hey hey hey it's autumnzie, and i'm back at it again with the angst! i think i like suffering at this point, so i wrote this. enjoy :^)
Nacrene City was well known for its rustic charm. Many of the city's old warehouses and factories were kept preserved, and eventually renovated into buildings that held various small businesses. It was this very charm that attracted avant-garde artists and hipsters alike, with the place's many brick walls acting as a blank canvas for open minds. And as one may guess, wherever the hipsters decided to reside, the world's best coffee shops couldn't be too far behind.
Coffee shops made up many of the city's small, home owned businesses. And they stayed in business for a reason. Rumor had it that some of these recipes could help heal the soul. That just one cup, one sip, would soothe all worries and sorrows. Pretty stupid gimmick, but it still attracted people.
And it was this very rumor that attracted Bianca to Nacrene City that day. Ever since the events at the Pokémon League, her good friend, White, had most definitely not been the same. And who could blame her? Her most trusted friend and partner was straight up stolen, just cruelly trapped and locked away by some power crazed maniac.
And the worst part? All the poor girl could do was watch, as acting would have sealed her fate away in that stone as well.
"Bianca, can I go now?" White asked, staring at her friend with heavy eyes. The emptiness in her voice could easily be felt. "I told you I wasn't up for this."
With that rumor about healing sorrows and all, Bianca was desperate to bring White to Nacrene City's newest café: The Spark. Its name was supposed to be inspired by an awakening… a bright, brilliant spark in someone's life. The place itself seemed modern, which was pretty odd for Nacrene City. The building was made up of brick like the others, yes, but the interior just screamed stylish and contemporary. Its main color scheme was monochrome, but there were bright, various pops of red, as seen in the furniture and ceiling lights.
The two girls were sitting outside on the patio, a slight breeze drifting in their direction. Both of them had small cups of coffee in their hands.
"I'm sorry, White," Bianca replied. "I thought this would help you."
"Me too, but," the teen tried to add, starting to feel awful about her rude behavior towards Bianca. "I can't stop thinking about it. We came here months ago. The museum… if we just avoided that museum, he could have been-"
"White," Bianca sternly said, taking a deep breath. "We both know that wouldn't have changed anything. The gym is there."
The two sat in silence for a while longer, as White had nothing to say. It was decently humid out, and summer was well in its prime. It did nothing but remind White of that day. She deeply sighed. On that day… the sun was setting, and a warm breeze gusted about as the stone flew off…
No. White leaned back in her seat, placing an uneasy and shaking hand on her head. She was out with Bianca; these thoughts could be held off until later.
But, she was so weak? Wasn't she? She couldn't even stop Ghetsis. He only had one active Pokémon, and what was she good for? Staring at Black with a stunned, horrified look on her face. Having her feet planted to the ground. Holding Gigi in her arms.
She had no idea what was going on through his head. His eyes that were so full of feeling and emotion, his dedication to their promise… nothing could tell her. What was he thinking? He cared for her so much. In fact, he looked close to tears. He was about to be sealed away forever, and his main priority was her. They had so much opportunity. They could have been so much together. And a few moments of inaction on her part destroyed that. She destroyed it.
Breathing became hard. With her hand still on her head, her chest began to rise uneasily. Sharp inhales and exhales brought on mild panic. Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes.
His face… oh, his face…
That's all she could see. The gentleness in his features. The way his warm, brown eyes seemed to melt her. The way they attempted to tell her that everything would be okay. That he would be okay.
That imagine constantly burned in her mind, sparking a whole new wave of emotions each time it resurfaced. She breathed in sharply yet again, but this time, a soft sob alerted Bianca to the girl's inner torment.
"White?" she asked, looking at the young president's face. It was stained red, all blotchy and uneven. She put a hand on her shoulder as she continued to sob. "Do you need to talk?"
White simply shook her head, unable to come up with a coherent sentence. What could she say?
"I…" she finally sputtered out, voice gravelly. "Ruined everything…"
Bianca quietly shushed her, her hand now gently rubbing back and forth. "There was nothing you could do… please, understand that."
"He…" she tried to counter, a sharp sniff cutting off her words. "I never told him… I…"
The two sat in silence for a moment longer, with Bianca staring at her with pure sympathy and pity. Words were hard to come by, and nothing seemed to fit in with the moment. So, there they sat, with the wind gently caressing their faces, the sun's last few rays of light brilliantly reflecting off of the coffee in their mugs. It then hit her.
"You loved him," Bianca finally said, her voice softer than a whisper. "Didn't you?"
White's sobs ceased, and she only stared off at the city with a torn, broken look. "I never told him," she simply muttered, her voice still shaken. "It was my fault… I…"
"Don't say that," Bianca tried to comfort. "We'll find him, I promise."
"But… how? How are…" White quietly said, tears threatening to come back again. "Who's to say he'll even want to see me? After I did nothing?"
"Please, sweetie, don't say that," Bianca pleaded, an empathetic smile adorning her lips. "That boy was crazy about you." A short laugh escaped from her mouth. "The way he talked about you… he never talked about me like that. Not about Cheren… no one. He was so crazy about you."
The young president sat in stunned silence. Even if she wanted to cry, she couldn't now. It had never occurred to her that… that he could possibly…
That look in his eyes. It all made sense, and it absolutely broke her heart.
"We'll bring him back," Bianca continued, catching onto White's lack of words. "I promise you that."