Snippet #2733476

HEAHEA CITY - HOSPITAL - 4 DAYS SINCE DEMONBREATH

The pain washed through her as she jolted awake. Margriet squeaked as she lay down once more. “What… Where…?” She examined her surroundings.

A nurse by the door rushed out, barely escaping her peripheral vision. Further to her right, she saw Logan resting upright in a nearby chair, with his arm in a cast. Their respective belts and pokeballs lay on the end tables next to them.

The pain rapidly vanished. At-first, Margriet thought it was a result of breaking stitches, but one look at her body told her she didn’t need stitches. However, her left arm and right leg were both in casts. The pain must have manifested from laying down so long.

“Fractures,” Logan spoke up, “They’re being braced together to heal.”

Margriet nodded. “How long was I out?”

“Four days,” Logan replied, “I was passed out for-“ Logan turned to face his ward, but his eyes remained unblinking at the window.

Margriet followed her bodyguard’s gaze and saw Reginald, the Coat of Arms, hovering outside the window.

“I got it,” Logan grunted as he swung his uninjured legs out and stood up. He then opened the window with one hand- no easy feat.

“Two failures in one day, as it turns out…” The Aegislash’s aura emitted pure sorrow.

“Two?” Margriet’s eyes widened, “Wait, why aren’t you with Radegast?”

“I will return to him soon enough,” The Aegislash replied, “I only wished to make sure you were alright.”

“I’m fine, but what about Radegast?” The Aegislash did not respond, but something about it seemed to bother the coat of arms. “Tell me,” Margriet ordered.

“He asked me not to tell,” Reggie replied, “But he wants to let you… He wants to let the family know that he’s alright. He also wants to tell Tarma…” The Aegislash trailed off.

“Are you alright?”

“I am in perfect shape.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“… Tell Tarma… that Radegast has figured out a way to fuse… without any sort of risk.”

Margriet sat up briskly. “Fuse!?” She snapped, “Has he lost his mind?”

“I came to tell you that we will be gone for a long time. When we come back, it will be when we have mastered this new technique.”

“A long time…?” Margriet repeated softly. “But you can’t tell me what happened to my brother… can you?”

“He… can’t face you… as he is now.”

What’s that supposed to mean? Before Margriet could ask, the Aegislash bade farewell and flew off.

If your business is concluded, get back to the family. Reggie’s voice echoed in Margriet’s mind, The Rebellion’s days are numbered. Have faith.

Margriet stared after the Aegislash as he flew Northward, before turning back to Logan. “As soon as we’re done, we’re heading back home.”

“What about that green light?” Logan asked, “Is it…?”

“The Coat knows something. Something terrible happened.”

“I felt that vibe as well,” Logan added.

“As soon as we’re outta here, we’re heading home.”

—

OUTSKIRTS OF HEAHEA - HEAVILY WOODED AREA

“It is done,” Reggie spoke as he returned. “It was difficult…”

“They have to focus on the Rebellion,” Radegast replied.

“You’re worried your family is going to be spread too thin if they went after the Regicide Crew?”

“… Well, that too. But more than anything…” Radegast clenched his fist, encased perfectly with a black prism-like gauntlet, reshaped through psychic suggestion to fit a Gallade’s hand. “I want to return the favour myself.”

“You never struck me as the revenge type.”

“I never struck me as the dying type, and yet…” The Gallade extended a hand to the Aegislash. “Shall we?”

The Gallade wore his old trainer belt like a bandolier. The leg satchel was adjusted to meet the different physiology, and the backpack remained back at the Treehouse, along with all of the human attire that no longer fit him. Despite the new form, traces of the scar tissue accumulated over the years still remained. The knuckles, the Ursaring’s claw across the chest, and even the acid burn on his shoulder. However, all of them were faded, compared to before.

The Aegislash separated the blade and shield, and the two hovered and were placed in Radegast’s hands. The paper-like arms wrapped around Radegast’s own arms, but stopped short of the elbow.

“It works,” Radegast noted at the Necrozma’s gift, “I don’t feel anything.”

“The limiter seems to prevent one-sided overflow,” Reggie noted, “It’s like a dam blocking my entire being. I don’t like it.”

“Well, I don’t like it either,” Radegast swung the sword, slicing air with unpracticed form. “Wow, you’re actually heavy!” He yelped as he stumbled.

“Indeed… We may not like it, but training always fixes that.”

It was their first time fusing, and it was nothing like either had imagined. It might as well be a Gallade holding a metal stick. It was nothing like the explosive, god-like aura that Tarma had exuded during that skirmish against the Rebellion.

But there was a power flow between them. As miniscule as a fraction of a percent as it was, it was something they could feel.

“Now then… How the heck are we gonna leave this island?” Radegast asked.