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 Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 8:33 am
The months passed by quickly after Lenore returned from Inhinx. Jin-Gitaxias evolved into a haunter, and then later a gengar after a series of battles, Hell-Hoot had become a noctowl, and Sheoldred had evolved into a metapod. The girl had returned to her work at Shina's gym in Motterosa, helping out where she could. But throughout it all, she still made trips to Inhinx every so often to read at the run-down library. In addition to all the books, it was quiet - perfectly suited for reading.
Helping the months pass by quickly, however, was the fact that Lenore often fell asleep at inopportune times. No one could quite tell why - by all accounts, the girl got more than enough rest.
One day, she and her pokemon were in the abandoned library. Walking back to the table with a stack of books, she suddenly felt dizzy. Stumbling, the tower of literature tumbled to the floor, and the last thing she saw was Mephistopheles slumping over as well.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 8:43 am
Elesh Norn immediately flew over to the girl, shaking her gently. She began to shake the girl more violently as her worry increased, but Lenore wouldn't wake up. She turned to Mephistopheles, looking for help, but the dusclops was out cold as well.
Nelis'viel sensed the darkrai's worry and frowned. "It will be alright, Elesh Norn. This happens all the time. She always wakes up, so don't worry." But the darkrai's worry persisted, and the ralts found herself worrying that, this time, the girl might not wake up.
Hell-Hoot and Jin-Gitaxias looked on curiously, but for different reasons. While the gengar was analyzing what had happened to Lenore, and how he could potentially utilize it against others, the noctowl was reminded of the pidgey who had become his coat. Lenore looked at peace, just like the pidgey after he had snapped their necks.
Urabrask and Sheoldred looked on passively. Like Nelis'viel said, this happened so often that they couldn't bring themselves to worry.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 8:57 am
Lenore looked around at the familiar surroundings. Not Inhinx. Orre. The first thing she noticed was that Mephistopheles was with her. The second thing was the creaking of the old swing. The older Lenore was there, watching them. "You're back." She remarked dryly.
Lenore gave a mocking wave to the older her. "You must really like our visits, bringing me here all the time."
An entertained grin crossed the older Lenore's lips. "You think I'm bringing you here? You're not entirely wrong."
Mephistopheles stared at the other Lenore. While she was older than the Lenore he knew, it was much less older than the last time he had seen her. Aside from a few minor differences, the two looked like carbon copies of each other. "Where is this?"
Lenore shrugged exasperatedly. "Dunno. She keeps saying this is Orre, but that can't be right. There's not a bunch of angry people trying to kill us." She turned back to the older Lenore. "So what is it this time? You obviously don't want to just talk like normal; you brought Mef, too."
The older Lenore's grin faded into a frown. "Fine. You're right. This one is something you both need to hear." She stared at Lenore pointedly, and the girl stared right back. "You're dying."
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 9:01 am
The other Lenore's words hung in the air like a heavy fog. Mephistopheles struggled to wrap his head around it. Lenore was dying? At his side, the girl was silent. "What do you mean, 'she's dying'?"
The other Lenore rolled her eyes. "What do you think I mean? It's not a very vague term." She turned to Lenore. "But you, you've suspected it for quite a while, haven't you?"
The girl was silent a moment, then nodded. "Yeah." She shrugged. "I asked Dr. Lothar about my constantly passing out, and he said the best he could think of was narcolepsy. But that doesn't explain the burning pains. I wasn't sure until now, but yeah, I had suspected it."
Mephistopheles turned to Lenore. "'Burning pains'? Why didn't you tell me?"
Lenore looked away, frowning. The other Lenore answered for her. "She didn't want to worry you."
Mephistopheles was incredulous. "Well, I'm worried now! What can I do to save her?"
The other Lenore frowned. "You can't do anything. You're the reason she's dying."
Lenore wrapped her arms around herself at the other Lenore's statement, still refusing to look at Mephistopheles. It was clear that she'd come to the same conclusion.
"I'm the reason?"
The other Lenore sighed. "You think a soul is something that can just be given away without repercussion? It's not - that's why it's a heavy price people pay. People can't just live without their souls." She motioned to Lenore. "The only reason she survived at all is that her wish required it - friendships don't begin instantly, so it took time for the wish to come true. The true mystery is how she's lived this long even after her wish came true - even I don't understand it."
Mephistopheles was silent a moment. "I'll give it back, then. I'll end the pact between us."
Lenore whirled around, horror plastered on her face. "No, you can't!"
Mephistopheles was stunned at her outburst. Tears welled in the girl's eyes as she looked at the dusclops pleadingly. "Please... anything but that...."
The other Lenore looked on quietly. "The pact is absolute. You cannot renege on your oath."
The world swirled into darkness.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 9:10 am
The weeks passed, and Lenore's condition grew worse and worse. She began to sleep for days at a time, and the times she was awake were plagued with crippling lethargy. Everyone could tell something was dreadfully wrong.
After a particularly long bout of sleep, Lenore and Mephistopheles went for a walk in the snow, pausing for a moment.
Lenore smiled softly at the dusclops. "Mef, can you do something for me?"
The ghost pokemon nodded solemnly. "Anything."
The girl looked up at the night sky with weary eyes. "I never got to see your home. Take me there?"
Taken aback, Mephistopheles shook his head. "Lenore, that's not a place humans can go. You'll die. I can't do that."
Lenore glared at the dusclops. "I'm already dying, Mef, we both know that. I just-" The girl broke into a coughing fit and Mephistopheles' eye went wide. "Lenore!"
Recovering, the girl steadied her breathing and looked at the dusclops with pleading eyes. "Let me see the place where the most important person in my life came from." Tears gathered in her eyes. "I know I'm being selfish, damn it, I know I am and I hate myself for it! But I have to see it. Please, Mef. Please."
Mephistopheles was silent a long while. "...Very well. But you must promise me that if it becomes too large a strain, you'll tell me, and we shall return immediately."
Smiling, Lenore wiped the tears out of her eyes. "I promise."
Hesitating for a moment more, the dusclops picked the girl up and placed her on his back, and the duo vanished.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 9:14 am
Lenore gasped in pain as the two materialized into Mephistopheles' world. The air was acrid and hot, like someone was pouring bubbling pitch directly into the girl's lungs. An oppressive force pressed down upon her, and every cell in her body screamed out in agony, begging for reprieve.
Mephistopheles clearly heard her, as he turned his head to face hers. "Lenore?" Worry tinged his voice.
Lenore forced a smile. "I'm fine," she lied. "It was just breathtaking, is all."
All around them was a deep fog, shifting in hue and color and everything else. The ground looked like it could hardly be called such - it was shifting like the fog, but gray and black; not so much color but lack thereof - it was more akin to quicksand than anything else, but Mephistopheles' feet were planted firmly in place.
Mephistopheles' footsteps echoed endlessly throughout the world. Lenore tried to focus on the sound they made rather than the agonizing pain eating away at her body.
I'm sorry, Mef. I can't keep that promise.
Mephistopheles slowed to a stop. "We're here."
Lenore looked up with weary eyes, her breathing ragged. It looked just like the rest of the world - blank and covered with that fog. She shook her head. There had to be something here; Mef wouldn't have brought her here if there wasn't. She tried to focus on the area in front of her, and the fog slowly faded, revealing a run down hovel - it might have been closer to call it an artificial cave. It was a simple mound, but in that moment, to Lenore's eyes, it looked completely stunning, the most beautiful home in the world.
"...I like this place..."
Mephistopheles laughed softly. "That would make one of us."
Lenore shook her head, smiling. "It's beautiful, the most important place in either world to me. It gave me you." The girl struggled to keep her eyes open. "Mef?"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
The girl's eyes closed, and her ragged breathing came to an end.
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