Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.
Love ya.
Enjoy.
—Home of Mister the Honey Seller—
He regained consciousness first.
"Ugh…" Volkner groaned as he slid a hand across his throbbing forehead. Forcing himself into a better sitting position, he spied the minute hand on the clock and noticed the hand had barely moved. "Ten minutes." He murmured, before sighing and he leaning his head back against the couch, only to find the back of his head resting against Hilda's hip.
He wondered what would happen after she woke up.
"Nothing good." He muttered.
Of all the things that could've happened with the tea it had to involve a nightmare that hadn't bothered him for ten years. He reluctantly recalled the monster's last words.
If you let her in any more than this… you will consume her body and soul.
His chest tightened as the words echoed in his head. No matter how much he wished they weren't true, there was still that terrible feeling in his chest that refused to go away. Maybe the nightmare was right. Maybe the longer Hilda was exposed to his dreams, the more likely she could get hurt. Maybe it would be better for both of them if he just-
"And would it actually make things better?"
Startled, he turned to meet Hilda's angry gaze. He had to blink twice. Her eyes were profoundly sharp and clear.
Hilda was awake.
"You can see…" He whispered, his fingers grazing her cheek as he reached up to touch the area of skin around her eyes. "Looks like the tea worked after all." He didn't care that a small tremor traveled up his arm from the contact.
The anger in her eyes faded as she felt his sincerity from the touch. She was also a little pleased.
That reason alone made Volkner break eye contact and lower his hand. "I keep forgetting about that."
"So you say." She teased.
The sound of padding feet interrupted Volkner in the middle of his chuckle and he stood up.
"Oh!" The honey seller nearly dropped the two wet towels in his hands. "You're both awake! I was expecting you two to be out for at least an hour! But I can see the tea worked like miracle."
Volkner extended a hand. "Thank you. You've given us more than we could ask for. It's been a pleasure."
Evidently pleased that he was paying proper respect, the honey seller took his hand and shook it. "You must be wondering why I invited you into my house and it's not just because you're our 8th gym leader just so you know."
Volkner raised both eyebrows and the honey seller laughed before he went on to explain.
"Just this week, a girl from the flower shop was coming by to pick up some honey when she told me something very interesting. She said she wasn't sure but something unusual was going to happen in the next few days and that I was to be ready to help out when the time came. I think she was referring to this, but…"
"She's probably the one," Hilda caught Volkner's eye. "You know, the girl who wants us to take her to the next city over."
"Oh, so you know Sarah! She's been talking about visiting for a few weeks now. So she hasn't gone yet?" The honey seller looked both of them up and down. "You know what? That girl's always been a sharp one. Did you know she comes to buy honey whenever I pick up a fresh batch? Now that's what I call good intuition." He went on to discuss how people these days really didn't have good intuition anymore.
While he rambled, Hilda started looking around for her hat.
By the entrance. Volkner told her. I see it from here.
Hilda stopped searching and peeked over the honey seller's shoulder at the doorway.
Thinking her impatient, the honey seller exclaimed. "Oh, where are my manners, Sarah must be waiting for you!" He immediately set his towels down and ushered them to the door.
"Thank you for everything, Mister." Hilda said with genuine gratefulness. "You saved us a lot of trouble."
"Don't mention it." The honey seller replied bashfully before he bid them goodbye, shooed them out of the doorway, and waved to them until they were completely out of sight.
—Route 204, The Third Wheel—
Sometimes, even Sarah questioned her visions.
"Hey…" Grass caught her laces and she stumbled. "Hey!" A mosquito landed on her head and she slapped at it, hitting herself on the head. "HEY!" But the two figures in the distance were rapidly leaving her behind. She was going to lose sight of them soon. So she yelled out as loud as she could, "WAIT!"
For a second there, Sarah thought they might've slowed down. However, it was a trick of the light and suddenly they were even further away than before.
Sighing, Sarah hiked her sizable backpack higher up her shoulders and muttered. "If only this backpack wasn't so heavy."
— —
She wasn't sure when she first started referring to Volkner and his new partner as 'they'. Perhaps it was the way they walked in sync or for all she knew the way they seemed to be having a conversation with their eyes. Sarah couldn't put her finger on it.
Nevertheless, they finally slowed down for her.
Sarah wasted no time and jogged the last twenty meters to catch up. Once she reached them, however, she saw that she wasn't the reason they slowed down.
Two little girls were standing in the middle of the road, a pair of pokeballs peeking out from their pockets.
Sarah wanted to groan. She'd forgotten about these brats.
"Hi! We're twins Liv and Liz and we want to have a double battle with you!"
Everything about them was identical, from their short, brown ponytails down to their matching sunflower dresses. The last time Sarah met them, they'd been wearing butterflies.
"Go, Pachirisu!" Two voices called out in rehearsed harmony as two EleSquirrels appeared in the grass.
Sarah wanted to clap a hand to her forehead. She had to say something! If she didn't, the girls would be inexorably destroyed!
"We don't have time-" she thought she heard Volkner say.
But Hilda cut in with a mischievous look. "We'll have a quick one. Let's go, Musharna!" There was a small pop as her Pokémon appeared.
How could she describe it? Something resembling a flowery purple ball was hovering in the air before her and Sarah could do nothing but stare at its voluminous shape.
Disapproval crossed Volkner's face, but he pulled out his own Poke ball without a word.
"Jolteon!" The Lightning Pokémon growled bad-temperedly as he landed smoothly on to the grass.
Fascinated by the intriguing Pokémon, Liz hesitated to start the battle. Seeing her sister's uncertainty, Liv took the initiative. "Quick attack, Penny!"
Penny dashed headlong into Musharna. However, the Drowsing Pokémon was so large in comparison to the Pachirisu that the squirrel bounced back, dazed.
"Hypnosis." Hilda finished Liv's sentence.
Penny instantly dropped to the ground and the other Pachirisu hissed, crackling his fur in anger at Musharna.
"Spark, Patric!" Liz cried and Patric charged his opponent.
"Take it." Volkner said evenly.
Without question, Jolteon threw himself between the two Pokémon.
Sarah gasped in surprise, as did the twins. However, they worried for nothing because Pachirisu bounced harmlessly off the slightly larger Pokémon and the electricity from his attack dissipated into Jolteon's fur, which caused it to spike up higher. Jolteon simply looked even more intimidating.
"Hypnosis."
Sarah's eyes widened slightly.
Hilda had ended the battle, but the amazing part about it was the fact that she gave her command a split second after Volkner's, faster than any trainer she'd seen during a double battle on TV.
Patric fell to the ground beside its friend, sound asleep.
The battle had lasted less than a minute.
"Oh noooo!" The twins wailed as they rushed over to their defeated Pokémon.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sarah saw Volkner give Hilda a stern look to which Hilda simply shrugged. After raising an eyebrow at her, he turned to the twins. "Listen. Next time, know your opponent before you challenge them. Not everyone will just put your Pokémon to sleep. Some people…" He bent down until he was eye level with them. "Some people won't go out of their way to keep from hurting both you andyour Pokémon. Remember that."
The two girls nodded, sobered by the seriousness of his tone.
But that didn't stop Liz from whispering, "You're strong."
"Pokémon champion strong," Liv added.
The two older trainers exchanged looks and several seconds passed by before they both looked away at the same time and laughed.
"Close enough." Hilda said. She was about to continue speaking when she paused as if she had been interrupted… Then, gradually, her demeanor changed and soon she was speaking stiffly as if repeating someone else's words. "We have to go. We're in a hurry." Then they turned in sync and continued on down the road.
"Wai-!" Began one of the twins, but the couple was already too far away by then to hear.
Meanwhile, Sarah stared at the trainers in the distance as they left her behind… again. Together, she and the twins stood for a while in awkward silence. Then she shook her head, roused herself, and said. "See you," and tried to slip away.
"Wait!" Sarah stopped and turned around impatiently. "Why are you following them?" demanded Liv.
"I'm keeping an eye on them okay? This doesn't concern you girls."
Her words made Liz turn grave, a look that didn't suit the twelve-year old. "You see something bad, don't you? They're in trouble, aren't-?"
"I didn't say it was anything bad." Sarah said a little too quickly. She hiked her bag up higher on her back. "Anyway, I have to go now. I'll see you two later."
Before the twins could delay her any longer, Sarah took off at a sprint after her escorts with her ungainly backpack, kicking grass everywhere.
Volkner and Hilda were already halfway down the stairs.
—Ravaged Path—
For the first time, Sarah found herself alone with Volkner. The reason was because Hilda, followed closely by a large polar bear called Beartic who wore a beard of ice, had gone on to smash the rocks up ahead.
It was time to start asking questions. So she started with a simple one.
"Where are you going after Jubilife?"
"Canalave."
That was start. "Why are you traveling together?"
Volkner took a little longer to answer her this time. "It's a long story."
He didn't elaborate like she expected him to, which irked her, and she gave him a hard look. Gym leader or not, he wasn't getting away with answers like that. "Why are you together? How did you meet-?"
"Hey!" Hilda suddenly poked her head into the space between them. "Have you heard of the green-haired man traipsing around Sinnoh like he owns the place?"
"Yes!" Sarah yelped, alarmed by how easily the older girl had snuck up on her. She breathed in slowly to calm down, then said, "I mean…Of course. Who hasn't? We still hear things in a flower shop."
"Then know that we're going to stop him."
Her words made Sarah pause. Slowly, she raised her head to look at the experienced trainer and found herself gazing into steady hazel eyes. Sarah opened her mouth, but could not utter a word because there was really nothing to say. Hilda would keep her promise because Sarah could see it in her eyes. Literally. Sarah could see sincerity, she could see truth, but most importantly she could see the future.
Her vision hit her with a wave of dizziness.
"Are you alright?" Hilda reached out to her, but Sarah ducked away even though she was still seeing spots.
"It's…" She waited for the dizziness to stop. "It's nothing. I just don't like this cave, that's all." Sarah looked up to find Hilda staring and she glanced away. After a few seconds, she glanced back and saw that Hilda was still staring at her. As she fell under the impression that something unexpected was about to happen and was beginning to fidget uncertainly, Hilda suddenly grabbed her by the neck of her backpack.
"Then let's get out of here."
"What-!" Sarah exclaimed in shock.
"I said we're getting out of here! Let's go!" And then Hilda pulled Sarah, while Sarah skidded, all the way to the cave exit.
To add insult to injury, Volkner laughed.
—Jubilife City—
A brightly decorated street sign beamed at them from the corner of an empty intersection. The sign boasted the words, Joy Street, reminding anyone who saw it of the city's namesake.
Standing across from the joyful street sign, Sarah and Hilda waited for Volkner who had gone into a nearby police station to ask questions. He had a good reason.
"No one's here." Hilda murmured. "They must've cleared the streets."
Sarah could only nod as she surveyed the quiet, unusually dim city. Glancing at the buildings around them, she thought she saw a child peek out from a window before being promptly pulled back by someone's hand, most likely a parent's.
"So this is Jubilife." Hilda sounded impressed despite the current state of the city.
"Trust me. The place is usually a lot more impressive than this." And Hilda nodded absentmindedly, allowing a few moments of silence to sit between them before Sarah asked, "By the way, most people in Sinnoh have visited Jubilife at least once in their lives. Where are you from?"
Hilda smiled. She knew the question was going to come up sooner or later. "Unova. Sounds interesting, I know, and it takes about seven hours to get here by plane so you probably won't have a chance to visit."
"By plane?" Sarah's eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. "But… Sinnoh doesn't have any—"
"I know." Hilda said, continuing to smile her amused smile, and left it at that.
"I see…" Nonetheless, Sarah couldn't help making grand speculations. Unless they'd landed a full-sized plane right on to a city street, the only other option Sarah could think of was to jump. Although she burned to ask how it all happened, she decided not to say anything and they lapsed back into silence again, though this time it was a little more companionable. Sarah found herself thinking back to what the twins had said before and chuckled.
Hilda blinked. "What is it?"
"The twins were right. You do have eight gym badges, just not from this region."
"How are you so sure?" She asked, but then a small grin found its way to her face. "You flatter me."
Her tone was warm and, for the first time since meeting her, Sarah felt something stir in her heart. It was hard to describe, but she knew that it was a feeling that preceded friendship.
"About what happened back there in the cave…" Sarah tried to smile. After all, she was just telling Hilda what the older girl deserved to know, but her smile fell short nonetheless. "I…"
"Go on," Hilda told her kindly. "Tell me what you saw."
Her words caught Sarah off guard and she stuttered, "Did-… did you already know about me?"
"What Mister said about you gave me a hint."
"I see."
Hilda reached out and, this time, Sarah let Hilda's hand fall on her shoulder. "You know… you don't have to tell me if you-"
"I'll tell you." Sarah kept her eyes glued to the space between their feet. "I can't just leave without giving you an idea of what will happen."
And so, she thought long and hard for the right things to say. She reached back into her memory and pulled forth the vision of Hilda and Volkner's future. She studied the images thoroughly, trying to piece together a coherent summary of its contents. She pictured herself in Hilda's shoes and tried to imagine what it felt like to be waiting for someone to tell her the future. When Sarah was ready, she raised her eyes until they met those hazel ones once more.
"What I saw back in the cave isn't set in stone. The future can be changed by the smallest detail, but here's what I know for sure." She spoke with conviction. "As you travel against time to save this region, you will encounter many obstacles even greater than the ones you've already experienced. You will endure hardships that you never imagined having to face. There will even be a time when you need to make a choice that will decide a person's fate."
"Put it this way." She had gradually leaned forward until her face was only inches away from Hilda's. "You hold the fates of many, many people and you will find a way to save them all. When things seem hopeless or terrible or even impossible to face, remember what I said. No matter what choice you make, you will always save lives. But, you also need to know…" Sarah swallowed hard and then steeled herself for the end of her own sentence. "You'll lose something important, or someone. I don't know. My vision stopped being clear after that." When she finished, Sarah found herself holding her breath, waiting for Hilda's reaction and hoping that the older girl wouldn't condemn her for what she said.
After nearly half a minute of silence, Sarah looked up and saw that Hilda's eyes had grown wide. They were so wide that Sarah had to wonder if she was the first person to see that kind of look on Hilda's face.
"Hilda?" Sarah called out to her, beginning to worry that maybe she'd said too much. "Are you oka-?"
Hilda broke eye contact and looked away, but Sarah was quick to realize that she was actually looking at something so Sarah turned her head to look too.
Volkner was coming back and his mouth was in a grim line.
His lips moved and his sentence began with "Hilda," but he was still so far away that every word was lost on them. However, Sarah knew Hilda could hear those inaudible words because, in addition to seeing their future, Sarah had seen proof of the psychic connection between the two trainers.
He started talking to her once he was within hearing distance. "Sarah, we're going to take you to the Poketch Company right now. We separate at Route 218. Do you understand?" His tone was commanding and rough, but she thought nothing of it because she understood why.
Their future was already beginning to unfold. The citizens of Jubilife had spotted a dark shadow in the sky and the police had ordered all civilians to return to their homes and lock their doors. The future, starting now, would begin with the inevitable misfortune of Jubilife City. The shadow was going to come back and finish the job. Although Sarah hadn't seen this happen specifically, her gut told her that this was so and her gut had always been reliable. It also told her that her presence in Jubilife wasn't a coincidence and she wondered exactly role she would play in the impending battle between order and chaos.
"Yes, I understand." Sarah replied. "We should start walking now."
As the trio crossed the city's expanse to Route 218, the city's atmosphere closed in on them. Leaves lay still, untouched by a silenced wind, and no Flying Pokémon skirted the skies, leaving them ominously empty.
The police informed him that the shadow had passed approximately one hour ago, Volkner explained as they walked.
While they made their way to the Poketch company, Sarah calmly and nonchalantly turned to look into the glass window of a passing building. There she saw her reflection and, in her reflection, she saw her fate.
Volkner came to a stop. "We're here." He turned to face her and she averted her eyes, hoping he wouldn't see them start to water. "I hope all goes well. Take care, Sarah."
"Thank you."
He smiled for the first time since entering the city. "No, thank you. You had the courage to tell us the truth." He must've been listening in on their conversation earlier. "You're a strong girl, Sarah. I hope we meet again someday."
Sarah smiled and nodded, but Volkner noticed the strain in her expression. "It's nothing you need to worry about." She assured him, though she was already blinking away tears as she said this. "Anyway, you better get going. You don't have much time left."
Volkner gazed into her eyes, trying to find an answer for her tears. But when she just continued smiling at him, he nodded and turned to leave. As he walked away, Hilda fell in step beside him, while he murmured, "Goodbye, Sarah."
Hilda nodded too before she waved. Sarah raised her hand to wave back. "Goodbye."
—Route 218—
"The fishermen are gone." Volkner murmured.
Hilda watched him survey the empty docks. "Do they fish here all the time?" she asked.
"Every day except Sunday." Volkner answered and Hilda immediately felt her stomach drop a little.
"Then he must've landed here at some point." She said grimly. "He might even still be in Canalave City."
Volkner nodded wordlessly.
His mind was working hard towards their next step. If they made a wrong move now, they might just end up face to face with Ghetsis himself and that was an encounter Hilda knew Volkner practically recoiled from. His last chance meeting with the man had left Volkner lying unconscious in several feet of snow.
Suddenly, her bag started ringing.
"Oh!" She reached inside and whipped out her transceiver. "Hello?"
Bianca's face popped into view. "Hilda!" Her anxious face relaxed as she sighed in relief. As usual, her bed hair took up most of the screen. "I've been trying to contact you for ten minutes already."
"Sorry, bad reception," Hilda said, barely holding back her excitement at seeing her best friend for the first time in days. "Anyway, have you gone to Lake Valor yet? You look tired."
Bianca's expression immediately soured. "Well… I guess being punched in the stomach does that to a person."
Hilda drew her eyebrows together. "Someone attacked you? It couldn't have been Ghetsis—"
"The Shadow Triad," Bianca said darkly. "We were on going down Route 214 when we… met."
The Shadow Triad! Although the name brought back many memories of white blurs and black masks, this wasn't the first time she'd heard them being mentioned. N had told her about them a few days ago.
"I knew."
Bianca, who had been in the middle of explaining how terrible it was to have someone's fist in her gut, did a double-take and asked, "What?"
Hilda explained as briefly as she could, "I knew they were in the area. N told me in a dream and that sounds out there I know, but the point is that the Shadow Triad is guarding something on Route 214. He mentioned a cave, Turnback Cave. When you encountered them, did you see any paths branching off into the forest?"
Bianca closed her eyes and pursed her lips to think. Then she opened them again. "No. Maybe we didn't walk far enough."
Hilda tried not to look disappointed, but she must've failed because Bianca was staring to look guilty. "Sorry, Hilda." She muttered.
"Why are you apologizing?" Hilda said, now feeling guilty as well. "I'm the one who forgot to tell you about-"
"Hey! You must be Hilda." A girl with long, curiously blue-tinged hair playfully bumped Bianca out of the way. Hilda immediately wondered if her hair was that natural shade or if she'd dyed it.
"Dawn?" Volkner was suddenly by her side, peering into the transceiver.
Hilda raised her eyebrows. So this was her. Gazing into Dawn's eyes, she saw the familiar look of a Pokémon champion... and more.
Upon seeing the gym leader, Dawn grinned widely. "I guess what Bianca and Cheren said was true. You really are trying to save the world."
"Are all of you in Veilstone right now?" Volkner asked.
"Of course," she said before her expression changed to match Bianca's. "The triad members were kind enough to drop us off at the gym. Right now we're coming up with a plan." Dawn turned her attention back to Hilda and gave a small grin. "It's good to finally meet you, Hilda."
"Likewise. Let's battle someday," Hilda added, figuring that it was either now or never. "Just us one on one."
"Yes. We can-"
"Talk about this some other time." Cheren's face suddenly replaced Dawn's in the transceiver screen. "Hilda, listen to me carefully."
In the background, Hilda could hear distinct noises. If anything, it sounded like Bianca was trying to stop Dawn from scrapping with Cheren for the transceiver. Cheren shot Hilda a look when he noticed her attention was straying. She smiled sheepishly.
Cheren sniffed. "Okay, now where was I? Alright, we talked with Cynthia's grandmother and she told us a few important things about the Distortion World. Hilda," His expression grew solemn and there was suddenly a new tension in the air. "All the people that have disappeared so far are in the Distortion World. And because humans can't survive there, it won't be long before their bodies deteriorate completely and their souls are exposed to the distortion."
The news washed over her like a breaking wave. Hilda breathed in slowly to calm herself, then asked. "How long…" Nevertheless her voice wavered and she coughed to mask the shakiness. "How long do we have before things get that way?"
Cheren gave her no time to prepare for the answer.
"One month." He said in a final tone.
One month.
"That's…" She glanced at Volkner. We have a time limit now. "That's more time than we can ask for."
"But, Hilda, we also need to consider the three days that already passed since the people were taken from Snowpoint. If we want to save everyone, we have less than one month to do it. Also, Caroline herself estimated the process to last about a month so it's not clear if we initially start with a full thirty days or a few days short of that…" Cheren sighed and rubbed his temple with one free hand. "I'm sorry if I sound so cynical, but, as you heard from Bianca, we were apprehended by the Shadow Triad before we could reach Lake Valor."
"Cheren. About the Shadow Triad," Hilda fought to recall the details of her dream through the haze of fear that was beginning to cloud her senses. "I remember… N himself told me that he encountered the triad in Veilstone and then they took him to a cave where Ghetsis was waiting. N traveled to Veilstone City because he found a lead on Ghetsis' position so the triad couldn't have traveled far."
"So you're saying that the Spring Path could be right on Route 214?" Cheren's eyes grew wider and wider by the second. "But…" He reasoned. "Even with the speculation that the Spring Path is hidden there somewhere, we still don't know for certain. Although, I suppose it won't hurt to take a look seeing as we have some evidence supporting this claim."
"But you're still unsure?" Hilda asked after studying his expression.
Cheren brought his index and thumb up to his chin and focused hard. "It's just that we still don't know anything about what to expect in Turnback Cave. Therefore," He looked sternly at her. "You still need to go to Canalave City and visit the library..."
"Of course," Hilda said, feeling a little chastised, though it distracted her from the less-than-one-month issue. "We're less than ten minutes from Canalave and the last thing we'd do is turn around and leave. Anyway," She shot a stern look right back at him. "You need to focus on Lake Valor before anything else. Even if we do figure out where Turnback Cave is, we still aren't prepared to face Giratina and Ghetsis until we contact the last two Lake Guardians."
"Yes, we're actually working on that right now." Cheren looked to his right and gave a satisfied smile. "Dawn is calling up a few friends to help us with our triad problem. If we detain the brothers, then we open up Route 218 for any and all observation. By the way, do you have any idea of Ghetsis' whereabouts?"
Volkner answered for her. "He's flown over Jubilife and landed at route 218, which means he's either still in Canalave or gone by air."
"I see…" Cheren was thoughtful for a moment. "You may be closer to Ghetsis' vicinity than you'd like, but… perhaps that's for the best."
Hilda and Volkner both nodded in understanding.
"He may not expect you to be there." Cheren continued. "While there is the possibility that he may have already left Canalave, I suggest you treat the situation otherwise. I wish I could give you more advice, but that's all I have. I'm sorry, Hilda."
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Cheren." Hilda comforted him. "You're already doing everything you can. Anyway, we'll think of something."
Slip into the nearest hotel and stay the night.
Hilda rolled her eyes. If we can slip past a mad man and his giant Dragon.
"Did you just…?" Cheren spluttered.
"No, relax. Volkner was just proposing a plan." Hilda explained, pitying her confused friend. "He said that we should just find the nearest hotel and stay the night. Of course, that's after we sneak past Ghetsis if he happens to be there."
Upon hearing the plan, Cheren went quiet, his expression conflicted. "Give the transceiver to Volkner for a minute." He said after a little while.
Curious at what Cheren had to say, Hilda handed it to the gym leader.
"Do what you have to do," Cheren told him. "But…" Then he lowered his voice so Hilda wouldn't hear. However, his words rebounded from Volkner's thoughts so that Hilda heard him as if he was talking to her as well. "If you try anything, you'll have to answer to me and, trust me, I'm a better fighter than you think."
Volkner only chuckled and, looking up to catch her eye, said, "You need to have a little more faith in her capabilities."
Hilda gave a tell-tale smile as she peeked over Volkner's shoulder and waved goodbye at her somewhat sullen friend. "Bye, Cheren. We'll talk to you later."
"Bye." He said with a small, but noticeable pout.
That was when Bianca shoved him to one side and yelled, "Bye, Hil-!" before Cheren cut the connection.
When Volkner looked up, he found Hilda smiling at him with eyes full of laughter. "What?" He asked her, though he knew that it had to do with what he said earlier.
Hilda opened her mouth to tell him, but something happened before she could.
Her vision whited out.
"Hilda!" She heard Volkner cry out to her both vocally and mentally, but she couldn't see him because the grass and the trees and sky above her suddenly all melted away like paint washed off of white canvas.
She could still hear his voice. He could hear him calling her name over and over and she could feel his hands that were now clapped on either side of her face, trying to bring her closer to him so he could get a better look at what was wrong with her. And yet, the world was still drenched in white. Then she clasped both her hands over his and felt his concern and worry wash over her. For some reason, the whiteness didn't seem as frightening after that and her hands molded themselves against Volkner's as she smiled at him in the midst of her blindness. However, the whiteness really only lasted for a total of five seconds.
For suddenly out of nowhere a magnificent aerial view of Sinnoh rushed into existence and Hilda realized, with amazement, that she was now seeing the world from Zekrom's eyes.
—Danger in the Skies—
Much of the day had been dedicated to flying.
His partner was off doing what she usually did, saving the region, etc. And she hadn't had any need to call for him yet.
Truth be told, Zekrom was bored. And when he was bored, he often flew atop cloud cover and traversed the skies until the sun found its way to another part of the world.
Recently, however, he began checking in on his partner more often in case she was encountering trouble of any kind. After all, the annoying man with the unpleasant eyes was still alive and treating the land like his territory.
Now flying just under cloud cover, Zekrom knew he had aerial advantage over than any other Pokémon in the sky, including his new rival. Although Zekrom did not know the other dragon's name, he had known from the moment they met that the other dragon did not belong in the clear, clean skies of Zekrom's world and therefore could not handle flying too far from the ground.
Then Zekrom saw something. Immediately, he beat his wings once and came to a glide as his eyes honed in on the small figure of his partner standing next to a patch of water. He had located her without difficulty.
But what was this? Zekrom focused in on the dark figure beneath him and recognized it for what it was.
Calling out to his partner wouldn't be enough. No, she had to see the situation for herself. Zekrom reached out for the intangible bond he shared with her. It had taken him more than two years to discover this new form of communication, but this would be his first time using it. He located the core of their mental connection, which resembled something like a stone pillar in his mind. Searching for the particle in the pillar that would control her sight, he pinpointed it and wrapped a strand of his consciousness around it.
Then he pulled as hard as he could on the strand and, almost immediately, he felt the connection go through and she was soon watching the skies with him. Swooping down, he closed in enough on the ghost dragon for her human eyes to see.
She had to hide. Hide as fast as she could.
—Route 218—
Hilda's irises changed back, filling him with relief.
He remembered how his heart had leapt into his throat when her eyes suddenly turned a pale blue, so pale that it was almost white. And then the most amazing sensation filled him as Hilda witnessed something breathtaking. However, that wonderful feeling quickly turned into shock and then fear as the seconds slipped by.
Now as he gazed into Hilda's eyes with his thumb resting lightly against her cheek, he stroked the delicate skin there ever so lightly. It was his way of asking if she was okay, only he hadn't done anything like that to anyone for the past several years. However, now was not the time to think about what that meant.
Because Hilda knew exactly what time it was.
Run!
Before he could say a word, she snagged him by the jacket then started sprinting for the trees! "Hilda, what-!"
No time. No time. Ghetsis! He's coming!
Her thoughts were nearly incoherent as they broke through the wood-line, running in deeper and deeper until they came across a tree with a small hollow in the base of its trunk by pure chance.
She threw her backpack into the hollow then dove in herself, her hat falling off in the process. She still had a hand on his jacket so she brought him with her into a sitting position.
She put a finger to her lips. You're breathing too loudly.
Volkner shot her a look. And whose fault is that?
Hilda wanted to roll her eyes at him, but the adrenaline pumping through her body was keeping her alert and on guard.
They stayed there in utter silence for what felt like hours, the forest rustling with the sounds of various Pokémon watching them from the trees. To his surprise, Hilda's hand found its way into his.
It makes me feel better. She hardly sounded embarrassed, but he could feel her heart thudding against his palm. He also heard her unspoken words. Holding his hand made her feel good. Although he would never tell her this, at least not up front since she could read it in his heart anyway, but holding her hand made him feel good too.
He could feel her reacting to his thoughts already, but then the moment was over all too soon when Hilda stiffened as she suddenly remembered something.
My transceiver! Horror flooded her mind as she nearly stood up to go get it, but he held her fast.
Did you mean this one? He reached into his pocket and pulled out the device.
She stared at first in disbelief, but she gave a tiny sigh of relief as she took the transceiver back from him.
I was holding it. Remember?
Thank you. Her lips lifted into an incredibly relieved and grateful smile as she gazed up at him with steady eyes. My heart nearly left my chest.
Volkner simply held her gaze as he squeezed the hand that was holding his and Hilda flushed as she realized that she still hadn't let go. As he watched and felt her fluster, Volkner allowed his eyes to stray, roaming down the bridge of her nose until they were resting on the soft indentation above her lips. By allowing this, he knew he was already giving in to what he was suddenly thinking of doing right that moment.
"Volkner…" she whispered as her heartbeat spiked with the rise of anticipation that filled his stomach. The sensation was both strange and wonderful at the same time. Hilda's growing desire did nothing but fueled his maddening thoughts of slipping his head forward and catching her in what he considered a real kiss.
Do it…
His eyes widened when he heard her request. Then he watched as Hilda closed her eyes and tried to make sense of what she'd just said. However, she came to a consensus with herself faster than Volkner expected of her. Slowly, she opened her eyes and his heart nearly stopped as she looked at him with a mixture of vulnerability and honest determination.
Please… She thought to him, but she didn't finish her sentence because he could already feel her wish in every part of his body.
Kiss her.
He closed his eyes fractionally as he pushed himself forward and tugged on her hand at the same time, bringing her so close to him that he could smell the shampoo she'd used last night. His lips had been about to graze hers when they heard the faintest beating of a dragon's wings.
They both stiffened and held their breaths, lips still millimeters apart, eyes gazing deep into one another's only this time with real fear.
For what seemed like a long time, but was really just one minute, nothing happened. No voices, no roars, no harsh command.
Hilda blinked. Maybe he-
A tree crashed wildly into the ground!
Volkner shielded her by trapping her in his arms just as a blast of air sent shredded wood chips flying past the hollow on either side.
Despite Hilda's light trembling in the aftermath of the shockwave, she sounded calm when she gathered her thoughts. He's angry about something, but hasn't seen us.
He nodded in silent agreement, his chin tapping lightly on her head since she was still in his embrace. For several eternities they stayed like that, Hilda's forehead leaning into his chest and his arms enveloping both her shoulders. He could feel her slightly uneven breathing against his neck and knew it was because of both the danger of being discovered and the exhilaration of being so close to him. In the next instant, his mind betrayed him and an image of him lowering his head a few inches and pressing a kiss to her forehead, to her cheek, and then finishing on her mouth filled his mind. The heat would then spread from there to the rest of her body and the passion collecting in her belly would wrack her small frame. But, he didn't do it. He couldn't.
Because then he might never be able to stop.
A large gust of wind disturbed the foliage and caused both of them to flinch, but still he held on to her. The sound of rustling leaves lasted until Hilda began to grow restless in his arms. Once the noises died down and the chattering of Pokémon filled the area once more, Hilda left his embrace to peek outside.
She looked around the hollow and between the trees. "Is he gone?" She asked, though Volkner knew the question was rhetorical because the feeling of danger was no longer in the air. Satisfied that the coast was clear, Hilda sat back down inside the hollow.
Now they were face to face once again.
Hilda left her hands resting on her knees as she examined the grass between them.
Volkner didn't have to think twice to know what was on her mind. Because they had been touching, she knew exactly he'd been thinking earlier, what he'd been feeling. If anything, she might've even seen the imagery conjured by his mind. As she studied the grass, he studied her. Her softened hazel eyes gave him so little to go on, but her emotions surprisingly ranged somewhere between amusement and satisfaction.
She sensed his inquiry because she made eye contact right with him as he wondered why she felt that way. "Is it me," she began. "Or is it easier to touch now?" To prove her point, she boldly reached over and picked up his hand before he could object. Despite his uncertainty, he admitted that she was right. A light spark traveled between their fingers, running pleasantly up his arm, but other than that there was none of the explosive emotional whirlwind that had plagued them in the beginning.
"Maybe this connection weakens over time." He offered.
"Or maybe we're just more used to each other now. Who knows?" She cajoled to which Volkner nodded in agreement.
Then he had an idea.
Slowly, gently, like he was testing the water before jumping in, he stroked his thumb over the back of her hand. Instantly, the spark between their fingers sharpened and a breath escaped Hilda's mouth.
Her eyes were glued to their fingers, as if waiting for their hands to catch fire. A fine blush dusted her cheeks as she whispered. "We should go."
Volkner watched her. Her words said one thing while her heart told him another… which only meant she wasn't ready for this yet, "Alright."
Immediately, he felt from her both disappointment and relief at his words, leaving him with no regrets on his decision. He released her hand.
She let out a small frustrated huff, though Volkner knew she hadn't done it on purpose. He understood all too well what she was going through.
Hearing his thoughts, she pouted at him. You know I don't mean to be like that.
"I didn't know you could make that kind of face." She looked rather cute.
That had her blushing even deeper than before and he chuckled as she tried to hide it by turning away.
"Not fair, definitely not fair." She muttered. Then she fell quiet, averting her eyes to watch the wind blow leaves aimlessly around the hollow. Despite everything that had happened earlier, an unexpected sense of calm came over both of them, one that enveloped him so perfectly that he felt at ease with himself and the world around him.
He closed his eyes to enjoy the moment while it lasted. Then he felt the lightest of taps against his conscience as Hilda began standing up. When he opened his eyes, she was motioning for him to follow and, together, they left the hollow, made their way back out of the forest, and on to the road where they found six large, fresh footprints in the ground.
"Zekrom should be safe where he is." She murmured, examining the footprints. Then she threw a poke ball toward the water. "Go, Beartic!"
"Lanturn!" Volkner followed her lead.
Within seconds, two Pokémon were waiting patiently in the water for their trainers to mount.
Glancing up at the sky, Hilda murmured, "Just a few more hours."
We'll find a place to stay. Volkner assured her. Then he leaped on to Lantern's back and Hilda did the same.
Finally, they were on their way.
—Canalave City Gateway—
"I'm sorry. The city is in disarray and most hotels are closed. Finding an available room won't be easy." The officer at the customs desk pushed the point as gently as he could. "It might be easier to try your luck in Jubilife."
While she fully understood the city's situation and felt pity for its people, frustration still welled up in Hilda's chest at the news.
He said it won't be easy, not impossible. Volkner's words reassured her and Hilda nodded absentmindedly.
The officer thought she was agreeing with him. Smiling politely at her, he picked up a phone and started dialing. "I'll call them and tell them to expect you!"
"Wait-" Hilda started.
Through the receiver, the repeated buzzing of a failed call came through.
"That's strange." The officer muttered. "Marlin should still be on duty. I'll try again." He sounded more optimistic than he should've been. What gave him away, however, were his eyes. They were uncertain and worried now.
"Does your friend ever leave his post?" Volkner demanded.
"No, he… Sometimes he goes out to grab a snack, but-"
Hilda cut him off with a piece of advice. "I think staying in Canalave right now may be best for all of us."
The officer nodded dumbly, his expression still clouded with anxiety for his friend. He didn't seem to have any more to say. Hilda lingered just a few seconds longer. Then, prodding Volkner mentally, she turned and headed for the exit.
"Hold on!"
Hilda stopped.
"I remembered—" The officer motioned with his hands as if trying to use sign language to tell them what he just remembered. "Just wait." He told them quickly before reaching behind his counter and digging around for a good minute. Hilda and Volkner shared a glance. "Take these."
In her hand, he placed a tattered slip of paper and a plastic card. Someone with chicken-scratch handwriting had scribbled down an address on one side of the paper and a name on the other side. As for the card, it was colored black and white and looked decidedly like a hotel room cardkey.
Hilda stared at the name on the paper. There was nothing familiar about it.
~Captain Walter~
The officer explained. "A few days ago, a sailor put those on the counter and told me to give them to the first young couple I see. I couldn't ask why." Sighing, he leaned in and said, in a sincere voice, "Alright look, I know that this isn't conventional, but I think it's your best bet in a situation like this."
Hilda passed the paper to Volkner who slipped it into his pocket. "Thanks." She said with a grateful smile. Then she turned and started walking out, for real this time, with Volkner.
When they were almost to the door, she grinned mischievously at him.
If this doesn't work out, we can always sleep in a tree.
No matter how playful she was right now, Volkner hoped she was just kidding.
—Canalave City—
The waning rays of the setting sun trailed over two lone figures on a metal bench. With the streets around them empty and quiet, heavily reminiscent of Jubilife only worse, they were the only signs of life in the port city.
Between his forefinger and thumb, Volkner played absentmindedly with the addressed piece of paper of such mysterious origin. Slouched against the bench's backrest, every once in a while he peered over at the girl beside him, who lay in a similar position, though she had her arms splayed out on either side of her and her eyes closed.
After visiting every single hotel on their way into the city and ultimately being turned down by each one, they eventually ran out of options. Finally, exasperation found them here, on a bench parallel to and facing the city's central park. Volkner hardly glanced at the miniature Zen garden in front of them, too busy debating whether or not they should go to the address written on the paper between his fingers. Hilda felt particularly sullen as the sunlight disappeared behind the park's treetops.
Neither of them would've spoken for a long time if it hadn't been for the streetlights, which flickered on with a sharp buzz.
"You never told me your father passed away too."
Her voice snapped him out of his reverie. "I haven't?" He tried to make his voice sound light, as if they were having the most normal conversation in the world, but failed.
"You haven't." She agreed, her voice neither expectant nor accusatory, which confused him.
He thought she was going to push him more on the matter.
"If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to." She said as she met his gaze with gentle eyes. He thought the look suited her and her cheeks lit up a soft pink as she continued, "Stuff like that isn't something you mention in front of other people."
"You know you're not other people." He told her sincerely. Almost immediately, he felt a small surge of happiness from her as she sat up in a better sitting position and averted her eyes. Her happiness changed into embarrassment as she found out that he'd felt her reaction.
"So…" She kept her gaze on the lawn-mown grass beneath her feet. "When did he pass away?"
Volkner let out a deep sigh and leaned back into a more comfortable position as Hilda turned so that one knee lay sideways on the bench seat and the other hung off the side. "It happened a few days after I turned fourteen."
Hilda bit her lip, remembering that that was also when he'd started his official Pokémon career.
"I had to get away from my city for a while after that. To clear my mind."
Hilda read the memory of his pain as he relived it in his mind. The nightmare she'd experienced… that had also been a part of the grief back then.
Beside her, Volkner made a noise that sounded like a mix between a laugh and a sharp exhale. "It actually proved to be the best thing that's ever happened to me, my leaving that is. If my father hadn't passed on and if I hadn't been so determined to prove my worth, I might've stayed in Sunyshore for the rest of my life."
"And then you'd just be Engineer Volkner, not Gym Leader Volkner." Hilda said, grinning sideways at him.
"That's right…" Volkner studied her expression for a moment, then turned his head to gaze up at the orange sky. "I wonder what my father would really say about that."
Hilda felt a pang as she recalled the words the nightmare had said while it still assumed the appearance of Volkner's father. Certain that Volkner was also remembering those very words, Hilda wanted to reach out to him, touch him, anything that might give him some comfort. Then she had an idea.
Tentatively, Hilda reached out to him with what she imagined to be the invisible tendrils of her mind, maybe something that resembled tentacles. She fumbled for the pocket of space in her mind that seemed to house Volkner's consciousness. When she found the alleged space, she pictured her invisible tentacle reaching inside… and wrapping around the emotional aspect of Volkner's mind.
Hilda gasped as the first waves of sadness rolled over her and kept going until they splashed and petered out somewhere in her mind. Beside her, Volkner exhaled harshly as he clenched his hands together tight.
"Hilda!" He ground out. "Stop." He sounded more pleading than angry. "I don't want to—" He broke off as the wave-like feelings from their new connection caught him off guard. Yet he still managed to finish his sentence. I don't want to hurt you!
But, Hilda could not.
Her hands reached up to touch her chest in a mixture of shock and pain. "It…hurts." Her heart felt like it was being torn in two. "I didn't know you hurt this much."
At the same time, though the grief assaulting her right now was more intense than she'd anticipated, it was also frighteningly familiar. A vague memory suddenly resurfaced. Father. Father! She called out to him, but he wasn't answering. Where was he now? She wanted to see him again, but he had gone. Left. Passed away. He'd passed away before she got to know him and now-!
Suddenly, long, gentle fingers wrapped around her wrist and a hand pushed the back of her head forward. Before she knew it, her forehead was resting on Volkner's shoulder and her head was tucked under his chin. Faintly, she heard his soothing voice. "Shh… it's okay, Hilda. You're going to be okay." And then a rolling caress of empathy washed over her, unlike anything she'd ever felt from the man holding her right now.
"Those negative emotions don't belong in your heart so don't cry anymore." His embrace was warm.
Then his words sank in and Hilda sat back, albeit a little unwillingly, to feel her cheeks. The tears running freely down them surprised her. "That's weird. I don't remember…" She trailed off, but didn't dwell on the matter. Instead, she laughed. "Is working with emotionally unstable people part of being a gym leader?"
"No," Volkner replied. He brought a hand up to her cheek in such a warm gesture that Hilda almost shied away. Almost. "It's part of being human."
His words turned her heart a little. It wasn't very noticeable, or at least that was what Hilda wanted to think, but Volkner felt it too and he hesitated, suddenly torn between pulling his hand away and pretending nothing happened or pulling her even closer and…
That was also when a puff of wind blew away the already precariously balanced slip of paper resting on Volkner's lap, which was where he'd put it before comforting the crying girl in front of him.
"Volkner!" Hilda pulled herself away from his hold and made for the runaway piece of paper. "The address!"
It landed momentarily and Hilda stepped out with one foot to secure it to the ground, but another rush of wind sent it flying away again. She started after it, but Volkner's swifter form overtook her.
He caught up with it easily and snatched it while it was in mid-air.
Hilda smiled and cheered through her tears, a grin actually finding its way to her face while Volkner gave a mock bow. She was about to congratulate him for getting the paper when she noticed the street name of the intersection Volkner was standing on.
Volkner… the address… what was the address again?
He looked behind him at the street sign and then peered down at the paper. "What are the chances…?" He murmured.
There, at the corner of Crescent street and Moon street, a wide, two-story building suddenly seemed to loom and stand apart from the others. Drawn by its presence, Hilda and Volkner made their way to the building. Why hadn't they noticed it earlier? A sign with the faded script that matched the card's address, Harbor Inn, hung from the roof. It creaked back and forth to the murmurings of an insubstantial wind.
"This place doesn't look like it's had any customers for a while." Hilda commented, walking past Volkner and approaching the inn's plain-looking blue door. Upon closer examination, she saw the considerable collection of dust in the doorframe and on the knob. Underneath, there was a slit to insert the card.
Volkner stepped up beside her and the wooden porch groaned under his weight as he did. He raised an eyebrow at this and Hilda couldn't help smiling. They shared a glance.
You know, we could be trespassing for all you know. Then he raised his hand to knock on the door, but then Hilda touched his wrist, which made him jerk back.
"Sorry." She said sheepishly when he gave her a look. "Anyway, if they gave us the card, then shouldn't we use it?"
Volkner sighed, but it was in agreement so he took out the black and white card and slipped it into the hole. They heard the lock click open.
Then that means whoever is inside will be expecting us.
—Harbor Inn—
It took the combined strength of a gym leader and a Pokémon champion to open the door to Harbor Inn.
"Why do I get the feeling that no one's fixed this stupid door in years?" Hilda grunted as they pushed and shoved.
Finally, the door gave way and, with a deep groan, it dragged back on its hinges. A cloud of dust and cobwebs billowed out into their faces and the two trainers coughed for a good minute in the doorway. Finally, the coughing subsided and Hilda got a good look at the inn's lobby.
The only source of light in the low-roofed lobby was from an antique chandelier in the center of the room. The carpet was a dark maroon covered in patterns so twisting and confusing that Hilda found it difficult to focus on. She quickly moved on to the light maroon walls where there were thankfully no overwhelming shapes on them. Completing the room was a thin wooden counter, behind which hung a glass panel that guarded multiple mismatched keys and a door that was slightly ajar, as if someone had just passed through moments ago.
Chills ran unbidden up her back. The fact that she now knew spirits were real also didn't help.
When she looked over at Volkner to see what kind of face he was making, he winked at her. Creepy.
She knew he was trying to make her smile and it made her feel just a tiny bit better. "So…" She said companionably to him. "Why don't we let them know we're here? Whoever they are…"
"I was hoping you wouldn't put it that way."
Hilda rolled her eyes.
"That looks like our best bet." He motioned at a tarnished, silver bell placed near the counter's edge.
Alright. Let's do this. Hilda stepped forward and pressed the bell. Without delay, a sharp note split the air, making both of them wince.
Nothing happened at first. Hilda tilted her head slightly, listening for footsteps, still nothing.
Then the door creaked and they both turned sharply toward the sound. For what seemed like an eternity, no one came out from the coal-black room beyond and Hilda stared into the darkness for so long that she wondered if the door opened because of loose hinges.
And then a man stormed through!
Hilda's heart shot up into her throat as she gave a shocked yell, "Geez!" Beside her, Volkner flinched hard.
Slowly, as she recovered from her shock at the man's sudden entrance, Hilda gazed up at him. He was the very definition of unique.
Dressed in a battered sailor outfit, the man looked to be in his late forties, early fifties, and still strongly built. His head and chin were swathed in thick, black curls with streaks of grey, making him look like an old bear. To add to his intimidation, he towered over Volkner by a full head. However, his crossed arms and grey-blue glare added the most to it.
Hilda stepped up to him and, in a less confident voice than she would've liked, she asked, "Captain Walter?"
He didn't do anything at first, just kept glaring at them. Hilda had already started fidgeting when he uncrossed his arms and broke out into the biggest smile a person could possibly have. "Ah! Yes. I've been waiting for you!"
All Hilda could say to that was, "Huh?" And then she glanced over at Volkner to see the incredulous look on his face. All she could hear from him was, What-?
Continuing on benevolently, he said, "I see the officer was successful in giving you my card and address. All is well. Now, come with me." He started toward the set of stairs leading to the second floor. "I've already prepared a room for both of you."
"Wait!" He was halfway there when she made him pause. Hilda half-expected him to be glaring again when he turned back around slowly, but his face was neutral this time as he waited for her to speak. "How much…" She coughed to clear her nervousness. "How much for the room?"
He gave a long look, leaving Hilda with the feeling like she was being chastised for something she should've known already. "If you must, then it is thirty dollars total for the night and the following day."
Hilda nodded, reveling in the room's cheap rate. "And one last thing," she said before he could walk off again. "…how did you know we were coming?"
Captain Walter took longer to answer this time.
Next to her, Volkner still hadn't said a word, but, if she wasn't mistaken, his hand was inching closer and closer to the poke balls at his belt. Yes, he had every right to be wary of this man. Depending on the captain's answer, their situation ranged from staying for the night to—at the rate this seemed to be going—a fight. Hilda prayed for the former.
When the captain still didn't reply, Volkner's fingers were already grazing his belt. As if he saw this, the captain immediately put both hands up in something resembling surrender. "I apologize for making you nervous. I understand how this all seems very questionable, especially after a day like today. If it assures either of you, when I gave the officer my card and address I asked only for a couple, not anyone by name. Whether you choose to believe this or not, you are here by pure chance and if you choose to go," He gestured at the open door behind them. "I will not stop you."
She caught Volkner's eye and smiled wryly at him. At least we'll have a place to put our things.
At first, Volkner hesitated. He still wasn't sure about the whole arrangement and the captain still roused his suspicions, but the day wasn't getting any brighter and they still had work to do. If anything, she did have a point. The inn would provide them with at least some form of shelter, however temporary it may be, and the rate was a good deal.
Hilda couldn't help smiling at him as she saw that he'd reached a decision.
Volkner nodded imperceptibly at her in agreement and said, "We'll stay."
Captain Walter clapped his hands together, obviously pleased. "Then the matter is settled. Follow me."
— —
It took one look at their room to make him go numb.
"Don't worry about hot water." He heard the captain saying. "We have plenty. But if you are wondering about food I am afraid we only serve breakfast in the mornings. When you have settled in, ring the bell on the first floor and I will direct you to a few good restaurants in the city." He smiled broadly and then closed the door behind him. The movement threw up a fresh coat of dust that settled eagerly all over Volkner's jacket.
Even if he ever recovered from seeing the room's choice of wallpaper and bedding, he would be suffocated by dust bunnies.
"Well…" Hilda said after a while. "At least it looks happier than the lobby."
"Those curtains…" Volkner trailed off in the disbelief that something like them could even exist.
"Are pink." Hilda finished for him. "And there's nothing wrong with that color, even though I prefer blue."
"There's nothing wrong until you mix pink curtains with purple bed sheets and yellow carpet." Volkner said in quiet horror. From the looks of things, the carpet might've been a solid sunny color, but over an unknown number of years, the sunny yellow had turned tawny.
He heard a snicker. When Volkner turned to glare at the amused girl, she asked him a very good question, "So who gets the bed?"
Honestly, the issue hadn't occurred to him until now. He glanced at the purple-sheeted bed. He had automatically assumed they would be sharing it.
"I'm fine with that too." Hilda said with a light laugh. "I shouldn't have put you on the spot like that. We'll share. You take one side and I'll take the other. And then the next morning we'll wake up on top of each other, but that's neither here nor there."
"Right," Volkner replied, playing along with her sarcasm. "I wonder if that's before or after someone steals all the blankets in her sleep."
She laughed when he said this and Volkner couldn't help feeling pleased.
"By the way, what time is it?"
Stirring from his strayed attention, he checked his watch. "It's half an hour until six. We still have some time. Do you want to go out for dinner?" It was only when Hilda blushed that he realized what his question sounded like to his own ears. "The library." He told her quickly. "I meant go out for dinner and look for the library."
"Right." Hilda said, copying his tone earlier. "Then let's go." She grabbed his hand before he could turn away and led him toward the door.
"Where did you put your gloves?" Volkner wondered aloud when he felt her bare skin.
"In my bag." She said shortly. They were halfway out the door when something suddenly compelled Volkner to glance over his shoulder at the wall behind them. Hilda stopped walking when she felt him tugging back on her hand. "What is it?"
He wasn't sure exactly what he was looking for at first, but it didn't take him long to find it. There, in the top right corner of the room where the ceiling met the wall, was a dark stain. Volkner wondered why he hadn't noticed it before. The stain wasn't just dark, but an inky black so heavy that he couldn't see the wallpaper behind it at all. It sent an unpleasant shiver up his spine.
"What is it, Volkner?" Hilda asked again. She squeezed his hand ever so slightly, which roused him out of whatever reverie he'd entered. When he brought his attention to her again, he was surprised to feel uncertainty emanating from her. What was she so worried about?
"Nothing." He squeezed her hand back assuringly. "I was just checking to make sure we didn't forget anything."
"Okay then." She said, though he could hear it in her voice now, that endless uncertainty. "Ready?"
"Ready." And then Volkner closed the door behind him.
— —
She didn't want to think about it, but Hilda couldn't stop.
Maybe it wasn't that big of an issue and maybe she was just overreacting but there was no denying what happened back there. Starting from the moment Volkner had turned to look back into the room to the moment she squeezed his hand to get his attention, for the first time since they'd formed their mental connection she hadn't been able to read a single one of his thoughts.
And that scared her more than anything else.
A/N: Not much to say other than to expect future updates. Thank you all for your support :)
See ya.