"The place that I'm from and
The place that I'm in
A city I've never been
I found a friend or should I say foe
Said there's a few things you should know
We don't want you to see
We come and we go
Here today, gone tomorrow..."
~ The Fray - Trust Me
Part 7: It's Never Easy
It was night at the park when the trio returned to the pond. The moon was full and shimmered off of the clear water, giving light to an area surrounding it. Cloe sat near the edge of the pond, still absorbing all that Katherine explained in the apartment earlier. Katherine and Vale were walking around the same pond, talking with each other about different subjects. Vale had many things to discuss about the story. Most of them were legitimate questions.
"So, that necklace you wear lets you transform into an Umbreon and back?" They were across the pond from Cloe when Vale asked this question. "Yeah. However, it has a limited use." Katherine explained. Vale was curious about the 'limited use' part. "Limited use? Like you can only use it once every day?" Katherine had a saddened look on her face. "It's not like that. By 'limited,' I meant that I can only use it three times."
"You can only use it three times? Did you use it for the first time today?" Vale asked a little confused. "Yes. I did use it for the first time today." Katherine added, "The change will last until the necklace is used again. So if I wanted to become a human again, I would have to use it a second time." Vale at that moment realized something. "Wait. So when you use it for the third time, does that mean you'll-" Katherine cut in. "Yes, the third time I will change into this form, I will stay as an Umbreon until I can find another way to change back to a human." Vale was surprised at this. "So, no matter what, you can only stay as one form or the other?"
Katherine hesitated to say something, but finally let it out. "Yes. However, in the dream that I had, the Espeon said that I will have to use these three uses. I didn't tell you two that part." Vale finally understood. "So, let me get this straight. You will need to be a human and an Umbreon accordingly to when they are most needed, ending with you being an Umbreon?" Katherine nodded, "Yes. The Espeon never told me when those moments will arrive, so only time will tell."
Katherine and Vale walked over to Cloe, and sat next to her. The moon was directly overhead, still giving a faint light-blue shimmer to the park. Nobody spoke, they didn't need to. They all knew they were thinking the same thing.
I wonder what's in store for us tomorrow...
Katherine broke the silence. "We should probably head back to the apartment. We have a lot of things to do tomorrow, right?" Vale and Cloe agreed, and all three went back to the apartment. The walk back was a silent one; the only sounds that were made were their footsteps, and sounds of single cars driving by.
When they got back, the apartment was the same as it was when they left it. "You two can sleep anywhere you want to." Katherine smiled and went to her room. Cloe went to her usual spot on the couch. Vale, however, was hesitant to sleep anywhere. She had an expression on her face that showed that she felt uncomfortable in the apartment.
"Vale?" Cloe tilted her head curiously. "Are you alright?" Vale shook off the expression to show a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me, Cloe. Just go to sleep."
The apartment wasn't at all that messy. The living room had a soft carpet, with a couch facing the eastern-most wall. That wall had an old television set on top of a dresser. To the right of the living room was the kitchen, which had a hardwood floor. (It was like the rest of the apartment. Minus the living room, of course.)
Vale found the carpet in the living room comfortable enough. She did, however, sleep near the heater vent to the right of the couch. The vent gave comfortable heat all night, which Vale loved about sleeping in that particular spot. Vale also found that the vent didn't make much noise, besides a humming sound, which meant that the heater was starting up.
Cloe and Vale slept without any concerns on their minds. Katherine, on the other hand, returned to her dream. It was the same dream with the Espeon. Katherine wondered about what the Espeon would say next.
"I see you found your companion..." Espeon inquired. Katherine nodded to the Espeon. "Yes, I did. What did you need me for, Espeon?" As Katherine anticipated, it was about how the necklace will come into play. "You have used that necklace already, I see." He was noting her change into an Umbreon.
"Yes, I did change. Was that wrong to do?" Espeon shook his head. "No, you used it properly. However, you will need to save those last two uses for when they're needed most." Katherine wanted to know more, as curiosity struck her again, she asked. "When will these last uses be needed most?"
"I don't know that. I do, however, know what they will be used for." Katherine gave a nod, with the expression that told Espeon wanted to know more. "I wish I could tell you. However, the choice will be all yours when the moment arrives." Katherine understood everything, the words impacted her seriously. It was a wake-up call. She was given these chances to aid her companion. The only problem is she didn't understand one thing.
Which one of the two is the companion Espeon was talking about?