Chapter One:
The Daughter of Fortune and the Daughter of Sunlight
The bright, life-filled sun beamed down on the peaceful, sleeping creature. It sat immobile in its slumber as if the world must travel around its eternally restful position. Soft breaths fill its lungs, causing its plush belly to rise, and left in a soothing snore. The warmth of the sun blanketed the creature to send pleasant dreams in its rest.
The sun, as a protector and an eternal symbol of all that is good in the multiverse, gave its light selflessly to a young girl only eleven years old. She drew the light towards crisp, newly purchased book. As the girl leafed through its fresh pages, she traded glances between the pictures displayed within the book and the sleeping, snoring beast in front of her. She sat with her legs splayed modestly to the side and the encyclopedia of this world's creatures resting on her lap.
She was patient with her task so she could carefully look over each individual creature captured within the book's pictures. Likewise, the sun watched patiently. It watched over all that happened on that quiet path: from the dark cave connecting to other paths, past the quiet-yet-studious chateau, to the small plot of land abundant in berries, and the wooden bridge that became the snoring creature's makeshift bed. The sun took special care in lighting the girl as she sat and read. Sunbeams bounced off of her soft, voluminous blue hair as if the hair itself were luminescent. To keep her hair out of her emerald green irises, a hair band wrestled with a ponytail's worth of sky blue follicles.
Silk gloves, matching in color to her hair, at last reached the page which held the image of the sleeping creature before her. A gloved finger traced along the name and her lips followed in parallel.
Her voice carefully pronounced each syllable, "Snore, Lax, Snorlax."
Her lips curled into a bright smile.
"Great! Snorlax. Now we know what it is! Now, how to wake it up..."
Unfortunately, the girl's face darkened as she read onward.
"How am I supposed to find one of those?" she wondered aloud.
The Daughter of Fortune and the Daughter of Sunlight
The bright, life-filled sun beamed down on the peaceful, sleeping creature. It sat immobile in its slumber as if the world must travel around its eternally restful position. Soft breaths fill its lungs, causing its plush belly to rise, and left in a soothing snore. The warmth of the sun blanketed the creature to send pleasant dreams in its rest.
The sun, as a protector and an eternal symbol of all that is good in the multiverse, gave its light selflessly to a young girl only eleven years old. She drew the light towards crisp, newly purchased book. As the girl leafed through its fresh pages, she traded glances between the pictures displayed within the book and the sleeping, snoring beast in front of her. She sat with her legs splayed modestly to the side and the encyclopedia of this world's creatures resting on her lap.
She was patient with her task so she could carefully look over each individual creature captured within the book's pictures. Likewise, the sun watched patiently. It watched over all that happened on that quiet path: from the dark cave connecting to other paths, past the quiet-yet-studious chateau, to the small plot of land abundant in berries, and the wooden bridge that became the snoring creature's makeshift bed. The sun took special care in lighting the girl as she sat and read. Sunbeams bounced off of her soft, voluminous blue hair as if the hair itself were luminescent. To keep her hair out of her emerald green irises, a hair band wrestled with a ponytail's worth of sky blue follicles.
Silk gloves, matching in color to her hair, at last reached the page which held the image of the sleeping creature before her. A gloved finger traced along the name and her lips followed in parallel.
Her voice carefully pronounced each syllable, "Snore, Lax, Snorlax."
Her lips curled into a bright smile.
"Great! Snorlax. Now we know what it is! Now, how to wake it up..."
Unfortunately, the girl's face darkened as she read onward.
"How am I supposed to find one of those?" she wondered aloud.
Unexpected, like an explosion out of nowhere, Princess Ilona of Arendelle would seemingly poof into existence. At least, that's how it would look to anyone viewing this occurrence from the outside. As far as the girl herself knew, yet again her teleportation powers had whisked her away to another world. It just so happened to be the same world where the bright-eyed, blue haired girl was reading her book next to the sleeping Snorelax.
But the girl wouldn't have time to assess her surroundings. She had ended up appearing in mid-air, somewhere above where the Snorelax was sleeping. Instantly, she plummeted downward, letting out a scream of surprise as she did. Thankfully she wouldn't hit the ground, but instead would land on the belly of the sleeping pokémon sitting on the bridge.
As if she had landed on a trampoline, Ilona would be thrust back upward after squishing against the creature's stomach, only to once again land on him. This time, however, she stayed on his belly, slowly sitting up after she had regained her senses. While this occurred, the Snorelax would continue sleeping. The creature never even noticed the girl landed on top of it. The bridge, however, swayed from the commotion Ilona had created.
"Eeek!" the princess exclaimed when she would notice the Snorelax. She tensed and looked down, realizing how far off the ground she was. "I-I don't know how to get down," she stuttered, placing a hand over her mouth. "Someone help!" she called out, not yet noticing the blue-haired girl who was nearby.
----
"Eep!" The blue-haired girl squeaked in surprise. The appearance of the princess had sent the girl a small frighten. The cries for help stole her attention away from her book and pulled her to her feet as if on marionette strings. "Why, hello there, friend. Who are you?"
As the shock subsided, the smile returned to its mistress's face. Excitement boiled inside her. The boiling broth steamed into a cry of excitement. "Don't worry one bit! I'll save you in no time!"
The bridge beneath the princess and the Snorlax croaked in reply. Its foundation shook beneath the weight. Although it had carried the lethargic beast for many years, Ilona became the straw to the proverbial camel. If actions weren't taken soon, the bridge threatened to collapse, dropping her into the river!
The shaking of the bridge sent another frighten down the blue-haired girl's back. However, she recovered much more quickly this time. She picked up the encyclopedia she was reading in one hand and her purse, (which was blue with a purplish hue forming a large letter M on the side of the aqua-dyed industrial material,) in the other. In a softer voice, as if talking to herself, she muttered, "Auntie really surprised me with this mission. What fun!"
However, to Ilona's eyes the truth would become apparent: There was someone else present, although they weren't quite human. As the blue-haired girl rose, a stray sunbeam shone on the golden necklace that clasped around her neck. The necklace held a heart-shaped pendant with a design of a keyhole close to the girl's breast. As the sun glanced the pendant, it began to shine with its own ethereal light. The light, colored a soft magenta, flowed from the pendant. It pooled into the air around the girl. It took the shape of a small sphere, about the size of a baseball, with wings, before solidifying. From the sphere came a voice.
"Actually, Lady Macy, the sudden appearance of the girl before you is not a result of Miss Athena's actions. In fact, helping her may possibly prove detrimental towards completing the mission."
"Well, Rachel, we're still helping her. What kind of people would we be if we didn't help those in need? I would choose making new friends over a silly mission." The talking sphere of light remained silent. The blue-haired girl, addressed as Macy, continued talking, "The book says that Snorlax will only wake up for food or music. Since he doesn't look very hungry, I say we try music."
Macy snapped the book shut by squeezing its spine and stored it within the confines of her purse. In return, the purse produced a small, orange instrument. It appeared to be some sort of flute.
"Hey, new friend," Macy called up to Ilona, "Are you any good with music?"
----
Instinctively, Ilona would try and grab onto the Snorelax's belly in attempt to hang onto it, only for her hands to slide off. Really, there was nowhere for her to grab onto the large pokémon. Looking outward when she would hear the voice of another young girl, Ilona attempted an answer.
"I'm-- SCARED!"
Ilona ended up yelping, cutting off her introduction with a yelp when she would hear the bridge creak underneath herself and the massive pokémon. Unsure what to do, Ilona's eyes fell upon the necklace the girl was wearing, not a thought in her head as she would look at it. Snapping from her gaze, Ilona would then realize this blue-haired girl had offered to save her.
"Y-Yes, if you would be so inclined to aide me, I would very much appreciate it!" she called back, wrapping her arms around herself protectively. While she was very uncomfortable and hadn't had much time to figure out in what world she had landed in, Ilona already sensed a feeling of familiarity with this place.
"Um," the blonde began to say when questioned if she was any good with music. "I don't know how to play any instruments, but I do know how to sing a bit," she replied, letting out a gasp when she would feel the pokémon's belly move up and down as it breathed.
----
"Singing helps! I'm sure I can do this one on my own, but any bit helps! Just try to follow along with my little tune!"
The strange pan flute with colored tubes flew to the girl's lips. Wind poured from her lips and transformed into two soft, silver notes. They created a short song, despite only being a pair.
The song began picking up tempo, the beats playing faster. If Ilona paid attention, she might hear a chorus of spirits joining the song of the flute, enticing her to sing alongside the tune in a sugary sweet duet. The name of this song? The Song of Awakening.
And awaken it did, as the Snorlax beneath Ilona began to rumble. Its eyes burst open with sparks of golden aura ready to battle. With the speed of an opening jack-in-the-box, it sprang into the air, carrying Ilona along with it. The beast's feet quickly touched the wood of the bridge and it ran off into the woods on the far side of the river. The force of Snorlax's landing and sprint was enough to force the wooden boards away from their confinement on the bridge.
However, the princess of the sun had not yet landed on solid ground. Instead, the arc of her flight sent her careening straight towards the blue-haired girl. The girl held her arms out, open, and ready to catch the princess. "I got ya," she called out confidently.
Her statement was proven false as the two of them began tumbling up in impact. Although her shoes held adequate soles and were only an inch tall in the heel, they were enough to create an imbalance which sent her falling backwards. At the very least, Ilona should be unharmed, and the girl only received a couple small scrapes and dirt on her skirt.
As the girl sat on her glutes and the princess sat in her lap, she stared into the princess's eyes with the same expression that Ilona had when looking at her golden necklace. After a moment of pause far too long for any canned laughter to fill, the girl finally introduced herself.
"Hi there, new friend. My name is Macy Moretti. I'm an explorer and a healer. I'm here to help people out all across the multiverse!"
"I would advise you to refrain from mentioning the multiverse in future greetings of new people, Lady Macy," came the chiding voice of the magenta fairy.
"Well, she popped put of thin air. Unless Pokémon do that, I think she's from another world. Friend, this is my babysitter, the Oracle. I call her Rachel. She looks into my future and keeps me out of trouble. What's your name?"
----
When the girl informed Ilona that singing could indeed help, the girl opened her mouth to try and sing something, but no words came. Being put on the spot, the princess would find that her mind went blank. Instead, she would listen to the notes Macy produced, finding the tune to be sweet and catchy. Wanting to help at least a little, Ilona would hum along to the tune, only cutting herself off when the Snorelax awoke and sprung upward.
Ilona immediately let out a yelp, flying up into the air in a manner that felt like slow motion to the princess. She would land in the arms of the girl who had been trying to help her, only for the blue-haired girl to stumble backwards and cause the both of them to fall. The blonde ended up in the lap of her rescuer, indeed unharmed. She wasn't afraid, but was rather startled and confused as to where she was.
When the girl would introduce herself, Ilona would snap back to reality, realizing where she was sitting. "Ah, forgive me! I'm in a rather unlady-like position!" she exclaimed, jumping up and bowing to Macy. "How rude of me; I didn't even thank you or introduce myself. I'm Princess Ilona and I very much appreciate that you helped me, Miss Macy."
She perked up a little, realizing everything Macy had said. "I am indeed from another world! You're saying that you are from another world too? Praise the sun! I've never met another individual from another world like I am!" Ilona appeared excited, her blue eyes sparkling. She scratched her head, however, seeming a bit confused.
"Miss Rachel, am I not supposed to tell people I'm from another world?" she questioned, a naive look on her face. All this time Ilona hadn't exactly kept her identity or the truth about where she was from a secret. She had a big mouth on her, and told everyone she met who she was and that she came from another world.
----
"You're... You're a princess?!" Macy's enthusiasm drew her to her feet as if on marionette strings. Shining emerald eyes matched Ilona's sapphires in excitement, sparkle for sparkle. "And along with that, you're a Traveller! That's wonderful! Princess Illie, can we be adventure friends? I've always wanted to be a princess." At the mention of such an exciting prospect, the golden heart that held onto Macy's neck began reacting. A soft blue light shined around the pendant. The color of the light paired well with the color of Macy's hair.
"To answer your question, Princess," came Rachel's voice once Macy's attention was drawn away, "Macy here is a special case. That necklace of hers is a special thing. We need to keep it safe. If the wrong person finds out that Macy's a Traveller, they might try to take the necklace." The body of the tiny fairy shuddered and shook. She darted closer to Macy's side, then flew over to hover by Ilona's shoulder.
"But that's why I do these missions that Auntie sends me on! I go to different worlds and find people to help out! It helps me learn to keep this heart safe." Macy's smile beamed with confidence. "Right now, my mission is to return a lost key card to my friend. She's in a city nearby, just across... This... Bridge..." The toothy grin melted away from Macy's face. Along with it, the blue light from her necklace faded and disappeared. She gathered her purse and any items which may have fallen from I side it when she caught Ilona as she walked to the edge of the water. The brook babbled softly, carrying away the wooden pieces of the destroyed bridge.
"Your auntie didn't exactly plan for princesses to fall from the sky onto that bridge, Lady Macy."
----
"You'd... want to be friends with me?" the blonde child asked, her eyes widening. "I can't believe it! Someone like me who wants to become friends! How wonderful!" she exclaimed, seeming excited. "I-I've never met another person like myself who wanted to be my friend--outside of Murder Game participants. That would be lovely!"
Ilona would then turn to Rachel, bowing in front of her. "Then mayhaps it would ease thine worries if I were to say I have no intention of stealing anyone's necklace. I'm simply a traveler like Miss Macy who would rather not run into too much trouble."She would then smile at Rachel, hoping to be reassuring.
"I cannot say I have anywhere to go, so mayhaps I could go along with you?" Ilona asked, sounding hopeful. "I would like to learn more about this world so I can feel comfortable here, and it would likely be safer if I am to travel with good company rather than traversing it alone..."
----
The blue-haired child suddenly leapt from her daze and coiled her arms around the blonde princess. "Of course you can travel with us! We don't need to be alone anymore, now that we are friends. You don't know happy it makes me to have a friend I can travel with." Macy's arms gave a tight squeeze.
A giggle left Macy's lips with a musical tone as she released Ilona from the embrace. Once again, her heart-shaped pendant shone for a brief moment.
"Princess Ilona... That's a long name. Do you mind if I call you Illie? Maybe just Princess? You can just call me Macy."
"Even if you're friends, she is still a princess, Lady Macy. It's proper manners to address nobility with their titles. It's not your choice to address her informally."
"Then I'll be sure to bow whenever I can." To demonstrate her point, Macy gave a small bow to the princess before her, but burst into laughter once more as she rose. Although her attempts at proper manners fell a little flat, Macy genuinely wished to treat her new friend with respect. It was obvious, though, that Macy had been raised nowhere near actual nobility.
"Illie, I'll make sure we have tons of fun, even if Rachel still has a ton of rules for us," Macy added, "but right now, we have a problem. That Pokémon, Snorlax, accidentally broke the bridge that we need to cross."
"Princess Ilona, are you familiar at all with what Pokémon are? If not, I am here to inform you."
While Rachel would begin rambling and explaining every detail of the Pokémon world that she had access to, Macy accidentally tuned her out and looked at her surroundings.
To the east of them was the river, where pieces of the broken bridge were being slowly washed away.
To the north stood two buildings. One was smaller and had a fenced area, where Pokémon were playing. The other was larger and far more extravagant with elements of classical architecture. Perhaps the people inside one of the two buildings could aid them in crossing the river.
To the south were fields of grass and flowers, where wild Pokémon could be encountered, and to the west was a dark cave. Cries of Pokémon could be heard from the cave as well, although those Pokémon might drive one batty if encountered too often.
----
Returning Macy's hug in a warm-spirited manner, Ilona giggled happily. "Oh, you are so very kind! I thank you, new friend!" she exclaimed, reaching out to grasp Macy's hands when the girl would pull back from their hug. "Why, I've never had anyone call me Illie before, it sounds very cute! I like it, Miss Macy!" she replied back, not dropping the Miss from Macy's name even when the girl suggested that she should.
Ilona would address Rachel afterwards, still smiling. "I care not if she addresses me by a nickname. It's been quite some time since I've even been home to perform the duties of a proper princess. Out here, I'm just like everyone else. I don't feel the need to be strict about titles." She was only strict on herself when it came to calling others by titles. The only time she grew accustomed to not using titles was during her time in Neverland, but the habit returned to her shortly after she left.
When Macy would bow and burst out laughing afterwards, Ilona would laugh as well. While Ilona seemed to have the natural grace, charm, beauty, and even the manners of a princess, the girl was similar to Macy in the fact that she had not been raised near nobility for very long. "You seem very fun indeed! I'm sure we'll be friends for a long--"
Ilona cut herself off, a frown flickering on her face. Sometimes she forgot about it, but she still wasn't in control of her powers. It always seemed that just when she became close to a friend or felt that she belonged somewhere, her teleportation abilities would force her to vanish and appear in another world. She never kept friends for very long. Ilona always ended up alone after a while.
"I'm sure we'll be friends for a while," the girl finally said, correcting herself. She would then turn to look at Rachel, perking up slightly when the fairy would ask if she knew about pokémon. "Oh, yes! I know of Pokémon!" she exclaimed, a smile forming on her lips. "I've been to the pokémon world once before! You're saying that's where we are now?"
Ilona leapt into the air gleefully.
"PRAISE THE SUN! MY FRIEND SORA LIVES HERE! IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE SEEN HER! HAVE YOU MET HER BEFORE?!"
----
"Soh-Rah?" Macy asked, doing her best to understand the shrill syllables of the excited princess, "I don't know anything about no Sora..."
Macy's hand flew to her mouth with a small "oops." For a moment, the cadence of her voice had slipped into a form completely unlike how her aunt, herself, or Rachel normally spoke. A flash of blush ran to her cheeks, signifying that she was embarrassed by the slip of her tongue. With a cough to clear her throat and a giggle to defuse her own tension, Macy amended her statement. "I've not met a girl named Sora. How about you, Rachel? Have you met any Sora's?"
"The Sora I've met isn't a girl, nor is he from the world of Pokémon. I've not met Miss Illie's friend, Miss Macy," the fairy replied. Rachel gave the two girls each their own title. She had little choice in the matter of treating Macy with the respect of a title, but at least she could make a choice of what title to give Macy. Still, every time she would mention Macy's name, or mention some fact about where they were, the fairy's voice would tense for just a second, sounding cold and robotic compared to the rest of her speech.
Rachel would grow quiet for a moment, thinking to herself about when she had met a child named Sora. She wasn't much of a nostalgic fairy, but a nostalgic person she once was. She called her mind back to memories where she was once as free as Macy felt. "Y'know, Sora, maybe one day you'll be able to open this heart," a memory echoed.
Filling in the silence, Macy added, "There are a bunch of different regions in the Pokémon world. Like Kanto, or Hoenn, or Alola. Right now, we're in the Kalos region. This is the region I've been to the most. I have a friend of my own here!"
Macy's green eyes suddenly sparkled with epiphany. "Maybe somebody nearby is friends with Y, too! If we can find another one of Miss Y's friends, then she can ride over here on a Pokémon! Mission complete!" Macy hopped onto the air with excitement, startling Rachel and bringing her out of her daze.
"Careful, Miss Macy. The mission isn't complete until we return Miss Y's lost item. Be careful not to lose it yourself."
"It's fine, Rachel. I have it right here!" Macy reached into her purse and pulled out an electronic pass card.
"So, Illie, where do you think we should ask to see if anyone knows Miss Y? Um... Not that I have no idea where to go, just... I wanna hear your idea!"
----
"Oh."
Ilona's shoulders would slump when her acquaintances seemed unfamiliar with the girl. She shouldn't have expected they would know Sora. After all, there was probably a one in a million chance they were even aware of her existence, right? For all she knew, the Sora who was her friend could've lived in another version of the Pokémon or even a different time period.
"That's okay," Ilona would say after a moment, not wanting to seem down in front of the two. She smiled before adding. "Sora is from the place you mentioned called Ah-low-laa so I guess that's why she's not around here! I've never been to Kalos before, but it seems like a pretty nice place," the blonde child would comment, starting to look around the area now.
Listening to what Macy would explain next about Miss Y, Ilona would clasp her hands together and nod. "So you're looking for a lady named Miss Y? Well... if she is a pokémon trainer, like many of the fine folks of pokémon worlds usually are, mayhaps she is visiting a trial site?"
Because she had only been to Alola, Ilona was only aware of the trainer trials and not aware of the fact that most trainers took part in the gym challenge in other places.
"Or, I have one other idea," Ilona began to say as she pushed herself up onto her tippy-toes and outstretched her arms toward the sun, her eyes sparkling.
"WE PRAY FOR THE SUN TO TELL US WHERE SHE IS! THE SUN NEVER LET'S DOWN HIS CHILDREN! DEAREST SUN, I IMPLORE YOU TO BESTOW YOUR KNOWLEDGE UPON US!" she exclaimed, directly staring into the brilliant orb in the sky, her eyes burning as she did.
To be honest, Ilona should've been blind at this point due to how long and often stared at the sun. It was only due to her malevolent power--which she is presently unaware of--protecting her body that she still had perfect eyesight.
----
"Miss Y is definitely a Pokémon trainer, but I don't think she's at a trial," Macy said. She would have said more, had she not been taken off guard by Ilona's sudden hailing of the sun. Ilona's actions puzzled Macy, but the girl did her best to accept and understand her new friend's eccentricities.
"Um... Illie... Auntie always told me to not stare right at the sun..."
Wondering if maybe some sign would appear in the heavens, Macy spared a glance up at the sky. Her eyes were immediately assaulted with pain, so she withdrew her gaze. As a solution, Macy procured two pairs of sunglasses from her purse. One pair had light purple frames to match her dress, which she wore, and the other had light green frames the same shade as her eyes. The second pair Macy gently placed on Ilona's face to protect her eyes.
"The sun is just a big ball of light, so I don't think..."
Macy's doubt against Ilona's Sun was shattered as she was taken off guard for a second time. Macy held two unique gifts in her heart, and one of them was the ability to feel the force of the hearts, or the "aura," of those around her. She felt a sudden wave of energy bursting from Ilona's heart as her prayers soared across the universe.
The roar of a fierce lion echoed across time and space. As suddenly as Ilona had appeared earlier that day, a portal, a hole in the fabric of the Pokémon world, opened up. What stepped through was the shining steel form of a fierce feline Pokémon, charged with the power of the sun...
Except it was only a couple feet tall. Big for a kitten, but small for a deity.
"This isn't a Pokémon that's anywhere in my book."
Surprise was clear on Macy's face. Rachel held surprised though to a lesser extent in her face and more in her voice. "Of course not, Miss Macy," Rachel said, "because this is a Pokémon from the Alola region. Miss Illie, I believe you just summoned a Sun God from twelve thousand kilometers away."
The sun god in question meowed softly, inching closer to Ilona and gently nuzzling against her leg. It stepped in a tight circle around her feet as it purred with a force that Ilona could feel as well as hear.
"Well, do you think you could ask..."
"Solgaleo."
"... Sir Solgaleo to help us find Miss Y?"
@Klutzy Ninja Kitty
*Credit for Solgaleo picture goes to czaria on deviantart, but the other two pictures are my own drawings
----
After staring at the sun for a good solid minute and a half, Ilona would find herself to be entirely blinded when she would look away from the glowing orb. She would blink and rub her eyes, but smiled as if she weren't alarmed. In fact, she was rather used to the feeling of being temporarily blinded due to looking upon the sun's brilliant rays for too long.
"It's most certainly fine!" Ilona chirped in response to Macy. "I stare at the sun aaaaall the time and I'm just fine!" she exclaimed, taking a step forward, only to trip on her feet. The girl would quickly catch herself, however, quickly standing upright. She would giggle afterwards, giving Macy a thumbs up.
It was then that Ilona would feel a strange energy, a familiar feeling of warmth that would just barely trickle along the surface of her skin. It could almost be mistaken for the sensation of sunlight heating her body, however, it was just a little bit stronger. After experiencing the sensation, Ilona would hear the roar of a lion. The sound caused her to gasp and take a step back.
"What was that?" Ilona questioned, unable to see when the portal would open up and the deity would emerge. "What just happened!?" Ilona would ask again, even more alarmed when she would feel something nuzzle against her leg.
"Huh," the child said, reaching down to gently touch the creature which had rubbed against her. It didn't feel like a threatening beast... "You feel like a kitty. Are you a Meowth?" she questioned, reaching back up to rub her eyes yet again. After rubbing her eyes once more, her vision finally began to return. Gasping, Ilona would set her sights on Solgaleo, instantly scooping the small feline up into her arms. Eagerly, Ilona spun around with the legendary pokémon in her arms, lifting him into the air.
"EEEEEEKKKKK! YOU ARE MOST ADORABLE! I WISH TO KEEP YOU!" <3
Although she hadn't connected him to her prayers with the sunlight just yet, she still wanted to snuggle-wuggle Solgaleo.
----
"Well, Miss Illie, that is a Pokémon known as Solgaleo. He's a special category of Pokémon known as Ultra Beast, and is also a Legendary Pokémon! He's extremely important to Alola's future."
"He doesn't seem like much of a beast, Rachel. He's a cute little kitty! Are you sure this is the right one?"
In response to all the affection and adoration, the tiny Solgaleo mewed softly and continued purring. He lowered his head, begging to be pet softly on his celestial crown. He wished to bury his muzzle into the crook of Ilona's arms, and would do so if Ilona brought him close. Being held out in Ilona's arms, Solgaleo locked eyes with the princess. Softly, a voice would ring in her head. The voice was filled with the same warmth that Ilona felt with her prayers to the sun. It said, "Hello, Princess. The Sun gives its regards, and promises that I shall watch over you. My name is Sir Solgaleo, but you may call me whatever you please. I'm glad I was given such a sweet charge. Praise the Sun for this princess's cuddles!"
Meanwhile, the ball of light that surrounded Rachel grew brighter. The fairy, true to her title of Oracle, began searching along the threads of fate which bound the four of them towards their destinies. However, as she gazed upon the threads, a dark, malevolent power began snapping at them. Straight lines of fate became loose. Threads snapped and split, doubled over on themselves, and intertwined with other threads. Whatever visions Rachel once had of potential futures were shattered by Ilona's involvement. The space and time around the princess fluctuated and held no qualms about disrupting fate.
Because the narrative of Ilona's life followed forwards and backwards in time, bringing linearity to its knees, the Oracle could no longer live up to her name. Likewise, the chains, which destiny had placed upon both Rachel and Macy in order to them tied to the track of missions created by Macy's caretaker, began to rust and fall away. In calling upon the sun, Ilona had defied destiny.
The sight of the misshapen future sent a shock through Rachel's form. The fairy flew into Macy's hand, shaking like a dog left out in the rain.
"Are you okay?" Macy asked, "I'll heal you if you're not."
"No, Miss Macy. I am fine, just fine. However, I do need to recant my previous statement. Destiny should be able to figure itself out should Solgaleo join us on our adventures. He has certainly taken a shine to you, Miss Illie."
"So we get a kitty?! A new friend and a kitty friend, both in one day!" Macy was about to explode with pure excitement and joy. Her necklace shone with the same intensity as her joy.
----
Ilona paused in her spinning to listen to what Rachel would say. She glanced to Macy afterwards and smiled. "I agree with Miss Macy! This little one doesn't appear to be much like a beast at all. He looks like--" Ilona cut herself off, surprised when a voice would ring in her head. Without meaning to, she would even drop Solgaleo and touch each side of her head with both hands. When she would realize she had dropped him, the girl quickly apologetically bowed before the deity.
"I'm sorry, little one! I didn't mean to drop you! I was just startled by the sound of your voice in my head," the girl replied, pausing to chuckle. "Although, I suppose it shouldn't be too surprising. You aren't the first pokémon who has spoke inside my head before." Ilona's eyes brightened after speaking, realizing what Solgaleo had explained. "You have something to do with THE SUN!?" the child exclaimed, folding her hands together eagerly.
Because she was so excited about THE SUN yet again, Ilona wouldn't notice what would happen with Rachel. She would only choose to pay Macy and Rachel any attention again when Macy would speak. "He's a sun kitty! And he's so very lovely!" she chirped happily. "Are you saying we can take him with us?" the princess questioned, still smiling before she would glance back down at the sun pokémon.
"Do you want to come with us? It would be an honor to have you, little one!" Ilona told him. "You're different than my other pokémon friends, Master and Pikaboo, but I'm always happy to have more pokémon friends."
But the girl wouldn't have time to assess her surroundings. She had ended up appearing in mid-air, somewhere above where the Snorelax was sleeping. Instantly, she plummeted downward, letting out a scream of surprise as she did. Thankfully she wouldn't hit the ground, but instead would land on the belly of the sleeping pokémon sitting on the bridge.
As if she had landed on a trampoline, Ilona would be thrust back upward after squishing against the creature's stomach, only to once again land on him. This time, however, she stayed on his belly, slowly sitting up after she had regained her senses. While this occurred, the Snorelax would continue sleeping. The creature never even noticed the girl landed on top of it. The bridge, however, swayed from the commotion Ilona had created.
"Eeek!" the princess exclaimed when she would notice the Snorelax. She tensed and looked down, realizing how far off the ground she was. "I-I don't know how to get down," she stuttered, placing a hand over her mouth. "Someone help!" she called out, not yet noticing the blue-haired girl who was nearby.
----
"Eep!" The blue-haired girl squeaked in surprise. The appearance of the princess had sent the girl a small frighten. The cries for help stole her attention away from her book and pulled her to her feet as if on marionette strings. "Why, hello there, friend. Who are you?"
As the shock subsided, the smile returned to its mistress's face. Excitement boiled inside her. The boiling broth steamed into a cry of excitement. "Don't worry one bit! I'll save you in no time!"
The bridge beneath the princess and the Snorlax croaked in reply. Its foundation shook beneath the weight. Although it had carried the lethargic beast for many years, Ilona became the straw to the proverbial camel. If actions weren't taken soon, the bridge threatened to collapse, dropping her into the river!
The shaking of the bridge sent another frighten down the blue-haired girl's back. However, she recovered much more quickly this time. She picked up the encyclopedia she was reading in one hand and her purse, (which was blue with a purplish hue forming a large letter M on the side of the aqua-dyed industrial material,) in the other. In a softer voice, as if talking to herself, she muttered, "Auntie really surprised me with this mission. What fun!"
However, to Ilona's eyes the truth would become apparent: There was someone else present, although they weren't quite human. As the blue-haired girl rose, a stray sunbeam shone on the golden necklace that clasped around her neck. The necklace held a heart-shaped pendant with a design of a keyhole close to the girl's breast. As the sun glanced the pendant, it began to shine with its own ethereal light. The light, colored a soft magenta, flowed from the pendant. It pooled into the air around the girl. It took the shape of a small sphere, about the size of a baseball, with wings, before solidifying. From the sphere came a voice.
"Actually, Lady Macy, the sudden appearance of the girl before you is not a result of Miss Athena's actions. In fact, helping her may possibly prove detrimental towards completing the mission."
"Well, Rachel, we're still helping her. What kind of people would we be if we didn't help those in need? I would choose making new friends over a silly mission." The talking sphere of light remained silent. The blue-haired girl, addressed as Macy, continued talking, "The book says that Snorlax will only wake up for food or music. Since he doesn't look very hungry, I say we try music."
Macy snapped the book shut by squeezing its spine and stored it within the confines of her purse. In return, the purse produced a small, orange instrument. It appeared to be some sort of flute.
"Hey, new friend," Macy called up to Ilona, "Are you any good with music?"
----
Instinctively, Ilona would try and grab onto the Snorelax's belly in attempt to hang onto it, only for her hands to slide off. Really, there was nowhere for her to grab onto the large pokémon. Looking outward when she would hear the voice of another young girl, Ilona attempted an answer.
"I'm-- SCARED!"
Ilona ended up yelping, cutting off her introduction with a yelp when she would hear the bridge creak underneath herself and the massive pokémon. Unsure what to do, Ilona's eyes fell upon the necklace the girl was wearing, not a thought in her head as she would look at it. Snapping from her gaze, Ilona would then realize this blue-haired girl had offered to save her.
"Y-Yes, if you would be so inclined to aide me, I would very much appreciate it!" she called back, wrapping her arms around herself protectively. While she was very uncomfortable and hadn't had much time to figure out in what world she had landed in, Ilona already sensed a feeling of familiarity with this place.
"Um," the blonde began to say when questioned if she was any good with music. "I don't know how to play any instruments, but I do know how to sing a bit," she replied, letting out a gasp when she would feel the pokémon's belly move up and down as it breathed.
----
"Singing helps! I'm sure I can do this one on my own, but any bit helps! Just try to follow along with my little tune!"
The strange pan flute with colored tubes flew to the girl's lips. Wind poured from her lips and transformed into two soft, silver notes. They created a short song, despite only being a pair.
The song began picking up tempo, the beats playing faster. If Ilona paid attention, she might hear a chorus of spirits joining the song of the flute, enticing her to sing alongside the tune in a sugary sweet duet. The name of this song? The Song of Awakening.
And awaken it did, as the Snorlax beneath Ilona began to rumble. Its eyes burst open with sparks of golden aura ready to battle. With the speed of an opening jack-in-the-box, it sprang into the air, carrying Ilona along with it. The beast's feet quickly touched the wood of the bridge and it ran off into the woods on the far side of the river. The force of Snorlax's landing and sprint was enough to force the wooden boards away from their confinement on the bridge.
However, the princess of the sun had not yet landed on solid ground. Instead, the arc of her flight sent her careening straight towards the blue-haired girl. The girl held her arms out, open, and ready to catch the princess. "I got ya," she called out confidently.
Her statement was proven false as the two of them began tumbling up in impact. Although her shoes held adequate soles and were only an inch tall in the heel, they were enough to create an imbalance which sent her falling backwards. At the very least, Ilona should be unharmed, and the girl only received a couple small scrapes and dirt on her skirt.
As the girl sat on her glutes and the princess sat in her lap, she stared into the princess's eyes with the same expression that Ilona had when looking at her golden necklace. After a moment of pause far too long for any canned laughter to fill, the girl finally introduced herself.
"Hi there, new friend. My name is Macy Moretti. I'm an explorer and a healer. I'm here to help people out all across the multiverse!"
"I would advise you to refrain from mentioning the multiverse in future greetings of new people, Lady Macy," came the chiding voice of the magenta fairy.
"Well, she popped put of thin air. Unless Pokémon do that, I think she's from another world. Friend, this is my babysitter, the Oracle. I call her Rachel. She looks into my future and keeps me out of trouble. What's your name?"
----
When the girl informed Ilona that singing could indeed help, the girl opened her mouth to try and sing something, but no words came. Being put on the spot, the princess would find that her mind went blank. Instead, she would listen to the notes Macy produced, finding the tune to be sweet and catchy. Wanting to help at least a little, Ilona would hum along to the tune, only cutting herself off when the Snorelax awoke and sprung upward.
Ilona immediately let out a yelp, flying up into the air in a manner that felt like slow motion to the princess. She would land in the arms of the girl who had been trying to help her, only for the blue-haired girl to stumble backwards and cause the both of them to fall. The blonde ended up in the lap of her rescuer, indeed unharmed. She wasn't afraid, but was rather startled and confused as to where she was.
When the girl would introduce herself, Ilona would snap back to reality, realizing where she was sitting. "Ah, forgive me! I'm in a rather unlady-like position!" she exclaimed, jumping up and bowing to Macy. "How rude of me; I didn't even thank you or introduce myself. I'm Princess Ilona and I very much appreciate that you helped me, Miss Macy."
She perked up a little, realizing everything Macy had said. "I am indeed from another world! You're saying that you are from another world too? Praise the sun! I've never met another individual from another world like I am!" Ilona appeared excited, her blue eyes sparkling. She scratched her head, however, seeming a bit confused.
"Miss Rachel, am I not supposed to tell people I'm from another world?" she questioned, a naive look on her face. All this time Ilona hadn't exactly kept her identity or the truth about where she was from a secret. She had a big mouth on her, and told everyone she met who she was and that she came from another world.
----
"You're... You're a princess?!" Macy's enthusiasm drew her to her feet as if on marionette strings. Shining emerald eyes matched Ilona's sapphires in excitement, sparkle for sparkle. "And along with that, you're a Traveller! That's wonderful! Princess Illie, can we be adventure friends? I've always wanted to be a princess." At the mention of such an exciting prospect, the golden heart that held onto Macy's neck began reacting. A soft blue light shined around the pendant. The color of the light paired well with the color of Macy's hair.
"To answer your question, Princess," came Rachel's voice once Macy's attention was drawn away, "Macy here is a special case. That necklace of hers is a special thing. We need to keep it safe. If the wrong person finds out that Macy's a Traveller, they might try to take the necklace." The body of the tiny fairy shuddered and shook. She darted closer to Macy's side, then flew over to hover by Ilona's shoulder.
"But that's why I do these missions that Auntie sends me on! I go to different worlds and find people to help out! It helps me learn to keep this heart safe." Macy's smile beamed with confidence. "Right now, my mission is to return a lost key card to my friend. She's in a city nearby, just across... This... Bridge..." The toothy grin melted away from Macy's face. Along with it, the blue light from her necklace faded and disappeared. She gathered her purse and any items which may have fallen from I side it when she caught Ilona as she walked to the edge of the water. The brook babbled softly, carrying away the wooden pieces of the destroyed bridge.
"Your auntie didn't exactly plan for princesses to fall from the sky onto that bridge, Lady Macy."
----
"You'd... want to be friends with me?" the blonde child asked, her eyes widening. "I can't believe it! Someone like me who wants to become friends! How wonderful!" she exclaimed, seeming excited. "I-I've never met another person like myself who wanted to be my friend--outside of Murder Game participants. That would be lovely!"
Ilona would then turn to Rachel, bowing in front of her. "Then mayhaps it would ease thine worries if I were to say I have no intention of stealing anyone's necklace. I'm simply a traveler like Miss Macy who would rather not run into too much trouble."She would then smile at Rachel, hoping to be reassuring.
"I cannot say I have anywhere to go, so mayhaps I could go along with you?" Ilona asked, sounding hopeful. "I would like to learn more about this world so I can feel comfortable here, and it would likely be safer if I am to travel with good company rather than traversing it alone..."
----
The blue-haired child suddenly leapt from her daze and coiled her arms around the blonde princess. "Of course you can travel with us! We don't need to be alone anymore, now that we are friends. You don't know happy it makes me to have a friend I can travel with." Macy's arms gave a tight squeeze.
A giggle left Macy's lips with a musical tone as she released Ilona from the embrace. Once again, her heart-shaped pendant shone for a brief moment.
"Princess Ilona... That's a long name. Do you mind if I call you Illie? Maybe just Princess? You can just call me Macy."
"Even if you're friends, she is still a princess, Lady Macy. It's proper manners to address nobility with their titles. It's not your choice to address her informally."
"Then I'll be sure to bow whenever I can." To demonstrate her point, Macy gave a small bow to the princess before her, but burst into laughter once more as she rose. Although her attempts at proper manners fell a little flat, Macy genuinely wished to treat her new friend with respect. It was obvious, though, that Macy had been raised nowhere near actual nobility.
"Illie, I'll make sure we have tons of fun, even if Rachel still has a ton of rules for us," Macy added, "but right now, we have a problem. That Pokémon, Snorlax, accidentally broke the bridge that we need to cross."
"Princess Ilona, are you familiar at all with what Pokémon are? If not, I am here to inform you."
While Rachel would begin rambling and explaining every detail of the Pokémon world that she had access to, Macy accidentally tuned her out and looked at her surroundings.
To the east of them was the river, where pieces of the broken bridge were being slowly washed away.
To the north stood two buildings. One was smaller and had a fenced area, where Pokémon were playing. The other was larger and far more extravagant with elements of classical architecture. Perhaps the people inside one of the two buildings could aid them in crossing the river.
To the south were fields of grass and flowers, where wild Pokémon could be encountered, and to the west was a dark cave. Cries of Pokémon could be heard from the cave as well, although those Pokémon might drive one batty if encountered too often.
----
Returning Macy's hug in a warm-spirited manner, Ilona giggled happily. "Oh, you are so very kind! I thank you, new friend!" she exclaimed, reaching out to grasp Macy's hands when the girl would pull back from their hug. "Why, I've never had anyone call me Illie before, it sounds very cute! I like it, Miss Macy!" she replied back, not dropping the Miss from Macy's name even when the girl suggested that she should.
Ilona would address Rachel afterwards, still smiling. "I care not if she addresses me by a nickname. It's been quite some time since I've even been home to perform the duties of a proper princess. Out here, I'm just like everyone else. I don't feel the need to be strict about titles." She was only strict on herself when it came to calling others by titles. The only time she grew accustomed to not using titles was during her time in Neverland, but the habit returned to her shortly after she left.
When Macy would bow and burst out laughing afterwards, Ilona would laugh as well. While Ilona seemed to have the natural grace, charm, beauty, and even the manners of a princess, the girl was similar to Macy in the fact that she had not been raised near nobility for very long. "You seem very fun indeed! I'm sure we'll be friends for a long--"
Ilona cut herself off, a frown flickering on her face. Sometimes she forgot about it, but she still wasn't in control of her powers. It always seemed that just when she became close to a friend or felt that she belonged somewhere, her teleportation abilities would force her to vanish and appear in another world. She never kept friends for very long. Ilona always ended up alone after a while.
"I'm sure we'll be friends for a while," the girl finally said, correcting herself. She would then turn to look at Rachel, perking up slightly when the fairy would ask if she knew about pokémon. "Oh, yes! I know of Pokémon!" she exclaimed, a smile forming on her lips. "I've been to the pokémon world once before! You're saying that's where we are now?"
Ilona leapt into the air gleefully.
"PRAISE THE SUN! MY FRIEND SORA LIVES HERE! IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE SEEN HER! HAVE YOU MET HER BEFORE?!"
----
"Soh-Rah?" Macy asked, doing her best to understand the shrill syllables of the excited princess, "I don't know anything about no Sora..."
Macy's hand flew to her mouth with a small "oops." For a moment, the cadence of her voice had slipped into a form completely unlike how her aunt, herself, or Rachel normally spoke. A flash of blush ran to her cheeks, signifying that she was embarrassed by the slip of her tongue. With a cough to clear her throat and a giggle to defuse her own tension, Macy amended her statement. "I've not met a girl named Sora. How about you, Rachel? Have you met any Sora's?"
"The Sora I've met isn't a girl, nor is he from the world of Pokémon. I've not met Miss Illie's friend, Miss Macy," the fairy replied. Rachel gave the two girls each their own title. She had little choice in the matter of treating Macy with the respect of a title, but at least she could make a choice of what title to give Macy. Still, every time she would mention Macy's name, or mention some fact about where they were, the fairy's voice would tense for just a second, sounding cold and robotic compared to the rest of her speech.
Rachel would grow quiet for a moment, thinking to herself about when she had met a child named Sora. She wasn't much of a nostalgic fairy, but a nostalgic person she once was. She called her mind back to memories where she was once as free as Macy felt. "Y'know, Sora, maybe one day you'll be able to open this heart," a memory echoed.
Filling in the silence, Macy added, "There are a bunch of different regions in the Pokémon world. Like Kanto, or Hoenn, or Alola. Right now, we're in the Kalos region. This is the region I've been to the most. I have a friend of my own here!"
Macy's green eyes suddenly sparkled with epiphany. "Maybe somebody nearby is friends with Y, too! If we can find another one of Miss Y's friends, then she can ride over here on a Pokémon! Mission complete!" Macy hopped onto the air with excitement, startling Rachel and bringing her out of her daze.
"Careful, Miss Macy. The mission isn't complete until we return Miss Y's lost item. Be careful not to lose it yourself."
"It's fine, Rachel. I have it right here!" Macy reached into her purse and pulled out an electronic pass card.
"So, Illie, where do you think we should ask to see if anyone knows Miss Y? Um... Not that I have no idea where to go, just... I wanna hear your idea!"
----
"Oh."
Ilona's shoulders would slump when her acquaintances seemed unfamiliar with the girl. She shouldn't have expected they would know Sora. After all, there was probably a one in a million chance they were even aware of her existence, right? For all she knew, the Sora who was her friend could've lived in another version of the Pokémon or even a different time period.
"That's okay," Ilona would say after a moment, not wanting to seem down in front of the two. She smiled before adding. "Sora is from the place you mentioned called Ah-low-laa so I guess that's why she's not around here! I've never been to Kalos before, but it seems like a pretty nice place," the blonde child would comment, starting to look around the area now.
Listening to what Macy would explain next about Miss Y, Ilona would clasp her hands together and nod. "So you're looking for a lady named Miss Y? Well... if she is a pokémon trainer, like many of the fine folks of pokémon worlds usually are, mayhaps she is visiting a trial site?"
Because she had only been to Alola, Ilona was only aware of the trainer trials and not aware of the fact that most trainers took part in the gym challenge in other places.
"Or, I have one other idea," Ilona began to say as she pushed herself up onto her tippy-toes and outstretched her arms toward the sun, her eyes sparkling.
"WE PRAY FOR THE SUN TO TELL US WHERE SHE IS! THE SUN NEVER LET'S DOWN HIS CHILDREN! DEAREST SUN, I IMPLORE YOU TO BESTOW YOUR KNOWLEDGE UPON US!" she exclaimed, directly staring into the brilliant orb in the sky, her eyes burning as she did.
To be honest, Ilona should've been blind at this point due to how long and often stared at the sun. It was only due to her malevolent power--which she is presently unaware of--protecting her body that she still had perfect eyesight.
----
"Miss Y is definitely a Pokémon trainer, but I don't think she's at a trial," Macy said. She would have said more, had she not been taken off guard by Ilona's sudden hailing of the sun. Ilona's actions puzzled Macy, but the girl did her best to accept and understand her new friend's eccentricities.
"Um... Illie... Auntie always told me to not stare right at the sun..."
Wondering if maybe some sign would appear in the heavens, Macy spared a glance up at the sky. Her eyes were immediately assaulted with pain, so she withdrew her gaze. As a solution, Macy procured two pairs of sunglasses from her purse. One pair had light purple frames to match her dress, which she wore, and the other had light green frames the same shade as her eyes. The second pair Macy gently placed on Ilona's face to protect her eyes.
"The sun is just a big ball of light, so I don't think..."
Macy's doubt against Ilona's Sun was shattered as she was taken off guard for a second time. Macy held two unique gifts in her heart, and one of them was the ability to feel the force of the hearts, or the "aura," of those around her. She felt a sudden wave of energy bursting from Ilona's heart as her prayers soared across the universe.
The roar of a fierce lion echoed across time and space. As suddenly as Ilona had appeared earlier that day, a portal, a hole in the fabric of the Pokémon world, opened up. What stepped through was the shining steel form of a fierce feline Pokémon, charged with the power of the sun...
Except it was only a couple feet tall. Big for a kitten, but small for a deity.
"This isn't a Pokémon that's anywhere in my book."
Surprise was clear on Macy's face. Rachel held surprised though to a lesser extent in her face and more in her voice. "Of course not, Miss Macy," Rachel said, "because this is a Pokémon from the Alola region. Miss Illie, I believe you just summoned a Sun God from twelve thousand kilometers away."
The sun god in question meowed softly, inching closer to Ilona and gently nuzzling against her leg. It stepped in a tight circle around her feet as it purred with a force that Ilona could feel as well as hear.
"Well, do you think you could ask..."
"Solgaleo."
"... Sir Solgaleo to help us find Miss Y?"
@Klutzy Ninja Kitty
*Credit for Solgaleo picture goes to czaria on deviantart, but the other two pictures are my own drawings
----
After staring at the sun for a good solid minute and a half, Ilona would find herself to be entirely blinded when she would look away from the glowing orb. She would blink and rub her eyes, but smiled as if she weren't alarmed. In fact, she was rather used to the feeling of being temporarily blinded due to looking upon the sun's brilliant rays for too long.
"It's most certainly fine!" Ilona chirped in response to Macy. "I stare at the sun aaaaall the time and I'm just fine!" she exclaimed, taking a step forward, only to trip on her feet. The girl would quickly catch herself, however, quickly standing upright. She would giggle afterwards, giving Macy a thumbs up.
It was then that Ilona would feel a strange energy, a familiar feeling of warmth that would just barely trickle along the surface of her skin. It could almost be mistaken for the sensation of sunlight heating her body, however, it was just a little bit stronger. After experiencing the sensation, Ilona would hear the roar of a lion. The sound caused her to gasp and take a step back.
"What was that?" Ilona questioned, unable to see when the portal would open up and the deity would emerge. "What just happened!?" Ilona would ask again, even more alarmed when she would feel something nuzzle against her leg.
"Huh," the child said, reaching down to gently touch the creature which had rubbed against her. It didn't feel like a threatening beast... "You feel like a kitty. Are you a Meowth?" she questioned, reaching back up to rub her eyes yet again. After rubbing her eyes once more, her vision finally began to return. Gasping, Ilona would set her sights on Solgaleo, instantly scooping the small feline up into her arms. Eagerly, Ilona spun around with the legendary pokémon in her arms, lifting him into the air.
"EEEEEEKKKKK! YOU ARE MOST ADORABLE! I WISH TO KEEP YOU!" <3
Although she hadn't connected him to her prayers with the sunlight just yet, she still wanted to snuggle-wuggle Solgaleo.
----
"Well, Miss Illie, that is a Pokémon known as Solgaleo. He's a special category of Pokémon known as Ultra Beast, and is also a Legendary Pokémon! He's extremely important to Alola's future."
"He doesn't seem like much of a beast, Rachel. He's a cute little kitty! Are you sure this is the right one?"
In response to all the affection and adoration, the tiny Solgaleo mewed softly and continued purring. He lowered his head, begging to be pet softly on his celestial crown. He wished to bury his muzzle into the crook of Ilona's arms, and would do so if Ilona brought him close. Being held out in Ilona's arms, Solgaleo locked eyes with the princess. Softly, a voice would ring in her head. The voice was filled with the same warmth that Ilona felt with her prayers to the sun. It said, "Hello, Princess. The Sun gives its regards, and promises that I shall watch over you. My name is Sir Solgaleo, but you may call me whatever you please. I'm glad I was given such a sweet charge. Praise the Sun for this princess's cuddles!"
Meanwhile, the ball of light that surrounded Rachel grew brighter. The fairy, true to her title of Oracle, began searching along the threads of fate which bound the four of them towards their destinies. However, as she gazed upon the threads, a dark, malevolent power began snapping at them. Straight lines of fate became loose. Threads snapped and split, doubled over on themselves, and intertwined with other threads. Whatever visions Rachel once had of potential futures were shattered by Ilona's involvement. The space and time around the princess fluctuated and held no qualms about disrupting fate.
Because the narrative of Ilona's life followed forwards and backwards in time, bringing linearity to its knees, the Oracle could no longer live up to her name. Likewise, the chains, which destiny had placed upon both Rachel and Macy in order to them tied to the track of missions created by Macy's caretaker, began to rust and fall away. In calling upon the sun, Ilona had defied destiny.
The sight of the misshapen future sent a shock through Rachel's form. The fairy flew into Macy's hand, shaking like a dog left out in the rain.
"Are you okay?" Macy asked, "I'll heal you if you're not."
"No, Miss Macy. I am fine, just fine. However, I do need to recant my previous statement. Destiny should be able to figure itself out should Solgaleo join us on our adventures. He has certainly taken a shine to you, Miss Illie."
"So we get a kitty?! A new friend and a kitty friend, both in one day!" Macy was about to explode with pure excitement and joy. Her necklace shone with the same intensity as her joy.
----
Ilona paused in her spinning to listen to what Rachel would say. She glanced to Macy afterwards and smiled. "I agree with Miss Macy! This little one doesn't appear to be much like a beast at all. He looks like--" Ilona cut herself off, surprised when a voice would ring in her head. Without meaning to, she would even drop Solgaleo and touch each side of her head with both hands. When she would realize she had dropped him, the girl quickly apologetically bowed before the deity.
"I'm sorry, little one! I didn't mean to drop you! I was just startled by the sound of your voice in my head," the girl replied, pausing to chuckle. "Although, I suppose it shouldn't be too surprising. You aren't the first pokémon who has spoke inside my head before." Ilona's eyes brightened after speaking, realizing what Solgaleo had explained. "You have something to do with THE SUN!?" the child exclaimed, folding her hands together eagerly.
Because she was so excited about THE SUN yet again, Ilona wouldn't notice what would happen with Rachel. She would only choose to pay Macy and Rachel any attention again when Macy would speak. "He's a sun kitty! And he's so very lovely!" she chirped happily. "Are you saying we can take him with us?" the princess questioned, still smiling before she would glance back down at the sun pokémon.
"Do you want to come with us? It would be an honor to have you, little one!" Ilona told him. "You're different than my other pokémon friends, Master and Pikaboo, but I'm always happy to have more pokémon friends."
Last edited: