Shimmering Void

You shouldn’t be here.

You weren’t here? You were somewhere else. It was important. You are important.

No.

You’ve always been here. Been here for a really long time. Too long- much too long. Please... I can’t- it’ll hurt them. It’ll hurt them so much. Is this selfish?

But you’re...

you’re...

Gone.

## Encounters

She was running, but it’s too far. It’s always just so far. Why did this have to happen. It’s unfair. I hate her. I hate her so much.

...

Scream! Just scream why can’t you just scream! You are arn’t you? But nothing-

Their names- their names! You know, this you do. And it’s okay. I’m okay. She’s here now and soon the others. Chances! I can try! Over and over and over and over... I have the chance-

...

I’ve got you! Just a little longer! I’m sorry. I’m so sorry but I’m- not am I? I’m not at all. You owe me. I’ve been!! But! You’ve gone- why? WHY!?

....

*As you get sucked in, the world becomes an overwhelming wave of light and sensations- colors unimaginable, feelings incomprehensible as your body is broken down and distorted. And it’s not just you, everyone of you in the room feels yourself getting ripped away from the familiar as The floor crackles away, vanishing in a blaze of saturated, scrambling colors and is instantly replaced by utter and complete darkness.*

*You could be floating, you could be on the ground, it's hard to tell as every one of your senses scrambles to understand where you are, what you are. But Understanding escapes your very core and you don’t know how to be anything. You can’t talk you can’t move you can only watch as something in void finally takes shape. Try as you might you can’t understand what it is. A figure? And object? It hurts so much to think about, but before it overcomes you, you can feel it changing into something new and brilliant.*

*Pleasant, for just a moment everything is warm and pleasant. It’s safe and your happy.*

*“I’m happy.”*

*“This is all I could have wanted. I have no regrets, so Please don’t worry about me. no matter what happens we have to push forward. I’ll be okay- I’m okay- I’m...*

*Help me. “*

*And then your all awake. For a long drawn out moment, none of you are really sure who you are, like being stuck at the cusp of a dream, but as time passes you can finally comprehend the rough stone beneath your feet .It hurts at first to open your eyes as the light sends a quick headache flashing through your head. But you can finally see and- You’re not home. This is not the dungeon, this is not prairieville.*

...

Im happy. I’m happier with- Why? Why would you hurt me. I’m- Let me out! Just let me out!! Let us in! Out!

...

You can do it.

I’m nearly out.

...

You left! I wasn’t ready yet! but I’m happy! Here! HERE!

NO! NO! NO NO NO NO NONONO!!

...

*It’s mostly a restless night- dreamless, uncomfortable. Dark. And then as sleep finally comes and your mind drifts into unconsciousness, you see them.*

*The thousand eyed Aromatise burning. A dark empty void with searing eyes, judging you, pleading with you. And then they speak. A thousand voices all at once.*

*“Stop. All of them. Gone”*

*From the aromatise the flaming void stretches outward. like an unbroken chain they take shape as burning silhouettes. Lucy, Bridget, Victoria, xurkitrees of various sizes, celesteela, more and more pokemon until you see shapes you don’t even recognize- a hulking blocky figure, a floating Pokémon with two long tails, a distorted formless creature screaming endlessly, countless pokemon.*

*“I’m happy. This is all I could have wanted. All I could- I wanted- Please-”*

*Suddenly a flash of bright light erupts behind you and as you turn to see it, again it is the crumbling form of the aromatise, still on fire and barely holding it together. The form suddenly splits and standing in front of each of you is a counterpart. Anana you see a proud Ampharos. Penny, a powerful Walrien. Maya, an elegant Empoleon. Basil a heroic Haxorus. Tony, a confident Togekiss. Rocky, a sturdy Golurk. Boris a powerful Emboar. And behind them all,  Arella, small and unchanged. Not a silhouette but a glowing beacon, her body a powerful white light. The Aromatise forms again and walks up to her. And in a singular voice they say:*

*“Please. Help. Me. I. Want. Out. Of. This. Echo.”*

*And then each of you in turn wakes up. The dream fading the forms not so sharp in your mind's eye and the words muffled, but a sense of lingering loss remains.*

...

Yes!! YES YES YES YES

YOU CAME BACK! CHANCES! CHANCES! OUT OUT OF THIS OUT OF THIS ECHO OUT IM HAPPY-

NO NO!! WRONG!

No...

No matter what happens we have to push forward. I’ll be okay- I’m okay.

It’s nearly here.