Note: As if to add an extra, "I'm sorry," for being late last time, here's the following update a few days early. Hope you enjoy it. We're finally finishing the first day; it only took 10 chapters...^^;

Follow Me

A Pokémon Heart Gold/Soul Silver Story

Chapter Fourteen

Sing

The walk through Route 47 was long, although Soul barely noticed, as their conversations with Baoba passed the time rather effectively. Figuring it best that they bend the truth slightly, Soul explained how they'd become separated from one another and had just regrouped when the Safari Zone closed. The rest of the way, Gold explained the battle in which is Azumarril, who he freed from her Pokéball, evolved. He recounted the occasion passionately, with lots of arm movements and simulated sound effects. Half listening, Soul found herself glancing at Silver a lot, who walked silently beside her, staring at the ocean. She raised her eyebrows, troubled.

"Ah, here we are!" Baoba said as they arrived at the gate of a large house on the very outskirts of Cianwood. The house was quite luxurious-looking and was definitely bigger than any house Soul had ever seen. They walked up the main path, past a small fountain and rows of groomed hedges and entered the front door. The entry hall was equally spacious as the house itself, and it loaned a grandiose sort of feeling, the high ceilings and wide staircase in front of them somewhat demanding a sense of awe and respect. Apparently the Safari Zone was doing quite well.

Over dinner, Mr. Baoba explained the complex process of how his staff decided the daily layout changes—they were partly based on equal rotation but also based on consumer feedback. When pressed by their host, each rattled off their favorite Zone so as to be polite. Gold ate rather heartily, but Silver ate quietly without saying much, preoccupied with his thoughts.

After dinner, Baoba's butler directed them to a large guest room where they were to sleep, three thickly-cushioned futons already laid out for them.

"I don't know about you two," Gold said patting his shoulder with his fist in a massaging manner, "but I could use a bath to get this swamp stink off of me."

"Wasn't going to say anything, but since you already did..." Silver jeered from behind him as he set down his bag.

Gold shot him a piercing glare over his shoulder and muttered, "You're one to talk; you were practically swimming in it."

Before this had a chance to spiral into an argument, Soul chimed in, "A bath would be lovely; we can all take turns."

"Oh, no, the guest bath is large enough that all three of you should be able to bathe at the same time," the butler said. "And it's segregated into men's and women's...this way..."

After a minute of bathing supply gathering and a short wave to Chocobo, who settled in the center of the futon that was to be his master's to take a nap, Soul and the boys followed the attendant down a hall to two doorways, each covered by a thick curtain that ended around the height of Soul's knees, each marked with its proper gender. With a slight nod to Soul, Silver disappeared behind the men's curtain with Gold, leaving Soul to take the doorway on the left.

The bath was a wide, fairly-long room split into the three sections: at the entrance, there were several cubbyholes, intended for clothes, Soul surmised; then next was the shower room, with three shower stalls lined along the right wall, each with its own curtain, and a giant wall-length mirror on the parallel wall; and at the very back of the room was a rectangular bath large enough that she could probably swim a short lap from one end to the other, a tile mosaic of Ecruteak City at sunset on the back wall, a giant bird flying over a rainbow at the very top. She stood in awe for a moment, soaking in the thought that she had such fanciness all to herself, and then she started removing her clothes. Emerging nude into the cold air, she shivered as she stepped up into the tiled shower room and entered one of the stalls.

The warm water streaming down her body was a great comfort, and after enjoying its soothing embrace for a short moment, she set to the menial tasks of cleansing herself. As a means to pass the time, she hummed to herself, and eventually began singing in earnest, enjoying the privacy of her lonely shower.

"Hey, Silver, do you hear that?" Gold asked, his eyes closed as shampoo drizzled down his face. When there was no response, he continued. "It sounds like singing! I wonder..." He pressed his ear to the cool shower wall. "I think Soul is singing on the other side of the wall." He laughed. "Hey, Silver, do you hear thi—"

"Real men don't talk to other men when they're naked, idiot," a harsh voice from the next stall said. This seemed to suffice, because Gold said no more.

Silver stood motionless in the stream of hot water, steam rising above him in curls and dissipating in the cooler air. In spite of himself, he felt himself leaning, until his ear and shoulder were pressed to the wall, and he strained his ears to mull out the water sounds. He'd heard the song occasionally when he passed through shopping centers and busy cities; he wondered for a moment if it was popular. Usually, he didn't much care for it, but...it suited Soul's sweet soprano so well...he couldn't unglue himself from the wall. Closing his eyes, he stood transfixed, enjoying the concert she was unknowingly performing, the corner of his mouth twitching. For a brief second, he saw a flash of memory: a faceless woman with flowing red hair and a gentle song accompanied by a tinkling music box.

He was shaken from his daze as the song ended and the squeak of knobs told him Soul had finished her shower. Righting himself, he let the water warm the chilled left side of his body, lost in thoughts of someone he'd long since forgotten; it wasn't like him to dwell on the dead.

Night crept swiftly upon them, and after explaining to Gold the whole story of how Silver wound up in a tree ("Wow, you always have the best adventures, Soul; I'm so jealous!"), they all sleepily crawled under the blankets and settled into the darkness. Soul's futon was above the two boys', and she lay on her back, staring at the ceiling.

"Get over yourself, seriously. I don't need a savior, and I sure as hell don't need you."

The words from her dream earlier in the day filled her chest with ice. She could picture perfectly the look of snide contempt on his face, and remembering it made her numb. What if this was the reaction she received when she finally decided to confess for real? Could she handle hearing those words twice? The possibility that she could be rejected was a thought she always kept at arm's-length; it was a strong possibility, but one she preferred to ignore for her own sanity. After all, Silver wasn't exactly the nicest person in the world, she knew. It was true that his attitude toward her had changed drastically since the day she met him, but was this because of love...or respect? She clapped her hands over her face and whispered, "I just don't know...!" to herself in exasperation.

A loud snore rang out from Gold's futon, distracting her, and with a sigh, she rolled onto her side and decided not to dwell on it for now, because it made her head throb and her chest ache.

"You still awake?"

The soft whisper came from Silver's futon directly across from hers, and she looked up to find him laying on his stomach with his arms folded in front of him, staring at her. She took up this position as well and rested her chin on her arm, giving him her full attention.

"Hey," he muttered in greeting.

"Hey," she replied simply.

They stared at each other in the darkness for a moment before he spoke. "Look...about today..." He looked at the side wall. "In the cave...I was acting like a real ass, and I nearly got us both killed. We're just lucky we survived." He inhaled and faced her. "So...I'm...sorry. I'm sorry I put you in danger. I..." He trailed off and turned his head to the wall again, pretending there was something interesting upon it.

A warmth started in her chest and rushed over her entire body, and she couldn't conceal the smile that now played across her face. "It's okay," she said, shaking her head. "You just really wanted some information on your father; it's not like you meant for it to happen."

"Yeah..." he muttered, not sounding so reassured.

"Is...Is this what's been bothering you all evening?"

He stared at her, and she was sure if they had been in a well-lit room, his face would have matched his hair.

"I-I didn't mean to notice; it's just, you were quieter than usual..." she justified, brushing her hair behind her ear and looking away. She sat up slightly. "But it's okay, because I'm not mad, so...don't worry about it." She reached out and touched his hand. "Okay?"

After a moment of silence, he nodded. He sat up to reposition himself, adding, "You're too nice, you know?"

She smiled wider. "Well, I—"

"How a pushover like you became the Champion, I'll never know," he muttered with a sly grin. He blocked the expected pillow she swung at him with his arm.

"Tomorrow we're searching Route 47 for your dad," Soul said, replacing her pillow and getting comfortable. "Today was pretty much a waste in that regard..."

"Right, right..."

They bid each other good night and then rolled over into their own preferred sleeping positions. As she drew the comforter around shoulders, Soul couldn't help but grin; she wouldn't think about the dream ever again.

Selected quote from the next chapter:

"Then I guess this is where I leave you."