AN: This chapter was updated/revised on March 22, 2020.
Close to You
"On the day that you were born the angels got together
And decided to create a dream come true
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair
Of golden starlight in your eyes of blue."
The Carpenters
June, Takeshi, Benny, Jocelyn, Cassandra, and her friend Jo were on a beach on the small islet of Kakuna. Kakuna Island was so named due to the inconceivable amount of bee Pokémon that spawned there, which lead to the tree being occupied by hundreds of Weedle and Kakuna. It was enough to deter tourists but not enough to deter young trainers who wanted to practice for contests or play in the ocean. Lucario, their designated Poké-sitter, was sitting on the edge of the beach, watching the children play a game of three-way chicken.
"Lucario, come play with us!" Jocelyn yelled from Takeshi's shoulders. "Please, Oniisan?"
"I can't Jocelyn, I do not have a partner," Lucario responded. "Besides, it would not be fair. I am a strong Pokémon, and you are mere children."
"Can you at least come swimming?" she pleaded.
"Flaafy!" Flaafy added, and Jocelyn's other Pokémon copied.
"You look like you could use some fun," said Cassandra.
The kids and their Pokémon exited the water and grabbed the towels that they had left on the warm sand. Typlosion happily greeted Takeshi, as the fire-type had been left out of the water games for obvious reasons.
"We need to practice anyway," June sighed.
"You don't seem excited about it," Lucario noted.
"I…it's just…Jay and Jezz…last time I really practiced hard it was with them. Contests are just not fun anymore, not while they are gone."
"I'm worried about them too," said Cassandra.
"Don't worry about them," said Lucario.
"Humans don't work like that," said Jocelyn. "We always worry about the people we care about."
"I'll help you, June," said Takeshi. "Together we can come up with an exciting routine. Then you will want to do contests again."
"I don't want to…" June murmured. "But I'll try."
"Do you wanna practice with me?" Cassandra asked Jo.
"Sure. Let's go to the other side though, and give June her privacy while she practices," Jo responded.
Takeshi followed June to the other end of the beach while Cassandra and John went to the other. Benny and Jocelyn sat cross-legged next to Lucario, who appeared to be lost in thought.
"You think a lot," Benny pointed out.
"Eeveeee," Jackson agreed.
"There are many things in this world to ponder," Lucario replied.
"Are you sad?" Jocelyn asked. "You seem sad."
"Your family is not at peace. It disturbs me."
"It disturbs me too. And Onēsan. And Mommy and Papa; We are all disturbed."
"I feel like there is something looming over us."
"Depression?" Benny guessed. Lucario and Jocelyn turned to face the shy eight-year-old. "Tamaki said that when you are depressed it feels like there is something looming over you."
"How would he know?" Jocelyn questioned.
"Tamaki said that after the police came and took away his parents, he became depressed. He said that he feels like that a lot now, but he doesn't show it all the time because he doesn't want to make it other people's problems."
"I wish Oniisan had told us. Then we could have cheered him up."
"He said it doesn't work like that."
"I am sorry about your brother's problem, but I am not depressed. At least, I don't think I am," Lucario responded.
"But you know everything," Jocelyn insisted.
"No, I do not. No one, no person or Pokémon, can possibly know everything. There are many things left in this world to figure out."
With that, Lucario walked away.
Benny and Jocelyn followed him. Lucario's legs were longer than those of the two small children. They struggled to keep up with his fast pace.
"Maybe you need to play more games," Jocelyn suggested breathlessly. She reached forward and grabbed his paw, tugging it gently. "I can help with that."
"Me too," Benny added.
Lucario stopped and looked off into the distance. The black shape he felt watching him was now gone. He turned to look the two little kids in the eyes. They were innocent, pleading, and pure. He sighed, a sign of resignation. Jocelyn excitedly dragged him back towards the water.
"I have a contest to get ready for," she announced. "And it is going to be a splash."
In the meantime, June and Takeshi were several yards away from the rest of their group with Venasaur, Typhlosion, and their latest Pokémon from Alola. June was teaching Grubbin a new move while Takeshi relaxed in the sand next to her.
"I wonder why our friends keep disappearing," Takeshi remarked.
"All I know is that the more I think about it, the more anxious I get," said June.
"I can't stop thinking about it. What if they never come back?"
"I can't imagine…don't want to imagine. Grubbin, thank you for trying, take a break now."
"Grubbb!" her Pokémon cheered.
Grubbin ran up the nearest tree in order to munch on its leaves and fruit. June sat down next to Takeshi. She twiddled her thumbs nervously. Takeshi put his hand over hers to stop it.
"Jay and I used to be really close," said Takeshi. "I feel like he might have forgotten about me."
"No way," said June. "Friends never forget about one another."
"He spends so much time with Amber and Jezz now, and I am always with you. We haven't done anything alone together since our dads took us out for candy a few days after New Year's."
"I hardly ever see Soledad anymore. For a while, I thought she replaced me with Anika. But then I kind of accepted it, realizing that yes, people move on, but that isn't a bad thing at all."
"At least some friendships last."
"All friendships last. Some just become more memorable than others."
"Even ours?"
"Especially ours."
"I hope you are right."
"I am"
They mutually started at the sky. It was a bright day, not too warm, and the baby-blue sky had those fluffy yet sparse white clouds that made the atmosphere look like it belonged in an animated cartoon. June explained one time how that was her favorite sky because the sky was just like that the first time, she tried to ride a Tauros, hoping to attract attention from Takeshi. It was hard to imagine that was almost an entire year ago. They had grown and changed so much since then. But the sky remained the same.
"I am glad you decided to do the contest on Monday," said Takeshi.
"I know I said I didn't want too, but I think Annastasia will be happy if we go. And even though Grubbin has been struggling to learn this third move set, he was able to learn the last two. And he isn't my only Pokémon either," said June. "And I have a nice pink dress to wear. Soledad gave it to me; she said her mom used to wear it in her Pokémon contests when she was about my age."
"You'll probably win. You have the most heart. And Jezz said that heart always wins in the end. I think he's right."
"I sure hope he comes back to us soon."
"In the meantime, why don't we keep practicing? I will help this time."
June smiled. "That's an excellent idea."
XO
Jay and Amber spent almost the entire day sleeping. After finishing his book, Jezz had taken a three-hour nap. Then at 2:00 pm, he decided to help Patrissa with the laundry and dishwashing.
"It is sweet of you to help me like this," Patrissa said as she handed Jezz a shirt to fold.
"I felt as though I should, and also I do not need as much sleep as my friends do."
"Are they wanderers too?"
"No, they have stable homes, but they decided to come with me."
Jezz neatly piled a few folded towels.
"I can see that you are very good at folding," she observed.
"I feel it is all about coordination, and coordination is my...thing," Jezz replied.
"It certainly is…Are you sure you don't need more sleep? From what you've told me it seems you've been operating on little to no sleep for a while now."
"I feel as though I will sleep well tonight, but at this moment, I am rested."
After all the laundry was folded and carried up the stairs, Jezz and Patrissa went to wash and dry all the pots and pans sitting in the kitchen sink. By the time they were finished, it was already 4:00 pm. A still-exhausted Amber and Jay slinked down the stairs.
"Hey buddy," said Jay once he saw Jezz.
Amber yawned. "Did ya sleep at all?"
"I did," Jezz responded.
"Miss Patrissa, are you sure there are no chores for us to do?" Jay asked.
"I am certain of it. Jezz was going to ask if you were ready to travel to Liberty Avenue," Patrissa responded.
"Liberty Avenue? Isn't that where the capitol building is?"
"Yes. Mary Sapphira works there," said Jezz.
"Whoa. She must be one important lady," Amber commented.
"She is," said Patrissa. "Sapphira is a pseudonym, so no one knows what her real surname actually is. She started up the most successful private orphanage in Washington City, has helped save hundreds of children from being robbed and forced into the streets, and she also fosters several of her own children. She has a very kind heart, as you will see. I talked to her this morning and let her know that you were going to come to see her either tonight or tomorrow."
"That was very kind of you. I very much appreciate that," Jezz replied.
"It was no trouble at all."
"Tonight? You want to go tonight?" Amber pestered.
"Yes. I feel the sooner I go the better," Jezz responded.
"We should get going then; I don't wanna ride my bike outside this late," said Jay worriedly.
"I rented bike lights too. But I agree, I feel we should leave before it becomes too late."
"Are you going to eat first? I have supper ready," Patrissa offered.
"I suggest we eat swiftly and lightly, and then leave."
Amber picked up one of Patrissa's homemade rolls and started devouring it.
"You are not obligated to come with me," Jezz told Jay and Amber. "You may stay here and take your time eating. I will not be concerned about going alone."
"We don't want you to go by yourself," said Jay. "Amb?"
"Ah, no…we don't," Amber said as she swallowed her food.
"You sound as though you would rather stay, Amber. That is fine with me," said Jezz. "Jay, are you sure you want to go with me?"
"100%" Jay answered.
"If he is going, then I am too," said Amber. "I just gotta eat first."
"I will be back," Patrissa before leaving the room.
"Don't eat too much or you will get cramps once we start riding our bikes," Jay told Amber.
"I know. Trust me, I know. I never want to have another cramp for as long as I live," Amber asserted.
"Not gonna happen."
"You are so annoying. Why are you so annoying?"
"Because I am always with you."
"But you are always with Jezz too, and he is the politest human being in the world."
"Thank you," Jezz responded.
"See, he is not annoying me—not now, anyway."
"I am glad you think that of me," said Jezz.
Jay rolled his eyes while Jezz ate a piece of homemade bread and a bit of the stew that Patrissa had prepared. They ate in silence, then Jezz headed back up the stairs without a word.
"Where do you think he is going?" Amber whispered to Jay.
"I dunno," Jay answered.
Jezz came back down the stairs two minutes later.
"Are we still going to the capitol?" Jay asked.
"I certainly am. I have thought about it more and I feel you two should probably stay here," Jezz responded.
"No way, kid. If you go, we are going too," said Amber. "Jaybird is right: you can't go out there alone."
"Then let us get our bikes."
Maria was in the hallway with the three youngest children.
"Where are you goin?" the boy named Kenji asked.
"We are going to visit a friend. We will be back later tonight," Jezz replied.
"Good luck," said Maria.
"Thank you."
When the three of them and their Pokémon got outside, Jay turned to Amber.
"Can you see if Mimikyu will come out of its ball now?" he pleaded. "It would be very helpful at a time like this."
"Fine," Amber sighed. "Go, Mimikyu!"
Amber tossed the ball into the air, but it fell and shook; the sign that it did not want to leave the comfort of its Pokéball.
"Geeze, you claimed to want to be friends. Friends help friends," Amber spoke to the ball. It didn't move or respond in any way.
"This Mimikyu seems like my Xatu," said Jezz observed.
"Plu," Vileplume agreed.
Jezz mounted his bike. "Come, and we shall go to Liberty Avenue."
XO
Annastasia and Michio planned to eat dinner alone together for the first time since they left Kanto.
Annastasia was in the bathroom trying to zip up the dress her parents had made her for Christmas last year while Michio groomed Plusle on their bed.
"Plusle?" the Pokémon inquired as she pointed to Michio's red tie.
"I am dressed up because I am going out," he explained.
"Plus plus Plussssle."
"Well, it's because—"
"Michio? Can you go get one of my parents?" Annastasia called from behind the bathroom door.
Michio dropped Plusle's comb and stepped to the bathroom door.
"Are you okay in there?" he asked.
"It's the dress, it doesn't fit anymore. I'm too big," she answered.
"Oh," he replied. "I was worried, Annie, it sounded like you were going to have an anxiety attack or something."
Annastasia secretly smiled. "You are the one who has anxiety attacks, not me."
"I'll go get them."
"Thanks."
"Do you know where they are?"
"No, just that they're nearby."
Plusle jumped on Michio's shoulder as he headed out the door.
"You still kinda like me," he said as he petted the electric mouse.
"Pllusss!" she happily declared.
"I know that Rose has been cuddling up with Jezz's Pokémon, but I think you should hang out with her. You two have a lot in common," he told her. "I mean, you both like me. That's rare and unusual."
Plusle hummed and rubbed her cheeks up against his neck. It reminded him of Scarlett, oddly enough, though he hadn't thought of her in a while. Plusle noticed his sad face.
"Plus?" she whispered.
"It's something you wouldn't understand," Michio mumbled.
Plusle used Thundershock. Michio's limbs stiffened and his hair puffed out. But he wasn't angry.
"You are like her too," he said. "That's what you are, you are half Scarlett and half Rosie. I'm going to think of you that way."
"Plus," she said contently.
Michio looked through the halls but did not see Annastasia's parents nor any of their Pokémon or other children.
"Plu, plu?" Plusle asked, tapping Michio's shoulder.
"I'm just feeling kinda bad for Annie," he divulged. "I know she doesn't care how much she weighs, but I think she feels sad because she can't fit into any of her old clothes. Girls care about stuff like that."
"Pi."
"Hold on, did you just say 'Pi'?"
Plusle shrugged.
"Hmm," he sighed.
Michio found Jessie and James sitting in the living room with Silver, Rose, Meowth, Lucy, Lily, Logan, Maya, Jocelyn, a bunch of their Pokémon.
"There they are," Michio mumbled.
"You sure are dressed nicely for family movie night," Lily teased.
"Annie and I…we are…umm."
"You are going on a date," Jocelyn giggled. "Right? Is that it, Oniisan?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Did you need something?" James asked as he got up off the couch, Rose in his arms.
"Not me: Annie. Annie needs you."
"Is she alright?"
James and Michio walked down the hall.
"She just needs a different dress," said Michio. "The other one doesn't fit anymore…"
"Oh, I see. I'll be right back," he told Michio.
James headed into his room and opened the closet. Michio watched as he pulled out six different dresses. He handed half of them to Michio.
"One of these will work," he said.
Michio stared at the dresses. They all looked way too fancy for a simple dinner date.
"I don't know if she will be comfortable wearing any of these," Michio responded. "They are kinda elaborate."
"Oh, yes, of course. She doesn't like to dress up like we do," James replied as he took the dresses back from Michio. He put them all down on the bed and then took out a simpler one. "She will like this one, don't you think?"
"James, I hate this fashion shit."
"Right…but you can at least imagine what she would like, since you're her partner and one of the closest non-family members to her."
Plusle jumped off Michio's shoulder, grabbed something off the dresser, then hid under the bed.
"She stole something!" James gasped.
"Plusle, come out," Michio ordered.
"Plu plusssss!" she cried.
Sandshrew entered the room while neither man was looking.
"She stole a necklace," it indifferently announced.
"A necklace?" Michio inquired, glaring at Sandshrew. "What kind of necklace?"
"One of those golden ones with a large centerpiece with photographs in them." Sandshrew began making a cup of hot cocoa in their Keurig. "A locket, I believe you call them."
"That is odd. Jessie is wearing her locket. I just saw it," said James. "It isn't ours."
"Plusle, did you take my pendant?" Michio asked.
Plusle shook her head 'no' and crawled further out of their reach. It was too dark under the bed for anyone to see what she was holding.
"Sandshrew, do you want to be a lamb and retrieve Plusle?" James asked hopefully.
"What is in it for me?" it responded.
James reached into his pocket. "I will give you twenty bucks."
Sandshrew shook its head. "I want something better. I want to go with Annastasia and him."
"Tonight? On their date?"
"Yes."
"Are you fucking insane? We are not taking you," Michio asserted.
"Very well then," it replied. "Bye-bye, Plusle. Enjoy your new toy."
Sandshrew left the room. Michio and James groaned.
"Is it an expensive locket?" James asked.
"It was a gift," he answered shortly.
Michio knelt back on the ground and stuck his head under the bed. Plusle was whimpering and holding the pendant close to her.
"She really wants it," James observed.
"Hey, Plus-Plus, I really want that locket back," Michio started. "Please give it to me. I will find you something else to play with."
"Plus!" the Pokémon shouted back.
Both Michio and James sighed.
"I will bring Anna-chan the dress," James told Michio. "Good luck."
"Please, Plusle?" Michio tried after James left the room.
Plusle broke into tears and rubbed her face on the locket.
"I will buy you a different necklace," he offered. "Don't cry. Fuck, please don't cry."
It didn't work, Plusle kept crying.
"I'll do whatever you want," Michio told her.
Plusle stopped crying and looked him in the eyes. Michio got an uncomfortable feeling and stood back up. Plusle slowly came out from under the bed, the pendant hanging from her neck. She clung to Michio and pointed at her neck.
"You want to wear it?" he asked.
Plusle shook her head. She chanted a few more words at him.
"She is saying that she wants to go with you tonight," Logan translated. He entered the room and jumped up on the bed. "James said that you needed help, so I came. She says you've been neglecting her and spending too much time with Annastasia."
"Annastasia is my partner and you, well, you aren't even my Pokémon," he told Plusle.
"Plussss!" she cried. "Plusssss plus plus Pluslllllleee."
"She says that she feels like you are her trainer, but she doesn't know why. She says that she has been around you before, whatever that means," said Logan.
Plusle sneezed, and Michio was reminded of Scarlett. He knew that if she were here, she too would demand to come along too.
"Plusle, you can come, but Annie and I want to have the chance to be alone a little while too," said Michio. "Get it?"
"Plus," she agreed, nodding her head.
"I want my pendant back too. It was a gift from her. The pictures inside of there are very important to me."
Plusle opened the locket and stared at the pictures inside. There was Michio, Annastasia, and Scarlett sleeping in the grass together; a picture obviously taken by Lily while they weren't paying attention. Another one was him with Annastasia and the twins the day they were born. Plusle pointed to Scarlett and chanted a few times.
"She is saying that she wants to be like that Pikachu," Logan explained.
"That Pikachu isn't around anymore," Michio responded.
"She knows."
"Then why, Plusle?"
Just after he finished talking, Annastasia entered the room.
"Papa said you were in here," she said to Michio. "What's going on?"
"I'll get going," Logan told the pair before dashing out of the room.
Annastasia cradled Plusle in her arms. "She is holding your pendant."
"Yeah, and she won't give it back," Michio replied.
"Plussssss pluss," Plusle lamented as she clutched the necklace tighter.
"It seems she is jealous," said Annastasia. "You have been spending time with the babies and with me, but you have been ignoring her. She wants to be close to us the way Scarlett was."
"How was I supposed to know that? I can't understand Pokémon the way you can," Michio mumbled.
"I don't know, but I do know that she has a lot in common with Scarlett. She wants you to see that."
"Plus," Plusle concurred.
Annastasia sat on the bed with Plusle still in her arms.
"I promise that if you give Michio back that pendant and let us have some alone time, then we will love just as much as we loved her," Annastasia offered. "Actually, I revise that. We already do care about you as much as we cared about her, but I promise that from now on we will do a better job of making that clear."
Plusle nodded and then handed the pendant to Michio. He leaned forward so that she could put it back around his neck.
"So, you are our little thief," Annastasia said lightly. "We have been looking for that pendant. Did you happen to take my mace too?"
Plusle shook her head, and Annastasia informed her that she was joking. The three of them exited the room and headed towards the door.
"You look great!" Jocelyn gasped as she observed Annastasia's light blue-green dress. "It matches your eyes."
"Thank you," Annastasia replied. "That is sweet."
"And Oniisan, you look like a prince!"
"Thanks," Michio mumbled.
There was a flash and a click, and then the coupled noticed Lily and Maya staring at them, holding cameras.
"This looks good," Lily said, then she and Maya scattered.
"Have fun," said James.
"Be safe," said Jessie, winking.
"We will," Annastasia promised.
'I have it all planned out,' she thought.
Annastasia knew that Michio had wanted to try something romantic for a while, but he was still not very good at communicating what he wanted. She decided this would be the perfect reward for what he accomplished the other day when he got all that information for her.
Annastasia drove them to a small cliff-side restaurant that looked over the ocean.
"This is it," Annastasia announced as she pulled into the driveway.
"I have never been here before," Michio noted.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
She got out of the car and opened the back seat so that Peruva, Mienshao, Bleu, and Lil-G could get out. The Pokémon said something to her and then the squad retreated to the park. Michio stood with his hands in his pocket and a shy smile, watching her wave goodbye to her team.
Except for Plusle, who hid behind the wheel of the car.
Annastasia squatted beside her.
"Don't you want to go play with Bleu, Lil-G, Peruva, and Mienshao?" she asked.
"Plus!" she asserted, stomping her foot.
She scrambled over to Michio and clung to his arm. Michio noticed that for the first time in a long time, they were completely alone except for their own Pokémon hovering nearby and an electric mouse that insisted on being right in their faces. He recalled the first time this happened. It was early last year, a few weeks after they had met. It was their first official heart-to-heart conversation.
"I wish I was part of your family. Mine is…well, not like that," I admitted. "They call us the Kapule Klan. We are practically the Alolan Sopranos. I don't belong there."
"No one ever said you had to go back," Annastasia replied.
She leaned into me, inches from my skin. I flushed. I wondered if she could sense my apprehension—or curiosity.
"You always say that, but I have a lot to lose," I said. "All that money, and my title, and my Pokémon."
"More to lose there than what you've established here?" she asked. "Your freedom, self-expression, relationships with people who are willing to accept you?"
Did she want me to stay? Why?
It could be for the same reason I wanted to stay.
"You seem to want me to stay here," I said.
"I don't like to see people suffer," she replied. She gave me the look, the Annastasia look, the compassionate look. The look she gave people she cared about. But she couldn't care about me.
"I told you I am compassionate," she added.
"My parents already hate me, but you wouldn't know what that is like," I retorted. "You live in a family that always tells you the truth, even when it sucks for you."
"True."
Annastasia backed away slightly. The place she was almost touching me went from hot to cold. Was all the shifting intentional? That's one of many things I never asked her about.
"They literally tell me everything," she continued. "Since they didn't have their own parents to guide them when they were our age, sometimes they make mistakes. But I've gotten pretty used to it by now. It's nice and I am sorry you don't have that."
"I'd rather be in your shoes than mine," I replied.
"I can't change everything."
"I know."
"Are you sure you still don't want to be friends? Because it sounds like you want to be friends now."
"I…."
I hate admitting when I'm wrong. Hate it. But I would hate losing her even more.
"I…do…" I said. "That would be nice." Scarlett's ears perked and her tail flicked at this. "But I can't if you won't trust me."
"Well, I can't trust you if you won't be my friend. What will it be?"
"Pika! Pikachu, Pika chu chu," Scarlett complained, pushing my stomach.
"Hey," I said, shifting away. "Cut it out."
"What is it?" Annastasia asked her.
"Pi," she responded, pointing at me.
"Seems like she wants you to talk."
"Pi."
"Is just that…I am probably going to mess this up….so can we just be people? Just people in the same universe who know each other and talk about things sometimes?" I asked.
"Okay. We should both be able to handle that for now," said Annastasia. "But really, friends are allowed to mess up too."
Annastasia offered her hand.
"Pika, chu chuuu," said Scarlett, nudging me off the bed.
"It's a handshake," said Annastasia. "It's step one...just try it, please."
I didn't move. This seemed like more than a handshake; it seemed like a vow.
My hesitation frustrated Scarlett. The Pikachu pushed on my back until I finally stood up. She threatened a Thunderbolt, but before she could execute it, I took Annie's hand.
"There. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Annie responded, still holding onto my hand. She took a few steps towards the door, bring me with her. "So, want to get something to eat now?"
"Michio?" Annastasia questioned as she snapped her fingers in front of his eyes. She picked up his hand. "So, want to get something to eat now?"
"I…how did you do that?" he asked.
"I have no idea what you are talking about. You were just contently standing there as I looked for my lost phone. Found it, btw."
"I was thinking of something."
"Perhaps you can tell me about it over dinner."
Annastasia fluttered her eyelids. With a puckered smile, she grasped his hands, and walking backward, steered him towards the entrance. Michio snickere at her perfectly playful behavior.
"You have such a heartfelt laugh," said Annastasia. "You need to pull it out more often."
"You have such a weird personality," he replied. "You need to pull it out more often."
"What does that even mean?"
"Not sure."
They giggled together. Plusle was electrified by their actions; she loved when her loved ones were happy out-loud.
"Plus!" Plusle exclaimed.
"You see I thought that she'd be obsessed with Minun, not with you," Annastasia said as the three of them walked up the stairs to the front door.
"I'm popular with the electric rodents," Michio bragged.
Annastasia smiled and then addressed the hostess, who seated them outside. One of the staff members brought over a little high chair for Plusle, who took the seat proudly. She looked back and forth between her two human companions and chatted excessively, earning 'awes' from the nearby tables.
"You know, at places like these, they usually charge extra for the outdoor seating," Michio informed her as soon as they were alone.
"Not by much," she responded. "And inside gets crowded. You hate crowds."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what? Looking at the wine menu?"
She put down the menu in order to look him in the eyes.
"No, I mean coming here," said Michio. "You don't like getting dressed up and candlelit seating and all this shit."
"It's okay sometimes. We don't know how long it is going to be until we can do this again. And I just felt like doing something different. You told me you liked this sort of thing," she responded.
"I do, but…but why do you say it is going to be a long time until we have the chance?"
"I'm going to be very busy after tonight." She took a huge sip of water and cleared her throat. "After tonight I will be frequently meeting up with your mother and Professor Rosedale so that we can focus on breaking into the timeline. Then after that I have a kid to raise and a ton of advocacy work to get done."
Michio stared at her questionably. "You talk about that stuff a bit too casually. Even the timeline stuff."
"It can be casual because we finally have an idea of what we are going to do."
"How do you plan on doing it?"
"Xatu isn't the only Pokémon that can travel through time or use Teleport. We are going to gather all our psychic Pokémon and legendaries and we are going to figure this shit out once and for all. Now that we are completely certain about what is going on around here, we are going to do this."
"With my mom on your team..."
"She can help. I suppose being good with Pokémon runs in the family. She told me that she is the one who helped you get Lunala, by the way. She told me that the first time I went to visit her. She found me in the Team Rocket database, looked at my stats, looked at my pictures, and decided that I was just the person you needed. We had a pretty good thing going, which is why I was shocked when we first visited the estate and she acted that way towards us…Sorry, I am going on a tangent."
"No, it's cool." He squeezed her hand in reassurance. "I like your tangents."
She looked down, then back up at him as she toyed with the silk napkin.
"That means more than you think it does," she murmured.
Michio couldn't deny that Annastasia was undoubtedly the most confusing person he had ever encountered.
"Does this mean you are going back in time?" he asked.
"If it is necessary," she replied.
"Plusllle!" Plusle cheered.
"Thanks for the support."
"Am I allowed to come with you?" said Michio.
"If I feel that I need you, then I will ask you to come with me."
"Oh…"
"I don't want to hurt your feelings."
He shook his head. "It's not about me. It doesn't sound like any of this is about you, either."
"It isn't."
"Yeah…You mentioned advocacy and Jezz too…"
"Soon I will have Jezz to look after, all those Pokémon in Silverville, my job at Team Rocket, and the advocacy work. Sandshrew isn't going to let me get away with neglecting that."
"Why do you do so much?"
"I have many passions."
"I know that…I suppose I just don't want to see you get overwhelmed. If you ever feel overwhelmed—I'm worried I might not be able to do anything about it."
"You won't ever have to. Just having someone be there for me is enough. Really. Everything you already do is enough."
"Plu," Plusle awed.
"No one…" Michio started.
'…has ever said anything like that to me before,' he finished in his head.
"I think you should let some of this go, hand the responsibility to someone else for a while," Michio continued. "What do your parents do all day? What about Lucy and Meowth, or Lily, Maya, and Logan? Or Nolan and Lexi? Or Rumika?"
"Rumika runs a complex with fifty tenants, is a level 500 agent, and top Team Rocket spy. Lucy is a level 300 agent, top spy, and peacekeeper at the Oak Laboratory. Meowth oversees everyone's finances, that includes my family's house, Rumika's house, our house, the Pallet House, and the bungalow, and he is a part-time Team Rocket agent. Lily, Maya, and Logan are helping to babysit the kids and train my Pokémon since I have been too busy to do it myself. My parents are nursing two infants, attempting to properly raise an eight and eleven-year-old, running the Pallet House, costume designing, and working part-time as Team Rocket agents. And Nolan and Lexi are going through Team Rocket training and the Battle Frontier, both of which are very demanding—I am only doing my share of the work," Annastasia replied.
"Some of those things could be eliminated. If there is anything I learned in my eighteen years, it's that no one should be doing work unless they absolutely have to. Your family has money, use it to hire people."
"We already employ about one hundred people."
"Then hire a hundred more."
"When we live together, we are going to have a fun time figuring out how to spend the money."
She smirked. Michio smirked back.
"I bet we will," he agreed.
"Plussssle," their Pokémon guest agreed.
"By the way, Plusle, you can't tell Sandshrew, Lily, Maya, Logan, Mewtwo, Lucario, Meowth, or Lucy about any of this. It's a private conversation," said Annastasia.
"Plusle."
"You know a lot of English-speaking Pokémon," Michio noted.
"Call it luck," Annastasia replied.
"Um, speaking of luck, look."
Michio as he held out his hand. Raindrops hit his palm.
"It's only a drizzle. It will probably pass soon," Annastasia replied.
Seconds later, water cascaded from the sky in an unforeseen thunderstorm. Everyone in the outdoor seating area ran inside, using menus and purses to cover their heads.
"We should have known this would happen," Annastasia said as she wrung out her hair.
"Pllusss," Plusle moaned, wiping her coat on Michio's slacks.
Michio and Annastasia's first private dinner-date went downslopes from there. They were re-seated in the very back of the packed restaurant. If the ensuing panic attack didn't bother Michio enough, there was the obnoxious couple that kept interrupting their attempts at conversation to make things worse. Then Plusle got startled by a loud crack of thunder and accidentally shocked half the restaurant with one of her most potent blasts yet, knocking out about half the guests, including Annastasia and Michio themselves. When their appetizers came out, they were given the wrong dishes, which wouldn't have been a problem if it wasn't for the fact that they contained ingredients that both of them were allergic to. Then, while their meals were on the way to the table, the waiter slipped and the food fell to the ground. Every time they considered leaving, the rain came down hard, providing them with an incentive to stay inside.
By the time they paid the check for the food they never got to eat and decided to head towards the car, it was haling and the winds were at a near-hurricane level.
They ran to the far end of the backlot where they had parked and discovered their Pokémon hiding under the car. Bleu could hardly fit underneath the car and got stuck, and they had to borrow someone's Machamp so that they could lift him free. Their moment of peace came when they were finally inside the vehicle, drying and warming themselves with the towels Annastasia had stashed in her trunk.
"This was fun," Annastasia commented after she had caught her breath.
"Rained on, haled on, shocked unconscious, starved, guilt-tripped, and pitied, all in one meal," Michio replied.
"I would more accurately call it an attempt at a meal."
"Pllusss," Plusle sighed in bitter agreement.
Annastasia reached under her car seat and took out a box of protein bars.
"These can hold of over, then when we get home, we can cook something up," she said as she passed one to Michio and each of the Pokémon. "I'm sorry, Michio. I tried to make it special."
Annastasia's stomach growled, but she couldn't eat.
"There's nothing for you to apologize for," Michio said after a pause. He opened the bar she gave him and offered it to her. "It wasn't the best hour and fifteen minutes of my life, but it's in the top ten."
Annastasia smiled wearily, then took a bite of the bar. Michio opened and began eating the one she had left in her lap.
"These aren't bad," Michio said halfway through the improvised meal. "For store-bought, that is."
"I was saving them for an emergency…I'd say this counts, even though we aren't that far a drive away from home," Annastasia replied. "You like it?"
"Tastes like spinach and chocolate mashed together."
"That's almost exactly what it is."
Plusle was about to open her third bar when Annastasia stopped her.
"That's enough," she told the mouse. "Let's go home and have real food. I could use more."
Annastasia slowly pulled out of the parking lot, struggling to see in the dark, rainy weather.
"I'm going to have to go super slow," she warned her passengers.
Lil-G and Plusle were strapped together in one of the back seats. The other back seat was down to accommodate Bleu, who barely fitted in the vehicle, and Peruva and Mienshao were squeezed in the trunk.
"Do you want me to drive?" Michio offered.
Annastasia looked at him like he was insane. "You have to be joking. Michio, you are freaked out by driving in foul weather, and Rita told me that the last time she gave you a driving lesson, you ran two red lights and almost hit a child."
"But I didn't hurt anyone, and that is what counts. And I learned since then."
"I don't mind driving."
Annastasia got onto the highway. The hale and rain pattered against the metal and glass.
"How about when we get home, we heat up some of that ramen that Meowth made for lunch?" she suggested.
"That would be good," said Michio.
She kept her left hand on the wheel and used her right to touch Michio. Michio gazed at her, waiting for her to collect her scattered thoughts.
"You were used to all those fancy Alolan dishes…the stuff you can't get in Kanto," she murmured. "You haven't gotten to have anything special like that in a long time."
"Fucksake, Annie—this was special," said Michio. "The whole thing was weird, a bit traumatizing, but we're all still alive. You made it memorable."
"I like seeing your optimistic side."
Annastasia kept her eyes on the road, though she could hardly see it. Then, without warning, two large Stantler stopped in front of her car. She hit the brakes just in time.
"That was close. Stupid deer," Michio muttered. "…Annie?"
Annastasia didn't speak. Michio snapped his fingers in front of her face but she didn't react. She just kept staring at the Stantler staring back at her.
"Annie?" Michio asked, tapping her shoulder. "Shit. Something's going on here. The Stantler—"
Forced into a delusion, Annastasia unintentionally put the car into reverse and hit the gas. The car swerved and smashed through the steel railing lining the highway. It knocked the wind out of everyone, but she kept going. They tumbled down a rocky slope, dodging nocturnal creatures, trees, and boulders the size of Donphan. The Pokémon screamed and Michio held his breath—there wasn't time to do anything else.
They hit their heads on the ceiling of the car and slammed against the dashboard, setting off the airbags and shattering the windshield as they erratically trundled into a quarry. When the car finally stopped moving, it there was a long thirty seconds before any of them spoke, other than Plusle, who was crying and burying her face into Bleu.
"Annie, are you okay?" Michio asked. "You aren't hurt, right? Annie?"
The blow to Annastasia's head had snapped her out of her trance.
"I'mmm not hurt," she said, her speech slurred. "I don't know what happened. One minute we were driving, there were some Stantler in the road, I stopped the car and then…I don't remember anything after that. I didn't hit them, did I?"
"No, you didn't hit them. They hypnotized you. Stantler can do that, you know. They confuse people and can mess with their heads. You put the car in reverse and slammed on the gas, and the car swiveled backward off the cliff. I can't seriously can't believe that this car is still in one piece. At least, it looks like it is one piece...minus the windshield…and the left window…fucksake, all the windows are broken."
The rain continued, soaking everyone and everything inside the car.
"Is anyone hurt?" Annastasia asked.
"Plus!" Plusle squeaked, sobbing into Annastasia's lap.
"Show us what is hurting and we can help you."
Michio retrieved a flashlight from the door caddy. His wrist and hands looked as bad as they felt; at least one he could guarantee was broken. Immediately after recovering the first aid kit, Michio shined the light on Annastasia.
An eight-inch crimson slash blazoned from the left of her forehead to the right of her chin. Michio took a sharp breath in, gawping, and nearly dropped the light.
Plusle jumped off Annastasia's lap and onto Michio. Maroon drops stained her fur—but it wasn't her own.
Annastasia wiped the blood and rainwater out of her eye, and seeing the red on her wrist, realized why Michio and Plusle were gaping.
Michio ripped open the first aid kit, found cotton gauze, and shoved it into Annastasia's palm.
"Hold that to your head," he said, though Annastasia was already doing that.
"Your arm" she replied.
"It's fine."
"You're hurt, Michio."
"I'll take care of it."
Plusle and Lil-G's small bodies had been thrown about the space, leaving them bitter and bruised. Bleu used his Heal Pulse consistently.
"The Pokémon aren't hurt," Michio concluded after looking over each of them. "Not as badly as we are."
"Pokémon are sturdier than humans, that's for sure," Annastasia replied.
"You probably have a concussion. How's the blood?"
"Pounding and gushing. How's your arm/hand/wrist?"
"I don't think it's that bad, but…"
"But what?"
"I pushed my left hand out in front of me when we hit the first boulder, and I smashed it against the glass—nowI can't move it."
Annastasia wanted to inspect his hand, so she reached up and tried to put on one of the car lights. Not only were the lights not working, but the rain was relentless and it was flooding the car. She had to work with the tiny flashlight. With one hand, she gingerly lifted Michio's so that she could get a better look in the near darkness.
"I think there is glass in here," she concluded.
"Fuck, don't tell me that," Michio whined. "Forget about my hand, your head—"
"—is still on my body. It hurts and I might have a concussion but we have other things to worry about. Let's look around."
Annastasia found a second flashlight. She gave it to Plusle; Michio's left hand and wrist were incapacitated and the other had black bruises already starting to form.
"We're at the bottom of a cliff, soaking wet and getting wetter, in darkness, in an unfamiliar area, I can't find my phone, and…" Michio stopped; the negativity was getting them nowhere.
"I have a tarp in the trunk. I'll put that where the windshield used to be. I can plug up these larger holes on the side windows with the towels and yoga mats I have in the back. Michio, don't move your hand; I'll take care of it once I get this flood under control."
With several Pokémon available to help, the windows were mostly covered up within minutes.
"Plusle, can you hold the flashlight so that the beam stays on Michio's hand?" Annastasia asked.
"Plusssssle," she said enthusiastically, eager to help.
Annastasia took out tweezers, cotton balls, disinfecting wipes, and bandages. Michio nervously eyed the tweezers.
"Umm, Annie, it's not that I don't trust you…but shouldn't we call someone first?" Michio stumbled.
"No. You always must take care of these things right away. That is what first aid kits are for. They are literally supposed to be the 'first aid' that you receive. I will call for help once I am done here," she answered. "An open wound can get infected within minutes, and I see glass in there. It needs to be pulled out."
Michio and the Pokémon squeezed their eyes shut while Annastasia worked. Despite their dramatic situation, she couldn't help but be amused that she was the only one in their camp who didn't mind a little blood and raw flesh. After she had placed the final bandages, she pulled out her cellphone. She dialed 911, but her phone wasn't responding.
"Darn, I don't have service here," she complained.
Michio used his good hand to reach into his pocket and discovered that his phone was completely smashed to pieces.
Michio showed Annastasia the phone. Plusle touched it, and with a spark, the phone was smoking. Michio threw it to the ground—it was too hot to be held.
"Well, that won't be working any time soon," Annastasia mumbled.
"Plus?" Plusle asked.
"Pupupup," Lil-G responded.
"Tarrr," said Bleu.
"We can't call for help," Annastasia told them.
"Pllusss le!" Plusle cried.
"There has to be something we can do. It's not like we are in the middle of nowhere," said Michio.
"I don't see anything around here except for ocean and rocks," said Annastasia. "The park was empty when we got in the car, and I think we were some of the last people to leave the restaurant. It must be at least a seven-mile walk back to the bungalow, depending on how far I backpedaled, and we'd have to scale a cliff."
"I seriously don't want to walk back. And I am not exactly the cliff-climbing type, especially if I only get to use one hand."
"I am not letting you go anywhere. But I can take a ride on Bleu's back, and he can fly me back to the bungalow. We can get some emergency workers to help us get the car and then you, me, and all the Pokémon can go back home."
"That's crazy, Annie. Don't do it. You can't. You can get struck by lightning or slip and fall or have a seizure. I can go."
Annastasia laughed. "Michio, you can't ride flying-types. You'd fall after thirty seconds."
Michio grimaced. He knew she was right. He couldn't even ride Bleu in smooth weather with both hands working perfectly. And the restrictive formal attire didn't help.
"That means we are stuck here overnight," he surmised. "Unless some of our Pokémon want to go looking for help."
The Pokémon all shook their heads 'no', except for Plusle, who gave them a fervent nod.
"Plusle, you are way too young. And you are small. You will not be able to make it up a cliff, and this weather could kill you," Annastasia lectured. "And Michio, just so you know, Bleu and Lil-G are terrified of storms. They are fine when they are with me, but going out there alone…even if they weren't afraid, I wouldn't want them to go without me."
"Taaaa," Bleu guiltily cooed.
"It isn't safe," said Michio. "You're better off here on the ground with us, like Annie said."
"Tari."
"It's for the best," said Annastasia.
"Peruva has never been outside in weather like this, and I doubt Mienshao has either," Michio remarked.
"Prrro," the cats confirmed.
"Plusssss plus plus!" Plusle complained.
She pointed to Michio's hand, then her stomach growled. She placed her paws on top of her tummy and moaned.
"We're hungry too," Annastasia told her. "I always pack emergency rations. They're under the seat."
"There's seriously more food here?" said Michio.
"At least a week's worth."
Annastasia crawled into the back seat. Michio turned around and watched her peer under the seat and then drag out a bag of snacks.
"I have strawberry-flavored Pokéblock for the Monz, and nuts and dried chickpeas for Michio and I. And plenty of water, if you all want," Annastasia announced.
The Pokémon happily accepted the food and water. Annastasia opened a package of pistachios and handed them to Michio.
"It's not the romantic dinner I was hoping we could have, but it's better than nothing, right?" she said.
"It's perfect," Michio responded. "Since when do you care about romance anyway?'"
"Since I fell in love."
He gave her a look.
I suppose romantic stuff isn't so bad, not when we do it our way," she replied.
"I think that being trapped in a car with our Pokémon in the middle of the storm in dressy clothes and eating pistachios for dinner is romantic," he remarked.
"Things can always be worse."
Annastasia pulled a blanket and some pillows out from under the seats.
"It's still warm outside, but we are wet and it is going to start to get colder soon since we are right by the ocean and the winds are particularly strong today," she said as she handed Michio the blanket. "This is big enough to share."
"You came prepared," he noted. "Did you plan this?"
"I am always prepared. I am the leader. It's my responsibility…You okay? I really won't mind taking Bleu and coming back with a different car."
"No, I'd rather spend the evening here with you. I don't want to sit here at wait to find out if you made it or not."
"Then I will stay."
Annastasia took one last look out the window. She couldn't see or feel any of her firefly friends nearby. If they were, she knew she could ask them to help her and Michio out by finding someone to come rescue them.
Annastasia put down the backseats so that they laid flat. She helped Michio undo his red tie and take off his jacket, which she figured was too uncomfortable for him to sleep in. She took off the silver high heels that Jay had gotten her one Christmas and the black tights that were making her skin itch. They lied down next to Plusle, who was still a bit shaken from the trauma of the accident, and the other Pokémon came and joined them.
"Plusle, don't be scared," she told the frightened Pokémon. "We aren't seriously hurt, and we are all together. Things could be a lot worse right now."
"Plu," she hesitantly replied.
Annastasia pulled out her iPhone and scrolled through her playlists.
"I may not have service, but I still have the music I downloaded," she said brightly. "We can listen to it. At least we don't have to be completely bored…and alone time is just what we needed, right?"
Michio snickered and gestured towards the other Pokémon. The car was roomy, but it was super cramped with all of them there. Annastasia was grateful that Michio's crowd anxiety didn't extend to claustrophobia.
"This is probably the closest we will ever get to 'alone time'," she reasoned.
Annastasia noticed Michio was clutching something in his hand, and she nosily leaned forward in order to get a better look at it.
"The pendant," she observed.
"You were right about it being sturdy," he remarked.
Though the place where it naturally hung off his neck was bruised and scratched, the locket appeared to be undamaged. Plusle was staring at the locket enviously, just as she had before dinner.
"Plus, plusssss Plusle!" she shouted.
She used her tail to whack the locket out of his hand, and the pendant flew to the other side of the car, where it was lost in the darkness. Michio and Annastasia collectively scolded the Plusle, and then Annastasia used her flashlight to try to find it, though it was to no avail.
"That was a mean thing to do," she told Plusle.
"Plusle," she grumbled in response.
"Plusle is really jealous of you and Sc…" Michio stopped the sentence short.
"Me and Scarlett?" Annastasia.
"Yeah, her."
"You don't spend enough time with her. Maybe we should take her in. She likes Jocelyn a little bit, and she isn't connecting with Rose at all. Maybe she will like Rose when she gets older, but for now, they certainly are not clicking the way we were hoping them to. I suppose you can't force people to like each other."
"Plusle, no offense but you are…I don't know."
Annastasia held Plusle. "Michio, she isn't Scarlett. She is a whole different Pokémon. I know that she reminds you of her, I feel that too, but I think some of it is in our heads. She was very important to us, and we see her everywhere because of that. And Plusle won't be happy when we move to Silverville without her."
"Plusle plu," the Pokémon agreed.
"If you want to be on our team, I'm not going to stop you," said Michio.
"Plusss!"
Bleu used his Heal Bell to help lift everyone's spirits.
After a few hours, they became exhausted and too tired to continue to sing along to her music or to have another conversation. Annastasia shut her phone off and slipped further under the blanket with Michio, who had fallen asleep before her. She was right about it getting cold and windy, and she silently prayed to Arceus to prevent the record-breaking winds from blowing their beat-up car into the unremitting sea.
XO
In The Next Chapter:
- Mary re-meets Jezz
- A new Xatu
- Rescue mission