[CW][Feedback] The beginning of a being of many

[Driadalis]

Hi, I wrote this story as a sort of background to a much larger Reborn story I'm working on and I thought I would share it with the community!

Spoilers for the ending of the Lin Route.

  

Spoiler

The soft humming of the street echoed up the side of a Unovan skyscraper, from the top of which a small child watched the city below. Everything seemed so small from such a height, the organization, the houses, the other children. Strange how such small things cause so much pain, the child thought shoulder length silver hair drifting in the light breeze. Nobody knew they were up here, slowly they began shifting themselves towards the edge of the building. 

The purring of an Oshawott behind them stopped them. Shifting themselves around they saw the small water type hopping across the roof towards them followed closely behind by a series of rapid footsteps. The kid quickly shuffled back onto the roof as a black haired boy emerged from the stairwell. They were young but moved with a level of energy that exceeded many of their age. 

The boy immediately tackled Oshawott.

“Finally, I found you, you little trickster!” 

Oshawott dug into the boy’s shoulder and began purring harder before enveloping the boy in a hug.

Still on the edge of the roof the kid watched this with a small tear forming, a tear that did not go unnoticed by the boy.

“So sorry I didn’t notice you, was I interrupting something?”

The kid hesitated a million different thoughts rushing through their head, they shook their head. The boy nodded before putting Oshawott down and coming to sit next to the kid. 

The two sat in a silence that was only broken by Oshawotts purring for a long while.

“It sure is peaceful up here.” the boy finally said.

The kid said nothing, instead electing to watch some kids playing with a Pansage, as if playing could be the right word.

Unintimidated by the lack of response the boy asked, “do you come up here often?”

“No.” The kid sunk into their jacket.

The boy nodded, “really is a shame, you can see the whole city from here!”

The kid nodded, sinking further into their jacket.

“Is something wrong?”

The kid pointed at the kids playing with the Pansage. The boy’s eyes widened as Oshawott hissed, almost looking to throw its shell at the group.

“Do they treat you in a similar way?” the boy asked.

The kid nodded, drawing themselves deeper into the folds of their jacket, “every time.”

The boy leaned back, “you at least have something to fall back on right?”

There was dead silence on the roof for a long time before the kid shook their head.

The boy stood up, “well then, if they are going to treat you like that then I’d like to introduce you to someone who will always stay by you no matter what!”

The kid looked up in shock at the boy as the boy held out his hand.
“My name is Vero Espenson, what’s yours?” the boy boldly proclaimed.

“J-just call me Decibel” the kid asked as they took Veros hand to shake.

***

Decibel remembered. Looking out over the entirety of Reborn, they still remembered that moment almost 15 years ago that changed both their lives forever.

Vero finished a heated discussion with Noel and Fern over the gate and was beginning to come over. 

“So this is it.” Decibel stated, looking down at the great ball in their hand.

Vero nodded, “four months, so much done, and yet. . .” They slid down to join Decibel, “still not enough.”

Decibel sighed before laying their head in Veros lap, “you did the best you could, we saved everyone we could, and now we can finally rest in the comfort knowing that Team Meteor or Lin won’t be hurting anybody again.”

Vero let out a long sigh and the pair of them let the smell of grass flow over them for a long moment, “how many times have we been here?”

Decibel’s eyes searched Veros face for an answer before responding, “a month ago I would have said we have been here once, but now. . . I don’t know”

Vero gave Decibel a small pat on the arm before shifting their head off so he could stand up.

“Either way what happens next, we will take on together.”

Decibel nodded the best they could with their head on the grass before giving Vero a thumbs up, “together.”

“I need you to promise me one thing.”

Decibel rolled into a sitting position, “what else needs to be said?”
Vero released Samurott and patted his partner on the head before answering, “I want you to promise me that you’ll save everyone if we fail here.”

A soft laughter echoed through Decibels head until they realized what Vero was implying, “whatever happens, we will make it through together just like we always have.”

Vero nervously laughed, “I suppose that’s true, I just want you to promise in case the worst happens.”

Decibel broke out laughing, “When have I ever said no?”

Vero began laughing as Noel called out, “Are you two ready? The door is opening!”

Decibel turned to watch as a multicolored halo outlined the shape of an archway before coalescing into a single tall golden ring with a line of stardust down the center. 

Vero turned back to Decibel as the line of stardust split down the center revealing a long dark void beyond, “you ready?”

Decibel simply nodded as they and Vero stepped through the New World gateway one last time.

***

The New World extended on for what seemed like ages, Vero and Decibels footsteps creating impossible echoes on the rock glass pathway. After 200 meters the void suddenly gave way like the walls of a hallway into a grand star filled expanse, a massive ziggurat floated in the center connecting dozens of levitating chunks of stone with golden chains. 

Approaching the ziggurat Vero and Decibel could see a massive staircase up the ziggurat was going to be their route forward however it was blocked by golden chains and a tall blond woman.

As the two approached the woman she gradually faded into stardust, almost as if she had been a sand sculpture. At the chains Vero crouched down to get a better look, “We’re going to need to find a really big key to unlock these.”
Decibel gestured to a dozen or so iron doors around the base of the ziggurat, “perhaps look through those doors?”
Vero nodded, “You go left, I’ll go right, anything attacks just scream, ok?”

Decibel agreed and the pair split off to search the different doors. 

The first door Decibel opened briefly blasted them in the face with a wave of sand before they were clearly able to see a figure standing alone in what appeared to be a holding cell.

“Hardy?” Decibel asked.

The figure said nothing as they turned into sand which itself turned into glimmering green stardust.

Decibel charged through several other holding cells, watching as Ace, Bennett, and Cal turn to stardust.

That is, until opening the fourth door as the whole of the New World seemed to ripple as it was replaced by cold plaster walls, smooth tile floors, iron bars and the droning of dozens of voices above. 

Slowly a girl with bright pink hair holding a cigar materialized on a bench below the only window. “Stuck in here again, huh? What’d you do this time?” the girl spat out.

Decibel nearly threw up as the shadow of a girl not much older than twelve emerged from where they had been standing and crouched down on the floor across from the pink haired girl.
The girl snorted as if in response to the movement, “Have you considered, perhaps, NOT being an insufferable little nuisance for once in your life?”

The shadow girl seemed to curl deeper into a ball.

“Didn’t think so. We may both be in here for the night, but don’t expect me to act all buddy-buddy to you.” The pink-haired girl took a long breath of her cigar before continuing, “Not after last time.”

The shadow girl suddenly stood up as if in protest. Making gestures as if in argument.

The pink haired girl shook her head, “If you don’t want to lie in it, you shouldn’t have dug your own grave.” Raising her cigar she took a long breath in before releasing it in a massive wave of heat, filled with stardust that stung like sand.

Decibel averted their eyes only to find themselves back in the New World, this time with one half of a golden key in their hand.

Stumbling back to the beginning Decibel accidently crashed through one of the yet unopened doors and the New World morphed again.

“Oh, Hi Lin!” a girl's voice called out.

Decibel shook their head as they looked up, they were in Sigmunds Orphanage. Sitting at one of the tables was Anna, and based on her posture she was talking to someone about where Decibel was laying.

“You wanted to play another game?” Anna asked as Lin’s shadow walked over to the chair across from Anna.
Lin must have said something because Anna suddenly piped up, “Sure, but I’m obviously just gonna win again! You don’t use your pawns as much as you could, and then you have to rely on your queen too much.”

Decibel then noticed that Anna had been turning a chess board around as she spoke.
Anna smiled “Here, you can move first. You could try to work on maintaining a more consistent line this game?”

Decibel stood up to take a closer look at the chess game as Anna finished, “Fair warning - even though I’m saying this now, don’t expect me to go easy or help you once we start!”
“This one’s gonna be all-out!” Anna and Lin both seemed to scream as the chess pieces began moving of their own accord.

The scraping of the pieces seemed to grow louder and louder until a black pawn took the white king and the entire room turned into stardust.

Decibel fell backwards coughing, back into the walkway around the ziggurat and crashed into a shaken Vero sending them both sprawling.

“Decibel! Where did you come from?”  Vero cried, his voice an octave higher than normal.

“I just saw. . . I just saw Anna and L. . Lin”

To Decibel’s surprise, instead of questioning him Vero just nodded, “I think I know what you mean, I just saw Noel talking to someone who I suspect was Lin.”

Lin’s voice boomed from the top of the Ziggurat, “so! you’ve managed to find my SECRET LAYER. I bet y’all are feeling pretty good about yourselves huh?”

Vero chuckled, “Actually Lin, it’s just us.”

Lin’s voice appeared to do a double take, “Wait, where is everyone?”

“They aren’t coming Lin, it’s just you and us.” Decibel called up.

The chains across the path faded allowing the pair to continue up the Ziggurat. 

Another set of chains blocked the path so Vero and Decibel agreed to split up again. 

Like before Decibel ran into specters of people they knew: Zero, Eve, Blake, Titania, Taka, and Laura who briefly pulled Decibel into another vision at the orphanage. As Decibel shook away the stardust from Laura’s vision they heard an explosion back near the main path. 

As Decibel arrived at the scene they were treated to the image of Samurott doing its best to apply CPR to Vero who was already vomiting a small ocean of water and stardust while at the same time adding a healthy quantity of their own tears to the mix. 

“What sort of. . ?” Vero spat out before noticing Decibel.

Vero opened his mouth as if to say something before closing it and turning to Samurott, “thanks for the save back there.”

Decibel’s brow furrowed in confusion, “did Lin try to drown you in a vision?”

Vero shook his head, tears still streaking down his face, “I’m sorry, but I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

Samurott gave a soft roar and a gesture to the cleared path. 

“Is it still just the two of you?” Lin’s voice screamed from the top of the ziggurat “Oh now it’s the two of you and a pokemon. . . Well everyone else will be showing up eventually, they have to stop the big bad guy right?”

Vero and Decibel simply advanced up the path without acknowledging Lin’s voice rising in octaves.

To their surprise the only thing blocking the third flight of steps was a muscular punk teen, soaked with fists clenched and blood dripping from her knuckles. 

With a clap of lightning Vero and Decibel both found themselves in one of the Lapis Wards alleyways, a massive thunderstorm rolling overhead and the punk girl beating on someone at the end. 

“Every. Single. Day.” The punk girl screamed, kicked down on a shadow.
The punk girl reached down, picked the shadow up before slamming it against the wall, scarred muscles rippling. Vero ran up to the punk girl and tried to grab her arm however he phased through her as if she didn’t exist.

“Every single day you find someone new to torment. If it’s not someone new then you reopen old scars. If you cannot find old scars then you force someone to make them for you!”

The girl threw the shadow out of the alleyway as a tall figure in an imposing lab coat walked past and took notice.

“Miss Allaway, could you come with me?” the new figure said as the scene dissolved. 

Decibel ran over to Vero who’s hands had visibly begun to shake.

“You go ahead Decibel, I. .  I need a moment.” Vero horsley whispered, as if all the water he had ingested earlier had left his throat parched as a desert.

Decibel nodded in understanding, before ascending the steps to come face to face with Lin and the PULSE Arceus.

“So, it’s just you huh? I thought everyone would come, you know one big final battle against the big bad?”
Decibel said nothing as they reached down to grab their first pokeball. 

Lin sighed before sitting down, “you really know how to let someone down, but before you fight me you must defeat. My Evil Minions!”

A small poof of stardust rose and fell to reveal Terra, standing looking blankly ahead.

Decibel’s pokeball cracked open to reveal Xerneas as Terra released Lycanroc.

Before anyone could move though, something rushed right past Decibel and Terra towards Lin. Lin freaked out and summoned Dusk-Mane Necrozma and Mawile as Vero slid to a halt. The dimensions of the platform stretched into that of a long hallway as Lin tried to slow Vero down. 

Vero, not having any of it, released Rayquaza and charged through the distorted space.

As much as Decibel wanted to watch what happened next, Terra gave them no opening as Lycanroc began charging Xerneas howling. 

A multicolored aura of light burst from around Xerneas. Absorbing the energy in record pace Xerneas launched itself away from an eruption of sharp rocks to land the amplified power of the moon on Lycanroc. 

Lycanroc exploded into an ocean of stardust as Terra released Landorus. Xerneas tried to blast Landorus with the moon however Landorus ducked under the attack. Swinging around to smoke Xerneas with its tail, Landorus sent the god of life flying into the distant stars.

Managing to recall the unconscious god to them, Decibel released Deoxys who immediately launched forward and past the Landorus. Landorus rushed around as quickly as it could, seemingly oblivious to the ray of frost growing across where the Deoxys had brushed against it. By the time Landorus and fully turned around Deoxys released a blisteringly cold beam of energy, instantly freezing the flying ground type. Landorus imploded in on itself releasing a wave of stardust that nearly instantly turned into a near exact replica of Decibel’s own Xerneas.

Deoxys released a massive psionic blast that sent ripples through the area nearly knocking out the Xerneas as the Xerneas rushed in close to beat it every which way with its horns.

They both fell.

Decibel quickly glanced over to Vero’s fight to see Dusk-Mane Necrozma and a completed Zygarde slowly trying to rain tens of thousands of attacks down on a hyper aggressive Magearna and Volcanion. A cacophony of clanging scales brought Decibel back to earth as they dodged a wave of sonically charged energy.

Releasing Yveltal into the frey the black bird of death made quick work of the Kommo-o with a single ray of petrifying energy. 

The cry of a celestial bird could be heard as Terra released Mega Altaria and for a moment Decibel let their guard down. Before the heavenly bird nearly body slammed Yveltal into one of the pillars of black stone that had started growing around the whole battlefield.

Recognizing the disadvantageous position Yveltal blasted Altaria with another ray of death before returning to the pokeball. Decibel let Mega Gengar out to take another body slam from Altaria. Terra tilted her head curiously, before Altaria dissolved and took the form of a tiny dancer, Pirouette Meloetta. 

Gengar instantly began singing as it stopped Meloetta from going into a series of aerial kicks that would have sent Gengar to whatever afterlife ghosts went to. 

As Gengar and Meloetta both collapsed from the song, rain started falling from the distant stars, not something that usually happened in the New World.

Decibel and Terra released Groudon and Mega Altaria to finish the battle. Which was swiftly accomplished by an overwhelming heatwave prompting both Altaria and Terra to dissolve back into stardust.

Decibel quickly rushed over to where Vero was cleaning up his fight against Lin. The PULSE Arceus was barely standing. That is until Rayquaza’s head burst into flames and crashed into the PULSE machine integrated with the Arceus. 

“Are you ok?” Decibel asked Vero.

“I’m down Lunala and Zygarde, you?”

“I got hit worse, I’m effectively down to Giratina and Groudon. Yveltal’s still got some fight left though”

The PULSE Arceus slowly drifted to the ground unconscious as Lin started having a breakdown.

“T- that, that wasn’t supposed to. . . what did I just. . . wait, puppy hold on.”
Lin ran over to the Arceus. Decibel started towards Lin only for Vero to stop them, a look of sorrow slowly overtaking his normally optimistic expression.

Vero started walking towards the pair as a subtle glow began emitting from his bag.

“I didn’t mean to. . .” Lin continued between tears as PULSE Arceus’s eyes shot open.

Everyone went flying back as if hit by a blast from a cannon as eighteen tablets of multicolored light flew out of Vero’s bag, making a beeline straight for the PULSE. Lin went flying off the side of the platform as Decibel readied Yveltal for another fight. Vero was the first to recover from the blast however instead of getting right into the fight, shot straight towards where Lin had fallen, tossing a pokeball into the air before disappearing over the edge himself.

The PULSE Arceus slowly rose off the ground. The black metalic flesh that made up the ring of Arceus bubbled and churned as the plates approached, eventually warping into the shape of eighteen equidistant slots each plate fitted into.  

Yveltal instantly went to unleash oblivion on the recovering god. As it did so the Dread, Fist, and Pixie plates flared black, tan, and pink along Arceus’s body respectively. Arceus gave Yveltal a long stare as Yveltal’s ray of energy washed over with little effect. 

Massive pillars of bricks erupted from the void as Arceus roared. The plates each glowed before releasing a beam of energy to a point right in front of Arceus’s face. A following energy blast tore the ziggurat apart into dozens of floating islands, each with their own functional gravity. Decibel finally caught a glimpse of Vero holding an unconscious Lin holding desperately onto one such island. 

A roar echoed through time as Yveltal suddenly plummeted onto one of the stone islands. Recalling Yveltal to its pokeball, Decibel did their best to rush over to Vero as the air started to thicken with ozone. 

A panicked cry split the air in front of Decibel as a sonic blast ripped right through the arena Arceus had been trying to form. 

Suddenly finding themselves able to breathe once again, Decibel reached Vero and helped him and Lin onto the platform. 

“Got any ideas?”

Vero nodded, “A couple, you still have Groudon right?”

Decibel instantly released the titan of the land seeing where this might be going, “you still have Kyogre?”

The primal titan of the ocean emerged from its pokeball in response, summoning with it a rainstorm that would make rainforests appear dry in comparison.

Vero smiled, “Groudon, Necrozma let’s bring the sun!”

An explosion of heat and light was more than enough as Dusk Mane Necrozma emerged and began absorbing the energy of Groudons heat and Kyogre’s refracted light.

Arceus meanwhile appeared to be distracted by an ever increasing number of sonic blasts in its area to notice Necrozma’s prismatic armor beginning to glow a brilliant white. 

By the time Arceus did notice, Ultra Necrozma had already formed. Vero tapped the Ultranecrozium Z on his necklace, prompting Ultra Necrozma to begin absolute absorption of all available light, including that created by Necrozma’s own light refracting through Kyogre’s rain.

Lin woke up as the world started to turn black, “so this is it huh?”

Vero lay a hand over Lin’s eyes, “you might want to keep those closed a little longer.”

Decibel and Vero both averted their eyes as Hyper Necrozma unleashed a light so bright that even with eyes closed and turned away it felt akin to staring directly at the sun on a clear day. The heat intensified to the point where Decibel could feel their shoes beginning to sink into the melting stones. 

Then it stopped. 

When the light died down, both Vero and Decibel turned to see what devastation the attack had created. 

A clean line clearly labeled where Necrozma’s light had burned through stone, dust and any other kind of matter. That line ended at a rapidly diminishing sun suspended in front of Arceus. 

Vero tugged Decibel away while carrying Lin as dozens of portals opened around Necrozma and the weather duo. A sound like a nuclear blast launched the trio from the platform as Arceus roared, unleashing the true power of Necrozma through time.

By the time Decibel had crash landed on Vero there was nothing left of the platform they had been sent from.

Vero groaned, a sound that alarmed everyone.
“Are you okay?” Decibel asked, quickly shoving Lin off Vero’s stomach, and making sure their friend hadn’t sustained any injuries.

“I think I twisted an ankle on impact but it’s nothing I can’t handle. Either way plan B.”

“What’s plan. . . plan B?” Lin slowly asked.

A sonic roar charged past the group as Vero smiled, “it’s been charging up the last 3 minutes.”

Lin’s eyebrows furrowed, “what do you. . .”

“Rayquaza, Dance to ascension and create victory at speed unmatched by god!” Vero suddenly screamed into the void, attempting to stand on his bad leg.

Arceus, as if realizing what was happening, formed a protective barrier of spacetime around itself in addition to the massive temple complex that had been forming in the wake of Necrozma’s failed attack.

Decibel looked around in confusion as nothing happened, “where. . ?”

It was then they noticed a point of light in the sky not much bigger than the point of a needle had started growing bigger. 

Squinting Decibel could see the light was multiple rapid bursts of fire as something left an afterwake of fire in the air, and it was approaching. As it made impact all Decibel could see of it was a single streak of green gold fire that erupted from Arceus’s temple. Then the sound wave hit the temple. 

Ringing. 

More Ringing.

That’s all anyone could hear for the longest time as what remained of Arceus’s temple was engulfed in flames. 

At the center of the explosion was a single black ring.

“Is that it? Can we go now?” Decibel asked as their platform slowly drifted towards the remains of the structure.

The black ring bubbled as the eighteen plates revealed themselves,suddenly the ring grew a large mass at its center, reforming Arceus within seconds.

The gods eyes narrowed, looking straight into and through Veros' soul.

Vero slowly gave Decibel a look that said, “there was no plan C”.

Lin started to try to run towards where the New World Gate had been, Decibel and Vero close behind. As the trio approached the gate a massive Reflect barrier shot into being in front of Vero. Decibel quickly turned back and tried to pull Vero through the barrier as Arceus turned its attention to the golden gate. 

Lin jumped backwards, shoving Decibel and Vero out of the way as a dozen multicolored spears of energy shot past the three of them into the border of the gate, sending cracks through the frame.

Decibel watched in horror as Noel and Fern’s faces disappeared into a swirl of energy and stardust. 

The gate was closed.

Decibel bit back a swear as Vero turned and ran back the way they came, pokeball in hand.

“Samurott, distract!”

Samurott burst out of its pokeball and shot to the left as Vero charged to the right.

“Decibel! Get Giratina to separate the PULSE from the pokemon!” Vero called back.

“Can Giratina even do that?” Decibel asked.

“It’s the only chance we got!” Vero said dodging a chain of elemental blasts.

The PULSE Arceus reared back, an aura of electrical energy forming around it as Samurott tried to get in close.

Meanwhile Vero leapt right through the aura doing his best to ignore the erratic twitching and spasms his muscles began screaming they had to do. Vero landed on Arceus taking the opportunity to curl his fingers around the Fist Plate and begin pulling. 

Decibel released Giratina and whispered the plan to the god of the distortion world. A plan they both nodded in silent agreement over.

Giratina floated up to avoid being noticed by Arceus as Decibel charged in following Vero’s example. 

The Fist Plate began glowing as it loosened. When it suddenly came out Vero held it high, until he noticed a dozen tiny strands still connecting the Plate to the PULSE.

“Well so much for that. . .” Vero almost got out before the plate blasted him with a concentrated wave of raw physical energy. 

Decibel caught Vero by the pant leg as he went sailing past.

“Guess that makes one more thing I owe you for right?” Vero asked as he tried to shift his arm back into proper position.

Decibel grinned before spraying a potion on the injury, “make that two more things.”

Vero flexed his arm before pushing Decibel out of the way of another blast from the Fist Plate. 

“Make sure Giratina does its part and keep her safe while Samurott and I keep Arceus’s attention.”

“Who is ‘her’?” Decibel screamed at Vero as the latter took off towards Samurott who was beginning to give off a slight glow of primal energy.

Decibel watched for a hot minute as Vero and Samurott danced around different projectiles ranging the color spectrum. Lin slowly sunk down next to Decibel. Decibel only noticed when she lay her head on him.

“I’m sorry about everything.” Lin whispered to Decibel.

“No, no I don’t think you are.” Decibel stated as they got up and leapt to a nearby section of floating debris.

After hopping across several dozen platforms, avoiding the stray attacks from the fight, Decibel reached Giratina’s level and signed, “how long?”

Giratina let out a low rumble and breathed a quintet of shadows into the light, before the shadows morphed to align themselves like a stopwatch.

“Minutes?” Decibel made the mistake of saying aloud as Giratina nodded.

A sudden rush of heat alerted the duo to the attack before the electrified fire stream blasted into the platform Decibel stood on, throwing him off balance.

“Decibel!” Vero called out from below.

Samurott roared as the glow around it got brighter and a black tint began forming on his horn. Vero turned to Samurott, “No it’s not worth it. Decibel, are you okay?”

Decibel quickly threw the best thumbs up they could manage before rolling out of the way of a sparkling ray of darkness.

Vero leapt up past Decibel’s level to try to draw attention, “Do you know how long it will take?”

Decibel did their best to suppress a groan as they replied, “Five minutes”

Samurott barked in surprise as Arceus suddenly narrowed its eyes and launched it with no effort.

Vero barely had time to blink before Arceus was suddenly standing over him, the eighteen plates circling like some sort of evil drill head.

Decibel tried to leap in to stop whatever was about to happen however each step they seemed to make towards the PULSE seemed to put them an additional two steps further away.

The Mind plate glowed a deep pink as Vero floated up to Arceus’s eye level. All Decibel could do was scream as Vero suddenly flew backwards at such speed that everyone could see the air catch fire.

Vero crashed into a wall of bricks with a snap that could be audible throughout the New World, right as Arceus began chain firing dozens of attacks from each of the plates into the dust cloud Vero had kicked up with his impact.

Decibel tried to get closer to Arceus but only found themselves flung onto a rudimentary floor that had from the remains of both Arceus’s temple and the original ziggurat.

The attack barague ended and Vero fell limply to the ground. 

Decibel scrambled over to him to make an assessment of his injuries.

Half of Vero’s jacket had fused with his shirt and skin, multiple fingers had turned black with frost, given how flat Veros chest was it was a miracle he was still breathing, he was twitching everywhere erratically, his eye looked as if it had been gouged out and replaced by raw crystal.

Samurott roared in a blind rage, the glow that had been hovering around it all battle suddenly flared up and when it receded it was not Vero’s Samurott standing there.

This new Samurott’s armor was black and red and its horn had become jagged. This Samurott charged directly at Arceus who was less than pleased with the attack that proceeded to glance off a psychic barrier.

Vero coughed out a small puddle of his own blood his still working eye watched Arceus form a single slab of pure white energy that proceeded to eviscerate Samurott.

A small sob could be heard from behind Decibel and Vero. The duo turned around to see Lin beginning to choke on her own tears.

“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen puppy. I really didn’t. I’m sorry!”

Vero gestured to Decibel to help him up, finding to both of their surprises Vero could still support his own weight.

Decibel set Vero down beside Lin who immediately wrapped her arms around him and started sobbing into his jacket.

A rush of air could be heard building as Decibel raised his head. The slab of white energy had expanded into a sphere. And it was growing.

Decibel turned back to Vero to see something they never thought they’d see as the New World turned cold, Vero was crying.

Vero looked up at Decibel, “I’m sorry.”
Giratina’s head slowly became visible over the expanding ball.

Decibel fell to their knees, knowing what Vero was referring to.

A soft girl's voice began echoing through the New World. The words she said were unintelligible, but one thing was clear.

She was singing for a wish.

“Giratina!” Vero called out, “this timeline might be doomed, but there are still others yet to come right?”

Giratina nodded.

Vero clumsily stood up, still doing his best to hold onto Lin while a stream of blood started carving its way down his temple.

“Then let someone live through to the next timeline. Gift them the ability to advise and guide timelines so as to save everyone. Let them remain until one saves all.”

Giratina roared in what could have been an agreement as Vero turned to Decibel.

Decibel gave Vero a look, “so the last one of us to survive this timeline, will go into the next?”

Vero nodded “Correct, don’t mess this up for us.”

And with that Vero pushed Decibel off the platform as he and Lin were enveloped by the expanding orb of light.

The last things Decibel knew were the sight of Vero hugging Lin his back to the light, the swelling of a girl's reality bending wish, and the freezing nothingness of a new world.

***

Warmth flooded back into Decibel as they woke up in a void. A pure black ocean that overwhelmed the senses with how little there was. As Decibel became aware of their purgatory they forced themselves to stifle a cry.
“How? Why did he do this?” Decibel cried out into the darkness.

A voice echoed through Decibel’s mind, “Vero wished to keep your soul safe until such time that all may be saved.”

Decibel clutched at their head, “Where are you, and how is this possible?”

“Where and what I am is irrelevant, what you need to know is that this is your mind, as for how this is possible, I have simply split time such that your soul might advise a new timeline.”

“Get out of my head.” Decibel screamed through their teeth.

A long period of silence fell, as Decibel slowly convinced themselves that the voice was gone. They started wondering, at least that’s what it seemed like. Everything looked the same. Decibel wandered in the darkness for what they suspected was months before a light caught their attention. 

Upon approaching the light it became clear to Decibel the source of the light was a small crying baby with a tuft of silver hair. Picking up the baby Decibel the baby ceased to cry, as if recognizing the touch.

Decibel leaned over to take a better look and briefly saw an operating room through the baby's eyes. It was at this moment that Decibel knew who he was holding and settled down to get ready for a long vigil.

“Hello Decibel” Decibel whispered into the ear of their past.

 

Edited March 15 by Driadalis