Frozen in Monochrome

[File 18 - End]

     The beaming sun casts across the small steel staircase, having it cut off by the upper deck of the Frigate. It caused some of the ice near the lit area to become melted. Luck was about to walk up the stairs when she heard a voice call out to her.

     "Ma'am? Are you... are you alright?" a grunt nervously stated, slouching a bit in hesitation. The admin stood there for a few seconds, before turning her head, which made the lower member jolt a bit.

     She only nods.

     The grunt steps back as Luck leaves the area. They look back to the other grunts standing around, "She's very quiet all of a sudden, it's really concerning... I hope she's okay..."

     "She's been like this since Colress had docked the Frigate." another said, crossing their arms. They all look up into the light with faces of confusion or concern.

     The sky was a pale blue, vast and scattered with clouds. The rolling waves across the ocean, sapphire, as the seafoam washed across the ship. The lengthy trees a verdant green as the leaves were blown softly in the wind. She hadn't seen such a colorful world in a long time.

     She stood, leaning against the ship's edge, quiet and only feeling. Her Pokémon looked to her in silence, not wanting to disturb her peace but not wanting her to stay put. Gardevoir couldn't sense what exact emotion she was feeling.

     There wasn't a sense of dread, stress, or anxiety. No emotion of joy or relief was to be felt. The soul of her wasn't restless but wasn't stiff either. Sadness or anger were also not present. It was only monotone and neutral.

     All she could really think of, was all for naught. Luck had felt that every step she took up to this point, felt like nothing. This wasn't a reward or punishment, it felt empty. It felt like she mostly wasted her time, or as if something was missing.

     As if there was something else to this, but it ended abruptly. It felt strange to be done already, to be finished, at least for now.

      There was however something else. Something that she wanted to do, but she didn't know how to execute it.

     Her ears twitched to the sound of the metal thuds of the stairway, someone was coming up from the lower decks. She didn't bother turning around, but she could probably sense who it was. Colress.

     "There you are. I was beginning to wonder if you had left already. What are you doing out here?" he asked, but there was no response.

     Seemed as though she didn't want to talk, so it was best for him to at least be by her side. He tried to think of something mundane to say, but being the person she was, he might as well get on with the main discussion. He pulled up a monitor and begins to scroll through.

     "I've received a message from the Shadow Triad, Ghetsis had lost the battle... along with his sanity. I don't think it'll be possible to see him again." he tilted his glasses for readjustment.

     The scientist saw in the corner of his eye, a twitch from the admin. A shuffling of the head and shoulders and then a deep sigh. She tears her face mask off, feeling the scar embedded into her lips.

     "All of the time I've spent in this team... Was it worth it? To come to a point where I feel null. Where I couldn't leave because I didn't know where to go or what to do..." she sunk her head into her hands.

     Colress' brows lowered in concern, fortunately she wasn't breaking down, but she was in a very confused mess. He hesitated on reaching to her, folding his fingers in to stop and think. Once again, there was a small window of opportunity for him to speak.