Half a heart~

Humming quietly to herself, a brown haired lass pulled off the scarf laying over her mouth and nose and looked up, breath wispily threading itself into mist before dissolving into air. Azure eyes, sparkling like sapphires, keenly scrutinized the air as the mist grew thinner and thinner until finally, temperature being restored, she breathed without billowing out smoke.

For all the world she looked like an average person dressed for temperatures colder than the current, with soft fur boots, rimmed with frost which dropped off on intervals, melting instantly. Her jacket was thick and padded, and of course the scarf covering her throat and most of her hair. One might even mistake her for a travelling trainer, except...

The lack of pokeballs at her side. Her waist lay void of a belt, where pokeballs may be clipped. More may be found in her bag, stuffed to the seams, but she cared not to catch more, for misfortune lay upon her.

She'd been travelling for a while, as her weary frame displayed, steps slow and shuffling, tendons and calves aching, back hunched. She stopped for a while beside the road on a convenient rock, smiling at the sense of déjà vu. All that she had now were memories. She might as well revel in and treasure them...

[Yay, continuations o3o]

A serpent, one who had been following Twilight step-by-step for the time she had been travelling, slithered up the rock and to Twilight's neck, wrapping around it as her scarf was. "It's a nice day, isn't it," it questioned her lightly. Since she had left, the snake had been quite nicer to her; it seemed to be caring genuinely. "No more smoke in the air from the other place." It set its head on her shoulder. "It's a shame... We're the only two here to enjoy it peaceably."

The serpent noticed a stranger approaching Twilight, the man stepping up to her. "Good day," he spoke, unaware of any hint of corruption in her eye. "What is a lovely trainer like yourself doing out here to your lonesome? Surely you have some friends." "Such a spoil," the serpent hissed. "He's in our way! The sun is warming too!" It looked to her. "Twilight, are you not angered by this? Here peaceably, and this man just walks up and blocks our view!"

Twilight had grown, in her own way. She was now capable of somehow ignoring the serpent when he grew irritable, irrational or just plain annoying. She looked up from dusting off frost when a shadow fell upon her, announcing the approach of someone. "Oh, hello~" She smiled brightly, yet sadly. This was how she'd met...never mind. "Friends? Well, I...I-I make them as I go." She spoke, truthfully, honestly. Her frankness was one part which would never get corrupted. Her eyes were yet clear, not shadowed by any external characteristic of darkness.

The stranger simply nodded his head lightly. "I see; you don't partake to having a single, solid companion." He gave Twilight a light smile before his eyes gazed to her hand that seemed to be moving. "Tell me... What is it you're doing there," he asked. Unlike Akina, he couldn't see the serpent just like other people; therefore, he couldn't see the snake being soothed by a pet on its head. "Darn you and your rubs," it hissed out, tail jittering from the joy it got from the petting. "But it's not good to stay in one place too long. Shouldn't we find a place to stay?" "So tell me, do you have a place to stay," the stranger questioned Twilight.

Twilight smiled back, feeling warm for the first time in several hours. She looked down with equal curiosity when the stranger interrogated her, and quickly adjusted her hand motion - well away from her new companion - to that of shaking. "Oh! Just...warming my fingers and shaking off the freezing feeling. I came up from Vermilion, you see. It's been snowing there." She looked up furthur to face the stranger full in the face and tilted her head questioningly. "Stay? Well, no. I was hoping to get a room in the Centre." Inwardly smiling, it was as though the stranger could almost see and hear the snake, as he was reflecting his questions.

The serpent didn't seem to care now that the petting was gone. He was pretty much, well, calmed, his head resting on Twilight's shoulder watching curiously. "Well, you could stay at my place," the stranger spoke to the trainer. "Probably not for that long a time though, but perhaps a day or two if necessary." He gave the trainer a smile. "Sound like a good idea?" The snake, of which was now fully opaque, hissed lightly.

Twilight blinked. It was an act of kindness; who was she to question it? Hers not to ask why. "Of course! Thank you!" Nice, kind person. "Oh! I'm Twilight. Nice to meet you!~" She got to her feet and extended a hand, a gesture of friendship. It didn't strike her as to why a random stranger would walk up and offer them shelter, or even the fact that he was a complete and total stranger.

(The snake might be good in a way for her; he's shrewd and could instil a biiiit of brains in her. You know, get street smart.)

It was when the stranger extended his hand and grasped Twilight's that the serpent, having been calm, immediately slithered up a bit and hissed aloud. "Don't trust him," he snapped. A look in the stranger's eyes seemed to shift from calm and well-behaved to that of crude thought. "It's nice to meet you to," he spoke to Twilight, his hand beginning to tighten where it would pressure her own. The serpent wasn't too pleased about it, especially when the stranger began prying Twilight away. "Don't trust strangers," the snake hissed. "Fight. Fight fight!"

Twilight gratefully accepted the hand, a hand she viewed as support to get up from her perch before remembering that she was already up. She'd gotten up to shake hands. She winced when his hand began to tighten painfully hard. "Good grip." She whined, trying not to whimper. She shot the serpent - who had yet not disclosed his name - a look, that somehow wasn't entirely disapproval. As she was pulled forward sharply, her toe stubbed a rock, and with a sharp 'ow!', she stumbled forward.

The stranger began to lead Twilight, but possibly to her dismay, it'd be towards trees. "I live in a cabin in the forest," he told her. "Move along!" He raggedly pulled her forward, the serpent hissing aloud a second time. "This isn't good," he told Twilight, the snake unable to really help her; it wasn't like she'd told him to bite the guy after all. "Struggle free!" "I think you'll like my cabin," the stranger spoke to Twilight after he had dragged her quite a few yards away, out of anyone's visibility. "I also think you'll like what I have planned... You'll make a good doll for the collection in my basement... A fresh youth."

"...Uh..." Unsure suddenly of this queer character, Twilight resisted mildly by gently tugging on her wrist. Not good. The older male had an iron-like grip on her. Digging her heels hard into the ground, she pulled back with all her might, gasping with pain when her arm protested. This person was turning very shifty, very rapidly, talking of fresh youths in his basement. Creepy. And suddenly not to be trusted. The cabin in the woods was nice though. But such thoughts later, wringing her hand roughly, gritting her teeth though the pain, she tried to twist her hand out of his.

The serpent watched as Twilight squirmed, the stranger finding himself pulled back lightly when she dug her heels in and pulled. "Stop trying to get away," he snapped angrily, turning to look at her before the serpent wrapped around his arm and squeezed. He wasn't too pleased, the stranger grasping a knife from his pocket (pocketknife) before he held it out pointed at her. "And stop whatever it is you're doing that's forcing my arm to ache! It'd be messy to kill you here, but I wouldn't mind that after all..." "Pull," the serpent hissed at Twilight. "Or let me bite him!"

"Unh..." Twilight groaned; the stranger's hand wasn't all that was aching. Every muscle of hers was strained to get away from the increasingly malignant stranger. Her eyes widened when he pulled out a blade, several inches of shining metal, and imagining it cutting into yielding flesh, snicking tendon and severing muscle made her shudder. Straining harder than ever to get away, she cried out, "Bite!", hoping that her companion would do so and assist her, or that it would do the trick. To be honest, she was curious to know what a bite from the serpent would do actually.

The snake didn't seem to have a quarrel with the command; he opened his mouth and sank his fangs into the wrist of the stranger. Upon doing so, the stranger's hand released Twilight's, the man roaring aloud seeing two small holes in his wrist. "Why you," he spoke angrily, the serpent slithering over to Twilight's side, raising up a bit asking if she was alright. "I'll..." The man didn't seem to be able to move. "What'd you do ya little brat!? I can't move!" "It's best we get out of here," the serpent hissed.

"Darkrai wept!" Twilight cursed, darning it all to the Distortion World, as the snake slithered up and soundly bit her capturer. The man seemed immobilized, so grabbing the opportunity - and the reptile - she made her way out at the speed of lightning. She didn't stop running until she must've been a mile away. Out of breath and panting, she collapsed at the base of a tree. Throwing off her heavy clothes to reveal her usual wear inside it all, she decided not to endanger her bag and carry with her on hand. "Say, I, uh..." Awkwardly scratching the base of her neck, she looked to her saviour. "Thank you. For, you know, saving me back there." Hesitantly reaching out, unsure of her next gesture, as though she wanted to pull him into a hug, she settled for patting him instead, going the safe way for what she knew he liked.

The serpent didn't mind, actually, being patted on his head for having saved Twilight; however, having noticed what she was possibly preferring to do, he hissed lightly. It wasn't one of anger though. "You were close to hugging me, weren't you," he asked her. "I wish you would've... That's the only way that I won't be, well, invisible anymore." His head tilted down lightly. "I am irritable, yes... A bit of a pretender too... But I am very well aware of what I am..." The cobra coiled lightly, looking much like he was sitting down on the ground; however, being a bit slender, it was obvious he was upright a few feet in the air to look at Twilight. "I'm simply a hallucination... Well, rather, a creature made by aura... And that aura will dissipate by some point, leaving me, well, soulless and dead."

He was very upfront and truthful about what he was. It was clear, by his voice, that he was being genuine, a lot more than before when he was simply trying to sway Twilight. "But see... I theorize if I can bind to someone's soul that I can live... Whatever it is I have for a body won't become dust again; I will still live..." The serpent that was seemingly purely cruel was showing life, a personality, and a will to exist. "To be alive thoroughly... To have the name 'Leviathan' mean something other than a manifestation soon to wilt... I would be happy..." The snake hissed sorrowfully, looking up. "There's so much I've seen just by being on your shoulder a day; to know I can't ever experience it is a heartbreak for whatever heart I have!"

"You have no heart," a voice spoke, Surge leaned against a tree staring over to Twilight. "I sent Leviathan to corrupt you; I suppose it is you who has lightly corrupted him..." He stepped from the tree, clouds forming in the sky as he showed himself. "Everyone has a good side I suppose; it was to be expected." At his sides were a couple of eevee, the pokemon both sitting obediently when he snapped his fingers. "I suppose that was my mistake from the beginning." The serpent had his head downcast completely at this point. "Just a day's time and look... You really are something, aren't you girl? But that's still not enough..." He sighed angrily.

"I should wilt it right now... It's simply aura; it was difficult to create, but more difficult to sustain." As he said that, Leviathan, who's name was now known for Twilight, became a bit more translucent. "No matter how much you struggle Leviathan, you are simply aura; it's time for you to fade back to where you belong; what do you think you could even accomplish by following this girl?" He shook his head. "The small amount of a fragmented soul you own will go towards the project... Just fade already!"

[Enjoy~ o3o] [EVE reference inserted]

Twilight had been distractedly running her hand down and over the serpent's scaly skin, running her mind over the events of the past few days. She looked down, startled by a light hiss. She awkwardly scratched her head. "Well...yes, I was going to..." She broke off, unsure of how to continue, unsure of how to tell him she was unsure at that point in time as well. So much uncertainty. And also for the fact that he continued speaking. He wished she would've hugged him. Well, she could. "Do you want me to? Also, isn't being invisible a pretty cool thing?" She could imagine all sorts of things she could've done if she was invisible.

But not having a true existence did seem...depressing. "Hey! No matter if you're irritable or not!" Well, he was. But only she could say so! Jokes aside, 'Leviathan' did truly seem...sad. Leviathan. The name rolled off somewhat awkwardly from her tongue. But hers not to question. So that was why he had encouraged her to leave Naga and Angel...and Akina, and everyone. Because he knew what it was like to experience happiness, all the while realizing it could never be his. "And what happens to the person to whose soul you bind to?" She interrogated softly, before looking up.

Hardly surprised to see Surge there - she'd expected his arrival and had braced herself for it, after all it wouldn't do for his appearance when she traveled with everyone. At least here he could hurt no one...other than herself. Her brow furrowed increasingly when cruel words emitted from his mouth, words she wasn't sure were true. Her anger was washed over by surprise. What? She...corrupt...? What was he talking about? Had his insanity and delusion reached such a stage?

A gasp escaped her own mouth when Leviathan turned translucent. He'd been turning more and more tangible through time, but now, he was disappearing back to non-existance. So this was her fate. To have everyone snatched away from her. With a shaking hand, she reached out to attempt to touch her...friend, if she could call him that. "You...you monster!" She yelled at Surge, angry tears welling up in her eyes.

"It's your choice if you decide to embrace me or not," Leviathan communicated to Twilight, the serpent laying his head on the ground. "I know not what would happen to the one whom I woudl be bound to... It's simply a theory..." Surge, listening to their little conversation, was displeased with all of the resistance... Especially when Twilight touched the serpent's head and caused it to begin turning opaque again. "What is this nonsense," he scoffed, stepping forward as his eyes showed his displeasure. "You should be unable to touch him! He should be wilting! Why are you helping him resist!" He began to step forward, Leviathan shutting his eyes.

"It won't be much longer before I'm gone. It was nice to know you the day I did," the serpent hissed lightly, Surge approaching quickly. "Hello... My daughter, are you there," Arceus questioned Twilight mentally. "What is it you've been upto... I felt a small disturbance..." "Step away from him... Now," Surge snarled angrily at Twilight. "OR else!"

Twilight withdrew her hand and twined them together, leaning forward, eyes trained on Leviathan. She was, quite honestly, surprised she could touch him, but was gratified at the same time. "It's worth a shot. And Levithan?" She got to her feet and grinned at him. "It's called hope." Picking up the snake, she clasped him to her collarbone. "Why am I helping him?" She questioned simply, turning to face Surge. "Because he's my friend."

Her head snapped upwards when a familiar, warm voice embodied itself in her mind. "Father? I mean, Arceus?" A smile made its way on her face. He'd come. He'd really come. Thank you for coming. "Small disturbance? Well, it's hard to put into words. Make what you will of this." She communicated, looking back towards Surge. She may not have been able to save Naga or Angel, or even help them, and had had to leave Akina behind, but not this time. "Or else what?" Her voice rang out clearly. A challenge.

Surge found Twilight's response simply more infuriating. "You'd risk your life on the partaking of a manifestation's fragment of a soul? You are a fool!" He stopped in his tracks, wrapping his arms. "You'll possibly kill yourself! Is it worth it to you girl? Would you truly risk your life to help a snake? Nonetheless one meant to corrupt, or better, destroy you itself?" Leviathan, while this went on, seemingly turned opaque again when Twilight held him. "Go ahead... Die then," Surge snarled to Twilight. "Your death would simply end your interference in any of my plans!" He turned from her, moving away before he disappeared with the two eevee from before. Yes, he had challenged her, and he had turned to leave, abandoning Twilight to chance.

Chance was seemingly on Twilight's side; Leviathan, having becoming opaque, began to cast a shadow over Twilight's shoulder much like a pet would had it been picked up. The serpent took notice of it, hissing a bit with delight; however, though she had saved her new friend, it wouldn't be without consequence. "I see now my daughter," Arceus spoke to Twilight through telepathy. "Taking risk to save a creature manifested by an ungodly ability... I yield admiration for that; however..." The pokemon's words seemed to be a bit dark. "My daughter, you have saved your friend, but know the consequence. You are about to feel enormous pain... Both of you are."

Leviathan began to feel like he was on fire, the serpent hissing aloud in irritation. "My daughter, you're taking in whatever fragment of life he has for a soul... It is going to worm its way into your own, and it is going to hurt... Worse than if you were to meet Giratina in the Distortion World. It's going to feel like fire..." The pokemon didn't seem too pleased to have to relay the information to Twilight. "It is how it is, I suppose... I cannot change your decision."

Twilight's grip on Leviathan tightened. Kill her? It would...kill her? Was that how it was? One life for another? He had been sent by Surge...to corrupt or preferably kill her? No, that wasn't right. It wasn't true. If he wanted to kill her, he'd have done so a long time ago. Heck, he could've done it now. Just another of Surge's petty lies.

She diverted her gaze, worry flooding her eyes as the deity spoke. No sooner was her benfactor done with his first sentence, she screamed as unimaginable pain tore through her body. It was like nothing in the world, all other pain dimmed to nothing. Even now, in her present, everything else was nothing. She was trapped in her mind as unreal torture took hold of her body. She was shaken, broken...panting heavily on the ground.

Arceus, hearing the cries of Twilight, stifled whatever noise he wanted to make in his domain; her cries were warranted, given the tremendous pain she had set herself through; however, she had chosen to risk any and everything to save Leviathan... She had to face the consequence, even if that meant death (which this wouldn't result in). Leviathan, now on the ground, heard Twilight's cries with pain; rather, his own mixed in, for her saving of him wasn't finished just yet. As a secondary side effect, and one of a more divine influence, the cobra was changed...

It was odd, like a diddo taking the form of another pokemon; the creature having sprawled out wiggling aimlessly in pain turned into a humanoid, mostly human with a few defined characteristics. For one, a long tail with black scales covering it, red piercing eyes, superiorly long black hair, and of course, four long fangs. He was a bit slender, elegant yet still majestic like a cobra, the being finally able to settle down after all was said and done. And for purposes unspoken, he had a black shirt with black jeans covering him. "I... I," he complained, sitting up weakly seeing what had happened.

"T, Twilight... What is this!" He saw his thumbs, and, well, his hands... And his feet, his tail, and other characteristics. He set a couple of fingers on his lips, noticing his speech as well. He then felt something pulse, the ex-serpent setting a hand over his torso feeling a heart beating. His eyes widened a bit, looking over to Twilight. "A, a heart... A beating heart!" It was then he noticed she was also in pain, and he scrambled towards her. It wasn't like he knew how to control his new form mostly, after all!

Through eyes misted with pain, as it was finally subsiding, Twilight rolled over to her side, curled up in the 'recovery' position. She was facing Leviathan and as she finally blinked her eyes open, all she saw was a queer male dressed in black fumbling towards her. Strange. He knew her name. And he spoke of a beating heart. What, did he discover it right now? She blinked her hair out of her eyes as he bent over her, and moaning as a fresh bout of pain took over her, rolled over to her other side. Thankfully, she was yet numb from the previous pain, but rocks were cutting into her. "Ouch...Leviathan..." She called out weakly, struggling to sit up.

Leviathan continued fumbling until he was at Twilight's side, scrambling himself up before he reached forward cautiously. Unable to fully understand his hands, he set them under Twilight's back and lifted her up a bit, setting her head on his lap as his tail waved around and landed itself lightly on her neck. "I'm here," he spoke, his voice a lot different than when he had been a snake. He ended up hissing lightly, turning her head so she'd end up staring at his red eyes. "Twilight... I don't know what happened... I, I can tell we share a soul and I have my own heart... But... Why did I become this way?"

Through her rapidly clearing haze - cleaving a soul hurt - she realized that the slight swaying motions she felt was someone moving her. Though it didn't hurt, so that person was being gentle. She blinked again to clear her fuzzy vision, starting when she felt something alight on her neck. "Wha..." Reaching up to touch it, it seemed to be a...scaly something. A snake?! Not a good time. Her head moved - no, was moved - to stare up at eyes. Blue into red. She could make out that the stranger was speaking, though the words impacted lightly on her ears, and she had to strain to hear. Who...? She smiled gently. "Who knows...perhaps Arceus..." And giggling lightly to herself at her own joke, murmuring a light apology, and breathing out a quiet thanks to her benefactor, she rolled her head to the side and fell asleep.