Beep… beep… beeeeeeeeeeeeep. Hello there! This is Iris Hawthorne. Sorry I can't talk right now, but please leave a message!"
"Iris, this is Dahlia. Come on, just pick up. There's something I have to tell you, just press the call button and talk to me!" 17-year-old Dahlia said into the payphone in Kurain Village.
No one answered. Defeated, Dahlia hung up the phone and trudged away. Out of nowhere, Maya bounced up to her.
"Dahlia!" Maya said. "Did you call Iris?"
"I tried," Dahlia said. "She wouldn't pick up."
Cheeks inflated, Maya crossed her arms. "That's weird.
"No, she's weird," Dahlia said.
She looked past Maya and saw her stepfather, much to her disappointment. Comparatively, he was a better parent than her birth father, but not by much. She turned her attention back to Maya.
"What are you doing here anyway?" Dahlia said.
"I wanted to call Mia," Maya said. "She's almost done with her law school studies, you know."
"That's right, she is," Dahlia said. "Tell her good luck for me, okay?"
"Sure!" Maya said, nodding her head.
Dahlia walked through the winding paths of Kurain Village. Most people were busy with spiritual training, which required isolation, so she didn't see many people. It had been decided long ago that Dahlia wouldn't be much of a spirit medium, so she had given up on training. Along with just about every other tradition in Kurain Village, much to her mother's disapproval.
Dyeing her hair red had only been the beginning of her transformation. She refused to wear a dress, or anything like it, so instead of acolyte robes she wore jeans and a black tee-shirt. She kept her Magatama though. Despite not having much in spiritual powers, her Magatama was exceptionally strong.
Dahlia pushed open a screen door and stepped into her home. Her mother wasn't around, much to Dahlia's relief. Ever since Iris and her father had left the village, Morgan Fey had taken to ignoring Dahlia.
"Mama?" a tiny voice said from another room.
Dahlia smiled and followed the sound of the voice. In the middle of a bedroom sat an 8 month old girl. She looked up at Dahlia with big, innocent eyes.
"Hey Pearl," Dahlia said, kneeling down. "How's my favorite sister?"
Pearl giggled, causing her to tip over. Dahlia grinned. "Cutie."
She tried to help her baby sister, but Pearl insisted on getting up herself. Dahlia briefly wondered how anyone could take care of such an independent child.
"Hi, Mee-sk Da," Pearl said. Dahlia knew she was trying to say, "Hi Mystic Da."
"Pearly, I don't care what Mom says, you don't have to call me Mystic," Dahlia said, lifting Pearl resting her on her leg.
Pearl just smiled, like she always did when she didn't understand what someone was saying.
Dahlia bounced child on her leg, smiling. "Iris, you don't know what you're missing. I hope you're miserable."
The red-haired teenager looked around the bedroom. If it weren't for the cradle in the corner, one might not know a child lived in the room. The only toys there were a few blocks, Dahlia's old ball, and some books, if those count.
"Hmm…" Dahlia put Pearl back on the floor and stepped outside of the bedroom. Pearl watched the door, wondering where her sister was going. Dahlia came back a couple minutes later, holding a Cyndaquil plush doll in her hand. She had bought it for herself last time she had gone to the city.
Dahlia handed the doll to Pearl, who looked at it big, curious eyes. She held the doll with her little hands, observing it from different angles. Dahlia watched her, smiling. "You like it, Pearly?"
Pearl bit the nose.
"Pfft!" Dahlia put her head down, laughing. "To each, her own I guess."
Pearl took her mouth off the doll, deciding it tasted bad. She squished the Cyndaquil with her hands, and then hugged it. She looked up at Dahlia again with a big smile. Dahlia smiled back, and Pearl crawled away. She came back, picked up the doll, and held out a green block to Dahlia.
"Aw, thank you Pearl," Dahlia said, taking the block.
Pearl got back up on Dahlia's leg, still clutching her new toy. Dahlia stroked her sister's light brown hair, bouncing the child. Pearl hugged Dahlia.
"Than-koo Mee-sk Da," Pearl said. Dahlia melted inside.
"How is it you're related to anyone in this family?" Dahlia said, hugging the 8 month old back. "You must take after our cousins or something."
Pearl just giggled.
"Hang onto Cyndaquil, okay? Don't let Mom and Dad ruin your childhood," Dahlia said.
Pearl looked at Dahlia, smiling wide.
"Hey, you want to annoy Mom?" Dahlia said, an idea forming in her head.
Pearl cocked her head curiously.
"Can you say stupid says what?" Dahlia said.
"Stoo-say-wa-t," Pearl said.
"Almost," Dahlia said, laughing. "Stupid says what?"
Pearl continued to experiment with the phrase. Dahlia was patient throughout the lesson. It was important for Pearl to learn these things, after all.
"Stoosis wet," Pearl said.
"Ooh, you nearly had it there," Dahlia said. "Stupid."
"Stoo-id," Pearl said.
"Says," Dahlia said.
"Sez," Pearl said.
"What?" Dahlia said.
"Wot!" Pearl said with conviction.
"Stupid says what?" Dahlia said.
"Stoop idses swat," Pearl said.
"You're getting there," Dahlia said.
She put Pearl down and stood up.
"Way Da!" Pearl said. "Stow-whey?"
"Alright," Dahlia said. Smiling, she brought out her Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum.
The sisters cuddled together on the floor. Dahlia read the dialogue out loud and pointed out some of the pictures. They both enjoyed it, like always.
"Look, there's Pearl!" Dahlia said, pointing at a boy.
"Pearl?" the little girl said. "Dat me!"
"You have to same name, how about that?" Dahlia said.
"Go Pearl!" Pearl cheered.
About halfway through the story, though, Pearl began nodding off. Dahlia, wrapped up in the world of Pokémon, didn't notice until Pearl leaned against her shoulder fast asleep with her Cyndaquil in her arms. Dahlia put Diamond, Pearl and Platinum away, picked up the napping Pearl, and gently placed her in her crib. Pearl curled up on her side, snuggling the doll.
"Sweet dreams, Pearly," Dahlia said.