~Chapter Twelve~
Lying on the table were at least fifty Pokeballs, all spread out. On top of one was an envelope. As I opened it, I got a sinking feeling I knew who it was from.
And I was right.
~*~*~
Dear April,
I knew you would make it here. I knew you would listen to Mystic and eventually find yourself here. April, I must tell you something now. I was never a Pokemon trainer, nor a master, or anything. I have never actually captured a single Pokemon, but my Dratini, which is now a Dragonite, sitting in one of those Pokeballs.
I am terribly sorry to have lied to you all your life, but it was for the best--this "den" has been a secret for as long as Tamers have been around, and as you soon will see, you and I and every Tamer that will ever be born has a gift with these wonderful creatures. April, welcome home. Love, Dad
~*~*~
My hands started shaking and shaking until a corner of the note got ripped. I dropped the paper and fell to my knees, staring into space. I was so upset about two things.
One, when had Dad written the note? I thought he had written it before he died, but that one line--"I knew you would listen to Mystic. . ." Dad had died five years ago. How did he know I was going to name the Dratini he gave me Mystic?
And for another, he had LIED to me all of my life. He said he was sorry, but that didn't change anything. Now I knew why I could never watch the Pokemon League on TV: I wouldn't see Dad. Now I knew why when Dad came home, he would claim to leave all of his Pokemon at a Pokemon Center: he didn't have any.
I stared at the floor. Before I could stop them, tears were pouring down my cheeks like the waterslide I had ridden earlier. I felt so betrayed, yet. .happy. It felt so strange, like my mind was going a million miles an hour and it was never going to stop.
"Oh Mystic," I blubbered.
Mystic paid no attention to me. She was looking at the Pokeballs with great glee. Before I knew what was happening, Mystic quickly lifted her whole body onto the tables and swept it behind all of the Pokeballs so that they fell to the floor and opened.
"No!" I cried. I had no desire to find out what was in those Pokeballs. I didn't care anymore. All I wanted to do was sit and cry.
Well, Mystic wouldn't let me do that. She continued sweeping her tail across the tables until all but two Pokeballs were on the floor--and opening.
I was practically blinded by all of the light. With every Pokeball that opened, out came a creature, each happy to be out and stretching.
When the light finally stopped, I surveyed in surprise at how many Pokemon were filling my room.
Dratinis. Dragonairs. Dozens and dozens of each, all crying happily, all beautiful in their own way. I knew it.
"Oh man," I whined. I was startled too, and I was just so surprised about everything that was happening. I didn't know what to do next.
"Um," I started.
"Draaaaagonair, Dragon, Draga, Dragonair!" Mystic screeched. All at once, every single Dratini and Dragonair hopped or slithered or slid out of my room and out the open doors into the giant pool I had witnessed before. Before long, only Mystic, two Pokeballs, and I were left in the room.
"Good grief," I muttered. I stared at Mystic helplessly. "What do I do now?" I whispered.
"Dra," she answered, and motioned for me to pick up the two other Pokeballs. I did so, and followed Mystic out the door and into the den.
I followed Mystic to a sets of doors that I had not seen earlier. Here, she stopped and said, "Draagon."
"Open the Pokeballs?"
"Draaa," she nodded.
I threw the Pokeballs to the ground, and out came two creatures so enormous, I didn't know how they fit into the Pokeballs. Two majestic, orange-colored dragons with small wings and a friendly face flew out of the red light that had held them inside the Pokeballs, and stood on either side of the doors.
"Dragonite?" I whispered.
One glanced at me, and then looked back out to the pool where all of the countless Dratini and Dragonair were swimming, but the other took a long glance at me, and broke into a grin that looked somewhat familiar.
And then I knew. The Dragonite had been Dad's only Pokemon.
"Omigosh. . ." I whispered. This was incredible. It was like Dad was here with me, only in the form of a Dragonite.
With my mouth still hanging open like an idiot, I surveyed the scene around me. Several Dragonair were on the floor of the cave near the pool, snoozing. Most of the Dratini were swimming and leaping and having a great time, probably glad to be out of their Pokeballs. And of course, the Dragonite were standing guard at the door.
I walked back into my room, while Mystic jumped into the pool. I had so much to think about.
~*~*~
Somehow, my whole backpack had survived the whole water slide thing. A few things in there were damp, but my diary was still safe and sound, tucked in between a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. I sat on my bed, took out a pen, and started to write.
~*~*~
"Dear Diary,
Wow. I am amazed. Flabagastered. Totally freaked out. You would not BELIEVE what has just happened. So Mystic is swimming in this lake, and she gets really excited about it. I'm just wondering what on earth is so exciting about a lake, when she sticks her horn right into my heart! I thought she had gone mad, but then I find out two things: that SHE'S the voice in my head that I've been hearing all of these years. . .yep.
And second, she punctures my heart because somehow, she has the power to make me breathe underwater! And that's just the first of it. We swim to the bottom of the lake, and there's a huge door down at the lake floor. A door! It turns out that Dad's key was the key for the lock on the door. Now I know why he said never, ever to lose the key--it opened up to this cave, which Dad called a den. There's a HUGE pool, then a bunch of doors and flowers all around. Plus, there's my room which I'm sitting in now that has a bed for me, a basket for Mystic, and other room stuff.
Now, I would normally think this is all pretty cool, but there was a note on top of all the Pokeballs with the Dratini, Dragonair, and Dragonite, and the last line was, "April, welcome home." I mean, freaky or what?! Am I supposed to spend my whole LIFE here? I don't know if I want to spend my WHOLE LIFE down in a cave, den, whatever, and watch a bunch of Dragon Pokemon. I don't even KNOW them, except for Dad's Dragonite, which I found earlier. Oh, I'm just so confused. . ."
~*~*~
Ending on that sour note, I closed my diary and left it on my bed. I walked up to the huge full-length mirror that was on the back of my door, no doubt left there by Dad. I stared at my reflection. My dark, dark, ankle-length brown hair was drenched and was getting in my face. My bright green eyes had turned red from crying so much. It didn't feel like I was looking at myself, it felt like I was looking at a whole other world.
"I'm not a dragon tamer," I said out loud. I frowned at my reflection.
"Yes you are," came a voice.
I spun around and saw Mystic in her basket. Of course, she was completely still.
"No I'm not," I answered. "I can't do it. Plus, what does that MEAN--a dragon tamer? What am I supposed to do?"
"Exactly. Your father didn't quite know either. But he found out."
"How?" "By doing what he had done with Cielo: just training all of us."
"Cielo?" I asked.
"Your father's Dragonite," Mystic answered.
I sighed. "Did you know my dad?" I asked.
Mystic seem startled by this question, but she answered it anyway. "Well, a little. I was only about a week and a half old when he left the den to go back home."
I stared at Mystic. "What?" I gasped.
Mystic took a deep breath, then answered, "I have just spoken to an old one that has lived here long, and your father didn't die in this den, as your mother thought. He died trying to get home to you. I remember him murmuring, 'April and Serena,' to himself, and he also wanted to pick out the perfect Dratini for you, so you could follow in his footsteps. And of course, that Dratini was me," she laughed lightly.
I ignored that comment, since I was still blown away by something. "But. . .how did he die? And how come he lived in this den so long?"
Mystic shrugged. "I'm sorry, I don't know. I only know what I've heard.
I looked at my reflection again and started crying lightly. The more I heard about my dad being here, the more it seemed right to actually BE here. I touched the mirror and said some words I didn't think I would ever believe.
"April. . .Dragon Tamer."
Lying on the table were at least fifty Pokeballs, all spread out. On top of one was an envelope. As I opened it, I got a sinking feeling I knew who it was from.
And I was right.
~*~*~
Dear April,
I knew you would make it here. I knew you would listen to Mystic and eventually find yourself here. April, I must tell you something now. I was never a Pokemon trainer, nor a master, or anything. I have never actually captured a single Pokemon, but my Dratini, which is now a Dragonite, sitting in one of those Pokeballs.
I am terribly sorry to have lied to you all your life, but it was for the best--this "den" has been a secret for as long as Tamers have been around, and as you soon will see, you and I and every Tamer that will ever be born has a gift with these wonderful creatures. April, welcome home. Love, Dad
~*~*~
My hands started shaking and shaking until a corner of the note got ripped. I dropped the paper and fell to my knees, staring into space. I was so upset about two things.
One, when had Dad written the note? I thought he had written it before he died, but that one line--"I knew you would listen to Mystic. . ." Dad had died five years ago. How did he know I was going to name the Dratini he gave me Mystic?
And for another, he had LIED to me all of my life. He said he was sorry, but that didn't change anything. Now I knew why I could never watch the Pokemon League on TV: I wouldn't see Dad. Now I knew why when Dad came home, he would claim to leave all of his Pokemon at a Pokemon Center: he didn't have any.
I stared at the floor. Before I could stop them, tears were pouring down my cheeks like the waterslide I had ridden earlier. I felt so betrayed, yet. .happy. It felt so strange, like my mind was going a million miles an hour and it was never going to stop.
"Oh Mystic," I blubbered.
Mystic paid no attention to me. She was looking at the Pokeballs with great glee. Before I knew what was happening, Mystic quickly lifted her whole body onto the tables and swept it behind all of the Pokeballs so that they fell to the floor and opened.
"No!" I cried. I had no desire to find out what was in those Pokeballs. I didn't care anymore. All I wanted to do was sit and cry.
Well, Mystic wouldn't let me do that. She continued sweeping her tail across the tables until all but two Pokeballs were on the floor--and opening.
I was practically blinded by all of the light. With every Pokeball that opened, out came a creature, each happy to be out and stretching.
When the light finally stopped, I surveyed in surprise at how many Pokemon were filling my room.
Dratinis. Dragonairs. Dozens and dozens of each, all crying happily, all beautiful in their own way. I knew it.
"Oh man," I whined. I was startled too, and I was just so surprised about everything that was happening. I didn't know what to do next.
"Um," I started.
"Draaaaagonair, Dragon, Draga, Dragonair!" Mystic screeched. All at once, every single Dratini and Dragonair hopped or slithered or slid out of my room and out the open doors into the giant pool I had witnessed before. Before long, only Mystic, two Pokeballs, and I were left in the room.
"Good grief," I muttered. I stared at Mystic helplessly. "What do I do now?" I whispered.
"Dra," she answered, and motioned for me to pick up the two other Pokeballs. I did so, and followed Mystic out the door and into the den.
I followed Mystic to a sets of doors that I had not seen earlier. Here, she stopped and said, "Draagon."
"Open the Pokeballs?"
"Draaa," she nodded.
I threw the Pokeballs to the ground, and out came two creatures so enormous, I didn't know how they fit into the Pokeballs. Two majestic, orange-colored dragons with small wings and a friendly face flew out of the red light that had held them inside the Pokeballs, and stood on either side of the doors.
"Dragonite?" I whispered.
One glanced at me, and then looked back out to the pool where all of the countless Dratini and Dragonair were swimming, but the other took a long glance at me, and broke into a grin that looked somewhat familiar.
And then I knew. The Dragonite had been Dad's only Pokemon.
"Omigosh. . ." I whispered. This was incredible. It was like Dad was here with me, only in the form of a Dragonite.
With my mouth still hanging open like an idiot, I surveyed the scene around me. Several Dragonair were on the floor of the cave near the pool, snoozing. Most of the Dratini were swimming and leaping and having a great time, probably glad to be out of their Pokeballs. And of course, the Dragonite were standing guard at the door.
I walked back into my room, while Mystic jumped into the pool. I had so much to think about.
~*~*~
Somehow, my whole backpack had survived the whole water slide thing. A few things in there were damp, but my diary was still safe and sound, tucked in between a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. I sat on my bed, took out a pen, and started to write.
~*~*~
"Dear Diary,
Wow. I am amazed. Flabagastered. Totally freaked out. You would not BELIEVE what has just happened. So Mystic is swimming in this lake, and she gets really excited about it. I'm just wondering what on earth is so exciting about a lake, when she sticks her horn right into my heart! I thought she had gone mad, but then I find out two things: that SHE'S the voice in my head that I've been hearing all of these years. . .yep.
And second, she punctures my heart because somehow, she has the power to make me breathe underwater! And that's just the first of it. We swim to the bottom of the lake, and there's a huge door down at the lake floor. A door! It turns out that Dad's key was the key for the lock on the door. Now I know why he said never, ever to lose the key--it opened up to this cave, which Dad called a den. There's a HUGE pool, then a bunch of doors and flowers all around. Plus, there's my room which I'm sitting in now that has a bed for me, a basket for Mystic, and other room stuff.
Now, I would normally think this is all pretty cool, but there was a note on top of all the Pokeballs with the Dratini, Dragonair, and Dragonite, and the last line was, "April, welcome home." I mean, freaky or what?! Am I supposed to spend my whole LIFE here? I don't know if I want to spend my WHOLE LIFE down in a cave, den, whatever, and watch a bunch of Dragon Pokemon. I don't even KNOW them, except for Dad's Dragonite, which I found earlier. Oh, I'm just so confused. . ."
~*~*~
Ending on that sour note, I closed my diary and left it on my bed. I walked up to the huge full-length mirror that was on the back of my door, no doubt left there by Dad. I stared at my reflection. My dark, dark, ankle-length brown hair was drenched and was getting in my face. My bright green eyes had turned red from crying so much. It didn't feel like I was looking at myself, it felt like I was looking at a whole other world.
"I'm not a dragon tamer," I said out loud. I frowned at my reflection.
"Yes you are," came a voice.
I spun around and saw Mystic in her basket. Of course, she was completely still.
"No I'm not," I answered. "I can't do it. Plus, what does that MEAN--a dragon tamer? What am I supposed to do?"
"Exactly. Your father didn't quite know either. But he found out."
"How?" "By doing what he had done with Cielo: just training all of us."
"Cielo?" I asked.
"Your father's Dragonite," Mystic answered.
I sighed. "Did you know my dad?" I asked.
Mystic seem startled by this question, but she answered it anyway. "Well, a little. I was only about a week and a half old when he left the den to go back home."
I stared at Mystic. "What?" I gasped.
Mystic took a deep breath, then answered, "I have just spoken to an old one that has lived here long, and your father didn't die in this den, as your mother thought. He died trying to get home to you. I remember him murmuring, 'April and Serena,' to himself, and he also wanted to pick out the perfect Dratini for you, so you could follow in his footsteps. And of course, that Dratini was me," she laughed lightly.
I ignored that comment, since I was still blown away by something. "But. . .how did he die? And how come he lived in this den so long?"
Mystic shrugged. "I'm sorry, I don't know. I only know what I've heard.
I looked at my reflection again and started crying lightly. The more I heard about my dad being here, the more it seemed right to actually BE here. I touched the mirror and said some words I didn't think I would ever believe.
"April. . .Dragon Tamer."