Tales from Beyond the Border: Human

Diavolo isn't quite used to his new body yet.

 

The giratina isn't quite sure how tall he used to be as a human, but he certainly wasn't as large as he is now.  After all, humans… probably weren't ten feet tall?  Maybe?  He's not sure, he doesn't remember much from before.

 

Honestly, that's probably an understatement.  The only thing Diavolo remembers at all is that he used to be human.  No name, no age, nothing.  Only that he had lost who he once was, and that he would likely never get that back.

 

Did he have friends?  A family?  Anybody at all who would notice that he was gone?  As sad as it is, he hopes not.  That way, nobody would have to mourn him, or wonder about where he had disappeared to.

 

Nobody would have to know that he'd become a monster.

 

Lucy would assure him that he wasn't, but Diavolo isn't so easily fooled.  There had to have been a reason why he was turned into this, right?  Surely it was some sort of punishment, or perhaps even a reflection of his soul.  But what had he done to deserve it?  There had to be something.

 

It's a bit horrifying to know that he doesn't know anything about himself.  Diavolo is meeting himself every day, and it's…

 

Well, it's hard.

 

The others are supportive in their own ways.  Lucy encourages him to try every new experience, Lars assures him that it's okay to not know things, and Mark gives him someone to look after.

 

The giratina has learned that he likes looking after kids.  It's a soft spot that he didn't expect himself to have, but one that he can't fault himself for.  After all, if more people looked after each other, maybe the world would be a better place.

 

…Diavolo doesn't know where that thought came from.  Lucy and the others had looked after him immediately, right?  And though he would get a few odd stares in public, nobody had tried to start anything, either.  So why was he always expecting to be screwed over at every turn?

 

Why does he feel like he's so undeserving of basic kindness?

 

There has to be something lost to his memories.  Something he'd done – Something that makes him terrified of being abandoned.  He feels like they would hate him if they knew, but knew what?  The giratina has no idea why he's so paranoid, and it drives him mad.

 

And that's what leads to these sleepless nights, staring up at the sky.

 

The cold wind outside of Lars's small hut is cold in the way that only night air can be.  Everyone else is asleep, and the house is dark as a result.  So, right now, the only source of light is from the stars above.

 

It reminds Diavolo of that strange place he first woke up in.  High above the world, with only the stars and that strange platform to keep him company.  No way in, and no way out.

 

An indescribable voice telling him to leave.  To heal.  Knowing that this voice was somehow important, and yet having no idea as to why.

 

Instinctively stepping through the shadows to obey regardless.

 

Traveling through the darkness wasn't something that Diavolo had managed to do since, try as he might.  The most he could manage was to hide in the shadows, and even then, he could still be heard.  It was frustrating – Especially because they could save so much on train tickets if he just figured this out.

 

The giratina is so lost in his own thoughts that he barely registers somebody approaching from behind.

 

"Can't sleep?" Lucy asks, and Diavolo startles at the sound of his voice.  "Sorry, did I spook you?"

 

The giratina laughs quietly in response.  How did the vulpix manage to sneak up on him so easily?  He should have been more alert – What if somebody came up behind him inside a dungeon?

 

"I'll manage," Diavolo assures, giving a small smile.  He still keeps his voice down, because Lucy being awake doesn't mean that the other two are.

 

The vulpix walks up to his side before laying down on the grass.

 

"I've been laying awake in bed for the past three hours.  Figured I'd get some fresh air," Lucy explains.  A pause.  "So, what's keeping you up?"

 

Diavolo shrugs.

 

"I suppose… I'm just wondering.  And worrying as a result."  It's a vague answer, but right now, it's all that the giratina really wants to give.  Even though he can't sleep, he's still a bit too tired to fully explain the turmoil inside his mind.

 

"Memories?  And the lack thereof?" Lucy asks, almost as if he knows the answer.

 

"Memories and the lack thereof," Diavolo confirms.

 

They sit in silence for a bit before Lucy speaks up.

 

"Did I ever tell you that I used to be human?"

 

The vulpix's question comes out of nowhere, but… In a way, it makes sense.  After all, Lucy is the one who tells him how important it is to make new memories to replace the lack of old ones.  Maybe he had gone through the same thing that Diavolo is now, lost in this strange world without memories.

 

"No," the giratina replies.  "But it doesn't surprise me."

 

Lucy laughs, and it's such a lovely sound.

 

"Wow, am I that obvious?"  Another chuckle.  "It's fine, I kind of figured that you probably were as well.  Unless you weren't, which makes this whole conversation super awkward."

 

Now it's Diavolo's turn to laugh.

 

"Don't worry, I was," he assures, amusement likely evident in his voice.  Somehow, Lucy always has a way of making him smile.

 

"Okay, good," the vulpix replies.

 

They fall into silence again.  The company is nice, and Diavolo takes a moment to just appreciate their surroundings.

 

There's a gentle breeze blowing around the two of them.  The grass rustles in the small clearing they stand in, as do the leaves in the surrounding forest.  The stars glow above them, softly illuminating the world below.  Lucy is by his side – not to where they're touching, but close enough that the giratina can feel his warmth.

 

And for the first time since he'd lost his memories, Diavolo allows himself to simply exist.