Hikari. She is the greatest person I know.
Or was.
She and I. Ever since our childhood, we were together as friends. Always going on amazing adventures, the majority of which I led. I would run through the field and she would be trailing behind me with her slower pace yelling at me to slow down as a caution of myself getting injured.
Those were good times.
When we set off to Verity Lakefront that one afternoon, me dragging her at her feet, planning on finding the legendary Red Gyarados, I knew just then that she and I would be side by side, battling Pokémon and gym leaders, eventually both of us getting to the rank to be the champions of Sinnoh. Then a pair of wild Starlies interrupted my thoughts and proceeded to attack us. We grabbed the briefcase beside us, not knowing whose it was, and opening it to notes, pens, and Poke balls. I grabbed the one on the left, just as Hikari went for it.
Our hands touched for the first time.
There was no time to blush. She glanced up at me, and I tried to shrug off my embarrassment, yet I don't think she noticed, she just looked down and hurriedly grabbed the next one. On the inside, my blood and my feelings mixed together, becoming a confusing combination of like and love.
It has been long since then.
I was foolish then. Thinking that Hikari and I could both be champions. No. Only one. And it happened to be just her. She defeated the former champion Cynthia. I was happy for her, though I was going to miss the times we had. She was going to be busy now. What would I do? What happiness did I have left? My Hikari. She had watched over me for so long. And I had watched close over her.
But not close enough.
As champion, she loved to battle eager trainers. When she had free time, she would come back to Twinleaf to see me and tell me about her recent battles. They were quite boring, usually the same thing over and over. The trainer sent out this Pokémon and she would win the battle. Though they were boring, I listened. She was my Hikari.
One day. That one day.
Hikari planned a nice picnic for just the both of us atop Mt. Cornet. We rode our bikes, racing; to get to the top first was the objective. Whoever arrived there last had to clean up the picnic. I had planned on letting her win. I let her go ahead of me.
Bad idea.
I rounded a corner on the mountain. It was obvious to see by eyes that the path became much more curved, with more turns for challenge. I could see Hikari ahead of me, pedaling fast, her raven hair swishing with the wind. Though I couldn't see her face, I knew what it looked like; worried with fear. The path up ahead began to turn sharp. I was about to call up to tell her to break, but she eased the turn with grace. She made it. I almost fell off my bike in disbelief with the scene I had just witnessed.
I knew in my heart, deep within, my Hikari could accomplish any challenge.
I completed the sharp turn as well, but alarmed when I didn't see Hikari ahead of me anymore. I jumped off my bike as fast as Hikari had just pedaled. Up ahead, no more than three feet in front of me, was a fallen picnic basket, the contents inside spilling out. I didn't know what to do. Panicked and confused, I picked the basket up. I looked around. I didn't see a bike. I didn't see Hikari.
I called out. The echo of my voice was the only sound I heard.
It was quiet. Inside of my head, my brain rattled. Inside of my chest, my heart ran rapidly. Inside my stomach, the nervous butterflies had awaked. Inside my legs, my bones shivered. This was not like Hikari.
I called out again. No replies. No cries for help, just… nothing.
Then it hit me. I slowly looked down the mountain. Nothing. A cave was nearby. Had she gone to rest in there? No. Nothing. I began to search, and as the Sinnoh sun had begun to set, I was still searching. I searched until about 3am. Due to ripped clothes and the cold temperature, I had to retreat home. My mother was probably worried sick anyways. I rode back down the mountain. I could no longer search. I looked everywhere in the area. Nothing of Hikari was there.
I landed heavily on my bed. I just needed to go to sleep and wake up tomorrow from this terrible nightmare.
The morning had come and I had woken to the sound of my television. I don't remember turning it on. The Sinnoh News Company was reporting of the body of the former Sinnoh Pokémon League Champion found in a tree off the edge of Mt. Coronet. I was alarmed. What happened to Cynthia that required her falling off Mt. Coronet? I put on my shirt and pants and slipped on my shoes to go tell Hikari about the news, figuring she hasn't seen it yet, despite not being a morning person.
No. NO.
There were reporters and flashing cameras outside Hikari's home. Hikari's mother was broken down and sobbing over something. I ran across the road to see what the commotion was. When I approached, her mother came to my side and put a hand on my shoulder. The words that escaped her mouth in shallow breaths were the words that crushed my soul.
"Jun, Hikari didn't… return last night. Jun, she… is dead…."
I was stunned. I stood there and looked into the sky which suddenly became cloudy and gloomy. My knees grew weak and I plummeted to the ground. I screamed in agony and heartfelt pain as I tried to comprehend the news I just heard. The clouds released their waiting stress and the ground became soaked with rain and my tears.
Several hours later.
Hours later it seemed. I was cold and turning blue, both on the inside and outside. It was still raining and every inch of my body was covered in rain, tears, and dirt. I stood up and retreated back to my home. There was a note on the door saying that my mother had traveled to Veilstone for shopping goods. That was okay. I wanted to be alone. I trudged my dirty self up the steps of the house and to my bedroom and collapsed again. I didn't know how I was going to cope with myself anymore.
This happened many months ago. I am sitting on the ground, in the rain at her grave mourning the year-long anniversary of my best friend's death. I pray to Arceus that she is doing okay in a better place, and hope that she is watching my every movement. I want her to see that I miss her and want her to understand my true feelings for her.
"Hikari, if you are listening from above, please listen closely. That day on the mountain when we were racing up the slope, I let you go ahead of me on purpose. It was a bad idea. I should have watched out for you more carefully. I am sorry. It is my fault you are dead. I mourn every day and I know I shouldn't. It must hurt you to see me so upset. I will aim to become stronger, and I will follow in your steps to become the new champion of Sinnoh. I wish you well in your better place, with your Empoleon and the others. For now, Jun."
I stood up from the grave site and began walking back to my bike. There was a tree south of her grave. I walked up to it and found a sharp stick in the grass to write with.
JUN LOVES HIKARI FOREVER
I hopped on my wet bike and pedaled onward. Just as if it were a sign from Hikari to I, the rain cleared up and the sun came out. Somewhere in the sky the clouds formed in the shape of Hikari's calm, cheerful face. She smiled at me. I knew from that day she was doing just fine.