There's a light
There's a sun
Taking all these shattered ones
To the place we belong
Shattered – Trading Yesterday
###
Cole couldn't help but grin, the Stone badge pinned the inside of his jacket.
Roxanne hadn't been as tough as he had thought she would be.
"She teaches at the Trainer's School off and on," Max had mentioned, following Cole up the street, May behind them. "Apparently she uses her Gym battles as a way to teach her students, you should be careful."
While taking heed of Max's words, the gym battle had gone in his favor, Roxanne's Geodude and Nosepass falling to his Treecko and Aipom. Roxanne had been a tough battler, a handful of her students lining the benches, as she called out attacks relentlessly, intent on defeating Cole.
He had to give Roxanne credit though, the brunette keeping him on his toes, as he tried to watch Aipom and Treecko's movements while watching his opponents moves, trying to recall the right type advantage that would bring him out on top.
Soon enough though, it started to turn his face favor, Treecko's Vine Whip solidly connecting with Nosepass, dealing the final blow as the rock type fell, defeated.
Roxanne had congratulated him as she called back her Nosepass, turning to say something to the watching students that winning wasn't everything. Silently, Cole disagreed with her – when there was a badge on the line, knowing you were at a disadvantage was . . . he shook his head.
"Congratulations Cole, that was pretty good," May grinned, Torchic in her arms as she approached him. "I wasn't sure who would win for a moment there, it was a close match."
"I wasn't all that worried, I knew Treecko could –"
"You were lucky May didn't pick Treecko," Max interjected, still looking at his PokeNav. "Torchic isn't a good match up with rock types."
May glared down at her brother, before ruffling his hair. "Hey, if we wanted to, I know that Torchic would do great!"
Cole shook his head as the two argued, eyes narrowed at one another. Hearing footsteps behind him though, Cole turned around as he heard Roxanne approaching them, her students hanging back.
"That was a good battle, Cole," she said, holding out her hand. "It's been a while since we've had a battle of this caliber, with that said; I am pleased to award you the Stone Badge, the first of the Hoenn badges."
Cole nodded, taking the small stone from her, clipping it to the inside of his jacket. "We did, we got the Stone Badge!"
He paused momentarily, it sounded natural, but he wasn't sure where that had come from. However, he shook it off, grinning up at Roxanne, the brunette still standing there. "If I was you, I would head to Dewford Town from here, Mr. Briney's cottage is located just on the other side of the Petalburg Woods. I think that you have what it takes to eventually challenging Wallace, it's a battle I would look forward to watching."
Cole nodded, taking her compliment. "Thank you Roxanne, I hope you get to see that battle, someday."
Roxanne let out a laugh, hiding it behind her hand. "Don't disappoint me now."
"You got it," he said as Roxanne turned, heading back to her students, explaining something to them regarding the battle as she went. Sighing, he turned back to Max and May, the two still staring each other down. "Come on you two," he said, reaching for May's shoulders, turning her around, towards the exit. "Let's head to the Pokemon Center so my Pokemon can rest up for a bit. Roxanne said the next gym is in Dewford –"
"Dewford!" May grinned, dropping Torchic as she clapped her hands together. "I haven't been there forever; I would love to hit the beach. It's not that far from Petalburg either, I can always send you home then, Max. Mom and Dad are probably worried . . ."
Probably just mom, Max thought idly, he was pretty sure that Norman had seen him leave, heading after May. "If you send me home, I'm taking the PokeNav with me –"
"That's not fair, you don't need it there!"
"It's mine!" Max retorted, pocketing the device. "If you want it, I'm coming with you two. You'll just get lost May, besides, do you even have a map?"
May paused, glaring at her brother, why did he always have to have the final word? "Fine, but if you mess anything up, I'm sending you home."
Max let out a laugh, waving her threats away. "Sure, if you say so."
"I mean it!" May shouted after him, shaking her head. "I'm not joking around."
Cole grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets as he followed after them. It made him think momentarily about Duplica and Anabel, he wondered what the purple haired girl was up to. She had seemed rather surprised that he had chosen to travel during the summer instead of hanging around in Kanto.
Maybe he should have invited her to come with him for the summer? Idly, he wondered what Anabel would think if she knew he was traveling with another girl . . . he shuddered at the thought.
Note to self, he thought. Call Anabel when May isn't in the background.
###
Jessilina stared at the phone in her hand.
She hadn't expected Melody to call her, of all people.
Hell, she hadn't expected Melody to contact any of them.
She expected the brunette to seize the moment to start out on the adventure she had always been denied, and not look back until her goal had succeeded.
But, there was something off about Melody, as if she was distracted on the phone.
Melody's words kept running through her head, the way she practically pleaded with her to come to Kanto with Karol. That was something she hadn't thought Melody was capable of – she was too proud to ask for help any other time – that, and the fact that Melody rarely covered up her dislike of Jessilina's presence.
For an instant, she thought about mentioning Cinnabar Island to Karol.
But . . . she shook her head.
Melody had sounded so serious on the phone, her speech jumbled as her thoughts jumped around. At least she had heard chatter and doors opening and closing in the background, putting her slightly at ease – at least Melody wasn't hiding in some forest or a dark alley like in those horror movies.
"In a weeks' time," Jessilina mumbled, putting the phone back on her dresser. At least she expected to be in Kanto that long. "I wonder if she'll disappear to Johto afterwards, before Karol finds her."
The continent of Kanto wasn't all that huge, there was a good forty percent chance she'd run into Karol within a month.
"How the hell am I supposed to explain my absence though?" she mumbled, running a hand through her hair. "Especially on such a short notice . . ."
It was definitely Melody's style though – come up with an idea, and then leave the planning to everyone else.
Frowning, she glanced up at the clock – six p.m.
Karol would be home in an hour, and in twelve hours time she had to head back to Naval Island . . . and Danny.
Sometimes, she wished her life wasn't this busy; if only she wasn't a television host . . .
"You're a reporter, I'm sure that you can think of something," Jessilina grumbled, remembering Melody's words. "She's in Kanto, why couldn't she give me a hint?"
She glanced momentarily at the phone, she could call Melody back again, but that might just boost the brunette's ego again. Shaking her head, she remembered seeing Karol's laptop in the kitchen as she pushed herself up and off the bed, throwing her bedroom door open as she headed down the stairs.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," Jessilina said quietly as she turned the laptop on, pulling out the kitchen chair as she waited for it to boot up. She tapped her fingers against the table, staring out the windows at the trees, the tinge of the blue sea visible over the rooftops. "Hopefully, there is something going on there," she added, typing in Karol's password.
The computer's background came to life moments later, all of Karol's applications loading. Jessilina sighed, impatient, as she waited, her mind running a mile a minute.
Why was she doing this?
She called up the Internet after what felt like an eternity – she remembered why she hated computer, technology wasn't her thing – typing Kanto News into the search engine bar.
In her opinion, the only good thing about technology was information was at your fingertips within an instant.
She scrolled through the titles, eyes narrowed as she briefly considered the effect it would have on their viewers in the Orange Islands.
Humuga Dunga Wave returning to Seafoam Islands.
A wave? Jessilina thought idly, passing it by. To the Orange Islands, that was hardly anything worth reporting.
Acapulco Town's Summer Festival – relive the story of Maiden's Peak.
Jessilina paused, reading the blurb written underneath the link, something about a woman waiting for someone to return from a war some 2,000 years ago. Pass.
Annual Laramie Ranch Poke-athon – Jessilina shook her head, Lara Laramie had been on the show a week ago.
She scrolled past the link, and then paused. Lara Laramie had been on their show; maybe that would hold interest to their viewers? They rarely got any of the Kanto channels that weren't fuzzy or grainy.
Grabbing a pen and paper from the decorative holder on the table, Jessilina jotted down the idea.
She scrunched her nose up at the next couple ideas, knowing that it wouldn't suit the studio or their general audience.
Jessilina sighed, shaking her head at the headlines on the search engine. Why was it that nothing interesting was happening in Kanto? Two-thirds of the way down the webpage and she only had two ideas – the Larmie Ranch Poke-athon and the upcoming Indigo League Championship matches, she figured she could interview trainers or the winner? Heck, maybe she could speak with the elusive Elite Four; the four managing to somehow evade the cameras and still hold onto a normal life.
Reaching the bottom of the page, however, she paused, one headline grabbing her attention. Multi-million dollar owners of Star Agencies in Kanto retire, leaving company to their son's fiancée.
Jessilina had heard a lot about Star Agencies as they had found both the pop star Brittany and her Igglypuff's and numerous fashion models over the years, such as Elesa from Unova. She couldn't even count how many of their clients had appeared on the talk show over the last year.
Out of curiosity, she found herself clicking on the link, the date at the top of the article from quite a few months previous. She skimmed over the article, the photo at the top portraying a stern looking couple; the woman's purple hair scooped severely up into a bun, the man's hair perfectly combed; nothing out of place on either of them. Jessilina shook her head; they looked rather severe, especially compared to the happy-go-lucky attitude of Brittany and Elesa when they visited the Island.
"I bet everyone was happy when they retired . . ." Jessilina mumbled, shaking her head. "I would hate to think that they were my boss, glad I wasn't their kid –" Wait? Didn't the headline say it was given to their son's fiancée? "Guess not even their kid wanted to stay around," she shook her head.
Idly, she wondered what kind of parents the Morgan's were; she only knew of them as talent agents – and two of the best, at that.
Jessilina skimmed over the article, reading bits and pieces of it. Scarlet and Henry Morgan were ready to hand the reins of their company over to the next generation and enjoy the rest of their time together. Star Agencies was apparently meant to be handed down to their only son, but due to certain circumstances the business would be handed over to their son's fiancée, Jessibelle, although the article didn't have a picture of the woman.
Before she was aware of what she was doing, Jessilina had returned to the search engine, typing in Star Agencies – Morgan Family and switching it over to the pictures option. Within seconds, she had over three thousand pictures at her fingertips.
Some were of their popular talent (Brittany, Elesa, and so forth) but there were ones of the owners as well. Her mouse pointer hovered over one picture of the Morgan's with a red haired woman, the picture linking her to another article, also from the previous year.
She took in the appearance of the woman with them – the blurb under the photo listing her as Jessibelle Reid. Her red hair fell in ringlets to her shoulders, wearing a white and pink dress that showed off her curves, making her look as glamorous, yet rich, like that of the Morgan's.
She looks like me, Jessilina thought idly.
She hadn't expected that – despite the fact that their names sounded similar.
Jessilina scrolled through the article, skimming it over as she went, she was slightly curious about the certain circumstances about the handing-over of the company mentioned in the other article.
Halfway through the article, there was another photo of the Morgan's, this time with a younger boy around seven. The boy had his father's blue hair and was dressed as immaculate as his parents, yet appeared uncomfortable in the clothes, unimpressed even. The article mentioned that the boy, whose name turned out to be James, had boarded the ill-fated annual Trainer Cruise in Vermillion City. The teenager had been unlucky as he didn't make it onto the lifeboats and perished in the cold waters as the boat sunk.
"Oh . . . my . . ." Jessilina mumbled, reading the words on the screen.
She hadn't expected that. She figured the son simply got tired of his life and had run away from his parents, his fiancée, and his high-class world. She hadn't expected him to be dead.
There was another picture included under the writing of the tragedy – asking anyone with information to come forward – which made Jessilina freeze. Her heart pounded against her ribcage as she stared at the blurry photo. It was obviously taken at a distance in a crowd, but it seemed like the subject, James, knew the picture was being taken and was attempting to meld in with the crowd.
It was him – the boy that appeared in her dreams and her thoughts when Danny proposed. She would recognize that blue hair anywhere; the way it framed his face, that one piece falling into his eyes.
But, behind him . . . was her. Her hair was long, hastily scooped up into a ponytail, trailing along behind him, a Meowth under her arm. She noticed his hand was clamped around her wrist; obviously she wasn't aware of the picture being taken.
Her cell phone rang off upstairs, the tune drifting down to the kitchen, but she didn't hear it.
There was a caption under the picture: The last known image of James Morgan, alongside a woman, whom he is believed to have run away with.
Believed to have . . . run away with . . .
Jessilina's eyes were focused on that simple statement.
Was she . . .? "Was I in love with him?"
That would explain why she felt that way when Danny proposed.
Her heart beat in her chest, she needed to get to Kanto.
The talk show wasn't even on her mind anymore.
###
Melody sighed, shifting her backpack.
This wasn't how she had expected her Kanto journey to go.
All she had wanted was to see the rest of the world. She wanted to see the Safari Zone, visit the Seafoam Islands Resort, catch an Underwater Play in Cerulean City, and check out the popular Professor Oak's lab; everyone talked about him in the Orange Islands.
Then, she had thought about moving onto Johto. Idly, she wanted her own Pokemon and start out on her adventure, something Karol and the Elder's didn't think she was ready for – despite the fact that she was thirteen.
Instead, she runs into a survivor of the SS Anne tragedy and her own adventure is put on the back burner to watch what she previously had described as a train wreck.
At least in Fuchsia City she got to see the Safari Zone at a distance and in two weeks time she would be in Cinnabar Island, a stones throw away from the Seafoam Islands. And, if they were heading to Pewter City, that meant she would have to pass through Pallet Town to get to Cinnabar, maybe she would get to see Oak's lab in passing.
And capture a water Pokemon, she thought idly, frowning. Or a bird . . .
Somehow, she doubted that Misty would agree with her plan of passing through Pallet.
Melody shrugged at the thought though, her cerulean eyes glanced over at the red-head, Pikachu at her feet. Maybe it was time they went their separate ways. Misty was intent on returning, or running away, from her past; everything Misty said seemed to contradict her subconscious travelling.
She had delayed her own sightseeing too long, what with the information that Karol was coming to look for her now. No doubt about it, after she caught up with Jessilina in Cinnabar Island – provided she did come alone – Melody was planning on touring around Johto.
"Got to keep one step ahead of her," she muttered, flicking her bangs out of her eyes.
"Hmm? You talkin' about de twerp?" Meowth asked; a couple steps ahead of Melody.
"Nope, my sister; apparently, she's coming to Kanto to find me," Melody shrugged, rolling her eyes. "I don't intend on going home though. After Cinnabar Island, I'm going to Johto –"
"Don't you need one of dem passports?" Meowth replied, glancing back at her.
Melody opened her mouth to reply, and paused. "Damn," she muttered under her breath, kicking a stone. She really should have kept updating her passport. "I guess I could try to sneak into the country . . ."
Meowth shook his head with a laugh. "With thoughts like dat, you could be in Team Rocket."
Melody curled her nose up at the thought – as if. "Come on you two," Misty said, slowing her pace to look back at them. "Stop dawdling, I'm not going to wait for you much longer."
Melody sighed, the dim lights strung up in the cave illuminating her silhouette. "Come on, Misty, give us a break! We walk all the way from Lavender Town to Fuchsia City, only to learn that when we finally get to the Pokemon Center, we're going back. We're tired, okay? We've been on our feet for over ten hours . . ."
And I highly doubt that Brock's going anywhere, she added silently.
"Why are you coming anyway?" Misty asked, turning on her heel as she continued through the cave. "You didn't have to come."
"I want to see how this ends; besides I have a week until I need to be in Cinnabar Island."
"Cinnabar Island?" Misty echoed, turning to her left, disappearing around the corner. "There's not much on that Island –"
"My sister's coming to Kanto looking for me, and I'm –"
"So you're going to an Island that can only be reached by a boat? Sounds like a solid plan you got there . . ."
"Jessilina – Jessie – she's coming with Karol to Kanto. I'm meeting her in Cinnabar Island."
Misty paused momentarily at the name, the ladder leading to the cave's exit ahead of them. "I had . . . with Brock surviving . . . I wonder if Ash and James survived?"
"I can't see why not," Melody said cautiously, catching up with her. "If three of you and your Pokemon survived, they had the same chances of survival . . ." Melody grinned, picking up the Pikachu, patting its head. "You'd like it if this Ash guy was alive too, huh?"
Misty grinned slightly, glancing at the two. "I . . ." she shook her head, falling silent.
"Misty, I think it's time you stopped hiding," Melody said, putting Pikachu back onto the dirt floor, reaching for the ladder. "I think its time the world found out you survived."
Misty nodded, following Melody up the ladder, the entrance of the cave above them. "Maybe, we'll see. Right now, the world only believes in one survivor."
"Kid's got ta point," Meowth said, from behind Misty. "If the twerpy-guy's alive, people are going ta start ter question everything. If you and Jessie appear as well . . ."
"I have a question," Melody cut in, reaching the top of the ladder as she crawled onto the dirt floor, the exit before them. "Why do you constantly refer to them as twerps? I don't get it."
"It goes way back," Misty said, appearing at the top of the ladder moments later. "It's a rather long story that started not too far from here."
Viridian City was just on the other side of the forest – where this whole adventure inadvertently started with a pack of Spearow's and a thunderstorm. Misty shook her head, pushing the thought away as she stepped out of Diglett's Cave, Pewter City a five minute walk away.
"Come on; let's head to the Gym before I completely lose my nerve."
Melody nodded, noticing a slight tremble in the girl as she started forward.
They couldn't go back now.
###
The sun shone through the window, brightening up the kitchen.
The calendar hanging on the stove, riddled with 'X's, crossed off the days past.
The kitchen table was tidy, an empty Pokeball sitting on the table.
Dishes from the day were piled up on the counter, ignored.
The small television on the microwave stand played the news, the volume low.
It had been a long, quiet year.
One day melded into the next, repeating the same tasks easily.
The phone rang from time to time, although the video chat option was disconnected.
It had been over 365 days . . . 365 days since Ash's funeral.
His tombstone was meticulous; flowers adorned the stone year round, the stone cleaned on a regular basis. He was her only son; she wasn't supposed to bury him.
Unlike Gary, her son hadn't captured nearly as many Pokemon in his journey; a small Krabby was all she received. The crab Pokemon didn't deserve to spend the rest of its life in a Pokeball.
With that realization, Delia Ketchum found her Mime Jr. pokeball, calling forth her Pokemon as well. With the two creatures running around her house, she found her house became slightly busier; the two eventually evolving into a Kingler and Mr. Mime through her travels through Route 1 to Viridian every once and a while.
Delia found herself reconnecting with her old friend Cynthia, the Sinnoh Champion hearing the news as well. It seemed like a bittersweet moment. When she had given birth to Ash, it had driven a wedge between their friendship, and now . . .
Fate was unnecessarily cruel.
Cynthia was supposed to be visiting her in three weeks time; the Sinnoh League was just about to start once again. "You know, the Champion has to make an appearance," Cynthia had explained. "But I will see you in three weeks, Lia!"
In a sense, Delia was looking forward to the blonde's arrival – she needed to get out of her thoughts, get out of town, and just forget for a moment.
But, like everything else in her world, it seemed to relish in the idea of turning her world upside down.
The television was playing on the microwave stand, the news anchors discussing the upcoming tournament at the Indigo Plateau. Mr. Mime was in the hallway, sweeping the floor, by the sounds of the straw dragging across the floor. Kingler was in her small backyard most likely, the sky darkening slightly, threatening to rain.
"And now," the news anchor said, drawing the debate to a close. "We take you to Lana Reilly in Pewter City with some rather shocking news."
Delia paused, turning to tap off as she glanced at the television screen. Pewter City was relatively quiet, the only notable places being the Museum and the Gym. The last shocking moment was . . .
No, she didn't want to think about that day.
"Yes, thank you Peter," came Lana's voice over the television, a blonde woman appearing on screen. "Behind me is the Pewter City Gym, it's hard to explain the excitement that is going on here. As we know, the Slate family – along with many other families – grieved to learn that their loved ones had past away on the ill-fated SS Anne, however, today we offer you a slight silver lining, one that will no doubt lead to questions without answers," Lana shook her head, but couldn't hide the grin that graced her features, beckoning to the camera as she followed the small path up to the house beside the popular Gym.
"Today, the Slate family found a very valuable piece of information," Lana said, opening the door to the house, stepping into the entrance hall. "Mr. and Mrs. Slate have graciously opened up their home to our cameras, allowing us access to what was surely a touching moment," – Lana paused here, turning around to face the camera, the living room behind her. "For today, they learned that their son was alive."
The plate slipped out of Delia's wet hands, breaking as it connected with the floor.
She didn't pay the broken plate any heed, her eyes wide, hands covering her mouth in surprise.
"It can't . . ."
She couldn't believe it.
"Yes, it's hard to believe," Lana said, as if guessing her audience's thoughts. "Our studio originally thought that as well when we heard the news. However, we spent the past hour meeting with the family, verifying that Brock Slate is indeed alive – although he will not be appearing on camera this evening. With me now are his parents and his brother and sister, Forrester and Macey, who were the ones who found him. Now," Lana said, sitting down in one of the chairs, looking at the four people across from her. "I heard it was Macey that first saw Brock, what made you think it was him?"
"It was the way he spoke," Macey said, leaning forward with a smile. "It had been a while, but Brock used to always read me bedtime stories with different voices. After I thought about it, I just knew it had to be him."
"I see," Lana said, nodding to her words. "Whose idea was it to track him down the next day, especially if you weren't sure that it was him?"
"It was all my idea," Macey spoke again, her pigtails bouncing with each movement. "I saw him once, just staring at the Gym; I thought he was there to challenge my father for a badge," she explained. "But, he never came to the Gym the next day, I waited there for him to come and demand a Gym battle, and as I did that, Forrester was in the City looking for a clue, a hint, something, as to where we could be."
Lana nodded, turning her attention to Forrester. "So, it was you who first came across Brock, can you explain that to our viewers?"
"He was living on the outskirts of town, he said he hadn't planned to make contact with us, he just wanted to see how we were all doing." Forrester said, awkward in front of the camera.
"But, we couldn't let that happen," Macey interjected, the camera not phasing her. "We were intent on bringing him home where he belongs," she shook her head. "What are you supposed to say in that type of situation, it was like something from a movie."
"We broached the subject slowly; we spent the first couple weeks just getting used to knowing that he was alive again and getting reacquainted with him before even breaching the subject of retuning home." Forrester elaborated further.
"Now, what did you think of all this? Did you have any incline the surprise your children prepared for you?"
Flint shook his head, his hand intertwined with his wife's. "When they told us they had a surprise for us, we naturally assumed that they had either broken something or had been keeping a Pokemon secret from us, but we never assumed to see our eldest son again."
"It was much like a dream, the next morning I remember having to go down to the living room to make sure he was still there, sleeping on the couch. It was surreal." Alisha said, smiling at the camera. "I'm just glad that he's home where he belongs. I – we only wish the other families were this lucky."
Lana nodded solemnly, turning back to the camera. "This is Lana Reilly in Pewter City, back to you now Peter."
The screen returned to the news anchor at the desk, Lana Reilly and the Slate family's living room disappearing from the screen.
Delia's thoughts were jumbled together.
Brock had survived.
Brock had been found.
Brock was in Pewter City.
Brock, who was one of Ash's closest friends, was alive.
What about . . .?
Dare she even think about it?
What if Ash had survived?
What is Ash was out there, somewhere, wandering around, afraid to come home . . .
Before she knew it, she was grabbing the empty Pokeball off the kitchen table, throwing open the side kitchen door, calling Kingler back into the red and white ball.
The door was locked moments later, Delia grabbing the yellow jacket hanging in the hall closet.
It was too good to be true.
Mr. Mime hurried after her, its' broom lying forgotten in the hallway.
Delia kicked off her slippers, shoving her foot hastily into her rain boots, opening the front door.
Thunder rumbled overhead, the storm still a ways away, the sun peeking out randomly from behind the clouds.
She idly thought of the rain storm Ash got caught in on his first day of traveling, smiling slightly. Fate didn't seem to be on her side. Hopefully, she could get to her destination before the storm arrived.
Without another word, Delia headed towards Route 1, focused on one goal. She wanted to see with her own eyes that Brock was alive, hadn't she dreamed something like this before regarding her son?
Thankfully, the rain held off. She made it to Viridian City with ease, the bustling city not paying any attention to the far-off rumbles of thunder. She past by the Pokemon Center, the Viridian Gym, and the path leading to Route 22 and the Indigo League to her left, paying the landmarks no attention as she continued on, Viridian Forest just past the city's limits.
Thankfully, Viridian Forest was relatively straight forward. She shook her head; she didn't understand how people had a hard time battling the bug Pokemon that littered the forest, some trainers even getting turned around in the forest. Between Mr. Mime and Kingler, they made short work of the few Pokemon they saw, making the journey easy.
Eventually, the tree line started to thin, giving way to Route 2, Pewter City just beyond that, she could already see some of the taller building's roofs.
Her heart beat loudly in her chest; she had reached Pewter City in under an hour.
Truthfully, when in a hurry, time seemed to fly by.
She glanced at Mr. Mime, patting its head as thanks.
But . . . what was she supposed to say? Just knock on the door and say . . . what?
She had left in such a hurry, she hadn't thought of anything, her mind simply going into autopilot; her greatest wish somewhat realized.
The wooden sign to her left welcomed her to Pewter City, the cobbled streets reaching out to meet her.
Pewter City had hardly changed since she had last been there, not that she had expected it to change anyway. The Pokemon Center was to her left, a hub of activity in the city as trainers constantly came and went. The residential district was to her right, the downtown core ahead of her, leading to the Pokemon Museum at the top of the hill.
And . . . a block past the Pokemon Center was the Pewter City Gym and the Slate household. Delia took the first left, calling Mr. Mime back to it's pokeball for a rest, staring up at the building.
The last time she'd been there was for a funeral, and now . . .
Her hand trailed along the fence separating the sidewalk from the yard; bushes blocking her view, a gate just up ahead.
Then, she heard it, voices trailing from the yard, two female voices.
Delia slowed her pace, trying to catch what was being said – they were speaking so quietly, urgently to one another; just far enough out of earshot that she couldn't make out individual words. The odd far-off rumble of thunder sounded every once and a while, drowning out their words.
As she neared the edge of the fence, the bushes seemed to thin slightly, the gate just ahead of her. Delia found her footsteps slowing, pausing as she reached the end of the bushes, the pathway leading to the Slate's front door around the corner.
Squaring her shoulders as she took a deep breath, Delia nodded to herself as she stepped forward and into view. Her blue eyes glanced up, the two girls' backs to her as they neared the Slate's door.
Delia found herself doing a double take at the sight before her.
One of the girls had long brown hair tied up in pigtails, a dark hat covering her head, a Meowth under her arm. But, the girl beside her, her red hair cresting her shoulders, had a Pikachu perched on her shoulder, just like Ash used to.
But, that wasn't what made her pause.
She noticed the way the Pikachu sat on her shoulder; the way it held its tail, ears turning at every sound as its dark eyes took in its surroundings. She saw Pikachu glance at the Gym – she remembered Ash saying the Gym Badge had been rather difficult in achieve.
Delia forced herself to look away from the Pikachu to the red-haired girl. Delia found herself leaning forward slightly, her hands gripping the gate tightly, taking in the sight before her.
She watched as the brunette with the Meowth said something, her words silent to Delia. The red-haired girl shook her head, glaring her companion as she pushed her hair away from her face.
The brunette frowned, shaking her head as she grabbed the red-head's hand, pulling her forward. "I didn't walk all day and night for . . . I mean . . . seriously Misty . . ."
Delia's breath caught as the word drifted in her direction.
She shook her head, letting go of the gate.
Taking a step back, Delia bit down on her lip.
Her mind raced a mile as she pressed her back against the fence.
Misty was alive.
Misty was alive, but remaining out-of-sight.
Misty and Brock were alive.
She took a deep breath, closing her eyes.
Ash's two best friends were alive . . . did she dare to think that . . .?
###
Melody cast a glance over her shoulder – she thought she heard something.
She frowned, shaking her head as nothing was there; the streetlight illuminating a sidewalk.
"You's got ta do dis," Meowth said, unimpressed with being placed under Melody's arm. "How would ya feel, thinkin' dat all yer friends died in dat crash?"
"He's right," Melody agreed quietly, letting go of Misty's arm, the Slate's porch in front of them. "Remember how you felt when you thought you were the only survivor?" Melody rolled her eyes as Misty said nothing. "I mean seriously, you spent how many days in that spare room at the Lighthouse staring out the window?"
Misty nodded, reaching up for Pikachu, taking the electric mouse in her arms. Melody raised an eyebrow at the gesture; she had noticed that Misty had started holding the electric mouse when she was nervous.
"Exactly," Melody said, taking her silence as an agreement. "Now, you came here for one reason – and if you back out on me now after dragging me all the way out here," Melody shook her head. "I'm going to find the nearest television station and explain that you're alive . . ."
"You would to," Misty grumbled, glaring at her, but ascending the few steps anyway. "You're . . ."
"Mean, I know," Melody shrugged before grinning widely and ringing the doorbell.
"Melody!"
Melody just grinned; hands in her pockets as she took a step back, leaning against the railing. "I'm just getting the ball rolling, I'm just a helper," Melody winked at Misty, making her roll her eyes.
The lock on the wooden door clicked, the door opening moments later.
Misty's mind went blank as the door opened; Brock's father, Flint, standing there.
She had forgotten how much Flint and Brock looked alike.
What was she supposed to say? She opened her mouth to attempt to say something, but Flint beat her to it - "We agreed to only one interview, we're not interested at this time."
Misty had hoped Flint would recognize her – she was there with Ash at the Mill and again when Brock joined them on the journey . . .
Melody groaned, rolling her eyes as Flint moved to close the door on the silent Misty. "Excuse me sir," Melody said, smoothly cutting in front of Misty as she placed her foot between the door and the door jam. "I'm sorry; my friend here is not very good at public speaking. We're not reporters or affiliated with any news station," Melody wracked her brain, trying to think something up quick; she could see the annoyance under Flint's mustache. "A friend of ours, Ash, was on the SS Anne as well, I heard Brock was friends –"
"I'm sorry," Flint said, cutting Melody off. "But, I don't want to bring up the accident with my son –"
Melody's eyes narrowed slightly, her mind whirling. "I know it's a bit late for a house call, but we came here all the way from Pallet Town. We just wanted to know how . . . how it happened, if there might be any other survivors."
Flint sighed as he glanced at Melody, a Meowth at her feet, to Misty standing in the back, looking as if she'd seen a ghost. "I'm sorry, but I don't want to discuss this with my son until he's ready to talk about it."
"But sir –"
"That's my final answer. My son has gone through a traumatic experience; we don't want to open old wounds by asking him to relive those memories. Our family is finally back together after all these years . . . now please, move your foot."
Melody frowned, slowly moving her foot from the door jam. "I just wanted to see if Ash was alive as well," Melody mumbled, glancing momentarily at Misty and then to the ground. "I just wanted to see if another family could be put back together."
She heard the door softly close, the lock falling into place, and the outside lights flicking off moments later.
"You's a good actor," Meowth said, forcing itself onto its back paws, standing up once again.
Melody grinned, pushing her pigtails back. "You just got to know how to play your cards right," she said, stretching her arms over her head. "I was so sure that would work; I was trying to go for the sympathy card."
"You did better then I did," Misty said, shaking her head. "Flint can be a bit of a mystery; he trained Ash so that he could beat Brock, but I think he did that so he could see his children again."
"So, he should understand where I'm coming from," Melody quipped, jumping down from the porch, kicking the dirt. "But anyway, I'll try again tomorrow – want to help me earn a Gym Badge Meowth?"
Misty let out a laugh, glancing down at Meowth. "Do you even know any attacks?"
"Sure he does," Melody said, shaking her head. "It'd be pretty sad if a Pokemon didn't know many attacks –" Misty couldn't help it, she broke out into laughter, something that she hadn't done for a long time it seemed. Melody grinned, glancing back at the red-head. "Good, glad to see you actually happy about something for a change."
"I suppose you're right, it's been a while, it's just –"
"I know," Melody interrupted. "Your friends' on the other side of that door, someone you thought was dead . . . but, seriously! I'm coming back tomorrow for a Gym Battle, I will make Flint listen, Meowth!"
Meowth paused, glancing up, a wary look on his face. "You's got ta be kidding me, I ain't goin' inta battle."
"Sure you are," Melody said, fixing him with a stare. "I would really appreciate it, you'd be doing me a huge favour, I promise I won't return you to Jessie as a Persian."
Misty let out a laugh, glancing from Melody to Meowth, and back again. "Good luck with that; I've never even seen Meowth use its basic scratch attack."
Melody stopped mid-step, almost at the end of the property. "Wait, seriously?" She narrowed her eyes before shrugging. "Whatever, we're going to Viridian Forest immediately. We'll just see what you can learn . . ."
"Dat girl sounds just like Jessie . . ."
"You're right," Misty laughed, shaking her head. "No wonder they never got along –"
"Excuse me . . ."
Misty paused as she heard the quiet voice from behind them. Her thoughts immediately jumped to one of Brock's sisters, one of them could have overheard their conversation with Flint . . .
Melody, like always, was quick to respond. "Sorry, we didn't mean to disturb your family at home; we just wanted to speak with Brock. We had a mutual friend between us, he was on the SS Anne –"
"Yes, that was an interesting tale you no doubt wove. However, I'm pretty sure I've never seen you in Pallet Town before."
"Er . . ." Melody fumbled, just who was this?
Misty closed her eyes, she knew that voice . . .
"We've never been to Pallet Town before," Misty put in, instantly feeling Melody's intense stare turn on her. "But, I knew Brock and Ash like the back of –"
"You may have grown your hair out, but please, turn around Misty." Pikachu wiggled its way out of Misty's arm, jumping lithely down onto the ground, recognizing the voice. "It's been . . . a long time . . . Pikachu . . ."
Misty could hear the crack in Delia's voice. This was why she didn't want to come to the Eastern side of Kanto, and yet, there she stood.
"I'm so sorry," Misty said, the words spilling out before she could stop herself. "I'm so sorry Mrs. Ketchum; I know how much Ash meant to you. It wasn't supposed to end up this way, it was all my fault! Ash didn't even want to go on the cruise; but when we got those free tickets . . . I talked them into coming with me, it was just supposed to be our celebration, Ash had just gotten the Thunder Badge," Misty balled her hands up into fists, her body shaking as she turned around to face Delia, Melody silently watching. "I should have just listened to Ash, but I was so stubborn, and because of that . . . because of that . . ." she found herself unable to continue, tears sprouting up in her eyes.
Melody silently took a step back towards the fence, not wishing to intrude on the moment, her eyes intent on Misty. She had never seen the red-head express her emotions from that night, keeping it all bottled up inside.
"It's not your fault. You're alive," Delia said, her voice catching; the tell-tale signs of tears in her eyes as well. "You should be happy that you survived, and yet, you don't seem happy about it, hiding from the world."
Delia's mind was running a mile a minute, as she stared at the familiar red-head before her, tears in the tough girl's eyes, having decided to go through everything on her own, her memories still intact. Before her mind could catch up with her actions, Delia had crossed the distance between her and Misty, embracing her.
"You're alive," Delia said, Misty's emotions getting the better of her as she finally cried. "It gives the rest of us hope."
If both Misty and Brock had survived, dare she think it? Could Ash be alive somewhere too, like Misty? She couldn't imagine the three of them separating in a crisis like that . . .
Melody smiled at the reunion, shoving her hands into her pockets. So that was Pikachu's trainer's mother, she thought idly, watching the two. Yet again, she found herself wondering what the original trainer might have been like, weren't wild Pikachu's known to be difficult to raise? He must have been some trainer.
Then there was Jessie, who was due to be in Cinnabar Island in two weeks time. Out of the five trainers who were lost, that meant three of them were alive. There was a chance that all five trainers had somehow survived.
Lost in her own thoughts though, Melody didn't hear the front door of the Slate's home open once again. Nor did she hear the crunch of gravel as someone walked down the path, towards the three people on the sidewalk.
As the individual approached them, they cleared their throat to make their presence known; but the sky gave a rumble in response, louder than before, the rain close by. When the rumble of thunder stopped, the individual moved to speak, their eyes trained on the two red-haired women.
". . . overheard your conversation with my father."
###