Chapter Text
Death is lot more peaceful than I had initially assumed.
Or, well, being dead. Death and dying itself is just about the worst experience out there, probably up there with getting your bones melted or skin peeled like a banana. I mean, no generally stable person likes death in any fashion, for you or others you know. At least, I think that’s the case.
But being dead… I guess I don’t have to worry about anything anymore. It’s the most free I could ever be. My shackles that bound me to the mortal coil have been severed and I am loving it. It’s just the process of getting to this point that is not very great.
I suppose it’s logical that dying isn’t a very pleasant experience, but especially so for me. I don’t think I’m processing this well at all, considering I’m doing my classic strategy of repress and ignore. I’d say I’m well within my rights, considering that my father finally snapping the final string in his brain holding him back and beating me bloody while screaming about how he was correcting his old mistakes is honestly a quite horrible time.
…
I don’t think I’m processing this correctly. Maybe it’s because I knew it would happen one day? Maybe it’s because I know I’m not generally stable and wished I would just die? Maybe a combo. Who knows, who cares? I’m dead, that’s it. Hooray.
Being dead… there isn’t a whole lot going on, but I believe that’s to be expected. I have no body to perform actions, no mind to truly think (not sure how this inner dialogue is going on but I’m not questioning it). Am I a soul? The last vestiges of a young man dreaming before flatlining? Questions, questions, questions.
…
“Who art thou? What hath occurred?”
Ah, a strange and echoey voice. Just what I needed. Well, strange voice, I believe I died. Is this not the afterlife?
“Nay. Tis a realm beyond Time and Space, where only I reside.”
Oh, so I’m not schizophrenic, there is actually a voice. Wack. Hey voice, that gives me nearly zero information and is remarkably unhelpful, so I’ll just usher you along by asking basic questions.
“Very well. Ask thine queries. I shall attempt to answer within reason.”
Strange way to put it but alright. Starting off, who are you, what am I, what happened, and how did I get here?
“In order, I am known to thou as Arceus, thou art currently a free-floating soul, and, as far as I am able to tell, thou hast ended up drifting away from thine world to currently find thyself here. There is one major problem of being here as a mortal soul, however.”
Oh great. Problems. Thought I was done with those with the whole “being dead” shtick.
…
Wait a minute, did you say “Arceus”? Thought you’d be like, glowing and stuff.
“Indeed. That is what I am known as. Also, thou art a soul. Thou canst see anything, thou hath no eyes with which to perceive. Proceeding on, mortal souls are not meant to venture beyond their own realms, dead or not. Without my protection weaving throughout thou, thy soul would be rended apart violently. Thou art lucky I noticed thou so quickly.”
Alright, I see we are completely brushing past the whole “God of Pokémon” thing and going right to the “you will cease to be.” Epic. Cool. Can we solve that?
“Easily. All it would take is ferrying thy soul from one more accepting of its nature. However, thy soul hath drifted so far as to be unable to connect to thine original universe. T’would take great effort to send it back, for mine divine presence hath altered thy soul. Thus, the solution would be to send thy soul to a world of mine creation.”
Hm. Feeling nothing, being nothing, doing nothing for eternity, or do life two electric boogaloo. Not exactly a tough choice, even if it’s nice here.
“We hath struck an accord then. Thou shalt find thyself in a world of mine children, creatures and beasts alike under my Hands. I firmly believe thou shall find what I will give thou an excellent opportunity.”
Little ominous and insulting that you’re not even offering any sort of choice in the matter but I’m not the one with infinite cosmic power so whatever.
“Verily. Regardless, I am not so cruel as to shape thy new life to something thou shalt despise. Indeed, I will have given you an opportunity thou wilst love, unlike that of your previous.”
Also very weird that you now apparently just know all about me now but go off milord.
…
Hey, when’s this whole shebang supposed to start? I’m not really feeling a whole lot-
No longer.
Darkness. That’s probably the best general way to describe my current situation. Not the nothingness of before, where it’s just a void, but now there is… feeling. Like, I can tell that I exist. Somehow.
I feel restrained. The darkness is tight around me. I try moving, and, to my surprise… it works. I shift. I feel. I can’t really tell what my body is like, but I am moving my legs (they feel the same as my arms for some reason).
It seems like I’m pressing them against some sort of barrier…
*CRACK*
Ah. Looks like I am managing to do something. Just gotta continue…
*CRACK* *CRACKLE*
I’m starting to hear something… it seems like talking? Muffled, alien, but register-able to the ears that I now have.
A wonderful feeling shoots through me at that thought. I mentally giggle a little. I’m (probably) alive again!
*CRACKLE* *CRACKLE*
…
I see light. It’s wonderful. I need to keep going.
*CRUNCH*
I finally break whatever my container is. The light is burning my retinas thoroughly and the sensation of the air on my body is beyond chilling (I feel like I’m covered in liquid?). The noises (voices?) I was hearing before have increased in intensity and volume, a constant chattering which pounds against my fresh eardrums.
Suddenly, the voices (definitely voices) seem to clear up immensely, to the point that I could understand(ish).
A light, higher pitched voice with the quality of tinkling icicles registers first to me. It sounds melodic and well intoned, and the feeling I get from it is cold but intensely caring.
“Oh, isn’t she wonderful? So strong and full of vigor right out of the egg!”
The second voice is far deeper, almost rumbling, but no less caring. It seems almost… cooing? It feels dark, but the darkness that is also warm and stifling in a good way, like being wrapped in a blanket.
“I’d attribute that to her size. She solidly outsizes any other pups I’ve seen from the other mates.”
“It’d explain why we only had the one and not a clutch like the others. Quality over quantity, I suppose,” The higher voice speaks again.
It’s at this point that I realize they are referring to me. As in, I was male. But apparently female now?
…
Thinking on that harder, I don’t hate the idea. Starting fresh with new experiences and all that jazz.
It’s also at this point that I am completely checked out. I register that I am picked up (by my neck???) and moved into someplace far warmer, far more comfortable, but nothing else. It does seem… soft, however, and furry, but not intensely so.
Suddenly, exhaustion hits me harder than my father did. I drop dead asleep before I even know what’s going on.
Something begins to shift…