her face twists in horror as her last champion falls.
akari screams as the world roars around her.
she cradles her broken friend, shielding them from girantina's wrath. the creature fought valiantly to the end, but still it wasn't enough.
no, she breathes, shaking as he laughs. no no no. please, volo don't do this. you can't—you mustn't!
you've lost, he says, and a part of him is stunned. for whatever reason, part of him hadn't expected to win - hadn't wanted to win - hadn't wanted things to change. perhaps i was wrong about you. perhaps you were never arceus' chosen one.
he won.
and that made all the difference.
stop, volo. please.
he hesitates, frozen in place by her fiery gaze. her eyes are condemning; they burn.
i trusted you, they scream, you were my friend!
guilt gnaws on his conscience.
(don't look at me like that.)
she condemns him with her tears.
don't cry, akari. volo whispers, when i rebuild this world i'll bring you back. the pain will be gone and you'll never know what you've lost. you won't miss a thing.
who are you to decide that? who are you to erase everything everyone has worked for?
he turns away, shutting his eyes.
you'll regret this. she tells him with certainty.
i won't.
she'll understand.
one day she'll understand.
my world will be better, akari. he tells her. you'll see. i promise.
you'll regret this.
::
The world disappears.
::
He crafts himself a new world and calls it perfect.
A new sky.
A new sea.
Plants growing and donning new leaves.
Everything is perfect.
Arceus never protests anything he tries to do. All it ever does is watch and whisper.
you'll regret this.
Arceus is wrong, of course. Volo knows that. But to hear Akari's last words echoed by a god is—
Disturbing.
Volo doesn't want to think about the implications.
Akari will understand.
She'll take back her words.
She just needs to see this, Volo thinks, admiring his work.
It's time.
His world is complete.
There's only one thing left to do.
"Bring Akari back," he orders Arceus.
Akari manifests out of nothing, and he almost calls out to her. Instead, his words choke to a halt as he realizes that something is very wrong.
She isn't smiling.
She isn't even breathing.
There's no soul behind her hollow eyes.
YOU ARE READING
with these hands
Fanfictionin a very different timeline, volo wins (and honestly wishes he hadn't) :: In which some sort of time-travel occurs, Volo engages in the strangest form of self-sabotage, and Akari just wants to go home where things actually make sense.
