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Each step taken was another step closer to what could be their graves.
Melody swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. She forced her breathing to steady. She kept her eyes locked on the entrance to the tower. Not willing to allow them to wander back up to the suspended rocks that looked like they would crush Sunny and her at any moment.
Melody wiped a drop of sweat that formed on her head, off. What was she worried about? They’ve beaten legends in combat before! It’s a piece of cake! Go beat the deity that rules over time itself and literally save the world!
No pressure!
No pressure at all!
…Stop beating so fast, we’ll be fine.
Melody stopped at the base of the stairs leading to the entrance. Shutting her eyes, she took a deep breath.
Everything has led to this moment.
…well, technically everything has lead to every moment. Wait, does that mean she has free will? Is everything pre-determined? Are Sunny and her actually going to do this?
Doesn’t the existence of the Dark future mean they are pre-destined to fail.
And die.
And-
Melody smacked her flippers against her cheeks and huffed a breath.
‘Stop.’ She firmly thought to herself.
We’re going to be fine.
Melody took a deep breath, lifted her leg up and started up the staircase.
No turning back.
Melody climbed the stairs. Her heart beat faster and louder and more intensely with each step.
And about halfway up- She stopped.
Sunny wasn’t next to her.
Melody turned her head around to find her. Melody’s heart skipped when she saw Sunny frozen at the bottom of the flight. Staring at the ground. Her body shook Violently as tears poured down her face.
“Sunny!” Melody cried out. Rushing back down the stairs to where the Eevee stood.
She knelt in front of Sunny. Her breathing was shallow. Her eyes stayed locked to the ground.
“Sunny. Breathe with me, Sunny.” Melody spoke evenly and calmly. Sunny’s entire body tensed when Melody rested a flipper on her shoulder.
Melody’s own heart sunk when she could feel just how violently Sunny’s heart was pounding.
Melody craned her neck downwards to meet Sunny’s eyes. Staring past her. “Breathe Sunny. In-”
“I-” Sunny choked out in the midst of a hyperventilated sob. “I-I can’t do this.”
Melody slid the treasure bag off her shoulder, and rested her other flipper on Sunny’s other shoulder.
“It’s going to be okay.” Melody forced out her mouth. “We’re going to do this.”
Sunny’s eyes shut tight. “I- I- I Can’t” She whimpered.
Melody steeled herself. “Sunny. look at me. Please.”
Sunny opened her eyes. Tearfully and silently pleading to Melody for a way out.
“I’m here for you Sunny.” Melody kindly, but firmly said. Pushing down the pain in her own heart.
Sunny stared at her. Eyes wide, the fur on her face soaked with tears.
Sunny looked back down at the ground. “I-It won’t-” She sounded like she was choking on air.
“WE CAN'T DO IT!!!”
She suddenly screamed, followed by loudly wailing.
Melody flinched a bit, and then quickly pulled Sunny into a hug. A second passed, and Sunny returned it.
Sunny continued to wail while Melody rubbed circles in between Sunny’s shoulder blades.
Melody 's throat tightened with each passing moment. Tears stung at her eyes that she rapidly blinked away.
But she had to be strong. For her.
Melody didn't let go. She would never let go of her. She breathed calmly and evenly. Aside from the few times that her breath got hitched on itself.
Slowly, Sunny went from wailing, to crying, to barely a whimper.
“Alright.” Melody pulled back to look Sunny in the eyes.
“What's wrong Sunny?” She asked gently.
Sunny scooted to Melody’s side, laid down on the ground. Curling inward into herself. Her eyes stayed far away from where Melody was.
She sniffled. “Du-Dusknoir told me- and Grovyle. Th- h- They both told me-” Sunny’s lips pursed, more tears welled in her eyes. “Th-They both said that if-if we fix time-” Sunny hyperventilated a few more times. The air was so thick with tension that Melody would choke on it if she breathed wrong.
“Th-then every person in the future would disappear.” She choked out.
Melody’s blood ran cold, and her eyes widened.
Time felt like it had slowed to a crawl. And Melody hoped that it would stop entirely. For the small glimmer of hope that, maybe, just maybe, there was a chance that it wasn’t true.
But it wouldn’t have made a difference. Melody already knew where this was going. She just wished she would have never had to have heard it said out loud.
Sunny sniffled again. “I-Including me.”
The pit in Melody’s stomach opened wide to swallow her whole.
It truly felt like the world was crumbling around her. Even while it sat in standstill.
“No… That can’t-”
Can’t what? It can’t be true? That it can’t happen?
It doesn’t matter that the only two people that Melody trusts less than Skuntank told her.
It wouldn’t matter if Melody screamed and cried and begged to whatever legend would listen.
It doesn’t matter that Melody has almost literally gone to the ends of the earth with her. For her.
It wouldn’t change a thing if she clawed and grabbed and clung to whatever chance there might have been.
It made sense.
And there was nothing to say or think or do that could possibly change that.
None of it changes a thing.
Sunny is going to die.
Her fate is sealed.
Even if they win,
Melody is going to lose her.
Flooding memories of times where Sunny would help people smile. Would help Melody smile back when the thought of continuing to press on seemed awful. When Sunny would keep going despite her fears and doubts.
It was hopeless to save the person that helped teach Melody to hope again.
Melody’s head dropped into her flippers.
“Oh. Oh Arceus…” She pathetically muttered.
Melody could feel her breathing become more shallow. Tears burned in her eyes like embers.
Melody watched Sunny’s face get screwed up as tears silently rushed down her cheeks. A few silent sobs jerked her head back and forth. Then she curled in on herself. Facing away from melody.
She’s going to lose her.
Melody’s small claws dug into the top of her head.
She’s going to lose her.
Her heart was about to explode.
Why?
WHY!?
WHY!?
WHY!? WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE HER!?
SHE'S DONE NOTHING WRONG!!! WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE HER!?
Melody was about to scream, when-
“I’m such a horrible person.” Sunny quietly muttered.
Melody’s head jerked upright and she stared over at Sunny. Only now wiping away the tears she didn’t realize were flowing down her face.
The worst lie spoken like truth.
Said like it had always been the case and now Sunny just had accepted it.
Melody blinked away the few more tears that tried to force themselves out.
You need to be strong for her.
“No, you’re not.” Melody firmly established. Perhaps with more bite than intended.
Sunny swung her head around towards Melody.
“But it’s true!” She cried out, a sob breaking through
“I don’t want to do this even though it means that so many more people will get hurt and die and-” She choked back a sob. “That makes me a bad person Melody!” She shouted, at Melody.
Melody furrowed her brow.
“Sunny.” Melody said in a low voice, bordering a growl.
“You don’t want to do it because you just don’t want to-” Melody swallowed the lump in her throat. “Because you don’t want to die.”
Sunny’s face got screwed up again. But she didn’t turn back away from Melody. “You’re not doing this because you want to hurt other people Sunny.” Melody forced her voice to stay even.
“That doesn’t make you a bad person Sunny. You’re not a bad person because you just want to live.” Melody gently finished.
Sunny looked at Melody. Tears running down her cheeks, her face screwed up. Then she sat up, and embraced Melody.
Sunny’s sob was muffled by Melody’s shoulder.
“I don’t want to die Melody. But I don’t want to hurt anyone more.”
Melody tightened her hug.
She’s going to lose her.
“I know. I don’t want either of those too.”
Melody and Sunny sat there for a while in silence. Tears quietly buried into Melody’s shoulder as Melody cradled Sunny in her flippers. Gently rubbing her back and slightly swaying side to side.
Eventually, Sunny pulled back.
“Feel any better?” Melody gently inquired.
Sunny looked at her for a moment. She pursed her lips as her eyes wandered to the ground. And she nodded slightly.
“A little…” She mumbled.
Melody searched for something that could make her feel better.
Melody breathed in and out. Her mind narrowing onto something that… might help.
“You know,” She awkwardly started. “I was told a long time ago that…” Melody swallowed the lump in her throat again. “That a person person dying, doesn’t mean it’s the end for them.” Melody continued with faux confidence.
Sunny tilted her head, confused and sad. Hopefully, she didn’t see through her.
Melody cleared her throat. “It was something like, ‘a person dies the first time when they leave this life.” Melody shifted around uncomfortably. ”But they die a second time when someone says their name for the last time’.” Melody looked at Sunny, who blinked in response. Another tear rolled down her face.
Melody sighed and leaned back. Staring up at the sky. Keeping her eyes far away from where Sunny might catch a glimpse. “I used to think it was just philosophical nonsense.” Melody paused for a moment, and then looked at Sunny. “But, I think there is some truth to it.”
Sunny looked at Melody for a moment, and then her eyes wandered back down to the ground. Her expression, unreadable. Even to Melody.
Melody rubbed the back of her head. “I…” She trailed off. “I don’t want to pretend this is something we can’t do, right?” She asked, her ribs constricting around her heart in the hopes that she would die and never have to go through with this.
Sunny pursed her lips again, and nodded. “I don’t want to, but I have to. It’s the right thing to do.”
Melody mournfully nodded. “Right.” She said.
Melody opened and shut her mouth a few times. Nothing coming out each time.
As if to mock them, the ground began shaking. Melody having to catch herself from falling onto her side.
The two looked up at Temporal Tower’s peak.
Sunny sighed “We should get going…” She dejectedly muttered as she stood up.
Melody shut her beak tight. Her lips to the sides of it pursing.
Now. Think of something, now .
“Wait.” She interrupted Sunny as she began to pick herself up off the ground.
Melody struggled for a moment. Looking down at the ground. Away from Sunny’s sad, expectant look.
And then, Melody looked back up at her friend. Her brows furrowed.
“I-” Again with that blasted lump in her throat. “I don't think there's anything we can do to stop... You know.”
Sunny’s gaze drifted down to the ground next to her. Her drooping ears looked even more limp than before.
“So!” Melody firmly began, catching Sunny’s stare once again. “I promise you Sunny, that I’m going to tell everyone about you!” Melody puffed out her chest a bit, and straightened her posture. “I’m going to make sure everyone knows who you are!” Sunny blinked. Her own posture straightened in attentiveness. Her tail made one slow sweep from one side to the other.
“I’m going to make you the most famous explorer that’s ever lived!” Melody declared. “There will not be a single person that doesn’t know about Sunny, of Team DawnSong!” Melody shouted for anyone that could hear her.
And then she paused. Waiting for Sunny to respond.
And a small smile spread across Sunny’s face.
“Thank you.” She quietly responded. She stepped forward and pulled Melody into another hug. “I’d-… I’d really like that.”
Melody squeezed her tight. “Me too." She replied. "It’s a promise.”
A few moments passed.
“I love you Sunny. More than you know. You mean so much to me.” Melody quietly muttered.
She felt Sunny nod against her shoulder. “I love you too, Melody. I wish this never had to end.” She quietly responded.
The two stayed in their hugs. Before suddenly the ground started shaking again. More violent this time. Sunny and Melody having to let go of each other in order to catch their balance.
Melody flexed and un-flexed one of her flippers a few times.
A vicious mockery. As it will not be the last time they're torn apart.
Sunny made a disappointed sound. “I guess we need to get going…” She said.
“… Yeah.” Melody responded in kind. Then she furrowed her brows, and gave Sunny a determined look. “Let’s go and save the world Sunny! I know we can do it!” She expressed with an excited pump of her flipper.
A small smile appeared on Sunny’s face. A large, warm smile spread across Melody’s as she slung her treasure bag over her shoulder.
“Yeah. Let’s go.” Sunny muttered with a note of determination.
Melody gave her a firm nod. And the two took the first step onto the staircase. Together.