FOREVERMORE
~Part Three Of The Forever Trilogy~
Chapter 47
In The Year 10,000
June 11, 5001.
(Topaz's POV)
Yesterday was Cyan's eighteenth birthday. We celebrated whether he liked it or not. Though Jewel's gift caught us all by surprise—she bought him a acoustic guitar. When he tried it out, he played really, really well. That got Shirou really excited, and the next thing I knew, everyone was talking about music. It had been really fun.
Now it was the next morning, and I wanted to do some training before going to switch out with Diamonda to take care of the kids so she could spend some time with Am. It would be a pretty short training session, but that was okay with me.
It was a cool June morning, so I brought a light jacket with me to fight against the chilly air. I didn't bother zipping it up, though, since it probably would get warm pretty fast.
The good thing about being close to the Unova League was that we were close to Unova's leaders and we were right next door to Victory Road, prime training grounds that actually contained Pokemon that could withstand the power of our own.
Raiden released himself right as I reached the entrance to the cave. He leaped up onto my shoulder, and then we headed in. It was dark and damp, which was typical for a cave. I felt a chill, but I didn't bother zipping up my jacket.
I walked further in, my sneakers thudding against the stone floor, but not a single wild Pokemon came out at us. I frowned as I looked around. There were no signs of life. This was really weird.
"Pikachu chu," Raiden said, twitching his ears. Where is everyone?
"Dunno," I said, letting my eyes run over the walls. "Let's just keep looking."
I took a step forward, and then suddenly, a bright flash illuminated the cave. I squeezed my eyes shut, covering my face with my arm, to block the blinding light.
"Biii!" Hiii!
I lowered my arm, opening my eyes, when the light died down. It was none other than Celebi. The green fairy let out an excited cry before circling around us happily.
"Bi! Celebi bi!" Oh! I found you!
Celebi finally calmed down, and stopped circling Raiden and me. she halted in front of us, hovering in place, her tiny wings fluttering nonstop.
"Bi celebi cel bi celebi bi bi," she said. I need you to come with me.
I blinked, surprised. "Why?"
Celebi's expression grew sad. "Cel celebi cel cel biii bi cel cel cel celebi." You need to see Synis's past in the far, faaaar future.
I opened up my mouth to retort, but another bright light flashed, and I felt myself being engulfed into a void. The next thing I knew, I was falling.
I didn't have the chance to scream because I hit the ground seconds later, and rolled a few feet, stopping on my stomach. I groaned, and rolled onto my back. The sky was clear and blue, outlined by trees. I blinked for a moment, feeling the prickly grass underneath me.
First question: Where was I?
"Biii!" I heard Celebi's cry, and then she appeared above me, hovering in the air. Sorry!
I laid there for a moment, looking up at the legendary Pokemon, before I pushed myself up with yet another groan, and then somehow managed to get back on my feet. I fixed my jacket and brushed off my clothes. I checked my belt to make sure all my Poke Balls were secure. I had left my bag in my room, so that was no problem. I looked around, trying to gain my bearings. I was in some sort of clearing in a forest. There was no life in sight.
"Where's Raiden?" I asked, looking up at Celebi, since I could not see my shiny partner anywhere.
"Cel celebi," said Celebi, frowning. I don't know.
I gritted my teeth, and pulled down my tank top, shrugging out of my jacket. It was kinda hot out here. I tied it around my waist since I didn't feel like carrying it around. I took my Luxury Ball, releasing the Pokemon inside. My Espeon appeared in a flash of light. She looked up at me expectantly.
"Eris, I need you to track Raiden," I said as Celebi lowered herself down closer to me. "We've been separated."
"On it," she replied, sitting down.
She closed her eyes, and the red gem on her forehead began to glow. As I waited, I took out Apollo's Ultra Ball and released him, and then climbed onto his back, grabbing a hold on the reins.
"I have found him," Eris said, opening her eyes, and looking up at me. "We must hurry. He is injured."
"Darn it!" I exclaimed with frustration. "Get up here and give me directions!"
She leaped up onto my lap, which was the only safe spot for her to be when Apollo was moving. The Rapidash leaped forward, and Celebi followed us. Eris projected images into both my mind and Apolllo's. All I could hear was the thudding off Apollo's hooves on the grassy ground.
Apollo had to make a sharp turn, almost throwing Eris and me off his back. I had to grab Eris by the base of her tail to stop her from falling off. Suddenly, we reached a clearing, and I saw someone in our way. I jerked back hard on the reins, panicking, and Apollo let out a startled whinny, rearing up into the air.
"Aaaah!"
Apollo lowered himself back down on the ground, his front hooves thudding on impact. Eris leaped off my lap, and onto the ground. I patted the side of his neck, trying to calm the both of us down. We had nearly run over someone in our haste.
It was a girl, probably around sixteen or so years old. She looked so much like me it was startling. She had long, light golden blonde hair that was smooth and straight, going all the way down to the small of her back, with small braids on the back, and one long braid in the front. Her eyes, unlike mine, were brilliant scarlet. She was wearing a loose, white kimono of sorts that seemed to have flow to it, going down only to her knees, more like a modern dress. It also seemed to be layer, a thin magenta cloth being visible at the bottom of her skirt and sticking out from underneath the neckline. She also had a sash tied around her waist, which was called an obi, I believed. She was on her knees, sitting on her folded legs, holding an unconscious Raiden in her arms. She was surrounded by wild Pokemon, including a Pikachu.
I would have apologized if I could have gotten over the fact that she looked like me. I couldn't help but just stare.
The girl stood up, turning out to be the same height as me, looking surprisingly calm while I gawked at her. "Is this your Pikachu?" she asked me, her voice high and smooth.
"Um... Yeah," I managed to spit out, and Apollo snorted.
She looked up at Celebi, who was hovering above me. "What have you done now, Celebi? Why have you brought my ancestor?"
What?
What?
WHAT?
Celebi flew down to the girl as I silently freaked out. The legendary let out a playful giggle and began to circle my doppelganger, making her giggle, as well. The Pikachu leaped up onto her shoulder, and let out a happy cry.
What in the name of Arceus was going on?
"Oh, Celebi," she laughed. "I don't care why you brought her!"
"Biiii!"
I just stared at them.
She returned her attention to me, her eyes calm, yet friendly. "You must be confused." That was an understatement. "Celebi here brought you to the year ten thousand. My name is Topaz Bosco, and I was named after you, my ancestor."
I blinked, still startled. "How... How do you recognize me?"
She giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "We have what you call 'photographs'. You and your husband and your friends are all in our history books. You're heroes!"
"Husband?" I echoed, thinking of how I was marrying Rubin in just a few days. Well, I should be, if I ever got back to the future... Which was actually the past now.
"Yes," she replied, looking a little confused. "Gold Kimu Junior."
Whoa, something was really wrong here. I wasn't going to marry Goldy. I didn't love him that much. Unless...
"I'm from the twenty first century, right?" I asked.
"Yes, of course," she answered, looking even more confused than before.
That explained it, then. The time ripple effect of our kidnapping was delayed somehow. No one was affected this far ahead in the future. Which meant the Topaz they knew was different from the Topaz I was. Everyone to them here was how we were supposed to be...
So I married Gold, huh? Jeez.
"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" she inquired, looking up at me.
"Oh, seventeen," I told her. "Almost eighteen."
"Ah," she said, nodding. "You're not married yet, then."
"Nope," I agreed, dismounting Apollo, landing lightly on the ground. "Hey, can I have Raiden back?"
"Oh, of course!" she exclaimed. "But just a moment, please!"
"What-" I began, but cut myself off.
Topaz Bosco rested her hand on Raiden, and I watched in awe as she healed his injuries, making them vanish. Just like I could! Raiden stirred, blinking, and then opened his eyes. He stared at the other Topaz for a moment, who gave him a friendly smile, before freaking out. He leaped out of her arms, making her laugh, and then latched onto my leg for dear life, digging his claws into my bare skin.
"Ow!" I exclaimed, wincing. "Knock it off, Raiden!"
He loosened his grip, and climbed up onto my shoulder before shooting a suspicious look at the other girl. Topaz Bosco's eyes grew wide as she took my full appearance in, horrified.
"My goodness! People really did wear undergarments for clothing in the past! How can you wear that?"
I looked down at myself. My orange tank top wasn't low enough to show cleavage, just barely. My jean shorts weren't that short, ending midway on my thigh. Then I looked back up at her. Well, compared to what she was wearing, to this culture, this could be their underwear.
"Uh, I just do?" I offered. "It's my culture. Trust me, I have friends that wear worse." Like Diamonda and Jade.
"Well, if you're coming to town with me, you can't be wearing that." She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Come with me!"
"Hold up," I said, taking out Poke Balls to return my Pokemon.
"Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement. "Those are... are Poke Balls!"
"Yeah," I said slowly as I reattached them to my belt. "Don't you have them?"
She shook her head. "No, we lost all technology after the world ended in the year six thousand. The legends tell us of a awful destruction... They say the great and almighty Arceus was forced to intervene and rebuild the world, forming Ransei."
I stared at her, shocked by all this info. "Ransei?"
She nodded. "Yes, Ransei. When the world began to crumble, Arceus took what remained of the old regions and combined them to create a brand new region, which we call Ransei. The world is very dangerous. Everyone lives in kingdoms that specialize in different types. Trainers no longer exist; they've been replaced with humans that have the gift to link with Pokemon, and these people are called Warriors. Each kingdom is run by a Warlord, and my father is the Warlord of Aurora. The Warlords and their Warriors protect us from other kingdoms and the monsters."
That was... a lot different. I did not expect that at all. This world... Synis's world... was nothing like my own.
"Monsters?" I asked.
She nodded again. "When the world ended, most of the Pokemon either mutated or died. The monsters are the mutated Pokemon. They're maneaters, and are stronger than regular Pokemon. But they're pretty rare now. That's why Arceus gifted some people with the powers to link to Pokemon—so we can take care of them. I'm linked with Pikachu here. My... friend, Obsidian, is a Warrior, too." She scratched the Pikachu under its chin, and it cooed happily.
I found this whole thing fascinating, yet sad. These poor people... Not everyone could have Pokemon. No Resistance could fix this.
Wait, didn't she just say Obsidian? As in Synis?
"Obsidian?" I asked.
Her cheeks tinted pink. "Oh, he's my... best friend. He's a Warrior, like I said, and he's in my father's army. He's linked with a Nidorino. He's away right now, stationed in Ignis, which is another kingdom that my father just conquered a few months ago. But he should be coming back soon because the Arceus Festival starts tomorrow. I... I have something to tell him."
Her hand flicked down to touch her stomach. I frowned. There was no way they were just friends, not with these reactions. Something was going on, and I had the feeling it had to do with Jewel and Jet.
"Well, I better find you something decent to wear," she said, removing her hand from her stomach. "Come with me!"
...
"How does it fit?" Topaz Bosco called to me.
There was a little shack in the forest where she kept extra supplies, such as clothing. She lent me a light blue kimono, and instructed me how to put it on, seeing as I had no idea because I had never wore one before. We were around the same size, though I had a larger bust and wider hips than her, so it was good that she wore her kimonos loose. Jeez, I didn't think I grew so much.
The kimono was still a little tight, but it fit. It was practically identical to hers, though I didn't have one underneath to make layers. I kept on my topaz pendent, and tied my belt back around my waist. I was typing my hiking boots when she called.
"Good!" I called back, answering her question.
"Let me see!" she said.
I finished typing my second boot, and then set it down. I tried to stretch it out a little more, especially around my chest, and then left the room. She looked me over, and then had me turn around a couple times. She tapped her chin, thoughtful.
"Hmmm... It will have to do," she said. "I can get you something else back at the castle. Oh, you might want to put your Poke Balls away. People will freak out if they see them."
She then held out a bag to me, and I took it, stuffing in my clothes and Poke Balls.
"You can keep it," she told me. "I've made plenty."
"You made this?" I gasped, my eyes wide.
"Yes," she replied, blushing. "I make all kinds of things. I just finished making a sailcloth for the Arceus Festival, actually. Whoever wins the Battle Tournament gets it, and gets to go with me to the Arceus statue for a ceremony. Then when we get back, there's lots of feasting and partying. You have to stay for it! It's so fun!"
I'd never admit it, but the ceremony made me think of something else. Okay, maybe Rubin was right. I was spending too much time with Goldy, and he was starting to rub off on me.
"I think Celebi wants me to stay for it, anyways," I told her. "What's the ceremony for?"
Her eyes brightened up; I guess she really liked telling me all of this. "Remember when I said the world ended?"
I nodded. "Yeah."
"Well, back during the Apocalypse, there was a girl born who could link with Pokemon, the first person who was ever able to do that. She was descended from Red and Yellow, and had Viridian powers likes no other, who Arceus seemed to favor. But her name was never recorded."
Dear Arceus, what was with my family saving the world? Seriously?
"She led a group of trainers, who we now call the first Warriors, to save mankind and Pokemon... to try to save what of the world they could when it was dying."
And if I remembered correctly, she said the world as we knew it ended in the year six thousand... which wasn't that far away from where I was in the past. That was really freaky.
"The world was only saved when the girl sacrificed herself to save her friends, which then caught Arceus's attention. He then created Ransei. The festival is to thank Arceus for giving us a second chance and to honor the Maiden, as we call her, and her Warriors."
I stayed silent, taking all of this in. It seemed a little farfetched to me. If any of it was true, the story had probably been changed over the thousands of years. But I wasn't about to question their beliefs.
"I represent the Maiden," she added, fingering one of her braids. "The winner of the Tournament represents the Maiden's Hero, the lead Warrior and her lover. He was the strongest out of all the Warriors, so his representative has to prove himself by defeating everyone in battle."
Okay, now I was really thinking like Goldy. Dear Arceus.
"That's cool," I said. "It's nice to have traditions."
"Yes," she agreed, but then gave me a confused look. "How is it cold?"
Oh duh. "Sorry, past slang. I mean that's great."
"Ah," she said, sweatdropping. "Well, we better get to town!"
I followed her out of the shack, and then through the forest. At first, I had no idea what forest we were in, even though this was a totally brand new region. Though according to legend it was created by combining the other regions somehow, so it could possibly be a forest I knew. But this place made me calm, and as we walked through, I began to recognize certain spots. This was what used to be Viridian Forest.
It took us a few minutes to get out of the forest, and then we were walking down between fields full of crops. People were working in the fields. This was so different compared to what I was used to. It was like I had stepped back in time instead of forward.
Soon we were in what appeared to be a market place. Booths were set up everywhere. There was a meat booth, where fattened Tepig hung upside down, along with Pidgey and chunks of Miltank and Sawsbuck. Just seeing that made me sick. Yeah, I ate meat, but we had animals for that back in the past. I guess all the animals died out in the Apocalypse.
"That's why I'm a vegetarian," Topaz Bosco told me, her red eyes full of sorrow. "I can't stand death of any kind. I don't want anyone to get hurt. Ransei is always at constant war because the Warlords struggle for power... I'm sick of it."
I stayed silent as we walked along. I would love to live like that, but my world couldn't afford that mindset. You would die in a heartbeat.
"That's also why I worry about Obsidian a lot," she added, her gaze drifting down to the ground. "I don't want him or Nidorino to get hurt. I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to them, especially Obsidian."
I looked over at her as she looked towards the ground, her expression thoughtful. "I know the feeling."
She looked back up at me, her eyes brightening up. "You do?"
I nodded, smiling faintly. "Yeah. I feel the same way about Ru—my boyfriend. Well, fiance." I lifted my hand to look at the ring on my finger.
She gasped, clutching her hands together. "Ohhh! Congratulations! You're so lucky! Father won't let me marry."
It was my turn to blush. But then I frowned at her last comment. "But you're only, what, sixteen?"
She nodded. "Yes. But most girls are married when they're thirteen. We have to keep the population going because not all babies survive their first years. But my father wants me to stay pure so I can be the Maiden every year for the Arceus Festival."
Whoa. This world—Synis's world—seemed so bizarre to me. These values were so old, but they came back for these people. It was really like I had stepped back in time.
"That's insane," I told her. "Even if the baby morality rate is low."
She shrugged. "It's just how things are here. It's my culture, and it just happens to be the total opposite of yours."
She was right, and to me, it was one crazy culture. But I had to force myself not to judge. Things were different here.
She stayed silent as we walked out of the market place, heading towards a walled gate of sorts. It was white, and then at the top black, the top edge tipped with gold. I followed her through a large, rectangle entrance, which opened up to a courtyard that was bustling with activity. Then she looked up at me, pausing, hesitating about something.
"Can I ask you something?" she finally said as we stopped in front of the entrance to a Zenshuyo style building that matched the colors of the gate.
"Sure," I said, and then remembered she might not know what that meant. "I mean, yes."
She blushed yet again, and glanced down at her feet. "You know what it's like to love someone, right?"
I nodded, a smile forming on my lips as I thought of Rubin. Then I couldn't help but wonder what everyone else was doing without me. Did they miss me? How long would I be here? When could I go home to those I loved?
"This is a bit personal, but... have you ever... known a man?"
Known a—oh. Why in the name of Arceus did this keep on coming up? Where was Topaz Bosco going with this? And why? I swore if I had to answer this question one more freaking time after this I was going to flip.
"No," I said dryly. "I haven't."
"Good," she said, sounding relieved. "Don't be like me." Her hand moved down to her stomach again.
Oh crap. I stayed silent.
"It was never my intention for it to happen," she said quietly, so only I could hear. "Neither was it his. He came back from the kingdom of Fontaine, and I was just so happy to see him safe and sound. We went out to the forest like we always did, but something was different. Before I knew it, we confessed our feelings and it happened..."
Dear Arceus. "Obsidian?" I asked slowly, keeping my voice down as well.
She blushed deeper, and nodded. "Yes..."
"...And now you're pregnant?"
She looked up at me, her red eyes wide with shock. "How... How did you know?"
"Your behavior," I said evenly, crossing my arms over my chest. "It's pretty obvious. Besides, I've been around pregnant women." More like pregnant girls, but whatever.
She sighed, her eyes drooping. "No one knows. I have to keep it a secret. Or Obsidian and I will be killed."
"What?" I gasped, my eyes widening.
"It's the law," she sighed, twirling one of her braids. "If a woman or girl becomes pregnant outside of wedlock, both she and the father of the child are sentenced to death by beheading. They make a big show of it to scare us."
I stared at her, my eyes still wide, my mouth open. That was just horrible. If we lived in this society, a lot of my friends would be dead. And the babies... They were killing the children, too. This was murder.
"That's... That's..." I couldn't even find the words to describe how I felt about this.
"I'm scared," she admitted, clutching her hands together. "That's why I have to tell Obsidian so we can figure out something."
"Tell me what?"
We both jumped, startled, and then whirled around to face the speaker. Raiden tensed on my shoulder, letting out a low growl. I had to bite my tongue to hold back my gasp of surprise. I did not expect Obsidian Synis to look like this; I never imagined I would ever find him attractive.
Obsidian—I couldn't bring myself to call him Synis, the name I associated with my enemy—was as tall as I knew him in the past, and was probably sixteen or seventeen. His hair was straight, shaggy, and kind of messy, the same shade of red as Jewel's. His dark brown eyes were just as sharp, though they looked much younger, warmer, and kinder. He was wearing samurai-like armor the same color as his shiny Nidorino, a deep shade of turquoise, who was by his side.
"What's going on?" he asked, looking to the other girl after staring at me for a moment.
Topaz Bosco looked like she wanted to go to him, and hug him, but she held back, explaining instead. "Celebi brought my ancestor, Topaz Rosso, to meet me for some reason. Topaz, this is Obsidian Synis, my friend I told you about."
Raiden growled again. I couldn't take my eyes off him. This was the same guy that had kidnapped all of us, sent us to the future, and had become the president of a faux republic. Something had to have happened to make him that way. I could not see this boy as the evil dictator I knew.
"Hello," I said, giving a weak wave.
Raiden growled once more, and Obsidian's Nidorino tensed, glaring up at the orange Pikachu.
"Ah, Celebi," he said, nodding. "Well, I'm not surprised. Welcome to the year ten thousand, Topaz Rosso. It's an honor to meet you. Though you seem... different."
"It's a long story," I said; Arceus, now Am was rubbing off of me, too.
He nodded again, and walked closer, up to where we were standing. "Come on, why don't we go inside?"
If he only knew why I was different.
...
Topaz Bosco's father was a rather tall, stout man in his fifties. I got the impression that he was incredibly stern. I also got the impression that he did not like Obsidian's relationship with his daughter, though he did respect him as a Warrior. He was also very respectful to me.
It looked like I would be spending the night in the future. Obsidian stayed for dinner, but then he left to return to his own home. I bed down with Raiden in one of the guest rooms, and was surprised when there was a knock on the door.
"May I come in?" Topaz Bosco called.
"Yes," I answered.
The door opened, and she stepped inside, wearing a loose white nightgown. Her pale hair was still semi-done in braids, untouched. Her Pikachu followed her in. I scooted over to make room for her on the bed, and Raiden grumbled irritably. She walked up and plopped down next to me.
"How do I tell him?" she asked me, pulling up her knees and hugging them. "I can't find the right words..."
I sighed, and brushed my bangs out of my eyes. "Can't you just say it directly?"
She shook her head, and then looked away from me. "It makes me feel like a harlot."
"You're not," I said firmly. "He knows that."
She looked back up at me, her eyes brimming with tears. "Topaz... I'm scared."
And, well... I didn't blame her.
...
June 12, 10000.
I had to dress up for the Arceus Festival. I was given an elaborate set of kimonos that I was to wear layered. The first layer was white, and went all the way to the ground. Each layer was a darker shade of gold, and with a shorter skirt. The final larger was dark gold, with long, flowing sleeves, that ended right above my knees. A orange obi was tied around my waist, with gold designs of Poke Balls on it. Topaz Bosco kept my hair down, but braided some flowers into it.
She had to wear the ceremonial white kimono that went down to her knees, and had a gold obi. She kept her hair the same, and went barefoot. She used the sailcloth as a shawl of shorts. Obsidian continued to wear his armor. I assumed that was his Warrior attire.
"How can you wear these things?" I asked, lifting up my layered skirt slightly. "It restricts movement."
"You only say that because you're from the past," Topaz Bosco said; we were gathered just outside the castle.
"A long skirt is the sign of a lady," Obsidian told me, sounding kind of surprised by my statement. "You should be honored."
I snorted, and crossed my arms over my chest. "Then why is the Maiden's skirt short?"
"She refused to wear long skirts," Topaz Bosco replied. "She said it limited her prowess in battle."
"And she was right," I deadpanned.
Obsidian rolled his eyes. "Come on, we'll be late."
We then headed to the main square in the courtyard, which was crowded with nearly everyone in the kingdom. We only got through because Obsidian led the way with his Nidorino. Raiden probably helped too with his glares. Warlord Bosco was waiting for us, and once we reached him, the festivities could finally begin.
"Welcome, citizens of Aurora!" he bellowed, calling everyone to attention. "For one thousand years, we have celebrated the Arceus Festival! Not only to honor the legendary Pokemon himself and the Maiden, but the Hero who united all of Ransei and brought peace and prosperity to our world, no matter how short lived it was! And this is a special week, for it is the one thousandth time we celebrate! The Maiden, as always, will be represented by my lovely daughter, Topaz! However, as you all know, the Maiden's Hero must be chosen through combat. But first, the great Celebi has brought us a guest! One of the Judgement Heroes, Topaz Rosso!"
The crowd erupted into applause and cheering, which was a bit embarrassing. Not only that, but they were praising me for something I had never done and would never do. It made me wonder if the delayed ripple effect had affected the year five thousand and one. Did I have descendents there, too?
"The namesake of my daughter," he continued once the crowd grew quiet again. "Please give Lady Rosso a warm welcome! Now, let the games begin!"
...
I hated having to sit back and miss the action. But only male Warriors were allowed to participate. Raiden was itching to battle, fidgeting on my lap as I sat with the Boscos to watch the Tournament. Topaz Bosco cheered for Obsidian the whole time, and he was really good. His Nidorino never lost. Not once. It made me wonder...
Did Synis still have his Nidorino? The thing was beast.
"In our world, shiny Pokemon are the elite," Topaz Bosco explained to me when I asked. "They are more powerful, having higher stats than normal Pokemon. That's why no one can beat Nidorino."
I looked down at Raiden. He was powerful because of his maxed out level, and EV training. Otherwise, he was a normal Pikachu. If Synis still had his Nidorino, we were majorly screwed.
"Our shinies aren't like that," I told her, looking over at her. "They're normal."
"Oh?" She looked surprised. "Then what level is Raiden? I sense amazing power from him."
Raiden smirked up at us, and puffed out his chest. I ignored him.
"One hundred," I replied. "But he's had EV training. We worked with Am, and then Grey and Fiori for it. He's not that special."
"Don't say that!" she exclaimed, giving me a shocked look. "He's the son of Pika and Chuchu!"
Suddenly, Raiden growled, digging his claws into my thighs. I looked away to see Obsidian and Nidorino joining us. Topaz Bosco leaped to her feet, and rushed over to the tired looking Pokemon to heal him.
"Just one more round," Obsidian told her. "Then we can get to the good part."
She giggled, patting Nidorino on the head, who smiled up to her. "The food!"
Obsidian laughed, smiling down at her. They looked so happy. But I knew it wouldn't last. Something happened to Topaz Bosco... But what? Would I ever find out?
Did I even want to find out?
...
Obsidian won the Tournament, which wasn't that shocking. He went through the ceremony thing with Topaz Bosco, and then it was time to feast.
I watched them very carefully. I could tell they loved each other. It was so cute to watch, to see them interact with each other. Their love did not require physical displays or signs of affection. They were just happy to be in each others' presence. They were like Rubin and me in the beginning.
Rubin... Oh, I missed him. Was he worried about me? Did he even know I was gone? I longed for his touch now, his embrace. I wanted to go home now even more.
"Topaz! Are you okay?"
I jumped, startled out of my thoughts. Topaz Bosco and Obsidian were looking at me from across the table, concerned looks on their faces. I felt my face flush with embarrassment.
"Sorry," I said Mareepishly. "I was thinking."
She nodded, her expression growing sad. "You want to go home, don't you?"
This girl knew how to read people.
"Yeah," I said, sweatdropping. "All this makes me miss..."
"Your fiance?" she asked.
I nodded, getting embarrassed.
"All right," she said with a sigh, pushing back her chair and standing. "Let's go find Celebi. You should be going back anyway."
...
Topaz Bosco and Obsidian led me through the forest. We stopped at the shack so I could put my original clothes back on. It felt good that I could move freely again, and not feel confined.
"You know, Topaz, if you ever have a daughter, you should name her Jewel," I said as we walked along.
She looked at me, a startled expression on her face. "Jewel? That's a lovely name. What about you?"
I thought for a moment. "I like the name Amber."
"Oh? That's pretty."
Obsidian gave us weird looks. So that meant he didn't know yet still. He would find out eventually; I knew that much. But I sure hoped it was in a good way.
"I like the name Jet for a boy," she added, looking over at me.
"Blaze," I said for my own input. "I also like Copal for a girl."
"Here we are," Obsidian said, clearing his throat to catch our attention. "Call Celebi, Topaz."
The other Topaz nodded, and closed her eyes. Her Pikachu leaped off her shoulder, landing lightly on the ground. We waited and waited, in silence.
"Biii!"
Celebi appeared in a flash of light, letting out a happy cry. She circled each one of us, and poked Raiden on the nose. Then she moved away so we could say goodbyes.
"Topaz, I want you to have this," the other girl said, holding out something in her enclosed hand.
I held out my hand, and she dropped it onto my palm, enclosing my fingers around it. It was cool to the touch, whatever it was. I brought my hand closer, and then opened it. The gift was a charm bracelet made of brown stringer braided together. Each charm was of one of my Pokemon—Raiden, Demeter, Zeus, Neptune, Apollo, and Eris. They looked life-like.
"Oh my Arceus," I breathed, looking back up at her. "Thank you... But I have nothing for you."
"Your gift to me is our friendship," she said, clasping my hands in her own. "You have to visit. Bring your friends! Bring your Pokemon! We'll have so much fun!"
"If you ever need any help in the past, we're here to assist you," Obsidian told me. "You have our support."
"Thank you," I said; he didn't realize how ironic his statement was.
Topaz Bosco pulled me into a tight hug, catching me by surprise. I hugged her back after a moment, while Raiden grumbled from his new perch on top of my head. When she pulled away, her eyes were tearing up.
"Goodbye, Topaz!" she told me.
"Take care," said Obsidian.
"Biiii!"
...
June 12, 5001.
I was falling again.
But this time a fluffy Altaria caught me, set me on the ground gently, and released her trainer on me.
"Topaz!"
The next thing I knew, I was in Rubin's arms, in his embrace, just like I had wanted. I threw my arms around him, hugging him back, so happy to see him after everything I had just experienced. I pressed my face into his chest, taking a deep breath to calm myself. But then he pushed me back, keeping a hold of my shoulders.
"Where were you?" he demanded, sounding angry. "We were all worried sick! What if you got captured by the Government or something?"
"Rubin, relax," I said, sweatdropping. "Celebi took me on a surprise trip, that's all. I'm fine."
His blue eyes grew wide. "To when?"
"The year ten thousand," I replied. "Synis's time. I... met Jewel and Jet's mom."
His expression turned serious. "You can tell everyone later. Right now you need to clean up. I'm sorry, love, but you reek."
I couldn't help but laugh. Some things just didn't change. And that made me feel better.
WOOT, ANOTHER EARLY UPDATE BECAUSE I CAN
So, you now know some things about Synis's past... but not everything.
I freaking love Topaz Bosco. Her character is just beautiful... but tragic.
But yes, Synis was not always crazy. And he didn't always have Split Personality Disorder.
What else... I think that's really it.
SO GUESS WHAT'S NEXT GUYS
EDEN WHICH IS TOPAZ'S BIRTHDAY
AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS
KUMMERN GETS MARRIED
WHICH ALSO MEANS
...There will be a lime at the end.
I'm telling you ahead of time just in case you don't like that kind of thing and don't want to be mentally scarred or something. SO YOU CAN SKIP IT.
You can thank me later.
*cough*
AND WE'VE GOTTEN TO 400 REVIEWS YEAAAAAH. THANKS GUYS YOU'RE ALL SO AWESOME
This is long enough, so...
REVIEW