tw; death, murder, violence, bigotry, non-consensual body modification

Sae-byeok was born as a Vulpix in Magus. She lived with her father in a small countryside village. She doesn’t remember much about her mother. After all, she was only 2 when she walked out. Nonetheless, she had a happy upbringing. The villagers were kind, and she was more than happy to consider them family.

Growing up, she always had an interest in the world outside of Magus. Her father was more than happy to teach her about the other systems. She’d listen with wonder in her eyes and dream of travelling there someday. Whenever her father brought her along to the city, she’d always go to the library to find more information about them. There was where she learned of the injustice faced by ‘mons throughout the galaxy.

She’d ask her father about it. While hesitant at first, he carefully explained it to her. But the Vulpix was too young to fully grasp the full picture. All she knew was that people were unhappy- and the governments weren’t doing a thing about it. Why is that? That was wrong- people shouldn’t be suffering! And so, the child, full of optimism and hope, decided on what she wanted to do.

<"I want to change the world for the better!">

Soon, she immersed herself in volunteer and charity work. Anything to help the people, be it Magus or elsewhere. It wasn’t all easy, however. Some days left her drained, or there was little to no progress to show. Hell, she had occasional run-ins with organisations that made off with money supposedly meant for charity. Despite the downs, her idealism always pushed her to keep going.

Eventually, she started delving into activism, assisting various organizations. She got her wish of visiting the other systems- though not as a tourist, but to help. She’d attend various protests and speeches, giving all the support she could in hopes of bringing about change. Petitions, letters, rallies. While it wasn’t often successful, she still wholeheartedly believed in the cause.

No matter where Sae-byeok went, she’d eventually make her way back home. After all, she had her father to come back to. The man, despite his worries, was always so supportive of his daughter. He was proud of her for taking a stand. With him, the tiny cottage they called home felt like a haven for her.

After she turned 20, she decided to set out to answer a question that lingered at the back of her mind- where was her mother? Her father and the villagers didn’t provide much info. It was clear they didn’t remember her favourably. But piecing together the bits, she was led to Caligo. ...And then the trial ended there.

But she did discover something else- she had a child here before disappearing again. Sae-byeok had a half-sibling somewhere in the city. Thankfully, she knew the right folks and was able to quickly get in contact with them.

She remembers the quaint cafe they decided to meet at. Her eyes widened when she first saw him. He looked nearly identical to the photos of her mother. An Alolan Ninetales adorned with soft features.

<"She left you too, huh?">

Her half-brother: Park Hyeon-eun.

The topic quickly veered away from the woman that abandoned them both. Instead, they talked about their lives, as if they were friends catching up after years apart. The hours went by until the cafe neared closing time. They parted ways, but not for long. They’d meet up again and again, becoming close friends. They’ve only met each other in adulthood, but it felt like they truly were siblings.

<"Can you deliver a letter for me?”>

Sae-byeok’s father asked that of her one day. All she had to do was hand a paper envelope to a friend of his on Tempest. She didn’t think much of it- just did as she was told and handed it over to the Luxray her father described. They opened it up, revealing two letters.

One was addressed to her.

<"I’m sorry, Sae-byeok. If you’re reading this, then I…">

She rushed back to Magus, but it was all gone. The village she grew up in had been razed- wood and stone charred black. The worst off was her home. Only the foundations stood, and even it was falling apart. The entire place was deserted. In the ashes of her former home, she was the only sign of life.

<"Dad…?">

She found him just outside the village. His injuries were so numerous, his body looked disfigured. The most glaring spot was the caved-in skull. To further desecrate the corpse, it was strung up to a tree in a grisly display.

She could only scream and sob at this sight.

The letter revealed to her that her father had been working for a rebel group in secrecy. However, his position was eventually compromised and he knew it was only a matter of time before government workers went after him. Not wanting to subject Sae-byeok to a life of constant running, he sent her away as he confronted them.

Hyeon-eun and his father were kind enough to let her stay at their place. Although he was busy with medical school, Hyeon Eun was always willing to set aside his studies to spend time with her. While she felt guilty whenever he did it, she did appreciate it. She only felt safe confiding in him. She’d pour all her worries and sorrows, and he’d listen. No matter what, he was there for her.

But she didn’t let herself rest for long. Gathering her bearings, she reached out to the rebels her father worked with. She knows he didn’t want her to get involved but… He was fighting for change. She didn’t want his death to be in vain. It wasn’t long before she was among the small group’s forces.

<"I want to change the world for the better…">

Although she struggled at first, she found herself excelling in combat. That proved useful as while she wasn’t out in the frontlines, she ran into trouble more than she’d like. Hyeon-eun knew of her “job”, and could only express concern whenever she came home with injuries. While he was supportive of her, his worries only kept mounting.

Daybreak

Sae-byeok and a few others were tasked with delivering supplies to a fellow rebel force. The small ship was rather lively until the radars detected an approaching Draconian ship. To evade them, the pilot opted to go through a Hyperspace Gate. Surely, they wouldn’t follow them through…?

But the enemy was already fast on their tail. With a rather rough collision, they boarded the rebel ship. She still wasn’t sure what happened. All she could remember was the Reshiram that lunged at her. She remembers the rage as she tried to shake the dragon off. The ship suddenly lurched forward, throwing them both to the ground. Her hands wrapped around the dragon’s neck, her claws pierced skin, staining the white feathers red.

Memories not her own started filling her vision, melding into a blinding, psychedelic kaleidoscope. Her body felt like it was melting. And yet, her grip only strengthened, determined to snuff out the dragon.

A brilliant light exploded as the ship lurched forward once more, throwing her against a wall. Even before her vision cleared, she knew something was wrong. Rings around her neck and tail she cannot pry off. The extra pair of limbs on her back turned out to be wings. Furthermore, her golden fur was bleached white.

She called out, but no one answered. No one else was alive. She forced herself up- she still had a job to do. Settling into the pilot seat, she prepared to finally bring the ship to its destination.

The reflection on the glass window disturbed her.

She does not recognise the person.

Sae-byeok made her way back home after the delivery. All the while, she could feel the stares of others. It felt like knives plunging into her flesh. She avoided eye contact as much as she could- but Caligo was a bustling city. The whispers behind her back. Like she was some sort of freakshow.

<“I’ve had a rough day.">

She broke down as soon as she got home, collapsing into Hyeon-eun’s arms. Through broken tears, she explained what happened. The few days after that, she shut herself in, not wanting to leave the house.

When she did finally go out again, it was as hellish as before. The same stinging stares and whispers. Even worse when people started turning her away- barring her from places she frequented before. Some have no clear answers, while some were more upfront about it.

No one wanted a fusion in their establishment.

“You’re not a real Pokemon.”

There wasn’t much help available to fusions. Frustrated, she turned back to rebel work. She went around, working for whatever rebel group she came across. Less and less, she spent time at home. She’d disappear for months, stay for a few hours, then disappear again. Often, she’d rebuke Hyeon-eun’s attempts to get her to stay longer. She had more important places to be.

Meanwhile, her methods became more and more violent. She took her anger out on the World Government and its supporters. In her wake, she’d leave behind charred bodies and burning buildings. She stopped caring about whether or not she had gone too far. Violence is the only language the WG understands. To truly bring about change, the whole thing needed to be torn down.

The smell of burnt flesh filled the air alongside the raging flames. The intense orange-red glow made the area look almost hellish. Hovering above was the figure of a Ninetales/Reshiram fusion. Her white wings and halo of flames, granted to her by her Drought ability, gave her an angelic look. The ball of flame in front of her grew larger and larger as she prepared to use Fusion Flare to finish off any survivors.

Five years working alone. As soon as he finished his work, he’d disappeared as quickly as he showed up. His species’s natural ability to sink into shadows aided him in evading attempts to capture him. Claiming bounties were enough to keep him afloat.

The others started calling her “Daybreaker”. She didn’t mind it. In fact, it stuck, becoming her go-to codename. As she became more well-known among rebels, she attracted more and more attention from WG supporters. Especially as her exploits became bolder. Soon people were out to hunt the elusive Daybreaker.

She knew she needed to say goodbye- leave and never come back. She was putting Hyeon-eun and his father in more danger whenever she came home. However, after seeing the light in their eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to tell them. They were so happy to see her…

That night was special. It was just her and Hyeon-eun taking on the city. They visited their favourite places- arcades, shops, restaurants, whatever. They were happy. A childhood they never got to share. The two smiled and laughed, even as they had to eventually come back home.

<“I’m so glad to have you in my life.“>

As he fell asleep, Sae-byeok snuck into his room to leave a letter on his desk. It was written a few days ago- a heartfelt apology, as well as telling them not to look for her.

Looking back one last time, she flew off into Caligo’s night sky without a word.

They never saw each other again after that.

It probably was for the best. She’d be putting him in danger if she went back. Even if she did, what would she say? What would Hyeon Eun say? She can’t go back after just leaving like that. Even years after, that agonizing feeling persisted.

The next few years were spent constantly moving around. At times, she’d join up with a rebel group to assist in the revolution. But she’d never stay for too long. At the back of her mind, she wondered if she truly was making a difference.

She went silent for a while, laying low to avoid further attention. Only when the wormhole problem started did she start to resurface. Seeing the mistreatment of Deltas reignited her resolve. Of course, the World Government was pulling this shit. Behind the scenes, she provided as much help as she could to the Deltas.

The whispers of battle caught her attention. A storm was brewing on both Cimex and Draconis. With determination, she set out to join the fight against the WG once more.

The flames of revolution will not die.

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