LEARN TO FLY
Hey. Name's Zach. Well, Zachary, but you get the drift. I've always been a happy-go-lucky type. Well… that's not really true.
You see, I was a rather serious fellow. But something happened. Something… unexpected. Something, dare I say it, sweet.
This is how I learned to fly.
Zachary packed his briefcase, picked it up and stood. He walked out of the meeting room, muttering a quick goodbye to Kelly as he passed her. As he exited the Cityworks Incorporated building, his steps grew quick and tense. The memories of the meeting came back in full force.
How dare that upstart Floatzel try to change MY mind! Zachary mentally raged. I am the president of Cityworks Incorporated! I am the one who decides where resources will go! Not a common water-dweller!
He brushed past other Pokemon, ignoring their frustrated glances. His eyes focused on some unknown point in the distance, Zachary ended up tripping over a crack in the sidewalk. Eyes narrowing, he pushed himself back up just in time to hear a pleasant bell chime.
The bell soothed his nerves, and his muscles began relaxing. The stony expression on his face cracked into a slight smile. Just what I needed…
The bell chimed again, and a small cart came around a nearby corner. Zachary walked toward the cart. "York! Hold on, York!"
The cart stopped and a Slurpuff looked out from behind it. "Zachary!" the Slurpuff exclaimed. "I wondered when I'd see you!"
Zachary chuckled. "Here I am. What do you have today?"
York rubbed his chin. "Let's see… there's a new batch of cheri ice cream, a new batch of hondew and honey ice cream, and a watmel sherbet. I've also got the usual oran bars."
"Oooh," Zachary sighed, rubbing his hands together. "I'll take two scoops of the hondew and honey. Fifty, right?"
Nodding, York opened up a hatch in the cart. He reached inside the cart and pulled out a wafer-like confection and wrapped it into a cone. Reaching back inside the cart, York took a scoop and carved two large balls of hondew and honey ice cream and dropped them into the cone. He put the scoop back into the cart, closed the hatch, and handed Zachary the cone. Zachary accepted the cone and gave York a coin.
"Say, Zachary," York said, stowing the coin in a pouch on the cart, "do you happen to know if Jude's still at work?"
Zachary licked the ice cream, a blissful smile on his face. "He was when I left," he replied, recovering enough to answer. "That Trevenant is going to put down roots in the building at the rate he's going."
York laughed. "I'm not so sure about that, Zachary." The Slurpuff ran a hand over the side of the cart. He looked at his hand and shook his head. "This cart is getting battered… I'm going to need Marshall to take a look at it."
There was no response from Zachary. He was busy eating his ice cream. "I never told you!" York exclaimed. He knocked on the cart and a head poked out of the back.
"What?"
"Come on, sis! I want you to meet someone," York said. The head retreated into the cart, but emerged again, followed by the rest of the body. Zachary paused mid-lick. The Slurpuff who had come out of the cart shook itself, dust falling off of its body.
"York, the cart's in bad condition. Worse than we thought," the Slurpuff, a female, commented. "We need some urgent repairs."
"Forget that right now," York urged, turning the Slurpuff around. Zachary swallowed. "Zachary, this is my sister, Mint."
Mint looked Zachary over with a critical eye. "A business fellow, eh? Well, it's nice to meet you." Mint held out a hand. Zachary, with great difficulty, grasped her hand and shook it. "Doesn't talk much. Do you like the hondew and honey? I churned it myself."
Zachary was about ready to fall over. "It's… it's the best ice cream I've ever tasted," he stammered. Mint rolled her eyes.
"I hope you didn't get me out here just to try and set me up," Mint told York sternly. "I've told you before: I'll get married when I find the right one." Mint glanced over at Zachary. "Have a nice day, Zach." She opened up a hatch on the cart and crawled in, closing the hatch behind her.
York shook his head in amusement. "That wasn't why I introduced you to him, Mint."
"I'm not listening!" Mint's muffled voice came from inside the cart.
"Sorry about that," York said to Zachary. "She's somewhat… touchy at times. Family's been trying to get her to get married for a year now. So she came here to get away from it all." York frowned at Zachary's slack expression. "Hello? Zachary?" He waved a hand in front of Zachary's eyes, and the Toxicroak jumped.
"What? Oh, yes. Well, thank you for the ice cream." Zachary began walking off. "I wish you and Mint a good day."
As Zachary hurried off, York grinned.
"I can't believe myself!" Zachary shouted. He threw his briefcase onto his bed. "Falling for the first available face. Though…" He sighed. "She was very pretty… No!"
He walked into another room of his house and began punching a sand bag. "I gave it all up! I don't want that!"
"Zach, I'm worried about you."
"Why, Mother?"
"Well… you've started calling me 'Mother' instead of 'Mom.' And you haven't been seeing any females. Are you… going to be single your whole life?"
"Mother, I don't care about falling in love and getting married. What I want is fame and fortune. Love can take a hike."
"Don't talk like that, Zach!"
"And it's 'Zachary,' Mother."
"Where are you going, Zach?"
"I'm going to find my fortune."
Zachary lunged at the sand bag, landing a series of punches that sent the sand bag spinning. With a final punch, the bag flew off of its hook and onto the floor. He stood there, breathing heavily.
"Zach…"
Turning, he pushed aside the memories and stomped to his kitchen. Two glasses shattered in his strained grip before he was able to calm himself down enough to safely mix up a draught of honey milk.
He drained half of the glass in a single gulp, then started sipping the mix every so often. Pulling down a book, All's Fair by Melvin the Magmar, Zachary opened the book to the first page. The first sentence hooked Zachary on the story of Xeroa and Fillip. He paused occasionally to mix up more honey milk, and finally fell asleep at his kitchen table at three in the morning.
A buzzing greeted Zachary as he woke up. He silently vowed to never drink fourteen glasses of honey milk and stay up late again. It wasn't worth it.
The first thing Zachary did when he arrived at the Cityworks building was tell his secretary, a Gulpin named Gary, to ask Jude to take his place in all of his scheduled meetings. Gary nodded in acknowledgment and made himself a note as Zachary opened the door to his office.
He put his briefcase on his desk and opened it. Shuffling through the papers, he noticed a couple of projects that needed his approval right away. Zachary's desk was spotless, but as he searched for a pen, thumbtacks and pencils and sticky notes scattered everywhere. Finally grabbing a pen, Zachary scribbled a signature on the approval forms and took the forms to Gary's desk. He closed the door behind him.
A sudden melancholy overcame Zachary. It was so unlike him that, for a moment he wondered if he were dreaming. Lines from All's Fair began running through his head.
"Xeroa… We can never be more than friends." Fillip turned away and Xeroa didn't see the tear slide down his face.
"Fillip, don't leave!" Xeroa raced forward and caught Fillip by the shoulder. "Why can't we be more than friends?"
Fillip turned to Xeroa, tears coursing down his face. "You're not invested in this relationship, Xeroa. If we're going to be more than friends… you need to give up some things."
Zachary grabbed his thoughts back and sunk a punch into the carpeted floor. His eyes were narrowed into slits. "I have accomplished too much to give things up for her," he muttered. Zachary marched to his desk and, ignoring the insistent buzzing in his head, started going through the day's papers.
There were construction projects to double-check, budgets to balance, and internal reorganizations to finalize. Zachary managed to lose himself in the day's work. There were a few times that the melancholy came back, but he was easily able to push it away. Things were beginning to look up.
By the time six had rolled around, the buzzing in Zachary's head had dissipated and he was in a very good mood. He locked his office, handed a stack of papers to Gary, said hello to Kelly as she passed him, and left the building.
On the stairs of the Cityworks building, Zachary took a deep breath of the warm evening air. He stood there, watching the colors of the sunrise paint the City in reds, oranges, and pinks. An irrepressible sense of happiness came over him.
Zachary descended the stairs, humming tunelessly. Other Pokemon eyed him warily. Zachary's no-nonsense attitude was well-known. The general consensus was that, if he happened to be in a good mood, it would rapidly dissipate, and the best place was to be on the other side of the City when that happened.
As Zachary walked down the street, he saw York standing next to his ice cream cart. The Slurpuff was dishing out cheri and bluk ice cream to a group of hungry children. Zachary smiled.
He stopped at the cart. "Ice cream's on me today, kids," he said. The children gasped, but quickly began cheering. Zachary turned to York. "How much was it?"
York took a pad of paper and did some quick calculations. "Three hundred seventy, Zachary."
Zachary opened his briefcase and pulled out four coins. He closed his briefcase and handed the coins to York. "Keep the change, York. It's for Mint." He was in such a good mood that he could think about Mint without getting upset.
As the children raced off, York tucked away the coins. "Mint isn't here today, Zachary."
"That's just fine. Do you have any honey and hondew?"
York scooped up a double cone and handed it to Zachary, accepting a coin in return. "You're the only one who likes that flavor," the Slurpuff remarked as Zachary licked the ice cream. "Well, the only one besides Bill," York amended.
"Who is this 'Bill'?" Zachary mumbled through his ice cream. "He must be a cool fellow if he likes honey and hondew ice cream."
"Ever heard of the Café Na Rigara?" York asked. Zachary nodded. "He's the Lucario pianist there."
"I may be paying him a visit," Zachary mused. York packed up his cart.
"If you do, let him know that I've got a new flavor for him to try."
"What is it?"
"Cheri and honey. You can try it, too."
"I'd love to!"
Zachary looked over the front of the Café Na Rigara. The bricks were worn from years of existence. The single window was slightly spotted from a rainstorm three nights back. The door was a warm, welcoming wood. He smiled. "Very… inviting."
"I'm glad you think so," a voice said from behind him. Zachary spun around, briefcase lifted and ready to strike. The voice belonged to an Ampharos that was leaning back, hands in the air. "Whoa, hold on there! Didn't mean to scare you."
"Sorry about that," Zachary apologized, lowering his briefcase. "I've been feeling out of sorts."
The Ampharos waved away Zachary's apology. "No problem, no problem at all. Are you going in?"
At Zachary's nod, the Ampharos stepped around him and opened the door. "After you, my friend."
"You never told me your name," Zachary commented as he entered the Café Na Rigara.
"Alex. What about you?" Alex asked as he entered the Café behind Zachary.
"Zach." Zachary stopped in his tracks. "No, I meant Zachary. I'm sorry. Agh!"
Alex's forehead wrinkled. "Calm down, Zach. There's no need to be sorry or upset."
"It's not that… Yesterday I felt unlike myself," Zachary explained. "It started with a female…"
Alex chuckled. "Doesn't everything? It feels like it, at least." As Alex led Zachary to the bar of the Café, a Lucario popped up from behind the counter.
"Alex! Whew. I thought you were Davy," the Lucario said brightly. "Who is this?"
"Zach, meet Bill, our resident eccentric. He likes to play the piano, hide behind counters, and eat hondew berries with honey."
Bill leapt over the counter and shook Zachary's hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Zach. Do you happen to like hondew berries with honey?" Bill laughed at himself. "Look at me! That should have been one of the last things I said."
Zachary smiled. It felt strange and, somehow, comforting. Smiling didn't come naturally to Zachary, but it was warming. "It's no problem, Bill. I do like hondew berries and honey."
Bill's eyes went wide. "Are you serious?" Zachary nodded, suddenly apprehensive. He flinched as Bill jumped and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Ha! That makes three!" Bill yelled. Then, quite quickly, Bill calmed down. "I'm sorry," Bill said again. "I really need to work on toning down my reactions. Welcome to the Café Na Rigara, Zach."
"Thank you," Zachary replied, not caring enough to correct Bill. He sat down on a stool, and Alex sat next to him. Bill, meanwhile, went behind the counter and began mixing a drink.
"Do you like cheri au lait?" Bill asked over his shoulder.
"I've never tried it," Zachary admitted. Bill nodded and turned back to his work. Alex shot a glance at Zachary.
"Zach, do you know what Na Rigara means?" Alex questioned. Bill turned around, eyes curious.
"I thought it was just a name," Zachary said. "I didn't realize it meant anything." Bill chuckled. Zachary looked at him.
"It does mean something." Bill took a glass and wiped it out thoughtfully. "When John took over ownership of the Café, it was only known as the Café. John was the previous owner," Bill explained in response to Zachary's quizzical look. "Well, he thought and thought. He didn't like the idea of such a simple moniker. So he went to the University and looked through the library.
"He came across a book by an old author. I can't remember the name of the author, but the name of the book was Na Rigara. In the book, one of the characters uses the phrase 'na rigara.' The phrase meant 'of peace.'" Bill chuckled again. "So John renamed the Café to the Café Na Rigara, or 'café of peace.' And it's really lived up to its name. The Café Na Rigara is one of the most peaceful places I know."
Zachary looked around the Café. The spotless tables of worn brown wood, the polished piano standing slightly above the rest of the Café, green walls with dark brown trim, and a bar packed with weathered stools… Zachary smiled softly.
"I can understand that."
"Sorry about being away, York." Mint came up behind York. He looked over his shoulder and smiled slightly.
"Don't worry, Mint." York continued to put away the ice cream in the large freezer in their apartment. "Zachary came by today."
Mint's eyes narrowed. "Why do I care?" she asked brusquely. "I don't like him."
York shrugged. "He took the bill for the group of children that we always get in the afternoon. A full three hundred seventy, with thirty as a tip." As York closed the freezer, he gestured to the bag hanging on the wall. "He said it was for you."
"What? Why would he do that?"
York chuckled. "I don't know, Mint. It's possible he…. that he's attracted to you, sis. Don't think too much of it."
Mint threw her arms in the air. "How am I supposed to do that, York? When a guy pays for someone else's ice cream and indicates that the tip is for a girl, what else are you supposed to do? Completely forget? That's impossible!"
Rolling his eyes, York took a plate out of the refrigerator. "You need to lighten up, sis. A guy can be nice without being in love."
"It's statistically impossible," Mint replied, shaking a finger at York. "But maybe you're right. Will we see him tomorrow?"
York shook his head in amusement. "Probably. That's where our route always takes us at six." Out of the corner of his eye, York saw a smile on Mint's face.
Zachary was doubled over, laughing. Alex was rubbing down the counter, chuckling. Roger, who had shown up with Kelly about an hour earlier, had his head resting on the counter as tears streamed from his eyes.
Kelly glanced over to the counter from where she was sitting. "I didn't get the joke, Estelle."
"Don't be too upset, Kelly," Estelle said absently, stirring her cheri au lait. "I don't understand half the jokes that Bill tells. I think it's a guy thing."
Roger, still laughing, raised his head and wiped his eyes. "Bill, I can't believe you actually punched Xander in the face!"
Bill nodded smugly. "Well, once I heard Farby's story, I tracked the guy down. The rest you know." He sipped his hondew and honey smoothie. "But I think it's time for Zach to tell us a story."
Zachary uncurled slowly, and, as he breathed deeply, rubbed his stomach. "Ah, that hurts. I shouldn't stay around you all."
Roger patted Zachary on the back. "I try to stay away, Zach, but I just can't. You're not the only one!"
"Well, that's good to know," Zachary commented. "My turn? Hmmm…"
Alex, Bill, and Roger all fell silent, watching Zachary as he struggled to think of something. "Two summers ago, I was walking down Third and Broadmarsh. Marshall at Wooden Notes wanted my advice about something." Zachary chuckled. "I don't know why. Music isn't in my repertoire. I have a sand bag in my apartment, not an instrument. Well… that's not completely true. But that's beside the point.
"Anyway, Marshall wanted me to see if a saxophone was in tune," Zachary continued. "He knew that I've played the sax before. That was so long ago, though. Well, I took the saxophone in my hands and began to play."
Bill's eyes widened. "Oh no… This isn't good." Zachary nodded in reply.
"The most horrible sound came out of the saxophone!" Zachary exclaimed. He mimed playing a sax. "The only thing I've heard that even compares to it is… the shrieking of a tree as it falls over."
Alex grimaced. Roger's eyes were closed, as though he were trying to imagine what a shrieking tree sounded like. Bill was shuddering.
"Marshall covered his ears as I played," Zachary said. "But as my fingers began to remember the notes, the sound grew far more tolerable. Marshall slowly uncovered his ears. I took the saxophone from my lips and said, 'Well, it's just fine. I'm not, though!' Marshall chuckled as he took the instrument back."
Roger was snickering. Alex smacked him on the shoulder. "That's a horrible story, Roger!" Alex exclaimed. "Don't laugh!"
"It's hilarious!" Roger countered. "Just be glad you didn't hear it."
"I don't need to hear it," Bill whispered. "It echoes through my head. It's almost like the choir bells of doom."
Zachary spread his hands out. "It was awful, I will admit. Even with my long-dormant ear I knew how bad it was. Marshall gave the sax a quick polish and handed it to me. 'You need this more than I do, my friend.' So now I have a saxophone sitting at home." Zachary rubbed his cheek thoughtfully. "I really ought to practice…"
Alex gave Zachary a quizzical look. "Why? What would you need to practice for?"
Shrugging, Zachary took a glass that sat in front of him full of pinap juice. "Maybe Mint would like it…" Zachary trailed off and took a sip of the juice.
Bill shook himself into attention. "Mint? Is she the girl?"
"How did you know there was a girl, Bill?" Alex asked, hanging up his rag.
"I was hiding behind the counter, but I still heard that."
Zachary chuckled absently, swirling his pinap juice. "You're right, Bill. Mint's the girl. She's a Slurpuff, and she happens to be York's sister. Ahhh…" Zachary sighed. "She's beautiful…"
Roger nodded in understanding. As he opened his mouth, Zachary stiffened and grimaced. "Bad pinap juice?" Roger questioned.
"No!" Zachary exclaimed, getting off of his stool. "I'm not in love with Mint! I'm not!" He began pacing, hands clenched behind his back.
Bill stood quickly. He recognized this behavior. "Calm down, Zach."
"My name is not 'Zach!' You insist on calling me that, but it's not my name!" Zachary yelled. Bill held up a paw to catch Zachary's punch.
"Zachary, stop this right now!" Bill said sternly. "Calm yourself down or I will escort you out of the Café."
The Toxicroak was breathing rapidly, eyes shifting between Bill and the door. His fists were clenching and unclenching quickly, but the process began to slow down. Breathing deepened, and Zachary's eyes stopped shifting and closed. His hands finally uncurled completely, and he opened his eyes.
"I'm sorry about that," Zachary mumbled, sitting in a chair. Bill sat next to Zachary. He patted Zachary on the back.
"It's okay, Zachary. You calmed down, and that's the important thing." Bill smiled slightly. "Trying to deny your love for Mint won't help, Zachary. It just won't." He gestured to Estelle, who cocked her head questioningly. "For the longest time, Estelle denied that she had some sort of feelings for John. Until she accepted those feelings, she was rather… unhappy, shall we say."
Estelle rolled her eyes and continued talking to Kelly. Zachary opened his watery eyes and looked at Bill. "I… Love is foreign, Bill. I've spent so much time accumulating a fortune that I've forgotten how to really express love."
Bill leaned on the table, paw under his chin. "Well, that's no problem, Zachary. Do you love Mint?"
Zachary tensed, then sagged. "Yes," he whispered.
"That's the first step," Bill said. He smiled encouragingly. "The next step is to try and spend time with Mint. Ask her out on a date. Be… well, try and find the self that you left behind. I think that's your true self. This," Bill continued, gesturing to all of Zachary, "is not the true you."
Roger came over to the table and sat down heavily. "Zach, one of my good friends once gave me some advice. He said that I needed to 'learn to fly.' I was holding myself down with imaginary limits. He saw that, and his advice was to let go of those limits and leap." The Chesnaught gave a lopsided smile. "I'm going to give you the same advice, Zach. Learn to fly."
"Learn… to fly…" Zachary said quietly. A small smile showed on his face. "I like that. Flying…"
Alex glanced at a very old clock hanging on the wall. "It's nine, everyone. I need to get to the Radiant Star. Good night." As the Ampharos made his way to the door of the Café, he gave both Kelly and Estelle friendly hugs. Roger shook his hand, and Bill performed some complicated ritual with Alex that Zachary couldn't follow.
Zachary held out his hand and Alex pulled him in a bit. "Good luck, brother," Alex whispered. He patted Zachary on the back and exited the Café. Bill yawned and stretched.
"I should probably be heading off as well. I need to help Lilia get Holly to bed," Bill announced, and he left the Café as well. Estelle left after Bill. Roger, Kelly, and Zachary all exited the Café together.
Roger locked the Café. He took Kelly in his arm and looked at Zachary. "Will you make it home okay?" Roger asked. "Don't want my former head boss becoming an icicle."
Zachary chuckled. "Thank you, Roger. But I'll be fine. Go on home. Kelly, take care of him."
Kelly smirked. "Oh, I do."
As Roger and Kelly walked off, arms around each other, Zachary saw a brief image of him walking with his arm around Mint.
"Maybe I can fly," Zachary mused. "But it's going to take some work…"
The next day, Zachary quickly locked up his office, said good-bye to Gary, and left the building. As he headed down the sidewalk, he greeted everyone that he passed, leaving them confused.
At six sharp, Zachary was standing near the corner of the street. A bell chime announced York's presence. The cart trundled up to the corner and stopped in front of Zachary. York emerged from behind the cart, a slight smile on his face.
"Zachary! Always a pleasure to see you. What can I get for you today?"
"I'd like a double scoop, hondew and honey, please," Zachary replied, reaching into his briefcase. York nodded and scooped the ice cream, accepting the coin and handing Zachary the ice cream cone. "And… is Mint here today?"
York gave Zachary a quizzical look, but knocked on the cart anyway. The hatch on the back opened up, and Mint clambered out. "Good to see you again, Zach," she said, smiling brightly. "How are you?"
"I'm doing well. How are you?"
Mint shrugged. "I can't complain. Though," she continued, leaning against the cart, "I did get involved in a new book series recently. Have you read All's Fair?"
Zachary chuckled. "Of course. I finished it two nights ago. It was great."
"Well, Melvin's got a new story out that builds on All's Fair. You might like it. It's called Love and War."
York had been serving ice cream to the daily crowd of children from the school, and, upon hearing the conversation, rolled his eyes. A small Buizel asked York what he was rolling his eyes at, and York just shook his head.
"I will definitely find it at Sandra's," Zachary said. "Say, Mint?"
Mint's smile softened a bit. "Yes?"
Zachary shifted slightly and coughed. "Well… I'm going to the Radiant Star now. Would you... like to come with me?" He reddened as he said it.
"I love the Radiant Star," Mint replied, a red tint creeping to her cheeks. Zachary didn't notice, though. "Sure. That would be nice. York," Mint said, turning to her brother. York glanced at her. "I'm going to go with Zach to the Radiant Star. Will you be okay?"
York laughed as he closed the side hatch of the cart. "I've done this by myself for many years, Mint. I'll be just fine. Go have fun."
"I will! Bye!" Mint exclaimed, giving her brother a quick hug. York shook his head.
Mint started walking down the street and York pulled Zachary to the side. "If I hear that you aren't a good date, you will answer to me. Understand?" Zachary nodded in understanding.
"Don't worry, York. I'll be good to her. I promise." Zachary smiled. York stared at him for a moment before nodding slowly.
"All right. Go on, now." As Zachary hurried to catch up with Mint, York grinned and started pushing the cart down its route, bell chiming as he went.
Zachary had never realized how wonderful it could be to eat alongside a female. He never realized how good it could feel to dance with the same female. Alex occasionally nudged him in the side, but Zachary completely ignored the Ampharos.
As the floor orchestra played a slow melody, Zachary danced with Mint, hand holding hers and other hand on her waist. Alex and Jasmine sat at a table, work done for the moment. Jasmine was resting her head on Alex's shoulder, holding his hand gently.
"Did you ever think that love could come so quickly to two individuals?" Jasmine asked.
"Mutual love? I can't say that I thought that," Alex replied. "You and I had at least six days. Bill and Lilia had a week or more. The one couple I can think of that compares to Zach and Mint would be Ben and Selima. But that's the extreme, I think." Alex let out a breath, smiling. "I really hope they get together."
"As do I," Jasmine murmured sleepily. She yawned, and snuggled closer to Alex.
Zachary was thinking about love as well. He couldn't quite understand it, but he loved Mint. He knew it. That was all he knew, though. He felt so happy when he saw her eyes. Her laugh made him want to leap for joy. It was scary for a fellow who had devoted his life to business, but Zachary wanted to spend the rest of his life making Mint happy.
The night wore on, and at ten forty, Zachary walked Mint home. She entered her house and Zachary walked down to the sidewalk. Their goodnight had been brief but heartfelt. There was no kiss, no hug, but Zachary felt electrified anyway.
He floated home.
The next day, before work, Zachary stopped in at Sandra's. The Flygon was buzzing through the bookstore, setting up the day's stock.
"Sandra?" The Flygon looked over.
"What's up, Z? You're never here this early." Sandra examined Zachary critically. "You need a book about girls? We don't have books about understanding the different genders. Nor do we accept requests to print books like that."
Zachary chuckled. Sandra wrinkled her forehead. "Nothing like that, Sandra. Do you have Melvin's new book, Love and War? York's sister recommended it."
"Everyone wants that book lately. But I've got a couple of copies. Allow me to grab one." Sandra flitted into the back of the bookstore. She also did custom printing jobs, but Zachary wasn't here for that.
Zachary picked up a nearby book. "Starlight in Your Eyes. Interesting…" He flipped the book over and read the back. "Very interesting."
Sandra came out of the back carrying a book. She flew behind a counter. "What are you looking at?" she asked as she took out a binder and opened it.
"Starlight in Your Eyes," Zachary answered. "It looks interesting. Is it any good?"
"Up and coming author," Sandra replied, flipping through the pages in the binder. "For a first book, it's awfully good. Even for a seasoned author, it's very good. I highly recommend it. Especially," Sandra said meaningfully, "if you enjoyed All's Fair."
Zachary nodded and put the book on the counter. "I'll take this one, too."
"Great." Sandra tapped two separate places on a page. "Seven hundred twenty three is your total."
Opening his briefcase, Zachary took out four coins. He handed them to Sandra, who took the coins and handed the books to Zachary. "Keep the change," Zachary said. He smiled and left the bookstore. Sandra's forehead was wrinkled, but she shrugged and put the coins in a pouch behind the counter.
"I didn't get much work done today," Zachary admitted to Mint as they walked slowly down Main Street. "I stopped by Sandra's and picked up Love and War. I also grabbed a new book. Here," Zachary said, opening his briefcase. "You might enjoy it. I read it all today."
Mint took the book Zachary held out to her. "Starlight in Your Eyes," she read. "I've heard about this, but I never found it at Sandra's. How did you find a copy?"
Zachary shrugged. "Luck, I guess. You can have that copy, if you'd like." He stopped as Mint took him by the shoulder. Her eyes were wide.
"I can't do that, Zach! It's yours!"
Chuckling, Zachary patted her hand. "Of course you can. I'm giving it to you, Mint."
Mint sniffed quietly. "No one's ever given me a book just like that… Thank you." Zachary was dumbfounded when Mint gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. She giggled as he rubbed his cheek.
"Wha…"
Zachary waved absently as Mint entered her house. "Love you…" Zachary mumbled. He turned and walked unsteadily in the general direction of his house. He managed, against all odds, to make it to his house.
"Welcome home, Mint," York said from the armchair in the living room. She popped her head in.
"Hi, York."
York turned to look at her. Her face was creased in a giant smile and her eyes were dancing. He laughed. "It went well."
"Oh, York," Mint sighed in happiness, entering the living room and sinking into the couch. "I finally found the one. He's… he's funny, he's thoughtful, he's innocent, and he gave me a brand-new book!"
"Love based on the giving of books is not very stable," York commented, taking a sip of water from a glass on a side table.
"That's not what I meant!" Mint protested.
"I was teasing you, Mint," York said soothingly. "Go on."
"Oh." Mint rapidly regained her blissful attitude. "He's simply incredible, York. I misjudged him that first day, and now I love him."
York's forehead wrinkled. He pushed himself out of his chair and sat down next to Mint. "Mint, please listen to me." She looked at him questioningly. "Don't let the first two dates set your mind in stone. Please think things through rationally before taking the plunge." Mint frowned. York patted her on the shoulder. "I think he's right for you, Mint. But don't dive blindfolded."
Mint nodded slowly, still frowning. "What if… what if, when I take the blindfold off, I see that he's not the one?"
"That's up to you, Mint," York replied. "But… once you've removed the blindfold, listen to your heart, all right? That's what Mom would always say. Now, try and get some sleep tonight. All right?" Mint mumbled something unintelligible, and York gave her a hug. He stood and, looking back as he left the living room, saw Mint scribbling on a piece of paper she had found in the couch. York shook his head and went to bed.
Zachary left work early the next day, telling Gary to take the rest of the day off. Gary glanced at the clock.
"Zachary, it's noon. We don't leave until six."
"Today we leave at noon," Zachary said, waving away Gary's protests. "Go home. I know Jemima would love to see you early."
Gary smiled. "Thanks, Zachary."
"And, you know what?" Zachary stopped walking away and walked back to Gary's desk. "Call me Zach. It's less formal, don't you think?"
The Gulpin chuckled. "All right. Have a good day."
Zachary nodded and walked away from Gary's desk. He exited the Cityworks building and went down the stairs, greeting the others who went past. They greeted him in turn, happy that his change of attitude was more than just a mood swing.
He quickly arrived at Main Street and found Mint's home. Gathering his courage, Zachary walked up to the door and knocked. It opened and York peered out.
"Zachary? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?" the Slurpuff asked.
"Too many questions, York! I'm here to see Mint. Is she home?"
York stared at Zachary. "Zachary… she's not here right now."
"It's Zach now! And…" Zachary paused. "Where is she?"
Zachary watched York as emotions flew through York's face. He sighed. "She went to a clearing in the forest. North side of the forest. She's working through some things."
"Thank you," Zachary said. He unconsciously patted his briefcase. It made a rattling sound. As he walked off, York frowned in thought. He closed the door, and after a moment opened it again and left the house.
In a clearing in the forest, Mint sat on a stump. She was looking over the list she had made the night before. She hadn't slept at all.
She felt so confused. There was the side of Zachary that she knew, and that was the caring, soft, loving side. Then there was the side that others knew, and that was the business-oriented, non-feeling side. Which was his true self?
There was the sound of a branch breaking, and Mint's head shot up. She narrowed her eyes at the rustling bushes on the edge of the clearing. As she got off of the stump, Zachary burst through the bushes. He was covered in leaves and grass.
"Zach?!"
Zachary looked up. "Mint!" he exclaimed. "I found you!"
Mint moved away slightly from him. "You were looking for me?" she asked warily. "Why?"
The Toxicroak opened his mouth, but closed it again. "Mint… I'm worried that you're going to pull away from me. I love you, Mint."
Mint shook her head. "Zachary, I'm-"
"Please, hear me out," Zachary interrupted. "Then… then you can choose. But let me speak. Please."
Zachary watched as Mint lowered her head and closed her eyes. He tensed, but his muscles relaxed as she lifted her head, opened her eyes, and nodded.
"Thank you. Mint… I was in love with business. I had long ago buried any sort of emotions except those that would serve me in business. I have a sand bag in my home that I would punch whenever unwanted emotions came up.
"Then I saw you. Something began to change. That night, I read All's Fair. It pushed the transformation along a bit, but I quashed the changes. The next day, I went to the Café Na Rigara. There, a Chesnaught gave me some advice. He told me to 'learn to fly.' And it clicked. I began to leave behind extra baggage on my road. I went to Sandra's before work. I invited you on dates. I gave my secretary the rest of today off. I gave you a book that I had just bought. Little by little, the changes worked.
"I began to correct others when they called me 'Zachary.' And Mint, hearing you call me 'Zachary' was… It hurt. You've always called me 'Zach.' Mint, I…" Zachary sighed. "I want to be 'Zach' now. I want to fly, but I feel as though I can only fly with you by my side." He sighed again. "There. That's what I wanted to say. But… may I play a song for you?"
Mint nodded mutely, and Zachary put his briefcase on the stump. He opened it and took out pieces of a saxophone. When he had put them together, he wet the reed and began to play.
The sound that came out was piercing and heartfelt. Underneath the lovely tones there were hints of fear, sadness, and longing. It was nothing like what had happened that day in Wooden Notes. This was a piece that spoke volumes and said things that Zachary couldn't say.
The song floated through the clearing and into the forest undergrowth. Pokemon that roamed the forest stopped in their tracks to listen to the tune. The notes plucked some unknown part of their hearts. Many eyes grew wet, and many others were squeezed shut in agony.
To Mint, the song underscored Zachary's words. She could see, in the music, that he was trying to change. She saw that he wasn't there yet, but that he was making his way slowly. Perhaps even more startling was that she could see herself. She had taken a prominent part in his heart.
Mint looked at her paper. The list stood out in stark contrast to the song Zachary played. He was known for not letting emotions into his life. He could reverse himself easily. He had scorned others before.
But the song was different. It was showing Mint the true self that Zachary had tried to bury, the true self that was slowly coming to light. Her mind said to not trust him. But her heart? Mint's heart told her to believe Zachary, and that he was the one.
Zachary finally finished his song. It had taken all his ability to craft a song and memorize it in a single night. But it was worth it. He smiled and looked up at Mint.
Mint was sitting on the stump. Her eyes were wet, but she was frowning. Zachary quietly put away his saxophone and sat on the stump, making sure he wasn't too near her.
"Is it true?" Mint's question took Zachary by surprise.
"Is what true?"
Mint turned her head to look at Zachary. "Your song. Is it true? Is it your true self?"
Zachary rubbed his cheek. "Every note, Mint. Every note, every measure, is me. The real me, I should say."
Mint nodded slowly. "Do you know how to fly yet?" Her mind had decided on its path, and her heart was in complete agreement with the decision.
"Not quite yet," Zachary admitted. "When we danced at the Radiant Star, I felt like I knew how to fly. When you laugh, I float. But on my own?" Zachary chuckled to himself. "On my own is another story altogether."
"Then…" Mint smiled at Zachary. He felt woozy as she did so. "Let me be your wings, Zach."
"Do you mean it?" Zachary asked, trying to wrap his mind around the idea. He had hoped, but he hadn't really prepared himself for a positive answer.
"I do," Mint said as she scooted closer to him. "I tried to think it through rationally, but my heart disagreed." She shrugged. "That's what I really needed, I suppose. My heart needed to speak loud enough for my mind to understand."
Zachary put an arm around Mint, who scooted even closer. "Then let's start over and let your mind understand." Zachary cleared his throat. "Hello, miss. My name is Zach. What's your name?"
Mint pushed him playfully. "Well, if you must know, it's Mint. But don't tell anyone."
"What about your brother? I hear you have one."
"Well, he knows my name. Would you like to meet him? I think he'll like you."
"Hmm… that sounds great. After that, would you be willing to marry me?" Zach asked, getting off of the stump and kneeling in front of Mint.
Mint sniffed happily. "Oh, Zach… I would love to be your wings, if you'll be mine."
"Of course, Mint," Zach said as he got to his feet and swept Mint into his arms. "Let's go fly."