♧♧♧ Yezalel's POV ♧♧♧
Shortly after the sun passed its highest point, a certain Fairy, accompanied by her little protégé, began to leave their chambers to head towards a familiar beach, one of them being noticeably happier than the other.
They walked through the trees with a steady but measured pace, pausing briefly to greet the forest inhabitants they encountered. These creatures seemed as cheerful and grateful to the Fairy as ever, eager to offer her berries and other gifts with a smile, but she could sense a certain caution towards her company; an old wound that had never fully healed.
She thought that, with the Forest Spirit helping in her work all those years, the Pokemon she defended would one day grow accustomed to this spectral presence and they would eliminate the stigma that those of that Type carried, but she, ironically, underestimated the weight of the myths and stories that had spread over time. She couldn't blame them any more than she blamed herself, since that discomfort and fear arose from her failures as a Guardian, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt.
The young Ghost beside her didn't seem to notice that subtle discrimination, or at least didn't care enough to mention it, but Yezalel couldn't help but grimace.
"Are you okay, Yeza? You've been frowning all day," Howdy said in that deep voice he liked to use, breaking the faint silence that had formed between them.
"It's nothing, dear. There's just something that's bothering me."
"Is it about Sandy?" inquired the Zorua, as perceptive as ever.
"Not entirely, but I'd be lying if I said some of my nervousness didn't stem from her," the Fairy sighed, thinking about the living enigma that was this mysterious Pokemon. "Our last encounter was quite pleasant, even funny, but I'm not sure how she'll react once she knows the whole truth…"
"I don't think it's going to be as bad as you imagine; Sandy is great," he stated, with a resolve she hadn't expected from the little fox.
"You seem quite confident."
"She is worthy of that trust," he said with a broad smile. "She seems much dumber than she actually is, I assure you."
"I don't think that's as flattering as you imagine," replied the Fairy, allowing a faint smile to appear at the edge of her lips.
"Oh, it definitely sounded better in my head, but I doubt Sandy would have cared even if I'd told it to her face; she probably would have laughed. That's how great she is."
"It seems my intuition about leaving you in her care wasn't wrong after all," Yezalel half chuckled, recalling their first encounter. "Unlike everything else…"
When that chaotic night occurred, she had gone prepared to face a furious spirit once more. A runaway, crazed soul seeking revenge, consumed by the power gained through the evolution process. What she found, however, was far from that Future Sight, yet it fulfilled it completely despite the change of scenery.
Fiery in battle, the former human had displayed unparalleled fury against Rex the Kingler, defeating him alongside her companions in a display that rivaled even the strongest Pokemon on the island. However, just when it seemed she was about to deliver the final blow and the Fairy was ready to intervene, she just… stopped, content to merely knock him unconscious and rushing to her fallen friend's aid. She was even willing to sacrifice some of her own glow to heal her friend in the most outlandish way the Fairy had ever witnessed: by helping him to evolve.
That first impression was enough to shatter all the prejudices she had formed, but what followed was no less shocking. When she revealed herself after being singled out by the Phantom, she was ready to have to apologize at length throughout the night, even explaining her reasons for not interfering if necessary, but her concerns were ruthlessly dismissed.
A genuine apology.
A simple 'I'm sorry' accompanied by a bow was all the self-named Sandy needed to calm her anger, proceeding to have a much more pleasant talk than the Fairy felt she deserved given the circumstances, as well as agreeing to meet at a later date to clear things up.
That date had finally arrived, and Yezalel, for the first time in far too long, was not entirely sure how to proceed.
Howdy had told her about the conversation he'd had with Sandy the night before, and although he hadn't gone into detail, it was clear that she went through a very bad time. Indirectly and unintentionally, the Fairy had hurt this jolly and somewhat flirtatious Pokemon deeply, hurt for which she felt entirely responsible.
The ex-human had needed a helping hand in a moment of need, a guide to help her in the difficult situation she had landed in, and the Fairy, on the other hand, chose to ignore her for reasons that, seen in retrospect, were quite stupid.
"Looks like we're here," announced her young protégé as they emerged from the line of trees, pulling her from her thoughts.
"Indeed," she murmured without much enthusiasm, at least until something caught her attention.
The beach was quiet, occupied only by a peculiar group of Pokemon talking in a circle near the waves. Sandy seemed as lively as last time, but she looked quite different; wearing clothes like a human, the Fairy admitted she wouldn't have recognized her at first glance, and the unknown Pokemon beside her radiated a glow almost identical to Rex's.
Both things were interesting, no doubt, but the first thing that caught Yezalel's attention was a certain Spirit looking at the clear sky, away from the rest.
"Guardian," said the Shedinja when the Fairy approached her, without taking her eyes off the sun.
"Forest Spirit," Yezalel nodded to her taciturn friend. "I was wondering where you were, but I didn't expect to see you here."
"Me neither."
"Wait, you're that 'Forest Spirit'?" Howdy interrupted, quite surprised. "I thought you were just a character in bedtime stories. I didn't believe you really existed."
"Oh, I can assure you she's very real," the Fairy affirmed, flashing a rare broad smile. "She's been helping me manage the Accords for a long time, my loyal companion in my mission to protect this island for…"
"A century," said the exuvia when she saw that her 'boss' was having trouble.
"Yes, a century already. How time flies…" sighed the Gardevoir, turning to the little fox. "She prefers to operate from the shadows. I think this is the first time in over four decades that I've seen her outside the Umbral Realm, so it's no wonder you doubted her existence."
"That explains some things, I guess," Howdy murmured.
"It's nice and cool in there, though I realize now I should have come out sooner," the Shedinja added, unusually talkative, but still gazing at the sun. "I noticed another Ghost in the woods and followed her out of sheer curiosity. I didn't expect that, by following her, I might find answers to old questions from something I'd been ignoring for so long…"
"Huh? What kind of answers, if I may ask?" Yezalel inquired, having a pretty good idea of what her old friend was seeking for.
"That glow you always talk about. I think I'm starting to understand it…"
And just like that, the spectral exuvia fell silent again, contemplating the star closest to Earth with serene intensity.
The Fairy was a little confused about what her companion meant, since she had always considered the glow as something that should be sought from within, not from without, but she would not doubt her methods when it was evident that, whatever she was doing, was working.
Perhaps what her friend had needed all this time was a mirror, a reflection to help her understand what lay beneath her cold shell. That this mirror was the sun raised some questions, but it also answered others, making the matter much more interesting.
Deep down, the Fairy knew her companion was destined for something greater than her current role as assistant, and she was glad to see the hollow exuvia beginning to change, leaving her feelings of powerlessness behind. She hoped that, in her strange enlightenment, she would find the answers she sought, not as a Guardian, but as a friend.
"I don't understand anything," Howdy said after a moment, somewhat uncomfortable breaking the silence, but unable to contain his doubts. "What exactly does she want? What is this glow she's talking about?"
"She wants what every Pokemon seeks to a greater or lesser degree, my dear: to evolve," replied the Fairy. "And the glow is the energy used for that, among other things."
"Oh… Ooh! Okay, that makes more sense." The fox nodded, giving the Forest Spirit one last look before turning back to where Sandy and her friends were still talking. "Therefore, I think we should ask Sandy. Just in case this whole 'meditating while looking at the sun' thing doesn't quite work out."
"And why should we ask her?" Yezalel questioned, tilting her head with genuine curiosity.
"Because she's an expert on the subject?" the young master of illusions answered with his own question, already starting to head towards where everyone was gathered. "At least, she's the only one I see who has any idea how this whole evolution thing works, aside from cryptic mentions of incredibly esoteric topics or 'it's part of growing up, Howdy'.
"She's also experienced in these matters; after all, she's already helped to evolve two Corphish, three Krabby (albeit more indirectly in those cases), one Wingull and one Kingler, besides herself, of course. I don't think it would hurt to ask her opinion, at least."
"A Kingler? Is he referring to Rex? When did that happen?" she thought, but as she followed the fox, she could only say with a smile, "It's funny how the tables have turned. Just a little while ago, you were calling her a 'wicked witch' and scratching her face."
"What can I say? Sandy has that effect on people."
"The initial impression or the subsequent and gradual gain of confidence?"
"Both," dictated the young fox without hesitation, putting on an expression as solemn as it was adorable in the Fairy's eyes.
After that, they fell into a peaceful silence as they walked along the beach sand. The sun slowly advanced across the sky, firmly positioned above the ocean water, wordlessly announcing the approaching night.
As they were getting closer to the small group, the Fairy began to catch a few words. They seemed to be talking about trivial things, calmly discussing the name of something, but suddenly, the unknown Pokemon with an enormous claw stood up and raised his voice.
"What do you mean with Tyracheron?! I refuse to let that be the name of my species! I am not a tyrant."
"Calm down, big boy. I'm not the one who makes the rules," Sandy replied, completely unfazed, taking a bite of a Pecha Berry with a mocking smile. "I don't think it's a bad name, either. Tyracheron Rex sounds exactly like what I picture when I think of you."
"Really? Why do I feel like you're insulting me again?" asked the crustacean, who the Fairy now knew was Rex, narrowing his eyes threateningly.
"What? Naaah… Well, kind of," admitted the ex-human, starting to laugh along with the bird sitting on her head, curled up on her cap.
Yezalel began to approach more quickly, fearing that this would be the cause for a new conflict. She had calmed down Pokemon that started fights over less, after all. However, to her surprise, Rex simply sat back down, shaking his head and suppressing a small smile, stroking his new, foamy, spectral beard.
Knowing the crab's temperament, that was new, and not just because of the beard. Was it a side effect of his recent evolution, perhaps?
"Well, good afternoon, Yezalel," greeted the Crawdaunt leader of the Corphish, causing the rest to turn towards her.
"Good afternoon," the Fairy greeted back, unsure how to refer to the other group as a whole.
As she thought that, she noticed her young protégé sneaking away from her side. Quick as the wind, he stole a Cornn Berry from the pile in the center and sat on the shoulder of the larger Ghost, looking quite pleased with himself as Sandy patted his head.
Had he ever been so affectionate with her? Had the Fairy ever been accessible enough for that, even?
In her role as mentor and Guardian, she may have acted more distant and cold than she intended, burdened by the apathy of having witnessed so many depart before her. However, wasn't that the opposite of what she wanted? Wasn't that the opposite of her ultimate goal?
Howdy was a young Ghost, she reminded herself. A member of a Type characterized by their longevity, if not outright immortality. It was more than likely that, this time, it wouldn't be her who saw another offspring depart, but the other way around, and she didn't want to be remembered as the lonely, bitter figure who merely fulfilled her self-assigned role.
It seemed that Yezalel, as old as she was, still had room to learn and grow as well.