A/N: Yes, another Pokemon one-shot. This was an entry one week for the WAR Fan Fiction section this year at PE2K. And this actually got second in the week it was entered. ^^ Anyway, just keep in mind that it's based off of Mystery Dungeon.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, but I own the characters.
Human
"Y-you said nobody would get hurt," the Cyndaquil rasped, emotions making his voice hoarse. He looked up at me with those eyes, those eyes that had always seemed to hold so much warmth and love to me, even when no one else could really see it. That warmth was extinguished by the tears of sadness that rolled down his tan cheeks, the love replaced by anguish. My heart nearly broke then and there for my companion, who I had been through so much with, crying for the first time in what had seemed an eternity. What really tore me up inside was the knowledge that it was entirely my fault.
"You said we'd help people," he went on, those eyes still cutting into me. "We'd save everyone! And we did! Don't you remember?" I glanced to the side, unable to meet those eyes. I stared hard at the green grass of the hill.
"… Yeah," I finally said. "I remember."
"Then why are you doing this to me?!" I winced at the raw pain in his voice. "You think this isn't hurting me? Do I really mean that little to you?" His last words struck a chord in me. Angry, I looked again at his tear-stained face, and only hesitated for a second.
"Dammit, Hiei, you mean everything to me!" His own anger immediately changed to surprise, though whether it was my tone or my words, I couldn't tell. I reeled in my fury, shoved it away, and took a deep breath.
"We both knew it was going to come to this," I continued more calmly. "I'm a human, Hiei. Not a Bulbasaur. Not a Pokémon at all. I don't belong here. I have to go home."
"No you don't." I almost didn't catch his words, they were whispered so quietly. "You don't have to. You can stay here. This is your home now." He was so desperate, but I knew what I had to do. There was no way I could back out now. I had to go back home, back to being a human. As much as I wanted to stay, I just couldn't let my friends and family there wonder where I was. They had the right to know.
"I'm sorry," I said quietly, moving forward to hold him in the best hug I could manage. "But I have to go. I'm so, so sorry, Hiei." He didn't say anything, but I could hear his sobs, I could feel his body shaking though our embrace. I hated to do this. I hated to see him so upset. But I had no choice.
Then, suddenly, his back lit up. I yelped in pain, the hot flames licking my paw where it had been near one of the pores that ignited. As soon as I released him, he pulled away, shuffling several steps backwards.
"No, you're not," he hissed, his gaze accusing. "You don't care. If you did, you'd stay!" With that, he turned and ran.
"Hiei! Wait!" I started after him, ignoring the pain of my burned paw, but a hand on my shoulder held me back. I looked back into soulful crimson eyes.
"Gardevoir…" I whispered. Her appearance only meant one thing.
"He will heal in time," she assured me, though I saw the sympathy she felt for him in her eyes. She had lost someone too, after all. "But there is no time. We must go now." I turned back to where Hiei had disappeared, pausing for just a second. Then, slowly, I nodded. I felt the first tear fall, but I didn't bother to wipe it away. More would be following soon.
"I know. I'm ready." As soon as the words left my lips, I felt warmth starting in my paws, working upward through my body until I felt nothing but that warmth. The grassy hill where I had last seen Hiei slowly dissolved, leaving nothing but blackness and the light that surrounded me. With nothing left to see, I simply closed my eyes and waited.
---
The ringing of the bell awoke me from my daydream.
I ran my fingers through my black bangs, sighing. I'd been thinking about Hiei again, about our last meeting. No matter what I did, he always seemed to jump into my mind whenever I had nothing else to think about. I had already been back in the human world for a month now, and I was well back into the swing of things. It was almost strange, how no one seemed to notice my disappearance. No more than a single night had passed here, amazingly, and no one had missed me a bit. It made me wonder what would have happened if I hadn't of come back at all. If I had stayed with Hiei.
I shook my head. That wasn't an option. All that was behind me now, anyway. I was here, and Hiei wasn't. We'd both just have to cope. Besides, I had school to concentrate on now, and high school made fighting Rayquaza look easy. Absently, I rubbed the smooth burn scar on the palm of my hand. It was the only thing I had to remember that time by.
"Well, class, we're going to be having a new student joining us for the rest of the year." The teacher's voice cut through my thoughts. Surprised, I couldn't help but look up. It was a boy about my age, sixteen. His skin was rather pale, and his short hair bright red, with longer bangs framing his face. He smiled just a little shyly. It was his eyes, though, that really caught my attention. They were a dark blue, almost black, and in them I saw that warmth and love that I had been missing for so long. I couldn't look away. Could it really…?
"My name is Henry Cinder," he said, his voice so familiar that it made my heart sing.
"You can sit by Anna there, Henry." I only vaguely registered the fact that the teacher was indicating the seat directly in front of me. Henry moved slowly to the seat, then paused, flashing me a bright, genuine smile, before sitting down. With that, class started.
For the first fifteen minutes, I was quiet. I wasn't sure what to say, really. Sure, he had smiled at me, but was he just doing that just because he had to sit in front of me? And was it really Hiei? It couldn't be, could it? I didn't think I could take a letdown like that. Gradually, though, my curiosity overcame my fears.
"… Hiei?" I whispered quietly. I heard the smile in his voice when he replied.
"Hello, Anna."
"Oh my god," I gasped. "It's you. How—"
"Gardevoir," he murmured, glancing over his shoulder at me. "I'm just so glad to see you. I wasn't sure if you'd be at this school, but this is where Gardevoir brought me, and I trusted her judgment."
"Still, how did you manage all this?" I asked. "School, everything—"
"Anna, is there something you'd like to tell the class?" I stopped midsentence as I was cut off by our teacher. I blushed slightly. I could see everyone looking at me, surprised that I had actually been talking in class. I had always been one of the quiet ones.
"No, sir," I answered, looking down at the blank page of my notebook I had left open for my notes.
"Then I'd appreciate it if you would pay attention instead of talking to Henry." With that, he continued on with the lesson.
"I'll tell you later," Henry said back under our teacher's voice. I just nodded, not quite daring to say anything more.
Though I was curious, the how didn't really matter. I only cared about one thing—and that was the fact that Hiei was back in my life. I knew I had hurt him by leaving, but I hadn't realized that, in the process, I had hurt myself as well. Not until I had him back.
I smiled to myself. Everything was going to be fine. With any luck, neither of us would have to be hurt again. Quickly, I started trying to make up my notes.