Ending Theme 3 / borderline / Shiryu Kamiya

Like all other 'endings', this one was difficult to write. That was, when using the cliché that life was a novel, without caring if it truly was desiring eternity or not. If Zayn could compare the first draft he wrote and the Healer Killer that came to be, he would have liked this one better. Who didn't crave happy endings anyway? Two days had passed since then, and there was still so much hope suffusing the air. He looked up from the paper bleeding with words under the might of his pen and directed his gaze at the flickering and kinetic images framed in a black box. The news reported the refurbishment of the world. Gone were the hostile architecture creating sectarian division and hatred. Gone were the days of conflict.

Because endings signalled resolution. The word itself was interesting to him. It suggested a solution that had failed prior, and a new solution working in progress to salvage the underlying issues and any unintended consequences caused by the earlier solution. This resolution, he mused, must require revisions and further resolutions, just like a draft. Then this must be the second draft, and there would be more to come, more to write, more to revise.

He placed the pen on the mahogany desk and stretched his arms while getting his butt off the chair. Instinctively, he turned to the mirror and neatened his yellow hair. Those blue eyes of his were bright and sparkling now. He shrugged and leant forward, placing a hand on the mirror's edge. The glass rectangle felt cold. In the next moment, he peeled his image off the mirror like he would a fruit, a precise grace that could rival an Arcanine's Extremespeed. Yes, he would focus on himself, not his image, and of course, focus on others.

Zayn changed into a long-sleeved white tee and a pair of ripped jeans before turning to the door with a smile. Faint jangles travelled through the house as he removed himself from his room and wended his way to the dining table.

"Afternoon, Klefki!" He greeted his friend.

Just then, a voice was heard. "Hey, what about us?"

Zayn whirled around to face his sister and her Vivillon. Since that day, they had returned to their family house in Anistar (where most of his friends lived, actually) and tried to return to their normal lives while grappling with the idea of what 'normal' was.

He smiled as his shoulders rose and sagged. "Yvette."

"How are you coping?" She twirled her scarlet hair and attempted a grin. "With everything, I mean, not just our parents."

"I've been... getting into the momentum of writing," Zayn said. "And I've been reading a lot more in these two days."

"Strange, huh? The first thing everyone did when they returned home was to spend time alone." Yvette rested her hands on the dining table. "Eaten lunch?"

Zayn nodded. "You?"

"Sure did. I just went to bury Amity in a proper place," she said. "Have you read the message? They wanted to gather for a mass requiem."

Zayn turned to the window and looked at the people passing by as if nothing happened at all. The sky's cracks remained there, a scar to remind them of the events that unravelled.

His lips parted. "Was it worth it?"

He diverted his gaze to her, watching her look down at the tiles. No, it was more like she was looking inward.

"I... I don't know." She sighed and tilted her head, not forgetting let her hands slide off the table to be perpendicular to the floor. "I was a lost Mareep. And now, I'm afraid of putting a value to everything. Back then, it seemed like it was the right thing to do, but now that I've watched and rewatched the entire episode from my camera, the footages saved and all that... I just am uncertain."

Zayn nodded grimly. "I'll leave you alone to ruminate?"

"Thanks," she said without raising her head.

Zayn nudged the floating Klefki and exited the house, closing the door gingerly. With a pivot, he braced himself to face the world.

It was a strange feeling to stare at the sun and feel no connection to light. He couldn't tell if it was a blessing or a curse that the moment they left the island, all their Singularities were cancelled.

"Ready to meet Sage?" He asked Klefki, and received a slight bob. "Alright, let's go."

He walked with swinging arms to Café ES, run by Emo-Senpai, three of whom were extremely familiar with such a business. His heart fluttered as he passed by throngs of humans, and not androids, trying to get used to the new environment.

When at last he reached the cafeteria, warm faces greeted him as he opened the door.

"What'cha like?" Lynx skipped to him. "We have a range of fresh brews and food."

"Uh... whatever's good?" Zayn raised a brow.

Lynx crossed his arms and frowned. "Too bad for you, we have run out of Sage Shrike. Want to try something else?"

"Hey, Lynx!" Gin called out from behind the counter. "Quit shaming yourself."

"I wasn't!"

"You so were," Alain crooned as he walked past them with a plate of rainbow macaroons. "Anyway, Zayn, Sage's late. Gin wants to dock his pay or something if he doesn't appear in the next minute. Be a good boyfriend and call him?"

"We haven't-"

"Then soon you will," Lynx said before rushing to the counter. "You called for me?"

"Yeah," Gin deadpanned. "Get your lazy ass to serve coffee or I'll shove coffee up your ass."

"Is that a lyric inspo?" Lynx pulled him in and watched in his peripheral vision as Zayn reunited with everyone else. Currently, Mei, Jade, Ciara, Nick and Titan were here. Only Sage was left. He waited for a while before returning his attention to Emo-Senpai's favourite singer.

A smile twisted on Gin's lips. "Crude."

"Is that the title? I know you wanted to push for new boundaries, but I never knew you were into kink-"

"Shut up," Gin interjected. "Before I make you play both your guitars simultaneously."

"Challenge accepted!"

"That's... not what I wanted." Gin sighed. "Just go entertain them with your antics. They're just silently watching us." As he watched Lynx go, he added, "Flip the sign to 'closed' before that."

The focus soon returned to the entire group as they discussed how things had been for them. Nick was planning to be a Fighting- and Ice-type specialist so he had been trying to seek for the best mentors of each type. So far, his research proved to be less than fruitful, but he hung on with SSS grit. Ciara decided to go in depth into psychology and body language to understand the ways and the reasons why people lie. Mei and Jade had been helping out as Nurse Joy's assistants, tending to both humans and Pokémon. Titan, on the other hand, continued to take care of his dog Pokémon as he applied to be part of the national basketball team and had to wait for a reply. Needless to say, he was sanguine about it. For, as if it were a movie, right after he declared it, he received a message saying he was accepted into the team and they really liked how he performed in the trials with aplomb. Zayn said he and Yvette were taking things slow while grieving for their parents. Zayn decided to continue writing novels while Yvette aimed to tell stories through film.

In the end, the only one left was Sage who had yet to appear.

Then, Zayn's phone vibrated.

Shitshit: Meet me at the sundial.

So he did. When he arrived, he spotted a boy in a black hoodie with realistic blue flames spouting all over.

"Hi." Zayn waved.

"Zayn." Sage's eyes sparkled as he ran forward to hug his friend. "How are you doing?"

"Can be better. You?"

"Couldn't be better," Sage said. "Come, let's go."

Sage pulled Zayn and the latter shouted, "Wait! Café ES is in the other direction!"

"We're not going there." Sage let go of Zayn and paused. "We're going back to the island to clean things up."

「」

"Sage, what are your plans now?" Zayn asked the moment they reached Noryuku and the purple light engulfing them faded. He waited for Sage who told Blade to stay put and give them their privacy.

"I just want to be with you, Zayn," Sage told Zayn. Then, turning to Blade, "You should know what this is about. If you dare barge in, I'll make sure you'll never find a Gardevoir."

Blade sighed and shook his head. He was the only one out of Sage's Pokémon to come here. Shrike was left to tend the house and Marshadow returned to guide the shadows in the Umbrage Zone to the 'right path', as zie said.

Watching the duo leave, Blade called out to them. "Send me some pics!"

Of course, there were some things that could only be said privately. Things like "Bold of you to assume I'm not into guys like you."

"Screw you!" Sage shouted his response to both statements and pushed Zayn to walk faster to be out of the Gallade's sight.

It wasn't long before they were in the Noryuku garden, sharing a Red Apricorn in the shade.

"Hey," Sage broke the silence before Zayn could. "Do you think you'll miss this place?"

"It's where we first met and shared a room, you know."

"You're kidding," Sage said as he fanned the air between them. "We both know it wasn't private enough."

"Is this garden private?"

"If a certain Gallade doesn't accidentally come traipsing in."

They both broke into guffaws.

"What have you been doing the past two days?" Zayn said as he laid on the grass and watched Sage follow suit.

"Nothing much," said Sage. "The usual. You know, reading, eating, sleeping, shitting, shitshitting, and the cycle repeats."

"What a strange sequence."

"I never said they were in sequence." Sage turned and placed an arm around Zayn's chest. "Would you like them to be in sequence?"

"Then... what stage are you in now?" Zayn smiled.

"Eating."

"But we finished the apricorn?"

"Are you finished?" Sage stroked Zayn's chin.

Two boys in close proximity under an elm's shade, engaged in a heart-to-heart talk while really going about in circles... Perhaps there was no better way to spend their time together. Yes, it was the best thing possible when their obstinacy refused to humble themselves in front of each other.

This was the epitome of paradise.

Then, Sage coughed.

"You alright?" Zayn's eyes glimmered.

"Ye-"

Black bile ran out his mouth.

At that same instant, a small voice whispered in his head.

From now on, I cut my connection to you, Sage Shrike, my host. You don't have to dwell in gloom anymore. Be free, be happy. There might be some side effects though, since you've been bottling your emotions up too much.

He coughed up blood.

Beads of perspiration broke out of Zayn's eyes. He wanted to use his Singularity to stroke Sage's cheeks, to be the light Sage always wanted to have. But he's lost that Singularity of his. The both of them could only watch as the scar on Sage's arm darkened and glowed.

"What's going on? Isn't it all resolved?" Zayn flipped his body and he was now on top of Sage, chest against chest.

"Zayn..." Sage sounded feeble.

Around them, gravity pressed their shoulders hard. Leaves fell and turned all black and crisp. The trees swayed with much vigour, drunken with the heavy scent of unfolding presages. A sweet grass whistle bobbed and danced around them, the enrapturing melody growing more saccharine by each second. Across the horizon, they could hear a faint shout. Blue seemed to rise and cover the island bit by bit.

The island was sinking.

A ghost of a smile formed on Sage's lips. "Remember me."

"No! Don't you dare! Sage!" Zayn shook him. He tried to stop the bleeding from the scar but the scar seemed to swallow Sage's flesh. Sage's skin was now black and crimson.

"It seems like everything I did was futile."

"Wh-What do you mean?"

"The phone..."

Zayn took Sage's phone. It was vibrating. He jabbed the damn button and gazed at the brightening screen. The wallpaper featured the two of them in an embrace, alright, which warmed his heart, really, if not for the notification pop-up.

「Welcome back to Healer Killer.」

"It's starting again. But why?" Zayn wanted to tear his throat. If he could just exchange something, maybe his eye, or even his life, he would do it so he could save Sage. Why was it that when it should have been over that things were going downhill again? It was like his life's genre was a tragedy that played with him and deceived him with comedic flavours.

Sage's lips quivered and his eyes widened. He tried to close them, to blink, but they refused to budge. "Morals are mortal. Immoralities are immortal..."

"Can you stop this?" Zayn pounded Sage's chest. "N-No. Maybe it's like this. Yes... Yes!"

Zayn's face fell onto Sage's and their lips collided. He just wanted to preserve this moment, just wanted to be selfish. He was sure Sage would preferred any moment with him than go through hell again.

Sage pulled himself away gently.

"I can't." Sage stole a breath. "Someone tried to kill Zygarde so zie split into cells. Marshadow is... communicating with me again, but it's too late, this pact. Th-The previous cleansing was destructive. The world can't handle another one in quick succession."

Sage knew it. He knew this would happen. But why was it so soon? Why couldn't the world just give him a break?

"No. There has to be another way."

Zayn was calm. Sage liked that about him.

Water lapped against the earth and gushed toward them. In a few moments, flowers drowned and trees were uprooted. Was that it? Should he - or everyone, really - have come to terms with mono no aware, would this pain stop amplifying?

"There is a remedy." Sage sighed and fixed his gaze at the sky. "Here it is."

"No... what?" Zayn turned to see a huge wave obstructing their view of paradise (was this even one now? was it a paradise to begin with?) and the thick blue, the sea and its dissatisfactions, and the sound of nothing grew deafening. The white foams bubbled and fizzled and reshaped themselves, the wave curling inward as it shifted closer and closer.

Zayn carried Sage's body and ran. His legs took him deeper into the garden. Behind him, the buildings of Foncrise City shattered under the waves' fury. The hum vanished.

Sage muttered, "I'll atone for my sins. Just leave me here and run."

"No." Zayn continued to run, his steps heavy, his heart heavier. "Where the fuck is Blade? Just where is he? He can teleport us out of here. He can-"

"Zayn, the darkness runs far deeper in our veins." Sage's lips barely moved.

"Don't give me that crap! You know it! You purified the world! Everyone becomes inherently good, right?"

Sage shook his head with a weak smile. No, with how it looked, it could hardly pass as a smile. "I'm sorry. You said it too. Any perfection is temporary."

"That's not what I-"

Sage coughed. The whole of his being appeared charred, his hair gradating into crimson, his eyes switch to vermillion then sanguine.

"Sage..." Zayn slammed his fist onto Sage's chest. The waters were now at his waist. "No, I'll get to higher ground. To higher ground..."

I should have gotten a Flying-type. Or, Blade should have- Blade couldn't have... drowned?

"Soon you will understand the truth. I should..."

"Hush," Zayn whispered. "Save your breath."

The garden grew more inclined and it became truly uphill for Zayn. His gaze slanted to Sage's phone, to Healer Killer. If it was a return, then surely, everything would be reset.

He opened the app and saw one Healer card and one Killer card. He jabbed the one on top. Once. Twice. Thrice.

"Come on! Please work!" He screamed.

"Take care."

Those were Sage's last words as he went limp. Zayn averted his gaze to him and landed a kiss. If life were a fairytale, this would be the miracle to wake Sage up before he could enter an eternal slumber.

But he didn't stir.

Zayn returned his attention to the screen, jabbing the card once more. The screen began to shift and glitch. Then-

「Deleting Healer Killer」

"Wait, Healer Card on Sage Shrike! Healer Card on Sage Shrike!" Zayn held onto the body in his arms. This wasn't supposed to happen. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

「This app is successfully uninstalled」

"No, wait..."

A merciless wave smacked them. As if it had a hand, a giant's strength, it snatched Sage out of Zayn's grasp.

"Give Sage back!"

As Zayn fell, he reached a hand out to grab Sage's hand.

Zayn could only hold onto a lock of Sage's hair. In this instant he shot his gaze at the sky and screeched. The waves were reaching his chin. He felt numb.

"Sage, you... died in vain. We've always thought the Distortion World was another dimension, but this world is it. I guess, the one we imagined to be it was too superficial. Reality has it that we're all distorted in our own ways."

This, he thought, must be the truth Sage had seen. That the world they lived in was ravaged, and much more distorted than the Distortion World.

Light wrapped him in a warm blanket. Try as he might to reject such a cuddle, he found he lacked the strength to resist.

As the water rose to his eyes, he began to rise. He felt his body go higher and higher, then his legs were soon out of the water, dripping wet and heavy with pain and riddled with guilt and regret. He glanced upward.

It was Blade using Divine Chivalry, the wings of blades shimmering in the skylight. Blade blinked and shook his head.

"Zayn, sorry I took too long. Foncrise was a stupid labyrinth." Blade sighed. "But where's Sage? I didn't see him with you."

"Sage... He's gone, Blade."

If Zayn had a mask, he would gladly don it. But he hadn't one, so he could only reveal his raw vulnerabilities, the pain that ravaged his frame, the heat of loss and despondency, and the infinite tears.

"He will want you to live on, then."

Blade looked down and he could spot something that looked like a face with a faint smile in the waters. As they travelled further from the sinking island, he lowered their altitude.

"He healed the world, and now the world killed him."

"That's..." Blade mumbled. "He would've wanted everyone to be happy. But now we don't even have a body to bury..."

"You're right. We need to-"

"Live well so his death isn't an exercise in futility."

Like Oedipus, Blade looked back. Then Zayn joined in. They looked back to see ripples forming on the water surface. For a while, a hand seemed to emerge and wave at them before sinking into the depths of the unknown.

Their hearts shivered. Their frames shook. Their miens quaked. Then it all came to a peaceful halt. There was steel and steadiness.

Without words, they both concluded that they would live to end. Their eyes met once in a while, seeking comfort, seeking solace from each other as they headed to Kalos. One more would be sung for in the requiem of tonight.

With strangely renewed strength, they flew toward the setting sun.