//------------------------------//
// Banished 
// Story: The Disaster Pokemon 
// by Onomonopia 
//------------------------------//

Absol dreamed about his mother. But for the first time in a long time, there weren't any flames or screams in his dreams. Just him and his mother sitting atop a small hill, watching the sun setting on the horizon while a flock of Pelipper flew over the ocean. It was a pleasant dream, so for the time being, Absol allowed it to continue.

"Why are we called the disaster pokemon, mom?" he asked his mother. A look of concern crossed his mother's face for a moment, before her smile returned and she ruffled Absol's fur with her paw.

"Because my dear, we have been granted a special power, one that many beings in the world would love to have," she replied in her calming tone, one that Absol remembered her using whenever he felt angry or sad. "We can sense when and where a disaster is going to happen, meaning that we can do something to try to prevent it or, if we cannot do that, help those that have been affected."

"But...if we use our ability to help, why to the people and other pokemon hate us so?" Absol asked. Once again his mothers face was clouded with confusion, but it was quickly replaced by her smile.

"Because they are afraid of that which they do not understand. They believe that since we appear at the sight of disasters that we are the ones that cause them. It is not that they fear us, just that they have come to believe that we are the cause of their strife. And once someone latches onto their hate, they often no longer listen to reason," his mother said with a sad sigh. "I have tried many times to convince others that we are not the cause, but they do not listen."

"They why should we continue to help them?" Absol asked in an angry tone. "If they're just going to blame us for their problems, then why not just give up and let them be destroyed by whatever disaster is coming for them? I'd say that they deserve it."

"That's one way of looking at it, I suppose. But I believe that we were given these abilities for a reason," she said with a nod. "We would not have been given these abilities if we were not supposed to do something with them. If we were not supposed to use our powers to help others. Because I know if it was me in danger of a disaster, I would hope that someone would help me."

"Would you blame them for causing the disasters after they saved you?"

"Well...no, I would hope that I wouldn't. But then again, people and pokemon do act differently when they are scared."

"That why you're going to try to convince that town to leave their homes tomorrow? So they aren't wiped out by the earthquake?"

"Yes, that is exactly why I will be doing that," his mother replied, before lowering her head and nuzzling him softly. "Remember son, your actions will speak louder than their words. Even if they hate and fear you now, eventually they will see all the good that you have done. You just have to keep trying and one day you will find those that see you the way I do. Because the only time something is truly lost is when you have given up the will to find it."

"Okay mom. I promise that I'll try."

The dream then shifted for Absol, transitioning from a relaxing rest near the beach to the frozen and wind swept mountaintop in the heart of the Sinnoh region. A single, white pokemon climbed the rocks that were more ice than mineral at that point, knowing that one misstep would most likely result in his death. But the pokemon climbed on anyway, knowing that it didn't make much of a difference whether he lived or died. But he at least wanted to try to reach his goal, so he climbed on despite the wind and ice trying to claim his soul.

Despite the obstacles and the elements doing everything in their power to kill him, eventually Absol managed to drive one paw down at the top of the mountain, dragging the rest of his half frozen body to the top of the mythical mountain top. He took a moment to regain feeling in his body before he slowly began to limp to the center of the peak of the mountain, where an ancient temple that had long since fallen apart resided. He had nothing on him, save for a few packs filled with berries he had gathered for his journey. That and his desire, which had burned hot enough to keep him warm even in the freezing cold.

Absol dragged his body to the center of the fallen temple, noticing that even though the wind blew and blustered all along the mountain side, it was eerily quiet at the peak. There was also a power in the air, a power far greater than anything he had ever felt in his life. The power of a god. But Absol had come too far to back down, so he gazed towards the heavens before he shouted out his demands.

"Palkia! Deity of Space! I seek an audience with you!" he bellowed into the heavens. The stars swirled and twinkled overhead, seemingly gazing down on him to decided whether or not he was worthy of an audience with a divine. Just as Absol was beginning to think that he would freeze to death, a tear in the fabric of space appeared at the end of the temple. Then, the tear widened and grew to a size large enough to allow a giant dragon of pink coloring to walk through.

The pokemon towered over Absol and radiated an aura akin to nothing Absol had ever felt before, telling him he was in the right place. Palkia shifted his gaze down towards Absol and crouched down slightly, so that he could get a good look of the dark pokemon before he nodded.

"Interesting. I do not often see Pokemon from the Hoenn region. You must have traveled quite a way to make it here," Palkia muttered to himself. Then the god rose to his full height and his face took on an expression far more formal and divine than it had previously. "Absol, Disaster Pokemon, why have you sought out the pokemon of space?"

"Because I need to ask...no, I demand a favor from you," Absol replied. He had wanted to put more emphasis and power into his voice, but the exhaustion from climbing had begun to get to him and he could only pant out his words. "You are a pokemon with control over all of space. Meaning that you know of more worlds out there than this one. I demand that you rip me from this world and take me to somewhere else. Anywhere else."

"And why would you wish for this?" Palkia asked, losing all of his formalities and having them replaced with confusion. "This world may not be perfect, but it is built specifically for us pokemon. This is our world and we should cherish it."

"I have nothing here," Absol spat back. "The ones I love are gone, taken from me by not just the humans, but other pokemon as well. I do not wish to live on the same world as those who would rip those I care for from me. But I have no desire to take revenge upon them either. Striking them down will not bring back my family and will only deepen their fear of my race. So I wish to leave this world and find a new world, any world, where I do not have to fear being hunted for something I have no control over. Please, I beg of you."

Palkia gazed over Absol for a long time, considering what the young pokemon had said to him. Palkia then used his powers to see into space, able to view all that was going on not just in the Hoenn region, but also any region that the species of Absol called home. And he was not happy with what he found.

"...very well Absol, as unorthodox as this is, I shall grant you your request," Palkia replied, causing Absol to look up at the legendary beast with disbelief in his eyes. "I know of a world, one of peace and harmony, that you will find solace and peace within. But, if you try a little harder while there, perhaps you will find something greater than peace. But worry not, your suffering in this world is over.

Palkia then used his spacial rend to tear a hole in reality, motioning for Absol to join him. The disaster pokemon did so, walking up to see that indeed an entirely different world awaited him on the other side of the vortex. He lifted a paw to step through it, only to halt as a thought crossed his mind.

"Why did you so willingly help me?" Absol asked Palkia. "Things are never this easy. Most would either want a favor of their own or have some ulterior motive. Why help me?"

"Because you are right. This world hates you and your kind for something you have no control over. But in this new world, I believe they will come to accept and care for you. They will give you what you truly desire," Palkia replied, before the vortex shimmered slightly. "Go. I cannot hold it forever. And Absol, know that despite all that this world has done to you, it is not as evil as you would believe it to be. Maybe one day you will see that for yourself."

"Thank you Palkia. I...did not expect you to be this kind."

"Most do not. Of course, most of the time I must keep up appearances and act like I would end the world in a heartbeat. But I like the world too much to do that. Now go."

Absol bowed to Palkia before he leapt into the vortex, barely able to hear what Palkia said next due to the vortex of energy around him. "I wonder if my old friends Solace and Sol are still ruling Equestria. Perhaps one day I will visit there again by myself? But for now...there is work to be done."

(]o[)

The first sign for Absol that he was waking up was the overwhelming agony that flooded his body, making him feel like he had suffered dozen of fire type attacks all at the same time. The next sensation he was aware of was the scent of the earth and rocks, a scent the like of which he had only smelled on two mare in all of Equestria. Then his sense of hearing slowly came back, allowing him to pick up on a conversation that was being spoken. About him.

"It isn't fair!" the voice of Limestone roared with such fury that he nearly leapt out of bed in surprise. "After everything he's done to help us, to save our families from the ghosts...!"

"I am aware of what Absol has done for us. But I am now also aware that he is truly the bringer of disaster," Celestia's voice replied, sounding far angrier than Absol had ever remembered it sounding. "Palkia, the being that sent him here, confirmed that for us. The same Palkia, might I add, that Prince Sol fought lifetimes ago and just barely managed to keep from taking our land. It seems that Absol was nothing more than a pawn this entire time."

"So what if Palkia used Absol? Absol had no part of that and he's been helping us-"

"Palkia used Absol once. Who is to say that he would not use him again? We just barely managed to send Palkia back to his own world, at the cost of our royal magic and our Rainbow Power. Twilight has told me that it will be at least a week before those powers return to us. We are vulnerable during this time, all because we had to be rid of a being that would not have arrived had Absol-"

"Do not try to pin this on him! Maybe if you did a better job protecting your subjects, Absol wouldn't have had to step in and do your job!"

"You dare..."

"Limestone, you might be going a bit to far," Marble said nervously. Her tone, along with the fact that he could feel the anger that Celestia and Limestone were flinging at each other, told him it was time to get up. As he sat up, he found that he was in the medical wing once more and that Celestia and Limestone looked like they were about to kill each other. Both snapped their eyes towards him as he rose, Limestone's face being filled with relief while Celestia's seemed to harden.

"Absol, how are you feeling?" Limestone asked as she and Marble rushed to his side. He placed a paw on her shoulder and smiled gently at her, before he turned his full attention to Celestia.

"Absol. I am glad to see that you are awake," she replied in a tone that sounded anything but glad.

"I can see that. I can also see by the fact that everyone is still alive that you managed to banish Palkia?"

"Correct. He has been returned to his home world. But speaking of banishing-"

"Save your breath. I heard everything," Absol snapped back. "You want me gone? Fine. I'll leave Canterlot for good right now."

"I do not just want you gone, I do not want you to interact with my ponies again," Celestia warned him. "You may not be our enemy, but you do truly seem to bring disaster wherever you go. For the sake of my citizens-"

"Celestia, can I ask you a question?" Absol cut her off. "With my dark powers and immunity to your magic, could you stop me if I decided to stay here?" He waited a full minute for her to respond before he continued. "No. You couldn't. So know that I'm leaving because I choose to. Not of any fear of you. Remember that the next time you want to hunt me down. Because even my mercy has its limits."

And then Absol turned and walked out of the room.