"So I take it your mother never considered it, either?" Slash asked cautiously, hoping he hadn't inadvertently suggested that Psymakio's mother was a whore or something similar. Thankfully his mate did not seem to take any offense.

[No, she didn't. For one thing, my father wasn't killed, he simply disappeared. She would have sensed it if he died, of that I'm certain...it's likely he was captured by a trainer who wasn't as kindhearted as you about giving captured Pokemon a choice to return to the wild. Even if he had died...no, she wouldn't have even thought about it. What I said goes for all monogamous Pokemon, but doubly so for Gardevoir...she would rather have died than forget him.]

"It's not really forgetting their first love, just...wanting to experience happiness. I'm not saying that Pokemon refusing to take new mates is wrong or silly either, but...well, think about Watson. His wife died decades ago, and you've seen how hurt and lonely he gets when he thinks about her. Do you think it'd be terrible of him to remarry if he found some wonderful woman who could ease a bit of his regret and loneliness? Especially at his age, when he...well...when he doesn't have a whole lot longer left?"

Psymakio thought about it for a moment and then shook her head. [I suppose not. But I don't think he would ever remarry. He loves his wife just as much now as he did then. Don't you think so, too?]

"Yes, I do, but loving someone else doesn't mean you love the first one any less. Maybe he wouldn't ever remarry, but that doesn't mean he'd love her less if he did. If somebody else could make him happy, I'd support him. Wouldn't you?"

[Of course I would...after all that sweet old man has done for us, I would do anything to see him get some happiness of his own. I told you that I didn't say it was wrong, just that...monogamous Pokemon don't do that. So no, master, I would never take another mate after you're gone. Even if we succeed in our quest...even if the broken mating bond doesn't kill me once Cacnea is too old for my instincts to consider to be my child...even if I live another eighty years due to having a human lifespan...I'll spend every moment of that time thinking of you. And missing you. And...still loving you.]

Her eyes misted up again, but Slash kissed the tears away before they could spoil her pretty face again. "Thank you, Psymakio. Hearing that makes me feel...more touched than I ever thought possible. But the reason I asked you was because I wanted to tell you that...if you ever did meet someone else and...fall in love with them...that I would...you know, approve of it. I wouldn't want you to be miserable by chaining yourself to your memories when you could be happy with someone else."

Psymakio nodded, wiping her eyes. [Even though I don't understand it, I can tell that you saying something like that is meant to be...touching. Thank you, master, for caring so much about my happiness that you'd...approve of something that will never happen, but something that must be very hard for you to say, anyway.]

"It's hard, alright. Believe me, if it did happen, the guy should be grateful that I'm dead." Slash sighed and smiled ruefully. "I don't mean that. The thought of anybody else being with you makes me feel insanely jealous, but if I'm to be totally honest...anybody who could make you happy would be alright in my book. He wouldn't be my favorite person in the world, but I'd try not to kill him in the afterlife."

[Since it won't be happening, you don't have anything to worry about. I'll...I'll make do. I promise. If only so I can read your naughty letters and keep your ghost happy when you spy on me and the Pokenav and I am kidding about the Pokenav. Probably.] She forced a smile and laid her head on Slash's shoulder. [Sorry that I...kind of ruined the mood.]

"You didn't ruin anything. If I had to choose, I'd rather spend the day talking to you than getting up to naughty business. There's just so much I want to...try to prepare you for. Even though I know that you're strong, smart, and brave...the thought of you being alone worries me. Are you...really sure that you can handle it?"

[I'll never be half the natural leader that you are, but yes, I'm sure that I can keep the pack going.]

Slash chuckled. "I'd say you're quite the natural leader, Psymakio. More so than me, in fact. You're the alpha female of the pack...when the others do something stupid, it's not ME they're worried about smacking some sense into them."

[Maybe not, but you know what I mean. You're very good at making difficult decisions. I hope I learn to do the same, because there will be some very harsh decisions ahead.]

"There is a good side to this, though. With me dead, the League won't have any incentive to chase you down. A rogue trainer 'sexually abusing' his Pokemon is worth sending Enforcers after, but a leaderless Pokemon team? They'd kill you if they caught me, but they wouldn't just kill you out of spite. They have much more important stuff on their plate with Aqua and Rocket going out of control."

Psymakio blushed prettily as Slash shifted from their embrace and laid down on the wet ground. Specifically, he laid his head in her lap. Though she'd had him in her lap many times (in decidedly more intimate ways), he'd never done this. It was so sweet that it was more responsible for her current shade of green than the fact that he was now smiling up at her from between her breasts. Realizing that they weren't going to be getting frisky like this and not wanting to risk anyone else seeing them otherwise, she quickly pulled her dress back up and giggled at her mate's sudden pouting.

[It's alright. You can see them again later. And...touch them and...anything else you'd like.]

"Very good." Slash sighed happily and nuzzled her stomach, making her jump at the unexpected contact. "You feel nice. Even through the dress."

Still a bit shy at this new side of Slash, Psymakio reached down and pulled the hem of her skirt up, lifting her content mate up a bit to move the dress to her waist. She wasn't wearing anything under the skirt, of course, and Slash was very close to...well, where he likely wanted to be...but to her surprise, he made no move to slip between her legs. Instead he just laid his head back down on her lap, his roughly-cut hair tickling her thighs whenever he moved. "Even better. Nothing like laying in the lap of a beautiful girl."

That got her attention. [Am I not the first girl who you've used as a pillow?]

"No. I mean, not you're not NOT the first..." Slash sighed in exasperation; despite cooling off from their earlier teasing, enough of his blood was still away from his brain to cross a few wires. "You ARE the first I've done this with. What I meant was that I've only seen this in romantic movies and stuff like that, and I was wondering if it was as cute as they made it look."

Psymakio smiled down at him, doubly happy at his final answer. She had known Slash was a virgin before meeting her (though she wouldn't have hated him if he wasn't), and that he'd had very little romantic experience with anybody else, but the thought of him doing something so...intimate with another girl, even a girl in the past...it was almost as horrid a thought as him having a lover before her. [I think it's very cute. You look so...contented. You should have done this long before now...how many times have you slept on the ground, on one of those horrid sleeping bag pillows, when you could have done this instead?]

"Too many. I just never worked up the nerve."

Psymakio rolled her eyes and glowed a radioactive green. [You've been on top of me for far less innocent purposes. How is doing this more shyness-inducing than that?]

"I don't know. Why do you feel so...fluttery about it, yourself?"

[Other than that I'm not wearing anything else and you're only a few inches away from...me...it's just something so...cute that it makes my heart warm. This is the sort of thing I wish we could have done in public. I wouldn't want to get frisky in front of other people, or even kiss you with an audience, but something like this? Something that shows how much we love each other...an expression of both our physical closeness and how we bring comfort to each other? This I wouldn't mind so much.]

Slash nodded, making her giggle as a lock of hair that had dropped between her thighs brushed up against a very sensitive place. He didn't seem to notice, or else he was mature enough not to mention every little thing he did that turned her on. "I understand what you mean. Let's just enjoy it while we can. If you ever stumble across a time machine, feel free to go back and tell me to do this much earlier. Hell, I'd suggest telling me to do it when you were a Kirlia if I didn't think my head would end up crushing your legs."

[I could have handled it, master. But if this is making me feel all bubbly NOW, even after we've spent so many nights together, just imagine what it would have done to poor innocent me as a Kirlia. My little heart would have burst.]

"Sometimes I regret not...pursuing things more when you were a Kirlia. We both felt something for each back then, and I still haven't forgot what you told me about you in the bathtub. It's pointless to think about, anyway...can't change the past, after all...but I don't know. You were still pretty young then, right? I don't know if it would have been right for me to try anything."

[I was equivalent to a human teenager, you know. A bit younger than you, but not by a lot. Maybe thirteen instead of sixteen.]

Slash laughed. "Psymakio, in the human world, a sixteen year old pursuing a thirteen year old is still pretty creepy, especially when the guy is the older one. Not that it doesn't happen, but it's usually not exactly romance...usually it's some really desperate, really dickish of a guy preying on girls too young and naive to know an asshole when they see one."

[I wouldn't have minded. I know that you're not that kind of guy. Besides, you still thought about the physical aspects of it, so you're at least a pervert in your own mind,] she teased.

"Hey, I was just curious about whether or not we'd be...compatible."

Psymakio looked down at him skeptically. [Mind-reader. Complete access to your emotions. Remember?]

"...okay, fine, I also thought about what it'd be like if we WERE compatible. Or how we'd get around it if we weren't. But there's a big difference between secretly fantasizing about something like that and actually pursuing it. Besides, I was thinking the same thing about you as a Gardevoir. We're...barely compatible as it is."

[That's just the way I like it,] Psymakio said with a blush. [I...you know what I mean. It's a...mm...tight fit...]

"What would we have done if we weren't able to...physically mate?"

[We still could have mated. It's not the sex itself that's important, it's being together at the moment of...erm...]

Slash grinned. "Aren't we being shy today, Miss Tight-Fit? Nobody else is around."

Psymakio laughed a bit breathlessly, wondering if Slash could tell just how aroused she was from thinking about this, let alone talking about it. [You know, when we...climax. That's what's important to the mating bond. Even if we couldn't fit together like that, there would be ways to reach that, um, condition.]

"Tell me some," he suggested with a hungry grin.

She clapped her hands over her nearly luminescent face. [Master!!!]

"Come on, we're alone. I'm not going to tell anybody. Just two grown-ups talking about the complexities of inter-species mating bonds in species too widely disparate for vaginal intercourse."

This, of course, only made Psymakio blush even brighter and squeal in embarrassment, but Slash had successfully pushed her buttons enough to just barely bring her over the edge of her shyness. [Well...okay, but just because you're curious is all!]

"Indeed, just curious. Go on."

[Well, if you couldn't fit...you know, normally...I doubt you could fit the other way...]

"What other way? There are lots of other ways, you'll have to be specific..."

[Anally!] Psymakio shouted, her hands still covering her face. [Like we did the morning after we mated, remember? When you slicked me up and put it in and showed me a whole different kind of pleasure! There, are you happy?]

Slash looked up at her, a very large smile on his face. "Yes, actually, I am. Very much so. But please, go on, I didn't mean to...interrupt."

Psymakio murmured something under her breath, but now her arousal was trickling over their bond...and even if it wasn't, Slash was so close to her that he could probably scent it in the air even with the rainfall. [Anyway, like I was saying, if you couldn't take me normally, I don't think you could fit there, either, since it's no less small, but if you could...that would work, too. In fact, if you COULD fit there but not normally, it would probably be preferable, considering how easy it would be for both of us to...you know, enjoy it at the same time...]

"Ah, I see. And if I couldn't fit in either?"

[Then I'd be very sad,] Psymakio said with mixed humor and embarrassment, [but there would be other options. Our hands, of course...pleasing each other like that would work just fine. Even if we just pleasuring ourselves next to each other, we would have fed off each other's pleasure and the results would have been the same.]

The thought of him and Psymakio masturbating back to back filled Slash's mind, and he couldn't help but imagine him doing it with her as a Kirlia. The image floating across their bond and he felt Psymakio's excitement jump at it. "Yeah, you're right...if I had pursued you then, we could have done that, at least. Might have been fun even if we weren't trying to be mates, but just...looking to blow off some steam. I'd suggest we do it now if we didn't have much more thorough ways of making each other happy."

[I didn't say ANYTHING ABOUT---]

"Complete access to your emotions. Remember?"

She shook her head in vigorous denial, but she wasn't fooling anybody. [Well, ANYWAY, you get the idea. We could have mated even if we weren't totally compatible. And if you had pursued me as a Kirlia, you don't wouldn't have had to worry about me being too young for outright mating, at least...if it had been creepy enough to be considered abusing me, the bond wouldn't connect.]

"Why not?" Slash asked curiously. "I mean, what...what force would be stopping it?"

[I don't know the mechanism behind it, but if it wouldn't be considered a proper bond, it just...doesn't happen. Proper according to who, I don't know, but nobody can force someone into a mating bond. Not only does it have to be something both parties want very much, but there can't be any coercion...not even coercion that one party doesn't recognize as such, like being too young to fully grasp what's going on.]

Slash's eyebrows rose at that. "I keep finding myself envying your world. In the human world, absolutely nothing is stopping forced marriages or abuse, and it happens all the time. Sounds like whatever magic is left in the world is exclusive to Pokemon. I wish I had more time to learn about it."

[Nothing is stopping abuse from happening between Pokemon, master, just mating. Although typically any Pokemon trying to force themselves on another, or pressuring them to become their mate through violent of coercive means...well, they won't last long, let's put it that way. Pokemon don't have much of a sense of morality in the wild, but there's certain things that just aren't done, and Pokemon of any species will kill an individual behaving in ways contradictory to that. I suppose it's roughly equivalent to the human world's laws except we do it...just because.]

"Human laws fail far too often to do much good. It wasn't too long ago that there were still arranged marriages, and in some parts of the world it's not uncommon, or even illegal, for a husband to abuse their wife." Psymakio felt a pang of cold fury from her mate, and she shared in it. The thought of a supposed lover harming their companion was a sickening one to contemplate. "Do you think the same would thing would happen if humans could mate with each other again?"

[The mating restrictions? Probably. Whatever magic is behind it doesn't exclusively work for Pokemon...it's just that humans have fallen out of its favor. When the Sealing occurred, Pokemon lost their freedom and became like beasts, but the magic stayed with us. Humans, though, lost their souls...while they maintained civilization, the magic left them, and that's largely why the human world is so...terribly evil at times.]

Slash wished he could say that evil was too strong a word, but he was well versed in both history and current events, and he knew that, at times, 'evil' wasn't a strong enough term to accurately describe it. "You know how I said that the only real reason I'm on this quest is to protect you?"

Psymakio nodded.

"I guess that isn't entirely true, but...the truth sounds almost dangerously similar to Kiako's goals, so I'm...not sure if I should say it."

[Kiako is dangerously misguided, but his intent is good. Of course, good intentions don't stop somebody from being a monster, but...just tell me, master. I won't judge you. Whatever your motivation, you've always tried your best to be a good person.]

He hesitated anyway, but his mate's ruby eyes looking down at him, beaming with love and support, ultimately convinced him. "When I look at the world...especially my world...I'm sickened by it. All the hate and ignorance and fear and violence...what little good is left in the human world is quickly becoming corrupted by the evil. Even the very few forces of good that are beyond tainting are hunted down and crushed for opposing the established order. We may have civilization, but humans are far more savage than any Pokemon. At least when Pokemon kill, it's for survival...humans just use survival as an excuse for their crimes. Some people may even believe it, but it's still just...pathetic lies."

Slash's expression hardened. "If it was up to me...if I was the King, and the power was in my hands...I might do what Kiako intends to do. I'd gather everything in the world and begin culling. I'd take the good aspects of both worlds...the civilization and knowledge of humans, the compassion and good nature of Pokemon...and I'd salvage it. I'd bring them together and try to make a world like the old Kingdom, or maybe even something better. As for the rest...the humans who care more about ancient religion and money and political power than their fellow humans or Pokemon...they'd have no place in such a beautiful world. If neither human law nor the lingering magic can stop evil, then I would. I'd likely be rather...draconian...but...I think that humanity needs a thorough kick in the ass before it can ever begin to recover from the horror it's immersed itself in."

[I've seen some of humanity's evils,] Psymakio said, stroking Slash's hair. [I can't say that there aren't parts of your world that wouldn't deserve it. Humans buck against change, though...even when it's change for the better. That's one of the biggest differences between humans and Pokemon, I think...for Pokemon, particularly those in the wild, every day is a vastly different challenge than the last. Those who can't react to those challenges and adapt will not survive. Humans, however, use civilization as a means of limiting what change they're exposed to. They hide from the world rather than live within it. There are benefits to this...their fear of disease has lead them to create better sanitation than one could ever find in the wild, and treatments that could save countless Pokemon if they actually cared enough to give it to them...but at the same time, they cling so tightly to their world that when something utterly unexpected happens, or something far beyond their ability to control, they panic. Like what happened after Fallarbor.]

Slash nodded. She was right. After Chimney erupted and narrowly avoided taking a third of Hoenn with it, the people of Hoenn panicked. The religious fanatics were sure that it was a sign, though they argued about whether the eruption was a punishment (or a warning) or that the averted destruction was a reward for the faithful who had so fervently prayed for salvation. Considering that Fallarbor (which was predominantly Jirachian) had been utterly destroyed, and many humans and Pokemon had still died, Slash couldn't believe that anyone would think there was anything divine about the averted eruption. And considering the constantly advancing geological knowledge that Hoenn possessed, he couldn't believe that anyone would be ignorant enough to blame the eruption on angry deities.

The irony, of course, is that there WERE supernatural explanations for both the volcano's activity and the carefully directed eruption. It was due to Darkrai's power leaking from behind the seal that caused Chimney's power to so rapidly build up, and it was due to Rayquaza's power that the eruption had not been far, far worse. But while they were truly divine (at least, Rayquaza was), there was a far cry from active, quasi-mortal entities intervening in the world's affairs and mythical, far-off beings of absolute power attempting to deliver messages through natural disasters.

Regardless, radical Jirachism had hit a dangerous peak in Hoenn after the eruption. Human-Pokemon couples were actively hunted instead of merely spoken out against. The formerly isolated incidents of assault and murder of Dark-types and their trainers had spiked. Blasphemy against the religion was responded to with violence rather than mere boycotts and ostracism. It was a dangerous time to not be a part of their religion, especially as somebody with a Pokemon mate, a Dark-type ally, and a refusal to blindly follow any belief system. This spike had lessened in the months since Fallarbor, but not by much, and the long-term damage had already been done; in the space of those few months, Jirachism had regained the political power and social clout that secularism had taken away over several years. He was doubly glad that they were no longer on the mainland; if somebody saw them together now, with his head in a Gardevoir's lap, they would not see love or adoration.

They would see an excuse to light up a bonfire.

"When you go back to the mainland," Slash said quietly, "promise me that you'll be careful. I wasn't thinking of the religious nutcases when I said that the Enforcers won't be after you with me gone. The League might not waste their time hunting the traveling Pokemon team of a dead criminal, but any Jirachians who find out who you are...and who you used to be associated with...they're a different story."

[Of course, master. Besides, considering how dangerous Team Rocket is, it'd be best if we stay away from cities unless it's absolutely necessary, so that will limit the risk of Jirachians causing trouble.]

"Yeah."

Sensing his discomfort, Psymakio leaned down and kissed Slash on the forehead. [I regret nothing, master. As difficult as life has been due to our outing, I would rather be hunted down by monsters and burned at the stake rather than deny my love for you. I wish that it hadn't come to this...you exiled from your family, and our pack having to live in fear...but if that's the price I have to pay to kiss you now, then I'd gladly pay it a thousand times over.]

Slash opened his mouth to protest, but Psymakio stopped him with another kiss that destroyed whatever self-pitying and needless apologies were going to escape him.

[And for this,] she whispered as she let her dress fall back down to her waist, [I'd pay the price a million times over.]

He climbed to his knees and pulled her against him once more, pressing their bodies together in a hot embrace. Another kiss followed, this one a deep, open-mouthed kiss that left both of them gasping when they finally broke it.

[Where?] she asked seductively, rubbing her breasts against his bare chest.

"However you want it," came the breathless reply. She saw the direction of his thoughts and giggled.

[Naughty boy. I meant where should we do it, not where you want to put it. The sand is...icky. But if we go back to the shelter, we'd have to be quiet, and...I'm not sure I can be quiet right now.]

"And I'm not sure I can wait that long." Slash stood up, helping Psymakio to her feet. He slipped his hands under the raised hem of her skirt and cupped her bottom, easily picking the light creature up. She locked her ankles behind his back and clung to him tightly, not wanting to lose even a little bit of this contact. She could feel him pressing against her through their clothing, and she didn't think she could wait much longer, either. "Against a tree? No, that might not be too comfortable for you..."

Psymakio smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder. [A little barrier will get around that problem. Come on, I can't stand it anymore, I need you...]

"Don't worry, begging isn't necessary." He quickly carried her to one of the nearby palm trees and pressed her against it, trying to unbutton his pants without dropping her. Psymakio dropped the umbrella shield to make maintaining the barrier on her back easier, and despite the broad palm leaves above them, both were quickly drenched all over again. Slash found her more beautiful than he'd ever seen her before...blushing so sweetly at the insistent contact between them, her hair tousled and wet from the rain, her breaths sharp and rapid..seeing Psymakio like this was seeing the perfect balance between love and longing.

Then she guided him into her, and all was bliss.

*****

By the time the two returned from the island interior several hours later, they had thoroughly exhausted each other. They'd been careful not to get their clothes dirty, allowing the still-pouring rain to wash away most of the sand, but the other Pokemon could easily tell what they'd been up to solely by the happy glow on Psymakio's face...and the somewhat less discreet grin on Slash's. They made no jokes, however; though none of them had mates of their own, they knew how deeply the two cared for each other. The Pokemon had all spent the day before with Slash, but they'd quietly agreed to let Psymakio have as much time of the final day as she wanted. As hurt as they would be by his loss, they were far more worried for her sake. She was strong, but she loved him so much that they feared the loss would destroy her.

"Hey, everyone," Slash said as he and Psymakio returned to the handful of tents and tarps, still holding hands and smiling over their time alone. "How have you all been today?"

[Well enough, considering,] Arcanine said. [Did you finish your letters, Slash?]

"Yes, and I've told Psymakio to send them off once you're close enough to the mainland to get in range of a comm relay. I also wrote something for each of you to read after...well, tomorrow. I don't want to make today all depressing by saying long, mournful goodbyes."

The Pokemon looked pleased, but Psymakio noticed that Slash was avoiding Cacnea's eyes. She strongly suspected she knew why.

Your letter to Cacnea...you're going to tell him about...that night, aren't you?

Yes. All of it.

Are you sure, master? He may...think very differently of you, even if I try to explain it to him.

I know. That's why I'm not going to tell him now. I don't think I could face him, but I also don't want to hide the truth any longer. He deserves to know the extent of my crimes.

Psymakio squeezed his hand tightly. Even after all this time, Slash still felt terribly guilty over his actions that night, especially regarding Cacnea's mother. He had used the power of the Dark Core to "blank" her, a method of annihilation so thorough that the victim's soul itself was utterly destroyed. Cacnea would never see his mother, not even in the afterlife. That Slash hadn't known at the time did nothing to alleviate his guilt.

"Anyway," Slash said, hiding his distress behind a bright smile, "we've still got a lot of daylight. What do you guys want to do?"

[What CAN we do?] Graveler asked, still hiding under a waterproof sheet. [It's still pouring. There's not much to do on these islands anyway, let alone when it's storming like this.]

"I propose a sand castle contest."

The others laughed. [Are you serious?] Crawdaunt asked. [Why don't we put on water-wings while we're at it?]

"There is nothing childish about the divine art of sand-sculpting," Slash said, raising his nose in the air in pretend snobbishness. "It is an ancient discipline. Come on, you guys build, and I'll be the judge."

[Why would you suggest it if you aren't going to build any yourself?]

"For one thing, I am terrible at it. Secondly, and most importantly, I want you guys to use your powers, and I don't have any that could conceivably make a difference."

Psymakio clapped her hands and chirped happily. [I think it's a wonderful idea!]

[You would,] Graveler grumbled. [You're sleeping with the judge.]

Her face brightened instantly while Slash resisted the urge to laugh. "Alright, alright, enough. Come on guys, let's do this. You can pretend it's training if you think it's too silly. You have to make something visually impressive that's also able to stand up to the rain. BEGIN."

*****

About half an hour later, Slash walked around to examine the specimens. First was Arcanine, who had built his while hiding under one of the tarps to get away from the rain. Unfortunately, while this protected his work from the rain as well, he still did not have any hands, nor was fire particularly suited for sand sculpting. As a result, his 'castle' was...somewhat less than impressive.

"It's a lump of sand," Slash pointed out. "Which you appeared to have roasted for no good reason."

[I thought it might...I don't know, do something unexpected.]

"All it did was dry up the sand and make it stick together even less. This is...hm."

Arcanine sighed. [This was a stupid idea. I hate the rain. I don't like building things.]

"Is this a coconut?" Slash asked as he poked the blob of sand. "What, did you think a tree would grow if you burned it?"

[I needed some structural support.]

"And I thought that I was bad at arts and crafts."

[Keep in mind that I could eat you if I really wanted to.]

"That is a good point. Alright, I give you an A for effort."

Next came Graveler, who had built his while peaking out from a tent, as he was no more fond of rain than Arcanine. The final product was a roughly sculpted castle (in fact, it was barely recognizable as a building at all), but the outer layer of sand was compressed and hardened to the point that the rain could not penetrate it. He had even crafted a moat the same way, catching the rainfall and swirling it around his construction.

"Not bad at all," Slash said as he examined it. "Firm structure and a bit of style."

[Having near-absolute control over soil has its advantages,] Graveler boasted. [I doubt the others could even keep theirs standing in all this rain.]

"I wouldn't bet on that," he remarked, pointing at Cacnea's castle. It was far more intricate, with a network of double-helixed vines forming a sort of support column through the middle of it, poking out of the top and branching out into broad leaves that deflected a good deal of the rain.

[Well, damn.]

Slash knelt by Cacnea and gently touched the side of the structure. "Very nice. You used roots and vines to shore it up, and leaves to give it additional cover. This is Leech Seed, isn't it?"

[Yep,] Cacnea said proudly. [Good for support and for absorbing excessive moisture. Lot better than a lump of dirt and an island on an island, huh?]

"I must admit, it's certainly more visually appealing than the others. You did good, son." He blushed a bit as he said that, but Cacnea did not seem to notice.

[Thanks. And I did WELL, not good.]

Slash rolled his eyes. "I see your mother has taught you how to be a smartass."

[She said she learned it from you,] Cacnea replied with a grin. [Apparently you're the master at it.]

He shook his head and walked away before thoughts of his letter to the boy could resurface and kill his good mood, but it was a little too late. His mother. Son. What right did he have to speak those words? The boy would surely hate him as soon as he read the truth, and it would be a very justified hatred.

Crawdaunt's voice interrupted these dark thoughts. [Check mine out. Epic, huh?]

The sight of it was enough to snap Slash out of his funk. Crawdaunt had made a rather epic castle, all right...it was a large construction of numerous arches and narrow bridges between several towers of sand. It would never have stayed upright if the water in the sand hadn't been frozen solid by an Ice Beam; with the entire structure frozen to the core, Crawdaunt had built something that bordered on architecturally impossible otherwise.

"Now this is what I meant!" Slash exclaimed, touching its icy surface. "Definite bonus points for the cleverness of it. You turned the wetness of the sand into an advantage!"

[I am indeed pretty awesome,] Crawdaunt replied, studied one of his claws. [The only problem is that I have to keep refreezing it due to the temperature and rain eating away at it, but I could keep this upright for hours, easy. Look at the prison cell I made back here out of icicles. How could anything be cooler than this?]

A tremendous crash of thunder boomed in response as a searing bolt of lightning struck only a hundred yards away. At first Slash feared for the worst, that perhaps Psymakio had been struck, but then he realized that Manectric had traveled that direction. He and the other Pokemon ran through the thin layer of trees blocking it from view and all skidded to a stop as the sight of Manectric's castle confronted his eyes.

"Holy shit," Slash exclaimed.

[I'll be damned,] Arcanine said in quiet disbelief.

[Show-off,] Graveler muttered.

[Cool!] Cacnea yelled.

[Okay, that's totally cheating,] Crawdaunt remarked.

A tall tower of glass jutted up from the sand. It was at least twenty feet tall and a foot across, and the top was flared outwards, making it look rather like one of the many palm trees on the island. The entire length of the tower had been fused into glass, along with a good amount of the sand around its base. Manectric gazed by at its admirers with a toothy grin.

[So, you like it?]

"How...how did you do that?" Slash asked. "It's so..."

[Tall,] Arcanine interjected. [How did you even get it that high without hands? I could barely make a pile of dirt with my nose and paws. Even with lightning, it doesn't make any sense!]

[Oh, it was actually pretty simple. I piled sand up as high as I could, then I used a lesser electrical attack to fuse the sand just enough to keep it holding steady. Then I added some more and did the same. Eventually I had to jump up to throw more sand on, and then it got tricky...and I got a mouthful of dirt...and I knocked it down a few times and had to start all over...but once it got this high, I figured it was more than good enough. Then I called down an actual bolt of lightning to give it a final fusing. Behold the tower of glass, the single coolest thing any of you have ever seen!]

Cacnea nodded enthusiastically. [Yeah, it is!]

[I have to admit, it's better than mine,] Crawdaunt sighed. [Freezing water is nothing compared to melting sand into glass. Damn.]

"Heh. I know Psymakio is creative, but I doubt even she can top this," Slash said with a smirk. "I have a feeling that this is the winner."

[Think again!] Psymakio shouted from a little farther inland. [Come here and check mine out. If you're prepared to see something truly amazing, anyway!]

The group exchanged glances and shrugged, heading towards the sound of her voice. [There's no way she could have made something better than mine,] Manectric said. [She will pay for her arrogance with humiliation! She will rue the day she challenged the tower of glass! She---]

[She just kicked your ass, that's what,] Graveler said as he caught sight of Psymakio's castle. Everybody else saw it a moment later, and they had to admit that he was correct in that assessment.

Her castle seemed to combine traits of all the others, except it was a lot easier on the eyes and...well...better. The castle itself was at least five feet high and just as wide, and far more detailed than anyone else's, with little doors and windows all over it. Instead of being surrounded by a moat, a moat was seemingly built into the walls: a series of long, frozen trenches that ran along the top and snaked downwards in miniature waterfalls before dumping the water onto the ground. The castle itself was frozen solid; apparently Psymakio's otherwise useless Ice Punch had some practical application. Though she did not have the same mastery over plants that Cacnea did, she had stuck several long palm fronds in the top of the castle and weaved a thin sheet of ice between each, creating an icy umbrella that shielded most of the rain. Four long, narrow towers jutted out from each corner of the castle, each fused into smudged glass by a Thunderbolt, and trapped in the top of each was another palm frond. Each of those tower-fronds was on fire.

Oh, and the entire castle hovered about three feet off the ground.

[I totally win,] Psymakio giggled, and the other Pokemon could do nothing but nod dully. Sometimes they forgot just how creative their alpha female was, and just how versatile her powers were. Slash hugged her from behind and whispered something in her ear, presumably her reward for winning the little contest. The pair disappeared into the thickets of trees while the others stared at the ridiculously complex sand castle for a few minutes longer. It settled to the ground as Psymakio left telekinetic range, and without her constant maintenance it wasn't long before the ice umbrella melted away and the structure began falling apart.

[You know, mine is the one that will last longest,] Manectric pointed out. [Maybe I should have won.]

[So you wish it was you out there with Slash right now?] Crawdaunt asked with a smirk. [I never knew that about you.]

The thunder runner rolled his eyes and they began trotting back to camp.

*****

The rest of the day passed relatively quickly. There wasn't much to do on the island, least of all during daylong thunderstorms, so the pack spent most of their time huddled together in their shelter and talking. They talked of the good times and the bad...what had come before this day and what they thought would come after. As the sun slowly began sinking towards the horizon, the tone gradually grew more somber.

"My last meal," Slash pointed out as he handed out dinner to his pack. "Smoked meat. Not exactly what I would have chosen, but it'll have to do."

Psymakio smiled and leaned against him. [If you could have any last meal you wanted, what would it be?]

"I don't know. Something soft and juicy. And pink on the inside." He smirked at his mate, who was beginning to blush quite brightly. "You know, a nice rare steak."

[I think you've had plenty of that today,] she whispered very quietly. [Naughty boy.]

"What can I say, I'm always hungry for more..."

[WE CAN HEAR YOU,] Manectric said in a loud, non-discreet whisper, and everybody laughed. Even Psymakio, who was covering her blushing cheeks with her hands and squeaking in protest, joined in eventually. The storm outside continued to rage with the implacable fury that only tropical thunderstorms possessed, but the happy little pack nestled together in the tents barely noticed.

"I'm going to miss you guys," Slash finally said as the laughter died down. "Well...I don't know if I'll be aware enough to miss you...I'm not exactly sure what the next world is like, but...you know what I mean."

Everyone was quiet for a long moment, unable to speak. Slash reached into his backpack and pulled out the one luxury he'd brought with him when they were forced to flee the mainland---a bottle of wine that Watson had given him the last time they'd met. He removed the top and began filling a cup for each one of them, even for Cacnea, while they watched. Once he'd passed them around, he looked each of his Pokemon in the eye and smiled.

"This is...almost it...so I just wanted to thank all of you for...staying by me for so long. I know that your lives would be a lot easier if you'd been captured by a different trainer, or even not captured at all, but...you've all stayed with me, even when you had ample opportunity to leave. I can't really thank you all enough, but...I'll try."

He turned to the large wolf laying down beside him. "Arcanine, I've known you since I was just a little kid. Back then I didn't have many human friends...none, really...so you were the only one I could ever really count on or confide in. If it weren't for you, I don't know what I would have done...probably die of loneliness long before even being old enough to actually raise Pokemon myself." Slash smiled and patted him on the head. "The moment I'll never forget is when you showed up with Flannery to save us from Kiako. We were all utterly beaten, about to be executed horribly, but...despite your claims of weakness...you saved all of us and got back Rayquaza's Heart. Without you, our pack would have been killed, Rayquaza would have been killed, and hundreds of thousands of lives would have been lost. Thank you, Arcanine. I love you."

Arcanine stammered for a moment, not sure what to say. [It...it was my honor, Slash. Besides, you saved my life, too. If you hadn't chosen me from the shelter, I would have been out down within a few days. I had almost resigned myself to it when you came and...saved me. I just wish I could do the same for you now. At least I was able to protect you up until this point...keep you safe...and be your friend. I...I love you, too.]

Slash hugged him briefly and turned to Psymakio. "You...already know much I care about you, of course, but...I don't think I could ever say it enough. You were the first Pokemon I ever actually captured...I still remember finding you on the side of the road, so hurt and frightened...seeing you like that on my first day of being a trainer is probably what separated me from the normal breed of trainer who just casually leaves broken bodies in their wake. Just FINDING you made me a better person, and once I actually got to know you...well, you know what happened then." He kissed her delicately on the cheek, holding her hand tightly in his. "The moment I'll never forget is when we mated. I don't...don't just mean the...really fun parts," he blurted as both of them blushed brightly, aware of their chuckling audience. "I mean when we finally connected fully, and you showed me all the hope and magic left in the world. You showed me that...I don't need to despair, because as horribly as things may seem...there's always hope. You're my hope. You're...a part of myself, now. And I love you more than I can ever say."

[Master, I love you too---]

The two kissed for a long moment, and the chuckling stopped. Their was a desperation in that kiss that precluded any humor or teasing. It wasn't the desperation of lust, but the realization that the time for kisses was rapidly drawing to a close, and nobody with a heart would dare intrude upon that love now. When they finally parted, both had tears in their eyes, and nobody said a word about it. After taking a moment to compose himself, Slash turned his attention to Crawdaunt and nodded at him.

"Catching you was an accident, you know. But it was a happy one. Whenever we needed somebody to face overwhelming odds, you were right there to volunteer. You beat Roxanne, you held off Maxie---who we'd have difficulty beating even now---long enough for help to arrive...you stopped Blaziken from breaking my neck when they found my Aqua Badge...traded blows with Kiako's Metagross...you're one major bad-ass, my friend." Slash smiled and exchanged a quasi-high-five with Crawdaunt's large claw. "You also helped me better understand what kind of person I am...you made me realize that having a dark heart doesn't make someone a bad person, no matter what certain religious radicals might say. And that was something I needed to learn if I was ever going to accept what I truly am. The moment I'll never forget was when you fearlessly jumped on that corrupted Skarmory and nearly peeled its wings off, despite seeing just how utterly outmatched we were. That's the kind of courage I've strove for my entire life. I love you, Crawdaunt."

[I'm...fond of you too, Slash,] Crawdaunt said gruffly, but a moment later he glanced at the ground and muttered, [I love you.] Slash smiled at his rough pride and turned next to Graveler.

"You're a powerful ally, but you're a lot more than just a heavy hitter, Graveler. When I was full of self-doubt and unable to control my darker nature, you knocked some sense into me. Quite literally," he added with a smirk. "You've risked your life to save the entire pack...not many people can say they've exploded themselves for their friends, you know. Even though you can be a bit prideful, you've always been kindhearted to those who need it most...your strength of arm is surpassed only by your strength of heart. Thank you, my friend. The moment I'll never forget was when the Magmas were attacking Mauville, and in the midst of all the chaos, you found me, saved me from a painful death, and brought me to my mate's side before it was too late. You saved my love and my life, and that's a debt I can never fully repay."

[It's already been repaid in full,] Graveler said. [When we first met, you saved me from being ripped apart by that huge colony of Zubat, and for no other reason than common decency. In the wild, kindness is something a Pokemon can rarely indulge in, so I vowed that...I'd try my best to return your favor. I hope that I...did a sufficient job. I...you know. I love you.]

"And I love you, my friend." Slash hugged one stony arm and marveled in that immense strength for what would likely be the last time. He turned to Manectric next. "I owe a steep debt to you, as well. Not only have you been a valued friend and companion ever since I've met you, but when everything was at its most dire...your courage and determination saved the day. If it weren't for you, my mate would never have survived her wounds in the desert, and I...I couldn't have survived that, either. You challenged Kiako's Metagross and not only walked away alive, but you even took its eyes---I'm sure everybody in Team Rocket is a little wary of you after hearing about that epic battle." Slash gently stroked the thunder-runner's fur, feeling little jolts of static tickle his skin. "The moment I'll never forget is when you and Crawdaunt challenged Watson. Everybody thought you stood no chance, but they underestimated you just like Kiako did, and you pulled off a victory that was so impressive that it's still one of my proudest moments. For all that you've done...and all that you've protected...I love you, Manectric."

[And I love you,] Manectric replied. [Our challenges have pushed me to my absolute limits...it's pushed all of us, really...but I've never had any regrets. As hard as it was at times...I'd gladly do it all over again to spend another lifetime with you.]

"Thank you." At last, Slash came to Cacnea, who was sitting between Psymakio and Graveler, blushing faintly at the sudden attention. "And you...you know, before I met Psymakio, I never thought I wanted children. Raising a family was...something that just didn't appeal to me. But when we were newly mated, a few crossed wires in our mating instincts resulted in me feeling...strangely sad at the thought that we could never have children. It was so strange to suddenly want something I never thought I needed. And at first I thought those crossed wires were nothing more than an annoyance. But then...we found you."

Slash's hands were shaking, but Psymakio covered them with her own before anybody else noticed.

"I...I wrote about how we found you in my letter for you. I think you're finally old enough to hear the details. I dearly wish that I could have saved your mother, but...I'm sorry."

[Dad, it's alright. I know that you did everything you could. Besides, I...I never knew my mother, and while she probably deserves better than this, I just...I never really think of her that much. As far as I'm concerned, the two of you ARE my parents, and the rest of you my extended family. I think your kindness is more important than biology.]

The shaking worsened. "Thank you...it's just that...you may feel different when you read the letter and see just how badly I failed you. I won't ask that you forgive me for it, but I apologize for failing you nevertheless."

[No apology is---]

Slash grasped one of his arms, careful not to get stuck on the thorns. "I made a promise to your mother. I promised that, since I was responsible for her death, that I would raise you like my own and keep you safe from harm. I've done my best to honor that promise, but...I could have done better. I could have made it so I never had to make that promise in the first place."

Cacnea squirmed a bit uncomfortably. [Dad, I love you. You have nothing to feel guilty about.]

"I love you, too. You don't know how much. Promise me that...no matter what happens later...you'll listen to Psymakio and keep yourself safe, alright? Become a strong, wise Pokemon that would make your mother proud. I promised her that you'd be safe, and since I won't be around to fulfill that promise...please fulfill it for me. Alright?"

[I...I promise. Are...you alright, dad? You're shaking more than...more than I was earlier...]

"I'm...alright. Don't worry about me. And...never forget how much I love you."

[I won't, dad. I love you, too.]

Slash nodded, drawing strength from his mate's hands, and looked over his pack once more. "Thank you, all of you, for making this life worth living. I'll miss you all. Stay strong...stay safe...and try to stay happy. Even in the darkest of times. Watch out for each other. And always remember that I love you, now and forever."

[We love you, too,] the rest of the pack said in unison, and then they each sealed that promise with a drink, enjoying what would be their last time together.

*****

When they finally settled down for bed, the other Pokemon had insisted that Slash and Psymakio be alone. She had tried to insist that they all spend the last night together, but despite her alpha status, they had been absolutely firm, even when she blushingly told them that she and Slash had no plans to "get naughty" that night. It was then that they told her of their promise to each other, to let her have as much of the day as possible with him, and she tearfully accepted their proposal.

"I'm...ready, I guess," Slash said finally. "Put me to sleep and...yeah."

[Very well.] Psymakio laid across his chest and looked him in the eye, no longer able to keep the tears from slowly trickling out. Neither could he. [Master?]

"Yeah?"

[Wait for me. In the...next...]

"If Quiero could wait a thousand years to be reunited with Miyako, I can wait seventy or eighty. I'll wait for you."

[Watch over me, if you can. Even if you can't interact with me...just knowing that you might be watching would...be helpful.]

"Of course. I'll do whatever I can. It probably won't be much...even being able to watch is more than I can hope for...but my love for you will never end until my very soul is snuffed out. That, at least, I can swear to you."

[I love you.]

"I love you, too."

They shared a final kiss, and while their lips still met, Psymakio weaved a veil of Hypnosis over him, taking him into blissful, peaceful slumber. She kissed him a moment longer, then lay herself over his chest and cast it on herself, unable to bear the thought of being awake to see it happen.

Her last waking thought was one that Slash would have recognized quite well, and not just because it had been his last waking thought as well. It was the first coherent thought she'd had after her family had been killed, when she opened her eyes and saw that young boy looking down at her in concern. It was the first thought he'd had after the two of them had kissed, bleeding and beaten, on a road in Mauville. And while it would not be true in the morning...

Ah, but that was a lie. A terribly truthful lie, but not a lie outright. Nothing, not even death, could invalidate it completely.

[I'm not alone,] she had thought to herself as she listened to Slash breathe, fading into merciful slumber.

*****

At 11:24, the last grain of sand fell from the hourglass, and death finally came. It was swift, painless, and inevitable. Nothing born of order could have possibly stopped it from coming.

*****

But when the morning sun struck that lonely island, she was not alone. Not really. She would never be alone.
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Empty Hourglass