Chapter 39: Forever Friends
Amara's heart was racing as she sprinted through a nearby sea of trees. Twigs and weeds were flattened by her boots as she ran. At one point, she stumbled over a small log, but regained her balance quickly. Falling on the ground and being out in the open was not an option at this point. She didn't even want to risk taking glances over her shoulder. She was not going to get caught. Not now. She didn't come this far to risk getting thrown in jail. It was time to take action. But where could she hide? It was dark, but with their flashlights illuminating the area, the officers chasing her would surely find her.
A row of thick bushes came into view. They were thick, with large leaves that could easily obscure anyone's view of what was behind them. Without hesitation, Amara leaped behind them. But she knew in her heart she couldn't stay here forever. Parts of the forest were illuminated by moving white lights. The police were still in pursuit. Yep, she couldn't stay here. What to do? It was already dark, and she couldn't go back to the Pokemon Center at this point. For all she knew, the police might have told the Nurse Joy and other employees there to be on the lookout.
She resisted the urge to groan, as that would give her away. At this point, she wished she could sprout wings and fly away. Fly away...that's it! A light bulb went off in her head. Without a word, she ran out from the bushes and went west, hoping she could evade the police and find a place to fly without getting noticed. After a few short minutes, she finally stopped in front of a small lake. Her matted blonde hair was dripping with sweat at this point, but she didn't care.
"Fearow. Fly us out of here," Amara whispered, calling forth the large bird. The white light materialized into Fearow. Good thing she caught a Pokemon big enough to carry her on her back. Fearow laid down, resting his head on the ground, allowing Amara to climb on. Once she settled, Fearow flapped his wings and ascended into the night sky. Not even the police noticed the bird soaring across the night wind.
Tonight the sky was marred by thick clouds. Not so thick that it would rain, but enough to block the moon out completely. Of course, weather like this was a breeze for Fearow to fly through. Amara looked over Fearow's shoulder. Houses, trees, streetlights, and cars passed right by, and since she was so high up, it was like everything down below had become smaller.
"Alright. Set me down there," Amara said. On cue, Fearow descended near a thick row of bushes. Once his talons set foot on the grass, the girl wasted no time getting off and exhaling a sigh of relief.
"Phew!" She plopped down on the grass, her legs burning from having ran so much. "They're gone. Oh my lanta…"
"Mreeeeehhh," Fearow cawed.
Amara rolled her eyes, pulling out Fearow's PokeBall. "Get back in here, you," The red light sucked the bird Pokemon right in.
The coast was clear, so Amara pulled out her sleeping bag and crawled right in. She was glad she slept in the Pokemon Center the night before. It felt so good to sleep in a soft bed with real blankets and take a nice, cold, refreshing shower. But back in the wilderness she was. Of course there were no buildings nearby, and even if there were, groping through the dark with danger constantly lurking...Amara couldn't take that risk. Before she could think too much about it, her heavy eyes finally closed themselves shut, refusing to peel back open.
Not even the sounds of Noctowl and Hoothoot hooting in the night woke her up. When morning came, Amara woke up as she usually woke up, even when she was at home: groggy and weary.
"Uuuuugh…I'm soooo hungry…" Immediately, Amara lurched toward her green bag, pulling it closer before rummaging through it. She pulled out a pack of oatmeal bars, a bottle of water, and a breakfast burrito she had bought and saved a couple days before.
Not a perfect breakfast, but Amara made do. Being on the run for several months and surviving in the wilderness limited her food choices. Good thing her income mostly consisted of money she earned from Pokemon battles, so she always had some money on her. Even now, she still had some saved, resting in her pockets or her bag. Amara looked down at her burrito, her blue eyes growing wistful. Immediately, she found herself flashing back to her time at home, when her mother would make Kalosian toast with scrambled eggs. Her favorite breakfast ever. The smell of the soft, melty butter, the prickly taste of the cinnamon that was sprinkled all over, the light syrup dripping all over it…
"Get over it, Amara!" She yelled, scolding herself. "You're not going back there and that's final! They don't care about you anyway!" With that, she scarfed the rest of the burrito down her throat. This was no time to be sitting around and yearning for the past. One more badge, and she could get into the Pokemon League, like Chanel dreamed.
"Alright...let's get going," Once she packed everything back up and finished her breakfast, Amara was back on the trek. She stayed on the dirt path, as she didn't feel like dealing with wild Pokemon at the moment. They were always a thorn in her side. A pain, as teenagers would mostly describe them.
For the most part, it was mostly spread out woods, with a blanket of withering orange and red leaves covering most of the ground. They all crunched underneath Amara's boots, the soles ripping them to pieces some of the time. To a nature lover, the sight of the woods and autumn leaves would be beautiful. Amara was not that type of person, and she didn't find beauty in nature.
"I just need one more badge, and I'll be able to get to the League…" Amara spurred herself onward, refusing to stop. She had come so far now. There was no turning back. She didn't have a choice anyway, so there was nowhere else to go but forward.
Before long, something bright red came into view, popping up amongst the trees. Amara stood on her toes to get a better look. Whatever it was, it looked like the roof of a house.
"What is that?" She asked aloud. Curiosity took hold, and she ambled on the path once more.
When she arrived, Amara's mouth fell wide open. Standing before her was a large house that looked like a miniature mansion. A bright red tile roof crowned a white, two-story house made of marble. A paved stone road reached toward the two-tier porch, framed by fresh grass, possibly recently mowed. Rows of flowers and rectangular hedges stood in front of the house, looking very elegant and poised, ready for a big fancy party. There were even large hedges that stood further back, stretching all the way up to the windows on the second floor.
"Whoa…" Other than that, Amara found herself speechless. Whoever lived in this house must be somewhat rich. There was no other explanation she could come up with. Still, never before had she seen a house this beautiful up close. "I bet Mom would get a real kick out of seeing this."
Yet again, memories flooded her mind. When she and Julia were younger, their mother would take them on drives through the cities, and she would marvel at all the pretty houses they'd see. Of course, Amara and Julia, being young kids at the time, didn't care about seeing houses, wishing she'd stop and get to wherever they were going. Now, in a way, Amara could see why her mother liked looking at pretty houses like this so much. Amara wished she could live in a place like this, rather than the house she and her family lived in now. The one she ran away from.
Home…
As much as she hated to admit it, she missed being at home. Already, she found herself yearning for the sweet comfort of her bedroom, the smell of the Kalosian toast her mother would make. At this point, she'd even put up with her father slamming on those drums he loves so much, and that used to drive her absolutely crazy most of the time.
"Clefaaaairy!"
"Huh?!"
A high pitched voice pulled the teenager out of her reverie. Soon, a small, pink, cuddly-looking Pokemon came bouncing into view. The Pokemon soon stopped, noticing Amara, catching a glance with its small, ovular eyes. A tuft of hair on its forehead was curled inward, resembling a cinnamon roll, and its pointed ears had dark brown tips, like chocolate. Protruding from its back were a set of small, dainty, butterfly-like wings, hidden by its large, poofy, curly tail. But the sight of its wide, nervous smile and those dainty, rose colored cheeks would make any girl melt.
Except Amara. "...What the heck is a Clefairy doing here?!" Amara yelped, backing away three steps.
The Clefairy cocked its head to one side, sizing Amara up with a confused glance. "Clefairy?"
Typically, Clefairy live in mountains and are rare Pokemon. Amara read about that in a book once. What was a Clefairy doing in a mansion in the woods all the way out here? Did it belong to someone? Amara assumed so, as Clefairy weren't easy to find, especially in Johto.
In an instant, the answer to Amara's questions came into view.
"Wait up, Clefairy!" The voice of a young girl echoed on the morning breeze.
Amara froze as a bespectacled girl with dark skin and black hair tied in a flouncy ponytail came bounding out of the mansion gates, her frilly, baby blue dress flying all over the place with every step she ran. Once she caught up, she stopped to catch her breath. Amara looked down, noticing her white stockings and sky blue Mary Janes. But more than anything, this girl looked...familiar.
"Clefairy! I told you not to run off like that!" The girl scolded the chubby fairy in a sharp but concerned tone.
Clefairy stiffened. "Clefairy…"
It was then that the girl finally looked right at Amara, locking her eyes onto hers. Both of them froze, rendered completely speechless. At first, the air around them was tense. Finally, the silence was broken when the girl in the blue dress flashed a huge smile, her eyes glimmering with a combination of recognition and unbridled joy.
"...Amara?! Is that you?!" The girl yelped.
"Uh…" Amara's throat closed up. Nothing would come out. Fear overtook her. Already, she found herself back in memory lane, when she ran into Debbie and Emily. Even so, seeing a familiar face who was happy to see her was not a reaction she herself expected.
"Oh my gosh!" The girl's hands flew to her cheeks. "It IS you, Amara!"
Finally, Amara's throat came unstuck. "...Maria?"
Maria Caston, who moved away after the Gyarados attack on Cherrygrove City. A million questions raced through Amara's head, all of them involving whether this was real or not. Maria was here all this time? Maria, the sweet girl who loved dressing up in pretty clothes, who loved strawberry smoothies and Johtoan bubble tea? Maria, the girl who defended Chanel when Debbie and Emily weren't keen on befriending her? Maria, the girl who offered an ear to Amara when she was having a bad day and listened and didn't judge her? Maria, who had big teeth, was a little overweight and awkward, and who listened to cheesy love songs all the time? She was here?
Fear gradually morphed into joy. It came so suddenly that it almost bubbled over, had Amara not kept herself rigid.
But Maria was not one to hide her happiness. "Oh my gosh! It's been so long since we've seen each other!" All of a sudden, the girl threw herself onto Amara, wrapping her chubby arms around the skinnier girl, almost knocking her over.
"Whoa!" Amara managed to keep her balance, happy that she didn't get knocked to the ground. But Maria's arms were warm, like cookies fresh from the oven. It had been so long since she felt so good, so loved, so appreciated. For once, someone was genuinely happy to see her! How Amara had longed for someone to be happy to be in her presence.
After a short while, Maria let go. "Wow. You got a tan," She noted aloud. "And you dyed your hair, too," Once again, she flashed a bright, radiant smile. Completely brimming with genuine joy. "I have to admit, you're rocking that new look."
The floodgates opened. Amara just had to answer. "You really think so? Because in the last town over, someone told me that I looked like I had tan paint poured all over me."
"Ouch," Maria mused. Who in the world would say something like that?
Amara knew who would. Debbie. She had said that. But what would Maria say if she told her that?
"Whoever said that to you is stupid," Maria finally said, without a moment's hesitation. "Oh!" She kneeled down to Clefairy's level and scooped the fairy into her arms. "Sorry about Clefairy. She's kinda mischievous and likes to do stuff she shouldn't."
"Cleffffairy!" The Clefairy protested, flinging her arms up and down, as if she was saying, "I do not!"
Both girls broke into laughter. Happy, merry laughter. How long had it been since Amara got the chance to have a good laugh with a friend?
"It's okay. Is she yours?"
"Yep! My mother caught her for me when she went to Kanto!" Maria explained cheerfully.
Before they could make more conversation, a harsh growling sound pulled them back into silence. Amara turned beet red. She could feel her stomach begging for food. She hoped Maria wouldn't laugh. Good lord, this was embarrassing! Thankfully, Maria didn't laugh.
"You're probably hungry," Maria said. "Come on inside! I can heat up some leftovers!"
"Huh?" Amara's mouth fell open. "Is...is that okay? I mean-"
Maria had taken Amara's hand before she could go on, and the girl dragged her friend right inside without hesitation. It had been so long since she had been in Maria's presence. Amara decided not to fret getting dragged into the mansion. Besides, if she spent another minute in the forest, she was sure she'd scream so loud, anyone who was nearby could hear.
But once again, Amara found herself in awe. The inside of the mansion was just as glamorous as the exterior. Bright, snow white walls welcomed them, with the windows donning gold and crimson drapes, pulled apart so sunlight could come in. A glistening chandelier hung from the ceiling, with the glass decorations shaped like teardrops. Beige and yellow rugs covered the hardwood floors, and the house had very classy white furniture scattered all around. In the far left corner of the house was a grand piano, bigger than the two of them combined.
"Were you...always this loaded?" Amara asked, her shock still wracking her brain.
"No," Maria scratched her hair with one hand as Clefairy hopped out of sight. "My dad got a better job, and it's been paying really good, so you could say he went a little crazy with the decor."
"A little?! Yeah right!" She couldn't help but agree. But she was sure her mother would absolutely love it here. As far as she knew, Kassia could spend hours marveling at the decor and wondering how she could make their house even nicer than it was.
"Oh! Wait here! I'll heat up some leftovers!" Maria sprinted into the kitchen, leaving Amara alone in the fancy living room.
Relief came over Amara. Finally, a place she could rest in that wasn't outside. But more than that, she was elated. She had finally reunited with one of her old friends, and said friend was actually happy to see her. Who wouldn't be overcome with joy upon seeing an old friend, and after so long, no less? Plus, Maria had moved away so suddenly, the two of them never even got to say goodbye, or even to exchange email addresses and phone numbers, in case Maria ever got a new number. She had to wonder...did Maria still remember Amara's address and phone number?
Joy morphed into confusion, and even more questions sprang forth, none of them good. How come Maria never called her? Why didn't Maria attempt to call her even once? Why did she even move in the first place? Did she want to?
That last question made Amara shake her head. No way. Maria's not like that, she told herself. There had to be a good reason. After all, she knew Maria's parents could be a bit suffocating at times.
"Lunch is ready!" Maria came bounding back into the living room, with two paper plates full of heated chicken, accompanied with shrimp with noodles and tiny green leaf particles entwining them.
Amara went from confused to drooling. Beautiful shrimp scampi greeted her with a warm scent relaxing her nostrils.
"Oh my lanta...you just HAD to have my favorite food of all time!" Amara took the plate and the utensils before scarfing everything down. Everything she ate was perfectly warm, and she wasted no time chewing and savoring every flavor. Maria had to hold back some giggles, watching as Amara smiled and made high pitched squeak noises whenever she stopped to savor the lovely shrimp and buttery noodles.
"I'm not a big fan, so help yourself," Maria told her.
Help herself she did. To say she was in heaven would be exaggerating, but she certainly enjoyed this unexpected lunch, and made sure to do so using every fiber of her being. "I could live off this stuff if I had to!"
Maria mostly munched on some of the chicken. Her plate didn't have any noodles or shrimp, which was okay with Amara. "So...can I ask what you're doing here?" Before Amara could answer, Maria interrupted her excitedly. "Oh! Wait! I know! You finally got a Pokemon and you're on a journey, right?"
For once, Amara fell silent. What could she tell her? If she told her the truth, she was sure Maria would either hate her forever or call the police and report her. She couldn't risk that. Not when she had come so far. Still, this was one of her best friends. She had to tell her something. But what? It pained her to lie to sweet Maria.
With a solemn expression, Amara simply answered, "You could say that. Yeah."
"Wow! That's great!" Maria clasped her hands together. "What Pokemon do you have? Can I see them please?"
See them? Amara froze, her eyes widening with instant and striking alarm. Of all the things Maria had to ask her, it just had to involve her Pokemon. Crippled by fear and regret, Amara's mind began racing. What would Maria, her dear friend, say if she found out the truth? Or maybe there was an off chance that the news about her being on the run and the crimes she committed didn't reach her. She prayed to Arceus that the latter would be the case. But she needed an answer to Chanel's question, and she needed to grab one NOW.
Brushing her disheveled ponytail off her shoulder, Amara sputtered, "Well...they've been battling a lot, so they...they need their rest!" Her speeding brain kept chanting, 'Please buy it please buy it please buy it please buy it!' louder than clanging church bells.
Unfortunately, her prayer was only partially answered. "Can't I just see one or two of them?" Maria begged, puckering her lips out, making a cutesy-looking pout.
Oh Arceus, there were those Lillipup eyes. Bright, brown eyes glistening with childlike curiosity and wonder. If there was one thing Amara knew Maria was good at, it was making people do what she wanted most of the time. Caught under her old friend's spell, Amara groaned.
"Fine, fine. You can only see two of them! The rest of them need...well, rest," Amara pulled two PokeBalls out. With just a flick of her hands, white lights shot out from both of the spheres.
The first to materialize was Weepinbell, who covered his eyes with both leaves as a jolt of fear ran through him. The second Pokemon materialized soon after, towering far above both Weepinbell and the two girls combined. The bright blue, bipedal crocodile met Chanel's gleaming eyes. Not even the sight of his sharp teeth, his red fins, massive claws, or his open mouth could strike fear into the girl. Even Feraligatr couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, if he had any.
"Feraligatrrrrr?"
"Wooooow! They're so cool!" Maria exalted, marveling at the two Pokemon like they were famous celebrities walking down a red carpet. "You even got a Totodile just like you always wanted! You're so lucky!"
Amara's face turned a deep shade of red as she straightened out her messy ponytail with one hand, averting Maria's gaze. "...Thanks?" She wasn't sure what to make of this. Maria was never one to like scary looking Pokemon. In fact, when they were in third grade, Maria saw a trainer use a Feraligatr in a battle once, and she was so scared she ran away to the park and cried for the whole night. Now, it was like she was never scared of Feraligatr at all. Amara could only hope that neither Weepinbell nor Feraligatr had any bruises or cuts on them, and that Maria wouldn't ask the obvious questions.
'Wait, why am I worrying about this?!' Amara scolded herself. Since when was she worried about her Pokemon not having any injuries? The teenager already found herself wishing she could disappear.
Thankfully, there were no marks, and if there were, Maria didn't notice. "Your Pokemon look great, Amara!"
"Thanks," Amara wasted no time putting them back in their PokeBalls. "We've been through a lot," She mused. 'Actually, I'm the one who put them through all this crap, and this whole mess is my fault anyway.' Reminding herself of this cruel truth only made her heart heavy with guilt.
Not only heavy with guilt, but with pain. Pain from not having seen Maria from so long. All of a sudden, the floodgates opened. Before she could stop herself, Amara spat out, "...Why did you leave?"
A brief silence made Maria's smile fade. "Leave?"
"You just...moved out of Cherrygrove City without a word...and never even told me, Emily, or Debbie about it…" Amara's voice trembled. "You never even said goodbye! You didn't call even once!"
Another silence. This time, Maria looked down at her shoes with a frown, averting her friend's gaze. Amara immediately wished she hadn't said all of that. Her heart grew even heavier, weighed down by guilt.
Maria spoke softly. "...It's not like I wanted to leave," She began, clutching one of the petticoats on her dress into her fist. "It was all Mom and Dad's idea. After that Gyarados attack...they really freaked out. They never told me about it either. We just up and moved, and they didn't even let me call you."
Hearing that was like a slap in the face to Amara. Shame from having doubted her friend so much seized her. She knew Maria wasn't that kind of person. "Believe me, I really wanted to go to Chanel's funeral and pay my respects. But you know Mom and Dad never did like me hanging out with you guys."
"I figured."
Amara had seen Maria's parents only once before. They had come to pick her up by limo in the fourth grade once, and when Maria introduced her friends to them, they were given nothing but scornful looks, like Maria had showed them a pile of Pokemon poop. On another occasion, Amara heard the two of them-Maria's parents-talking amongst themselves. They referred to Amara, Emily, and Debbie as low class, improper, and unfit to be friends with their precious daughter. That was enough for Amara to figure out that they did not like them. At all.
Good thing Maria didn't share the same sentiments.
"Worst of all, they took my address book from me," Maria continued. "I wrote all your addresses and phone numbers in it. But they never let me call you or even email you," With every word that came out of Maria's mouth, the more Amara's mind felt at ease. Finally, real answers. Amara could tell Maria was being truthful. Not once did Maria avert her gaze from Amara's. Usually, when Maria wanted to lie, she never looked anyone in the eye.
Just like Julia, only Julia did it all the time, and mostly out of habit.
"I really did try to call you. But then I found out they threw it away…" Now it was Maria's voice trembling. Voices from the past echoed in her mind, replaying the day like someone turned on a tape recorder.
"You threw out my address book?! How dare you!"
"We're in a new town, living our new life, so it's time to put the past behind us."
"They're my friends, Dad! They're important to me! Can't I at least call them and give them my condolences?!"
"They're not important. You're never going to see them again anyway. I never did like you hanging out with those rambunctious kids."
"Dad, they're not what you think they are!"
"Don't talk about them or think about them anymore. Obviously, nothing good has come out of being with them. We are on a higher level than them, and we do not associate with those of lower classes."
"Why are you saying that?! One of my friends freaking died for Arceus's sake! You don't know anything, so don't you dare talk bad about my friends!"
Amara squeezed her eyes shut. Her parents seriously did and said all of those things? It all seemed so ridiculous. But Maria would never tell a lie unless she wanted to, and something told her that this was not something Maria would just make up.
"Yeesh...that sucks. I mean…" Amara mused, unsure of what to say. "I knew your parents didn't like us, but...that's going way overboard."
Letting out a sigh, Maria slumped back on the couch. Amara quickly followed suit. "I know, right? They won't even let me go on a Pokemon journey until I'm eighteen. Heck, they still pick my clothes out for me, even when I want to go to something fun like an arcade!"
Pick her clothes out? Amara could imagine Maria being embarrassed out of her mind, seeing fancy clothes laid out for her on her bed every single day. How old did they think she was? Three or four? Maria's thirteen now. She can pick out her own clothes and do whatever she wants. As much as an annoyance her own parents could be sometimes, Amara had to admit, at least they knew when to back off when needed.
"They say it's all for my own good...but that day, I realized everything they do is all for themselves."
"Lots of people are like that," Amara interrupted, throwing in her two cents.
For a brief moment, Maria looked away from her friend. "That's why...it feels weird admitting this," She scratched her hair with one hand, her cheeks turning a pale rose color. "But I kinda used to be jealous of you, Amara."
"Jealous?" Now it was Amara's turn to be confused. When was Maria jealous of Amara? This was a first. Amara cocked her head to one side. "About what?"
"Your parents are great," Maria began. Amara's jaw dropped, but her friend continued on. "They let you do what you want, they don't treat you like you can't do anything by yourself, they don't freak out over everything you do, they always try to make sure you and Julia are happy...I used to wish I was your sister so Kassia and Truman could be my parents."
Speechless, all Amara did was listen with her eyes and ears wide open. Did Maria really feel that way about her? This was all so new and unexpected, her high praise of Amara's parents even more so. Amara couldn't agree with Maria's sentiments, as she thought her own parents could be just as annoying and suffocating. But she didn't dare voice her opinions about them here.
"I...I had no idea…" She stammered. "Well, I know you like them, but Mom and Dad aren't exactly perfect either."
"They're definitely not as uptight as my parents are."
She had to admit, that was something Amara could definitely agree with her on.
"So…yeah, now you know I never wanted to leave Cherrygrove."
"I know. I shouldn't have doubted you, even for a second."
"It's okay! It's not your fault!" Maria waved her hand back and forth. "I should have tried harder to stay in touch with you and the girls."
Amara winced. She always knew Maria was one of the nicest of her friends, but at this point, she wanted to cry. She hated that Maria felt she had to apologize for stuff that was way beyond her control. She still thought about Amara, so that had to count for something. Had Amara not left home, Maria contacting her would have made her heart soar. It would have proved that at least someone cared, even when everyone else didn't. On the other hand...now, in a way, she was happy Maria didn't contact her, for obvious reasons.
"Oh!" Maria's hand almost flew to her mouth. "Speaking of the girls, how are Debbie and Emily?"
This time, Amara hung her head down. In her heart, she knew Maria would ask about them. She just hoped she wouldn't. Of course she'd ask about them. They were her friends, too. "They're…" Amara began, her voice almost inaudible. "...They're fine."
"Really?" Hearing this was a boon to the girl, as once again, Maria's eyes sparkled with cheery delight. "Have you seen them around lately?"
"...Yes. They're on their Pokemon journeys, like I am," Amara whispered.
"Wow! Awesome!" The thought of her friends fulfilling her dreams was enough to fill her heart with enthusiasm. But something was amiss. "But how come you're not together? On your journeys, I mean. I remember us saying that if we all got our own Pokemon someday, we'd all go on adventures together. What happened?"
As happy as Amara was being with Maria right now, her curiosity was grating on her. Very hard. Amara was silent for a few moments. That was enough to make Maria's enthusiasm die down, and her smile turn downward.
"We're...not friends anymore…" Amara shifted from quiet to pathetic faster than Maria could blink, and that wasn't a good sign.
Maria's jaw dropped. Another silence fell between them until Maria broke it. "You're...not friends anymore? What happened?"
"The last time I ran into them...we got into a huge fight...and things got way out of hand," Amara stammered, wishing more and more that Maria stop asking and that she'd keep her mouth shut. Did Maria really need to know this? Amara didn't see what good telling her would do. "I'm sorry. I don't...want to talk about it...I just…" She bit her lip to keep herself from crying.
Once again, Debbie's venomous words played through her mind. "You don't want to heal! You just want to wallow in your self-pity and make Chanel's death all about you!"
For once, Maria finally got the hint. Putting a warm, gentle hand on Amara's, Maria flashed a soft smile and said, "I understand. I'm sorry for being so pushy about this. I know Debbie can pick fights sometimes, but I've never known you and the girls to fight."
"Part of it was my fault," Amara admitted. "I made things worse."
"Well, whatever happened, I've still got your back. You know that."
Squeezing her eyes shut, Amara fought hard to keep tears from coming out. 'Maria...if you found out about everything I've done, you'll seriously regret ever saying that. I know you will. You're friends with a girl who abuses Pokemon for no reason and attacked a helpless old man and a bunch of other bad stuff!' Swirling emotions fought for dominance. Happiness from Maria still caring about her. Painful waves of guilt from having to keep so many dark secrets from her best friend, knowing what the repercussions would be if she found out.
All of a sudden, Maria's expression went from sympathetic to enthused before Amara could blink. "Ohhh! I know something that'll cheer you up! There's someone I wanna show you!" Maria leaped off the couch, yanking Amara off of her section by the wrist.
"Wha-?"
"Come on!" Before Amara could protest, Maria dragged her friend through the house and out the backyard.
Since Maria was wealthy, it was no surprise that her backyard was just as fancy as her front yard. A large pool hidden away by black iron gates covered almost a whole section of it. It was covered by a large tarp to prevent any withering leaves from getting into the water. A beige gazebo-esque structure stood elegantly, looking over rows and rows of flowers resting in stone beds in a rainbow of colors. Yellow, white, pink, red, purple, blue...Amara was sure her mother would marvel at the sight.
"Jeez," It was nigh impossible to hide her awe. "Even your backyard is amazing…"
Maria turned to face her friend, flashing a charming smile. "Eh, I've seen better. But that's not what I wanna show you," She turned around, cupping her hands on the sides of her mouth before shouting, "Hey, Oricorio! Come on out, please! Come meet my friend!"
"Ora...what?"
Oricorio? What in the world was that supposed to be? Before she could ask, a high pitched, trilling sound, like a bird's chirp, answered back. Soon, a small purple bird came fluttering into view, resting right on Maria's head. Amara backed away a step or two, her jaw dropping in awe. The pretty, lavender colored avian with small black eyes sized Amara up, the fan-like feathers on its head swaying back and forth. Its long wings seemed to stretch farther than its body, with the tips, double bordered with pale blue and pink feathers, broadening into fan shaped structures. Its head and tail were also tipped pale blue and pink, and it's thin, twig-like legs were pure dark pink.
"Is that...a Pokemon?" Amara stammered. It certainly wasn't any Pokemon she had ever seen before.
"Riiiii!" The bird Pokemon trilled.
"Yep! This is Oricorio!" Maria announced, looking up at her feathered friend. "Hey, girl! This is my friend Amara! Say hi!"
Oricorio cocked her head to one side, the ornamental feathers on its head bouncing as she did so. Waving one of her fan-like feathers back and forth, she quietly greeted Amara with a silent smile. Amara returned the gesture.
"I've never seen one of those…"
"I don't blame you," Maria noted. "After all, Oricorio come from a tropical region called Alola. My father caught her for me when we went there on business two months ago," She explained.
Oricorio flapped one of her wings to get some kinks out of her muscles. All the while, Amara's blue eyes were glued to the purple bird, unable to look away. Luminous mauve feathers, elegantly poised wings, a refined air about her. Even from her perspective, Amara was entranced by Oricorio's beauty, and was sure this rare bird and her plumage would definitely draw the eyes of others.
"She's...really beautiful…" Amara mused.
Hearing this, Oricorio's cheeks turned red like tomatoes, holding her fan-like hands up to cover her face. "Riiiiii!"
"She secretly likes being told that," Maria noted. "She's just acting embarrassed. Hey! Let's hang out today!"
"Hang out?"
"Yeah! It's been so long! You can even spend the night if you want!" Maria suggested.
She had to admit, Amara liked the idea of spending the night at Maria's house. It had been a long time since she stayed in a regular house. Never did she expect to reunite with Maria again, let alone sleep in her house. But the idea still endeared her, and the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to stay and catch up on old times.
For the first time, she smiled. "...I'd really like that. Thanks."
To say Maria was both enthused and grateful would be an understatement. The two girls were completely overjoyed at finally having reunited after so long. Without a doubt, they were going to make the most of their day together. Once they finished marveling at how pretty Oricorio was, Maria started their hang out day by suggested they watch a romantic comedy movie that recently came out. Amara liked the idea. Too bad the movie itself was schlocky, sappy, and overly melodramatic to the point where the girls were spending more time laughing at its stupidity and nitpicking its flaws rather than silently watching it. Oh well. Even poorly made movies could provide some good times.
After that, the girls went out into a clear part of the backyard to play a private game of badminton. They didn't keep score. But smacking the badminton birdie around with a racket, watching it arch across the net gracefully, proved to be great fun. Once they got tired of that, they went to doing other stuff: Doing each other's hair, playing their favorite music at a high volume, painting their nails, gushing about whatever cute boy celebrities were gracing the magazine covers at the moment. Basically, nothing but girl stuff, and that was okay with them.
"I wonder if Grayson's next album is gonna come out soon?" Maria noted, turning the pages of a magazine she pulled out. "I don't see any release dates listed."
"Last I checked it might come out this Christmas," Amara interrupted. "But I could be wrong, though."
"If you don't mind me asking, how's Julia doing?"
"She's...doing great. She got to go on a journey, too."
"Really? That's a surprise. Isn't she really shy? She doesn't seem like the type who'd want to go anywhere on her own."
"Actually, she's come a long way. She's gotten a lot more confident in herself. She'd probably love to see you sometime."
Maria smiled. "If you ever see her, tell her I said hi, okay?"
"You know I will."
The curious, enthusiastic glimmer in Maria's eyes melted into something soft and wistful. "Amara...I'm really glad I got to see you again."
Amara couldn't hold back a smile. "Me too."
"Do you have a PokeGear? I'd love to get your number!" Maria asked.
"Sorry. I don't have one. My old phone number is still the same, though."
Her friend wasted no time grabbing a pen and paper, writing some numbers on it, and giving it to Amara. "Here's my house number!" Maria mashed it into Amara's palm like she thought she'd drop it if she so much as let go of it. "Now you can call me all the time!...When my parents aren't around, that is."
For a moment, Amara thought about giving Maria her old house number. It was still functional, and it would give Maria some comfort, knowing that she could call her friend again, even if Maria now knew Amara was on a journey. But the more she thought about it, the more problems came up. What if Maria called, and Kassia told her what happened? Or Truman? They would definitely find out the truth, maybe even tell her to report Amara to the police. Worse yet, Maria would potentially be accused of being an accomplice, and the police might arrest her, should they come to that conclusion.
No way was she going to have sweet Maria thrown in jail.
On the other hand, Maria knows Amara is out on a journey. For all Amara knew, she might not even call the house, as Amara wouldn't be there, and Maria certainly didn't know when she'd be going back home, if she went back at all. Maybe…Amara's hands moved to pick up a pen and paper. Her heart screamed for them to stop, but her body wouldn't listen.
"Thanks! I'll definitely hide this from Mom and Dad!" Maria wrapped her arms around her friend, intent on cherishing her warmth.
"You're welcome," Amara kept herself rigid, even as she hugged Maria back. Guilt prevented her from truly embracing her friend. But by Arceus, did it feel good to feel Maria's warmth and be trapped in her embrace after so long.
"Oh! I have something that'll be perfect for you!" With a shout, Maria let go of her friend and ran upstairs. Amara cocked her head to one side, wondering what was up. After a few short minutes, Maria ran back down the stairs, holding in her hand a dirty grey stone with a green, leaf shaped imprint. "Here! You should have this."
"A Leaf Stone?"
"Yeah! Weepinbell can evolve into Victreebel if you use this," Maria explained. "I don't have any Pokemon to use it on, and I just found it in my backyard, so I think you should use it."
Oddly enough, Amara took the Leaf Stone without hesitation. Yes, she could use this. "Thanks. You've done so much for me. I don't feel like I really deserve all of this."
"Of course you do!" There was that smile again. That sweet, charming, childlike smile, so bright and radiant like a child waking up on Christmas morning. "You're my friend, and after we've been separated for so long, it's the least I could do."
Another silence. This time, Maria broke it, but her voice was less enthused and more wistful. "I only wish Chanel were here, too. I bet she would have loved hanging out with us right now."
"Yeah. It's...so not fair. She didn't do anything wrong, but that Gyarados…" Amara's voice trembled.
"I know. The whole thing isn't fair. I wish I could have gone to her funeral and said my condolences to her family. But I could only post a comment on the webpage her mother set up. It's not much, but...it's all I could do."
"It's better than nothing. You actually care about her."
"I remember this one joke she made about Slowpoke tails. God, that had me cracking up for weeks!"
"I know! And what about the time she stuck straws up her nose to cheer up Emily?"
Soon, the two girls palavered on and on about Chanel and the things she did before her unfortunate death. They were laughing and giggling like idiots, and the pain and grief seemed to slide out of them like soap on a car after being washed. They continued to talk about Chanel, even after they had dinner, took showers, and got ready for bed. The girls decided to sleep in the same bed, since it was big enough to accommodate two to three people at the most.
Soft, silky blankets perfect for autumn weather wrapped around the two girls, drowning them in their fluffy warmth. Even the pillows were fit for a queen's head to rest on. Maria reached over to her nightstand to turn off the lamp, allowing the room to be almost consumed by total darkness. Clefairy and Oricorio slept in their own beds in other parts of the room, and they were already sleeping peacefully.
"Good night, Amara."
"Good night, Maria."
It didn't take long for Maria to fall right asleep. Amara did receive the luxury of sleep, but she was already hatching an escape plan. She hoped she could wake up early enough to pull it off.
Thankfully, Amara's wish was granted, as she found herself awake at 5:30 AM. Perfect. She snuck out of the bed as silent as a Rattata, hoping she wouldn't wake Maria up. Not once did Maria stir as Amara changed her clothes and packed her backpack with stuff. She snuck down to the living room, seeing a pen and paper on the mini coffee table. She pulled something out of her bag and set it down before writing something on the paper.
"She'll take good care of you," Amara whispered, her voice almost inaudible. "I'm sorry for everything."
She tip-toed her way to the front door, managing to unlock it before sneaking right out. It was still dark outside, and the street lights still lit the way for any cars that passed through. They provided enough light for Amara to go forward. However, before she left, she stole a final glance at the mansion, staring at it with a sad look on her face.
"Goodbye, Maria. I'm sorry for leaving like this…" Amara whispered to herself. "But I'm not going to drag you down with me."
With that, Amara made a beeline for the road. Not once did she look back at the mansion. Parting with Maria was hard enough. Looking back just made her heart ache with yearning.
Amara didn't need to worry about Maria noticing if she left. The sun was already over the horizon when Maria finally woke up. "Morning, Amara…" Wearily, she rubbed her tired, sleepy eyes with two hands, before turning to the side.
Only the other side of the bed was empty. The covers and blankets had been pulled back. No sign of Amara anywhere.
At first, Maria thought she was seeing things. Rubbing her eyes once again, she blinked. Again, no Amara.
"Amara?" She asked aloud. No answer. Maybe she woke up early and went downstairs to get something to eat. Maria assumed that was the case. She was in no mood to get dressed right at the moment, and she was sure Amara wouldn't mind seeing her in her pajamas.
With a great yawn, Maria traversed down the stairs, down into the living room. The morning light reflected off of a red and white sphere, catching Maria's eye. "Hm? What's that?" Maria ambled over to the coffee table. A single PokeBall rested on the table, with a note tucked underneath it. Maria pulled the note out from underneath the PokeBall, making it roll just a little bit. Not enough to fall off the table.
The note made Maria awake and alert.
Maria,
Thank you so much for everything. I can't tell you how grateful I am for your kindness. But I'm afraid I can't stay here with you any longer. There's something I really need to do, and I can't drag you down with me. You'll only get in trouble, and you deserve better than to be in my situation. I can't tell you the truth. It's too painful, so I have to say goodbye for now. But I want you to know how important you are to me. Do what you feel is right and always try to fight to make your dreams come true. You'll be a great Pokemon trainer someday.
I'm giving you my Granbull as a gift. She and I don't get along, that's my fault, and I think you can take care of her better than I can. She deserves a good trainer. Take good care of her for me. Thanks. Bye.
Sincerely, with all my love,
Amara Parisa
Tear droplets melted onto the paper. This was all so confusing. What did Amara mean by all this? Dragging her down? Her situation? Get in trouble? What truth did Amara feel was too painful to tell? There were just too many questions. None of this made any sense to Maria. With silent sobs, Maria held the letter close to her heart, almost squishing it.
"I'll take good care of her," Maria whimpered. "You can count on it."
Morning had arrived, illuminating everything down below, even the clearing where Amara was. She sat on a large stump, staring at both a PokeBall in one hand and a Leaf Stone in the other. She had already eaten another burrito for breakfast along with some water, and had already walked a long way, so needing rest was inevitable. Still, she kept her eyes on the PokeBall and the Leaf Stone in her hands, staring at them for what seemed to be forever.
All she could think was...was this journey really worth it? Becoming the champion wouldn't bring Chanel back, nor would it erase her crimes and the things she did to her Pokemon, the very Pokemon she used to get this far. Granbull would have a happy life with Maria. For once, Amara smiled, hoping Granbull and Maria would be great friends. Granbull deserved that much, and she wasn't one to battle all that much anyway, no matter how much Amara beat and berated her for doing so.
The Leaf Stone in her hand made her think of Weepinbell. The flycatcher Pokemon never liked battling or being anywhere near Amara, and for good reason. All Amara did for it was beat it, call it names, and basically use him as a punching bag for her own feelings. His very existence grated on her nerves all the time. But what did it do to deserve any of it? What did any of her Pokemon do to deserve that kind of treatment? Nothing. Amara knew this. But she had come this far. Giving up was not an option.
Still...she did feel Weepinbell deserved better. She stood up and opened the PokeBall. Instead of a white light, a blue light came forth, materializing into Weepinbell. At first, the flycatcher Pokemon blinked, wondering where it was. Then it saw Amara, squeaked, and hid his face behind his leafy arms.
"I'm not gonna hurt you this time, I promise," For the very first time, Amara spoke to it in a calm, gentle, and civil voice. All she did was place the Leaf Stone in front of it.
Weepinbell expected to be slapped, kicked, or punched. Strangely enough, nothing came. Taking the leaves from his face, it noticed the Leaf Stone in front of it.
"It's okay. You can evolve if you want," Amara told it. "Plus, I just released you, so you're not my Pokemon anymore. You're free now."
Free? Evolve? Weepinbell thought it was hearing things, and it didn't have visible ears. Weepinbell was free? And actually being given the choice to do what it wanted? The flycatcher Pokemon wanted to burst into song. No more beatings! No more being yelled at or degraded over nothing! The future finally looked bright for once. Without hesitation, Weepinbell leaped onto the Leaf Stone, smiling its body glowed in a white light.
Weepinbell's body and leaves grew twice their size, with an extra appendage growing from its mouth. After a short while, the light dissipated, and out came a much larger version of the Pokemon. It reached to Amara's shoulders, and a three-tipped leaf half-covered its now large mouth, with its eyes right underneath said pink mouth. Some dark green spots dotted its body, and protruding from the mouth-leaf was a brown vine with a yellow tip.
"Gyaaaaaaa!" Amara covered her ears. Victreebel's cry sounded like a woman screaming at the top of her lungs at the highest volume possible. But Victreebel didn't run away. All it did was steal a glance at Amara, its small eyes still trembling.
"It's okay, Victreebel," Amara repeated, her voice adopting a remorseful tone. "You can go. Please, just go. You're free now. I'm sorry for everything!"
Silence fell between the two. Neither moved even an inch. Soon, the reality set in for Victreebel. It hopped one hop. Two hops. Then three, five, eight, before disappearing into the bushes. Amara could hear the thickets and glades rustling haphazardly. Victreebel was probably hopping as fast as it could, happy to get the heck away from her. To be honest, Amara couldn't be happier for Victreebel. Now it no longer had to suffer at her hands. It deserved this much.
But that didn't mean her hatred for Pokemon went away. It was still there, and her determination to fulfill her dream still remained.
With that, she went back on the road. She figured she could catch stronger Pokemon for the League. As guilt-ridden as she was, she was going to fulfill her dream no matter what it took, like it was the only thing keeping her alive.
Whether it would be worth it was another matter entirely.
A/N: Jeez. It seriously took me a whole month to update? Sorry, guys! There's just been a lot going on. But I do have good news: I GOT A JOB! A temporary one, yes, but a real job! I work as a sales associate in my local Party City! Woohoo! I haven't gotten paid yet, but I will soon, and I can't wait to do more work so I can actually feel useful for once and not sit around the house all the time! Also, I've been watching the Tales of Zestiria anime (Sorey/Mikleo forever!), and it's soooooo good! Thanks for being patient, though! You guys rock!
And yeah...this chapter...some people have complained that nothing good happens to Amara and that I'm supposedly "mean" to her with everything that's happened to her. Well, here's a chapter where sorta happy things happen to her! Don't worry, her crimes will be properly dealt with before this arc ends. I still gotta write out some stuff before we get there. I'm suuuuuuch a tease, aren't I? Yeah, even I'm getting impatient. But as they say, you can't rush perfection.
Also, Maria genuinely doesn't know that Amara is a wanted fugitive, as the news about her crimes hasn't reached her or her area. Same with Debbie and Emily, which is why they didn't report her the first time. Hopefully the next update won't take so long, but I'd rather not set a specific date for updates. I don't want to make promises that I find that I won't be able to keep.
Finally, a few weeks until Sun and Moon comes out! What will your teams be? My team for Sun will consist of the following: Popplio, Rockruff, Comfey, Bounsweet, Alola Raichu, and Oricorio (Baile).
Random Fact: Maria having a Sensu style Oricorio was actually a last minute addition. Yay for shameless Pokemon Sun and Moon promotion!
Amara's Party:
Feraligatr (Male, Lonely Nature)
Ability: Torrent
Attacks: Hydro Pump, Crunch, Ice Fang, and Superpower
Beedrill (Male, Hasty Nature)
Ability: Poison Point
Attacks: Rage, Poison Jab, X-Scissor, and Double Team
Fearow (Male, Timid Nature)
Ability: Sniper
Attacks: Roost, Pursuit, Aerial Ace, and Drill Run
Gengar (Male, Impish Nature)
Ability: Levitate
Attacks: Thunder Punch, Hypnosis, Shadow Claw, and Dark Pulse