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a-tale-of-legends · 11 months

Text

Live

Summary: Xerneas told him Lysandre was not, in fact, dead. He was in a state of limbo. Not dead. Not alive. A husk, if you will. She told him he would bring him back, if he wishes.

Note: This is not canon!!!! I still need to decide on how I want them handle Lysandre's end in my au right now, but this popped into my mind. TW: For an attempt at body horror.

~~~~

Dante sent a silent prayer to anyone that would listen. He had no idea why he was doing this. He had no idea why Xerneas told him. Fear had shaked his body as he tugs his hood over his head once more, wanting to make sure his identity was sealed. He stared down at the giant hole within Geosenge town. He hates looking at it. It makes him sick. And yet he plans to go down there.

Only Sycamore knows.

Dante didn't know what he was expecting, when he told him. He wasn't even sure why. His uncle was always an expressive man, even in his sadness. When Dante told him, his face was unreadable. Utterly, unreadable.

' Are you sure?' was all he asked. Dante could barely muster a 'yes'. He must have opened an old wound, he must have. He must have dashed any progress that Sycamore was doing to finally heal past everything. Why did he tell him? Why is he doing this? He doesn't know.

Dante feels sick.

He goes down the hole.

Xerneas gets out of her ball once he touches the rumble ground. It still surprised him how complacent she is with that. Goddess of life restricted to a ball. Yet she seems fine with it. He doesn't understand that. Maybe it's his ego talking.

" ….How are you okay with this?" He whispers, his voice hoarse, his stomach doing flips, " You said there were rules. Life and Death. You can't just bring someone back to life, right?"

Xerneas is silent for a bit, more focused on getting a way further down the hole to the Team Flare base. Dante thinks maybe they should have gone the other way. Easier. Less eyes. A logical decision. He's not thinking straight.

"I said," Xerneas speaks finally. Well. Speak in his head. He's pretty sure he's the only one that can hear her. He hopes so, anyway. Her voice always had a little echo, " That Lysandre isn't dead. But he is not alive either. Our combined efforts lead to some our energy radiating off of us to him. He is not alive. But he is not dead. He can be pulled into either direction,".

She created another hole, something that they both can go down to investigate the remains of the HQ.

" And besides. We both know the rules have been broken before, no?"

AZ and Floette.

" …Yeah," Dante murmurs, getting on Xerneas back. She jumps down, and the two navigate their way through the remains of this horrid, horrid place.

Eventually, they find themselves in a familiar hall. It's near unwalkable, the rubble having destroyed almost everything. But this doesn't phase Xerneas. No, she makes her way through, one hoof and a time.

Dante still feels sick. It's nauseating to be here. Walls are all broken and yet he still feels like they're closing in. He hates it. Why is he here.

" Do you hate him?" He whispers, leaning on the back of Xerneas' neck. Xerneas hums, which echos in his head. It's soothing, like a chime bell.

"I have lived a long life, Dante," she says, " Lysandre is not the only one. Nor do I think he would be the last. Needless death is something I am much averse to…but I would be lying if I said I wasn't numb to it,"

" However" she adds, sternly, " He did not just hurt me. He hurt my friends. That I can be certain with my hatred"

Dante stays silent, contemplating Xerneas' words. He….does not know how to feel about Lysandre. He does not allow himself to think about it. He has a good thing going on right now. He made up with his friends, made a new friend in Emma, and his parents are proud of him. They've always been, but that's not the point. Jude and him are…. something. But it's better than before. Even if some of that bitterness lingers. But he has tried not to think about Lysandre. Because he has it good now. So why bother thinking about the past?

….he knows that's faulty thinking. He knows he has thinking about Lysandre, even if he doesn't allow it. He knows that it hurts thinking about him. It hurts so bad.

Why is he here?

" He's right here. Behind this rubble," Xerneas speaks, taking him out of his thoughts. Her eyes turn back to him, " You will not like what you are about to see. Are you sure you want to do this?"

He feels sick

" I want to do this"

It takes a moment for Xerneas to remove the rubble safely. Dante offered to send out his Meowstic, but Xerneas countered with him focusing on mentally preparing. She is fine with the labor.

No amount of mental preparation would prepare Dante for what he saw.

Lysandre is still, facing up towards the ceiling, he stares up,blue eyes piercing. Angry. Sad. Guilt. But that's not what Dante focused on. No it's the dried blood that covers him head to toe. It's how his skin simultaneously seems to rot, yet is still in such a presten state, in such perfect uncanny valley. His bones are cracked, limbs bent, his skin charred. And yet. And yet he is still the splitting image of the man that Dante used to know. Still in a state as if nothing happened. It doesn't make sense. He's mangled, yet still put together. He looks so dead, yet so alive. Is this what it means to be a husk? Is this the power of legendaries? Of him?

Dante turns around, covering his mouth. It takes all of his will to bring the vomit down. His body is shaking, sweat dripping off his chin. His eyes begin to water as he shakes his head.

" I can't do this," he croaks, the iron of the dried blood finally coming to Dante's senses. A shutter crawls down his spine, his feels is skin itching, " I can't do this,I can't- breath-"

" Dante," Xerneas soothing voice echoes in his head, " Deerling, it's okay. I'm right here," he feels her nudge her snout to his face, an attempt to ground him. He lifts his hand, and with shaky hands, pets Xerneas snout.

" C-can you hum for me?" he sniffs.

" Of course," Xerneas replies, and soon a familiar hum echoes in his mind. After taking a few deep breaths, combined with Xerneas' presence and humming helping him ground himself, he felt himself calm down a bit more.

It did not take away from the fact that behind him was Lysandre's husk body.

" We can leave, you know," Xerneas offers, seeing her Chosen more calm.

Dante gulps, wiping his face from sweat.

Why is he here? Why is he doing this? He could just go home, and let things be, so why-

" No," Dante says, his voice surprisingly stern, " I….I need closure,"

Closure. The word makes Dante's blood boil. Lysandre never apologized to him. Never apologized to Sycamore. Never faced the wrath of the world for what he has done.

Xerneas does not speak for a while, but eventually nods her head, " Very well. Come,"

The two move in sync, Xerneas still close to Dante, and Dante touching her neck. They both stare at Lysandre's husk.

" What do I do," Dante says determinedly. Angrily.

" Touch his chest. I will help you pull him to life".

It still sickens him, looking at Lysandre. It sickened him more as he carefully touched his flesh, hearing a soft squish beneath his fingers. Every part of him wants to run away and tear his skin off. But he persists.

"Close your eyes," Xerneas instructs, " Clear your mind. And your emotions. Anger will make it worse,"

Dante bites his tongue at that. Of course, she would have read him like a book.

"...I'll try," Dante sighs. He closes his eyes, clearing his mind, his emotions, and begrudgingly, his anger. He waits for Xerneas instructions once more.

" It will not be pleasant," was all she says.

Before he can question her words, he feels it. He feels life and death within the husk. Can feel it crawling and nagging, gnawing at his conscious, his being, right through his fingertips. It's revolting. Utterly, miserably, revolting.

" It's okay," Xerneas echoes in his mind once more, " I'm right here. Keep going,"

Dante swallows, pushing past the utter disgust he feels, and continues to focus.

" Focus on his life. Bring it out. Make it spread,"

Dante follows Xerneas' introductions, finding the life within Lysandre, and drawing it out. It's no better than death, no less nauseating. But he pulls, and he pulls, and he makes is spread throughout the husk. He feels a warmth hit his face, and as his eyes slowly open, he sees it.

Lysandre's chest, where his arm is, is covered with light vines, all of which have a slight rainbow hue, akin to Xerneas herself. The vines spread across his body, coiling and clingy onto him, until they cover Lysandre completely.

" Wha-"

" Just wait,"

The vines glow- pulsate really- as it cocoons Lysandre. It continues to do so for a minute, until the light becomes too bright. Blinding, even.

" Dante," Xerneas calls, " Bring him back,"

With his hands still on Lysandre's chest, Dante feels the power comes into his own. No longer does life feel nauseating and disgusting as it did before. Now it was smooth, light, easy to control as it slipped through his finger. He feels lighter as well,calmer. He swears he sees some flora start to grow around him. But he doesn't focus on that. He focused on the husk in front of him.

" Live, Lysandre," Dante whispers, his own voice echoing " Live and reap what you sow,"

The light vines disappear,revealing Lysandre's body, back as it was before. The blood was still there, of course, but everything else was…fixed, to say the least. Blazing blue eyes still stared up at the ceiling. He does not move. He does not speak.

And then he gasps for air. Wide eyes stare at Dante. Bewilderment. Shock. Fear.

Good.

~~~~

They take the route they should have taken out. It's logical. Simple. Much less time consuming. Lysandre passed out immediately after being pulled to life. Disappointing, but Dante didn't expect much anyway. He simply plopped him on Xerneas' back and went on his way.

Dante revels in the fresh air reaching his lungs, taking a good deep breath.

" You did good," Xerneas compliments. Dante gives her a shy smile.

" Thank you," Before he could say anything else, Xerneas' attention shifted forward. Confused, Dante looks in the direction she is and - ah.

He only told Sycamore.

Augustine Sycamore waits on the path before them, his back turned. He must have gotten here sometime after they did. Why was he here? Dante doesn't know.

Sycamore turns around to see the two of the them, and his body seems to relax, his eyes shine with relief. His eyes shift to Lysandre, pathetically dangling on Xerneas' back.

Sycamore's face become completely and utterly unreadable. Dante wishes Lysandre could see it.

" Come," Sycamore starts, " Let's get you home,"

Dante smiles.

" Yes".

#r writes #legendverse #oc: dante lacroix #professor sycamore #team flare boss lysandre #PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS ISN'T EXACTLY CANON JUST A COOL IDEA

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