Love in the Time of Tomorrow

Chapter 22: An Atonement

I don't have much to say, heading into this chapter, but I'd like to think it'll be good. Please read Chapter 22!

Chapter 22

An Atonement

Seamus breathed in and out before tossing a pokeball upwards, Alakazam appearing. Every hair on his body was sticking up, every nerve on edge. Despite having seen the woman that had been causing them so much trouble in a wheelchair just moments ago, clearly unable to move without it, he knew this was not going to be a normal fight. Merry and Silvally were both hissing, while Golisopod remained a silent stalker as Guzma scowled. Deirdre walked forward, even as the stadium's maintenance halls shuddered further. With every step, this feeling of self-assuredness emanated from her, as though her mottled legs meant nothing.

Other than her slow, elegant and rather well-paced steps, Seamus finally noticed that she wasn't dressed the same as before. As the IV tubes came off of her body, left behind, as though she no longer needed them, the blond noticed that she was no longer dressed in the same concealing clothes. Instead, she appeared to be wearing a rather skintight shirt, highlighting her upper figure as her auburn hair flowed around her, while her lighter colored shorts moved slightly with each movement. It was the one thing that had set her apart from her true self, hiding the horrific visage beneath, the veins in her legs pulsing with every step. Yet the woman moved as though her legs had never atrophied at all.

"Altaria, sweetie, these boys want a battle," she spoke, her tone still cold and burning with rage. Even with this almost childish spark of hope in her eyes, she still held a fierce edge that told Seamus not to take her lightly, no matter what was happening above. From above, in the midst of the lights and shadows of the meteonite, Altaria floated downwards, finally landing peacefully upon the woman's shoulder and nuzzling her. It was proof positive that this Deirdre truly was the real one, even if her actual movement made no sense. "I know, sweetheart, you've had to put up with so many battles without me, but I trust they helped. Alastair's a wonderful partner."

"Altaar," Altaria chirped, and Seamus almost found it disturbing how sweet she was towards her Humming Pokémon. Perhaps it was a length apart, or something else. Either way, Deirdre seemed to notice the three of them staring at her, each bracing for the battle ahead.

"Don't look at me with such scorn, boys," the woman said. Seamus stepped forward a bit, Zoroark spitting out loudly, angrily. "Altaria has sometimes been the only one to give me peace. Helps me to sleep. To dream. Since the day I lost the use of my legs through heinous torture, and Alastair lost his eye in my defense, Altaria has helped the both of us to rest and dream of a future without pain. It was the only thing to drive me on instead of wallowing in my pain."

"But that's exactly what you've done," Gladion stated. Silvally pawed the ground angrily. Altaria wrapped her wings around Deirdre, humming softly as the woman seemed to bask in it, relaxing, calming, before her eyes snapped upwards to look at Gladion. "Just like my mother, you pretend there's no sense of pain or grief in order to justify what you're doing; like it's not inherently selfish."

"Dalton was the same way, but he at least admitted that he was just as bad as the people he wanted to prevent," Seamus remarked. Deirdre slowly turned her head to him, fixating all that hate she held upon the blond. He stood strong, however. "Instead, you're just like your son. Travis wanted power, wanted to be the best, just like me. Only, he never thought for a single second that he was wrong for anything. He always thought the world was out to get him, could never blame the true root of the problem. Could never take responsibility for himself."

"You're overlooking a key difference," Deirdre explained, wagging her finger. Seamus' eyes narrowed; she was using all the same mannerisms as her illusory form, and Seamus had to wonder just how it could have mimicked her so perfectly. "I'm well aware that what I'm doing can be seen as horrible. I'm not asking for forgiveness, though, simply because I don't care. I've seen the very worst of humanity when I lost my legs, had them ripped away from me because of that bastard's machinations. Yet at the same time, I've seen the best from all of you. I can acknowledge all of that, something Michael could not; something I wanted to prove to him."