#astertxt

so, how much did dusknoir dread the inevitability of having to see lex again, after everything is resolved in the dark future? how long did he spend in his own thoughts, expecting hell to turn over and burn his face, how much he'd welcome and understand that ire released at him because he knows how long that inferno must've boiled, given the circumstances with lex, yet how he was terrified of having to come face to face with it in the first place? how long did he spend looking into lex's eyes when the pieces fell into places long after, trying to think of what he could've cherished, yet all he saw was a beating human heart neatly tucked behind fur and a bundle of tails, and one he could've easily crushed had he acted quick and without guilt? but oh, that's where he doomed himself, did he not? he had to act, play with the strings that he just held onto with such delicacy and then to roughness and vitriol, only to see that they were still connected to a person? did he wish for damnation and eternity to come forth and swallow him whole, for he knew that seeing the face of the person who cared for him most would strike the dead heart he claims he has?

OUUUGUGUGHUHHH DUDDEE

Sometimes I think about the fact that Dusknoir said "I have no regrets" in the game, but he said that while dying, and I imagine that came back to bite him in the ass the second he came back to life and now he's gotta deal with the conses of his quences

And Lex being one of the first people he thinks about with this pit in his stomach has me like

Rubbing my little evil mitts together >:3c

Thinking about how Dusknoir was able to redeem himself to Grovyle and Celebi but he suddenly doubts his ability to do so the second Lex comes into the picture like yeah he tried to melt away Grovyle's soul so he could wear him like a meat puppet and now it's all water under the bridge, but completely betraying Lex's trust?? He may never recover from this. Planning his own funeral as we speak

Their designs are both PHENOMENAL. Aria's design especially is SO endearing. And seeing a "Zorua" with a long tail has changed my brain chemistry. Thank you for sharing these delightful little guys with the world, they brightened my day by appearing on my feed :,>

WAAAAAAAAAAA THANK YOU SM IM GLAD YOU LIKE THEM QvQ

Ari and Clover, when they first met, noticed each other's harmony scarves first and Clover was pretty much immediately like "WE ARE FRIENDS NOW DO NOT RESIST" and Ari just kinda went with it lmao their dynamic is something like an "outgoing x reserved" or "adhd x autism" duo. There's also the whole "platonic soulmates" and "they would find each other in every universe" thing they have going on.

Clover doesn't do well with sitting still, so her favorite activities involve running around and getting into trouble. She pulls Ari into it as soon as they become friends and while Ari was apprehensive about it at first, they found that they kinda enjoyed the thrill of pulling pranks. Of course, Ari wouldn't do this sort of thing by themself, it's only really fun when Clover's around.

On the other hand, Ari's favorite activities involve just chilling, relaxing, maybe reading a book or painting something. While they find Clover's pranks fun sometimes, it's not something they can do all day (it can get tiring after a while). Ari still wants to spend time with Clover, so they get her into more creative outlets for her energy like fingerpainting and arts and crafts. It's not something that Clover would do by herself, but she likes doing it with Ari and it keeps her out of too much trouble.

Ari is slowly able to get out of their shell in part thanks to Clover's excitable and outgoing nature, they feel more confident by her side and it's largely why Ari is willing to make decisions that they otherwise wouldn't (like skipping class to save Budew). It may not stop their legs from shaking or heart from feeling like it will burst, but Ari can do it regardless.

Clover learns to be a bit more patient and to cope with the quiet, willing to let time pass without having to fill every second of every minute with something exciting. It keeps her from diving headfirst into something actually dangerous (without at least thinking it through first). Clover's usually the leader when going into dungeons, effectively dragging Ari along, but as time goes on she is able to recognize moments where Ari would be best suited for that role and is happy take a step back and follow their careful lead instead.

This newfound confidence in themselves and each other eventually culminate into forming an official exploration team with the Expedition Society (as it would happen in the game). But sometimes the new responsibilities just feel like...too much too fast. That, coupled with the fact that Ari and Clover never got to properly say goodbye to their dads, catches up with them pretty quick. They are still kids, but it doesn't feel like it anymore and they end up biting off more than they can chew. The Expedition Society members remind them that they can ask for help, but Ari and Clover don't feel as if they need the help (because they have each other, after all).

It's a hard lesson that they have to learn together and it isn't helped by the fact that Everything Bad starts happening at this time and dealing with Dark Matter becomes top priority. Ari has to grapple with the fact that their dad is possessed and trying to kill them, Clover desperately tries to ignore that her dad was turned to stone and there's no clear way of fixing it, and they both have to deal with going to PokeHell while being chased by shadow blob monsters in between all that (not to mention the pressure of the having the entire world's fate in their tiny hands). It's a lot for two kids and it messes them up as badly as you'd think it would.

As far as fun facts are concerned, I have this little idea that being swaddled up in the harmony scarves as babies is the reason why they both have unusual traits for the pokemon they are. Ari seemingly appearing to be "caught" between the ralts and kirlia stages and Clover having more pinkish-red spots and a mew-like tail are both partially due to them being being in prolonged contact with the harmony scarves (as well as the reincarnation process being imperfect). It's not super important, I just thought it would be neat to expand on the weird effects that scarves made from the Tree of Life could have.

dusknoir being completely thrown off by how calmer lex has gotten in the future is neat because theres a sense of unfamiliarity to how much theres now silence that fills the gaps where *rage* and *(justified) frustration* used to be. the walls are that guard the heart still exist, but they've been almost mellowed down yet constantly hardened over the course of years that you could *almost* not know they are there. lex could still be harboring ill will, but he's doing it in a manner and under a guise of keep-it-together to the point where dusknoir could not believe that this is the guy that he. well. needn't dwell on that, maybe.

and of course, the guilt. getting caught up on the past is always a fool's endeavor, but it's that accursed past that they both share that intertwined them together. a constant grim reminder of how they got here, in this 'un'salvageable mess of love where they cannot look at one another in the eye, and how they both feel everything yet nothing at once. lex is calm, too calm, to a degree where dusknoir might've assumed that he had forgiven him. and dusknoir believed that he shouldn't be given that pleasantry, much less for everything he had done. his little theatric, his play-of-heart, that oh-so-mesmerizing display of bravery that had lex walk right into his hands for him to rip him whole.

but lex dodged the clutches and burned down that bridge, and swore to never get close to the burnt wreckage again. but time's a chump, and it just had to play mediator. so, here they are. and lex is calm, when he should be enraged. how dare dusknoir walk back into his life again, present the idea of peace and make-niceities, show just how much he 'cares', when everyone remembers that same old story of the last time that had happened?

lex should be enraged, and dusknoir would gladly back off if the threat was any more than implied in the slightest.

but lex isn't mad. not now, and such an expression has not been present with him for a while. no reason to be mad when the wounds have long been graciously painted over by his new evolution mended, and he's fiiiiine. even when he isn't. even when none of this is fine. even when he hates letting that vulnerability get to him again. even when he puts on a safe face to let anyone get in.

and lex? lexicon? lexington? oh, brother, that man is doing about as well as you'd like to think he does. yes, a fancy new evolution and a new fur color with a thousand years or so added to his lifespan, what little lex forgot to account for..

is the call that comes from inside.

oh, the years go by, and the wounds slowly close, but never mend. the memories pang, and theres none to share with them but his own dread. it nulls and dulls him overtime, but it's for whatever is necessary. he doesn't need to be angry anymore, not having some contorted rage boil down in an unsafe haven in his heart ever again, to which he can finally be free.

but freedom is a steep reward, and the way to achieve is a straight line with *both himself and dusknoir* in the way.

in a way, lex becomes his own obstacle in his own future. when you never get past your colossal emotional repression and intentionally add a tiny amount of time for your lifespan to think about that repression over, it all just boils down to how it doesn't matter to him, or how it shouldn't matter to dusknoir.

it's already enough to feel those few cracks of anger still mangle his core, but it's another thing to know that what had happened has happened happened, and that mulling it over is useless, or just to how lex can't bring himself to openly admit that hate to dusknoir.

that train has long rode off, and even then, what good will come out of ever trying to confide in dusknoir once more? "oh yes, I kind of hate you, but at the same time it's more of a lighter, bitter and melancholy type of hatred because I practically avoided talking about my issues for who knows how long to the point where it doesn't effect me as much as it did anymore!". he may as well tell Dialga to smite him if he ever entertained that thought.

But ultimately, it boils down to how much Lex just.. feels everything at once when Dusknoir is around once more. Reassuring it was to know that he turned over a new leaf, there's just too much that scars Lex's heart to ever try and see that change through, much less believe that what once was happy can ever not be sad again. You already gave into your heart once, and look at where that got you.

SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO RESPOND, I HAD TO FINISH THIS:

The Awkward First Encounter.

That is the face of a fox who has spent several generations practicing his poker face. As a Ninetales, he knew that it was inevitable that he would come across the future trio again in their own time. All that rage and anger he felt had been smothered down into a small ember, still hot to the touch but barely burning.

To Dusknoir, he had only recently visited the past and saw Lex then, so this is quite the whiplash. And there is a sudden and uneasy chill that runs through his whole body when Lex smiles at him.

BUT YOU KNOW THESE IDIOTS ARE STILL MILES AWAY FROM EVER DISCUSSING THEIR FEELINGS LMAO

I'm glad to finally finish something related to the 200 years later Lex concept, my design notes for him were basically just: "make him scruffier" and so I did.