Everything fades into today
I sort of started coming out of my home every day, expecting something to happen.
Glancing at Hammerlocke's river, I found it amusing to look at myself in the water. It's not the same as a mirror; things get blurry, and you can't really see how deep it is. And also, mirrors tend to show you what you are not looking for, because they invert your own reflexion.
That's what I was looking for; to see how much I had changed. Within the water, I'm able to see how much my face had become stern, while I am able to fake emotions now. Even if I cut my hair into a bob cut, the reflection is so blurry I can still imagine the part I had shaven years ago. Some strands even looked like pigtails, if you put your mind into it.
I wanted to stand, just to try and look for how my body looked, but it was too much deformed by the height between the water and me. Even if I wanted to change myself, it appears people would recognise me without even giving it a thought; they wouldn't even be surprised
« Miss teacher ?
Oh.
— Hi Jack. »
He was worried about me. Told me I looked sad. I only said I needed a break, and that I liked water, and he went away running like everything I said was true. That's why children are wonderful.
I wonder... What would he do if I told him the truth? I don't think any children can be concerned, yet also refuse to dig too deep into the matter, only to escape having to do anything. That is a virtue we lose when times get tougher, but also a virtue we always believe in. Somehow, I can only feel concerned by how these children think of me. Do I look sad? How much then, and how much do they want to help me?
Anyway. I sat on a bench one hour straight. Time to head back.
A teenager was competing against an elderly woman on the tiny battle field. The woman was not afraid of the guy's Golduck, and her Shuckle made good use of it's Sticky Web to neutralise the Water Pokémon, and finish it off using Power Trick and Rock Blast. It seems like people this year still need some more training. Both were challengers.
« You did well, both of you. You could have done more, though. »
Someone's hands clapped, applauding the two challengers. And then I saw the rough-voiced woman.
« Your Golduck can be really fast if you make advantage of Swift Swim, like, even the Sticky Web would do little to stop it from attacking Shuckle after it uses Power Trick. Because even though Shuckle is super strong with Power Trick, it can be dealt with with pretty much any attacks. Your Shuckle tends to prioritise a strong body over a Sturdy shell, try using Shell Smash and Gyro Ball, and you will see what monster it is. »
There she is. It's like on internet's photos; she braided her hair to her right side and stopped dying them. She started to wear more casual clothes instead of the ones she wore for show. I can see her green tank top under her white hoodie... Is she... Teaching them how to fight with their own strength?
I stayed in a corner, hoping she would see me. The two challengers left, and she went towards me, at least.
She's getting clos–ow...
« Hm. I'm sorry. You alright? »
She had bounced against my shoulder.
Then, her eyes glanced at me, and her mouth drew a smile
« That's unexpected. » she grinned
She's not the clumsy type. She should have had something in her mind
« Were you perhaps heading somewhere ? I asked that while avoiding the blatant topic of the years that had gotten by without us seeing each other
— I have some time available. Want to catch a break with me? »
"Catch", like getting back the time we've lost? The moment I asked that, I noticed she was inspecting me from head to toe
« Wew, she gasped, I recognised you without any trouble but... You've set yourself a totally different character, haven't you?
— What do you mean?
— It's like you were using punk fashion as a comfort zone back then. Was I mistaken? You're rocking it, like, I was always wondering which side you liked more. Well that's not punk fashion, that's... Help me, please. I'm lost with fashion.
— Don't mind it too much. Call it an androgynous fashion, and mix it up with the emo, gothic, punk and whatever else you're looking for. Fashion has no name, only stereotypes does. »
She began to study my clothes once more
« I really want to know how to name it, though... Androgynous you say? I guess leather isn't meant for any gender anyway...
— That's not leather. I call it androgynous, because it looks both way, not like it suits to a gender people would call "androgynous".
— Oh! I see. Yeah, I got worked up over what should be classified as "boy" and "girl", sorry. »
She seemed to hesitate over something... To be looking for something. Her voice quickly sprang up
« Would you mind running a tad? I like getting some work done from time to time.
— You're acting weird. Can't you say what's on your mind?
— Cause I'll probably offence you. If you want to know, I am pretty angry at how everything ended, like anyone of us should be. I want to talk it out where we wouldn't feel like this guys around us has something to say.
— That's one way to convey your feelings. I don't know about the offence part. If we get angry at each other, we part way.
— That rolls for me. »
One annoying way to deal with YOUR feelings. Mine have been mixed with how I lived my life. She probably does that with everyone, though. She's aware how egocentric she is.
We ran deep into Route 6, way too deep for any of us to even part way actually. Gloria stopped near a tiny body of deep water
« That will do. You run pretty neatly. You alright with the heat?
— I'm good with it by now. Living there, I somehow got used to the winds from there engulfing in Hammerlocke.
— Just so you know, I'm really thankful to you that you would still believe in me after these years. What weirdo would run after a complete stranger because they've been friend once?
— That, I am asking it myself right now. Spill it. I don't have a thing to say. »
Even though we were already close, she leaned forward, her head falling onto my shoulder, she buried her forehead there.
« Right now, you can definitely drop me to the ground, she said with a low voice, all my weight is supported by your shoulder. »
She stayed there. I straightened my back, as her uneasy breath filled the silence, I wanted to give both of us a better balance
« I heard you quit Pokémon training, she whisphered
— After Morpeko died.
— I wasn't here at this moment. I learned it from Piers. »
I guess he told her what happened to me during all this time
« You're a teacher for children now?
— Somehow. I teach art to the children whose parents subscribed to my classes.
— What kind of art?
— There's no limit to a child's imagination. I go with the flow, have something ready for pretty much everything. I wanted to teach teenagers how to write. Texts, expression, calligraphy. »
She wants to get back the time she lost. Her breath is pretty shaky
« And you, I asked, how far has Pokémon training led you?
— You've certainly already read it on the Internet... »
Spot on. I guess there's not much to say about her life instead of that.
« What about the box you gave to my brother? You took some serious medecines.
— Leon told me not to take them. Who care if it wasn't healthy. I wanted that box to express my lifestyle. Battle, and medecines. Drugs and fake shows. »
My, what can I say to that. I already know all of it. That's how they found out Leon also had that moment everything lost its meaning. That was the year he lost, he had already chosen to live more freely, and to be the champion fans wanted to see rather than the champion they wanted to hear about.
« Will you drop me?
— What reason do I have to do that? »
It was unexpected.
« You know how much I disliked you back then.
— Figured it out. Then I got help from other people realising why.
— I am taking advantage of your feelings right now. I knew how you felt.
— I knew that you were. And taking advantage of someone is only bad if you're doing it hurting said person. You're doing it for yourself. »
It was all about herself. She then got on and on about her life as a champion. Asked me what I believe she should do, as she now begins coaching people around her. She asked if we could meet again if I have some time... Simple as that. What she felt as a champion, she doesn't know how to express it and that's all. Her own Pokémon were hard to look at as the partner they ever were, because she had to use them as spectacle props.
« Gloria, would you like I write you a tale? From your experience, and everything. You get to come listen to me when I'll be reading it to the children.
— A tale? That's something happy, or else it talks about heroes...
— No one knows why a tale exists. Maybe it was someone who wanted to fill their empty lives and needed to create their own universe. I think you'd be surprised. »
I gave her shoulderblade a tap. She asked me why. I pushed my shoulder against her lifeless body, prompting her to straighten herself
« Thanks for not letting me down... literally... until now.
— I can't know how tough things were for you. There. Do you have a phone or something else? We can contact each others, so you'll help me revise your tale, and I'll tell you when it happens.
— I'll make you contact me. I wanted to ride my Flygon to the next stage I have to get, so I couldn't risk it. »
She hesitated my phone, and I had to offer it to her. She wrote a message
"Pancakes :D"
Sent. She glanced at me gleefully, pursing her lips, almost refraining from saying anything
« I sent you... Pancakes...
— I don't like those.
— I know you don't!
— Wow, did I ever eat those with you?
— You're a crêpe lover, and pancakes are your nemesis. That's what you said when I was eating some that day Hop, you, Travis and I went chilling at this cafe we often went to in Wedgehurst. »
She started reminiscing this past we shared before she even becomes that champion she was. Unlucky once, and she now looks boneless. That's what being the strongest means; if you're down, either you go back at the top, or you're no one.
« It's about time, she sighed, I'm sorry I had you get here only for hearing me being a pain.
— This rambling is something I had to get through myself. I believe we were never enemies, so helping you with it is a part of my role. »
She was inspecting me once again.
« What?
— Do they sweat?
— They don't.
— It's hot.
— They don't melt either.
— Does it boost your confidence?
— I feel better not having to fantasize about the body I want when I know what I want.
— That's great. I hope I can catch up to you someday.
— That's what I thought about all my life. Do not. Figure it out yourself. What makes you happy, I mean. »
Sheesh. That's something she wanted to bring since we're in Hammerlocke. My breasts.
Author Notes : So... I said I wanted to put the physical description of my characters aside from the text... There are many reasons other than laziness, so I hope you won't mind. I already told you in the first chapter that my characters are my playthings, that's why I wanted Rosemary to take surgical breast augmentation, because I just think it aesthetically suits her. She also has this "androgynous" appearance with her short, disheveled hair. She gives a feeling of someone cold, yet her manners show she cares about people. Even though she mastered the way of hiding her true feelings, she just lost the ability to soften the corner of what must be said. On the other side, Gloria is quite delusional. She completely lost her ability to communicate, which clashes with her pride and natural talent in everything she's doing. I had a lot of trouble finding a way to differentiate Gloria from Selene in my mind; back when I was still searching, I considered the idea of body hair and extreme pride... Then, with time, I found out that Gloria looks really good with dark skin, so the former idea ended up stuck on the later. My choices are purely aesthetical, they don't reflect anyone neither do they convey how I think more than what I feel would look good. I just... Kinda want to express them somehow, because of the very few artworks I find which correspond to how I twist my characters... Well then, I spoke too much, so I'll leave you with that lengthy description for now, thank you!