A/N: Okay! So now that the previous long, heavy, drama-filled chapter is FINALLY done, how about we relax a bit with a short filler chapter to let it all go down? Also, Let's Go! Pikachu and Eevee have been announced! I don't mind that we can't battle Pokemon in the wild! Remakes of Pokemon Yellow are my jam, and it looks sooooooo good on the Switch! Now I have a reason to actually buy one! I better start saving! Sorry this wasn't out earlier. I wanted to post this in June, namely on my birthday, but...life happened. Oh well. Better late than never, right? I did want to write more for this chapter too, but I think I'll save that for the next one. I don't want to keep you guys waiting any longer, now do I?
Chapter 48: Kindred Spirits
"Jynx, the human shape Pokemon and the evolved form of Smoochum," Julia's portable electronic encyclopedia displayed information on Jynx on its tiny screen. For once, it's description of the Pokemon leading them out of the cave was accurate. "Jynx like to walk and sashay rhythmically, shaking their hips as if they're dancing. Their dance-like motions are so alluring, people seeing it are compelled to shake their hips along with it, without realizing they're doing it. Jynx have distinct cries, all of which have different meanings and uses, which some scientists have concluded is remarkably similar to human language, although what it actually says is still undetermined. Jynx are only female, and are some of the few Pokemon in the world that can reproduce asexually upon meeting certain conditions. In the early days, Jynx's face used to be black, but due to adapting to new environments and continued exposure to sunlight and chemicals in the air over millions of years, their facial coloring has changed to purple."
Contrary to the PokeDex's analysis, Jynx wasn't sashaying or swinging her hips at all. She seemed to glide across the ice very slowly, as though she were a ghost. In contrast to that, Smoochum stayed by her mother's side, her stubby legs struggling to keep up, completely lacking in her mother's grace and elegance. Julia, Caiseal, Mallow, and Apollo followed from behind, with the two Pokemon staying out of their PokeBalls in case any wild Pokemon were to attack again.
"I wonder how long we've been in the Ice Path?" Julia asked, brushing some hair out from her face.
"I have no clue," Caiseal replied, wrapping his arms around himself to fend off the cold. It didn't work, but it was a good effort. He pulled out his PokeGear to check the time, only to find a blank screen and no bars in the corner. "Ugh. PokeGears still aren't working," He hissed, clutching the phone in his hand tightly. Couldn't the phones at least tell the time? Caiseal cursed whoever made it so that their PokeGears couldn't do anything without any bars at all.
Julia examined her surroundings, looking side to side. "No sign of Perrine, either. I hope she's okay."
"She'll be fine," Caiseal said reassuringly. "She's a tough girl. No way is she gonna let this get her down."
He did make a good point. Perrine was a good Pokemon trainer who had been on her journey for a while, and her Pokemon were relatively strong. But even the best trainers were prone to getting hurt, even killed, in circumstances such as this. Julia shook her head, forcing the doubt out of her brain. She had to have faith in her friend. For all she knew, Perrine was alive and kicking, looking for them right now.
"Smoochum smoochum smoochuuuum!" Smoochum sang a happy tune to herself as she waddled next to her mother without a care in the world.
Caiseal turned to face Julia. "I just remembered. Sorry you couldn't catch a Swinub," He said ruefully. "I know how much you wanted one."
Ever since they got separated from Perrine, they hadn't encountered any more Swinub, though that was because they were focused on just trying to get their bearings. That, and Julia had to take charge when Caiseal couldn't find it in him to do so, what with his past catching up with him just from being in here. Julia stared up at the ceiling for a brief moment, pondering. She did regret not having caught a Swinub, as she always wanted one for a friend. But at this point, she didn't care about catching a Swinub. Getting out of here and finding Perrine was their number one priority.
"It's okay!" Julia reassured, her voice bubbly and cheery. "There's always next time. Besides, the Ice Path isn't the only place Swinub live. Maybe I can find one someplace else, or I can always come back here when I feel like it."
A grin spread across Caiseal's face. He had to admit, it was nice seeing her in good spirits after the fiasco from earlier. Seeing her smile was far better than seeing Nollaig haunting his dreams yet again, even more so now that she knew of his past and didn't abandon him for it.
Suddenly, Jynx came to a stop, but not without holding her arm in front of her daughter. Seeing the gesture, everyone else stopped walking. Julia looked over Jynx's shoulder, not seeing anything out of the ordinary.
"Is something wrong, Jynx?" Julia asked.
"Jynx jynx," ("I hear and feel something coming. Stay still.") Jynx warned them.
Everyone stood in the corridor, frozen in place, mentally preparing themselves for what was to come? Was it a Pokemon about to attack them? Or something else? Julia reached for Twilight's PokeBall, holding it in her hand just in case. Then, a stream of fire came billowing out from one of the icy walls in front of Jynx, blasting a hole into the other wall. It didn't take long for the flames to dissipate, and out from the hole came a Ninetales, with gauze hastily wrapped around her neck.
"Niiiiine!" Ninetales looked in the kids' direction immediately, smiling brightly. "Nine nine!"
The wound on her neck gave it away. Caiseal was the first to speak in spite of his shock. "Kitsune?! Is that you?!"
"Oh, Arceus!" Soon after, a familiar head of wavy orange hair popped into view, and in came Perrine, hobbling out from the hole, face red and flushed from fatigue. "Kill me now! This Ice Path is a freaking nightmaaaaaaare!" Perrine groaned loudly, eyes closed, not having noticed her two friends staring at her.
Shock turned right into relief. Julia absolutely could not hide the smile that obliterated any doubts and worries she had in her heart. Julia made a beeline for Perrine, arms akimbo, squealing with delight. "PERRINE!" She cried, her voice rising several octaves as she jumped onto her exhausted friend, wrapping her arms around her, holding her tight like she was using Wrap. Perrine's blue eyes almost bulged out of her face as she fell onto the icy floor, with Julia's body pinning her down. "You're okay! You're okay! Thank goodness!"
"Jule!" The shock didn't wear off yet, but Perrine took in her friend's warmth through the sudden tackle-hug. A smile appeared on her face as she wrapped her own arms around her relieved friend. "Boy, am I glad to see you, even if you glomped me harder than a rampaging Tauros!"
The girls were a mass of winter clothes and flailing limbs as they rejoiced in their reunion, with merry, jubilant laughter ringing through the icy corridors. Caiseal could only bend over laughing, holding his stomach as he watched the happy scene unfold before him. Oh, Perrine. Always quick to make a snarky comment even as her friends were relieved to see that she was alright. Any stiffness and rigidity he had worked so hard to build up had finally disappeared, like walls breaking down into smithereens. Soon, Julia and Perrine released each other before standing back up.
"We've been so worried about you!" Julia exclaimed, balling her hands into fists.
"I was the one worried about you!" Perrine countered. "I was sure that Avalanche attack killed you guys," Julia could hear her friend's voice catch in her throat for a second when she expressed her fear. She could also see that her eyes were red and puffy. Had she been crying? She certainly wasn't lying when she said she was worried about them. "It didn't help that those darn Sneasel hurt Kitsune and I had a hard time just trying to patch up her neck," She was quick to put Kitsune back in her PokeBall, figuring she deserved some much needed rest. "Man, you guys look worse for wear yourself."
"Don't we all," Caiseal quipped. "We're going to the Pokemon Center as soon as we get out of here, for sure."
Both Julia and Perrine nodded in agreement.
"Huh?" It was here that Perrine finally noticed the extra company. "What's with the Jynx?"
Jynx and Smoochum simply stood where they were, watching this strange new person with curious, interested eyes. Smoochum puffed her cheeks out and crossed her arms, pouting. She couldn't believe this new girl only noticed her mother and not her! Miffed by Perrine's lack of interest in her, Smoochum simply turned away, frowning like she had been denied dessert after dinner.
"It's okay! They're friendly!" Julia was quick to clarify, holding her hand out to them. "They found us further down, and they're actually showing us the exit right now!"
Perrine was immediately hooked by the word exit. Normally, she would be suspicious of a wild Pokemon randomly escorting them through a cave. What if it was leading them into a trap? But at this point, Perrine didn't care. She, along with Julia and Caiseal, just wanted to get out of this cave right now. Everyone had had enough of it.
"Good, because I'm sick of this place!" Perrine exclaimed.
"Niiiine!" Kitsune trilled, nuzzling against her trainer's shoulders. Perrine was quick to put her friend back in her PokeBall.
"Thanks, Kit."
Now that the group was reunited, Jynx led the way once again, and the kids followed. It didn't take long for them to see a light at the end of the tunnel. The round exit grew bigger and bigger...until, finally, they saw trees. Trees and a vivid, vermillion sky welcoming them back from the underground.
"Yay!" Caiseal cheered, skipping out from the cave, throwing his arms into the air. "We're out! We made it out! Hallelujah!"
"About time!" Perrine bellowed, literally falling flat on the ground with a goofy smile. "Oh, sweet sweet soil, grass, and Earth! How I missed thee!"
Julia pulled her PokeGear out. Five bars appeared at the corner of the screen. They had cell phone service now! Not only that, the clock read 6:36 PM. "Wow!" Julia exclaimed, her green eyes wide with shock. "We've been in the Ice Path for six hours straight!"
Everyone's jaws dropped. Six hours straight? That was a long time to be stuck in a cave. But they were out, so the kids figured dwelling on how long they spent there wasn't necessary. While the girls cheered and squealed amongst themselves, happy to finally be out of that cave, Caiseal did steal a glance towards Jynx, who was gesturing towards the cave in front of Smoochum, probably telling her it was time to go home. This Jynx went out of her way to help him not once, but twice...and in that moment, he realized something. He never did get around to saying thanks to her way back then. She had disappeared before he had the chance to do so.
Caiseal balled his fists. Now the opportunity to do so had come back. He wasn't going to let it slip by this time.
"Jynx! Wait!"
The human shape Pokemon turned around, with Smoochum's hand in her own. "Jynx jynx?" Jynx could only tilt her head to one side, perplexed. Caiseal stood in front of Jynx, looking her straight in the eyes. She hadn't changed much in the past few years, other than the fact that she had a child. But Jynx could see the changes plain as day. No longer did Caiseal have that scared, wide eyed, frightened look on his face, nor was he the same little boy that wandered aimlessly through the cave, confused and unaware of what had happened.
"Jynx...I never got the chance to thank you for...helping me three years ago," Surprisingly, the words in his heart just spilled right out. He had no trouble putting his gratitude into words. "So...thanks. For helping me, both back then and now," He said, bending over in a bow.
Jynx flashed a grateful grin and waved her free hand at him. "Jynx jynx jynx!"
"She says 'think nothing of it!'" Julia piped in, having overheard their short conversation.
"Smoochum!" Suddenly, Smoochum ran to Julia's side, wrapping her stubby arms around her leg. "Smoochum smoochum!"
"Whaaaa?" Julia couldn't believe what she heard. Even Jynx's jaw dropped at her daughter's announcement. "You want to come with us?"
Smoochum nodded vigorously, strands of her blonde hair defying gravity as she did so. "Smoochum smoooooch!" ("You saved me, and I wanna be strong, so can I go with you?") Smoochum warbled, flapping her little arms up and down as she voiced her desires.
Caiseal raised an eyebrow. "Is this because you still have a crush on Mallow?" He asked suspiciously.
Smoochum shook her head before crossing her arms. "Smoochum smoochum chuuuum!"
"She says, 'No, and I don't like him anymore. He's not my type anyway! I'm way too cute for the likes of him!'" Julia translated, which made everyone break into laughter.
That was a sudden turn-around. Mallow could only stare at Smoochum while scratching his head with his bone. "Marowak…" ("Not sure how to react to that…") He mused to himself. Oh well. As far as he was concerned, she was way too young for him, so he no longer had to worry about that. He still hoped she wouldn't suddenly change her mind and go after him again.
Julia found herself lost in thought. Obviously, Smoochum wanted to go with her as thanks for saving her from the Sneasel. She didn't need to look Smoochum in the eyes to see her enthusiasm and gratitude. Plus, Smoochum was cute. She could get along well with Saoirse or Tokiko, since Smoochum was their size. Of course, there was also Jynx to consider. She didn't want to just up and take Jynx's daughter away from her. Oddly enough, from what she could see, Jynx's expression of shock had faded, with her lips now pressed together in a thin line. What was she feeling? Was she confused or deep in thought? Julia couldn't tell.
"Well," Julia answered. "Why don't you ask your mom if it's okay?"
Within seconds, Smoochum voiced her wish to her mother. All was silent for a brief moment. Then, Jynx's lips curled up into a pleased, proud grin as she knelt down and stroked Smoochum's hair with her hand. "Jynx jynx jynx jynx!" ("Of course you can go with them. They're good kids, I can tell. You do need to do some growing up, so maybe this will be good for you.")
Smoochum beamed, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Smoochuuuuum!" She ran over to her mother, wrapping her stubby arms around part of her dress in a hug before running back to Julia. The kiss Pokemon looked right up at the flabbergasted trainer with an expectant but joyful look on her face. Julia grinned, pulling out an empty PokeBall.
"Your mom says yes, so...welcome to the team!" Julia announced, gently tapping the PokeBall against Smoochum's forehead. Closing her eyes, Smoochum allowed herself to transform into red light and be absorbed into the PokeBall. Unlike other times when she caught a Pokemon, the PokeBall in her hand didn't shake. It clicked off right away, without a single tremor. Julia held the PokeBall to her chest as she turned her gaze back to Jynx.
"Thank you for all your help, Jynx," Julia told her. "I promise I'll take good care of your daughter."
It was Jynx's turn to smile, her soft, pink lips turning upward. "Jynx jynx!" ("You take care now.")
Everyone, including Jynx, waved at each other as they parted ways, Jynx back into the Ice Path, and the kids to the nearest Pokemon Center. Their bodies were starving for a hot meal and some much needed rest, and their Pokemon were needing some major TLC.
Thankfully, the Pokemon Center wasn't too far from where the Ice Path was. The first thing the kids did when they got there was hand all of their Pokemon to Nurse Joy, with Perrine telling her about Kitsune's neck injury right away. They didn't feel like sitting around waiting for their dinner, so they just decided to grab some small, quick meals for tonight's dinner instead of going all out. They didn't want to be out while their Pokemon were being healed, so they found some tables close by and ate their dinner right near the counter. Caiseal couldn't help but notice Julia's rather bare bones choice of dinner.
"Jule. You made yourself a salad, but there's no tomatoes, onions, or even any dressing," Caiseal noted aloud, leaning over the table just a bit to get a better look. Julia's plate consisted of a dollop of mashed potatoes, some carrots that had been cut into smaller bites, and a pile of lettuce in varying shades of green. Was this supposed to be a salad?
"I don't like tomatoes. Or onions. Or dressing. They all taste really weird. Tomatoes make me feel like I'm eating acid and it stings. A lot," Julia told him bluntly after she finished one strip of lettuce. She had tried to eat a cherry tomato once, just before she left on her journey. Vegetables were good for her, and she did like some vegetables, with her favorites being carrots and broccoli. But the instant her teeth cut through the tomato's surface, the juices burned her tongue, making her entire mouth sting, like a million Beedrill were using Poison Sting on her all at once. Never again would she go anywhere near a tomato. "Besides, it's not technically a salad. My parents say I need to eat more greens, and I like lettuce and cabbage when there's no icky stuff on it, so why not?"
Perrine pointed her fork at Julia's plate. "She does make a valid point," She said. "If it's just lettuce, it doesn't count as a salad. But hey, everyone has their preferences," She added with a brief shrug. "I like mayonnaise on my salad myself."
Satisfied with the answer, and with having learned something new about Julia today, Caiseal chuckled. "Sure. I get it. Nothing wrong with that."
As he chewed on a piece of his fried chicken, his mind wandered, the girls' conversation turning into white noise in the process. He flashed back to when he told Julia about his past. He had expected her to completely abandon him or decide she didn't want to be his friend anymore. Other kids he knew distanced themselves from him when he told them what happened. Others didn't know how to react and went about their own lives. Instead, she not only accepted him, she actually cried for him and promised to always be his friend forever. Regret began to creep into his heart, and he wished he hadn't kept her in the dark about himself for all that time. If she accepted him, then...perhaps Perrine would as well?
Caiseal pursed his lips together. He had kept it from her long enough. It was time that he told her.
"Hey, Perrine. There's something-"
Unfortunately, Caiseal didn't get the chance to talk. High pitched squealing and screaming rocked the entire Pokemon Center lobby. Julia winced at the noise, and her hands immediately flew to her ears, but she could still feel her eardrums throbbing from the inside. Even Perrine had to cover one of her ears. Caiseal turned around, facing the source of the noise. A large cluster of girls gathered around one of the TVs hanging from the ceiling, watching in captivated awe as a boy band dressed in black and red performed at a concert on the screen. Many of the girls were dressed in black and red clothing themselves, namely T-shirts and ripped jeans. The trio shot annoyed glances in the crowd's direction.
"Seriously?!" Julia yelped. "What the heck is going on?!" The three of them had come here to have a quiet, peaceful meal, not deal with a gaggle of people screaming their heads off.
"I'll go check," Perrine stood up from the chair and walked over to the crowd. She approached one girl in particular who had red streaks in her long black hair. "Excuse me. What's all the hubbub about?" She asked politely, taking care not to escalate the situation.
The long haired girl shook her fists excitedly. "Don't you know?! The Dark Nightwingz are performing here in Blackthorn City right now!" She exclaimed. "See on the TV?" The girl pointed to the TV. One of the members was shown strumming on a guitar. "The concert's going on at the Blackthorn Music Hall, which is only a few miles from here! The only reason we're not there ourselves is that tickets have been sold out for the past week, so we're making do and watching it here."
All this just for a boy band? Perrine could only stand there stupidly, her mouth slightly agape. She could only vaguely make out the music, which was being slowly drowned out by all the squealing fan girls. Whoever these guys were, they must be pretty popular if kids were screaming over them like this. Perrine turned on her heel and returned to the table.
"So...apparently there's this boy band that's playing here right now," Perrine told them. "And they're fans."
"I can tell," Caiseal deadpanned.
By this time, Julia had already finished her meal, feeling full and satisfied. But she knew Caiseal and Perrine hadn't finished yet, so she waited until they were done before suggesting they go to their rooms. Still, her eardrums kept throbbing whenever the fangirls clustered around the TV squealed and cried out in delight. Couldn't they be a bit more considerate of the people around them? Thankfully, Perrine and Caiseal had the same thought. As soon as they finished their dinner, the trio got their Pokemon back from Nurse Joy and left for their assigned rooms like they couldn't get out of there fast enough. They all gathered in one room in particular, and Julia fell right onto her bed, face down, her face buried in the blankets.
"Seriously, the Ice Path is quieter than in there!" Julia groaned, her voice muffled by the comforter.
"You're telling me," Caiseal agreed. Well, there was one positive thing about the Ice Path. He stole a glance at Perrine, watching as she threw off her shoes, letting them fall off her feet. Now was his chance to tell her. "Hey, Perrine?"
"Yeah?"
"Listen…" Caiseal didn't know where to start. But he knew he couldn't keep it in any longer. She was his friend. He knew in his heart he could trust her. Why keep her in the dark any longer? "There's something I want to tell you. About me."
"Really?" Her curiosity piqued, Perrine looked straight at him, crossing her legs. "What is it?"
"Oh!" Julia interrupted, knowing right away what he was about to talk about. "Hang on a sec!" She pulled out a PokeBall and had Hikaru pop right out.
"Pika?" Hikaru tilted her head to one side. That was random. She had been stuck in that PokeBall all day, so while it was good to finally be out of that thing, she was a bit perplexed by how sudden it was.
Julia smiled. "Hey, Hikaru. I think this is something you might want to hear."
"You want Hikaru to listen in as well?" Caiseal asked.
"Yep! Your story and hers are really similar!" Julia told him excitedly, holding her orange friend close. "Is that okay?"
"Wait...your story?" It was Perrine's turn to be confused this time. "What's she talking about?"
"Chuuu?"
Caiseal nodded in approval. "Sure. I don't see why not. Anyway…" He folded his hands together, readying himself. "I told Julia something very personal about me in the Ice Path," He finally began. "So I figure it's time I told you, too."
Everyone listened as Caiseal told Perrine everything that he told Julia. His entire backstory, from the mistreatment he endured at the hands of his mother to the awful revelation she thrust upon him. Unlike in the Ice Path, Caiseal was much calmer when he told it to Perrine this time around. Julia could see and feel it in his whole being. He didn't look completely broken, vulnerable, or pathetic this time either, which Julia chalked up to being out of the Ice Path and having had dinner just now. On the other hand, Perrine was reduced to a blubbering mess by the end. Her face was completely red, drowning in waterfalls of tears as the orange haired girl wrapped her arms around Caiseal, crying onto his shoulder.
"That is seriously the saddest thing I ever heard in my whole entire liiiiiiife!" Perrine bawled like a baby.
In a way, Caiseal had expected her to be moved to tears. Julia did, so it was likely that she would too. But he didn't expect brave, strong, confident Perrine to straight up break down and hug him. His face flushed crimson from the sudden close contact, and he gently pushed her off.
"You know I didn't tell you this just so you'd feel sorry for me, right?" Caiseal retorted, shooting an annoyed look at her.
Regardless of his feelings about this whole thing, Perrine kept on crying, though she did hide her eyes behind her arm, probably in an attempt to stop the onslaught of tears. Thankfully, Julia didn't break into tears this time. But hearing the story a second time didn't make it any less sad. On the other hand, Hikaru, who rested on Julia's lap the entire time, was completely silent. Julia was right, his story was similar to hers. She had found a fellow kindred spirit! No, he was always with them, and she never even knew any of this about him.
"Yeah, I know. But man, no wonder you hated the Ice Path so much," Perrine exclaimed, after having calmed down a bit. "I'm honestly surprised you even managed to survive on the streets for a whole two months trying to get home all on foot! That must have been horrible!"
Caiseal looked down, averting their gaze. "Well..." He wasn't quite sure how to put this. But he had to try. "It wasn't all bad," He pulled one of his PokeBalls from his pocket. Mallow's PokeBall. "If I hadn't been thrown out like that...I would never have met Mallow. He's the reason I'm even alive today."
Both girls exchanged confused glances. Caiseal met Mallow while on the streets? "You didn't mention that part back in the Ice Path," Julia told him.
"I didn't?" Caiseal asked, looking just as confused as they were. "You sure?"
"Definitely! You never told us about having met Mallow during that time."
Their conversation in the Ice Path came back to him in that moment. She was right. He hadn't mentioned having met Mallow when he told Julia about his past. "Oh yeah. Whoops. I guess I was so frazzled by everything that happened that I forgot to mention that part," He looked back up at them, his expression tender and soft. "But it's true. I ran into Mallow on the streets, and we just never left each other's side after that."
"Awww!" Julia cooed. "That is so sweet! It's no wonder you two are so close! You've really went through a lot together!"
"Yeah we did."
"Pikaaaaa…" Even Hikaru couldn't help but be entranced by this new information, even as she adjusted the bow on her ear.
"See, Hikaru?" Julia asked. "Told you you'd want to hear this. Hey, Caiseal! Guess what? Hikaru was abandoned by her parents, too!"
"Wait, really?" Caiseal's jaw fell, and stayed open even as Julia told him Hikaru's story of being abandoned because of her shiny coat. "Oh man. I never knew," His heart went out to the little mouse sitting before him.
"Hang on. One thing still baffles me," Perrine interrupted. "How in the world is it possible to...eat your own twin? Last I checked, fetuses don't develop mouths until way later. How can you suddenly have a twin and then not have one?"
Julia held her index finger up. "I think the correct term might be absorbed," She clarified. She could tell Perrine was having just as much trouble wrapping her head around the concept as she herself did back in the Ice Path. Julia couldn't blame her. If someone had told her such a thing could happen months ago, she'd never have believed them.
"Nnngh! This is soooo confusing!" Perrine huffed, rubbing her hair with both hands. "Eh, I'll look it up first thing tomorrow. We better hit the hay if we want to battle the gym leader tomorrow."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Sleep didn't come very easily to Caiseal that night, but for once, it wasn't because of the nightmare. It still flickered in his mind every now and again, but he didn't find himself waking up breathing really hard and sweating profusely. Caiseal glanced at a nearby clock on the desk. It was about 4:07 AM, and the sky was still a deep, rich navy blue, dotted with stars. He then shot a glance at the door at the other end of his room. Without much else to do, Caiseal walked outside, hoping maybe some fresh air would help him get back to sleep. Before this journey, Caiseal was hardly ever the type to sit down and appreciate nature's beauty. Now, he gazed at the stream of stars with fondness. How many nights had he spent awake from the nightmare, thinking the world was about to crush him with the weight of his mother's hatred? It had only been when he was with his Pokemon, away from Blackthorn City, away from the awful memories it held for him that he felt like he was himself.
Right now, Caiseal felt like himself. He was back in his hometown. He was sure that if he came back here, he'd feel angry. Disgusted, even. What was the point of coming back here, other than to see his adopted family? All he ever wanted was to get away from here. Away from Nollaig. Away from everything that he hated. But here he was, back in Blackthorn City, and those feelings never came. Was it because of his friends? His Pokemon? He wasn't sure, but he smiled at the starry sky. This was good. He didn't want to spend his life being angry and letting hatred fill his veins. Besides, his adopted family loved him. Maybe that was why he came back, because they loved him, even though he never felt like he had any right to be with them. Did someone like him really deserve to be loved?
Footsteps pulled Caiseal out of his reverie. Turning to his left, he saw Hikaru sitting right next to him, her ears folded back as she looked up at the sky, just like he was doing now.
"Can't sleep?"
Hikaru shook her head sideways. "Pika."
"Yeah, me too. It's real pretty out tonight."
"Chu," Hikaru nodded in agreement.
A brief pause. A peaceful, comfortable silence, and neither of them wanted to break it. But Caiseal remembered Julia telling him about Hikaru's past. Something inside him compelled him to break the silence. "So...your parents tossed you aside and abandoned you, huh?"
"Chuuu," Caiseal could tell by the pained look on her face that her abandonment was a sore subject for her. He couldn't blame her. Who would be happy about their parents straight up discarding them like garbage?
"I didn't expect us to have that in common."
"Pika."
It certainly was an odd thing to share with someone else's Pokemon, and not exactly a nice thing, either. Still, knowing someone else understood his pain was a great consolation.
"It sucks, doesn't it? We've both been treated like crap for stuff that's out of our control," Caiseal said, taking care to keep his voice low so he wouldn't wake the girls next door. "It's not like you wanted to be shiny, and I certainly didn't want to...absorb my twin. Why do they feel like they have to blame us for that kinda stuff?"
"Pikapii."
"Adults. They think they're right about everything, even when they're completely wrong and deluded. Right?"
Again, Hikaru agreed with a nod. "Pika pika."
A wistful look came over Caiseal's eyes. "I wonder how Violet's doing now? I hope she's doing well."
Hikaru didn't have an answer for that, not that Caiseal expected her to. They just sat there on the tiny patio, Caiseal's elbows resting on the steel railing. The night air bit at his skin, making him shiver with cold, but he liked how it felt in this moment, so he didn't mind it so much. It helped that his pajamas had long sleeves and pants, and the air wasn't as cold as it was in the Ice Path.
"Hey, Hikaru. Julia's really lucky to have you as a friend," He told her. "She really loves you a lot."
"Pikachuuuuu," Hikaru cooed.
Caiseal smiled at the response. "Scratch that. You're lucky to have her. Is that what you're saying?"
Another nod. "Chupi!" The shiny Pikachu took the time to arch her back a bit to stretch herself out, her tail pointing to the sky like a lightning rod in doing so.
So much had happened on his journey, some bad, most of it good. The good parts definitely stood out. Having met Perrine and Julia. Battling the gym leaders and earning badges. Catching all of his beloved Pokemon friends. He wondered how he might have turned out if he hadn't gone on this journey. If he had never met Perrine or Julia. If he hadn't met Mallow on the streets that day. Nothing came to mind. Caiseal shook his head. No. He didn't want to think of a life without his friends. They were the reason he was here today. The reason he became the person he was now. Why would he want to change that? He loved the journey he had taken for himself. All of the adventures he had, the experiences he shared with his friends, all of the wonderful places they saw...he didn't want to trade any of it for anything else.
He stretched his legs outward. "Pfft! Screw them!" Caiseal spat. "We're here now, and they're not gonna get us down."
A determined look came over Hikaru's face. She smiled at her trainer's friend and flashed a thumbs up. "Pikapi!"
Before too long, a yawn escaped Caiseal's lips. His eyesight blurred as the big yawn made its way out of him. "I guess I better get to sleep then," He stood up before stealing another glance at the electric mouse. "Sweet dreams, Hikaru."
"Pikachu."
He couldn't understand Pokemon language like Julia could, but he didn't need to in this moment. He was sure Hikaru was telling him the same thing. Sweet dreams were a rarity for him. But tonight, maybe a good dream or two wouldn't be so rare now.
Julia's Party:
Hikaru (Shiny Pikachu, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thunderbolt, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle
Tsubasa (Pidgeotto, Female, Naughty Nature)
Ability: Keen Eye
Attacks: Quick Attack, Twister, Air Slash, and Feather Dance
Tokiko (Togetic, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Serene Grace
Attacks: Extrasensory, Headbutt, Dazzling Gleam, Ancient Power
Saoirse (Snubbull, Female, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Intimidate
Attacks: Ice Fang, Bite, Fire Fang, and Scary Face
Blossom (Bellossom, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Stun Spore, Giga Drain, Petal Blizzard, and Acid
Twilight (Ponyta, Female, Lonely Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Flame Wheel, Solar Beam, Hypnosis, and Stomp
Perrine's Party:
Kitsune (Ninetales, Female, Quiet Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Heat Wave, Extrasensory, Confuse Ray, and Faint Attack
Florian (Meganium, Male, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Overgrow
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Vine Whip, Body Slam, and Grassy Terrain
Baloo (Jigglypuff, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Cute Charm
Attacks: Hyper Voice, Wake-Up Slap, Disarming Voice, and Body Slam
Mushi (Paras, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Effect Spore
Attacks: X-Scissor, Stun Spore, Growth, and Giga Drain
Fuwari (Skiploom, Female, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Leaf Guard
Attacks: Bounce, Giga Drain, Fairy Wind, and Energy Ball
Chirin (Ampharos, Male, Adamant Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Discharge, Cotton Guard, Power Gem, Signal Beam
Caiseal's Party:
Mallow (Marowak, Male, Lax Nature)
Ability: Lightning Rod
Attacks: Bonemerang, Bone Rush, Headbutt, and Rock Smash
Apollo (Typhlosion, Male, Bold Nature)
Ability: Blaze
Attacks: Flamethrower, Flame Charge, Rollout, and Smokescreen
Viole (Vileplume, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Sludge Bomb, Sleep Powder, and Sweet Scent
Ravenclaw (Murkrow, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Super Luck
Attacks: Wing Attack, Steel Wing, Dark Pulse, and Roost
Heracles (Heracross, Male, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Moxie
Attacks: Brick Break, Megahorn, Aerial Ace, and Endure
Flippy (Quagsire, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Damp
Attacks: Water Gun, Mud Bomb, Mud Slap, and Slam