Audino - the Hearing pokemon
The beautiful, melodic chant begins, to announce our arrival to a new place. Our wish to spread music and dancing through the world came to this forest too.
B-but this will be my first time playing the first instrument of the song that lasts through the whole night... Am I really ready?
"Don't worry," Melio pats me on the back and I turn to see his smile. "You'll do great," he smile even more.
I nod and answer with a smile. He leaves me and heads down to the dance floor. I breathe in deeply and start. My fingers softly strum the harp and beautiful sounds start coming out.
Then Mako, a male Mankey starts beating the drums. The rhythm is slow, just like mine. It sounds wonderful.
Huh? Someone's coming. A female Drilbur emerges from the bushes. A new music and dance lover? Great.
Gelio, a Golduck starts strumming the guitar in sync with me and Mako.
And I can't keep my eyes off that Drilbur... She seems like... something interesting.
She seems a little lost too. She's observing everything around and moving to the music... I wonder if she notices it, because it doesn't seem like she's doing it on purpose.
How wonderful that such an artistic spirit found us on our first day here.
So many pokemon dancing around gracefully. Of course, as always the best pair is Legado - the Gallade and Titania - the Gothitelle. I love watching them dance.
...Huh? ...What is Melio doing with that Drilbur?
I concentrate and try to hear what they're talking about, but the dancing and chattering couples don't help me much. I just understand that the Drilbur is flustered and Melio is being a gentleman, like always.
I try to pick up their heartbeats, while still not stopping to play my harp.
The Drilbur's heart is honestly going crazy and Melio's... it's not that fast, but... it doesn't come close to the low speed of his heartbeat when he is talking to me...
Well, it doesn't matter. I will still have more time with Melio... I'll figure out if she means something to him then.
W-wait... am I jealous?
Melio's like a brother to me! Why should I be jealous?
Ah, they started dancing...
...Don't look Aurora... Just let them be.
I give in to the music and forget everything around me... or at least try to. I keep remembering them, but I quickly get them out of my head too.
Finally the sun starts to rise. The dancing stops. So must I and the music. I see pokemon Teleporting away from here and others just go on foot.
"You played wonderful today, Aurora," Melio's sister, Elya, praises me. "I felt so wonderful as I danced with the music," the Mienshao gives me a big grin and I blush a little.
"Thank you. I was scared that I will fall out of rhythm."
"No, you were perfect. No worries," Elya pets me on the head and calls Melio who was already heading towards us. The Drilbur was going out of the clearing, back to the forest too, but away from us.
"Melio, don't you think that Aurora was just wonderful?" Elya asks her unevolved brother.
"Aurora? Oh... yes," he seems a little... off. "I loved the sound your harp made and it was in total sync with other instruments. Truly a masterpiece," he gets back to his clear self. But still seems to be thinking of something... or someone. Especially because he keeps glancing back.
"Let's go. We should get back before either of our parents notice we are gone," Elya gets on all fours and dashes away. Melio goes after her and I try to keep up, after I attach the harp's strap to my back, so I wouldn't lose it. Well, me and Melio have similar speed, but Elya is just super fast and always gets back home first. Luckily, this clearing in the forest isn't far from our homes.
Finally, though out of breath, I get back to my room before my parents awake. A little home built out of branches and leaves has only three rooms, but enough for such small creatures as Audinos.
Melio's and Elya's home is just a few houses away from mine.
Finally, I put down my harp and curl up in my soft bed that is made from a Mareep's wool and fall asleep. I'm glad I don't need to do anything till lunch, when I will go to help pokemon that might be sick, with my mother.
I sleep through breakfast, right until lunch, when mother comes to wake me up.
"Sweetie, I don't understand why you are so tired, but please, come eat and then we'll go treat pokemon," my mother says as she strokes my head. I finally open my eyes and smile.
"Alright, mom."
I was probably so tired because I was practicing playing the harp all day yesterday when I had time and finally used my skills all night... Thought usually I don't get very tired from that.
Oh well, it was obviously the stress that I will fail at playing. But it seems my fears didn't come true, so I will feel better tomorrow.
I ate some berries my mother prepared and after taking some curing berries, me and mom ventured outside. Father is probably picking berries since this morning. Who knows how far he might have gone from our home.
...I hope he's alright. Sometimes his far away adventures leave him really hurt... At least me and mom can treat him.
As we walk through the little village, filled with many species of pokemon, mom checks her notes, trying to understand which houses have patients we need to treat. Finally we stop next to a little house and mom knocks on a wooden door. A worried Serperior opens them.
"Oh, thank goodness you came. Seruko is worse than before," the female Serperior steps back and let's us in.
"Yes, sorry for the delay, but we only got Pecha berries about a few minutes ago," mom apologizes and goes to the patient.
...I guess father was back, brought the berries and went away again... He works so hard.
The male Servine looks horrible. His whole body turned from different shades of green to different shades of poisonous purple. Mom raised his head and gently put the berry in his mouth.
"Chew and swallow. You'll feel better immediately," she assures the pokemon that seems to use his last energy for the chewing and swallowing.
But he does it and breathes easier. It seems his whole body starts regaining the greenness and he starts relaxing.
"He just needs rest now. Do be careful," mom looks at the Servine and warns him. I wonder if he can actually hear her, because it seems he is sleeping, finally out of the poisonous pain.
He probably was playing and fell into something poisonous or was poisoned by a pokemon. This result usually comes from not paying attention to what one is doing or from battle. And it doesn't seem he was in a battle.
We leave, towards the next few houses. All off the cases are similar - most get poisoned, one had a serious case of burning and another - paralysis. But we had enough berries for all of them... Although we ran out of Pecha berries again. They are used the most and our few Pecha trees take very long to grow berries, so we only have enough berries about every six months for a few weeks.
We have to visit at least five villages every day, if there are patients in them that need treating. Most of them are rather close and even if the patient is far away, we can ask psychic types to Teleport us.
...I wish my dad knew Teleport. He would be so much safer that way... and wouldn't have to walk so far.
As we get back home I fall on my soft bed and start strumming my harp that looks like it's made of crystals with that bluish white sparkling color... I don't really know from what it's made off, but I like to think that it is made out of crystals. And the strings? You got me on that one.
Dad brought me this about a year ago from one of his journeys. He said he saw this and just thought of me. Honestly, this harp is the best gift someone has ever given me. I play it everyday and can't get over the beautiful sound. Luckily I found that group of dancers and music players and they let me join. Without that I would feel bad that my melodies get wasted without an audience that really appreciates music.
A slow, rather sad melody comes from the strings as my fingers gently strum the crystal harp. I feel so... melancholy.
Then a wish comes to me... I want to visit Melio.
I lay down my harp on my bed and head out. The family of Mienfoos and Mienshaos has a rather big house, one of the biggest in this area. My house is built against a mountain, but their even goes further into the mountain. They had someone do the digging and now have a lot of space. Although, even if there wouldn't be a cave-like area open to them, their house would still be bigger than mine.
I come to the wooden door and knock. Elya shortly opens and smiles.
"Hi, Aurora. Came to see Melio?"
"U-uh...Yes... Is it that obvious?" I feel kind of sad and flustered. But I'm not the type to lie.
"Don't worry, sweetie. It's just a woman's intuition. And my brother is someone worth visiting often," she giggles and backs away, so I can come in. "He's in his room."
"Thank you," I blush, let out a little smile and walk towards the part of the house that goes into the cave. All of the rooms that they sleep in are there, because the sun can't reach them there.
Another wooden door and another knock. This time I see Melio's handsome face and an alluring smile. I smile instantly, though I kind of tried to control it.
"Hi, Aurora. Is there something you need?" he asks and I look down... I kind of feel a little...pathetic.
"I-I just want to hang out. Is that ok?" I raise my eyes again and see Melio's even bigger and warmer smile.
"Of course. Do you want to stay here or go for a walk?"
"Um... maybe a walk?" I suggest. This dark place kind of makes me gloomy.
"Alright. I don't need to do anything, so we can go now," he closes the door, when I back away so he could come out and we both leave. When we exit the house, he looks at me and asks. "So, where do you want to go?"
"The forest...maybe?" I ask kind of cowardly... Ugh, I never act this way in front of other pokemon. I'm such a weakling when it comes to... him.
"Sounds great," again that warm smile of his! It makes me blush. But I see the difference... between me and that Drilbur... the smiles are... different.
As we venture into the forest, we soon reach the clearing. The spot for the dancers for the whole week. It's so close for the first time.
"U-um, Melio... I... noticed you danced with a Drilbur last night. Do you... know her?" I want some answers... What can I do that I'm curious?
"Dillera? No. That was the first time I saw her," he starts thinking about her... and his face... becomes kind of love-struck. "She's an incredible dancer. And just an amazing pokemon," he sighs, like he is afraid to not see her anymore...
He never acted like this around me. She's something special. His heart beats faster. And mine gets clenched.
And Melio somehow notices it.
"Is something wrong?" he stops me and walks in front of me, holding me by the shoulders and observing my face with his crimson eyes.
"N-No," I look away. If this situation was different, I would have become red as a Scizor, but now I understand that there is no need to blush if I don't even interest him. He'll never think of me more than a friend or a sister. "I think I'll go back home now. Thank you for the walk," I squeeze out a smile, turn around and walk away.
After a few seconds, I hear Melio's warm shouting.
"See ya when night falls! Don't be late! And make sure you don't lose those gorgeous melodies!"
I can't help but smile... He always knows how to cheer me up. And even though this time he didn't cheer me up fully, he still reminded me that he cares about me. It doesn't matter that I'm only his friend.
As i sneak out after I start hearing my dad's snoring, I quickly dash towards the clearing in the forest. The crystal harp on my back kind of lowers my agility, but as I don't have to jump on any trees or obstacles, or anything, I'm fine.
I get there just a few minutes after the other instrument players. Not many dancers have arrived either. But Melio and Elya quickly emerge out of the bushes. And I see Melio sneaking all the way to the other side of the clearing while in the bushes.
She-she's there.
Observing the clearing behind the bushes. And she doesn't see him.
Mako starts beating the drums. This time he is the one to start the music. The beat is faster than last night. This will be an energetic night.
I sigh, trying to not think about Melio and... Dillera, and start playing my harp. Gelio joins in with his guitar.
Many pokemon have arrived, so I can't even see them. But their heartbeats are honestly very easy to pick up. The Drilbur is a little calmer today, but Melio seems to be...ecstatic that he sees her once more and they head out to dance.
But it seems Melio starts complimenting the Drilbur, because her heartbeat jumps up and down. Ah, the same happens to me, so I surely know.
But then they go out of the clearing and even leave the forest. Such distance is too much for me, so I don't hear anything from them anymore.
And I just forget them... I forget them until the sun starts rising... They didn't come back.
When I stop playing and attach the harp's strap to my back, Elya approaches me with a worried face.
"Have you seen Melio? I can't find him anywhere."
"I-I think he went out with that Drilbur... He didn't come back."
"Oh, Arceus! Where could those two have gone? I just know something happened to them," Elya looks around with so much worry that it starts making me feel like I'm about to cry.
"I'm sure they're fine," Gelio, the Golduck, pats Elya's shoulder. "They probably just wanted to be alone. No need to lose your head for that," he kind of chuckles, kind of smirks and heads home.
"...I hope so," Elya gives up and, after looking around for the last time, goes back home. I go after her.
We both don't have any speed today or, rather just don't want to use it.
As I enter my room with the sun dawning and shining through my windows, I curl up in my bed and try to take a nap once more. Again I'm weirdly tired. And I didn't even practice that much yesterday.
Can painful feelings tire one out?
A few hours of random dreams that I can no longer remember and I hear my mother's voice.
"There's no need for you to come with me today. There are only a few patients, I'll manage them by myself. You can continue sleeping," her warm and gentle voice should have let me go back to dreamland but it somehow knocked any dreams out of me.
When she leaves the house, I sit up and stretch. I still feel rather tired, but I know I won't be able to sleep anymore.
Not when Melio is somewhere out there... If he still didn't come back, something surely went wrong.
Another knock on the Mienshao family's door and Melio's and Elya's mother opens them. Her face makes it clear Melio is still missing.
"Oh, Aurora. Have you seen Melio?" she asks with hope and I just lower my head and shake it. "I see... Elya went to the forest to look for him. Seo (the father) is searching the mountains. Oh where could he have gone?" the regal Mienshao looks at the sky and brushes one of her tears with the fur extended from her arms.
"I could help look in the forest. It's very big and Elya will surely not investigate it all by herself," I suggest with a helpful smile.
"Oh thank you, Aurora. Elya went to the left side of the forest," she points in that direction.
"Then I'll go right," I decide. "Goodbye. I won't come back without him, promise," I give my last cheerful smile, wave and run off. Now I just can't smile. The worrying of what might have happened is eating me from the inside.
I enter the forest and listen. I concentrate every piece of my ears to try and hear Melio. I think I can hear Elya, moving kind of to my directon, but no other fighting types.
The dance floor is somewhere on my left as I go further right into the forest, constantly listening. I think I start hearing not existing noises... like hallucinations for the ears... Running water underground. Could there be an underground river? I also hear rocks hitting the sides of the underground tunnel. It's probably a rampaging river. But I hear that somewhere upfront the current turns very slow... maybe even stops completely.
...Or I just can't hear that far.
But as I get closer, I hear something else... Thumps... Heartbeats... Two of them.
I stealthily run towards the heartbeats and emerge to a beautiful meadow. There's a lowland meadow going down. A lake in the middle and a Mienshao and an Excadrill on the lake's shore.
Melio evolved? They both did?
"Let's go... But, if it turns out this whole thing is as wrong as we think it to be, then we'll run away... We have the whole world to ourselves," I hear Melio as he turns to the Excadrill and strokes her cheek. "I wouldn't be able to live without you," he leans in and... kisses her lips.
...He...he kissed her...
...He loves her...
...He can't live without her...
What is this feeling in my chest? Ah... it hurts more than ever...
It feels like I'm going numb. The pain paralyzed my body. I just manage to lower my head and see tears dropping on the grass and flowers.
I want to run away from here... I have to!
I slowly turn around and start crawling on all fours. As I get further, it gets easier to move. I don't care about getting Melio home now. He's safe... better than safe... *sigh*
Don't think about it, Aurora. Just get him out of your mind... Out of your heart... There's nothing you can do to change his feelings.
And then everything sort of turns off and I come to only when I climb into my bed. All the crawling, walking or even running seems like it never happened. I don't know how I managed to turn those memories off, but I did.
Did this happen because I thought too much about getting away? Or because of the... pain...?
Why is it so bad? Melio thought of me as a sister... I tried to think of him as a brother as well. But something just changed as time went by. Why did I fall for him, only to get all my chances destroyed even before he knew my feelings for him?
"Sweetie, I'm home," my mom shouts as she returns from her patients. "As I thought, there was no need for any excessive help," she enters my room. I must look horrible, because she immediately notices that something is wrong. "...what is it, sweetie?" she comes and sits next to me on my bed.
"...It's so weird, mom. I don't even know how it got to there," I sigh and turn to the wall, away from mom.
"The world is truly a weird place. Pokemon are strange as well. But only with this strangeness and weirdness can we live exiting lives. Even if we sometimes get burned, it's far better than living boring, neutral lives," she comforts me and strokes my shoulder. "Ups and downs are the things that make the world go 'round," she probably smiles warmly. Even giggles from her rhyme.
"I guess..." I have to agree with her. Even if things turned out rather bad with Melio, there is still dancing during nights. Still my loving parents.
"I'll go make dinner. Relax, maybe remorse a little bit and then just think positive," she smiles once more and leaves me.
...Why are parents always right?
It hurts, of course it does, but it's not the end of the world... And I didn't even understand my feelings in time to confess... So I will be the better pokemon and just leave them both be. I'll let them be happy.
...I need some fresh air.
And I should tell Elya that Melio is alright, if he still didn't come back.
...I visit this house rather often these days.
Elya opens the door for me. I'm glad she came back safe and sounds and didn't get hurt herself. But her face still tells me Melio didn't come back.
"Aurora, please tell me you found him," she says with a voice full of hope. Especially when she sees that my face doesn't get gloomy.
"I did. He's with that girl from last night. They both seemed fine, so don't worry anymore," I smile.
"Oh thank Arceus," she sighs with relief and finally smiles as well, as she hugs me. "Thank you, Aurora. I don't know what I would do if something happened to Melio. But I do hope that he gets back soon."
"Don't worry, sis. I'm already back," I hear Melio's voice behind me and Elya quickly lets me go and jumps to her brother.
"Don't ever scare me like that again!" she scolds him a little and hugs the evolved Mienfoo so tight it seems it got hard for him to breathe. But he hugs her back as well, maybe just not as tight.
"I'm sorry, sis... But I have to go," he frees himself from her grasp and says with a serious voice. "Dillera needs me and I will protect her with all my life. I will go wherever she goes."
"What?!" I shout out and immediately cover my mouth. Why did I say that?! I said I will let them be happy, but my tone was filled with confusion and sorrow.
"She's a princess, promised since her first days to a Water kingdom prince. I will fight for her hand as long as I live. I will fight and free her if necessary and if she wishes that. I know I won't be able to live without her, so I must go with her," he smiles at both me and Elya. The smile is completely the same. He really sees me as a sister. "I'll tell mom and dad and then I will be off. I think I might be found at the Ground kingdom for at least a little bit, if necessary."
He walks into the house and quickly finds his parents. Confused voices can be heard, but I don't want to pay enough attention to understand what they are saying. The thought of him protecting her, fighting for her... freeing her made me dazed. He loves her so much. It's so wonderful, but heart-clenching as well.
Finally, Melio comes back out, hugs Elya and even me and heads towards the Ground kingdom.
That was the last time I ever saw him.
I didn't even know what happened to him. Well, maybe I just didn't want to know. But I hope they are both fine and both together.
Even though it still continues to hurt me... I'm so sad I can't make it stop.
End of the Hearing pokemon.
A little add to the love story of Melio and Dillera ^.^
Once again, Airenee suggested me some ideas the same day I posted Excadrill and I almost never think about the next chapter on Sunday, so I was completely open to ideas. Thank you, Airenee... Maybe you should choose a region and start writing stories about pokemon too, so I could suggest concepts for the stories for you too :D
Thank you to my loyal reviewers very much as well of course ^.^ Keep being awesome. And stay tuned :D
Audino is by Yamio