A/N: Hi there. This was a random little story I decided to write. It's a very short oneshot based in the pokemon universe created by Fragmented Disillusionment, using some of his characters as well as one of my own. There are a few things here that could be considered spoilers for his story "The Outcast". If you plan on reading that story, do it before this one. I think this story came out pretty well all things considered. I'd love to hear what you think, though. Please review!
"What is it?" the little mew asked, hovering over a stunning blue diamond. The way it shimmered seemed magical, though she knew that was only an effect caused by the energy bubble that contained it. She moved her paw closer, though didn't make contact with the barrier. She could feel the power radiating from the gem even through the invisible shield.
The older mew behind her frowned. "You don't recognize it, Jamie? You're the one that found it. Apparently caused quite the headache for Terah."
Jamie whimpered, pressing herself to the larger mew. "David, stop being so cryptic! How could I be the one that found it if I've never even seen it before? And you still haven't even told me what it is."
David licked her forehead gently, though in a way that felt awkward compared to when Logan did it. The other mew's body then started to change, growing larger and longer, until Jamie found herself being cradled in the arms of a male human. "It's called a Delta Regulator," he explained, touching a crystal at the front of the pedestal the diamond rested on. "I have to assume that Terah made you forget about it, but I can't understand why he would've needed to."
The mew squirmed free of his arms, drifting down to the floor and looking up at David, clearly upset by this information. "He messed with my mind?" she whined before closing her eyes. She stayed there, silent and still, for several moments. David could tell what she was trying to do, so he didn't interrupt. Her body started to shift and change like his had done, though much slower and in a way that was actually a little painful to Jamie. At any moment, David could've reached into her mind and influenced her abilities to make it painless and quick, but he didn't. Logan might baby her sometimes, but the boy knew that the young mew wouldn't learn if he did the work for her. In truth, Logan knew that too, but after the constant attention Jamie had needed for much of her young life, some habits were hard to break.
Jamie had been making excellent progress recently, though, as was evidenced by the fact she could transform at all. He could remember the time not-too-long ago that he had nearly trapped her in the body of a small prey pokemon to save her. Now, while he could just as easily change her, he wouldn't be able to keep her that way. Of course, just because she was making progress didn't mean she had mastered it. By the time she was done, she was a shivering five-year-old with pink hair, though her mew ears and tail still remained. That tail wrapped around her leg in embarrassment as she looked up at David, though she couldn't help grinning. "I did it! I turned into a human! I wish it... wasn't so cold in here, though... David, can you make me some clothes?" The girl tried to look as pitiful as she could, ears flat to her head and exaggerating her shivering.
The boy rolled his eyes. "Now Jamie, don't give me that. I happen to know that Logan's been teaching you how to clothe yourself. Now, I realize it's hard, but it won't get any easier from me doing it for you."
Her face fell, and she stuck her tongue out. "You sound just like Logan. Come on, David! You don't have any daughters. That means you're supposed to be the fun aunt that spoils her favvvvvvvorite niece." She smiled innocently, and David smiled too. Some rough things had happened to him during his life, but there was still something about children that he couldn't help being fond of. Jamie felt the clothes materialize around her, and looked down happily at the blue t-shirt and overalls. "Thanks Aunt David!" she shouted, hugging the boy's leg.
"Yeah yeah..." he muttered playfully, patting her head. "You know, I'm pretty sure the "fun" relative usually isn't the one that gives you clothes." Turning back to the diamond, he lowered the shielding covering it. Almost at once, the crystalline interface that David had been using started to glow, projecting an image. Several more on the walls of the chamber did the same, until the projection became a three-dimensional image.
It looked like the previous Eldest, Terah. When it spoke, it sounded like him too. "Warning: unshielded Delta Regulator bending local spacetime. Current constant: 1.21 gigacycles. Shielding will be restored in 60 seconds without authorized failsafe override." Though the figure moved somewhat, looking very much like a real mew, it didn't look at them as it spoke, staring vacantly forward.
"It's... a security program?" Jamie asked curiously, standing on the tips of her toes to get a better look.
"More or less," David responded quietly. To the projection, he said, "Override the failsafe on my authorization. It's being transferred to someone more qualified to deal with it." This got another curious look from Jamie.
"Ah, David." Terah looked down at them, floating down to head level with the boy and smiling. The change in the AI startled Jamie a little, causing her to forget the question she was going to ask. "Failsafe overridden. I always figured one of them would be around to collect this sooner or later. Who is it you have with you?" He turned his attention to Jamie, who smiled nervously.
This Eldest had never been the kindest to her, and she had never talked to him without Logan before. Still, she pushed her chest out as far as it would go, even if her eyes were looking at David and not the artificial Eldest. "It's... It's me... Jamie!"
The hologram backed away a little, eyes wide. "You're... the girl from the future? That's not... That can't be right. My sensors don't detect the presence of the void inside of you. There's no way you could've grown this much on your own, though. David, protect the Regulator! You can't trust her!" This caused Jamie to tear up, running to hide behind David.
The boy frowned at the projection. "I guess Terah hasn't updated you in awhile. Not that he would've been able to for you to have information on the war. Look, I'm not sure how hardwired you are, but... the Exarchs are gone. Jamie's perfectly fine and safe. You said it yourself, your sensors didn't detect the void."
The artificial mew froze for a moment, then nodded. "I can't confirm that the void is gone completely, but my systems haven't been tampered with, so she is clean." He looked back at Jamie, who hid her head back behind David's arm. "My apologies, little one. I was designed for security. It makes me a little impulsive. I won't harm you."
Jamie nodded weakly, stepping out from behind the boy. She didn't let go of his arm, though. "You... You thought I was still infected... When I went back in time, is... is that why you made me forget?"
"Yes," he replied. "Terah knew... thought that you were going to be completely corrupted someday, so he made you forget before sending you back. That way the Exarchs would never know about the Delta Regulator. After that, he put it in this vault and created me with all his memories relevant to the Regulator. You... Hm... Would you like them?"
David spoke first then, stepping forward. "Hold on, a minute ago you were scared about her even being here. Now you're going to give her all this information? Are you sure she's ready? I've never known you to just gave away information, Terah."
"I'm not Terah," the hologram responded. "Once the Regulator is removed from here, I'll no longer be needed and my knowledge will automatically be erased. That... doesn't feel right. The information should go to someone, and I think Jamie deserves it to compensate for what was taken from her. Maybe it's not the decision the real Terah would make, but we can't ask him anymore, can we?" He smirked at David's expression. "Surprised? You were connected to my systems. You can't blame me for checking a few things. Now, Jamie, this is important information. The sort of information that is usually only for the Eldest. Do you think you can handle it?"
The girl thought for a moment. She agreed that she deserved something for having her memories tampered with, but information about an ancient mew device? Was she ready for that? Sure, she wanted to become part of the space program, and this sounded like it could be potentially useful. Also, this... Delta Regulator thing had at some point sent her through time. How could she say no to learning more about that? "I... I survived the Exarchs' foothold in my head. I think I can handle a little information." She grinned proudly, though it was childish and clearly to ignore her real fear.
"Logan's going to kill me..." David muttered, though didn't do anything to interfere with what happened next.
The being of light touched Jamie's forehead, and her head was instantly flooded with information. It was such a rapid and large exchange that she reverted to her natural state just to cope with it. She whined weakly, her head throbbing in almost as much pain as the night she had become a mew. She endured, though, because if it barely compared to that night, it was nothing close to how she felt when the void's influence in her mind had been completely purged from her. When the pain finally cleared, she could feel the difference. Suddenly the Delta Regulator made perfect sense to her. Everything from its original purpose to how to use it to teleport to a specific time. She also understood why the Eldest had felt it necessary to make her forget about it. There was one final thing at the end of the exchange, not a piece of information, but a message. "Goodbye," Jamie repeated as she opened her eyes. She was in David's arms again, the AI seemingly gone. "Where..."
The boy smiled, leaning against the console. "Where do you think. He downloaded all his data into you, Jamie. You're pretty lucky, you know. Not many mew have a piece of an Eldest in their heads. And to think, I only brought you along so you'd stop bugging me about meeting a celebi."
The mew's ears perked up. "Celebi? Of course! I should've figured it out when you mentioned you were turning it over to someone more qualified. Although... that might just be my new expertise on the Delta Regulator talking. That's... weird."
"You'll adapt. I can already tell that you've gained a pound or two." He scratched her belly, grinning when she started purring. "Guess size isn't everything, though. I'm gonna go ahead and signal Alvin, assuming you're ready, little miss 'expert.'"
Jamie stuck her tongue out at him, but nodded. It seemed david had barely closed his eyes before a shimmering portal opened in front of them, and the familiar green form of a celebi came through. "Hi, David! Long time, no see. Well for you anyways. You weren't kidding about the bending of spacetime in here. I can't wait to study the gem further."
The boy smiled up at his old friend, glad he could still even call him that when he was partially responsible for what he had become. "You definitely sound excited. Always the scientist, eh? How's the family? Last I heard, you and Izzy were having a baby, though you didn't really seem to want to talk about it."
Alvin looked down a little, almost in embarrassment, though David couldn't imagine why. "Yeah, she was born awhile ago, a healthy baby girl. We named her Tayla. Way too adventurous for her own good."
"Sounds like a certain trainer I used to know. His curiosity got the better of him one time, and he ended up stuck as a pichu." David smirked.
"Yeah, well... Aren't you going to introduce me to your little one here?" Jamie had already floated free of the boy's arms, staring up at Alvin with a huge grin. "Or... no, wait, you're Logan's daughter, aren't you. I'm sorry, it's been awhile since we met on the worldship. What's your name again?"
"It's Jamie!" the little mew answered eagerly. "I, uh... I've always liked celebi, ever since I heard about them as a little boy. Johto's full of stories about them, after all. Do you think I could... talk to you about what it's like?" She moved close to him, eyes wide and hopeful.
Alvin backed away a little, not used to such attention. "I don't know, Jamie... I mean, I could, but I should probably take care of this diamond."
This only seemed to encourage Jamie. "I can help you with that! You want to study it, right? Well, I know everything there is to know about the Delta Regulator. I even used it once!" Of course, she left out the part that she didn't actually remember using it. "Pleaaasse? I promise I'll do everything you say!"
Before he could respond, Alvin felt David's hands wrapping gently around him. "I wouldn't mind having some time to really talk for once, either. You're the time travel pokemon, after all, surely you can spare a few minutes."
"Looks like I don't have much choice, being out-numbered and all. Does she... really know everything about this gem? She's so young..."
"Maybe," David said as the mew landed on his shoulder. "But she just got quite a blessing of knowledge."
A/N: One more thing I wanted to mention for anyone who has enjoyed these stories. We have a small group set up in a Skype chatroom. We aren't very active right now, but we're hoping that will change if we can get some fresh faces. We're all interested in pokemon and transformation, as well as a variety of other topics. At the moment, we mostly just hang out, play games, and occasionally roleplay. If anyone's interested in joining, just get in touch with me.
