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"Alfonse!" Radian cried out eagerly, her tail instantly erecting as ecstatically, it began to wave. She leapt to her feet, her angiuish vanishing abruptly as she caught sight of her little brother. Though deep down, the tiny Eevee must have known that such a feat was impossible, even for Darkrai, she showed no signs of believing it. She had grieved for so long, and now that there was a chance, even a slight one that all the pain and guilt would end, she was going to cling to it for dear life. Radian drew back a little, coiling her delicate body up into a compact little ball, then letting herself loose, springing forward to pounce on the form that was her little brother, Alfonse. A naive smile of sorts had lit up her face, and she now seemed to radiate nothing but happiness. Standing back away from her, Darkrai shuddered once, his face becoming hite in pallor as he looked away from Radian. He wasn't used to such delight filling one of his nightmares, and not surprisingly, it was making him feel a bit weak. He fed from others' darkest dears, not their happiness. But patiently, he waited, knowing that Radian's guilt was the key to her servitude.
Darkrai stared on, emotionless, as Radian simply fell through the form of her brother, and landed once again in the hellish flames that filled her nightmare. Jumping up, Radian shook her fur out, despair replacing her newfound joy and settling over her face as the form of the young boy only stared into mournfully into Radian's bright eyes. Radian's heart nearly broke at the sight of her brother, again in so much pain, his eyes still the same from the night he had last stared up at her and uttered her name.
"Alfonse.." Radian whispered, all traces of joy now forgotten. Alfonse's face hadn't changed in the slightest last time she had gazed upon it, the skin was the same blistering red, having been scorched from the fire. His hands and feet were burned and scarred horribly in a similar fashion, and his hair, once a thick luscious mane of beautiful brown curls had all fallen out, the few sparse patched left being singed with black. He still wore his bedclothes from that night, and as it had been some time since the tragedy, Radian's heart tore open at the sight, a sight to which she had prayed countless times never to have to witness again. Her lower lip quivering, Radian simply stared forward trance-like, her golden eyes pooling sorrowfully to the brim with tears. Darkrai smirked menacingly, charcoal eyes glowing happily as he knew that he had Radian in his clutches now.
Hook, line, and Sinker. He thought with a cackle, as he made the transparent form of the boy step forward toward the little Eevee.
Radian.. Alfonse smiled down at her, before hesitating, pausing as if to catch his breath.
Radian, please. He seemed to beg. Help me! I'm trapped down here, and it's a horrible place to be! I'm all alone.. At this, tears spilled from the boy's miserable eyes, and he pressed his hands, laced thickly with scars, against his charred face. Radian's heart wavered at the sight, and immediately, she ran forward, trying desperately to wrap her furry little arms around the boy, but failing as she only fell through his form.
Don't cry, Alfonse.. She begged tearfully, her entire body beginning to tremble as she was interrupted by a giant sob. She swiped quickly at her eyes, and just stood anxiously at her brother's side, eyes darting around panicked as her heart rate elevated, and her head began to swim. She felt as if she were about to pass out.
You let me die! Alfonse cried out accusingly, hands quickly flying away from his face as he glared daggers down at Radian, his eyes beginning to burn into her with silent rage.
No.. I didn't..I mean, I didn't mean to! Radian answered, caught off-guard at the accusation. Her heart beat so rapidly now that she thought it would ecplode, and as she sank to her knees, she felt like just giving up. Slowly, she let her golden eyes fall shut as defensively, she curled up into a ball.
Please.. She thought silently, eyes squeezing shut against the tears that flowed uncontrollably down her face, much to Darkrai's amusement. Suddenly, she opened them, and gazing pleadingly up at Darkrai, who floated just above her fatigued form, she sighed, resigning as the tears refused to stop, and just nodded her head.
I'm sorry.. She apologized, to Marc, to Leon, to Tiffany, to the others who were counting on her partnership. To Wigglytuff and Chatot, and the kids who now thought of her as a hero. But especially to herself, for what she was about to do.
I have no choice. She muttered as she hung her head. I'm a failure as a healer, that's what got me into this situation. If I wasn't so helpless, Alfonse would be alive now. I owe it to him now to bring him back.
Darkrai offered Radian his sleeve-like appendage, and reluctantly, Radian offered up her tiny paw. Darkrai smirked, and was about to shake on her servitude, when he sensed another presence forcing its way into the nightmare. His brow furrowed in worry, and as the other presence finally fought its way inside of the nightmare Darkrai had worked so hard to seal, the dark pokemon panicked, throwing himself between Radian and the intruder, acting as a barrier of sorts.
"Radian! Darkrai!" Radian responded instantly to the voice that called her name, the tone of it extremely familiar to her, a friend perhaps. Radian's ears perked instantly upward, and seeming to snap right out of her binding trance, she pushed through Darkrai and anxiously began scouring through the flames for the owner to the voice. Eventually, the shape of a Mudkip pushed her way through the raging inferno, and Radian found herself cheering up in the slightest as she caught sight of the other pokemon.
"TIFFANY!" Her scream was shrill, and loud, and Radian thought she saw even Darkrai wince at the immense volume of it. Locating her tiny comarde, Tiffany bravely rushed forth, fearlessly approaching Darkrai.
"Leave Radian alone!" Tiffany cried out bravely, standing her ground. It seemed the Eevee was literally caught in between the two.
"Radian! Don't listen to him!" The Mudkip had no sooner set her worried gaze upon Radian before Darkrai furiously sicced a shadow, a copied silhouette of himself upon the tiny Mudkip, and Radian's heart instantly began pulsating with fear.
"Leave her alone!" Radian shouted anxiously, though her cry was lost amid the roar and fierce crackle of fire.
"Don't hurt her! She's my friend!"
"It's hopeless! You foolish meddler, Radian's heart is consumed by guilt!" Darkrai seemed quite smug at his statement, and crossed his arms, an evil chuckle escaping his lips as he stared oppressively a Tiffany. At this, Radian remembered Alfonse, and her heart sank as she gazed back at the form, who simply stared somberly over at the little Eevee. He didn't utter a word, but he didn't need to. Radian caught all of his pain in that single stare.
"No! I remember.. hope is something that cannot go away! Something that cannot be defeated! Darkrai, give up! It's pointless for you to go any further!" The Mudkip cried out triumphantly, her eyes narrowed in a fierce determination as bravely she stared down Darkrai who was caught off-guard by the brave declaration. Radian's eyes watered in the slightest, and she wiped at them, touched by the bravery and determination her friend was showing, just to salvage her.
"Tiffany.." She trailed off, speechless, but her heart glowing with affection as she scrambled around for any sort of thanks she could muster up. By now, Darkrai had recovered, and to avoid losing his new client, once again stepped in front of Radian, blocking her from Tiffany's view.
"Ha! What are you going to do about it?" He sneered. At this, Tiffany's eyes narrowed, and defiantly, she drew back.
"Roar of time!" She cried out. Radian gasped, taken aback, silently querying to herself if Tiffany really knew such an attack of such tremendous power. She had read somewhere some time ago that it was rumored to be a special type of Dragon attack known only by the legendary god of time, Dialga, but if Tiffany really did somehow know it, she would completely blow Darkrai away. Just as the beam was charging itself, another strange presence leapt within the dream, this one bringing with it a dark and ominous sensation. Radian reeled back, and terror struck her heart as a Munchlax fell from the ceiling, seemingly suspended by eery strands of darkness. He jumped protectively in front of Darkrai, ignoring Radian completely as he stared Tiffany down.
"Tiffany! Don't attack!" He commanded, hanging suspended before Darkrai, and though he was clearly on the opposing side, Radian couldn't help but pity him. Though Radian was battling against her own private hell, against her worst two fears, the healer side of her couldn't help but sense a pained, tortured soul, acting out against something he didn't want to. He was willing to endanger his own life for the sake of a horrid creature like Darkrai, but why? Whatever the reason, Radian knew for sure the battle over her wasn't worth him perishing.
"Radian isn't the only one of your friends I have. If you kill me, you kill him as well. You wouldn't want that now, would you Tiffany? It would just be another thing on the list of bad things you've done." Darkrai paused, seemingly for dramatic effect. Questioninly, Radian stared at Tiffany, questions popping all over her mind as she stared at the little Mudkip.
What is he talking about? Radian thought irritably. I'm starting to think even he doesn't know. Tiffany is the picture of innocence. She doesn't look like she's done a bad thing in her life.
"Right under stealing the time gear." Darkrai finished with a smile of dread, and Radian shocked, gasped, right before she was hit with a jolting sensation, and suddenly, her eyes pried open. The nightmare filling her head continued on without her mind being entirely there, and she just stared puzzled straight ahead, not realizing she was looking straight out into the waking world. Leon was there, and his eyes were narrowed in concentration as he stood before her.
Wha..? Radian thought, deeply confused, as her view of the world outside her tormented mind was strangely blurry. She tried to say his name, but couldn't even form a single syllable as her lips moved silently.
