HOW IT FEELS TO DISAPPEAR: DESCENT

PART 10.5 - QUESTIONS.

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[“But I’M the Champion-!”]

The figure’s words baffle you- frankly, it almost hurts. Surely someone- even these ghouls, would recognize you without your hat? Recognize you period, even?! Leaf Aoyama, Kanto’s newest, youngest, strongest Champion! You’d been so sure you had made a name for yourself, yet here you are… Face to face with a shadow who’s implying the title belongs to someone else.

“But I-” you start to stammer, before strengthening your voice.

“But I’M the Champion-!”

… The look the figure gives you, though any expression is hard to discern, feels… confused. It lets the silence hang for a moment too long, before seeming to lower its head in pity.

“I… am afraid I do not understand, miss,” it breathes, the melody under its voice softening with a gentle ritardando.

“But I think… what you know is not true anymore. I think… I believe that you are a long way from home.”

You narrow your eyes at the being before you- you struggle to think of this as a ghost, with how different it is from the others- trying to read if it holds any malice behind those words. The tone of its voice, and the depressing tempo of the song that seems to cling to it, all scream in your face that… somehow, someway, this being truly is just sad. Sad for you, or sad for itself- you don’t know, and can’t bring yourself to assume one way or the other.

You wouldn’t blame it for self-pity if there is a human still under there, though. With how its body distorts, rips, and bleeds, you shudder to imagine what pain it must be under.

“… I think I am, too,” you finally manage to mutter in reply. “I- I barely know what’s going on, I just…”

Your voice fails you and trails off, and you avert your gaze to the floor. You’re not even sure of where the thought could have gone. You cling to the strap of your bag, suddenly remembering after all the frantic motivation your brother had given you, that you’re just… Lost. Scared. Confused.

Out of the corner of your eye, you watch as the half-shapeless figure seems to step forward, kneeling in front of you. You look up, meeting what you believe are its empty red eyes, gazing at you with a soft expression.

“You must have so many questions,” it whispers.

“… Truth be told, we have all known of your coming. Every person here you have met. You’re… special, in that way. I can tell that you are a very, very special girl, and a one-of-a-kind Pokemon Master. And I… I am so sorry, that you’ve fallen to these depths.”

It holds a hand out again, which you stare down at with hesitation. You… you’re beginning to feel safe with this figure, though. Despite everything.

“I wanted to offer you a moment of companionship, before you face… H I M. I can’t enter the Champion’s Chamber, but it will take a long enough time for the dark ahead to subside.”

Even through the ink and the mangling of its body… you see the shadow offer a warm smile, the bass around it gently shifting to a major key.

“So, if you’ll have me… please, let me walk with you. Perhaps I can answer some questions on the way.”

You feel your heart leap- finally, someone has offered answers-!

… And another moment of kindness.

Finally, you make your choice, reaching out and taking the figure’s hand. It’s warm, soft- surprisingly so, given the state it’s in. You watch traces of the shadowy color bleed onto your skin, creeping halfway up your arm like a drop of ink bleeding into water, but not much further. Not wanting to let go, you just quietly hope that it’s temporary…

It rises to its full height, turning to look towards the black doorway ahead.

“… Let’s be on our way, then.”

You ruffle your free hand through Eevee’s mane, soothing it before readying yourself for the void up ahead.

“Yeah…” you breathe.

As you both step forward, you turn to smile up at the shadow, its colors blending into the dark as you enter.

“I have so many questions for you.”

……

The SHADOWY GHOST is now available for questions.

Any asks submitted for this unusual ghost will, in-universe, be asked by Leaf.

This will be a temporary event, as I will only answer asks sent for it before Monday, October 28 (giving about a week for asking!)

Don’t be afraid to submit multiple questions!

But please note that it is entirely possible that I won’t be able to answer every question, be it because the answer would spoil things, because Leaf would not reasonably know to ask it, or just because I’m trying to manage my own workload better… ^^“

Don’t let that dissuade you, though! I wanted to do something a little more interactive at some point in this part of the story, and this is the spot that I’ve found to put it! Have fun!

PS the AO3 cross-upload for this part will come after the questions have ended, and the answers will all go in the same chapter as this :]