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I remember having two hands and two feet. I remember having hair, shorn down to the general’s expectations. I remember standing at attention, listening to the passionate words of our king calling us to put an end to the evil that lived beyond the border. I remember wanting to battle out of patriotism and duty. I remember that my killer died first even though his sword pierced my body through… because I remembered the orders, fight to your last breath.
I don’t remember if the battles were worth dying for.
When I died, I felt grateful that my pain and weakness were gone. The fighting should be over for me. That was strange. Why? I’m not sure. But I think, I trained for fighting for a long time. Meowstic and I trained together, fought together… I’m fairly certain we died together. I wanted to find him. But I knew war; I drew the sword out of my body.
Don’t ask how I did so when dead. I did. And then, the sword drew me. I became the sword. I became Honedge. When I found Meowstic (it didn’t take long, he’d fallen near me), I realized my death. It’s different than knowing it; knowledge has no emotions yet. My partner was gone and I was at my end. At least, I should have been at my end. I waited there by his side for a time, paralyzed in grief and fear. The battle waged on around us, a slow bleed on both sides.
There came a time when the battle ended. I don’t know who won or lost. But I remember when the priests and priestesses came with their Pokemon. They took the bodies of their countrymen away. For us foreigners, they buried us there on the battlefield. The air was filled with the cries and groans of the dead, their souls trying to comprehend things same as I. The prayers and songs calmed many of them.
With the group was a Gourgeist. I remember the light of its body, flickering and warm. I wanted to grasp that light, at least until the Gourgeist called out the soul of my partner. Brandishing the blade that was now my body, I struck the Gourgeist to get it away from Meowstic. The Gourgeist fought back, knocking me to the ground in one blow. Then the Gourgeist led the soul of my partner away, off to his final rest with all the other souls it gathered.
When I woke up after that, I realized that I could not be with Meowstic anymore. I was reborn, full of grief for many moons. When that passed, I was empty. I wanted my partner back; I knew I could never have that. I wanted the light that had refused me. Wishing for that, I left the field of my death and began my search.
I’m still searching for that light, that… something I have been denied.
Pokemon Center Reference Database
Pokemon Threat Levels
Honedge- 6/10, 9/10
This Pokemon has life drain capabilities through spiritual means, as many of the Ghost type do. Physical contact with the cloth connected to it is the primary means of life drain, although touching the hilt can incite a stronger drain out of anger. For Honedge, the life drain is a means of sustaining itself, making it a natural instinct of the Pokemon. Only rarely is the life drain used maliciously. However, it is not natural for the Pokemon to know how much of a danger its ability is.
How much of a danger this Pokemon presents to a Trainer depends on the Pokemon’s history. A natural Honedge born from an egg is easier to befriend and teach. It may end up hospitalizing a victim out of ignorance, but will then realize its own danger. It will also keep its cloth away from a friend or trusted partner. Therefore, a natural Honedge is a threat level of 6/10. A death from its life drain would be rare but possible, but the Pokemon can learn and will adapt to a different diet to protect its Trainer.
If the Honedge is a supernatural Pokemon born of a lost soul possessing a sword, however, the threat level to a Trainer is 9/10. A supernatural Honedge is less trusting and rational than a natural Honedge. It may also be more aggressive and less obedient. On top of that, a supernatural Honedge has a more powerful life drain ability. The death of a incautious Trainer is far more likely; the Honedge often enters a confused state after such a death and shows little sign of remembering the Trainer. If the Honedge is deemed not malicious, it can be trained but will require a greater amount of care, patience, and attention than a natural Honedge.
A simple way to determine if a Honedge may be supernatural is to check the state of its blade. If its blade is whole and unblemished, the Honedge is almost certainly a natural one. If the blade shows signs of wear and damage, there is a strong possibility that the Honedge is supernatural. It should be examined by a psychic or an expert in Ghost Pokemon to determine if the wear is from age or from a supernatural origin.
Whether the Pokemon is natural or supernatural, any Trainer who comes in with a newly caught Honedge should be advised of its potential danger.
Dhelmise- 2/10
While Dhelmise’s appearance and behaviors can be strange, it is generally not a threat to a Trainer or most Pokemon. However, it does naturally hunt very large Pokemon and may act predatory towards such teammates. A Trainer who builds trust and friendship with a Dhelmise will lead it to be obedient and more respectful of teammates. Good training and diet will easily prevent hunting behaviors.
Dhelmise has a life drain ability as is common to Ghost-type Pokemon. However, it generally does not use this ability outside of hunting or by a Trainer’s command. At most, a Trainer should be told of its hunting habits if they ask for more information on it.
Death…?
Death was… drifting. Storms and cannons. Death came twice.
Yes. Twice.
Resting leaves in warm salty waves. Sun shining strong. In forest of many, standing in water. Many others swim the waters, hide under leaves, eat leaves. No threat. Then commotion… know now, battle from Pokemon near my steam. Then cut away, adrift in waves. Death.
Sailing over waters… feel less there, wooden hull and white sails. Many lives there, humans and Pokemon sailing together. What it was, do not know. But do know… cannons firing into hull. Much work to repair at sea. Not enough. At night, a storm short time from home. Breaking and sinking and death, of many. Fall to the bottom of the sea.
Adrift and sunk. Lost souls came together, yes. Not much remained, rotten wood and gnawed bones and rotten stem. No sun, no memories save that of the sea. We awoke, into I. Do not know why. Took wheel and anchor with leaves regrown with souls, took them to sun. Grew new shoots. Think. Thinking strange, but grew into it.
Nice human found me. Nice human give me different home waters, different food. Try to know… human try to know me. Other Pokemon try to know me. Become curious, good. Try to know better. Know nice human… Pietra. Mostly want good water and sun. They life.
There is one Pokemon. Other ghost, she of much sorrow and confusion. Long ago, others good to be with. No thoughts, no feelings. Now, others still good but do not know what to do with them. I think of others, I feel for others. This other… Honedge. Remember name, Honedge. Honedge has dark sorrow.
I want to be nice to Honedge. Do not know why. Want to, like nice human. Honedge not here. Where Honedge?
To Dr. Conner:
I’m glad your patient was brought in in time to be saved. They shouldn’t be cursed, although careful checks for this would be prudent.
I do recognize the Honedge you sent me information on. She’s one that I’ve encountered before, a soldier that died sometime in the fourteenth century and turned into a Pokemon. Unfortunately, she’s an adept escape artist willing to break a Pokeball to get away. If you haven’t already, contain her to a Pokemon Box to keep her from wandering away. She’s probably in a fugue and will attempt to leave. Being in a box will also reduce the risk to your patients.
When I’ve encountered her before, I’ve unfortunately been unable to help her before she escapes again. My shelter does have the space for a high-risk patient like her at this time, plus I have been looking for her in particular lately. I’ll be by to pick her up tomorrow.
From Dr. Pietra
I remember my death most clearly. Whether it’s my life as a human or a Pokemon, everything else is snippets of events that sometimes I can make sense of. Past or present, I see what I see and feel what I feel. Thinking about it is not always easy.
I remember… falling asleep in the woods, steadying myself in a cracked rock. An enemy pulled me out of my spot and died for it. Waking a sleeping soldier is unwise. The war still carries on.
I remember… a human with a strong light. All humans and Pokemon bear some degree of light, I’ve learned. It’s beautiful light that comforts me, at least while it lasts within me. This one human battled me with a Pokemon partner; it was a well-mannered battle, not seeking to kill. The human captured me in a Pokeball, I think for the first time? They tried to make me a partner too, but they weren’t Meowstic. I appreciated their light… I do not remember what happened to that human.
Now… I’m connected to another Pokeball. Why? There are words… “I will be as great as the Ghost Gym Leader! I’ll get an Aegislash and be unstoppable!” I don’t like those words. But their light was the same as any other, light that draws me near.
Leaving the Pokeball, I ready myself. There is pain and disorientation from destroying a connected ball, but I need to be free. This ball must be destroyed. I need to find… not Meowstic, but Meowstic. I need a real partner.
Other words come to me, from another voice. “Hello, lost soldier. Stay calm; you’re in no danger.” She began to hum, an echo of hymns of the priestesses. The hum of a van joins in, carrying us away.
No danger? I can’t trust those deceptive words. But the voice feels like one I can almost trust. Next to me, there is a human woman with a strong yet gentle light. It’s a light that has enticed me before. However, she does not share her light with me. I do not like her for that. But other than that, she treats me with respect. I like her for that. I do not know what to make of her.
Her song feels like her light. I remember our small quarters, where Meowstic and I rested. I remember someone that I thought would fill my heart. I remember when they died on a battlefield, out of my reach and in my sight. The sorrow feels new, like nothing else I’ve ever felt. Through that time, I had to be callous outside our quarters. But Meowstic stayed by my side and kept me from feeling lonely. He was my brother, a partner I could count on.
“Dhelmise has been looking for you,” the woman said. “They’ll be happy to have you back.”
Where are we going?
To Professor Kukui:
Please forward this to a regional researcher who would be interested in solving this mystery.
I would like to request some information on certain breeds of seaweed in your region, or observations to be done on them. I have a theory that there may be a species among them that is a link between ordinary plants and Grass-type Pokemon, one that has genetics of normal seaweed along with primitive genes for Pokemon. This could be an opportunity to find more evidence for the various theories of Pokemon development.
This theory came about because of my interactions with various individuals of the Pokemon Dhelmise. As a natural telepath, I have communicated with Ghost Pokemon for many years to research and help them. Dhelmise is an unusual Pokemon of the type; they have no natural language structure and thus have difficulty learning one to communicate with others. But I befriended one from Alola a while back and have figured out how to listen to them.
What I’ve learned is that the supernatural originators of the species are indeed as the legends say, ghosts of seaweed that become attached to shipwrecks and are reborn as Pokemon. Information from shipwreck explorers confirms that in regions when Dhelmise can appear, there are often shipwrecks missing specifically the wheel and anchor. Those I spoke to in Alola believed that Dhelmise was actually a ghost of a shipwreck victim. But the supernaturally born Dhelmise that I have spoken to and even some egg-born Dhelmise all have strong memories of being seaweed underwater. Most of them remember being a ship as well, but not being a sailor of a ship. The one of them that had memories of a specific human recalled a charismatic captain that the rest of the crew had immense loyalty towards, something that skewed what they knew. But that Dhelmise also informed me that their memories as seaweed were stronger.
This all suggests that there is a breed of seaweed that has some characteristics of Pokemon without being a Pokemon itself. But when the seaweed dies and comes in contact with a shipwreck, it can be revived as Dhelmise through the souls remaining with the shipwreck. It has long been established that souls that are not properly given peace after death can lose identity, get attached to objects, and be reborn as Ghost Pokemon. So while the ghost of seaweed origin of Dhelmise may seem far-fetched, it is in fact a reasonable if rare combination of events.
Along with this request, I have included a sample of my Dhelmise’s plant material so that the theoretical breed of seaweed can be identified.
From Dr. Pietra, Director of The Pokemon Sanctuary for Lost Souls
Happy times, sunny times.
Nice place for ghosts. Good sun, good shade, good humans, good Pokemon. Also some Pokemon hurt deep; they rest here, they become good. I clean water. I help? I try. Nice humans help me; I help humans and Pokemon.
Humans don’t live underwater. Sad. But Pietra comes by pool, talks nicely. Now, she has Honedge! That Honedge; image from nice human of lost soldier. Like sailor? I send image of ship, sailing on a nice sunny day.
Honedge does not know ship. Honedge sends image of place of many stones. Castle. No water.
Do not know castle. Send image of sea forest, of many seaweed in peace. Good sun, good time.
Honedge does not know sea forest. Knows land forest, sends image. Many trees, many land plants, clouded sun. Seems nice. But feeling of cranky, tired. Not good time.
This good place. This good time. Be friends?
Honedge does not know this place, this time. Does not remember me? Sad. Honedge leaves.
Pietra stays. She speaks, sends meaning. Don’t worry. Honedge needs much help. We help. Takes time.
Good. Sad now, good later. Patience, like long hunt.
What to make Honedge happy…
‘A Trainer came to the Sanctuary earlier this week with a Phantump who cried and didn’t follow orders. It didn’t take long to determine that the Phantump was a true ghost. The originators of the Phantump line are ghosts of children; it’s always heart-breaking to deal with them. Thankfully, Dhelmise was a sweetheart again, telepathically telling sea tales to cheer up Phantump. I picked Dhelmise up as a curiosity while I was on vacation, but they’ve become a valuable member of our team.
‘Once the Phantump felt comfortable with us, I was able to discover from the memories he showed that he had died in the past decade. The Trainer was kind; he agreed to release the Pokemon while we tracked down his family. And the family is still around, thank goodness. When I went to speak with the Phantump’s parents, I brought along Dhelmise and Honedge. Honedge requires constant supervision that I’d rather do myself and Dhelmise enjoys the occasional adventure. I hope this is good for them too.
‘Thankfully, Phantump’s parents are willing to meet him. I hope this goes well.’
Air is dry! Body shrinks and crinkles in air. Interesting adventures outside water. Friends in air and on land. But dry.
On adventure, help Phantump. Sad child, happy now. Family… seems nice. Family like forest? Maybe. Family like Sanctuary? Perhaps. Will ask Pietra.
Humans talk, cry. Honedge leaves? Not good. I follow. Many others in buildings, on streets. Honedge waves a cloth towards some humans. I catch cloth. Won’t hurt me, will hurt others.
Honedge swings around. Scary. Stem and leaves are drying. Blade would hurt. I keep cloth. No need to hunt. No need to hurt. Go back to Pietra.
Honedge sends image of light. Not sunlight, good comforting light from all living things. No light with ghosts. Dark hurts Honedge. No hunting, no hurting, searching for light.
No. Stealing light hurts. Stop. Find light other way.
Fear, anger. Honedge no monster. Sends image of darkness. Dark like deep sea. Deep sea bad. Stealing light also bad. What now?
Light… plants like light too. Flowers on ground. I take flower for Honedge. This light. This good, take it.
Anger turns to sadness. Honedge sends image of friend, Meowstic. Fight together, live together, die together. Then lost. Flower remembers light, is not light. Honedge takes flower.
Ow! Dry leaves crack. Will I drop wheel, anchor? Bad. Can’t leave Honedge.
Honedge sighs. Does not want harm others. Honedge returns to Pokeball.
Good. I return to Pokeball.
‘When you have a human’s ghost who turns into a Pokemon, sometimes their family doesn’t want to acknowledge the change. The ghost often can’t communicate except by telepathic messages that only a few people can receive. This time, the Phantump’s parents were grateful to have him back. They can’t understand him. But from the condition of the Pokemon around their home, it seems that their boy will be well taken care of. The Phantump’s memories of being human may fade, but he should grow into a warm and friendly Pokemon rather than one who thoughtlessly leads others to their death.
‘And it seems that while I was discussing things with the family, Honedge snuck off. That could have been bad, but then Dhelmise noticed and went after her. Dhelmise complains about drying out since they don’t like being out of water. But they were glad to help.
‘Meanwhile, Honedge has a dandelion puff that Dhelmise gave her. Honedge was fretting about the puffs flying away, calling the flower light. Ghost Pokemon can take light in different ways, but this old solider sees light as a mix of life and positive emotions. I asked her if the light wasn’t the flower itself, but how Dhelmise gave her the flower. When Honedge didn’t answer me, I added that the puffs would fly away to bring more flowers to life. That made her less worried about letting the puffs go.
This Sanctuary is quiet. There are many people with gentle warm lights here. However, they avoid my touch. Even Pietra will turn me away. The dark is painful and reminds me of emptiness. Although, I’m not hungry. Eating helps, but I desire the light more than food.
I remember terrible words. “I will raise him to an Aegislash and be recognized as king!”
And… “That monster killed my son! It should be killed as a menace to humanity.”
And from Pietra at another time… “This Honedge is not evil. She doesn’t realize what she’s doing. With knowledgeable care, she can be trained into a better Pokemon.”
What I’m doing? I know what I’m doing. I’m searching for the light that will save me from being a lost soul. When I find the light, I want to find a place where war ends. I want this search to be over, so I can rest with Meowstic and the one I loved. Until then, I have to keep searching, keep fighting.
The words chase me. This place is quiet, unsettling. However, this Pokeball deflects my blade. It won’t let me leave unless Pietra takes it elsewhere. Why am I trapped?! I can’t find light I can have here, so I need to leave.
“You’re an evil being; you should be cast out of this world!”
“Why am I so tired? Honedge?”
The words are cornering me. I have to leave. I have to flee. No, these walls are going to trap me! They’re going to kill me again and I know what will come of that. It will be unrelenting darkness, words of pain that I can’t slice through but will never cease slicing me through. Passing through walls feel so strange, but I have to do it again. I have to get away, find some light to save me.
I don’t care where I’m running, I just have to escape. If I run far enough, I can get away. I remember, I’ve broken Pokeballs like this before. It hurts as much as cutting through them, but the pain that’ll come after they finally kill me will be much worse. I have to find…
Ugh… why? That was like slamming into a wall without passing through it, like I had my old body back. But this should work. It should strain the Pokeball enough, and then I’ll be able to escape. I should brace myself for that pain… and the pain of continuing to fight…
Words that are not words come to me. Who? Oh. I remember now, that Pokemon. Dhelmise is following me, checking to see why I fell on the ground. They don’t like being out of their water, so what are they doing here? Do they mean to keep me imprisoned? No! I will not be imprisoned!
They seem to be confused. They don’t see a prison. They see a place of healing, full of light.
But it’s light that is kept from me. Although, Dhelmise is good. Will you help me escape? The words are chasing me; they’ll kill me. I have to leave.
Their spirit comes to me with them getting too close. There was no killing here. Safe place, nice place, good sun, good time. Nothing scary, nothing like the darkness of the deep sea. We don’t need to be adrift when home is here.
That kind of place can’t last; a time of peace does not really exist. I have seen it. I have searched many lands for a time I cannot count and one thing hasn’t changed: the war carries on. People fight and people die. And if I don’t flee now, I will die again and the darkness will consume me. I need to find that which I cannot find, but the light will guide me there.
Dhelmise is still confused. But, they’re also very sad? For me? They agree, the words sound scary if they make me feel like this. But words mean little to Dhelmise. They know the feelings behind the words. From that, they ask if those feelings are old and passed.
But… the words are here. The words come from the dark. They haunt me, they chase me. They’re going to catch me if I don’t escape! Dhelmise, help me escape, please!
The people and Pokemon here want to help…
No! The words come from them! They’ll kill me for the darkness, I can’t stay! I have to find the light, find my way.
Distressed and worried images come. Then, why not hide? Hide like small fish among a forest of seaweed, where words mean nothing until the dark words go away. Dhelmise is very certain that is safe, underwater.
I’m… I’m not able to flee. Some invisible wall is here, trapping me here where I’m being hunted. Maybe hiding isn’t a bad idea. But where could I hide from words, from the memories that pierce like blades? I don’t know where the forest they keep thinking of is.
Come, come home.
But that is where I ran from… and that is where they are going. I follow Dhelmise, but if the darkness surrounds us, I’m finding a way to break through that wall. I should be able to pass through walls. After bringing me into their large aquarium, Dhelmise guides a strange of seaweed they’ve grown to wrap around me. Hide, be quiet.
I remember… when Dhelmise’s own seaweed had dried and cracked in giving me a flower once. They had not been afraid of my blade; they’re still not afraid. But, what if I hurt them again? I should try not to cut their leaves, but my blade is sharp and they are close. I should keep still. But what if the words find me? I’m going to be killed because I’m called a monster, but I’m not a monster. Why am I so hated, so feared?
Dhelmise is not afraid. They remember days spent living in the sea, rolling with the waves and basking in the sun. Stillness and motion, warmth and peace. Small fish would hide within their leaves; the waves were rhythmic yet changing. And sometimes, the surface would be battered by rain and wind, and the waves would be strong and dark. But storms passed. The sun came back and times were good. A wave rolled one way, then back. Time rolled one way, then back. Now may be dark and scary, but the light of the sun would return.
That… that doesn’t happen. Meowstic was still gone; the one I loved was still dead. I am still dead, as are you. The war still goes on.
War? War is not something Dhelmise knows. Battles are fair; they do not seek to kill. And battles are option. One need not fight if one does not want to. The war I remember must be gone.
Gone? But… why? I trained to fight for my country. I trained to destroy evil. While the darkness still exists, haunting me with hateful words, the war still rages. Only when I find a light that will stay with me can I find where war ends. Only then can I rest. I don’t know… will hiding help?
Hiding is safe. And, Dhelmise is certain: there is no war here. They don’t know what war is, but they know nothing like what I remember. To them, that means there is no war. People die and are gone, yes. We are ghosts, both adrift int he world for longer than we should have drifted. But, we also live, as Pokemon. We can give up the cold depths of death and live in the sun for some time longer, however much we are granted.
Give up the cold depths of death? But what light…?
Dhelmise gives me the light of an underwater forest, time gauged by the rhythm of the waves. Or the cycles of an aquarium, that is apparently like waves with less chaos. The forest is safe and peaceful. The sanctuary is safe and peaceful. Is this kind of light what you’ve been searching for?
And they curl their own self around me, rather than that which they have grown. It is like I am with their anchor and wheel, a part of them. A part of their peaceful forest.
I can have that light?
My human soul cries and they welcome me to their seas.
‘I’m pleased to report that Honedge has made great progress in recovery over this past week. She’s a great deal calmer than I’ve ever seen her and does not try to drain others anymore. When I speak with her, she recognizes where she is. Her memory is still patchy even for the present; she may even be forgetting things of her past. However, Honedge does not mind. She says that being able to let go of those memories is like having a curse lifted. She also seems certain that she won’t forget a few important things. I hope her feelings are true.
‘Of course, while things are easier on her, it’s become troublesome to Dhelmise. They’re a Pokemon of a good heart, but in originally being a ghost of seaweed, they started with no social concepts at all. Being in love with another Pokemon is a powerful thing that they have no understanding of. But they’re doing their best to understand. It’s led to some difficult conversations, and one time when Dhelmise got upset because they didn’t know if they should convince Honedge to stay at the Sanctuary or leave all of their friends to go somewhere peaceful with her. Thankfully, the two of them have decided to stay for now.
‘I’m also glad that Honedge has turned out to have the patience she does as she tries to help Dhelmise understand things. But then, perhaps it was their innocent sincerity that helped her move on. She had doubts even in me due to what she’s been through; Dhelmise was the first being that she’s been able to trust for as long as she’s been a Pokemon, and apparently one of the very few that she had ever trusted. I’m glad that she could find reasons to trust in and care about others again.
‘Honedge is still wary and Dhelmise still has a lot to learn, so I hope they stick around for a while longer. But if they decide to move on to a quieter place, I’m sure they’ll be fine together.’
I was going to get ready for bed once I’d written down my thoughts of the day. But someone’s knocking at the door. I head over to answer it.
It’s Honedge. Or rather, Doublade now; she must have evolved sometime this evening. Both of her blades look whole and clean. That’s good, an assurance that she has grown more than just through evolution. I smile for her. “Good evening. You’re looking lovely.”
Thank you, she says to me, bowing. I’m sorry for interrupting you, Pietra, but I need some help from you.
Before she can explain, Dhelmise comes down the hall too. They seem excited from the clattering of their things and send me a message too. But as they know very few words, it’s a series of images that must be interpreted. It would be like… Aaah, Pietra, Pietra! We had a baby! But now I can’t tell the difference between them.
I can’t help but chuckle. “Well come in for a little while,” I tell them, making sure to put it in clear image telepathy for Dhelmise. “And calm down a moment, Dhelmise. Honedge evolved into Doublade, that’s all. She’s now both swords.”
I’m still me, just changed, Doublade says.
Once they get it, Dhelmise of course starts to wonder if they will evolve too. I’m not sure of that. I hope they don’t get too disappointed with no baby, as it would be more difficult to explain that. But I wonder if something can be done for them.