Arceus. Arceus, the father of all Pokémon had just spoken his wisdom to me! The moment that I had been seeking for... half my life now had finally been delivered to me!
And yet...
What had he really told me?
To be less self-centered? How... exactly was I self-centered?
I pondered that as I sat in front of the pool of water. My paw lazily flicked amongst the water as I continued to think about it. I will admit, however, that I am not the best thinker. In broad terms, I suppose I couldn’t be blamed for much of anything... could I? At least in terms of my coming to this strange world of ponies.
I went over all I’d done. I’d killed a few of the ‘animals’ for food in the wrong place, something that was in no ways my fault. Then I’d acted purely in self defense after their attempt to trap me in the pit...
With that done, I’d rescued Zecora... and from there I didn’t see anything wrong with my actions. Well, minus stupidly mouthing off to ‘Discord’. I’ll admit that was fairly thick headed of me.
I bit my bottom lip and let out a sigh. Leave it to God to leave me a simple instruction wrapped in a riddle.
“I didn’t want an easy answer... but I wanted something that I could work with,” I grumbled to myself. “This is far too vague.”
I closed my eyes and tried to focus on everything except myself. It didn’t work well... the forest wasn’t very interesting and nothing else was around. I did however realize something. I was stuck in the world until I could manage to find my absolution as time slipped away quickly in my own home, Belle aging with every second I was gone.
A low snarl left my throat and I stood up from my place beside the pond, shaking a bit of wet mud from my coat easily enough and began to walk again. I wouldn’t find my absolution sitting beside the pool, I might as well not waste my time there.
I walked without really looking where I was going, trusting my legs and paws to carry me clear of anything in the way. Twigs snapped beneath my paws and I felt my claws sink into the soft earth while I walked. As I walked along and felt the earth beneath my paws, I began to think of the past. After all, this was hardly the first time I’d walked through a forest.
I smiled as I stood in front of Henry. The blonde boy grinned down at me as he patted my head.
“So, you think you got the move down?” he asked me as he moved his hand to scratch right behind my left ear. I leaned into the scratching for a moment as a deep purr rumbled through my chest.
“Oh yes, yes, I think I’ve got it Henry!” I told him excitedly once I’d pulled away, though I knew that he couldn’t actually understand me. In order to further show him I nodded my head and danced back in forth in place.
He’d been working on teaching me Night Slash for three weeks and throughout the entire process Henry had been nothing but supportive. Henry had even carried me home twice after I’d exhausted myself! Of course, if he’d remember my Ball, it would have been less of an issue, but I was still grateful nonetheless! Now I felt like I’d finally done it! I knew how to perform Night Slash!
Henry smiled widely as he straightened up. “Alright, now,” he pointed a finger at a young sapling tree. “Cres, use Night Slash!”
I grinned widely as I drew the dark energy to my blade and then darted forwards towards the sapling. I jumped and spun, bringing my blade slashing straight through the sapling as the dark energy discharged in a clean line. My paws touched the soft earth again and I smiled as the sapling fell to the opposite side.
I’d done it! I’d performed Night Slash successfully!
“YES!” I cheered with a grin, bouncing up and down on the tips of my paws. “I did it! I did it!”
Henry was also grinning as he raised a fist into the air. “Way to go, Cres! You did it!”
“I know! I did it!” I replied happily as I scampered back to him. “I did it!” I repeated as I rubbed against his legs. “I did it! Oh, Belle is going to be so impressed! I can’t believe I finally did it!”
Henry began to chuckled happily from the proud expression plastered across my face and reached down to pet me again. His finger lightly brushed against the base of my blade and... the next thing I knew he was sent flying. He landed flat on his back and began screaming in pain, his right hand cupped over his left.
My eyes widened in shocked surprise as he screamed even louder. I dashed over to Henry and saw that his left hand was bleeding from a deep cut! A thousand scenarios flashed through my mind as I watched the blood trickling from the wound.
Henry lay dead at my paws because of a cut!
Henry recovered but hated me for the rest of his life!
Henry recovering but the rest of the village chasing me out!
Henry recovering and saying that he was fine with me but ending up trading me away because he secretly hated me!
I blinked and shook my head, no time for that. Henry was in trouble! Think brain, think! I commanded myself as I looked around, panicking as I tried to find some way to help him. Henry stopped scream and his voice lowered down to a series of hard grunts of pain as he lifted his right hand up slightly before placing it back down, wincing terribly. He slowly began attempting to push himself onto his legs, but could only manage sitting upright. He exhaled shakily and looked over at me.
“Cres... go get... my dad,” he told me in between gasps of pain.
My eyes widened. OF COURSE! I was an idiot! I gave him a nod and turned back the way we’d come, my legs blurring beneath me. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I thought to myself as I sprinted down the path to his house. I breezed by the other townsfolk and actually leapt over a cart full of cabbages.
Unfortunately, apparently my jumping a full foot over his cart surprised a Furret sitting on the side of the cart. He panicked and rocked back and forth so much that the human pushing the cart lost control and it overbalanced, sending cabbages, and the Furret, rolling into the street.
“My cabbages!” he shouted in a heartbroken voice. I winced, he really was a nice man, most of the time. I’d have to find some way to apologize to him and to Jerry, once I was sure that Henry wasn’t going to die, of course!
I weaved and wove through the early afternoon traffic until I reached Henry’s house and began to rapidly scratch at the door.
“Open up! Please! Henry is hurt!” I shouted, or to the humans i suppose yowled would be the better word for it.
Heavy feet stride to the door and a unhappy exhale echoed in my ear. “Cres, how many times do I have to tell you to not scratch on the door,” Henry’s father said as he opened the door with an unpleasant look on his face.
“You have to come with me! Henry is hurt!” I exclaimed, gesturing panickedly towards the woods.
The man frowned in confusion as he glanced up to the wooded area. His eyes suddenly widened before he glanced down back at me. “Take me to my boy,” he ordered.
I nodded and turned on a dime, taking off at a run, though making sure that Henry’s father could still follow me. Lucky for me, the man was a good runner as he followed me easily. We skirted around the edge of the fallen cabbages and made it back to where Henry was lying. He’d managed to move so that his back was leaning against a tree. His face looked pale and my eyes widened with concern as I noticed that his eyes were closed. The bloody left hand was pressed against his now stained shirt.
I ran up and began to nuzzle him worriedly, licking him a few times on the cheek. He moaned weakly as his eyes opened up and he looked at me.
“Hey... you’re back....” he said with a strained smile.
“Henry!” The boy’s father shouted as he rushed up to him. He wasted no time in bending down and picking his son up between his two strong arms. “What happened to you....” he said worriedly as he looked the boy’s bloody arm. He then glanced darkly down at me and I shrank under the gaze. He then turned around and started back towards the village, not saying a word to me but I could sense both his anger with me building with each step.
Maybe it would best if I stayed in the forest for the night. I gulped and ducked into the bushes. Henry’s father was an incredibly nice man... most of the time. Sometimes I thought he adored me... but then there were times like this.
I shivered as I made my way back to my favorite pine tree and curled up beneath its boughs. Henry would be fine. I knew that. He had to be. It was just a cut right? He hadn’t lost that much blood. Right? If... if I’d killed him... oh Arceus...
I began to hyperventilate and probably would have worked myself into a full on panic attack if not for a pair of worried blue eyes that had suddenly appeared staring into mine. I jumped in surprise at Belle’s sudden appearance, apparently I’d been so busy panicking that I hadn’t noticed her approach.
“Cres....” she said slowly as she walked up to me. “What’s going on? I saw Henry’s father carrying him, and there was blood... did some wild Pokémon attack the two of you?”
I shook my head jerkily, not quite able to calm myself. “No! It was me! Oh no... oh no... I’m in trouble! They-they’re going to kill me! Or worse, release me!” I shouted panickedly. My pupils had shrunk to pinpricks.
Belle frowned slightly at me for a moment but shook her head. “I’m sure Henry will be fine, Cres... he didn’t look as if he lost too much blood... but what happened?”
“I...I used Night Slash- I - I finally mastered it and-and he touched my blade afterwards and-and he went flying-and-and-and I’ve killed him!” I cried, burying my head in my paws.
I felt Belle nuzzling me gently as she moved to lay down next to me. “Like I said... I’m sure he will be fine. John is a good doctor, I’m sure he will be able to patch Henry up,” she assured me with another nuzzled. “Still... it’s quite puzzling how Henry got hurt....” she murmured to herself.
“But-but what if he dies? Or what if he hates me because I hurt him!?” I exclaimed, my face still in my paws as tears began to fall. “It's all my fault, all my fault!”
Belle remained silent for a moment. “I doubt Henry would ever hate you, Cres. This isn’t the first time you hurt him in some way or fashion. And if he dies... well....”
“Then the village will kill me,” I said pitifully. “And I’d want them to.”
Belle exhaled annoyedly and before I knew it she bite down on some of loose fur hanging off my head and yanked on it... hard. I let out a cry of pain and turned to her with a look of surprise on my tear stained face. She was looking at me with anger in her eyes along with some small tears forming.
“Don’t you dare speak like that, Cres,” she told me.
“I... sorry,” I said, looking down again, unable to meet her beautiful eyes. “I... I’m just... just...”
“Henry is not going to die,” she told me firmly. “And we need to figure out what happened so we can make sure it won’t happen again,” she added in her calm, logical voice. “So... you said you were able to use Night Slash?”
“M-mhm,” I replied with a nod.
She nodded her head. “If you can, use it again,” she told me, getting up on her paws and getting out of my way to a watchful distance.
“I... I don’t know if I can,” I said timidly, shaking a little.
“Cres... this is for the safety of not only Henry, but for yourself too. We must find out what happened and the key to this is Night Slash, I think,” she told me in a reassuring and supportive tone.
I blinked and then met her eyes, almost losing myself in the blue pools. Then I nodded and took a stuttering breath as I got back to my paws. I saw a nearby sapling and powered up my blade once more. I let out a deep breath and then charged forwards, bringing my blade straight through it with a blast of dark energy.
Belle nodded her head as she walked towards me. “Good... now, you then said Henry touched your blade and he jumped... so....” She tilted her head slightly as she reached her blade over to touched mine. The moment the our blades touched, there was a spark of dark energy jumping between the two. Belle shivered slightly as the energy coursed through her and she stumbled back a bit.
“BELLE!” I shouted in a panic, terrified that I’d hurt her as well! I rushed up and began to nuzzle her worriedly. “ARE YOU OKAY?”
“I’m fine,” she said loudly as she lifted a paw and rub her forehead. “Just a bit startled at the shock... but nothing worse,” she replied as she looked at me. “Though now we know what happened. You had an excess of charge left in your blade, and when Henry touched it, the energy discharged through him. It was like as if he touched a live wire of electricity.”
“So it was my fault!” I exclaimed, my eyes widening.
“By accident,” she stated firmly. “Night Slash is an advanced move for when we are more older and experienced in battle. I’m betting because you’re not skilled enough yet you can’t discharge all of the energy you’re building up in your blade.”
“But... it was still my fault,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m still responsible for hurting Henry!”
“Maybe... but like I said it was an accident, Cres, and now we know what happened we can prevent it from happening again,” Belle told me calmly.
I nodded jerkily again, unsure of what else to do other than simply stand there shivering with worry.
“So... one way to prevent this is not to use Night Slash again until you’re more experienced,” Belle continued. “The other is working on decreasing the build of energy you need to used Night Slash. Less energy means less of a chance to carry an excess of energy. Lastly if you can’t do the second, just make sure you discharge your blade before you make contact with Henry. Preferably onto a tree.”
My headed nodded again though I wasn’t really listening. I was too worried about Henry.
“Now, repeat what I just said,” Belle ordered me.
“Huh?” I asked, blinking.
Belle sighed as she shook her head. “It seems we have some work to do....” she muttered to herself.
I awoke to find Belle lying beside me, her head resting against my back. I blinked blankly and then inhaled her calming scent. It had always reminded me of a Pecha Berry and I buried my face in her crimson fur. Warmth flowed through me and I let out a long sigh as I enjoyed the sensation. She stirred awake from my heavy nuzzling and glanced at me with a warm smile.
“Enjoying yourself?” she asked as she out a small yawn.
“Mhmm... you’re warm,” I replied as I withdrew my head and leaned over to give her a nuzzle.
She chuckled lightly as she nuzzled back. “So... sleep well last night?” she asked.
“With you beside me... always,” I replied as I leaned my neck against hers. Then I blinked and jerked to my paws. “HENRY!”
Belle let out a sigh as she stood up as well. “I’m sure he is fine... want me to head to the village first to check?” she asked.
I nodded uncertainly. “I... if you would please... I... I don’t know how his father would react to me if... if...”
She nodded her head. “Stay right here then, and don’t move from this spot,” she told me as she gave me a nuzzle and then broke into a sprint towards the village. I frowned worriedly but nodded, more to myself then her. My thoughts turned back to the night before. We’d spent two hours working on my Night Slash until I’d finally collapsed and she curled up beside me. In addition to working on my move... Belle had also drilled something into my head.
Whatever has happened to Henry, it is not your fault, the words slammed into me and I closed my eyes, letting out a breath.
“I’m... I’m okay,” I muttered to myself. “I’m fine. I’m O.K.”
Time passed as I patiently waited in the woods, hearing Bug-type and Flying-type Pokémon chatter away in the distance. My ears picked up the faint sound of paws running back towards me and I glanced up to see Belle running towards me.
“He’s alive,” she told me. “And is doing okay. I was able to explain as best I could to Emily about what happened and she told Henry’s father. It’s okay for you to see him, which you should.”
“Thank Arceus,” I said, letting out a long relieved breath. “Thank you, Belle,” I added as I walked up and gave her a loving nuzzle. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Neither do I,” she replied as she nuzzled back. “Now... let’s head back to the village,” she said, gesturing her head to follow her.
I nodded and the two of us began walking back, my body not leaving her warm side the entire way. She... was comforting. A rock for me to brace myself against.
We walked in silence until we reached Henry’s house and found Henry’s father waiting for us. To my surprise, he bent down and patted my head.
“Thank you for coming to get me as fast as you did... Henry should be proud to have as faithful of a companion as you,” he said as he stood up and opened the door for me.
A small smile touched my lips and I walked past him and into the main room. I glided through the house, ignoring the familiar setting. I had only one thing on my mind. I ran into Henry’s room to find him leaning against the backboard of his bed with his left arm in a sling. He glanced down at me, and at first I shrank a bit under his gaze as I slowed down to a crawling walk.
However, Henry smiled as he patted his right hand on the bed, urging me to join him. Timidly I started forwards again and leapt up to land softly on the right side of the bed.
“Henry... are you okay?” I asked him quietly as I made my way closer, giving his hand a nuzzle.
The boy chuckled lightly as he scratched me lightly under my chin. “Hey... it’s alright, I’m okay. It was just a scratch, no biggie.”
“But... but I hurt you,” I stuttered, tears starting to form in my eyes again.
“Hey, it’s alright, okay?” he told me as he lifted my head to stare into his eyes. “There’s nothing to worry about. We just have to be careful next time we work on a move alright?” he said with another light chuckle.
I had no words, so instead I just gave his cheek a lick as tears fell down my face and I buried my head into his neck.
I blinked. Where had that come from? I hadn’t thought of that in years. My eyes looked around the Everfree Forest and I let out a sigh of annoyance. Leave it to me to get lost in a strange forest because I was too busy remembering something unimportant.
I lifted my nose to the sky and re-aligned myself with the path back to Fluttershy’s cottage. Hopefully, Discord would be gone by now and I could just relax there and try to figure out just what exactly Arceus had been trying to tell me.
I caught the familiar scent of Fluttershy’s cottage and walked through a small patch of blue flowers as I began my trek back through the forest.