After a very long sleep, I woke up the next morning. I had an award-winning headache and a dull pain on my neck, but nothing else. After a quick shower, I decided to go outside to catch some fresh air.
While I was doing so, I remembered the events of last night, and how I didn't get hurt by the attacks.
I was puzzled. I didn't understand why Typhlosion had done that to me. Was it because he felt like it? Or, did he actually have a reason to want to harm me?
I hadn't gotten any answers from him, so I was left to ponder over these questions alone.
I was going to try and ask him about it later, but I first wanted to know if he had a problem with me.
I mean, why did he charged at me like that? And why did he fire attacks on me?
I was tired of thinking about it, so I decided to focus on something else.
There was a new song from 'Lady Haha' coming out. I liked that artist, and I wanted to listen to her music.
So, I grabbed my headphones and, for the next few hours, listened to the songs she and other trending artists had released. I loved every minute of it.
"Oh, man! This is great!" I said, as I ended the set.
I was feeling more relaxed now. However, something inside me wanted to watch the Saturday Pokémon battles marathon on TV, despite yesterday's experience.
I was curious to see the nominees to participate in the National Tournament next month, and I was also eager to hear about the latest news on the Pokémon battling world.
So, I turned on the TV, and placed the remote on the floor.
"Good evening everyone! I'm Johnny Yong Bosch reporting live at the Orange City stadium! Tonight, we have top-notch participants competing for a place on the National Tournament!
But... There's even more! The winner of the National Tournament next month... Becomes classified to enter in the World Championship! How Exciting!"
"Woah..." I said, as I watched flashbacks of some previous World Championships battles. Soon, I was glued to the screen, watching the event unfold.
By the time the show ended, I had spent a very well spent six hours, and I was very happy with myself.
When I shut down the TV, I stood in silence for a moment, as my mind started to think again about my past. The thing was, I didn't know what to do.
Should I talk about it with Typhlosion, or not?
I felt... isolated. I mean, I had no one to share my thoughts with. Which was strange, considering I could talk with my online friends... But, still, I felt alone.
I knew I should talk to Typhlosion, but I wasn't sure how to bring it up. I mean, I don't exactly know how to approach him, and I feared I might say something wrong, which ended in him laughing at me.
"I just wonder how much longer I can keep living like this..." I muttered to myself.
And it was true, I didn't know how much more I could take. I mean, I had accepted that I would always have to suffer from depression and anxiety, but it was getting harder and harder to deal with it.
Maybe it was the fact that I couldn't find a way to cope with my problems. Maybe it was the fact that I never found a way to make things better. Maybe it was both. Either way, I wished there was someone who understood me, and who could help me.
But, I had nobody...
That's when the doorbell rang.
I was startled, since I didn't expect anybody to come visit me today. I hurriedly ran to the front door, and opened it.
To my surprise, standing in front of me was Typhlosion! What the fuck?!
He stood there, looking at me, with a slight smile on his face.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised that he had come all the way here.
"Ahhh... Oliver... How can you be so brainless!" I heard him scoff. "You didn't notice your wallet fell in the park the other day!"
"Huh? You're kidding right?" I exclaimed, shocked. "My wallet?"
"Yes, my dear friend." He said as he pushed me back slightly with his hand as he 'politely' handed me the wallet.
I stared at it, trying to replay everything that happened. I opened it and saw everything there. My ATM card, my credit cards, my id, my insurance documents, and of course, my money. I let out a sigh of relief, as I put it away safely in my pocket.
"Thank God..." I muttered.
"To be honest, I robbed you a little to buy an energy drink while I came, so, you only owe me 4998 bucks now!" He laughed.
"Really?" I said, as I looked at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious!"
"Come on... I'm joking man! Your faces that day was enough payment for me! Hahaha!" He replied, as he seemed to enjoy my reaction.
"Well, thanks..." I mumbled.
"Hey, don't mention it." He said, smiling widely. "Now, shall we go for a bite?"
I nodded, and as soon as I dressed myself, I followed him out.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"Don't worry, you'll see." He answered, as he led me through the streets.
"Where are you taking me man?" I asked again, as we seemed to be heading nowhere.
"Just trust me on this one, okay? It will be worth it." He said, with a hint of excitement in his voice.
"Okay..." I shrugged.
We finally arrived at a restaurant, which had a nice view overlooking the city. We sat ourselves down, and I began to realize how hungry I was.
"So, are we eating here?" I asked, as I gazed at the menu.
"Yeah man!, you really look like you have eaten nothing in days!" He said.
I felt uncomfortable with that statement, as I didn't want to tell him that no, I had actually eaten anything in days.
The truth was I have to choose between not eating the last week of the month, or paying the bills. Logically, I wasn't in the best situation to eat in a rather fancy restaurant!
"I'll get... water!" I told him.
"And...?" He said, waiting for me to say something.
"Nothing..." I said, as I tried to avoid his eyes.
"Oliver... What's wrong?"
"Nothing..." I lied again.
"Do you not want to eat?" He asked.
"Of course I would like to!" I responded. "But I am kinda low on funds right now." I said.
"How come?" He asked.
"I've been spending most of my loan on rent and bills." I explained.
"Ouch..." He sighed. "How long have you been living that way?"
"Since I came to study at the university." I answered.
"Wow..." He said. "Don't worry, I'll pay for your meal."
"Really?" I asked, surprised.
"Of course!" He said, as his face lit up with joy. "It's already in my account!"
"Thank you!" I said, as I smiled back at him.
"No problemo!" He said, as he winked at me.
After finishing our food, we walked towards a stadium where the Pokémon battles were being held.
"Are we attending the battle?" I asked.
"Yeah!" He answered.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because, I want to enjoy this." He said, as he took my hand and led me to the stadium.
Soon, we reached the stadium, and once we got there, we found a seat near the middle. As we settled ourselves, we saw the field filled with trainers and spectators. All around us, people cheered at the sight of the battle.
"This is amazing..." I murmured.
"Indeed, it is." He agreed.
During the event, I watched the battles play out. While they weren't very entertaining, I enjoyed them nonetheless.
They reminded me of the fights I used to have back in the old days, when I used to train at school. It was nostalgic to feel that sense of joy again, even if it was only temporary.
"Wow... That was awesome!" I said.
The more we watched, the more excited I became. Everything seemed brighter, and the world seemed to sparkle. I almost forgot about my problems, and instead focused on the thrill of the battles
It wasn't because the battle was good or bad. It was because someone kept me company. For the first time in years, I felt... alive.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Typhlosion asked.
"A lot!" I said.
"Good!" He said. "Then... I've got good news for you!"
"Really?" I asked, as I looked at him curiously.
"Yep!" He said. "I got you a pass for next weekend's tournament!"
"That's great!" I exclaimed. "Thanks so much!"
"Anytime!" He said, as he grinned.
I couldn't believe it! A whole weekend watching live battles! Of course, I would love to spend some time with Typhlosion, as well.
"Would you mind accompanying me to the venue tomorrow?" I asked.
"Sure thing!" He answered.
"Awesome!" I said.
After the battles ended, I thanked Typhlosion for coming with me, and then we both went home.
"Ta ta!" He said, as he waved goodbye.
I waved back, and then got ready for bed.
I lay in bed, thinking about what he had just done for me. I never expected him to be the type of guy who would help me out like that. And I was grateful for the fact that he did, despite his overly manly behavior sometimes…
"He seems like a cool guy..." I said, as I thought about him.
I fell asleep quickly after thinking about him, and that night, I dreamed about him.
—
In my dream, I was walking along a path through a desert, and I could hear voices from behind me. I turned around and saw that I was walking alongside Typhlosion.
I expected the climate to be really hot, but it wasn't. The weather was perfect, and the sun shone brightly upon us.
"What brings you out here today?" Typhlosion asked.
"I don't really know! I'm in a dream! I think..." I said.
"Hmm... Well, let's walk together!" Typhlosion suggested.
"Sounds good to me!" I agreed.
As we walked, I noticed that the ground was soft and warm, covered by sand.
"Oliver, what type of Pokémon do you like the most?" Typhlosion asked.
"Huh?" I asked.
"You said you're battling at the National Tournament, didn't you?"
Was I participating in the National Tournament?! Well, that confirmed this is, in fact, a dream.
"Oh yeah..." I remembered, fetching some thrilling but unreal memories. "Well, I guess I like them all."
"Really?!" He said, surprised.
"Yep!" I answered.
"Wow..." He said. "And... have you ever battled against any of the legendary Pokémon?"
"Yeah! I answered". I don't know why, I remembered fighting against a Mewtwo.
"Huh?! You fought against Mewtwo!?" He exclaimed.
"Yeah... I was fighting against Mewtwo at a stadium..." I answered.
"Wow... So, you are indeed a very powerful trainer!" Typhlosion added enthusiastically.
"I think so..." I said.
Then, we reached an oasis, and we stopped there.
"So... How do you find traveling with me?" He asked.
"Do you mean... being together with you?" I asked.
"Yes..." He said.
"I..." Emotion started to build inside me.
"I feel... complete... When I'm with you..." I said.
"Complete?" He asked.
"Yeah... I feel as though I can finally show my feelings. My emotions seem so much clearer with you..." I said.
"Really?!" He asked.
"Yeah..." I said.
"That's great!" He said. "But... I need to tell you something".
"What is it?" I asked.
"Oliver... you... ARE THE WEAKEST HUMAN I'VE EVER MET!" He yelled.
"WHAT?" I shouted.
"Don't you understand?" He cried. "You can't even pass a test little kids can do! What a LOSER!"
"Loser?!" I yelled, as the whole scenery started to crumble down.
"Yeah!" He yelled. "You can't even defeat a simple Rattata! Hahahaha!"
"Why do you have to mock me like that?!" I asked.
"Hahahahaha..."
"WHY!"
—
I sprang awake, feeling myself sweating.
"W-What's going on!?" I asked.
My room was dark, but the moonlight shone in through the window. Slowly, I started to calm down, as I recalled it had been a nightmare.
"Whew..." I breathed. "Well, that was weird..."
I laid back down awake in bed, thinking about Typhlosion.
He is the typical type of guy who makes fun of others, but he doesn't actually mean it. He does it because he thinks it makes him look cool.
But, deep in his heart, he probably feels ashamed of that part of himself. He has shown me that he really is a true friend of his friends, and cares about people.
He likes showing off his power, and he might have his particular 'ways' to get to where he wants to, but, at the end of the day, he still is a kind Pokémon, who truly cares about others.
I didn't know what to do anymore. If I opened my innermost thoughts to him, it would expose my deepest fears, weaknesses, and insecurities, which I would never want to share with anyone else.
But, if I closed my heart to him, I wouldn't probably be able to face my troubles alone any longer.
And if I shut myself away from everyone, I'd be lonely, and, to be sincere, after a decade of pure loneliness and self-rejection, losing Typhlosion's 'particular' friendship might be too much for me to handle…
With a sigh, I decided to take the risk. I've made up my mind. Whatever happens, I'll deal with it.