Wipe your tears off my guitar.
Chapter 10: Calico
"She should not have been here."
"It's not our say, Johanna."
"She's only sixteen, where were all the adults?"
"Calm down, Johanna."
"How am I supposed to be calm? She's my daughter, what would you do?"
"Johanna!"
A loud slam sent tremors across the room.
Dawn groaned. Her head was drumming up a storm, and her eyes refused to pry themselves open. She moved her limbs, but only numbness could be felt. She desired a peaceful repose, but how could she if this argument rejected every plea at settling down. None of them even noticed her awakening, it seemed, as the spat only continued.
"But I-" That voice belonged to her mother, and Dawn was not very familiar with her mother yelling in a panic like that. She usually was such a patient and sweet woman. For a moment, Dawn wondered how badly she was hurt that would warranty this reaction.
"Look." The other voice, also feminine, was much sterner, and for a moment Dawn could not tell who it belonged to. A quality of forcefulness could be found in it, along with a deeply hidden quivering sensation of unease. "You being here and screaming at me does not do her any good. Would you much rather her have her rest?"
Dawn figured that was the end of it, since her mother decided not to respond. Loud, irritated steps signalled Johanna leaving the room, and it seemingly just Dawn and the mysterious woman. The girl felt the side of her bed bent down to support the newly added weight, and could feel the body heat of the other person at such a close proximity. Dawn herself was too tired to react, so it was perfectly reasonable for the other party to figure she was still sleeping.
"Please wake up soon." Said the feminine voice. Dawn recognised a pair of warm, sensual lips resting on her forehead. Slender fingers crossed through the girl's ebon hair, decorating the mutual presence with a delicate touch. Presently, it was gone. The woman soon departed from the room as well, and Dawn was all alone again.
She took this opportunity to fall back asleep, but that touch lingered prominently in her dreams.
Morning came, though Dawn was not aware which day it was. Opening her tired eyes finally, she spotted a fluffy pink blob beside her. The pokemon had been monitoring her condition, as it turned out, and she gratefully gave it a thanking pat. Seeing as the patient had awoken, the chansey called in glee, causing the nurses to gather around the hospital bed.
"How do you feel, Dawn?" A natural question that they should be asking.
Even then, Dawn knew not of how to answer. A simple 'I'm fine' may be appropriate, but it hardly conveyed her emotions accurately. She could have been here two days or two months, and none would be the wiser. The ramifications of the risk she took hit her so fast that she almost felt like breaking down in tears. However, that would have to wait.
"I'm ok," was what she went with. "What day is it?"
"May 13th," said one of the nurses. Every nurse where the exact same pink on white outfit, and along with the unusual brightness of this facility gave Dawn a massive headache. "You've been unconscious for half a month."
"Half a month." Dawn could scarcely believe it. Considering how she was still somewhat sentient after being knocked out of the sky, burnt under intense flames, and thrown into a river a few times, she had expected earlier recovery. "Was I really that knocked out?"
"Ms. Johanna insisted you be sedated until we finished healing your physical injuries." That would be just like mom, she thought. Letting a pokemon use their healing power on you require great concentration, and was usually done to speed up the natural process. Her mother probably wanted it so that she could get back early. "We'll tell her right away that you're up."
"Am I still in Hearthome?" The nurses nodded. "Has she been here waiting for me?" The nurses nodded again.
With that, Dawn had no more questions. Everyone cleared out to give her some space, and she used it to just stare at the ceiling. How close that incident was to ending her life was rather uncomfortable to think about, and even in this moment of silence she was still not sure whether or not she made the correct choice. However, her mother wouldn't let her finish that train of thought, and stormed through the entrance. In a moment, Dawn found herself between her mother's tender embrace.
"Oh honey, I was so worried." Those words were as genuine as anyone could hope to speak them. "Are you alright? Does it still hurt anywhere?"
"I'm fine, mom."
"Well that's great to hear." Her mother's smile was beaming, uncomfortably so even. "Now you can come back home with me and we'll have a celebration?"
"Just for a few days, right?" Dawn asked, her head tilting to one side.
"What do you mean?" Johanna was incredulous of where the conversation was heading. It occurred to her that there might indeed be a disagreement. "You're not thinking leaving home again, are you?"
"I haven't even returned yet." Dawn protested. "Are you saying that I shouldn't go back on the road?"
"Of course not, look at what it did to you!" Both of them were becoming intensely emotional, and such a sight was inapt for a health care institution such as this, so they undoubtedly received a few pairs of curious eyes. "You can't be seriously thinking of doing that again."
"Mom, I'm not saying what I did was the brightest thing, but I did save this city."
"Yes, but you could also have been killed." Johanna's attempt at making a convincing argument didn't seem effective to her own mental health. "I'm glad that you didn't, but why would you keep tempting fate by doing these things?"
"That's the only thing I can do." Dawn swallowed harshly. It took her a long time to come to terms with it, but this was a time as good as it was going to be for her to present her case. "I'm an adventurer, and I'm sorry but you'll have to accept that. It's not going to change."
"I just wish you could grow up a little faster, honey." That neither meant to be condescending nor judgmental, Johanna simply had nothing else to say. She could force Dawn to stay home if she really wanted to, but considering the last time that happened, it was a plan bound to fail eventually. That didn't mean she had to like it. "You're still so young, yet I can't bring myself to force you."
"I know, mom." Dawn returned the embrace. She surely felt guilty, and her mother's position was perfectly understandable. Perhaps one day when she had grown weary and tired, or when the world had nothing left to offer, her mother will still be there. For now, they would have to agree to disagree. "I'm sorry."
This wasn't going to be the end of it, Dawn thought. Though this topic rarely came up, it would get to a point where her mother would no longer be satisfied with the kind of life she lived, and then things would be very complicated. Dawn would rather save those concerns for another day, however. She stepped outside to get some air, trying her best to stay away from the sterile hospital interiors. It just didn't sit right with her. Walking down the hallway, Dawn was greeted with another familiar face, though this one she had even more mixed feelings about.
Cynthia stood there, hands inside her black jacket, blonde hair stuffed firmly behind her shirt. She stood with great persistence, back to the wall, eyes firmly on the walking girl.
"What are you doing here?" said Dawn, voice tainted with great unrest.
"I've been here as long as your mother has." That was when Dawn's memories patched up the missing details of the mysterious woman from her dreams. Her cheeks reddened instinctively. "I didn't really mean to disturb you, but I couldn't leave without knowing you're alright."
"You know." Dawn started walking toward the exit, prompting Cynthia the follow. "I was awake during your screaming match with my mother."
"Were you?" The blonde was genuinely surprised, and even more so how both of them remembered. To Dawn, it was one of the few moments of clarity she was spared for two weeks of hospitalisation, but to Cynthia, it was something completely different.
"I was, and so I know how you took advantage of an injured girl." The woman stopped dead in her tracks, eyes wide. Dawn stopped as well, staring at those grey orbs with seriousness, before letting out a smile. "Don't be like that, I was just joking."
"I didn't mean to." Cynthia began, but her words were cut off.
"You don't have to explain yourself, but I have to ask." They were on the move again, and Dawn's words were actually weighted. "When you sent me that letter, what did you expect to happen?"
"I just wanted an opportunity for us to talk at a better time."
"Talk at a better time?" Dawn growled. "What do you plan to say? Would you apologise to me and hope that we can make up?"
"Dawn…" The woman was out of words.
"We could have had everything." They once again faced each other. "But you didn't want give up what you have, and we ended up like this."
This conversation, though started tame, turned out to be exactly the same as their last one. It was no longer possible to continue it while being level-headed, and they both knew it as well. Cynthia turned and walked off, while the girl aimed for the hospital yard to recollect her cool.
At this moment, Dawn was still in the dark as to what was the point of trying, but she could no longer stop.