MSW 2018 Day 1: Past
"Mama, you always polish that every now and then. What is it?" a voice called out to her. Manon turned to see her daughter standing at the threshold of her bedroom. She moved to make space on the bed and patted the spot beside her.
"Come here, my love, I'll tell you a little story of why this medal is so special," Manon said.
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"Wow! You and Papa were really heroes who saved Kalos? So, where's Papa's medal? And his Pokémon League Championship trophy?" Her daughter asked, eager to see the mementos from the past. "If they are so important, we should display them in the living room, like we do with our family pictures!"
"Well," Manon said, "your papa is actually quite humble, and a little shy, but don't tell him I said that. He thinks it would be showing off if he displayed them, so we just keep it in this box." Manon shifted over a rag used to cushion the precious items and took out a shiny trophy.
"Wow, Mama, you must clean this a lot, it's still so golden!"
"I like to reminisce over the past every now and then. It's the past that makes the person you are today, anyway," Manon said, placing a kiss on her daughter's temple. "Now if I'm not mistaken, it's time for you to get back to your lesson."
Her daughter jumped off from the bed, her braid bouncing with the action. "You and Papa will tell me more stories about your adventures, won't you?"
"Of course, we will, dear," Manon smiled. She waved good bye and took out the second medal from the box, setting her cloth to clean the dust from it. Manon held it up and moved it back and forth. The medal caught the light and sparkled.
Due to her attentiveness, Manon didn't notice until too late the dip in the bed nor the arms reaching around to hug her from behind. A voice spoke directly into her ear, "A blast from the past, Manon?"
Manon startled and nearly hit her husband with her head. "Alan! Don't scare me like that! What if I had thrown this!"
Alan laughed and pulled his wife to sit on his lap. "You're right, I don't want a repeat of the broken dinner plate."
"That was entirely your fault, Alan, and you know it," Manon said with a straight face. She cracked a smile and kissed Alan on the lips. "Anyway, our daughter was a curious little thing and wanted to know what was so special about these. So, I told her all about how you were a Pokémon League Champion, and how we helped save Kalos. Don't be surprised if she asks you about that for a bedtime story."
Alan smirked but immediately furrowed his brows, and she knew what he must be thinking of. Time and time again, she had reassured her husband that she held no ill will against him for joining Team Flare and (unknowingly) aiding their cause to destroy Kalos, especially since he only followed their orders for her and her Chespin's sakes.
Manon kissed his forehead and brought up a hand to smooth away his expression. "You know what I told our daughter?"
"What?"
"That the past is part of what makes us who we are today and to embrace it. Besides, marriage is about accepting the good and the bad parts of a person, and I'll always stay by your side, Alan," Manon said.
Alan leaned up to touch their foreheads together. "You know just what to say, Manon. Thank you. And I love you." He kissed her softly, pouring his feelings of love into that gesture.
"I love you, too, Alan."