Chapter Three: Where There's Smoke, There's Fire
"You're leaving on a Pokemon adventure?"
Lyra couldn't help but to feel a little offended by the look of shock on her mom's face. She raised a hand defensively to her cheek. "Well…I'm surprised, too, mom…but yeah. Professor Elm gave me a Pokemon."
She turned over her shoulder, where Cyndaquil had settled into one of the cushions on the couch, her dark green fur contrasting with the pale leather. Her nose pushed at the fabric, sniffing it curiously.
"I can see that…and Lyra, it's adorable, but…" Her mom tilted her head, looking puzzled. "Lyra, I just never thought you would be the kind of girl to be adventuring all around Johto."
Lyra's heart sank. No one did. Try as she might, she couldn't stop the bitter-edged thoughts from seeping through the walls of her mind. You were all too focused on Kris, naturally…
Her mom continued, "I always just thought you would settle down here in New Bark Town with Ethan—"
"Mom!" Lyra slammed a hand over her mouth, mortified.
"No, no, I didn't mean it like that!" her mom blurted. Her eyes darted shiftily to the side. "Well, maybe that would be nice, too…but I meant, you know, just staying here at home like him! A good old New Bark Town girl! Maybe becoming a Pokemon researcher with the professor or a getting involved in business like your dad, and working a simple job at a Poke Mart for your teenage years…you know, like Ethan. Yes, that's what I meant to say." Lyra's mom nodded firmly, setting her hands in her lap.
"Sure, mom, sure." Lyra buried her face in her palm with a sigh. "Of course that's what you meant."
"Hey, don't get all mad at me for thinking of my daughter's future, now," her mom countered defensively, holding up her hands. "Ethan is such a nice boy! He would—"
"Mom! This isn't what we're talking about right now!"
"Okay, okay!" Lyra's mom shook her head and recomposed herself, lowering her voice. "I just never thought of you as the type of girl to be hiking all over Johto, you know, challenging Gyms or trying to become Champion or anything like that…"
"And why not?" Lyra retorted.
Her mother faltered, biting her lip, as a shadow of guilt flickered momentarily across her face. "I—I don't know, honey, I just never thought so…you were always so different from Kris, and she—"
Lyra coughed softly. "Why does that matter?" she interrupted, her voice low. Why does everyone expect me to have to have the same personality as Kris to succeed…?
"I-it doesn't, dear, you're right…"
Her mother gazed up with caring eyes at her daughter now, brown eyes that mirrored hers, and took her hands in her own. "Please don't get me wrong, sweetheart. I'm very happy for you. I'm very happy that Professor Elm chose you for the task of taking care of his Egg and gave you a Pokemon." She paused, licking her lips nervously. "It's just…do you really think you're ready for this journey?"
Lyra nodded without a moment's hesitation. "Mom, listen…I've been dreaming of it all my life."
But only Ethan ever knew it. Only he bothered to notice…
"Well…okay, honey," her mom murmured now, blinking her liquid eyes. "If this is your dream, what kind of mother would I be to stop you from pursuing it?" A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"…Thanks, mom." Lyra leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her mother. "This means a lot to me."
"I can tell. Just make sure you call your dad about it, okay, sweetheart?"
"I will."
Lyra's father left her with his usual cheerful sentiments when she rang him up on the Pokegear after her mother proudly handed the pink device her. It glistened, fresh from the repair shop and completely fixed since the last time Ethan had stepped on it.
"That's my girl!" he had exclaimed in his hearty voice when she dialed his number. "You can do it!"
Lyra smiled and rolled her eyes, grateful that for once the four-letter K-word hadn't come up at the mention of Gyms and Champions. Her father hadn't been around in a while; he probably barely even remembered her old friend.
"Thanks, dad. Hey, how's Sinnoh, by the way?"
"Beautiful," he had answered. "Colder than Johto, yes, but I'm loving the snow. An unusual sight around our parts." Lyra nodded, though he couldn't see her. "I just got out of a meeting with the Gym leaders earlier today, honey."
"Gym leaders?"
"Yep. Mostly Roark. The business around the Oreburgh mine is booming recently. That's what I'm here for, honey."
"I know, dad."
"Hey, Ly, you should pop by and challenge these guys after you become Champion of Johto," her dad quipped. "I'm sure you'll be more than enough to handle them. None of them looked nearly as tough as my little Lyra, that's for sure."
"Dad, stop it!" Lyra laughed, embarrassed. "Besides, I wouldn't bet on becoming Champion—that's aiming a little high, don't you think?"
"Pffft," her dad scoffed. "If anyone can do it, my Lyra can."
Lyra smiled. It was nice to hear those words.
"Well, I'm sorry, but I gotta run, honey," he said. "Another meeting at three. It was great hearing your voice, though. I'm so glad to hear about your new Pokemon, Lyra! Good luck on your journey; make sure you call up your old man from time to time, and check in with your mom! Go kick some butt out there!"
"I'll try. Thanks, dad!"
"Love you, honey."
"Love you too!" Click.
Grinning, Lyra tucked the Pokegear into her yellow bag and stood up to face her mom. She had never thought she would have a chance to say those words, but—"Mom, I think I'm ready to go."
-.-.-
Before she immediately raced out the door to begin her adventure—which Lyra was very tempted to do—her mother insisted that she sit down at the table and eat a last hearty lunch. She even set aside a bowl of food for Cyndaquil, who sat tensely beside Lyra, picking at the mound of spaghetti, before running off to busy herself preparing things for her daughter in the living room as Lyra and her Pokemon ate in silence.
"Hey, er…do you not like spaghetti?" Lyra asked her Pokemon tentatively after a few minutes, her fork hovering in midair.
Cyndaquil froze, examining her trainer with squinted eyes. Finally, after a moment, she wrinkled her nose. "Cynda-cynda quil quil, quil Cynda Cyndaquil," she explained, pushing at the tablecloth with her snout.
Lyra studied her Pokemon carefully, trying to read her tiny expressions. "So you don't like it?"
"Cynda!" Cyndaquil shook her head indignantly and fidgeted in her seat. That wasn't it.
Lyra furrowed her brow. Another task to add to a trainer's checklist: deciphering her Pokemon's emotions and meanings.
"Hmm…let's see…" She stroked her chin. "You like spaghetti, but…you don't feel comfortable enough to eat it with me?" she guessed.
"Queel…" Embarrassed, Cyndaquil turned away, tucking her snout into her shoulder.
Second try. Not bad.
"Hey, it's okay." Lyra set her fork down on her plate and leaned toward her Pokemon. "You don't have to be embarrassed about it. Friendship, uh, friendship doesn't just build over an hour, I know that," she offered. "I understand. It's harder than that. I have my own trust issues, too, so I get what it's like. Um…" Lyra coughed, realizing that she was starting to ramble. "And I…um…never mind."
She felt a nudge at her side. "Cynda?"
Cyndaquil had climbed over her chair to perch at its edge, stretching her nose toward Lyra and lifting her small legs. The girl stopped, surprised. Had her awkward little speech really managed to move her Pokemon?
Or maybe she just had sauce on her overalls. Lyra sighed and turned back to her meal, picking up her fork again as Cyndaquil carefully licked at the small red patch on the denim. At least her Pokemon wasn't afraid to go near her anymore. It was an improvement…
I thought trainers and their Pokemon just…bonded, she admitted to herself as she lifted a forkful of spaghetti into her mouth. Like… She hated herself for the thought. Like Kris's did. Look at that Chikorita and how happy it was…those big crimson eyes, staring up at Kris…it even jumped all over Ethan…
Lyra stopped.
Ethan. That was it!
Ethan had his own Pokemon. He had had Marill for—what was it—nearly six years now? Six years. Six years was a very long time. They had been so young when he had come home that night with his new Pokemon, and with her marshmallow hat in his bag. She fingered the red bow around its rim, now. She had hardly taken it off since…
She shrugged the thought off, refocusing herself. In any case, Ethan was sure to know what to do. He and Marill were so close; she always saw the aqua mouse bouncing after him.
Shoving the last few bundles of pasta into her mouth, she gestured at Cyndaquil. "Come on, Cyndaquil. We're going to go find a friend."
"Cynda?" Cyndaquil's eyes flicked upward in surprise, finding her bowl pushed away from her. She wrinkled her nose. What was going on with her trainer? As Lyra rose, she quickly leaped off the chair after her trainer, not wanting to fall behind.
She stumbled after the brunette as she swept out of the room and nearly ran straight into her mom. Lyra's mom was ready, standing at the doorway with Lyra's yellow bag clutched in her hand. She blinked took a step back in surprise as the girl didn't even stop on her way to the door.
"But honey—where are you going—?"
"I'll be right back, mom! Promise! I'm just going to find Ethan!" Lyra called over her shoulder.
Gazing after her daughter's back, Lyra's mother blinked and set her bag on the couch. She patted down the creases in her apron and smiled secretly to herself. Lyra would discover in time what she meant.
It will be her hardest goodbye, that's for sure.
-.-.-
Lyra found Ethan perched on an Apricorn tree near the entrance of the woods by his house, the sunlight filtering through the branches and casting a golden halo on his dark hair. Marill was scampering across the branches, sniffing at the Apricorns and occasionally picking one off the tree when it pleased her and carrying it back to her trainer, who took the Apricorn from her grip and grinned his mild grin. Patting her congratulatorily on her round head, Ethan praised her as Marill chirped in happiness.
A smile tugged at the corners of Lyra's mouth as she watched them, the aquamarine blue of Marill's skin bright against Ethan's red hoodie. Pacing toward the tree, she turned toward Cyndaquil.
"This is my best friend, Ethan," she explained as they walked. She tugged at the bottoms of her shorts. "You'll like him…he's nice."
Cyndaquil let out the tiniest of trills of acknowledgement and buried her nose in the scent of grass. She still wasn't sure what she thought of her trainer…small, quiet, pigtailed, with a spring in her gait and always that cheery, dreamy smile plastered across her face. What was the girl thinking? The fire mouse sighed to herself. She simply couldn't figure her out.
Lyra grinned, oblivious to her Pokemon's thoughts. She could hardly wait to see the look on Ethan's face…
"Hey, Ly—" He greeted her with a lazy grin and slight wave of his hand as he noticed her. As his eyes settled on the Pokemon that walked beside her, he froze.
"Lyra—is that…?" Slowly, his mouth spread into a wide grin as he lowered his hand. "Mew, Lyra…what exactly happened to you this morning?"
At the look on her friend's face, Lyra couldn't help but to giggle as Ethan slid down the tree and closed the distance between them in a few quick strides. He bent over to examine her Cyndaquil.
"No way!" he exclaimed. "You went and got a starter from Professor Elm?" He beheld her with shining eyes. "Lyra—this is incredible! But…how did it happen? I didn't know you were getting a Pokemon…you didn't tell me?" He frowned in mock accusation.
"Hey, I didn't, either." Lyra quickly filled him on on the details of the afternoon; her mother calling her from the river, Elm giving her the task of raising the Egg, and finally, her meeting with Cyndaquil. Ethan's eyes glimmered with excitement as he listened.
"Wow, that's awesome, Ly!" He clapped her on the shoulder. "A Mystery Egg…Mew, Elm actually trusts you with that stuff!"
A momentary shadow of hurt seemed to flicker through his eyes, and Lyra felt a stab of guilt as she remembered that Elm had chosen her over Ethan for the task. Strangely enough, the professor had passed over his usual helper for a random girl in town who, before then, had never received any special attention from anyone. It was rather bizarre now that Lyra thought of it, actually.
She had a sudden urge to wrap her arms around her best friend in a soothing hug, smoothing away his worries. You're much more of a trainer than I ever will be, Ethan…
However, the feeling and the shadow in his eyes quickly cleared, leaving behind a funny twisting sensation in her stomach and the golden spark of his usual cheer. "Now we both have Pokemon!" he exclaimed.
Emerging from the canopy of leaves with a loud rustle, Marill hopped off the branch after her trainer, eyes curious as she beheld the Cyndaquil crouching timidly in the grass before her.
"Marill?" she whispered, taking a step forward.
"Cyndaquil!" Cyndaquil lashed out, drawing back and glaring at her with beady eyes.
Lyra turned toward her shy Pokemon, remembering the reason she had come in the first place. "Cyndaquil, she only wants to play."
"Quil…" Cyndaquil relaxed, but her eyes were still wary as Marill approached her, the water mouse's mouth open in a small O of surprise.
"Marill mare?"
"Cynda quil quil quil."
"Marill!" Marill jumped, waving her stubby arms excitedly. "Marill Marill!"
"Quil…"
As Lyra and Ethan watched, the reluctant Cyndaquil raised herself to her feet and took a few small steps forward to sit next to Marill. The blue Pokemon bounced excitedly on her tail.
"Marill makes friends so easily," Ethan laughed. He chewed his lip thoughtfully. "I wonder what they were talking about."
Lyra wrung her hands uncomfortably behind her back, trying to breach the topic. "Hey, Ethan…I was wondering…" Her friend turned. Well, it was now or never. "How long did it take for Marill to…you know…" She paused, searching for the right words. Trust you? Be your friend? "Bond with you?"
Ethan turned back to her, a flicker of recognition in her eyes. "Ahh. I dunno…" He tucked his hands into the pockets of his black knee-pants. "We kind of became friends from the start. Marill was always really friendly to me. You know, letting me carry her right from the get-go." He shrugged. "She's a pretty outgoing Pokemon."
"I can tell." Lyra nodded. Secretly, her heart sank a few millimeters. "But…" She swallowed. "Cyndaquil…I mean, Kris…when she…you know…" Her ability to form coherent sentences seemed to have left her. Ethan gazed at her expectantly, patiently, waiting for her to go on.
It's probably nothing, she told herself irritably. Just your stupid insecurities again.
"I just thought, you know…when Kris got her starter…Chikorita seemed really happy to be with her right away," Lyra blurted quickly. "But Cyndaquil is so—well, you can see." She swallowed. "She doesn't seem to want to be…friends…" She averted her eyes, staring at the two Pokemon who were sitting side-by-side in somewhat mutual silence, Cyndaquil's stubborn, Marill's resigned. "Not anytime soon…maybe with Marill, but…"
"Not with you?" Ethan finished gently.
Lyra nodded slightly without meeting his eyes, biting her lip.
"Hey." Ethan slung his arm around her shoulders, and she flinched in surprise at the touch of his warm skin and his warm red hoodie. It was a gesture he hadn't shown her since they had been at most nine or ten, since before Kris left, and she was hardly used to the sensation anymore. "Lyra. First of all. Your Pokemon is a tough cookie. That's good. You want a Pokemon like that. Marill—she's not like that. She's not a battling Pokemon."
He paused, and she waited for him to continue, still adjusting to the feeling of his weight around her shoulders. It made her skin tingle oddly.
I'm not a touchy-feely person, she mused.
"But moreover," Ethan continued, "how long have you known your Pokemon? An hour?" He snorted, the lock of hair over his face flying up in response. "That's nothing. You have a whole journey ahead of you. You'll be lifelong buddies, probably. Best friends. You've got so much time to get to know each other. There's no rush." He grinned a crooked grin at her as she peered at him out of the corner of her eye. "Marill and I may have gotten along at first, but we've gotten so much closer over the years. That'll happen to you, too."
He let out his breath and lowered his arm from her shoulders. Lyra turned in surprise at the sudden loss of warmth. Ethan crossed his arms and kicked at the grass before he spoke.
"Lyra, I know you. I know you like everything to be all nice and friendly at first glance. I know it bothers you when it's not." He let out his breath. "That's why this bothers you, but—don't. Don't let it bother you. You'll be friends in no time at all. Who wouldn't be friends with you?" He grinned jokingly, punching her shoulder.
Lyra rolled her eyes inwardly. Only her best friend, boyish and happy as he was, could get away with these things around her. Only Ethan.
She opened her mouth, unable to stop the urgent question from escaping, like a molten wave of lava that burned at her insides. "But Kris—"
"Kris had a grass type, Lyra," Ethan interrupted with a smirk. "You know, the type that people call the easiest to train?" He rolled his eyes. "You have a tough fire type, my friend. Of course it's going to be different."
Of course! Lyra chided herself for not remembering her basic types as she was drenched in a wave of relief. Of course it would be. Why hadn't she thought of it? Chikorita were sweet, docile, friendly by nature. Cyndaquil—and most fire types—though shy, burned with an inner strength that could be hard to tame at first.
"And—look," Ethan was saying, shaking his head swiftly, as if he knew what else was behind her words. "Look. Don't let Kris get to you. I don't want to hear you ever saying that you're not as good as her, y'hear, Ly? It doesn't matter what the TV says about how far she got in the Elite Four, it doesn't matter how many badges she has or how many freaking regions she's been to. I-it doesn't even matter how pretty she is."
Lyra turned in surprise, her breath catching as she noticed Ethan's cheeks tinged a faint pink, his feet scuffling at the ground, as if kicking up dirt to cover up what had most definitely been a slip of the tongue. Most definitely something he hadn't meant to say.
Oh, Mew. She bit the inside of her cheek, turning away in embarrassment.
"What I'm trying to say is—it doesn't matter, Lyra," he uttered quickly. "You'll always be…well, you'll always be my friend. You'll always be the coolest." He punched her again, smiling, the red gone from his cheeks.
"Er…thanks, Ethan." Lyra nodded, truly grateful.
A cool, uncomfortable hollowness had settled over her chest; something, somewhere, felt off. Somehow, she found herself unable to say anything more to let him know exactly how much his words had meant to her.
She shook her head in irritation at herself. It didn't make sense. Her friend had just outdone himself in what had probably been the greatest feat of cheering her up in all their fourteen years—and here she was, sulking and complaining…
You're delusional, Lyra.
Ethan's voice, softer, more solemn, jolted her out of her thoughts. He regarded her with his golden eyes, a gleam of finality within them, his head tilted slightly.
"Now that you have Cyndaquil, though…it means you're leaving, doesn't it?"
"Yeah." Lyra nodded.
Ethan smiled gently. "That's terrific. Just like you always wanted, Ly."
Only you, Ethan.
Their eyes locked with an unspoken recognition of the years they had spent together as best friends, the years Ethan knew Lyra had waited, and of all the things he and no one else had known about her. She smiled, remembering.
There wasn't much she could say in the moment to commemorate the occasion—she could only reach out and wrap her arms around Ethan's shoulders in a quick hug, hopefully communicating all the things she couldn't put words to through the gesture. He returned the hug, and she felt the warmth settle over her shoulders again, felt the brush of his hair against her cheek. Ethan smelled kind of nice, Lyra realized, a little like like soft, leafy cotton.
"You should come visit," Ethan teased as they broke apart. "When you're not busy kicking trainers' and Gym leaders' asses, that is." He winked. "I don't expect anything less from ya."
"Ha, I hope so," Lyra chuckled, and this time it was she who lifted her hand to punch him. "I'll miss you, Ethan."
"You too, Ly."
"I'll Fly by to see you when I can, I promise."
"I'll be looking forward to it!"
With one last glance over her shoulder and a wave, Lyra began the trek back toward her house. Cyndaquil shook herself off, clearing the dewdrops from her fur, her steps springing against the grass as she followed after her trainer. The sunlight was glinting off his hair again as Ethan waved back, smiling, and in the shade of the trees she saw the round form of Marill bouncing up and down and waving as well.
Now there's only mom, Lyra thought to herself, swiveling back forward.
Quickening her step, she tried not to remember the look in Ethan's eyes, or the pink in his cheeks, or the faintly sweet scent of his jacket...
Lyra broke into a jog. She didn't want to turn back.