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Description
Summer Doodles #12
This is my little side project, a fanfiction! It's not as fully planned out as EoS, but I'll have some updates from time to time. Hope you enjoy it!
UPDATE: Now on fanfiction.net! www.fanfiction.net/s/11300879/…

It’s terrible.

            I look up at the cliff looming before me- a monstrosity of rock, impossibly tall and just as foreboding- and feel the pit of uncertainty forming in my stomach. The sky behind it is full of steely gray clouds, churning against the wind. Not much better to look at. I turn my head and am able to see the land behind me; the grass is charred and there are scattered rocks adding to the monochrome backdrop.

            Frankly, I find my being here at all incredible. I can’t remember how long I've been traveling just to look for this place. Then again, I’m not here for a “where,” but for a “who.” If I wanted to look for a big cliff, I certainly would have chosen a better route to take to find one. I shudder as memories of toiling over the rugged landscape flood into my mind.

            A sudden roar jostles me back to reality. Darting my eyes around, I pinpoint a moving silhouette against the gloomy sky. Squinting does nothing to better discern what it is, so instead I put my back against the cliff and eye it warily from afar. The figure appears to move closer, fortunately, so I lean forward and attempt again to-

            In the next split second, a blue flame seems to spring to life right before me. A shock of cold fear seizes my body, and I go numb. The inferno flares up, almost as if it’s annoyed at my lack of response, and I find myself inhaling sharply. A rush of adrenaline urges me to scramble away. My heart is pounding so hard that it’s all I can feel; almost as if in a frenzy, I force my legs into a sprint. The next moment is a jumble- the flurry of the gray landscape, the wild heartbeat overtaking all of my senses, the sensation of gliding as if my feet had become nonexistent- and before I know it, I tumble headfirst into the grass.

            Hitting the ground isn’t what scares me, though. It’s the loud thump I hear right next to my ears that makes me sit bolt upright in an instant. I look up, trembling, and see the face of my assaulter.

            It’s a Charizard. But this one is wrong- its scales are a jet-black sheen, the flame on its tail is a bright blue, and there’s a strange spherical rock stuck into its shoulder. I find myself oddly drawn to it; upon a closer inspection, the rock seems almost as if it’s pulsating with an unknown power. It appears to shimmer, but a wave of black perverts the deep cobalt glow. More importantly, that blue matches the blue of the fire that had been hurled at me.

            I’m in no position to be indignant, however, as I quickly notice that the Charizard’s features are distorted with rage.

            “I know why you’re here, human,” he says in a low, threatening growl.

            I tense; if he knows why I’m here, that won’t help matters at all. I make an attempt to get to my feet, but this prompts a snarl from the Charizard. I hurriedly sit back down.

            “I won’t let you get up that cliff and see Jirachi,” he says, as if his word is automatically law. Despite my fear, I know all too well the troubles I’ve gone through just to reach this far; I swallow and attempt to explain myself.

            “You don’t understand,” I begin. This is a mistake- the Charizard seems to take this as a personal insult, as his eyes narrow and smoke begins to pour out of his nostrils. I instinctively raise up my hands to protect myself, but the Charizard doesn't move. As I lower my hands, I can see the gears in his mind turning- probably contemplating what punishment to give me once I’ve finished my plea. I try again. “I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not exactly worthy to see Jirachi. However-”

            I’m interrupted. “That’s a pathetic excuse,” the Charizard says bitterly. I do have to agree with that.

            “However,” I continue, “I’m not here for wealth or power or anything. I just… I just want to be able to forget something.”

            “Forget?” the Charizard echoes incredulously. A cynical smile forms on his lips. “You came all this way just to forget? You really are something.”

            He finds me funny. Although this is better than him hating me, I avert my eyes. The memory I want to forget is far from humorous; I can feel my breath shortening just thinking about it. It’s so terrible- I really have to forget. I hold my head in my hands, refusing to let myself remember. My mind touches upon the setting- a warm sunset, a day just like any other- then it begins to dig deeper- the red of the sunset bleeding straight into the ground, the body, there was something spoken, but I don’t want to know what it was, not with the thing staring straight at me-

            I am thankful for the Charizard’s harsh words that sever the link forming between my mind and my awful memory. “I don’t believe you for a second. And stop acting like you’re in pain. Memories aren’t something that can be painful.”

            How wrong he is. But I don’t have the guts nor the urge to correct him, so I only stare up at him with what I hope is a mournful expression. His own expression appears to soften. We stay like this for a short while, with our eyes locked, waiting for the other to say or do something. A low rumble of thunder resounds in the distance. Still, nothing is uttered.

            Finally, the Charizard speaks. “Fine. I guess since you’ve come this far, you must really want to forget whatever it is pretty badly.” He eyes me up and down. “And with how pathetic you look, that’s quite a feat.”

            I draw my breath, waiting for him to say more.

            “I’ll fly you up to Jirachi. But if you try anything that’s remotely suspicious, I’ll burn you for real.” To punctuate this point, he exhales a puff of blue flame. I nod gravely in understanding; this satisfies him, and he turns around and motions for me to climb onto his back. I timidly do so, stepping around the fire upon his tail, and wrap my arms around his thick neck. He grunts in discomfort, but says nothing.

            The minute he first beats his wings in a powerful stroke, a gust of wind presses me down against his back. There’s that pit in my stomach again- except this time it’s not from uncertainty, but from the sheer panic one experiences when they feel they are falling. I manage to will myself into opening my eyes, but the sight of the ground appearing to shrink further and further away only adds to my panic. I shut my eyes again and try to ignore the sickening sensation of being shoved from side to side. It’s my only defense against the increasing urge to vomit.

            After enduring an hour’s worth of terror crammed into five minutes, the Charizard finally lands on a small rocky ledge situated near the top of the cliff. I hesitantly release my hold on him, as if afraid that the ledge would crumble instantly if I touched it. In a clumsy maneuver, I stagger onto the ground; I’m trembling and covered in a cold sweat. I catch a quick glance of the Charizard’s unimpressed stare before he turns and gestures to something behind me. Following the movement of his claws, I feel my heartbeat accelerate as I see the object he is gesturing towards.

            It’s a cave. But calling it such would not be enough to describe the sheer darkness it contains within. There is nothing but a wall of black, so impenetrable that it’s impossible to estimate how deep the cave is.

            “Jirachi awaits you inside there,” the Charizard says. “I’ll lead you to him.”

            “Thank you very much,” I breathe, still rattled from the ride. “I’m not sure if I could have-”

            “Just don’t lag behind,” the Charizard interrupts, already lumbering into the open maw of darkness. I hastily get to my feet and stumble after him.

            I had assumed that a light source would have put me at ease; however, there’s an uncanny eeriness in the blue flame that illuminates the rock walls surrounding us. Every contour, every edge, shifts under the passing shadow created by the Charizard’s flame. The walls appear to be moving- twisting its edges until becoming drowned in darkness once more. I try to keep my focus on the back of the Charizard’s head, but my eyes keep wandering over the changing walls.

            A dim, white light slowly begins to pour into the tunnel. Eager to escape the suffocating blackness, I pick up my pace. The Charizard gives a huff of disapproval at my hurrying ahead, but does nothing to restrain me. I press onward without him, following the intensifying light, knowing that my goal is almost within reach. The light leads me to a large open space, where the top of the cave is barely observable. Instead of mere rocks lining its walls, there is an occasional crystal, glowing softly in its perch. Although these contribute to the general brightness of the room, the main source of light rests in its center.

            Jirachi.

            All the years spent agonizing over that terrible occurrence, every mile I toiled, the enemies I had to fend off, the utter and bitter regret that always proved both a physical and emotional burden- all of it leading up to this one chance to see Jirachi and have him make the pain disappear. He isn’t quite the magnificent beast I always pictured in my mind; rather, he is a small and dainty Pokemon- his star-like qualities are accentuated through his pointed body and the placid light he emits. Fitting, I suppose.

            His innocent eyes are peering straight at me as I enter, and already I’m struggling to breathe normally. I know his childlike appearance deviates from his true powerful abilities. Still, it’s difficult to imagine such a tiny creature granting wishes that can transcend logic.

            After a moment of remaining transfixed upon him, I realize that Jirachi has no intention of speaking first. He looks at me expectantly as he hangs suspended in the air, his golden cape-like tendrils brushing gingerly against the ground. I swallow, unsure how to begin.

            “Um...” I stammer. I clear my throat and try again. “I… I came here to have my wish granted.”

            Jirachi blinks slowly. “I know.” His youthful voice seems to carry a mysterious wisdom. I can feel the panic setting in now. My skin is crawling with anxiety- I can’t mess this up, not at the most important moment of my journey.

            “I see…” I respond haltingly, racking my brain for the correct words. “But, well, I don’t want power or fame or anything. Can you still grant a wish like that?”

            A new emotion appears to briefly cross over his features. Surprise?

            “Yes, a wish like that would be very simple for me,” Jirachi says in careful monotone. He pauses. “Come closer, then, and tell me what your wish is.”

            Despite his permission to approach him, I walk towards him with obvious hesitation. Doubt begins to take seed in my mind, as I now realize that the wish I’ve been always been hoping to have granted might actually transform into reality. Jirachi’s unnerving gaze does nothing to soothe my growing fears as well, but I attempt to maintain eye contact anyway. I stop once I’m a few feet away from him; his glowing body proves a bigger strain to look at from this short distance. A small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth still remains visible, however. He must find me amusing- this poor, hapless human who came all this way just for a simple wish.

            “So,” Jirachi says, still flatly, “what is your wish?”

            “I…”

            Then I break off, finding myself uncertain. I can’t believe this is real- all of this was only a pipe dream just a few years ago, and now this dream is unfolding itself before my very eyes. My mind fills with a whirl of reluctant thoughts. Was this really what I wanted for myself? All the trials I had to overcome just to get here- were they worth the one chance to forget?

            Immediately the hated memory surges into view in my mind’s eye. I clasp my hands to my ears, as if doing so could drown out the sounds of the screams I hear. I see the thing’s eyes, so unmoving and yet so fixated upon me. The sun has disappeared, but the color remains. There’s so much red- soaking into the sky, into the grass, into-

            “Your wish,” Jirachi reiterates. His voice is enough to distract me from the memory, and I’m able to take a deep breath and focus on what is real. Jirachi is here, I’m here, and there’s still an awful memory to be cleansed of.

            “Sorry about that,” I say hastily. “There’s just this terrible memory I want to be free from… and actually, my wish is related to it.”

            “So, what is it?” Jirachi repeats. I can hear the impatience creeping into his voice this time.

            “I wish to have a new life.” A sense of relief washes over me as the words leave my lips, as if they had been waiting to be uttered ever since my journey began.

            “A new life,” Jirachi echoes. “I suppose it can be done. May I ask why you would wish for such a thing?”

            I rub my palms anxiously, unwilling to answer. However, I have no desire to upset Jirachi in any way, so I oblige. “I… I did something horrible. Because of that, this life I’ve had has only been full of making others miserable. I think, maybe, if I could have another chance to live, I could become a better person.”

            Jirachi’s unwavering gaze seems to intensify. “Do you really believe that?” he asks. His voice remains even, but the implication of his words cuts deep.

            I’m not sure if I believe in the successes of second chances, myself. After all, if I retain my core personality in my new life, the new me might be destined to fail once again. I look down at the floor in shame; I hadn’t previously pondered such a possibility. But I’m here now, and squandering such an opportunity would only be an unnecessary waste. If the solution to ridding myself of this heavy guilt is looking right at me, it would be worth it to at least try and prove it. I look back up at Jirachi.

    There must be a shift in my expression, for he seems momentarily moved by what he sees. “I can’t say for sure if I believe in it, but… I want to try anyways.” My determined voice sounds almost alien to me.

            Jirachi nods. “Very well. I’ll grant your wish for a second chance.” He pauses, staring at me as if he’s seeing me for the first time. “But second chances are rare to come by. So wherever you might end up, whoever you might meet- you’ll have to solve those issues for yourself.”

            I blink. Somehow, this doesn't seem standard for wish-granting; I couldn't recall hearing about stories where wishes were given with requirements. Despite my slight suspicion, however, I agree to those terms. They seem fair, after all. Even so, I still find it difficult to shake off the doubt that’s beginning to overtake my quickly wavering confidence.

            My agreement appears to satisfy Jirachi. The anticipation of almost acquiring my wish is making my heart pound; the air appears to become charged with an odd energy as Jirachi slowly closes his eyes and drifts heavenward. I watch, in awe, as he floats upwards. There’s a dull ringing in my ears, as if a great pressure is increasing in the room. Jirachi’s glow begins to intensify, overcoming the glow emanating from the surrounding crystals. I attempt to shield my eyes. To my shock, my arms feel like dead weights at my sides- they sluggishly obey, but before I can even make sense of what’s happening, my legs buckle beneath me and I crumple to the ground.

            My body has gone numb. Everything is engulfed in white light at this point; I can barely move my eyes to see Jirachi’s pale silhouette against the brightness. I try to move my mouth to call out to him, but I can no longer move. The fear mounting within me slowly ebbs, as if even my ability to feel emotion has grown heavier. Darkness clouds my vision. I’m unaware if I’m breathing- or even being.

            Soon, my consciousness drifts into the void, unable to think or feel anything other than the infinity of nothingness before me.

Description
Summer Doodles #12
This is my little side project, a fanfiction! It's not as fully planned out as EoS, but I'll have some updates from time to time. Hope you enjoy it!
UPDATE: Now on fanfiction.net! www.fanfiction.net/s/11300879/…

It’s terrible.

            I look up at the cliff looming before me- a monstrosity of rock, impossibly tall and just as foreboding- and feel the pit of uncertainty forming in my stomach. The sky behind it is full of steely gray clouds, churning against the wind. Not much better to look at. I turn my head and am able to see the land behind me; the grass is charred and there are scattered rocks adding to the monochrome backdrop.

            Frankly, I find my being here at all incredible. I can’t remember how long I've been traveling just to look for this place. Then again, I’m not here for a “where,” but for a “who.” If I wanted to look for a big cliff, I certainly would have chosen a better route to take to find one. I shudder as memories of toiling over the rugged landscape flood into my mind.

            A sudden roar jostles me back to reality. Darting my eyes around, I pinpoint a moving silhouette against the gloomy sky. Squinting does nothing to better discern what it is, so instead I put my back against the cliff and eye it warily from afar. The figure appears to move closer, fortunately, so I lean forward and attempt again to-

            In the next split second, a blue flame seems to spring to life right before me. A shock of cold fear seizes my body, and I go numb. The inferno flares up, almost as if it’s annoyed at my lack of response, and I find myself inhaling sharply. A rush of adrenaline urges me to scramble away. My heart is pounding so hard that it’s all I can feel; almost as if in a frenzy, I force my legs into a sprint. The next moment is a jumble- the flurry of the gray landscape, the wild heartbeat overtaking all of my senses, the sensation of gliding as if my feet had become nonexistent- and before I know it, I tumble headfirst into the grass.

            Hitting the ground isn’t what scares me, though. It’s the loud thump I hear right next to my ears that makes me sit bolt upright in an instant. I look up, trembling, and see the face of my assaulter.

            It’s a Charizard. But this one is wrong- its scales are a jet-black sheen, the flame on its tail is a bright blue, and there’s a strange spherical rock stuck into its shoulder. I find myself oddly drawn to it; upon a closer inspection, the rock seems almost as if it’s pulsating with an unknown power. It appears to shimmer, but a wave of black perverts the deep cobalt glow. More importantly, that blue matches the blue of the fire that had been hurled at me.

            I’m in no position to be indignant, however, as I quickly notice that the Charizard’s features are distorted with rage.

            “I know why you’re here, human,” he says in a low, threatening growl.

            I tense; if he knows why I’m here, that won’t help matters at all. I make an attempt to get to my feet, but this prompts a snarl from the Charizard. I hurriedly sit back down.

            “I won’t let you get up that cliff and see Jirachi,” he says, as if his word is automatically law. Despite my fear, I know all too well the troubles I’ve gone through just to reach this far; I swallow and attempt to explain myself.

            “You don’t understand,” I begin. This is a mistake- the Charizard seems to take this as a personal insult, as his eyes narrow and smoke begins to pour out of his nostrils. I instinctively raise up my hands to protect myself, but the Charizard doesn't move. As I lower my hands, I can see the gears in his mind turning- probably contemplating what punishment to give me once I’ve finished my plea. I try again. “I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not exactly worthy to see Jirachi. However-”

            I’m interrupted. “That’s a pathetic excuse,” the Charizard says bitterly. I do have to agree with that.

            “However,” I continue, “I’m not here for wealth or power or anything. I just… I just want to be able to forget something.”

            “Forget?” the Charizard echoes incredulously. A cynical smile forms on his lips. “You came all this way just to forget? You really are something.”

            He finds me funny. Although this is better than him hating me, I avert my eyes. The memory I want to forget is far from humorous; I can feel my breath shortening just thinking about it. It’s so terrible- I really have to forget. I hold my head in my hands, refusing to let myself remember. My mind touches upon the setting- a warm sunset, a day just like any other- then it begins to dig deeper- the red of the sunset bleeding straight into the ground, the body, there was something spoken, but I don’t want to know what it was, not with the thing staring straight at me-

            I am thankful for the Charizard’s harsh words that sever the link forming between my mind and my awful memory. “I don’t believe you for a second. And stop acting like you’re in pain. Memories aren’t something that can be painful.”

            How wrong he is. But I don’t have the guts nor the urge to correct him, so I only stare up at him with what I hope is a mournful expression. His own expression appears to soften. We stay like this for a short while, with our eyes locked, waiting for the other to say or do something. A low rumble of thunder resounds in the distance. Still, nothing is uttered.

            Finally, the Charizard speaks. “Fine. I guess since you’ve come this far, you must really want to forget whatever it is pretty badly.” He eyes me up and down. “And with how pathetic you look, that’s quite a feat.”

            I draw my breath, waiting for him to say more.

            “I’ll fly you up to Jirachi. But if you try anything that’s remotely suspicious, I’ll burn you for real.” To punctuate this point, he exhales a puff of blue flame. I nod gravely in understanding; this satisfies him, and he turns around and motions for me to climb onto his back. I timidly do so, stepping around the fire upon his tail, and wrap my arms around his thick neck. He grunts in discomfort, but says nothing.

            The minute he first beats his wings in a powerful stroke, a gust of wind presses me down against his back. There’s that pit in my stomach again- except this time it’s not from uncertainty, but from the sheer panic one experiences when they feel they are falling. I manage to will myself into opening my eyes, but the sight of the ground appearing to shrink further and further away only adds to my panic. I shut my eyes again and try to ignore the sickening sensation of being shoved from side to side. It’s my only defense against the increasing urge to vomit.

            After enduring an hour’s worth of terror crammed into five minutes, the Charizard finally lands on a small rocky ledge situated near the top of the cliff. I hesitantly release my hold on him, as if afraid that the ledge would crumble instantly if I touched it. In a clumsy maneuver, I stagger onto the ground; I’m trembling and covered in a cold sweat. I catch a quick glance of the Charizard’s unimpressed stare before he turns and gestures to something behind me. Following the movement of his claws, I feel my heartbeat accelerate as I see the object he is gesturing towards.

            It’s a cave. But calling it such would not be enough to describe the sheer darkness it contains within. There is nothing but a wall of black, so impenetrable that it’s impossible to estimate how deep the cave is.

            “Jirachi awaits you inside there,” the Charizard says. “I’ll lead you to him.”

            “Thank you very much,” I breathe, still rattled from the ride. “I’m not sure if I could have-”

            “Just don’t lag behind,” the Charizard interrupts, already lumbering into the open maw of darkness. I hastily get to my feet and stumble after him.

            I had assumed that a light source would have put me at ease; however, there’s an uncanny eeriness in the blue flame that illuminates the rock walls surrounding us. Every contour, every edge, shifts under the passing shadow created by the Charizard’s flame. The walls appear to be moving- twisting its edges until becoming drowned in darkness once more. I try to keep my focus on the back of the Charizard’s head, but my eyes keep wandering over the changing walls.

            A dim, white light slowly begins to pour into the tunnel. Eager to escape the suffocating blackness, I pick up my pace. The Charizard gives a huff of disapproval at my hurrying ahead, but does nothing to restrain me. I press onward without him, following the intensifying light, knowing that my goal is almost within reach. The light leads me to a large open space, where the top of the cave is barely observable. Instead of mere rocks lining its walls, there is an occasional crystal, glowing softly in its perch. Although these contribute to the general brightness of the room, the main source of light rests in its center.

            Jirachi.

            All the years spent agonizing over that terrible occurrence, every mile I toiled, the enemies I had to fend off, the utter and bitter regret that always proved both a physical and emotional burden- all of it leading up to this one chance to see Jirachi and have him make the pain disappear. He isn’t quite the magnificent beast I always pictured in my mind; rather, he is a small and dainty Pokemon- his star-like qualities are accentuated through his pointed body and the placid light he emits. Fitting, I suppose.

            His innocent eyes are peering straight at me as I enter, and already I’m struggling to breathe normally. I know his childlike appearance deviates from his true powerful abilities. Still, it’s difficult to imagine such a tiny creature granting wishes that can transcend logic.

            After a moment of remaining transfixed upon him, I realize that Jirachi has no intention of speaking first. He looks at me expectantly as he hangs suspended in the air, his golden cape-like tendrils brushing gingerly against the ground. I swallow, unsure how to begin.

            “Um...” I stammer. I clear my throat and try again. “I… I came here to have my wish granted.”

            Jirachi blinks slowly. “I know.” His youthful voice seems to carry a mysterious wisdom. I can feel the panic setting in now. My skin is crawling with anxiety- I can’t mess this up, not at the most important moment of my journey.

            “I see…” I respond haltingly, racking my brain for the correct words. “But, well, I don’t want power or fame or anything. Can you still grant a wish like that?”

            A new emotion appears to briefly cross over his features. Surprise?

            “Yes, a wish like that would be very simple for me,” Jirachi says in careful monotone. He pauses. “Come closer, then, and tell me what your wish is.”

            Despite his permission to approach him, I walk towards him with obvious hesitation. Doubt begins to take seed in my mind, as I now realize that the wish I’ve been always been hoping to have granted might actually transform into reality. Jirachi’s unnerving gaze does nothing to soothe my growing fears as well, but I attempt to maintain eye contact anyway. I stop once I’m a few feet away from him; his glowing body proves a bigger strain to look at from this short distance. A small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth still remains visible, however. He must find me amusing- this poor, hapless human who came all this way just for a simple wish.

            “So,” Jirachi says, still flatly, “what is your wish?”

            “I…”

            Then I break off, finding myself uncertain. I can’t believe this is real- all of this was only a pipe dream just a few years ago, and now this dream is unfolding itself before my very eyes. My mind fills with a whirl of reluctant thoughts. Was this really what I wanted for myself? All the trials I had to overcome just to get here- were they worth the one chance to forget?

            Immediately the hated memory surges into view in my mind’s eye. I clasp my hands to my ears, as if doing so could drown out the sounds of the screams I hear. I see the thing’s eyes, so unmoving and yet so fixated upon me. The sun has disappeared, but the color remains. There’s so much red- soaking into the sky, into the grass, into-

            “Your wish,” Jirachi reiterates. His voice is enough to distract me from the memory, and I’m able to take a deep breath and focus on what is real. Jirachi is here, I’m here, and there’s still an awful memory to be cleansed of.

            “Sorry about that,” I say hastily. “There’s just this terrible memory I want to be free from… and actually, my wish is related to it.”

            “So, what is it?” Jirachi repeats. I can hear the impatience creeping into his voice this time.

            “I wish to have a new life.” A sense of relief washes over me as the words leave my lips, as if they had been waiting to be uttered ever since my journey began.

            “A new life,” Jirachi echoes. “I suppose it can be done. May I ask why you would wish for such a thing?”

            I rub my palms anxiously, unwilling to answer. However, I have no desire to upset Jirachi in any way, so I oblige. “I… I did something horrible. Because of that, this life I’ve had has only been full of making others miserable. I think, maybe, if I could have another chance to live, I could become a better person.”

            Jirachi’s unwavering gaze seems to intensify. “Do you really believe that?” he asks. His voice remains even, but the implication of his words cuts deep.

            I’m not sure if I believe in the successes of second chances, myself. After all, if I retain my core personality in my new life, the new me might be destined to fail once again. I look down at the floor in shame; I hadn’t previously pondered such a possibility. But I’m here now, and squandering such an opportunity would only be an unnecessary waste. If the solution to ridding myself of this heavy guilt is looking right at me, it would be worth it to at least try and prove it. I look back up at Jirachi.

    There must be a shift in my expression, for he seems momentarily moved by what he sees. “I can’t say for sure if I believe in it, but… I want to try anyways.” My determined voice sounds almost alien to me.

            Jirachi nods. “Very well. I’ll grant your wish for a second chance.” He pauses, staring at me as if he’s seeing me for the first time. “But second chances are rare to come by. So wherever you might end up, whoever you might meet- you’ll have to solve those issues for yourself.”

            I blink. Somehow, this doesn't seem standard for wish-granting; I couldn't recall hearing about stories where wishes were given with requirements. Despite my slight suspicion, however, I agree to those terms. They seem fair, after all. Even so, I still find it difficult to shake off the doubt that’s beginning to overtake my quickly wavering confidence.

            My agreement appears to satisfy Jirachi. The anticipation of almost acquiring my wish is making my heart pound; the air appears to become charged with an odd energy as Jirachi slowly closes his eyes and drifts heavenward. I watch, in awe, as he floats upwards. There’s a dull ringing in my ears, as if a great pressure is increasing in the room. Jirachi’s glow begins to intensify, overcoming the glow emanating from the surrounding crystals. I attempt to shield my eyes. To my shock, my arms feel like dead weights at my sides- they sluggishly obey, but before I can even make sense of what’s happening, my legs buckle beneath me and I crumple to the ground.

            My body has gone numb. Everything is engulfed in white light at this point; I can barely move my eyes to see Jirachi’s pale silhouette against the brightness. I try to move my mouth to call out to him, but I can no longer move. The fear mounting within me slowly ebbs, as if even my ability to feel emotion has grown heavier. Darkness clouds my vision. I’m unaware if I’m breathing- or even being.

            Soon, my consciousness drifts into the void, unable to think or feel anything other than the infinity of nothingness before me.