❝ Am I not what you expected? ❞ (throws this at selene because LMAO)
Arranged Marriage Sentence Starters 2.0
Head tilts to the side just so, crimson eyes baring into the maiden with something unreadable within them. Surprised by the question? Perhaps so, though he does not think it unreasonable.
Expectations are... so, so difficult to meet, are they not? For everyone holds their own ideal for certain persons or people, & none are held quite as high as they are for one of royal blood.
And yet...
"Actually..." Selene speaks, softly as always, the gentle lure of his voice assures that there be no reason for fear or alarm. "... you have fit into my expectations quite wonderfully, Dear Yris."
"Or perhaps, I simply always knew you would become as radiant & strong as a moonstone."
"Then will I simply be a Moonstone that adorns your crown?"
It was a question that needed to be asked, after all. To learn what the arrangement would entail in the future; could Yris expect kindness or simply be something to be looked at and admired? Like a simple jewel?
She held out her hand, to the one she was promised to. Waiting to see what kind of future she should be expecting.
"You flatter me, but I have to admit...I wouldn't know where to start as the bride of a deity. I cannot offer much, when I come from a ruined bloodline. I am not sure I can even offer my heart..."
"I have, and I tried to call her because that's the last place I knew she was, but... I couldn't get an answer. What is all of that? Isn't there anything I can do?"
She'd never felt so helpless before. She couldn't do anything to protect the city, to help the Pokemon there, and now she couldn't do anything to help one of her best friends.
[It is crystallized dreams. Similar, I suppose to the troubles Darkrai created.] Odette explained. It was something Mable would be familiar with, being so close to that situation, almost as much as Corbeau had been.
[I suppose you could devise a way to get inside...] It was a risky thing and probably time consuming. And her trainer had explicitly asked her Pokemon to warn her friends to not get close....
But Odette remembered those days in which they all tackled Hyperspace Lumiose together. It was only through the joint efforts of every friend she had met that the problem had been resolved. And honestly, Odette did not want Yris to face this all alone at all! She barely survived fighting Regis all those months ago.
[If you want to help her, find a way to get someone strong inside.]
The sudden cry from Yveltal would prompt Amethio to wince. He'd been unprepared for the Destruction Pokémon to cry out to him. But...His surprises were only just starting. Soon enough, he would hear a distorted, near head-splitting voice speaking directly into his mind. Telling him of her circumstances, being trapped within that crystallized "dream", addressing him in a surprising manner...And, telling them that as he was now, he couldn't save her.
Nor could he allow that "dream" to grow too large...
...He needed to process all of this, quickly. Which was difficult with how Yveltal was communicating with him, admittedly. But, even so...There was nothing he could do to save Yris...?
"Wh...What was that...? Was that...Yveltal's...? Hold on, wait...What do you mean, we can't save Yris as things are!?"
Was Yveltal asking Amethio to focus on the towers, to prioritize keeping Lumiose City safe over his beloved friend...?
Never mind what it had said about being "beloved" by the "Flower of Kalos"...It wasn't insinuating that Yris had romantic feelings for him, was it? ...That was a joke, it had to be. Amethio...He didn't know how to navigate those sorts of things. He was probably the least suited for a romantic relationship that anyone could possibly be.
And yet...It put her request for a date into context, too...Something that had caught him completely off guard, as Yris was prone to doing. If this was her idea of trying to catch him off guard with some left field nonsense...It was working, and he needed to think hard about his own feelings when he could.
But, for now...He needed to know more from Yveltal.
"...Wait! Tell me, Yveltal! How will I know when I'm ready to save Yris from this deep, troubled dream you mentioned!? Please, answer me!"
There was a lot to question and Yveltal understood it would be confusing for the mortal. Many things to process in an already dire situation going on. Strong Spheres, Laquium...truly there was too much going on at once. And now the crystal tower...like Hyperspace Lumiose, but concentrated within one space...that threatened to overtake the city as Hyperspace once had.
Yveltal watched Amethio, listening to his pleas as it continued it circling around the towers, ever the sentinel; he would listen to no other human being other than Yris. So for now, it would be on standby.
When you can become equal to that of Kalos' most powerful mega evolution trainer, then you will know that you would be ready for what lies beyond the crystal tower.
Her heart sinks. She's automatically assumed the worst. Her Pokemon all stare, and Soleil is right at her side, nudging her hand, knowing what Mable feared.
Calm down. She'll be okay. She's always okay.
"What do you mean?" She's trying to keep her composure, but her voice is shaky. "What's happened to her?"
[Yrisviel is in another world -- one that neither of us can reach on our own.]
If Odette would have to describe it, it'd be similar to the times when she and the rest of the team went into Hyperspace Lumiose. But back then they had the helpful luck of having Hoopa on their side to get through the distortions and travel there. However in this case, there were no unstable such openings.
Yveltal had ordered them all to spread out, warn Yris' friends. Try to keep them away if possible; none of them really understood the reason, but they could all tell the crystal zone was a danger in and of itself. They had not lingered long.
[Have you looked at the center of the city, recently?]
@mooncrcwned asked: Out of all of her companions to come see him after the mega crystals took over Prison Tower, it was the embodiment of DESTRUCTION that now hovered before Amethio. Yveltal let out a haunting cry, filled with the billions upon billions of loves it had come across since the beginning of creation.
"Zirc, Onia, report."
Before Yveltal's arrival, Amethio had gone to the roof of Hotel Z to get a report from his subordinates in person. With the appearance of that crystal tower, as well as certain revelations...His mind was all over the place. Conflicting thoughts and feelings, a new clarity regarding some things...Only disturbed when Zirc began recounting the report.
"We've managed to keep people away from the worst of it, somehow. It helps that they're already kinda working with everyone who's trying to keep this city safe, sir. But...Whatever happened to Prism Tower's got some folks spooked, it feels like. And those pulses coming from it...They kinda give off a feeling like a heartbeat to me."
"Right, and Golduck's not a big fan of it, either...So, what do we do, Amethio, sir? Hamber's still busy, so it's just us for right now...And, you said you had a friend who was still at Prism Tower last you checked, right?"
Yris...That's right, she was still at Prism Tower before that crystalline structure had appeared. For a moment, Amethio's thoughts drifted towards her as he looked to the bracelet adorning his left wrist. And then...A cry would sound out, haunting in its melody, as the Destruction Pokemon revealed itself.
Amethio would immediately shift his focus to it, a grim expression crossing his face as he looked up at it. Yveltal...Why was it here? It was supposed to be protecting Yris...And, it should have been. Unless something had happened, there would be no reason for it to seek him out...
...But, there was a pit in his stomach. He just knew something was wrong.
"...Hold that thought, Onia. You're...Yveltal, aren't you? You were protecting Prism Tower earlier, if I recall correctly...Something's happened, hasn't it? Where is Yris, Yveltal?"
It was a form of irony that a Pokémon that embodied the end of life had come to seek him out...But, if his worries held any ground? Then, things were taking a turn for the worst...And he needed to find out what. But, this situation...For once, it wasn't the kind of situation he could tackle alone.
He'd need all the help he could get.
"Zirc. Onia. Change of plans - you're to bring Hamber to Hotel Z immediately and reach out to the Pokemon Research Lab. Ask for Director Mable; don't speak to anyone else. If my gut feeling is right...Something's happened to my friend, and I can't just sit back and do nothing.
Amethio would immediately be met with a "Sir!" from his subordinates, who would take off on their Skarmory to seek Hamber out...Leaving Amethio alone with Yveltal as he kept his gaze focused upon it.
"...I don't know what's happened to bring you here, Yveltal. I can't understand what you're saying. But...I have a feeling you came for a reason. Please, help me understand! Yris...She's an irreplaceable person in my life! I can't let her, or anyone else, get hurt!"
Yveltal. The Pokemon of Destruction. Of Death. The Grim Reaper. The ferryman of the dead. The harbinger of the end. These were the titles it possessed since a time immemorial. There was one more epithet that not many knew that was part and parcel of its very existence.
When one was closed to death, it was said all a person's life flashes before their eyes before their souls are claimed for the afterlife. There is a reason for this; when a soul died, Yveltal recorded the memories -- becoming a living memorial for those who passed, severing their ties to the past. Cutting off the dead from wishing to remain alive. In that fabled moment of flashes, their lives -- their very memories -- were being recorded by the ancient being, holding them close.
And over time those memories just came up to the surface.
Sometimes one set of memories surged forward, far stronger than the others. The voice speaking most prominently among the others that had bene collected over countless millenia.
When Yveltal spoke, it was a cursed mingling of its cries coupled with near head splitting speech sent into the mind of the mortal it spoke to.
O Child of Man, beloved by the Final Flower of Kalos. Hear our voices. What you see before you is the crystallization of a deep and troubled dream, wherein Yrisviel is trapped in between worlds. But know this...as you are, with the state that Lumiose is in...you cannot hope to save her from this space. However, neither can you allow the dream to grow too large.
Yveltal took off again, but did not go far, merely giving the entire area a large circle, refusing to leave this place where its trainer was surely trapped within.
A battle unseen is happening within. Only when you return ready, will you be able to tackle the world within.
@mooncrcwned asked There is a gentle knocking at Mable's office window, coming from Yris' Gardevoir, Odette.
The sound startled Mable out of her work, and she snaps up, looking around to see what it was. She noticed her Pokemon all staring at the window, and turning her attention toward it, she would see the Gardevoir outside.
What in the world...?
Standing up with a stretch, she leaves her desk and heads for the window, opening it, Soleil following behind her as she does.
As she's wondering what a Gardevoir would be doing here, she has a moment of realization.
"...You're Yris' Gardevoir, aren't you?"
She was already concerned as it was, not being able to get in touch with her friend, but now one of her Pokemon was here, seemingly alone...
[Yes, I am.] The voice came in telepathically, soft and sweet sounding.
Carefully, Odette entered the office, practically twirling her body as she floated in, so that her 'dress' wouldn't touch the frame of the window. The graceful looking Pokemon landed softly on the floor, barely making a sound as she did.
Her expression was grave as she faced Mable.
[You are Yrisviel's friend. I am here to inform you that it will be impossible to reach her. She is...not here.]
It was such a complicated situation. As a fairy, she was privy to all kind sof magical and supernatural thing within the sphere of her homeland, but this felt way beyond anything she could understand.
[And I was to tell you...that you cannot help her.]
[The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable. Please leave a message at the tone.]
Yris is currently unreachable. Anyone attempting to contact her currently would only continue to hear this message. As well as anyone trying to reach the tower would find Wild Zone 20 in a very peculiar state....
It was gradual at first, but then it grew...and grew and grew and grew until it had overcome the entirety of Wild Zone 20. A deep rumble as a massive structre sprouted from the depths of the former Prisom Tower. Wild Pokemon were rushing to get free, the gates that normally kept them within now useless as the crystal grew and spread out.
Yveltal had been blasted away when the sudden crystalline growth appeared, rising higher and higher, enough to completely engulf the tower and growing a crystal pistal identitcal to the one that had formed around the tower.
What was causing this sudden change was anyone's guess. However, one thing was clear...
The space where the crystals touched, only grew out, further and further. Slowly expanding and overtaking anything it touched. An energy pulsed within -- mega energy -- a large quantity of it has physically take on the form of some kind of flower. One that looked alien -- utterly out of this world as it hardly resembled anything in the waking world.
While for the most part, living beings simply coming into contact with the crystal would do nothing at first, but remain too long and you would be crystallized, sealed within. Every once in a while, the gigantic crystal structure would let out a powerful pulse that would run through the entirety of Lumiose -- like a heartbeat.
Zygarde stood at the edge of the encroaching crystalline menace and shook its head.
It had hoped that with Yris in her current state, that things would never turn out this way again as it had many a year ago...
It had been rough, forcing herself to take time off as the New Moon nights came. On the one hand, she was allowed some respite. However, due to her not even attempting to try and keep up the glowing, Laquium repulsing song, the dome that had been surrounding Lumiose had shrunk and then completely disappeared.
Yris was ready to try again, however it might take everything out of her to try without the aid of the amplifying holo caster towers.
Yveltel continued its circles around the tower, never tiring nor stopping once in its vigil. It would fly closer, spying a moment upon its trainer. The embodiment of destruction watched over her worriedly, almost protectively. It refused to return to its Pokeball and continued to patrol in an endless circle.
Getting herself ready once more, Yris was going to muster up everything within her.
Her shadow flickered a moment, before rising up and taking on a different form -- Regis. He, too, had bene keeping vigil. Neither needing sustenance nor sleep. He was there, ever constant and also with plenty of worry. He reached out to take her hand, cursing that he could do no more than this to bring her solace or comfort. While he was one born to control nightmares, there was little else he could do, other than go out and 'hunt' at Yris' command (even though he hated leaving her alone to do so). But what was important to her, was important to him.
"Can you go and help everyone out, Regis?"
[I really wish I could stay...]
"Oh, come on, now. With Yveltal up here? And I think Zygarde is still sitting underneath us, too. I'll be fine. Plus I'm way up here. And the only person who came was Amethio and you know he's a friend."
[With that parting gift you gave him, I would say more than that.]
Pinked tinged Yris' cheeks for a moment as she recalled their farewell and she smiled bashfully to herself, feeling uplifted just thinking about her dear friend. That gentle flutter within her chest, like a Vivillon trying to burst theough her ribs with each rapid wing beat. She wasn't sure if it was like the love her parents had for each other, but she knew that she liked him very, very much.
"I'll be fine. Thank you for worrying, Regis."
[...]
His hand slipped out of hers, bringing back the memory of them separating in Almia. He hadn't thought of that day in a long while, not since reuniting with Yris and why would he when she was now nearby and one he could call his trainer? But the way they parted in this moment was exactly like that day and while he was no psychic, this sense of deja vu felt like an omen.
[Be safe, Yris.]
"Take care Regis. Come back safely."
With a nod and one last look, Regis sank away, rushing off to do his trainer's bidding in order to help those affected by the Strong Spheres go free.
All alone up top with Yveltal looping a bit further than usual in order to remain altitude, Yris gave a bit of a sigh. Walking over to the large seat leftover she picked up her water bottle and took a long swig; not just her throat, but her whole body would need it. When it was emptied, she crushed the bottle and tossed it into her bag.
And then she turned to face the unwelcome visitor to the tower.
"And what brings you here to the top of the tower?"
The mysterious little girl had returned to the open once more, followed by her Unown entourage making up the letters V-I-E-L. Her wide blue eyes were looking in the direction of the tower at the very heart of Lumiose, where she knows her other half is waiting.
The half that was allowed to grow up. The half that was incomplete without her. The half whose name was stolen to make her; a protection against a fate that would surely come for them once they were whole again.
Once Yris once again became Yrisviel.
It was about time for them to reunite and regain what was lost -- the real memories of what happened all those years ago....On the day the Ultimate Weapon was fired a second time., when Yris's name was sealed away.
