"I just know this'll be your best birthday ever!" I combed my hair excitedly, jumping up and down slightly on the mattresses. Melani laughed and sat next to Teal, hanging an arm around her. It felt like a happy day, one of my best friend is turning a year older, but strangely, there was a cloud of darkness and depression. I shrugged it off, my instinctual guts probably weren't in track today. Or you know, something like that.
"I'm going to go freshen up in the bathroom, kay?" Melani gave us a salute before exiting. A beep rang through the small room. I fixed my eyes on Melani's phone. "Shh.." I gave a devious smirk to Teal as she stared blankly at me. I flipped open the side view, ready to text back a ridiculous comment.
"Hey, long time no chat! Coming to Kanto, ready to take you home! We're so traveling together now. Be there soon! Xoxo, Auburn."
"Well?" Teal asked. "Um.." I dropped the phone and sat down on the nonexistent chair. "She's.. leaving." Teal raised an eyebrow, "Leaving? C'mon, you probably misread it." Teal walked over and nonchalantly picked up the abandoned phone. I heard her mutter the murderous words again. "She's..leaving. You..were right?" Teal shook her head in disbelief.
As if on cue, Melani walked out with that fake smile of hers. "So, uh. Where are we going?" I immediately walked up to her, "You're leaving?" My eyes began to swell with tears. Melani slightly opened her mouth in surprise. I was holding her phone in my hand, shaking it in her face. "H-How'd you guys.. I'm.. I'm so sorry." Melani held a steady expression, robotically hugging me. "My friend..she's coming for me. I.. wanted to tell you. But the timing went horribly wrong! It is Teal's birthday, I.. don't know what to say." I whipped out my own phone, texting Melani with a simple "Hello."
"Text me everyday..promise me." Teal rose from the bed, "Me too. Promise us." We both looked solemnly at her, sadness rimming our eyes. "I will. Promise." Melani hugged us both again, this time with more emotion. "She'll be here soon. I-I already..packed." She took her small bag and sat on her bunkbed. "Okay." Teal said blankly. We all resorted to just sitting in a mournful manner, occasionally glancing at each other with our tearful eyes.
This just had to be a joke.
Melani was the first to register the sound of the door opening. "Hey, Melani!" A girl with auburn hair walked through the door. "So these are Garnet and Teal?" She smirked slightly at us, "Well, I'm sorry to take her apart from you guys, but you can still communicate, y'know. But, for now, she's mine." She said in a slightly playful manner. I sighed and stood up. "Um, hi. Nice to meet you." I shook her hand briefly before sitting back down. "Teal." Teal repeated the same social manner as me. Silence filled the room once again, except this time, it was just horribly too awkward.
"You guys can uh, walk me out. Text, email, call, and send pictures to you every day." Melani stated her daily chores for the next…well. Ever. Teal nodded, linking arms with me and Melani. Reaching outside and walking to the harbor went by too fast. Way too fast. The smell of the dirty salty water filled my nostrils, and the realization came to me. I'm losing her forever.
I flung my arms toward her, throwing myself to her unexpecting body. "This had to happen on my birthday?" She remarked with a playful grin. "Bye.. You guys take care. I'll watch you guys on TV when you make it to the Indigo League." I saw the two bodies disappear into the ship, sailing across.
My throat hitched again as I cried some remaining tears. My brain searched through itself for memories of Melani and me. Slightly transparent and vague images flashbacked through my mind, which only brought more tears upon myself. I felt some stray tears dry up, adding more tension to my already stiff face. I hiccupped again, wiping my cheeks on my wet knees.
"Garnet, I know you're upset.. but it's her friend that came. Her friend that she's known since she was a child." Teal paused, "I'm upset too. I really am, I mean, after our departure and the Persians.. this wasn't really how I wanted this to end. We still have each other, and we both have Melani's phone number! She's going to be happier." Teal patted my back, a few tears welling up in her own eyes.
I loosened my grasp on my knees, unwinding my hands slightly from my fetal position. "Happier? I just… I'll just miss her so much." The tears came streaming down my face faster than ever, the salty water curving around my lips. I licked my lips and hugged my friend. The breathing hitched occasionally in my chest. I forced myself to swallow the lump that formed in my throat, "I guess I'll just.. text her every time I can. Or something'.."
Teal's face turned upward in a small smile. "I bet she misses us too, I guess. C'mon. Let's get up." I looked up at her with my wet eyes. Using my hands to push myself upwards, I stumbled as my wobbly ankles pushed the heels of my shoes down. I felt Teal's hands rest upon my shoulders, giving me support and holding me back up. "L-let's go train." I walked slowly to the forest, unleashing all my Pokemon. Pikachu and Ivysaur immediately went up to me. Pikachu jumped to my shoulder, rubbing his cheek against mine, while Ivysaur comforted me, nuzzling into my feet. "Guys, let's go train." I said in a hoarse whisper. I shook off my Pokemon, walking at a slightly brisk pace to the forest. I saw Teal run towards me, unleashing her Pokemon.
"Alright. Um, Pikachu, uh. Use, Bolt Tackle." I said lazily. "Pika?" It crept towards me with a worried expression on its face. "Oh-hi!" What…? My Pikachu talked? "H-lo?" I felt a finger prod at my cheek. I slapped it away, "Huwah!" "I'm Aubrey!" I scanned her. She had auburn hair tied in a loose braid over her right shoulder, and hazel-ish eyes. Teal interrupted my process while casually observing her. "Up for a battle?" A scowl wrote itself across Teal's face, ruining her previous happy wear.
"Up for a battle?" I fumed, glaring at the girl with red-brown hair. Just like that jerk Auburn. I thought angrily. She let out a wide smile-completely different from my angry expression.
"Sure!" Aubrey accepted, and brought out a Pokéball. "Go, Viola!" she yelled, and in a beam of red light, a small Vulpix appeared with a quick "Pix!" This should be easy! I thought as I through Corsola's Pokéball.
"Corsola, let's take down this Vulpix!" I called as the small pink Pokémon appeared.
"Sola?" she cried timidly, looking around. Her large round eyes soon met Viola's, and immediately, she clumsily rolled over to the Fox Pokémon. "Corsola!" she cried happily. I slapped my hand against my face, slowly dragging it down. This is even worse than Sandshrew at Cerulean City.
"Viola, Ember!" Aubrey called. Viola pulled away from Corsola, and opened her mouth, releasing bursts of flame. Corsola let out another shriek, and jumped away from Viola, her face full of fear. I bit my lip impatiently. "Corsola! Bubble Beam, now!" I ordered, my voice hard. Corsola opened her small mouth, and stream of bubbles quickly made their way to Viola. "Viola!" the girl called as her Vulpix was hit with the attack. The fire-type Pokémon fell to ground with a shriek. Yes! I thought as the girl raised her Pokéball to recall her fainted Pokémon.
"Yes!" I shouted in victory. I made my way over to the green-eyed girl, who handed me a small amount of cash. I took it gladly, and stuffed it into my pocket. Smiling, I walked back over to Garnet, who was watching Aubrey. Corsola clumsily ran alongside me, struggling to keep up with me.
"Nice job." Garnet said, her voice slightly shaking. She's still sad about Melani. I thought with a silent sigh. It hit me with a jolt; I was never going to see Melani again. Guess I never really thought about it…I blinked back tears, my fists clenched. If only that idiot Auburn never came here! Melani would still be here! We could've been challenging the gym by now! I clenched my jaw and crossed my arms. If Melani were really my friend she would've stayed. My thoughts bounced around in my head. But she's known Auburn for years…I imagined Melani and Auburn as young kids laughing and playing with each other, and let out a bittersweet smile as I remembered my days when I lived in Cerulean City.
"Hey, Teal! Look what I found!" a petite girl with light brown hair called to me, waving around a small object. "Coming!" I yelled, and ran clumsily towards my friend. She threw the object at me, and it flew over my head. I looked up, the bright afternoon sun beaming onto my face. I squinted, and looked down, rubbing my eyes, before opening them up again and picking up the bright blue item.
"What is it?" I called, running back to her.
"I don't know." She shrugged. It was a glimmering aqua-colored gem-like thing that shone in the bright sunlight.
"Kaelyn, I think it might be Misty's!" I announced. Kaelyn tilted her head.
"What makes you think that?" she asked.
"Well, it's blue! Misty uses water-type Pokémon! Water, blue! Makes sense, right?" I explained happily. Kaelyn giggled, and started running.
"Let's go give it to Misty!" she called, sprinting away. I ran after her, my much shorter legs struggling to keep up.
"Teal!" a voice cut into my thoughts like a knife. I jerked my head up, looking around.
"What?" I asked, confused. Spotting Garnet and Aubrey, I walked over to them. Garnet rolled her bright green eyes, and faced towards Aubrey.
"Anyways, Aubrey, do you want to travel with us?" she asked. I raised my eyebrows, and my jaw dropped open.
"What?" I shrieked in disbelief.
I locked eyes with the gangly redhead, staring into her emerald gaze with disbelief.
"Travel with you . . ?" I repeated. To this day I can't think why she would feel that Teal would be okay with such an arrangement, for when I turned to her, she was red in the face, burning with contempt. I shook my head, hastily exclaiming, "N-no!" The red-haired girl tipped her head to the side, twirling a lock of hair around her index finger.
"Awww, why not?" In answer, I nodded in Teal's direction, bringing up my hand to point at the fuming girl to which she seemed oblivious.
"Pssshawww." she responded, dismissing Teal's dislike for me with a simple wave of her hand.
"She's just sad because our former traveling partner, Melani, left to travel with Auburn."
"Aub-who?" I asked, but my response was lost in a sea of words as she babbled on. "Yeah! Funny thing, she kinda looked like you. Well, not really, I mean, you both have red-brown hair but that's pretty much it. Still. And your names, too! Auburn and Aubrey. Funny, huh? My name's Garnet, by the way. But you should've seen Teal. She was so upset when Melani left! And I guess that's why-" but before the talkative girl could finish, Teal broke in. Flustered and outraged, she snapped at Garnet, "I did not! You're the one who curled up in a ball and cried for a day! And so what if I battled her because she's a lot like Auburn? Would you rather that I take out my anger on you?" Garnet smirked.
"Like you're doing now?"
"Oh, be quiet! I've got reasons! Besides, you could at least talk it over with me before you just jump up and invite her." I stood and watched the two bickering. I sauntered over to where my injured Vulpix lay, beaming her back up inside the Pokeball. I'd forgotten to, caught up in "conversation" with the two.
"Don't worry", I mumbled. "We'll take you over to the Pokemon Center and get you healed up in no time." When I turned my attention back towards the pair of girls, Teal seemed calmer, and Garnet was the same smiling girl she had been all the way through.
"I don't know, still . . . you saw the way she battled! She sent out a Vulpix against Corsola. That's the worst choice she could've made! And she looks twelve, she must have been training for some time by now . . ." At this, I blushed with embarrassment, and hoped they wouldn't notice. Their eyes weren't on me anyways.
"Yeah, but she can get better. And she doesn't have to be good to travel with us . . . she sounds nice. I'm not very good, either! But you still travel with me." I was getting impatient, and besides, I needed to heal Viola. I told her I wouldn't keep her waiting too long. So I tip-toed up behind Garnet, and gave her a light tap on the shoulder.
"If you two aren't too busy arguing about me . . . maybe I should get a say in whether or not I want to travel with you in the first place, even if you do like me?" I reasoned, gesturing towards Teal on the last bit. Garnet's face grew red, and Teal smirked. Garnet carefully replied, "Well . . . I assumed I should work it out with my traveling partner first . . ." Teal laughed, saying, "I guess we got a little bit caught up in the moment. Say, does your Vulpix need to be healed? There's a Pokemon Center nearby." I sighed with relief, exclaiming, "Gosh, yes! Let's head over right now." Teal nodded.
"My Corsola could use a bit of healing too." The sun was setting, and twilight was upon us, anyways. I guess we would get a room in the Pokemon Center. We arrived within ten minutes, it was only a quick walk to the Center. As we entered, we were greeted by Nurse Joy. Or one of them. I had never liked those things, pleasant looking as they may be. They reminded me of robots, and I had a suspicion that that's what they were, all near identical with the same facial features and tightly done up pink hair. Still, I didn't dare voice such rude opinions. I handed Nurse Joy my Pokeball, smiling all the while. Teal did the same.
"Would you three like a room?" she inquired. Teal nodded in answer, replying, "Yeah, thanks. Will we have to share with anyone?" The nurse shook her head. "I don't think so. There's already three of you. Now, you can have room sixteen. Off you go!" We made our way through the halls to the room, small and pleasant, with bunk beds, as usual. "I call the top!" Garnet shrieked as we entered.
"Dibs on the other one!" I exclaimed cheerfully, swinging up on the bunk and dropping my bag on the floor from the top. It would be good to finally get some