Y/N was dead—no other way of looking at it. He lay in a pool of blood, a broken Poke Ball rolling across the floor. This was all Gretel could look at; her thoughts and senses shattered, still coming to grips with what happened.
Her stricken stare drifted to the Original Dragon, who had just ended Y/N in a second. He had, in his last moments, saved Gretel from the same fate, a sacrifice that might have meant nothing.
The Original Dragon was out of control, no longer listening to thought or reason—no more truths or Ideals—just blind rage. Gretel stepped back, met with unmatched fear as it began to approach her. She fell to the floor, crawling back, tears forming as her fate seemed decided there and then. The Original Dragon raised its claws, striking down as Gretel screamed out, hiding, not looking death in the face.
"Iron Jet, Blast burn!"
Out of nowhere, a metallic-looking Charizard broke into the scene, its wings replaced with burning jet boosters. The Paradox Pokemon tore through the Original Dragon, finishing off the weakened Pokemon, which was split into three stones scattered across the ground. Gretel slowly turned her head, looking at the impossible Charizard, her voice and mind scratchy, whispers at the fingertips of her mind.
"I was too late, it seems... No, I was right on time."
A figure stood over Gretel, the future Pokemon returning to a holographic state, crumbling into the Poke-VR. Gretel was speechless; she didn't know what to think, feeling everything finally snapping.
"Y/N?"
I looked down at Gretel, shaking his head. "Yes, but not the one you were hoping for."
My Zorua shouted in desperation and shock, running right at me and jumping into my arms, crying. I caught her, holding her close, smiling. "There you are, Mimi, oh Mimi, I'm so happy to see you too. I told you I would find you."
"I-I don't understand..." Gretel echoed as I walked past her; she was still on her knees, tears running down her face. "Who are you?"
I sighed, looking at this world's Y/N with pity. "Kicked the bucket huh? This path has always led to this moment... Even if I told you that this would happen, would you have done anything differently? No, that's just who you are."
His Zorua, Mimi, was tugging at Y/N's body, breaking down and whimpering. She kept biting at his clothes trying to wake him up, walking around his body she began licking his face crying for him to wake up.
I put my hands in my pocket with a simple, lone sigh, turning to Gretel. "Y/N isn't meant to die, not like this, not forever. He was meant to be the one to stand against Rainbow Rocket and MissingNo. Without him, this world like mine would be destined for ruin. Do you have any idea what you've done, Gretel?"
"T-This... This wasn't what I wanted; oh God, I didn't. This wasn't me." She began screaming, pulling at her hair, lost for words. "I wouldn't do this, I wouldn't!"
"Well, it doesn't matter what it was; he's dead. There's no way around that, so what are you going to do now?"
"What am I going to do now?"
I walked over to Gretel, annoyed and groaning. "Do you want to save him or not?"
"I... I don't understand; save him, how? Who are you!! Why do you look like my Y/N!?"
I smacked Gretel around the face, making her freeze up. "Don't ask pointless questions; it won't bring him back, nor do we have time for your angsty breakdown. Do you want to save Y/N or not?"
Gretel looked up at me, taken for words, dumbfounded. After some time, she just nodded. "I do..."
I held my hand out, accepting that answer. "Then come with me if you want him to live."
Gretel hesitated before taking my hand as I helped her up. A wormhole appeared in front of us as I began walking towards it. Gretel's eyes were still on Y/N's corpse; Mimi was not just lying to Y/N, refusing to leave him heartbroken; she had completely shut down without her partner and had no ambition to leave him. "I... I'm so sorry."
Gretel approached as she stepped through the wormhole; I gave one last glance before leaving myself.
The Giant Chasm faded into silence; there was nothing but cold and quiet. Y/N was alone; he had died alone and would remain that way...
****
The world of Pokemon is cruel and unjust; it's ruled by greed, power, and sin. Organisations come and go, all bending the rules, using Pokemon for their own gains and leaving everyone else in the dust. This is the side of the world of Pokemon that most refuse to acknowledge—the one they never tell you about.
The World of Pokemon is genuinely remarkable. Together, people and Pokemon live in harmony, working for a better tomorrow. This is wrong; it is a lie told to keep those spirits high. For every victory, for every 10-year-old who takes down one twisted group, another ten succeed. Another ten ruin lives and get away with it.
Y/N Harmonia, a lost Survey Corp member from Jubilife Village in the Huisi region 300 years ago, learned this the hard way. His luck finally ran out and paid off in his life. There are no second chances in the game known as life; there's no way of sugarcoating it. Y/N is dead.
However, even when all hope seems lost when at your darkest, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. The Word of Pokemon is truly a remarkable and breathtaking display of brilliance. Echoes of miracles have passed down from generation to generation. Stories that are magical and inspiring. Miracles of Trainers surviving death itself, through the tears of Pokemon, the wish of the masses or the blessing of the rainbow. Stories of resurrection are far and wide for both people and Pokemon.
Is it such a miracle truth or legend? For two forgotten survivors, such legends are all they have left. If they fail, it could spell the end of the world itself...
****
Everything was peaceful in Opelucid City; no one was wiser about the great tragedy that had just occurred. We stood in the centre of the City waiting as I was adjusting my Poke-VR device in a world of my own. I could tell how shaken Gretel still was; she hadn't said a word since we left the Giant Chasm, not a word since this world's Y/N had died. I knew I should speak up, say something to cheer her up and make her feel reassured everything was going to be alright.
But even with all the puzzle pieces laid out, I had no idea where to start; I couldn't find the words. Instead, I sighed, brushing off the idea entirely. "Our contact will be meeting with us soon; once he arrives, we can discuss the plan further."
"Plan... Contacts... Why are you acting so casual? Y/N is dead; he's actually dead! Oh, my Arcues, I killed him, I murdered him. What do I do!? We just left him back there to rot, and no one will know. Nemona! I need to tell Nemona I need to turn myself in!"
"Gretel!" I shout, placing a hand on her shoulder, gripping tight, cursing under my breath. "Get a hold of yourself; having a panic attack doesn't help you. All it does is piss me off. Right now, we do not have time for the Gretel pity party. Pull yourself together and work with me."
"You don't care... You're dead, Y/N is dead, and you're acting like nothing happened. What is wrong with you?"
"So what? One person died. Am I supposed to stop? Is the world meant to come to a screeching halt? Is everyone meant to care? Everyone dies; I know that all too well; you brave it, you bury those feelings deep down where they belong, and you keep going. You don't look back, you don't give a damn, and you never, never blame yourself. You stop for even a moment, and you might as well join them because it will drive you insane." I bark, glaring at Gretel. "So here I am, for once looking back, I'm giving a damn and taking responsibility."
"Why?"
I squatted down, stroking Zorua, moving my hand through her grey fur and sighing. "Six months ago, I had a run-in with your world's Y/N. I was under the direct command of Rainbow Rocket, going from world to world, converting it into Giovanni's endless empire. All of that with a promise to save my world from ruin, from the awakening of MissingNo. I was meant to do the same to this world, but Y/N stopped me. He put an end to my mission, and I lost everything. But even after all of that, he never hated me. They never looked down on me or acted with malice. He, above all odds, kept my Mimi safe; he kept the last thing I had left safe. I owe Y/N everything for that. I owe him his life, and I intend on giving him just that."
"You were always one for fancy speeches from the heart, weren't you, Y/N?" Colress expressed with a bold smile approaching. "I assume our meeting here means it happened. The other Y/N's fate was decided."
"You're Keeping me waiting as always, Colress," I grumbled, hands back in my pocket as I nodded along. You guessed correctly. We lost Y/N."
"A pity it couldn't be avoided, but I suppose we both knew his fate from the beginning."
Gretel was left dazed, looking at us, mumbling. "You knew Y/N was going to die?"
"That we did," Colress stated, tapping away at his wrist screen with a smug look. "You really do have a striking resemblance to your Father; it's uncanny. I really do hate Ghetsis."
"Y-you knew my Father?"
"Why yes, unfortunate as that is. He did briefly mention you, Gretel Harmonia. It is bizarre you do not know of me; I was the leader of the resurrected Team Plasma three years ago. My name is Colress, I am a scienctist looking to bring out the full poteintal in Pokemon."
"Team Plasma... Wait, does that mean?"
"My allegiance was never with Ghetsis; he simply provided me with all the funds and research I needed to conduct my hypothesis. Once I was defeated, I chose to disband the new Team Plasma without a 2nd thought. I learned their way of thinking wasn't the way of bringing out Pokemon. So, instead, I began travelling around the world to find that truth. That is how I came across Y/N here, the Y/N from another world."
"Colress saved me from Giovanni's clutches and severed our connection. I'm free from Rainbow Rocket and am now trying to resolve the issues they cause. I came back to this world with the intention of getting my partner back; however, we miscalculated and ended up in the timeline where Y/N died one year later. The world is destroyed, a carbon copy of mine due to the word of MissingNo."
"S-So... This world is doomed. I doomed us all to death?" Gretel whispered, devastated.
"Not exactly. If my calculations are correct, we may still be able to save Y/N." Colress suggested, hands behind his back. "We can save the future."
"We're going to time travel? Is that it? Travel back and stop the Original Dragon from killing Y/N?"
"I'm afraid that won't be possible. Changing such an event would be very difficult. Once it's happened, we cannot change it. Y/N dies no matter what we do. But that doesn't mean he has to stay dead."
"I don't understand."
I swipe my Poke-VR to life, showing images and stories. "There are legends and folktales of people being brought back to life thanks to the power of Pokemon. In theory, we could get Jirachi to grant our wish to bring Y/N back. It is also suggested that Celebi has some kind of healing ability to reverse the damage of wounds taken. The Pokemon we're more interested in is this one."
Gretel eyes widen as she whispers, dazed. "Ho-Oh... Wait, I know the legend; it resurrected the Pokemon from the burning tower we know as Entei, Raikou and Suicune. You're not suggesting what I think you are?"
"I am." I nod, dead serious, sharing our plan. "If correct, we can use the power of Ho-Oh to resurrect Y/N."
To be continued...