Episode 6: How Long is Forever?

Rainbow just seems a little nervous when left alone, Bea leaving her be. It's several minutes before the girl rejoins Beatrice, looking a little down. "I... don't want to make her worry. I know that she accepts that my life is mine to live, and that I want to finish what I started... but that doesn't make it any easier. I mean... I should be fine, right? Worst case scenario, I just... keep spanning a little ahead." She shakes her head. "Before we go, I'm just going to write a letter to Dad. He's out being a sentry on some of the outer islands right now, so... he might not be back before we go. I... never really thought about this before. I guess I always thought the problem would be solved by us coming home. It would all be fixed. Happily ever after."

She looks over at Bea, and it's clear that she was crying a little bit earlier, too. "She said 'the falls'. What does that mean, you think? Neither of us can really... fall."

"Thank you... for all that," she says, smiling, before paling a bit. "North of Rustboro… but that's in... the Deadlands. That... that makes sense, actually. That's the heart of all the devastation. It wasn't the first strike... but it was the mortal one. Do you think... do you think that's where the, uh, 'nexus'-thingy is?"

"We could…" Rainbow says, a little hesitant. "I just... I know that I've met her back then, but... the thought of disturbing her kinda creeps me out. She's kinda the boogeyman here. Rarely seen. Just watches. Never says anything. Never ages. Never smiles. Sometimes just... appears or disappears where she wasn't or was a moment ago. Been here as long as anyone can ever remember. I can... show you her place. And take you there." She seems nervous. "I know where it is. But, uh... you do the talking, okay?"

The Xatu-woman is not far in. Her eyes red from crying, she turns towards Beatrice, and sighs. "I'm sorry. I don't know what Chrysanthemum told you, but what I see are only vague flashes. Impressions. A grave danger. A vast storm. Something... unknowable. Eldritch. All encompassing darkness. We of seer blood have never been particularly... specific with visions. Usually just warnings, a tiding to prepare. You and her, standing at the mouth of the falls, a horde of shadows around you... that was the clearest thing. It shook me to my core."

"I'm sorry that I let my emotions take control, and that, well... it was under those circumstances that we met." She gives a wan smile. "I'm not usually like this."

Rosepetal raises an eyebrow at the badges, but doesn't seem to question it. "I see. Well, you clearly have some accomplishments. I hope that both you and Chrysanthemum are able to find safety in your journey. But I fear that there will be things beyond our reckoning..."

"Thank you, Beatrice," she says at last. "My daughter spoke highly of you. Please prove her right."

Rainbow seems to psych herself up, before leading Beatrice towards the outskirts of town. The structures mostly fall away... except for a much more traditional-looking stone house in the distance, high in the hills. This one stands out by virtue of… well, standing out. As though the occupant didn't care if they were seen. Smoke curls from a chimney, another difference from all the other habitations.

On the outside, under a covering, it looks like there's a bit of a forge built up, though it's not currently in use. Lots of wood is stocked, far more than enough for the short Hoenn winter. It feels... lived in, yet distant.

There's no sign of occupancy, but, after Bea knocks on the door... after several long minutes, almost when she would have perhaps thought of giving up, the door opens. And there stands Alyssa, looking the same as she did on Dewford. Weary eyes staring directly at Bea - and glancing at the far-back Rainbow.

There's visible confusion, as the girl seems to spend some time processing things, before there's finally seemingly a bit of a spark of recognition in her eyes. "Wait... I think I do know you," she says, voice a little hoarse from probably disuse. "You're from... oh, I've not thought... about that in so long." There's not really any urgency in her speech, probably part from actually trying to talk to another person again, instead of just one's own thoughts. "Why do you... want to go there?"

"So... it is true," Alissa says. "The place... was not cleansed. The evil... still remains. I feared... that would be the case. But it... at least bought time." She sighs. "I am tired. So very tired." She does seem to be getting better at finding the words now. "I no longer feel like I could fight. I know not what form the evil will take. Though... there is perhaps something that I can give." She gestures them inside. It looks like a fairly cozy place, a warm fire, and stone sculptures around the place of various sizes in various degrees of completion. They're all of Pokémon, though the ones that look newest seem to be... more warped and monstrous. Whether that's just stylistic, or if that's what Pokémon look like now, it's not clear. Rainbow just... stays near the door.

Alissa slowly searches through the back, before she seems to find what she's looking for, and brings out a sword, with a brilliant crystal blade - it looks like it's made entirely out of purified Aetherstone. "I forged this after... my last fight there. It may be of use to you - it's very sharp. And if not... at it would just give me the satisfaction once more of stabbing something with what once gave it life." The girl holds the sword out to Bea, nonchalantly just gripping the blade with her bare hand as she offers the hilt.

"...oh, right. You probably need a scabbard," Alissa adds, a little belatedly. "I'm getting a little scatterbrained."

The sword itself... isn't that heavy, compared to what she's expecting. It's weighty, yes, but not uncomfortably so. OR maybe that's just her new body accommodating it better. It's a little hard to tell. Being close to it... definitely feels like it radiates a strength, that there's an innate power to it.

"Heart may not be enough," Alissa says, returning with a scabbard to fit over the sword, dimming the light.,