Chapter 5: The Price Of Healing

  The stars had only just begun to scatter across the evening sky when Auri reached the moss-covered hut of Juno, that nestled at edge of the village and into the crater wall. The healer’s home stood quiet and still, the scent of crushed herbs drifting faintly from the open window, mingling with the gentle scent of forest dew. Auri hesitated for a moment at the door, tailtip instinctually flicking with a faint crackle, before pushing it open. He didn’t even get to make it two steps inside.

  "Auri." Juno stood across the room with her back to the door, carefully arranging dried leaves into bundles on a wooden shelf. The Gardevoir didn’t turn to look at him. She didn’t need to. Her tone alone was enough to make the fur along Auri’s neck rise a little.

  "…Hi," he offered sheepishly.

  "Sit down," she said, finally turning toward him. Her eyes narrowed the moment they settled on him. "Now."

  Auri obeyed with the silent, tired compliance of someone who knew what was coming. How could he not? He'd already felt Juno's psychic-type energy examining him from the moment he had opened the door, after all.

  Juno crossed the space in three steps and knelt beside him, one hand hovering over his side. "Your wounds are way to fresh," she murmured, frowning. "The muscle around your left shoulder is damaged. And don’t even get me started on that bruise above your ribs. I also noted how you deliberately try not to put too much weight on your right leg."

  He looked away. "…I might’ve pushed it a little today."

  "A little?" Her voice stayed quiet, but the sting of disappointment hit harder than any scolding. "You weren’t supposed to go anywhere near combat. Did you already forget just how badly hurt you''ve been just yesterday?"

  "I know, Yuki said something along the same lines," Auri muttered.

  "And yet?"

  "I didn’t plan for any of this to happen," he said, ears flattening. "But there was someone in trouble. I couldn’t just ignore it."

  Juno sighed and leaned back slightly, watching him with a gaze that softened, but only just. "Of course you say that. I'm not even surprised you think that."

  "I’ll be more careful next time," Auri said quietly. "I promise."

  There was a long pause. Then finally, Juno nodded. "We both know that you cannot promise that, but as long as you at least try, it's somewhat okay I guess. Asking you to change would probably amount to nothing."

  Auri didn't reply to that and it didn't take much longer for Juno and her type energy to fix him up again. Afterwards, she sighed and poured a cup of lukewarm leaf tea that she set it in front of him, before sitting down in front of him as well.

  "There's something else we need to talk about. As promised, I spoke with Elder Ilyra and Saph today, regarding your amnesia," she said, skipping any further preamble.

  Auri looked up at her, unsure. "And?"

  Juno studied him for a moment, then folded her hands in her lap.

  "We’ve made a decision. One I didn’t want to make without you, but…" She exhaled slowly. "We are still quite concerned of what it would mean for you to get your memories back. It would probably even mean the guards have to get involved again. Nonetheless we believe we’ve found a possible way to restore them entirely."

  That caught Auri’s attention. He sat a little straighter, ears tilting forward. "Really? So, that’s it? I can have them back and all it takes are a few asurances to the guards?"

  "In theory yes… but there’s a rather significant catch."

  Auri sighed. Of course there is, he shouldn't have expected anything else.

  Juno’s voice grew gentler. "The full restoration process is complicated. There is no way for us to stop it once we started and too much too quickly has a good chance to overwhelm your current sense of self and… Well, none of us would even know what the outcome of that would be. But Saph is a master in divinations and she's properly terrified of this scenario."

  Auri blinked. "Can you explain?"

  "You don’t remember anything of who you were before," she said carefully. "And we don’t know how those missing parts might shift your perspective, personality and values. Right now you are nearly the purest form of your own personality possible. But all your experiences that you've forgotten would undoubtedly warp these aspects of you. And with how uncontrolled the process would be, we couldn't even guarantee that you would become the same Pokemon you were before. If we think about Saphs divination than that unfortunate outcome becomes terribly likely."

  She let the words settle before continuing.

  "That’s why we’ve been forced to acknowledge that our capabilities are too lacking and that it's not worth it to take the risk of giving you back your memories. I'm sorry, I know that's probably not what you wanted to hear, but we're simply not capable enough psychics for this task. All we can do is slightly smooth over the edges and help you relearn some of your essential and nearly instinctual capabilities, maybe repair some muscle memory. But that's it."

  Auri didn’t answer at first. He stared down into the steam curling from the tea, letting the silence stretch between them. Eventually, he said, "I understand."

  Juno blinked. "You do?"

  "I don’t like it," Auri admitted. "It feels… I don’t know. Like holding back something that’s mine. Like being told I’m not ready to be myself."

  "That’s not what this is," Juno said gently.

  "I know. And I still don’t like it." He looked up, tail flicking once. "But it makes sense, both for you and for me. I guess I'll simply have to see my time in the village as a new beginning, either until I naturally remember, should that ever happen, or until I can convince a powerful enough psychic to help. Couldn't Vian probably help me?"

  Juno frowned. "Honorable Vian is a powerful psychic yes, but his powers are entirely build around fighting and trapping. I do not believe he has any significant healing capabilities, especially not regarding the matters of the mind. The only other truly capable psychic in the crater is honorable Miu, but she's a trickster through and through, that is unable to take anything seriously. I wouldn't trust her with something as delicate as you mind."

  "I understand," Auri said simply.

  Juno smiled, warm and quiet. "Good. Then it’s settled. We’ll meet tomorrow, as planned. Elder Ilyra and Saph will both be there."

  A short silence followed as both of them seemed to settle into the moment. Then Juno blinked and glanced toward the shelves. "Speaking of plans… you mentioned you've seen Yuki?"

  Auri tilted his head. "I did, we spent most of the afternoon together. Why?"

  "She was supposed to bring me some fresh herbs around midday," Juno said with a small frown. "I guess she forgot."

  Auri gave a half-smile. "We’ve… had kind of a long day."

  "Hmm." Juno leaned back with a quiet chuckle. "No doubt. I’m sure she’ll come by first thing in the morning, herbs in beak and apologies ready."

  She rose and began to tidy the table, gently nudging the cup of tea toward Auri once more. "Get some rest. Tomorrow’s going to be important for you."

  The morning light poured into the building like a soft melody of gold and green. It painted long, shifting shadows on the floorboards, catching on bundles of dried herbs that hung from the ceiling like quiet guardians of healing. The village, still wrapped in the hush of early morning, exhaled the gentle scent of dew and woodsmoke.

  Inside the healer’s hut, Juno worked in thoughtful silence. Her hands moved with practiced ease, grinding bitter root into a dark, pungent paste and folding it carefully into a mixture of balm and powdered moss. The air around her was thick with the scent of healing. She was just reaching for a strip of cloth when the door slammed open like a startled drumbeat.

  "JUNO!"

  The herb jars rattled in alarm. A gust of cold air and clumsy feathers followed as Yuki exploded into the room. She skidded halfway across the wooden floor before catching herself, puffed up with urgency and guilt. Her beak was open, eyes wide with the mix of someone who knew they were late and someone who had absolutely no idea how to stop moving.

  In her bag were stalks of half-crushed herbs spilled out like a mini-greenhouse after an earthquake. Lavender, feverfew, fireleaf, and something suspiciously feathery scattered onto the floor in a confused heap.

  "I definitely remembered the herbs!" Yuki gasped, wings flared out as if trying to slow her own momentum. "Eventually! Maybe a little late! But they’re here! All of them! Probably!"

  Juno had frozen mid-motion, her hand still hovering over the mixing bowl. She blinked once. Then twice. Very slowly, she set the bowl down on the table with the caution of someone trying not to upset the emotional balance of the universe.

  "…Good morning, Yuki."

  "Morning!" Yuki chirped brightly, as if nothing in the world had just happened, already kneeling down to frantically repack her bag. "So! Where should I put the lavender that definitely didn’t get stepped on once or twice?"

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  "On the table," Juno said with a sigh, though there was a hint of a smile in her voice now. "What’s left of it, anyway."

  "Excellent!" Yuki declared, triumphantly producing a slightly squished bundle that might have once been lavender and carefully placing it down as if it were a sacred treasure. "Behold, your plant offerings!"

  Auri, still curled on the nest in the corner with one ear drooping comically, blinked blearily at the spectacle. His fur was a half-set mess, and he looked one good stretch away from rolling back into sleep.

  He rubbed at his eyes with a paw and gave a small, sleepy laugh. "You made it sound like you brought the whole forest."

  Juno shook her head with another soft exhale, already moving to inspect the collection of herbs. "I’m going to need to re-dry half of this."

  "But it’s fresh!" Yuki offered, leaning her chin on the edge of the table with a sheepish grin. "Like… very fresh! Fragrant! Slightly trampled maybe..."

  "You mean damp and possibly not useful anymore," Juno corrected, lifting a fireleaf stalk with a skeptical glance.

  "I see that as adding flavor!"

  "Yuki."

  "I’ll be quiet now."

  A moment passed. Then all three of them laughed. The morning, for all its chaos and squashed herbs, felt lighter now. The kind of morning that didn’t need to be perfect to be good. Auri let his head rest back against the wooden frame of the cot, tail curling loosely over the blanket.

  "How’s this actually going to work?" he asked at last.

  Juno looked up from her sorting, wiping her paws on a cloth. "They’re coming here," she said, voice quiet but sure. "Elder Ilyra and Saph. They agreed it would be best to do it in a familiar place, somewhere you feel grounded."

  Auri gave a small nod, absorbing that. He appreciated the gesture, even if he wasn’t sure how much comfort he could get from something he barely knew for a day or two now.

  Before the silence could settle, Yuki, who had been enthusiastically trying to line up crushed stalks of mint like some kind of improvised herb parade, poked her head up.

  "Ooh! Are we doing psychic dream therapy now? Aura syncing? Memory diving? Wait, wait, is this about your memory? Are they going to fix it?"

  Juno hesitated. "We’re not restoring it," she said at last.

  Yuki blinked. “Wait. What?”

  Juno sighed and stepped away from the table, standing properly now. "We’re not doing this to bring Auri’s memories back. Not really. That’s not possible. Or rather… it’s not safe. The damage sits to deep. If we tried to recover everything, we might do more harm than good."

  "But… that’s why we’re here!" Yuki said, feathers puffing with alarm. "You’re supposed to help him! You’re the best healers around, aren’t you?"

  "We can help him manage it," Juno said. "Stabilize his mind and reduce the fragmentation, smooth out the confusion around things like instincts and muscle memory. Make sure his connection to moves, to balance, to basic emotion-processing isn’t compromised further."

  "But not give him back what he lost!?" Yuki cried.

  "No," Juno admitted.

  Yuki stared at her. "You’re not even going to try!?"

  "It’s not that simple," Juno began, already wincing.

  "Oh, it’s never that simple, is it?" Yuki flared, voice rising. "Let me guess! You think it’s too risky, or it might make him dangerous, or it’s just easier for you all if he stays like this!"

  "Yuki, please-" Juno tried, but she’d already lost her.

  "So that’s it? You just decided he doesn’t get to know who he was? Doesn’t get to be who he was?!" Her feathers bristled, her wings twitching with pent-up frustration. "You didn’t even ask if he was okay with that, did you!?"

  "They did, actually," Auri said, voice quiet but firm.

  Yuki turned to him sharply. He met her eyes without flinching. "They told me everything. I agreed to it."

  "You what?" she whispered. "But Auri you… you want to know who you were, don’t you!?"

  "Of course I do," he said simply. "But I also know how much it would probably hurt me. And if trying to put it all back might destroy what I’ve managed to rebuild these last two days…"

  He trailed off, then gave a small, resigned smile. "I’d rather keep what I have. I’d rather move forward than lose myself chasing what I might not survive remembering."

  Yuki’s face twisted, torn between anger and sadness. "But that’s not fair! It’s not fair that you have to choose between who you were and staying… stable. That shouldn’t be your only choice!"

  "No," said a new voice, low and composed. "It shouldn’t be. But it is."

  All heads turned as an imposing Pokemon, with some rough resemblence to a Slowking, entered the hut, her imposing form casting a long shadow across the doorway. She moved slowly but with unmistakable presence, the weight of experience and patience evident in every step.

  "Elder Ilyra," Juno said with a respectful nod, but got no reaction.

  "The mind," Elder Ilyra continued, coming to stand beside Juno, "is a fortress built over many years. If it collapses, you cannot simply rebuild it overnight. You must first gently clear the wreckage to even stand a chance. And in Auri’s case, much of it has become… unstable. The risk of complete restoration is not just the loss of his identity, but maybe even his sanity and life."

  Yuki’s wings drooped slightly, eyes still wide with disbelief. "So you’re not fixing it. You’re just… giving up."

  "We are preserving what remains," Elder Ilyra replied. "And ensuring it does not get worse."

  "But how can you know it won’t work unless you try?" Yuki demanded. "How can you say this is the only way?"

  "We know because we had a chance to see just how damaged his true self was," Juno said softly. "Even without his memories, one wrong move used by me saw him collapse. You weren’t there. But I can assure you, the risk is too great."

  Yuki turned sharply toward Auri, alarm rising in her chest. "You didn’t tell me that."

  He gave a shrug. "It never came up, simple as that."

  Yuki stared at him for a heartbeat, her beak parting in disbelief. "That’s not really an excuse, y'know."

  There was no anger in her voice, just a strained note of worry beneath it.

  "You nearly collapsed, Auri. That matters. I should’ve known something like that happened, especially with it happening before our adventure yesterday."

  Auri lowered his gaze, ears twitching faintly. "I didn’t mean to hide it from you. I just… figured it wouldn’t help to add more problems for us."

  Yuki looked at him a moment longer, feathers ruffling restlessly before she exhaled, slow and uneven.

  "Okay," she said at last, her tone softer. "But next time? Don’t decide that by yourself."

  Auri gave a faint nod. "Fair."

  Yuki sighed. In another situation, she might have berated Auri more for hiding that from her, but other things took precedence right now.

  "I hate this," she muttered. "I hate that this is the best option you cam up with. And I hate that you all think this is okay. Especially you Auri."

  Auri reached out, touching her wing lightly. "I don’t like it either. But I’m still me. That hasn’t changed."

  Yuki bit her beak, looked away… and then nodded stiffly. "Fine," she said. "But I’m staying. If you’re going to do this weird mind-aura-smoothing not-a-memory thing… then I’m not leaving you alone."

  Juno and Ilyra shared a glance. "Agreed," Juno said. "You can stay."

  "Indeed," Elder Ilyra added, her voice low and certain. "We may yet need someone to remind him who he is, even if he can’t remember who he was."

  Yuki gave a sniff, rubbing at her eyes before straightening with dramatic energy. §Well then. Let’s fix what we can, I guess."

  And Auri, though the ache inside him remained, smiled. Because somehow, even in the strangest moments, it was always Yuki who made him feel just a little more whole.

  At that moment the door creaked open once more, this time gently, almost thoughtfully. A pale lavender shimmer preceded the entrance of the Espeon, her eyes sharp and unreadable beneath the red gem glowing softly on her brow.

  "So," she said as she stepped inside without preamble, her tone dry as old leaves. "This is him."

  Auri blinked from his seat on the cot, meeting the stranger’s gaze with quiet curiosity. Something about her presence made the air feel heavier, but he couldn't quite place it.

  "Welcome, Saph," Juno said with an incline of her head.

  Elder Ilyra, still rooted near the far wall, tilted her head slightly. "Were you able to divine anything further before arriving?"

  Saph’s gaze flicked to her, the smallest twitch of her whiskers betraying her discomfort. "Are you sure this is the time and place for that conversation?" Her eyes moved meaningfully to Auri. Then, after a moment’s pause, to Yuki.

  Elder Ilyra only gave a calm nod. "He deserves to hear it. So does she."

  A long breath passed before Saph looked back at Auri. "No new visions," she said at last. "If anything, the sense of wrongness I get from the idea of completely restoring him got stronger. Like touching a cracked lens and realizing the fracture runs deeper than it looked."

  Yuki narrowed her eyes. "So you’re the one who decided it was too dangerous."

  There was a heat rising in her voice again, feathers bristling slightly, but it died just as quickly as it came. She looked away, biting her beak lightly in frustration. "I get it," she muttered. "I hate it. But I get it."

  Saph didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. Elder Ilyra’s eyes shifted toward Juno, who gave a quiet nod. "Then let’s begin."

  They formed a loose triangle in the center of the hut: Juno, Saph, and Elder Ilyra, each taking a steadying breath. Auri sat still, his ears flicking once as if instinctively sensing the psychic charge already starting to hum through the air. Yuki stood nearby, watching with wide eyes and held breath.

  It began subtly at first, like a shimmer at the edge of vision. The air rippled faintly, and colors that weren’t really there danced along the edges of the circle. Juno started glowing with a steady white light, cool and patient. Saph’s gem flared with a pulsing violet that throbbed in time with her heartbeat. Elder Ilyra’s hands, wrinkled and oddly elongated, floated upward as a pale greenish mist pooled around her.

  From Yuki’s point of view, it was like watching a storm gather beneath glass. The space between the three psychics filled with a strange distortion, as if light and sound twisted slightly, like reality was holding its breath.

  Auri’s form was still, eyes closed now. A few strands of fur lifted as if in a slow breeze. Yuki held herself back from calling out, even though every muscle in her body tensed with the urge to move.

  Then, after several long seconds… it was over. The light faded. The shimmer vanished. Juno’s arms lowered. Elder Ilyra exhaled deeply, shoulders slumping just slightly. And Saph… Saph stepped back from the circle and turned to the door without a word.

  Juno blinked. "Saph?"

  The Espeon didn’t look back. "I’ve done my part." And just like that, she was gone. The door drifted shut behind her, as if pushed by the wind.

  Yuki frowned, staring after her. "She’s… normally not that bad?"

  Elder Ilyra chuckled softly, an old, dry sound, but not unkind. "She is a deviner at heart. You cannot fault her for not wanting to be close to something she fears." She turned to leave as well, but Auri’s voice caught her just before she reached the door.

  "Wait," he said. "I’ve been wondering since I first saw you. You- you are a Slowking, right?”

  The Elder stopped, tilting her head over one broad, hunched shoulder. "I am," she answered, her voice calm. "But not as most know the kind."

  He hesitated. "You look different. Is that… some kind of mutation?"

  "A natural one," Elder Ilyra replied. "Just like your friends wings. It’s been with me since I was a Slowpoke. No special cause, no deeper story to it. Just nature’s quirk. It dampened my affinity for water-type energy. In exchange, I was born with an unusual affinity for poison-type energy. A fair trade, in the end."

  Auri nodded slowly. "Thanks for telling me."

  Elder Ilyra gave him a fleeting smile. Then she turned and left, her pace slow but measured, like she had never once forgotten how to move through the world with care. The hut fell into silence.

  Juno clapped her hands lightly, brushing psychic dust from her palms. "Well then, everything went over well, no point wasting the remaining day. I’ve got roots to clean, scrolls to copy, and two guests who need some sun."

  Yuki perked up immediately, even as she gave Juno a look. "Are you kicking us out?"

  "Gently," Juno said with a smile. "Consider it an act of healing. You both need some air and Auri's in good enough condition to do pretty much everything except fighting. So no new injuries today, please."

  Auri stood, stretching slightly and feeling the stiffness in his limbs slowly ease. He didn't really feel all that differently, but everything was somehow clearer? "Thanks," he said quietly.

  Juno didn’t answer and just waved them off as she turned back toward her shelves and bowls and scattered satchels of herbs.

  Yuki waited until they were out the door before she finally exhaled properly, feathers deflating.

  The sun was bright. The air smelled like pine and warm earth. Somewhere in the trees, a bug-type Dungeon Pokemon chirped lazily. The more harmless one roamed free after all, the guard seeing no need to bother with them.

  "I don’t like any of this," Yuki muttered, kicking a pebble down the path.

  "No one does," Auri replied. "But it’s the best option we had."

  She looked up at him. "You sure you’re okay?"

  He thought about it for a moment. "It honestly doesn't feel any different, except maybe a little more clarity in my mind," he said. "So I'd say it was an overall improvement."

  Yuki didn’t answer, but her wing brushed his side lightly as they walked. Both of them jumped as suddenly, a playful voice interrupted their conversation.

  "Oh, it's definitely an improvement, only that none of you realise just how big of one it was. At least not yet."

  Important characters in the chapter:

  Pikachu (Auri) – Level 13

  Ability: Lightning Rod

  Battle Nature: Lonely

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 62 (Moderately damaged but usable)

  Attack: 41

  Ranged Attack: 36

  Defense: 43

  Speed: 48

  Total: 230 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Nuzzle], [Tail Whip], [Quick Attack], [Thunder Wave], [Feint]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Thunder Shock], [Electro Ball], [Swift]

  Utility Moves: [Nasty Plot], [Charm], [Double Team], [Growl], [Agility], [Dig]

  Torchic (Yuki) – Level 15

  Ability: Speed Boost

  Battle Nature: Hasty

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 69

  Attack: 37

  Ranged Attack: 40

  Defense: 44

  Speed: 35

  Total: 225 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Scratch], [Quick Attack], [Feint], [Fire Spin], [Flame Charge], [Aerial Ace], [Counter], [Slash]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Ember], [Sand Attack]

  Utility Moves: [Growl], [Detect], [Dig]

  Guardevoir (Juno) – Level 35

  Ability: Synchronize

  Battle Nature: Docile

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 184

  Attack: 83

  Ranged Attack: 125

  Defense: 142

  Speed: 93

  Total: 627 (Strength Level: Adult)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Hypnosis], [Draining Kiss], [Imprison], [Skill Swap]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Mystical Fire], [Disarming Voice], [Confusion], [Dazzling Gleam], [Psybeam], [Stored Power], [Gravity], [Misty Explosion]

  Utility Moves: [Misty Terrain], [Psychic Terrain], [Healing Wish], [Charm], [Heal Pulse], [Growl], [Double Team], [Teleport], [Life Dew], [Wish], [Calm Mind], [Psychic], [Protect], [Reflect], [Light Screen], [Trick], [Helping Hand]

  Galarian Slowking (Ilyra) - Level 62

  Ability: Curious Medicine

  Battle Nature: Mild

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 348

  Attack: 143

  Ranged Attack: 218

  Defense: 245

  Speed: 100

  Total: 1.054 (Strength Level: Elder)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Swagger], [Tackle], [Toxic], [Yawn], [Headbutt], [Zen Headbutt], [Fire Punch], [Thunder Punch], [Drain Punch], [Liquidation]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Power Gem], [Acid], [Eerie Spell], [Confusion], [Chilling Water], [Water Pulse], [Surf], [Hex], [Snarl], [Swift], [Icy Wind], [Venoshock], [Avalanche], [Toxic Spikes]

  Utility Moves: [Nasty Plot], [Curse], [Growl], [Chilly Reception], [Disable], [Amnesia], [Slack Off], [Psychic], [Psych Up], [Rain Dance], [Sunny Day], [Snowscape], [Heal Pulse], [Metronome]

  Espeon (Saph) - Level 51

  Ability: Magic Bounce

  Battle Nature: Serious

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 250

  Attack: 119

  Ranged Attack: 185

  Defense: 260

  Speed: 165

  Total: 979 (Strength Level: Adult)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Tackle], [Tail Whip], [Confusion], [Covet], [Power Swap], [Quick Attack], [Bite], [Psychic Fangs], [Take Down], [Double-Edge]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Sand Attack], [Swift], [Psybeam], [Magical Leaf], [Stored Power], [Dazzling Gleam], [Power Gem], [Shadow Ball], [Weather Ball], [Gravity], [Alluring Noice], [Psychic Noice]

  Utility Moves: [Copycat], [Baton Pass], [Charm], [Helping Hand], [Growl], [Baby-Doll Eyes], [Morning Sun], [Psych Up], [Curse], [Future Sight], [Psychic], [Reflect], [Light Screen], [Trick Room], [Sunny Day], [Rainy Day], [Psychic Terrain]