Here's the epilogue of the arc. Some last emotional beats to get through, wrapping everything up. Now, the question is what comes next?
KedharS: We'll just have to see, won't we?
Aakareo Kokokuhikari: She plays a very good heel as well.
Just a Bad Writer for Fun: XD
TREBOR.E: Let's just say my previous update schedule and pacing wasn't as brusque as it is right now.
JoshGamerV: Anything you write is fine, I'm just happy to know people are interested.
Duskzilla: Yes, but for now, the villains are stopped, the day is saved, and the girl gets the guy. Or vice-versa. Either way works.
Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings
Chapter 162
Serefina wore a frown on her face as she walked into the infirmary room.
"So in the end… you're still here?" Serefina asked, frowning.
"Well…" Akira glanced to Dakota, who was sitting beside his bed with a sheepish expression on her face.
"I-I didn't know it was going to be that bad!" Dakota exclaimed, blushing.
"You jumped out a window and kicked me in the face! Of course they'd want to do another check-up of me! If you gave me another concussion I could have serious brain damage!"
"Well that was only because you did something that embarrassing!" Dakota exclaimed. "What were you thinking, doing… th-that!?"
"If I didn't do something that grandiose, the odds of you actually being honest with yourself and accepting my confession were close to zero," Akira explained. "Besides, didn't it make you a little bit happy? Me coming to your rescue at the last minute?"
"Wha…" Dakota gasped, her face turning bright red in embarrassment. "Wh-who… who would be happy with something like thaaaaat?!"
Serefina giggled, Dakota shooting her a furious glare.
"S-stop laughing, Seri!" Dakota cried. "It's not funny!"
"No, it's not like that," Serefina smiled. "I'm just… so happy for the two of you."
Dakota and Akira glanced at each other, blushing, and then looked away.
"W-well, I mean, just because we're going out now doesn't mean that anything has to change," Dakota decided.
"Right, we were already getting along kind of roughly, so it would be weird to act all close all of a sudden, you know?" Akira agreed.
This fucking septic couple I swear… Serefina had to resist the urge to scream at the two idiots in front of her. She hid her anger and frustration behind a cold smile that sent a chill down the spines of the others in the room.
"S-Seri, you look really angry…" Dakota said cautiously.
"OH?" Serefina asked, tilting her head to the side and walking over to Akira's bedside, looming over the two of them. "Not one bit, Dakota. Whatever could you be saying? I'm not angry in the slightest."
Dakota gulped, and Akira pretended like he couldn't see anything.
"In fact I'm happy," Serefina said. "With the two you finally together, I can direct my frustration at your idiocy towards the both of you as a couple."
The room felt ice cold. Serefina's piercing stare seemed to freeze them solid.
"But really…" Serefina said, her expression softening and her smile turning bright. "I'm really… so happy for the two of you…"
She resisted the urge to cry with joy as the couple glanced at each other and smiled sheepishly, staring into each other's eyes.
There were a lot of struggles along the way… but now I'm sure you two can figure things out one step at a time… Serefina looked over them with happiness in her heart. There was a patch of guilt there, however, stemming from her memory of a certain unfortunate kiss. Hopefully Dakota won't find out about what Satsuki did using my body, though…
"So have the two of you kissed yet?" Serefina giggled.
"Wh-what?" Akira asked, blushing.
"Th-that's none of your business!" Dakota exclaimed, waving her arms frantically and leaping out of her seat.
"Ah, that's good, I'm glad," Serefina said, smiling. "How was it?"
"Seeeri!" Dakota cried, her face as red as her hair.
"Knock knock!" The three students turned to the door in surprise, seeing Sylvia standing in the entryway, her Shuppet floating behind her. Gone were all traces of frustration from the morning before, her smile as tinged with comfort and traces of even… celebration?
Needless to say, after the shenanigans she'd been up to the entire week, she didn't receive the warmest of receptions.
"Sylvia!" Serefina snarled, glaring at the blonde.
"What are you doing here?" Akira asked, frowning.
"Get out of here!" Dakota shouted, walking around the bed and standing next to Serefina to confront the girl.
"My, such hostility," Sylvia sighed. "I would expect some gratitude."
"Gratitude?!" Dakota exclaimed, storming towards her. She pulled her arm back and curled her fingers into a fist. "After what you pulled?! I'll give you my gratitude alright, right into the fucking smile of yours!"
"Calm down," Serefina said, grabbing Dakota by the arm to stop her from doing something regrettable. She was still keeping a cool head in spite of the fact that she shared her friend's outrage.
"Calm down?! But Seri, she-"
"You heard me right," Sylvia continued, unfazed by Dakota's threats of violence. "Gratitude! After all, if it wasn't for my games, you and Akira would still be helplessly flailing about around each other. And now look at the two of you, a nice and happy little couple. Why, I'm practically your cupid! So yes, a little gratitude would be appreciated, thank you ever so much."
Dakota began grinding her teeth, pulling forcefully at her restraints, but Serefina's grip was strong.
"Sylvia, why are you here?" Akira asked again. "I can't imagine you came by just to check on my health. If you're just here to make fun of them, then you can go."
Sylvia ignored the two girls and smiled at Akira, her eyes twinkling.
"In fact, I do have some business to conduct here," she replied, reaching into her purse. "Or rather… a final task to accomplish. It's not my business for which I'm here, after all. Rather… consider me a delivery girl, of sorts."
She withdrew from her purse three small envelopes, letters numbered 1, 2, and 3.
"Last night… a certain someone came to me and asked me for one final favor," Sylvia replied, setting the letters down on Akira's lap. "She'd been such a great help to me, I decided to let her make use of my body one last time."
Akira's eyes widened in surprise, while Dakota and Serefina gasped.
"I told her she could say it to you herself, but instead she wrote down everything she wanted to say," Sylvia replied. "That's all. From here, our business is concluded."
Sylvia turned walked between Serefina and Dakota, returning to Specter, who was still floating in the doorway. Before she left, however, she paused, a smile crossing her face.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Sylvia said, turning back to Akira and giving him a wink, pressing two fingers to her lips. She blew him a kiss. "If you ever get bored with Dakota, give me a call sometime. I can promise that it will be 'entertaining' to say the least."
"GET OUT OF HERE!" Dakota shouted, Sylvia cackling like mad as she beat a hasty retreat out of the infirmary room.
Dakota panted, catching her breath, and turned back to Akira.
"Akira… those letters…"
"They're from Satsuki," Akira confirmed, holding up the envelope labeled "1". "I guess these are the last things she had to say to me."
Dakota walked up to him, her eyes watering. She leaned over and wrapped her arm over his shoulder, giving him a hug. She could feel how sad he was right now, and honestly a part of her felt the same.
"It's okay, Akira. Don't worry." She straightened back up and turned to Serefina, her expression resolute.
"Seri, let's go get some coffee in the café," Dakota suggested.
"Are-are you sure?" Serefina said, looking back and forth between the two worriedly. "But-"
"Seri," Dakota snapped, reaching out and taking her hand. She smiled. "It's fine. This is something personal. Between the two of them. We shouldn't interfere with things."
"…If you say so," Serefina said, nodding, letting Dakota lead her out of the room. "Are you really sure?"
"Don't worry," Dakota said, smiling. "Satsuki is part of his past. She's a part of him, and she always will be. But Akira chose me. Every time he looks at me… every time he holds my hand… I can feel the love from him. I trust Akira. Because I love Akira. And I know he loves me."
Serefina nodded, smiling.
I'm so happy, Dakota. It seems you really have changed for the best. I haven't seen you smile like that in a very long time.
Akira thumbed open the first envelope with his good hand, and flipped it open. Holding it in both hands, he read Satsuki's first letter to him.
Thank You.
From the day we first met, I knew you were important to me, my Dear Akira. You were a glimmer of light in a world that had only been sad and lonely before. When I was with you, it was salvation. When you think of me, think of the smiling girl who skipped stones and climbed trees. Think of me as I am. Because I was more myself with you than at any other time. Scars and all, that smile was my smile. And of all the gifts you gave me, that was the one I treasure the most.
I had always feared that my life would end without a single shred of happiness. The man who others called my father told me I was a cursed child, who brought nothing but pain to those around me. My very birth was a crime that brought with it the death of my mother, a sin I was forced to atone for by living a life of misery and despair. A life devoid of the love of others. I would die unwanted and unloved, damned by the sin of being born.
But even though this life was meant to end without any happiness… you gave to me so very many. I know how much it killed you when I threw myself into that lake. I know how you cried, all those lonely nights falling asleep on pillows soaked with your tears. You must regret that you could not save me… but please don't blame yourself.
The truth is… you saved me so many more times than I can count. If I had never met you… my life would have ended without meaning. I have never once regretted the love I have for you, my Dear Akira.
Tears in his eyes, Akira moved on to the next letter.
Sorry.
There are far too many things to apologize to you for. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you all of them in person. But words are so very fleeting. So I wrote them all down here. Take these letters with you, and keep them close. Hold them precious in your heart, so you know how much I love you. I'm sorry I left you alone so long ago. But as long as you're reading these letters… know that I'm still here, right by your side.
I wish that I could have had the strength to reach out to you. The strength to tell you how I felt. When you think of me, am I still strong? Or do you think I'm a weak girl who took her own life because she couldn't stand to keep fighting? Maybe I am…
I threw aside my ruined body so that I could be with you, always and forever. I do not regret what I did, not one whit. And yet, I must still apologize for the pain I caused you. If, perhaps, I had been stronger, then maybe we could have left Ascension Town hand in hand. But I was afraid. Afraid that you would see me for what I was. Not a brave and noble Gyarados, but a scared little Magikarp too afraid to venture out into the big sea. You and I… we were both running. But you were running to something. And I was running away from something. Our paths were always meant to diverge, so long as I remained who I was.
You may blame yourself for my actions, but you shouldn't. You can't blame yourself. I won't allow it. Every last thing that you did was so much more than I ever could have asked for. I'm sorry that I couldn't be there for you the way you were there for me. I'm sorry that I couldn't become your strength when I was a small little girl.
I'm sorry I couldn't tell you I loved you until it had gone far too long for those words to hold the same weight that they once did. But please, know that I do love you, my Dear Akira. My sins are mine to bear. So you go on, and keep running towards what you always have known you've been running towards. The big, wide world that exists beyond the town where we lived.
The second note was done. Akira's hands were trembling as he reached for the third, and final note. Carefully opening the envelope, he unfolded the paper held within and looked at it carefully through tearful eyes.
Goodbye.
These are my final words to you, my Dear Akira. For all my talk of love and dedication to you, I am not in a body that is capable of loving you. Our paths already diverged, and they will not intersect again. In some dream world, I like to think that things may have been different. Maybe I was born into a normal family. Or maybe your dreams were different, and you stayed here with me. Or maybe I was strong enough to leave with you. In that world, maybe we're happy together. Maybe the time comes when we get married, and have children. Remember, other me, we want a girl first, then a boy, then another girl! You better get that right, I won't settle for anything else!
I'm sure that in that other world, you and I could be happy. We are happy. I wonder what the other me is like? Does she love the other you as much as I love the you in front of me? Or does she love the other you even more? I can't imagine that, if I'm being honest. I wish I could tell that other me to treasure every second she has with the other you. Because someone as kind as you deserves every last bit of it. If she's anything like me, then her greatest wish is your happiness.
And that's why this is goodbye, Dear Akira.
I love you more than anyone in this world. No, to me… you are my entire world. But I can't be that for you. I know that you love me, Akira. And nothing makes me happier. But there is no true mutual love in this world. The love you have for another person cannot ever be compared with the love that person has for you. I believe that if you asked 100 people, each of them would have their own definition of love. So as much as I love you, and as much as you love me… we can't say whose love is truly the stronger.
But we both know you never could quite beat me at anything, so I'm fairly certain my love is stronger than yours. :)
I love you so very much, but even so… I can't be your entire world. And I don't want to be. You were never something so small as to be contained in that town. You deserved to come here and meet all these wonderful people. People like Dakota and Serefina, friends who can give you so much more than I ever could.
Dakota loves you, Akira. And you love her too. And I know that it is real love, not just some passing fancy. Don't forget, I've always been watching over you. I've seen the way you look at her. I've seen the pain and anger when she betrayed you. I've seen the way your eyes just light up every time you two have a squabble. The smiles you give her, they're the same as the smiles I used to see on your face when we would splash in the lake and wrestle in the mud. A smile that says "this person is all I need to be happy."
So please, don't hold yourself back for my sake. I love you, and I know Dakota is the person who will make you happiest. And we both know you know it too. I won't lie and say that it didn't break my heart when you went out after her… but seeing your happy face brought countless rays of sunshine back into my world as well.
If I could ask you for anything, it's that you don't forget me. "Satsuki Saroyan" lived in this world. She had a "mother" and a "father" that loved her, and a "brother" who she wished to spend the rest of her life with. You were my family, Akira. The only family I ever had. So don't forget me, okay? I know that life is long, and as you grow older, I'll grow fainter and fainter. There may even come a day where you can't remember me at all. But I'm always here, at your side. Even if you can't see me, even if you can never hear me… I'll always be there. So if that time ever comes, find these letters again. Read my words to you again. Remember me again. Because as long as you remember me, that cute girl with a scarred face who skipped rocks and climbed trees, that cute girl who would steal your necklace and push you into the mud, that cute girl who loved you more than anyone else…
She'll continue to live on in your heart. And of all the forms of love in the world, there's nothing more precious than that.
So please move on. Be with Dakota. Or someone else someday, if they make you happier. Whether you fall in love many more times, or only this last time… as long as you can smile in your heart, then the me in your heart will be smiling too. So to that end, this is goodbye, Akira. I won't appear to you in this form ever again, I don't think. Yes, this… this is so much more than enough. Just knowing that you've read these words, words I never thought I'd get the chance to ever tell you… One last time you've given me a happiness I never dreamed possible.
Akira continued crying as he read the note. He was grateful that Dakota had given him the privacy to read Satsuki's final words to him. And at the same time… he wished that she were here. It was the worst, most wonderful pain he felt in his chest as he reached her final lines.
Remember, Dear Akira, no matter what, I will love you. Always. And forever.
From your beloved Satsuki.
Thank You.
And Sorry.
And Goodbye.
And with this, the arc has come to a close! Now, where do we go from here, I wonder?