Wes lied motionless as his body floated in a white void.
"What happened? Where am I?" Wes thought to himself as he tried to move his arms but to no avail.
"I can't move, what happened to me?"
He continued to hopelessly struggle but then he could feel a strange calmness flowing through him that made him relax.
"I feel so warm and so calm now"
Wes gave in to the relaxed feeling and continued to slowly float in what seemed like nothing. For the longest time he couldn't remember a thing that had happened to him, but the memories began to slowly come back to him.
"I remember fighting Nascour but then I jumped in front of Rui to save her from a Hyper Beam. I remember falling into darkness after that and everything going cold. Am I now in the afterlife? Did I die protecting Rui?"
Suddenly something began to appear in the void. Wes stared at the figure in the distance and noticed that it began to take a human shape.
"Who is that?"
The figure began to float towards him and Wes began to notice the persons features. It was a beautiful girl about his age wearing a flowing white dress. She had flowing red hair that went down to her shoulders and beautiful deep blue eyes. Wes' own eyes widened he recognized this girl.
"Rui?"
The girl smiled softly and gently as she nodded, She was absolutely breathtaking. Rui wrapped her arms around him. Wes relaxed his head against her neck as she softly stroked his hair.
"She's so warm.."
Wes looked deep into Rui's eyes as the soft gentle smile remained on her face. Wes smiled himself. Her smile was just as beautiful as the rest of her. Rui's eyes then began to close and her face came towards his.
"What is she doing?"
Her face inched closer and closer to his until he could feel her breath against him. His own eyes began to close and he brought his own face closer until their lips met passionately. Wes realized what he was doing but he didn't want the kiss to end. However Rui eventually broke and she let go of him. She continue to give him her loving and caring smile as she began to float away.
"No don't leave please come back!"
Eventually she disappeared and Wes left all alone until there was a bright flash in his eyes.
Groaning Wes' eyes slowly opened and he observed his surroundings. He was in a bed in a dark blue room that was brightly lit by the sunlight through the window. He recognized this room as his own at Eagun and Beluh's house.
He tried to move but once he did he was greeted with an incredible amount of pain that went through his entire body from head to toe. He immediately relaxed all his muscles and He tried to speak but no words would come because his throat was dry and sore. He had never felt so bad before. He felt like he had been hit by a truck that was going as fast as it could.
His eyes darted all around the room from the window to the ceiling as a million raced through his mind. Was everything he just saw a dream? If so why did he see Rui? He had never seen any girl as beautiful as she was in that dream. Why did he think about how beautiful she was and why did she kiss him. More importantly why did he enjoy it so much!? It felt like that kiss was what made him wake from his coma.
As his mind wandered to Rui he realized that he needed to be sure she was okay. The last time he saw the real her, she was holding him and she was crying. He needed to make sure she was safe. Wes tried to call out her name only to remember that his throat burned so badly that he couldn't make a sound.
Needing to know that she was alright. Wes threw off the blankets he was under and he observed the bandages that covered almost his arms chest and torso. That tiny little motion he just made to get the covers off made him feel like he had broken his arm and the pain only got worse and worse as he shifted his body and struggled to sit up. His body hurt so badly and it felt so heavy. It took every bit of strength he had to sit up and every movement of muscle made him want to scream even though he had no voice right now.
Eventually he was able to sit up. He let out a deep breath and began to the struggle to stand. His body was wrapped in pain but he continued to move through gritted. He eventually got to his feet only to find that he was spaghetti legged and threatening to fall over. He didn't have the strength to stand on his own. Quickly yet painfully Wes shifted his weight and he was able to fall against the wall and catch himself before his feet slipped. He pulled himself up against the wall and with every bit of strength he currently he began to drag himself across it and out of the room while he tried to ignore his body punishing him for already moving more than he should in his condition.
He found it to be a great struggle to drag his heavily bandaged body against the wall as he made his way across the hallway. It took him a few minutes to get across the hallway because he found himself getting easily exhausted so he had to constantly catch his breath. There were also several times that his strength gave out and he was about to fall over. Luckily he was right by a railway next to the stairs so he was able to catch himself.
Arriving at the top of the stairs, Wes let out a deep breath as he made a very cautious movement towards the first step. He made it down to the halfway point on the steps before he lost his strength. However he was not able to grab the railing in time. Time felt like it had slow down long enough for Wes to think to himself "this is gonna hurt" and hurt it did as he fell forward and tumbled down the stairs. He hit the halfway point when the fall ended but the end result was pain he had never felt before. His body was in a fragile state and he just drove to points where it couldn't go yet. The entire room was spinning He felt like he was gonna be sick. Everything was ringing in his ears like a bomb had gone off right beside him. The only thing he could hear was the muffled sounds of his name being called. Though his vision was getting blurry he was able to make out the image of Eagun and Beluh coming his way They were both by his side with looks of worry when everything went black.
"Wes...Wes!"
Slowly Wes' opened and standing over him was Eagun and Beluh. They must have taken him back to his bed because that where he was now. He tried to speak but his throat was still dry and sore and he couldn't make a sound. Needing water, he made motions showing what he needed.
"I'll go get some water." Beluh said before leaving the room.
A few minutes later she came back with a cup full of ice cold water as well as a pitcher full of it. Beluh gave him the glass and he drank it greedily.
"Do you need some more?" She asked as Wes nodded in response.
After about three cups full of water, Wes was relieved of his pain.
"Thanks" He said with his voice slightly cracking from not being used for two weeks.
He tried to move but both Eagun and Beluh gently held him down.
"Take it easy son" Eagun said with gentleness in his voice.
Wes did as he was told and relaxed himself.
"It's so nice to see your smiling face again dear. You've had us all worried sick." Beluh said to him with a soft smile.
Hearing the word "all" Wes remembered the other person living here and immediately shot upwards.
"Rui! Is she al-ungh!" Wes said as pain surged through his body from suddenly shooting upwards like that.
"Wes you must relax still recovering." Beluh said softly yet with some sternness in her voice as she and her husband gently pushed him back down. "Rui is just fine, She hasn't left your side at all the entire time you were comatose. This is the first time since she brought you back that she's left this room."
Wes let out an audible sigh of relief to hear that she was safe.
"That's good to know." He said without realizing it making Eagun and Beluh smile. "How long was I unconscious?"
"Almost two weeks" Eagun said to him. "Speaking of you being unconscious. Do you remember at all what happened to you. We tried asking Rui but she just didn't have the heart to say anything."
Wes thought back to what happened. He remembered seeing all of his Pokemon being defeated one by one like they were nothing. He remembered the pain he felt when he was hit by Nidoking's hyper beam. But the one thing that played in his mind over and over again, was Rui holding him and sobbing while she screamed his name in despair.
"Sorry I'd rather not tell you. But I can say tell I'll never let what happened happen ever again." Wes said with a hint of vengeance in his voice.
Eagun and Beluh were both somewhat concerned whatever happened must have been really bad if Wes couldn't talk about it. Ultimately they decided not to push the subject.
"Well you're okay and awake now and that's all that matters." Beluh said. "I must say you had us quite worried." Memories of Wes nearly dying played in her mind. "We almost lost you while you were comatose. You haven't been in our lives that long but you already feel like a grandson to us and when we ran the risk of losing you our hearts were broken. Poor Rui was devastated when I told here that you could have died. "
Wes had a guilty look on his face.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you worry."
Beluh smiled sweetly and stroked Wes' hair something that the latter didn't mind her doing. This was the first time in a long he felt like he was truly loved and was part of a family.
"There's no need to apologize your safe now." Eagun said with a caring smile.
Wes' thoughts went to Rui.
"Was she really that worried about me? This is the first time time someone has really been that worried about me. I mean I know everybody was worried and I feel guilty about worrying Eagun and Beluh but I feel even more guilty about making Rui worry. Why is that?"
His thoughts were interrupted by the cry of two familiar Pokemon. Looking up he saw Espeon and Umbreon bounding his way. The two jumped through the air like they were on a trapeze. They landed on the bed and smothered Wes with happy licks and nuzzles.
"Hahah! Hey you two it's nice to you too." Wes said with happy laughter. Trying to pet his two oldest Pokemon who were moving too much trying to show him two weeks worth of affection.
Eagun and Beluh both smiled happily at the scene.
"They've been worried sick about you as well. All of your Pokemon have been worried."
Wes looked up the elderly couple as he held Espeon and Umbreon gently against his chest.
"Do you mind letting them know that I'm awake and I'm alright?"
Both Eagun and Beluh nodded.
"Of course we will." Eagun said. "We'll also let Rui know you're awake. I'm sure she'll be really happy don't ya think?"
Eagun gave Wes a mischievous grin and wink making Wes blush. Wait! Why was he blushing about Rui being happy about him waking up!?
Both of the elders laughed and left the room to deliver the happy news. The blush on Wes' face disappeared and he looked down at his two oldest companions.
"Hey you guys, I'm sorry I worried you so much. I promise I'll never make you guys that worried again. I'll make sure nobody get's that worried again."
Both Pokemon smile and happily nuzzled their master as he stroked them.
"What!? He's awake!?" A familiar voice said downstairs.
Wes knew who that was and so did his Pokemon who smiled at him and then at each other before getting off of him. They all knew what was going to happen next.
Hearing loud footsteps coming quickly up the stairs, Wes looked that direction and saw Rui at the door and he smiled at her.
Rui's eyes went wide and the brightest smile he had ever seen appeared on her face. She rushed over to him and hugged with enough gentleness to make sure she didn't hurt him.
"Oh, Wes you don't know how happy I am to see you awake. I've been worried sick about you."
Wes blush when she hugged. Now he was feeling weird. What the heck is wrong with him. He's never minded being hugged by Rui because that her being her. Now he feel odd about being hugged by her. He liked he hugs more than he normally did. He didn't know he like her hugs that much to begin with.
Eventually Rui broke the hug and looked at him and she saw a blush on his face and there was one on her own as well but she was able to hide it quickly before he could actually notice. Wes stared at her and his blush became much deeper. She looked just as beautiful as she did in the dream. How has he never noticed her beauty like he was right now.
"I'm sorry I made you worry so much. Eagun and Beluh told me that you were the one that has been taking care of me this whole time. That's something I can't thank you enough for."
Rui smiled and nodded but then her mind wandered to what happened to him almost two weeks ago and the smile faded away.
"Wes when you were hit by the Hyper Beam and you didn't wake up. I-I thought I had lost you."
Rui looked like she was about to cry and Wes without noticing what he was doing took her hand in his and squeezed it gently.
"Rui look at me." He said softly and she complied. "I'm sorry that all this had happened but I swore that I would protect you. If anything had ever happened to you I would never forgive myself because I care too much about you."
Rui just stared at him with soft caring eyes. Eventually she wrapped her arms back around him. Again Wes felt a strange sensation of being hugged by Rui as she stayed holding him for what felt like and eternity.
"Please, don't ever scare me like that again." She whispered to him.
"I won't" he replied as he eventually wrapped his arms around her for a few minutes.
Eventually they broke the hug and Rui smiled softly at him.
"Alright you get some rest because you look terrible." She said with hint of mischief in her voice and Wes couldn't help but chuckle a little bit. Rui got up to leave but before she did, she turned around and smiled at him. "By the way thank you for saving my life."
She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving the room.
Wes' face was beet red as he placed a hand on the cheek she kissed him with. He couldn't rest now not when he was trying to figure out why he was seeing Rui in a different way.
When he saw her in the dream she was so beautiful. Now that he thinks she always looked so beautiful. However it wasn't his only his new notice of her beauty that baffled him but also about how much he really cares for her as of late. Looking back he's always really cared about her.
"Before I was knocked out I saw Rui just like I always did. What changed between now in then I've been unconscious for two weeks how can I see her any differently when I was out cold. Is it because she's been caring for me and was the most scared for my life. Is it because of how I saw her in the dream? Why do I feel so funny around her?"
Wes began to think back about the entire adventure he's had with her so far. At the start he saw her as nothing but a nuisance and a pain, but after she didn't turn him in when she learned about him being part of Team Snagem he thought differently of her. She helped him get through the pain of being called a thief and he even attacked someone who dared to threaten her. He took down Miror B. and his goons to save her and Pyrite Town but the more he thinks about it was more for her sake. He's also put his body and life on the to save her from her death.
Rui has also been there for him in his darkest moments when she held him that night He told him about his past he felt happy for the first time in a long time. She was there for him like he was there for her. Between how he saw her now and how she has always been there for him Wes believed he found the answer he was looking for.
"Am I in love with Rui?"