Work Text:
And Laugh- But Smile No More
Author’s notes: Just a hopefully creepy little piece for Halloween and in celebration of the new games. Title is from Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Haunted Palace’.
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Surya walked through the streets, face blank and eyes tired. Behind him were whispers, but he ignored them, as he always did.
“It’s late… what’s he doing out instead of resting at a Center?”
“Too young to be wandering this far at night, what kind of trainer is he?”
“There’s something… creepy about him.”
Surya heard them, but paid no attention. Nor did he pay attention to the woman sobbing for help as she rocked back and forth on the road, skarmory feathers stuck through her wrists. No one else saw her now, her journey had come to an end long ago judging by her clothes. He walked through her, shuddering for just a second as her dying agony pulsed through him, ignoring her renewed shrieks. He kept going, until his path was blocked by a larger youth.
“Hey, don’t you know it’s fucking bedtime shrimp? Ya need your rest, ‘less you feel like getting trashed and robbed.” Surya looked past the other, to the weary looking man behind him. For the first time, an expression crossed his face, a bone chilling smile that would have been more at home on a Gengar then a human. The other boy drew back at the expression, coupled with milk pale skin and too dark eyes.
“Your father’s telling you that as well. Maybe you should actually visit his fucking grave and then get your act together. Otherwise you might be joining him.” As the stranger staggered back, fear on his face, Surya slipped around him like water around a Geodude in the stream and left through the gate. Away from the town, away from the dead that clung incessantly to them he felt a little more at peace, though no more connected to the living.
The dead were his province, had been ever since he could recall. It was not comforting and he knew his mother worried, but the dead were his and he was theirs. Shuppets had cooed at him in the late hours of the night until he slept, Gastly and Haunter made faces so he would laugh for them. Gengar had taught him their terrifying smile to disorient opponents and Sableye shown him gems to impress. People who had not become Yamasks begged him to carry messages to people as long dead as they themselves. The murdered dead pleaded for life or vengeance or for it simply all to end. All of them came to Surya, to a youth so misnamed it was funny.
He was no Sun God, not when the dark and the dead held so much sway over him.
A rustling in the grass caused him to stop, head turned to see what was coming. His hand hovered between the Pokeballs for his Rowlet and Misdreavus, waiting to see if what came forward was hostile. Many Pokemon fled him rather then stand and fight, terrified by the feeling of Ghost type cold emanating from a still living being.
“Kyu…” The creature slipped out of the grass, so ragtag and strange that Surya felt confused. It appeared to have tried to pass itself off as a Pikachu, but there was so much wrong with the look it was like a fat man trying to pass himself off as gymleader Misty. It slunk down the road towards a berry, a long clawed shadow hand slipping out from under the costume to snatch it up and drag it under. It saw him then and stopped, shivering a little. Surya could almost feel the rising dread of rejection from the Pokemon.
But it was a Ghost type, and now Surya knew it.
“Well met, Little One.” He knelt, reaching out to touch it. It started with surprise, but allowed him to pick it up.
“Mimikyu?” Two little dots stared up at Surya, the cuteness and confusion reminding him of Hau for a moment. He placed it on his shoulder as most would a normal Pikachu and continued on his way. It let out delighted cries and nuzzled his face as best it could with its fake head. Surya smiled, far more soft and human then he did for any but his mother and Hau. When he stopped to rest, the Mimikyu scrambled down his arm claws pricking lightly as it did so. It rooted around in his bag until it found a Pokeball, whacking it with the stick it used for a tail and making no struggle to escape. Surya picked up the ball and added it to his belt, amusement etched on his features.
Well, it was fitting that two creatures trying to mimic the living should travel together.