Emerald walked from room to room, aimlessly. Her face was almost twisted from the pained and discontent look. Ann gazed after her while putting her child's clothes away.
"It's obvious she's still hurt," she thought, walking over and picking her up. "I am too." Emerald raised her downcast look into Ann's eyes and said nothing.
"It's been a few years," Ann replied softly. Emerald lowered her gaze again.
"Everything still smells like them," she whispered. Ann sighed and hugged Emerald. She didn't know what more to say, having consoled Emerald in the past years the best she could. Emerald squirmed free of her trainers' grip and started to walk back into her room.
"I'm going to try again," she called back over her shoulder. Ann nodded. Ever since Flash had died, Emerald had been concentrating on trying to 'speak' with them. She wasn't sure if she could do it, but both could vaguely remember seeing Passion, Emerald's grandmother and the one to pass on her gifts, communicating to Kindle in her thoughts after Kindle had passed away. Emerald hadn't been successful, however.
"Good luck," Ann said softly, walking off again.
Emerald closed her eyes, clearing her mind, and focusing her strength. She would be mimicking an outer-dimensional psy, but unlike normally, she didn't know where it was going, making this a much harder task.
~Mom? Dad?~
The psy was already draining her, but Emerald kept her senses up still strong to try to receive a message. When she could wait no more she sighed and dropped her defenses, rubbing her sore head.
"Someday," she muttered, grinding her teeth in frustration. "Either I'll contact you, find the secret entrance to the realm, or die trying." She slumped against a wall, and gazed at the various pictures she'd had placed on the wall. They were beautiful scenes that Snowflake had helped her draw. Snowflake had become a great healer, like LT was; only her specialty was dreams.
A white Squirtle, greatly resembling LT, poked his head into her Emerald's room. Emerald eyed him over suspiciously.
"Hey cousin, are you alright?" Cloud asked curiously. Emerald nodded, still holding her head. Cloud bit his lip and walked into the room. "You don't look so hot. Did you get hurt? Should I go get Luna or Mom?" Emerald shook her head, crawling into her bed.
"I'm fine, Cloud, thank you," she murmured, lying. Cloud smiled gently at her, walking to her bedside and kissing her forehead. Although cousins, Cloud was very protective of all his family. Emerald purred in gratitude and kissed his cheek. Cloud, still quite conscious that she wasn't alright, left her in peace, walking back out to the family room. Luna was trying to weave a pure light dream catcher, but paused to give her twin an inquiring look. Cloud shook his head, indicating there was nothing to talk about, and Luna went back to her weaving.
"Where are mother and father?" Cloud asked idly, looking for his gear. Luna shrugged, adding color to her creation.
"Who knows anymore," she muttered, mind fast on concentration. "Mother has a habit of leaving often, and Father has lately taken to going with her." Cloud sighed impatiently as he lifted his favorite arrow out of a quiver and twirled it about his paws. "Why do you ask?"
"I don't know," Cloud mused. "Just call it an inkling that I think their help will be needed soon." This prompted Luna to put her creation on hold again.
"Whatever for?" she asked. "There hasn't been any trouble here for quite some time, and if there was, you and I could probably handle it, with the help of the rest of the family." Cloud fidgeted.
"That's just it," he explained. "It's not something we can handle. I don't know how else to put it, especially since I don't even know what it is. Let's just cross our fingers and hope I'm wrong, okay?" Luna nodded, smiling as she took the pure light dream catcher in her paws.
"Hoping is what we do best," she laughed. "Here's to the future!"