To Wrap My Life in Leaves~Pokémon Watty Awards2014 1st Place Short Story Winner~

Chapter 2: Deadline

I fought off tears that were trying to drop from my eyes. It wasn't possible, I was supposed to die in six days?

"O-okay," I managed to say to Cobalion. He simply nodded to me and walked towards Wigglytuff's room. After hearing what Cobalion had to say, the other Rescue Teams had dwindled away, off doing missions, and I was able to run out of the guild easily.

Once I was outside, I ran straight to the cross roads, where I stood facing the road that led to the Mystery Dungeons. Breathing heavily, I stared off at the winding road, one that I had used to head off to so many adventures. It was the gate way to the outside, to the unknown, to a place where I could hide. I stood there, motionless, deciding if I should run from my fate. Tears slid down my face. I didn't want to die. It wasn't fair.

"Serphisa." I heard Cobalion's voice ring out behind me. It had been a little while since I left the guild; the tears had dried from my face, making it look as if I had just been staring off into space.

"Yeah?" I questioned, not turning to face him. I couldn't look him in the eye, it would remind me too much that I was going to die.

"I just wanted to thank you, for taking the news so well. Thank you for excepting your fate: it will help many with the resurrection of Virizion." His voice was serious and stiff, like he was putting up a mature facade to hide his true self; but I still noticed how his voice turned softer when he said Virizion's name.

"What was Virizion to you?" I blurted out, half regretting it.

"Excuse me?"

"What was Virizion to you?" He paused before answering, as if I had asked him a question that was dire for him to answer correctly.

"A comrade," he finally answered. "Nothing more nothing less." Once again he paused, as if waiting for me to say something else. "Why don't you start saying your good byes? After all, tomorrow you only have six more days left of your life." His words hit me like a Fire Punch. That's right. I was to die in six days once the sun set. I was to keep the world in balance by giving up my life, whether I liked it or not.

"R-right," I replied, fresh tears trying to escape from my eyes. "...I guess I'll go tell my parents." I turned around to look at him, but he was already gone.

I looked over towards the road through Treasure Town, where my parents lived, and then back to the roads to the Mystery Dungeons. With one last look towards Treasure Town, I headed off to Happy Outlook, a mission ad from before in hand, for one last solo adventure to a happy place, just one last person to help.

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Woo hoo! Another update! Also, I changed a little detail so that Serphisa only has six days left, because I'm planning on entering this in the 2014 Pokémon Watty awards under short story, so I have to make this ten pages or less. But, I hope you'll still enjoy it!