"Hey Leanne?"
…
"Leanne?"
…
Bianca crawled towards the woman wrapped in an orange blanket.
"…hey Leanne?"
Leanne quickly rolled over and glared at the green-eyed blonde. "What do you want?"
The young woman tilted her head. "Did I wake you?"
Sigh. "…no, I've been awake… what do you want?"
Adjusting to a sit, Bianca straightened her back and smiled. "What was Leanne like?"
"…what do you mean by that?" Leanne knew what she meant, but she also knew it would be a long story. It was a question she honestly wasn't in the mood to answer. If she had it her way, she'd roll back and try to sleep again. But she knew Bianca wouldn't let her… the least she could do was to shorten the answer by specifying the question.
"Well… I mean… how were we before? What did we look like?"
"You've seen Latias. The blond-haired girl she turns into? That's what we looked like."
Bianca turned her head, catching a glance of the sleeping Eon Pokémon. "The one with the really shiny hair? She's so pretty! And she wore glasses like mine!" She grinned ecstatically.
Leanne rolled her eyes. "Nothing like your glasses. Yours are like a have-to-wear glasses. Old Leanne's was far more fashionable."
"They're both red."
"And we both have the same name, what of it?"
"It means we're like sisters!" She spread her arms and fell leaned downward.
Quickly rolling away, Leanne dodged the hug by mere inches. "No. We're not."
"Thbuth wehf kfaimph fomf pa thaimph pfahson!"
"…what?"
Bianca pulled her face away from the grass and giggled. "I said 'but we came from the same person'! I just thought it sounded funny saying it into the ground."
Leanne sighed again. "Same person. Different wishes."
…
Bianca seemed to be in thought.
"Hey Leanne? Why do you think Leanne wished to be like me?"
"I don't know. Go to sleep."
"…do you know why she wished to be like you?"
"Yes. Now go to sleep."
"…do you know why she wished to be like Latias?"
"Yes, yes, yes. I know."
"AHA!" Bianca pointed at her face and grinned proudly. "I caught you!"
Leanne raised her brow mockingly. "Caught me how?"
"You DO know why she wished for me! But you~ won't~ say~!"
"And how did you come to that conclusion?"
Bianca raised one finger. "Because you know why she wished for you and for Latias."
"Maybe it could be for the fact that I know Latias? And the fact we're connected on a deep level? Considered that?"
She raised a second finger. "Because you keep telling me to go to sleep even though you're not going to sleep."
"Perhaps it's because I find you a little annoying and I want you to stop bothering me?"
She raised her third finger, widening her grin. "Because N said you tried to ditch me even though you needed me! AND he said you kept things secret!"
"Inconclusive data."
"Except for the fact that I'm as much Leanne as you are!" Bianca leaned in and gave a mischievous smile. "And I KNOW you're lying."
"Still inconclusive. Go to sleep."
"How about the fact that N said you were ashamed of your wish? What wish could he be talking about? Who was the only one you needed that you tried to ditch back there? HMMMM?"
Bianca's face gave a mocking serious look… one that mimicked her usual stern face.
…
"Look, why do you want to know?" Leanne rolled and faced the opposite way.
"Okay, okay… I won't ask."
…
…
Leanne hated this. She was going to fall right for her trap. Bianca knew it, she knew it. This would be her only chance to confront the alternate life her past self desired greatly. And though she herself didn't yearn for that life, she felt a dire curiosity for it.
"FINE!" She rolled back and faced the blonde. "The old Leanne liked Sato. I still like Sato. Even Latias still likes Sato. Sato had a thing for… I want to say 'dumb girls', but he'd say 'innocent'. Preferred them. Would do absolutely anything for them. Treated them like some kind of special jewel." She exhaled with an annoyed look.
Leanne looked away. Her voice muffled as she buried her face into her blanket. "I wasn't. I was too smart, too independent, too good for him. I just… I just wanted to know what it would be like if he didn't just judge me for my thoughts all the darn time. I mean, I was pretty, I was funny sometimes, and I liked things he liked. But all he saw me for was my brains…
"…and my brain just really couldn't compare to what the other girls had…"
…
…
"Are you saying I'm dumb?" Bianca pouted. "Because I'm not, you know. I'm just a little slow. And slowkings are one of the wisest creatures around."
"I – I'm not saying you're dumb. I'm just saying you're… Wait." Leanne faced her with narrowed eyes. "How do you know about slowkings? You're from the Unova region."
"Know about what now?"
"Slowkings. You just said 'slowkings are one of the wisest creatures around'…"
"I did?" She tilted her lip and poked her head, thinking hard. "Er… I guess I did. Maybe being around each other is making us more 'Leanne'-y!" She grinned.
Leanne rolled away again. Pulling out her hand from the blanket, she looked at the back of her fingers in curiosity. "You might be right…"
Leanne… Leanne… she ran the name through her head again and again… Leanne…
Since reuniting with Ash at Alto Mare and being exposed to the vision, Leanne had begun to experience visions of her own. Memories of her past life… her conversations… her actions… her every thought. And with every recollection, she slowly began to become less and less like herself…
I'm Leanne? … I was Bianca…
The more she thought about Ash, the more she would remember Sato… and the more she would remember Sato, the more she became depressed. And the more sunken her emotions became, the more she became susceptible to the original Leanne's sentiments.
All of Leanne's thoughts became her own. Her old habits became her new ones. Her life had become a part of her own history.
I am Leanne…
As Bianca of Alto Mare, she was just a distant girl who Ash barely knew. The furthest she could ever be with Ash was as a onetime interest. She was just a fan of his… Ash was a fan of the other girls.
As Bianca of Alto Mare, she couldn't compare.
But as Leanne of New Glass City, Pokémon Researcher extraordinaire, and the brain that Sato always counted on… she stood more of a chance.
She desperately wanted to become Leanne. And slowly, but surely, she was.
…is it worth it? I can barely sketch now…
Art. It was her passion. Her love. A dream for her past life. Her memories revealed how much the old Leanne admired the works of art of the old world, and how she herself dearly wished that she could create masterpieces of her own.
She had everything her old self wished for… at least, she was working her way towards it.
Yet she was losing it all now. For the sake of becoming her old self again.
Latias shifted in her sleep, her eyes twitching and her head bobbing from a nightmare.
…she's not as happy as before. Leanne thought to herself, feeling sorrow for what she had placed on her partner. She's sharing all the same fears and insecurities the old Leanne had… why am I doing this to her? Why am I doing this to myself?
"Was Sato a nice guy?"
Leanne's eyes widened. Bianca was still awake, and still wanted to talk. She would have been angry… if it weren't for that question.
"Yes… he was a wonderful man." She smiled.
"What did we like about him most?"
"…he loved pokémon. He understood them…" Rolling to her back, Leanne looked to the stars above. "They say pokémon were put here in the universe to keep us humans company and teach us lessons. That our own purpose in life was in finding love in all things… and pokémon would help us find out what love meant, as they sacrifice their lives and comforts just for us. We don't deserve it… we really don't."
She wiped a tear from her eye. "But Sato did. He was a friend to all of them. He fought with them, hurt them, and even ended some of their lives… but he never held hatred against them. He never blamed them. He never abused them or used them. He treated them like equals and gave as much love back…
"Sato knew they were just protecting and following their loved ones. He was doing the same… And even when they were the most bitter of enemies in the morning, he was still willing to treat them as family by night." Leanne felt her heart melt… reminiscing the moments when she'd watch him play and train with the pokémon. Trained or wild. "Sato was their friend… he didn't need them to teach him love… a lot of times, he taught them what love was. And that just made him magnificent."
Bianca rolled beside her, bringing her own sleeping bag. "Wow… is Ash anything like that?"
"Kind of…" Leanne giggled. "Though, I think we got him too distracted in girls this time around. He was too busy running around trying to cheer us depressed girls up that he never got the time to really spend time with the pokémon."
"It really is hard to be happy when everyone else is so sad." the green-eyed woman frowned. "No matter how big of a smile you give, if someone's sad – human or pokémon – and you can't cheer them up? Your smile just hurts…"
…
Sigh. "I guess that's one thing I'll miss about Ash."
"Hm?"
Leanne rolled over. "Sato was so obsessed with pokémon that sometimes he'd ignore a person's feelings… even if it was right in front of him. Ash was different. I think it's because he lived his life as a Trainer. He got so used to pokémon that he finally noticed the people. He was always trying to make everyone happy…"
"If you think about it, that would make Ash like a pokémon, right?" Bianca rolled over with her. "Trying to show people what love is."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Leanne smiled.
"And we're just a bunch of Scientists that have to figure him out!" Bianca grinned.
Sigh. "…Researchers."
Misty slowly fell asleep against the white tree trunk.
For her, it had been an exhausting day. She had experienced a rollercoaster of emotions and a complete energy drain of her body…
Unlike her counterparts, she showed little to no emotion for their loss of Ash. While the other girls cried their tears out and screamed their pains… while the other girls locked themselves up and showed distrust and hatred of everyone around them… Misty stayed 'strong'.
In reality, she didn't believe it when she first heard it. She didn't want to believe it.
After all her fights and struggles? After all the time and heart she had given to thinking of him as Sato and wondering what that meant to her? After considering her position and relationship in his life? He just disappears… just leaves us?
Though she revealed nothing, the event tore her in half.
For Misty, she was angry… enraged… furious at the world and all the games it played on her. She hated it for constantly taking Ash away and bringing him back into her life. She wanted to move on, but she never wanted to take a single step away from him. It was maddening. …and though losing him solved it for her, it wasn't the way she wanted it.
For Maya, she was confused… lost… and felt absolutely abandoned by fate. She thought she was meant for Sato. She was supposed to be his bride. His only one. His love, his heart, his life. Before he could go, she had to go first. She'd sacrifice anything for him… because he had so much to offer the world… this world would never be the same without him. Instead… she was left… alone… in a world she didn't want to exist in alone.
She hid the emotions. They were her own and no one else's. They were for Ash and no one else. They were for Sato and no one else.
If she ended up destroying her life after the mission was over, she wouldn't have been surprised. The idea reminded her of why she never got involved. By then, it was already too late, she was in too deep.
But now…
…now with the chance of reviving Ash? Meeting Sato again?
She was even more unsure.
Of course she wanted to see them again. Of course she wanted to be with him… both of him. She wanted to take the biggest gamble of her life and just marry the fool. She wanted to be with Ash, Sato, forever.
Yet this was also the perfect chance for everything to go wrong. Whatever trial faced them, she had no idea what the outcome would be.
If all three of us are Maya, then who gets Sato? Do I have to change completely into Maya just to get him back? What will happen to 'Misty'? What will happen to 'Ash'? Will I care after this? Will I be happier? What in the world would I tell my sisters after all of this? And… what about Leanne?
Reacting to the thought, Misty's self changed.
Leanne… Maya's eyes softly watered. I thought we were friends… why are you trying to steal Sato from me? You don't think I see it? You don't think I know what you're trying to do? Sato's mine! Stop trying to keep him all to yourself! You weren't supposed to like him! You were supposed to like Farron! Why Leanne… If you try anything, I… I won't forgive you…
As a single tear fell from her eye, Misty's body had lost consciousness completely… falling into deep slumber.
…
Anabel felt her every emotion.
Though she wanted to pity and sympathize with Maya, she was far too conflicted with other thoughts and feelings.
On one hand, she felt a curiosity and jealousy for Misty. The young woman had carried all of the emotions of the woman named Maya, the one Ash loved when he was a man named Sato. And whether or not she appreciated it, Anabel believed Misty should count herself as the luckiest girl here. No one was closer to Ash… no one. Because she was Maya. Not just Maya in her past… but was Maya right here and right now. And Anabel still felt like a phantom in comparison.
On the other, she shared the same emotions as Dawn…
Like Dawn, she couldn't get to sleep. She couldn't even think about sleep.
They were too excited, too relieved, and far too happy.
She hadn't ever talked much to Dawn, but she felt like now was the appropriate time to connect with the girl.
"Hey Dawn?"
"…yeah?"
"…we're Maya."
A covered squeal was let out from the young girl. The blue-haired Coordinator kicked and rolled in her sleeping bag in pure bliss. She let out a few more squeals before removing the pillow from her face.
"I KNOW!" she whispered loudly.
Anabel couldn't help but grin and giggle in jubilation with her. "Truth be told, I thought I was going to end up losing to 'Maya' and just going to grow into an old bitter hag! But to find out I'm 'Maya'? AAAAAAAAHHHH!" She buried her face into her blanket and just let herself explode in elation.
Sniffle. "I'm! I'm actually crying about this! I'm so pathetic!" Dawn laughed quietly as she wiped away her tears. "Ah! I can't believe it! I'm going to just bawl all night! I'm just so happy. You have no idea."
Pulling her face away from her blanket, Anabel pointed at the dried tears on her cheeks. "I completely understand. I COMPLETELY understand!" She lifted her hand in the air.
Dawn wrapped her fingers around the Empathic's. The two clenched their hands together as they swung it back and forth in triumph.
Right now, in their heart – they were victors. And no one could tell them otherwise. Because 'Maya' was an indisputable title… and they knew it.
"MAYY!"
"MAAAAYYYYY!"
"MAY COME BACK!"
Maylene dropped her shoulders with a sigh. "This isn't fair. The girl's an Empathic. She probably can see us coming from a mile away…"
"She can already hear us from a mile away. We are shouting her name after all." Angie shrugged. "And besides, can't you block off Empathy?"
"Yeah, I guess… but I have to control my breathing for that. If I do it, I'd be moving twice as slow just so I can keep it hidden comfortably." The fighter shrugged back. "I use it in short distances most times."
Angie leaned against a tree. "Man it's really dark…"
She pulled out a poké ball. Click. Vacuum. Snap.
Luxio stretched and yawned.
"Hey Lux. Can you light this place up?"
It nodded and whipped its tail against the ground.
The four-pointed star on the tip lit up the woods around them. Making the deeper part of the woods seem far darker in contrast.
The tomboy shivered. "I hate that about using lights in forests… makes everything look so much creepier."
Maylene sat on the grass below. She began to pick at her bare toes, scratching off the dirt in the nails. "At least she can see us now. If she wants to come back, that is."
"I'm sure she will. From what I've seen, she's kind of a coward. Wouldn't stand two minutes in these woods alone." Angie sat down as well, staring at the fighter's feet. "…do you never wear shoes?"
"Not really. Is that bad?"
"Doesn't it hurt your feet?"
"No way. Check it." She pulled her foot up and tapped on its sole. "Hard as a rock."
Angie flicked at it. "That's crazy… maybe I should try walking without shoes."
"I have to warn you though… for the first few weeks, it will crack and cut A LOT. And it hurts. Mostly just an irritating kind of hurt, but sometimes it's honestly painful."
"Mm… Maybe I'll hold off then."
…
…
Maylene scratched her shoulder in awkwardness. "So… what's it like?"
The tomboy blinked. "What's what like?"
"Being Ramie?"
Angie shrugged.
"…you don't know?"
"Nope… I don't feel any different."
The pink-haired fighter sighed and shook her head. "That just sucks."
"What? Did I say something wrong? Am I supposed to feel something?"
"Nah… it's just… well, Ash would go 'Sato' sometimes. Misty would get all bipolar with 'Maya'. And Bianca is definitely acting like 'Leanne' now… even calling herself that. Don't know much about Casey and 'Quinn', though."
Angie tilted her head and frowned. "Wait what? How do you know all that?"
"How do I know all what?"
"Ash turning 'Sato' and Misty going 'Maya'! I never seen or even heard of any of that going on!"
Maylene grinned. "I happened to see some things. Overheard other things."
"You eavesdropper!"
"Says the girl who eavesdropped in on a private meeting!"
"Hey, that was partially my business. You probably had no business peaking in on whatever you saw."
"And how was that meeting your business?"
"Ash runs off with a bunch of girls into the woods? You seriously think I wouldn't want to keep an eye on him?"
Maylene gave a hinting smile and winked. "Wanted to see something, did ya'?"
"Wh-Wh-What? N-NO!"
The fighter laughed. "I'm just joking with ya'!"
"Geez…" Angie wiped the blush off her cheeks. "You perv."
"I guess you could call me that… considering that I saw something."
…
…
Maylene blinked. "Aren't you going to ask me what that something was?"
"No way. I don't want to know. I don't ever want to know."
"Has something to do with Ash…"
"Nope."
"And Misty…"
"Nuh-uh."
"And one of them being naked."
Angie's face turned completely pink. "Wh-What?"
"See? You are SO interested now! You're the perv!"
"I – I am not! Don't talk about it anymore!"
"You sure? Even if it has something to do with your precious Sato?"
"I –"
"Tell me! Tell me!" May's head appeared above them.
"WH-WHAA-?" Maylene and Angie scrambled backwards in complete shock.
The Coordinator fell between them, head-first. "OW!"
"M-MAY?" Angie was gasping for air.
Maylene was laughing hard. "Were you in that tree the whole time?"
May rolled to a sitting position and rubbed her head. "Ow… yes?"
Angie gave her a small punch against the shoulder. "You nearly gave me a heart-attack!"
"Don't blame me! You two were the ones that sat underneath my tree! And by the way: I am not a coward!"
The fighter calmed her laughter and gave a mischievous smirk. "Apparently how you get May down from a tree is to talk about Ash being naked."
"ASH WAS NAKED?"
Angie plugged her nose and tilted her head back.
"Pff! No!" Maylene laughed again. "You two are so easy to excite."
"Not funny, Maylene." Angie growled as she prevented the nosebleed from continuing.
May hid her disappointment by facing the other way.
The fighter snickered at their responses. "Whoever this Ramie was, I get the feeling she was a total pervert."
"J-Just for Ash." the Coordinator silently admitted. The comment earned her a slap on the back. "OW!"
Maylene gave her a big smile. "See? No problem with being honest!"
…
…
Angie had finished draining the blood from her nose and looked at May. "You alright?"
"…y-yeah… just needed some time to think things through…"
Punching her slightly on the arm, Maylene did her best to encourage her, "Hey. Nothing wrong with being Ramie… Ramie was a tough girl!"
…
"I… I know." May nodded weakly. "I just thought I was Maya… by every description Leanne gave us, I thought it was me… and… well…"
Angie kicked a nearby tree. "Who cares about that Maya, anyways…? Don't keep comparing yourself to some girl from the past. If you like Ash, then just show him you're better."
"…better?"
Maylene nodded at Angie's words. "Exactly. And besides, wasn't Ramie Sato's partner? Fought with him through thick and thin! In my opinion, Sato missed out on the perfect one! Got too distracted by little miss delicate flower."
"There's more to a girl than just looks and being sensitive!" the tomboy added proudly. "We can be just as dependable and strong as any guy. We can have character! Charisma! We're not all princesses that just wait for their prince. Some of us can actually go out there and fight alongside them too!"
May's face lit up. "S-So that means we're going to win back Sato? Shove it in Maya's face?"
Angie's eyes widened. Her pink face showed complete uncertainty. "W-W-Well I wouldn't g-go that far… I mean, just being th-there for h-him is j-j-"
She got shoved out of the way by an ecstatic Maylene.
"YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!" A fire burned in her eyes. "We'll show those flimsy bellossoms that their pretty little Petal Dance won't get them everywhere in life! We aren't just going to give up just because our man got confused!" She held out her fist.
"YEAH!" May punched the fist in excitement.
…
"OW!" She blew at her knuckles in pain.
Maylene grinned. "Go Team Ramie!"
Angie crawled to her feet. "Er… how does that work anyway?"
"How does what work?"
"Three of us. One Sato."
"…we…take turns?"
Angie's face turned a bright red. "W-WHAT?" She kicked the fighter's leg. "The things that come out of your mouth, I swear!"
May smirked. "If it comes down to it. I say we fight for it."
The other two blinked. "Fight?"
"Ramie was a Fighter, right?" May folded her arms. "Then if we have to choose who gets Ash, it only makes sense that we settle it in a fight."
Maylene pounded her fists together. "NOW YOU'RE TALKIN'! I LOVE Team Ramie!"
Angie gave a nervous laugh. "Well, it's a better suggestion than Maylene's at the very least."
The Empathic Coordinator found herself completely pumped. "WHO NEEDS MAYA? And why are we waiting around here? Let's go remember what it meant to be Ramie right now!"
"Right now?" The tomboy stiffened.
"OK!" Maylene jumped in exhilaration. "Sinnoh region, here we come!"
Pikachu curled up against Ash's hollow body. He let out a quiet sigh before falling asleep.
Ritchie frowned at the scene, tilting his cap to cover his eyes. "Poor little guy…"
"Yeah…" Solana nodded. She ran her fingers through Plusle's short fur, feeling its soft breathing as its back slowly raised and lowered. "…I wonder how Ash's other pokémon are doing…"
"Supposedly they're still in his room."
The Ranger shot a look in the trainer's direction. "What?"
He flinched. "Y-Yeah. When Team Rocket attacked his house, he forgot his poké ball belt behind the door. At least, that's what he told Angie."
Solana gently placed her partner pokémon beside Pikachu and stood. "We need to go get them…"
"What?" Ritchie blinked in surprise. "Why? That place might still be monitored!"
"It doesn't matter. We need to save those pokémon…" She began walking. "Are you coming?"
He got up and followed. "What do you mean 'save'?"
"Think about it, Ritchie… how long has it been since Ash started this entire adventure?"
"Um… actually, I don't really know."
"We'll just say a long time. But fact is, if poké balls aren't connected to a Poké Ball Vitality Device or inside a Pokémon Storage Machine, the pokémon aren't put in complete stasis." Her eyes narrowed as she began to make longer strides. "Meaning those pokémon are being starved to death inside their poké balls…"
"What?" Ritchie grabbed Solana by the wrist and pulled her as he began sprinting. "I never knew that! HURRY!"
"And where do you two think you're going…"
Todd followed Ritchie and Solana's movements with his night camera. "Abandoning your post? Not very responsible. Looks like Leanne hired the wrong people to guard Ash."
"Honestly, I find it weird to call her by that name." Tracey continued his sketches by lamplight. "I think she looked more like a 'Bianca'."
"Quit spying on the other groups, Todd." Gary yawned. "We need to get some rest. Long day tomorrow."
The photographer put down his camera. He blinked to readjust his sight to the dim surroundings. "Why are we even going on this crazy trip, anyway? Nothing to really benefit us."
Tracey glared at him. "This is for Ash, remember?"
"Ash knew what he was getting himself into. I don't know why we have to sacrifice our time and lives just to give the guy a THIRD chance in life."
A pencil nearly poked his eye out. "Whoah! Watch it!"
"He sacrificed his life for all of us! Show some respect!"
"I never asked him to." Todd shrugged his shoulders. "He did it on his own terms."
"You're heartless…"
"I'm not heartless. I already gave my respects. I'll have you know I'm submitting an article and several photos, about and from this entire adventure, to The Monthly Poké Paper… Ash is going to be world famous after this, whether he likes it or not. I just need to do some interviews…"
"A shallow way of showing thanks." Tracey shook his head and returned to his sketches, pulling out another pencil from his bag.
"What? What do you want me to do?" The photographer stood, challenging the sketch artist with his posture. "Do a song and dance? Praise his name? Fawn over him like the girls?"
"You could've at least helped!" Tracey growled. "I saw you in that room during the fight! Hiding in the vent with your camera!"
"What did you expect me to do? Throw my camera at that thing?"
"You were there before any of us reached that room! You could've at least distracted the darkness! Or pulled Ash away before it could grab him! Anything!"
Todd crossed his arms. "I wanted to see if he would make the same choice… If I got involved, he might've changed his mind."
"What choice? He was swallowed up by the darkness! There was no Arceus there for him to make a choice with!"
"And you think I knew that was going to happen? None of us could've predicted what would happen then!"
"And yet YOU predicted that he would make the same choice as before! You counted on that fact just so you could be right and you could mark him as a failure!"
Todd laughed at the irony. "Don't even preach to me, Tracey! You were the one going around the camp trying to get people to stop Ash from making the same choice! You didn't trust him either!"
"I changed my mind in the end…"
"Did you? Did you really? I'm pretty sure I saw with my own two eyes that CASEY was the one that brought Ash there! While everyone else came late BECAUSE they doubted him. Including you, Tracey!"
"But I at least respect his sacrifice!"
"So which is it? Is he sacrificed or are we saving him?"
"…what?"
Todd threw his arms up in frustration. "You want me to respect him as if he's dead! As far as I can tell, he's not dead – and we're making EXTRA SURE he isn't dead! What dead person am I respecting here? If anything, Ash owes US his respect!"
Tracey dropped his sketchpad and faced him eye-to-eye. "What is with you? What in the world are you trying to prove? Ash is our friend! We're doing this because he's our friend! Yet you keep treating him like he's just some acquaintance that owes you money!"
Before Todd could snap back, Gary interrupted, "He's just jealous."
"Jealous? Who ar–"
Gary opened his eyes. His serious stare stopping the photographer from continuing his assault.
"I'm Farron. And so are you." He sighed and wrapped his blanket tighter around himself. "Farron was always jealous of Sato. History repeats – looks like you're the jealous Farron in this story."
"Hmph…" Todd smirked. "'Farron'. I'm Todd Snap. Not some person that depended on pokémon to get a name for himself. I work alone, 'Farron' didn't."
"And yet here you are…" Gary smirked back. "…losing to a guy who doesn't even have to be awake to get your girl to follow him obediently."
"Y-YOU!"
"You want to beat Ash?" The Pokémon Researcher rolled onto his side and adjusted his head against the tree. "You have to beat him at his own game. Right now, he needs his past self to survive. So you need to be your past self just to compete. If he dies now, you won't ever know if you ever really beat him."
…
Todd turned away and slid into his sleeping bag.
…
Tracey sighed… returning to his sketches with a solemn attitude.
…
…
…
"Can I just be the first to say that this is really awkward?"
Casey leaned forward and exhaled loudly.
"Tell me about it…" Domino nodded.
Sabrina didn't respond.
The three women sat around their lamplight uncomfortably.
"I mean… what the heck is she doing here?" Casey pointed at Domino.
"H-Hey!"
"And what in the world do I have in common with you?" She moved her finger to Sabrina.
The Psychic laughed in response.
Casey's eye twitched. "Seriously, Sabby, that laugh is messed up."
Sabrina blinked. "What's wrong with my laugh?"
"It's too… girly for you." She shivered. "This is too weird. You've never talked to me before! And now you're talking all casual!"
"I just asked a question…"
"And you're STILL talking! I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing you as a… person… that talks… like you're some kind of normal person."
The Psychic laughed again.
"And seriously! What is she doing here?" Casey pointed at the former Rocket Agent again.
Sigh. "I have a name, you know."
"And I have purple hair! That doesn't explain why I'm here! Why ARE you here?"
"I'm part of the Quinn group, aren't I?"
"W-well yeah. But… why would you even want to?"
"I had a choice?"
"Didn't you?"
…
Domino shrugged. "Maybe I wanted to know what my life was like before this one. Honestly I don't think this life is that great."
"Great, I'm stuck with two people who have such a happy outlook in life!" Casey groaned sarcastically.
Sabrina tilted her head. "I have a happy outlook."
Shaking her head, Casey shivered again. "D-don't talk like that! You're supposed to be all unhappy and moody! This is just the weirdest team, I swear."
"If you don't like it, you can leave it." Domino pulled out a pocket mirror and began to adjust her hair.
The baseball fan looked back at her. She tapped her lip. "…weren't you crazy?"
"Hm?" Domino didn't look away from the mirror.
"Back in the Rocket Base. Didn't Team Rocket make you crazy or something?"
"Yeah."
…
"So… why aren't you now?"
"Maylene fixed it."
"Oh okay." Casey slapped her hand on her leg. "That's absolutely normal. You can just fix crazy."
"Yep." the ex-Rocket exhaled as she finished touching up her hair.
She was surprised that no one commented on how she could see again. A minor detail that no one seemed to notice, as sanity seemed to be the more important issue.
Unlike Ash's blindness caused by physical damage, hers was created through extreme emotional trauma. With the trauma gone, her eyesight slowly returned. …not that anyone cares.
…
…
"This is by far, the most talkative group I've ever been in." Sigh.
"I can be talkative." Domino closed her pocket mirror. "I just don't know any of you."
"…didn't need to know us to run a monologue."
"Business perk." She pulled off her shoes and gloves. "But if you really want to talk… what's Quinn like?"
Casey removed her baseball cap and shook her hair loose. "Honestly? Quinn's more like her." She pointed her thumb at Sabrina. "I have no idea how I resemble her."
"I believe it was her knack of common sense that you most resembled." the Psychic responded. "Though the two of us tend to share the same loyalty towards Sato."
Slam.
Casey planted her palms onto the broken log between her and the Psychic. She was leaning forward with a look of shock. "Y-You've had visions too?"
"No. I just saw your visions through your thoughts."
"Looking through my mind? Rude!" She threw a piece of bubblegum into her mouth. "Didn't your mom teach you any manners?"
"She tried. I turned her into a doll." Sabrina mentioned nonchalantly. "It's alright. She's better now."
…
"Fixing crazies and turning moms into dolls. At least we can say we're probably the most interesting group here." Casey fell back onto the grass and watched the stars in the sky.
Domino continued the previous topic, "So Sabrina… what qualities would you say that Quinn and I share?" She held a straight face, hiding her extreme curiosity on the topic.
"You both were part of an evil organization intent on taking over the universe."
Casey snorted. "Sabrina! Cold!"
"Honest fact." the Psychic clarified. She returned her attention to Domino. "I would also say you really hold Quinn's serious personality quite well."
"SHE takes her serious personality?" The purple-haired girl sat up and raised her brow. "And what does that make you?"
"I'm not serious. I'm professional."
Casey's brow rose higher. "Really? You're not serious? Not even the slightest bit?"
"Not really. I'm quite immature."
"Im-Immature? How in the world are you immature?"
Sabrina began counting with her fingers. "I laugh at childish jokes. I get irrational. I spend most of my time daydreaming. I'm shy. And I play pranks on people."
…
Casey's eye twitched. "Wh-Why are you telling us all this? It's completely ruining my image of you!"
The Psychic laughed. "We're all Quinn here. We might as well be honest with one another."
"If – If you're so immature – then why in the world do you always act so serious?"
"I already discussed that: I'm professional. I only keep my serious face on because people need me to."
Slapping her hands to her face, Casey groaned. "This is so wrong! I feel like I learned a dirty secret! Does no one else know this?"
"Ash was quite aware of this." Sabrina grinned with a blush.
"Eh-ah-ek-da-wh-wha?" The baseball fan backed away. "Wha-What's that blush all about? Did y-you have a thing for Ash?"
She didn't respond. She just kept smiling.
Casey's jaw dropped. "HE'S LIKE TEN YEARS YOUNGER THAN YOU!"
"I'm not THAT old." Sabrina pouted. "…close, though." She looked away as if distracted.
"Y-Y-You're a pedophile!"
"Actually, she'd be more of a persian." Domino chimed in. "Ash isn't that young."
"You two aren't very kind." Sabrina stood and walked over to her tent. "…besides…"
She crawled in and zipped the entrance closed. "It would only be wrong if he wasn't interested…"
"WH-WHAT DID YOU SAY? – OOF!"
Casey tried to storm the tent, only to find an invisible wall blocking her path.
THOK THOK THOK
She repeatedly slammed her fist against the psychic barrier.
"SABRINA! SABRINA! OPEN UP!"
Domino sighed and opened her emergency blanket packet. "I should probably get some rest, too…"
"SABRINA!"