"What do you mean her room's empty?"
Jessilina's eyebrows came together, a scowl appearing on her lips.
"She left this note . . . she said she's looking for something."
"Well, what could she be looking for? She's never gone anywhere on her own before . . ."
Letting out a moan, Jessilina rubbed her eyes, blinking away her sleep.
"We should go after her. She could get in trouble."
Mumbling to herself, Jessilina pushed herself out of the bed, slowly crossing the dark room. Pushing her long hair back – she'd been so tired the night previously that she forgot to braid it – she opened the door, trying to stifle a yawn.
"Karol, sit back down. Think rationally about it, Melody couldn't have gone very far. None of the ferries are running at the moment due to the festival starting tonight. She's somewhere on the Island, most likely at the Cove."
"This is Melody we're talking about," Karol interjected, shaking her head. "That girl's too stubborn for her own good. I wouldn't be surprised if she found a way out."
Not like she wanted to be here anyway, Karol thought, rolling her eyes. Melody had made that point very clear.
"Melody knows what this festival means to us," Elder Samantha said, as if she'd read Karol's thoughts.
"I don't really think she cared," Jessilina said, nonchalant as she rounded the corner. "She seems so disinterested. When I see her at the docks, she seems very . . ." She shook her head. "She seems miles away, deep in thought."
Elder Samantha shook her head, shooting Jessilina a look. She had known Melody her entire life – yes, the girl seemed uninterested in the festival but she knew how much it meant to them. It was tradition.
Karol, on the other hand, ran over Jessilina's words in her head. She blinked a couple times, her eyes widening as the pieces fell together. Glancing from Samantha to Jessilina, who was now standing awkwardly in the door frame, Karol suppressed a groan.
"That's it!" she said loudly, standing up quickly, her chair scraping across the floor. "Melody would . . . I got to head down to the," she shook her head. "Come on Jess, let's go."
"Hey wait – I'm not dressed yet, Karol . . ." Jessilina stumbled as Karol grabbed her arm, dragging her forward. "I'm still in pajamas."
"Here's a raincoat," Karol said idly, grabbing a coat off the pegs near the door. "Half the people here wear pajama pants, so it's no big deal." Karol shrugged indifferent, heading outside, dragging Jessilina behind her.
"Morning ladies," Danny called from Samantha's small guest house as the two appeared on the front lawn.
"Morning. We're in a hurry," Karol replied, not looking at the brunette. "There's fresh coffee in the kitchen," she added, reaching the sidewalk.
"I . . . can't . . . believe . . ."
Karol let out a laugh, catching sight of the red staining Jessilina's cheeks. "You look fine," she shrugged. "I mean, he probably didn't even notice."
"I sure hope not," Jessilina fretted, looking at her clothes. "I haven't even run a brush through my hair, I'm not wearing any makeup and these pajama pants –"
Stripes just weren't her thing.
"Hey, don't knock the pants. They are mine, you know." Jessilina laughed awkwardly, running her fingers through her long hair. "By the way, I think you should just go right up to Danny and ask him out. He certainly seems to like your company, and I know you like him. . ."
"Karol!" Jessilina said, picking up her pace so she could shove her. "It's not . . ."
"Right, right," Karol said with a laugh, waving Jessilina's comments aside. "We'll just have to come back to it later then."
The road sloped underneath their feet, the beach stretching out below before them. The sun glinted in the ocean as people milled around on the docks, the Morning Market already in full swing.
"I have a sinking feeling that I know what Melody might have done," Karol mumbled as they reached the bottom of the slope, leaving them right in the middle of the Morning Market. "But why would she . . ." It was irrational for her to do something like that.
"Well, what would that be?" Jessilina asked, breaking her thoughts.
"She knows boats like the back of her hand, she's spent her entire life around them," she explained, weaving her way through the crowd. "Unlike other girls her age, Melody isn't afraid to do things out of the ordinary. She gets a charge out of doing something unexpected," – here, Jessilina shook her head, forcing the comments back – "She would be the type that would run off in the middle of the night to set out on some adventure of . . . whatever."
Jessilina sighed, rolling her eyes. "You're not making any sense."
"Instead of playing with dolls and makeup, Melody was more interested in mechanics and was rarely seen without a book. Essentially, you could classify her as a tomboy, Samantha always said. So, for her thirteen birthday, she got her own set of keys for the family boat – for emergency purposes only. But she's such a wild card! It wouldn't surprise me at all if she decided to take off with the boat –"
"Honestly, that girl!" Jessilina grumbled. "No wonder we never got along, she's so . . ."
Karol let out a chuckle, their feet echoing against the wooden dock, the market behind them. "Headstrong? Yeah, she wouldn't have it any other way."
Karol let out a sigh, her footsteps slowing as they reached the end of the dock – the empty dock. Karol's hands balled into fists and she grumbled under her breath, shaking her head. Jessilina stopped behind her, stifling a laugh as she rolled her eyes, hands on her hips.
"No way," Karol frowned, looking at the vast ocean. "Melody, you –"
"Idiot," Jessilina commented. "She's going to run aground and drown."
"Don't say that," Karol snapped, turning on her heels, her eyes narrowed. "Like it or not, Melody is my sister. She knows boats extremely well, that wouldn't happen to her. If she was older, she would be able to go for her license . . ."
"She doesn't have one?!" Jessilina grumbled; her nose scrunching up as she shook her head.
"She's only thirteen," Karol corrected her, throwing the red head a look. She glanced around the empty dock once more, as if Melody would return, her features hard. "She's still only a child, she can't be out there on her own . . . she's never been off the Island alone. This is horrible, I should really go out there after her," Karol said, now talking to herself. "She wouldn't have been able to get past Naval Island yet; there wasn't enough gas to go any further. I might be able to convince Jeremy or Pierre to lend me their boats . . ."
Jessilina sighed, shoving her hands into her coat. "That's great, but I'm not going out there looking for her, what with the festival right around the corner. I'm going back to the house."
Karol nodded, not paying the red haired girl any attention. Jessilina shook her head, rolling her eyes. Mumbling to herself, Jessilina turned on her heel, her footsteps echoing against the dock underfoot. The Festival was happening later that night, she still had a lot to go over; she still wasn't all that familiar with all their traditions yet.
Sometimes, Jessilina had to wonder about the Siana sisters.
Karol's green eyes scanned the horizon intently, her mind whirling a mile a minute. She couldn't figure out why Melody would leave like she did, it wasn't something she would regularly do.
"Why, Melody?" she mumbled, turning on her heel. "What made you do this?" She headed back in the direction of the Morning Market, someone would help her. "When I find you . . ."
###
Willow took a deep breath, her heart hammering in her chest as the sun beat down on her as she reached the top of the steep hill separating her from Cerulean City. Her pace slowed as she reached the top, a wary expression on her face as she saw a sign situated at the crest of the hill. A frown appeared on her features as she approached the sign, a sigh escaping her lips.
"Cerulean City . . . ten kilometers . . ." she mumbled, shaking her head. "I guess this is it. I can do it, I can do this," she chanted to herself as she picked up her pace, starting down the hill.
Upon reaching the bottom of the hill, subconsciously she found herself wringing her hands together, her eyes looking at the trail swerving before her, lost in her own thoughts. She had pondered what she would say to Misty's sisters if she did run into them, but she hadn't come up with anything.
Her mind kept coming back to what Bill said. If what he said was true, then . . .
Willow jerked her head up as the wind rustling through the fields suddenly came to a stop. She blinked, glancing around her surroundings. Taking a deep breath, her face feeling red as she felt her heart pumped quickly in her chest.
The dirt path she had been following had turned to cement some thirty steps back, making Willow roll her eyes at herself. How could she not have noticed that? There were a few sky rise buildings noticeable in the city, but from Willow could see, it seemed like a quaint city.
Small building's lined the street, people milling around the tiny street, looking in shop window's they past. A few cars lined the street, but it seemed the majority of people were opting to walk instead. A little ways down the street, there seemed to be a picturesque square with its cobbled street, a fountain situated in the middle. Benches were placed sporadically around the fountain, a few trees and bushes located in the four corners with flowers located around the fountain. Many people were in the square, lounging on the benches while a bunch of kids and their Pokémon chased each other around.
Grinning to herself, Willow headed over towards the square, dropping her bag onto the ground moments later as she flopped down on the bench. She stretched her hands out before her, trying to clear her mind.
"I can't believe I agreed to come here," she mumbled, stretching her arms out before her.
Closing her eyes, she leaned back on her palms, allowing the sun's rays to beat down on her, her mind clearing. She tried to focus on the sound of the running water from the fountain and the yells from the little children, splashing through the fountain. She could hear the low chatter of a few Pokémon, their voices melding in with the kids' voice. For some reason, she couldn't help but smile at the chaotic sounds around her.
It was there, in the back of her mind . . .
She shook her head, frowning slightly. "Just maybe . . ."
Maybe, Bill was right . . . why else would the seaside town seem so familiar?
She hadn't even looked at her Kanto map yet, she'd realized.
"Come on out Azurill," she said, fingering the Pokeball on her belt. "There's something I have to look after."
Throwing the Pokeball out before her, the Water Type appeared with a cry of its name, its black eyes intent on Willow. The red head smiled at Azurill as she picked her bag up off the ground, shouldering it as she moved across the square once again.
A few streets down she had came across an informational booth, convenient, she thought, as she stopped to ask directions. She nodded idly as the guide asked her if she was a Trainer, readily giving her the simplest way to get there. Moving through the streets with a purpose now, she found herself standing in front of the Gym before she knew it. Letting out a sigh, she brought her hand to her forehead to shield the sun as she glanced up at the impressive dome.
Colourful letters adorned the building stating that it was indeed the Cerulean Gym. A large Dewgong billboard had been placed above it, its body arched as if it was jumping over the letters. The white domed roof was currently down, allowing the bright sunshine to stream inside. Slowly, she started down the worn path cutting through the grass, her eyes on the automatic door ahead. Lost in her own thoughts – an image flickering through her head – it took her a moment to notice a wooden sign not far from the fence, the Gym's hours listed there. She noticed that another paper had been tacked overtop, stating that the Underwater Play would be taking place a few times that day.
"This is it," Willow mumbled again as she moved down the path, approaching the building.
The automatic doors whirled open as she approached, the air conditioning lightly blowing out of the atrium. Willow paused in the doorway, the doors closing behind her as she glanced around. A large tank stretched out the length of the wall before her, capturing her attention. She frowned, the scenery before her not sparking any immediate memory.
"Are you here to see the show?" A voice said, breaking Willow's thoughts, a Dewgong swimming lazily in the tank.
"Ah . . . yes, yes I am," Willow stuttered, surprised as she whirled around on her heel.
"Good, you're just in time," the woman said, approaching her. "The Sensational Sisters will be on stage in five minutes time. Now, I just need to see your ticket."
Willow tried not to show her disappointment as the woman stopped before her. She was hoping it would have been one of the women from Bill's photos. "I . . . I don't have a ticket."
The green haired woman sighed, flipping her hair back. "You're going to have to be in the back row then, I'll have you know. They only started doing shows again about three months ago. Everyone in Kanto has been coming here to see the performances all week. Now, if you still want a ticket today, it will be thirty dollars."
"Right, right," Willow said idly, dropping her back to the floor, rooting through it for her wallet. "Thirty dollars, now where's that wallet . . .?"
Thirty dollars sure seemed like a lot to her, this better be worth it, she thought idly.
###
Upon catching the connection train between Olivine City in Johto and Littleroot Town in Hoenn, Cole let out a sigh, stretching his limbs out before him. The train gradually started to slow, the train station just up ahead. Following the motions of the other passengers, Cole stood up, grabbing his traveling bag from the overhead compartment before following after them.
After relatively passing through customs fifteen minutes later, he found himself standing in the cool night air of Hoenn.
"Now, where am I supposed to . . ."
Standing bleakly out front of the train station, Cole unfolded his Hoenn map frowning. With his sense of direction messed up, he shifted the map around, trying to remember what Professor Evergreen said about knowing your directions. Moments later, he shook his head, shoving it back into his pocket.
The small town was cloaked in darkness, the streetlights casting a small amount of light. The houses were in complete darkness, no lights visible to his eyes. Remembering that Erika mentioned that Professor Birch lived near Route _, he nodded to himself as he started down the stairs into the dark night.
It's got to be late to be knocking on people's doors, Cole thought idly, walking through the sleeping town.
When he had made it through customs, he had adjusted his watch to the time on the nearest clock – twelve thirty am. He shook his head; it would have only been eleven am back in Kanto. Lost in his thoughts, he blinked, jumping back as his foot connected with a wooden post. Grumbling under his breath, as he knelt down to grab his now-throbbing foot, he rolled his eyes at his stupidity.
"That would just make Erika's day," he muttered ruefully. "Walking into the ocean like that . . ."
Turning on his heel, the ocean lapping against the shore below him, he glanced at the sleeping town once more, shaking his head. From this angle, he noticed the darkened lab that Erika had showed him in a photo the day previous. He wondered idly how he managed to walk right past it.
A small fence guarded the perimeter, although anyone could easily hop over it. The building seemed relatively unimpressive to him, a light on in the room on the right. A dim light was cast across the lawn, Cole noticing a Jeep sitting off to the side. The sign at the end of the foot path stated at it was Professor Birch's lab and the beginning of your new journey.
Cole found himself nodding; unsure of the places this journey would lead him. "Now, to get this over with," he mumbled, knowing at least someone was up.
Hopping over the fence, Cole made his way up the foot path, the light wind erupting goose bumps over his skin. Upon ringing the doorbell – the sound echoing through the house – Cole felt guilty ringing it at this hour. He wouldn't appreciate someone doing this to him. But, regardless, he found it didn't take long for the door to open.
"Why hello there," the man said, filling the doorframe. "I know the letter said to pick up your starter Pokémon in the morning, but I didn't mean this early."
Cole recognized the Professor right away from the picture Erika had shown him. He had to admit it, as much as he didn't like her fussing, Erika sent him prepared.
"No, you got it all wrong," he said, shaking his head. "My name is Cole Thompson from the Kanto Region. Erika Evans told me to –"
"Ah yes," Professor Birch said, his voice loud in the quiet night. "I wasn't expecting you this early," he continued, ushering Cole inside.
"I wanted to start out early," Cole said with a shrug as Birch closed the door behind him. "I thought Erika would have –"
"She did," Birch interrupted. "I was very busy in my research when I was speaking to her previously. However, that's in the past," he said with a shake of his head. "You arrived just in time actually. I was just finishing up my research before the new trainers arrived in the morning. That will no doubt take up a majority of my time tomorrow. Now come, the door to the house is right over here. You can call Erika from there," he said, opening a door on the left, halfway down the hallway. "The phone's around the corner and to your right. I'll be with you in a moment."
Cole nodded idly, stepping through the door. It felt strange to be wandering around in a Professor's home, he thought as he moved down the hallway. But, at the same time, it was like . . . he sighed, the words escaping him.
###
Just like Brock had expected, the Captain of the Alavanti didn't buy his reasoning's for a moment. As the Captain sat at his desk, arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair, he listened to the story with raised eyebrows, a frown slowly marring his features.
"So, you mean to tell me," he said slowly, narrowing his eyes. "That this Lucy Harrison that you've spoken to once at the library – mind you, you weren't even aware she was aboard the ship – and you've magically decided you love her? I don't know what it is you're playing at here Delaney, but I'm running a tight ship here."
"I know sir," Brock said mutely.
"What I am going to do for you though, is give you two weeks leave. Everyone's been talking about how at each town you've been heading off to that library and returning late at night. I've heard you've been combing through old records, like you're trying to find something –" he shook his head. "I am giving you two weeks leave, however, I expect you to meet us in Sunyshore City afterwards. If you are not there, consider yourself fired."
Brock nodded, mumbling his thanks numerous times as he picked himself out of the chair, heading towards the offices' door. His mind jumbled, he let out a sigh as the door closed behind him, momentarily closing his eyes.
And that was how Brock found himself sitting on an airplane heading from Canalave City, Sinnoh to Vermillion City, Kanto – with his pocket fifteen hundred dollars lighter, no less.
This better be worth it, he'd thought at the time, passing over his new credit card.
With a ten hour plane ride ahead of it, Brock settled into his seat, glancing idly out the window. With the plane setting off after what seemed like hours, Brock leaned back in his chair, stealing a glance at the woman beside him.
He didn't know what it was, but there was something about Lucy Harrison.
The dark haired woman in question was looking intently at her laptop, her fingers moving across the keyboard quickly, eyes never leaving the screen. She shoved her hair back behind her eyes with a sigh as it fell into her face.
"We're lucky we're going to get there before the ceremonies take place tomorrow," Lucy said, cutting through Brock's thoughts.
"No, we're just lucky we managed to get tickets." He said, automatically.
After speaking to the Captain – Lucy had been waiting impatiently outside the door – they had quickly packed and headed into the small Island city. Upon taking a couple wrong turns and getting lost in the city more times then they could count, they found the airport, rushing inside. With their luggage trailing behind them and completely out of breath by the time they reached the ticket counter, they had no time to spare.
The attendant at the desk had raised their eyebrows as Lucy pushed Brock aside, loudly stating she needed two tickets aboard the plane to Vermillion City. The attendant had commented that the plane was setting off in twenty minutes – on the other side of the airport – and that boarding was already completed. Brock didn't know what it was Lucy did, but as she flashed the attendant something, their attitude changed, handing over two tickets moments later.
Lucy shrugged, her fingers falling silent on her keyboard. "Well, since we won't have to waste time waiting for the ceremony, you're going to have practically two weeks to yourself," she said, nudging him. "Hopefully this will answer some of your questions. Wouldn't it be great if we could unravel your mysterious past . . ."
"Uhuh," Brock said slowly. "What are you –?"
"Nothing," Lucy quipped, making Brock narrow his eyes. That was a bit too quick for his liking. "You just never knew what this ceremony might unlock in that mind of yours . . ." she laughed, pushing him slightly.
"Right," Brock trailed off, unconvinced as he turned to look out the window, Sinnoh below them.
Without a doubt – Lucy Harrison was up to something.
Lucy took a deep breath, closing her eyes momentarily. She leaned her body back into the chair, letting out a sigh. Her dark hair fell across her face as she raised a hand to push it back, opening one eye to glance at her companion. With his attention still focused on the scenery below them, Lucy glanced back at her laptop, a bunch of tabs minimized on her start bar.
When she had been waiting for Brock outside the Captain's office, she had figured it was about time she checked her mail. After three weeks of being out of contact with her friends and colleagues from work, she wasn't surprised by the amount of new messages she had got. She had a bunch of emails from the girls at her Gym and a couple from Scott – stating that her disappearance was more like something Brandon would do. Inwardly, she agreed.
With the Captain letting Brock on leave for two weeks, she didn't get a chance to respond as they quickly packed some things, rushing for the airport in the middle of the Island. Now, with Brock occupied with his thoughts, she called up her email screen, typing out a quick message. She stated that she was currently on a plane back to Kanto, but she had something to attend to before she returned to the Gym. Upon hitting the send button, she scrolled over to another tab, opening yet another window.
Looking through her hair, she couldn't help the slight grin that appeared on her face. She had noticed Brock the first time she had dined in the Alavanti's hall. The tanned teen bringing out all the elegantly made dishes, laying them with a flourish on the tables.
Something had seemed vaguely familiar about him . . .
Nights later, Lucy sat in her small cabin, a frown on her features, her room illuminated by the laptop's dim light. After three days of sitting cross legged on the bed, leaning over her laptop, did she finally connect with something. Lucy then spent the next few days watching the teen from a distance, making a note of his habits in her head. He seemed distant from his other co-workers and seemed to spend long days at the local libraries.
After two weeks, she decided to approach him.
But, she never expected to be on a plane back to Kanto.
That was definitely worth the two thousand dollar, month and a half vacation cruise.
There was little doubt about it in her mind now though – Brock Delaney was really Brock Slate. He was the Gym Leader of Pewter City and had left his family in a daze when he was unaccounted for in the aftermath a year ago. In the past few days at the library, she had caught of glimpse of the ideas written down within the worn book.
He'd been so close to finding out the answers on his own, but, the Anniversary of the sinking was right around the corner. With that in mind, she found herself drawn to the screen once again.
The website had been erected by Vermillion City's Department of Public Services so that the disaster in the Bay wouldn't be forgotten. With the Anniversary so close now, the site had been updated to include the details of the ceremony taking place on the weekend, a few people speaking at the event.
The Slate Family was set to appear with a speech from Brock's absentee-mom and his youngest sister, Mari. Professor Oak was set to appear in the place of Delia Ketchum, the woman not wishing to be in the spotlight. The Williams sisters of Cerulean City would not be appearing due to conflicting schedules, but sent their regards. After that was a short list of survivors of the incident, alongside Officer Jenny and the Vermillion City mayor, Lauron.
Lucy hadn't told Brock that all these people were set to appear, he'd find that piece out later. Hopefully this all works out, she thought idly, minimizing the window.
"Now we wait," Lucy said, leaning back with a smile. "Maybe some pieces will fall into place for you now."
"Hmm," Brock commented, not taking his eyes off the window.
Lucy sighed at his lack of response, returning her attention to her computer. Settling in as she called up Solitaire, she could tell that this was going to be a long flight.
###
After making his way through the Eterna Forest with the help of another trainer and her Chansey, Jim had made quick work of moving through the bustling city, another winding route separating him from the next city. By the time he made it to the outskirts of Solaceon Town, the sun was almost completely hidden behind the tree line.
Finally, he thought idly.
With the rough terrain and forestry behind him, Jim frowned as he glanced around the small quaint town. He tried to keep a positive attitude as he glanced around him, taking in his surroundings. The Pokémon Daycare was situated off to his left, a large corral spanning quiet a ways. A few people milled around the town, the houses few and far between.
"Talk about the . . ." he trailed off, unimpressed.
The place was nothing like Jubilife City or even Hip Hop Town. Unlike what he had expected, Solaceon Town seemed to move at a much slower pace, as if unaware of the major cities that were surrounding them. He hated to admit to himself, as he enjoyed the cities, but this out-of-the-way town was nice for a change.
He moved quickly through the town as he kept to the cobbled streets, crisscrossing every which way, his eyes scanning the surrounding from behind his glasses. It couldn't be that hard to find the large contest hall. Halfway through the town though, and after speaking to countless people, Jim did eventually find himself standing in front of a large building.
The words 'Concert Hall' adorned the front, stylish lights set on each side of the words. The building could easily have been two floors, he thought idly, purple banners hanging between the pillars, stating that the Coordinator Competition was currently ongoing.,
Approaching the building, the automatic doors whirled open to grant him access. He could see people milling around in the lobby, an intermission in place. Melding into the crowd, he tried to catch snippets of everyone's conversation, the Second Round having just finished up. Jim quickly pieced together what had happened in the Appeal Round, the final battle minutes away. He wasn't surprised to hear what two trainers were left; they seemed the most at ease out there on the platform.
It wasn't long after he had found out what he had missed, that the speakers strategically located in the lobby crackled to life. Lillian's voice rang out of the speakers, announcing that the Final Round was about to start. With that, the crowd started heading through the stage doors, eager to see the ending.
Jim sighed, distancing himself from the swell of people that were heading back into the arena. Jim weaved his way between the people, the conversations melding into one. Jim hung back, watching the large group disappear down the hallway, the heavy doors leading to the empty stage ahead.
From the large screen situated in the lobby, he could see the people finding their seats quickly, Lillian standing in the middle of the stage, the judges to her right. He crossed his arms over his chest as Lillian's voice boomed through the speakers, announcing the final two contestants and congratulating everyone that had come out to compete. Moving off the stage as she ushered to the curtained doorframes, the lights dimmed as the curtains fluttered, the first trainer appearing, followed closely by the second.
Jim sighed, frustrated, as he turned his back to the screen, glancing around the large area.
"Now where . . .?" he trailed off, catching sight of two men at the end of the corridor, standing before another door. "Excuse me," he called, making his way over towards them. "Have you seen a girl in a pink dress?"
The two men glanced up as Jim approached them, their faces impassive. "This area is off limits to spectators."
Jim nodded, stopping a few feet away from them. "I believe that her name was Dawn –"
"We cannot reveal anything about the contests or contestants. How do we know who you are?"
Jim laughed awkwardly as the two suited men loomed over him, getting the picture. "Ah, I see. Well, thanks anyway," he commented, turning on his heel.
"Well, that was pointless," he mumbled as the automatic doors to the Contest Hall whirled shut behind him. "Maybe I'll end up back in Hop Hop Town sooner then expected," he shook his head, his fingers finding Mime Jr.'s Pokeball.
As the miniature clown Pokémon appeared, whirling dramatically around on its heel, its hat askew, Jim smiled at the Pokémon. Kneeling down in front of it, he shook his head, picking Mime Jr. up. "I think we might be heading home soon, it seems that girls' all but disappeared. Come on, you must be tired from our journey. Let's get you over to the Pokémon Center."
"I can't . . . I was such . . . a failure."
Dawn rubbed her hand underneath her watery eyes, her platinum blue hair messy as it fell across her face. She let out a breath as her bangs fell into her eyes, not caring about her appearance. She had torn her hair out of the pigtails and had thrown her pink outfit haphazardly into her suitcase before dragging it out of her room.
"Piplup's Whirlpool looks so good, it was completely in its element . . ." she mumbled, burying her head in her knees. "I'm so . . . after everything mom taught me –"
Letting out a sigh, she glanced at the small bag that was sitting beside her, shaking her head. Her mom had packed it for her when she set out from Twinleaf Town three months ago, what was her mom going to think of her now? She was such a failure.
Shaking her head, she didn't want to think about that now as she stretched her limbs out before her as she picked herself up off the chair, shouldering her bag. She ran a hand through her hair quickly, snagging her fingers on multiple knots; she frowned as she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror.
"I'm going home," she muttered, staring at her worn reflection.
She bit down on her bottom lip, idly picking at her clothes as she realized she'd be the first trainer from this year to return home, failing in their quest.
"Mom's not going to be happy." Dawn could picture her mom's response; Johanna had been so pleased to hear of her daughter's plan to follow in her footsteps.
She shook the thoughts away; she could worry about her mom later. Closing her eyes momentarily, she took a deep breath before turning on her heel and heading towards the Center's counter. "I'm here for my Pokémon, would they be –?"
"Yes, they're all ready for you, Dawn. Everyone's all rested up and ready to go. Good luck on your journey." Nurse Joy said, passing over a tray with Dawn's Pokeballs.
Dawn took the Pokeballs back with a mumbled thanks before placing the balls in her small backpack after calling out her Piplup. With a cry of its name, the penguin appeared, turning its large eyes upon Dawn, looking confused.
"Come on Piplup," Dawn said, bending down to pick up the Pokémon. "We're going home," she added, glancing down at her feet.
"Oh, excuse me," she mumbled as the automatic doors opened before her, a man entering without batting an eye at the blue haired girl.
Dawn glanced momentarily over her shoulder at him, her lips in a hard line at the man's actions. It was like he hadn't even noticed her. Lost in her thoughts, she shrugged it off, not caring about the man with the Mime Jr. on his shoulder.
###
A/N: From this point on, things are going to start to get interesting. Currently, I'm writing Chapter 18, so hopefully that gives me the motivation I'm looking for right now. Although reviews are always a good motivator as well ...