Chapter 18: Remembrance


     Sherwood's POV


     It was the most unusual feeling that I've ever undergone. The consistent wake-up routine seems to have changed. I no longer have to hear the despair-filled voices of other people, trampling across the halls with negative tones. I walked around the living room feeling, well, glad. That's the only time that I have ever felt happy, and I believe this week could be the best moments of my life.

     "Well...I'm quite confused on what to do now, I've never felt so free," Leon placed his paw against his chin, his legs crossed as he sat on the couch.

     Slowly, I made my way to the chairs in front of the couches and took my seat where we can talk to each other eye-to-eye.

     "It's kinda funny," I chuckled softly. "I hated ya when we first got 'ere." Leon sheepishly smiled at my comment.

     "Yeah...and I spoke so formally too," Leon took his paw and casually folded his arms.

     "You still do," I wheezed silently as the Lucario had begun laughing with me.

     "You bastard," Leon playfully cursed me under his breath. "A lot of people have sure changed here."

     "Hm..." I nodded slowly and began to ponder. Lancer, Talus, Vince, Gruta, Inu, and now Aubra had all died in this murderous household. Was this all worth it? To be able to leave this mansion with blood on my claws?

     "I understand that the others we lost in this mansion will no longer get to see the beautiful outside world, but I'm sure that most of the Pokemon we have lost would have wanted us to keep going and live through his hell," Leon warmly smile up to me, the appendages on his head falling back to his neck.

     "You read my mind, huh?" I folded my arms the same way Leon was folding his. "That's the second time you've done that during this whole week." Those words caused the jackal to shrug.

     "That's a good thing, privacy is a very nice thing to have," Leon spoke, but his attention immediately shifted to the front door. "Someone is in a rush." He calmly spoke.

     There was no one at the door, but it only took a second to realize that the Lucario was sensing someone from behind the door.

     Loki quickly busted through the door.

     "Guys! I can remember my past! I can remember everything!" Her voice was labored, and paw was rested against her chest.

     "How is that possible? I can't remember a thing," Rayne murmured from the kitchen, making her way over to the Zoroark. "Whatever, tell us what you remember."

     "Alright..." Loki took one deep breath...

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     Memory 1

     Loki's POV

     The feeling of tears was the only thing embracing me currently. They didn't care, no one did. As I ran through the forest, I felt myself scream at the top of my lungs.

     "I fucking hate everyone! I want everyone to fucking die! Die, I say!" My practically incoherent words were muffled by the sheer amount of leaves in the forest as I ran. There was nothing else to do but sprint away from my problems. My parents didn't care, they truly didn't.

     I stumbled across the gravel and come to a pause. Glaring at the large scar on my arm that my parents—no, they were no longer my parents anymore. I glared at the large scar that a stranger had caused, a pure stranger.

     "Heh, I don't need them anymore, I'm fuckin' tougher than they think," I smirked to myself before clinging against a tree, the area I was planning to sleep on. Closing my eyes, I had probably rested for about an hour until...

     The smell of smoke seeped through my nostrils and I entered a coughing fit.

     "Fuck!" I cursed under my breath and stood up from the tree.

     I coughed violently in the smoke, hopping tree to tree in an attempt to leave the flames.

     "What a wonderful time to have a forest fire, isn't it?" I huffed out into the fresh air. I took the time to finally let the clean air enter my lungs. I shifted around the grass while dusting myself off.

     "Darn, I can't stay anywhere without getting bad luck...guess that's my 'special bad talent'..." I chuckled to myself. "Eh, I really don't know what I'm good at...now that I have no one to look after me...I'm alone in this world...so let's see what Arceus has in store for me," I smirked, gazing up at the night sky. Something caught my eye, however.

     An Infernape trampled across the ground and collapsed a couple of feet away from me.

     "Are you okay?!" I quickly found myself questioning her. "What's your name, can you hear me?"

     "Y-yeah...i-it's..." The Infernape began.

     "Inu"

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     Galant's POV

     "This is so strange, how come I can only remember a portion of my past and nothing else?" I was propped up against my bed, questioning my entire sanity with someone else in the room.

     "Dunno, ever since Sam left the building everyone's been goin' crazy," Laker fumbled around with his claws, almost awaiting the time he could leave the room.

     "Anyway, thanks for listening to me ramble on. It's just quite odd, you can leave..." I cleared my throat and motioned to my room door. The Weavile nodded, pacing his way to the door and shoving it open. The second he closed the door behind him, I groaned in annoyance.

     A knock caused me to flinch in reaction. Shifting out of the covers, I rose to my legs and swung open the door. I stared down at an Eevee.

     "Hi, I need to talk to you about this whole memory issue," Grace sternly spoke to me before suddenly entering my room. Hastily, she hopped on my table, glaring at me in concern. Closing the door, I turned my attention to her.

     "Well this is sudden," I murmured. The Eevee surely has changed ever since Inu had died—it was almost like she grew tougher.

     "Loki and you are the only people who have managed to remember almost everything about their past," Grace informed me.

     "Really? I thought I was the only one...where is Loki right now?" I inquired to the Eevee, who instantly answered my question.

     "She was about to have a panic attack, but Leon and Alice are calming her by grooming her hair," Grace huffed lightly. "So talk to me, what do you remember?" The Eevee looked around the room. "Actually, have you seen my pencil?"

     I was confused with what she was saying, but now that I realize it, she had a small journal tucked on her back.

     "I can't take notes from what you're saying without it," Grace still seemed to look around my table for a pencil.

     "Well, I trust you have a good memory because I'm only saying it once and right now," those words caused the Eevee to pause and gaze at me with her full attention.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     Memory 2


     THIRD PERSON

     "Dad, I'm going outside for just a little bit," the Gallade huffed silently before getting his father's approval to leave the house. Galant slowly made his way, pushing against the door and leaving the room. "I wish I could just learn more about what I want."

     The young Gallade's wishes were for good. He truly wanted to protect his aging father by learning martial arts, and even learning to fight for himself at times. To him, it never made sense how he had to wait so long for that moment.

     Making his way through the bushes, the Gallade had reached an open area, entirely charred by seemingly a forest fire.

     "This is strange, who could have done all of this in one day?" The Gallade thought to himself vocally. He made his way through the broken leaves, now with the texture of charcoal. A movement of something or someone caught his eye. "It could it have been that Pokemon? Hm, what could have happened?"

     Galant seemingly felt something ease its way behind him, and the second he had turned around, he felt himself collapsing. Completely unconscious, the area was quiet, until...

     "It surely would have been impressive if it was me but...sadly no, traitor..." A Braixen smirked.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     THIRD PERSON

     "I...can't remember anything else. I guess that was the point that I was kidnapped by someone," the Gallade placed his blade against his chin in a thinking position.

     The Eevee, who quickly nodded after hearing Galant's story, had already hopped off the table.

     With her head, Grace nudges the door open and exited the room, leaving Galant in his room to think.

     "She really did change, Arceus," he huffed out in stress, planting himself against the bed.

...

...


     "Hey, you feeling better?" Alice trudged her way in front of the Zoroark, who was comfortable sitting on a stool. Behind her was Leon, grooming the Zoroark's hair with a nearby brush they had found.

     "Y-yeah, that story was hard to believe, even for me," Loki stammered before clearing her throat in nervousness. "I'm sorry, really, I am."

     "It's alright, I understand why that would happen..." Alice gave the Zoroark a warm smile. "Hey, Leon, thanks for your assistance, I think I can handle it."

     The Lucario hesitantly nodded before curling his paw over the brush and handing it to the Ninetales, who had taken it with her maw.

     After a second long stare at the Zoroark, the Ninetales placed the brush down on a nearby table.

     "There is definitely something wrong, tell me," Alice practically commanded, and the only thing Loki could do was oblige.

     "I uh...keep seeing things at night. I've never really had the best sleep after knowing all of these things so suddenly," Loki murmured her words.

     The Ninetales shook her head.

     "You can take my word; that won't happen from now on, trust me," Alice spoke out to Loki before clutching the brush once more with her maw. Shifting herself to be behind the Zoroark, the Ninetales rose her head and began softly stroking the brush down against Loki's hair.

     "I'm not sure what you have in mind but...thank you..." Loki sheepishly smiled, almost like she was embarrassed to show too much emotion to everyone. "That feels...really nice."

     The silence in the room filled the air and—to them at least—it was the opposite of awkward. Instead, it was entirely peaceful.

...


...

     Leon trudged away from the two Pokemon before searching around the house. Using his aura, the Lucario's appendages rose to detect any life form in the mansion. His eyes caught attention to what seemed to be a guest room, and a familiar aura residing inside of the room.

     Out of curiosity, the Lucario paced nearby the door and twisted the knob. Slowly pushing the door, the Lucario had found a bed, and on it, was Sammy.

     "You scared me," Sammy sighed in relief as she saw the colors of a Lucario, instead of a Toxicroak.

     "Hey, sorry for barging in. I was just curious as to what this room was for," Leon slipped by the door and into the room. Before he could make another comment, he had noticed the large bandages wrapped around the Braixen's stomach, as she was sitting up on the bed.

     "I know what you're going to say, but it's alright. I knew something like this would happen, especially knowing how suspicious Kanom is to me all the time," Sammy paused, seemingly revealing something she didn't want to reveal.

     Leon's expression distorted into an angered one, causing the Braixen to shake her hands in distress.

     "No, no! Please don't be mad! I just...I was always scared of this killing game, I already expected to be hurt," Sammy exhaled in seemingly disappointment. She never wanted to be in this position, but if it made it so no more murders happened—even if it was only for a specific amount of time—she wanted it.

     Leon gave her a heavy sigh and paced his way near the Braixen. Placing a paw on her shoulder, the Lucario warmly smiled at Sammy.

     "Hey, how about you stay near me, I'll do my hundred-percent so you'll never get harmed by him ever again, alright?" His offer was a big one, but it was genuinely given from his heart.

     "That'd be great," Sammy spoke as it was easy to tell she felt glad. "Thank you."

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