Pokémon Crimson Gold
Chapter 66: Those who mourn
After arriving in Blackthorn City and already having encountered Team Rocket executive Proton as well as the Gym leader, the Dragon Tamer Clair, Ethan was stuck in a tricky situation.
Allen looked around the house and was surprised at what he had seen before him. "Hey, Lenny, since when did you get a Meganium?" Allen asked staring at the Meganium before him.
"Me-Meganium!" Meganium said to the Allen who approached her.
"Yeah, I was just about to ask that Lenny?" Lance said to the boy who grew a look of discomfort.
"O-oh, Meganium, well this kind stranger... a woman, stopped by here and left her starter with me, I-it's a ride Pokémon, yeah!" Lenny lied off the top of his head.
Allen took notice of the scar on Meganium's under belly and examined it carefully. Meganium herself was a bit scared of what conclusion Allen could come too but didn't wish to blow her cover so she stayed perfectly still.
"Yeah... a ride Pokémon all right..." Allen mumbled turning his attention away from it, he then took notice of the back window and began to take steps closer to it to which Ethan heard.
That scar... Allen thought as he walked up to the open window, he took one glance before closing it shut.
"We wouldn't want a wild Hoothoot or anything getting in, would we?" Allen said. From right below his father's field of vision Ethan sighed in relief as his heart rate went down, he had just barely escaped being caught by his father.
Kris, who the hell are you...? The young Trainer asked himself. It was then when his situation worsened, he wanted to run away to avoid seeing his father at all but couldn't without Meganium, or could he?
Ethan took one peak through the window; he could hear Lance speaking to his younger brother and his father didn't appear to be paying attention to the window. Meganium herself had her eyes on the window and so Ethan waved.
"I'll be back, I promise!" Ethan mouthed out for his starter to understand him. With his hands he also signaled an exiting motion as he crouched down and left on his knees.
Ethan made it to the side of the house where he could finally cross the street, but it was then when he heard the door creak.
Shit! Ethan thought moving a step back hiding behind the side of the house.
"So, you'll be heading to the grave sight now?" Allen asked the Champion who was walking along with his little brother.
"Yes, would you like to accompany us?" Lance asked putting his hand on Lenny's hair.
"I'd love to pay my respects to your cousin, believe me, but I feel I'd be intruding on a personal matter between brothers, I'll go later." Allen said.
"I see, not a problem." Lance agreed.
"Well, can we go now?" Lenny asked his brother who smiled and nodded.
Crap, they might see me! Ethan realized.
However, before the two could even take three steps, Allen stopped them.
"Wait, that reminds me, Lenny." Allen said.
"Wha, what is it?" Lenny said beginning to scare. He had no idea the relation of Ethan and Allen but knew he had to lie, and he was awful at lying.
"You said you were watching a women's Meganium in her stead, yes, you sure you should just leave her home alone?" Allen asked.
Lenny's eyes lit up and he faced his head down. "H-how'd you know she's a girl?" He asked.
"Hmm, just a lucky guess." Allen replied seemingly choosing his words carefully. "Take her with you why don't you."
"Megay, Megay!" Meganium said exiting the door ducking her tall head.
"Yeah, that's not a problem, big brother Lance, could Meganium come with us?" Lenny asked over to Lance.
"As you wish Lenny, as you wish, now let's get going." Lance said. The two walked past the alley Ethan was hiding in with Meganium turning her focus just for a split second to Ethan as they passed. Ethan sighed and walked still on his knees back to the corner he had just passed.
Not wanting to at all meet with his father under the circumstances. Ethan walked around the other houses trailing Lance, his brother, and his starter, but it was as he followed them he got a call on his Pokégear
Ethan looked down and dreaded what he saw, it was his father calling.
I've got to answer, I really hope he doesn't know I'm here... Ethan thought while answering the Pokégear. He stopped trailing Lance and them and sat behind a trash can right before another corner.
"He-hey dad, what's up." Ethan said trying to sound nonchalant.
"Hey Ethan, how's it going back at New Bark Town?" Father asked.
"Oh, everything's going good, you know how it is, mom's alright, Elm's alright, Meganium's alright." Ethan said lying his ass off.
"Interesting, I didn't know your Bayleef evolved?" Dad said, upon hearing his words Ethan instantly facepalmed disappointed in himself.
How could I be so stupid, why didn't I just say Bayleef! Ethan thought feeling like beating himself up.
"Meganium, no, Bayleef's still a Bayleef, you must have misheard me." Ethan said wiping a single drop of sweat from his forehead.
"Ohh... I figured." Allen said. "Anyways, how's your mother?"
"Huh, mom, didn't I say she was doing alright along with Elm and Bayleef." Ethan fibbed.
"Really, because she told me she was sick." Allen said in a confused tone. "She had a high fever and apparently threw up whatever she ate, she also said you were taking good care of her along with Bayleef?"
Ethan stopped speaking as he had no idea what to say, he blanked out from the conversation trying to think of what to say next.
He, he's got to be lying, mom never mentioned getting sick. But if he's lying then that must mean he knows I'm here. Ethan fret. But, at the same time mom could have just never told me anything and lied about me helping her, after all she never told dad I was coming...
"Ethan, Ethan." Ethan heard his father speak once he was brought back to reality.
The young Trainer was shaking but pinched himself so he'd speak, he'd have to say something, anything and fast. "Mom's feeling better, maybe I should check on her when I get home, but right now I'm with Professor Elm helping him trying to uncover a rare Pokémon not in the Pokédex, I am his protégé after all."
"Huh, that's funny, cause Elm told me about three days ago he'd be going back to Goldenrod, he was surprised when he was asked to return to Professor Oak's show, but..." Allen said freaking out Ethan.
Ethan stopped and took a second to think before realizing something very important. "No, that's not true, remember because of the incident that happened back in Goldenrod Professor Oak's radio show's going to be postponed, right?"
"That so, that so..." Allen replied not saying much.
"A-anyways, it's nice speaking with you dad, but I've got to go." Ethan said.
"Go where?" Allen asked.
"Umm, home. Think I'm done for the day, I can go check on mom and see how Meganium's doing." Ethan spoke before realizing what he said and smacking himself.
"I'm sorry, maybe I'm not hearing you right, but I think I heard you say Megan-" Before his father could finish he hanged up panting heavily in exhaustion from the stress he just had.
"He knows, he has too..." Ethan said still panting before he saw a shadow approach him from the corner, Ethan felt scared before he slowly turned his head.
It was the champion standing before him, along with Lenny, and Meganium.
"What are you doing here?" Lance finally said. "Besides trailing us."
"Caught me huh," Ethan said standing up rubbing the back of his head. Meganium instantly ran up to him and went on his side which made her Trainer smile.
"Sorry Ethan, I tried for him not to see you but..." Lenny said not sure how to put it.
"Why are you here, your father told you to go with your mother back to New Bark Town?" Lance asked.
"Well, firstly I'm glad it's you who saw me and not my dad." Ethan said standing up. "Well, I came here despite what he thought, as you can see Bayleef's evolved, and the Nurse Joy back at Goldenrod said it'd be alright if she accompanied me, but while gradually getting back into battling."
"So, that's why..." Lenny said feeling relieved. "For a second there I was starting to wonder if you were a criminal or something."
"Haha, not quite." Ethan laughed it off. "But trust me, it wasn't my intention to have seen my dad here."
"I see... any reason you don't want to face your father?" Lance finally asked.
Ethan looked down not looking the man in his eyes before finally speaking. "As I'm sure you can tell, me and my father aren't very close. We don't talk much since he's always busy, but, he's still my dad, and I don't think I realized how hard it'd be to keep this lie away from him while I was here, but now that I am..."
"Say no more, I completely understand." Lance cut the young boy off.
"So, will you keep my secret." Ethan asked.
"My lips are sealed." Lance smiled. "It'd by my honor after you helped me back in Mahogany."
"Thanks Lance, that's really cool of you." Ethan replied happily.
"Big bro!" Lenny said. "Shouldn't we be heading out now before it gets dark?"
"Of course, of course." Lance said. "Anyways Ethan, we have to be going now, please excuse me."
Lance and Lenny were about to leave, before Ethan chimed in again and asked them to wait.
"H-hold on, could I, come..." Ethan asked.
Lenny turned around with a confused look on his face. "That reminds me, you did know our cousin by her nickname, Kris. Just how do you know her?"
"What, Ethan knew Kris?" Lance said with a hint of surprise. "How, how did you know her? You just became a Trainer four months ago, right, you lived in New Bark Town prior, no way you could have met her."
Ethan didn't know what to say. He met Kris back during his time at Ecruteak, but how could he say that, after all how would the two who had mourned her loss believe that.
"I... I'm sorry, but I can't answer that. I know it sounds crappy of me after everything, but I just can't." Ethan said.
"What, what do you mean you can't! What the hell are you trying to do here!?" Lenny yelled before his brother put his hand before him signaling for him to stop.
"Megay Gay!" Meganium barked at the kid trying to defend her Trainer. Ethan also much like Lance signaled for her to stop.
"It is alright, I'm sure Ethan has his reasons, he is someone I trust completely, even with my own life." Lance claimed shocking his brother further.
"I mean, he's a nice guy, who he even stood up for me when no one else would, but do you hear him!?" Lenny yelled. "I think we have the right to know!?"
"Lenny, it's alright!" Lance repeated himself raising his voice. His brother stopped speaking and shut up.
"Again, I'm so sorry." Ethan once again apologized, bowing his head down. "But please, let me come with you two."
Lenny crossed his arms glaring at Ethan. Lance simply smiled and nodded.
"Alright then, follow us." Lance said.
"Thank you so much." Ethan replied.
Just barely outside the city in what was seeming the only patch of grass, was a single grave with the words written, "here lies Crystal, an amazing young Trainer who we will forever lie in her hearts."
Right before the grave was a river seemingly being the only source of water for the people of the hot town of Blackthorn.
"This is it." Lance said along with his younger brother leading the way for Ethan and Meganium.
"Kris, this is for you." Lenny said placing a bouquet of flowers on her grave. "More importantly than being an amazing young Trainer, you were an amazing cousin, and I, we miss you every day." He said wiping the tears from his eyes.
"These flowers go from me and your sister Clair. If you're gazing from the skies above us, we hope you understand how much we miss you. And as you remain up there, one day we will, we all will reunite with you among the stars, and on that day, we will cherish you in our arms as now we can only cherish you in our hearts, so please, wait for us." Lance said also placing flowers at her grave.
"Beautiful speech you two." Ethan said. He turned to his starter who handed him a single tulip from her mouth she had gathered earlier.
"Kris, Crystal, I may not have known you very well, but I am with your family in which I say I'll cherish you in my heart, always. I'll never forget you; I promise." Ethan said placing the flower to the grave.
He stopped and store at the grave before him for a second before taking steps back by Lance and Lenny.
"You chose an excellent place for the burial; this sight is beautiful." Ethan said staring into the night sky as well as the crescent moon before them.
"Thank you, Kris used to come to this spot along with Clair when she was little." Lance spoke. "Being the older sister, she was Clair would always play hide and seek with her, and Kris would always hide here."
"Yeah, I miss those days..." Lenny sighed. "Before she moved here to Blackthorn, she used to live in Ecruteak from until she turned five. I thought it'd be best if we sent her there, but everyone thought she'd want to be close to family."
"Well, I guess it's not for me to say if that was for the best. But it sure as hell looks pretty." Ethan spoke.
"That it does." Lance said gazing at the stars.
Lenny finally shed another tear and wiped his eyes. "In the end, it was he choice to make. But... well, you should know it didn't just affect you, it hit your family too. I don't think... you knew just how much you meant to us, and I'm sorry we didn't make that clearer..."
Lenny couldn't even finish before he began to bawl crying before his brother put his arm around him and hugged him as he cried into his chest. Ethan simply watched and couldn't help but remember what he was told earlier.
….
"I... heard story of an incredible sounding Trainer from this city who collected all eight badges. A young girl named Kris, whatever became of her." Ethan asked with a serious look on his face.
"Kris... that name is taboo to be used here In Ecruteak..." The one in purple said.
"Taboo... okay I'm sorry, I never realized." Ethan apologized.
"But wait, we said in Ecruteak, but not in our theater." The Kimono girl in red stated.
"Thanks, well, is what I heard? Did this Kris really die?" Ethan asked with many questions.
The one in red made direct contact with Ethan and nodded her head yes.
"I'm sorry, but the tale of Pokémon Trainer Kris is a tragedy. she was a Trainer who showed all Pokémon kindness and had potential to become the next Pokémon League Champion." She spoke.
"So how, how did she die. What kind of sicko could kill such a wonderful person like that!?" Ethan asked.
"Kris was not killed, she committed suicide." The one in yellow said on the verge of tears, completely shocking Ethan. "Her body was found in a cave hanged by a noose next to a suicide note in which she wrote the world was better off without her and that she didn't deserve to live."
"T-that's awful, I'm sorry to hear that." Ethan said sadly. "No one should take their life in any circumstance."
"B-Bay..." Bayleef said, equally as shocked as Ethan.
"W-why would she want to kill herself?" Ethan asked. "What made a young girl with the same dream as I have done something like that?"
"That is why we believe, perhaps she didn't kill herself." The one in purple said.
"But you said..." Ethan said trying to wrap his head around it.
"The suicide was very abrupt. All those who knew her never thought she had any emotional turmoil or distress in her life." The one in yellow said. "What's even more disturbing, her Pokémon were also killed, destroyed from inside their Pokéballs."
Bayleef got shivers just hearing that, Ethan noticed and put his hand on her neck and stroked her skin gently. "It's okay Bayleef, I know girl I know,"
"So, what about that make you think she was murdered?" Ethan asked.
"Kris was a kind and sweet girl, no way in any way would she harm her Pokémon." The one in red said.
"Although she died hanged, it isn't impossible someone could have forced her too, an evil Trainer with a strong psychic type perhaps." The one in blue said.
….
They say she committed suicide, but... how could someone like her do such a thing...? Ethan wondered before he heard Lance calling out to him.
"Ethan, Ethan." Lance said, he was away from the grave about to head out to the trail they went through to get here. "Lost in thought are you, well it's time to head back."
"O-oh, is it now!?" Ethan remarked. Meganium walked by his side and waited for him so she could follow behind him.
"I'll be heading back my own way, just one last question." Ethan said. "How's it going with Team Rocket?"
"Just fine, we caught some Team Rocket sympathizers who were on a riot the other day." Lance informed Ethan.
"Huh, well... I might be wrong, but I could have sworn I saw Proton in this city, I-I believe." Ethan claimed surprising Lance.
"What, Proton, here?" Lance said with his eyes lit up.
"The man looked like him, I wanted to confront him, but... I was scared." Ethan admitted almost unwillingly.
"Well thank you for telling me, I promise I will look into it along with your father." Lance said before facing his brother. "Let us go back now." And with that, the two left.
Ethan sat on his bottom, not yet ready to head off. Meganium herself laid besides him trying to comfort him.
"Megayy?" She said, asking what was wrong.
"I-I just want to stay here, a little longer..." Ethan replied.
Shorter chapter than yesterday's but I really liked writing this one. So, the mystery with Kris continues to get spicier, did she commit suicide? Why did she commit suicide? Will we ever find out? I wonder what will happen next?